The Blue Sword CHAPTER FIVE

Corlath was on the ground at once, calling orders that sent long-robed figures scurrying in all directions. Harry sat alone on the big bay horse, who stood quite still; to her tired and befuddled gaze there were dozens of tents and hundreds of people. Men came forward from the mouths of tents and out from shadows, to make their bows to their king – to congratulate him on the success of his venture? Harry thought. Was it successful? Some were sent at once on errands, some faded back into the darkness from which they had emerged. The two men who had ridden with the king dismounted also, and stood a little behind him as he looked around his camp. Harry didn't move. She didn't quite believe that they had arrived – and besides, where was it they were? She didn't feel that she had arrived – or didn't want to. She thought wistfully of her despised bed far away in the Residency, and of fat dull busybody Annie. She wished she were home, and she was so tired she wasn't sur e where home was. When Corlath turned back to her she woke up enough to slither down from the horse's tall back before he tried to help her; this time she did no fancy sliding, but turned to face the horse's shoulder, and kept her hands on the saddle till her feet touched the ground. It was a long way down. She was sure it had gotten longer since the last time she dismounted. Fireheart stood as patiently as the fourposter pony as she leaned against him, and she patted him absently, as she might have patted her own horse, and his nose came round to touch her forearm. She sighed, and thought of Jack Dedham, who would give an arm to ride a Hill horse, even once. Perhaps it didn't count if you were riding double with a Hillman. Harry had her back toward Faran and Innath as they led the horses away. Faran said, â€Å"That was a longer ride than I enjoy, at my age,† and Innath replied laughing: â€Å"Indeed, Grandfather, you had to be tied to your saddle with your long white beard.† Faran, who was a grandfather several times over, but looked forward to being a king's Rider for many years yet, and wore his dark-grey beard short, grinned and said: â€Å"Yes, I long for a featherbed and a plump young girl who will admire an elderly warrior for his scars and his stories.† His eyes slid round, and he looked straight at Harry for the first time since Corlath had carried her, a black-wrapped bundle lying so bonelessly quiet in his arms that it was difficult to believe it contained anything human, to the shadow where two men and three horses awaited him. But Harry was frowning at her dirty feet and did not notice. â€Å"The Outlander girl,† Faran said slowly, with the air of an honest man who will be just at any cost. â€Å"I did not know the Outlanders taught their children such pride. She has done herself honor on this ride.† Innath considered. To do yourself honor is high praise from a Hillman; but as he thought of the last two days, he had to agree. He was almost a generation younger than his fellow Rider, however, and had viewed their adventure differently. â€Å"Do you know, I was most worried that she might weep? I can't bear a woman weeping.† Faran chuckled. â€Å"If I had known that, I would have advised our king – strongly – to choose another Rider. Not that it would have mattered much, I think: she would merely have had the sleep laid on her again.† He pulled a tent flap aside, and they and the horses disappeared from Harry's sight. She had recognized the Hill word for â€Å"Outlander,† and wondered dejectedly what Corlath's companions, who had so pointedly ignored her during their journey together, were saying. She wiggled her grubby toes in the sand. She looked up and noticed that she was standing only a few feet from the – what does one call it on a tent? Door implied hinges and a frame – front of the grandest tent of all. It was white, with two wide black stripes across its peak from opposite directions, meeting and crossing at the center, and extending to the ground like black ribbons. A black-and-white banner flew from the crossed center, the tallest point in the camp, as the tent was the biggest. â€Å"Go in,† said Corlath at her side again; â€Å"they will take care of you. I will join you presently.† As she approached, a man held aside the golden silk rectangle that served the great tent for a door. He stood to attention with as much dignity as if she were a welcome guest, and perhaps a queen in her own country. This amused her, with a stray thought that the Hill-king seemed to have his followers well schooled, and she smiled at him as she went inside; and was gratified by the startled look that crossed his face when she managed to catch his eye. At least they aren't all inscrutable, she thought. One of Dedham's subalterns might have looked like that. It was also comforting to have succeeded at last in catching someone's eye. What she did not know was that the honor guard at the door, who stood to attention because he was an honor guard and it would have been beneath him to be less than courteous to anyone who had the king's grace to enter the king's tent, was saying to himself: She walks and smiles at me as if she were a grand lady in her own home, not a prisoner of – of – He stumbled here, since neither he nor anyone else knew exactly why she had been made a prisoner, or an involuntary guest, or whatever it was that she was, except that it was the king's will. And this after a journey that made even old Faran, who was not flesh at all but iron, look a little weary. This was a story he would tell his friends when he was off duty. Inside Harry looked around her with awe. If the camp from the outside was white and grey and dun-colored, as dull but for the black-and-white banner flying from the king's tent as the sand and scrub around it and brightened only by the robes and sashes some of the men wore, inside this tent – she was sure it was Corlath's own – there was a blaze of color. Tapestries hung on the walls, and between them were gold and silver chains, filigree balls and rods, bright enameled medallions – some of them big enough to be shields. Thick soft rugs were scattered on the floor three or four deep, each of them gorgeous enough to lie at the foot of a throne; and over them were scattered dozens of cushions. There were carved and inlaid boxes of scented red wood, and bone-colored wood, and black wood; the largest of these were pushed against the walls. Lanterns hung on short chains from the four carved ribs that crossed the high white ceiling to meet at the center peak, above whi ch the banner flew outside, and below which a slender jointed pillar ran from floor to ceiling. Like pillars stood at each of the four corners of the tent, and four more braced the ribs at their centers; and from each pillar a short arm extended which held in its carven cupped hand another lantern. All were lit, bathing the riot of deep color, shape, and texture in a golden glow which owed nothing to the slowly strengthening morning light outside. She was staring up at the peak of the roof and feeling impressed at the smooth structure of the tent – her own knowledge of tents was limited to stories of the Homelander military variety, which involved ropes and canvas and much swearing, and leaks when it rained – when a slight noise behind her brought her back again to her presence in a Hill camp. She turned around, nervously, but not so nervously as she might have; for there was a graciousness and – well, humanity, perhaps, if she tried to think of a word for it – to the big white-walled room that set her at ease, even against her own better judgment. Four white-robed men had entered the tent. They brought with them, carrying it by handles set round the rim, an enormous silver basin: bath-sized, she thought. It had a broad base and sides that flared gently. The metal was worked in some fashion, but the play of the lantern light over the patterns prevented her from deciding what the designs might be. The men set the great basin down at one end of the tent, and turned to leave, one after the other; and each, as he passed her standing uncertainly near the center, bowed to her. She was made uneasy by the courtesy, and had to stop herself from taking a step or two backward. She stood with her arms at her sides, but her hands, invisible in the long full sleeves of her battered dressing-gown, closed slowly into fists. As the four men passed in front of her on their way out, several more were coming in, with silver urns on their shoulders; and the urns, she found when the carriers emptied them into the silver bath – it had to be a bath – were full of steaming water. No drop was spilled; and each man bowed to her as he left. She wondered how many of them there were engaged in water-carrying; there were never more than a few in the tent at once, yet as soon as one urn was empty the man behind was there to pour from another. It took only a few soft-footed minutes, the only sound that of the water falling into the basin, for it to be full; and the stream of men stopped likewise. She was alone a moment, watching the surface of the water glint as the last ripples grew still; and she saw that some of the design on the bath was simply the presence of hinges, and she laughed. This was a traveling camp, after all. Then four men entered together and ranged themselves in a line – like horse-herders, she thought, presented with an animal whose temper is uncertain – and looked at her; and she looked at them. She rather thought these were the four who had brought the bath in to begin with; but she wasn't sure. What she did notice was something else, something that hadn't quite registered while the steady shuffle of men and urns had gone past: that each of these men had a little white mark that looked like a scar on his forehead, in the center of the brow, above the eyes. She wondered about this; and then she wondered about what looked like towels lying over the shoulders of three of the men; and then the fourth one came toward her with a motion so swift and polite, and somehow unthreatening, that he slipped the Hill cloak off her shoulders and folded it over his arm before she reacted. She spun around then and backed away a step; and was almost certain that the look on this man's face was surprise. He laid the cloak down very gently on a wooden chest, and motioned toward the bath. She was grateful that at least he didn't bow to her again, which probably would have made her leap like a startled rabbit. It wasn't, she thought, that the gesture held any unpleasant servility. But it felt like an indication that she was somehow in command of the situation – or ought to be. The lack of servility was therefore alarming, because these men were too capable of observing that she didn't feel in the least as if she were in command. They looked at one another a moment longer. She thought then incredulously: Surely they're not expecting to give me a bath? – and noticed with the sides of her eyes that the other three men were standing behind the bath now, and one of the towels when unfolded was revealed as a robe, with a braided gold cord at the waist. The man directly in front of her, who had removed her cloak, reached out and laid his hands on the belt of her dressing-gown, and she suddenly found that she was angry. The last two days had been one indignity after another, however politely each had been offered; and to preserve what self-respect she could – and what courage – she had preferred not to think about them too closely. But that she wasn't even to be allowed to bathe without a guard – that she should be expected to submit tamely to the ministrations of four men – men – like a – like a – Her imagination chose to fail her here, far from home, with the terror of the unknown, and of the captured, only barely kept at bay. She threw off the man's polite fingers with as much violence as she could and said furiously: â€Å"No! Thank you, but no.† There are enough of them, for God's sake, to stand me on my head if they want to force the issue, she thought. But I am not going to cooperate. There was a ripple of golden silk at the sound of her voice, and a new shadow appeared in the lantern light. Corlath, who had been hovering just outside to see how his Outlander was going to behave, entered the tent. He spoke two or three words and the men left at once; each bowing, first to her and then to their king. A corner of Harry's mind, which refused to be oppressed by the dreadfulness of the situation, noticed that the bows were of equal depth and duration; and the same mental corner had the impertinence to think this odd. There was another little silence after the four men had left, only this time it was the king she was facing down. But she was too angry to care. If she said anything she would say too much, and she hadn't quite forgotten that she was at the mercy of strangers, so she bit her tongue and glowered. Why was this all happening? The bit of her mind which had commented about the equality of bows presently observed that anger was preferable to fear, so the anger was encouraged to carry on. Evidently Corlath had already had his bath; his black hair was wet, and even his sun-brown skin was a few shades lighter. He was wearing a long golden robe, stiff with elegant stitching, open at the front to show a loose cream-colored garment that fell almost to his sandaled feet. In her own country she would have been inclined to call it a nightshirt under an odd sort of dressing-gown – although nobody ever wore a scarlet cummerbund over one's nightshirt – but it looked very formal here. She mustn't forget to glower or she might feel awed. And then, inevitably, afraid. She recognized the quality of his silence when at last he spoke: the same feeling she had had when she first spoke to him, at the small campsite between the arms of a sand dune, that he chose and arranged his words very carefully. â€Å"Do you not wish to bathe, then? It is a long ride we had.† He was thinking, So I have managed to offend her immediately. It is done differently where she comes from; she can't know and must not be able to guess – but how could she guess? – that in the Hills it is only the men and women of the highest rank that may be waited on by household servants of both sexes. I feared – but for what good? We know nothing of each other's customs, and my household men have only done as they ought: treated the king's Outlander with the greatest honor. Harry in her turn had unbent slightly at the â€Å"we.† It was friendlier than the accusatory â€Å"you† she'd been expecting. She hadn't unbent so far, though, as to prevent herself from saying coldly, â€Å"I am accustomed to bathe alone.† Ah. Yes. I don't suppose I should mire myself with involved explanations at this point? She doesn't look to be in the mood for them. He said, â€Å"These are men of my household. It was to do you †¦ courtesy.† She glanced away and felt her anger begin to ebb; and so she was unprepared when he took a sudden stride forward as she dropped her eyes. He grabbed her chin and forced it up, turning her face to the light and staring down at her as if amazed. Her abrupt reversion to existence as an object to be bundled about, turned this way and that at another's will, made the anger boil up again at once; and her eyes glittered back at him without a trace of fear. He was staring into those eyes, as the light played full across them, and thinking, That's why. I don't understand it, but this must be why – the first step to why. He had just caught a glimpse, a suspicion, when she turned her head, the way the light fell, and he had put his hand out before he thought. Her eyes, under his gaze, shimmered grey to green with bubbles of amber that flickered like lightning in the depths and floated up to break like stars on the surface: bottomless eyes, that a man or beast fool enough to look at long would fall into and drown. He knew – he was one of the very few who need have no fear – that she did not know. She met his eyes too clearly: there was nothing in her eyes but simple and forthright fury – and he couldn't blame her for that. He wondered if she'd learned by accident not to focus her anger, or whether people she hated had a habit of falling downstairs or choking on fishbones – or if perhaps she had never hated . One doesn't generally look into mirrors when one is especially angry; one has better things to do, like pace the floor, or throw things. Perhaps no one had ever noticed, or been in a position to notice. And the thought came to him vaguely, for no particular reason, that she couldn't ever have been in love. If she had ever turned the full intensity of her kelar-brilliant eyes on any average mortal, they would both have had a shock; and she would never again have had the innocence to meet anyone's eyes as she now met his. He dropped his hand from her chin and turned away. He looked a little ashamed, she thought; and he said, â€Å"Forgive me,† as if he meant it. But he looked more thoughtful than anything else, and, she realized with surprise, relieved, as if he had made – or had made for him – some important decision. What can be wrong with my face? she thought. Has my nose turned green? It has always been crooked, but it never astonished anybody before. He offered her no explanation for his behavior, but after a moment's silence he said, â€Å"You will have your bath alone, as you wish,† glanced at her again as if to be sure she was real, and left her. She wrapped her arms around herself and shivered; and then thought, Very well, I do want a bath, the water's cooling off, and how long is a bath expected to take before someone else comes trotting in? She took the fastest bath of her life, and was bright red with scrubbing but quite clean when she tumbled out again, dried off, and slithered into the white robe left for her. The sleeves came to her elbows, and the hem nearly to her ankles. There were long loose trousers to go underneath, but so full as to seem almost a skirt, and they rippled and clung as she moved. The clothing all was made from something adequately opaque, but when she had tied the golden rope around her middle she still felt rather embarrassingly unclad; Homelander garb for its women involved many more layers. She looked at her dusty dressing-gown, but was reluctant to put it back on; and she was still hesitating over this as she dried her hair on the second towel and tried to part the tangle with her fingers, when Corlath returned, carrying a dark red robe very much like his golden one – and a comb. The handle of it was wide and awkward in her hand, but it had familiar teeth, and that was all that counte d. While she watched through her wet hair, the bath was half-emptied as it had been filled, and the rest carried out still in the silver basin. The four men at its handles walked so smoothly the water never offered to slop up the sides. Then there was a pause and one of the men of the household – or so she supposed the forehead mark indicated – entered carrying a mirror in a leather frame and knelt before her on one knee, propped the mirror on the other, and tipped it back till she could see her face in it. She looked down, bemused – the man's eyes were on the floor. Did household servants of the Hills all take lessons in tipping mirrors to just the right angle, relative to the height and posture of the person to be served? Perhaps it was a specialty, known only to a few; and those few, of course, would be preserved for the royal household. She parted her hair gravely and shook it back over her shoulders, where it fell heavily past her hips. The deep red of her robe was very handsome; the shadows it cast were as velvety as rose petals. â€Å"Thank you,† she said in Hill-speech, hoping that she remembered the right phrase; and the man stood up, bowed again, and went away. Meanwhile a long table was being erected under the peak of the tent, next to the central pillar. It consisted of many square sections, with a leg at each corner of each square, set next to each other in a long single row; she wondered how they managed to stand so level on the whimsical layers of carpet. Corlath was pacing up and down the end of the tent opposite her, head bent and hands behind him. Plates were arranged on the table – each setting, she saw, was given a plate, one of the curious flat-bowled spoons, two bowls of different sizes, and a tall mug. The table was very low, and there were no chairs; some of the cushions scattered all over the tent were gathered up and heaped around it. Then large bowls of bread and fruit and – she thought – cheese were brought in, and the lamp that hung from the wooden rib over the table was lowered till it hung only a few feet from the plentiful food. It was just a little above her eye level as she stood watching. The la nterns that hung from the ceiling beams were suspended on fine chains which were attached to slender ropes looped around a row of what looked very much like belaying-pins on a ship lined up against one wall. Corlath had stopped pacing, and his eyes followed the lowering of the lamp; but the expression on his face said that his thoughts were elsewhere. Harry watched him covertly, ready to look away if he should remember her; and as the lamp was fixed in its new position she saw him return to himself with a snap. He walked a few steps forward to stand at one end of the long table; then he looked around for her. She was not in a good position for judging such things, but she felt that he recalled her existence to his mind with something of an effort, as a man will recall an unpleasant duty. She let him catch her eye, and he gestured that she should take her place at his left hand. At that moment the golden silk door was lifted again, and another group of men filed in. She recognized two of them: they were the men who had ridden with Corlath to assist at her †¦ removal. She was a little surprised that she should recognize them so easily, since what she had mostly seen of them was the backs of their heads when they averted their faces, or the tops of their heads or hoods when they stared at the ground. But recognize them she did, and felt no fear about staring at them full-face now, for they showed no more inclination than they ever had for looking back at her. There were eighteen men all told, plus Corlath and herself; and she was sure she could have recognized them as a group, as belonging together and bound together by ties as strong as blood or friendship, even if they had been scattered in a crowd of several hundred. They had an awareness of each other so complete as to be instinctive. She knew something of the working of this sort of camaraderie from watching Dedham and some of his men; but here, with this group of strangers, she could read it as easily as if it were printed on a page before her; and their silence – for none bothered with the kind of greeting Harry was accustomed to, any Hill version of hello and how are you – made it only more plain to her. Rather than finding their unity frightening, and herself all alone and outside, she found it comforting that her presence should so little disturb them. That instinctive awareness seemed to wrap around her too, and accept her: an outsider, an Outlander and a woman, a nd yet here she was and that was that. She sat when everyone else sat, and as bowls and plates were passed she found that hers were filled and returned to her without her having to do anything but accept what was given her. Knives appeared, from up sleeves and under sashes and down boot tops, and Corlath produced an extra one from somewhere and gave it to her. She felt the edge delicately with one finger, and found it very keen; and was faintly flattered that the prisoner should be allowed so sharp an instrument. No doubt because any one of these men could take it away from me at my first sign of rebellion, without even interrupting their chewing, she thought. She began to peel the yellow-skinned fruit on her plate, as the man opposite her was doing. It seemed years since she had faced Sir Charles across the breakfast table. She didn't notice when the conversation began; it proceeded too easily to have had anything so abrupt as a beginning, and she was preoccupied with how to manage her food. From the tone of their voices, these men were reporting to their king, and the substance of the reports was discussed as a matter of importance all around the table. She understood no word of it, for â€Å"yes† and â€Å"no† and â€Å"please† and â€Å"good† are almost impossible to pick out when talk is in full spate, but it was a language she found pleasant to listen to, with a variety of sounds and syllables that she thought would well lend themselves to any mood or mode of expression. Her mind began to wander after a little time. She was exhausted after the long ride, but the tension of her position – I will not say that I am utterly terrified – served admirably to keep her awake and uneasily conscious of all that went on around her. She wondered if any of these men would give it away by look or gesture if the conversation turned to the Outlander in their midst. But after a bath, and clean clothes, even these odd ones, and good food, for the food was very good, and even the company, for their companionship seemed to hold her up like something tangible, her mind insisted on relaxing. But that relaxation was a mixed blessing at best, because as the tension eased even a little, her thoughts unerringly reverted to trying to puzzle out why she was where she found herself. Something to do with that abortive meeting at the Residency, between the Hillfolk and the Outlanders, presumably. But why? Why me? If I could be stolen from my bed – or my window-seat – then they could steal somebody from some other bed – and Sir Charles seems a lot more likely as a political figure. She repressed a grin. Though a very unlikely figure for riding across a saddlebow. There had to be a better reason than that of physical bulk for the choice of herself over †¦ whoever else was available. She had been spirited out of her own house, with the doors locked and the dogs out, and Sir Charles and Lady Amelia asleep only a few steps away. It was as if Corlath – or his minions – could walk through walls: and if they could walk through the Residency walls and over the Residency dogs, probably they could walk through any other walls – at least Homelander walls – that they chose. It was uncanny. She remembered that Dedham, whose judgment she trusted above all others' at the station, and who knew more than any other Homelander about his adopted country, believed in the uncanniness of certain of the Hillfolk's tactics. Which brought her back to square one of this game: Why her? Why Harry Crewe, the Residency's charity case, who had only been in this country at all for a few months? There was one obvious answer, but she discarded it as soon as it arose. It was too silly, and she was convinced that, whatever failings Corlath and his men might be capable of, silliness wasn't one of them. And Corlath didn't look at her the way a man looks at a woman he plans to have share his bed – and his interest would have to be very powerful indeed for him to have gone to so much trouble to steal her. He looked at her rather as a man looks at a problem that he would very much prefer to do without. She supposed it was distinction of a sort to be a harassment to a king. She also swiftly, almost instinctively, discarded the idea that her Homelanders would mount any successful expedition to find her and bring her home again. The Hillfolk knew their desert; the Homelanders did not. And the Residency charity case would not warrant extraordinary efforts. She thought wryly: If Jack guesses where I am, he'll think I don't need rescuing †¦ but poor Dick; he'll manage to convince himself that it's his fault, he brought me out here in the first place †¦ She blinked hastily, and bit her lips. Her crossed legs were asleep, and the small of her back hurt. She was accustomed to sitting in chairs. She began surreptitiously to thump her thighs with her fists till they began to tingle painfully to life again; then she began on her calves. By the time she could feel when she wiggled her toes, the hot stiff feeling around her eyes had ebbed and she could stop blinking. The men of the household entered the royal tent again, and cleared the table. The bread and fruit were replaced by bowls of something dark and slightly shiny. When she was offered a bit of it she discovered it to be sticky and crunchy and very sweet, and by the time she had eaten most of her generous serving, and what remained was adhering to her face and fingers, she noticed that a bowl of water and a fresh napkin had been placed at each person's elbow. There was a momentary lull while everyone sighed and stretched; and Corlath said a few words to the men of the household, which caused one of them to leave the tent and the other three still present to go around the walls extinguishing the lanterns, all except the one lamp that hung low over the table. The heavy woven walls shone in the daylight so the inside was palely lit; and the lamp over the table burned like a small sun, casting half-shadows in the quiet corners of the glowing white walls and in the hollows of eyes. None spoke. Then the man returned, carrying a dark leather bag bound with brass in the shape of a drinking-horn. A thong hung from its neck and base, and this the man had looped over his shoulder. He offered it first to Corlath, who gestured to the man at his right. The man of the household handed it gravely to him, bowed, and left; there were none in the tent now but those twenty who sat round the table. The first man drank – one swallow; she could see him letting it slide slowly down his throat. He balanced the bag on the table and stared at the burning lamp. After a moment an expression passed over his face that was so clear Harry felt she should recognize it immediately; but she did not. She was shaken both by its strength and by her own failure to read it; and then it was gone. The man looked down, smiled, shook his head, said a few words, and passed the horn to the man sitting on his right. Each man took one mouthful, swallowed it slowly, and stared at the lamp. Some of them spoke and some did not. One man, with skin sunburned as dark as cinnamon but for a pale scar on his jaw, spoke for a minute or two, and words of surprise broke from several of his audience. They all looked to Corlath, but he sat silent and inscrutable, chin in hand; and so the drinking-horn was passed on to the next. One man Harry remembered in particular: he was shorter than most of the company, while his shoulders were very broad and his hands large. His hair was grizzled and his expression grim; his face was heavily lined, but whether with age or experience or both she could not guess. He sat near the foot of the table on the side opposite her. He drank, stared at the light, spoke no word, and passed the horn to the man on his right. All the others, even the ones who said nothing, showed something in their faces – something, Harry thought, that was transparent to any who had eyes to see beyond – some strong sensation, whether of sight or feeling – she could not even guess this much. But this man remained impassive, as opaque as skin and blood and bone can be. One could see his eyes move, and his chest heave as he breathed; there was no clue for further speculation. She wondered what his name was, and if he ever smiled. As the leather bag rounded the bottom of the table and started up the other side, and Harry could no longer see the faces of the drinkers, she dropped her eyes to her hands and complimented herself on how quietly they lay, the fingers easy, not gripping each other or whitening their knuckles around her mug. The mug was still half full of a pale liquid, slightly honey-sweet but without (she thought she could by now conclude) the dangers of the gentle-tasting mead it reminded her of. She moved one finger experimentally, tapped it against the mug, moved it back, rearranged her hands as a lady might her knitting, and waited. She was aware when the drinking-horn reached the man on her left, and was aware of the slight shudder that ran through him just before he spoke; but she kept her eyes down and waited for Corlath to reach across her and take the waiting horn. This was not something an Outlander would be expected to join in – and just as well. Whatever the stuff was, watching the men's faces when they drank made her feel a little shaky. And so she was much surprised when one of Corlath's hands entered her range of vision and touched the back of one of her hands with the forefinger. She looked up. â€Å"Take a sip,† he said. She reached out stiffly and took the brass-bound bag from the man who held it, keeping her eyes only on the bag itself. It was warm from all the hands that had held it, and up close she could see the complexity of the twisted brass fittings. It carried a slight odor with it: faintly pungent, obscurely encouraging. She took a deep breath. â€Å"Only a sip,† said Corlath's voice. The weight of the thing kept her hands from trembling. She tipped her head back and took the tiniest of tastes: a few drops only. She swallowed. It was curious, the vividness of the flavor, but nothing she could put a name to †¦ She saw a broad plain, green and yellow and brown with tall grasses, and mountains at the edge of it, casting long shadows. The mountains started up abruptly, like trees, from the flatness of the plain; they looked steep and severe and, with sun behind them, they were almost black. Directly in front of her there was a small gap in those mountains, little more than a brief pause in the march of the mountains' sharp crests, and it was high above the floor of the plain. Up the side of the mountain, already near the summit, was a bright moving ribbon. Horsemen, no more than forty of them, riding as quickly as they could over the rough stony track, the horses with their heads low and thrown forward, watching their feet, swinging with their strides, the riders straining to look ahead, as though fearing they might come too late. Behind the riders were men on foot, bows slung slantwise over their backs, crossed by quivers of arrows; there were perhaps fifty of them, and they followed the horses, with strides as long as theirs. Beside them were long brown moving glints, supple as water, that slid from light to shade too quickly to be identified; four-footed, they looked to be; dogs perhaps. The sunlight bounced off sword hilts, and the metal bindings of leather arms and harness, and shields of many shapes, and the silver strings of bows. The far sides of the mountains were less steep, but no less forbidding. Broken foothills extended a long way, into the hazy distance; a little parched grass or a few stunted trees grew where they could. Below the gap in the mountains by any other path but through the valley would be impossible, at least for horses. The gap was one that a small determined force would be able to defend – for a time. The bright ribbon of horsemen and archers collected in the small flat space behind the gap, and became a pool. Here there was a little irregular plateau, with shallow crevasses, wide enough for small campsites, leading into the rocky shoulders on either side, and with a long low overhanging shelf to one side that was almost a cave. The plateau narrowed to a gap barely the width of two horsemen abreast, where the mountain peaks crowded close together, just before it spilled into the scrub-covered valley, and the rock-strewn descending slopes beyond. The horsemen paused and some dismounted; some rode to the edge and looked out. At the far edge of the foothills something glittered, too dark for grass, too sharply peaked for water. When it spilled into the foothills it became apparent for what it was: an army. This army rode less swiftly than had the small band now arranging themselves in and around the pass, but their urgency was less. The sheer numbers of them were all the tactics they needed. But the little army waiting for them organized itself as seriously as if it had a chance of succeeding in what it set out to do; and perhaps some delay of the immense force opposing it was all that it required. The dust beyond the foothills winked and flashed as rank after rank approached the mountains †¦ †¦ and then time began to turn and dip crazily, and she saw the leader of the little force plunging down into the valley with a company behind him, and he drew a sword that flashed blue in his hand. His horse was a tall chestnut, fair as daylight, and his men swept down the hill behind him. She could not see the archers, but she saw a hail of arrows like rain sweeping from the low trees on either side of the gap. The first company of the other army leaped eagerly toward them, and a man on a white horse as tall as the chestnut and with red ribbons twisted into its long tail met the blue sword with one that gleamed gold †¦ †¦ and Harry found herself back in the tent, her throat hoarse as if from shouting: standing up, with a pair of strong hands clamped on her shoulders; and she realized that without their support she would sag to her knees. The fierce shining of the swords was still in her eyes. She blinked and shook her head, and realized she was staring at the lamp; so she turned her head and looked up at Corlath, who was looking down at her with something – she noticed with a shock – like pity in his face. She could think of nothing to say; she shook her head again, as if to shake out of it all she had just seen; but it stayed where it was. There was a silence, of a moment, or perhaps of half a year. She breathed once or twice; the air felt unnaturally harsh on her dry throat. She began to feel the pile of carpets pressing against her feet, and Corlath's hands slackened their grip. They stood, the two of them, king and captive, facing one another, and all the men at the table looked on. â€Å"I am sorry,† Corlath said at last. â€Å"I did not think it would take you with such strength.† She swallowed with some difficulty: the lovely wild flavor of the mad drink she had just tasted lingered in the corners of her mouth, and in the corners of her mind. â€Å"What is it?† Corlath made some slight gesture – of denigration or of ignorance. â€Å"The drink – we call it Meeldtar – Seeing Water, or Water of Sight.† â€Å"Then – all that I saw – I really saw it. I didn't imagine it.† â€Å"Imagine it? Do you mean did you see what was true? I do not know. One learns, eventually, usually to know, to be able to say if the seeings are to be believed or are †¦ imagined. But imagined as you mean it – no. The Water sends these things, or brings them.† There was a pause again, but nobody relaxed, least of all herself. There was more to it than this, than a simple – simple? – hallucination. She looked at Corlath, frowning. â€Å"What else?† she said, as calmly as if she were asking her doom. Corlath said, â€Å"There is something else,† as if he were putting it off. He hesitated, and then spoke a few words in a language she did not recognize. It wasn't the usual Darian she heard the natives around the Residency speak, or the slightly more careful tongue that Dedham and Mr. Peterson used; nor did it sound like the differently accented tongue the Hillfolk spoke, which was still recognizable to those who were fluent in Darian. This was a rougher, more powerful language to listen to, although many of the sounds – strange to her Homelander ears – were common with the Darian she was accustomed to. She looked at Corlath, puzzled, as he spoke a little further. She knew nothing of this language. â€Å"It is not familiar to you?† Corlath said at last; and when she shook her head, he said, â€Å"No, of course not, how could it be?† He turned around. â€Å"We might sit down again,† and sat down with great deliberateness. She sat down too, waiting. The look she had seen before on his face, that of a man facing a problem he would far rather avoid, had returned, but it had changed. Now his look said that he understood what the problem was, and it was much more serious than he had suspected. â€Å"There are two things,† he said. â€Å"The Water of Sight does not work so on everyone. Most people it merely makes ill. To a few it gives headaches; headaches accompanied by strange colors and queer movements that make them dizzy. There are very few who see clearly – we nineteen, here tonight, all of us have drunk the Water of Sight many times. But even for us, most of us see only a brief abrupt picture – sometimes the scene lasts so little time it is hard to recognize. Often it is of something familiar: one's father, one's wife, one's horse. There is a quality to these pictures, or memories, that is like nothing else, like no voluntary memory you might call up yourself. But often that is all. â€Å"Occasionally one of the people of our Hills sees more. I am one. You have just proven yourself another. I do not know why you saw what you did. You told us something of what you saw as you were seeing it. You may have seen a battle of the past – or one that never happened – or one that may yet happen; it may occur in Damar, or – in some other country.† She heard may yet happen as if those three words were the doom she had asked for; and she remembered the angry brilliance of the yellow-eyed Hill-king as he stood before the Residency far away. â€Å"But – † she said, troubled, hardly realizing she spoke aloud – â€Å"I am not even of your Hills. I was born and bred far away – at Home. I have been here only a few months. I know nothing of this place.† â€Å"Nothing?† said Corlath. â€Å"I said there were two things. I have told you the first. You told us what you saw as you saw it. But this is the second thing: you spoke in the Old Tongue, what we call the Language of the Gods, that none knows any more but kings and sorcerers, and those they wish to teach it to. The language I just spoke to you, that you did not recognize – I was repeating the words you had said yourself, a moment before.†

Celebrity Exploitation

No to Celebrity Exploitation Celebrities have been the eye-candy for mostly all walks of life. Many look up to celebrities whether it’s because of their beauty, talent, and or their accomplishments in life. Because of those reasons, celebrity culture has become one of our national obsessions. We feel the need to know every single thing that happens with all the famous stars, and have no problem invading their personal space. The paparazzi make celebrities feel like they’re a moving target – even when they’re not in public. They shouldn’t need to feel like that.Celebrities should be entitled to live without paparazzi exploitation, because at the end of the day, being a celebrity is just a job. They are people, too, and they are not entitled to entertain us with their private lives. There are many celebrities who have their privacy breached, and one of the recent celebrities to be exploited would be Kate Middleton. The Duchess of Cambridge has always been in the spotlight from the very beginning: to every event she has attended, her wedding, and now, her honeymoon – which was supposed to be personal.Tabloids everywhere published bottomless pictures of Kate Middleton, while she was on her second honeymoon with her husband. I feel the paparazzi have gone TOO far, with breaching one’s privacy. Is it really necessary to take pictures of people naked (yes, celebrities are people, too), without their consent? Kate Middleton has always been a huge role model for many people around the world, and to have the paparazzi try to degrade her image by exposing her personal body parts to the world is not right. Yes, she’s royalty, but she’s still human.I doubt any of you would like to have pictures of you naked leak out all over the internet without your permission. Before the bottomless scandal of Kate Middleton, there was another celebrity, which in my opinion, shouldn’t have been harassed the way she has g otten for her actions. Kristen Stewart, a very well-known actress, who have mostly gotten her fame from being the lead actress in â€Å"The Twilight Series†, had been heavily criticized by society, because she slept with her director – who is married and has children.But for crying out loud, Kristen is how old? 22? Her brain isn’t even fully developed yet, since the human brain fully matures at 25, according to a National Institutes of Health study. Jodie Foster, a well-known actress wrote a critique of Kristen Stewart, defending her. She wrote that, yes, celebrities get huge salaries, but that doesn’t mean that the media has a right to invade their privacy, and destroy someone’s sense of self. Kristen doesn’t deserve all the crap she’s been getting – at the end of the day, she’s only human.All of us make mistakes. So many people have affairs and they’re not being bashed on, what makes Kristen different? Creating tabloids about her mistakes isn’t helping with her well-being, and that’s why so many young celebrities turn out to be ill and do other reckless things. Many young celebrities have been consumed by the media’s judgement, and end up drowning themselves in drugs, sex, and parties to try and get away from it all. A perfect example would be Lindsay Lohan.Lindsay started her career at the age of 3, and now, she is currently 26 years old. Being 26, she has already been arrested several times for reckless driving and possession of drugs. Not to mention, her wild party lifestyle at the clubs. Now, she’s looked down upon many, after each and every mistake she has done. The paparazzi is partly to blame for trying to constantly expose these celebrities and their mistakes, feeling as if they are a moving target, being judge constantly by society to fit a certain standard just because they’re famous.The last celebrity, in my opinion, who is a great example of g etting over-exploited by paparazzi, was Princess Diana. Princess Diana was killed in a car crash, while trying to get away from paparazzi. This is a perfect example of a celebrity who has been harassed by paparazzi to a point of death, just because they wanted to get the new scoop of her and her lover, Dodi Fayed. I don’t think famous people should have to struggle being constantly harassed by paparazzi.It’s hard enough having to fit everyone’s standards of being a celebrity in public -good fashion, pretty face and body, and personality. They shouldn’t feel the need to fit that persona when they’re not in public. In conclusion, celebrities are normal people, too. They shouldn’t get criticized by media if they have been caught by the paparazzi doing things that may be considered scandalous. I’m pretty sure many people do what celebrities do in their private life, in their everyday lives.Yes, celebrities make more money and are generall y far more interesting than normal people, but sometimes, a little too much attention from the media can affect their personal lives. Being a celebrity is a job. And just like any other job, there’s a time and place just to have your personal time. Paparazzi can take pictures of celebrities when they’re in public, but please, they shouldn’t go so far as to invading one’s private life just to gain money. Just try putting yourself in these famous people’s shoes – I bet you wouldn’t want your personal lives be exploited, am I right?

Cancer

Cancer Essay The problem is cancer. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world and my interest in the subject is simple. My mother is the most resilient person I have ever met. Any time I need any kind of inspiration, I need only to think of her. When she was eighteen she was diagnosed with Hodgkins disease. The doctors gave her a less than thirty percent chance of living. Since then she has had cancer three other times. Breast cancer twice in 85 and 90, and most recently, colon cancer two summers ago. She has had many different treatments including chemo and radiation therapy as well as surgery to remove lumps in both breasts and her colon. What is cancer? There are more than 100 different types of cancer. It occurs when cells become abnormal and divide without control or order. Normally, cells divide in an orderly way to produce more cells only when the body needs them. If cells keep dividing when new cells are not needed, a mass of tissue forms. This mass of extra tissue, called a growth or tumor, can be benign or malignant. (National Institute of Health) Benign tumors are not cancer. They do not invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body. Benign tumors usually can be removed and are seldom a threat to life. Malignant tumors are cancer. They can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. Cancer can also break away from a malignant tumor and enter the bloodstream and lymphatic system. Through the lymphatic system is one of cancers best modes of transport for spreading to form new tumors in other parts of the body. The spread of cancer is called metastasis. Malignant tumors must be treated or will be fa tal. There are many treatments for cancer. Among these are radiation, chemotherapy, surgery and the rapidly growing field of genetic therapy. It was discovered that when radioactive waves were directed on human cells, the cells would be destroyed. The idea of using this technology on cancer was a good one but was unsuccessful at first due to the damage caused to surrounding tissues. Then the analogy drawn from a simple story gave insight on how to focus the rays on the cancer and not harm the surrounding tissues and organs. The story goes like this. A small country was ruled from a strong fortress by a dictator. The fortress was situated in the middle of the country, surrounded by farms and villages. Many roads led to the fortress through the countryside. A rebel general vowed to capture the fortress. The general knew that an attack by his entire army would capture the fortress. He gathered his army at the head of one of the roads, ready to launch a full-scale direct attack. However, the general then learned that the dictator had planted mines on each of the roads. The mines were set so that small bodies of men could pass over them safely, since the dictator needed to move his troops and workers to and from the fortress. However, any large force would detonate the mines. Not only would this blow up the road, but it would also destroy many neighboring villages. It therefore seemed impossible to capture the fortress. However, the general devised a simple plan. He divided his army into small groups and dispatched each group to the head of a different road. When all were ready he gave the signal and each group marched down a different road. Each group continued down its road to the fortress so that the entire army arrived together at the fortress at the same time. In this way, the general was able to capture the fortress and overthrow the dictator. READ: Picasso Persuasive EssayThis simple story was the basis for intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). This is a technique used to treat cancerous tumors on which a removal operation could not be performed. Interesting dose distributions generated by IMRT allow a better sparing of normal tissues with decreased acute and late toxicity, and offer a window for further dose escalations. (De Neve W; Claus F; Van Houtte P; Derycke S; De Wagter C) In order to get a radiation beam of high enough intensity to hit

Environmental Heat Policy Brief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Environmental Heat Policy Brief - Essay Example This can be primarily attributed to the widespread impacts it has on the global environmental efforts, the economy and even to the household. Moreover there are a horde of stakeholders involved, each with his/her vested interest. Founding a common ground is impossible due to differences in interests from the stakeholders. To begin with, any policy has the potential to impact negatively on the cost of energy, which shall be automatically unacceptable and unpopular to the citizens. According to the documentary Heat by Martin Smith, the cost of capturing and storage of carbon dioxide alone would increase the cost of energy by 20-30%. Consequently, the energy policy indeed touches and impacts directly on every American, therefore, the public at large is interested in the debate. Secondly, there are several stakeholders with vested interests they are keen to protect. Greatest of them all is the automakers who have aggressively lobbied to prevent congress from enacting tough laws to regula te fuel economy standards. To do so, they have sought the services lawmakers such as Dingell beholden to cooperate agenda, to advance and protect their interest. The documentary provides an attempt by the State of California to seek the consent of EPA to enact stricter fuel economy standards than the federal government. ... An example is given of the Exxon Mobil which invested over $ 4billion and raked in $ 40billion in profits in the year 2007. Consequently given the figures involved, policies that affect such ventures are bound to elicit extensive and unending debate. Fourthly, different states have different agenda and interest. Detroit for instance has resisted any attempts to raise fuel economy standards for more than 32 years. This is unlike California that has been at the forefront to raise the same. Consequently, efforts by California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to raise it attracted wrath from Detroit and was dubbed enemy number one. Lastly, it is due to the impact the energy sector plays towards the emissions of greenhouse gases which have attracted the global attention. Indeed, it is the major sources of energy such as oil and coal that contribute the greatest to global carbon dioxide emission. Therefore, any policy has to be in line with the global objective or reducing carbon dioxide emi ssions. As highlighted above, the key players in this policy area are diverse, first it is the automakers whose cars consume a lot of energy in the form of fuels and cause a lot of emissions more than Europe, Japan, India and Asia combined. Others include the oil sectors players such as big oil companies who invest a lot of money to explore and exploit oil. Their main source of revenue is carbon and therefore they are involved a lot in the policy making. The politicians also play a vital role in this policy area, ranging from the executive, senators and state governors. For example, the Automakers employ the help of Dingell, a senator, to lobby against any fuel restriction laws. Another example highlighted in the documentary involving an active white house

Law events Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Law events - Essay Example Among these factors, it is generally considered that regulations pose the most potential threat to any firm doing business. Experts call this as regulatory risks that can alter the way a firm operates, whether it adds to its costs or even imperil its existence. An example is clean air standards and higher mileage requirements in the auto industry. The oil industry has likewise adjusted and transitioned to lead-free gasoline in most nations. There are so many rules, regulations, and laws for business firms to comply with, it costs a significant amount to do business nowadays. There are regulations on environment, on workplace safety, consumer protection, employees’ health, fair competition, taxes and business practices which require substantial compliance or otherwise face stiff fines and penalties. The list is practically endless, such that a recent study indicated it costs $10,000 more per worker for a firm to comply with all federal regulations. This paper looks at one such new rule. Discussion The sub-prime housing mortgage crisis which started in late 2007 and which in turn caused the lingering effects of the so-called Great Recession even until today was due to the indiscriminate and widespread lax lending practices of banks, mortgage associations, and other financial institutions that resulted in easy access to credit even for those not qualified. It triggered the worst recession ever since the Great Depression of the 1930s and in turn caused the collapse of many venerable lending institutions, forcing the government to bail them out. A host of new laws had been passed to regulate almost all aspects of business operations in order to prevent white-collar fraud, corporate scandals, and other unsavory business practices. Among prominent laws passed at that time was the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (or SOX) in which corporate chairmen, board members, and external auditors are jointly liable for any substantial financial misstatements found on audited financial reports which investors rely upon. The fragile economic recovery has led many economists to term it as jobless growth, because few jobs were created, and many lost high-paying jobs are expected never to return. The financial crisis has spread to Europe and other parts of the world, it has become sort of a global contagion, in which economies plugged into a globalized world got adversely affected. In America, many homes fell below their original market values, putting homeowners at risk for eviction and foreclosure proceedings from the banks and other big lenders. The credit that was so plentiful suddenly dried up, putting many individuals in a credit or cash crunch. Many American individuals and households had also maximized their credit use to such an extent many of them got over-extended when they maxed out their credit cards for purchase of consumer items and durables which they soon regretted. In other words, people were deeply in debt, and in this volatile situation, the lender s and banks soon turned into a more aggressive collection techniques and strategies to recover their

Four Forces of Evolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Four Forces of Evolution - Essay Example It is worth denoting that the four forces often correspond to changes in the frequencies of allele, genetic drift, natural selection, mutation, gene flow, and genetic hitchhiking. Natural selection focuses on the evolution of species. It is denoted that specie is a fundamental unit of biological categorization and a taxonomic position. This is one of the fundamental grounds of evolutionary theory. Natural selection attempts to highlight dissimilarities in characteristics among species such as coloring. The major premise of natural selection is that a trait that allows a person to survive in an environment usually triumphs. Natural selection happens after the meeting of reproduction, variation in offspring numbers per person, variations in the physical attributes, and heredity condition (Ruse and Joseph 136). Variation within the evolutionary world focuses on the distinctive characteristics that define organisms, as well as their actions. Mutation is a significant variation source, and work as an evolution mechanism when there are contrasting probabilities at the level of molecules for varied mutations to happen. This procedure is regarded as mutation bias. Supposing two genotypes, one having nucleotide G and the other with nucleotide A within a similar position possess similar fitness, even though the mutation from G-A occurs more frequently compared to the mutation from A-G, then genotypes within A will evolve. Deletion mutation and different insertion biases within contrasting taxa can result to the evolution of dissimilar genome sizes. Mutational or developmental biases were also observed under morphological evolution (Ruse and Joseph 154). Genetic drift signifies alterations within the frequencies of alleles from a generation to the subsequent due to subjecting alleles to sampling errors. Accordingly, when the selective forces are relatively weak or

Forum Post Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Forum Post - Assignment Example Recently, there has been increased use of drones for air strikes on enemy territory. Currently, the use of real-time information has facilitated tracking, supplying acquisitions and for improved ability in sensing danger and responding to the altercations immediately. In addition, the establishment of military bases in foreign countries is another warfare strategy adopted to enhance military response time. World War II presented a unique opportunity for the application of cutting edge technological advancements in modern warfare. This was in order to gain a competitive advantage over an enemy. The war (1939-1945), was unique in that it marked the beginning of many changes and challenges that not only affected logical support and weaponry, but also medicine, intelligence and communication. In terms of military grade weaponry advancement, there were many advancements in terms of small arms and aircraft machinery. During the war, there were significant changes made in terms of ballistic missiles, the use of jet aircrafts and other military grade weapons utilized today. In terms of the small arms, new weapons with better recoil and bullet capacity began to be produced. In addition, the war marked the first time that nuclear weapons were used to defeat an enemy and it led to the development of warfare logistics aimed at countering the effects of a nuclear explosion. Head argues that during WW2, there was greater need for the supply of ammunitions, logistics and food to combat soldiers who were very far from their home bases. There was also need for faster deployment of logistical support to ensure the soldiers’ survival and sustainability. There was a slight shift from predominantly relying on railways to using aircrafts and sea vessels for replenishing the armed forces in combat. The adoption of large scale motorized transport aided in tactical replenishment of supplies to soldiers in order to maintain

Bringing Wolves back into the wild Research Paper

Bringing Wolves back into the wild - Research Paper Example lupus species (Wolf Haven International, 2013). Wolf Haven International is also largely responsible for the advocacy of the wolf restoration programs and for their implementation once the law has already approved them. More importantly, however, the organization seeks to defend the claims that wolves are harmless creatures and should therefore be restored back to their original sanctuary in the wild (Wolf Haven International, 2013). Several reasons for this include the benefits of wolves to the ecosystem and the lack of evidence to support the alleged danger of wolves. According to Frank (2012), a new research study in Yellowstone claimed that the restoration of wolves into their original wildlife sanctuary resulted in â€Å"many parts of the ecosystem [becoming] more vibrant and multifaceted.† There is actually nothing mystical or supernatural about this claim. The explanation is that the presence of wolves in their natural sanctuary has led to their consumption of the elk population in the area. Thus, this has resulted in the thriving of aspens, cottonwoods and willows because of such reduction in the elk population, which is considered their main consumers. Moreover, this has also led to the growth of more diverse trees and plants in the area, thus not only increasing the diversity of the ecosystem and producing a much cleaner environment. The increase in the diversity of the plant species and the reduction in the elk population in the sanctuary of the wolves produced higher oxygen levels and therefore cleaner rivers and streams. Thus, t hese bodies of water have become a better habitat for beaver and fish, which in turn served as food for bears and birds. Furthermore, there was also a relative increase in the number of bisons because they used to compete with elks in the area before the wolves were reintroduced. The reduction of

Protecting the natural environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Protecting the natural environment - Essay Example Catriona Mortimer aptly states that there should be a balance between Cronon’s wilderness-based environment view and Deluca’s human conservation-based environment concept. The key issue is whether to prioritize preserving or protecting the natural environment or filling the people’s need for wood, animal, and other natural environment needs. In Will Cronon's â€Å"The Trouble with Wilderness; or, Getting Back to the Wrong Nature," the author insists that ''only by exploring the middle ground will we learn ways of imaging a better world for all of us†¦ (85).† The quote clearly shows that environmentalism should include caring for both humans and nonhumans. Environmentalism should focus on helping both the poor and the rich, men and women, all individuals (without discrimination). The quote clearly shows that Cronon’s concern for the environment includes preserving the forests, plants, and animals. Further, Will Cronon insists that the natural en vironment includes the presence of freely roaming animals and abundant plant growth by indicating that the romantic legacy defines wilderness as a wonder topic (88). People should not abuse burning or cutting the forest in order to make homes or communities. The garden tree reminds the people that there are other trees living in the far distant natural forest environment. As proof, Cronon (73) insists that Edmund Burke, Immanuel Kant, William Gilpin postulated that sublime landscapes gives one more chances to have a personally commune with God. In addition, Will Cronon(85) emphasizes that humans should preserve the natural environment. Cronon insists without trees, people will no longer be able to have forest camping trips. Cronon defined people as having the selfish interest to destroy the natural environment. Cronon prefers that the forests and national parks should be preserved instead of hiring a jobless resident to cut down the trees. Cronon desires that it is preferable for th e jobless tree cutter resident to be jobless when compared to the cutting of trees. The jobless resident’s life is secondary when compared to the preservation of the natural forest and wildlife environment. In terms of survival, Will Cronon (85) puts the human needs behind the need to preserve our natural forest covers. Cronon (85) goes to state that cutting down trees is described as environmental abuse and irresponsibility. Norton further reiterates that people have a worst impression that people live the comforts of the urban industrial civilization and pretentiously create a beautiful image that the individual’s real home should be in the wilderness, working on a nine-to-five hectic job. Cronon (81) proposes that the defenders of biological diversity balance should appeal others to ensure the untouched virginal ecosystems should be retained at all costs. Consequently, people can retain the beauty and existence of the richest and most abundant animals and plants. Cr onon (69) insists that man’s last cure his too-muchness is the wilderness. The wilderness is an unexplored place where human touch has never infected (touched or encroached).Cronon further states that the wilderness will is the only antidote to the environment-debilitating human disease. Clearly, Cronon persuades that both people and the wilderness must live on equal terms, preserving the plants, animals, and humans. On the other hand, Kevin DeLuca's â€Å"A Wilderness Environmentalism Manifesto: Contesting the Infinite Self-Absorption of Humans† directly criticize Cronon's insistence that people should prioritize saving the forests, plants and animals. Kevin DeLuca opposes Cronon’s belief that the survival of the forest should higher than preservation of human life

Planet--61 Vir c Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Planet--61 Vir c - Essay Example The three planets forming the planetary system of 61 vir are vir b, vir c, vir d (table 2). They were discovered by a team of astronomers including Steven S. Vogt, Robert A. Wittenmyer, R. Paul Butler, Simon O’Toole, Gregory W. Henry, Eugenio J. Rivera, Stefano Meschiari, Gregory Laughlin, C. G. Tinney, Hugh R. A. Jones, Jeremy Bailey, Brad D. Carter, and Konstantin Batygin. The data leading to discovery of this planetary system was obtained from W. M. Keck observatory in Hawaii added to the observations made by Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) in New South Wales, Australia. The research was conducted in affiliation with National Science Foundation and NASA, who supported the research (Stephens). Table 1: Parameters of star 61 virginis 61 VIR Parameter Parameter Value References Year Stellar Type G5V Takeda et al. 2007 Mass 0.942(-0.029+0.034) solar masses Takeda et al. 2007 Radius 0.98Â ±0.03 solar radius Takeda et al. 2007 Age 8.96 (-3.08+2.76) Gyr Takeda et al. 2007 Distan ce from Solar System 27.8 light years Takeda et al 2007 Planets 3- Vir b, vir c, vir d Vogt et al. 2010 Table 2: Characteristics of planet 61 vir c (Vogt et al., 1366) 61 VIR C CHARACTERISTICS Characteristic Value Distance from its star (Semi major axis) 0.2175 (Â ±0.0001) AU Mass of Planet (M.sin i) 0.0573(Â ±0.0035)MJ Discovery method/date code RV09 Sibling Planets Vir b and Vir d Orbital period 38.012Â ±0.036 days (Epoch JD 2453369.166) 38.021Â ±0.034 days (Keplerian orbital solutions) Eccentricity 0.14 61 VIRGINIS: 61 Viginis or HD 115617, is located at a distance of 28 light years (8.52 parsecs from the solar system, and is a part of the constellation virgo, along with many other stars namely Spica, ? virginis, ?virginis 70 virginis, chi virginis. The constellation virgo can easily be located on the basis of Spica, which is the brightest star of this constellation. Continuing on the curve formed by the seven major stars of ursa major, known as big dipper; to the star Arctur us of bootes constellation; the star spica can be located. The star belongs to the category of GV5 star, i.e. it is a main sequence star of G type while V is indicative of its luminosity. Main sequence refers to the stage of the life of a star. Stars occupying a position on Hertzsprung-Russel plot as a consequence of their absolute levels of brightness and colour index are known as main sequence stars (figure 1). Both of these properties are dependent on the mass of star which in turn is determined by the chemical composition and chemical reactions responsible for energy of the star (Habets and Heintze, 193). Figure 1: Hertzsprung-Russel plot (http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net) Thus the primary feature of a main sequence star is that it is in hydrostatic equilibrium, converting hydrogen in its core to helium by nuclear fusion; while simultaneously increasing in size. They form 91% of the stars known, are also known as dwarf stars in contrast to the rest which are known as white dwar fs (8%) and giants (1%). Our sun is a main sequence star and so is Virginis 61. The main sequence stars are further classified in to spectral classes depending on their temperature and other features such as luminosity and mass. Vir 61 belongs to spectral class G5, i.e. with a surface temperature of 10,000? C, Mass of 0.92 solar mass, luminosity 0.8 solar luminosity and lifespan of 15 billion years. (Habets and Heint

We Cannot Live in It Can We Live Without It Essay Example for Free

We Cannot Live in It Can We Live Without It Essay Water is very important to us. Period. We will die without it, but unfortunately we also can not live with too much water. Our bodies are not designed to handle too much water. Our infrastructures also can not withhold massive amounts of water. Therefore we hope things like tsunamis, or hurricanes or typhoon or heavy snowfall or blizzard would not occur in an extreme manner. We all know our resources are depleting and I am going to encourage you to find ways to safe water. We have too much water this year, thats true. At the moment, despite of too many chaotic problems happening in the Arabian countries, other countries are trying to stay alive fighting with the environment. Australia has so much water, flood upon floors. Brazil as well, also flood. Many parts of Europe are having so much snow this winter, and even in US, many states are just struggling to keep their home premises snow-free. So why should we start to save water? and How? Good old days. In the good old days, people collect rain water. I remember my grandmothers garden had 3 huge vase like the picture on the right at the corner of the house where the pipes would hang out from the roof. When it rains the rainwater would flow down to these huge vase. Save money my grandmother replied whenever I ask her why she had those three huge vases in the garden. I dont have to use clean water to water plant. They dont need drinking water, rainwater is the best for them. Very natural, good for me and for them. When she washed the rice, she would not just throw away the rice water, she would pour it over her plants. Or when she washed fish or shrimps. she would do the same. Very nutritious for them. She would tell me. The good old days, people then would look at the resources around them and then think about how the resources can benefit humans and nature. Now, what happen between good old days and now? Water is an increasingly and precious topic of discussion worldwide. The irrational use and pollution from major sources (rivers and lakes) can cause a lack of fresh water very soon, if no action is taken. Soon there will be a lack of water for irrigation in many countries, especially in poor countries. The continent hardest hit by water shortages are: Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The need for fresh water increased about two times more than the world population. This was caused by high consumption of water for industrial and agricultural areas. Unfortunately, only 2.5% of Earths water is fresh water. The main causes of deterioration of rivers, lakes and oceans are pollution and contamination by pollutants and sewage. Humans have caused all this damage to nature, through the waste, sewage, industrial waste and mining without control. Aquifers (large underground reserves of fresh water) have already been explored. In South America, we have one of the largest aquifers in the world. Much of the water of this aquifer is located in the Brazilian underground. Studies of the World Water Commission and other international agencies show that billions of people on our planet are living without the bare minimum of health conditions. Millions of persons have no access to drinking water. Given these serious problems, several diseases such as diarrhea, hepatitis and many others are spread. Haiti According to the Center for Infectious Disease Control (CDC), based in Atlanta, United States, approximately 1.3 million Haitians are still living in relief camps after the January earthquake, hindering access to drinking water, health conditions and health care. The first cases of the disease, transmitted through contaminated water or food, were recorded at the river Arbonite, in the north. Cases of cholera have been identified in all ten regions of Haiti. About 1,100 people have died from the disease last month. In total at least 17 000 cases of the disease have been recorded. It is necessary that the public be informed that the disease is treatable. Cholera causes diarrhea and vomiting, leading to acute dehydration. The disease can kill quickly, but is easily treated with antibiotics and hydration. Simple measures can help us avoid the water-borne diseases: Bathe daily; Using the toilet; Wash hands thoroughly before and after using the toilet; Wash hands thoroughly before eating; Trim fingernails and keep them clean; Only drink water that has been filtered and / or boiled; Wash fruits and vegetables before eating them; It is estimated that 76% of Haitians live on less than $ 3 per day and 50% have less than $ 1 a day. A bar of soap costs in normal times, $ 0.50 in most markets and Haitians, for many families, washing hands turned a potentially fatal dilemma between using the little money to buy soap or buy food. The head of the NGO Doctors without Borders in Haiti, the Italian Stefano Zannini, in a tone of relief and frustration in an interview last Wednesday, said that the workload is stressful. It is not easy to work with the smell, the noise and pressure of so many patients. He said they are working 24 hours a day and they are overloaded. Zannini also says none of the measures to contain the epidemic is meant to doctors. They depend on washing hands; have clean water and be provided by suitable target to corpses and human feces.

Population of Bird in Acacia Mangium Proposal

Population of Bird in Acacia Mangium Proposal BIRD POPULATION IN EIGHT YEARS OLD OF Acacia Mangium PLANTATION IN SABAH LEE WOONJAH 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background of Study Bird is a class of animals that live in a wide range of environments, from the tropical regions to the polar region. Them consists over 10,000 species (Betz Parr, n.d.). Each species of bird has a restricted range of size from small to large because the wing size of birds is vary. In tropical region, birds play roles as pest controller or pollinator to plants and animals. In Borneo, there are 643 species of birds recorded. (Wong, 2012). However, bird species found in natural forest and plantation are different. Many tropical forests have been converted into plantation or agriculture due to the demand of raw materials. According to FAO (XX), many private sectors are involve in forest plantation plan such as Sabah Forest Industries (SFI), Sabah Softwoods (SS), Sabah Forest Department Authority (SAFODA) and other companies. Those companies are established fast growing tree species in forest plantation area. Tree species planted are generally exotic such as Acacia mangium, Paraserianthes falcataria and Tectona grandis. The reason for plant exotic species is provide sustainable supply of wood materials for its industrial uses in short periods. To ensure the sustainable wood material supply, fast growing species of trees are recommended to the industrial plantation. Acacia mangium is a species that contribute for the wood production in Malaysia. A. mangium has been planted widely in East Malaysia for the wood based industry. (Adam et al, n.d.) This species of tree is well develops in Sabah because of its desirable properties which is rapid growth, good wood quality and tolerance to poor soil condition. (Krisnawati et al., 2011) Acacia mangium is originates from the humid tropical forest of north-eastern Australia. The tree species was successful introduced to Sabah in the mid of 1960’s. (Krisnawati et al., 2011) This fast growing species can produce more raw materials for the industrial uses in a shorter period. However, conversion of natural forest to plantation or agricultural will influence the habitat of bird. In forest plantation, the food resources may decrease or confine and also influence the place for nesting. As such, the relationship between species of bird and its population is important to be investigated. 1.2 Problem Statement Birds consist of different composition base on its attribute and adaptation to forest plantation. Bird can be biological controller and pollinator. For example, biological pest control is more suitable for control of pest compare to chemical in order to ensure the quality of trees. However, bird population is different in many types of forest. The reason is mostly the development of land under the plantation planning. The land-use planning confines the vegetation such as monoculture. Vegetation in primary forest is dense and richer then forest plantation. Therefore, bird species is more diverse and the population of bird is higher. Birds are migrates from one place to another place due to vary reason. The most common reason is environment change. Food resources are not diverse as primary forest. Mostly forest plantation is undergoes monoculture planting method. Tree species for plantation in Sabah are generally fast growing species such as Acacia mangium, Eucalyptus deglupta, Tectona grandis and others species. Clear felling before establish plantation can cause bird population decline dramatically. The reason is no suitable place for nesting and feeding. On the other hand, this type of research is seldom done in forest plantation. However, there are some researches done in Sabah Softwoods (SS) but not yet done in SFI. The previous study is not focus on bird population in forest plantation. The study of bird population requires to updates constantly due to the global changing. Therefore, this comparison is important to obtain more precise data with the previous study. 1.3 Justification Bird species in forest plantation remains lack of publishable information for investigate bird population in Sabah. Limitation of data will influence it credibility for future plantation planning and management. Through this research, general bird species will be investigated and evaluate the bird population in Acacia mangium plantation at the age of five year old. This finding of study can act as the future references for the occurrence and assemblage of bird species in forest plantation. 1.4 Objectives To investigate the population of bird in Acacia mangium of eight years old. To compare the bird diversity in forest plantation with the previous study. 1.5 Limitation There are some limitations in this research. First limitation is weather. Bird observation is usually conducts under sunny or cloudy day. Observation normally does not conduct during raining day because birds are hard to identify and the safety factors. Secondly, Timing for bird observation is critical. Bird observation is conduct start from seven o’clock at morning until noon. The reason is observer require to know the bird habitats such the duration time for searching food sources. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Definition of Bird Bird is an animal that consists of more than 8600 species worldwide. (McDade, 2005) Birds are grouped into the Animalia Kingdom, Phylum of Chordata and under the class of Aves. (â€Å"Bird Calssifications/ Families†, 2009). All types of birds consist of backbone and hence are grouped into the Chordata Phylum. In the Class Aves, birds can be classify into 23-40 orders.(â€Å"Bird classification†, 2015) The size of birds are vary due to its habitat and also influenced by the environments. Birds have few characteristics such pair of wings, bill, tails, and feathers to distinguish them with others. Wings are the important part for birds to fly. Birds, unlike the others animals, are walk on the ground but mostly they have evolved the capability for flight. Birds have moveable wings but not alike to the fixed wings of aircraft. Their wings are powered by muscles and can soar to the sky rapidly. Some soaring birds like albatross, can fly using their wings and using air currents as a source of power. (Betz Parr, n.d.). Bird forelimbs have evolved into wings and their bones are hollow and can decrease their weight. Weight is also an issue that influence their flying capability. For example, goose and domestic chicken. Feather is one of the unique characteristic of birds and make them difference among living animals. Feathers are made of keratin and adapt to flight. Wings made of feathers are adjustable, which mean the soft down feathers is thermally insulating a bird body. Birds can fly to escape their enemies or nesting at higher place that they enable to walk to. (McDade, 2005) Feathers are crucial for bird to fly. The contour feathers on the body establish the smooth, streamlined contour of bird body and enlarged the flight feathers. However, feathers also provide a windproof and waterproof covering for birds to prevent them from get cold and maintain their body temperature. In bird behaviour, feathers are an important factor to attract the female birds during the courtship and mating. In many species of birds, male birds are generally has brighter color of feathers while female birds have drab feathers. (â€Å"Aves: More on Morphology†, n.d.) Bills of bird are different in shapes and colors. Different shaped of bills serve different ecological purposes and adapt to the bird’s feeding habits. For instance, Bird’s with short thin bills is for insect eater, long thin bills can for probing flowers or soft mud for worms. The bill is allows the birds to pick fruit or food sources from the end of branches. A bird bill is composed of a number of rhamphotheca that is made of keratin. 2.2 Definition of Acacia mangium Acacia mangium also known as Acacia mangium Wild, or called as akasia mangium in Malay, is a type of fast–growing tree species in plantation programs throughout the Asia and Pacific. This species of tree is origin from the north-eastern Australia, eastern Indonesia and western Papua New Guinea. (http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/134648/2/PR035.pdf#page=157). Krisnawati, Kallio and Kanninen (2011) reported that A. mangium has been widely introduced to many Asia countries and successful introduced to Malaysia in the mid of 1960. A.mangium become one of the major tropical plantation forestry species because of its fast growing capability and cam adapt well in the poor soil condition. (Dhamodaran Chacko, 1999) This tree species can grow rapidly in the acidic soils and degraded sites but it is intolerant to the shade condition, and grows to be stunted. (Krisnawati, Kallio and Kanninen ,2011). Acacia mangium is a species of tropical lowland climatic zone characteristic and required high total annual rainfall (about 1000- 4500 mm). Tree growth will be slow down if the dry period is prolonged. Acacia mangium generally can grow up to a height of 25-35 meter with a straight bole and the diameter at breast height (dbh) of over 60cm. (Dhamodaran Chacko, 1999). However, it is rare for Acacia mangium tree grow until 60cm of dbh because it is time consuming and growth of tree will declines rapidly after seven or eight years and except under very ideal conditions over a long periods. (Dhamodaran Chacko, 1999). A. mangium tree height can increase up to 10-15m in the first two to three years and increases dramatically up to 25 m at about 5 years. Acacia mangium wood has potential be the raw material for pulp and paper, furniture, woodchips and others wood products. Its leaves can serve as the forage for livestock or decomposes be the soil fertilizer. Besides that, Acacia mangium sawdust can provide the substrate for the edible mushroom. (Lemmens etal, 1995) However, this tree species also useful for improve soil fertility. They can maintain the percentage of nitrogen and increase the soil biological activity. This tree is suitable to plant at the areas that heavily infested by weeds and it have the ability to overcome the competition from weeds such as Immperata grass. (Dhamodaran Chacko, 1999) 2.3 Biodiversity in Forest Plantation Forest plantation is covered more than 80 percent globally and Asia region is covered around 116 hectares (62 percent) in 2000. Forest plantation defined as forest stands established by planting in the afforestation or reforestation process. However, forest plantation area is establishes rapidly worldwide due to the demand of wood material. This trend has become loss of biodiversity especially for developing countries. Vegetation in primary forest is dense than In Sabah, forest plantation is mostly developed by state government during 1970an. Biodiversity in Malaysia is vary among the world. For example, there are more than 220 species of birds in the primary jungle of Malaysia. (Phillipps Phillipps, 2014) The index of biodiversity is changing based on the land use planning. Biodiversity is different between different types of forest as such as primary forest, secondary forest and plantation estate. Birds are migrates from one place to another place due to vary reason. The most common reason is environment change. Food resources are not diverse as primary forest. Mostly forest plantation is undergoes monoculture planting method. Tree species for plantation in Sabah are generally fast growing species such as Acacia mangium, Eucalyptus deglupta, Tectona grandis and others species. Clear felling before establish plantation can cause bird population decline dramatically. The reason is no suitable place for nesting and food searching. 3.0 Methodology 3.1 Location of Study The study site for this research is the eight years old Acacia mangium plantation in Sabah Forest Industries (SFI). Sabah Forest Industries (SFI) is located Sepitang, Sabah (Coordinates: 5 °144N 115 °3123E) and at the southwestern of Sabah state. This company is manages about 288138 hectares of forest estates that consist of natural forest management (NFM) area and industrial tree plantation. The total area for NFM area is 104822 hectares and industrial tree plantation area are consist by titled land (11845 hectares) and non-titled land (171471 hectares). This company was operated since 1987. Currently, SFI is own by Ballarpur Industries Limited which is a part of Avantha Group of companies. Geographical location Map Topography at sfi Historical of sfi and size of plantation SFI is the only one integrated pulp and paper manufacturer and is one of timber growers and wood processors in Malaysia. In SFI, consist of saw mill, veneer and plywood factory and pulp and paper manufacturing facilities. Market for SFI includes the domestic and international market of writing paper and market pulp. Wood material of SFI is harvest from forest estate that included NFM area and plantation. 3.2 Methods I will use transect survey to conduct this research. Transect is situated in Acacia mangium plantation. Each transect is 500m long and consist of 10 points. Each point is 50m apart. Observer obtains the incident data by bird sighting. I use incident observation as the method to observe bird in plantation. Observations are made using 3060 binocular. (Mohammad et al. 2011). Binocular is equipment that used to observe the bird species and its characteristics. After observation, the bird characteristic is sketched and recorded in sketch book. The incident data is recorded including the date, time, location and morphology of bird species. The bird species are then identified using Wong (2012). 3.3 Data Analysis After all data is collect, I identify each species of bird according to their morphology. The data is then analysis by using Shannon Index. 4.0 Expected result The species of bird is expected to have babbler, fantail, flowerpecker and spiderhunter at five years old A. mangium plantation. The reason is they are mainly insectivores species. Acacia mangium trees will produces seed pods once a year and this can attract some bird to foraging in the plantation. 5.0 Budget Binocular is the essential item for bird observing and it cost RM 30 which brought through website. There are two references books needed in this research. â€Å"Birds of Borneo† is a references book for identify bird follow the data that recorded in the sketch book. This book is written by Wong Tsu Shi and published by John Beaufoy Publishing Limited. This book cost RM 49.40. Another references book is â€Å"Phillipps’ field guide to the Birds of Borneo† written by Quentin Phillipps and Karen Philipps. This book is cost RM 79.20 and its function is same as the book â€Å"Bird of Borneo†. Besides that, budget for the documentation is around RM 200.00 including five copies laser jet printing, photocopy, binding and expenses for stationary. I also budget about RM 150.00 for transportation fees that include the fees for field trip to collect data. Furthermore, budget for food sources requires to considerate during fieldtrip. So, food sources budget is given a round RM 350.00 for 30 days fieldwork. The total up of all expenses in this research is about RM 808.60. 6.0 Work Schedule References â€Å"Aves: More on Morphology†. (n.d.) Retrieve from http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/diapsids/birds/birdmm.html. 11Jan 1996 â€Å"Bird Classification†. (2015). NewMedia Holdings,Inc. Retrieve from http://www.birds.com/species/classifications/. 22 feb 2015 â€Å"Bird Classifications/ Families†. (2009) Nutty Birdwatcher. Retrieve from http://www.birdnature.com/borderintro.html 1 Dec 2009 Wooff, W.G. 2012. Sabah Forest Industries. http://www.avanthagroup.com/downloads/Sabah-Forest-Industries-Sdn-Bhd.pdf. 1 Nov 2011 Adam, N. S., Jusoh, I., Ishak, N. D. 2012. Growth Characteristics of Acacia mangium Plantation in Sarawak. International Plantation Industry Conference Exhibition. September 4-9, 2012. Kota Kinabalu Sabah. Betz,J. Parr, C. (n.d.) Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieve from http://education.eol.org/resources/topics/birds.pdf Dhamodaran. T.K. Chacko, K.C. 1999. Growth and wood characteristics of Acacia mangium growth in Kerala. Kerala Forest Research Institute. Retrieve from http://docs.kfri.res.in/KFRI-RR/KFRI-RR174.pdf Krisnawati, H., Kallio, M., Kanninen, M. 2011. Acacia mangium Wild.:ecology, silviculture and productivity. Indonesia: Center for International Forestry Research. Lemmens, R. H. M. J., Soerianegara, I., Wong, W. C. 1995. Plant resources of South-East Asia No. 5 (2). Timber trees: minor commercial timbers. London: Backhuys Publishers. Mead, D. J., Miller, R. R. (1991, February). The establishment and tending of Acacia mangium. InACIAR Proc vol. 35, pp. 116-122. Styring, A.R., Ragai, R.,Unggang, J., Stuebing, R., Hosner, P.A., Sheldon, F.H. 2011. Bird community assembly in Bornean industrial tree plantations: Effect of forest age and structure. Forest Ecology and Management, 261, 531-544. Wong, T.S. 2011. Birds of Borneo. United Kingdom: John Beaufoy Publishing Limited. McDade, M.C. 2005. Grzimek’s student animal life resource, Birds. Canada: Thomson Gale. Phillipps, Q. Phillipps, K. 2014. Phillipps’ field guide to the birds of Borneo. United Kingdoms: John Beaufoy Publishing. Krishnapillay, D.K. 1998. Edited by Varmola. M. Case study of the tropical forest plantations in Malaysia. http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/bitstream/134648/2/PR035.pdf#page=157 1

An introduction to kinesiology

An introduction to kinesiology In this chapter, basic kinesiology definitions are introduced and problem-solving approaches in kinesiology tasks are classified as quantitative or qualitative movement analysis. Definition: Derived from the Greek word kinesis meaning motion and the suffix -ology or -logy from the Greek logos or logia (meaning field of study). It is the scientific study of the anatomy, physiology, and mechanics of body movement. Introduction to Kinesiology You might think that kinesiology is a modern day science, however, you will find out in this text that the practice, study and application of kinesiology can be traced back thousands of years to ancient Roman times. In fact, many aspects of physical movement training are documented in chariot races and gladiator fights, where fighters trained and chose between different weapons, wheel sizes etc. Throughout history, particular in wars there are abundant examples of the use of kinesiology to improve fighting, fitness and protection. Kinesiology encompasses human anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, exercise physiology, exercise psychology and sociology, history, and philosophy of sport. Kinesiology is the study of human movement across a range of tasks including exercise, daily living, play, sport, and work. The primary aims of general kinesiology are 1) Understanding the human bodys physiological and psychological responses to acute short-term physical activity. 2) Understanding the various adaptations to the human body to chronic or long-term physical activity. 3) Understanding the cultural, social, and historical importance of physical activity. 4) Understanding the mechanical qualities of movement. 5) Understanding the processes that control movement and the factors that affect the acquisition of more skills, and 6) Understanding the psychological effects of physical activity on human behavior. In this text we are mostly interested in kinesiology as it relates to human movement. So, we will focus more on joints, bones, muscles, levers, forces etc. as opposed to the social or psychological implications. Key Kinesiology Terms Biomechanics: The science and study of the mechanics of a living body. It is an examination of the forces exerted by muscles and gravity on the skeletal structure and the effects produced by such forces. Biomechanics, as a sports science, applies the laws of mechanics and physics to human performance in order to gain a greater understanding of performance in athletic events through modeling, simulation, and measurement. For example, the forces generated during acceleration of a 100m running race. Mechanics: A branch of physics that deals with the effects of energy and forces on the motion of physical objects. Mechanics, in the field of sports studies, is concerned with the behavior of physical bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the subsequent effect of those bodies on their environment. For example, the study of materials used in hockey sticks or tennis rackets. Statics: The study of objects in a constant state of motion, which means they may be in motion or stationary. Statics is a branch of physics that is concerned with the analysis of various loads on physical systems. For example, the forces required to lift an Olympic barbell. Dynamics: The study of objects subjected to acceleration/deceleration. Dynamics is from the branch of classical mechanics in physics which is involved with the motion of bodies; it is divided into two other branches, kinematics and kinetics. An example for this category would be the flight speed and path of a baseball after it has been struck. Kinematics: The study and measurement of motion. The variables of kinematics describe the motion of objects in respect to space and time without considering the effects of forces that bring out the motion. Two types of applications are applied in kinematics. First, translational (or curvilinear kinematics), which is the description of the motion in space of a point along a trajectory. This path can be linear, or curved. There are three basic concepts that are required for understanding translational motion; displacement, velocity and acceleration. (These concepts will be reviewed in later chapters). Secondly, there are rotational motion kinematics which describe the rotation of an object and involves the definition and use of the following three quantities: angular position, angular velocity and angular acceleration. Kinematics has application in studying the acceleration of a cyclist or throwing a javelin, where there is a change in the position of the object over time. Kinetics: The study of the forces that act to produce motion. Kinetics, as opposed to kinematics, is concerned with the motion of bodies under the action of forces. A branch from the study of human biomechanics, a kinetic analysis may include questions such as whether the amount of force the muscles are producing is optimal for the intended purpose of the movement. The term kinetics is not widely used today and is often collectively studied under the term dynamics. Anthropometrics: The study of the human body dimensions. Anthropometrics are related to the dimensions and the weights of body segments. Factors include size, shape, weight and other important considerations in a kinetic analysis. For example, you will notice that basketball players are generally tall and gymnasts are generally short. These anthropometrics, or body shapes, create advantages within certain sports. Kinesiology: Literally, the study of human movement. Quantitative and Qualitative Measurement Within the field of kinesiology we evaluate and score performances in two main ways. For example, we may time a runner over 100M and we give a 10M diver a score based on how much we liked the dive. We refer to these assessments as either quantitative or qualitative. Quantitative simply refers to empirical or hard numbers, while qualitative refers is more subjective and evaluates form and style regardless of the elements of time of distance etc. Let us look at each in more detail. Qualitative Analysis Definition: Describes the human movement based on its constituent elements. The word qualitative refers to a description and analysis of a human movement based on and involving non-numeric terminology. Many professions involving scientific research use qualitative analysis as a thorough and detailed way of improving human movement and performance. Good qualitative analysis uses all the senses to gather information about the strengths and weaknesses of the movement. The most commonly used approach of qualitative analysis is through basic visual observation. It is through this observation that information on a specific motion is gained, recorded and analyzed. This analysis can also help identify various mechanical factors that may or may not need to be altered in an effort to improve performance in the given activity. The ability for a scientist, coach and athlete to be able to observe the performance in slow motion is a valuable tool for improving ones performance. The details of qualitative analyses vary. Generally, one can simply state a movement as a woman was running quickly down the track. It might also be stated that the same woman is running quickly down the track on the balls of their feet, leaning slightly to the right. This alternate way of describing the same movement is providing a more detailed qualitative analysis of the movement. Qualitative problems arise during our everyday daily activities, with a large part of our lives being devoted to the solution of problems. Sport and performance are no different. To effectively analyze a movement, it is necessary to start off with a framework and list of questions. The questions stated can either be more of a simple and general question or can also contain a much more detailed and specific questions. Below are some examples of both general and specific questions. Table 1.1: General vs. Specific Qualitative Analysis General Specific Is the movement performed with proper execution? -Is the release of the swing taking place at the instant of full arm extension? -Why is this sprinter not getting a faster time? -Does the strengthening of the quadriceps significantly improve hip rotation and turnover speed? Planning and Performing a Qualitative Analysis Once you have identified the question(s) the next step is to collect the data. For the coach, therapist or PE teacher, this is qualitative visual observation data. The movement is first carefully observed and written or mental notes are made. Planning is required to ensure observation is done from optimal distance and perspective. As the level and complexity of the skill increase, the level of planning increases. In planning a qualitative analysis, a process occurs with the main goal being a further refinement of the original question. The first and final step both lead to refinement of the original question being asked. Figure 1.1: Qualitative Analysis Process (*Referenced and re-created from Basic Biomechanics by Susan J. Hall) Following this procedure in carrying out a qualitative analysis will allow the researcher to optimally collect observations. Throughout the analysis, one usually finds questions will constantly arise. Laying out the foundation of the analysis will prevent faulty or inadequate information. Procedures for Qualitative Analysis First and foremost, the procedure begins with identifying the problem or question. Whether the analyst is looking to answer a question pertaining to a how a sprinters gait is negatively impacting their running style, why a baseball player is having difficulty making contact with the ball, or why a tennis player is having wrist pain. The ability to answer these questions begins with biomechanical knowledge. Once the problem is identified there are two main steps. Firstly, make proper decisions necessary to carry out the analysis and secondly to observe and collect the observations from the performers movement. When a movement is executed, the analyst needs to determine the appropriate way to fully optimize the viewing process. This decision is determined depending upon whether the analyst is going to rely on basic visual observation or will they be using a video camera. Videotape allows both the analyst and the performer to view the movement, as well as repeated viewings. Details like viewing angle, environmental modifications, slow-motion, etc. are all factors that play into the decision making process. It is from the videotaping of the performance that the analyst and the performer can both sit down and begin to collect observations. Feedback from the video, analyst and performer are all collected, and reviewed. Despite the main question being stated in the beginning, occasionally other questions may arise during the collection process. Observations made may suggest new questions. This is when the analyst needs to go back and focus on the critical aspects of the movement and the biomechanical error that was first identified. Finally, once all movements and performances have been carefully observed, the analyst begins to interpret the observations. The expert analyst is highly knowledgeable in biomechanical movements and is able to identify and diagnose errors. With all the combined information that was collected in the performance the analysis can now end the analysis, make refinements to the main question and/or problem and finally assess, correct and improve the human movement. Both knowledge of the specific biomechanical purposes of the movement and careful planning are necessary for effective qualitative analysis. Quantitative Analysis The second form of analysis is quantitative analysis. Definition: The use of measurable variables (e.g. size, time, number) to describe performances. In quantitative analysis we classify features, count them, and even construct more complex statistical models in an attempt to explain what is observed. The goals of quantitative analysis are to provide precise descriptions of the mechanisms of human problem solving, the causes of error, differences between skill performance and with the intent to improve human performance. We use variables such as force, speed, distance and time. The quantitative approach helps to eliminate subjective description and relies on data from the use of different instruments. It is generally a more scientific, publishable, and predictable analysis than the qualitative approach that implies that the movement is described without the use of numbers. This approach is widely used in coaching and during the teaching of sports skills. Nine-Step Quantitative Problem Solving A simple procedure for approaching and solving quantitative problems involves nine sequential steps. The following provides a summary of the procedure for solving such problems. Solving numerical problems is a critical part work in the kinesiology field and should be carefully approached. Carefully read and review the given problem. Write down information given; write what you need to find. Where units of measurement are needed (convert them as necessary) and list them in order. Draw out and diagram the situation given and provide both the unknown and known information Identify formulas that will be useful in solving the problem. Chose the logical formula that will be used. Insert and substitute measurements and relevant information correctly into the formula chosen. Solve the equation. Check to be sure your answer is reasonable, that you include proper units of measurement, and the answer is complete. Highlight the answer. (Revised from Basic Biomechanics by Susan J. Hall) Example of Quantitative Problem: Answers to these types of questions can assist coaches in making decisions about when and how to instruct players in given situations. Q: A baseball player hits a triple to left field. As he approaches 3rd base, he notices the incoming throw to the catcher is wild and decides to go to home plate. The catcher retrieves the ball 5m from the plate and runs to the plate at 8m/s. The runner is now 10m from the plate and running at 12m/s. Who reaches the plate first and how much faster? Using the Nine step process above, we can begin to solve this problem. Step 1: Carefully read and review the problem Step 2: Write down information given: Base runners speed = m/s Catchers speed = 8m/s Distance of base runner from plate = 10m Distance of catcher from plate = 5m Step 3: Draw a diagram of the situation of the problem. Step 4: Identify possible formulas to be used to solve the problem. Step 5: Chose the logical formula that will be used to solve the problem Time = distance/speed Step 6: Insert and substitute the given information into the formula. Time = distance/speed Catcher: time = 5m/8m.s Base runner: time = 10m/12m.s Step 7: Solve the Equation A: Catcher Time = 5m / 8m/s = 0.625sec. Runner: Time = 10m /12m/s = 0.83sec. Step 8: Check that the answer is complete and reasonable. Step 9: Highlight the answer Runner reaches home plate 0.21 seconds slower than the catcher! Could this be a qualitative example also? Yes, the umpire could actually call the runner safe. This is his decision and in this case is the wrong one. Research Note: The reliability differences between qualitative and quantitative assessments were perhaps no more clearly illustrated in the 2002 Winter Olympics Pairs Skating competition. In the pairs competition, Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze of Russia had won the short program over Jamie Salà © and David Pelletier of Canada. In the free skating, Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze made a minor (but obvious) technical error when Sikharulidze stepped out of a double axel. Meanwhile, Salà ©/Pelletier skated a flawless program, albeit one that many experts considered to be of lesser difficulty than that of the Russians. The Canadians were the clear crowd favorite; they left the ice to a round of stormy applause and everyone believed they had won Gold. The Canadians received three 5.9s for technical merit, while the Russians received mostly 5.8s and 5.7s. However, for presentation, the Canadians received four 5.9s to the Russians seven. Presentation was weighted more heavily than technical merit at the time; the Canadians needed at least five 5.9s to overtake the Russians for first. There was obvious disagreement from the crowd; loud chants of Six! Six! Six! gave way to a chorus of boos when the presentation marks came out. As it turned out, this margin held until the end, giving the gold medal to the Russians. Salà ©/Pelletier accepted their silver medal with grace but open disappointment. It was the 11th consecutive time (dating to 1960) that a pair from the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, or Russia had taken the gold in the pairs competition. As it turned out, this margin held until the end, giving the gold medal to the Russians. Salà ©/Pelletier accepted their silver medal with grace but open disappointment. It was the 11th consecutive time (dating to 1960) that a pair from the Soviet Union, the Unified Team, or Russia had taken the gold in the pairs competition. The world was stunned when it was announced that the Russians had won. There was immediate suspicion of cheating. Judges from Russia, the Peoples Republic of China, Poland, Ukraine, and France had placed the Russians first; judges from the United States, Canada, Germany, and Japan chose the Canadians. Suspicion fell almost immediately on the French judge, Marie-Reine Le Gougne. When Le Gougne returned to the officials hotel, she was immediately confronted by Sally Stapleford, chair of the International Skating Unions Technical Committee. Le Gougne had an emotional breakdown in which she said that she had been pressured by the head of the French skating organization, Didier Gailhaguet, to vote for the Russian pair regardless of how the others performed. She repeated this at the post-event judges meeting the next day. It was alleged that this was part of a deal to get an advantage for French couple Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat in the ice dance competition that was to follow a few days later. However, in a signed statement, Le Gougne denied taking part in such a deal and also stated that she had truly believed the Russian pair deserved to win. On February 15, Cinquanta and IOC President, at the time, Jacques Rogge, in a joint press conference, announced that Salà © and Pelletiers silver medal would be upgraded to gold. Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze were allowed to keep their gold medal as well, since there was no proof of impropriety on their part, and many felt that they, in fact, deserved it, as was the opinion of four of the other eight judges on the panel. Both pairs point totals were thrown out. Le Gougne was suspended effective immediately for misconduct. Which is better? Quantitative or Qualitative? You decide! So Quantitative or Qualitative? Obviously there are strengths and weaknesses for both. Here are some advantages to quantitative measurement. Quantitative methodologies are appropriate to measure overt behaviors. They are reliable in measuring descriptive aspects, such as time to travel a distance. Quantitative methodologies allow direct comparison and replication. Reliability and validity may be determined more objectively than with qualitative techniques. In quantitative research your aim is to determine the relationship between one thing (an independent variable) and another (a dependent or outcome variable) in a population. Quantitative research designs are either descriptive (subjects usually measured once) or experimental (subjects measured before and after a treatment). A descriptive study establishes only associations between variables. An experiment establishes causality. Studies aimed at quantifying relationships are of two types, descriptive and experimental. In a descriptive study, no attempt is made to change behavior or conditions (you measure things as they are). In an experimental study you take measurements, try some sort of intervention, and then take measurements again to see what happened. Problem: Can you list five examples each of qualitative and quantitative assessments of a skill etc. Qualitative versus Quantitative Measurement of Human Movement The qualitative and quantitative analysis of human movement is composed of many parts. Both require the knowledge of the movements desired, the characteristics involved, and the ability to view a performance and analyze whether the human movement does in fact incorporate the specific characteristics. The analysis of human movement may be either qualitative or quantitative, and both play an important role in the biomechanical analysis of human movement.. Classifying kinesiology tasks as quantitative or qualitative is an effective approach in understanding basic biomechanical concepts in kinesiology. Analyzing human movement is an essential process of problem solving. Whether the performance being analyzed is qualitative or quantitative they both include identifying the performance, observing and studying, and finally answering the problem or question. Quantitative measurements are taken and used to quantify movement or performance, whereas qualitative performance or movement is observed and subjectively evaluated without the use of measurement for quantification. An observer, for example, might qualitatively state that was a good throw where a second observer might quantitatively state the javelin was thrown at sixty-five meters. Qualitative analysis should not be regarded as merely general descriptions, as it can also involve detailed description. Both quantitative and qualitative description play important roles in the biomechanical analysis of human movement, with quantitative techniques mainly being used by biomechanist researchers in attempting to answer specific questions and qualitative observations and description mainly are used by a wider range of people including clinicians, coaches and PE teachers. There are advantages and disadvantages of both measurement techniques. However, the objectivity of quantitative measurement tends to make it more reliable and you dont end up with a performer scoring fewer points because of the color of their uniform as you might in qualitative assessment. Table 1.2: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Analysis Quantitative Qualitative Three Feet Good Two Cents Bad Twenty Dollars Heavy Fifteen Seconds Fast Table 1.3: QUANTITATIVE or QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS? Quantitative Analysis Qualitative Analysis Impact forces during running. X Carpal Tunnel Syndrome X Aerodynamics of clothing X Release angles for projectiles X Occupational demands X X Review Problems 1. Determine whether these measures require quantitative or qualitative analysis. Friction on a bobsled runner blade __________________ a toothache __________________ acceleration of a projectile __________________ rotational speed of baseball __________________ perceived difficulty chopping wood __________________ a headache __________________ wind speed __________________ 2. Can you now think of six examples on your own that fit each measurement. Give a one-line definition to accompany clarify your example. An example is provided for each measurement. Qualitative Motivation (motivation can be extrinsic or intrinsic and difficult to quantify). Quantitative Vertical jump height (this variable can be absolutely measured in cms). 3. Can you identify 4 examples of situation that represent dynamics and statics? Dynamics A skater gliding on the ice. Statics A chair sitting on the floor.