Vark analyis paper

Learning Styles This paper will explore the kinesthetic learning style identified by the VARK questionnaire. This paper will look into the dentified characteristics of a kinesthetic learner as well as the dfferent learning and studying strategies that can make the kinesthetic learner successful. Preferred Learning Style: Kinesthetic learning Is a style of learning that Is based on being actively Involved In the learning process. Kinesthetic learners use all five senses to be able to grasp Ideas and retain the Information that is being taught.The kinesthetic learning style nables the learner to learn material by â€Å"doing† such as with â€Å"hands on activity. It is essential that these learners have activity involved in their education. Kinesthetic learners have to be active participants in their learning in order to retain taught information. â€Å"Kinesthetic learners need to move around and work with ideas. They need to be touching or doing things that pertain to the ma terial being taught. Kinesthetic learners sometimes have difficulty sitting still in class and Just listening as they are â€Å"hands on learners†. The more actively you are Involved in doing a skill, the better you learn It.The more skin and muscles you use, the better you remember. Even small motions that seem unrelated to the activity help these learners to understand materiel. Kinesthetic learners learn best by doing or experiencing the Information being sought out. The more senses you can Involve In learning, the better you will remember it. † (Nelson, 2013) Preferred Learning Strategies: Kinesthetic learners do well with labs, demonstration, field trips and hands on experiences. The kinesthetic learner should attempt to take the concepts that are being taught and convert those ideas into â€Å"real† experiences.With the use of case studies and applications this can assist the kinesthetic learner to retain taught information as well as help with recall of in formation at a later on time. Learning tools that benefit the Kinesthetic learner include: being comfortable, kinesthetic learners are comfortable with studying in places such as a comfortable chair or sitting on the floor; listening to music or the TV, kinesthetic learners do study well while listening to music or with the television on as this allows them to use the hearing sense; also allowing room to move, kinesthetic learners need room to move round and change posltlons while studying.Preferred and Identified Learning Strategies: similarities are numerous. The author of this paper is a kinesthetic learner. The author prefers to understand an idea through â€Å"hands† on experience. The VARK learning strategies mirror the author's preferred learning strategies. The ability of the learner to have self-assurance in their studies is increased once the learner has identified and put into practice learning strategies that work best for them. Changes Needed in Study Habits: As stated previously, kinesthetic learners will flourish in an environment that is onducive to active participation by the learner.With that said kinesthetic learners must learn to adapt methods of study and learning to be successful in other learning environments. These environments can include online learning and lecture halls. Changes in study habits that can benefit the kinesthetic learner include practicing how to take organized notes during a lecture or online discussion. This â€Å"practice† can enable the learner to utilize one of their strengths. Also, practicing Strategies from other learning styles such as recording and re-listening to a lecture at a later time ay help the learner to make information more concrete.VARK Learning Style Analysis Summary: The VARK learning style analysis assists not only the teacher but the student as well to identify different learning styles. The VARK learning analysis identifies five different learning styles: visual, aural, reading/wr iting, kinesthetic, and multimodal. â€Å"Visual learners learn best by seeing. Things such as charts, diagrams, illustrations and handouts are beneficial learning tools for this type of learner. Visual learners prefer to see information in a visual form. Auditory learners (Aural) learn by hearing information.

Leadership Characteristics

Leadership Characteristics Executive summary: Since early beginning of the last century, the leadership has emerged as an important issue in the business regard of the dramatic transformation in the world economy. Thus far, the following report represents an attempt to shed the light on the leadership issue. In order to provide a hint of the leadership meaning, the report will demonstrate brief idea about some of the leadership theories which perceive the leadership skills form different view.The report then will identify certain characteristics that should be attained in the personality of the leader which ensure his successful. The requisite of the contemporary leadership skills has appeared at the latter part of twentieth century, regard of the globalisation phenomenon as well the rapid development in technology; which resulted in the increase of the competition. As the knowledge does not stop, leaders require training and development, thus, the report will also investigate the pr ocess of leadership development. 1Chapter One: Introduction: Throughout the last century and insofar the 21st century, the mankind has undergone dramatic transformation in the whole domains, and the individuals needs and requirements significantly expended, however, many people managed to maintain successfully their life and obtained the benefit of this change, while others could not cope with this change, which resulted with dissatisfaction and pessimistic view of the life.Significant amount of researches and investigations have been done in order to identify such a pattern or a process that can raise the performance of human beings, thus the concept of leadership appeared as a critical requisite for any entity, including an individuals, family, organisations or even countries. In the early part of 20th century, ‘Freud (1927) in his famous book theCivilisation and It Discontents, he approached the leadership issue when he said that groups of individuals need leaders to provid e them with an identity and sense of purpose’ (Higgs, 2003) With the rapid transformation in the world, the competition has become more aggrieve, and organisations urged to deal with this rapid change and the continue development has become an urgent need for the company prosper and survive. Hence, Leadership issue was put under the limelight as an important process for the company sustainability.Although there have been momentous efforts devoted to investigate the leadership issue including theories, definitions and identification for its characteristics, till now there is no complete agreement about the notion of leadership, since these different suggestions and concepts approached the leadership from different perspectives. The following report embodies an attempt to shed the light on the leadership issues, throughout quick review of the leadership theories, and examine the leadership characterises in both the 20th and the 21st century, before dissect the reflection of the personal-experience on the leadership characteristics Chapter Two: Leadership Theories: Due to the importance of the leadership issue, many theories have been emerged throughout the time, each theory tackles with the leadership from different perspectives and aspects, and one can not determine whether this theory right and others are wrong; however the main theories of the leadership are: †¢Trait Theory: this theory defines specific characteristics which are existed in the successful leadership such as attitudes, personality, intelligence and decisiveness, regardless of any consideration of other assisted factors such as team work and the internal and external work environment.However, there are two criticisms for this theory. â€Å"The first, it doesn’t specify what the most important leadership characteristics are, and the second, it ignores the contribution of the others. † (Dessler, 1976) †¢Behavioural Theory: it approaches the leadership from another pe rspectives, it dissects the achievement of leaders and the outcomes of their contributions within the organisations. The remarkable differences between the trait and behavioural theory are that the last one emphasises on oth the accomplishment of the task as the main indications for the leader success, and employees’ satisfaction, †¢Situational leadership: According to this theory, the effectiveness of the leader is significantly correlated with situational factors which restrict the performance of the leader positively or negatively. In other words, â€Å"the efficiency of leader’s skills or traits are determined by the situation in which leaders exercise leadership† (Dessler,1976), These factors are: -Follower’s contributions. The availability and the utilization of the resources. However, creating the harmonisation and the collaboration between the situational factors and the leader are essential to determine leader’s effectiveness. †¢ Contingency Theories: basically, the assumption of this theory, that the behaviour of the leader can not be standardised, instead, the leader should consider situational factors. The success of the leader in this theory is measured by the ability of leader to adopt such a style to achieve certain task with a consideration to the followers.This theory was the beginning of new view of leadership; based on this assumption other contingency theories were emerged such as, Fiedler’s concept of situational favourability (1967), which defined position power, task structure and leader-member relation, as the main factors that determine the effectiveness of the leader’s style. Path-goal is another theory (House and Mitchell 1974) which assumes that the leader has a significant contribution on the follower to enable them to achieve their objectives. Horner, 1997) †¢Transactional theories: it assumes that since the task and responsibilities have been identified, the leader ha s a full right to do whatever it requires to achieve this task. This theory depends on praise and rewards as motivation system for followers, meanwhile, punishment is used to ensure the abidance by the roles and the request of the task. However, this theory is criticised as it assumes the behaviour of a human being is predictable without any consideration of the reflection of the environment. Transformational theories: this theory depends on the development of the vision and convinces the follower, in other words, the leader adopts the visions and does whatever it requires to encourage followers. In this case the leader will become an inspiration for followers and they create their relationship with them depending on trust. As it is clearly perceived, those theories tackle with the leadership from different perspectives. Since there is no enough room, the report will investigate the transformational theory. Transformational Theory: This theory was generated under assumption of peopl e follow a person who has vision and passion.He or she will inspire them to achieve the goal. Transformational leadership is the modern view of leadership that seems to match with the style of business leader in 21st century since the business competition; turbulence, unforeseen contingencies, and rapid change in technologies create such a momentous stress. Under this stress, the need for transformational leaders who are proactive is emerged as an important requisite to help follower to cope with the dramatic change. (Bass, 1997) The characteristic of transformational leaders is mainly embodied by their charisma; they inspire followers by their innovation and ability to create change.However, the success of charismatic leader is through a belief in themselves rather than others, while transformational leaders concern with other around them such as colleagues and employees. They are not narcissistic as charismatic. This style of leader will create an important transformation to both organisation and employees. Moreover, it may impact the strategy and the structure of the organisation. The power of transformational leader is not derived by the reward system or rules and regulation, yet it is obtained from an intangible value such as their visions and the relationship among others. Draft, 2002) According to Tichy and Devanna (Lussier, 1996), there are three main activities for transformational leadership. Recognition for the need of revitalisation: leaders should understand the urgent need of the organisation for transformation, in order to create such a sustainable resource of competitive advantage to maintain the company success in such a competitive environment. Creating a new vision: by having visualise in innovation and organisation changed, leader will be able to inspire and motivate others to reach the objectives.Institutionalising change: it is essential for transformational leaders to put an effort to convince others. Leaders need to advise and create tr ust among employees in the organisation in order to let them understand the idea of vision and reach the goal. The style of transformational leadership tends to match with the business world today since it is flexible and innovator. In addition, there are many business articles mentioned that workforce is the most important resource for organisation. Thus, this type of leadership takes into consideration of both business activity and relationship within organisation.These two factors pave the passage of the company success. There are several distinctions between those theories; nevertheless, they agree that there are certain characteristics should be attained in the leader to ensure the efficiency of his contribution. 3Chapter Three: Leadership Characteristics: 3. 1Leadership Definition: As there are many theories approached the leadership, there are also many definitions have been suggested for the leadership, some authors identify the leadership as a process to achieve groups/ org anisations goals, others see the notion of leadership as trait, transformation or even as management.However, the definition of leadership by Rost (1993) can be used to dissect this notion (8). He defines the leadership as an influence relationship among leader and followers who intend real changes that reflect their mutual purposes. According to Rost, leadership is: †¢Influence Relationship: the influence will be in both directions top-bottom and bottom-top. †¢Intend real changes: it means leadership includes substantial development in both leaders and followers. †¢Mutual purposes: both leader and followers agree about certain purposes which can be considered as missions or statements. . 2Leadership Characteristics: There is a view argues that leaders are born and other say it is a science can be taught, both of those views did not describe leadership accurately, â€Å"leadership is an art to be studied, practised, developed and lived. † (Scott, 1996) There ar e certain characteristics that determine the effectiveness of leadership and shape the performance of leaders: 1. Communicative: the importance of this skill, that it provides the leader with an ability to deliver precisely the ideas, visions and objectives required to be achieved.However, it is crucial to understand that the communications include the flow of data and information in two sides, top-bottom and bottom-top. Leaders have to consider sharing the ideas and unleash the contribution of employees, since occasionally, employees come up with innovative suggestions that might enhance or develop certain objectives. 2. Rewards and recognizes achievement: express the appreciation for others efforts, has a vital role as a motivation. Leaders could achieve that by financial rewards or even by praise the follower.Sometime simple gestures such as approving nod, thumbs- up or even quick comment like ‘great job’, ‘you are doing well’ is enough to encourage foll owers to improve their performance and productivity. 3. Genuine interest in others: it is undeniable fact that financial rewards have a significant influence on followers; meanwhile, there are other motivations that should be attained. The leader should recognise the emotional support for followers since it creates loyalty.Genuine interest does not require a lot of efforts; it might be expressed by asking about the personal health or family. For instance, in the company that I used to work, the owner asks employees about their general life before he asked about any other thing related to the work, this simple action was enough to motivate employees to work as they own the company. 4. Team orientation: the successful leader takes into account the importance of team-work; he gathers the followers and discusses with them the task or the missions.The leader listens to their opinion, stimulates their innovation, and finally creates the harmony required to achieve the task. This gives emp loyees more responsibility to improve their performance and productivity since they have significant role as decision- makers. 5. Visionary and idea-oriented: the long-term objectives are vital issue in the successful leadership agenda; he always seeks for new ideas and creativity. They consider the available competitive advantages and establish the stream of substantial competitive advantages.When Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum (Dubai’s ruler) unveiled the growth strategy of 2015, it was unsurprising for many economists that the city had met its 2010 GDP target two years ago. Many people argue that Dubai is only a bubble and it would diminish after it consumes its oil. However, this completely untrue, nowadays, 74% of emirits GDP derives from real-estate, tourism and retail sectors (Kerr, 2007). The rapid strides of the development of Dubai is referred to the log-term successful visions of it rulers, and his ability to create new competitive advantages for the country instead of the oil.Similar to that in the business world, â€Å"Henry Ford by his long term vision as well as rational risk calculated he managed to predict the market and customer trend and made Ford on of the most successful organisation. † (Grint, 2000) 6. Decisiveness, responsibility and Integrity: although, it has been mentioned that followers should be involved in decision-making process, the leader is still the ultimate decision-maker depending on the ability to consider the right decision in the proper time.Since a decision has been made, the leader is completely responsible for the consequences of any possible risk, even if the leader is involved directly in the execution. Integrity is also very important, â€Å"leaders do not use followers as means to achieve their purpose in satisfying the shareholder; instead, they understand that their contribution should consider the whole stakeholders. † (Bowie et al, 2000) 7. Competence: the word of competence derives from innovation, training and development, accumulated experience, and the ability of the leader to learn.Since the leadership is an art, leaders have to consider the importance of shaping and the development of their skills; this should be attained by substantial willing for knowledge and self-development. Those characteristics are very important to be attained by the leaders because they have crucial impact on the effectiveness of leadership, moreover, the effective leaders manage to create synergy between their followers, and loyalty required for achieving certain objectives and tasks. 4Chapter Four: Leadership in the 21st Century:Since the latter part of twentieth century the world has witnessed dramatic change in the whole domains, â€Å"due to the rapid strides of technologies development, the spread of the globalisation phenomenon, demographic shifts, migration and the rapid degradation of social and natural capital – are creating opposing tensions. † (Connor et al, 2003, P. 59). Taking into account those challenges, the demand of leadership has been increased noticeably with an urgent requisite of organisations for framework that tates the new criteria of leadership. Some of these are an expansion for the previous characteristics of leadership and others are new, however, those could be summarised as: †¢Understanding the Culture Diversity: although the geographical barriers have been eliminated, the cultural barriers are still an enormous challenge for businesses. Leaders should be aware that doing business is different from nation to nation, and it is completely restricted by the national traditions and habits.For instant: In the USA, Innovations and achievements are considered as individual effort, hence, the influence of the individual recognition will be obvious in Human Resource Management of the American firms, individual reward system, appraisal and even in the job designed. While in China the individual efforts and innovation s are referred to the founder of the firm. In Chinese tradition the achievement are always referred to the collective units such as families, organisations, and the country. (Tsang, 2007) The misunderstanding in the communication is another consequence of the lack of culture appreciation.Many conflicts were occurred, contracts were rejected and negotiations failed at the last stage because of the lack of communication with other culture. Thus far, the comprehensive understanding for influence of the culture on business is vital, because the world has become more united under the umbrella of globalisation. †¢Strategic thinking: An organisation can not be considered as an individual entity, instead it is influenced by external factors, such as competitors, suppliers, customers, critical financers and fluctuation in the market demand.From this view the needs of substantial change in the corporate strategy emerges as an important requisite to enable the company to cope with change of the business environment. However, â€Å"the ways-of-thinking of the leader have continues impact on corporate reorientation. † (Hendry et al,1993). However, it is important to understand that strategic thinking is different from the strategic planning, â€Å"Mintzberg argues that strategic planning derives from strategic thinking† (Bonn, 2001, P63). The first aspect of the strategic thinking is observation and company knowledge.The leader observes the company daily life with its complexity and understands the drivers of the organisation performance and the influence of the external factors on this performance. The second aspect of the strategic thinking is creativity; it is the core of strategic thinking. The leader seeks the substantial development for his organisation; he identifies solutions for the company problems and creates vision which will determine the future of firm. Thereafter, the strategic thinking of the leader establishes the implementation required to achieve the company vision.Sharing vision with others is another significant element for the strategic thinking successful, since it generates loyalty and encourage them because they participate in decision-making process. Jeffery Bezos the founder of Amazon is considered as an important example of a successful leader, in such a high competitive business sector like the online, where other companies struggle to cope with the rapid stride of technology, Amazon imposes itself as the leader of the online industries and especially the e- retailers, there is no doubt that the strategic thinking of Bezos is an ultimate key of the Amazon success.Bezos always has one eye on the future, in order to build the company long term objectives, however, his strategic thinking embodies by creating the Amazon vision and establishing the strategy needed to achieve the company objectives. Innovation is one of most important aspect of Bezos strategic thinking, since Amazon invests huge amount of mon ey to provide the world with amazing technologies such as Elastic Compute Cloud (ECC) to ensure that the company is still the leader of the dot-com race. Hof, 2006) Whenever the world doubts, if Amazon can fulfil its promise to revolutionise retailing, Bezos wonders the people with such an innovative idea to reinforce Amazon position as being the e-retailer leader. With his strategic thinking as well as his creative working-team, Amazon never stops building its substantial competitive advantages. Humanistic awareness: as workforce constitutes the most value asset of the firm, the leader has significant responsibility to ensure their satisfaction; considerable motivation system, training and development, praise, empowerment, participation in decision-making process are samples to obtain employees satisfaction. Since they have impact on employees’ productivity and innovation. However, employees’ retention reflects the level of their satisfaction, and appreciation for com pany leader. Learning and self-awareness: the leader has to have a profound knowledge about his organisation to be able to recognise its capability in order to create the vision and framework and means needed to achieve this vision, moreover, the successful leader is knowledge seeker to cope with rapid change in the business world. Self-awareness is another issue that leaders should take into consideration; they distinguish their weaknesses and strengths, and use the last one to eliminate the weaknesses to improve the effectiveness of their leadership.Hence, leaders empower their ability to inspire and unite employees around themselves to maintain the company performance. 5Chapter Five: Leadership Development: The increase of the competition in the business world urges organisations to search more for competitive advantages in order to be able to survive and conquer their competitors in such a hostile business environment. Nowadays organisations eventually start to concern about lea dership development and devote tangible efforts to improve efficiencies of its individuals.However, the leadership development program should be prepared comprehensively in order to attain its purpose. The 360 degree appraisal system is an important step to initiate this program, since it provides feedback about the employee performance from different resources which helps to determine the improvement required regard to his strengths and weaknesses. (Ladyshewsky, 2007). Thereafter, the priority of the leadership development will be for the higher level managers, regard to their expected contribution on their subordinates, yet the improvement of the subordinate should be in the leadership development agenda.The leadership development program should cover the weakness of the employees that has listed in the 360 degree appraisal; meanwhile, it should depend on modern techniques and case studies from other companies, rather than depending on the literatures and theories only. The final step in the leadership development program is the evaluation which derived from many criteria, such as the feedback of the program, the examination of the participant’s understanding, and the tangible outcomes that the company will acquire which is the decisive for the program evaluation. Leskiw et al, 2007) However, there is another view should be deemed in the issue of leadership development, individuals perseverance is ultimate criteria for development, leader should have enough credibility to admit there weaknesses and finds the appropriate strategy to mitigate the impact of this weakness, moreover, the leader should be knowledge seeker to obtain the benefit of the others experience. 6Chapter Eight: Conclusion: The leadership an old requisite in the human beings life, nevertheless, it has become a considerable obsession for the organisations, regard to the substantial transformation in the world business.Although the theories of the leadership are different, they agree th at there are several characteristic that should be attain by a person in order to be such a successful leader. Most of the leadership theories concern about the characteristic needed to reinforce two main things, creating competitive advantages and the workforce. As the workforce is the most important asset for the firm, the leader should consider employee alignment around the company objectives throughout the leader humanistic consideration as followers need inspiration, different kind of motivation in order to enhance their performance.Meanwhile, the leader should eventually find the resource of the competitive advantages. Due to the dissemination of the globalisation phenomenon as well as the rapid development in technology, organisations require new leadership characteristic to cope with change in the business environment. However, the new leadership characteristics have emerged from the need for crossing the culture barriers, since it is an enormous obstacle for organisation. C reating the long-term planning depends on the strategic thinking of the leader to identify new vision for the company.The increase in the world competition is accomplished with raise of the leadership demand, thus far organisations should invest considerably in improving their leadership capability, since the world development will never stop. References Bass, B. M. , (1998), Stress and Transactional-Transformational Leadership, Transformational Leadership: Industrial, Military, and Educational Impact, London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Bonn, I. , (2001) Developing Strategic Thinking as a Core Competency, Management Decision, Vol. 39, No. , pp. 63-71 Bowie, N and Elmer, L. , (2000), Kantian Theory of Leadership, Leadership & organisation Development Journal, Vol. 21 No. 4, pp. 185-193 Connor, R. and Mackenzie-Smith, P. (2003), The Leadership Jigsaw -finding the Missing Piece, Business Strategy Review, Vol. 14, Issue 1, pp 59-66 Dessler, G. , (1976) Leadership and Supervision, Organ isation and Management: Contingency Approach, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Publication. Draft, R. L. , (2002), Management, 6th Ed. Mason, OH: South-Western Publication. Grint, K. (2000), Henry Ford: The Blind Business Visionary, The Arts of Leadership, Oxford: Oxford University Press Hendry, J (ed) and Johnson, G (ed) with Newton, J (1993), Strategic Thinking: Leadership and the Management of Change, England: John Wiley Publication Higgs, M. , (2003) How can we make sense of leadership in the 21st century? , Leadership & organisation Development Journal, Vol. 24 No. 5, pp. 273-284 Hof, R. D. , (13/10/2006), Jeff Bezos' Risky Bet, Business week magazine [Online]. Available from Business week: http://www. businessweek. com/magazine/content/06_46/b4009001. tm Accessed (20/04/2007)) Horner, M. , (1997) Leadership Theory: Past, Present and Future, Team Performance Management, Vol. 3 No. 4, pp. 270-287 Kerr, S. , (24/07/2007), Emirate Sets its Sights on Trebled GDP by 2015, The Financial Tim es. Economy, pp. 2 Ladyshewsky, K. R, () A Strategic Approach for Integrating Theory to Practice in Leadership Development, Leadership & Organisation Development Journal, Vol. 28, No. 5, pp. 426-443 Leskiw, S and Singh, P. , (2007), Leadedrship Development: Learning from Best Practices, Leadership & Organisation Development Journal, Vol. 8, No. 5, pp. 444-464 Lussier, R. N. , (1996), Human relations in organizations: A skill-building approach. 2nd Ed. Chicago, IL: Irwin, Inc Rost, J. C, (1993), Leadership definition, Leadership for the Twenty-First Century, London: Praeger Publication. Scott , E. D. and Kleiner, B. H, (1996), Good? Leadership, Management Development Review, Vol. 9, No. 5, pp. 30-33 Tsang, D. , (2007), Leadership, National Culture and Performance Management in The Chinese Software Industry, International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, Vol. 56, No. 4, pp. 270-284

A Game of Thrones Chapter Forty-eight

Jon Jon was breaking his fast on applecakes and blood sausage when Samwell Tarly plopped himself down on the bench. â€Å"I've been summoned to the sept,† Sam said in an excited whisper. â€Å"They're passing me out of training. I'm to be made a brother with the rest of you. Can you believe it?† â€Å"No, truly?† â€Å"Truly. I'm to assist Maester Aemon with the library and the birds. He needs someone who can read and write letters.† â€Å"You'll do well at that,† Jon said, smiling. Sam glanced about anxiously. â€Å"Is it time to go? I shouldn't be late, they might change their minds.† He was fairly bouncing as they crossed the weed-strewn courtyard. The day was warm and sunny. Rivulets of water trickled down the sides of the Wall, so the ice seemed to sparkle and shine. Inside the sept, the great crystal caught the morning light as it streamed through the south-facing window and spread it in a rainbow on the altar. Pyp's mouth dropped open when he caught sight of Sam, and Toad poked Grenn in the ribs, but no one dared say a word. Septon Celladar was swinging a censer, filling the air with fragrant incense that reminded Jon of Lady Stark's little sept in Winterfell. For once the septon seemed sober. The high officers arrived in a body; Maester Aemon leaning on Clydas, Ser Alliser cold-eyed and grim, Lord Commander Mormont resplendent in a black wool doublet with silvered bearclaw fastenings. Behind them came the senior members of the three orders: red-faced Bowen Marsh the Lord Steward, First Builder Othell Yarwyck, and Ser Jaremy Rykker, who commanded the rangers in the absence of Benjen Stark. Mormont stood before the altar, the rainbow shining on his broad bald head. â€Å"You came to us outlaws,† he began, â€Å"poachers, rapers, debtors, killers, and thieves. You came to us children. You came to us alone, in chains, with neither friends nor honor. You came to us rich, and you came to us poor. Some of you bear the names of proud houses. Others have only bastards' names, or no names at all. It makes no matter. All that is past now. On the Wall, we are all one house. â€Å"At evenfall, as the sun sets and we face the gathering night, you shall take your vows. From that moment, you will be a Sworn Brother of the Night's Watch. Your crimes will be washed away, your debts forgiven. So too you must wash away your former loyalties, put aside your grudges, forget old wrongs and old loves alike. Here you begin anew. â€Å"A man of the Night's Watch lives his life for the realm. Not for a king, nor a lord, nor the honor of this house or that house, neither for gold nor glory nor a woman's love, but for the realm, and all the people in it. A man of the Night's Watch takes no wife and fathers no sons. Our wife is duty. Our mistress is honor. And you are the only sons we shall ever know. â€Å"You have learned the words of the vow. Think carefully before you say them, for once you have taken the black, there is no turning back. The penalty for desertion is death.† The Old Bear paused for a moment before he said, â€Å"Are there any among you who wish to leave our company? If so, go now, and no one shall think the less of you.† No one moved. â€Å"Well and good,† said Mormont. â€Å"You may take your vows here at evenfall, before Septon Celladar and the first of your order. Do any of you keep to the old gods?† Jon stood. â€Å"I do, my lord.† â€Å"I expect you will want to say your words before a heart tree, as your uncle did,† Mormont said. â€Å"Yes, my lord,† Jon said. The gods of the sept had nothing to do with him; the blood of the First Men flowed in the veins of the Starks. He heard Grenn whispering behind him. â€Å"There's no godswood here. Is there? I never saw a godswood.† â€Å"You wouldn't see a herd of aurochs until they trampled you into the snow,† Pyp whispered back. â€Å"I would so,† Grenn insisted. â€Å"I'd see them a long way off.† Mormont himself confirmed Grenn's doubts. â€Å"Castle Black has no need of a godswood. Beyond the Wall the haunted forest stands as it stood in the Dawn Age, long before the Andals brought the Seven across the narrow sea. You will find a grove of weirwoods half a league from this spot, and mayhap your gods as well.† â€Å"My lord.† The voice made Jon glance back in surprise. Samwell Tarly was on his feet. The fat boy wiped his sweaty palms against his tunic. â€Å"Might I . . . might I go as well? To say my words at this heart tree?† â€Å"Does House Tarly keep the old gods too?† Mormont asked. â€Å"No, my lord,† Sam replied in a thin, nervous voice. The high officers frightened him, Jon knew, the Old Bear most of all. â€Å"I was named in the light of the Seven at the sept on Horn Hill, as my father was, and his father, and all the Tarlys for a thousand years.† â€Å"Why would you forsake the gods of your father and your House?† wondered Ser Jaremy Rykker. â€Å"The Night's Watch is my House now,† Sam said. â€Å"The Seven have never answered my prayers. Perhaps the old gods will.† â€Å"As you wish, boy,† Mormont said. Sam took his seat again, as did Jon. â€Å"We have placed each of you in an order, as befits our need and your own strengths and skills.† Bowen Marsh stepped forward and handed him a paper. The Lord Commander unrolled it and began to read. â€Å"Haider, to the builders,† he began. Haider gave a stiff nod of approval. â€Å"Grenn, to the rangers. Albett, to the builders. Pypar, to the rangers.† Pyp looked over at Jon and wiggled his ears. â€Å"Samwell, to the stewards.† Sam sagged with relief, mopping at his brow with,a scrap of silk. â€Å"Matthar, to the rangers. Dareon, to the stewards. Todder, to the rangers. Jon, to the stewards.† The stewards? For a moment Jon could not believe what he had heard. Mormont must have read it wrong. He started to rise, to open his mouth, to tell them there had been a mistake . . . and then he saw Ser Alliser studying him, eyes shiny as two flakes of obsidian, and he knew. The Old Bear rolled up the paper. â€Å"Your firsts will instruct you in your duties. May all the gods preserve you, brothers.† The Lord Commander favored them with a half bow, and took his leave. Ser Alliser went with him, a thin smile on his face. Jon had never seen the master-at-arms took quite so happy. â€Å"Rangers with me,† Ser Jaremy Rykker called when they were gone. Pyp was staring at Jon as he got slowly to his feet. His ears were red. Grenn, grinning broadly, did not seem to realize that anything was amiss. Matt and Toad fell in beside them, and they followed Ser Jaremy from the sept. â€Å"Builders,† announced lantern-jawed Othell Yarwyck. Haider and Albett trailed out after him. Jon looked around him in sick disbelief. Maester Aemon's blind eyes were raised toward the light he could not see. The septon was arranging crystals on the altar. Only Sam and Darcon remained on the benches; a fat boy, a singer . . . and him. Lord Steward Bowen Marsh rubbed his plump hands together. â€Å"Samwell, you will assist Maester Aemon in the rookery and library. Chett is going to the kennels, to help with the hounds. You shall have his cell, so as to be close to the maester night and day. I trust you will take good care of him. He is very old and very precious to us. â€Å"Dareon, I am told that you sang at many a high lord's table and shared their meat and mead. We are sending you to Eastwatch. It may be your palate will be some help to Cotter Pyke when merchant galleys come trading. We are paying too dear for salt beef and pickled fish, and the quality of the olive oil we're getting has been frightful, Present yourself to Borcas when you arrive, he will keep you busy between ships.† Marsh turned his smile on Jon. â€Å"Lord Commander Mormont has requested you for his personal steward, Jon. You'll sleep in a cell beneath his chambers, in the Lord Commander's tower.† â€Å"And what will my duties be?† Jon asked sharply. â€Å"Will I serve the Lord Commander's meals, help him fasten his clothes, fetch hot water for his bath?† â€Å"Certainly.† Marsh frowned at Jon's tone. â€Å"And you will run his messages, keep a fire burning in his chambers, change his sheets and blankets daily, and do all else that the Lord Commander might require of you.† â€Å"Do you take me for a servant?† â€Å"No,† Maester Aemon said, from the back of the sept. Clydas helped him stand. â€Å"We took you for a man of the Night's Watch . . . but perhaps we were wrong in that.† It was all Jon could do to stop himself from walking out. Was he supposed to churn butter and sew doublets like a girl for the rest of his days? â€Å"May I go?† he asked stiffly. â€Å"As you wish,† Bowen Marsh responded. Dareon and Sam left with him. They descended to the yard in silence. Outside, Jon looked up at the Wall shining in the sun, the melting ice creeping down its side in a hundred thin fingers. Jon's rage was such that he would have smashed it all in an instant, and the world be damned. â€Å"Jon,† Samwell Tarly said excitedly. â€Å"Wait. Don't you see what they're doing?† Jon turned on him in a fury. â€Å"I see Ser Alliser's bloody hand, that's all I see. He wanted to shame me, and he has.† Dareon gave him a look. â€Å"The stewards are fine for the likes of you and me, Sam, but not for Lord Snow.† â€Å"I'm a better swordsman and a better rider than any of you,† Jon blazed back. â€Å"It's not fair!† â€Å"Fair?† Dareon sneered. â€Å"The girl was waiting for me, naked as the day she was born. She pulled me through the window, and you talk to me of fair?† He walked off. â€Å"There is no shame in being a steward,† Sam said. â€Å"Do you think I want to spend the rest of my life washing an old man's smallclothes?† â€Å"The old man is Lord Commander of the Night's Watch,† Sam reminded him. â€Å"You'll be with him day and night. Yes, you'll pour his wine and see that his bed linen is fresh, but you'll also take his letters, attend him at meetings, squire for him in battle. You'll be as close to him as his shadow. You'll know everything, be a part of everything . . . and the Lord Steward said Mormont asked for you himself! â€Å"When I was little, my father used to insist that I attend him in the audience chamber whenever he held court. When he rode to Highgarden to bend his knee to Lord Tyrell, he made me come. Later, though, he started to take Dickon and leave me at home, and he no longer cared whether I sat through his audiences, so long as Dickon was there. He wanted his heir at his side, don't you see? To watch and listen and learn from all he did. I'll wager that's why Lord Mormont requested you, Jon. What else could it be? He wants to groom you for command!† Jon was taken aback. It was true, Lord Eddard had often made Robb part of his councils back at Winterfell. Could Sam be right? Even a bastard could rise high in the Night's Watch, they said. â€Å"I never asked for this,† he said stubbornly. â€Å"None of us are here for asking,† Sam reminded him. And suddenly Jon Snow was ashamed. Craven or not, Samwell Tarly had found the courage to accept his fate like a man. On the Wall, a man gets only what he earns, Benjen Stark had said the last night Jon had seen him alive. You're no ranger, Jon, only a green boy with the smell of summer still on you. He'd heard it said that bastards grow up faster than other children; on the Wall, you grew up or you died. Jon let out a deep sigh. â€Å"You have the right of it. I was acting the boy.† â€Å"Then you'll stay and say your words with me?† â€Å"The old gods will be expecting us.† He made himself smile. They set out late that afternoon. The Wall had no gates as such, neither here at Castle Black nor anywhere along its three hundred miles. They led their horses down a narrow tunnel cut through the ice, cold dark walls pressing in around them as the passage twisted and turned. Three times their way was blocked by iron bars, and they had to stop while Bowen Marsh drew out his keys and unlocked the massive chains that secured them. Jon could sense the vast weight pressing down on him as he waited behind the Lord Steward. The air was colder than a tomb, and more still. He felt a strange relief when they reemerged into the afternoon light on the north side of the Wall. Sam blinked at the sudden glare and looked around apprehensively. â€Å"The wildlings . . . they wouldn't . . . they'd never dare come this close to the Wall. Would they?† â€Å"They never have.† Jon climbed into his saddle. When Bowen Marsh and their ranger escort had mounted, Jon put two fingers in his mouth and whistled. Ghost came loping out of the tunnel. The Lord Steward's garron whickered and backed away from the direwolf. â€Å"Do you mean to take that beast?† â€Å"Yes, my lord,† Jon said. Ghost's head lifted. He seemed to taste the air. In the blink of an eye he was off, racing across the broad, weed-choked field to vanish in the trees. Once they had entered the forest, they were in a different world. Jon had often hunted with his father and Jory and his brother Robb. He knew the wolfswood around Winterfell as well as any man. The haunted forest was much the same, and yet the feel of it was very different. Perhaps it was all in the knowing. They had ridden past the end of the world; somehow that changed everything. Every shadow seemed darker, every sound more ominous. The trees pressed close and shut out the light of the setting sun. A thin crust of snow cracked beneath the hooves of their horses, with a sound like breaking bones. When the wind set the leaves to rustling, it was like a chilly finger tracing a path up Jon's spine. The Wall was at their backs, and only the gods knew what lay ahead. The sun was sinking below the trees when they reached their destination, a small clearing in the deep of the wood where nine weirwoods grew in a rough circle. Jon drew in a breath, and he saw Sam Tarly staring. Even in the wolfswood, you never found more than two or three of the white trees growing together; a grove of nine was unheard of. The forest floor was carpeted with fallen leaves, bloodred on top, black rot beneath. The wide smooth trunks were bone pale, and nine faces stared inward. The dried sap that crusted in the eyes was red and hard as ruby. Bowen Marsh commanded them to leave their horses outside the circle. â€Å"This is a sacred place, we will not defile it.† When they entered the grove, Samwell Tarly turned slowly looking at each face in turn. No two were quite alike. â€Å"They're watching us,† he whispered. â€Å"The old gods.† â€Å"Yes.† Jon knelt, and Sam knelt beside him. They said the words together, as the last light faded in the west and grey day became black night. â€Å"Hear my words, and bear witness to my vow,† they recited, their voices filling the twilit grove. â€Å"Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all the nights to come.† The woods fell silent. â€Å"You knelt as boys,† Bowen Marsh intoned solemnly. â€Å"Rise now as men of the Night's Watch.† Jon held out a hand to pull Sam back to his feet. The rangers gathered round to offer smiles and congratulations, all but the gnarled old forester Dywen. â€Å"Best we be starting back, m'lord,† he said to Bowen Marsh. â€Å"Dark's falling, and there's something in the smell o' the night that I mislike.† And suddenly Ghost was back, stalking softly between two weirwoods. White fur and red eyes, Jon realized, disquieted. Like the trees . . . The wolf had something in his jaws. Something black. â€Å"What's he got there?† asked Bowen Marsh, frowning. â€Å"To me, Ghost.† Jon knelt. â€Å"Bring it here.† The direwolf trotted to him. Jon heard Samwell Tarly's sharp intake of breath. â€Å"Gods be good,† Dywen muttered. â€Å"That's a hand.†

Gender Considerations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 52

Gender Considerations - Essay Example In any environment that you find students, liking the teacher then it is evident that the class is a combination of both male and female students. The art of completion is present. Students in sick class encourage maximum much participation because they know that one-step mistake he will be among the last (Evans 15). There are completions that in most instances favor the female student involvement. For example food technology, boys find themselves lacking behind because what is being taught suits the opposite gender. The response to text-based learning in a variety of learning scenarios depends on the instrumental situations. The binding of these students together is characterized by the equal participation both in class and field activities while in school (Evans 23). In the pursuit of the concern of this topic, it is important to avoid colliding with some deception that one gender is smarter than the other is. Towards different subjects, the difference in performance is brought about the attitude of the student. Gender is not a limiting factor to the student; instead, they need to be given equal opportunities.

Application of Nursing Theory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Application of Nursing Theory - Research Paper Example The aim of this paper is to provide a core reflection of what nursing entails and do the comparison of their values and images of nursing and the one written down by theorists. The nursing theory has many issues that the report will show in steps that are having finer details on the main topic. From the literature available, it is clear that the role of the nurse is not easily illustrated by the theorists from within the profession failing to agree on the exact nature of nursing. In cases, that the nursing models are using the base for the practice and development of nursing knowledge is increasingly bringing the issue of critics and questions by nurse scholars for not providing realistic descriptions of nursing. Studies show that the way forward is to develop the region of nursing knowledge, as this will make nurses to clear their operations. A general theory of nursing or a general model in nursing that combines the whole profession is to ignore. This statement brings a point on the basis that the variety in nursing prevents the emergence of an overall theory of nursing. The nursing theory provides an idea from which to define what of the nursing, to describe whom, specifically clients of nursing and the time that the nursing activities are done. There is also the identification of the boundaries and the goals of nursing therapeutic operations. In this case, theory is a very important principle to effective nursing practice and research. The idea of professionalism in nursing has been in the rise steadily through the development and using of nursing theory (Algase, 2008). The idea of nursing theory develops in order to describe the process and occurrence of the nursing concept. The nursing theory clearly separates nursing from other areas of disciplines and operations that elaborate the purposes of prediction, explanation and controlling favorable results of nursing care operations. The core purpose of the theory in the scientific arena

A Review of Literature on How to Manage International Joint Venture - 2

A of on How to Manage International Joint Venture Successfully - Literature review Example In licensing model, companies planning for internationalization use patent or trademark of market leaders in foreign countries in order to enter in the country. Companies use strategic partnership with existing player in foreign market in order to enter in the country and this partnership is known as joint venture. Ownership ratio in Joint Venture or International Joint Venture is decided in accordance with the capital invested by two strategic partners. Discussion Academic scholars like Griffith, O’Brian and Zeybek (2001) have pointed out that international joint venture (IJV) is one kind of foreign direct investment and they have also argued that in international joint venture (IJV) strategic partners are engaged to develop and operate one common business entity. Other researchers such as Perlmutter and Heenan (1986) have depicted IJV as a functional device to survive in tumultuous global economies. According to these research scholars companies plan for IJV in order to decr ease financial and strategic risks and they have also given evidences to support their viewpoints. Various research scholars such as Gundlach & Achrolhave (1993) have identified different benefits of forming in IJV. According to them IJV provides various benefits like local capital, raw material sources, marketing capabilities, government assistance, technology integration, tax incentives, assurances of imports, decreasing ethnocentrism issues and local currency loans to foreign players. Academic scholars like Reurer and Miller (1997) have pointed out that IJV can help the parent companies to adopt long term performance plans in order to increase average rate of return in investment. Baek, Min and Ryu (2006) have established a valid argument on wealth management issues of IJV and according to the scholar IJV can create more wealth for shareholders of parent firms meanwhile the model also saves skin for parent firms suffering from high leverage or low level of cash flow. Research sch olars such as Koh and Venkatraman (1991) have argued that international joint venture can boost the growth of stock market value for parent company while many other researchers have found that their argument lacks subjectivity. There is negative side of IJV and academic scholars have pointed out that IJV is considered as strategic dilemma for many organizations. Research scholars such as Yan and Zeng (1999) have pointed out that IJV destabilize the business process for many organizations. They have found that stability of IJV model demands change in leadership or ownership model for companies. Academic scholars have pointed out that IJV needs successful integration of strategic change management in order to be successful. Synchronization of change management and IJV is a contingent option for directing the equilibrium of foreign business venture in response to external and internal forces. Study shows that IJV is the systematic profiling of business risk and available strategic vari ables. Research scholars like Eisenhardt (1989) has proposed two theories names as team production theory and agency theory in order to define risk factors associated with IJV model. Agency theory has underlined agents might fail to understand business objective of principle and in such cases objective of IJV might fail. In such cases principals or the parent companies need to use different mechanisms such as monitoring, contract and reliance in order to resolve agency

Negative Effects of Advertising on American Youth Essay

Negative Effects of Advertising on American Youth - Essay Example One of the ways through which companies use technology is through advertising and marketing. Through this, companies communicate with consumers, mainly creating awareness about their new products, or promoting their companies, for increased profitability. Marketing and advertising benefits the company the most, since this promotes company products, hence more sales for the company. On the other hand, consumers too benefit from marketing and advertising, as this makes them aware of the products in the market by different companies, thus are able to make their purchasing decision, after comparing various products in the market. However, advertising and marketing is also known to have negative influences on the target population for which the adverts are aimed. Marketing and advertising has negative effects on the youth in America, and these include eating disorders and obesity, body dissatisfaction, violence, and consumerism. Commercial broadcasting is highly used by different companie s today. The television is the most known for airing most commercials advertisements today. This is probably because more people have access to the television; therefore, companies can reach a larger number of people through the television. On the other hand, print magazines are also a channel for advertisements, which is used by different companies. Most youth, especially the females, are highly attracted to fashion magazines, which are available and produced by various companies. Similarly, outdoor advertising, which involves different outdoor activities planned by a company, are mainly aimed at promoting the company and its products. Other forms of outdoor advertising include transit posters, bus adverts, bench advertising, and highway billboards, which communicate various messages from a company to the public. Nonetheless, apart from promoting and boosting company sales, these different forms of advertising have negative effects on the youth in America. Advertisements and the ap proach used therein are considered to brainwash most people and affect the perspective of people on morals and self-image (Harper, Brit and Tiggemann 645). In the United States, there is the right to freedom of speech for advertisers, and this could probably be the reason why these sometimes ignore the negative implications of most of their advertisements. With regard to body dissatisfaction, most youth in America are influenced by the body images in various advertisements, and therefore, think of those as the ideal body images (Hargreaves and Tiggemann 469). In television advertisements for beauty products for both male and females, model women and men are used. In the past, women models were portrayed as plumb and healthy, however, today, models are portrayed as skinny (Sparks 217). On the other hand, male models on television advertisements today are portrayed as men with steroidal masses, with muscles, and great strength. According to Hargreaves and Tiggemann, the exposure to th e model body images in television advertisements has a negative impact on the perceptions of the youth about their bodies (470). These might therefore, look for ways of attaining the â€Å"ideal† body, as portrayed in television advertisements. The second negative effect of advertisements to the youth in America is obesity and eating disorders. Obesity is a growing problem in the United States today. This problem affects the youth also, and this is highly attributed to the massive advertisements shown on the television and other advertising platforms, promoting fast food. Obesity is lethal, since this could lead to type 2 diabetes. The main factor promoting this in the United Sta

What is Art - Discussion Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What is Art - Discussion - Assignment Example It makes me guess what culture it came from, what message the artist implied when he was painting it. It is a thought-provoking object that has no practical function and is created for the sake of self-expression of the artist who had made it. It gives rise to a train of thoughts on primitive African societies when I am looking at it. It might as well have been made by an African artist, though it is not a case. It is surely a work of art, in my opinion. There is probably a toy at the third image with a metal ball inside. It might be perceived as a work of art from some subjective point of view, though in my opinion it is made strictly for the purpose of entertainment of children and is not a work of art per se. Although there is a specific and quite precise definition of what art is, this notion extends into a subjective category and it is not an easy task to circumscribe the limits of it. Thus, in my opinion, this toy is not a work of art. On the other hand, it might as well be an allegorical manifestation of the way someone who created it looks at the world and, if placed within a certain context, could be perceived as a work of art. The blue plate on the fourth image might be a work of art for some people, while others wont consider it to be as such. Although it is created with a certain practical purpose to serve, it obviously applies imaginative skills of a person who made it. The surface of it is painted inside and these elements of its design make this object of pottery a work of art, in my opinion, though it might as well be solely perceived by some as a part of dinnerware and serve practical purposes

Employability and Consulting Skills - reflective report Essay

Employability and Consulting Skills - reflective report - Essay Example 6). If urgent feedback from the team members was required, I would have used face to face communication as it is more sufficient and effective. The second important step is to distribute the meeting agenda and the goals of the meeting in advance. As a team leader, I decided to come up with the meeting structure which will clearly stipulate the expected result from the meeting and ways that will be used to make the meeting more productive. Stating the goals of a meeting helps the individuals whom are expected to attend the meeting to know what is expected of them (Enduring Ideas: The 7-S Framework Podcast 2008, p. 8). This will be achieved by the team leader writing the agenda. The third step that a team leader should consider while planning for a meeting to own the meeting and keeping the meeting moving ahead. Productive meetings are as a result of good leadership. As the team leader taking control of the meeting and expressing my intention of making the meeting to keep on moving with successful, timely and with relevant discussions was important. The meeting leader should show the other team members that he values their time during the discussion. He can do this by making sure that there is a clock or a timer that is visible to all those engaged in the meeting (Cross et al 2006, p. 11). The leader should also ensure that the schedule is maintained by ensuring that the topic of discussion is well maintained. So as to get some constructive and positive inputs from the meeting, two way communications was important to me as it helped in raising honest inputs from every team member. Everyone was also given equal opportunity to express their views and to be heard. It was also important for me to avoid emphasizing on my view as this will prevent the group consensus. Failure to build up a group consensus can make the team

Female, Feminine, Fertility Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Female, Feminine, Fertility - Essay Example In particular, she competes severely with Carla Santini, who was also striving to attain this position. Lola does not manage to beat Carla Santini since Carla Santini is quite clever and convincing. At one point, Lola gives up with the chase, but is later motivated to keep up the fight. She decides to participate in a play for their school where she manages to defeat Carla Santini. Although the two girls had personal differences during the time they were competing for the lead position, they are seen mending their differences by acknowledging each other (Sheldon, 2014). I have, for a long time seen female characters resembling Lola and Carla in that they are determined, brave yet considerate and willing to forgive. Such are the people the society wants whom despite differences in, for example places of work due to competition for a given position, they are willing to work together, relate positively outside jobs and acknowledge each other. Lola is used to show the modern woman whom despite challenges facing her, she should never forget her worth and values. The modern woman should aim high and fight hard to attain her position while remembering that she should maintain positive relationship with other with whom she is battling out with. Competitors need not only be fellow women but could also include men. For instance, there is a stiff battle between men and women with women striving to get their positions in the society. Such female characters would have a positive impact on practically every person. In fact, there is nobody would be harmed by the presence of Lola and Carla in the society. However, men might be harmed by characters like Lola in the society especially due to the determination part of the character. Being determined means that such female characters will never let off the battle with men in striving to

Hazard of Coal and Coal Mining to Human Health Essay Example for Free

Hazard of Coal and Coal Mining to Human Health Essay Coal is a solid but brittle sedimentary rock with a natural brown to black color and is made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and lesser amounts o f sulphur and trace elements. Coal is classified into four types depending on the carbo n, oxygen and hydrogen content on which the higher the carbon content, the more energy the coal contains (Coal at a Glance, 2009). The amount of energy in coal is define d by the heat value measured by British thermal units (Btu). One Btu is equivalent to the amount of energy in a single match (RockTalk, 2005). The four types of coal include lignite, sub bituminous, bituminous, and anthracite. The lowest rank of the coal i s lignite and has a heating value of 4,000 to 8,300 British thermal units (Btu) per pound. This type is the softest with high moisture content, least amount of carbon a nd is mainly used to produce electricity. The second least of the four types is sub-bituminous coal with a heating value of 8,300 to 13,000 Btu per pound and contains 35 to 45 percent carbon. After addition of more heat and pressure on lignite, bituminous coal is formed which is made of many tiny layers. It contains 11,000 to 15,500 Btu per pound heating value and is an important fuel for the steel and iron industries. Of the commonly minable coals, anthracite is the hardest and has a heating value of 15,000 Btu per p ound containing 86 to 97 percent carbon (Coal at a Glance, 2009). Coal is a non-renewable source of energy because it takes million of years to form. It has become a powerhouse by the 1800’s in America in which the people used coal to manufacture goods and to power steamships and railroad engines . It was noted that after the American Civil war, coal was used to make iron and steel and by the end of 1800’s, people used coal to make electricity. In the 1900’s, coal is the mainstay for the nation’s business and industries. Coal stayed America’s number one energy source until petroleum was used for petroleum products that became a demand. In 2009, 93.6 percent of all the coal in the United States was used for electricity production. Coal generates almost half of the electricity used in the U.S (Coal at a Glance, 2009). Based from Gree n World Investor (2011), coal has numerous uses primarily as a source of fuel and as a rich carbon source. It also plays an important role in cement and steel industries and coal is the largest source of electricity production. Coal is mainly used as fuel to generate electricity t hrough combustion. In steel production, coal together with iron, are the two raw materials used to produce steel in which the former is used as a fuel to smelt the iron in furnace until the cast iron is further refined. Similar with electricity and cement production, coal is also being used as a fuel in cement industry. Furthermore, paper a nd aluminum industry also uses coal as a fuel since coal is cheap and very available for these types of industries that are huge consumers of energy fuel. According to World Coal Association (2012), â€Å"the biggest market for coal is Asia, which currently accounts for over 65% of global coal consumption; although China is responsible for a significant proportion of this. Many countries do not have n atural energy resources sufficient to cover their energy needs, and therefore need to import energy to help meet their requirements. Japan, Chinese Taipei and Korea, for example, import significant quantities of steam coal for electricity generation and co king coal for steel production†. They also added that coal users further include alumina refineries and chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Chemical products can be produced from the by-products of coal. Refined coal tar is used in the manufacture of c hemicals, such as creosote oil, naphthalene, phenol, and benzene. Despite the myriad benefits coal has to offer, t here is always a disadvantage of using it. According to Fossil Fuel Resources (2012), coal burning causes the emission of harmful waste such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphuric acids, arsenic and ash. Furthermore, coal emits twice as much carbon dioxide compared to natural gas in producing the same level of heat which increases the level of emission of greenhouses ga ses into the earth’s atmosphere. As well as large factories and power industry that burn coal causes acid rain in some areas. Moreover, coal mining damages t he landscape a nd the environment as a whole plus t he large and noisy equipment used for mining may a ffect local wildlife. Transportation of coal can also be a problem since it requires extensive transportation system and causes additional pollution from vehicle emissions. Another huge disadvantage is that the coal is a non-renewable energy source and thi s millennium, coal can be depleted if burning of coal is continued in the future. Likewise, in coal mining industry, health difficulties of miners occur and fatalities due to dangerous nature of work increase. This paper would be tackling about the Health Hazard that is imposed otherwise could be caused by coal and coal mi ning. However, it is important to understand the impact of this activity to economy and environment, which could help in knowing the impact to health t hus socioeconomic and environmental effects of coal mining are at the same time discussed. Developing co untries seek to exploit mineral resources to provide needed revenue thus, mineral wealth is a part of some nation’s natural capital (Davis and Tilton, 2003). However, Sideri and Johns (1990) stated that mineral development does not always boost a country’s economic growth and in some cases contribute to increased poverty. Some of the contributing factors for this misfortune were low level of employment, institutional corruption and mismanagement (Sideri and Johns, 1990). Coal industry development may result in national economic growth however, the benefits are not equally shared, causing local communities nearest to the mining site suffer the most. Miranda et. al (1998) added that mining as a general triggers negative impacts such as alcoholism, prostitution a nd sexually transmitted disease. According to Dr. Michael Hendryx (2009), â€Å"Areas with especially heavy mining have the highest unemployment rates in the region contrary to the common perception that mining contributes to overall employment†. S ynapse Energy Economics (2009) added, referring to Appalachia where mountaintop removal for coal mining is being done, â€Å"History shows that the transition from deep to surface mining devastated the region economically, and that the prosperity of mining companies has not gone hand in hand with the economi c welfare of coal mine workers. Appalachia has suffered from current and persistent economic di stress, and that this distress has been associated with employment in the mining industry, particularly coal mining.† Mountaintop removal coal mining remove the miner from the process, replacing manpower with machinery, and lowering the coal companies’ overhead cost (Appalachian Voices, 2012). From the article â€Å"Mortality in Appalachian Coal Mining Regions: The Value of Statistical Life Lost† authored by Michael Hendryx and Melissa M. Ahern (2009), it was stated that the Appalachian region of the United States has long been associated with severe socioeconomic disadvantages. These results to a poor public health comprising elevated morbidity and mortality rates for a variety of serious, chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer. Furthermore, recent studies have confirmed that health discrepancies exist in coal mining regions of Appalachia compared with other areas of the region or the nation . These discrepancies include elevated mortality rates for total causes, lung cancer, and some chronic illnesses. It was noted that t hese studies showed that mortality is related to higher poverty, lower educati on levels, and smoking behavior, and further s uggested that environmental pollution from the mining industry is a contributing factor. In the study of Paul Younger (2004) , â€Å"Environmental impacts of coal mining and associated wastes: a geochemical perspec tive†, it was stated that in the early years of coal mining, impact on the environment adversely affect long -established agricultural interests. The negative impacts of coal mining came to be accepted as a by-product of the generation of coal-based wealth d uring the time when coal trade dominate regional economies in mining districts. These negative impacts became unacceptable when large-scale mining began and took place in major coal-mining economies. It was further stated in the study that t he environmental impacts of coal mining are results of the exposure of reduced earth materials that involves coal and others, to the oxidizing power of the Earth’s atmosphere. The study recognize subcategories of impacts under five major headings consisting of air pollu tion, fire hazards, ground deformation, water pollution and water resource depletion. Production of large quantities of waste is one major environmental issue that can be caused by coal mining. The impacts are more widespread in open-casts compared to underground mining, which produces less waste. Severe impacts could cause degradation of aquatic and marine resources and causes water quality reduction. According to Johnson (1997), erosion after heavy rainfall pushes waste rock piles and runoffs to nearby waste bodies and sometimes, this lead to disruption, diversion, and changing of slope and bank stability of stream channel and t hese disturbances significantly reduces the water quality. Ripley (1996) added that higher sediment concentrations increase the t urbidity of natural waters which lowers the available light to aquatic plant for photosynthesis. Elimination of important food source and decreased available habitat for fish to migrate and spawn usually happens if there is increased sediment loads that s uffocate organisms in marine organisms (Johnson, 1997). Fur thermore, higher sediments decrease the depth of water bodies which could contribute to flood (Mason, 1997). Deforestation is also a major indirect environmental impact of coal mining especially i n opencast or surface mining. Biodiversity is greatly affected , more importantly the removal of vegetation that alters the shelter and the availability of food for the wildlife. Coal mining also poses an environmental alarm in wetlands such as estuaries, mangroves and floodplains that actually served as natural filters of pollution as well as provide habitat for aquatic organisms. These areas are destroyed through direct habitat elimination or pollution from washable coals that were washed to produc e a clean pure coal (H.A. Mooney et al, 1995). Mining activities in general has many environmental impacts but at the same time, poses a significant risk to human health. The health cost of mining operations most of the time outweighs the advantages gaine d ( Yeboah, J.Y, 2008). Possible hazard including diseases or illnesses acquired from coal mining is discussed below as summary of various studies and articles about health risks caused by exposure to coal and coal mining. The association of pneumoconiosi s and other respiratory health risks with exposure to respirable mixed dust was identified in the study of Love R.G, Miller B.G., 6 The Hazards of Coal and Coal Mining to Human Health et. al. (1997), entitled â€Å"Respiratory health effects of opencast coalmining: a cross sectional study of current workers† conducted in United Kingdom opencast coal mines. The study carried out 1,224 men and 25 women at nine large and medium sized opencast sites in England, Scotland and Wales. Full sized chest radiographs, respiratory symptoms, occupational history questionnaires, and simple spirometry were used in the study to characterize the respiratory health of the workforce. In addition, logistic or multiple regression techniques were utilized to examine relations between indices of exposure and respiratory health. The study c oncluded that the frequency of (mostly mild) chest radiographic abnormalities is associated with working in the dustier, preproduction jobs in the coal mining industry. Although some of these mild abnormalities may be non -occupational (due to aging or smok ing), the association with exposure indicates a small risk of pneumoconiosis in these men, and the need to monitor and control exposures, particularly in the high-risk occupations. This study of respiratory health effects of opencast coal mining seems unalarming and maybe controlled since it was indicated that there is a small risk of pneumoconiosis among miners, however, coal mining effects to humans are not just limited to respiratory health. Furthermore, there are various studies that could prove that co al mining or coal combustion is a great contributing factor of respiratory illnesses most especially black lung disease. The negative impact of coal mining pollution to public health is analyzed in a study in West Virginia. Michael Hendryx and Melissa Ahern (2008) used the data from a 2001 research survey correlated with data from West Virginia Geological and economic survey showing volume of coal production from mining. Hendryx and Ahern study was â€Å"Relations between Health Indicators and Residential Proximity to Coal Mining in West Virginia† which have examined the coal mining in West Virginia if it is related to poorer health status and incidence of chronic illness. The study used data from a survey of 16, 493 West Virginians merged with county- level coal production and other covariates in investigating the relations between health indicators and residential proximity to coal mining. The research sought to find whether the effects of coal mining may result only from socioeconomic factors such as inco me and education problems together with environmental exposure problems or it a lso a ffects the health aspect of the people. It was emphasized that quantitative research on health consequences of residential proximity to coal mining is limited to a few stud ies of respiratory illness, which was conducted in Great Britain. With t hese few studies, one showed no effect of coal mining but there are studies t hat found increased risks. These were the main reason why this study was conducted. The result of the study showed that â€Å"As coal production increased, health status worsened, and rates of cardiopulmonary disease, lung disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and kidney disease increased. Within larger disease categories, specific types of disease associated with coal production included chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), black lung disease, and h ypertension.† The research found t hat the result of black lung disease is higher in men compared to women since this condition affects miner’s which are men. The risks for coal -associated illnesses increase with exposure to coal by-products. Toxins and impurities in coal cause kidney disease, hypertension and other cardiovascular disease. The effects also resulted from the general inflammatory or systemic consequences of inhaled particles and these effects may be multi -factorial, a result of slurry holdings that leach toxins into drinking water and air pollution effects of coal mining and washing. This study served as a screening test to examine whether co al mining poses a health risk for adults living near the mining site. The researcher recommended that confirmatory tests should be undertaken to establish mechanism of action, magnitude, and health consequences of an exposure effect. Another study of health hazard brought by coal mining is â€Å"The association between mountaintop mining and birth defects among live births in ce ntral Appalachia, 1996–2003†, a research study authored by Melissa Ahern et. al.(2011). This study examined birth defects in mountaintop coal mining areas compared to other coal mining areas and in non-mining areas of central A ppalachia. The researchers aimed to know if higher birth-defect rates are present in mountaintop mining areas . Moreover, this study analyzed 1996-2003 live births i n four Central Appalachian states using natality files from National Center for Health Statistics. It was stated from the study that â€Å"The prevalence rate ratio (PRR) for any birth defect was significantly higher in mountaintop m ining areas compared to n on-mining areas, but was not higher in the non m ountaintop mining areas, after controlling for covariates. Rates were significantly higher in m ountain top m ining areas for six of seventy types of defects: circulatory/ respiratory, central nervous system, m usculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, urogenital, and ‘other’.† It was found out that mountaintop- mining effects became more pronounced in the latter years (2000–2003) versus earlier years (1996–1999.). Furthermore, it was mentioned that the elevated birth defect rates are partly a function of socioeconomic disadvantage, but remain elevated after controlling for those risks. They also added that both socioeconomic and e nvironmenta l inf luences in mountaintop mining areas maybe contributing factors. In a researc h article authored by Hans L. Falk and William Jurgelski, Jr., â€Å"Health Effects of Coal Mining and Combustion: Carcinogens and Cofactors†, carcinogens and cofactors that may be present in coal is being tackled. As an epidemiologic evidence of carcinogenic risks in coal mining and combustion, it was mentioned that several epidemiological studies imply that the incidence of gastric carcinoma in coal miners is elevated above that of comparable segments of the general population not engaged in mining of coal. On t he other hand, the article noted that death rate of coal miners from lung cancer is appreciably lower than the rate for non-miners of comparable age. It was explained that the data obtained from various studies about lower rate of lung cancer among coal miners strongly suggest that an unknown factor probably coal dust, exerts a protective effect from acquiring cancer. It was further noted that even though the coal dust is beneficial with regard to lung cancer, it is the causative factor of black lung disease. Therefore, while lung cancer rates might not increase as a result of an expansion of coal production, black lung and other respiratory diseases would probably become more prevalent. Health effect of exposure to respirable coal mine dust according to Center for Disease and Control Prevention includes Black Lung Disease or Coal Worker’s Pneumocosis (CWP), silicosis, mixed -dust pneumoconiosis and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). CWP was defined as a chronic dust disease of the lung and its sequelae, including respiratory and pulmonary impairments, arising out of coal mine employment. It was moreover defined as parenchymal lung disease produced by deposits of coal dust in the lung and the response of the host to the retained dust. The primary lesion of CWP is like that of silicosis however, the amount and nature of dust and quantity and disposition of fibrous tissue and the presence of emphysema differs. Coal macules are rounded, irregular and ranges from 1 to 5 millimeters, lesions are distributed symmetrically found in both lungs with a greater concentration in the upper lobes (Attfield and Wagner, 1992). The proportion of dust, cellular material, or collagen varies depending on the rank of coal dust inhaled (Cotes and Steel, 1987). Silicosis develops when respirable silica inhaled is deposited in the lungs and varies from chronic, complicated, accelerated, or acute. Third is mixed -dust pneumoconiosis, which describes pulmonary lesions where crystalline silica is deposited combined with less fibrogenic dusts as iron oxides, kaolin, mica and coal (Silicosis and Silicate Disease Comittee, 1988). Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) refers to three disease processes which involve chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma which are all characterized by airway dysfunction (Barnhart, 1994). COPD is mainly caused by cigarette smoking nevertheless, it could also be caused by air pollution and exposure to dust. Chronic bronchitis is associated with airflow obstruction and abnormalities in gas exchange (Barnhart, 1994). Coal dust and its sequelae are not the only health hazards of coal mining. Common occupational hazards brought by mining are also applied in mining coal. According to Institute for Occupational and Safety Development (2006), â€Å"M ining poses tremendous risks to life and limb, not only to miners but to community as well †. Hazardous mining operations caused both directly and indirectly countless accident. Hazards presented by mining to workers include intense exposure to heat, poor ventilation, fumes, repetitive stress injury, intense noise, manual handling of heavy machinery aside from biological and chemical hazard. Miner’s tend to have fluid and salt deficiency due to constant sweating since hydration is very limited combined with inte nse heat especially in underground mining sites. Furthermore, miners could have increased heart stress, heat stroke, and fertility reduction due to high temperature. Poor ventilation on the other hand, steals the oxygen from the body which results to brain malfunction and this can lead to death. Vibration from handling or operating large machines could result to permanent bone damage and vibration syndrome or dead finger syndrome that could proceed to hand and finger gangrene. The constant shaking could als o progressed to digestive problems because of constant moving of internal organs. Hearing impairment or disruption of body functions such as blood circulation and hormone imbalance could be a result of noise and hazardous sound that comes from drilling, blasting among others. Manual lifting of materials can cause back troubles leading to acute pain. Based from the government statistics, a ccidents in the industry of mining was used to be 0.1% in the year 2000 of the total occupational accidents however in 2 002 it increased to 1.7% of the total accidents which is in fact only 0.3% of the total labor force was into mining and this poses a very dangerous trend for mining ( IODC, 2006). Hazards mentioned above are, of course, i nevitable due to the nature of the activity itself. Yet, there are still other ways for them, in a way, to minimize the occurrence of these while working. In line with this is the importance of risk management. To be aware of the Risk Management is very important most espe cially when involving to activities that could pose risk not only to one ’s heal th but also to emotional, psychosocial, economical and e nvironmental aspect of an individual. Risk management is mainly the identification, assessment and prioritizations of threats brought about the actions going through or have gone through already. Through this method, t he pros and cons o f the action to be considered could be weighed. In t his discussion paper, certain risks that should have been given much attention b y the implementers of coal mining are tackled. From the hazards mentioned above, risk management that could minimize the impact includes the following assessment. There should have been even just an exhaust fan or some opening that some air could enter for them to be able to breathe as normally as possible. Also, to be able to minimize cases of deafness, miners are advised to wear ear plugs when heavy equipment is be i ng operated. Through this, noise could be minimized. It will also be advisable for the miners to have a sufficient supply of water with them as they progress with their work. Proper hydration is very much essential for them because there is poor ventilation inside the mine. The beverage they have with them should contain electrolytes for them to minimize incidence of fluid and salt deficiencies. An excerpt taken from t he article of Institute of Occupational Health and Safety Development s tates that, â€Å"Mines exposes workers to different types of airborne particulates, making them vulnerable to systemic toxic effects due to the absorption of coal dus t. Coupled with poor ventilation, this can trigger accidents and cause death to workers. RSI being a soft -issue disorder is caused by overloading of particular muscle group from repetitive use or maintenance of constrained postures. Miners who suffer from RSI complain of weakness of the affected muscles, heaviness, pins and needles sensation and numbness.† In this hazard, miners are expected to have protective masks that cou ld keep them from inhaling coal dust. Without the masks, this makes them very much vulnerable, primarily, to respiratory diseases and to other health -related illnesses. Presence of openings within the mines should also be considered for them to be able to breathe normally as possible. According to an article posted on www.greatmining.com, â€Å"Coal dust settles like pollen over the surrounding areas.† As what we ha ve discussed o n our Environmental Health class this s ummer, coal dust measures above 100 µm. Thus, it could only irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and throat but not going further . Yet, considering that there is an occurence of anthracosis, which is detect ed primarily in the lungs. There is a contradiction between this standard measurement and association and the chemical effect of the inhalation of coal dust. According to a study conducted by Sapko,M. J, et. al, â€Å"Particle size can vary both within and between mines, since size is dependent on several factors such as mine type (i.e., longwall or continuous miner, along with cutting speed and depth) and coal seam type. In addition to total incombustible content and methane concentration, the coal dust particle size should be considered as an essential part of the explosibility assessment strategy in underground coal mines.â€Å" Coal mining creates several billion gallons of coal slurry, which contains extremely high levels of mercury, cadmium, and nickel. Although lauded by mining companies that this is a safer, more efficient way to produce coal, this type of strip mining has evoked strong protests from environmentalists and people who reside near coal mining areas. Coal mining work can be extremely dangerous, a s the numerous occupational hazards can cause critical injuries or even death. Since coal is also a necessity in our day to day lives, there is no way to be able to totally terminate or stop the operations of coal mining. All we could do is to minimize the risks that could threaten us if we are to put up or be involved in coal mining. References: Ahern M . e t. al. (2011) . The association between mountaintop mining and birth defects among live births in ce ntral Appalachia, 1996–2003. E nvironmental Research ; Volume 111, Issue 6, Pp 838–846 Attfield MD, Wagner GR [1992]. A report on a workshop on the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health B Reader certification program. J Occup Med 34:875Colina N P (2006). Briefing on Mining in the Philippines and the effects on Occupational Health and Safety of Mine Workers Conference on Coal Mining . IOHSAD ; Renmin University, Beijing, PROC Disadvantages of Coal Energy- Biggest Contributor to Global Warming is Co al’s Biggest Drawback (2011). G reen World Investor . Retrived from http://www.greenworldinvestor.com/2011/04/09/disadvantages-of -coal -energybiggest-contributor-to -global -warming-is-coals-biggest-drawback/ Economic Impacts of Mountaintop Removal (2012). Appalachian Voices. Retrieved from http://appvoices.org/end- mountaintop -removal/economy/ Falk H L J urgelski W,Jr (1979) . Health effects of coal mining and combustion: carcinogens and cofactors.Environ Health Perspect; 33: 203–226. Hamburger T (2010). Pressure builds against mountaintop coal mining. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/08/nation/la na-coal8 2010jan08 Hendryx M . A hern M. (2008). Relations between Health Indicators and Residential Proximity to Coal Mining in West Vi rginia. Public Health 12 The Hazards of Coal and Coal Mining to Human Health Hendryx, M Ahern M. (2009) . Mortality in Appalachian Coal Mining Regions: The Value of Statistical Life Lost. Association of Schools of Public Health Public Health Reports Volume 124. Johnson, S.W. et al. (1997), â€Å"Effects of Submarine Mine Tailings Disposal on Juvenile Yellowfin Sole (Pleuronectes asper): A Laboratory Study,† Marine Pollution Bulletin Vol. 36 Love R.G, Miller B .G., et . al. (1997). Respiratory Health Effects Of Opencast Coalmining: A Cross Sectional Study Of Current Workers†. Occupational Environmental Medicine.:54(9): 696. Mason, R.P. (1997), â€Å"Mining Waste Impacts on Stream Ecology,† In C.D. Da Rosa (ed), Golden Dreams, Poisoned Streams, How Reckless Mining Pollutes America’s Waters and How We Can Stop It .Washington, DC: Mineral Policy Center. Miranda, M. A. Blanco-Uribe Q., L. Hernà ¡ndez, J. Ochoa G., E. Yerena (1998), All That Glitters is Not Gold: Balancing Conservation and Development in Venezuela’s Frontier Forests, World Resources Institute: Washington, DC. Ripley, E.A. et al. (1996), Environmental Effects of Mining. Delray Beach, Florida: S t. Lucie Press. Roenker J.M. (2001). The Economic Impact of Coal in Appalachian Kentucky. Center for Business and Economic Research. Sapire R. (2012).Engulfed in a Toxic Cloud: The Effects of Coal Mining On Human Health. Harvard College Global Health Review. Retrieved from http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/hghr/2012/02/01/engulfed -in-a- toxic-cloud- the -effectsof-coal- mining-on- human- health/ Sideri, S. and S. Johns (eds) (1990), Mining for Development in the Third World: Multinational Corporations, State Enterprises and the International Economy. New York: Pergamon Press. The Disadvantages of Coal (2012). Fossil Fuel Resources. Retrieved from http://fossilfuel.co.uk/coal/the-disadvantages-of -coal Uses of Coal (2012) . World Coal Association. Retrieved from http://www.worldcoal.org/coal/uses -of-coal/ Yeboah J.Y (2008). E nvironmental And Health Impact Of Mining On Surrounding Communities: A Case Study of Anglogold Ashanti In Obuasi. Kwame Nkrumah 13 The Hazards of Coal and Coal Mining to Human Health University Of Science And Technology : Department Of Geography And Rural Development . Younger P L (2004). Environmental impacts of coal mining and associated wastes: a geochemical perspective . The Geological Society of London

Stalin Early Life Essay Example for Free

Stalin Early Life Essay * Born in 1879 in Georgia. Lived in a very hostile environment and was deeply influenced by this in his later years. * His father abused him and his mother. He wanted Stalin to become a shoemaker like himself. * His real fathers identity is highly disputed and may have been one of the various men around the town. * Stalin was a very bright boy and worked hard in his studies. He was also teased by others and bullied others too. He showed early signs of being a gangster and was respected and fear by many in his town. Becomes a Revolutionary * Lived under czarist domination and was introduced to forbidden Marxists books * Preached revolution to the workers and ran crimes in order to fund his communist operations. * Was sent to Siberia and prison many times but always managed to escaped. * In 1903 he joined with other activists to plan an overthrow of the Czarist government. Lenin saw Stalin as a man who could get the job done. * His involvement in the 1917 revolution was limited though. * During the Civil War he became the enforcer of the party and fought for the communists Family Life * His first wife Ekaterina Svanidze died in 1907. Stalin loved her very much and was crushed by her death. * They had a son named Yakov Dzhugashvili who Stalin did not care for. Later in WWII Yakov was captured by the Germans and commited suicide with an electrocuted fence. * Had a second wife named Nadezhda Alliluyeva. Had two children with her, Vasily and Svetlana. His wife and him did not seem to get along very well and one evening she committed suicide. Stalin Emerges * Stalin having been disappointed by his minor role in the Russian revolution, wanted to gain more power and make a name of himself. He wanted to be seen with the great communist leaders such as Lenin, Marx and Engels. To do his he had a plan to take control of the Communist party. * The other communists party members looked down upon Stalin because they believed he was a worthless bum who just did the grunt work of Lenin. * Assumed the position of General Secretary in the 1920s a job no one else wanted. He built up power on this position by spreading good propaganda about himself and negative propaganda about his rivals particularly Leon Trotsky. * When Lenin died in 1924, Stalin immediately began creating propaganda showing that he was Lenins most suitable successor. He spreaded negative rumors about the ideas of Leon Trotsky (Trotskyism) and told the Russian people that his ideas were the best. * In 1928 Stalin had Trotsky arrested and exile where he would eventually end up in Mexico and dieing from an assassin sent by Stalin. Stalins Second Revolution; Modernizing Agriculture and Industry * Early in 1928 Stalin launched his program for collectivization. All privately held agricultural land was seized by the State and so food production could be done so more efficiently. The food was given to the workers who were needed for the industrialization process. * Stalin also started the industrialization process analogous to the collectivization. This brought Russia into an expansion of many types of industries. * Stalin had anyone who opposed his laws branded as traitors to the state and were sent to Siberia where they would have been either shot or killed as examples of anyone opposing him. Stalin and Providence * Believed he had an important role in saving Russia from Czar domination and hostile nations. * Saw himself as a victim of persecution and conspiracy and would attack others before they could attack him. He was very suspicious, paranoid and resentful. * Avoided contact with ordinary people and praised himself with endless propaganda showing him as their great leader. Terror and Purges * By the mid 1930s Stalin would make sure he would have had absolute power in the party. The first step to this would be dealing with the surviving party members in the revolutionary days. * He held trials and made sure that the suspect confessed to his crime through torture and threat of death. He made many party members admit that they were traitors to Russia and had them shot. * Even his secret police the NKVD werent safe from him and many were killed in order to cover up any traces towards him.