African american case study Essay

David Brown is a 35-year-old African American residing in Brooklyn, New York. He is tall, lean, and professional-looking. He has short curly hair and neatly shaved face. He has been a successful bank manager for five years and his colleagues look up to him with much respect and admiration. But whatever he has now are the fruits of his hardwork and perseverance. David was born on the 25th of February 1972. During this time, racial discrimination was still prolific and their family experienced hard times. They live in the â€Å"ghetto† where drugs, gang wars, and poverty were rampant. Growing up in such an environment was never easy for David and he found it hard to trust his peers because he did not want to get involved in their vices. His mother had to stay at home to attend to his other siblings while his father had two jobs to support their family’s needs. Considering their situation, David was inspired to study hard and he wanted to give his family a better life. After graduating from highschool, he was determined to pursue college and was fortunate enough to be accepted in a known university to study Banking and Finance. College was the biggest challenge for him because first of all, his father had to support him and he had to work as a grocery clerk in a convenient store at night to make ends meet. Due to the color of his skin, David faced discrimination issues. His classmates regarded him as inferior and some even ridiculed him and his peers who were also African Americans. Whenever he felt down and mocked, he would play basketball because this was his outlet in releasing tension and built-up emotions. However, he did not lose his focus and he graduated with flying colors. It took him a while to land on a job since some of the employers were discriminating. After several months, he got a job offer from a banking company as a clerk. He was very happy because he was starting to fulfill his dreams of helping his family. He worked hard and loved this noble profession and eventually, his efforts were seen by his superiors. His determination and dedication made him climb the corporate ladder. Many got insecure and envious when he was promoted to his present managerial position. Some even doubted his leadership skills and capabilities in performing his duties but, David proved them wrong. In time, he was able to win their support and respect.   David is currently at the prime of his life – he is successful and has given his family a better life. He does not have any intimate relationships because he prioritizes his family and work. Considering Erikson’s psychosocial theory of development, David has gone through young adulthood and it appears that his lack of initiative to form intimate relationships lead to isolation. However, he could only be delayed in establishing intimate relationships with the opposite sex because of prioritization of other more important things. As of now, he is in his middle adulthood and it is most likely that he is experiencing psychological stagnation since he is not showing productivity in helping the next generation achieve their goals. Taking Freud’s theory of psychosexual development into consideration, David appears to be fixated in the latency stage because of his self-fulfilling goals and the direction of his energy towards productive activities like work. Though he knows how to socialize, most of his friends are males and he exhibits lack of interest in engaging in close relationships with women (Santrock, 2002). At this point, he should have been married like most people of his age and rearing a family of his own; but as mentioned earlier, David may only be delayed in fulfilling such human functions. References: Santrock, J.W. (2002). Life-Span Development (8th ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill

Becton Dickinson: World Wide Blood Collection Team Essay

Problem Identification Becton Dickinson a manufacturing company, with operations worldwide, and revenues of over $2.7 billion was founded in 1897, and had ten core businesses organized into two product sectors: medical and diagnostic. Mainly US domestic operation was beginning to give way to expanding international sales, warranting a separate division in Europe. By 1970s, the company was organized by business divisions centered in US and focusing on the largely domestic US market, and an International sector. Since most revenues were earned from the domestic market, priority tended to be domestic, which frustrated managers in foreign countries who wanted to focus more on the resources on their local market. Going international, better said, transnational was the beginning of an evolving problem that Becton Dickinson would face in the upcoming years. Causes of Problem Becton Dickinson and Company (BD) was a supplier of medical products and diagnostic systems to healthcare professionals, the medical industry, hospitals and the general public which included mostly medical gloves, hypodermic needles and intravenous catheters in the medical sector. Blood collection devices, automated systems to detect and identify bacteria and blood cell analysis systems were one of the few diagnostic products that Becton Dickinson produced. During the 1970s BD’s managers did not really take the international market as serious as they should do. Orders were only processed, when the domestic ones were filled out and completed. Furthermore, the managers’ refusals to accept and consider new product requests from abroad were a big threat to the company. In 1980, BD’s senior executives decided to take attempts to develop products and strategic ways to meet the worldwide demands of marketing needs for medical technologies. The competition did not sleep and started expanding into Europe, which began to be another threat to Becton Dickinson not only for the international sector, but also for the US market. Realizing this, BD started to build European Strategic Business Units (SBUs) that reported to the headquarters in the US. Growing concerns about emphasis given to international sales,  especially with European managers voices becoming loud, concerns led to a study senior management’s readiness to consider a new structure of BD’s worldwide activities. A consulting firm offered two structural solutions: â€Å"The Worldwide Product Division† and â€Å"Europe as an Equal Partner†, which was appealing as a way to ensure greater dedication of resources to Europe, but also threatening to duplicate efforts and costs, with the danger of different strategies slowly emerging in each division. After meeting with Harvard professor Christopher Bartlett and his colleague Sumantra Ghoshal â€Å"The Transnational Solution† was born in cooperation with the senior managers. The solution has three faces to it. The first was the challenge faced by MNCs to simultaneously achieve global efficiency, local responsiveness and worldwide innovation. The second was that these objectives needed an environment of international differentiation and asymmetry. Thirdly, they advised firms not to merely change formal reporting lines, but to focus on underlying cultures and values. A typical chain reaction was, that these circumstances affected how Becton Dickinson faced a challenge in implementing a structure that would overcome challenges posed by the growth of business outside of USA. Lack of clear vision and goals by previous management, a lack of clear articulation of the same to second line management and other employees down the chain of command are just some of the few problems that BD had to solve. Alternatives Changes to the existing organizational structure. A change to the existing structure is urgently needed, so that there’s a shift from a corporate mentality to an organization driven by Strategic Planning. This would include meeting the need for a global collaboration and local flexibility that they so badly needed as a fast growing multinational company. Managers and company itself were not prepared, which the case showed, and the lack of anticipation for the need of a suitable structure for a growing company then led to the issue, of quick fixes. This means that whenever managers in other parts of the world were discontent, only then did top management in the US would start to respond and make quick fixes to structural issues.  Cooperation and commitment between top management, middle management and employees is another important part of the change. With no cooperation, and divisions going in different direction the company soon showed signs of urgent need for structural re-designing. Disadvantages to this re-designing could result in a complete departure from the existing task based matrix structure, while others wanted to retain the structure but with minimum changes. This could as well lead to dissatisfaction within the managers and even employees. Secondly, another problem to restructuring is how well conflicts are managed or avoided all together as the company continues to have more divisions out of its central control. Open Research and Development plants in Europe and Japan. With the more and more growing market in these two sectors, Becton and Dickinson should focus on creating R&D centers within these areas and not only in the US with organizations in non-US divisions. Kozy’s thoughts about the future should also include that the European sector is an immensely fast growing one. Within seven years the net trade sales increased by over a $100 million, whereas the US sector increased by â€Å"only† $80 million. Looking at the numbers, you can see that Europe is on the move. A Research and Development center in England, for example, would help to produce local needs and act faster than going through the whole process of talks with US R&D departments and the European R&D organizations. Knowing that with Dufresne BD has a â€Å"champion† on its boat, he should be able to set up his own team of researchers, build a real Development center and take some things in his, better said, the European division’s hand. Japan not to exclude, which has also rising numbers and different marketing needs would also profit from an own R&D plant. Different needs require different solutions, therefore having the US as the only R&D plant, will not help the company nor its divisions. Even with regional R&D managers, like Dufresne, and R&D organizations outside the US, he still does not have team to work and interact with on a day-to-day basis. This would also help to accelerate new product development and quality standards, while maintaining the current distribution systems Budget restrains are a major disadvantage in BD’s case. Total expenses are high in Europe and the numbers jumped in the years from 1985 – 1992 from ca. $10,000 to a high $31,000. The plant would not only bring extra costs, but land had to be bought, people would have to be hired, and machines would have to be purchased. Another negative aspect looking at a plant in Europe or Japan would be the loss of power that the US headquarters and R&D currently have. Becton Dickinson’s US division still wants to have a certain power over its foreign ones. Therefore giving up the R&D department to a certain extent would not be everyone’s favorite in the senior management’s committee. Give Europe and Japan divisions more operating power. As for now, BD’s European and Japanese divisions are quite under the control over the â€Å"parental† guidance and supervision of the US division. The evolution from this classic structure to a new transnational company is a very important part in the future of Becton Dickinson. Even with the introduction of World Blood Collection Team (WBCT), I think that a division in itself should have more power in deciding which products to introduce, which marketing steps should be taken, etc. In the early 80’s the Japan division suffered from not being heard upon on what is need in this division. BD lost small market share in that time. The WBCT illustrated in Exhibit 8(p. 385) illustrates the Strategic, the Operations and the Marketing Team within the whole company including the whole World Blood Collection Team. In my eyes, a smaller group separated in regional divisions would help the success of the company. For example, they could combine the President BC Europe, the Director Manufacturing Europe and the Director of Marketing Europe in one group to run the regional division Europe. They would then have the power to decide which steps should be taken, what to manufacture and how and where to do the marketing. The negative aspect of this approach is that this might leave the path that WBCT and BD in general have taken up until now and again this alternative might run into problems and dissatisfaction with the headquarters. It could also lead to complete separation of the diverse division from the headquarters mission and plans on where the company wants to go. Best Alternative Looking at Becton Dickinson’s past and the way they used to business, the best alternative would be the first one mentioned of the three. Changes to the existing organizational structure, which is also part of the third alternative, would be affecting the outcome the most. The way the company will be working, how the employees will be situated within the company and most importantly how the whole company will be structured, not just domestically, but in the transnational field, is what makes them more competitive. Implementation Steps It would appear that the phenomenal growth of the business was an ambition in the managers’ plans, but they did not make any efforts to construct a structure that would suit for a company whose operations were growing with big leaps. However, there is need to make some changes to the existing structure, so that there’s a shift from a corporate mentality to an organization driven by Strategic Planning. In order to create organizational learning, top management has to create a sense of shared purpose and belonging for all divisions and individuals in the company. There is no better way to do it than to implement an organizational structure that allows and pushes free flow of information from division to division, and back to corporate headquarters without a feeling of restrictive set-ups. The main task of the top management is to shape behaviors of people and create an environment that enables them to take initiative and be more and more cooperative. Another important step is to restructure systems to reflect a willingness to accommodate different geographical and product needs. The old system was structured to suit an operation around the US, and was only slightly changed to accommodate European operations, which were still not considered equal by the US headquarters. Now with sales and operations fully developed outside of the US, it is wise to decentralize some decision-making centers so as to  allow for innovation, local responsiveness and flexibility.

Describe two companies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Describe two companies - Essay Example Some of these competitors include: Metro Inc, Lablaw Brands Limited, Canada Safeway Limited and Ultima Foods Inc (Data Monitor, 2010). Empire Company Limited enjoys a strong industry position in the groceries and food distribution sector. For the financial year ending April 2009, the company was able to record revenue outcme of $256.1 million. This was an increase of approximately 6.8%. The increase was a major feat for the company considering the fact that other companies in the industry were struggling to stay afloat amid the financial crisis that was ongoing at the time. However, the company’s $4.7 million net profit was a dropped of 15.8% compared to the previous year (Newswire, 2010). Despite the fall in profits, the company still managed to beat most of its competitor’s in both net revenue and profit (Data Monitor, 2010). Companies are normally affected by changes which occur from time to time. In the case of Empire Company Limited, the major changes occurred in 2007 when Sobey’s was purchased by Empire Company Limited, making it a private entity. The retail grocery and food distribution industry in Canada is changing to accommodate the needs of the customer. To avoid being left behind, the empire Company Limited has put in place measures that will ensure that its future as a market leader is intact. It has enhanced its liquid investment portfolio to ensure that it achieves maximum yield and growth outcomes (Newswire, 2010). The company’s future goals for its food retail business are to enhance workforce management in a bid to improve store productivity. Based in Montreal, Canada, Metro Inc is one of the major public food retailers in the country. The company operates in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, where it is the second largest food retailer after Loblaw Companies Limited. In Quebec the company operates 243 stores and 135 in Ontario. The company also operates

Working in the community (fire figthers.) Essay

Working in the community (fire figthers.) - Essay Example http://www.cdc.gov). Prevention labor is part of fire fighters' educational programs, which are addressed both to children and adults in order to avoid, as far as possible, injures and deaths produced by the fire. This labor is developed with their community and national programs. "NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) teaches people of all ages how to make responsible choices regarding health and safety. One of our most important commitments is to give people the knowledge and skills they need to lead safer lives" ("Education Programs", National Fire Protection Association. http://www.nfpa.org). Children are one of these groups and fire fighters usually talk to them about the risks of a variety of things that may cause fire or other accidents. These programs usually include very easy tips about security in the house: things that are potentially dangerous, things that may cause a fire, things to be careful with or to use under the supervision of an adult. These days, internet is increasingly becoming an important teaching method, so most of Fire Departments include a specific section for children on their websites. This is a complement for the labor they carry out in schools, where they talk to children about fire risks, teach them how to prevent and how to act when a fire starts and carry out fire drills. Usually, the person who talks in schools is a member of the community which takes part in some volunteer program. On the websites, most of the fire prevention tips are usually presented as attractive interactive games for children, with eye-catching animations, like the program of the National Fire Protection Association. In their "Risk Watch Safe Community Program" we can find complete information on how to teach children to prevent unintentional injuries or injuries that can result from natural disasters ("Risk Watch Safe Community Program", National Fire Protection Association. http: //www.nfpa.org.). They use games that attract children's attention, like searching the hazardous elements in the picture of a room, making them aware of the elements they need to play safe or helping Sparky the Fire Dog to complete his emergency kit. Sparky, which is dressed as a fire fighter, has his own website (http://www.sparky.org) in which children can learn more about the labor of fire fighters: the different types of trucks, why Dalmatians are the "official" dogs of fire departments and they can also ask him questions about his duty. The United States Fire Administration is another good example of these interactive games for children. On their website, they will find plenty of educational activities like puzzles, coloring pages, matching games and even a quiz to become a Junior Fire Marshal. Also the Chicago Fire Department has its Kids' Section, with entertaining coloring books for little children. The school programs are a very interesting way to warn and prevent children from fire risks. They will see fire prevention as a part of their education. As fires can start whether at home or at school,

Foreign Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Foreign Investment - Essay Example MFN clause has been beneficial in generating parity in trading opportunity among states by converting bilateral accords into multilateral agreements. As a matter of public international law, MFN clause provides the sovereign equality of states relative to trading policy. While as a tool for economic policy, it establishes a basis for international treaty in relation to competitive dealings.2 The establishment of Most-Favoured-Nation dealing has quite a long record. Before the GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade), bilateral trade agreements often include an MFN clause, and by itself contributed a great deal to trade liberalization. Nevertheless, various measures in the '30s were carried out that constrained the operation of the MFN initiative. These measures were viewed to result in the splitting up of the world economy into trade blocs.3 Realizing from this mistaken view, the unqualified MFN clause on a multilateral footing was subsequently integrated in the GATT following the ending of World War II, and has led to trade stability all over the world. The dual purpose of the MFN principle is removing the econ... The MFN clauses ensure that protected investments via treaty will obtain favourable treatment no less than the agreement the host country bestows to investments from any other state firms or nationals. The Netherlands-Philippines Bilateral Investment Treaty is one distinctive example wherein it formulated that "each contracting party shall extend to investments, in its territory, of nationals of the other contracting party treatment no less favourable than that granted to investment by any third state."4 II. Procedural and Substantive Rights of Investors Maffezini v. Kingdom of Spain5 The issue being dealt with in the Maffezini case was to find out in what permissible conditions that an investor can apply the MFN clause covered in a Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) that is valid to its dispute as a way of establishing the arbitral's jurisdiction. In resolving this issue, the tribunal presented the difference between the rightful extension of rights and privileges by way of the operation of the MFN clause, and the bothersome treaty-shopping that could disrupt policy objectives of the essential explicit treaty provisions.6 Case Facts: An investment dispute between the Kingdom Spain and an Argentine petitioner submitted to adjudication by the petitioner under the Spain-Argentine BIT. The terms of the treaty provide that any dispute arising from the BIT has to be submitted to a competent tribunal in Spain when the procedures for amicable settlement fail (Art.-X.2). Further, that a dispute could only be elevated for international arbitration if the competent tribunal in Spain delivered a decision on the merits that fall short of resolving the dispute, or a decision has not been made on the merits within a period of eighteen

Basseri of Iran Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Basseri of Iran - Research Paper Example As the study of the social structure of the Basseri tribe by Barth (1961) is one of the classical examples of the research in the field of ethnography of nomadic peoples of Iran, it is instructive to closely analyze the modern state of the Basseri people. In this essay, I will deal with the various aspects of social life of the Basseri, focusing on their subsistence patterns, but paying appropriate attention to their kinship practices, social and political organization. Accordingly, the essay will be divided into four sections in which the relevant aspects will be analyzed. My basic argument with regard to the Basseri is that they represent a stage of development transitional between the primitive lineage form and more developed chiefdom organization, which is itself a necessary prerequisite to the fully stratified society, and the organization of the essay will reflect that argument.

Human Trafficking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Trafficking - Essay Example This was the case with one student studying ballet, who found herself performing in a topless bar and considered herself fortunate that she was able to return home at all. The slave trade that evolved and peaked in the 19th century considered humans as property rather than chattel, captured on raiding expeditions into West Africa. European traders shipped them to the New World. In North America, the Slave Codes of 1705 sealed the fate of African Americans as slaves, property rather than human beings (History of Slavery). It is this use of humans as property that has evolved into the human trafficking trade, a serious unresolved problem in the 21st century. Can sexual exploitation and forced labor ever be considered legitimate endeavors? ‘Modern-Day Slavery’ According to a 2002 conference report, the government seems to have been after to campaign against trafficking that already exists rather than looking for sources of trafficking and trying to prevent it in the first p lace. With young women and children, male and female, from Albania, Moldova, and the Ukraine forced into prostitution by way of Russia and Turkey and sent to Central and Western Europe, the trafficked persons are often ignorant of what will happen to them. This was the case in the early days of slavery in West Africa when slavers invaded communities and took people away from home and family against their will. Can the present resurgence of human trafficking in the world be compared to slavery as it existed in the past?... European traders shipped them to the New World. In North America, the Slave Codes of 1705 sealed the fate of African Americans as slaves, property rather than human beings (History of Slavery). It is this use of humans as property that has evolved into the human trafficking trade, a seriously unresolved problem in the 21st century. Can sexual exploitation and forced labor ever be considered legitimate endeavors 'Modern-Day Slavery' According to a 2002 conference report, the government seems to have been more apt to campaign against trafficking that already exists rather than looking for sources of trafficking and trying to prevent it in the first place. With young women and children, male and female, from Albania, Moldova, and the Ukraine forced into prostitution by way of Russia and Turkey and sent to Central and Western Europe, the trafficked persons are often ignorant of what will happen to them (Human Trafficking). This was the case in the early days of slavery in West Africa when slavers invaded communities and took people away from home and family against their will. Can the present resurgence of human trafficking in the world be compared to slavery as it existed in the past This paper will discuss briefly the chronological development of slavery from pre-Columbian times to the present, and each section will be addressed according to the various descriptions of "slavery" and how each description applies t o specific time lines. Five aspects of slavery-bondage, property, servitude, forced labor, and trade route--will be explored. Slavery, Then and Now Pre-18th Century - Slavery was a private and domestic

Methods of tempering by water Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Methods of tempering by water - Coursework Example The revenue from the exports is then reinvested towards purchasing food stuff and machinery in order to sustain the rapidly growing economy of Qatar (Mclachlan, 2010). The current high oil prices are responsible for making sure that Qatar has a favorable balance of payment. It should however be noted that, the country’s dependence is not sustainable and its oil reserves are expected to be completely used up by the year 2023. This has led to the government of Qatar shifting its focus towards the development of the natural gas industry. The government has embarked on a plan to increase its production of liquid natural gas that has been attributed as being the major driving force in Qatar’s rapid growth levels in recent years. There are ongoing plans to expand the production of (LNG) exponentially, which according to estimates, will make the country the biggest exporter of LNG in the world. In 2010, Qatar’s major partner in import trade was the US and it accounted for 11.8% of all imports of Qatar marking a shift from Japan, which had been the main trade partner in exports and imports with Qatar. The country’s foreign trade has grown rapidly in recent years because of developments in the oil, gas industries and related infrastructure undertakings. In 2009 for example, the rate balance for goods rose from $ 25,555million in 2009 to $ 53,863million in 2010 which was an increase of 110.8%.I n 2010, the exports of goods including ere exports was estimated to be $95,736 million which was 75% of the overall nominal GDP. The total imports into Qatar between 2006 and 2010 increased by 41.4 % due to the improvement in, economic activities coupled with Qatar’s hydrocarbon increase in production and extension. A significant portion of the imported items included metal and machinery that are necessary for the development of the hydrocarbon industry of Qatar. Additionally, there were increases in expenditure on non-oil materials for

Technology in work place Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Technology in work place - Research Paper Example The term technology is specified to the subjects of concern as for example, medical technology, construction technology, information technology and networking technology to name a few. Technology therefore has profound effects on the human being as well as the other species of this world. With the unmatched development of technology, business houses have also started taking interest in the implementation of technology for the purpose of enhancing the efficiency of business. The most common technologies used by the companies nowadays for the purpose of enhancing the efficiency are video conferencing, virtual office technology and social networks. With these technologies, workplace boundaries have actually expunged. Furthermore, with the implementation of technology, companies now get the opportunity to target wider customer base and can reach out to many geographical places of the world (Hanks 14-18). What are its promises? The advancement of technology promises people to show more ef ficient ways of doing the work. For instance, the education system has advanced to a great extent with the development of computers and laptops. In the similar way, the business houses have also experienced tremendous benefits for the development of technology. Companies have been able to take their business on a global scale in the most efficient form and in the most cost effective way. Technology also promises to improve the following fields. Improved Communication: Improving the communication at work place is one of the basic necessities of organizations. In this context, technology can be useful in improving the communication infrastructure of the company. Earlier, communication among the workers used to take place with the help of wired telephone lines and off late mobile phones and fax. However, robust development of technology has facilitated companies to shift to more modern communication systems (Clarke 16-24). Human Capital: - With the development and implementation of imp roved technologies, companies nowadays are able to embrace better human resource. This is generally achieved through the improved efficiency of screening, recruitment and hiring. The performance and performance appraisal is also carried out with improved technology. The concept of balanced scorecard and 360 degree appraisal method are some of the examples of technology in improving the capacity of human resources. Greater Efficiency: technology is indispensible in increasing the efficiency of the company. Technology has not only provided companies with the opportunity to improve efficiency but has also helped in maintaining high productivity. What are some potential down side of these new technologies and trends? In today’s world, where everything is just about accessible and more convenient due to the advancements in technology, it seems that continued development will be inevitable. Stepping into the 21st century has allowed mankind to experience some of the most unbelievab le things. However, authors have mentioned that when the other side of this development is considered, technology can be a cause of destruction, if not used properly (Baldauf and Stair 22-24). Despite a number of applications and advantages, there are potential down side of the new technologies and trends. Some of the obvious downsides are detailed below: - Dependency: - The dependency on technology in increasing at a robust rate. The more technological advancement being experienced by the society, the dependence of people on

Givaudan Flavors, its Major Problems and Possible Soltions Case Study

Givaudan Flavors, its Major Problems and Possible Soltions - Case Study Example - Solution B. In the scheduled meeting, both Tastyco and Givaudan should emphasize aligning their goals and objectives to ensure that adequate benefits are earned by both these ends. Rather than pressuring Givaudan to reduce costs to be categorized as a Strategic Supply Partner, the meeting should focus on comparing and analyzing the benefits as well as drawbacks that they will have to face being in agreement and even if not being in agreement. - Advantages A. Solution A, as suggested in the above section, is quite likely to result in higher demand for Tastyco, which will, in turn, result in an increase in its profit margin. By ordering larger volumes from Givaudan, Tastyco will have to implement push-selling strategies in order to build better customer loyalty and thereby augment selling capacity. This, in turn, will also motivate Givaudan to decrease its price per unit, offering cost benefits to Tastyco and on the other hand, avoiding any decrease in its profit margin. -Disadvantages A. In the long run, this solution may impose a direct negative effect to the break-even points of Givaudan, as any decrease in the quantity demanded will result into lowered profit margin and hence, may force the two partners to emerge. Hence, the solution may not be viable in the long-term. Advantages B. Conducting a meeting between the two parties can result in a mutual agreement, which can be beneficial to both the companies. Being able to relate their aims and objectives, Tastyco and Givaudan can further result into a common objective satisfying their individual value targets. Disadvantages B. In order to solve the pricing problem, negotiation between Givaudan and Tastyco is a necessity. However, if Givaudan is pressured to change its pricing strategies, there are high chances that it might seek for partnership with larger competitors of Tastyco, raising differentiation concerns. In addition, departing their ways may reduce market shares held by both the companies as well as result in Tastyco losing the value-added advantages that it used to retain from Givaudan.

Introduction to Dissertation Essay Example for Free

Introduction to Dissertation Essay 1.0 Introduction 1.1 Background to the problem The indiscipline problem is ranked as a major issue among students of secondary schools in Mauritius. In fact, this problem is prevailing not only in Mauritius but also across the many nations around the world. According to the Longman contemporary dictionary, indiscipline refers to â€Å"a lack of control in the behaviour of a group of people, with the result that they behave badly†. It occurs when students breach the rules and regulations of the classroom or school. Such disruptive behavior is not only a concern to schools and teachers but also the parents and most importantly to the students, whose future is at stake. Misconduct in the classroom interferes with teaching and learning. It can eventually lead to school dropout and similar negative social outcomes. Students’ behavioral problems are also thought to be a leading contributor to teachers’ and parents’ stress and attrition. Serious breaches of school discipline policy can have profound negative effects on teachers. 1.2 Significance of Study See more: how to start an essay about yourself for college Since discipline plays a crucial role in school system, it is all the more important to assess the measures taken to upholding it. Continuing to apply the present measures blindly without ascertaining oneself if they are  actually alleviating the problem is equivalent to losing money, time or, worse, deteriorating the current situation. The study will help in not only finding if the measures are good or wrong but also to what extent the measures being adopted are effective or not. Since students are not the only ones being affected by the problem, the study will help us get to know students’ perception of the measures used to tackle indiscipline but also perception of teachers themselves. It will give both parties the chance to equally express themselves. By being able to understand each group, it will be possible to introduce and suggest different measures which could bring a better impact, or adapting existing ones to be more productive. Student indiscipline is not decreasing at Saint Bartholomew’s college. We have reached to a point of saturation and it is almost impossible to bring the student’s to the right track. They are out of control and think that the system and teachers are against them. Indiscipline has led to low education level at St Bartholomew’s college, the percentage was below 50 % in 2007 – only 47 %. The main causes of indiscipline need to be identified so that the college can look for better measures. 1.2 Aims of Study The aim of this research is to investigate the impact of present measures used in dealing with student indiscipline at Saint Bartholomew’s College. Student indiscipline has been tainting this college’s reputation. Students are ill-mannered, and this badly influences their future role in their social and professional life. Therefore, it is high time to proactively make sure that the right actions are being taken to decrease, or ideally eradicate, student indiscipline. This study has for aim to assess the existing measures in dealing with student indiscipline at Saint Bartholomew’s college; whether they meeting, and if they are to what extent they are meeting, the expectations. And to observe its impact whether it is positive or not. 1.3 Objectives of Study The main objectives of the study are : Finding out if indiscipline is increasing despite the existing measures Analysing factors resulting in indiscipline Investigating on the existing methods at Saint Bartholomew’s College Knowing if indiscipline will keep on growing Knowing new methods can be introduced to ameliorate the situation 1.5 Problem of Statement Pedagogues have been trying to implement measures to eradicate indiscipline in schools. In fact, all the stakeholders (teaching staff, Ministry of Education) work in unison to alleviate the problem. Methods such as having CCTV installed within the school compound to keep an eye on students or SMS Alert to parents in case of Lateness or absenteeism are not decreasing indiscipline. Living in a society, transformed by technological progress and influenced by Media, Mauritian Youth has gone beyond control; they are living in their own world, forgetting that Mauritian society is still tied to old traditions and cultures. Students are rebelling against rules and regulations of their institutions. Student Indiscipline has been a major problem at Saint Bartholomew’s college, Port Louis. It keeps on increasing. According to Premita Leelachand from Defi Media, the college â€Å"accepts all students who seek admission, even school drop-outs who either failed or were removed by their previous institutions due to bad behaviour. In fact, St Bartholomew’s is regarded as the last resort for students who are considered hopeless.† This is the main reason why the percentage of indiscipline in high at the private aided college. Students already have discipline problems and still show no signs of respect towards their teachers and express no interest in education. Traditional punishments such as writing in journals or detention hours do not seem to scare them anymore. Being punished has become a ‘honor’ for them and it increases their ‘respect’ among other students. This is why there is a need to check whether the measures being presently taken are effective or not. 1.6 Research questions The research questions will be as follows: What are the methods being used? Why is indiscipline on an increase since the last years? What do students and teachers think about indiscipline and the measures adopted? What can be done to improve student discipline and making the deterring measures more effective? 1.7 Assumptions Indiscipline is increasing despite various measures introduced by the Ministry of Education and the college itself, for example, the counseling unit at the college. 1.8 Format of Study The Study will be divided into 5 main sections: Chapter 1: Introduction This part of the study gives an overview of the topic and prepares the reader for the next chapters. It analyses the background of the problem, gives its importance and aims and objectives of the study as well. Chapter 2 :Literature Review Literature review will give a deeper overview of the problems of indiscipline in Mauritius and describe measures adopted to deal with these problems. Chapter 3: Research Methodology In this section, the interview format to quantify the problem will be discussed. Chapter 4: Discussion of Findings and Analysis of Data Statistical tools will be used to extract the pertinent information from the data collected. These statistical approaches are discussed in this part of the research and the conclusions inferred from the analysis will be discussed. Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendations 1.9 Conclusion This was the first chapter of the study. It had for aim to prepare the reader for further chapters of the study and to understand the topic and the actual issue, that is, impact of measures dealing with student indiscipline at Saint Bartholomew’s College, clearly.

Becoming a Business Accountant Essay Example for Free

Becoming a Business Accountant Essay Business Accountant help to ensure that the country’s firms are run efficiently, its taxes are paid on time and its public records stay accurate. Accountants offer a wide variety of business and accounting services. Some of these services are: public, management and government accounting. Their main tasks are preparing, analyzing, and verifying financial documents in order to provide information to clients. Many accountants are required to have a lot of skill and knowledge. Most accountant work in an office, however those that are self-employed may be able to do part of their work at home. Accountants who are employed by public accounting firms and government agencies sometime have to travel often to perform audit at branches of their firm, clients’ places of business, or government facilities. Usually accountants work about a 40-hour week, but most work longer especially if they are self-employed and have many clients. Most accountant position requires at least a bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field. Beginning accounting positions in the Federal Government requires 4 years of college including 24 semester hour in accounting or an equal amount of education and experience. Also practical knowledge of computers and their applications in accounting is a good thing to have for job seekers in accounting field. People who want a career in accounting should have a skill in mathematics and be able to analyze, compare, and interpret facts and figures quickly. They must be able to communicate the results of their work to clients.

Father Involvement in Child Welfare Services

Father Involvement in Child Welfare Services Substance addicted fathers fail to provide a safe environment that focuses on the needs of their children. While inebriated, fathers may believe they are being attentive to their children, while in reality, they tend to act on their own feelings and disregard their children’s needs and become unpredictable. Sometimes a substance addicted father will have periods of presence and periods of absence from his child’s life. At one moment, he may provide his child with security, and another, he may inflict fear. Paternal substance abuse undermines the ability to give adequate care to children and overall, the ability to support his family. Fathers with a drug addiction are judged to be irresponsible and deemed incompetent as parents. The wives of these men are implicitly left with the responsibility to care for their children with some help from child welfare services. Although, fathers exist in the lives of women and children involved with child welfare authorities, they are rarely seen by the child welfare professionals themselves. Substance abusing men tend to avoid social services due to lack of paternal responsibility, cross gender communication, and hyper-masculinity. In the article â€Å"Engaging Fathers in Child Welfare Services: A Narrative Review of Recent Research Evidence†, Social Workers Nina Maxwell, Jonathan Scourfield, Brid Featherstone, Sally Holland, and Richard Tolman found that only thirty-three percent of mothers identified the father when asked (163). Fathers are reluctant in participating in social cases, therefore may threaten the mothers to leave them out of it. Mothers may withhold the father’s identify out of fear about letting the father know that child welfare services are involved, fear that the father may be incarcerated, and fear of the father’s reaction, especially in cases involving domestic violence. These fears reinforce the idea that women are subordinate to men. Since she is fearful of her child’s father to be able to reveal his identity, the mother cannot receive the much needed, proper assistance from her social case worker. Even if the mother were to reveal the identity of her children ’s father, it is likely for him to evade contact from child welfare. Fathers avoid contact with child welfare staff. In a focus group study, Maxwell and her colleagues found that these fathers had a wide range of explanations for the avoidance. These included fear that they cannot be good fathers for their children, fear that the involvement with the child welfare system will worsen their problems with the criminal justice system, fear that relationships with current partners not related to the child would be affected, and a perception that the system is not there to help them (164). The concerns expressed by these fathers are a prime example that substance-abusing fathers are selfish because they are only interested in fulfilling their own desires, rather than meeting their children’s needs. Social policy makers have been trying to involve fathers more in their children’s lives by increasing child support payments, but it is done so in the best interest of the child. Over the past few years, social policy makers have made an effort to increase the participation of fathers in their children’s lives, by providing child support to the children’s mother. The income of a father, who is not living with his children, can by affected by child support obligations in several ways. For example, if a father recently received an additional income of five hundred dollars a month, his child support payments might increase by one-hundred and twenty-five dollars (Lerman 69). Increased incomes have higher taxes and when combined with increased child support orders, it lowers a fathers’ profit each month, causing them to reduce their work effect. It is found that rigorous enforcement by the child support system could cause fathers to shift from formal to informal or underground work, which makes it more difficult for the government to track true income. Child welfare professionals acknowledge that some fathers are committed to their children, many others are not. In her study â€Å"Child Welfare Professional’s Experiences in Engaging Fathers in Services†, Professor Mahasin F. Saleh found that sixty percent of substances abusing men associated in social services cases lack paternal responsibility (126). The lack of father responsibility includes father absence, denial of paternity, alcohol or drug abuse, blaming the mother, incarceration for various reasons, and maltreatment. One child welfare professional recalls, â€Å"They don’t believe. They took the paternity test and then it’s ‘I want a blood test’. And some of them disappear because they feel like they’re not the father. That’s hard, too, getting them engaged when they don’t want to believe† (Saleh 126). This example exemplifies a lack of father responsibility. Substance addicted men deny responsibilities tha t come with paternal identity, because they view the responsibilities as a burden, and often want nothing to do with it. This father figure is self-absorbed, abusive, and driven by addiction and carelessness. Child Welfare Professionals have shared that fathers who neglect their children are found to be more verbally abusive and threatening during counseling (Saleh 127). Fathers view social counseling as a vehicle for women to process their emotions and that â€Å"strong† men do not attend counseling. Hyper-masculinity causes a man to maintain a rigid gender role script (Guerrero 137). The hyper-masculine man is prepared to challenge any real or imagined taunts from other men with violence. Men have a high sense of pride when it comes to his manhood. In 2013, the National Association of Social Workers conducted a membership workforce study and reported that eighty-two percent of social workers working full time were female (Whitaker Arrington 9). Since a majority of social workers are female, a father is reluctant to comply and subject to the words of a woman. Masculine fathers do not like to hear something from women, and they may get angry when working with female social workers , because they feel like women are trying to tell them what to do. A hyper-masculine man’s attitudes towards women are usually those of sexual or physical subjugation. A female social worker from Saleh’s case study recalls multiple times that she had to deal with male clients who had expressed romantic interests in her (130). Experiences similar to these make it difficult for female case workers to deal with a situation professionally. There are many instances when the social worker is confronted with a father that has not only has neglected his kids through his ignorance. Most of the time, they never admit they are at fault. Fathers exist in the lives of women and children involved with child welfare authorities, and yet, they are rarely seen by child welfare. These fathers are seen as deviant, dangerous, irresponsible and irrelevant, and even further, how absence in child welfare is inevitably linked to blaming mothers. In failing to work with fathers, child welfare ignores potential risks and assets for both mothers and children. Social workers are encouraged to focus on mothers as being the protective parent, whereas fathers are considered as risks and damage potential, due to neglect, abuse, and substance addiction. In the article â€Å"Manufacturing Ghost Fathers: the Paradox of Father Presence and Absence in Child Welfare†, Leslie Brown, Marilyn Callahan, Susan Strega, Christopher Walmsley, and Lena Dominelli reveals that over sixty percent of fathers associated with child welfare are identified as a risk to children and are not contacted. Similarly, fifty percent of these men were not conta cted when they were considered ricks to the mothers (26). Mothers are responsible for the care and protection of children even when they are victims of domestic violence. Child welfare holds mothers responsible for monitoring the behavior of the men in the children’s lives, essentially contracting out the surveillance of men to mothers (Chuang 457). They are expected to fill the role of both parents and further expected to mediate the relationships between children and fathers, as well as between fathers, and professionals. While inebriated, a father may believe he is performing his fatherly duties to the best of his abilities, but in reality he is oblivious to what is happening in the environment around him, including his children. The appearance of a social worker at his home is detrimental to his mental state as a father. In a way, he may view it as insulting. The father may not realize the dangers that he put his children in as a result of his negligence. The father is too proud to realize his mistakes and may want to blame outside sources. Unfortunately, this results in an agitated and distraught way of thinking, which could result in more negligence and abuse to their families (Burrus et al. 212). Substance abusing fathers often lose custody of their children. With help from social services, mothers are able to collect child support from their children’s fathers. Since a majority of social workers are female, males feel like their manhood is undermined when they speak to these women. These fathers try to avoid any instances of conference with social workers, because they feel it may affect their life that is unassociated through relations with the child. This shows how selfish and incompetent substance-abusing fathers are. Mothers are subordinate to fathers due to fears of reactions of the fathers finding out the involvement of social services (Brodie et al. 36). Many substance abusing fathers are invisible when it comes to their children. The lack of insight to his own problems causes a father to become invisible to himself and his child’s needs. If a man cannot handle his own feelings and problems, there is no chance he will be able to handle and resolve a child’s or be able to see his development. In the state of intoxication, fathers become self-absorbed and forgetful about what happens in the world around them. Substance abusing fathers are associated as being neglecting, abusive, destruction, and often insignificant. Fathers struggle to fulfill the role of the ideal role model to his children.

Separation of Powers Essays -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Successful governments in history gained their acclaim by trial and error. The government in the United States is no different. In fact, the structure of the government in the United States has been through many changes: the American government was once feeble and operated with weak alliances between states; however, the present government functions in perfect equilibrium with the separation of powers, the federal system, and regards to democratic ideals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After gaining independence from the British government, the United States wanted to refrain from the all-powerful central government and establish a weak central government where the powers to govern were given to the thirteen states. This form of government was formed with the Articles of Confederation. In this system, each state retained its sovereignty, freedom, and independence. The Articles of Confederation did, however, create a national government. It provided a national legislation, Congress. Congress consisted of delegates from the states, and each state had one vote in the legislation, with no regards to population. The central government had some powers to govern: it can conduct foreign relations, declare war or peace, maintain an army and navy, settle disputes among states, establish and maintain a postal service, and et cetera. These powers, however, were not given to Congress alone; Congress shared these powers with the states. So in many ways, Congr ...

Scrolling Textures :: essays research papers

Scrolling Textures: Creating Flowing water. By Stupendous Man! First I would like to introduce scrolling textures since they haven't been addressed very well. I have obtained all the information I am sharing through trial and error and through dilegent searching of the web turning up pieces of the puzzle here and there. Now the infamous scrolling texture. First of all you have to have a texture in your wad file that has the word "SCROLL" as the first six letters. The rest can be what ever you please. (I read somewhere that you couldn't have an underscore but torntextures.wad uses one so I would imagine it works. If you don't feel like screwing with it just name your file without an underscore.) For this tutorial I am using "torntextures.wad" that is in the cstrike folder, and I am using the "scroll_water" texture that is 176x176 (I read also that scrolling textures can only be a certain size... but I haven't had any problems.. so experiment.) Note: Steps correspond with the Numbered Circles in the Pictures. Step 1: Select your texture using either the browse button or the pull down. "scroll_water" is selected. Good. Step 2 and 3: Click on the "Block Tool"(step 2) select the object type (step 3) and create your Block, or brush for that matter. I happend to make mine a rectangle 224W x 112l x 1h. It doesn't matter what the size is, as long as it fits your needs. It can be a cylinder, wedge, block, etc. Doesn't matter. (note: the more faces the more fun it will be to configure the directions. So be advised to stay away from a bunch of faces.) Step 4, 5 and 6: Click on the selection Tool.(step 4) In the 3D view or one of the 2D ones, select your brush.(step 5) Click the "toEntity" Button(step 6) Step 7: This menu will pop up when you complete step 6. This is the properties of the object. since we are tying it to an Entity this is where we choose the type of entity it will be. Step 8: This step is how we get our water to scroll. The class of our entity needs to be a "func_conveyor" from the pull down select this. (click to enlarge) Step 9: Now we are going to focus a few settings only within the Object Properties box. Starting with the "Render FX". I leave this normal. Step 10:

Is He or isnt She - Original Writing :: Papers

Is He or isn't She - Original Writing I reach my destination, not really convinced how I should feel, or what I should anticipate! A mid terraced house, unsure of the area, but seems calm. A cold October evening, 5 pm and already the streets are dimly lit, a clear sky above, evidently displaying the dazzling stars that gleam beyond. I approach the house to a very inviting welcome, are they really friendly people or do they not get many visitors? I make my way to the lounge and take a seat, a small table in the corner draped in a lace cloth, a bookshelf that covers one entire wall and bursting to the brim with books. I'm immediately offered refreshments before given the chance to proceed with the interview, "A cup of tea would be great, thanks". Where do I start? A very complicated person, whose life is full of twists and turns. Kris, 5ft 8in tall, medium built with shoulder length hair, the kind of hair I would describe a 60's rock star to have, like Mick Jagger's, the rough and ready look. Born in London, but you wouldn't know by her accent, she has more of a neutral tone. She grew up with the feeling of not belonging! It all started when schooling began, nursery then infants. She just didn't fit in and her parents didn't know what to do. "Send her off to boarding school, that'll change things." I sit there, listening to every word that is spoken to me. She's obviously very wounded and distraught by the whole circumstances, as her parents were going through a divorce at this time, but did her mother really feel that this would be the best option, or was it that she didn't know what else to do, maybe she needed to escape? She sits opposite me, fidgeting, almost non-stop, legs crossed to one side and then instantaneously switching over to the other, arms folded, and the only time they unfolded is to remove the hair in her eyes, or to twiddle uncontrollably with her fingers.

Succubus Shadows Chapter 19

â€Å"Real,† I gasped out. â€Å"That was†¦real. Seth didn't give in to temptation. Seth stayed with Maddie.† â€Å"Maybe,† said One. The instinct to claw his eyes out rose within me, strong and sudden. It was animal and rash – and impossible since I had no form here. It was an urge I'd had on more than one occasion with the Oneroi. â€Å"True. It was true.† This was like a child's game with them, over and over. Or maybe the true/false section on the SAT. Circles. Circles. My life was a circle. â€Å"And Jerome†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The end of the dream came to me where my boss had spirited Seth away. â€Å"He's coming for me. He took Seth. They're going to do that ritual. Erik's going to set it up.† â€Å"Yes. And he's going to fail.† â€Å"No, he won't,† I cried. Every ounce of me had become desperation: voice, mind, soul. â€Å"Jerome will come for me. He'll save me.† â€Å"No one is coming for you,† said Two. â€Å"They will try, but they will fail.† Again, they sent me back to my world, and as much as I yearned for familiar faces, the doubt and uncertainty the Oneroi kept bringing up filled me with a despairing kind of confusion. I was at Erik's. And apparently, so was everyone else. His store had a large back room used for storage that I'd only once caught a glimpse of. It reminded me of a garage, with unfinished cement floors and plain drywall on the sides. A small table held a bowl of burning incense that made the air hazy. The edges of the room were stacked with boxes and crates that appeared to have been shoved to create an empty space around the edge of the room. Also along the edges was the Seattle immortal club: Hugh, Cody, Peter, Carter, and even Mei. Roman was probably there too, hidden because of Mei. In the center of the room, Erik was drawing chalk patterns on the floor. Jerome stood nearby, and Seth hovered uneasily between them and my friends along the wall. I think he was having a hard time deciding who was safest. If not for Mei, he probably would have chosen my friends. Mei watched Erik and Jerome with disapproval, her nearly black eyes narrowed and brick-red lips pursed. At last, she uncrossed her arms and strode toward the center, her stiletto heels clicking loudly against the cement. Seth scurried out of her way, retreating to the safety of my friends. â€Å"This is ridiculous,† Mei said. â€Å"You're wasting everyone's time. Even with all of them† – she gestured to the wall gang – â€Å"it's not enough to bring her back. You need to report it and get another succubus.† â€Å"I report it, and there'll be another archdemon here too.† Jerome cut her a look. â€Å"I'm kind of surprised you haven't done that already.† Good point. As his underling, Mei obeyed him, but she was ambitious. If Jerome got in trouble for losing me, it could be to her advantage. â€Å"I don't need to,† she said flatly. â€Å"You'll be telling them yourself soon. Why do I have to be here? I have no connection to her.† â€Å"Because I told you to! Stop arguing.† Jerome glared at her, and the two demons locked gazes. At last, Mei gave a sharp nod, but it didn't seem like she gave in because of his authority. It was more like he'd communicated something, and she was acknowledging it. She returned to the side of the room, opposite my friends now. Erik had to lean and get on his knees for a lot of his chalk work, something that had to be agony on his back. With a sigh, he finally stood up and examined his design. It showed two large concentric circles, filled and surrounded with a number of arcane symbols. Some I knew; some I didn't. Jerome studied the pattern too, and for the first time ever, my boss looked†¦nervous. â€Å"Is it ready?† he demanded. Erik nodded, one hand absentmindedly rubbing his back. â€Å"Barring the spell itself, yes.† Jerome's eyes fell on Seth, who flinched. â€Å"You,† said the demon. â€Å"Come here.† Seth eyed the pattern almost as uneasily as Jerome had. â€Å"What will happen to me?† â€Å"It won't kill you, if that's what you're worried about. And you can leave the circle whenever you want. Now stop wasting time.† I didn't like hearing Jerome boss Seth around. It stirred up those coals of rage that had been burning within me lately. I even grew angry seeing Seth obey; I kind of wanted him to defy Jerome. A moment later, I tried to banish such thoughts. I needed to save my fury for the Oneroi, not this group. Surely Jerome wasn't lying. Carter, who'd remained quiet throughout all of this, would have called Jerome on it. I hoped. Seth walked over to Jerome's side, careful not to step on any of the chalk lines – like how superstitious people avoid cracks on sidewalks. Erik gave Seth a small smile. â€Å"He's right, Mr. Mortensen. This won't hurt you. Though it will be†¦strange.† Mei suddenly went rigid again. â€Å"Him? That's all you're using? Jerome, one person can't – â€Å" â€Å"Enough!† roared Jerome. â€Å"I'm tired of listening to everyone backtalk me. Can we get on with this?† Erik nodded and walked over to the table with the incense. There was also a small bowl of water and a long, roughly hewn piece of stone. Smoky quartz, I thought. Erik picked it up carefully, reverently. He pushed the tip of the wand into the smoldering incense, and then held it up so the smoke could swathe it. A couple seconds later, he dipped the wand's end into the water. When that was completed, he began carrying the wand to the circle. â€Å"Wait,† Carter suddenly said. He straightened up from where he'd been slouching against some boxes. â€Å"I'm going in too.† â€Å"You're all crazy,† muttered Mei. â€Å"She has a point,† said Jerome. â€Å"If you're in here – â€Å" â€Å"I know, I know,† said Carter, stepping over the lines to join Jerome. â€Å"And I also know what might come out.† The two of them looked at each other, more silent messages passing, and then neither spoke again. Erik returned to the circle's center, holding the wand up high. Both Carter and Jerome had moved as far from the humans as possible without crossing the inner circle. As Erik's arms reached heavenward, he suddenly didn't seem like a weak old man. True, his body was frail and growing gaunter every day, but as he stood there and began chanting, he became so much more than human. Dante was a better magician when it came down to it, but Erik wasn't without his own power, even if rarely used. If I'd been there in the flesh, I would have felt the magic he was summoning. Knowing it was there almost made me believe I could see it. He finished his chant, spoken in words I only knew a little of, and then walked around the circle. He touched it in four spots with the wand, all equidistant from each other. The instant his wand touched the fourth spot, every immortal in the room suddenly flinched and looked uncomfortable – even the greater ones. Seth mostly looked confused. As a disconnected observer, my view was like Seth's. I saw nothing happen either. But I realized then that if I'd been there, I would have felt what all the other immortals had as well. Erik had locked the circle, slamming invisible walls into place. All magical circles were different, but he'd told Seth that he could cross out – meaning this was a circle to keep only immortals in. It wasn't exactly like a summoning. Summonings required massive amounts of magic because they were enslaving an immortal against his or her will. This circle was a prison too, but it required less magic because the immortals had entered it by choice. Jerome and Carter had just knowingly allowed themselves to be entrapped. This was why he wanted Mei around. For an unscrupulous magic user – say, like Dante – this was a golden opportunity. Two imprisoned greater immortals? It had infinite possibilities for a magician. Whatever Erik was doing here, I didn't believe he'd abuse this situation. But Jerome, being a demon, didn't trust anyone. Jerome had wanted Mei on hand to do some smiting if Erik wouldn't release his prisoners. Of course, she would be powerless to do anything until Erik left the circle – which he'd have to do eventually. If they were all trying to rescue me, though, Erik couldn't have created this circle with the intent of trapping Jerome and Carter specifically. The angel's words came back to me: I also know what might come out. Erik stood in front of Seth, who was growing more nervous by the second. The strain in Erik's face showed the power he was keeping in check. He couldn't play kindly old man right now, but he did what he could. â€Å"Do you care about Miss Kincaid?† he asked Seth. â€Å"Do you want to save her?† â€Å"Yes,† answered Seth swiftly. â€Å"Then you must think about her. Focus every ounce of your being on her. Imagine her. Cry out for her. There must be no other thoughts in your head – only her.† Seth looked puzzled but nodded. Erik turned to Jerome and Carter. â€Å"And you must stop him from going in entirely. You can't enter yourselves, but you can keep him here. You have to, or you'll lose both of them.† Erik waited for no acknowledgment from the angel and demon. He held up his wand again and touched Seth on his forehead, both cheeks, and chin. Seth shivered. â€Å"Remember,† said Erik. â€Å"When the gate opens, think of her. Only her. Reach for her. And when you find her, do not let go.† â€Å"Gate?† asked Seth. â€Å"What – â€Å" But Erik was chanting again, and a wind emerged out of nowhere, ruffling the hair of those in the circles. His voice grew more and more powerful, and then – I was back with the Oneroi. â€Å"What happened?† I exclaimed. For the millionth time, I wished I could beat on the walls of my prison. I wanted to claw their eyes out again. I wanted to choke them. â€Å"Show me what happens!† â€Å"Failure,† said One. â€Å"They won't succeed,† added Two. â€Å"The demoness was correct. A dozen humans who loved you couldn't reach you, let alone – â€Å" He stopped speaking. His eyes met One's, and then both glanced around as though searching for something. I tried to see what they saw or heard, but there was nothing for me. Only blackness and silence. Then, I felt the stirring of another dream coming over me. The dark world started to go blurry, and both Oneroi jerked their heads toward me. â€Å"No!† exclaimed Two, extending his hand. Everything grew clear again. I didn't dream. I stayed where I was. Georgina. My name. For the first time in – well, I had no idea how many days – I heard something that wasn't the Oneroi. It was so faint, a whisper lost on the wind. My name. One of them, at least. I couldn't tell where it came from, but every part of me tried to focus on it, to figure out its origin. Georgina. â€Å"Yes?† I said aloud. â€Å"I'm here!† The world grew blurry again. I didn't hear my name, but it was like the siren song all over again. Music without sound, colors without description. â€Å"Stop this!† cried One. I had never heard the Oneroi raise their voices. They always spoke in those low, sly tones. But they were pretty upset now. â€Å"Fight it!† This was Two, speaking to One. â€Å"Join me! Don't let it – â€Å" I left them for another dream. Or, well, more like another place. No, it wasn't even a place. It was like I was floating in space, in a nebula. Perhaps a hurricane was a more accurate way to describe it because things were swirling around me and blowing past. Wisps of smoke. Bits of colors. Brilliant stars. Some touched me. Some went through me. And every time I made contact, I felt an emotion – an emotion that wasn't my own. Happiness. Terror. With that emotion came a brief flash of an image. A green field. An airplane. A monster. It was a snowstorm of stimuli. I was lost and adrift, almost more scared than in my prison with the Oneroi. At least that had had some substance, no matter how insignificant. But this†¦what was this? Every once in a while, it would start to dissolve to black, like I might be returning to the box†¦. Then, the darkness would fade, again leaving me helpless in this mad riot of sensation. Georgina. My name again. And with it, that pull. That pull of familiarity. Though I technically had no body here either, I searched for that voice and that pull, looking through the riotous color. Georgina. It was stronger. That sense of summoning. I burned with the need to get to it. It was part of me. It was home. And then, in all that chaos, one light shone brighter than all the others. It was white, pure and pristine amidst the kaleidoscope raining down upon me. I stared at it, reached for it in as much as I could. The world started to fracture to black once again, but it was the last time. I wouldn't return to the box. Not with this light before me. It's hard to say if it became brighter and brighter or if it just grew closer and closer, but suddenly it was before me. It was around me. I was it. Just like when I'd brushed against those other dreams, I had a flash of vision that snapped me briefly from the whirlwind. I was in Seth's arms. Or was I? As he held me, his face seemed to shift over and over to different forms. No, it was him. I would know him anywhere. He was so familiar, and now this close to me, I couldn't let go of him. He was home. Georgina. The voice came again, and it was his. Georgina, don't let go. No. I wasn't letting go. I was never letting go again†¦. That brief moment of human contact gave way to the starry field of dreams, but this time, I had an anchor. I was with the light. I was the light. I felt it pulling me, but I needed no urging. I would go wherever it took me. I released all control. I had the sensation of floating, of being stretched and reaching forward. Behind me, something tugged at me, but it wasn't strong enough. I was moving forward. Forward and forward and – The sound of screaming filled the room. My screaming. Screaming over the pain of being torn apart and reassembled. Pain from being stripped of all energy within me. I was weak. Raw. Nothing. What room was this? I saw faces. Faces near me, faces along the room's wall. They looked at me like they knew me. Did they? Did I know them? My legs buckled underneath me, weak like a colt's. One of the men standing near me reached out, but I scrambled backward, needing to escape. I couldn't let him touch me. Of that, I was certain. My mind had been shredded and ripped open. I didn't want to be touched in any other way. The floor was cold and smooth as I scurried over it, but I was stopped by a wall. At least, it felt like one. I saw nothing there, only a blue line upon the floor. The invisible wall was familiar and triggered fear. It reminded me of the box. I drew my knees up to me, trying to make myself small as I trembled. The men near me – four of them – were speaking in a language I didn't know. They were arguing. One kept trying to come to me, but another stopped him. That one was terrifying. His features were nothing extraordinary – tall, with dark brown eyes and hair – but there was something about him that made me cold all over. There was power in him, power all around him. I could feel it and see it. It reminded me of sulfur. His eyes fell on me as he spoke harshly to the others, and I cringed further. I felt certain I knew him, but he still scared me. Suddenly, another of the men exclaimed something and touched the dark-haired one's arm. This man was blond. I sensed power around him too, but it felt different. It was clean and crystalline. All four turned around, putting their backs to me as they stared at something. Nothing was there at first, then I began to see and feel it. A glowing purple orb appeared before them, becoming larger and larger. As it did, I saw it was more of a spiral, its arms whirling as it grew. The two men who didn't radiate power stepped back. If the unseen wall had let me, I too would have moved away. Out of the purple light, two black forms suddenly materialized and stepped forward. Two black figures who were somehow luminescent at the same time and had brilliant blue eyes. My own eyes widened. I might not know anything else that was going on around me, but I knew them. I knew them, and I was going to kill them. I'm not sure how I did it since there seemed to be no spark of life left within me, yet somehow, I mustered the strength to spring up and run toward them. My shrieked words were incoherent, but it didn't matter. Only their destruction did. I would rip them apart. I would make them suffer the way they'd – Strong arms grabbed me, stopping me as surely as the wall had. It was the blond man, and his grip was like iron. â€Å"Let me go!† I screamed. â€Å"Let me go! I'll kill them! I'll kill them both!† The dark-haired man glanced back toward us. â€Å"Do not let her go,† he said mildly, this time in a language I understood. I fought in vain against the arms but made no progress. The dark-haired man turned to the Oneroi. â€Å"This isn't your world,† he said. â€Å"We've come for what's ours,† said one of the Oneroi. â€Å"You took her.† â€Å"I took back what was mine,† the dark-haired man countered. â€Å"You stole her.† â€Å"We won her. She came to us of her own free will.† The dark-haired man snorted. Jerome, I suddenly remembered. His name was Jerome. â€Å"We have different definitions of ‘free will,'† he said. â€Å"We want her back,† protested the Oneroi. â€Å"You're taking nothing back,† countered Jerome, voice hard. â€Å"Go before I change my mind.† I'd gone slack while they spoke, but now my fury was renewed. I struggled again. â€Å"Let me kill them!† I screamed. â€Å"Jerome, it's my right! Let me destroy them!† Jerome turned back, maybe surprised I'd used his name. â€Å"I don't think you're in any shape to kill anything.† â€Å"It's my right,† I said. â€Å"After what they did – they'll suffer like I did. I will shred them. I'll rip their souls out!† â€Å"They don't have souls,† he said dryly. â€Å"But I like your enthusiasm.† He turned back to the Oneroi. â€Å"So, you stole my succubus and tortured her.† His voice carried that reptilian chill. It froze my blood. It made the air crackle with tension. The Oneroi shifted uncomfortably. They weren't unaffected. â€Å"Because of her, our mother was recaptured,† one of them said. But he didn't sound as confident or outraged as before. â€Å"We are entitled to revenge.† â€Å"You believe insult to another justifies revenge?† asked Jerome. Oh, that voice. That voice made the air grow still. â€Å"Yes,† said the Oneroi as one. â€Å"Me too,† replied Jerome. He didn't even move, but I felt the power flare out from him, like a torch thrown into dry tinder. It exploded – and so did the Oneroi. Well, it was more like they imploded. That power hit them, and then – they were no more. Just like that. â€Å"Oh, Jerome,† said the man holding me. â€Å"Do you know what you've done?† Jerome glanced back at us and shrugged. â€Å"I don't like people taking my things.† The swirling purple gate had never left, and now it began to grow brighter and rotate faster. â€Å"Shit,† said Jerome. â€Å"I was hoping no one would notice.† The man holding me sighed. He looked down at me, and silvery gray eyes pierced my soul. â€Å"Listen to me. Do not move. Do you understand? Stay right here.† When I didn't answer, he sighed again. â€Å"Do you know me?† Did I? Yes. The eyes. I knew the eyes. â€Å"Carter.† The word came out strangely on my tongue. â€Å"Yes,† he said. â€Å"You know me. Trust me. Do not move.† He let go of me, waited to see what I'd do, and then walked up to join Jerome when I stayed in place. Nothing could have made me move anyway, not when I saw what came through the gate. It was monstrous. Literally. Yellow-eyed and scaly, mottled purple and gray. It had what looked like a pig's snout, and seven horns ran over its head like points on a crown. It towered over Jerome and Carter as it emerged from the gate, but the two of them stood where they were, regarding it defiantly. â€Å"You destroyed my subjects,† the creature growled. Its voice came from deep within its throat and made the floor vibrate. â€Å"You broke the laws.† â€Å"Your subjects were in our realm,† said Jerome. He was perfectly calm. â€Å"They stole one of my people and abused her. They broke the rules.† â€Å"That doesn't give you the right to do what you did,† came the response. â€Å"They would have destroyed her if they were capable of it. Next time, keep a better watch on your employees so that they don't go causing trouble where they shouldn't.† The monster's nostrils flared. â€Å"I could destroy you for this.† â€Å"Try,† said Jerome. â€Å"Try taking on both of us.† Those yellow eyes flicked over to Carter. A few teeth showed in the creature's mouth. I think he was smiling. â€Å"An angel and a demon fighting together. It would almost be worth seeing.† Heavy silence fell as everyone sized each other up. I had no sense of the monster's strength. Physical size was not proportional to power. Jerome and Carter, however, were burning like small suns, ready to burst at any moment. At last, the monster shrugged. Or did his equivalent of it. â€Å"But it's been enough just to see you defend each other's honor. I will not destroy you†¦today. There will be no more assaults on my people. If there are, I won't be so forgiving.† â€Å"And if your people don't leave mine alone,† said Jerome smoothly, â€Å"I won't be as forgiving either.† The creature snarled, and for a moment, I thought he might very well change his mind. He didn't. Instead, he stepped backward toward the purple light. He merged into it, vanishing to our eyes, and then the gate itself disappeared as well. â€Å"He is such a fucking liar,† said Jerome. â€Å"‘Forgiving' indeed. He knew we'd blast his scaly ass out of here.† â€Å"Yeah, well, I hope we never find if that's true or not,† said Carter. â€Å"Fighting a Morphean demon would generate paperwork even on my side.† Jerome's lips twitched into a smile. â€Å"Now that would be worth seeing.† I looked between both of them, my fear from the near-confrontation fading. With the last of my energy, I lunged for Jerome, beating my fists against his chest. He caught them and stopped me as easily as Carter had. â€Å"You should have let me do it! You should have let me destroy them! It was my right!† â€Å"That's what you're pissed off about? Georgie, I'm not even sure how you're still standing.† â€Å"It was my right,† I repeated. â€Å"You don't know what they did.† â€Å"I can make some good guesses.† I stopped in my struggles, and at last, the full force of everything that had happened descended on me. My being's full depletion hit me. I sagged in his arms, and he caught me. The sights and people around me were still a little muddled, but lots of things were starting to come back. â€Å"You were supposed to keep me safe,† I said in a small voice. I felt my eyes grow wet. â€Å"You shouldn't have let that happen – let them take me. You're supposed to protect me.† Jerome looked truly surprised and didn't respond to me immediately. I was afraid he'd get angry, but instead, he said quietly, â€Å"Yes. I am. I did in the end, but – I was late.† â€Å"Great apology,† said Carter. Now Jerome's anger returned. â€Å"I have nothing to apologize for!† He turned back to me, and again, his voice was calm and patient. Almost gentle. I knew this was uncharacteristic for him. â€Å"I brought you back. You're safe now. They will never harm you again. Do you understand?† I nodded. â€Å"Good. Now it's time to finish this.† Jerome turned toward the humans. One of them was old, very old – with dark brown skin and graying hair. His eyes were compassionate. The other man was younger, with messy hair and brown eyes that turned honey-amber when the light caught them. He was staring at me like he knew me, which wasn't a surprise because I knew him too. I didn't know how, but I did. In fact, I was beginning to realize I knew everyone in this room. Other names were coming back to me. This one man's name eluded me, though, largely because several kept popping into my head. He studied me intently, like he was trying to figure something out, and I found myself falling into those golden brown eyes. Jerome said something to the gray-haired man in that other language. I still couldn't understand it, but there was something familiar about its sounds. The old man didn't answer or move right away, and palpable tension fell over the entire room. At last the old man took a wand he was holding and began touching points on the circle upon the floor, murmuring softly as he did. When he touched the circle a fourth time, it was as though a great pressure – one I hadn't even known was there – was released from the room. Jerome exchanged a few curt words with the man and then turned to me. â€Å"As I was saying, how you're conscious is beyond me – but considering all the other absurd things you do, I shouldn't be surprised.† He stepped toward me and pressed his fingers to my forehead. I gasped as a jolt of†¦something†¦raced through me. At first, it was shocking and prickly. Then, it transformed into something sweeter and more wonderful. The most wonderful thing on earth. It filled me up, energizing me, making me whole. Until this moment, how could I have thought I was alive? The world came into greater focus, the sights grew more familiar. I staggered, not from weakness this time, but from the pure bliss of life Jerome had gifted me with. He said something to me in that other language, and I frowned, not understanding. He spoke again in my own words. â€Å"Change back, Georgina. Time to go.† â€Å"Change to what?† â€Å"Whatever you want. Your current favorite, I'd imagine. Not this.† His hand gestured toward my body. I examined myself for the first time. I wasn't quite as tall as him, a few inches shorter, maybe. My legs and arms were long and lean, my skin tanned from the sun. A plain ivory dress covered me, and I could see the tips of black hair falling onto my chest. I frowned. This was me†¦and yet not me. â€Å"Change back, Georgina,† he repeated. â€Å"That's not my name,† I said. â€Å"Shake off what they've done,† he said, clearly impatient. â€Å"It's over. They've fogged your mind, but you can clear it. Change back, Georgina. Come back to this time.† His next words were in that other language, and I shook my head angrily. â€Å"I don't understand. I shouldn't be here. This is my body, but this isn't my time.† He gave another command that I still didn't comprehend, and I uttered the same response. Three times we went through this, and then on the fourth, his words came through to me, perfectly understandable. I knew what he was speaking. The English language exploded in my mind, and with it, much more. I held out my hands before me, staring long and hard as though seeing them for the first time. â€Å"This is my time,† I murmured in English. I looked down at my long legs. A strange sense of revulsion ran through me. â€Å"This is not my body.† Yet†¦it was. It was, and it wasn't. With no energy, it was what I had reverted to. â€Å"What's your name?† he demanded. Letha. My name is Letha. â€Å"Georgina,† I said. And with that, I summoned the power to make my body's shape change. Slim and short, with light brown hair, and golden green eyes. The off-white homespun shift became a blue cotton dress. A moment later, I changed it to jeans and a blue shirt. Jerome glanced at Carter. â€Å"See? No harm done.† Carter didn't acknowledge that. Instead, he asked, â€Å"So now what?† â€Å"Now?† Jerome's gaze fell on me again. â€Å"Now Georgina sleeps.† â€Å"What?† I cried. â€Å"No! Not after†¦no. I'm never sleeping again.† Jerome almost smiled before touching my forehead again. I slept.

Fool Chapter 24

twenty-fourBOUDICCA RISINGAll my years as an orphan, and to find t lid I had a mother, merely she killed herself over cruelty from the great power, the besides father I had constantly cognizeTo find I had a father, notwithstanding(a) he, too, was murdered by beau monde of the kingTo find the best friend Id ever kn confess was the mother of the woman I adored, and she was murdered, horribly, by order of the king, because of what I had doTo go from being an orphan clown to a bastard prince to a boisterous avenger for contacts and witches in micro than a week, and from upstart crow to strategist cosmopolitan in a matter of monthsTo go from telling bawdy stories for the pleasure of an remand holy woman to planning the deprave of a kingdomIt was bloody disorienting, and non a fiddling tiring. And Id built so matchlessr an appetite. A insect goe was in order by chance even a sufficient meal, with wine.I watched from the arrow loops in my over-the-hill apartment in the barbican as Cordelia entered the castle. She rode a great white warhorse, and deuce she and the horse were fitted with full plate armor, fashion in black with g hoar trim. The aureate lion of England was emblazoned on her shield, a comfor tabularise fleur-de-lis of France on her breastplate. Two columns of knights rode nooky her, carrying lances with the banners of Wales, Scotland, Ireland, no.mandy, France, Belgium, and S distress. Spain? Shed conquered bloody Spain in her spare quantify? She was rubbish at chess in the lead she left. Real war must be easier.She reined up her horse in the centre of attention of the drawbridge, stood in the stirrups, pulled off her helmet and shook forbidden her bulky g hoaren hair. Then she smiled up at the gatehouse. I ducked discover of spy Im not sure why.Mine she barked, and so she laughed and led the column into the castle.Yes, I know, love, merely bad form, isnt it, to march ab off with your own bloody army laying adduce t o random property, innit? Unladylike.She was bloody glorious.Yes, a snack would do nicely. I laughed a bit myself and danced my way to the great hall, indulging in the odd somersault a eagle-eyed the way. peradventure going to the great hall in search of food wasnt the best idea, and perhaps it wasnt my real intention, which was on the nose as well, since quite a of a repast, the bodies of Lear and his two daughters were laid go forth on three high tables, Lear on the dais where his throne sat, Regan and Goneril below, on each side, on the main floor.Cordelia stood over her father, lock in her armor, her helmet tucked below her arm. Her long hair hung in her face, so I couldnt tell if she was crying.Hes a good switch more(prenominal)(prenominal) pleasant now, utter I. Quieter. Although he moves about the same speed.She looked up and smiled, a great dazzling smile, indeed considermed to look on she was grieving and bowed her take aim again. convey you for your condole nces, Pocket. I see you go managed to endure off pleasantness in my absence. tho by keeping you constantly in my thoughts, child.Ive missed you, Pocket.And I you, lamb.She stroked her fathers hair. He wore the lowering crown that hed thrown on the table before Cornwall and capital of New York what seemed so long ago.Did he suffer? Cordelia asked.I considered my answer, which I almost never do. I could energize vented my ire, cursed the old man, do testament to his life of cruelty and wickedness, but that would help Cordelia not a bit, and me genuinely little. Still, I needed to temper my theme with some truth.Yes. At the end, he suffered greatly in his heart. At the hands of your sisters, and under the weight of regret for doing wrong to you. He suffered, but not in his remains. The pain was in his soul, child.She nodded and turned from the old man. You shouldnt come up to me child, Pocket. Im a queen now.I see that. Smashing armor, by the way, very St. George. suffer wi th a dragon, did it?No, an army, as it turns out.And an empire, evidently.No, I had to create that myself.I told you your disagreeable nature would serve you in France.That you did. Right after you told me that princesses were only good for what was it dragon food and interchange markers?There it was, that smile again, sunshine on my frozen heart, it felt. And like a frozen limb, there were pins and needles as the feeling returned. absolutely I felt the small scrunch with the witchs puffball heavy on my belt.Yes, well, one cant be right all the time, it would spelunk ones credibility as a fool.Your credibility is already in question in that regard. Kent tells me that the kingdom fell before me so easily because of your doing.I didnt know it was you, I thought it was bloody Jeff. Where is Jeff, anyway?In Burgundy with the duke well, the Queen of Burgundy. They both insist on being referred to as the Queen of Burgundy. Turns out you were right about them, which again counts against your standing as a fool. I caught them unneurotic at the palace in capital of France. They confessed that theyd project each other since they were boys. Jeff and I came to an arrangement.Aye, theres normally an arrangement in those situations the arrangement of the queens degree and body at different addresses. nada like that, Pocket. Jeff is a decent chap. I didnt love him, but he was a good fellow. Saved me when Father threw me out, didnt he? And by the time this happened Id won the keep back and most of the court to my sympathies if anyone was going to endure his head, it wasnt me. France took some territories, Toulouse, Provence, and some bits of the Pyrenees with him, but considering the territories Ive taken, boilers suit its more than fair. The boys have a crashingly sizeable palace in Burgundy that they perpetually redecorate. Theyre quite happy.The boys? Bloody Burgundy buggering froggy France? By the dangling ovaries of Odin, theres a song in there somewh ereShe grinned. Ive purchased a divorce from the Pope. Bloody dear46 it was, too. If Id cognise Jeff was going to insist on support of the Church Id have pushed to rein body politic the old Discount Pope.The sound of the great penetrations hypothesis echoed through the hall and Cordelia turned, fierce beset in her eyes. I verbalise I was to be left alone however past garbage, who had lumbered through, pulled up as if hed seen a ghost, and started to back away. Sorry. Beggin your pardons. Pocket, I got Jones and your hat. He held up the puppet stick and my coxcomb, forgot for a stand by that hed been shouted at, indeed resumed backing out the doors.No, come, Drool, give tongue to Cordelia. She waved him in and the guards unlikeable the door behind him. I wondered what the knights and other nobles energy think that the warrior queen would admit no one to the hall except two fools. Probably that she was merely another in a long line of family nutters.Drool paused as he pas sed Regans body and garbled his sense of purpose. He lay Jones and my hat on the table next to her, wherefore pinched the hem of her gown and pleadan to maturate it for a peek.Drool I barked.Sorry, tell the Natural. Then he spotted Gonerils body and moved to her side. He stood there, looking down. In a abet his shoulders began to shake and presently he broke into great, rib-wrenching sobs and proceeded to drip weeping upon Gonerils bosom.Cordelia looked at me with pleading in her eyes, and I, at her, with something that must have seemed similar. We were shits, to realizeher, we were, that we didnt grieve for these people, this family.They was fit, tell Drool. Soon he was petting Gonerils cheek, then her shoulder, then both her shoulders, then her breasts, then he climbed on the table on top of her and commenced a rhythmic and unseemly sobbing that approximated in timbre and the great unwashed a bear being move in a wine cask.I retrieved Jones from Regans side and cloute d the oaf about the head and shoulders until he climbed off the erstwhile Duchess of capital of New York and slipped through the drape and hid under the table.I loved them, Drool said.Cordelia stayed my hand and bent grass down and lifted the drapery. Drool, mate, she said. Pocket doesnt represent to be cruel, he doesnt understand how you feel. Still, we have to keep it to ourselves. Its not proper to dry-hump the deceased, love.It aint?No. The duke will be here concisely and hed be offended.What bout the other one. Her duke is dead.Just the same, its not proper.Sorry. He hid his head under the drape.She stood and looked at me, turning away from Drool and involute her eyes and smiling.There was so a good deal to tell her, that Id bumged her mother, and we, technically, were cousins, and, well, things might get awkward. It was my instinct, as a performer, to keep the moment light, so I said, I killed your sisters, more or less.She stopped smiling. Captain Curan said they poiso nous substanceed each other.Aye. I gave them the poison.Did they know it was poison?They did.Couldnt be helped, then, could it? They were right vicious bitches anyway. hagridden me through my childhood. You saved me the effort.They just treasured someone to love them, I said.Dont steel the case with me, fool. Youre the one that killed them. I was just going to take their lands and property. Maybe debase them in public.But you just said I loved them, said Drool. take out up I chorused with Cordelia.The doors cracked centripetal then and Captain Curan peeked his head through. Lady, the Duke of Albany has arrived, said he.Give me a moment, then send him in, said Cordelia.Very well. Curan closed the doors.Cordelia stepped up to me then, she was only a little taller than me, but in armor, somewhat more intimidating than Id remembered her but no less beautiful.Pocket, Ive taken quarters in my old solar. Id like you to visit after supper tonight.I bowed. Does my lady require a story and a jest before bedtime to drop dead her head of the days tribulations?No, fool, Queen Cordelia of France, Britain, Belgium, and Spain is going to shag the bloody bells off you.Pardon? said I, somewhat nonplussed. But then she kissed me. The second time. With great feeling, and she pushed me away.I invaded a domain for you, you nitwit. Ive loved you since I was a little girl. I came back for you, well, and for revenge on my sisters, but mostly for you. I knew you would be waiting for me.How? How did you know?A ghost came to me at the palace in Paris months ago. Scared the barnaise out of Jeff. Shes been advising the strategy since. lavish talk of ghosts, I thought. Let her rest. I bowed again. At your bloody beckoning assistance, love. A humble fool, at your service.ACT VHow I would take shape him fawn and beg and seekAnd wait the season and look out the timesAnd spend his prodigal marbles in bootless rhymesAnd shape his service wholly to my hestsAnd make him proud to make me proud that jestsSo perttaunt-like would I oersway his stateThat he should be my fool and I his fate. Loves Labours Lost, Act V, Scene 2, Rosaline