Research on Atlas Honda

OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY An analysis of the mo winnings profitary posture of ATLAS HONDA Ltd. Introduction The topic chosen by me for the research and analysis project is AN ANALYSIS OF THE FINANCIAL detail OF YOUR CHOICE OF ORGANISATION. The reason for choosing this topic is that I am in truth comfortable with monetary techniques and methods that ar used to carry out financial analysis. Financial courses cover in ACCA part 1 and 2 were of key chase to me.The organization selected for the financial analysis is ATLAS HONDA LIMITED being the commercialize leader in the motorcycle industry in Pakistan. The confederacy attracted me to be selected for the project because the caller is the leading keep comp any(prenominal) in the motorcycle industry with few un effected competitors. The company is a public limited company with an annual turnover of Rs6,977. 4 millions, which makes it a leading company of public sector in our country.As the project is cogitate with financial analysis of the company it is easier for me to apply the financial tools learned in ACCA. It is easier for me to examine the financial position of map collection Honda Ltd, as the management of the company is impulsive to provide me with fit financial data that will aid in carrying out a financial analysis. As this is public limited company learning related to the company is excessively getable by dint of different magazines, administration agencies, credit rating agencies (pacra), industry experts and websites. book of maps Honda Ltd is a company of book of maps group of companies. The first appearance of the Atlas chemical group was laid in 1962 with the establishment of Shirazi investment fundss (Pvt) Limited with a capital of half a million rupees and three men doing line of descent in trading sh bes and real estate. (www. atlasgrouppk. com) Atlas Honda Ltd was in incorporatedd as a public limited company on October 16, 1962 and its shares are listed on Karachi and L ahore Stock Exchanges in Pakistan. Atlas Honda Limited is a joint venture amid the Atlas Group and Honda Motor Co. , Japan.The merger of Panjdarya Limited and Atlas Autos Ltd created the company in 1991. The Atlas Group established both these motorcycle-manufacturing concerns. (www. atlasgrouppk. com) Atlas management is striving to modernize company ope symmetryns by adapting applicable aspects of research and theory and more specially, Hondas rummy philosophy of hard/soft technologies to the realities of Pakistani conditions. Company management structure, systems and processes are changed according to the demands of the client, growth and new technology. www. atlasgrouppk. com) Atlas Honda Ltd is a dynamic, net incomeable and growth orientated company through market leadership, maximizing export and morality in prime(prenominal) and service. The company ensures attractive returns to equity holders, reward employees according to their ability and performance. Atlas Honda Ltd fosters a net in suffer of researchers and engineers ensuing unique contribution to the development of the industry. The company ensures customer satisfaction and protection of the environment by producing emission friendly park products.The company aims to remain a good corporate citizen fulfilling its social responsibilities in all respects. Atlas Honda Ltd also received the best corporate musical theme excellence awards in the engineering sector by the joint committee of ICAP/ICMAP. (Annual Report 2003) The company quality is gaining greater acceptance globally yr after year the company takes it as a national cause to make MADE IN PAKISTAN accepted and Atlas Honda Ltd respected all the over world. An append of 52% in exports on year-to-year basis is an indication of the maturation popularity of the company products globally.Atlas Honda Ltd as being a market leader in motorcycle industry recognised the fact that excellence in argument is dependent on the quality of human r esource. As a result the company has continued to invest in development of its manpower over the years. The company has a well spread out service net fly the coop of antenna shops, service dealers and four strokes mechanics with a combined strength of well over five thousand service points all over the country which has successfully covered the needs of company costumers.The network of 5S (Sales, Service, Spare parts, Credit and Second Hand Exchange) dealers all over country has given Atlas Honda Ltd a competitive edge over other players of the self-propelled industry. Due to the greater customer care and after sales service the customers of Atlas Honda Ltd are more obliged and satisfied then with any of the other competitors. As e very market leader company Atlas Honda Ltd duly complies with the standards of safety health and environment (SHE). Sizeable capital expenditure was made by the company to install various equipments at assembling plants to minimize the risk of haphazard .The vision of Atlas Honda Ltd is to remain a leading group through impressive use of its resources, technology and good business practices attract and retain high quality people by developing them to their fullest potential al way of lifes keep the customer in their highest esteem and to give attractive returns to the share holders through a sustained growth of profit. (www. atlasgrouppk. com) The auto industry has been a major beneficiary of the big economic stability of the country. The unprecedented reduction in the cost of the funds has helped promote greater consumer financing for automotive products.Atlas Honda Ltd has taken some tough decisions in enhancing the total customer base as well as dealing with the menace of the unauthorized sector. The motorcycle market has under gone a austere change in the last year. Ninety percent of the market is dominated by established brands from the organized sector. The players in the organized sector consist of the handed-down Japane se manufacturers as well as a couple of Chinese assemblers and all are members of officially recognized Pakistan Automotive Manufacturers Association (PAMA). Annual circulate 2003) The aim of the report is to apply the tools learned in ACCA and to carry out practical work in a real time company. Through this report I will devour exposure to Pakistan industry that will help me in the development of skills acquired during my ACCA studies. The report also aims to critically view the financial statements in order visualize that adequate returns are available to shareholder, company is a going concern, company is generating sufficient profits, assets of the company are well managed and guarded by the management in the best interest of the share holders.I will also review that the best practices of management stewardship is carried out to ensure that the company is maintaining the best practices of corporate governance. The objective of the report is to carry out financial analysis of A tlas Honda Ltd for the year 2003. The financial analysis has been carried out by using financial techniques such as ratio analysis, trend analysis and vertical analysis on the data available in the annual report of the year 2003 of the company. INFORMATION conference Information gathering is the process through which processed and meaningful data is available to carry out the required task.Extensive amount of education is available through Internet, media, newspapers and other business magazines. These all sources of teaching these days make the process of learning gathering simple. There are two main source of information gathering through which information is ga on that pointd, first is my personal visits and run intoings with the different personnels in the company and secondly the financial statements available in the cable exchange on which the company is listed and also the data available through print media publicly.The information gathered depends on the reliability o f the source from which it is gathered. These both sources are reliable to gather authentic information. Information was also obtained from credit rating agencies such as (pacra) and industry experts. Some government agencies also hold information relating to companies such as Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). The financial statements and print media information used for the report are for the full stop ended 2003,the broachers of Atlas Honda Ltd, financial and business news papers such as THE NEWS BUSINEES PAGE, DAWN BUSINESS PAGE.As Atlas Honda is a leading company in the motorcycle industry information relating to the company is also available through different business magazines such as the Gulf Economist. They are good source of reliable information, that too with a critical viewpoint about(predicate) the company. Information relating to Atlas Honda is also available through Internet by access to sight www. atlasgrouppk. com that makes it easier to be fam iliar with the company and direct access to the financial and other authentic information that helps in the effective completion of this research and analysis project.Published documents of Atlas Honda Ltd provides a reliable method of data collection through which sufficient financial data can be collected easily so that financial analysis can be conducted in a effective way. Interview is very effective means of gathering information, providing precise and accurate data. Interviews with the officials of Atlas Honda also provided quality information that helped me to have a sufficient knowledge about Atlas Honda, about its financial position, where it stands in the market, its new competitors in the motor cycle ndustry, its adequate returns to share holders, about its expansion of the business and its unique 5S(service) network that give Atlas Honda Ltd edge over its competitors. ANALYSIS The analysis stage of the report carries critical view of the financial statements to ensure t hat adequate returns are available to share holders, assets are properly utilized by the management and are depreciated as par the accounting policies of the company, the company is financially sound and that investors have confidence in the company. There are few un established competitors of Atlas Honda with little penetration in the market.The ratios are computed on the basis of audited financial data for the year 2003. PROFITABILITY The favourableness of any company is the key concern to the shareholders and to its employees and is also the symbol of market leadership for any company in the market. I have analyzed the profitability trend over the period of 8 years. The key ratios during the 8 years that demonstrate profitability are Profitability 2003 Gross Profit Ratio (%) Profit Before Tax (%) Profit After Tax (%) 14. 7 9. 3 6. 1 2002 13. 3 7. 1 4. 9 TABLE 1 2001 9. 7 4. 3 2. 5 2000 10. 4 3. 0 1. 1999 11. 6 5. 3 3. 6 1998 12. 4 5. 6 3. 7 1997 1996 11. 3 5. 4 3. 6 10. 9 5. 7 3. 3 There is a constant increase in the gross profit during the first 3 years 1996 to 1998 but the year 1999 had a slump causing a correct for the next 3 years up till 2001. After that colossal recovery has been made by the company with G. P Ratio from 9. 7 in 2001 to 14. 7 in 2003. Corresponding increase in cost and the kin between profits and cost reveal that the profit onwards tax was almost half (5. 7) to 10. 9 in the year 1996 and this relationship is maintained in 2003.On the other hand the operating profit have non shown a considerable growth in comparison to the tax rates as shown by the relationship between G. P ratio and profit after tax. In the year 1999 it was 1/3rd to the G. P ratio but has increased to come up with ? of the G. P ratio. This indicates that the company is trying to improve its profit by maintaining its cost but the increase in taxes has jeopardized the efforts and consequent increase in profit after tax has not been obtained. Returns to Shareholders The returns are of key interest to shareholders as they invest in the company that gives more returns than the other.Atlas Honda distributed 5% of its total wealth to its shareholders in the year 2003. The company proposed a immediate payment dividend of Rs. 7 per share. The return on capital employed, Earning per share (E. P. S), Price earning ratio, their trend can be seen below in the table. Returns to share holders 2003 roe Before Tax (%) 60. 5 2002 49. 8 TABLE 2 2001 31. 5 2000 17. 4 1999 32. 7 1998 39. 6 1997 48. 0 1996 61. 0 ROE After Tax (%) 39. 7 34. 1 18. 3 10. 3 22. 3 26. 1 31. 8 35. 0 Return on Capital Employed (%) 34. 2 29. 8 14. 7 7. 6 17. 3 18. 7 23. 4 28. Market Price 80. 00 40. 05 25. 00 19. 25 19. 25 30. 00 31. 00 27. 00 E. P. S After Tax Rs 20. 91 13. 24 8. 07 4. 12 8. 45 8. 60 9. 41 8. 41 Price Earning Ratio 3. 83 3. 03 3. 10 4. 67 2. 28 3. 49 3. 29 3. 21 pains Average . P. E Ratio 3. 21 3. 14 3. 52 3. 50 2. 14 3. 31 3. 27 3. 25 The Return on equity before tax ratio showed a downward trend and declined from 61% to 17. 4% in 2000,there by recovering to a satisfactory solve of 60. 5% in 2003. The ROE after tax declined from acceptable figure of 35% in 1996 to a dangerous level of 10. % in 2000 and reaching a satisfactory figure of 39. 7% in the year 2003. Earning per share is widely used to placard the performance of the company over a number of years. E. P. S of Atlas Honda started to decline after 1997 and declined to a poor figure of 4. 12,there by up streaming to the figure of 20. 91,compariably stronger than last year due to improved profits. Price Earning ratio shows fond(p) ups and downs through years not having significant variation except 1999 where it shows a downward trend, showing a healthy upward trend in 2000.This indicates that the investors have a strong confidence in the company abilities to maintain the earnings. Overall the P/E ratio of the company is above the industry average as indicated in table 2. The market price of the shares has grown rapidly and has become twice as compared to the last year, which indicates peoples confidence. Cash Flow situation The cash flow statement with the same importance as profit and loss account and balance sheet is used to emphasize the difference between profit and cash. Cash flows, including net present foster calculations, have always been a popular management tool.The situation of the company cash flow showed that net cash generation from operations increased to Rs. 724. 20 million as compared to Rs. 519. 34 million last years. Increased net income and customers advances created a positive impaction on the net cash provided by operations. win cash used in investing activities decreased to Rs. 67. 53 million compared to Rs. 150. 04 million last year. Net cash used in financing activities was Rs. 42. 33 million as compared to Rs. 121. 74 million last year. During the year Rs. 150 million long-term loans were acquired and Rs. 71. 11 million loans were re stipendiary.Cash and bank balance increased by 1. 5 times to Rs. 1, 021. 23 million this year Rs. 406. 88 million for the operating year 2002. Investment income increased to Rs. 38. 3 million from Rs. 32. 6 million of last year. Debt equity ratio was 1090. The equity of the company stood at over Rs. 1 one million million million including reserves of Rs. 872. 2 million, with cash surplus of Rs. 1. 02 billion, reflecting a sound financial position of the company. Asset turnover Assets are held by companies to utilize them in their business activities and generate profits in order the company to prosper.Assets are held and maintained by Atlas Honda in the course of their business activities and the company to meet their growing requirements also acquires new capital assets. Asset turnover ratios are computed for a period of eight years. Asset turnover (Times) Sales to bestow Assets Sales to primed(p) Assets 2003 2. 63 12. 39 2002 3. 02 10. 32 2001 3. 16 10. 44 2000 2. 28 6. 93 1 999 2. 80 9. 34 1998 2. 23 9. 02 1997 2. 89 13. 02 1996 2. 97 11. 42 Inventory perturbation 10. 34 9. 57 7. 46 6. 87 7. 39 6. 06 5. 41 5. 38Major portion of the total assets are topical assets, which not an admirable situation and the company is military posture increase in the opportunity cost of assets not invested by the company. In the other scenario the company have superfluous on-line(prenominal) assets to meet its current liabilities, which is appreciable. In the sale to fixed asset turnover there is a major acquisition in the year 2000 then in other years where there is normal acquisition during the course of business. This is indicted by the reduction of only 0. 99% in the sale of year 2000 from previous year where as there is a reduction of 2. 1 times in the sale to fixed asset turnover ratio. This acquisition by the company in the year 2000 was made to struggle with predict future growth. In other years the fixed asset turnover ratio is increasing due to increasing s ales and there is common acquisition of fixed assets. In the case of the inventory turnover ratio there is a constant increase in the figures over the years. The company in warehouses does not hold idle stocks thus reducing the stock holding cost. Demand based production is carried out by the company and there are no over purchases by the company.Solvency/Liquidity Solvency is the term used to determine that are the assets of the company surplus enough to pay its liabilities. This is a key measure of the financial reliability of a company and the key ratios that computes solvency are of key interest to investors. 2003 Current ratio (Times) 1. 47 2002 1. 38 2001 1. 48 2000 1. 46 1999 1. 64 1998 1. 31 1997 1. 21 1996 1. 10 Interest Cover Ratio (Times) 17. 17 11. 18 3. 65 2. 04 3. 18 2. 58 3. 95 3. 81 The intent of the current ratios is to determine that how many current assets are there to repay current liabilities on demand.The company holds surplus current assets. This is also discu ssed above in the Total Asset turnover that a major portion of the total assets is current assets showing a healthy prospect in terms of the company to meet its current liabilities. The company is showing an acceptable current ratio over the period indicating the companys capability to meet its liabilities. The interest cover ratio for the year 2002 and 2003 shows that the company is having added profits that allows the company to borrow more loans but the company is not utilizing this facility. This is also the reason the company is low geared.This also indicates financial soundness of the company in the market. If the company takes advantage of this facility it would be beneficial for the company and would facilitate the company in reducing its taxes, as interest expense is a tax allowable expense. The company has been obtaining loans in the rest of the period as indicated by the interest cover ratios of rest of the periods. Investments Investments are held by companies to have ad equate returns from their sales. Investments held by Atlas Honda in associates are proposed for sale and are stated at fair value.The investments held by the company are in listed and also some unlisted companies. Investments are counted as companys principal financial assets. Listed Atlas Battery Limited Associated undertaking NIL (2002 165,550 cut-and-dried shares of Rs. 10 Each includes bonus shares 25,550) 2003 (Rupees in 000s) 9,548 2002 Unlisted Arabian Sea Country Club (private) Limited 200,000 ordinary shares of Rs. 10 each Break-up value on the basis of audited Accounts for the year ended June 30, 2002 Rs. 6. 25 per share 2003 2002 (Rupees in 000s) 2,000 2,000 Automotive Testing and Training Center (private) Limited 187,500 ordinary shares of Rs. 0 each Break-up value on the basis of audited Accounts for the year ended June 30,2001 Rs. 5. 75 per share 1,875 1,875 The credit risk represents the accounting loss that would be recognized at the reporting take care if counter parties failed to perform as contracted. Out of the total financial assets, following amount of financial assets are subject to credit risk 1,118,907. The company believes that it is not exposed to major concentration of credit risk. To manage exposure to credit risk, the company applies credit limits to its customers. STAEMENT OF VALUE ADDITION 2003 WEALTH GENERATEDTotal Revenue Material & serve (excluding duties) 8,066,365 (5,219,313) __________ 2,847,052 __________ 6,382,219 (4,177,572) _________ 2,204,647 _________ 2002 100% 100% WEALTH DISTRIBUTED To Government Sales Tax, Income Tax, Import Duty & Workers Welfare Fund To Employees Salaries, benefits and related cost To Providers of Capital Dividend to shareholders Markup on borrowed funds well-kept with the business Depreciation Retained profit 89,645 284,345 _________ 2,847,052 _________ 3% 10% ______ 100% ______ 83,433 4% 143,058 20,487 5% 1% 122,621 19,913 5% 1% 346,762 12% 322414 15% 1,962,755 69% 1,508,389 68% 47,877 7% _________ ____ 2,204,647 100% _________ ____ As can be seen from the table above and the chart that a greater portion of wealth generated is distributed to the government. The company paid sales tax, income tax and custom duties amounting to Rs. 1. 96 billion during the year, which represents 69% of the total wealth generated. The companys contribution to the national economy by way of value addition this year amounts to Rs. 2. 85 billion, which is 29. 13% higher as compared to last year showing companys responsibility towards overall economy.This is also the reason that the company is unable to increase its profit after tax even though the company is maintaining its cost. This huge amount of tax payments has jeopardized the efforts made by the company. A good proportion of wealth generated is distributed to employees as salaries and benefits showing that the company is facilitating its employees and maintaining a healthy environment of working by offering benefits to them. WORKING uppercase The company has maintained a good working capital that shows the stewardship of the management in the use of financial resources in the operations.Company maintains a 51 to the current assets that is a working capital of Rs. 6, 671. 50 million, Showing good liquidity performance. Capital Structure The company shows a very low financial string (0. 165b 1b) but the timing of the repayment cash flows is a cause of concern, as 50million out of a total of 166million has to be repaid during the next 12 months. As the net increase in cash and cash equivalent is 614million it would not be a major cause of concern but shows the companys picture and dependence on maintaining very high liquid assets.This indicates that the company is in a desperate need to maintain its profits and to increase them. The period where the company is unable to make any profit the company will be in a critical situation beyond its accepting power. Presentation of Findings The hit the books analysis i s used as a technique to identify the strengths and weaknesses in the company and the opportunities and threats outside faced by the company. A SWOT analysis of Atlas Honda Limited would be a significant appraisal of the companys position in the automotive industry.Strengths Market leader Advance cash gain from dealers hence additional cash available for investment. Customer satisfaction. Trained technical staff. Atlas Group patronage. Sound financial standing in the market. Weakness No customer support in rural areas. Burden of taxes by the Government. Opportunities Opportunities for new technologies. Development of latest IT infrastructure. Effective media promotion. No threat of established competitor. Threats Threat of new entrants.Unestablished Competitors imitating the models of motorcycles at low price. Demands for low priced motorcycles. The strengths of the company are the key to triumph and the company should seize advantage from its opportunities and should devise such that its opportunities should be part of its strengths. Atlas Honda has been able to prolifically make its way through the heavy burden of taxes this year but its my anticipation that the burden of taxes will increase further, to counter this the company should plan a head.Atlas Honda is having a sound financial standing in the market and had attained customer satisfaction by quality products and after sales customer service. Customers are drawn in due to quality and services provided by the company, which the company should sustain and enhance, by making available price controlled motorcycles. Company has developed latest IT infrastructure to make good use of IT in manufacturing using computer techniques such as CAD (computer aid design) and CAM (computer aided manufacturing) thus enhancing costs.The edifying aspect of the report has been the findings that Atlas Honda is a financially sound company with market penetration and strong customer base. closedown The essen ce of the research and analysis report was to carry out a comprehensive financial analysis of Atlas Honda Ltd. The core objective of the report was to see that ample returns are available to share holders, the company is generating sufficient profits, and the financial situation of the company is sound and investors have confidence in the company and its financial position.In my surveillance over all the company has maintained a good level of profit even after an amplified amount of tax over the period of time. This has caused an increase in Earning per share of the company and eventually the market value of the company, which is avowed at 700% premium (Market value Rs. 80 per nominal value of Rs. 10 per share). The investors have confidence, which is reflected in the Price Earning Ratio of the company, which the company has maintained over the period of 8 years.The overall enhancement in the level of operations and market demand indicates that the company is moving on the right tr ack even after facing rigid rivalry from its competitors. Atlas Honda has maintained a very low level of gearing and so far is unable to acquire market loans, which indicates low level of financial risk the company is exposed to. On the other hand this can hamper the potential available in the market by scarcity of the funds in the company when investment mode is good and market demands is high.In the Automotive industry Atlas Honda is still a market leader as far as the wealth distribution to the government is concerned. In the statement of value addition it is indicated that 69% of the companys wealth had been distributed to the government as sales tax, income tax, import duty and workers welfare fund. sequent to the distribution the company has maintained sufficient levels of profit to distribute to the shareholders in the form of dividends. The company has continued to improve the net generation of cash and cash equivalents during the year causing the company to increase its c ash resources.Positive inflow of cash from operations is a signal of companys ability to improve the liquidity position of the company on a continuous basis. This is the main reason the liquidity situation of the company is very good. The analysis shows that the company is making head well in terms of profitability, liquidity but as far as the capital structure of the company is concerned it is still at very low level of gearing thus hampering the opportunities available in the market and without accomplishmenting the internal strengths available in the company.A high level of profits, good liquidity and sufficient working capital indicates that the financial situation of the company has improved over the period of time and is still improving. On the basis of the research and analysis work carried out I foresee that Atlas Honda will be more profitable over the period of time and will be able to exploit the opportunities available in the market. In my viewpoint Atlas Honda will rema in to be the market leader for the coming years too. The company will also prove arduous to compete by new entrants in the industry.

Distinction of Sex and Gender

1. The come alive/ sex distinction. The edges sex and gender mean different things to different feminist theorists and neither atomic number 18 easy or straightforward to characterize. Sketching out some feminist history of the terms provides a helpful starting point. 1. 1 biologic determinism Most bulk ordinarily seem to think that sex and gender are coextensive women are human females, men are human males. more feminists see historically disagreed and have endorsed the sex/ gender distinction.Provisionally sex denotes human females and males depending on biological features (chromosomes, sex organs, hormones and other physical features)gender denotes women and men depending on social factors (social role, position, behaviour or identity). The main feminist motivation for making this distinction was to counter biological determinism or the imagine that biology is destiny. A common example of a biological determinist view is that of Geddes and Thompson who, in 1889, argued that social, psychological and behavioural traits were caused by metabolous state.Women supposedly conserve energy (being anabolic) and this makes them passive, conservative, sluggish, inactive and unconcerned in politics. Men expend their surplus energy (being katabolic) and this makes them eager, energetic, passionate, variable and, thereby, interested in political and social matters. These biological facts about metabolic states were used not only to explain behavioural differences between women and men merely also to justify what our social and political arrangements have to be.It would be contrasted to grant women political rights, as they are simply not suited to have those rights it would also be futile since women (due to their biology) would simply not be interested in exercising their political rights. To counter this kind of biological determinism, feminists have argued that behavioural and psychological differences have social, rather than biological, causes. For cau sa, Simone de Beauvoir famously claimed that one is not born, but rather becomes a woman, and that social discrimination produces in women moral and intellectual effects so profound that they appear to be caused by nature.Commonly observed behavioural traits associated with women and men, then, are not caused by anatomy or chromosomes. Rather, they are culturally learned or acquired. Although biological determinism of the kind endorsed by Geddes and Thompson is nowadays uncommon, the supposition that behavioural and psychological differences between women and men have biological causes has not disappeared. In the 1970s, sex differences were used to argue that women should not become airline pilots since they leave alone be hormonally unstable once a month and, therefore, unable to perform their duties as well as men (Rogers 1999, 11).More recently, differences in male and female brains have been said to explain behavioural differences in particular, the anatomy of corpus callosum , a bundle of nerves that connects the right and left cerebral hemispheres, is survey to be liable for various psychological and behavioural differences. 1. 2 Gender terminology In order to distinguish biological differences from social/psychological ones and to talk about the latter, feminists appropriated the term gender.Psychologists writing on trans sexuality were the first to employ gender terminology in this sense. However, in order to explain why some people felt that they were trapped in the wrong bodies, the psychologist Robert Stoller (1968) began using the terms sex to pick out biological traits and gender to pick out the amount of womanhood and masculinity a person showed. Along with psychologists like Stoller, feminists found it useful to distinguish sex and gender.This enabled them to argue that many differences between women and men were socially produced and, therefore, changeable. For instance Gayle Rubins thought was that although biological differences are fixed , gender differences are the oppressive firmnesss of social interventions that dictate how women and men should behave. Women are oppressed as women and by having to be women (Rubin 1975, 204). However, since gender is social, it is thought to be changeable and adjustable by political and social reform that would ultimately bring an end to womens subordination.Feminism should aim to create a genderless (though not sexless) society, in which ones sexual anatomy is irrelevant to who one is, what one does, and with whom one makes love (Rubin 1975, 204). In some earlier interpretations, like Rubins, sex and gender were thought to complement one another. The slogan Gender is the social interpretation of sex captures this view. Nicholson calls this the coat-rack view of gender our sexed bodies are like coat racks and provide the site upon which gender is constructed (1994, 81).Gender conceived of as masculinity and femininity is superimposed upon the coat-rack of sex as each society imp oses on sexed bodies their cultural conceptions of how males and females should behave. This socially constructs gender differences or the amount of femininity/masculinity of a person upon our sexed bodies. That is, according to this interpretation, all humans are either male or female their sex is fixed. But cultures interpret sexed bodies differently and project different norms on those bodies thereby creating feminine and masculine persons.So, this group of feminist arguments against biological determinism suggested that gender differences result from cultural practices and social expectations. Nowadays it is more common to denote this by saying that gender is socially constructed. This means that genders (women and men) and gendered traits (like being nurturing or ambitious) are the mean or unintended products of a social practice (Haslanger 1995, 97). But which social practices construct gender, what social construction is and what being of a certain gender amounts to are maj or feminist controversies.There is no consensus on these issues. (See the entry on Intersections between Analytic and Continental Feminism for more on different ways to watch gender. ) 5. Conclusion This entry first looked at feminist arguments against biological determinism and the claim that gender is socially constructed. Next, it examined feminist critiques of prevalent understandings of gender and sex, and the distinction itself. In reaction to these concerns, the final section looked at how a unified womens category could be articulated for feminist political purposes and illustrated (at least) two things.First, that gender or what it is to be a woman or a man is still very much a live issue. Second, that feminists have not entirely given up the view that gender is about social factors and that it is (in some sense) distinct from biological sex. The jury is still out on what the best, the most useful or (even) the correct definition of gender is. And some contemporary femin ists still find there to be value in the original 1960s sex/gender distinction.

Creating an Inviting Classroom Environment Essay

In this fastback, the authors make two major contentions in their introduction to this pamphlet. The first is that how a enlighten looks does affect how every hotshot who goes there feels about it- and what goes on inside it. Furthermore, the authors assert that, while circumstances usually prohibit teachers from changing the entire naturalize, they can and should make a difference in their own classrooms. In this review I will be addressing these two major premises (Jones 8). I totally agree with the authors that the agency a school looks affects peoples perception of the school as well as what goes on in it.Blackford towering School is a consummate(a) example to support this theory. BHS is and always has been well maintained and groomed. When I first interviewed for employment here ten years ago, I asked the principal if the school was comparatively new I was shocked when he told me that the school was in fact 21 years old. I feel that when people drive by our school they get a good impression of it. Additionally, I am very proud of our facility when I have personal or professional guests at school. (Brown 69).I also agree with the authors that this precept also hold true for individual classrooms Harrison and Bullock gave examples of two contrasting classes to prove that an inviting environment and housekeeping ar critical to student achievement/performance. One classroom was cluttered, outdated, and impersonal- an uninviting dump. The other classroom was neat, orderly, yet warm, inviting, comfortable, and user-friendly. I agree with the authors that the second classroom was the ideal and the one that is more conducive to student learning.Furthermore I agree with the reasons to focus on environment that they have identified (psychologically positive, quality lighting, noise, etc. ) However I strongly disagree with them when they contend facility size and age are not factors when creating an environment pleasant classroom. After surveying students, teac hers, and parents as to what they thought was crucial to a classroom environment (furniture, aesthetics, comfort, instructional items, and professional items. ) Finally they made recommendations as how best to use these categorical items to create the ideal classroom.It is these suggestions and the implication that I can incorporate them that I have a problem with. Size IS a factor. My room is crammed with the essentials of school operation. In my room you will find a teacher desk, 33 student desks, one teacher computer station, one small book case which holds my personal professional books as well as paperbacks for students, a raised platform and podium for speech performances, a intercommunicate soundboard cart and an additional small table with a boom calamity for radio classes and one small teacher work table. I dont have any room.I can stand at the earlier edge of my desk and touch the first row of student desks (I dont even have to reach). The students in the back row can turn most and touch the back wall of the room. Much to my dismay, I am not going to be afforded additional space in which to conduct speech and radio classes. Furthermore, I am not going to be given individual classroom temperature controls or a phone. It is a fact that I come to accept. I would LOVE to have, as suggested, tables and desks, a comfort space for reading, student storage space, and any number of the other items they suggested. However, it will not happen at Blackford High School.

Current Trends in Technology Essay

School is no daylong limited to simple reading, writing and arithmetic. The use of technology has expanded the prospect for education, giving us fadeless possibilities. at that placefore, technology deserves signifi chiffoniert school attention in order for students to possess technological survival skills. The tyrannical do of how it dissolve be use in the classroom to enable encyclopedism for instructors and students go forth be researchd as well as the need to ensure job stability in the future. What lesson ideas heavy(p) deal teachers do victimisation technology? Assign a digital presentation.Students depose express themselves more clearly using technology. Technology domiciliate be used extensively for language arts. Student reports no longer be possessed of to be limited to a written report. Students now ar able to bemuse access to absolute books online. Therefore, teachers argon only limited by the students ability to access a computer. wind vane quest is in any case a tool used for literature exploration. Teachers ar able to use media clips to order in class. Videos atomic number 18 operable online that service many teachers provide a optical aid to the lesson that they argon teaching.Power point presentations enhance instruction in the language arts classroom by storing free-and-easy objectives in a PowerPoint presentation and begin each class session by sharing the casual objectives. Creating PowerPoint presentations for essential nones and providing students the slides using the handout option pull up stakes pr blusht students from focusing on simply copy the notes from the board or overhead. They will listen to teacher comments and make meaningful notes in the spaces provided. The amount of study on each slide should be limited to star or two important bullets.Students should be raised to use PowerPoint presentations when they are required to present to the class. Their self-expression and creativity plenty be explor ed with the programs design options. Reading strategies can be d one with the use of technology. During reading teachers can help students aerate prior knowledge and generate predictions in order to comprehend text. Teachers can do this when they introduce a reading lesson or topic. Using a multi-media approach, the teacher shows pictures, slides, or clips that is similar to the story concept.Real life history connections can also be made with the help of these visuals, as well as helping them construct mental images. Students can be asked to make predictions on what they think the story is round. Their answers and responses can be nature and played back to them after the story is over. This stimulates their matter to in the current reading lesson. They will be keener to paying attention and listening. They will be ardent to hear their responses played back to them to deal if their predictions were correct. profits provides access to public do mains.It also gives students the independence to read some of the owing(p)est written books and materials. Using websites provides students with a greater knowledge of historical and social arrangeations in which many pieces of literature rest upon. Printouts of short stories found on line can be distributed to the class. They can be required to read the text and bring out the story concepts such as setting, characters and etc. Teachers and students can also set up a web log that is viewed by their class only. This admits the students to express their ideas and thoughts with the teacher and vice versa.Students can share ideas with classmates and also read one an separates post. This helps tighten the bond between teacher and student and bring classmates closer together. They will all have something in common that they are a part of. There are a number of strategies that can be used in the teaching of reading for students. If a teacher is mutable how they can integrate technology into their reading instr uction, there are many websites that gives lesson plans and ideas. Technology also can be used with writing. Teachers are able to have advance writing instruction with the help of technology.Projectors can be used for students to get hold the writing process modeled by their teachers. This gives students a chance to see how the procedure bends from rough drafting to final revisions. There is a skunk of software obtainable that help kids make their story go alive. Programs are available that read their story back to them. How dreaded is that? Kids can hear what their writing sounds like and this offers a chance for them to critique it even farther. Microsoft Word is a poplar application program that is used widely in education. This program allows and helps students recognize grammatical and spell errors.This provides students with guidance on writing a correct composition. It also guides students as well as help them overcome and accomplish the task of terminology difficulty. They are provided with a vast selection of terms. Websites are available that demonstrate proper organization and correct format for writing. It helps with the building and organization of thoughts for a paper. These websites serve as a necessitateing tool. They assist teacher and students in recognizing rational and well thought-out writing ideas. Researching these web sites beatify students with many writing ideas they whitethorn have been blocked from.Not to mention, the expansion of the writing curriculum for students with disabilities have greatly been expanded. These students are now able to use voice and touch screen programs as a right smart to express their ideas. This method is much more effective than the use of paper and pencil. These programs assist these students in developing language skills as well as writing skills. The profit allows for the publishing of students field of study. This procedure makes the idea of an audience more square to them. It can motivate students to become authors and possibly encourage a future in the writing field.There are many websites that offer contests for students writing. Teachers should take time to find challenges for their students and inspire them to write for profit. There are many schools that dont have the privilege of having available reference books. Many publishers have made their reference books available online. other way to get students to write is student produced newspapers. This is a great practice for their writing skills. It also allows them to be yeasty, productive and organized. Technology can be used as a written language convention. Students honour their grammar skills with online games and activities.This is a way students can have fun with dry material. Oral language can be improved with the use of technology. PowerPoint presentations allow students to organize their speeches and make the audience follow along with the presenter and the teacher to assess a students performance. Pr oject ground learning can greatly be increased with the use of technology. This is a way students can use technology in proportion to real life situations. Students are able to make decisions in small groups based upon their design, chore solving, resolutions, and analytical measures. This allows students the freedom to be n charge and have full control over their own project. They will be digging deep into those critical thinking skills in order for their project to run smoothly. It gives them more creative independence. This serves as a hands-on learning experience in order for students to answer and relate to the main ideas and standards of the subject area. These encounters are related to everyday life. Students will be able to take what theyve learned and leave it in their own life. Students are also able to get involved with projects which connect classes together just about the field.The internet provides structure and resources for students to do research on an internat ional level. The use of technology broadens students horizons, their goals and beliefs. They can actually connect to another part of the world. They can learn cultural learning about places theyve only heard about. It gives them a chance to explore whats out there in the world from inside their classroom. What better way for a child to learn about new things than being in a school environment? This is safer for our kids. It takes down the risk of them exploring outside of school on their own.A lot of children dont know whats out there because theyve never been exposed to new surroundings. Children run to stray away more so out of being curious. Why not fulfill that specialness by exploring it in class? Project based learning allows children to scarper their curiosity by allowing them to get and have control over what they want to learn. What about drugs, sex and weapons? These are all subjects that kids can explore using technology as a guide. They can research the most harmful drugs in the linked States and compared it to the harmful drugs in another country.Teenage pregnancy rate and STDs can be compared or examined around the world. Weapons that are used to kill children and or our soldiers can be brought to the students attention. These subjects are also crucial ones that need to be discussed with our youth. Students can present their information and their results to the class. They can also come up with a way they feel these problems can be solved or minimized. There might be a student whos considering having sex, once they research and see the effects of sex up close and personal (i. e. regnancy and STDs) maybe their mind will be changed. Another one might be interested or all ready taking drugs. They will gain knowledge about what drugs really do to your body. Guns are growing more and more poplar. Students can see first hand the consequences of these weapons. The innocent lives that is lost due to carelessness. As a result of the use of technolo gy, project based learning can be upgraded tremendously and provide a whole new level of learning experiences, which will be beneficial to the student in the long run. Technology can be used to provide visual learning.Digital storytelling challenges students to take their written ideas and translate them into a visual medium. They could write a script then produce a pictorial matter. Teachers can give rise rubrics for assessing students, writing and speaking. Teachers can use projectors in the classroom to show photographs, videos or slides. These visual aids keep students engage in the instruction they are receiving. A teacher can integrate a video to go along with the lesson they are teaching. A student can only get so much from a lecture. Most people are visual learners.A video can reemphasize the information that the teacher is trying to convey. That allows those students who werent able to persist the understanding or the concept of the lesson an alternative measure. Teacher s can also use technology as visual aids by printing out statistical information for students to see. They can make printouts of graphs and charts to reiterate a particular subject. There are many websites available that provide many resources and tips teachers can use to score hands-on visual aids in their classroom. This will be a great way to allow students to work together as a team.It will decrease isolation among students. They all can work in teams to research a project on the internet. Teachers can also ask students to use the internet to come up with an sound visual project they can share with the class. Students have fun and learn more when they can see what they are learning. Point blank students will be excited and eager when they are able to participate and contribute to their own learning. Shouldnt they be able to donate and feed their own minds? Technology as visual aids is a way they can connect their interest to learning.Another visual aid that the teacher can use is handouts. Handouts are a way to honor the instruction that is given. It gives students a general overview of the material as well as identifying the key points. This will thin out down on confusion and students will be clearer on the focus points. Visual aids, especially audio visual help many students that have different learning styles. This strategy brings mode of students who dont have the so called, norm learning style. In history this can be used for students to see some of the places they are iscussing. Students can view pictures and artifacts through the web that will really make the lesson come alive for them. They will be like, Wow this really happened or Wow this really did exist There are many websites that provide simulations for certain subject areas for students. Science is a subject where there is no limit to what students can explore and research with the help of the internet. Students can look up all types of animals and insects. This will be much more fun t han just reading about them in their textbooks.They can even print out certain information they have found, with teacher approval of course. Visual aids are an awesome way to turn a classroom into an adventurous experience instead of a place. Teachers can benefit tremendously from the use of technology. Technology can help boost the relationship between students and teacher. It affects the way teachers instruct and give a lesson. Technology is a level where students and teachers can relate and identify on. Teachers can use computer tools to reorganize record keeping and clerical tasks, in order to free up time for instruction or professional development.Teachers are able to keep track of grades, behavior and other classroom information with the use of a computer. This information can be saved and always be available for the teacher to pull up at the demand of a parent. This cuts out paper work that can a good deal be misplaced. Teachers can input their lesson plans and goals on the handout for parents to have a record as well. Therefore isolation will be decreased by using e-mail and the profits to communicate with colleagues, parents, and the outside world. What grown up doesnt have an e-mail?E-mail is a great way for parents to communicate with teachers effectively when face to face is not possible. Teachers are so busy often they dont have the time to call each individual parent. Simple questions and information can be exchanged through e-mail. This mode also help out working parents who cant often answer a phone call when their busy. A click in their e-mail and this problem can be eliminated. Professional development activities can be increased by taking outgo education courses, accessing educational research, and accessing classroom materials such as lesson plans.Teachers will be able to take courses that their school principal may suggest through the use of the internet. They can also take classes that can help that their education online. Also, tea chers will not have to leave their classroom when they are looking for additional activities for their students. They can search the internet for educational ideas that will help productivity in their classroom. Teachers can find video clips and other materials that will go hand in hand with their lesson plans. These can serve as great visual aids and teaching tools when giving instruction.If a student poses a question that the teacher may be unclear of the answer, they can look it up together. There are a wide configuration of tools that are available to help teachers transform their classroom into a more exciting place for learning. bright boards are growing more and more poplar. These non traditional boards are a way for teachers to transmit information from their computer screen to the class. Their also software available that help teachers set up websites for their class. Teachers can create websites that are designated specifically to the concept they are teaching, for the p urpose of helping their students.This eliminates those web sites teachers are not lucky with their students exploring. The teaching of technology to our kids will help secure them a successful career in the future. In a demanding economy, technology skills are required to stay ahead. Jobs are being lost everyday. Why not ensure our children a spot in the years to come? Technology is used even in the simplest profession. Students not only need to learn the skills that are evident in the workforce today, but also be ready and prepared for the technology changes that will happen in the future.

Modern Information Technology Impacts Our Everyday Lives Essay

Over the past 20 years, the world as we know has changed drastically. We book moved from a world that was bound by wires and copper cabling to a world that offers any bit of learning you adopt with the touch of a glass screen from a device that fits in your pockets. In this same spot of eon, shopping used to involve planning a trip to a brick and motor store and bank they had the harvesting you were looking for, and at the price you wanted to pay. If you lived in a small market, you didnt have the choices to comparison shop an otherwise(prenominal) stores. In todays age, a consumer shag shop from the allay of their home, and find exactly the right product at exactly the right price. With a click of a mouse and a charge of a credit card, the product will be rushed to the consumers house with little to no effort for them. Large retailers like Amazon.com can have a product delivered to a consumer by as early as the next dayThis type of convenience has changed our daily ways in nearly(prenominal) ways, both positive and negative. For example, people can communicate with each other miles apart from their computing machines and smart phones via email and schoolbooking. While some may say this is good thing that al misfortunateing contrary relatives and friends quick and simple communication without worrying about distance, others would say that email and texting simply takes a haulage of the personal touch from the conversation. With retailers moving their sales online, some people believe that the personal touch of macrocosm equal to(p) to talk to someone directly about the product may detract from the experience. Positive Impacts of bracingfangled engine roomWe should begin looking at the positive concussions that this new technology has on our daily lives. Technology is evolving very quickly, and sometimes consumers have a hard time keeping up with the latest trends, still the impacts atomic number 18 made every day to help improve our li ves. Whether we are using computers to communicate by video conferencing with friends and family in another country, or ordering the latest Harry Potter book to be instantly delivered to our Kindles, these technologies are enriching our lives.As retailers move to the net, consumers are able to comparison shop many antithetical shifters with the click of a mouse. There are also dedicated websites out there that al pitiful a consumer to instantly search for a product from hundreds of sellers, and then find the one that has the lowest price and silk hat shipping. On top of this, the internet provides a way for consumers to research the products they are buying. We can look up reviews from other buyers to see if the product lives up to manufacturers claims. When a consumer decides what and where they will buy, they can have the product whisked aside from the distribution center and be delivered on their doorstep by the end of the next day, all from the computer of their home.With t he massive explosion of social media sites, people are able to find and communicate with their long disconnected friends and family all from a central location. We can parcel out photos, send messages, and chat in real time with our connections.Although the entertainment industry has been slow to adopt the new technologies in fear of losing money to pirates, we have seen a huge growth of online video. Consumers are able to find and watch their preferite shows whenever and wherever they like. Television sets are now shipping with built in internet connectivity to allow purchasers to access the internet to watch videos and share photos with one another. Companies like Netflix and Hulu have embraced online streaming and are offering thousands of hours of online video for a very low monthly subscription. These services are not limited to just televisions either. Computers, smart phones, and tablets are all advantageously able to access this same content for on-the-go watching.Online sport has be descend huge in the past hardly a(prenominal) years as well. People can play against each other in massive online grapheme playing games such as World of Warcraft, and even console makers such as Microsoft and Sony have enabled their gaming consoles for online play. This brings the world together as a playing field and we are no longer labored by our living room when it comes to finding new opponents.With the help of Google, people are now able to research topics in record time. With a few keystrokes, users are able to find in complianceation on any topic under the sun. Online search engines allow us to research the worlds libraries and other research facilities. We are also able to scour the web for information. This makes student homework much simpler and faster, and allows them to take heed more information quicker.Data organization has also become a simpler task thanks to new-made technology. Companies can store their entire repository of data onto a simple da tabase waiter. They can query this server for any bit of information they need within a few seconds. Not only unspoilt for companies, home users are able to store their personal documents and photos securely on their PCs as well as in an off-site cloud and not have any fear of losing this information when a natural disaster occurs. Negative Impacts of Modern TechnologyWhile there are many positive impacts on todays society, there are also many negatives that are introduces as well. Many would argue that there are jobs being lost because of this new technology. Automated and robotic systems have taken the place of humans in the work force. With retailers moving their sales operations online, they no longer need the support staff for their brick and motor stores. Many stores are not able to keep up with the low prices from the mega-retailers online, so they are forced to close down.With the influx of social media as our main communication medium, some think that we have lost the pe rsonal touch of spending time with our close friends and family in favor of sitting behind our computers online. People that are only using social media as their main form of communication could lose the ability to interact physically with one another. The many distractions of email notifications and incoming text messages have also become a detractor. People no longer consider it rude to look into in the middle of a conversation to respond to a text message that has just come in to their phone. This could lead to low levels of concentration. At the same time, malicious people have found light-colored ways to target those that are online. With the vast amount of spam email and harmful virus spread around the world, more and more people are becoming susceptible to attack.Another negative impact is the illegal use of technology for gambling and other addicting habits. Online gambling sites attract millions of people per day and can completely consume those with weak will power, lea ding to distressed families and financial means. Underground websites also concur criminalist activities as well. Pornography and child pornography are trafficked daily on the internet, and the sheer magnitude of the web makes it hard for authorities to track down and eliminate. There are even websites such as TheSilkRoad that sell illegal drugs in the same fashion as Amazon sells normal goods In SummaryAlthough we cannot impediment the negative effects from this new technology, we shouldnt fear it. Learning to recognize the potential positive impacts this new technology can bring to our lives while at the same time recognizing the potential threats we will be better able to adapt to them and take advantages and enrichments they bring to our daily lives.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Twelve

EddardThe command came in the hour onward the dawn, when the world was still and grey.Alyn shook him roughly from his dreams and Ned stumbled into the predawn chill, groggy from sleep, to find his clam saddled and the queer already batched. Robert wore thick brown gloves and a heavy fur cloak with a hood that c everywhereed his ears, and looked for all the world like a bear sitting a vaulting horse. Up, unfinished he roargond. Up, up We have matters of state to discuss.By all means, Ned tell. Come inside, Your Grace. Alyn lifted the flap of the tent.No, no, no, Robert said. His trace steamed with either word. The camp is full of ears. Besides, I want to ride prohibited and taste this inelegant of yours. Ser Boros and Ser Meryn waited stub him with a dozen guardsmen, Ned saw. There was no subject to do exactly rub the sleep from his eyes, dress, and mount up.Robert set the pace, driving his huge black destrier weighed down as Ned galloped along beside him, trying to keep up. He called out a question as they rode, but the wind blew his words away, and the king did not come upon him. After that Ned rode in silence. They presently left the kingsroad and took off crosswise rolling plains dark with mist. By accordingly the guard had fallen back a smallish distance, safely out of earshot, but still Robert would not slow.Dawn broke as they crested a low ridge, and finally the king pulled up. By so they were miles south of the main party. Robert was flushed and exhilarated as Ned reined up beside him. Gods, he swore, laughing, it feels good to get out and ride the way a man was meant to ride I swear, Ned, this creeping along is enough to ride a man mad. He had never been a patient man, Robert Baratheon. That damnable wheelhouse, the way it creaks and groans, climbing all bump in the road as if it were a mountain . . . I promise you, if that wretched thing breaks another axle, Im going to burn it, and Cersei can walkNed laughed. I get out gladly lig ht the woolly mullein for you.Good man The king clapped him on the shoulder. Ive half a mind to leave them all behind and just keep going.A smile touched Neds lips. I do believe you mean it.I do, I do, the king said. What do you say, Ned? Just you and me, two vagabond knights on the kingsroad, our swords at our sides and the gods know what in front of us, and maybe a farmers daughter or a tavern fowl to warm our beds tonight.Would that we could, Ned said, but we have duties now, my liege . . . to the realm, to our children, I to my lady wife and you to your queen. We are not the boys we were.You were never the boy you were, Robert grumbled. Mores the pity. And however in that location was that cardinal time . . . what was her hang, that common girl of yours? Becca? No, she was one of mine, gods love her, black hair and these tasty big eyes, you could drown in them. Yours was . . . Aleena? No. You t nonagenarian me once. Was it Merryl? You know the one I mean, your bastards mo ther?Her name was Wylla, Ned replied with cool down courtesy, and I would sooner not speak of her.Wylla. Yes. The king grinned. She must have been a rare wench if she could make Lord Eddard blunt close up his reward, rase for an hour. You never told me what she looked like . . . Neds sing tightened in indignation. Nor pass on I. Leave it be, Robert, for the love you say you bear me. I dishonored myself and I dishonored Catelyn, in the megabucks of gods and men.Gods have mercy, you scarcely knew Catelyn.I had analysen her to wife. She was carrying my child.You are too hard on yourself, Ned. You always were. infernal it, no woman wants Baelor the Blessed in her bed. He slapped a hand on his knee. Well, Ill not pack together you if you feel so strong about it, though I swear, at times youre so ill-natured you ought to take the hedgehog as your sigil.The rising sun sent fingers of light through the pale uninfected mists of dawn. A wide plain spread out beneath them, bare a nd brown, its flatness here and there relieved by long, low hummocks. Ned pointed them out to his king. The barrows of the First Men.Robert frowned. Have we ridden onto a graveyard?There are barrows everywhere in the north, Your Grace, Ned told him. This land is old.And frigorific, Robert grumbled, pulling his cloak more tightly around himself. The guard had reined up well behind them, at the bottom of the ridge. Well, I did not bring you out here to blab out of graves or bicker about your bastard. There was a rider in the night, from Lord Varys in Kings Landing. Here. The king pulled a paper from his belt and handed it to Ned.Varys the eunuch was the kings master of whisperers. He served Robert now as he had once served Aerys Targaryen. Ned unrolled the paper with trepidation, destineing of Lysa and her terrible accusation, but the message did not concern gentlewoman Arryn. What is the source for this information?Do you remember Ser Jorah Mormont?Would that I might forget him, Ned said bluntly. The Mormonts of Bear Island were an old house, proud and honorable, but their lands were cold and distant and poor. Ser Jorah had tried to swell the family coffers by selling many poachers to a Tyroshi slaver. As the Mormonts were bannermen to the Starks, his crime had dishonored the north. Ned had made the long journey west to BearIsland, that to find when he arrived that Jorah had taken ship beyond the reach of Ice and the kings justice. Five years had passed since then.Ser Jorah is now in Pentos, enthusiastic to earn a royal pardon that would allow him to return from exile, Robert explained. Lord Varys makes good use of him.So the slaver has become a spy, Ned said with distaste. He handed the letter back. I would rather he become a corpse.Varys tells me that spies are more useful than corpses, Robert said. Jorah aside, what do you make of his report?Daenerys Targaryen has wed some Dothraki horselord. What of it? Shall we send her a wedding gift?The king frown ed. A knife, perhaps. A good sharp one, and a bold man to wield it.Ned did not feign surprise Roberts hatred of the Targaryens was a madness in him. He remembered the angry words they had exchanged when Tywin Lannister had presented Robert with the corpses of Rhaegars wife and children as a token of fealty. Ned had named that murder Robert called it war. When he had protested that the young prince and princess were no more than babes, his new-made king had replied, I see no babes. Only potassium bitartratespawn. not even Jon Arryn had been able to calm that storm. Eddard Stark had ridden out that very day in a cold rage, to fight the last battles of the war alone in the south. It had taken another death to reconcile them Lyannas death, and the rue they had shared over her passing.This time, Ned resolved to keep his temper. Your Grace, the girl is scarcely more than a child. You are no Tywin Lannister, to s jape innocents. It was said that Rhaegars little girl had cried as they dra gged her from beneath her bed to face the swords. The boy had been no more than a babe in arms, yet Lord Tywins soldiers had torn him from his mothers breast and dashed his precede against a wall.And how long entrust this one remain an innocent? Roberts mouth grew hard. This child will soon enough spread her legs and start breeding more dragonspawn to plague me.Nonetheless, Ned said, the murder of children . . . it would be vile . . . amazing . . . Unspeakable? the king roared. What Aerys did to your brother Brandon was unspeakable. The way your lord father died, that was unspeakable. And Rhaegar . . . how many times do you think he raped your sister? How many hundreds of times? His voice had grown so loud that his horse whinnied nervously beneath him. The king jerked the reins hard, quieting the animal, and pointed an angry finger at Ned. I will kill every Targaryen I can get my hands on, until they are as dead as their dragons, and then I will piss on their graves.Ned knew bett er than to defy him when the wrath was on him. If the years had not slaked Roberts thirst for revenge, no words of his would help. You cant get your hands on this one, can you? he said quietly.The kings mouth twisted in a bitter grimace. No, gods be cursed. Some pox-ridden Pentoshi cheesemonger had her brother and her walled up on his kingdom with pointy-hatted eunuchs all around them, and now hes handed them over to the Dothraki. I should have had them both killed years ago, when it was tripping to get at them, but Jon was as bad as you. More fool I, I listened to him. Jon Arryn was a wise man and a good Hand.Robert snorted. The anger was leaving him as suddenly as it had come. This Khal Drogo is said to have a hundred thousand men in his horde. What would Jon say to that?He would say that even a million Dothraki are no threat to the realm, so long as they remain on the other side of the narrow sea, Ned replied calmly. The barbarians have no ships. They hate and fear the open se a.The king shifted uncomfortably in his saddle. Perhaps. There are ships to be had in the Free Cities, though. I tell you, Ned, I do not like this marriage. There are still those in the Seven Kingdoms who call me Usurper. Do you forget how many houses fought for Targaryen in the war? They bide their time for now, but give them half a chance, they will murder me in my bed, and my sons with me. If the beggar king crosses with a Dothraki horde at his back, the traitors will join him.He will not cross, Ned promised. And if by some mischance he does, we will throw him back into the sea. in one case you choose a new Warden of the EastThe king groaned. For the last time, I will not name the Arryn boy Warden. I know the boy is your nephew, but with Targaryens climbing in bed with Dothraki, I would be mad to rest one quarter of the realm on the shoulders of a sickly child.Ned was ready for that. only we still must have a Warden of the East. If Robert Arryn will not do, name one of your brot hers. Stannis proved himself at the siege of Storms End, surely.He let the name hang there for a moment. The king frowned and said nothing. He looked uncomfortable.That is, Ned finished quietly, ceremonial occasion, unless you have already promised the honor to another.For a moment Robert had the grace to look startled. Just as quickly, the look became annoyance. What if I have?Its Jaime Lannister, is it not?Robert kicked his horse back into motion and started down the ridge toward the barrows. Ned unplowed pace with him. The king rode on, eyes straight ahead. Yes, he said at last. A single hard word to end the matter.Kingslayer, Ned said. The rumors were true, then. He rode on dangerous ground now, he knew. An able and courageous man, no doubt, he said carefully, but his father is Warden of the West, Robert. In time Ser Jaime will succeed to that honor. No one man should hold both East and West. He left unsaid his real concern that the involution would put half the armies of the realm into the hands of Lannisters.I will fight that battle when the enemy appears on the field, the king said stubbornly. At the moment, Lord Tywin looms eternal as Casterly Rock, so I doubt that Jaime will be succeeding anytime soon. Dont vex me about this, Ned, the stone has been set.Your Grace, may I speak frankly?I seem unable to stop you, Robert grumbled. They rode through tall brown grasses.Can you trust Jaime Lannister?He is my wifes twin, a Sworn Brother of the Kingsguard, his life and fortune and honor all bound to mine.As they were bound to Aerys Targaryens, Ned pointed out.why should I mistrust him? He has done everything I have ever asked of him. His sword helped win the heap I sit on.His sword helped taint the throne you sit on, Ned thought, but he did not license the words to pass his lips. He swore a vow to protect his kings life with his own. Then he clear that kings throat with a sword.Seven hells, someone had to kill Aerys Robert said, reining his mount to a sud den halt beside an old-fashioned barrow. If Jaime hadnt done it, it would have been left for you or me.We were not Sworn Brothers of the Kingsguard, Ned said. The time had come for Robert to hear the square truth, he decided then and there. Do you remember the Trident, Your Grace?I won my crown there. How should I forget it?You took a wound from Rhaegar, Ned reminded him. So when the Targaryen host broke and ran, you gave the pursuit into my hands. The remnants of Rhaegars army fled back to Kings Landing. We followed. Aerys was in the Red Keep with several thousand loyalists. I expected to find the gates closed to us.Robert gave an zealous shake of his head. Instead you found that our men had already taken the city. What of it?Not our men, Ned said patiently. Lannister men. The lion of Lannister flew over the ramparts, not the crowned stag. And they had taken the city by treachery.The war had raged for close to a year. Lords great and small had flocked to Roberts banners others h ad remained loyal to Targaryen. The mighty Lannisters of Casterly Rock, the Wardens of the West, had remained aloof from the struggle, ignoring calls to arms from both rebels and royalists. Aerys Targaryen must have thought that his gods had answered his prayers when Lord Tywin Lannister appeared before the gates of Kings Landing with an army twelve thousand strong, professing loyalty. So the mad king had staged his last mad act. He had opened his city to the lions at the gate.Treachery was a coin the Targaryens knew well, Robert said. The anger was building in him again. Lannister paid them back in kind. It was no less than they deserved. I shall not pain my sleep over it.You were not there, Ned said, bitterness in his voice. Troubled sleep was no stranger to him. He had lived his lies for fourteen years, yet they still haunted him at night. There was no honor in that conquest.The Others take your honor Robert swore. What did any Targaryen ever know of honor? Go down into your cr ypt and ask Lyanna about the dragons honorYou avenged Lyanna at the Trident, Ned said, halting beside the king. Promise me, Ned, she had whispered.That did not bring her back. Robert looked away, off into the grey distance. The gods be damned. It was a hollow victory they gave me. A crown . . . it was the girl I prayed them for. Your sister, safe . . . and mine again, as she was meant to be. I ask you, Ned, what good is it to wear a crown? The gods mock the prayers of kings and cowherds alike.I cannot answer for the gods, Your Grace . . . only for what I found when I rode into the throne room that day, Ned said. Aerys was dead on the floor, drowned in his own blood. His dragon skulls stared down from the walls. Lannisters men were everywhere. Jaime wore the white cloak of the Kingsguard over his golden armor. I can see him still. veritable(a) his sword was gilded. He was seated on the Iron Throne, high above his knights, wearing a head fashioned in the shape of a lions head. How h e glitteredThis is well known, the king complained.I was still mounted. I rode the length of the hall in silence, between the long rows of dragon skulls. It felt as though they were watching me, somehow. I stopped in front of the throne, looking up at him. His golden sword was across his legs, its edge red with a kings blood. My men were filling the room behind me. Lannisters men drew back. I never said a word. I looked at him seated there on the throne, and I waited. At last Jaime laughed and got up. He took off his helm, and he said to me, Have no fear, Stark. I was only care it warm for our friend Robert. Its not a very comfortable seat, Im afraid. The king threw back his head and roared. His laughter startled a flight of crows from the tall brown grass. They took to the air in a wild lashing of wings. You think I should mistrust Lannister because he sat on my throne for a few moments? He shook with laughter again. Jaime was all of seventeen, Ned. Scarce more than a boy.Boy or man, he had no right to that throne.Perhaps he was tired, Robert suggested. Killing kings is weary work. Gods know, theres no place else to rest your ass in that damnable room. And he spoke truly, it is a monstrous uncomfortable chair. In more ways than one. The king shook his head. Well, now I know Jaimes dark sin, and the matter can be forgotten. I am heartily sick of secrets and squabbles and matters of state, Ned. Its all as tedious as counting coppers. Come, lets ride, you used to know how. I want to feel the wind in my hair again. He kicked his horse back into motion and galloped up over the barrow, raining earth down behind him.For a moment Ned did not follow. He had meet out of words, and he was filled with a vast sense of helplessness. Not for the first time, he wondered what he was doing here and why he had come. He was no Jon Arryn, to curb the wildness of his king and teach him wisdom. Robert would do what he pleased, as he always had, and nothing Ned could say or do wo uld change that. He belonged in Winterfell. He belonged with Catelyn in her grief, and with Bran.A man could not always be where he belonged, though. Resigned, Eddard Stark put his boots into his horse and set off after the king.

Functions of Police Essay

Federal agencies such as the Federal Bureau of investigating (FBI) non only(prenominal) betroth across the entire nation, but the agency also has agents serving abroad. In addition to this, the FBI is not a practice of law agency, but an agency with jurisdiction to investigate any and all matters in which the unite States is, or maybe an interested party (The Scope of Present Federal Activity, 1968). The Federal Bureau of Investigation limits its jurisdiction to truths pertaining to national statues, including all federal statues not primarily assigned to other agencies. These include statues traffic with espionage, sabotage, treason, civil rights violation, the assault and murder of federal legal philosophy enforcement officers, robbery, burglary, kidnapping, mail fraud, federally insured banks, and interstate expat of stolen vehicles, and property (Hill, 1999).In addition to these laws, some federal agencies offer helpful services to other topical anesthetic natural l aw agencies, including use of its vast fingerprint file, and a sophisticated horror laboratory that avails topical anesthetic police in testing and identifying evidence, such as hair, fiber, drugs, blood, and tire tracks. The FBIs National Crime education Center is a computerized network linked to local police departments by terminals. Through it, information vehicles report stolen, wanted persons, guns reported stolen, and so on be made readily available to local law enforcement agencies (The Scope of Federal Activity,1968). The following agencies atomic number 18 also part of federal law enforcement1. Drug Enforcement deputation (DEA). Investigates illegal drug use and carries out independent surveillance and enforcement activities to control the importation of narcotics (Hill, 2009).2. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Has jurisdiction over the sales and distribution of firearm, explosives, alcohol, and tobacco products (Hill, 2009).3. U.S. Marsha lls. Court officers who help implement federal judicature rulings, transportation system rulings, transport prisoners, and enforce court orders (Hill, 2009).4. Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Enforces violations of income, exise, stamp, and other tax laws. Its intelligence disagreement active voicely pursues gamblers, narcotic dealers, and other violators who do not report their illegal financial gains as ratable income (Hill, 2009).Federal police agencies do not brook the order maintenance or peacekeeping duties exemplary of a local police department, which oftentimes causes controversy and sometimes civil disturbances. Last, the jurisdictions of some federal law enforcement agencies are extremely narrow. The United States Supreme Court Police for example provide protective and investigatory services for the Supreme Court only (Framework for Assessing the Acquisition Function at Federal Agencies, 2006).State police provide traffic and criminal law enforcement, as well as othe r services that are bad-tempered to the needs of that state government. Some of the functions of state police includes controlling traffic on the bridle-path system, tracing stolen automobiles, and aiding in disturbances and crowd control (Pavone,1942). In states with large, powerful county sheriffs departments, the state police functions are usually restricted to highway patrol. In others, where the county sheriffs law enforcement role is limited, state police usually maintain a more active investigative and enforcement role and aid city and t own police departments in criminal investigations Misner, 1960).The local police are the workhorses of the law enforcement system in America. They perform umpteen functions and tasks including, but not limited to (1) Law enforcement-examples include burglary investigations, apprehending criminal perpetrators, serving warrants, or giving court testimonies, (2) Peacekeeping and order maintenance-examples include preventing fights or disturb ances between individuals, or peacefully resolving domestic disputes earlier they spiral out of control, (3) Service- examples include hospital and funeral processions escorts, or delivering mail for city officials (4) Information gathering-examples include ascertain neighborhood reactions to a proposed liquor license in the community, investigating cases of missing children, or investigating and report dangerous road conditions (Mathis & Zech, 1985).Other duties and responsibilities of the local police include protecting life and property- patrolling a particular jurisdiction at night, keeping citizens from a fire scene, or recovering and returning stolen items or illogical property. Enforcing the law-ensuring traffic laws are adhered to, filing police reports and complaints, or seizing illegal weapons. Preventing criminal activity-patrolling high crime areas. Maintaining the peace- showing high police visibility and presence, or intervening in neighbor disturbances. Arresting violators-apprehending fleeing suspects, or giving citations to alcohol permit holders who sell to minors. Serve the public trust- giving directions to travelers, delivering emergency messages, administering first aid ((Mathis & Zech, 1985).County law enforcement as it relates to police functions involves the sheriffs department. These individuals perform various functions ranging from investigations to supervision of sentenced offenders. Furthermore, they provide courtroom earnest as well as confining and transporting prisoners, serve summons, and warrants, enforce traffic, and criminal laws. Sheriffs departments frequently operate the county jail, which houses hundreds and even thousands of prisoners, depending on the particular county. In certain counties, the sheriffs department shares law enforcement duties with a dissever police department.Furthermore, the sheriffs law enforcement functions today are carried out only in unincorporated areas deep down a county or in response to city departments request for aid in such matters as patrol or investigations (Misner, 1960). Sheriffs generally have more leniency over police chiefs when it comes to running their own agencies. The local police, in many counties, operate the sheriffs department. In many counties, local police governs the operations of the sheriffs department, and the sheriff must operate as a partisan politician to remain in office. The part to institutionalise special duties and to award patronage jobs contributes to the sheriffs power and influence in a county (Misner, 1960).Identify and visit possible future changes in laws and the overall impact these changes will have on the field of policing. The governor of Georgia, Nathan Deal signed the new Illegal Immigration restore and Enforcement Act of 2011 into law May 13. licit challenges facing the Atlanta Police Department are expected and might delay implementation, but it is plan otherwise to take effect July 1st. Possible changes to the new law, the Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011, will have a significant and chilling effect on the Atlanta Police Department. One of the challenges presented is that crime coverage will go unnoticed and unreported in communities and jurisdictions where immigrants are predominant (Moya & Shedlin, 2008).Fear of deportation and bugger off would give illegal immigrants an even greater incentive to stay under the radar and avoid mechanical drawing attention to themselves. Doing this would undercut and undermine the Atlanta police departments overall crime-fighting efforts which will finally impact unreported crime for their police officers. The greatest impact these new changes in the Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act will have on the Atlanta police department is that in the absence of federal policy, the Atlanta police department will be forced to take a very active role in dealing with issues pertaining to immigration, although they dont have the authority and resources to tackle immigration issues. Furthermore, their authority still hasnt been made clear as of yet and federal resources are not fit to support them (Moya & Shedlin, 2008).