Case analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case analysis - Assignment Example Hence a negative effect could be witnessed. "Where there is a will, there is a way". Macy's can definitely recover from this downward trend. It is the effective management practices that play a vital role. A firm's performance solely depends on the strategies followed by the management. Nothing is permanent in the world except the word itself. Failures are the stepping stones for success. They are cyclic process. If a firm is not moving well today then it does not mean that till the end the same trend will continue. Innovations and initiatives will make a difference. So, planned first order and second order changes should be made. Hence the downward spiral for the departmental stores will not continue. 5. STEPS TO INCREASE SALES AND CUSTOMER TRAFFIC Higher the customer satisfaction, greater is the profit. Some of the steps include: Perform market research through the firm's market intelligence team to know about the customer's attitude, tastes and preferences. Find out the prospects and set the store there. Get frequent feedback from the customers. Develop a good rapport with the employees and keep them motivated and satisfied. Deliver good quality products, services and offers to customers. Today the people are quality conscious and not cost conscious. Provide training to the employees. Develop a standard mission and vision for the organization. Plan the strategies perfectly and convey it clearly to the employees. Make changes only if is really needed and seek the aid of the change agent. Make planned changes and not unplanned changes. Make both first and second order changes carefully. Make it only if there is a real need for it. Adopt strong marketing techniques. If the customers are satisfied then word of mouth would be effective. Maintain a good reserves and surplus level. Adopt either focus or differentiation strategy. Develop a strong competitive advantage. References http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/business/07macys.htmlscp=1&sq=macy%27s&st=nyt http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2004168802_macys07.html http://www.politicalgateway.com/news/read/129108 http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Business/2008/02/06/macys_may_consolidate_office_staff/5199/

World Literature Essay Example for Free

World Literature Essay Flaubert’s Madame Bovary was published to critical acclaim and public scandal during Second Empire France (1852–1870). Government censors cited the novel for offending public morality and religion, though prosecution and defense both acknowledged the artist’s achievement. Flaubert was tried and acquitted for a compelling portrait of his heroine’s unhappy marriage, adulterous love affairs, financial ruin, and suicide. The creation of a powerful and profoundly conflicted male imagination, Emma Rouault Bovary is a polarizing figure. She embodies yet challenges archetypal images of women (virgin/mother, madonna/whore, angel/siren) arising from male experience. She calls into question education, marriage, and motherhood, institutions that inculcate these dichotomous views of women. Thomas Manns Death in Venice opens, like Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, on the scene of Aschenbachs creative composure shattered by an unfamiliar nervous excitement. As Aschenbachs mind spins unproductively, we sense immediately that Venice itself will be ultimately just a picturesque exterior, the backdrop to a story whose cardinal events belong to a mental world– to what Mann called â€Å"reality as an operation of the psyche† (Mann 29). Thomas Mann has spared no allusion to suggest that the hero of the story resembles its author at least with regard to his literary production. Yet Aschenbach is said to have achieved in earnest the classical style befitting a conqueror of the abyss the very style which Flaubert parodies in telling the tragic story of Madame Bovarys disillusion and downfall. The societal scandal of Madame Bovary is as remote now as the asceticism of the spirit practiced by Flaubert and Mann, who seem almost self indulgent. Emma seems as boisterous as Aschenbach. With these heroes the novel enters the realm of inactivity, where the protagonists are bored, but the reader is not. Poor Emma, destroyed by usury rather than love, is so vital that her stupidities do not matter. A much more than average sensual woman, her capacity for life and love is what moves us to admire her, and even to love her, since like Flaubert himself we find ourselves in her. Why is Emma so unlucky? If it can go wrong, it will go wrong for her. Flaubert, like some of the ancients, believed there were no accidents. Ethos is the daimon, your character is your fate, and everything that happens to you starts by being you. Rereading, we suffer the anguish of beholding the phases that lead to Emmas self-destruction. That anguish multiplies despite Flauberts celebrated detachment, partly because of his uncanny skill at suggesting how many different consciousnesses invade and impinge upon any single consciousness, even one as commonplace as Emmas. Emmas I is an other, and so much the worse for the sensual apprehensiveness that finds it has become Emma. Whenever Emma is seen in purely sensuous terms, Flaubert speaks of her with a delicate, almost religious feeling, the way Mann speaks of Aschenbach. Flaubert punished himself harshly, in and through Emma, by grimly mixing in a poisonous order of provincial social reality, and an equally poisonous order of hallucinated play, Emmas fantasies of an ideal passion. The mixing in is cruel, formidable, and of unmatched aesthetic dignity. Emma has no Sublime, but the inverted Romantic vision of Flaubert persuades us that the strongest writing can represent ennui with a life-enhancing power. Flaubert despised realism and said so over and over throughout his life; he loved only the absolute purity of art. Madame Bovary has little to do with realism, and something to do with a prophecy of impressionism, but in a most refracted fashion. All of poor Emmas moments are at once drab and privileged. At moments of more overpowering sensuality there even emerges a â€Å"formula† for Emmas sensual intensities, a characteristic style of sensation which, as we know from Flauberts other works, wasnt invented for Emma alone but rather seems to be a basic formula for Flaubertian sensation in general. Sexuality in Flaubert is frequently expressed in terms of a rippling luminosity. â€Å"Here and there,† Flaubert writes as part of his description of Emmas first happy sexual experience (with Rodolphe in the forest near Yonville), â€Å"all around her, in the leaves and on the ground, patches of light were trembling, as if humming-birds, while in flight, had scattered their feathers† (Flaubert 56). Much later, as she lies alone in bed at night enjoying fantasies of running away with Rodolphe, Emma imagines a future in which â€Å"nothing specific stood out: the days, all of them magnificent, resembled one another like waves; and the vision [cela] swayed on the limitless horizon, harmonious, bluish, and bathed in sun† (Flaubert 94). A world heavy with sensual promise (and no longer blindingly illuminated by sexual intensities) is, in Flaubert, frequently a world of many reflected lights blurred by a mist tinged with color.

Plan for Employees in Small Business

Plan for Employees in Small Business Dairy store Introduction Our business is small business type in the New Zealand most of the business is small type and our business name is Kumars dairy. In the dairy store we can buy the so many different products in the one roof. As small operators, they cannot offer bulk discounts as compare to supermarket. To run this business they hire the staff. As I owner in this company I have to hire manager, customer service, check out service, accounting and other staff. Location- I open my Kumars diary shop near the summit drive, Mt Albert because in this place there is no any dairy store in this location and we can attract so many people. Service and product- In our Kumars dairy we can provide different product like milk, eggs, dairy products, perishables, newspapers, lotto and so on. We can also give the customer service as well as top up mobile and At hop card. Reason for this business- I open this business because in this store we can buy the anything in the one roof. To help this business we can make new friends and also make more money. I agree in this era so many people prefer super market I know but when they forget to buy something from supermarket then they prefer dairy store rather then again visit to the super market. In this small business we can easily make more money. Capability- As I manage this dairy store I have ability to choose the staff which person we need this company and which place. I also manager the all staff. I also trained the staff under my supervision. I also know about the new technology and how to use this technology. Setup the business- To open this business firstly I need to calculate the budget to open the dairy store, if I have dont sufficient fund to open my store then I go to the bank and apply the business loan to build our new business as well as I also find the place for lease and suppliers. Opening-closing (timing) Days Mon Tues Wed Thus Fri Sat Sun Opening and closing 7:00 AM- 9:00 PM 7:00 AM- 9:00PM 7:00 AM- 9:00 PM 7:00 AM- 9:00 PM 7:00 AM- 9:00 PM 7:00 AM- 9:00 PM 10:00 AM- 5:00 PM Working hour of employees Fulltime and part-time worker Part time- 20 hour Full time 40 hour Casual worker-12 hour Roster (timing) Staff Mon Tues Wed Thus Fri Sat Sun owner 9 toÂÂ   9 9 to 9 9 to 9 9 to 9 9 to 9 9 to 9 Manager 7 to 7 7 to 7 8 to 9 7 to 9 7 to 9 10 to 5 Labour (full time) 7 to 9 7 to 9 7 to 9 7 to 9 7 to 9 7 to 9 Labour (Part time) 7 to 9 10 to 5 Responsibility and Accountability Staff Responsibility Accountability Owner(kartikey) Give the pay in time Dont dominate other staff members Manager(Hootz) Manager responsibilities are mange the roaster and supervise the entire staff member. Manager Accountabilities do not dominate other workers and always provide the good customer service. Fulltime(Amrit) Mange the checkout service and other work Give the customer service Part-time(lovish) Fill the all stuff Be in time Holidays and leave wages Holidays are: New Years Day January, Sunday 1st (observed Tuesday 3rd) Day after New Years Day January, Monday 2nd Wellington Anniversary January, Monday 23rd Auckland Anniversary January, Monday 30th Nelson Anniversary January, Monday 30th Waitangi Day February, Monday 6th Taranaki Anniversary March, Monday 13th Otago Anniversary March, Monday 20th Daylight Saving ends April, Sunday 2nd Good Friday April, Friday 14th Easter Monday April, Monday 17th Easter Tuesday April, Tuesday 18th Southland Anniversary April, Tuesday 18th ANZAC Day April, Tuesday 25th Queens Birthday June, Monday 5th Daylight Saving starts September, Sunday 24th South Canterbury Anniversary September, Monday 25th Hawkes Bay Anniversary October, Friday 20th Labour Day October, Monday 23rd Marlborough Anniversary October, Monday 30th Canterbury Anniversary November, Friday 17th Chatham Islands Anniversary November, Monday 27th Westland Anniversary December, Monday 4th Christmas Day December, Monday 25th Boxing Day December, Tuesday 26th (holiday) Hours and wages Type of minimum wage Per hour 8 hour day 40 hour week 80 hour fortnight Adult $15.25 $122.00 $610.00 $1,220.00 Starting-out $12.20 $97.60 $488.00 $976.00 Training $12.20 $97.60 $488.00 $976.00 (wages ) Leaves and Equal Wages Rise to pay for equivalent work is the idea of work rights that people in a similar work environment be given equivalent pay. It is most regularly utilized as a part of the setting of sexual separation, in connection to the sex pay crevice. Level with pay identifies with the full scope of installments and advantages, including essential pay, non-pay installments, rewards and remittances. A few nations have moved quicker than others in tending to the issue. Since President John F. Kennedy marked the Equal Pay Act of 1963, it has been unlawful in the United States to pay men and ladies working in a similar place diverse pay rates for comparable work. Â   Â   Health and safetyÂÂ   Equal Employment Opportunities Gender equality In this statement company cannot discrimination toward the staff members because in this type of business all staff members are same. In the New Zealand business nobody discriminated in the level of wages because they have right gender equality. Collective agreement Collective employment agreements are agreements between employers and registered unions that cover employees in the employers workplace. Collective employment agreements must: Be in composing Be marked by businesses and unions that are gatherings to the understanding Have a scope condition expressing the work that the understanding spreads Incorporate a plain dialect clarification of how to deal with any business relationship issues, including the 90-day time frame For bringing an individual grievance Incorporate a statement expressing how the understanding can be changed Incorporate an expiry date or express an occasion that will mean the assertion lapses Incorporate an arrangement that follows the Holidays Act 2003 necessity for workers to be paid in any event time and a half For work on open occasions Much of the time, incorporate an arrangement expressing how workers will be secured if the business is sold, exchanged or contracted out. (collective) Individual agreement Every representative must have a composed work assention. The assention can be either an individual understanding or an aggregate assention. An singular business understanding doesnt need to be marked by the business and worker yet it ought to be. There are a few things that must be in your work assention and different things that are ordinarily in business understandings however dont need to be, for example, your notice period. Minimum rights, (for example, the lowest pay permitted by law and yearly occasions) are legitimate prerequisites and apply regardless of the possibility that theyre not in the business understanding. Your business assention cant decrease these or exchange them off for different things. Employers are required to keep a duplicate of the work assention. The business must keep a proposed assention regardless of the possibility that the representative hasnt marked it. Workers are qualified for a duplicate of their concurrence on demand. The sort of business understanding a worker is on may rely on upon regardless of whether they are a union part. It is the representatives decision whether they join a union, and a business cant undo impact their decision. On the off chance that a worker joins a union, they will be secured by the important aggregate assention, if there is on. (https://employment.govt.nz) Employment disputes Indeed, even the best-run business must be set up to manage work question. A representative may have a conflict with a manager, question an execution assessment or trust that organization arrangements are as a rule unjustifiably upheld. While a few nations have work courts to determine such debate, in the United States, bosses must discover approaches to determine these issues outside the courts. Effectively arranging a work debate brings about all sides feeling they have been tuned in to and judged reasonably. Negotiation Transaction is by all accounts the favoured basic leadership system when representatives are looking for independently custom fitted arrangements, for example, changes in accordance with travel and work routines. Mediation With the help of Mediation, both sides in a question take a seat with an outsider facilitator to examine the circumstance and attempt to achieve an answer. The facilitator, or middle person, has no interest in the result of the issue, and stays unbiased is called Mediation. Adjudication Adjudication is a legal term that refers to the process of hearing and settling a case. It usually represents the final judgment or pronouncement in a case that determines the required course of action in reference to the issue presented. Adjudication can also refer to the process of validating an insurance claim as well as a decree in the bankruptcy process between the defendant and the creditors. (www.investopedia.com)Follow us: Investopedia on Facebook ALLOCATION AND EVALUATION OF WORK Evaluation are generally done on more than one occasion a year, however you might need to plan a registration with new workers prior, to ensure theyre settling in well. Setting up an evaluation You should to: give your representative time to get ready by booking the meeting no less than two or three weeks ahead of time book a private meeting place where you wont be hindered request that your representative get ready reactions to inquiries like: how well they believe theyre doing in their employment which parts of their employment theyre doing admirably and where they think they could progress regardless of whether they require any gear or preparing to help in their part how they feel about their occupation and the organization what they would change on the off chance that they could? do your own readiness survey: your representatives set of working responsibilities your notes from past audits execution pointers (deals or generation figures, letters from fulfilled clients, or different measurements). get criticism from different workers, partners or key clients set up your representative for extreme inquiries in the event that theyre not performing, caution them that youll have to talk about why certain objectives or targets werent met and welcome them to go to the meeting with conceivable arrangements. (www.business.govt.nz) Responsibilities of Manager The manager responsibilities in the business are very important because without manager business cannot be run. Manager is the root of organization. He set the all roaster and manage the all staff member as well as he give the order to all the staff what you do or not today work. ÂÂ   (http://thebizmanagementguide.com/responsibilities-of-a-manager-in-business-management/) Responsibilities of Employees Employees responsibilities are be on time, good customer service last but not a least he should be prepare know about the first aid box. Always good behaviour with customers and staff fellows. (http://www.libertyshoes.com/aboutus/social-responsibility) Job description of dairy (careercoverletter)

Euthanasia Essay -- Philosophy, Immanuel Kant

Euthanasia is an action that result in the death of a person. There are four types of euthanasia, such as voluntary active euthanasia, nonvoluntary active euthanasia, voluntary passive euthanasia, and nonvoluntary passive euthanasia. Among the four types of euthanasia, voluntary active euthanasia or VAE is the most controversial ethical issue in the United States. It is the killing of a competent patient who decided to end his/her suffering by ending his/her life with the help of the physician. VAE is illegal in the Unites States; however, it is morally just. Voluntary active euthanasia is legitimately moral on the basis of Immanuel Kant’s human dignity, the utilitarian’s Greatest Happiness Principle, and James Rachel’s view of active euthanasia. According to Immanuel Kant, a person has dignity that makes him autonomous. Thus, the decision of the autonomous patient to die has intrinsic value. Because patients are rational agent, they are able to make their own decision based on reason. A rational patient will reason that if continued existence is full of suffering and no-hope for better well-being, therefore, the best option is to discontinue his/her life to save him/herself from that future condition. It is the patient’s approach to manage his/her own life. Dan W. Brock is right in his article â€Å"Voluntary Active Euthanasia† when he said that, â€Å"self-determination [or autonomy] has fundamental value†¦ [because]†¦ individual [can] control the manner, circumstances, and timing of their dying and death† (75). The dignity of the patient lies in their â€Å"capacity to direct their lives† (Brock 75). According to Stephen G. Potts, a patient might seek euthanasia for the benefits of other people (79). In his argument against VAE, the p... ...uffer. The voluntary active euthanasia is legitimately moral. It is morally right for a person to seek euthanasia because it is their freedom or autonomy to control their own lives. It ends the suffering of the patient without harming other people. Furthermore, it prevents the person to suffer by giving him/her lethal injection or medication that prevents a person to die slowly with pain. On the other hand, the arguments against euthanasia are not sound. A thorough assessment will protect patient who request euthanasia for the benefits of others. A patient who seek for euthanasia does not use him/herself as means, but as ends to respect his/her own humanity. Furthermore, God as a benevolent will not allow a person to suffer which endorse the purpose of euthanasia – to end suffering. Therefore, voluntary active euthanasia should be legalized in the United States. Euthanasia Essay -- Philosophy, Immanuel Kant Euthanasia is an action that result in the death of a person. There are four types of euthanasia, such as voluntary active euthanasia, nonvoluntary active euthanasia, voluntary passive euthanasia, and nonvoluntary passive euthanasia. Among the four types of euthanasia, voluntary active euthanasia or VAE is the most controversial ethical issue in the United States. It is the killing of a competent patient who decided to end his/her suffering by ending his/her life with the help of the physician. VAE is illegal in the Unites States; however, it is morally just. Voluntary active euthanasia is legitimately moral on the basis of Immanuel Kant’s human dignity, the utilitarian’s Greatest Happiness Principle, and James Rachel’s view of active euthanasia. According to Immanuel Kant, a person has dignity that makes him autonomous. Thus, the decision of the autonomous patient to die has intrinsic value. Because patients are rational agent, they are able to make their own decision based on reason. A rational patient will reason that if continued existence is full of suffering and no-hope for better well-being, therefore, the best option is to discontinue his/her life to save him/herself from that future condition. It is the patient’s approach to manage his/her own life. Dan W. Brock is right in his article â€Å"Voluntary Active Euthanasia† when he said that, â€Å"self-determination [or autonomy] has fundamental value†¦ [because]†¦ individual [can] control the manner, circumstances, and timing of their dying and death† (75). The dignity of the patient lies in their â€Å"capacity to direct their lives† (Brock 75). According to Stephen G. Potts, a patient might seek euthanasia for the benefits of other people (79). In his argument against VAE, the p... ...uffer. The voluntary active euthanasia is legitimately moral. It is morally right for a person to seek euthanasia because it is their freedom or autonomy to control their own lives. It ends the suffering of the patient without harming other people. Furthermore, it prevents the person to suffer by giving him/her lethal injection or medication that prevents a person to die slowly with pain. On the other hand, the arguments against euthanasia are not sound. A thorough assessment will protect patient who request euthanasia for the benefits of others. A patient who seek for euthanasia does not use him/herself as means, but as ends to respect his/her own humanity. Furthermore, God as a benevolent will not allow a person to suffer which endorse the purpose of euthanasia – to end suffering. Therefore, voluntary active euthanasia should be legalized in the United States.

“The Other Side of Eden” by Brody

â€Å"The Other Side of Eden is directly based in Brody’s experience when he lived and leaned from Aboriginal Elders. Actually the book touches the question of American Aboriginal cultures and provides new anthropological perspectives to them. The author discusses the Canadian Aboriginal cultures such as Gitxsan, Dunne-za and Inuit. Brody challenges general anthropological assumptions concerning hunter-gathers societies. The book is divided into six chapters headed: language, creation, time, words, gods, and mind.The author tries to counter the idea that Aboriginal hunter-gatherers are not nomadic and provides evidence of their being agricultural culture. It is interesting to notice that Brody’s style of writing is highly figurative and has strong relation to his previous works on the same topic. The book is written from legal transcripts, from field notes and from the memory of the past years. The book is written for academy to honor the memory of lives shared by Brod y. (Brody 2000)It is necessary to mention that in his book the author employs new approach aimed at deconstructing the â€Å"hunter-gatherer trope†. Therefore the author collected and revisited field notes as well as historical documents. The legal transcripts are brought from the ethnographical link. It is known that Brody conducted original researches to find more evidence for the book. Brody calls for recognition respect of â€Å"hunter-gatherer societies† in his book as they preserve their land compared with the â€Å"agriculturalist transformations†. (Brody 2000)While many authors tend to limit the political associations suggested by ancestors of Aboriginal cultures in USA and to maintain the ecological integrity, Brody makes an attempt to overcome those limits. It is apparent that he is not interested in natural ecology, because he strongly deconstructs the myth tat â€Å"indigenous systems that existed before contact were maladaptive to their various env ironments†. He provides the evidence that those Aboriginal cultures are unable to successfully adapt to economic development as well as natural resource development – they wouldn’t understand why and how to use oil and gas, for example.Nevertheless, the book has some negative moments. For example, Brody appeared to be unsuccessful in explaining nomadic and sedentary economic systems. Therefore it is possible to suggest that the author demonstrate a certain limit in his researching and writing from â€Å"outside one's own culture†. (Brody 2000) The author prefers to use the first person in his telling as if he is sitting nearby and leads the original conversation. However, the author is invisible hand in the book and his narrative moves readers further.It is noted that â€Å"the Other Side of Eden† is likely to be work-narrative or travel-narrative of his life and of interfaces with Aboriginal Elders. The author definitely challenges modern ideas and provides evidence that Aboriginal peoples weren’t historically wasters, because according to author â€Å"nothing is wasted†. The author convincingly demonstrates that problems of modern environment don’t result from actions of sedentary â€Å"hunter-gatherers societies†.The reason of those problems is globalization of agriculturalism which is considered nomadic and destructs environmental processes. (Brody 2000) In conclusion it is necessary to provide personal evaluation of the book. It is necessary to note that â€Å"The Other Side of Eden† is a real challenge to anthropological classification of so-called â€Å"hunter-gatherer†. The writing of the author seems authoritative, though Brody is respected by academics. In principle the book is worth for scholars and critics as well as for students and artists.Brody’s evidence provided in the book has strong and weak point. The strength of the boo is that author is not afraid of implem enting new assumptions and ideas and he is ready to counter existed stereotypes, whereas the weak moment is that author appears to be unable to provide proper explanation of some economic systems. Therefore the book undergoes both approval and critique. (Brody 2000) References Brody, H. (2000). The Other Side of Eden: Hunters, Farmers, and the Shaping of the World. Vancouver: Douglas & McIntyre.

Cultural Difference between Ancient Egypt and Ancient China Essay

The Cultural Development of ancient Egyptians and ancient Chinese civilizations were fairly similar but were different on certain ideas. From the way historians looked at the number of gods/goddesses each civilization worshipped, to the inventions and tools the craftsman made to make life less difficult shows the similarity of the two civilization. Both couture’s buried their dead with items of value, practiced ancestor worship, had elaborate systems of Bureaucratic systems of administration and, had rudimentary concepts of Mathematics and Medicine. Ancient Chinese religion based upon Confucianism. Both Taoism and Confucianism began at about the same time, around the sixth century B.C.E. China’s third great religion, Bu. The religion of Ancient Egypt was a polytheistic (many gods) religion with one short period of monotheism (one god). Their religion hosted about 700 different gods and goddesses. Despite the similar concepts of the 2 civilization ancient Chinese: In Egypt, people were buried with thought to preservation, as they believed that the dead would be able to use their bodies in the afterlife. Chinese burial style depended on the province as well as the main religion of the person. But both civilizations were polytheistic (belief in many gods). Ancient Egypt belief system relied heavily on the tales of the many deities that they worshiped. In Ancient Egypt, it was believed that, when a Pharaoh passed away, he was met with many tests. If successful, the Pharaoh would ascend and become the sun god, Ra. However ancient Chinese belief system relied on three major religions: Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. Taoism was founded during the Zhou Dynasty in the 6th century by Lao-Tzu. The idea of Yin and Yang comes from Taoism. They believed that everything in nature has two balancing forces called Yin and Yang. Confucianism was born in 551 BC. Confucius was a philosopher and thinker. Confucius’ teachings focus on treating others with respect, politeness, and fairness. He thought that honor and morality were important qualities, family was important, and honoring one’s relatives was required. Buddhism was based on the teachings of Buddha. Buddha was born in Nepal, just south of China, in 563 BC. Buddhists believe in a â€Å"rebirth† of the self, and the concept named Karma (all actions have consequences). What makes these two civilizations similar, Egypt and China had similar governments in which they were both monarchies. Both ancient Chinese and ancient Egypt made tools and technology to improve their lives, and make everyday tasks easier. Also both civilizations also required an irrigation system to help regulate and utilize the nearby rivers’ sources. However, this is where the similarities of technology end. Egyptians focused primarily on the afterlife. They built grand pyramids as burial sites and afterlife protection for Pharaohs and important nobles. The Chinese spent their efforts building roads for easier trade and canals for efficient, improved farming. Ancient Egypt and ancient Chinese used paper. China and Egypt are also similar in the fact that they all took use of bronze metallurgy. But although they both used bronze, China was better adapted to it and benefitted more from it. Egypt was slow to develop the use of bronze, and the high cost didn’t allow them to use it much. Ancient Chinese made paper (Papyrus- a tall plant that is like grass and that grows in marshes especially in China). Ancient Egypt are known for their pyramids. The size, design, and structure of the pyramids reveal the skill of these ancient builders. The pyramids were great monuments and tombs for the kings. The Egyptians believed that a king’s soul continued to guide affairs of the kingdom even after his death. To ensure that they would continue to enjoy the blessings of the gods, they preserved the pharaoh’s body through the mummification process. They built the pyramids to protect the pharaoh’s body; the pyramid was a symbol of hope, because it would ensure the pharaoh’s union with the gods. Ancient Chinese rich people had fancier houses, and people also built fancy temples and palaces. All ancient Chinese architecture was built according to strict rules of design that made Chinese buildings follow the ideas of Taoism or other Chinese philosophies. The design idea was that buildings should be long and low rather than tall – they and symmetry: both sides of the building should be the same, balanced, just as Taoism emphasized balance. Both Ancient Egypt and Ancient Egypt were both river civilizations that faced the challenge of flooding of their nearby rivers, which made irrigation systems and tracking floods important. While researching ancient Chinese and ancient Egypt I saw that each civilization had the same ideas but they took their prior knowledge and bulled on it, in different ways. Based on this evidence and facts I gathered I conclude that ancient Egypt and ancient China are the strongest and longest lasting civilizations because of their organization. Also since each civilization’s location was closed off, intruding and trying to conquer weren’t a major issue. While writing this paper I learned that with each civilization’s advanced tools and inventions it impacted everything and influenced all the technology we have today.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Forty-four

Sansa He wouldn't send Ser Loras,† Sansa told Jeyne Poole that night as they shared a cold supper by lamplight. â€Å"I think it was because of his leg.† Lord Eddard had taken his supper in his bedchamber with Alyn, Harwin, and Vayon Poole, the better to rest his broken leg, and Septa Mordane had complained of sore feet after standing in the gallery all day. Arya was supposed to join them, but she was late coming back from her dancing lesson. â€Å"His leg?† Jeyne said uncertainly. She was a pretty, dark-haired girl of Sansa's own age. â€Å"Did Ser Loras hurt his leg?† â€Å"Not his leg,† Sansa said, nibbling delicately at a chicken leg. â€Å"Father's leg, silly. It hurts him ever so much, it makes him cross. Otherwise I'm certain he would have sent Ser Loras.† Her father's decision still bewildered her. When the Knight of Flowers had spoken up, she'd been sure she was about to see one of Old Nan's stories come to life. Ser Gregor was the monster and Ser Loras the true hero who would slay him. He even looked a true hero, so slim and beautiful, with golden roses around his slender waist and his rich brown hair tumbling down into his eyes. And then Father had refused him! It had upset her more than she could tell. She had said as much to Septa Mordane as they descended the stairs from the gallery, but the septa had only told her it was not her place to question her lord father's decisions. That was when Lord Baelish had said, â€Å"Oh, I don't know, Septa. Some of her lord father's decisions could do with a bit of questioning. The young lady is as wise as she is lovely.† He made a sweeping bow to Sansa, so deep she was not quite sure if she was being complimented or mocked. Septa Mordane had been very upset to realize that Lord Baelish had overheard them. â€Å"The girl was just talking, my lord,† she'd said. â€Å"Foolish chatter. She meant nothing by the comment.† Lord Baelish stroked his little pointed beard and said, â€Å"Nothing? Tell me, child, why would you have sent Ser Loras?† Sansa had no choice but to explain about heroes and monsters. The king's councillor smiled. â€Å"Well, those are not the reasons I'd have given, but . . . † He had touched her cheek, his thumb lightly tracing the line of a cheekbone. â€Å"Life is not a song, sweetling. You may learn that one day to your sorrow.† Sansa did not feel like telling all that to Jeyne, however; it made her uneasy just to think back on it. â€Å"Ser Ilyn's the King's Justice, not Ser Loras,† Jcyne said. â€Å"Lord Eddard should have sent him.† Sansa shuddered. Every time she looked at Ser Ilyn Payne, she shivered. He made her feel as though something dead were slithering over her naked skin. â€Å"Ser Ilyn's almost like a second monster. I'm glad Father didn't pick him.† â€Å"Lord Beric is as much a hero as Ser Loras. He's ever so brave and gallant.† â€Å"I suppose,† Sansa said doubtfully. Beric Dondarrion was handsome enough, but he was awfully old, almost twenty-two; the Knight of Flowers would have been much better. Of course, Jeyne had been in love with Lord Beric ever since she had first glimpsed him in the lists. Sansa thought she was being silly; Jeyne was only a steward's daughter, after all, and no matter how much she mooned after him, Lord Beric would never look at someone so far beneath him, even if she hadn't been half his age. It would have been unkind to say so, however, so Sansa took a sip of milk and changed the subject. â€Å"I had a dream that Joffrey would be the one to take the white hart,† she said. It had been more of a wish, actually, but it sounded better to call it a dream. Everyone knew that dreams were prophetic. White harts were supposed to be very rare and magical, and in her heart she knew her gallant prince was worthier than his drunken father. â€Å"A dream? Truly? Did Prince Joffrey just go up to it and touch it with his bare hand and do it no harm?† â€Å"No,† Sansa said. â€Å"He shot it with a golden arrow and brought it back for me.† In the songs, the knights never killed magical beasts, they just went up to them and touched them and did them no harm, but she knew Joffrey liked hunting, especially the killing part. Only animals, though. Sansa was certain her prince had no part in murdering Jory and those other poor men; that had been his wicked uncle, the Kingslayer. She knew her father was still angry about that, but it wasn't fair to blame Joff. That would be like blaming her for something that Arya had done. â€Å"I saw your sister this afternoon,† Jeyne blurted out, as if she'd been reading Sansa's thoughts. â€Å"She was walking through the stables on her hands. Why would she do a thing like that?† â€Å"I'm sure I don't know why Arya does anything.† Sansa hated stables, smelly places full of manure and flies. Even when she went riding, she liked the boy to saddle the horse and bring it to her in the yard. â€Å"Do you want to hear about the court or not?† â€Å"I do,† Jeyne said. â€Å"There was a black brother,† Sansa said, â€Å"begging men for the Wall, only he was kind of old and smelly.† She hadn't liked that at all. She had always imagined the Night's Watch to be men like Uncle Benjen. In the songs, they were called the black knights of the Wall. But this man had been crookbacked and hideous, and he looked as though he might have lice. If this was what the Night's Watch was truly like, she felt sorry for her bastard half brother, Jon. â€Å"Father asked if there were any knights in the hall who would do honor to their houses by taking the black, but no one came forward, so he gave this Yoren his pick of the king's dungeons and sent him on his way. And later these two brothers came before him, freeriders from the Dornish Marches, and pledged their swords to the service of the king. Father accepted their oaths . . . â€Å" Jeyne yawned. â€Å"Are there any lemon cakes?† Sansa did not like being interrupted, but she had to admit, lemon cakes sounded more interesting than most of what had gone on in the throne room. â€Å"Let's see,† she said. The kitchen yielded no lemon cakes, but they did find half of a cold strawberry pie, and that was almost as good. They ate it on the tower steps, giggling and gossiping and sharing secrets, and Sansa went to bed that night feeling almost as wicked as Arya. The next morning she woke before first light and crept sleepily to her window to watch Lord Beric form up his men. They rode out as dawn was breaking over the city, with three banners going before them; the crowned stag of the king flew from the high staff, the direwolf of Stark and Lord Beric's own forked lightning standard from shorter poles. It was all so exciting, a song come to life; the clatter of swords, the flicker of torchlight, banners dancing in the wind, horses snorting and whinnying, the golden glow of sunrise slanting through the bars of the portcullis as it jerked upward. The Winterfell men looked especially fine in their silvery mail and long grey cloaks. Alyn carried the Stark banner. When she saw him rein in beside Lord Beric to exchange words, it made Sansa feel ever so proud. Alyn was handsomer than Jory had been; he was going to be a knight one day. The Tower of the Hand seemed so empty after they left that Sansa was even pleased to see Arya when she went down to break her fast. â€Å"Where is everyone?† her sister wanted to know as she ripped the skin from a blood orange. â€Å"Did Father send them to hunt down Jaime Lannister?† Sansa sighed. â€Å"They rode with Lord Beric, to behead Ser Gregor Clegane.† She turned to Septa Mordane, who was eating porridge with a wooden spoon. â€Å"Septa, will Lord Beric spike Ser Gregor's head on his own gate or bring it back here for the king?† She and Jeyne Poole had been arguing over that last night. The septa was horror-struck. â€Å"A lady does not discuss such things over her porridge. Where are your courtesies, Sansa? I swear, of late you've been near as bad as your sister.† â€Å"What did Gregor do?† Arya asked. â€Å"He burned down a holdfast and murdered a lot of people, women and children too.† Arya screwed up her face in a scowl. â€Å"Jaime Lannister murdered Jory and Heward and Wyl, and the Hound murdered Mycah. Somebody should have beheaded them.† â€Å"It's not the same,† Sansa said. â€Å"The Hound is Joffrey's sworn shield. Your butcher's boy attacked the prince.† â€Å"Liar,† Arya said. Her hand clenched the blood orange so hard that red juice oozed between her fingers. â€Å"Go ahead, call me all the names you want,† Sansa said airily. â€Å"You won't dare when I'm married to Joffrey. You'll have to bow to me and call me Your Grace.† She shrieked as Arya flung the orange across the table. It caught her in the middle of the forehead with a wet squish and plopped down into her lap. â€Å"You have juice on your face, Your Grace,† Arya said. It was running down her nose and stinging her eyes. Sansa wiped it away with a napkin. When she saw what the fruit in her lap had done to her beautiful ivory silk dress, she shrieked again. â€Å"You're horrible,† she screamed at her sister. â€Å"They should have killed you instead of Lady!† Septa Mordane came lurching to her feet. â€Å"Your lord father will hear of this! Go to your chambers, at once. At once!† â€Å"Me too?† Tears welled in Sansa's eyes. â€Å"That's not fair.† â€Å"The matter is not subject to discussion. Go!† Sansa stalked away with her head up. She was to be a queen, and queens did not cry. At least not where people could see. When she reached her bedchamber, she barred the door and took off her dress. The blood orange had left a blotchy red stain on the silk. â€Å"I hate her!† she screamed. She balled up the dress and flung it into the cold hearth, on top of the ashes of last night's fire. When she saw that the stain had bled through onto her underskirt, she began to sob despite herself. She ripped off the rest of her clothes wildly, threw herself into bed, and cried herself back to sleep. It was midday when Septa Mordane knocked upon her door. â€Å"Sansa. Your lord father will see you now.† Sansa sat up. â€Å"Lady,† she whispered. For a moment it was as if the direwolf was there in the room, looking at her with those golden eyes, sad and knowing. She had been dreaming, she realized. Lady was with her, and they were running together, and . . . and . . . trying to remember was like trying to catch the rain with her fingers. The dream faded, and Lady was dead again. â€Å"Sansa.† The rap came again, sharply. â€Å"Do you hear me?† â€Å"Yes, Septa,† she called out. â€Å"Might I have a moment to dress, please?† Her eyes were red from crying, but she did her best to make herself beautiful. Lord Eddard was bent over a huge leather-bound book when Septa Mordane marched her into the solar, his plaster-wrapped leg stiff beneath the table. â€Å"Come here, Sansa,† he said, not unkindly, when the septa had gone for her sister. â€Å"Sit beside me.† He closed the book. Septa Mordane returned with Arya squirming in her grasp. Sansa had put on a lovely pale green damask gown and a look of remorse, but her sister was still wearing the ratty leathers and roughspun she'd worn at breakfast. â€Å"Here is the other one,† the septa announced. â€Å"My thanks, Septa Mordane. I would talk to my daughters alone, if you would be so kind.† The septa bowed and left. â€Å"Arya started it,† Sansa said quickly, anxious to have the first word. â€Å"She called me a liar and threw an orange at me and spoiled my dress, the ivory silk, the one Queen Cersei gave me when I was betrothed to Prince Joffrey. She hates that I'm going to marry the prince. She tries to spoil everything, Father, she can't stand for anything to be beautiful or nice or splendid.† â€Å"Enough, Sansa.† Lord Eddard's voice was sharp with impatience. Arya raised her eyes. â€Å"I'm sorry, Father. I was wrong and I beg my sweet sister's forgiveness.† Sansa was so startled that for a moment she was speechless. Finally she found her voice. â€Å"What about my dress?† â€Å"Maybe . . . I could wash it,† Arya said doubtfully. â€Å"Washing won't do any good,† Sansa said. â€Å"Not if you scrubbed all day and all night. The silk is ruined.† â€Å"Then I'll . . . make you a new one,† Arya said. Sansa threw back her head in disdain. â€Å"You? You couldn't sew a dress fit to clean the pigsties.† Their father sighed. â€Å"I did not call you here to talk of dresses. I'm sending you both back to Winterfell.† For the second time Sansa found herself too stunned for words. She felt her eyes grow moist again. â€Å"You can't,† Arya said. â€Å"Please, Father,† Sansa managed at last. â€Å"Please don't.† Eddard Stark favored his daughters with a tired smile. â€Å"At last we've found something you agree on.† â€Å"I didn't do anything wrong,† Sansa pleaded with him. â€Å"I don't want to go back.† She loved Mng's Landing; the pagaentry of the court, the high lords and ladies in their velvets and silks and gemstones, the great city with all its people. The tournament had been the most magical time of her whole life, and there was so much she had not seen yet, harvest feasts and masked balls and mummer shows. She could not bear the thought of losing it all. â€Å"Send Arya away, she started it, Father, I swear it. I'll be good, you'll see, just let me stay and I promise to be as fine and noble and courteous as the queen.† Father's mouth twitched strangely. â€Å"Sansa, I'm not sending you away for fighting, though the gods know I'm sick of you two squabbling. I want you back in Winterfell for your own safety. Three of my men were cut down like dogs not a league from where we sit, and what does Robert do? He goes hunting.† Arya was chewing at her lip in that disgusting way she had. â€Å"Can we take Syrio back with us?† â€Å"Who cares about your stupid dancing master?† Sansa flared. â€Å"Father, I only just now remembered, I can't go away, I'm to marry Prince Joffrey.† She tried to smile bravely for him. â€Å"I love him, Father, I truly truly do, I love him as much as Queen Naerys loved Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, as much as Jonquil loved Ser Florian. I want to be his queen and have his babies.† â€Å"Sweet one,† her father said gently, â€Å"listen to me. When you're old enough, I will make you a match with a high lord who's worthy of you, someone brave and gentle and strong. This match with Joffrey was a terrible mistake. That boy is no Prince Aemon, you must believe me.† â€Å"He is!† Sansa insisted. â€Å"I don't want someone brave and gentle, I want him. We'll be ever so happy, just like in the songs, you'll see. I'll give him a son with golden hair, and one day he'll be the king of all the realm, the greatest king that ever was, as brave as the wolf and as proud as the lion.† Arya made a face. â€Å"Not if Joffrey's his father,† she said. â€Å"He's a liar and a craven and anyhow he's a stag, not a lion.† Sansa felt tears in her eyes. â€Å"He is not! He's not the least bit like that old drunken king,† she screamed at her sister, forgetting herself in her grief. Father looked at her strangely. â€Å"Gods,† he swore softly, â€Å"out of the mouth of babes . . . † He shouted for Septa Mordane. To the girls he said, â€Å"I am looking for a fast trading galley to take you home. These days, the sea is safer than the kingsroad. You will sail as soon as I can find a proper ship, with Septa Mordane and a complement of guards . . . and yes, with Syrio Forel, if he agrees to enter my service. But say nothing of this. It's better if no one knows of our plans. We'll talk again tomorrow.† Sansa cried as Septa Mordane marched them down the steps. They were going to take it all away; the tournaments and the court and her prince, everything, they were going to send her back to the bleak grey walls of Winterfell and lock her up forever. Her life was over before it had begun. â€Å"Stop that weeping, child,† Septa Mordane said sternly. â€Å"I am certain your lord father knows what is best for you.† â€Å"It won't be so bad, Sansa,† Arya said. â€Å"We're going to sail on a galley. It will be an adventure, and then we'll be with Bran and Robb again, and Old Nan and Hodor and the rest.† She touched her on the arm. â€Å"Hodor!† Sansa yelled. â€Å"You ought to marry Hodor, you're just like him, stupid and hairy and ugly!† She wrenched away from her sister's hand, stormed into her bedchamber, and barred the door behind her.