Stiff Pen Shell (Atrina rigida)

Hardened Pen Shell (Atrina rigida) The hardened pen shell, or unbending pen shell, is one of the few types of pen shells. These mollusks have a long, triangular, or wedge-formed shell and connect to rocks or shells in sandy, shallow sea bottoms. Portrayal Hardened pen shells can be up to 12 long and 6.5 wide. They are an earthy colored or purplish-earthy colored shading and have at least 15 emanating ribs that fan out over the shell. They may likewise have erect, rounded spines. Pen shells may create dark pearls. Order Realm: AnimaliaPhylum: MolluscaClass: BivalviaOrder: PterioidaFamily: PinnidaeGenus: AtrinaSpecies: rigida Living space and Distribution Solid pen shells live in hotter water from North Carolina to Florida, and furthermore in the Bahamas and West Indies. They are found on sandy bottoms in shallow water. They join with their byssal strings, pointed end down. Taking care of Pen shells are channel feeders and eat little particles going through the water. Preservation and Human Uses Pen shells have a scallop-like adductor muscle (the muscle that opens and shuts the shells) and are eatable. They additionally produce dark pearls which might be utilized in gems. Pen shells in the (Mediterranean pen shells) were collected for their byssal strings, which were woven into a costly fabric. Sources Gofas, S. 2011. Pinnidae. World Register of Marine Species (Online) Accessed on May 24, 2011Meinkoth, N.A. 1981. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Seashore Creatures. Alfred A. Knopf, New YorkScott, S. 2011. Pen Shells Provided Ancients Byssal Threads for Fine Sea Silk (Online) Accessed May 24, 2011

Web-Based Training Design for Human Resources Essay Example Essay Example

Online Training Design for Human Resources Essay Example Paper Online Training Design for Human Resources Essay Introduction IntroductionThecurrentemergenceoftheWeb-basedtrainingdesignasthenovellearningmediumiscertainlytheblessingfornotonlytrainingbutalsoeducationfields.TherapidgrowthofimportanceoftheWeb-relatedservicesandinternetforideas-sharing,instructions,traininganddecision-makingarerecognizedworldwide.Web-basedservicesofferadynamic,flexible,andopenlearningenvironmentwithpropositionsforcountlessapplicationsrelatedtotrainingandeducation.Arapidgrowthintheinformationtechnologyandnoveldevelopmentsandimprovementsinlearningscienceoffersopportunitiestodevelopweb-designed,engaging,efficient,affordable,interactive,affordable,easilyaccessible,andlearningenvironments.AvarietyofresourcesandattributesoftheWebmakeitpossiblefortheinstitutionstoprovidetraining,learning,andresourcesconsideringconstraintssuchastimeandplace.UnderstandingWeb-basedtrainingdesignforhumanresources(HR)isessentialforvariousinstitutionsthatprovidetheWeb-relatedservicessuchaslearningthroughtraining.DesigninganddeliveringWeb-basedTraining(WBT)ne edsthoughtfulinvestigationandanalysisofhowtomakeuseoftheWeb’spotentialinperformancewithdirectivedesignprinciplesandotherrelatedcriticalissuestoavarietyofdimensionsoftheWeb-basedlearningenvironmentinvolvinginterfacedesign,pedagogical,resourcesupport,managementresource,institutionalandethical(Khan,2001).LiteraturereviewWeb-BasedTraining(WBT)isatermthatregardsanytrainingofferedthroughacomputer.TheWBThasbeeninexistenceforalongperiodbutcurrentlyhasgrowninuseandpopularity.WBTwasinexistencebeforetheinventionofthefirstpersonalcomputer.Inthe1950sand1960s,organizationssuchasuniversitiesandgovernmentbegandevelopingtrainingbytheuseofthecomputers.ThefirstWBTapplicationwastheearly-warningair-defensesystemthatwasintheessenceofTrainingSimulationSystem(TSS) (Ladd,1990).Aspersonalcomputersdecreasedpriceandsize,theuseoftheWBTcontinuedtogrowrapidlywiththepotentialtodeveloptheeffectivenessofWBT.Figure1showstheevolutionoftheCBTComputer-BasedTrainingdesignthatledtotheevolutionoftheWeb-BasedTraining Design.Figure1:EvolutionofComputer-BasedTrainingAnearlyissuefortheCBTthatisnotcompletelyresolvedinofferingaccesstoallusers.Largeandexpensivecomputersmadeithardtoaccesstraining,andearlyCBTdesignersfoundcreativeapproachestoofferaccesstotheparticipants.Forexample,inthe1960s,KentStateUniversity(KSU)deliveredWBTtonursesattheirlocalhospitalsbybuyingthetrailerandsemi-trucktotransporttencomputerterminalsunswervinglytohospitalsthatneededtotakepartintraining(Ladd,1990).Surprisingly,computershavereducedinsize.However,asWBThasrapidlygrowninpopularity,theproblemofaccesspersiststobeofinterest.OrganizationshavenotconstantlyhadtheuniformmechanismstodelivertheirCBTandarestillcarryingoutresearchonthecreativeapproachestoofferuniformaccess.Also,distancelearningevolvedduetotheevolvementoftheWeb-BasedTraining.Distancelearninghasitsfoundationsinassociationcoursesandcaninvolveanyprogramwherelearnersrequirenotbeingphysicallypresentintheroom.Duringthetimewhenorganizationresources,funding,andstaffarelessening ,andtravellimitationsareescalating,attentiontoadequatestrategiesofHumanResource(HR)trainingisessential.TheliteraturereviewhasbeenconductedsoastocontactthedeliveryanddevelopmentoftheHumanResourcetrainingforthedifferentorganizations.TheliteraturereviewwasgatheredandtheideassummarizedfromdifferentperceptionssuchastherevolutionoftheWBTinvolvingtheWeb-BasedTrainingDistanceLearning(WBTDL)andComputer-BasedTraining(CBT).Also,theliteraturehighlightshowthetrainingaredesignedsoastobenefittheHumanResource.TheWeb-BasedLearningEnvironmentandtheWBTcomponentsandfeaturesconnectedwiththeWBTenvironmentsarediscussedsoastounderstandthebenefitsoftheWBTdesignfortheHumanResource.AnalysisWeb-BasedTrainingDesignIndesigningtraininginaWeb,wearerequiredtoexploreavarietyofissuesincludingtheeightdimensionsoftheWeb-baseddesignlearningenvironmentthatcanassistusthinkaboutvariousknowledgefeaturessuitableforourtargetHumanResource.ThecompetenciesofvariousresourcesandattributesofWebmustbeexaminedtoobservehowtheyseehowth eycanbeappropriateutilizedtodevelopvariousWeb-BasedTrainingfeatures.Also,understandingtheeightdimensionsoftheWeb-baseddesignlearningenvironmentisessentialfortheWeb-BasedTrainingDesign.TheeightdimensionsaregiventheFigure1below. Online Training Design for Human Resources Essay Thank you for perusing this Sample!

Anticonvulsants for Mania in Bipolar Disorder

Anticonvulsants for Mania in Bipolar Disorder Convulsions are not part of bipolar disorderâ€"so why would anticonvulsants be prescribed to manage mood? Anticonvulsants in the treatment of mania were introduced when their therapeutic value was noted through improved mood stability of those with epilepsy. Initially, they were used for those who were resistant to Lithium treatment. They are now an important alternative both on their own and with other medications. Pros and Cons of Anticonvulsants Different anticonvulsants seem to treat different aspects of bipolar disorder; some, like Depakote and Tegretol, are particularly effective at treating mania. Others, like Lamictal, are more effective at treating depression. Still, others may be less effective at treating immediate symptoms, but do a good job of helping to stabilize mood and thus help to avoid manic or depressive episodes. As with most drugs used to treat bipolar disorder, anticonvulsants do have significant side effects which vary from person to person. For example, most can cause dizziness and drowsiness, headaches, dry mouth, etc. In many cases, though, side effects can lessen over time as your body becomes more accustomed to the medication. There are also more serious side effects that can occur with long-term use of anticonvulsants. For example, pregnant women should avoid anticonvulsants, as they can cause birth defects. Some can cause kidney or liver damage if not carefully monitored. Its also important to know that anticonvulsants can interfere with other medications, so you should let your doctor know about any new medications youve been prescribed or are taking over-the-counter. Despite all the problems associated with anticonvulsants, in some cases, they are more effectiveâ€"and less problematicâ€"than classic treatments. Both anticonvulsants and lithium, for example, take several weeks to reach peak effectivenessâ€"but anticonvulsants usually act more rapidly than lithium. For some people, for whom lithium is less effective or less well tolerated, anticonvulsants can be a good option. Because there are so many different anticonvulsants, each of which works a little differently, it is possible to try more than one to find the best choice for your particular needs. Some Commonly Prescribed Anticonvulsants The following is a list of some of the anticonvulsants most commonly prescribed for bipolar disorder: Valproate (Depakote) In 1995, this drug became the first anticonvulsant approved by the FDA for the treatment of mania. It is often used as a first-line treatment for those who rapid cycle. Carbamazepine (Tegretol) While this medication has not yet received FDA approval as a treatment for mania, its use is quite common. Often individuals find the side effects of this drug too difficult to tolerate. Lamotrigine (Lamictal) Lamotrigine is a second-generation anticonvulsant. Its use is still experimental, but it is a fairly well-tolerated alternative.   Gabapentin (Neurontin) This drug, also a second-generation anticonvulsant, is primarily used in conjunction with other medications to improve their efficacy. Topiramate (Topamax) ?Topiramate in the newest anticonvulsant on the scene. It is also an  adjunctive therapy. It seems to create some difficulties with cognitive functioning but has the benefit of often encouraging weight loss.

Significance of Psychosocial Competence in Youth - 1468 Words

Significance of Psychosocial Competence in Youth Executive Summary Stress is one of the top ten health concerns in adolescence and is getting worse. Adolescents experience many changes in their daily lives, however are not sufficiently equipped with skills to help them deal with the increased demands and stress they experience (World Health Organization, 1997). Psychosocial competence in youth was researched in order to better understand their abilities to make the best choice as related to mental, emotional, and physical challenges they experience. This report will examine the significance of psychosocial competence in adolescents, and its relationship to functioning effectively. Furthermore, research reviewed the encouragement of†¦show more content†¦These types of responses can result in â€Å"personal drug and alcohol use, running away from home, prolonged sadness and crying, unusual impulsivity or recklessness or dramatic changes in personal habits† (Clarke, 2006). It is important that adolescents develop coping skills befo re stress results in negative physical, mental, and cognitive outcomes (Terzian amp; Nguyen, 2010). Ultimately, the ability to understand the dynamics of stress and choose a healthy coping strategy is a fundamental role in an adolescent’s life. Most young people will develop and assume the responsibility for their stress, but evidence supports the significance of psychosocial competence and the advantages adolescents gain by having the skills to effectively face the interminable challenges they experience (Chandra, 2006). Promotion of Psychosocial Competence through Life Skills Training The most direct intervention for the promotion of psychosocial competence is enhancing a person’s life skills. Life skills teach individuals to translate knowledge, attitudes and values into actual abilities that help them deal with the demands and challenges of their everyday lives. 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Lao Tzu And Machiavelli Analysis - 1038 Words

There are many indescribable qualities that make a leader. However, a leader can be interpreted differently. A leader must ensure the safety of his subjects, however, there are different ways in which to do so. The absence of admirable leadership leads to chaos and social unrest. Within Lao Tzu’s Thoughts from the Tao-Te-Ching and Machiavelli’s The Prince, there are similar ideas surrounding the definition of a leader. They ultimately explore their idea of what an optimal government would be like; more specifically, what an ideal leader is and how they can maintain social tranquility. Even though both authors contemplate what a leader is, both of their opinions differ, and it is most transparent through their stance of war and their†¦show more content†¦Without peace, we cannot be content or satisfied. By using a hypothetical of the Master, a figure who is all knowing, it shows the audience how government should be. The Master is all knowing, he knows right fro m wrong. By doing this the audience is more attuned to hearing Lao Tzu’s points. If the Master is really virtuous as he is described we would expect him to be omniscient. Man is an enigma. Man is something vast, complicated, that philosophers have been trying to figure for centuries. Different minds have different perceptions. Lao Tzu, for instance, believed that government should trust its people, and not micromanage. He believed people are naturally good, but oppressing them brings out the worst in them. Rulers have to be humble and take care of their people, focusing on matters that are important to their people, not getting caught up in the affairs of other countries. â€Å"If you don’t trust the people/ you make them untrustworthy,† (Lao Tzu 58). This statement illustrates how a government is always on edge believing its citizens are going to do something, then they are. If one were to label someone as insane, then that person could not escape from the idea that they are insane. If a government were to control their citizens because they do not trust their citizens then they create a vast majority of laws, all citizens are forced to obey. Their sense of virtue is taken away,Show MoreRelatedEvaluating Historical Views of Leadership Essay1194 Words   |  5 Pages Evaluating Historical Views of Leadership March 9, 2014 University of Phoenix Evaluating Historical Views of Leadership This paper evaluates the leadership views of Plato, Aristotle, Lao-Tzu, and Machiavelli from the point of view of the modern military leader. The process of evaluation includes an examination of the commonalities and disparities between these views of leadership. The paper explores a definition of modern military leadership. The paper includes an assessment of theRead MoreOrganizational Behaviour Analysis28615 Words   |  115 PagesORGANISATIONAL ANALYSIS: Notes and essays for the workshop to be held on 15th - 16th Novemeber 2007 at The Marriot Hotel Slough Berkshire SL3 8PT Dr. Lesley Prince, C.Psychol., AFBPsS University of Birmingham November 2007  © Dr. Lesley Prince 2007. Organisational Analysis: Notes and Essays Page i Page ii Please do not attempt to eat these notes. CONTENTS Introduction to the Workshop Topics And Themes The Nature and Scope of Organisation Theory Levels of Analysis The Metaphorical

Flood Monitoring System Free Essays

string(59) " in the Rambla del Albuj\? n watershed, in Southern Spain\." Sensors 2012, 12, 4213-4236; doi:10. 3390/s120404213 OPEN ACCESS sensors ISSN 1424-8220 www. mdpi. We will write a custom essay sample on Flood Monitoring System or any similar topic only for you Order Now com/journal/sensors Article A Real-Time Measurement System for Long-Life Flood Monitoring and Warning Applications Rafael Marin-Perez 1, , Javier Garc? a-Pintado 2,3 and Antonio Skarmeta G? mez 1 ? o 1 Department of Information and Communication Engineering, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, E-30100, Murcia, Spain; E-Mail: skarmeta@um. es 2 Euromediterranean Water Institute, Campus de Espinardo, E-30100, Murcia, Spain; E-Mail: jgarciapintado@gmail. om 3 National Centre for Earth Observation, University of Reading, Harry Pitt Building, 3 Earley Gate, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AL, UK Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail: rafael81@um. es. Received: 7 February 2012; in revised form: 14 March 2012 / Accepted: 22 March 2012 / Published: 28 March 2012 Abstract: A ? ood warning system incorporates telemetered rainfall and ? ow/water level data measured at various locations in the catchment area. Real-time accurate data collection is required for this use, and sensor networks improve the system capabilities. However, existing sensor nodes struggle to satisfy the hydrological requirements in terms of autonomy, sensor hardware compatibility, reliability and long-range communication. We describe the design and development of a real-time measurement system for ? ood monitoring, and its deployment in a ? ash-? ood prone 650 km2 semiarid watershed in Southern Spain. A developed low-power and long-range communication device, so-called DatalogV1, provides automatic data gathering and reliable transmission. DatalogV1 incorporates self-monitoring for adapting measurement schedules for consumption management and to capture events of interest. Two tests are used to assess the success of the development. The results show an autonomous and robust monitoring system for long-term collection of water level data in many sparse locations during ? ood events. Keywords: real-time data acquisition; sensor network; hydrological monitoring; ? ood warning system Sensors 2012, 12 1. Introduction 4214 A warmer climate, with its increased climate variability, will increase the risk of both ? oods and droughts [1], whose management and mitigation are important to protect property, life, and natural environment. Real-time accurate monitoring of hydrologic variables is key for ? od forecasting, as well as for optimizing related warning systems for damage mitigation. Recent studies show that in the speci? c case of semiarid and arid areas, adequate deployment of monitoring networks is essential to a real understanding of the underlying processes generating run-off in storm events, and to achieve effective emergency systems (e. g. , [2]). Trad itionally, researchers have directly collected data at the places of interest. This has now been commonly substituted by automatic sensor and datalogger systems, which provide high temporal data resolution, while reducing operational human resource requirements. Dataloggers permit local automatic and unattended data gathering, and reduce environmental perturbation. However, data retrieval from standard dataloggers and storage in processing and control/warning centers still has to be done either manually, which prevents its applicability in ? ood warning systems, or through wired connections, which leads to substantial investments and operational costs. To confront these problems, sensor network technology has been proposed in many monitoring applications [3]. Yet, speci? c literature on sensor network for ? ood forecasting is sparse, with only a few examples available (e. . , [4–8]). Basically, a sensor network comprises a set of nodes, where each node includes a processor, a wireless radio module, a power supply, and is equipped with sensor hardware to capture environmental data. Each node performs the tasks of data gathering, physical parameter processing, and wireless data transmission to the control server. Speci? cally, for hydro logic applications, sensor nodes must also ful? ll a number of additional requirements: †¢ Power lifetime: Power sources are often not available at the locations of hydrological interest. Moreover, these locations are usually unprotected, and if renewable energy devices are used, there are prone to vandalism or theft. Thus, sensor nodes must have low-consumption, which along with existing standard batteries, should last at least one hydrologic cycle. †¢ Sensor hardware compatibility: Most hydrologic sensor nodes include a datalogger device connected through a cable to one or more measurement instruments. The datalogger must provide multiple wired interfaces to be able to communicate with a range of speci? c sensor hardware interfaces. This also involves issues of power supply, and selective time for power dispatching, which leads to optimal power management and facilitates the expansion of connected instruments. †¢ Reliability: Harsh weather conditions may cause failures in the wireless communication over the monitoring network. Backup mechanisms in local sensor dataloggers must be used to avoid information losses in unexpected crashes. †¢ Long-range communication: Hydrologic measurement locations are commonly sparse over large areas, and far away from the control center (i. e. , tens or hundreds of kilometers). Sensor nodes must have a peer-to-peer connection with the control center. Sensors 2012, 12 4215 In general, these, sometimes opposing, requirements are dif? cult to be satis? ed by existing developed solutions. For example, multiple sensor readings and long-range communication are high power-consumption tasks, which diminish battery lifetime. For instance, many existing wireless solutions for agriculture applications (e. g. , [9–11]) use a set of tens or hundreds of motes, which collaborate to gather dense data in a small area. Motes have low consumption, but they provide limited sensor interfaces, and short-range communication. On the other hand, several hydrologic and meteorologic applications have been implemented with a few wireless datalogger stations, which individually obtain multi-sensor data in a few sparse locations over a large area (e. g. , [5,12–14]). These dataloggers permit high computing and long-range communication. However, they have an excessive investment cost and a high consumption that may be, in the long-term, unsustainable. This paper describes the design, development, and deployment of a real-time monitoring system for hydrological applications. The paper is focused on the description in detail of our wireless datalogger device, so-called DatalogV1 [15], which combines the low consumption of motes and the reliable communication of most powerful multi-sensor datalogger stations in order to satisfy the requirements of ? ood warning system scenarios. The DatalogV1 provides automatic monitoring and long-term autonomy in sparse points over large areas. To demonstrate the goodness of the DatalogV1 design, we deployed a monitoring network in the Rambla del Albuj? n watershed, in Southern Spain. You read "Flood Monitoring System" in category "Papers" The severity of ? ash ? ods in the Rambla del o Albuj? n has caused important environmental and economic damages over the last years. Accordingly, the o wireless monitoring network is intended to provide real-time accurate hydrologic information to support an operational model-based ? ood warning system. This is an excellent test to asses the DatalogV1 performance and success in a real case scenario. The remainder of the paper is organized as follows. Section 2 introduces the context of environmental monitoring and ? ood warning systems. Section 3 depicts our hydrologic monitoring scenario. Section 4 presents the design of DatalogV1 hardware. Section 5 shows the implementation of DatalogV1 software. Section 6 describes the architecture developed for remote hydrologic monitoring. Section 7 describes the deployment of the monitoring network in the Rambla del Albuj? n watershed. Section 8 shows the results o obtained regarding power consumption and data collection. Section 9 provides concluding remarks. 2. Environmental Monitoring Environmental monitoring is the most popular application for sensor networks. At present, sensor networks have been applied for a number of applications as, e. . , soil moisture monitoring [16], solar radiation mapping [17], aquatic monitoring [18], glacial control and climate change [19], forest ? re alarm [20], landscape ? ooding alarm [21], and forecasting in rivers [22]. The ability to place autonomous and low cost nodes in large harsh environments without communication infrastructure enables accurate data collection directly observed from in terest areas. With sensor networks, environmental data can be observed and collected in real-time, and used for forecasting upcoming phenomena and sending prompt warnings if required. Sensors 2012, 12 2. 1. Model-Based Flood Warning System Context 4216 The developed sensor network was incorporated within the context of a model-based ? ood warning system in the Rambla del Albuj? n watershed. A model-based ? ood warning system, for mitigating the o effects of ? ooding on life and property, incorporates a catchment model based on observed/forecasted rainfall and telemetered observations of hydrologic state variables at various locations within the catchment area. Generally, observed variables are ? ow and/or water level in channels. Also, other variables such as soil moisture and piezometric levels may be of interest, depending on the watershed response. Real-time updating of the ? ood forecasting involves the continual adaptation of the model state variables, outputs and parameters, so that the forecasts for various times into the future are based on the latest available information and are optimized, in some sense, to minimize the forecasting errors (e. g. , [23]). This is the process of data assimilation. Implementation of environmental sensor networks for data assimilation within model-based ? ood warning systems involves complex engineering and system challenges. These systems must withstand the event of interest in real-time, remain functional over long time periods when no events occur, cover large geographical regions of interest to the event, and support the variety of sensor types needed to detect the phenomenon [8]. 3. Hydrological Monitoring and Forecasting in the Rambla del Albuj? n Watershed o The Rambla del Albuj? n watershed (650 km2 ) is the main drainage catchment in the Campo de o Cartagena basin, in Southern Spain (see Figure 1). The main channel in the watershed is 40 km long and ? ows into the Mar Menor; one of the big coastal lagoons in the Mediterranean (135 km2 ). The Campo de Cartagena basin is an area with semiarid Mediterranean climate, where the average temperature ranges from 14 o C to 17 o C, mean potential evapotranspiration is 890 mm yr–1 and mean precipitation is 350 mm yr–1 . Most rainfall comes in short-time storm events, and the watershed hydrologic response is highly complex and non-uniform. Previous studies have shown the complex ? ash-? ood response of the Rambla del Albuj? n watershed o and the importance of spatially distributed observation for adequate forecasting (e. g. , [2]). Also, for ? ooding evaluations, stage gauges provide an advantage over ? w gauges that the observations remain unbiased when ? ow goes out of banks, in which case the validness of calibrated rating curves (stage-? ow relationships) is prevented. In this sense, remotely-sensed information (from aerial photography and/or satellites) is appealing as it contains much more spatial information than typical stage gauge networks in operational w atersheds. Accordingly, recent studies are evaluating the potential of aerial photography and remotely sensed (from satellites) synthetic aperture radar to provide measurements over large areas of water levels and ? od extents in lakes and rivers (e. g. , TerraSAR-X or COSMO-Skymed constellations [24]). However, the current low temporal frequency of satellite acquisitions relative to gauging station sampling indicates that remote sensing still does not represent a viable replacement strategy for data assimilation into model-based forecasts [25]. Also, before the ? ow goes out of banks, the accuracy of standard stage gauges is higher than that provided by airborne information, which is key for early warnings. Thus, if economically viable, a spatially distributed network of stage gauges remains the best option to capture the observations required to feed the forecasting and data assimilation processes. Sensors 2012, 12 4217 At the Rambla del Albuj? n watershed, we implemented a hydrological monitoring system consisting o on a network of stage gauges located at eight critical junction points between major tributaries. The monitoring locations were carefully chosen in order to achieve effective water level monitoring during ? ood events and a reliable model-based forecasting system. Figure 1 shows the selected locations which are far away (? 50 km) from the control center at the University of Murcia, to the North of the watershed. In this area, an existing phone infrastructure enables the communication among the server in the control center and the DatalogV1s in the ? eld. The DatalogV1s must be autonomous only with batteries, because no power source exists in the monitoring area and solar panels are frequently stolen or vandalized. In the following sections, we describe the design and development of the DatalogV1 to provide remote data gathering of the water stage in channels during ? ods. Figure 1. Deployment scenario. The embedded image shows the location of the Rambla del Albuj? n watershed at the Southeast of the Iberian Peninsula. The violet line describes the o watershed boundary drawn on a digital terrain model (DTM). Within the watershed, the main channel network is shown in blue, and labeled squares indicate deployed gauge locations. Sensors 2012, 12 4 . Design of DatalogV1 Hardware 4218 The DatalogV1’s design was developed to address the requirements of the described application. The block diagram of DatalogV1 is illustrated in Figure 2(a). The critical components are a low-power microcontroller ( µC) module that supervises the DatalogV1’s operation, multiple sensor interfaces (Pulse, SDI-12, RS-485, Analog) that enable to take measurements from different kinds of sensor devices, and a GPRS module for long-distance communication with the control center. Moreover, two communication modules (USB and Bluetooth) enable the in-situ interactions via a laptop. All electronic components and a battery are mounted in an IP65 waterproof box to protect from harsh weather conditions, as shown by Figure 2(b). The DatalogV1’s design is balanced between low-power consumption for long-lifetime, and computational capability for multi-sensor reading and long-range communication. The hardware design of these components is described in the next subsections. Figure 2. Two different views of the DatalogV1. (a) Block diagram showing the main components. (b) The electronic components and the battery are mounted on a IP65 protection box. SDI-12 Interface RS-485 Interface Pulse Counters Analog Inputs Power Connector DC/DC Converter GPRS Module Linear Regulator Battery Connector Linear Regulator Mosfet Switch  µC DC/DC Converter Pulse Counters Bluetooth Module RS-485 Interface USB Module Battery Connector Power Connector Analogic Inputs SDI-12 Connector GPRS Module Bluetooth Module USB Module  µC (a) (b) 4. 1. Design of Microcontroller Module The circuit schematic of the microcontroller module is shown in Figure 3. The central part of the schematic represents the low-power 8-bits microcontroller (PIC18LF8722) manufactured by Microchip. The PIC18F8722 operating to 3. 3 V is ideal for low power applications ( nanoWatts) with 120 nW sleep mode and 25  µW active mode. It provides high processing speed (40 MHz) with a large 256 KB RAM memory. A 12 MB data? ash memory is included for local storage of sensor data. The top-left portion of the schematic (IC3) shows a security mechanism to avoid microcontroller blockage in case that available energy is not enough. Thus the microcontroller resets when there is less than 2. 4 V. The center-left part of the schematic contains the crystal oscillator setting to 11 MHz. (OSC1/OSC2 tags). The oscillator provides a precise clock signal to stabilize frequencies for sensor readings and data transmissions. Sensors 2012, 12 Figure 3. Circuit schematic of the microcontroller module. The center portion is the microcontroller used to control DatalogV1 operation, and the center-left is the crystal oscillator used for setting the clock. 4219 4. 2. Design of Sensor Interfaces DatalogV1 provides multi-sensor interfaces to take readings from a wide set of hydrologic instruments. Its sensor interfaces are two pulse counters, two digital connectors (RS-485 and SDI-12), and eight analog inputs. Each pulse counter reads from a tipping-bucket rain gauge (pluviometer) which generates a discrete electrical signal for every amount of accumulated rainfall. Digital interfaces supply power to and read measurements from instruments, which can themselves include some degree of computational capability. Analog connectors enable the reading of simple instruments which modify the supplying voltages to return voltage values proportional to the physical observed variables. These multiple interfaces are compatible with the most of hydrological sensor devices in the market. Pulse-counters typically connect to rain-gauge devices. The standard rain gauge collects the precipitation into a small container. Every time the container is ? led and emptied, it generates a electric pulse. According to the number of pulses and the size of the container, DatalogV1 estimates the precipitation without requiring power supply. Sensors 2012, 12 4220 For each digital interface, DatalogV1 can supply and read multiple sensors. Both RS-485 and SDI-12 interfaces consist of three electronic wires for data, ground and supplying voltage. The RS-485 is a standard serial c ommunication for long distance and noisy environments. In addition, the SDI-12 is a serial data interface at 1,200 baud designed for low-power sensors. Using serial protocols, DatalogV1 can directly obtain the physical measurements. The analog inputs allow to read 8 differential sensors, 16 single-ended sensors, or a combination of both options. A differential connection comprises four electronic wires acting as voltage-supplier, ground, positive-voltage, and negative-voltage, while a single-end connection contains two electronic wires for supplying-voltage and positive-voltage. The main difference between differential and single-ended is the way to obtain the voltage value. In single-ended, the voltage value is the difference between the positive voltage and the ground at 0 V. However, single-ended connections are sensitive to electrical noise errors, which are solved by differential connections. Because twisting wires together will ensure that any noise picked up will be the same for each wire, the voltage value in differential inputs is the difference between the positive and negative voltages. Figure 4. Circuit schematic of analog interfaces. (a) Selector of analog connections to plugged-in sensors, (b) ADC converter from output voltage to digital data. (a) (b) To obtain the measurements of the physical variables, output voltages are processed using three main hardware components: multiplexer, ampli? r, and ADC converter. Two multiplexers MC74HC4051D from Motorola company enable to select the output voltage of a speci? c analog sensor (Figure 4(a)). Each multiplexer contains 3 control pins CA0, CA1, and CA2 to choose an output voltage among 16 possibilities. The selected output voltage is ampli? ed for preserving high effective resolution. DatalogV1 use s an AD8622 ampli? er, manufactured by Analog Devices, that provides high current precision, low noise, and low power operation. The pre-con? gured ampli? cation depends on the output range Sensors 2012, 12 4221 of the selected sensor. Finally, the ampli? ed output signal is converted to a digital value through an Analog-Digital Converter (ADC), as shown by Figure 4(b). DatalogV1 contains a 13-bit ADC MCP3302, manufactured by Microchip, that provides high precision and resolution. This ? exible design provides full compatibility with presumably all kind of available sensors for hydrologic use. 4. 3. Design of GPRS Communication Module A GPRS module is used to transmit monitoring data from DatalogV1 to the control center. Figure 5 shows the GPRS module implementing all functions for wireless communications. Figure 5. Circuit schematic of the GPRS module. The center portion is the GPRS module used to control the long-distance communication, and the top-left portion is the SIM card connection. The top-left part of the circuit shows the connection of SIM phone-cards according to the manufacturer speci? cation. The bottom-left shows a uFL coaxial connector to the wireless antenna. We chose a Wavecom Q2686 chip, which is connected to the microcontroller via an USART interface (CS-USART). The Wavecom Q2686 contains a programmable 256 KB SRAM memory and includes a ARM9 32-bit processor at 104 MHz. This Q2686 chip makes possible to join a GSM/GPRS base-station and receive/send data reliably in quad-band communications on the 800, 900, 1,800 and 1,900 MHz Sensors 2012, 12 4222 bands. Also, the chip makes it easy to upgrade to 3G when needed. This GPRS module enables long-distance UDP/IP communications through cellular radio networks. 4. 4. Design of Power Module The power module consists of two power sources and three regulable mechanism to provide a secure supply of electronics components. The main energy source is a 12 V DC battery of 7,000 mAh power capacity which can be rechargeable using an optional solar panel. To adapt the input tension of the solar panel (17–20 V) to a lower tension (12–15 V) to supply the battery, we use a commutated DC/DC regulator in step-down mode, as shown by Figure 6(a). The microcontroller turns on the DC/DC regulator when it detects that the battery has a low level according to a pre-established threshold. Three circuits guarantee stable energy levels for battery, solar-panel, and sensors, as shown by Figure 6(b). The circuits of battery and solar-panel include security mechanisms to avoid a too low power level input to the sensors. For this, the circuit of sensors is used, before readings are taken, to check if the power supply is stable as to obtain an accurate measurement. Figure 6. Circuit schematic of the battery, solar-panel, and power-control modules. (a) Battery and solar modules, (b) secure power control for battery, solar panel, and sensor. (a) (b) Figure 7. Circuit schematic of the power supply module. (a) Power supply for GPRS, sensors, and ADC converter, (b) power supply for microcontroller. (a) (b) To reduce the power consumption, DatalogV1 keeps almost all electrical components deactivated, such as GPRS, sensors, and ADC. Only the microcontroller circuit is always supplied at 3. 3 V Sensors 2012, 12 4223 (Figure 7(a)) through a linear regulator LM2936 from National Semiconductor with ultra-low current in the stand-by mode. This LM2936 regulator features low drop-out voltage (50 mA) to minimize power losses. Also, this circuit includes a diode (D10) to provide a security power to protect the microcontroller and all board at most 5 V. When it is necessary, the microcontroller supplies independently the electrical components using two DC/DC converters, two linear regulators and a MOSFET switch (Figure 7(b)). Concretely to supply sensors, a DC/DC converter and the MOSFET switch is combined to create a adjustable commutation cell. The design of the commutation cell includes high-power isolated chips in order to reduce interferences. At the same time, it has a good linearity and load regulation characteristics, and allows to establish the voltage supply between 3 V and 10 V. The chosen MOSFET is a FDC6330L, manufactured by Fairchild Semiconductor, which provides high performance for extremely low on-resistance ( How to cite Flood Monitoring System, Papers

Comparing Piagetian Vygotskian Perspectives â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Comparing Piagetian Vygotskian Perspectives? Answer: Introducation Piaget insisted that language is a plain milestone in development. It is language that causes development in the child growth process while Vygotsky, on the other hand, viewed language as a sign of growth. Piaget saw language as a function of development while Vygotsky viewed it as a function of growth. Also, Piaget theory believed that development takes place in four stages while Vygotsky believed there are no set of steps for development. The Piagetian theory holds that development precedes growth. It is an event that will give way to growth, but Vygotsky was of the opinion that it is growth that will occur before development. The two theories differ on the said issue with each insisting on its way. However, it is prudent that development is more complex and as such it must be preceded by growth and thus the second theory is misguided(Crawford, 2006). Another difference is on the role of environment. Piaget viewed it as a valuable input for growth while Vygotsky assumed its contribution. Another difference between the two theories is the issue of the role of social aspects. According to Piagetian theory, development cannot be detached from the social context while Vygotsky theory suggests that the two can be detached. The other difference is the issue of when learning takes place. Piaget views learning as taking place after development while Vygotsky saw learning as taking place before development(Flavell, 2008). References Crawford, K. (2006). Vygotskian approaches to human development. New York: Madigan. Flavell, J. (2008). The developmental psychology of Jean Piaget. New York: Nostrand.

A comparative analysis of qualitative and quantitative research methods in the hospitality industry

Free sample - Finding the place in the sun. Single but not alone.. translation missing

Finding the place in the sun. Single but not alone.. Finding the place in the sun. Single but not alone.It would be a fair statement to claim that each person is brought into this world with a goal to obtain. To put it in other words, we, the humans, are born to put in spoke, to make a contribution, and at last to leave an imprint in the history, however loud it may sound. In this tight connection there arise the questions like where do I live? why do I have to do this? what do I need to live a decent life? Such issues can’t but touch anyone who is an indispensible part of the society. Naturally, the social environment can’t be perceived as just the medium we live in. Rather, it is a highly advanced system that comprises normal and moral principles and values, rights and responsibilities to follow and fulfill. The face and the inner nature the society has are conditioned by its integral parts being the humans. Moreover, we can judge the level of development of a particular country or a state considering the social indicators of well-being. Needless to say, with the aim to find one’s niche in social structure, everyone is passing a certain route of socialization process, from micro to macro entities. Thus, the initial environment of a child’s world outlook formation is the family. The second step of â€Å"evolution† is represented by educational institutions such as nurseries, schools, colleges, universities. But still, not everyone can take his or her place in the sun. So, what hinders the road to a cherished wish and self-actualization? Actually, the list of the factors can appear to be endless. Here, different social issues can be viewed and addressed, among which are juvenile delinquency, one-parent or disadvantaged family, etc. Up to a point, one of the above mentioned sore points is the problem of a young single mom, who happened to be in the struggle for the opportunity of getting education. Such destiny lot fell upon me, a young mom with a three year old child. Indeed, the situation is disagreeable. Whether such moms would feel in the lurch or not depends on the existence of some protection. Clearly, for the individuals not to be left high and dry, the social system is supposed to envisage the elaborated programs. In case of young moms to assist in their education a sort of subsidizing should be foreseen. A scholarship, for instance, will provide me a chance to get proper education. In addition, it will to some extent prevent the negative perception of my child as an obstacle for career. Thereby, a scholarship would also alleviate the stressful situation of simultaneous work-and-study hectic life flow, since it at least guaranties a precondition of further higher education involvement. Besides, we can’t deny the fact, in order to achieve a grant a candidate is obliged to demonstrate a corresponding level of knowledge. For now I am currently a student of a school, but aspire to major in administration of justice, which is the sphere of my interest. Hence, not of the least importance are preparatory high school extra courses and also some financial support for young moms and I am convinced they are really helpful. Why are the scholarship and financial aid so substantial? Virtually, it is one of the key factors of problem solutions. Think only, how much a young girl in the role of a mom can earn if she even didn’t get a college or university degree. The answer is obvious. As my experience shows, not too much. Therefore, in attempts to earn for a living being a mom I am left with little if no time for my education. So, a scholarship will help avoid the probability to leave school at all. Being the only breadwinner in a family by means of getting scholarship I have a true chance to save the earned money and use the scholarship to pay for tuition. I think when a young mom is forced to be out of school or college education stream, it mustn’t completely and totally deprive her of the possibility to get back and continue studying. In fact, it is the scholarship called for to meet this need. Even though, I am aware of and ready for the routine I am going to encounter. I will have to start looking for an appropriate grant what can take a lot of time. Still, the benefits can’t be neglected. After all, no sweet without sweat. A baby for a young single mom should be an incentive rather than a burden.   There is an amazingly vast scope of programs for young mothers to select from. Concerning myself, I am in the search of the scholarships to match my particular situation, my professional inclination, abilities, level of knowledge. What also matters, I’ve learned the lesson of life – a mom must never give up and lose heart but rather pluck it up. In any confusing and hard situation a life may prepare for us, we mustn’t twiddle our thumbs and give way to despair. To put it briefly, diverse factors contribute to or on the contrary encumber a person’s socialization and development. It is my firm belief, that nothing seek, nothing find and a wise proverb ‘proof of the pudding is in the eating’ is worth adding to the armory of everyone’s life.

Two sides on branding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Two sides on branding - Essay Example Naomi Klein's book,as it title implies is a criticism to the proliferation of branding strategies launched by business organisations in order to capture customers.The selection lifted from her book outlined the evolution of branding-from its earliest beginning, downfall, recovery, and recent expansion.The concept of branding, according to Klein, began with the company's recognition that production is not the main core of their operations but marketing. The earliest proponents of marketing like Nike and Microsoft stated that manufacturing is only an "incidental" part of their operations and that they are not selling "products" but "images of their brands." This early beginnings started a new age of branding previously homogenous, mass-produced commodities replacing the old shopkeeper who traditionally scoops out generic products like sugar, flour, and cereal in barrels. The popularity of Dr. Brown, Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben, and Old Grand Dad became synonymous with the ascent of branded generic commodities.However, the death of branding came one Marlboro Friday as Phillip Morris is threatened by the intense competition from lower priced unbranded competitors. With this happening, a dramatic shift in customers' buying behavior was illustrated-from prestige to price consciousness.The article concluded with the "rebirth" and expansion of branding. This phenomenon was lead by established companies like Body Shop and Starbucks which were able to safeguard and even expand their market share by investing in their brand images. These, together with other successful companies like Nike, began the more rapid proliferation of branded products which does not only market the attributes of the product by created a "concept" to establish an "emotional connection" with its clients. Naomi Klein concluded that with this age of branding, customers are easily manipulated by branding tactics as marketers can establish a good brand even with the lowliest products. She argued that instead of focusing on production and improving products, companies are embarking and spending time, effort, and money in creating a good brand for which they ask customers for a premium. The Economist-Who's Wearing the Trousers The article lifted from the Economist, hold an antagonistic position on Naomi Klein's book. Though it also recognizes the good arguments raced by Klein, the Economist offer a very different view on what the first author referred to as "brand bullies." Basically, the article presented in the Economist can be summed up into two points-the first one being the exaggeration of Naomi Klein's argument on the power of brands, and the second one on the manipulation of the customers by the branding strategies of the large corporations. The Economist recognizes the importance of brands in selling a company's products. However, it claims that Klien's article exaggerated the role of branding in the strategies of the large business organizations. The article proved this by citing the case of the companies who spent bulk of financial resources in creating a good brand only to fail. As the company treats a "brand" as one of its primary assets, a brand can also be regarded as liability as it makes a company highly responsible in the damages which it can give to customers. Customer loyalty is not only rooted on their perception on brand. This is evidenced by the recent research which shows that customers of all ages shift from brand to brand. This also strengthens the claim of the Economist claim that customers are not highly manipulated by company's branding tactics. It is also irrefutable that companies' are spending a lot of money to retain their customers and develop their products to safeguard their brand. Between the Two Articles Naomi Klein and the Economist hold two seemingly different arguments about branding, company's performance, and customers. The two articles summarized above show some same

A COMPARISON OF AN AUTHENTIC TEXT WITH A PEDAGOGIC TEXT Essay

A COMPARISON OF AN AUTHENTIC TEXT WITH A PEDAGOGIC TEXT - Essay Example Authentic texts are defined as a text made to realize a social function within the language community. Pedagogic texts such as text dialogues like those found in English as a Foreign Language teaching materials differ largely from authentic texts across a variety of discourse features (Stubbs 2009) and (Widdowson 2008). These features include turn-taking and length patterns, the number of repetitions and false starts, lexical density, pausing, terminal latching or overlap frequency as well as usage of back-channelling and hesitation devices. This paper will compare and contrast an actual dialogue with a text book dialogue using a hotel booking telephone dialogue as an illustration. Conversations’ length Generally, an authentic telephone conversation on hotel booking would be longer than a telephone dialogue in a textbook (See Appedix 1 and 2). This can be explained by the fact that the turns taken by the information givers are virtually twice lengthy as those undertaken by the information receivers (Carter 2008) and (Sacks, Schegloff & Jefferson 2010). Authentic telephone dialogues would have a more intricate arrangement, with the straightforward question-answer pattern interrupted by several factors (McCarthy & Carter 2004). For example, problems arise in ‘Booking a hotel by phone’, there are unavailable rooms on ground floor, plus on top of that a discussion concerning elevators as well as standard rooms versus executive rooms may arise (Cunningham & Moore 2005). Further information is regularly entreated by the giver of information. For instance, in a conversation ‘concerning hotel booking’, the assistant may enquire whether the client would prefer a room with twin beds or single beds. Answers to queries are longer within authentic texts, where the information giver offers more than one option (Stubbs 2009) (Widdowson 2008). For instance, in ‘hotel booking’ the receptionist may suggest a room with an ocean view. Clearly, real-life is not as straightforward and simple as compared to dialogues found in text books. Text book dialogues are precise since they cannot capture a real-life scenario and perhaps because the text books writers’ tend to present them that way (Carter & McCarthy 2007) and (Myers-Scotton & Bernstein 2008). Unlike in real dialogues, the language of text book dialogues represents a ‘can do’ community where interaction is generally problem-free and smooth (See appendix 2). The speakers collaborate with one another courteously; the dialogue is neat, predictable and tidy. The queries and responses sequenced somewhat in the style of a court-room interrogation or quiz show (Cunningham & Moore 2005). This is, certainly, intentional and is executed for several reasons. Principally, if the core objective of text book dialogue is to exhibit novel functional and structural language through text simplification, this enables learners to focus upon target language exh ibited, to spot it, as well as hopefully obtain the structures rapidly accordingly (Carter 2008). Another reason for text simplification is to render comprehension tasks simpler. If a dialogue runs along expected lines, in which the author expect the learner to be aware of what may be uttered next as well as utilize top-down procedure to decrypt the message (Carter & McCarthy 2007), (Stubbs 2009) and (Widdowson 2008). The more random a dialogue is, the more acquirers have to depend upon ‘bottom up’ processing, for instance, taking note of individual words as well as developing them up to reach at the implication (Sacks, Schegloff & Jefferson 2010). Nevertheless, if the dialogues are only made predictable, learners may be denied the chance to build up their ‘

The Information Systems In Manufacturing Industry Information Technology Essay

The Information Systems In Manufacturing Industry Information Technology Essay In our time like many organizations manufacturing industry is basically depended of their information systems. Industries which engage in producing and processing items using machines, tools and labors are referred as manufacturing industries. The overall procedure of industry can be divided into three phases namely design, procurement and produce. Information systems plays a major role to coordinate activities within manufacturing industry, between manufacturing industry along the production chain and between manufacturing industry and outside organizations such as financial organizations. Hence information systems can connect manufacturing industry, their customers, suppliers and service providers. In order to operate better in rapidly changing and competitive market information systems should be integrated. When considering the procedures of manufacturing industry they should be coordinated at many levels. Engineers should design products according to a standard in which the industry can sell and manufacture the product at competitive price. Marketing department should sell the products that are manufactured in the firm. The production staff builds reliable products using tools and skills. Material staff should make sure that the enough materials are on hand to ensure smooth production. Information systems coordinate these groups increase competitive advantages and workflow. The framework for information systems in manufacturing industry is shown below. This framework is applied to many levels of the manufacturing industry. The environment refers external factors such as the level of competition, technical innovation, labor market tightness and continuity of investment which can be affected on managers and technical staff in the selection of the technology. The organization is the manufacturing industry, including the variables of organization size, inter-unit conflict, scope and diversity etc. The technology includes the people, equipment, techniques and management practices that consists variables between organization and its environment. The outcomes are consequences from use of technology, including product delivery times, production delays, innovation frequency, the degree of managerial control over product design and production etc. Information systems in manufacturing industry Transactional Processing System (TPS) These systems are used to collect, store, modifies and retrieves data transactions of manufacturing industry. The success of industry depends on the reliable processing of transactions to ensure that customer orders are met on time, and that partners and suppliers are paid and can make payment. Executive Support System These systems help senior managers to make strategic decision by providing analyzed and summarized internal and external information of the industry. ESS typically involves lots of data analysis and modeling tools such as what-if analysis to help strategic decision-making. Material Resource Planning (MRP) This is an integrated information system used by businesses. Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRP II) evolved from early Materials Requirement Planning (MRP) systems by including the integration of additional data, such as employee and financial needs. The system is designed to centralize, integrate and process information for effective decision making in scheduling, design engineering, inventory management and cost control in manufacturing. Enterprise Resource Planning System ERP system refers a particular set of technologies which seep into the whole industry and outline the way business works at many levels. ERP are setting up majority of manufacturing operations. These systems consist of functions such as accounting, customer order fulfillment, manufacturing, materials management, human resources and financial systems and offer close integration among these functions. By using ERP systems industry can increase quality and efficiency, decrease costs, get decision support and get enterprise agility. Manufacturing Strategy The successfulness of manufacturing industry is depended on produce quality products than competitors by combining organizational skills and technological ability. Manufacturing strategy should be implemented to achieve competitive advantages. Manufacturing strategy consists of a pattern of decision relating to the structure and the infrastructure of the industry. Product scope, process technology, manufacturing alliance and production competence are related with the decision of structure. Product scope refers to the types and range of products such as end product complexity, variety of end products and individual products volume. Process technology consists of equipments and methods which are used for manufacturing. Manufacturing alliances refers to kind of services, materials and systems provide through internal operations. Production competence refers to the strength of the manufacturer which is based on the product scope, process technology and manufacturing alliance. Management polices and systems which determine how the structure is managed are referred by infrastructure. Manufacturing administration, process and skills specify infrastructure. Manufacturing administration including organizations roles, structure and reporting relationships including human resource polices, quality management system, production planning and inventory control systems, new product development process, organization structure and design etc. process refers to the articulation of workflows and related information flows to carry out the manufacturing activities. Information flows coordinate conversion steps, material flows and provide feedback to improve industry procedures, process technology and operating characteristics. Skills refer to the industrys and individuals capability to execute the key operations to support a manufacturing strategy. Industrys operation can be improved by coordinating manufacturing administration, process and skills. Information System Strategy Equivalent to manufacturing strategy, information system strategy can also be conceptualized in terms of structure and infrastructure. Structural decision consist of three dimensions namely system competencies, technology scope and information system alliance. System competencies are often emphasized by an industry in designing and operating its information technology by adding values to products and services. The main components are costs of information processing, flexibility to provide different kind of information and capability to provide specified information. The types and range of information systems and capabilities available in the industry such as expert systems, robots, and local area networks are known as technology scope. The choices of structural mechanisms available to industry to gain the required information technology capabilities are referred as information technology alliance. On the other hand similar to infrastructure of manufacturing strategy, information systems strategy includes information technology architecture which includes computing, communication, data and applications. Process includes system development process, maintenance process, and system monitoring and control process. Skills deal with knowledge and capabilities which require to effectively managing the information systems strategic infrastructure of the industry. Strategic alignment To achieve maximum benefits from information systems, manufacturing strategy should be aligned with Information system strategy. The strategic alignment model can be used to align these strategies. This model is based on strategic integration and functional integration. There are four domains including business strategy, organization infrastructure and process, information technology strategy and information system infrastructure and process. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/fig/0460020403006.png Manufacturing Information systems strategic role When considering manufacturing strategy alone, it can play at least four major roles in the industry competitive strategy including minimize manufacturing negative strategy, achieve parity with competitors, provide credible support to the business strategy and follow a manufacturing-based business strategy. Corresponded with these roles, there are also four roles to influence information technology for better manufacturing performance namely technology defense, technology implementation, strategy implementation and strategy sustenance. Technology defense involves information technology application to the manufacturing industry infrastructure. The purpose of implementing information technology is to reduce or avoid negative elements in industry process and managerial procedures. Information technology is relied upon to provide detailed measurements and ensure that manufacturing is does not get too off track. Technology implementation reflects the usage of information technology strategy structure to influence key dimensions of manufacturing strategy structure.

Education Dialog Essay

What does it mean to be an educated person? There is no simple, out-right, correct answer to this question. Everyone will have a slightly, if not very, different answer. â€Å"†¦ ‘What does it mean to be a liberally educated person?’—is misleading, deeply so, because it suggests that one can somehow take a group of courses, or accumulate a certain number of credits, or undergo an obligatory set of learning experiences, and emerge liberally educated at the end of the process. Nothing could be further from the truth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (William Cronon 5) To me an education is about grasping not specific facts, but concepts as a whole, to gain knowledge of things that can be applied to not just the status quo but things in the future as well. To be properly educated one must keep an open mind, be able to take all the sides of an argument into account and be able to see where they are coming from. To be educated,, is to be free of ignorance, to not let our own emotions and experiences corrupt our view, to be able to think for yourself and think critically at that, but also to comprehend what is being said to you, or what you are reading and understand that your learning will never end. No matter the amount of knowledge you have on a certain topic there will always be more to learn, either on that topic or other topics and an educated person knows that, so they are always striving to learn more. Critical thinking is a huge part of being considered educated. You don’t just listen to hear someone talk, and you don’t read to just see letters form words on a page, you do these things so you can derive meaning from the words written in a book and the words coming from a person’s mouth. How does one measure intelligence? How would you know where you stand compared to others? This is where things get a little tricky. From my own experience in the public education system we were given facts, dates, places and names to be memorized for tests. How much you could memorize directly translated to what grade you would get on a test. Students would cram right before an exam, and their minds would only retain that knowledge for a couple days at most. In my English class my teacher spent the whole year preparing us for one test at the end of the year, one test. We were actually given the test three times before the â€Å"final exam†. You were given the correct answers and all you had to do was memorize it, if you could memorize the answers you would get an A grade. I don’t get how standardized tests are used to measure intelligence since there isn’t a standardized person. I believe standardized tests should be made with essay topics to give students a chan ce to explain their thinking, their â€Å"why’s† I can understand why certain subjects become important when trying to shape a well rounded educated person, such as: math, history, writing and composition. History would be about the only subject in which there could be too much focus on dates and facts, to where they begin to dismiss the â€Å"Why did they do that?† because they’re focusing on the fact that they did do it. We are taught history so we can do our best to prevent repeating it, the facts won’t really help all too much in that, but the critical thinking will. We need to be aware of what’s going on around us, notice when things are beginning to stir. We all must be educated to advance in our world, to learn from our mistakes, to make new mistakes and set forth a course to the ideal of a perfect world or to achieve a perfect education.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirty-eight

Tyrion You want eat?† Mord asked, glowering. He had a plate of oiled beans in one thick, stub-fingered hand. Tyrion Lannister was starved, but he refused to let this brute see him cringe. â€Å"A leg of lamb would be pleasant,† he said, from the heap of soiled straw in the corner of his cell. â€Å"Perhaps a dish of peas and onions, some fresh baked bread with butter, and a flagon of mulled wine to wash it down. Or beer, if that's easier. I try not to be overly particular.† â€Å"Is beans,† Mord said. â€Å"Here.† He held out the plate. Tyrion sighed. The turnkey was twenty stone of gross stupidity, with brown rotting teeth and small dark eyes. The left side of his face was slick with scar where an axe had cut off his ear and part of his cheek. He was as predictable as he was ugly, but Tyrion was hungry. He reached up for the plate. Mord jerked it away, grinning. â€Å"Is here,† he said, holding it out beyond Tyrion's reach. The dwarf climbed stiffly to his feet, every joint aching. â€Å"Must we play the same fool's game with every meal?† He made another grab for the beans. Mord shambled backward, grinning through his rotten teeth. â€Å"Is here, dwarf man.† He held the plate out at arm's length, over the edge where the cell ended and the sky began. â€Å"You not want eat? Here. Come take.† Tyrion's arms were too short to reach the plate, and he was not about to step that close to the edge. All it would take would be a quick shove of Mord's heavy white belly, and he would end up a sickening red splotch on the stones of Sky, like so many other prisoners of the Eyrie over the centuries. â€Å"Come to think on it, I'm not hungry after all,† he declared, retreating to the corner of his cell. Mord grunted and opened his thick fingers. The wind took the plate, flipping it over as it fell. A handful of beans sprayed back at them as the food tumbled out of sight. The turnkey laughed, his gut shaking like a bowl of pudding. Tyrion felt a pang of rage. â€Å"You fucking son of a pox-ridden ass,† he spat. â€Å"I hope you die of a bloody flux.† For that, Mord gave him a kick, driving a steel-toed boot hard into Tyrion's ribs on the way out. â€Å"I take it back!† he gasped as he doubled over on the straw. â€Å"I'll kill you myself, I swear it!† The heavy iron-bound door slammed shut. Tyrion heard the rattle of keys. For a small man, he had been cursed with a dangerously big mouth, he reflected as he crawled back to his corner of what the Arryns laughably called their dungeon. He huddled beneath the thin blanket that was his only bedding, staring out at a blaze of empty blue sky and distant mountains that seemed to go on forever, wishing he still had the shadowskin cloak he'd won from Marillion at dice, after the singer had stolen it off the body of that brigand chief. The skin had smelled of blood and mold, but it was warm and thick. Mord had taken it the moment he laid eyes on it. The wind tugged at his blanket with gusts sharp as talons. His cell was miserably small, even for a dwarf. Not five feet away, where a wall ought to have been, where a wall would be in a proper dungeon, the floor ended and the sky began. He had plenty of fresh air and sunshine, and the moon and stars by night, but Tyrion would have traded it all in an instant for the dankest, gloomiest pit in the bowels of the Casterly Rock. â€Å"You fly,† Mord had promised him, when he'd shoved him into the cell. â€Å"Twenty day, thirty, fifty maybe. Then you fly.† The Arryns kept the only dungeon in the realm where the prisoners were welcome to escape at will. That first day, after girding up his courage for hours, Tyrion had lain flat on his stomach and squirmed to the edge, to poke out his head and look down. Sky was six hundred feet below, with nothing between but empty air. If he craned his neck out as far as it could go, he could see other cells to his right and left and above him. He was a bee in a stone honeycomb, and someone had torn off his wings. It was cold in the cell, the wind screamed night and day, and worst of all, the floor sloped. Ever so slightly, yet it was enough. He was afraid to close his eyes, afraid that he might roll over in his steep and wake in sudden terror as he went sliding off the edge. Small wonder the sky cells drove men mad. Gods save me, some previous tenant had written on the wall in something that looked suspiciously like blood, the blue is calling. At first Tyrion wondered who he'd been, and what had become of him; later, he decided that he would rather not know. If only he had shut his mouth . . . The wretched boy had started it, looking down on him from a throne of carved weirwood beneath the moon-and-falcon banners of House Arryn. Tyrion Lannister had been looked down on all his life, but seldom by rheumy-eyed six-year-olds who needed to stuff fat cushions under their cheeks to lift them to the height of a man. â€Å"Is he the bad man?† the boy had asked, clutching his doll. â€Å"He is,† the Lady Lysa had said from the lesser throne beside him. She was all in blue, powdered and perfumed for the suitors who filled her court. â€Å"He's so small,† the Lord of the Eyrie said, giggling. â€Å"This is Tyrion the Imp, of House Lannister, who murdered your father.† She raised her voice so it carried down the length of High Hall of the Eyrie, ringing off the milk-white walls and the slender pillars, so every man could hear it. â€Å"He slew the Hand of the King!† â€Å"Oh, did I kill him too?† Tyrion had said, like a fool. That would have been a very good time to have kept his mouth closed and his head bowed. He could see that now; seven hells, he had seen it then. The High Hall of the Arryns was long and austere, with a forbidding coldness to its walls of blue-veined white marble, but the faces around him had been colder by far. The power of Casterly Rock was far away, and there were no friends of the Lannisters in the Vale of Arryn. Submission and silence would have been his best defenses. But Tyrion's mood had been too foul for sense. To his shame, he had faltered during the last leg of their day-long climb up to the Eyrie, his stunted legs unable to take him any higher. Bronn had carried him the rest of the way, and the humiliation poured oil on the flames of his anger. â€Å"It would seem I've been a busy little fellow,† he said with bitter sarcasm. â€Å"I wonder when I found the time to do all this slaying and murdering.† He ought to have remembered who he was dealing with. Lysa Arryn and her half-sane weakling son had not been known at court for their love of wit, especially when it was directed at them. â€Å"Imp,† Lysa said coldly, â€Å"you will guard that mocking tongue of yours and speak to my son politely, or I promise you will have cause to regret it. Remember where you are. This is the Eyrie, and these are knights of the Vale you see around you, true men who loved Jon Arryn well. Every one of them would die for me.† â€Å"Lady Arryn, should any harm come to me, my brother Jaime will be pleased to see that they do.† Even as he spat out the words, Tyrion knew they were folly. â€Å"Can you fly, my lord of Lannister?† Lady Lysa asked. â€Å"Does a dwarf have wings? If not, you would be wiser to swallow the next threat that comes to mind.† â€Å"I made no threats,† Tyrion said. â€Å"That was a promise.† Little Lord Robert hopped to his feet at that, so upset he dropped his doll. â€Å"You can't hurt us,† he screamed. â€Å"No one can hurt us here. Tell him, Mother, tell him he can't hurt us here.† The boy began to twitch. â€Å"The Eyrie is impregnable,† Lysa Arryn declared calmly. She drew her son close, holding him safe in the circle of her plump white arms. â€Å"The Imp is trying to frighten us, sweet baby. The Lannisters are all liars. No one will hurt my sweet boy.† The hell of it was, she was no doubt right. Having seen what it took to get here, Tyrion could well imagine how it would be for a knight trying to fight his way up in armor, while stones and arrows poured down from above and enemies contested with him for every step. Nightmare did not begin to describe it. Small wonder the Eyrie had never been taken. Still, Tyrion had been unable to silence himself. â€Å"Not impregnable,† he said, â€Å"merely inconvenient.† Young Robert pointed down, his hand trembling. â€Å"You're a liar. Mother, I want to see him fly.† Two guardsmen in sky-blue cloaks seized Tyrion by the arms, lifting him off his floor. The gods only know what might have happened then were it not for Catelyn Stark. â€Å"Sister,† she called out from where she stood below the thrones, â€Å"I beg you to remember, this man is my prisoner. I will not have him harmed.† Lysa Arryn glanced at her sister coolly for a moment, then rose and swept down on Tyrion, her long skirts trailing after her. For an instant he feared she would strike him, but instead she commanded them to release him. Her men shoved him to the floor, his legs went out from under him, and Tyrion fell. He must have made quite a sight as he struggled to his knees, only to feel his right leg spasm, sending him sprawling once more. Laughter boomed up and down the High Hall of the Arryns. â€Å"My sister's little guest is too weary to stand,† Lady Lysa announced. â€Å"Ser Vardis, take him down to the dungeon. A rest in one of our sky cells will do him much good.† The guardsmen jerked him upright. Tyrion Lannister dangled between them, kicking feebly, his face red with shame. â€Å"I will remember this,† he told them all as they carried him off. And so he did, for all the good it did him. At first he had consoled himself that this imprisonment could not last long. Lysa Arryn wanted to humble him, that was all. She would send for him again, and soon. If not her, then Catelyn Stark would want to question him. This time he would guard his tongue more closely. They dare not kill him out of hand; he was still a Lannister of Casterly Rock, and if they shed his blood, it would mean war. Or so he had told himself. Now he was not so certain. Perhaps his captors only meant to let him rot here, but he feared he did not have the strength to rot for long. He was growing weaker every day, and it was only a matter of time until Mord's kicks and blows did him serious harm, provided the gaoler did not starve him to death first. A few more nights of cold and hunger, and the blue would start calling to him too. He wondered what was happening beyond the walls (such as they were) of his cell. Lord Tywin would surely have sent out riders when the word reached him. Jaime might be leading a host through the Mountains of the Moon even now . . . unless he was riding north against Winterfell instead. Did anyone outside the Vale even suspect where Catelyn Stark had taken him? He wondered what Cersei would do when she heard. The king could order him freed, but would Robert listen to his queen or his Hand? Tyrion had no illusions about the king's love for his sister. If Cersei kept her wits about her, she would insist the king sit in judgment of Tyrion himself. Even Ned Stark could scarcely object to that, not without impugning the honor of the king. And Tyrion would be only too glad to take his chances in a trial. Whatever murders they might lay at his door, the Starks had no proof of anything so far as he could see. Let them make their case before the Iron Throne and the lords of the land. It would be the end of them. If only Cersei were clever enough to see that . . . Tyrion Lannister sighed. His sister was not without a certain low cunning, but her pride blinded her. She would see the insult in this, not the opportunity. And Jaime was even worse, rash and headstrong and quick to anger. His brother never untied a knot when he could slash it in two with his sword. He wondered which of them had sent the footpad to silence the Stark boy, and whether they had truly conspired at the death of Lord Arryn. If the old Hand had been murdered, it was deftly and subtly done. Men of his age died of sudden illness all the time. In contrast, sending some oaf with a stolen knife after Brandon Stark struck him as unbelievably clumsy. And wasn't that peculiar, come to think on it . . . Tyrion shivered. Now there was a nasty suspicion. Perhaps the direwolf and the lion were not the only beasts in the woods, and if that was true, someone was using him as a catspaw. Tyrion Lannister hated being used. He would have to get out of here, and soon. His chances of overpowering Mord were small to none, and no one was about to smuggle him a six-hundred-foot-long rope, so he would have to talk himself free. His mouth had gotten him into this cell; it could damn well get him out. Tyrion pushed himself to his feet, doing his best to ignore the slope of the floor beneath him, with its ever-so-subtle tug toward the edge. He hammered on the door with a fist. â€Å"Mord!† he shouted. â€Å"Turnkey! Mord, I want you!† He had to keep it up a good ten minutes before he heard footsteps. Tyrion stepped back an instant before the door opened with a crash. â€Å"Making noise,† Mord growled, with blood in his eyes. Dangling from one meaty hand was a leather strap, wide and thick, doubled over in his fist. Never show them you're afraid, Tyrion reminded himself. â€Å"How would you like to be rich?† he asked. Mord hit him. He swung the strap backhand, lazily, but the leather caught Tyrion high on the arm. The force of it staggered him, and the pain made him grit his teeth. â€Å"No mouth, dwarf man,† Mord warned him. â€Å"Gold,† Tyrion said, miming a smile. â€Å"Casterly Rock is full of gold . . . ahhhh . . . † This time the blow was a forehand, and Mord put more of his arm into the swing, making the leather crack and jump. It caught Tyrion in the ribs and dropped him to his knees, wimpering. He forced himself to look up at the gaoler. â€Å"As rich as the Lannisters,† he wheezed. â€Å"That's what they say, Mord—† Mord grunted. The strap whistled through the air and smashed Tyrion full in the face. The pain was so bad he did not remember falling, but when he opened his eyes again he was on the floor of his cell. His ear was ringing, and his mouth was full of blood. He groped for purchase, to push himself up, and his fingers brushed against . . . nothing. Tyrion snatched his hand back as fast as if it had been scalded, and tried his best to stop breathing. He had fallen right on the edge, inches from the blue. â€Å"More to say?† Mord held the strap between his fists and gave it a sharp pull. The snap made Tyrion jump. The turnkey laughed. He won't push me over, Tyrion told himself desperately as he crawled away from the edge. Catelyn Stark wants me alive, he doesn't dare kill me. He wiped the blood off his lips with the back of his hand, grinned, and said, â€Å"That was a stiff one, Mord.† The gaoler squinted at him, trying to decide if he was being mocked. â€Å"I could make good use of a strong man like you.† The strap flew at him, but this time Tyrion was able to cringe away from it. He took a glancing blow to the shoulder, nothing more. â€Å"Gold,† he repeated, scrambling backward like a crab, â€Å"more gold than you'll see here in a lifetime. Enough to buy land, women, horses . . . you could be a lord. Lord Mord.† Tyrion hawked up a glob of blood and phlegm and spat it out into the sky. â€Å"Is no gold,† Mord said. He's listening! Tyrion thought. â€Å"They relieved me of my purse when they captured me, but the gold is still mine. Catelyn Stark might take a man prisoner, but she'd never stoop to rob him. That wouldn't be honorable. Help me, and all the gold is yours.† Mord's strap licked out, but it was a halfhearted, desultory swing, slow and contemptuous. Tyrion caught the leather in his hand and held it prisoned. â€Å"There will be no risk to you. All you need do is deliver a message.† The gaoler yanked his leather strap free of Tyrion's grasp. â€Å"Message,† he said, as if he had never heard the word before. His frown made deep creases in his brow. â€Å"You heard me, my lord. Only carry my word to your lady. Tell her . . . † What? What would possibly make Lysa Anyn relent? The inspiration came to Tyrion Lannister suddenly. † . . . .tell her that I wish to confess my crimes.† Mord raised his arm and Tyrion braced himself for another blow, but the turnkey hesitated. Suspicion and greed warred in his eyes. He wanted that gold, yet he feared a trick; he had the look of a man who had often been tricked. â€Å"Is lie,† he muttered darkly. â€Å"Dwarf man cheat me.† â€Å"I will put my promise in writing,† Tyrion vowed. Some illiterates held writing in disdain; others seemed to have a superstitious reverence for the written word, as if it were some sort of magic. Fortunately, Mord was one of the latter. The turnkey lowered the strap. â€Å"Writing down gold. Much gold.† â€Å"Oh, much gold,† Tyrion assured him. â€Å"The purse is just a taste, my friend. My brother wears armor of solid gold plate.† In truth, Jaime's armor was gilded steel, but this oaf would never know the difference. Mord fingered his strap thoughtfully, but in the end, he relented and went to fetch paper and ink. When the letter was written, the gaoler frowned at it suspiciously. â€Å"Now deliver my message,† Tyrion urged. He was shivering in his sleep when they came for him, late that night. Mord opened the door but kept his silence. Ser Vardis Egen woke Tyrion with the point of his boot. â€Å"On your feet, Imp. My lady wants to see you.† Tyrion rubbed the sleep from his eyes and put on a grimace he scarcely felt. â€Å"No doubt she does, but what makes you think I wish to see her?† Ser Vardis frowned. Tyrion remembered him well from the years he had spent at King's Landing as the captain of the Hand's household guard. A square, plain face, silver hair, a heavy build, and no humor whatsoever. â€Å"Your wishes are not my concern. On your feet, or I'll have you carried.† Tyrion clambered awkwardly to his feet. â€Å"A cold night,† he said casually, â€Å"and the High Hall is so drafty. I don't wish to catch a chill. Mord, if you would be so good, fetch my cloak.† The gaoler squinted at him, face dull with suspicion. â€Å"My cloak,† Tyrion repeated. â€Å"The shadowskin you took from me for safekeeping. You recall.† â€Å"Get him the damnable cloak,† Ser Vardis said. Mord did not dare grumble. He gave Tyrion a glare that promised future retribution, yet he went for the cloak. When he draped it around his prisoner's neck, Tyrion smiled. â€Å"My thanks. I shall think of you whenever I wear it.† He flung the trailing end of the long fur over his right shoulder, and felt warm for the first time in days. â€Å"Lead on, Ser Vardis.† The High Hall of the Arryns was aglow with the light of fifty torches, burning in the sconces along the walls. The Lady Lysa wore black silk, with the moon-and-falcon sewn on her breast in pearls. Since she did not look the sort to join the Night's Watch, Tyrion could only imagine that she had decided mourning clothes were appropriate garb for a confession. Her long auburn hair, woven into an elaborate braid, fell across her left shoulder. The taller throne beside her was empty; no doubt the little Lord of the Eyrie was off shaking in his sleep. Tyrion was thankful for that much, at least. He bowed deeply and took a moment to glance around the hall. Lady Arryn had summoned her knights and retainers to hear his confession, as he had hoped. He saw Ser Brynden Tully's craggy face and Lord Nestor Royce's bluff one. Beside Nestor stood a younger man with fierce black side-whiskers who could only be his heir, Ser Albar. Most of the principal houses of the Vale were represented. Tyrion noted Ser Lyn Corbray, slender as a sword, Lord Hunter with his gouty legs, the widowed Lady Waynwood surrounded by her sons. Others sported sigils he did not know; broken lance, green viper, burning tower, winged chalice. Among the lords of the Vale were several of his companions from the high road; Ser Rodrik Cassel, pale from half-healed wounds, stood with Ser Willis Wode beside him. Marillion the singer had found a new woodharp. Tyrion smiled; whatever happened here tonight, he did not wish it to happen in secret, and there was no one like a singer for spreading a story near and far. In the rear of the hall, Bronn lounged beneath a pillar. The freerider's black eyes were fixed on Tyrion, and his hand lay lightly on the pommel of his sword. Tyrion gave him a long look, wondering . . . Catelyn Stark spoke first. â€Å"You wish to confess your crimes, we are told.† â€Å"I do, my lady,† Tyrion answered. Lysa Arryn smiled at her sister. â€Å"The sky cells always break them. The gods can see them there, and there is no darkness to hide in.† â€Å"He does not look broken to me,† Lady Catelyn said. Lady Lysa paid her no mind. â€Å"Say what you will,† she commanded Tyrion. And now to roll the dice, he thought with another quick glance back at Bronn. â€Å"Where to begin? I am a vile little man, I confess it. My crimes and sins are beyond counting, my lords and ladies. I have lain with whores, not once but hundreds of times. I have wished my own lord father dead, and my sister, our gracious queen, as well.† Behind him, someone chuckled. â€Å"I have not always treated my servants with kindness. I have gambled. I have even cheated, I blush to admit. I have said many cruel and malicious things about the noble lords and ladies of the court.† That drew outright laughter. â€Å"Once I—† â€Å"Silence!† Lysa Arryn's pale round face had turned a burning pink. â€Å"What do you imagine you are doing, dwarf?† Tyrion cocked his head to one side. â€Å"Why, confessing my crimes, my lady—† Catelyn Stark took a step forward. â€Å"You are accused of sending a hired knife to slay my son Bran in his bed, and of conspiring to murder Lord Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King.† Tyrion gave a helpless shrug. â€Å"Those crimes I cannot confess, I fear. I know nothing of any murders.† Lady Lysa rose from her weirwood throne. â€Å"I will not be made mock of. You have had your little jape, Imp. I trust you enjoyed it. Ser Vardis, take him back to the dungeon . . . but this time find him a smaller cell, with a floor more sharply sloped.† â€Å"Is this how justice is done in the Vale?† Tyrion roared, so loudly that Ser Vardis froze for an instant. â€Å"Does honor stop at the Bloody Gate? You accuse me of crimes, I deny them, so you throw me into an open cell to freeze and starve.† He lifted his head, to give them all a good look at the bruises Mord had left on his face. â€Å"Where is the king's justice? Is the Eyrie not part of the Seven Kingdoms? I stand accused, you say. Very well. I demand a trial! Let me speak, and let my truth or falsehood be judged openly, in the sight of gods and men.† A low murmuring filled the High Hall. He had her, Tyrion knew. He was highborn, the son of the most powerful lord in the realm, the brother of the queen. He could not be denied a trial. Guardsmen in sky-blue cloaks had started toward Tyrion, but Ser Vardis bid them halt and looked to Lady Lysa. Her small mouth twitched in a petulant smile. â€Å"If you are tried and found to be guilty of the crimes for which you stand accused, then by the king's own laws, you must pay with your life's blood. We keep no headsman in the Eyrie, my lord of Lannister. Open the Moon Door.† The press of spectators parted. A narrow weirwood door stood between two slender marble pillars, a crescent moon carved in the white wood. Those standing closest edged backward as a pair of guardsmen marched through. One man removed the heavy bronze bars; the second pulled the door inward. Their blue cloaks rose snapping from their shoulders, caught in the sudden gust of wind that came howling through the open door. Beyond was the emptiness of the night sky, speckled with cold uncaring stars. â€Å"Behold the king's justice,† Lysa Arryn said. Torch flames fluttered like pennons along the walls, and here and there the odd torch guttered out. â€Å"Lysa, I think this unwise,† Catelyn Stark said as the black wind swirled around the hall. Her sister ignored her. â€Å"You want a trial, my lord of Lannister. Very well, a trial you shall have. My son will listen to whatever you care to say, and you shall hear his judgment. Then you may leave . . . by one door or the other.† She looked so pleased with herself, Tyrion thought, and small wonder. How could a trial threaten her, when her weakling son was the lord judge? Tyrion glanced at her Moon Door. Mother, I want to see him fly! the boy had said. How many men had the snot-nosed little wretch sent through that door already? â€Å"I thank you, my good lady, but I see no need to trouble Lord Robert,† Tyrion said politely. â€Å"The gods know the truth of my innocence. I will have their verdict, not the judgment of men. I demand trial by combat.† A storm of sudden laughter filled the High Hall of the Arryns. Lord Nestor Royce snorted, Ser Willis chuckled, Ser Lyn Corbray guffawed, and others threw back their heads and howled until tears ran down their faces. Marillion clumsily plucked a gay note on his new woodharp with the fingers of his broken hand. Even the wind seemed to whistle with derision as it came skirling through the Moon Door. Lysa Arryn's watery blue eyes looked uncertain. He had caught her off balance. â€Å"You have that right, to be sure.† The young knight with the green viper embroidered on his surcoat stepped forward and went to one knee. â€Å"My lady, I beg the boon of championing your cause.† â€Å"The honor should be mine,† old Lord Hunter said. â€Å"For the love I bore your lord husband, let me avenge his death.† â€Å"My father served Lord Jon faithfully as High Steward of the Vale,† Ser Albar Royce boomed. â€Å"Let me serve his son in this.† â€Å"The gods favor the man with the just cause,† said Ser Lyn Corbray, â€Å"yet often that turns out to be the man with the surest sword. We all know who that is.† He smiled modestly. A dozen other men all spoke at once, clamoring to be heard. Tyrion found it disheartening to realize so many strangers were eager to kill him. Perhaps this had not been such a clever plan after all. Lady Lysa raised a hand for silence. â€Å"I thank you, my lords, as I know my son would thank you if he were among us. No men in the Seven Kingdoms are as bold and true as the knights of the Vale. Would that I could grant you all this honor. Yet I can choose only one.† She gestured. â€Å"Ser Vardis Egen, you were ever my lord husband's good right hand. You shall be our champion.† Ser Vardis had been singularly silent. â€Å"My lady,† he said gravely, sinking to one knee, â€Å"pray give this burden to another, I have no taste for it. The man is no warrior. Look at him. A dwarf, half my size and lame in the legs. It would be shameful to slaughter such a man and call it justice.† Oh, excellent, Tyrion thought. â€Å"I agree.† Lysa glared at him. â€Å"You demanded a trial by combat.† â€Å"And now I demand a champion, such as you have chosen for yourself. My brother Jaime will gladly take my part, I know.† â€Å"Your precious Kingslayer is hundreds of leagues from here,† snapped Lysa Arryn. â€Å"Send a bird for him. I will gladly await his arrival.† â€Å"You will face Ser Vardis on the morrow.† â€Å"Singer,† Tyrion said, turning to Marillion, â€Å"when you make a ballad of this, be certain you tell them how Lady Arryn denied the dwarf the right to a champion, and sent him forth lame and bruised and hobbling to face her finest knight.† â€Å"I deny you nothing!† Lysa Arryn said, her voice peeved and shrill with irritation. â€Å"Name your champion, Imp . . . if you think you can find a man to die for you.† â€Å"If it is all the same to you, I'd sooner find one to kill for me.† Tyrion looked over the long hall. No one moved. For a long moment he wondered if it had all been a colossal blunder. Then there was a stirring in the rear of the chamber. â€Å"I'll stand for the dwarf,† Bronn called out.