A Game of Thrones Chapter Thirty-seven

Bran A light snow was falling. Bran could feel the flakes on his face, melting as they touched his skin like the gentlest of rains. He sat straight atop his horse, watching as the iron portcullis was winched upward. Try as he might to keep calm, his heart was fluttering in his chest. â€Å"Are you ready?† Robb asked. Bran nodded, trying not to let his fear show. He had not been outside Winterfell since his fall, but he was determined to ride out as proud as any knight. â€Å"Let's ride, then.† Robb put his heels into his big grey-and-white gelding, and the horse walked under the portcullis. â€Å"Go,† Bran whispered to his own horse. He touched her neck lightly, and the small chestnut filly started forward. Bran had named her Dancer. She was two years old, and Joseth said she was smarter than any horse had a right to be. They had trained her special, to respond to rein and voice and touch. Up to now, Bran had only ridden her around the yard. At first Joseth or Hodor would lead her, while Bran sat strapped to her back in the oversize saddle the Imp had drawn up for him, but for the past fortnight he had been riding her on his own, trotting her round and round, and growing bolder with every circuit. They passed beneath the gatehouse, over the drawbridge, through the outer walls. Summer and Grey Wind came loping beside them, sniffing at the wind. Close behind came Theon Greyjoy, with his longbow and a quiver of broadheads; he had a mind to take a deer, he had told them. He was followed by four guardsmen in mailed shirts and coifs, and Joseth, a stick-thin stableman whom Robb had named master of horse while Hullen was away. Maester Luwin brought up the rear, riding on a donkey. Bran would have liked it better if he and Robb had gone off alone, just the two of them, but Hal Mollen would not hear of it, and Maester Luwin backed him. If Bran fell off his horse or injured himself, the maester was determined to be with him. Beyond the castle lay the market square, its wooden stalls deserted now. They rode down the muddy streets of the village, past rows of small neat houses of log and undressed stone. Less than one in five were occupied, thin tendrils of woodsmoke curling up from their chimneys. The rest would fill up one by one as it grew colder. When the snow fell and the ice winds howled down out of the north, Old Nan said, farmers left their frozen fields and distant holdfasts, loaded up their wagons, and then the winter town came alive. Bran had never seen it happen, but Maester Luwin said the day was looming closer. The end of the long summer was near at hand. Winter is coming. A few villagers eyed the direwolves anxiously as the riders went past, and one man dropped the wood he was carrying as he shrank away in fear, but most of the townfolk had grown used to the sight. They bent the knee when they saw the boys, and Robb greeted each of them with a lordly nod. With his legs unable to grip, the swaying motion of the horse made Bran feel unsteady at first, but the huge saddle with its thick horn and high back cradled him comfortingly, and the straps around his chest and thighs would not allow him to fall. After a time the rhythm began to feel almost natural. His anxiety faded, and a tremulous smile crept across his face. Two serving wenches stood beneath the sign of the Smoking Log, the local alehouse. When Theon Greyjoy called out to them, the younger girl turned red and covered her face. Theon spurred his mount to move up beside Robb. â€Å"Sweet Kyra,† he said with a laugh. â€Å"She squirms like a weasel in bed, but say a word to her on the street, and she blushes pink as a maid. Did I ever tell you about the night that she and Bessa—† â€Å"Not where my brother can hear, Theon,† Robb warned him with a glance at Bran. Bran looked away and pretended not to have heard, but he could feel Greyjoy's eyes on him. No doubt he was smiling. He smiled a lot, as if the world were a secret joke that only he was clever enough to understand. Robb seemed to admire Theon and enjoy his company, but Bran had never warmed to his father's ward. Robb rode closer. â€Å"You are doing well, Bran.† â€Å"I want to go faster,† Bran replied. Robb smiled. â€Å"As you will.† He sent his gelding into a trot. The wolves raced after him. Bran snapped the reins sharply, and Dancer picked up her pace. He heard a shout from Theon Greyjoy, and the hoofbeats of the other horses behind him. Bran's cloak billowed out, rippling in the wind, and the snow seemed to rush at his face. Robb was well ahead, glancing back over his shoulder from time to time to make sure Bran and the others were following. He snapped the reins again. Smooth as silk, Dancer slid into a gallop. The distance closed. By the time he caught Robb on the edge of the wolfswood, two miles beyond the winter town, they had left the others well behind. â€Å"I can ride!† Bran shouted, grinning. It felt almost as good as flying. â€Å"I'd race you, but I fear you'd win.† Robb's tone was light and joking, yet Bran could tell that something was troubling his brother underneath the smile. â€Å"I don't want to race.† Bran looked around for the direwolves. Both had vanished into the wood. â€Å"Did you hear Summer howling last night?† â€Å"Grey Wind was restless too,† Robb said. His auburn hair had grown shaggy and unkempt, and a reddish stubble covered his jaw, making him look older than his fifteen years. â€Å"Sometimes I think they know things . . . sense things . . . † Robb sighed. â€Å"I never know how much to tell you, Bran. I wish you were older.† â€Å"I'm eight now!† Bran said. â€Å"Eight isn't so much younger than fifteen, and I'm the heir to Winterfell, after you.† â€Å"So you are.† Robb sounded sad, and even a little scared. â€Å"Bran, I need to tell you something. There was a bird last night. From King's Landing. Maester Luwin woke me.† Bran felt a sudden dread. Dark wings, dark words, Old Nan always said, and of late the messenger ravens had been proving the truth of the proverb. When Robb wrote to the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, the bird that came back brought word that Uncle Benjen was still missing. Then a message had arrived from the Eyrie, from Mother, but that had not been good news either. She did not say when she meant to return, only that she had taken the Imp as prisoner. Bran had sort of liked the little man, yet the name Lannister sent cold fingers creeping up his spine. There was something about the Lannisters, something he ought to remember, but when he tried to think what, he felt dizzy and his stomach clenched hard as a stone. Robb spent most of that day locked behind closed doors with Maester Luwin, Theon Greyjoy, and Hallis Mollen. Afterward, riders were sent out on fast horses, carrying Robb's commands throughout the north. Bran heard talk of Moat Cailin, the ancient stronghold the First Men had built at the top of the Neck. No one ever told him what was happening, yet he knew it was not good. And now another raven, another message. Bran clung to hope. â€Å"Was the bird from Mother? Is she coming home?† â€Å"The message was from Alyn in King's Landing. Jory Cassel is dead. And Wyl and Heward as well. Murdered by the Kingslayer.† Robb lifted his face to the snow, and the flakes melted on his cheeks. â€Å"May the gods give them rest.† Bran did not know what to say. He felt as if he'd been punched. Jory had been captain of the household guard at Winterfell since before Bran was born. â€Å"They killed Jory?† He remembered all the times Jory had chased him over the roofs. He could picture him striding across the yard in mail and plate, or sitting at his accustomed place on the bench in the Great Hall, joking as he ate. â€Å"Why would anyone kill Jory?† Robb shook his head numbly, the pain plain in his eyes. â€Å"I don't know, and . . . Bran, that's not the worst of it. Father was caught beneath a falling horse in the fight. Alyn says his leg was shattered, and . . . Maester Pycelle has given him the milk of the poppy, but they aren't sure when . . . when he . . .† The sound of hoofbeats made him glance down the road, to where Theon and the others were coming up. â€Å"When he will wake,† Robb finished. He laid his hand on the pommel of his sword then, and went on in the solemn voice of Robb the Lord. â€Å"Bran, I promise you, whatever might happen, I will not let this be forgotten.† Something in his tone made Bran even more fearful. â€Å"What will you do?† he asked as Theon Greyjoy reined in beside them. â€Å"Theon thinks I should call the banners,† Robb said. â€Å"Blood for blood.† For once Greyjoy did not smile. His lean, dark face had a hungry look to it, and black hair fell down across his eyes. â€Å"Only the lord can call the banners,† Bran said as the snow drifted down around them. â€Å"If your father dies,† Theon said, â€Å"Robb will be Lord of Winterfell.† â€Å"He won't die!† Bran screamed at him. Robb took his hand. â€Å"He won't die, not Father,† he said calmly. â€Å"Still . . . the honor of the north is in my hands now. When our lord father took his leave of us, he told me to be strong for you and for Rickon. I'm almost a man grown, Bran.† Bran shivered. â€Å"I wish Mother was back,† he said miserably. He looked around for Maester Luwin; his donkey was visible in the far distance, trotting over a rise. â€Å"Does Maester Luwin say to call the banners too?† â€Å"The maester is timid as an old woman,† said Theon. â€Å"Father always listened to his counsel,† Bran reminded his brother. â€Å"Mother too.† â€Å"I listen to him,† Robb insisted. â€Å"I listen to everyone.† The joy Bran had felt at the ride was gone, melted away like the snowflakes on his face. Not so long ago, the thought of Robb calling the banners and riding off to war would have filled him with excitement, but now he felt only dread. â€Å"Can we go back now?† he asked. â€Å"I'm cold.† Robb glanced around. â€Å"We need to find the wolves. Can you stand to go a bit longer?† â€Å"I can go as long as you can.† Maester Luwin had warned him to keep the ride short, for fear of saddle sores, but Bran would not admit to weakness in front of his brother. He was sick of the way everyone was always fussing over him and asking how he was. â€Å"Let's hunt down the hunters, then,† Robb said. Side by side, they urged their mounts off the kingsroad and struck out into the wolfswood. Theon dropped back and followed well behind them, talking and joking with the guardsmen. It was nice under the trees. Bran kept Dancer to a walk, holding the reins lightly and looking all around him as they went. He knew this wood, but he had been so long confined to Winterfell that he felt as though he were seeing it for the first time. The smells filled his nostrils; the sharp fresh tang of pine needles, the earthy odor of wet rotting leaves, the hints of animal musk and distant cooking fires. He caught a glimpse of a black squirrel moving through the snow-covered branches of an oak, and paused to study the silvery web of an empress spider. Theon and the others fell farther and farther behind, until Bran could no longer hear their voices. From ahead came the faint sound of rushing waters. It grew louder until they reached the stream. Tears stung his eyes. â€Å"Bran?† Robb asked. â€Å"What's wrong?† Bran shook his head. â€Å"I was just remembering,† he said. â€Å"Jory brought us here once, to fish for trout. You and me and Jon. Do you remember?† â€Å"I remember,† Robb said, his voice quiet and sad. â€Å"I didn't catch anything,† Bran said, â€Å"but Jon gave me his fish on the way back to Winterfell. Will we ever see Jon again?† â€Å"We saw Uncle Benjen when the king came to visit,† Robb pointed out. â€Å"Jon will visit too, you'll see.† The stream was running high and fast. Robb dismounted and led his gelding across the ford. In the deepest part of the crossing, the water came up to midthigh. He tied his horse to a tree on the far side, and waded back across for Bran and Dancer. The current foamed around rock and root, and Bran could feel the spray on his face as Robb led him over. It made him smile. For a moment he felt strong again, and whole. He looked up at the trees and dreamed of climbing them, right up to the very top, with the whole forest spread out beneath him. They were on the far side when they heard the howl, a long rising wail that moved through the trees like a cold wind. Bran raised his head to listen. â€Å"Summer,† he said. No sooner had he spoken than a second voice joined the first. â€Å"They've made a kill,† Robb said as he remounted. â€Å"I'd best go and bring them back. Wait here, Theon and the others should be along shortly.† â€Å"I want to go with you,† Bran said. â€Å"I'll find them faster by myself.† Robb spurred his gelding and vanished into the trees. Once he was gone, the woods seemed to close in around Bran. The snow was falling more heavily now. Where it touched the ground it melted, but all about him rock and root and branch wore a thin blanket of white. As he waited, he was conscious of how uncomfortable he felt. He could not feel his legs, hanging useless in the stirrups, but the strap around his chest was tight and chafing, and the melting snow had soaked through his gloves to chill his hands. He wondered what was keeping Theon and Maester Luwin and Joseth and the rest. When he heard the rustle of leaves, Bran used the reins to make Dancer turn, expecting to see his friends, but the ragged men who stepped out onto the bank of the stream were strangers. â€Å"Good day to you,† he said nervously. One look, and Bran knew they were neither foresters nor farmers. He was suddenly conscious of how richly he was dressed. His surcoat was new, dark grey wool with silver buttons, and a heavy silver pin fastened his fur-trimmed cloak at the shoulders. His boots and gloves were lined with fur as well. â€Å"All alone, are you?† said the biggest of them, a bald man with a raw windburnt face. â€Å"Lost in the wolfswood, poor lad.† â€Å"I'm not lost.† Bran did not like the way the strangers were looking at him. He counted four, but when he turned his head, he saw two others behind him. â€Å"My brother rode off just a moment ago, and my guard will be here shortly.† â€Å"Your guard, is it?† a second man said. Grey stubble covered his gaunt face. â€Å"And what would they be guarding, my little lord? Is that a silver pin I see there on your cloak?† â€Å"Pretty,† said a woman's voice. She scarcely looked like a woman; tall and lean, with the same hard face as the others, her hair hidden beneath a bowl-shaped halfhelm. The spear she held was eight feet of black oak, tipped in rusted steel. â€Å"Let's have a look,† said the big bald man. Bran watched him anxiously. The man's clothes were filthy, fallen almost to pieces, patched here with brown and here with blue and there with a dark green, and faded everywhere to grey, but once that cloak might have been black. The grey stubbly man wore black rags too, he saw with a sudden start. Suddenly Bran remembered the oathbreaker his father had beheaded, the day they had found the wolf pups; that man had worn black as well, and Father said he had been a deserter from the Night's Watch. No man is more dangerous, he remembered Lord Eddard saying. The deserter knows his life is forfeit if he is taken, so he will not flinch from any crime, no matter how vile or cruel. â€Å"The pin, lad,† the big man said. He held out his hand. â€Å"We'll take the horse too,† said another of them, a woman shorter than Robb, with a broad fiat face and lank yellow hair. â€Å"Get down, and be quick about it.† A knife slid from her sleeve into her hand, its edge jagged as a saw. â€Å"No,† Bran blurted. â€Å"I can't . . . â€Å" The big man grabbed his reins before Bran could think to wheel Dancer around and gallop off. â€Å"You can, lordling . . . and will, if you know what's good for you.† â€Å"Stiv, look how he's strapped on.† The tall woman pointed with her spear. â€Å"Might be it's the truth he's telling.† â€Å"Straps, is it?† Stiv said. He drew a dagger from a sheath at his belt. â€Å"There's ways to deal with straps.† â€Å"You some kind of cripple?† asked the short woman. Bran flared. â€Å"I'm Brandon Stark of Winterfell, and you better let go of my horse, or I'll see you all dead.† The gaunt man with the grey stubbled face laughed. â€Å"The boy's a Stark, true enough. Only a Stark would be fool enough to threaten where smarter men would beg.† â€Å"Cut his little cock off and stuff it in his mouth,† suggested the short woman. â€Å"That should shut him up.† â€Å"You're as stupid as you are ugly, Hali,† said the tall woman. â€Å"The boy's worth nothing dead, but alive . . . gods be damned, think what Mance would give to have Benjen Stark's own blood to hostage!† â€Å"Mance be damned,† the big man cursed. â€Å"You want to go back there, Osha? More fool you. Think the white walkers will care if you have a hostage?† He turned back to Bran and slashed at the strap around his thigh. The leather parted with a sigh. The stroke had been quick and careless, biting deep. Looking down, Bran glimpsed pale flesh where the wool of his leggings had parted. Then the blood began to flow. He watched the red stain spread, feeling light-headed, curiously apart; there had been no pain, not even a hint of feeling. The big man grunted in surprise. â€Å"Put down your steel now, and I promise you shall have a quick and painless death,† Robb called out. Bran looked up in desperate hope, and there he was. The strength of the words were undercut by the way his voice cracked with strain. He was mounted, the bloody carcass of an elk slung across the back of his horse, his sword in a gloved hand. â€Å"The brother,† said the man with the grey stubbly face. â€Å"He's a fierce one, he is,† mocked the short woman. Hali, they called her. â€Å"You mean to fight us, boy?† â€Å"Don't be a fool, lad. You're one against six.† The tall woman, Osha, leveled her spear. â€Å"Off the horse, and throw down the sword. We'll thank you kindly for the mount and for the venison, and you and your brother can be on your way.† Robb whistled. They heard the faint sound of soft feet on wet leaves. The undergrowth parted, low-hanging branches giving up their accumulation of snow, and Grey Wind and Summer emerged from the green. Summer sniffed the air and growled. â€Å"Wolves,† gasped Hali. â€Å"Direwolves,† Bran said. Still half-grown, they were as large as any wolf he had ever seen, but the differences were easy to spot, if you knew what to look for. Maester Luwin and Farlen the kennelmaster had taught him. A direwolf had a bigger head and longer legs in proportion to its body, and its snout and jaw were markedly leaner and more pronounced. There was something gaunt and terrible about them as they stood there amid the gently falling snow. Fresh blood spotted Grey Wind's muzzle. â€Å"Dogs,† the big bald man said contemptuously. â€Å"Yet I'm told there's nothing like a wolfskin cloak to warm a man by night.† He made a sharp gesture. â€Å"Take them.† Robb shouted, â€Å"Winterfell!† and kicked his horse. The gelding plunged down the bank as the ragged men closed. A man with an axe rushed in, shouting and heedless. Robb's sword caught him full in the face with a sickening crunch and a spray of bright blood. The man with the gaunt stubbly face made a grab for the reins, and for half a second he had them . . . and then Grey Wind was on him, bearing him down. He fell back into the stream with a splash and a shout, flailing wildly with his knife as his head went under. The direwolf plunged in after him, and the white water turned red where they had vanished. Robb and Osha matched blows in midstream. Her long spear was a steel-headed serpent, flashing out at his chest, once, twice, three times, but Robb parried every thrust with his longsword, turning the point aside. On the fourth or fifth thrust, the tall woman overextended herself and lost her balance, just for a second. Robb charged, riding her down. A few feet away, Summer darted in and snapped at Hali. The knife bit at his flank. Summer slid away, snarling, and came rushing in again. This time his jaws closed around her calf. Holding the knife with both hands, the small woman stabbed down, but the direwolf seemed to sense the blade coming. He pulled free for an instant, his mouth full of leather and cloth and bloody flesh. When Hali stumbled and fell, he came at her again, slamming her backward, teeth tearing at her belly. The sixth man ran from the carnage . . . but not far. As he went scrambling up the far side of the bank, Grey Wind emerged from the stream, dripping wet. He shook the water off and bounded after the running man, hamstringing him with a single snap of his teeth, and going for the throat as the screaming man slid back down toward the water. And then there was no one left but the big man, Stiv. He slashed at Bran's chest strap, grabbed his arm, and yanked. Suddenly Bran was falling. He sprawled on the ground, his legs tangled under him, one foot in the stream. He could not feel the cold of the water, but he felt the steel when Stiv pressed his dagger to his throat. â€Å"Back away,† the man warned, â€Å"or I'll open the boy's windpipe, I swear it.† Robb reined his horse in, breathing hard. The fury went out of his eyes, and his sword arm dropped. In that moment Bran saw everything. Summer was savaging Hali, pulling glistening blue snakes from her belly. Her eyes were wide and staring. Bran could not tell whether she was alive or dead. The grey stubbly man and the one with the axe lay unmoving, but Osha was on her knees, crawling toward her fallen spear. Grey Wind padded toward her, dripping wet. â€Å"Call him off!† the big man shouted. â€Å"Call them both off, or the cripple boy dies now!† â€Å"Grey Wind, Summer, to me,† Robb said. The direwolves stopped, turned their heads. Grey Wind loped back to Robb. Summer stayed where he was, his eyes on Bran and the man beside him. He growled. His muzzle was wet and red, but his eyes burned. Osha used the butt end of her spear to lever herself back to her feet. Blood leaked from a wound on the upper arm where Robb had cut her. Bran could see sweat trickling down the big man's face. Stiv was as scared as he was, he realized. â€Å"Starks,† the man muttered, â€Å"bloody Starks.† He raised his voice. â€Å"Osha, kill the wolves and get his sword.† â€Å"Kill them yourself,† she replied. â€Å"I'll not be getting near those monsters.† For a moment Stiv was at a loss. His hand trembled; Bran felt a trickle of blood where the knife pressed against his neck. The stench of the man filled his nose; he smelled of fear. â€Å"You,† he called out to Robb. â€Å"You have a name?† â€Å"I am Robb Stark, the heir to Winterfell.† â€Å"This is your brother?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"You want him alive, you do what I say. Off the horse.† Robb hesitated a moment. Then, slowly and deliberately, he dismounted and stood with his sword in hand. â€Å"Now kill the wolves.† Robb did not move. â€Å"You do it. The wolves or the boy.† â€Å"No!† Bran screamed. If Robb did as they asked, Stiv would kill them both anyway, once the direwolves were dead. The bald man took hold of his hair with his free hand and twisted it cruelly, till Bran sobbed in pain. â€Å"You shut your mouth, cripple, you hear me?† He twisted harder. â€Å"You hear me?† A low thrum came from the woods behind them. Stiv gave a choked gasp as a half foot of razor-tipped broadhead suddenly exploded out of his chest. The arrow was bright red, as if it had been painted in blood. The dagger fell away from Bran's throat. The big man swayed and collapsed, facedown in the stream. The arrow broke beneath him. Bran watched his life go swirling off in the water. Osha glanced around as Father's guardsmen appeared from beneath the trees, steel in hand. She threw down her spear. â€Å"Mercy, m'lord,† she called to Robb. The guardsmen had a strange, pale look to their faces as they took in the scene of slaughter. They eyed the wolves uncertainly, and when Summer returned to Hali's corpse to feed, Joseth dropped his knife and scrambled for the bush, heaving. Even Maester Luwin seemed shocked as he stepped from behind a tree, but only for an instant. Then he shook his head and waded across the stream to Bran's side. â€Å"Are you hurt?† â€Å"He cut my leg,† Bran said, â€Å"but I couldn't feel it.† As the maester knelt to examine the wound, Bran turned his head. Theon Greyjoy stood beside a sentinel tree, his bow in hand. He was smiling. Ever smiling. A half-dozen arrows were thrust into the soft ground at his feet, but it had taken only one. â€Å"A dead enemy is a thing of beauty,† he announced. â€Å"Jon always said you were an ass, Greyjoy,† Robb said loudly. â€Å"I ought to chain you up in the yard and let Bran take a few practice shots at you.† â€Å"You should be thanking me for saving your brother's life.† â€Å"What if you had missed the shot?† Robb said. â€Å"What if you'd only wounded him? What if you had made his hand jump, or hit Bran instead? For all you knew, the man might have been wearing a breastplate, all you could see was the back of his cloak. What would have happened to my brother then? Did you ever think of that, Greyjoy?† Theon's smile was gone. He gave a sullen shrug and began to pull his arrows from the ground, one by one. Robb glared at his guardsmen. â€Å"Where were you?† he demanded of them. â€Å"I was sure you were close behind us.† The men traded unhappy glances. â€Å"We were following, m'lord,† said Quent, the youngest of them, his beard a soft brown fuzz. â€Å"Only first we waited for Maester Luwin and his ass, begging your pardons, and then, well, as it were . . . † He glanced over at Theon and quickly looked away, abashed. â€Å"I spied a turkey,† Theon said, annoyed by the question. â€Å"How was I to know that you'd leave the boy alone?† Robb turned his head to look at Theon once more. Bran had never seen him so angry, yet he said nothing. Finally he knelt beside Maester Luwin. â€Å"How badly is my brother wounded?† â€Å"No more than a scratch,† the maester said. He wet a cloth in the stream to clean the cut. â€Å"Two of them wear the black,† he told Robb as he worked. Robb glanced over at where Stiv lay sprawled in the stream, his ragged black cloak moving fitfully as the rushing waters tugged at it. â€Å"Deserters from the Night's Watch,† he said grimly. â€Å"They must have been fools, to come so close to Winterfell.† â€Å"Folly and desperation are ofttimes hard to tell apart,† said Maester Luwin. â€Å"Shall we bury them, m'lord?† asked Quent. â€Å"They would not have buried us,† Robb said. â€Å"Hack off their heads, we'll send them back to the Wall. Leave the rest for the carrion crows.† â€Å"And this one?† Quent jerked a thumb toward Osha. Robb walked over to her. She was a head taller than he was, but she dropped to her knees at his approach. â€Å"Give me my life, m'lord of Stark, and I am yours.† â€Å"Mine? What would I do with an oathbreaker?† â€Å"I broke no oaths. Stiv and Wallen flew down off the Wall, not me. The black crows got no place for women.† Theon Greyjoy sauntered closer. â€Å"Give her to the wolves,† he urged Robb. The woman's eyes went to what was left of Hali, and just as quickly away. She shuddered. Even the guardsmen looked queasy. â€Å"She's a woman,† Robb said. â€Å"A wildling,† Bran told him. â€Å"She said they should keep me alive so they could take me to Mance Rayder.† â€Å"Do you have a name?† Robb asked her. â€Å"Osha, as it please the lord,† she muttered sourly. Maester Luwin stood. â€Å"We might do well to question her.† Bran could see the relief on his brother's face. â€Å"As you say, Maester. Wayn, bind her hands. She'll come back to Winterfell with us . . . and live or die by the truths she gives us.†

Four Basic Funtions of Management in Business Management Essay

Every organization, regardless of size, has developed and implemented its own management concepts in order for it to run smoothly and accomplish the vision, goal, and objective, the company has set forth. The basic functions of management can be broken down into four different areas, allowing the organization to handle the strategic, tactical, and operational decisions (Sanjau, 2007). The four functions of management are essential to building strong teams and stronger organization. Common to all managers, the four functions are planning, organizing, leading, and controlling (Pakhare, 2007). A good manager is able to accomplish all four functions both effectively and efficiently (Bateman & Snell, 2009). At Triumph, planning is the foundation in which all management decisions regarding the company will be based upon. The management teams will utilize the planning function to assess the status of the company today, as well as in the upcoming future. Once the management team has an agreed upon plan, and the company’s mission has been established, the team must determine how the desired results will be achieved. The next objective is to establish a goal and the strategies to achieve the goals set forth. After setting the goal the next step the management team will accomplish is to create a time line to complete the objective. The organizing function for the team at Triumph is to formulate the activities, which will include the accounting department, sales department and supply chain involved in helping reach the goal that has been set forth. Once all the different departments are set, it is up to the management team to departmentalize the process and create smaller groups to achieve the goals and objectives. Once the departments create their own teams a clear organizational structure is drawn and all employees are made aware of whom they are accountable too to help reach the goal of the company. Once the departmental teams are in place, the management team can help direct, communicate, motivate and assist the staff in meeting the company’s goals and objectives. At Triumph the management team will have open discussion with departmental teams to create and build positive working environment. In this process the employees feel as though they are part of the decision making and will ultimately help the company reach the desired goals and objectives. The final stage of the four functions of management is to control or establish the performance standard of the company’s objective (Bateman & Snell, 2009). In this stage management keeps a close watch to make sure that all teams are on track to complete the goals and objectives that have been set forth and within the timeline. If at this point, it appears that one of the team’s seems to be off track then management will step in and help guide or make any necessary changes. The managers at Triumph know that ignoring any of the four functions can result in the failure of the company. Without using the planning stage first to make sure that all objectives are met and then organizing the plan and leading or motivating the team will result in not obtaining the objective or goal of the company. Managers at Triumph know that the final stage of creating an effective and productive team, one must control the budget, departments and cost efficiency of the work implemented to achieve the objectives. According to Barnes (2008), â€Å"if one can master the four management functions of planning, organizing, leading, and coordinating of resources, their opportunities are endless†

Ethics, Abolition of Man Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethics, Abolition of Man - Essay Example e related to the traditional morality when in fact when new values are established, the person himself influencing such values is a product of the tradition morality from which he had been nurtured. One then cannot deny the relationship to one’s traditional values. This can be attributed to the fact that when one establishes values, there is only one way of classification, that is being traditional or the established one. Thus, complete rejection of tradition values is required for the new ones to be accepted, which can be considered a great challenge specifically when values are also related to the actions of the social surroundings. One cannot separate himself from his community. For that matter, in the determination of values and ethics, the social interaction is one of the important factors (p. 27-30). The main point discussed in the second chapter is the real nature of values. It is a common notion that values and ethics can be related to the actions and obligations of a person for the good of the many. For that matter, doing a good deed for example can be perceived as an act that can benefit a larger portion of the population. In times wherein there is conflict between the good of the community and the good of a person, the person needs to sacrifice himself. This can be in general one of the utility of the person in the community, to save it or sacrifice for it. Basically, this is one of the notions for which morality can be achieved. This can be attributed to the fact that people commonly seek self preservation. The traditional values then can be viewed to have been established on the basis of the need of the people during the corresponding time and became values through practice and through the development of norms (p. 27-52). Lewis argues that utility though cannot be a source of ethical obligation since the said concepts are distinct. Utilitarianism is on self preservation and viewing the events and elements of the surroundings as a tool

Why did non-slave owners fight in the civil war Research Paper

Why did non-slave owners fight in the civil war - Research Paper Example It is estimated that over three million soldiers took part in the civil war, with two million fighting for the Union states and one million fighting for the Confederate states (Catton & McPherson, 2004). Around 600,000 of these soldiers died in combat, making it the deadliest war in American history (Catton & McPherson, 2004). One of the main reasons for the American civil war was that many people in the northern states felt that slavery was immoral and unnecessary, whilst those in the south wanted to keep their slave-owning plantation way of life. It is easy to understand why those in possession of slaves would want to keep their lifestyle and their cheap labor source, but why did non-slave owners fight in the civil war? Inequality Whilst it may seem ridiculous to some to support a system that does not benefit yourself, such as non-slave owners supporting slavery in the civil war, but there are many reasons why. One of the main reasons is that black people and white people were not seen as equal at the time. The general consensus of the time was that those of African descent were a slave race (Hansen, Gallagher & Jakes, 2010) and deserved to be treated as such. This is one of the reasons why inequality lasted for such a significant amount of time after the civil war; it was difficult for some people to accept equality. Despite many soldiers fighting for the Confederate states not owning slaves, it may be that these individuals wished to maintain the quality of life. In the case of those who were termed ‘poor whites’, it may have been that they enjoyed being part of a system in which they were superior to one set of people; the African slaves. The abolition of slavery meant that everyone was equal, but those with money still retained some superiority. Those who were part of the ‘poor white’ lost their superiority altogether and may have felt uncomfortable with this idea. The culture of slavery was deep-rooted in society at the time and many are often uncomfortable with changes to the social order, and this may have been an example of this phenomenon (Catton & McPherson, 2004). The abolition of slavery did require a significant change to the social system of the day, so the Confederate supporters were not wrong to be worried. However, in recent decades the status of African Americans is now seen as equal to that of whites in the United States, so it is evident that some time has shown that there was a reason to fight for this equality, despite the problems it may have caused the Confederate soldiers at the time. It is interesting to consider how those labelled ‘poor whites’ of the day reacted to the abolition of slavery, and how they were now seen as equal to black, whereas prior to this the colour of their skin still set them apart. This was probably one of the major reasons why non-slave owners fought in the civil war. State Pride Something that may be easier to understand for modern Americans is th e concept of state pride. As the ownership of slaves was so deeply ingrained into culture, some soldiers may have wanted to go to war to prevent themselves being under the legislation of the Union states who did not necessarily understand the way of life in the south (Hansen, Gallagher & Jakes, 2010). In many cases, soldiers would have been proud to be fighting for their state, despite their beliefs or their slave ownership status. Slavery was one of the main issues in the American civil war, but it was not the only one. Many people on both sides of the civil war believed in what is known as State Sovereignty, which essentially maintains the right of each individual state to control and create its own laws (Catton & McPherson, 2004). The Union was fighting to unite the states, both southern and northern, to create a more harmonious single

City of Worcester Report Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

City of Worcester Report - Assignment Example A critical review of the literature on the aforementioned will serve to outline the nature of tourism marketing and, in so doing, identify the core objectives and components of the City of Worcester's tourism marketing plan. The report will conclude with a set of best practice recommendations, specifically addressed to the City of Worcester. Branding is a managed process to serve consumers, create identity for goods and services, and differentiate goods and services from competitors (Kotler, 1994; Kapferer, 1997). Branding is a powerful means for creating competitive advantages in marketing corporations, products, and services. Cai (2002) acknowledged that branding is the single most important objective of marketing today. The ability to create value by developing and maintaining the attributes that appeal to consumers emotionally has become a main focus of branding (Knowles, 2001). Therefore, branding refers to the process of transforming functional assets into relationship assets (Knowles, 2001) or the process of adding meaning to consumer products (Aaker, 1991). Branding has developed into a modern concept that can be applied to anything from products and services to companies, not-for-profit causes, and even countries (Clifton, 2003). Modern branding is concerned increasingly with assembling and maintaining a mix of values, both tangible and intangible, which are relevant to consumers and which meaningfully and appropriately distinguish one supplier's brand from that of another (Murphy, 1998). Emotional benefits over and above a product's functional benefits are emphasized increasingly in the branding process. Branding is a powerful means of differentiation, and differentiation is a significant competitive positioning strategy (Pappu, Quester, & Cooksey, 2005). Berry (2000) noted that "a brand reduces customers' perceived monetary, social, or safety risk in buying services, which are difficult to evaluate prior to purchase" (p. 128). Due to greater opportunities to visit a variety of destinations, places are becoming increasingly substitutable and difficult to differentiate (Pike, 2005). 2.1 Destination Branding Travel destinations, just like other consumer products, have had to turn to branding to identify and distinguish themselves and to convey a positive and motivating message (Aaker, 1991). Although branding is a relatively new concept in tourism marketing (Cai, 2002; Pike, 2005), branding's extension into tourism destination management is expanding (William, Gill, & Chura, 2004). Consumers increasingly recognize that a destination can also be a perceptual concept which can be interpreted subjectively through the experience process (Buhalis, 2000). A strong and lasting destination experience for tourists, if appropriately managed, can act as a foundation for building destination brands (Hall, 2002). Buhalis (2000) states that destinations offer an amalgam of tourism products and services which are subsumed under the name of destination brand. Also, Murphy, Pritchard, and Smith (2000) noted that a tourism

Ch 41 dis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ch 41 dis - Essay Example ence liable for payment of USD 473, 790.18 towards response costs out of the total response costs amounted to USD 1,302,290.18 (Antitrust Division 2003). The share of response payment cost towards Alcan was only 5% of the defendant pool. Furthermore, it seems that Alcans share of liability is distributed on a contributory basis (Antitrust Division 2003). The court further observed that determination of harm is indivisible and it will not frustrate the right of a defendant to seek fair share of response cost from other defendants, as the contribution proceeds is on equitable footing. The court permitted to allocate response cost amongst the responsible where the court has no discretion to determine division of response cost (Antitrust Division 2003). Antitrust Division. United States v. Alcan Inc., Alcan Aluminum Corp., Pechiney, S.A., and Pechiney Rolled Products, LLC; Complaint, Proposed Final Judgment and Competitive Impact Statement. Federal Registrar, 2003. Accessed 7 July 2012.

Hip Hop in the African American culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hip Hop in the African American culture - Essay Example These four elements include rap music, turntablism, breaking, and graffiti art. African America people find unity in this artifact, which was born in a violent and poverty historical context despite the contrasting method that they use to execute this artifact. This artifact was used to provide a reactionary outlet form the hardships of the African American in the urban. Its main objective was to reflect on the expressions and proclaim an alternative, which would change the mood of poverty and violent environment. The four elements have enabled the hip hop artifact to remain coherent and stable to the African America culture, thus allowing this artifact to nurture globally in a thriving multitude of different style. The Hip hop artifact was established in South Bronx, New York, City in 1973 by a Jamaican-born Kool DJ Herc. By use of an innovative turntable technique Herc stretched a song drum break by playing the breaking portion of two identical records consecutively at a Halloween dance party, which was organized by her younger sister (Chang, 2005). Out of this break portion of identical songs was the realization of a new style; ‘break dancing’, which was a style for the Hip hop culture. Extended drum breaks by other DJs in at New York dance parties facilitated the hip hop culture an America. Other seminal turntables DJ dominated the Hip hop scene in New York by mid-1970s. These DJs are DJ Flash, DJ Grandmaster, DJ Afrika Bambaataa, and Herc. The first Hip hop commercially successful hit way ‘Rapper’s Delight’ by the rappers of Sugarhill Gang in 1979. It is very wrong to insinuate that Hip hop is not a unique and complete African and African American tradition. A majority, if not all, of the African American truly love this art. In the beginning, only the Blacks enjoyed this artifact, but as time goes by, almost all races have embraced this culture by enjoying, buying, and writing of Hip hop music. The rap music is an African oral poetry, which has been traced through jazz, rock, the gospel, and the blues, which originated form West Africa. A majority of the slaves who worked in America were kidnapped from West Africa. These slaves were those who took the knowledge of jazz, rock, Gospel, and blues, which later gave birth to hip hop. Therefore, it is wrong to say that hip hop is not of an African cultural origin. This is similar as trying to say that jazz, blues, rock, and gospel have nothing to do with black culture. The hip hop godfathers were African American, and thus it is right when one says that Black African masses created this artifact. The pains and struggles that the African Americans went through was one reason this culture was created. The hip hop music was soulful expression from the hearts of Zulu nations; mostly Black (Anderson, 2003). When they spoke their thoughts the other human races who have ever been subjected to pain would be conscious of their misery through hip hop music. On the o ther hand, a majority of the breaking moves that commonly used in hip hop come from African-Brazilian art of Capoeria. It is also important to note that graffiti finds its roots from the oldest burners in the world, the Egyptian Hieroglyphics. The turn table techniques were stated by the African American DJs. For example, Kool Herc had Jamaican roots. Therefore, Hip hop is solely of an African origin and thus Hip hop is Black. Hip hop has turned out to become a massive reality, which has

The Impact of the London City Airport Expansion on the Surrounding Essay

The Impact of the London City Airport Expansion on the Surrounding Property Values - Essay Example It is the only Airport located just two miles from the site of the 2012 Olympic Games and three miles from Canary Wharf. As part of the expansion programme for it departure lounge, London City Airport spent  £30 million (US$60 million) for the construction of four new aircraft parking stands (Bonnassies, 2008). Basically, the said expansion project was eventually completed back in May 2008. Reg Ward, the Chief Executive of the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC), was the first person who developed strategic ways on how to increase the operational efficiency of the airport back in 1981 (London City Airport Consultative Committee, 2009). It was in 1987 when the London City Airport was granted for route licences from the CAA before it was officially opened. One year after the airport was opened to the public, LDDC managed to handle as much as 133,000 passengers within its first year of operation (London City Airport Consultative Committee, 2009). The runway of the airport was only 1,080 metres in length with a glide slope of 7.5 degrees. Due to the limited space, LDDC managed to serve only a few numbers of small-size aircraft. Back then, LDDC was offering its runway only to De Havilland Canada Dash 7 and the smaller Dornier Do 228 which are commonly used for passenger services, freight, and other surveillance and military purposes (London City Airport Consulta tive Committee, 2009b). To provide its service to larger aircraft types, LDDC decided to expand its runway in 1989. In 1990, LDDC was able to handle as much as 230,000 passengers (London City Airport Consultative Committee, 2009). However, the number of passengers significantly decreased after the incidence of the Gulf War. It was only until 1993 when the airport managed to increase the number of passengers up to 245,000 (London City Airport Consultative Committee, 2009). During the same year, LDDC’s extended

World Trade Organization (WTO) impacts agriculture Research Paper

World Trade Organization (WTO) impacts agriculture - Research Paper Example The aim of the WTO and the agreements is to assist exporters, importers, consumers and producers to conduct international trade. The outcome is essentially assurance as producers and consumers feel that they have security in supplies and a range of options of products, services and raw materials. As a result of accountability in the economic world, international trade is peaceful and prosperous as the WTO settles trade disputes by interpreting commitments and agreements made by member states. This paper will examine various areas of trade such as international and domestic trade, discussing different elements that influence both forms of trade. The essence of trade is to benefit both consumers and sellers in a mutually beneficial relationship (Mankiw, 2011). Compare and contrast free trade and protectionist theories   Economists continue to argue on the issue of protectionist theories and free trade. These arguments are complex, but the underpinning controversy is even greater. Fre e trade refers to a strategy through which a government allows imports and does not interfere with exports. This is through the application of import tariffs or export quotas or subsidies. Free trade allows both trading partners to gain from trade. This is because, under free trade, the prices of goods and services emerge from the forces of demand and supply (Mankiw, 2011). In addition, free trade allows resource allocation on account of demand and supply. Free trade enables counties to acquire greater levels of production and consumption, which they can obtain in isolation. In case of perfect competition, free trade allows optimal, global resource allocation. This essentially means that free trade allows trading countries to achieve equality in their marginal production transformation rates (OECD, 2000). Theory on free trade suggests that free trade facilitates income increments and equitable distribution of income among countries (Lambert & McKoy, 2009). Free trade differs signifi cantly from protectionist theories since the latter allows the determination of the allocation of products and services amongst trading nations on the basis of different price strategies. The different price strategies amongst trading partners emerge from government interventions in the market. Here, governments intervene by adjusting prices or instituting supply restrictions. Essentially, under protectionist theories of trade, government interventions either increase or decrease the cost of products and services to producers and consumers. Protectionism involves the establishment of trade barriers such as currency restrictions with regard to international trade, taxes, import quotas and other subsidies offered to domestic industries. The essential purpose of protectionist theories is to protect domestic industries from losses incurred in unstable marketplaces (Giovanni, Bohman, Carter, & McCalla, 2007). Consequently, governments also establish non-tariff barriers. They include: the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which intervene in markets, hence producing artificial prices. These are prices not set by the natural mechanisms of demand and supply. Moreover, protectionist theories deter equilibrium in countries’ marginal production transformation rates by establishing differences between international and domestic prices of goods (Mankiw, 2011). In essence, this means that protectionist theories produce suboptimal allocations of factors of production, as well as lower global real income than free trade would produce. Protectionism reallocates income, which would not occur under free trade since income reallocation would mean one

Travelling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 2

Travelling - Essay Example Moscow and London both are quite famous for travelling. They provide various entertainment packages such as restaurants, galleries, museums, parks, clubs etc. before traveling it is essential to plan everything such as place to visit, expenditure, budget etc. selection of place is based on all these major factors. There are more restaurants in London as compared to Moscow. But these restaurants are very expensive, while the cost of living in Moscow is 39% cheaper as compared to London. This means that a standard of living in London will require $3000. But if a person travels to Moscow one will require just $1830. While the transport network of Moscow is far better than London. In London cinema and other entertainment center are 5% higher than that of Moscow. This shows that traveling to Moscow will be cheaper and beneficial for visitors as compared to London. Travelling provides many benefits to people. It helps to gain experiences and knowledge of various countries because while vis iting to the ancient and architectural places of a country such as Moscow, one can get more knowledge in relation to various systems and culture of a country. It is beneficial for both students as well as parents. They can not only be familiar of one’s culture but will also have a chance to learn new languages. People have many motives to travel such as to discover something new, for pleasure, to explore, for relaxation and to learn other cultures. Therefore, I think one should keep on travelling throughout his or life.

The Purpose of Life Is a Life of Purpose Essay Example for Free

The Purpose of Life Is a Life of Purpose Essay Throughout my life, I have persevered through much pain and misfortune; however, instead of using my experiences as reasons for a life of retribution and reparations, I used these tragedies as motivation to making other people’s lives better. Growing up I witnessed my grandmother assist anybody she saw struggling or needed help. During the 17 years she was a part of my life, I watched her nurse back to health approximately 300 foster children, because nobody else wanted the burden. Despite the odds against her, she went over and beyond to assure that these youth’s necessities were met. Growing up in this environment I constantly witnessed the joy in these kid’s hearts just to experience that feeling of love and support, despite being born in a world that told them they were worthless. I found it nearly impossible not to emulate my grandmother’s mindset and lifelong purpose. In spite of all my adversities, I knew I could overcome any and everything by focusing on improving the lives of others. This in turn brought me back to the abovementioned quote by author Robert Byrne which has intrigued me since I first read it many years ago. Overall I have found throughout my life that there are at least nine vital reasons for leading a life of purpose, which are: maturity, tranquility, buoyancy, confidence. Initially I believe the ultimate gift of leaving a purposeful life is overall maturity. Great American film director John McNaughton â€Å"Maturity begins to grow when you can sense your concern for others outweighing your concern for yourself. † Overall this is how I live my life. Oftentimes, there have been days where I’ve wanted to sleep all day instead of getting up going to class or even on the weekends, but every day I ask myself â€Å"if I don’t do it, who else will? † through all my pain and hard luck I’ve realized that its unnecessary to dwell on events beyond my control. So instead I use my pain as motivation to fuel my love and support for others. One of the greatest benefits of having a mature mind is peace and tranquility. Many times people overlook the joy of being peaceful, they overlook the nights full of uninterrupted sleep, the days of no emergency phone calls, or even the simple joy of having money in the bank with no bills. Tranquility can make a great difference in one’s life. Unfortunately tranquility can be the difference between suicide and being born again. The peace we develop from simple acts of kindness is beyond imagination. No words can express the joy and peace we feel when I realize I’ve helped somebody achieve something in life, when the world told them they were worthless. No words can express the peace I feel when I support someone who didn’t have the will to support themselves. In addition to being peaceful, living a life of purpose will guide many to overcome stereotypes and failures which otherwise would halt dreams. Having a sense of buoyancy is essential to anyone trying aspiring to achieve great things in life. A lot of times in my daily life, there will come times when initial plans or goals are sidetracked by a situation or event. This is where I rely on buoyancy to persevere through this lost and through this failure even though I didn’t accomplish what we wanted, when I wanted. Instead of pondering on the â€Å"what ifs†, I stay optimistic and work harder to get the job done the next time. Furthermore, when I made the decision to dedicate my life to a life of purpose, I also chose to live a life of resilience, tenacity, and unmatched and unscathed confidence. When you have experienced what I’ve experienced and survived what I’ve survived, you create an internal persona that specifically says â€Å"if I can overcome this, nothing short of God can stop me†. Many may take this as a sign of arrogance, but I have always felt that there’s an eventual reason for why I’ve suffered through all the blood, sweat and tears. When you’ve overcome situations that the healthiest, smartest or even the slyest couldn’t survive, then you really have no choice but to possess that feeling of unparalleled confidence. Finally throughout my brief but experienced life, I’ve come to realize that, every situation we go through leaves with a choice. On one hand we have the choice of using outcomes to broaden ourselves and the world around us. We can use these outcomes to the benefit of ourselves through personal growth and development and, we can also use these outcomes to the benefit of others through service, support and sacrifice. On the other hand we have the choice of using the situational outcomes as a reason to blame others, as a reason to be depressed and as a reason to give up on life. Ultimately I chose the better option. I chose to use my negativity and let it motivate me to working harder, focusing deeper, being optimistic regardless of what else happens. In the end this leads to a life of bliss, peace and maturity, and it’s a lot less painful or time consuming. What else could be a better purpose in life than leading a life with a purpose?

Crime and Punishment in Various Countries Essay Example for Free

Crime and Punishment in Various Countries Essay Five Works Cited The effectiveness of the United States criminal legal system has been questioned and scrutinized by the media and legal analysts for decades. Even with laws to lengthen sentences and to try younger offenders as adults, the overall crime rate in the nation is still on the rise. But why is it that in places like Iceland and Singapore crime rates are so low yet both countries have very contrasting criminal laws? It has been brought to my attention that Congress will attempt to create an entire new criminal legal system for the states to adopt in an effort to finally make the streets of America safer for its citizens. Assuming that all states will forfeit their own policies to take up the system Congress builds, it is my duty to shed light on the criminal legal system and differing views of the United States and other countries legal systems and differing views of the United States and other countries of different governments, geographies, and legal systems. I will also explore the common ground they share when prosecuting criminal offenders. The information I will discover will be taken into consideration by legislators when designing a new and improved criminal justice system. It is first important to take a close look at the crime rate occurring in America. The United States has more citizens in prison than any other country. The incarceration rate of the U.S. is second only to Russia with 666 incarcerated per 100,000. The U.S. constitutes one third of the worlds population that is imprisoned while it only makes up five percent population. (Fathers Manifesto) The criminal legal system is slightly different in every state. For example, only thirty eight states practice capital punishment while the other twelve employ life imprisonment with no parole as an alternative to putting serious offenders to death. The death penalty in the United states is one of the most criticized policies in American society. Under the Constitutions eighth amendment, Americas are protected against cruel and unusual punishment. While it does not clearly define what punishment is deemed cruel and unusual, several campaigns argue that capital punishment is cruel and unusual and is a direct violation of human rights. Organizations like Amnesty International, a worldwide human rights group, claims that capital punishment is not only inhumane, but it does not deter crime more effectively in comparison to other punishments notinvolving death. (Amnesty International) Other studies have proven that it in fact costs up to three times more to put a person to death that it does to sentence life in prison with no parole. A Texas death penalty case costs an average of $2.3 million, about three times the cost of imprisoning someone in a single cell at the highest security level for forty years.(Hoppe 1A) Yet, with all the polls, statistics, and studies conducted to discourage the practice of the death penalty in the United States, other nations have found the death penalty, as well as other harsh punishments, is not a violation to human and civil rights, but an effective tool in keeping public safety. Singapores criminal laws are some of the most extreme and consistent laws found in all of the world. Its government still employs the use of corporal punishment for some offenses that would receive a mere parole sentence in the U.S. Singapores citizens have stated that even though its punishments are severe and outrageous to some, their streets are safer, cleaner, and the quality of life in Singapore is valued more because of these punishments. In this country the punishments that undergo heavy crossfire in the U.S. are swiftly carried out and as a result, crime in Singapore is significantly lower in comparison to the U.S. crime rates. (Fathers Manifesto) There is a consistent mandatory death sentence for narcotic offenders. A death sentence is also immediately carried out for anyone who opens fire while committing an unlawful act whether or not you shoot anyone or anything is not taken into consideration. (Singapore Law FAQ) Caning is another form of punishment carried out for crimes such as vandalism and sex offenses. Convicts are strapped to a trestle and the exposed buttocks of the offender are flogged by a martial arts expert. The caning is usually coupled with a prison sentence. Singapores officials argue that its strict laws and swift, severe punishment are what sets it aside from a crime-ridden place like New York City. (Fathers Manifesto)Of course, opponents to CP (corporal punishment) argue that this is also a cruel and unusual way to deter crime. However, those that argue this only need to compare the crime rates of Singapore to those of the United States. Whipping or caning is indeed stressful and painful but it is Singapores alternative to costly long-term confinement. This way criminals are quickly reformed and released back into society as  law abiding citizen. Another factor to be considered in Singapores low crime rate is its geography and its size. The country is located northeast of Indonesia just south of Malaysia. It is roughly 3.5 times the size of Washington D.C. It is arguable to say that the reason Singapores crime rates are low compared to the U.S. is because of its small, controllable area. But is the size of a nation or governed land a factor in determining its crime rate? Take into consideration the territory of Puerto Rico. It is a small island in the Atlantic Ocean; considerably smaller than Singapore. However, Puerto Ricos murder rate is more than three times higher than that of the U.S. (National Center) The sharp contrast between a place like Puerto Rico and Singapore and the U.S. is that while citizens of the U.S. and Singapore enjoy a high standard of living, over half of Puerto Ricos population earns less than US$ 11,000 a year. This brings us to another question in this research. Does a socioeconomic factor playa role in a countrys crime rate? Another interesting tidbit is that capital punishment does not exist in Puerto Rico. Their courts are set up similar to those of Singapore. A magistrate judge is the one who hears the case, decides the verdict and delivers the sentence. The prisons in Puerto Ricoare, for the most part, run by gangs, dilapidated, infested with insects and pose a serious health threat to inmates. (Penal Lexicon) The prison system has been under the watchful eye for the drastic and costly changes not only for the prisons, but for juvenile treatment centers, discipline measures and improvements in mental health care. The brutality of violence and disease in prisons seem like enough to prevent anyone from committing a crime that would result in jail time. Unfortunately, even with the abolishment of capital punishment and the anarchy in prisons, Puerto Rico is notorious for holding one of the worlds highest murder rate. (Penal Lexicon) After completing the criminal legal system of three random governments, it is interesting to see how each handles the ever- present demon called crime. When will there be a system that can effectively prevent crime and correct offenders without severe, barbaric tactics and without corruption and anarchy? When researching the topic on criminal legal systems, Ive found  that different countries have very different beliefs in which they value the life of a human. One country, the United States, will go the extra mile to find the best possible defense for its accused. Another, Singapore, will torture and beat confessions from its suspects while the other, Puerto Rico, casts its criminals into a hell practically operated by those society has thrown away. The common ground all three nations share is their never-ending struggle to provide its citizens with the means to live a life that is safe, meaningful and without fear of danger. Back in America, our government will continue to brainstorm ideas to eliminate crime in our streets and neighborhoods.

The Rocky Mountain National Park Tourism Essay

The Rocky Mountain National Park Tourism Essay Denver is a capital city of Colorado in US. The place is located in South Platte River Valley. Denver is a good vacation destination. You can plan for a Day trip or a trip for couple of days in Denver. Below given is a short description on three major Vacation spots in Denver. The Denver Art Museum This museum is located on 13 th avenue between Broadway and Bannock in downtown Denver. It is famous for American Indian art collections. It also contains large number of collection of works from different parts of the world. The museum was founded in 1893 and later it got expanded and the new building got opened in 2006.The museum conducts many temporary exhibitions. The tickets to the museum can be bought online. It has got a collection of ancient metals, Prehistoric potteries, renaissance paintings etc. This is the best place for the people who like historic items. 16 th street mall This is Denver s hub of shopping, entertainments and a good place for food as well. As Vehicles are not allowed inside this street most of the people come here and enjoy by walking throughout the streets. This is an environment friendly place as well .You can find almost all the brands like GAP, Virgin Records etc and food outlets in the streets. This is a very good place to spend time with your friends and family. Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater The 868-acre Red Rocks Park and amphitheater was once listed among the Seven Wonders of the World. This is a place where you can see Colorado ¿Ã‚ ½s beautiful plants and wildlife. The natural beauty of Colorado can be seen from this amazing park with a 360 degree view .The amphitheater is an open air theater where many events like concerts, graduations etc are conducted. You can find good number of hotels in this place. Modes of Transportation in Denver Denver has got different modes of transportation. To travel in and around Denver you will get different kinds of transportation. Denver is a city where you can easily go around either by walk, car or by light rail. Through online you can avail the Road maps of Denver which will also help your travel easier. These maps provide point to point information with full description. Denver International Airport- This is the one of the busiest airline service in US. Here you can get varieties for dining and shopping. You can access your internet with the help of WiFi which is available free at the airport. Almost all the major airlines is having service to and fro this airport. It hardly takes 25 minutes for a car to drop you at the city from this airport. Bicycle ride  ¿Ã‚ ½ With the help of bikes also you can travel within Denver with more ease. You can see many bike sharing stations in Denver from where you can pick your bike , travel with it and once you are done drop it back in the same station. Almost 50 Bike stations are located in the Prime Tourist areas of Denver Ground Transportations  ¿Ã‚ ½There are numerous ground transportation options available. This includes trains, car rentals, buses etc. All the information like contact number and address you can get through online. Travel Agencies  ¿Ã‚ ½ There are some good travel agencies in Denver who has a got a very good knowledge of Denver city. You can consult them and they will plan and arrange your trip in a better way. They will take you to the best and hot spots centers of Denver. Accessibility services  ¿Ã‚ ½ There are many services for Disabled people as well. To make their visit pleasant and comfortable many services will start from airport. They will be given reserved Parking spaces, special wash rooms, wheel chairs and so on With the help of all the above mentioned information you can have a safe and happy travel in Denver city. Vacation in the beach Everybody enjoys outdoor vacations especially if it is a beach vacation! The younger ones can turn over in the beach sand and splatter in the waves. The elderly ones can swim, get a tan, or just relax. The warm breezes and natural beauty are inspiring and healthful. But however you plan the trip, sometimes it may cause discomfort. Here are things you can do to make your beach vacations more comfortable, better, and more meaningful. In many parts of the world, people plan for their beach holidays in their own car. While planning a travel, it is always a good enough idea to give your car for a thoroughly cleanup out first. This will leave you additional room for your baggage. Carry your gloves package, as well, on a few first aid and comfort particulars, such as sun blocker, painkillers for headaches, some ointments for pain, a few cough syrups and a few band aids. Check the tires of your call. If the tires are flat change it or go to the service centre and get the air filled properly on all the tires. Check the oil level in your vehicle and replace it if it is necessary. And whatever you do, make a point to have a road map and a keep it in a place which is easy to get. Journey with children are always a challenge. They might be in particular thrilled and impatient of when they come to know that they are going on beach trip. Make a point to stock chilled water bottles and healthy bites to crunch. With beach vacations especially, there is always a demand to keep your skin safe from sun. Be especially aware about being in the sun for la long span of time. Apply a sun blocker with a high-level SPF range and substitute them later whenever you get wet or dry off with your towel. Put on shades to protect your eyes and few kind of foot protective covering to prevent your feet from being burned off on the hot sand. With a short planning your beach vacations could be pleasurable and problem-free. While you get into your house you will be at ease, freshened, and willing for work. Suggestions For A Safe Holiday Trip In simple words we can say Vacation is the period where we will spend and enjoy a very good and memorable moment with our family and friends. On those days we will keep our daily job schedules away from our mind. But before going for a vacation we need to plan it properly. Here we will discuss about some points to have a safe Vacation trip. There are certain set of things which should be carried with you while going for a vacation. Some of them are Basic First Aid Kit, Car tools, Bottle of water for the car as well for drinking purpose, some food items, and contact details of the destination place and so on. Keep the road map handy with you so that you will not get confused with the directions and roads. If you are going for more than one day then your mobile charger, extra pair of clothes, bathroom kit and so on. If kids are there don ¿Ã‚ ½t forget about their medicines, snacks, games, toys, small pillows, blankets. If you are traveling in your own car give your car for a full service before your travel and make sure that oil, air, extra tires, tool kits and car papers are present. Don ¿Ã‚ ½t forget o check the weather of your destination. Depending on that pack your luggage. If you are planning to stay in a hotel book it in advance and before leaving from home just give a call and confirm them about the room. Hand over the details of your travel like your contact details of the destination place to a neighbor or near friend. Once you give the details to your friend or neighbor, ask them to have a look on your house, and inform if they feel anything suspicious at your place. Follow the tips mentioned above and have a wonderful and safe holiday for you and your family. Camping Experience Camping is one of the enjoyable outdoor activity and a different experience. Most of the people do tent camping in forests or in the river valleys. It ¿Ã‚ ½s a good experience of staying in tents and cooking in camp fire. Also you can enjoy some fresh air and spend some quality time with your family. Before planning for any outdoor camping get a clear picture of the campsite. The weather conditions, surroundings and so on. So that you will be prepared for the same If you are planning to camp in the forest then you need to be careful with wild animals. In such case keep the surroundings of your camp clean. Do not throw any food items in the ground. All the trash should be disposed in a proper way. When you plan for a Camping always carry Torch, Emergency lamp, water for drinking as well for cooking, Barbeque sets etc. Try setting the Tents once before you start from home for a safer side. After setting the tent at your camp area clean the tent properly .You can lay papers, old towels or carpets on the ground and put your blanket and pillows upon it. Carry food with you in an aluminum foil so that first day you can adjust with that. Rest of the days you can cook by your own like Barbeque Chicken, Vegetables and so on. Better prepare a small menu so that you won ¿Ã‚ ½t get confused at the last moment. And you can carry the ingredients along with you according to your plans. Always carry some bites with you especially when kids are there. During camp fire be cautious. Always let the fire to be small. And after the camp fire don ¿Ã‚ ½t forget to extinguish the fire. Also clean the camping area before you leave. From the very first day onwards ensure not to litter anything on the ground. Keep the camping surroundings clean. General Overview Of Denver In Colorado Set against the backdrop of the majestic Rocky Mountain, Denver is the capital and the most populous city in the state of Colorado. If you want to visit a place which blends the Old West with the cosmopolitan culture, then Denver is the ideal place to go. Denver offers you with the apt atmosphere for both living purposes as well as for vacation purposes. Hence it is ideal if you are planning to move your base and move somewhere which will be liked by one and all in the family. Considering the size of the city, it is a quite safe city to stay. If you are not sure about the place, it is advisable to pay a visit to the place and take a look at the various nuances before deciding on relocating. You can also get enough information on internet about the beauty and bounty of Denver. Like any other place, Denver also has its set of cons which should also be considered before moving to the place. Denver allows you to enjoy a lot of activities, be it in the summer months or the winter months. It is generally seen that Denver bustles with activities all year round. If you have small and growing up children at your house, Denver gives you the ideal ambience of enjoying the warm and sunny months as much as the cold and snowy times. Denver is also a great place if you want to go for a relaxing vacation. There are a lot of places of sightseeing with the Rocky Mountain being the most popular one. You can also enjoy the various refreshing activities which Denver as a tourism centre offers you. There are a wide range of hotels and restaurants in the city catering to the growing number of tourists. Fun and food galore in the city and you can have non-stop enjoyment there. Getting In And Out Of Denver Denver hosts a large number of attractions including the great Rocky Mountain. A large number of tourists throng the city all year round. The city bustles with activities and to be an integral part of those activities a plethora of visitors come to the town from all parts of the country. Getting in and out of the city is pretty easy with land, air and train routes helping people. One can make use of the bus service to reach Denver. From there if you are planning to go to Cheyenne or Billings, use can avail the Greyhound buses which stop at Denver Bus Station. Other bus services like the Powder River Coach USA and TNMO also stops at Denver to take you to other places. As for the train services one can make use of the Amtrak ¿Ã‚ ½s California Zephyr services which ply between the cities of Chicago and San Francisco through Denver. The Union Station is mostly used for the arrival and departure of trains. During the winter season if you are looking forward to enjoy the Winter Park, then you can opt for Denver ¿Ã‚ ½s Ski Train. Throughout the ski season the Ski Train operates from the Union Station to the Winter Park during weekends. The train can be availed also in the months of July and August. A round trip in the train costs $ 49. Denver also boasts the presence of an international airport popularly known as the Denver International Airport. One can travel to nearly all the major places of USA from the airport. Around 20 airlines serve at the airport which is located 30kms from the downtown. The DIA is considered one of the busiest airports not only of the USA but of the entire world. Hence transportation to and from the city of Denver is not limited to only a single mode of transportation. You have the option for using the mode which serves your purposes the best. Hotels At Denver The beauty and the bounty of Denver attract a wide range of people from all across the country. The city enjoys a large number of tourists all year round. In order to cater to the ever increasing number of tourists across the length and the breadth of the city, Denver boasts of some of the finest hotels. Denver is the home to many fabulous hotels following under various categories. There are bed and breakfasts, luxury hotels, boutique hotels as well as budget hotels. These various types of hotels help different segments of people to visit the city and enjoy its attractions and beauty. The long list of hotels in the city includes some of the renowned ones like the Grand Hyatt, Hotel Teatro, Loews Denver Hotel, Hyatt Regency, Wingate by Wyndham, Sheraton Denver Downtown to mention just a few. The Hotel Teatro is the only luxury boutique hotel of Denver. The elegant interiors, the central location and the fine dining options make it one of the choicest hotels in the city. The Grand Hyatt is one of the most luxurious hotels in the city offering a wide range of modern amenities and facilities. It is the best place to simply relax and enjoy a luxurious vacation. It is one of the costliest hotels in the city and hence is a good option for people having a lot of money at their disposal. Facts About Denver City Denver the Capital city of Colorado is just not the capital city of this province is also very famous for many good things. Whether it is job, business, trade or vacation Denver in Colorado offers good opportunities. It is one of the best places in USA to raise families because of excellent infrastructure in terms of houses, apartments, hospitals, transport and well-developed public utility services. But before making any decision to shift to Colorado and Denver in particular, it would better sense for such persons to make a vacation to this place and find out more about this place. It is a place which is slightly on an elevated platform and so this has to be kept in mind while making a decision to shift to Denver. People with asthma and breathing problems should take special precautions and think twice before moving to this place. Not that it is so bad but moving from plains and suddenly landing in a place of higher altitude could aggravate problems for such people. For the ordinary tourist and persons who are on a vacation, it is a wonderful place and there are a number of tourist attractions in this wonderful city of Denver. From indoor attractions to outdoor beauty you have everything in this place. It is such a unique city that there is almost everything within a mile for people of almost every taste and preference. If someone is interested in horse racing there could be fewer places in the world which are as attractive as Denver. A visit to Black Hawk Town is bound to rekindle the spirits of horse racing personnel. For those willing to stay behind and enjoy this sports for a couple of days or even more, Denver offers excellent overnight stay facilities with some of the best hotels to suit every pocket and need. Denver An All Weather Tourist Destination Denver as we all know is the Capital City of Colorado Province and is situated in the Central part of The United States of America. It is around 1500 miles from New York and is well connected to the whole of the country by air, road and rail. While Denver has many specialties it is one of the hot spots for tourists and people going for a vacation. It is perhaps one of the few places in USA which is called the all-year tourists destination. It is a place which offers equal opportunity for enjoyment, be it a child, young persons or the elderly. It is one of the best destinations to holiday if you are going as a family. It has a variety of things to offer ranging from honeymoon packages, holiday packages, special packages for school children, adventure tours etc. So a visit to Denver would be very fulfilling for people of all age groups. Denver can be visited any time of the year as a tourist destination because of the variety that it has to offer. In winter if you want to enjoy the snow, it is not necessary that you be an expert skier. Denver offers snow trailers which can be an excellent mode to discover the snow filled spots in Denver. For those who are not in favor of moving around in the snow, the beauty of snow-filled Denver could be enjoyed from the balcony of your hotel room. During other seasons or even during winters a Visit to Denver would be incomplete without visiting its famous museums, theaters, zoos, aquariums and of course the cultural events that show case the rich tradition of this beautiful province and city. However, for those with a history of asthma, bronchitis and other breathing related ailments, special care should be taken while visiting Denver because of its higher altitude. But this should not keep you back from visiting this beautiful city. Denver Stands For Fun And Frolic Many people who have visited Denver quite a few times are perhaps under the mistaken understanding that they have seen almost everything of interest in this city. Nothing could be farther from truth than harboring such a thought because Denver is not a static city. It is dynamic and ever changing. It is such a big city that it would be impossible to discover the entire city even after a number of visits. If you are person who loves good food and enjoys visiting restaurants, then be rest assured that new restaurants and food joints and springing up every now and then in this great city. So while visiting the old favorite food joints, it would make lot of sense to visit the new ones and explore the same. It is the best place to be in for those who believe that  ¿Ã‚ ½variety is the spice of life ¿Ã‚ ½. If you really want to discover Denver to the fullest extent it is essential that you get out of your comfort zone and discover more of the place. However, if you are traveling with your family and have children with you it is desirable that you be that much more cautious It would be great if you could segregate your pleasure visits in such a way that it is divided into two parts; one with kids and the other without kids. This is highly recommended because Denver is too beautiful and too diverse to miss out on just because you are hamstrung with children. However, with children too there are many places to see and enjoy and it is the perfect place for people of all ages to enjoy and relish. The only point of caution could be for those who are suffering from breathing ailments. For such people it makes good sense to exhibit some degree of care by carrying the necessary medicines and inhalers should such a situation arise. What to see when you visit Denver? Planning to visit Denver? Denver is the capital city of Colorado. It is situated on the valley of the South Platte river, a great place to visit. First, you need to know where to stay. Some of the most popular hotels are Country Inn Suites by Carlson, Homewood Suites Denver International Airport, Magnolia Hotel Denver and Residence Inn Denver City Center. These hotels in Denver are reasonably cheaper, providing you good accommodation in a price range from $115 to $250. Some of them offer amenities like complimentary breakfast buffet, corporate and leisure travels. Denver Art Museum is a must-see, when you visit Denver. The architectures of the buildings are marvelous, one looking like a castle and another like a jagged crystal of titanium. It prides to exhibit a fabulous collection of old classical works of some European masters and also works created by the Native Americans. Denver Museum of Nature and Science have an wonderful collection of dinosaurs, scientific experiments and space exhibits. It also prides having a digital planetarium. Then you need to visit the famous pedestrian mall of Denver. It is a delightful place to visit. You will surely enjoy walking on the tree lined walkways. Or you may prefer a ride on the bus which are free. There are many outdoor refreshment stalls to have a coffee-break. Another interesting place to visit is the River park, also known as the confluence park. The park has many attractions including a long trail for cycling, the downtown aquarium, and the theme park named Elitch Gardens. If you are fascinated by the views of mountains and like hiking, then City Park is the place to visit, which has many lakes and an awesome view. Denver Botanic Gardens, the Cherry Creek, Red Rocks Amphitheatre are some other places to visit if you happen to stay at Denver for a few days. The places your kids will like in Denver If you are visiting Denver with your kids, it is a good idea to chalk out a plan for visiting some places that they will specially enjoy. Consider visiting the famous Butterfly Pavilion and Insect Centre. It will take you less than twenty minutes to reach there from downtown Denver. It has a rainforest full with thousands of tropical butterflies that flies freely over there. You kid will absolutely love them. If your child is in the primary school, it is a place for interactive learning and fun as well. There are plenty of adventures to enjoy out there. You can enjoy the trail in the nature, get close to the animals, or enjoy some educational tour. Your kid will love to visit the Carousel of Happiness. It is just one hour ¿Ã‚ ½s drive from Denver; a place that will offer recreation to your kids and you too will spend some nostalgic moments of your childhood. Rides are very inexpensive, only$1. Then, you can take your child to the Childrens Museum of Denver, where your child will learn something while having the fun of playing through their interactive programs and events. If you visit Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls Toys with your kid, this place may remind you of your childhood days. They provide special exhibits altered periodically engaging you to learn about history, art, fashion, folk tales and the like. Children below five years are allowed free, while others up to sixteen are charged $4, and $6 for the accompanying adult. Lastly, you must visit Denver Museum of Nature Science. It is rated as the most cherished place of attraction for family that you should visit in Denver. Your child will be enthralled by the wonderful display of fossils and exciting space science activities. There are mummies of Egypt, various minerals and precious stones in this museum. The tourist ¿Ã‚ ½s information about Denver Denver is one of the thriving young cities of USA, with its vibrant population of millions. The city is guarded by the famous rocky mountain range of Colorado. Downtown Denver is situated on the bank of the South Platte River. It is a great place to live and visit both from the perspective of a resident and a tourist. The city is home to a racially diverse population like the Hispanic, African-American and Asian communities. It has a gentle and pleasant climate over the year. The climate of the city is affected by the presence of the Rocky mountains. Winters are usually mild. Though there are bad snowfalls occasionally, it melts away within a day or two, due to Sunny mornings. The first snowfall of a season normally takes place during the middle of October, and the snowfall ceases around the last week of April. Summers are usually pleasant. The old neighborhood of the city of Denver has a lot of historical significance, while it has newer posh neighborhoods like Denver Tech Centre and greenwood village. There are good public transportation in the newer neighborhoods, though in the older neighborhoods one will travel better with a car. Denver is also famous for its cultural activities. The city cherishes a grand and rich cultural history. During the eighties decade Horace Tabor built Denvers first Opera House. In the Denver Performing Arts Complex, many dance, ballet and opera groups come to perform. The Red Rocks Amphitheatre hosts many popular touring bands to perform there. The Denver Art Museum has a good collection. The city of Denver is filled with art galleries, museums, restaurants and clubs. American Dreams Inc. is a famous car rental company that can provide cars in rental and they have a good selection of exotic and luxury cars. One needs a car to see around the city in a short time. The Rocky mountain National Park: an extraordinary gift of nature If you happen to visit Denver, and have enough time to have a day out, then visiting the Rocky mountain National Park can be an experience that you will not forget for years. Have you ever heard the popular song by John Denver,  ¿Ã‚ ½Rocky mountains high ¿Ã‚ ½? The lyric of this popular song was inspired by this heavenly place. This place is located at a distance of seventy one miles from Denver in the Rocky mountains. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in America. It is the nest of wild life like eagles, white hawks, elk, moose and the rare species of bighorn sheep. If you are a bird lover, you will enjoy watching birds of various species. There are birds like Blue Grouse, Gray Jay, Three-toed Woodpecker, and other Mountain species. You can drive down the Trail Ridge Road to climb up the mountains having an incomparable scenic view all over. There are hiker ¿Ã‚ ½s and jogger ¿Ã‚ ½s trails leading you to the valleys, waterfalls and jagged snowy peaks. Or you may enjoy the breathtaking beauty of high alpine lakes and wildflowers. If you enjoy hiking, you can hike through the amazing trail amid the rocky mountains, alpine lakes and valleys covered by wildflowers and green grasses in this bounty of Nature. There is a trail circling the beautiful Bear Lake that allows you to view the splendid Hallet Peak and the Flattop Moubtain. Kids especially like this place as they can see deer around the lake. Or, if you like to take a stroll through the bank of Upper Colorado River, choose the trail through Coyote Valley. You will be enchanted by the scene of multicoloured wild flowers and if you are lucky, you may find a moose. The Estes Park at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National park offers the visitors the facility of shopping and dining. Attractions At Denver The city of Denver in the state of Colorado finely blends the charm of natural beauties with the hip cosmopolitan culture giving it a unique shape. The magnificent Rocky Mountain and the urban downtown Denver together make the place a desirable and exciting place of visit. The city hosts a wide range of attractions from every sphere like sports, culture, history and natural. There is no dearth of activities in the city which can keep you busy from the morning till the night. The lively atmosphere of Denver makes it one of the choicest places of the tourists. From museums to ski resorts to live music venues, Denver has something to offer for everyone. Museums form an integral part of the sightseeing in Denver. There are quite a few museums which deserves special mention. One such is the Molly Brown House Museum in Capital Hill. The museum is dedicated to the  ¿Ã‚ ½Titanic ¿Ã‚ ½ survivor Molly Brown and offers tribute to her with docents decked up in period costumes. It is considered one of the attractions of the city which should not be missed. Amongst the other attractions of the city the ones which deserve a place in the list are Lumber Baron Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre, Adams Mystery Playhouse, Red Rocks, Cherry Creek, Colorado State Capitol and LoDo. The City of Black Hawk is a casino place full of peculiarly dressed men and short mini skirt wearing cocktail waitresses. It is the house to 22 casinos where you can enjoy the chance of winning a fortune. The place is unlike the other vibrant casinos and has a very cowboy look to it. The Red Rocks Park and Amphitheater is another place which should not be missed. It is nestled in the Rocky Mountain foothills and exhibits the sandstone Ship Rock and Creation Rock. They are considered the largest monolithic rocks. These huge rocks which are said to be taller than the Niagara Falls are situated 300 feet above the Amphitheater. The Art Community At Denver The rich and vibrant art scene of Denver is one of the main reasons of attracting such a large number of visitors. People who are culturally inclined are attracted by the fascinating art scene of the city. They visit the city to experience and feel the art community directly. Downtown Denver boasts of an active theatre district. Traditional as well as progressive art institutions can be witnessed in the district. Two of the important institutions are Denver ¿Ã‚ ½s Avenue Theatre and Denver Centre for the Performing Arts. The Denver theatre scene is not limited to showcasing and promoting the culture of America. There are institutions which are dedicated in exhibiting the cultures of various others places and religions. The multi-cultural spirit is boasted by the presence of superb organizations like the El Centro Su Teatro hosting Chicano art and the Mizel Centre for Art and Culture dedicated to Jewish art. The city of Denver also houses some fine museums which have exciting local, American and International collections. One such acclaimed museum is the Denver Art Museum having a wide collection of Western American and International items. The Denver Museum for Nature and Science, as the name suggests has a collection of superb items from the fields of science and nature and is a popular family museum. The posh Cherry Creek neighborhood is another place where one can find quite a few well endowed art galleries. If you are someone who enjoys small theatre and grand Broadway, then the Denver Centre for the Performing Arts is the place to pay a special visit. It is located centrally and is the epicenter of the city ¿Ã‚ ½s multi-faceted cultural scene and community. Exhibitions, concerts, films, musical and visual art exhibitions can be enjoyed till heart ¿Ã‚ ½s content in the city. Live musical venues also form part of the popular culture of Denver enticing a lot of people. Denver Neighborhoods The city of Denver is an attractive place enticing a large number of tourists all year round from all across the world. The Rocky Mountain is one of the most coveted of the attractions which the city features. However along with the beauty and activities of the city, the tourists will also love to pay a special visit to the city neighborhoods. The Denver neighborhoods do not have a dearth of fantastic place. One can find a long list of attractive places in the areas surrounding the city. The place which deserves a special mention is the Berkeley Park neighborhood. One will have little idea about what lies inside the place and will be surprised after the entering. Cutsie storefronts along with a lot of squirrels can be seen inside the park. Five Points is another place which will be specially loved by people interested in history. The Five Points used to be predominantly oc

Data Management :: Microsoft Access

Microsoft Access Before you use Microsoft Access to actually build the tables, forms, and other objects that will make up your database, it is important to take time to design your database. A good database design is the keystone to creating a database that foes what you want it to do effectively, accurately, and efficiently. The first step in designing a Microsoft Access database is to determine the purpose of the database and how it’s to be used. You need to know what information you want from the database. Form that, you can determine what subjects you need to store facts about (the tables) and what facts you need to store about each subject (the fields in the tables). Talk to people who will use the database. Brainstorm about the questions you’d like the database to answer. Sketch out the reports you’d like it to produce. Gather the forms you currently use to record your data. Examine well-designed databases similar to the one you are designing. Determining the tables can be the trickiest step in the database – the reports you want to print, the forms you was to use, the questions you want answered – don’t necessarily provide clues about the structure of the tables that produce them. You don’t need to design your tables using Microsoft Access. In fact, it may be better to sketch out and rework your design on paper first. A table should not contain duplicate information, and information should not be duplicated between tables. After you have designed the tables, fields, and relationships you need, it’s time to study the design and detect any flaws that might remain. It is easier to change your database design now, rather than after you have filled the tables with data. (see figure 1-2 on page 4) Use Microsoft Access to create your tables, specify relationships between the tables, and enter a few records of data in each table. See if you can use the database to get the answers you want.