A.C Bradley’s Definition of Tragic Hero Essay

A famous Shakespearean scholar, Andrew Cecil Bradley, who was born in England, in 1851, wrote a book called The Shakespearean Tragedy (1904). This book is recognized as a classic Shakespearean criticism, which presents a psychological analysis of Shakespeare’s characters. The Article, The Shakespearean Tragic Hero (p.687-691) explains Bradley’s definition of tragedy and tragic hero. According to Bradley, the tragic hero must be of a person of high degree or of public importance with exceptional nature, which raises person, in some respect much above the average level of humanity. This trait will acts as double-edged sword as it is his greatness but also his fatality. The fatal trait, joining with hero’s tragic flaw or flawed act, brings catastrophe; that is, his downfall and ultimately his death. The tragic hero must be good or admirable, or at least recognized by person’s high degree or greatness; so we may be vividly conscious of the possibilities of human nature. Tragedy builds, as hero endures calamity and faces fate. The hero’s fate is determined by the existence of moral order. Therefore, to restore the mortal order in a tragic world, one must go through struggle between good and evil. According to Bradley, the tragic hero with Shakespeare is generally good and therefore at once wins sympathy in his error; but the hero’s imperfection or defects are considered evil and they contribute to the conflict and catastrophe. When the evil in him masters the good and has its way, it destroys other people and ultimately destroys him. The pity and fear, which are stirred by the tragic story, unites with profound sense of sadness and mystery gives impression of waste, and this impression of waste makes us realize the worth of that is wasted. Thus, Bradley ends with the conclusion, that the inexplicable fact or appearance of a world travailing for perfection, which brings birth to glorious goods and evil that is only able to overcome only by self-torture and self-waste is tragedy. Work Cite Bradley, Andrew Cecil, et al. Viewpoints 12. Toronto, ON: Prentice Hall, 2002, Print

Life in Prison

Prison life in most society is not considered a life worth mentioning. When a person decides to break the law and take up a life of crime, he or she should be aware of certain circumstances that lie ahead. When individuals break the law in our society, the pathway to a life in jail or prison is almost certain. Life simple freedom that most of society enjoys are limited in prison, and in some case none existence. Told where to go, how to act, when to speak, when to rise for the day or when to sleep can be torture. While enduring this he or she is confined in a small cell surrounded by the worst criminals society has to offer can make what life one has left a living nightmare (Heydoorn, 2008). In this paper, I will discuss my personal perspective that I have on Life in Prison. I will also discuss the policies that I would enforce, inmates need for respect, change in correctional policies that I would implement, and my beliefs on why people become criminals. After reading various topics on prison life during this course of study, along with my personal experience as a law enforcement officer, my perspective and understanding of prison life has not change. The main purpose of jail and prison has not change since the early days of our society. Prisons in our society are to house those citizens, which have committed crimes, like murder, rape, arson, and burglary. These citizens are held until their day in court, their trail has been set, and punishment has been rendered. Our ancestors intended purpose of jails and prisons were used as a form of punishment against the offender, a deterrent against the offender from committing crimes, removing dangerous criminals from our society and rehabilitation of less violent criminals. The system I think is ineffective so my understanding is that the system works. However, I am not supportive of the harsh conditions that some inmates will experience while incarcerated. The subculture of gang life and having to choose between living prison life safe or a victim of prison life is a difficult choice (Latessa, 2004). Some policies that I would make to aid the adjustment of prisoners to prison life are first address the subculture mentality that all inmates will experience. This unwritten inmate code, which is nothing more than a certain rules, and belief that used to bind inmates together. Prison life within this culture sees prison as nothing more than a training ground for gladiators. Here is where the strong will survive and flourish in this culture or weak shall become victims. This one area seldom addressed in the majority of prisons. In some cases, prisons officials allow this system to operate for fear of staff safety and gang retaliation. If this were the first order of attack, an inmate might have the chance at rehabilitation and reeducating themselves for reentry back to society (De Viggiani, 2006). In prison life for an inmate, his or her very existence is based on respect, hope, and safety that he or she will survive their sentence. If respect is given to an inmate as, a human being than respect should be rendered in return. Respect can be the difference between a prison riots or safe staff. Giving an inmate hope can change an individual whole outlook on prison life. Though hope an inmate can, one acquires his or her GED, learn a trade, kick drug addiction, and one-day walk out a free man. Other changes in policy that I would suggest in both state and federal prison would first start with the correctional management staff ideology. In almost every state in the United States prison system operates with the idea that if a plan worked good one day why change it the next. In other words if the system is not broken why fix it. The correctional system is like any other field in our society reluctant to change even when it is long overdue. The hearts and minds of correctional professionals, is a start in the right direction. In the last 100 years, there has been very little difference in how our prisons are operated this needs to change. Just because it was successful in 1950 does not mean it is for 2011. During this course of study, I do not think that there is no definite reason people become criminals. It is hard for me to think that individuals are merely born criminals and its is beyond that person control to do otherwise. I think that some people just take up criminal activity because the lifestyle and danger of being caught appeals to their behavior. Others might do strictly for financial gains that might override any rational thought. Some because of their environment see it as easy ticket out of poverty in which he or she grew up. The list could go on with no simple answer. However, I am confident that if the majority of our society were taught at an early age that criminal behavior is a no win scenario that will only led them to a life in prison. Life in Prison Prison life in most society is not considered a life worth mentioning. When a person decides to break the law and take up a life of crime, he or she should be aware of certain circumstances that lie ahead. When individuals break the law in our society, the pathway to a life in jail or prison is almost certain. Life simple freedom that most of society enjoys are limited in prison, and in some case none existence. Told where to go, how to act, when to speak, when to rise for the day or when to sleep can be torture. While enduring this he or she is confined in a small cell surrounded by the worst criminals society has to offer can make what life one has left a living nightmare (Heydoorn, 2008). In this paper, I will discuss my personal perspective that I have on Life in Prison. I will also discuss the policies that I would enforce, inmates need for respect, change in correctional policies that I would implement, and my beliefs on why people become criminals. After reading various topics on prison life during this course of study, along with my personal experience as a law enforcement officer, my perspective and understanding of prison life has not change. The main purpose of jail and prison has not change since the early days of our society. Prisons in our society are to house those citizens, which have committed crimes, like murder, rape, arson, and burglary. These citizens are held until their day in court, their trail has been set, and punishment has been rendered. Our ancestors intended purpose of jails and prisons were used as a form of punishment against the offender, a deterrent against the offender from committing crimes, removing dangerous criminals from our society and rehabilitation of less violent criminals. The system I think is ineffective so my understanding is that the system works. However, I am not supportive of the harsh conditions that some inmates will experience while incarcerated. The subculture of gang life and having to choose between living prison life safe or a victim of prison life is a difficult choice (Latessa, 2004). Some policies that I would make to aid the adjustment of prisoners to prison life are first address the subculture mentality that all inmates will experience. This unwritten inmate code, which is nothing more than a certain rules, and belief that used to bind inmates together. Prison life within this culture sees prison as nothing more than a training ground for gladiators. Here is where the strong will survive and flourish in this culture or weak shall become victims. This one area seldom addressed in the majority of prisons. In some cases, prisons officials allow this system to operate for fear of staff safety and gang retaliation. If this were the first order of attack, an inmate might have the chance at rehabilitation and reeducating themselves for reentry back to society (De Viggiani, 2006). In prison life for an inmate, his or her very existence is based on respect, hope, and safety that he or she will survive their sentence. If respect is given to an inmate as, a human being than respect should be rendered in return. Respect can be the difference between a prison riots or safe staff. Giving an inmate hope can change an individual whole outlook on prison life. Though hope an inmate can, one acquires his or her GED, learn a trade, kick drug addiction, and one-day walk out a free man. Other changes in policy that I would suggest in both state and federal prison would first start with the correctional management staff ideology. In almost every state in the United States prison system operates with the idea that if a plan worked good one day why change it the next. In other words if the system is not broken why fix it. The correctional system is like any other field in our society reluctant to change even when it is long overdue. The hearts and minds of correctional professionals, is a start in the right direction. In the last 100 years, there has been very little difference in how our prisons are operated this needs to change. Just because it was successful in 1950 does not mean it is for 2011. During this course of study, I do not think that there is no definite reason people become criminals. It is hard for me to think that individuals are merely born criminals and its is beyond that person control to do otherwise. I think that some people just take up criminal activity because the lifestyle and danger of being caught appeals to their behavior. Others might do strictly for financial gains that might override any rational thought. Some because of their environment see it as easy ticket out of poverty in which he or she grew up. The list could go on with no simple answer. However, I am confident that if the majority of our society were taught at an early age that criminal behavior is a no win scenario that will only led them to a life in prison.

Analysis of Espergesia

It is importance to read the poem in the context of its time, during this period Vallejo was moving in circles that held Marxist ideals, renounced religion, and embraced the notion that coherence and order of traditional poetry do not effectively communicate emotion, but that the logic of modern art is the logic of emotion. In this collection we see Vallejo begin to move away from the ideals and influences of modernism (Higgins,J) rather than using language as a tool to escape reality by romanticising it, Vallejo seeks to convey his own sense of reality, whilst he does employ modernist techniques such as religious symbolism and imagery that is connotative of beauty and art he subverts this imagery and in this way succeeds in conveying emotion in a manner much more personal and direct that lacks literary pretension and the glorification of the role of the artist (Miller, N). The poem explores Vallejos crisis of faith and the effect this has had on his relationship with society and how it has caused him to feel in terms of his existence in the world as a consequence. The broken language is symbolic of Vallejos broken faith and ideology, he attempts make sense of a world which to him does not make sense. The title Espergesia in an archaic legal term signifying the passing of a sentence this then must raise the question of who is passing the sentence there are only two possibilities of who this could be, God or society. Given that Vallejo debases religion and thereby a society with religion at its foundation, it would be strange if he felt this sentence to be actually imposed upon him by either party, instead however the poem implies that life itself it a sentence. Vallejo in his clever employment of paradox, â€Å"el claustro de un silencio que hablo a flor de fuego† portrays the sense of loss he feels now religion holds nothing of value for him. Also the imagery in the penultimate stanza of â€Å"la luz† and â€Å"la sombra† is a metaphor for religions downfall. It is made implicit throughout the poem that he does not believe in God, the most pertinent example that demonstrates this is in the opening stanza â€Å"Yo naci un dia que Dios estuvo enfermo† through his use of personification Vallejo attributes human weakness to God, undermining his power and in doing that, as by definition God cannot be ill, he denies his existence, this is further stressed by the repetition of this phrase. There is evidence to show that he bears a sentence imposed by society, for example in the lines â€Å"Todos saben que soy malo† there is a striking sense of bitterness of what society has condemned him to be now he doesnt believe in God. The juxtaposition of what everybody constrasts significantly with what they dont know â€Å"del diciembre de ese enero†, he emphasisesthis in the contrast in language of simple compared to a more elusive and ambiguous mode of expression that puts across a sense of perhaps being harder to comprehend yet of having a more profound meaning, the implication being that others have a superficial understanding of life as they know only of his external appearance and his external acts and can perceive nothing of the state of his soul his sense of emptiness and his existentialist view of life (Higgins, J). It seems clear that Vallejo is sentenced by society for his belief that life is a sentence and within this idea we gain an insight to the sense of isolation and fear that is so vividly manifested in the poem. In the third stanza, the image â€Å"la Esfinge preguntona del Desierto† communicates this notion with poignancy, the sphinx being the traditional symbol of the enigma of existence â€Å"grand in its loneliness symbol of eternity forever gazing on and on into a future which will still be distant when we, like all who have preceded us and looked upon its face, have lived our little lives and disappeared† (Stoddard,J. L) Whilst many critics believe that the opening stanza indicates that the poet is pursued by a sense of fatality, it can also be maintained that this line is a manifestation of his despair caused by him not believing in religion rest of the poem stresses the poets isolation and different vision of life primarily that God does not exist and where religion once gave meaning to life now it cannot this understanding has led him to become misunderstood by the majority of society who continue to derive meaning to life from religion this point is illustrated throughout the poem particularly in the paradoxical imagery that he creates manifest a deeper understanding whilst serving to emphasise the meaningless of life â€Å" hay un vacio, en mi aire metafisico†. In conclusion this poem can be interpreted in many ways however to me it is the cry of an existentialist in a religious world, Vallejo is experiencing a crisis of faith and within that a crisis of identity and this conflict and confusion of emotions is reflected in his language, in particular his use of antithesis and paradox. At the same time Vallejo is coming to terms with the meaningless and inevitability of life in a deterministic and seemingly meaningless universe. His sentence is the limites life imposes, his portrayal of an unfulfilled existence is powerful. The poem is an existential lament and an incredibly expressive, emotive and revolutionary piece of writing.

International management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International management - Essay Example This will call for development, implementation and control of marketing strategies needed to attain and sustain firm’s competitive advantage through analysis and evaluation of contemporary issues in the marketing practice and development of a strategic marketing plan. The purpose of competitive strategy is to achieve sustainable competitive advantage to enhance business financial performance and recognizing relationships between elements of marketing mix and assessment of the competitive aspects of the market and industry structure. Firms competing in foreign markets may choose to adapt their products to fit local market needs or to standardize their offer so as to keep costs low, and to understand principles and behaviors underlying appropriate methods and effective performance I project based teams. Introduction Hewlett-Packard Company is a multinational information and technology corporation that provides hard ware, software, and technological services to final end consumer s, small and medium enterprises and large enterprises including governments, health and education sectors. It has a significant global market share specializing in developing and manufacturing networking hardware, computing networks and software, data storage and delivery of innovation and technological services to its clients. The firm sells its products and services directly to the consumers via online distribution, retail outlets such as consumer electronics and office supply, partnership production and consulting with major technology vendors. With a wide range of products in its line the company boasts diversification in enterprise security services such as network security, information security and information assurance compliancy, wireless access points, mobile applications, analytics and portfolio management software (HP.com). Whenever firms go international, major marketing decision to be made is what marketing program is to be devised; choice between development of a globa l product and creation of adapted product that satisfies foreign market’s consumer needs while meeting the global efficiency goals and responsiveness (Qian & N.B.E.R, 2012, 4). This paper will seek to evaluate the international marketing strategy by Hewlett-Packard Company [HP] and evaluate the effectiveness for its products and the impacts of the strategy in its global standards and market share. International Marketing Strategy As an international corporation HP Company has applied several international marketing strategies in a bid to acquire significant market share and coupled by the industry it is in, its innovative strategies of production gives it market sustainability. The logic behind this is formulation of competitive marketing strategies such as relationship marketing which serve as a moderator for sustenance of positional advantages (Peterson, 2007, 2) coupled with the production competitive advantage gives the firm positive impacts of competition and market cond itions on the formulation of other marketing strategies. Literature Review Standardization is selling of the same products in all markets regardless of the economic, socio- cultural and economic backgrounds; a driving force of globalization trends in the market due to higher convergence of consumer needs, tastes and preferences, more technological uniformity and

Roe v. Wade, 410 US 113 (1973) (opinion of Blackmun, writing for the Essay

Roe v. Wade, 410 US 113 (1973) (opinion of Blackmun, writing for the majority, parts 5 11 or V XI ) - Essay Example Roe’s argument remains controversial throughout Supreme Court history since they are centred towards abortion rights. Blackmun argument divides pregnancies in three stages; first, second and third trimester. In the first trimester, a woman had unrestricted choice to abort if she had consulted her physician therefore; he held that the committee and hospital requirements were unconstitutional. In the second trimester, medical practitioners argue that the abortion poses a threat to the health of a woman and thus state could protect the women by regulating abortion. During the third trimester there was a need to protect a foetus by restricting abortion but Blackmun argued that since the moral and medical status of the foetus are uncertain, the state could not draw their argument on when life begins. For example, the state could not argue whether the fetus and newborn have equal rights if life begun at conception (Goldman 929). Similar justice majority in Doe restated largely and fleshed it to Roe ruling. Justice Blackmun when he wrote to the compact majority, he determined the regulations of the state could pose an obstacle to procedural abortion more specifically in this case, whether the law stipulated that the abortion could be done in a hospital or receive approval by two doctors. This was regarded as a violation to womens intention to terminate pregnancy. Many women have far and wide experience the burden of abortion as a result of the risks that result from aftermath of conception. In this regard, Blackmun argues that the government should relieve the women the burden by allowing them to make independent decisions since they are the transcendental finalist of the effects of abortion or rather not aborting. He further acknowledges the need to resolve the issue of abortion due to its emotional and sensitive nature. The subject of

To what extent does successful workplace learning depend on the social Essay

To what extent does successful workplace learning depend on the social context of the workplace environment - Essay Example This allows the organization to reach the potential growth and success that the organization dreams for. But to transform just a mere dream into reality, the organization must implement learning processes that would change the direction of the organization. This change in direction could change the future of the organization and its employees. As workplace learning is creating sustainable new knowledge, it is considered as an investment by the organization for their most important assets which is the workforce. The workforce could single handedly change the future of the organization, all they need is a training and development program but a program within the boundaries of organizational culture. An organization is a mixture of diverse culture and employees. The only element that combines these diverse employees from different race, religion and origin is the organizational culture. With the passage of time, organizations have become more cultural diverse and they have hired employe es belonging from different cultures and geographic locations. Although, this has been helpful for the organization as it has allowed organization to have diverse thinking and more creativity and better learning from different cultures.... Along with that, the research has highlighted some of the important dimensions that would include the definition of workplace learning, social context of workplace environment and lastly the impact of social context on successful workplace learning. A brief conclusion is also included to summarize and conclude all the major findings of this study. Successful workplace learning Workplace learning is a process that addresses the needs and interests of the employees. This learning process enables the employee to respond to the changing environment and to contribute in increasing the efficiency and productivity of the employee (Lai, and Lo, 2008). This learning process ultimately helps in meeting the employee’s personal and career development needs within the organization (Chen, Bian, and Hom, 2005). Learning at work allows the organization to develop different capabilities and skills and thus it is better able to achieve competitive advantage (Hamlin, and Stewart, 2011). Learning at work happens through the daily working practices of the workers and the biggest influence in this learning process is the work itself. A process that addresses the needs and interests of the employee helps in reducing the absenteeism rate, turnover rate, job dissatisfaction and all those factors that reduce the optimum performance to achieve the organizational goals. Successful workplace learning provides an opportunity for the employees of the organization to develop or improve their skills that would enable them to obtain the best possible outcomes for the business (Clarke, 2005). Employees are worthy investments for organizations as these employees are relied heavily upon for the success and betterment of the organization. Employees are considered to be the most valuable asset within

Safe systems of work employee perception and the implications for Essay

Safe systems of work employee perception and the implications for management - Essay Example Attributing incidents to human error has often been seen as a sufficient explanation in itself and something which is beyond the control of managers. This view is no longer acceptable to society as a whole. Organisations must recognise that they need to consider human factors as a distinct element which must be recognised and managed effectively in order to control risk. ( Health and Safety Executive HSG 48 Reducing error and influencing behaviour, 1999) Managers in industry know that accidents cost money. Whether people are injured, plant and machinery damaged or product wasted, organisations lose money. Large scale losses such as those arising from major fires or explosion, or involving loss of life, are very visible and some have been costed on an individual basis. For example the Piper Alpha explosion involved the loss of 167 lives and is estimated to have cost over  £2 billion including  £746 million in direct insurance payouts (Health and Safety Executive The costs of Accid ents at wWork, 2000). Another illustration of major accidents which can be contributed to by human factors is the case of Three Mile Island when serious damage occurred to the core of a nuclear reactor due to operator failure to diagnose a stuck open valve due to poor design of control panel, distraction of 100 alarms activating and inadequate operator training (Health and Safety Executive, HSG48 Reducing aAccidents and iInfluencing Behaviour ,2000). Maintenance failures had occurred before, but no steps had been taken to prevent them recurring. Accidents can occur through peoples involvement with their work. As technical systems have become more reliable, the focus has turned to human causes of accidents. It is estimated that up to 80% of accidents may be attributed, at least in part, to the actions or omissions of people (Health and Safety Executive HSG48 Reducing aAccidents and Influencing Behaviour

Model building Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Model building - Term Paper Example The purpose of this model is to assess the claim and handle the situation appropriately. It involves investigation procedures to unearth the truth so as to make decisive and conclusive actions. The media and citizens’ claims have to be investigated to assess where they registered complaint and whoever was responsible. This calls for an investigation team to assist in the process. The model tries to give answers why the complaints are not heard. The model Purpose The purpose of the model is to study why residents’ complaints have not been heard. In order to get proper answers independent investigation must be done. Complaint handling procedures are specific to organizations, and each organization policies are unique. Public policy for complaint launching and handling is always very clear. The study would put into account how these complaints were registered. As a line area manager, assessment to ensure that the staff gives appropriate concerns in helping complaint handling, investigates and resolves complaints. Constraints Investigation consumes time and it is often costly. On this basis, the model structure must mirror cost effective one and involve a proper time frame within which the purpose of the study is achieved. Policy is clear on how the complaints should be registered for accountability. This leads to assessment on how the complaint was registered (Adorno, 2000).... Independently, this team ensures to retrieve the logs of complaints for the particular period claim is made. This would involve accessing systems without the aid of responsible staff to handle complaints. This is to make sure the investigation is reliable and accurate. The investigation process is to be done within two weeks. The findings are to be evaluated and recommendation given to various departments to facilitate proper actions. Complaint material published by an organization should include a statement of guarantee that a plaintiff will not be victimized or suffer from negative handling because they have made a complaint. In a public sector, the community should not be isolated because of the complaints they raised due to poor service delivered by public sector. Policy The complaint policy approach has to be reassessed to ensure that proper accountability is in place. The time frame stipulated to handle compliant and priority appended to complaints in regards to sensitivity. Co mplaint value assessment is essential, and during the investigation it must be considered so as to verify if complaints are treated according to policy stipulation. It is essential to understand the existing policies so as to gauge the complaint problem. The resident may be claiming that the complaints are not being handled yet policy implementation is in progress. Integration of complaint handling must be properly instituted into policy document. This is a sure way of enhancing accountability within organizations (Reif, & International Ombudsman Institute, 2004). Commitment and responsibility The model helps in analyzing the commitment of staff to

Reading disabilities focusing on Dyslexia Research Proposal

Reading disabilities focusing on Dyslexia - Research Proposal Example More research however, is required about how dyslexia develops and what is the pathophysiology associated with it. As the mental faculties of an infant develop with age, there are a series of patterns and methods through which he learns to process the information he is presented with. All of his senses are important in creating the accurate picture of his surroundings and in creating adequate responses accordingly. Cognitive and affective developments ensue, with visual and auditory recognition patterns. It is the same time that the brain of the child is developing itself to effectively modify itself with the information it is being presented with. In the normal child, these milestones of mental as well as physical development are carried out at specific ages and time frames, signaling correct processing in the brain development. However, in children with learning difficulties, there may be many problems in the developmental pattern and in achieving the milestones. A child’s brain may not be accurately receiving the various sensory stimuli, or the brain may be inadequate to correctly interpret the information presented to it. In both the cases, the net result with different variations is a deviance from the normal learning patterns observable in a child. The most helpful tool in identifying these problems is the delayed milestones, or a slow speed of child in speaking, learning, or physically developing. The child may not be able to interpret the information presented to him as accurately as a normal child. The school and home are therefore the most likely places where any of such changes can be observed. A child may be a slow learner, or may not be able to give proper concentration to the subject matter. He or she may display reading, phonation and spelling difficulties, and may show a poor academic record. Such children may in turn be marginalized due to their weaknesses, and complex psychological issues may develop.

Suffering in Christianity Essay Example for Free

Suffering in Christianity Essay 1. Consider how any single religious tradition copes with the problem of suffering and evil in the world. Nearly every human being on earth has asked this common question. â€Å"Why all the suffering and evil in this world? ’. The presence of evil and suffering has forced adherents of all religious traditions to question their beliefs, their religious identity and their understanding of the ultimate reality. Christians in particular, are faced with these questions and life situations of suffering and evil, confronted to them, on a daily basis. When confronted with life situations they have questioned why an all powerful and an all loving God would allow this to happen. There has been a variety of responses to these questions. Christians have explained suffering and evil as, ultimate judgement of sin, consequences in living in a fallen world, and perhaps the idea of the world not being created in a perfects sense. These are just one of the many responses Christians have thought. However, even though Christians may never know the definite explanation, Christians cope with the idea of evil and suffering by finding ways to respond to it. With the idea of love and compassion taught by Jesus Christ, their goal is to find multiple ways to end suffering and evil through various organizations, actions, deeds and prayers. This illustrates that Christians respond to suffering so the creation of an ideal society in which all suffering and evil can be eliminated. Furthermore, Christians can come to experience the new kingdom of Christ, where love, peace and tranquillity are the centre of all. Suffering which is remotely linked to evil, forces adherents to understand the different kinds of suffering, and how it affects their outlook on life and death. The website â€Å"Suffering and the problem of Evil† states that â€Å"Human suffering, takes on many forms: emotional, natural, and moral. Loneliness, anxiety, and grief are examples of emotional suffering. Fires, tornados, earthquakes, hurricanes, and physical illness are examples of natural suffering. Moral suffering is brought on by the deliver act acts of a fellow human beings to cause suffering, something Christians call a moral evil† (Suffering and the problem of Evil. 2013) This demonstrates the result of moral evil leading to emotional, physical and even at times natural disasters. Suffering therefore brings Christians back to reality, to come into realisation with their mortality, which is very easily ignored. It demonstrates the flaws and hints of Christian’s coming death â€Å"It removes the veil; it plants the flag of truth within the fortess of a rebel† (Lewis, Problem of Pain, pg 83) It creates an atmosphere, ultimately, in which Christian’s thoughts are directed towards God. â€Å"God whispers to us in our pleasure, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts us in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world† (Lewis, Problem of Pain, pg 84). The painful statement of Lewis states, demonstrate the truth about death. That death is horrific no matter what form it may take. So suffering in a Christian perspective, allows them to gently prod on their consciousnesses and forces them to understand that suffering may indeed lead to their future deaths, if they were to leave suffering without response. However if Christians can cast their doubt and turn to God, it can therefore bring a foundation of a new thinking, attitude, hope and living, not only to themselves, but to their faith. In the book of Corinthians, the apostle Paul states â€Å"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies†, which demonstrate this tension. Furthermore, the term â€Å"suffering and evil† provides many benefits to the Christian Faith. Suffering provides Christians to give proof of the genuineness of their faith, and to serve to purify, and carry their faith. It provides the opportunity for believers to demonstrate their love for each other as adherents of the body of Christ who â€Å"bear one another’s burdens† (Gal 6:2) D. A Carson a Reformed Evangelical Theologian once stated that â€Å"experiences of suffering. engender compassion and empathy.. and make us better to help others† (Carson, 122). This demonstrates how experiences of a Christian’s own suffering and comfort they receive from the ultimate reality, makes Christians more equipped to help those who are still in suffering and victims of evil. Just as the apostle Paul states in the Book of Corinthians â€Å"Who comforts us in all of our troubles; so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God†. ( 2 Corin 1:4) However most importantly, Christians can cope with suffering and evil as their affliction in God increases them to follow God’s will. In the Book of Hebrews, Jesus â€Å"learned obedience from the things he suffered (Heb 5:8). He learnt the value and significance of submitting the will to God, even at the time it was the most difficult thing in the world o do. Tim Costello, CEO of World Vision, witnessed this kind of teaching and devotion God, when World Vision visited Sri Lanka to provide aid and emergencies to those who were victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami â€Å" Many people in Sri Lanka though, who were directly affected , were asking a different question. They were asking how they could not believe in God as a result of the tsunami, since God was all they had left† (Bible Study, Where is God in Suffering- World Vision. 013) Suffering and evil also provides Christians to improve on the relationship with other human beings, and to fulfil and follow their faith, in restoring compassion and God again in Christianity. Tim Costello provides an in depth view of how Christians can respond to suffering and evil, in the mindset of fulfilling faith and God’s word. In an interview he proclaims â€Å"Faith is incredibly important for me. In religious terms, I believe salvation is everything that restores the crippled image in God- dirty water, not enough food. Sin I think is everything that cripples the image of God- not having access to education, injustice, inopportunity. For me that faith position that I believe everyone, despite the lottery of latitude, is made in the image of God is really the core of my faith and my life’ (Full Transcript, Tim Costello Enters the zone. 2013) Tim Costello places emphasis that Jesus challenges Christians to test out their faith, by responding to suffering, to encourage salvation and eliminate sin. He believes that every human being is made in the likeness of God, so therefore all human beings should be treated with love and compassion. This can lead to the faith of Christianity and God to be restored, which has been abruptly destroyed by sin. God taught Christians the demonstrating of compassion by entering the world it in the form of Jesus, who suffered and died for all Christians. He demonstrated that God is not a God who rules from above but carries from below. Therefore he taught all Christians, to continue the work of compassion and faith through Jesus Christ by responding to suffering. As what Jesus Christ said in the Book of John â€Å"as the Father sent me, I send you† (John 20:21) Suffering and evil have sometimes encouraged Christians to devote their lives entirely to helping those with evil and suffering. Not only do they devote their lives to this, but they also provide other Christians encouragement to contribute in the smallest way, in ending suffering. They have taught not only to the Christian faith, but to all religious traditions, how to incorporate Jesus teachings, but more specifically, love and hope. Mother Teresa is one of the many influential Christians who have taken upon this life. Throughout her life, she went out and lived her faith by seeing her God in every human being in front of her, especially the sick, the aged, and the abandoned. She served God by serving God in them, demonstrating that she lived the Gospel with every breath in her body. She established hospitals for the sick and dying, and started the religious new order, the Missionaries of Charity, in Calcutta which is now practiced and spread throughout the world. She was devoted in caring for the poorest of the poor, the sick and the dying. She clean them, feed them, pray with them, and serve them as their spent their last hours in dignity. She demonstrated compassion for those who were less fortunate then she is, as she once said to a man who she was picking muggets off his face â€Å"You pray to your God, and I will pray to Jesus for your healing† With the many attitudes and teachings that Jesus Christ and the Father have provided to their adherents, Christians have also devised many organizations and appeals in contributing to help those who are suffering and victims of evil. In example, many Christians have responded to those who are suffering in extreme poverty. There are many Christian organizations that deal with this. These are World Vision, Compassion International, Salvation Army, Christian Aid and many more. All of these organizations also â€Å"have principles of the Christian religion in their charters† (What are the type of Different Christian NGOS? 2013) In example, the Salvation Army vision is â€Å"a growing, loving, community of people dynamically living God’s mission in a broken world† (The vision, mission and values of the Salvation Army. 2013) Compassion International places emphasis on â€Å"recognizing the suffering of others, then take action to help† (Meaning of Compassion. 013) While all may have different mechanisms in responding to the issue of poverty, they all place emphasis on ending suffering and taking action. As the Book of Timothy says â€Å"They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life† (1 Timothy 6:18) Conclusively, Christianity provides adherents to respond to suffering and evil, in order to cope with it. Christians are challenged and called by Jesus Christ, to realise the destruction of suffering and evil to all people of the world, and to act on it. Christians are called to act with love and compassion as they serve their faith and Lord, by providing essential needs, love and faith to all those who are still encountering suffering. However furthermore they are called to act as a collective and restore the image of faith and Christianity, and to provide hope, so a world of suffering and evil can soon be eliminated.

Thin layer chromatography (TLC)

Thin layer chromatography (TLC) It stands for Thin Layer Chromatography. Its a simple technique used by chemists in separation of Mixtures in addition to supporting the identification of the separated compounds by comparing the Retention Factor of the separated compound with that of a known compound. The TLC plate on which the Thin Layer Chromatography is performed is usually a sheet of glass, aluminum or plastic. Its has a coat of adsorbent material ( known as stationary phase ) such as silica gel, alumina or cellulose. First step is application of the sample to the plate, then in a capillary action- the chemist draws the solvent up the plate. Separation occurs due to the different ascendance rates of analytes on the plate. Advantages of TLC over other types of chromatography Paper Chromatography TLC is faster than paper chromatography. Its more sensitive to many substances. Its preparation is usually sharper. It requires smaller quantity of sample. Potential application of different types of reagents without causing damage to the plate. Column chromatography TLC has smaller apparatus It has more speed Previous points leads to cheaper over all procedure It provides easier measurement of the Retention Factor. The above advantages makes it more suitable for analytical purposes rather than separation purposes. Preparation of TLC plate To prepare the TLC plate, first we must mix a small quantity of an inert substance such as calcium sulfate with adsorbent substance like Silica gel and water. The second step is spreading this mixture on sheet of unreactive substance such as glass or plastic. The third step is activation of the plate that results from the previous procedures by heating it in an oven at 110oC for nearly half an hour. The adsorbent layers thickness depends on the purpose of TLC as in case of analytical purposes, it ranges from 0.1 to 0.25 mm. In case of preparative TLC it ranges from 0.5 to 2.0 mm. Technique A small amount of the samples solution is poured on the plate to cover about one centimeter high from the base. Then the plate is soaked in a convenient solvent like Hexane and put in a container thats well sealed. Using capillary action, the solvent goes up the plate to meet the samples mixture which it helps to move up the plate and dissolves as well. Differences between rates of the compounds in the mixture are because each compound has different affinity to the adsorbent layer (stationary phase) from the other compounds and also each compound has different solubility in the mixture. If the solvent is changed, the compounds can be separated (using Retention Factors value). Applications of TLC in the Pharmaceutical field Thin-layer chromatography technique is used for separation of amino acids that are the main components of antibiotics, enzymes and hormones. TLC-UV spectrometry was used to determine salidroside in 8 Rhodiola species ( Rhodiola is a herb that has been used for long time for treatment of cold and flu symptoms in addition to relieving mental and physical stresses. In China, its recently considered as promising anti-aging drug in addition to having causative agent for improvement of athletic performance and enhancing memory). The combination of advanced chromatographic resolution of 2D-TLC with simple bioautography is used in discovering new natural products that are active against important fungal pathogens of plants. Thin-layer chromatography in addition to HPLC are used for the identification of Pogostemoni herba which is a crude drug and a Kampo medicines-component. TLC-colourimetric was used to estimate free and combined emodine, physcione and chrysophanol in Indian Rhubarb and it turned out to contain (0.07%)of free emodin of (0.08%) of C-glycosidic emodin, (0.30%) of O-glycosidic emodin, (0.40%) of free physcione, (0.18%) of O-glycosidic physcione, (0.17 %) of C-glycosidic physcione, (0.15%) of free chrysophanol, (0.06%) of O-glycosidic chrysophanol and (0.21%) of C-glycosidic chrysophanol. TLC-UV Densitometric method is used in Misai Kucing Capsules for Simultaneous Quantification of Sinensetin and Tetramethoxyflavone. TLC is used for determination of different compounds in analgesic tablets. TLC-densitometric procedure is used for determination of the contents of Plumbagin which is a naphthoquinone that acts as antimalarial , antimalarial , anticancer, cardiotonic and antifertilityaction. Quantitative Thin-Layer Chromatography is used for the determination of Propranolol in human plasma. Determination of Steroidal Alkaloid Glycosides using Thin-Layer chromatography Immunostaining. TLC is used to determine Phenytoin in pharmaceutical preparations and identify its Hydroxylated Urinary Metabolites. Isolation of antioxidants from Perilla frutescens var. acuta fruit is carried out using TLC. TLC- densitometric method is used to analyse artemisinin in the planlets of Artemisia annua L. TLC is used to detect as well as identify opiates in urine in addition to reveilind adultration in heroin. TLC-Densitometry is used in the Quantitative Analysis of Curcumin, Demethoxycurcumin and Bisdemethoxycurcumin in the Crude Curcuminoid Extract from Curcuma longa.

What Is Operations Research Essay -- essays research papers

This is an Engineering Research Paper. What is operations research? Operations research is the application of the methods of science to complex problems arising in the direction and management of large systems of men, machines material, and money in industry, business, government and defense. The distinctive approach is to develop a scientific model of the system, incorporating measurements of factors such as chance and risk, with which to predict and compare the outcomes of alternative decisions, strategies or controls. The purpose is to help management determine its policy and actions scientifically. (Ravindran, Phillips and Solberg 1987). How does operations research apply to highway systems inefficiency? Let’s find out! â€Å"Automakers don’t build roads and governments don’t build autos, yet we expect cars and roads to mesh together seamlessly to form a transportation network.† For year’s automakers and regional transportation planners have been working to put information age technology to work solving traffic problems. All over the world people are choosing to travel by automobile because this flexible mode of travel best meets their needs. But grid locked expressways threaten to take the â€Å"mobile† out of â€Å"automobile.† This presentation will try to show reasons why our expressways are so congested, what the Federal Highway Administration proposals are to alleviate congestion and the advantages and disadvantages of these proposals under review. Firstly what are some of the causes of urban highway congestion? Rush hour traffic is one of the leading contributors of highway congestion. It isn’t our imagination. Every year commute times to work take longer and longer. Since 1986 car travel has increased almost 40%, while highway capacity has barley grown. As a result most major interstate routes in Metropolitan areas are jammed during rush hours. Grid locked cost Americans almost the equivalent of $51 billion a year in lost wages and wasted fuel. And the situation is only going to get worse. (Steisand, Betsy. 1996). What causes rush hour traffic? Simply put, at specific times of the day be it in the morning or evening motorists in general are either on their way to work or home. There is such a glut of vehicles on the expressways at this time. They all need to get to their destinations at peak times of the day. It is a simple equation: Too many cars incorp... ...napp. Crain’s Chicago Business. , v 22 no2 (Jan. 11 ’99) p. 13. (4)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Moving forward smartly: The role of ITS in the NEXTEA† by: Jeff, Lindley. Public Roads. , Wntr 1997, v60 n3 p57(4). (5)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Message in a bottleneck: It’s time to start charging rush hour commuters† by: Betsy, Steisand. U.S News and World Report; Dec 30 1996, v121, n26, p47(2). (6)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Fighting road rage† by: William B. Cassidy. Traffic World,v. 251 (Aug. 11 ’97) p. 31. (7)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"For Florida a second chance† by: William C. Vantuono. Railway Age. , v. 196 (Apr. ’95) p. 59-60. (8)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Actual hands-off steering- and other wonders of the modern world† by: Bob, Bryant. Public Roads; Nov-Dec 1997, v61, n3, p32(6). (9)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"91 Express ways do not work well† by: Mackprang, Peter and Harry, Parker. American City and County. , v. 114 no12 (Oct. 1999)p. 6. (10)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Operational models and traffic control in intelligent vehicle systems† by; Zhang, L. Transportation Research PartA: Policy and Practice; (Jan 1997), v31, n1, p64.

Maligning Women in Shakespeares Macbeth :: Free Essay Writer

Women in Macbeth      Ã‚  Ã‚   Why did the playwright include only one noteworthy woman in Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth? This essay will not answer this question, but rather tell about this one woman - Lady Macbeth, with lesser consideration of the magical weird sisters.    In Fools of Time: Studies in Shakespearean Tragedy, Northrop Frye shows that a lady is the actual driving force in the play:    That Macbeth is being hurried into a premature act by his wife is a point unlikely to escape the most listless member of the audience, but Macbeth comes to regret the instant of fatal delay in murdering Macduff, and draws the moral that    The flighty purpose never is o'ertook Unless the deed go with it. From this moment The very firstlings of my heart shall be The firstlings of my hand.    That is, in future he will try to attain the successful ruler's spontaneous rhythm of action. (91)    L.C. Knights in the essay "Macbeth" describes the unnaturalness in the thoughts and words of the plays dominant female force, Lady Macbeth:    Thus the sense of the unnaturalness of evil is evoked not only be repeated explicit references ("nature's mischief," "nature seems dead," " 'Tis unnatural, even like the deed that's done," and so on) but by the expression of unnatural sentiments and an unnatural violence of tone in such things as Lady Macbeth's invocation of the "spirits" who will "unsex" her, and her affirmation that she would murder the babe at her breast if she had sworn to do it. (95)    Clark and Wright in their Introduction to The Complete Works of William Shakespeare contradict the impression that the female protagonist is all strength:    Lady Macbeth is of a finer and more delicate nature. Having fixed her eye upon the end - the attainment for her husband of Duncan's crown - she accepts the inevitable means; she nerves herself for the terrible night's work by artificial stimulants; yet she cannot strike the sleeping king who resembles her father. Having sustained her weaker husband, her own strength gives way; and in sleep, when her will cannot control her thoughts, she is piteously afflicted by the memory of one stain of blood upon her little hand.   (792)    In "Macbeth as the Imitation of an Action" Francis Fergusson enlightens the reader concerning the fears weakening Lady Macbeth:

Mesopotamia, Egypt And The Hebrews :: essays research papers fc

October 10th, 1994 Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Hebrews Their development from the 3rd millennium to 2nd C.E. When the canonization of the Hebrew Holy ("TaNaKh") took place. Frank Mancini irg@ix.netcom.com MESOPOTAMIA Mesopotamia was the land of four primary civilizations: the Sumerian, the Akkadians, the Babylonian and the Assyrians. The Hebrews, like the Akkadians, belong to a group of people known as Semites and from there we can see the influence of Mesopotamian culture in some of the Hebrews traditions. During the same time, civilization began in Egypt, and there can be seen a distinct difference in the social, religious and political system from Mesopotamia; that the link between the two civilizations are the Hebrews, and although no historical records are available aside from the Holy Scriptures, it is believed that the Hebrews settled in Egypt during the era of Hyksos domination in the seventeenth century B.C.E. These three civilizations to be discussed were the foundation of today's society and provided the common era with concrete religious beliefs still practiced today. Evidence of the mechanics on the evolution of social, religious and political values, as well as the fluctuating development of the role of women then and now, are present in these documents, beginning with the oldest document which is most likely the Epic of Gilgamesh, first passed on by word of mouth and later recorded by the Sumerians around the third millennium and finally edited and written down in cuneiform by the Babylonians. This legend appears to have been used by all the civilizations in Mesopotamia in order to satisfy the need to know why we die and to justify the instincts that drove the people of these societies to war, to kill and to control as a must for survival. The gods were the only outlet available to justify such behavior to grant permission to rule, to kill and subdue the weak. The Epic of Gilgamesh does just that: It serves as a model for the warrior, the king and the tragic hero and the standards for divine right, friendship, brotherhood and loyalty. Finally, it becomes evident from the beginning of a higher consciousness that justifies love, brotherhood and loyalty in the midst of this need for war and gods. The Epic is divided into seven main parts: the "Coming of Enkidu", the "Forest Journey", "Ishtar", the "Search for Everlasting Life", the "Story of the Flood", the "Return", and the "Death of Gilgamesh". The Creation of life was, and is, a mystery and therefore must be justified as it shows in the "Coming of Enkidu", where he was created by Aruru by dipping "her hands in water and pinching off clay" (EOG 62).

Why I Want to Be a Teacher

Why I Like To Be a Teacher Teaching is a unique profession. It takes a lot of commitment, dedication, patience and above all, love for the act of helping others learn. Being a teacher is one of the noblest and most gratifying professions , no matter how difficult the road is. Undoubtedly, it is hard to deal with students, their behaviors, personal problems, difficult ages and even with their parents that sometimes do not support the teachers, and last but not least, the educational system itself. No matter how complicated your life can turn when you are a teacher, from a personal standpoint, I can say teaching pays off. I love to teach and I used to be a math teacher for many years. This subject is hardly ever the students’ favorite. Math is really tough, needs some logical reasoning, students’ focus in class and some study hours after class. Do all the students love all this? I bet. On the other hand, when a teacher teaches a not very likeable subject like math, you are not very likeable either. I personally think teaching Math is always a challenge but I have faced it with enormous pleasure. Being a teacher is gratifying. It feeds your spirit and fills your soul. It’s great to have the recognition of your students and a warm hug when you run into them after many years. You will not probably remember their names and pretend you do, but they will for sure remember yours. When you hear they are engineers, doctors, nurses, mechanics; whatever profession or occupation they mention, you feel very proud to know that you have contributed to build their futures. Your eyes shine with emotion. It is absolutely uplifting to be a teacher. Many teachers have had professional crises in which they get exhausted, bored, anxious or think teaching is a waste of time and thoughts of abandoning their classrooms invade them at times. I have not met a single teacher who has not been through these emotional feelings. Some reconsider and overcome this, others leave for good and regret it eventually. Even those who leave the teaching profession treasure very pleasant memories of heir times at school with their students and talk about it with love and enthusiasm. Fact is that teaching is tough, it is a rose full of thorns, but it is, without a doubt, a wonderful profession. Teaching is a profession that makes you always feel young at heart, no matter how old you are. The students’ energy, enthusiasm, their young spirit is as contagious as the worst of the viruses. When you are a teacher you become a friend, a counselor, a parent, an extraordinary human being. I know it is painstaking to be a teacher, it gives you no spare time to watch TV when you have to mark students’ essays. You go home with a pile of books to read for next class. Teaching is sometimes regarded as a way of living and not a profession. It is overlooked and underestimated. Despite all this, I consider being a teacher is a very honorable profession. I can say teaching is worthwhile. Bibliography> just personal experience Why I Want to be a Teacher I believe that everyone, one way or another, has progressed to where they are in life because they had a teacher. A teacher by definition is someone who provides educational instruction and communicates lifelong lessons. However, I see teachers beyond that common definition. Teachers have the opportunity to shed light on topics not commonly found in text books, to teach skills that students can use in real life, and to inspire students to overcome their adversities.But why become a teacher when you can become a doctor? Or a lawyer? I asked myself these same questions prior to joining the education program at the University of Guam. I found great intrinsic value of teaching by being able to inspire students to help others and to provide equal opportunities for those children who are considered â€Å"at risk†. I also found great extrinsic value in teaching because it provides a great work schedule and I am able to travel the world because education is rooted in every country. I did not want to become a teacher my first semester of college atThe University of Guam. I had my mind set on becoming a therapist because I felt that the main reasons why people kill other people or why kids end up in juvenile prison is due to the fact that they have an underlying stressor that causes them to act up. I wanted to help rid the world of angry and depressed people and help them begin their healing process so that they can become contributing members to the society. However, after two semesters I realized that all these problems could be solved if people were well educated and knowledgeable of the opportunities around them.I saw that schools were the perfect institution to influence children on becoming positive and active members of society. I want to be able to inspire students to engage in solidarity so that they can help those around them. I want to teach my students that they are more alike than different and to be able to recognize the problems that stem from our s ociety’s culture. There are also those students who are plagued by racial or financial setbacks regardless of how hard they try to succeed. I want to be able to reach out to those students and help them continue their education. I have seen so many classmates of mine who were overlooked because they were not the smartest in the class and those students ended up dropping out or getting into drugs.I want to be able to put more emphasis on the students who are  falling behind so that students feel more comfortable with being at school and prevent students from dropping out. Being a teacher requires that you give up a lot of your time and patience in hopes that your students succeed in life. Seeing your students become doctors, lawyers, or maybe even the president of the United States can be very rewarding even though teachers rarely gain recognition for their students’ accomplishments. However, teachers are rewarded not just intrinsically but extrinsically. One extrinsi c reason for why I want to become a teacher is because I get a great work schedule.Teachers get the weekends off, not to mention the summer and winter breaks as well. Being a student I was accustomed to having a summer break to recuperate and to prepare for the next semester and becoming a teacher I was able to keep the same lifestyle and still able to go back to my job when the school year started. Becoming a teacher was very appealing to me because I had a desire to join the Peace Corps upon graduating college and there are opportunities for teachers to travel around the world and teach in different countries, especially the third world countries. I loved to travel and help others and becoming a teacher gave me the means necessary to do both. In conclusion, I know becoming a teacher will be difficult but the rewards are more abundant than the costs.I hope to inspire students to reach out to others and to be able to recognize the problems that stem from our society’s culture . I would also love to see those students who are â€Å"at risk† succeeding to their fullest potential. I would love give back those privileges to those who are not as fortunate and travel the world spreading the love of learning in all parts of the world.

Global Consumer Product

Bibliography Executive Summary Global Consumer Products Company, a well-established company decided to launch a new product range. That is Baby Soap ranges. Suddenly they identified a need of a Brand Manager for this product ranges. And decided to recruit a person externally. Since this was not pre-planned and the company is in a hurry to introduce their new product to the market, the recruitment and selection process was carried out within a very period of time.There were several major mistakes in the advertisement they repaper in order to publish on the newspaper. The company had failed to include the Job Description, Job Specification and a description about the company. Hence the advertisement was unable to attract enough number of candidates. Somehow they managed to select number of people to call for the initial interview. Marketing Manager and the HRS Manager were supposed to carry out this interview. But this was placed on the exact date on which the company had its monthly B oard meeting.Since it is mandatory for these two responsible managers to attend to that the interview was done hurriedly and selected two candidates for the last interview. As the CEO and the Marketing director had to participate in an exhibition through which their target was to create new customers for their new product, they are hoping to launch in the near future, the last interview took place but late. Mr.. Anton was selected as the Brand Manager. In the first week he was supposed to give an induction to make him familiar with the company and the Job. But he had to involve in the business activities from first day onwards.He was asked to come up with a strategic plan for branding no sooner he came. He didn't have proper knowledge and kills and also didn't have time to study the branding architecture of the new products. So the branding strategy and the action plan he brought was not successful when compared with the rival firms. And the product proved to be a failure from the v ery beginning. Mr.. Anton understood that his level of competency and technical knowledge was under the required level and hence he was denominated. Since the company target couldn't be achieved whole branding group was denominated. As a result Mr..Matron's probationary period was extended. That is the overall summary of the case study to be analyzed. Analysis: Issues involved in the case. Global Consumer Products Company (GAP), had planned a strategy to launch a new product range. (Baby Soap Ranges). Planning a new product is a long term procedure. Hence identifying the Manpower requirement in order to carry out the plan must be done along with the product planning. Because it is a part of the product launch. Failure to do so resulted in several issues including product being failed in the market. Key issues identified are discussed below. 1.Poor HRS Planning The key reason for all the issues discussed here is poor HRS planning. The GAP Company failed to identify the HRS requiremen t for the post of Band Manager, when they were planning the new product. This post can be considered a critical post, to which selecting a person is very difficult. Because, they are going to introduce a new product, I. E. Baby soap range to the market. In Sir Lankan context, the market for the baby soap is almost saturated with both local and imported baby soap products. Mostly the brands are now inculcated in customers and hence it is difficult to creep into this market and create an own brand.But knowing that, still deciding upon to launch this product, company is taking a huge risk. They need ample of marketing campaigns and plans and ways of making the brand familiar to the customers and create a new customer segment. It is, the brand manager who has the responsibility to work it out. Therefore company should recruit a person with vast experience and knowledge regarding Marketing and Branding of products. The study states that Mr.. Anton does not have the required level of expe rience and competencies to do it. But this was found out later.Required Brand Manager must have to have the enough competencies and skills plus a good understating about the industry and the monitors in order to create a very strong branding strategy to grab the market. He must have the talent to create a brand strategy which makes the product popular among the target customer segment. Since the company was in a rush to hire a Brand Manager within very short period of time, they didn't have enough time to create a suitable Job Description and a Job Specification to publish in the newspaper. Job Description describes the Job.The responsibilities, duties assigned to the Job, etc. Whereas Job Specification the type of person you wish to hire. His qualifications, skills knowledge and, competencies. Etc. This is yet again, another adverse result of poor HRS Planning. 2. Mistakes in the Advertisement The company was in such a hurry to hire a Brand Manager; they didn't give much of an atte ntion to create a professional attractive advertisement. The advertisement appeared on the newspaper was suffering from absence of several vital information such as Job Description, Job Specification and details about the company.After Effects: The company was failed to attract enough number of candidates. The cost incurred in the advertising was in vain, because the company made a wrong selection ultimately. Most suitable candidates have not applied for the post because of the lack of information provided. Study clearly says that because of the careless mistakes done by the company when doing the advertisement, their expectation on getting a pool of candidates was not fulfilled. Only very few applied, and among them there wasn't a single C.V. that will fit into the Job well.Since they have incurred a cost, and it is and extra cost plus a time consuming process to correct the mistakes and advertise again and get another round of C.v., they have decided to proceed further with the re ceived C.v.. 3. Mistakes and Failures in the Interview Process Marketing Manager and the HRS Manager once shortlist the available C.v. and called for interviews. Another mistake they did was, without checking the company's schedule, they placed the date of the interview.As a result they have scheduled the interviews on the exact date of monthly Board meeting was supposed to take place. Initial interview is the first time the candidates and employers met physically. Hence the interview should be well organized properly planned and should be done with a greater care. Because, we have to select a person who has the skills, knowledge, experience, and also the right attitude towards the Job and the company. Each and every candidate should be given same attention and same questions and evaluated on a fair manner.Since both the interviewers were in hurry to participate in the monthly Board meeting, which also has a similar importance, there is a question whether they did the interview acco rdingly. They were under a pressure to finish off the interview as soon as possible to present at the meeting. Questions arising with regard to this improper interview session: Were all the candidates given same time eroded? Were all the candidates asked same questions and in the same sequence? Were the candidates given enough time to describe themselves and give information?Were candidates being questioned stressing on the subject matter? (I. E. Were they asked questions relating to the post of Brand Manager, so as to get an idea regarding whether he/she has the capacity to work as the brand manager) Were candidates given time to ask questions about the company and the Job post? (Since the advertisement doesn't provide information enough, candidates must have questions ND doubts to clarify) Did interviewers pay attention on the candidates' behavior, non-verbal communication etc? Interviewer should have a free mind to interview people and observe them closely.They were in a hurry to go to the board meeting. Therefore they did the interview without paying much of an attention and interest. Still they managed to select 2 candidates for the final interview. They might have missed more competent candidates while they rush through the interview. 4. No Induction program Once a candidate is hired to any company, it is an essential aspect to give him/ her n induction program. Through that the new employee familiarizes to the company culture, and to the department he has to work plus introduce him to other employees with whom he/she has to work.Then he can get a better knowledge about the nature of the Job he has to perform, his peers, subordinates and superiors. In this case, GAP Company didn't give Mr.. Anton an induction to make him familiar with company's systems and processes. Instead he was directly put into his Job and was expected to work as there were lots of requests to the new product. At least he was not given knowledge about the new product range the compa ny is expecting to launch in the future, or the requests and demand placed on the product by the external parties. Even Mr.. Anton was not informed about the market company tried to create by visiting the exhibition.Correctly speaking Mr.. Anton should have been selected before the exhibition, so that he could have participated in it. Because, every decision was taken without his knowledge, and participation prior to his arrival. As the Brand Manager he must be a part of the decision making process as far as this new product is concerned. 5. Poor Performance of Mr.. Anton Mr.. Anton was not familiar with the systems and processes of the company. Also he does not have a good knowledge about the Job he has to perform, because as soon as he was employed, directly put into the Job.Then, with no time he was asked to develop a branding strategy for the new products range. Mr.. Anton faced a huge problem here. Because he did not have expected level of knowledge and experience in Strategic Management initiatives. He didn't have adequate time to study the Branding architecture of the new product. He has not exposed to such experience in his previous Job. He didn't have time to study the nature of competitors the company has to compete with, so that he could have created a Branding Strategy and an action plan to bring out their products.Therefore it is reasonable and natural that the strategy and action plan he created being failed. This made him understand that he is not suitable to this position. Especially he understood that he does not have the expected knowledge and experience to perform as the Brand Manager, Sometimes he had to listen to his subordinates when it comes to technical areas of the Job role. 6. Product fails in the market Ultimate result was the product range couldn't compete with the well establish rivals and it was at a failure. Branding team was not lead by a powerful manager, therefore in latter part hardly branding activity took place.Hence employ ees were denominated. They couldn't achieve the given targets. GAP lost the contacts the company managed to create in the beginning, and lost the market share. 7. Poor HRS practices in GAP All above issues created because of the poor HRS practices of the company. Even though it was not clearly mentioned in the text, the way they acted in recruiting Mr.. Anton implies that. HRS department has failed to fulfill certain duties and responsibilities placed on them. The whole process of recruiting, selecting and induction was not planned at all.HRS department had not planned for future HRS needs in the company. Didn't plan the Interview process properly. 1 . JDK and AS must be prepared carefully clearly mentioning the type of person and the nature of the Job he has to perform. 2. When advertising in public media, HRS division must be more responsible to make sure that every information is provided. 3. Scheduling the date of interview must be done without clashing with other programs n the company. Recruited employees must be given a proper induction. Evaluating the performance of the new employees.Had the HRS division done so the performance of Mr.. Anton as the Brand Manager, they could have identified the problem facing by Mr.. Anton. The issue could have been addressed earlier than this. Recommendations Mr.. Anton is employed as a permanent employee to this company, he cannot be terminate purely based on his poor performance. As the first step, company can arrange a proper training and development session for Mr.. Anton to give him an opportunity to enhance his knowledge on branding. It will help him to develop his technical competency required in his Job.Proper training will take some time for him to gain the expected level of skills and competencies, but still the company has to do it as there is no replacement and it was company's fault of providing insufficient information and recruiting the wring person. Another recommendation is to hire an external professi onal temporarily to develop a stronger strategy to relocate the product and reenter into the market freshly. This is costly option but still as the company has invested a huge amount on this new product and hence the opportunity cost is very high, company cannot discontinue the operations.And can make Mr.. Anton work under the hired external professional for some time. This will be an excellent on the Job training to him. When considering the situational factors, hiring an external professional to the company is a very good short term solution. The company can monitor the performance level of Mr.. Anton. If he shows improvements in the Job then the company can continue to keep him as the Brand Manager. The marketing team should implement some attractive and string marketing campaigns to reenter to the market. A very aggressive alternative is also is available.

Shadow Kiss Chapter 14

Fourteen ABOUT A HALF HOUR before my alarm was scheduled to go off the next morning, I heard a knock at my door. I expected it to be Lissa, but a sleepy check of our bond showed that she was still fast asleep. Puzzled, I staggered out of the bed and opened the door. A Moroi girl I didn't recognize handed me some folded clothes with a note attached. I wondered if I should tip her or something, but she left too quickly for me to react. I sat back on my bed and unfolded the clothing. Black slacks, white blouse, and a black jacket. It was the same ensemble that the other guardians wore around here, and it was in my size. Wow. I was about to become part of the team. A slow grin spread over my face, and I opened the note. It was in Dimitri's writing: Wear your hair up. The grin stayed on my face. A lot of female guardians cut their hair to show off their molnija marks. I'd reluctantly considered it once, and Dimitri had told me not to. He loved my hair and had told me to wear it up. The way he'd said it back then had given me chills, just like now. An hour later, I was on my way to the trial with Lissa, Christian, and Eddie. Someone had rustled up a black-and-white outfit for Eddie too, and I think we both kind of felt like kids playing dress-up with their parents' clothing. My cropped jacket and stretchy blouse were actually pretty cute, and I wondered if I'd be able to bring these back with me. The courtroom was over in the large, ornate building we'd passed upon arrival. Walking through its halls, I saw a mix of the old and the new. Outside, it was all arched windows and stone spires. Inside, it was a hub of modern activity. People worked in offices with flat-screen monitors. Elevators led to upper floors. Yet, despite that, a few antique touches could still be found. Sculptures on pedestals. Chandeliers in the halls. The courtroom itself had beautiful murals that stretched from floor to ceiling, and in the front of the room, seals from all the royal families hung on the walls. Lissa stopped as we walked in, her eyes falling on the Dragomir dragon. King of the beasts. A sea of conflicting emotions swirled within her as she stared at the seal and felt the full weight of being the only one left to carry on her name. Pride to be part of that family. Fear that she wouldn't be good enough to live up to the name. Giving her a gentle nudge, I urged her on toward our seats. The seating was split by an aisle down the middle of the room. We sat at the front of the right-hand section. There were still several minutes to go before proceedings began, but the room wasn't very full yet. I suspected that wouldn't change, due to the secrecy surrounding what had happened with Victor. A judge sat at the front, but there was no jury. An elevated seat on one side of the room marked where the queen would sit when she arrived. She would be the one who made the ultimate decision. That was how it worked with royal criminal cases. I pointed it out to Lissa. â€Å"Let's hope that she's against him. Looks like she'll be the only one making the decision.† Lissa frowned. â€Å"Not having a jury feels kind of weird.† â€Å"That's because we spent so much time around humans.† She smiled. â€Å"Maybe. I don't know. Just seems like there's a lot of room for corruption.† â€Å"Well, yeah. But this is Victor we're talking about.† Moments later, Prince Victor Dashkov himself entered the courtroom. Or, rather, just Victor Dashkov did. He'd been stripped of his title when he'd been imprisoned. It had gone to the next oldest person in the Dashkov family. Fear shot through Lissa, and the little color that was in her cheeks completely disappeared. Mingled with that fear was an emotion I hadn't expected: regret. Before he'd kidnapped her, Victor had been like an uncle to her – that was even how she'd referred to him. She'd loved him, and he'd betrayed her. I put my hand over hers. â€Å"Easy,† I murmured. â€Å"It's going to be okay.† His eyes, narrowed and cunning, looked around the courtroom as though it were a party. He had that same unconcerned look he'd had while talking to Dimitri and me. I felt my lips curl into a sneer. A red haze tinged my vision, and I worked hard to be as serene as the other guardians in the room. He finally focused on Lissa, and she flinched at seeing the same eye color she and others of her family had. When he nodded a sort of greeting to her, I felt my control snap. Before I could actually do anything, I felt new words in my mind – Lissa's. Breathe, Rose. Just breathe. It looked like we were going to have to rely on each other to get through this. A heartbeat later, Victor was walking again, off to take his seat on the left side of the room. â€Å"Thanks,† I said to her, once he was gone. â€Å"It's like you can read my mind.† â€Å"No,† she said gently. â€Å"I could just feel your hand.† I looked down at where I'd put my hand over hers. I'd done it to comfort her and had ended up clenching her fingers in my own agitation. â€Å"Yikes,† I said, jerking away and hoping I hadn't broken her bones. â€Å"Sorry.† Queen Tatiana's entrance followed his, which distracted me and helped calm my dark feelings. We all stood when she appeared and then knelt. It was all kind of archaic, but it was a custom the Moroi had held onto over the years. We didn't rise until she took her seat, and then the rest of us were able to sit too. The trial started. One by one, those who had witnessed the events with Victor gave their account of what they'd seen. Largely, this involved the guardians who had pursued Lissa when Victor had taken her away and who had subsequently been part of the raid on Victor's hideout. Dimitri was the last of the guardians to go. On the surface, his testimony wasn't much different than theirs. They'd all been part of the rescue squad, but his part in the story had begun a little earlier. â€Å"I was with my student, Rose Hathaway,† he said. â€Å"She shares a bond with the princess and was the first to sense what had happened.† Victor's lawyer – I couldn't even imagine how they'd gotten anyone to represent him – glanced at some papers and then looked back up at Dimitri. â€Å"Based on the events, it sounds like there was a delay between when she discovered that and when you alerted the others.† Dimitri nodded, his mask of composure never slipping. â€Å"She couldn't act on it because Mr. Dashkov had inflicted a charm on her, one that caused her to attack me.† He spoke the words so levelly, it amazed me. Not even the lawyer seemed to notice anything. Only I could see – or maybe it was just because I knew him – how much it hurt for Dimitri to lie. Oh, he wanted to protect us – wanted to protect me in particular – which was why he was doing this. But it killed a piece of him to stand up there, under oath, and lie. Dimitri was not perfect, no matter how much I thought he was some days, but he always tried to be truthful. Today he couldn't be. â€Å"Mr. Dashkov works with earth magic, and some who use that power and are strong in compulsion can influence our base instincts,† continued Dimitri. â€Å"In this case, he affected her anger and violence through an object.† Off to my left, I heard a sound – like someone choking on their own laughter. The judge, an elderly but fierce Moroi woman, glared. â€Å"Mr. Dashkov, please respect the decorum of this courtroom.† Victor, still smiling, waved his hands in apology. â€Å"I'm terribly sorry, Your Honor and Your Majesty. Something in Guardian Belikov's testimony just tickled my fancy, that's all. It won't happen again.† I held my breath, waiting for the blow to fall. It didn't. Dimitri finished his statement, and then Christian was called up. His part was short. He'd been with Lissa when she'd been taken and had been knocked out. His contribution was being able to ID some of Victor's guardians as the kidnappers. Once Christian sat down, it was my turn. I walked up, hoping I looked calm in front of all those eyes – and in front of Victor. In fact, I went out of my way to not look at him at all. As I said my name and gave my oath to tell the truth, I suddenly felt the full force of what Dimitri must have experienced. I was standing before all these people, swearing I'd be honest, but I would lie in an instant if the lust charm came up. My version was pretty straightforward. I had details to offer from before the night of the kidnapping, like about when Victor had laid his sick traps to test Lissa's power. Otherwise, my story lined up with Dimitri's and the other guardians'. I'd said before that I could lie well, and I brushed over the â€Å"attack† charm part with such ease that no one paid any attention. Except Victor. Despite my refusal to look at him, I inadvertently glanced in his direction when I mentioned the charm. His eyes bored into me, and a small smirk sat on his lips. His smugness, I realized, was more than just because he knew I was lying. It was also because he actually knew the precise truth – and the look he gave me told me that he had that power over me and Dimitri, the power to ruin everything for us in front of all these people – no matter what Dimitri had threatened. All the while, I kept my face calm enough to make Dimitri proud, but inside my chest, my heart thudded loudly. It seemed to last forever, but I knew I was only on the stand for a few minutes. I finished, sagging with relief that Victor hadn't called me out, and then it was Lissa's turn. As the victim, she offered the first new perspective thus far, and everyone there grew caught up in her story. It was compelling; no one had ever heard anything like it. I also realized that, without even trying, Lissa was using her spirit-induced charisma. I think it came from the same place compulsion did. People were enraptured and sympathetic. When Lissa described the torture Victor had put her through to force her to heal him, I saw faces go pale with shock. Even Tatiana's stern mask faltered a little, though whether she felt pity or just simple surprise, I couldn't say. The most amazing thing, though, was how calmly Lissa managed to deliver the story. On the outside, she was steady and beautiful. But as she spoke the words, describing exactly how Victor's henchman had tortured her, she relived the pain and terror of that night. The guy had been an air user, and he'd toyed with that element, sometimes taking it away so she couldn't breathe and at other times smothering her with it. It had been horrible, and I'd experienced it right along with her. In fact, I experienced it with her again now as she spoke about the events on the stand. Each painful detail was still etched in her mind, the pain echoing back to both of us. We were both relieved when her testimony finished. Finally, it was Victor's turn. From the look on his face, you never would have guessed he was on trial. He wasn't angry or outraged. He wasn't contrite. He didn't plead. He looked like we were all hanging out somewhere, like he had nothing in the world to worry about. Somehow, that made me that much angrier. Even when answering, he spoke as though he made perfect sense. When the prosecuting lawyer asked why he'd done what he had, he looked at her as though she were crazy. â€Å"Why, I had no choice,† he said pleasantly. â€Å"I was dying. No one was going to condone me openly experimenting with the princess's powers. What would you have done in my place?† The lawyer ignored that. She was having a hard time keeping the disgust off of her face. â€Å"And you found coaxing your own daughter into turning Strigoi also necessary?† Everyone in the courtroom shifted uncomfortably. One of the most awful things about Strigoi was that they were made, not born. A Strigoi could force a human, a dhampir, or a Moroi into becoming Strigoi if the Strigoi drank the victim's blood and then fed Strigoi blood back to the victim. It didn't matter if the victim wanted it or not, and once she became Strigoi, she lost all sense of her old, moral self. She embraced becoming a monster and killing others to survive. Strigoi converted others if they found someone they thought would strengthen their ranks. Sometimes they did it just out of cruelty. The other way a Strigoi could be made was if a Moroi willingly chose to kill another person during feeding, destroying all the magic and life within themselves. Christian's parents had done that because they'd wanted to be immortal, no matter the cost. Victor's daughter Natalie had done it because he had talked her into it. The extra strength and speed she'd gotten from being a Strigoi had helped her free him, and he'd felt his goals were worth the sacrifice. Again, Victor showed no remorse. His answer was simple. â€Å"Natalie made that decision.† â€Å"Can you say that about everyone you used to meet your ends? Guardian Belikov and Miss Hathaway had no say in what you made them do.† Victor chuckled. â€Å"Well, that's a matter of opinion. I honestly don't think they minded. But if you have time after this case, Your Honor, you might want to consider trying a statutory rape case.† I froze. He'd done it. He'd really done it. I expected everyone in the room to turn and point at Dimitri and me. No one even looked in our direction, though. Most people were giving Victor appalled looks. I realized that was exactly what Victor had known would happen. He just wanted to tease us; he didn't actually expect anyone to take him seriously. Lissa's feelings through the bond confirmed as much. She felt like Victor was trying to shift attention off of himself by making up stories about Dimitri and me. She was horrified that Victor would stoop so low. The judge was too, and she chastised Victor for getting off topic. By that point, most of the questioning was done. The lawyers wrapped up, and it was time for the queen to deliver her verdict. I held my breath again, wondering what she would do. He hadn't denied any of the charges. The evidence was overwhelming, thanks to my friends' testimonies, but as even Victor had pointed out, there was a lot of corruption among royals. The queen could very well decide that she didn't want the scandal involved with imprisoning someone so well known. Even if no one knew the details, his imprisonment would start a buzz. Maybe she didn't want to deal with that. Maybe Victor had bought her off too. But in the end, she found Victor guilty and sentenced him to life in prison – a different prison, not the one at Court. I'd heard stories about Moroi prisons, and they were terrible places. I suspected his new home would be very different from the cell we'd found him in. Victor remained calm and amused throughout it all, just as he had yesterday. I didn't like that. The conversation I'd had with him made me think he wasn't going to accept this as serenely as he pretended. I hoped they'd watch him closely. A gesture from the queen ended formalities. The rest of us stood up and began talking while she surveyed the room with a sharp eye, probably taking notes. Victor's escort started to lead him out. He passed by us again. This time, he stopped and spoke. â€Å"Vasilisa, I trust you've been well.† She didn't answer. She still hated and feared him, but with this verdict, she finally believed he could no longer hurt her. It was like the end of a chapter she'd been stuck in for months. She could finally move on and hopefully let those horrible memories fade. â€Å"I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to talk, but I'm sure we will next time,† he added. â€Å"Come on,† said one of the guardians with him. They led him away. â€Å"He's crazy,† muttered Lissa once he was gone. â€Å"I can't believe he said that stuff about you and Dimitri.† Dimitri was standing behind her. I looked up and met his eyes as he moved past us. His relief mirrored my own. We'd danced with danger today – and we'd won. Christian came up to her and hugged her, holding her for a long time. I watched them fondly, surprised at my own kind feelings for them. When a hand touched my arm, I jumped. It was Adrian. â€Å"You okay, little dhampir?† he asked softly. â€Å"Dashkov said a few †¦ uh †¦ suggestive things.† I stepped closer, keeping my voice low as well. â€Å"No one believed him. I think it's okay. Thanks for asking, though.† He smiled and tapped my nose. â€Å"Two thank-yous in as many days. I don't suppose I'll get to see any, uh, special gratitude?† I scoffed. â€Å"Nope. You'll just have to imagine it.† He gave me a half-hug and released me. â€Å"Fair enough. But I have a good imagination.† We started to leave, and then Priscilla Voda hurried over to Lissa. â€Å"The queen would like to meet with you before you leave. In private.† I glanced over to the raised chair where the queen sat. Her gaze was fixed on us, and I wondered what this could be about. â€Å"Sure,† said Lissa, as confused as I was. To me, she sent through the bond: Will you listen again? I gave her a quick nod before Priscilla spirited her off. I returned to my room, tuning in to Lissa while I packed my things up. It took a little while because Tatiana had to finish a few courtroom formalities, but she finally arrived in the same room as yesterday. Lissa and Priscilla bowed as she entered and waited for the queen to sit. Tatiana made herself comfortable. â€Å"Vasilisa, you need to be in the air soon, so I'll make this brief. I would like to make an offer to you.† â€Å"What kind of an offer, Your Majesty?† â€Å"You'll need to go to college soon.† She spoke like it was a done deal. And yeah, Lissa did plan on going to college, but I didn't like the presumption. â€Å"I understand you're dissatisfied with your choices.† â€Å"Well†¦it's not that I'm dissatisfied, exactly. It's just, all the places Moroi are supposed to go are small. I mean, I understand it's for safety, but I don't know. I'd like to go somewhere bigger. Somewhere prestigious.† Guardians monitored a handful of select colleges in the country so that Moroi could safely attend them. As Lissa had noted, though, they tended to be smaller schools. Tatiana nodded impatiently, like she already knew this. â€Å"I'm going to give you an opportunity that no one else has ever been given, to my knowledge. After graduation, I would like you to come live here, at the Royal Court. You have no family, and I think you'd benefit from learning politics right in the heart of our government. Along with this, we would make arrangements for you to attend Lehigh University. It's less than an hour from here. Have you heard of it?† Lissa nodded. I'd never heard of it, but she was enough of a nerd to have researched every college in the U.S. â€Å"It's a good school, Your Majesty. But†¦ still small.† â€Å"It's bigger than the ones Moroi usually attend,† she pointed out. â€Å"True.† In her mind, Lissa was trying to puzzle out what was going on here. Why was Tatiana making this offer? Especially considering how she'd seemed to disagree with Lissa earlier. There was something weird going on here, and she decided to see how far she could push it. â€Å"The University of Pennsylvania isn't that far either, Your Majesty.† â€Å"That school is enormous, Vasilisa. We couldn't ensure your safety there.† Lissa shrugged. â€Å"Well, then it probably doesn't matter if I go to Lehigh or one of the others.† The queen looked shocked. So did Priscilla. They couldn't believe Lissa seemed indifferent to the offer. Truthfully, Lissa wasn't indifferent. Lehigh was a step up from what she'd expected, and she wanted to go. But she also wanted to see how badly the queen wanted her to go. Tatiana frowned and appeared to be weighing matters. â€Å"Depending on your grades and experiences at Lehigh, we could possibly arrange for you to transfer in a couple years. Again, the safety logistics would be very difficult.† Wow. The queen did want her around. But why? Lissa decided to simply ask. â€Å"I'm very flattered, Your Majesty. And grateful. But why are you offering me this?† â€Å"As the last Dragomir, you're a precious commodity. I'd like to make sure your future is secure. And I do so hate to see bright minds wasted. Besides†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She paused, hesitant to speak her next words. â€Å"You were right to a certain extent. The Moroi do have trouble changing. It could be useful to have a dissenting voice around here.† Lissa didn't answer right away. She was still analyzing this offer from every possible angle. She wished I was there to advise her, but I wasn't sure I'd have much of an opinion. Splitting my guardian duty between the Court and a cool university could be pretty neat. On the other hand, we'd have more freedom elsewhere. In the end, Lissa decided in favor of higher education. â€Å"All right,† she said at last. â€Å"I accept. Thank you, Your Majesty.† â€Å"Excellent,† said Tatiana. â€Å"We'll see that the arrangements are made. You may go now.† The queen made no signs of moving, so Lissa bowed again and scurried to the door, still reeling with this news. Tatiana suddenly called out to her. â€Å"Vasilisa? Will you send your friend here to talk to me? The Hathaway girl?† â€Å"Rose?† she asked in astonishment. â€Å"Why do you – ? Yes, of course. I'll get her.† Lissa hurried toward guest housing, but I met her halfway. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked. â€Å"I have no idea,† said Lissa. â€Å"Did you hear what she said?† â€Å"Yup. Maybe she wants to tell me how I have to be extra careful with you going to that school.† â€Å"Maybe. I don't know.† Lissa gave me a quick hug. â€Å"Good luck. I'll see you soon.† I went to the same room and found Tatiana standing with her hands clasped, posture stiff and impatient. She was dressed like a corporate businesswoman again, with a sleek brown blazer and skirt set. That color wouldn't have been my first choice to go with her dark gray hair, but that was her style adviser's problem, not mine. I bowed just as Lissa had and glanced around the room. Priscilla was gone; only a couple guardians remained. I expected Tatiana to tell me to sit, but instead, she stood up and walked right over to me. Her face did not look happy. â€Å"Miss Hathaway,† she said sharply, â€Å"I'm going to keep this brief. You are going to stop this atrocious affair you're having with my great-nephew. Immediately.†