Automotive Industry and Porsche Production Line

Shona L. Thomas- Porsche Case Study 1. ) General Environment Factors for Porsche: A. ) Demographic segment for Porsche is Age and Income distribution. Porsche target age is group is consumers is male over the age of 40 in addition to an average income of 180k a year. That has a positive effect on this segment because they have defined their niche audience that best responds to their line of cars. B. ) Political and Legal segment directly affects the future production of Porsche vehicles with regulatory gas mileage requirements and EPA guidelines.If the 2020 CAFE plan is implemented in North America Porsche will not be able to sell cars in North America. Political issues and governmental decisions affect the development of the local economy as for example the increase of oil prices during the Iraq war and the drop of the dollar compared to other currencies, they can also have an influence on sales in the automotive industry. This is a negative effect as the VW sales group has laid a p lan to exceed GM and Toyota in sells by 2018 but with pending EPA guidelines this may create a definite challenge.C. ) Technological segment for Porsche is leading in product innovation, factory applications and knowledge. Porsche production line has the ability to manufacture two cars seamlessly at the same time without losing any production time or driving cost up. Their technology is a positive and is evident because they offer consulting services to competitive and noncompetitive automobile companies. 2. ) Porsche brand is so strong and unique that the only two forces I can thoroughly support are Threat of new entrants and bargaining power of Buyers. A. Porsche has a threat of new entrants due to automobile manufacturers such as BMW, Nissan and GM. However Porsche has product differentiation and Capital Investments. Porsche is also known for prestige, variety of Porsche emblems and its full line up. Consequently BMW, Nissan and GM have all produced one or two comparable cars. B. ) Bargaining power of Buyers is relevant because due to recent economic recessions internationally the price point of Porsches automobiles they followed suit of other competing luxury brands and released more affordable automobiles such as the Cayenne.The production of the Cayenne set record sales for Porsche. Therefore this is a high force. 3. ) The two major competitors of Porsche are BWW and Audi. BMW as designed models such the Z4 and Audi has designed models such as the R8 to compete with Porsche's Cayman and Boxter. Prices points on both models are within the same range as the aforementioned Porsche brands. These two models (BMW and Audi) both have competitive points in regards to engineering, exclusivity and service.The future actions of BMW and Audi that show evidence competitive activity is both automobile companies are creating a more modern design which is attracting more consumers, more drive power options for an economical price and puts luxury and comfort versus Porsc he sports then luxury. 4. ) The most important Value Chain areas for Porsche are: A. ) Management Information Systems- Joint venture with MHO has led to awards such as Silver Partner service and SAP Channel Partner Gold. The performance and oriented approach allows Porsche to consistently implement new design, technologies and functionalities.Porsche at purchased ownership in MHP and later purchased a controlling share which lead to new business techniques and technologies. The MIS has created sustainable competitive advantage through superior operating performances and the ability to respond with flexibility and quickly to changes in technology. They are superior to each competitor as they do not patent their technological gains but allows others to copy. B. ) Supply Chain Management: Porsche SAP technology Leipzig has created a seamless distribution in logistics. Within the same plant, the two models, Panamera and Cayenne can be built simultaneously.Each model requires a high degr ee of integration and cooperation with other Porsche plants. As parts are delivered every hour, the flows of goods are real-time. No inventories, any waiting times, but the highest degree of precision and flexibility. Even if faced with a change on short notice, production will be able to stay in synch. Porsche is the leading manufacturer in the world and is superior to all other competitors for the aforementioned reasons. C. ) Marketing and Sales: In 2011 VW group inclusive of Porsche and other brands ranked number 3 in the world trailing Toyota and GM.However in Europe the VW group leads sales amongst competitors. Porsche relates their increase in marketing and sales to the CRM processes in SAP. All systems are originated in German but the data is also shared North America as well as Canada. North America and Canada represents the biggest market for the car manufacturer almost 40 percent of all luxury cars are sold there. The second reason is that the orientation of the pilot proj ect toward a non-German market prevented a focus that can be considered too German influenced. 5. The most significant financial and nonfinancial factors for Porsche are: Return on investments. Three Porsche product lines – the 911, the Boxster, and the Cayenne has had high operating margins compared to nearly any other major automobile manufacturer. The two newer product lines, the Boxster and Cayenne, had both been launched with the capital and technology from its other lines of cars. The Porsche Boxster was manufactured by Valmet of Finland under a licensed manufacturing agreement allowed Porsche to use means of financial support.Valmet owns its own factory and tools, and builds the Boxster for Porsche. This reduces the capital Porsche needs to support its own business significantly. The Porsche Cayenne was co-manufactured with Volkswagen. The Cayenne was assembled on the same production line as the Volkswagen Touareg therefore reducing the required capital to support Pors che’s business. 6. ) The strength is that Porsche has a high brand presence and reputation across the globe. Porsche preferred consumers are wage earners in excess of 250k. Few car models are available but it has a wide range of variants.They have built a trust worthy brand that has international recognition in the domestic as well as racing industry. A weakness of Porsche is that it lacks presence in the middle income segment which is the fastest growing of all classes. The cars have very high maintenance and running cost in an extremely luxury car market. The opportunities that Porsche has it that they can capitalize on its exclusivity and increase sales. They also have a sector of the company that has first class technology that will give them a competitive edge on future generation and concept cars.In addition to increased manufacturing facilities and distribution as well as a servicing network. The threats that face Porsche are the Governmental policies in some countries especially North America. The looming recession this may decrease purchasing power and the intense competition from automobile leaders. The top three competitors are BMW, Audi and Mercedes Benz. 7. ) The major competitive advantages of Porsche using VRIN are The most valuable capital this company has is its loyal customers with their sense of Porsche responsibility. The most aluable support for this company is its work force, technology and its tradition of outstanding performance. (Parity producing because other companies can re-evaluate their customer relations and change the scope of employees to gain the loyalty and recognition that Porsche has. ) Porsche is rare because the cars have a virtually untarnished reputation and are considered among the finest performance vehicles in the world. (Temporary competitive advantage because they BMW and Audi have models that compete with Porsche vehicles. ) Porsche technology is costly to imitate.Porsche has become a leader in automobile m anufacturing and advanced technology that has led to winning Performance awards. Therefore allowing Porsche to consistently implement new design, technologies and functionalities. (Sustainable competitive advantage because Porsche provides consulting to automobile manufacturers and have not patent protected their technological advances; therefore companies rely on them for the most up to date technology) Porsche is nonsubstitutable because lineup is quite broad for a specialty automaker and now even includes a luxury super sport sedan, the Panamera.Throughout its history, Porsche has exhibited amazing resilience, weathering changes in consumer tastes and the economic climate. (Competitive Advantage is the brand name. ) 8. ) Porsche uses Corporate Strategy. The overall scope and direction is to diversify business operations, further advance technology and work together to achieve particular goals. As part of its corporate strategy for 2018, Porsche wants to double its vehicle sales a nd increase its presence in the individual markets. This growth strategy is to increase the workforce by 50 % from its present level of 14,000 worldwide.Porsche is creating wide-ranging electric mobility vehicles in Germany and has launched the roll-out of three electric-powered Boxter cars. Electro mobility is one of the central challenges of the coming years. The engineers at Porsche want to contribute something in their usual high-performance way to meet the challenge. 9. ) 7s Implementation factors that are the most important is: 1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strategy: plan to gain a sustainable advantage over the competition (BMW and Audi) 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Structure: how people and tasks are rganized (Consulting and Automobile division) 3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Systems: processes and procedures that are currently in place (Manufacturing plants) 4)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Style: leadership style (Brand imaging) 5)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Staff: employees and their gener al capabilities (ongoing training) 6)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Skills: competencies and skills of the employees (ongoing training) 7)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shared Values: culture, beliefs, values and traditions (Mission statement) 10. ) Two questions:Do you think Porsche will meet the CAFE requirements for 2018 or will they actually stop selling cars in North America? How will that affect the American Porsche consumer? Cadillac has now developed and launched a car that has a Ferrari engine how will that compare or will it compete with the Porsche Panamera? How will new entrants such as American based cars that is adding technology comparable to Porsche affect future market opportunity and ,undecided target consumers?

Side Kicks

The poem, â€Å"Side Kicks† has many different meanings. when you read the poem the surface meaning gives an explanation ot what a side kick is and does. It goes over the basics of a side kick. If you were to look at the deeper at the meaning of the poem, you would find something more. The poem talks about how a side kick isnt given the gift of good looks It also talks about sidekicks being brave and putting others before themselves. At certain times the sidekicks put themselves in front of bullets for others. They remind us ofa part of ourselves that depend on others (our herffs).The theme for this poem Is loyalty and being humble. In the poem, It talks about the side kick being loyal to the hero, not ever wanting a hero to die, and being humble around everyone. I was almost is tears when I came to the realization of the deeper meaning of the poem. The tone for this poem is kind of sad and yet touching at the same time, The poem mentions many names but doesnt give or mention the name of the main character. Through the characterization that the author gives us, we can find out a lot about the character.For example, the character seems to have a lot of knowledge so I assume me will be someone older. would assume sme was or Is a side kick because of their knowledge ot sidekicks and their feelings. It sounds like the main character relates well with sadness of death or a great loss because, s/he explains it well in the poem. I believe that Ronald has maybe put this part about death In the poem because some hero of his might of died at the time. Or maybe he noticed one of his student's hero was lost and decided to write about it. The characters tone in the poem seems to be sad and depressed.An example would be in the fifth paragraph f the poem which says (Website 3): Who could sit In a darkened theatre, listen to the organ music (Ilke a funeral) and watch the best of ourselves lowered into the ground (like a casket being lowered) while the rest stood up ther e, tears pouring off that enormous nose. (sad for the lost of their hero) In the first 2 lines when it refers to a darkened theatre with organ music, I picture it as a funeral hall. In the next sentence as he talks about the best of ourselves being lowered Into tne ground. I see tnls as our neros casket Delng lava to rest. nen tne ero is being buried, Ronald Koerge paints us a picture of a side kicks emotion when one is caught crying for their hero. In the last 2 sentences while he's talking about tears pouring off that enormous nose, I see it as a side kick being sad for the loss of their hero. The mood is set up so well that it makes you want to cry. The author uses a simile and a metaphor to tell a story in the poem. Ronald wrote this metaphor â€Å"a yodel of a voice or ears big as kidneys† to compare side kicks to heros. He describes side kicks voices as usually weak or unsure, as opposed toa eros voice which is usually strong, powerful and leading.Also using this simile â€Å"ears as big as kidneys† to describe how a hero's image or looks appear perfect or flawless, unlike a side kick with all its imperfections. There are two main symbolisms in the poem. The first symbol being the side kick, which symbolizes a child. The second is a hero, which symbolizes a parent. At the end of the poem it talks about how side kicks remind us of a part of ourselves that is like a child, never wanting to grow up and always wanting to look up to our hero's parents) for help and guidance.The poem also talks about how a side kicks' outward appearance is not perfect like a hero's, but they don't care or get Jealous of a hero because they look up to them for support or guidance. It talks about a side kick being sad because the best of ourselves (herds) lowered into the ground (funeral), tears pouring off that enormous nose (sad for the loss). This poem was written as a free verse. By not adding all the other sound effects, it made the poem more relatable. The fr ee verse style made the poems meaning deeper and more personal.To add any sound effects would ruin the poems impact it would have to its readers. Ronald Koertge has done a lot in school, both teaching and learning. He has also written books about teens and young adults (Website 1, 2). He noticed that everyone has a need for a hero and that there is a side kick in all of us. He talks about sidekicks and what they are. But even deeper, he tells how hard it is to be a side kick and what a side kick goes thru. The author also tells us how sidekicks remind us of our selves, the part that never wants to grow up and always has to depend on others.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Fortyseven

â€Å"Promise me, Ned,† Lyanna’s statue whispered. She wore a garland of pale blue roses, and her eyes wept blood. Eddard Stark jerked upright, his heart racing, the blankets tangled around him. The room was black as pitch, and someone was hammering on the door. â€Å"Lord Eddard,† a voice called loudly. â€Å"A moment.† Groggy and naked, he stumbled his way across the darkened chamber. When he opened the door, he found Tomard with an upraised fist, and Cayn with a taper in hand. Between them stood the king’s own steward. The man’s face might have been carved of stone, so little did it show. â€Å"My lord Hand,† he intoned. â€Å"His Grace the King commands your presence. At once.† So Robert had returned from his hunt. It was long past time. â€Å"I shall need a few moments to dress.† Ned left the man waiting without. Cayn helped him with his clothes; white linen tunic and grey cloak, trousers cut open down his plaster-sheathed leg, his badge of office, and last of all a belt of heavy silver links. He sheathed the Valyrian dagger at his waist. The Red Keep was dark and still as Cayn and Tomard escorted him across the inner bailey. The moon hung low over the walls, ripening toward full. On the ramparts, a guardsman in a gold cloak walked his rounds. The royal apartments were in Maegor’s Holdfast, a massive square fortress that nestled in the heart of the Red Keep behind walls twelve feet thick and a dry moat lined with iron spikes, a castle-within-a-castle. Ser Boros Blount guarded the far end of the bridge, white steel armor ghostly in the moonlight. Within, Ned passed two other knights of the Kingsguard; Ser Preston Greenfield stood at the bottom of the steps, and Ser Barristan Selmy waited at the door of the king’s bedchamber. Three men in white cloaks, he thought, remembering, and a strange chill went through him. Ser Barristan’s face was as pale as his armor. Ned had only to look at him to know that something was dreadfully wrong. The royal steward opened the door. â€Å"Lord Eddard Stark, the Hand of the King,† he announced. â€Å"Bring him here,† Robert’s voice called, strangely thick. Fires blazed in the twin hearths at either end of the bedchamber, filling the room with a sullen red glare. The heat within was suffocating. Robert lay across the canopied bed. At the bedside hovered Grand Maester Pycelle, while Lord Renly paced restlessly before the shuttered windows. Servants moved back and forth, feeding logs to the fire and boiling wine. Cersei Lannister sat on the edge of the bed beside her husband. Her hair was tousled, as if from sleep, but there was nothing sleepy in her eyes. They followed Ned as Tomard and Cayn helped him cross the room. He seemed to move very slowly, as if he were still dreaming. The king still wore his boots. Ned could see dried mud and blades of grass clinging to the leather where Robert’s feet stuck out beneath the blanket that covered him, A green doublet lay on the floor, slashed open and discarded, the cloth crusted with red-brown stains. The room smelled of smoke and blood and death. â€Å"Ned,† the king whispered when he saw him. His face was pale as milk. â€Å"Come . . . closer.† His men brought him close. Ned steadied himself with a hand on the bedpost. He had only to look down at Robert to know how bad it was. â€Å"What . . . ?† he began, his throat clenched. â€Å"A boar.† Lord Renly was still in his hunting greens, his cloak spattered with blood. â€Å"A devil,† the king husked. â€Å"My own fault. Too much wine, damn me to hell. Missed my thrust.† â€Å"And where were the rest of you?† Ned demanded of Lord Renly. â€Å"Where was Ser Barristan and the Kingsguard?† Renly’s mouth twitched. â€Å"My brother commanded us to stand aside and let him take the boar alone.† Eddard Stark lifted the blanket. They had done what they could to close him up, but it was nowhere near enough. The boar must have been a fearsome thing. It had ripped the king from groin to nipple with its tusks. The wine-soaked bandages that Grand Maester Pycelle had applied were already black with blood, and the smell off the wound was hideous. Ned’s stomach turned. He let the blanket fall. â€Å"Stinks,† Robert said. â€Å"The stink of death, don’t think I can’t smell it. Bastard did me good, eh? But I . . . I paid him back in kind, Ned.† The king’s smile was as terrible as his wound, his teeth red. â€Å"Drove a knife right through his eye. Ask them if I didn’t. Ask them.† â€Å"Truly,† Lord Renly murmured. â€Å"We brought the carcass back with us, at my brother’s command.† â€Å"For the feast,† Robert whispered. â€Å"Now leave us. The lot of you. I need to speak with Ned.† â€Å"Robert, my sweet lord . . . † Cersei began. â€Å"I said leave,† Robert insisted with a hint of his old fierceness. â€Å"What part of that don’t you understand, woman?† Cersei gathered up her skirts and her dignity and led the way to the door. Lord Renly and the others followed. Grand Maester Pycelle lingered, his hands shaking as he offered the king a cup of thick white liquid. â€Å"The milk of the poppy, Your Grace,† he said. â€Å"Drink. For your pain.† Robert knocked the cup away with the back of his hand. â€Å"Away with you. I’ll sleep soon enough, old fool. Get out.† Grand Maester Pycelle gave Ned a stricken look as he shuffled from the room. â€Å"Damn you, Robert,† Ned said when they were alone. His leg was throbbing so badly he was almost blind with pain. Or perhaps it was grief that fogged his eyes. He lowered himself to the bed, beside his friend. â€Å"Why do you always have to be so headstrong?† â€Å"Ah, fuck you, Ned,† the king said hoarsely. â€Å"I killed the bastard, didn’t I?† A lock of matted black hair fell across his eyes as he glared up at Ned. â€Å"Ought to do the same for you. Can’t leave a man to hunt in peace. Ser Robar found me. Gregor’s head. Ugly thought. Never told the Hound. Let Cersei surprise him.† His laugh turned into a grunt as a spasm of pain hit him. â€Å"Gods have mercy,† he muttered, swallowing his agony. â€Å"The girl. Daenerys. Only a child, you were right . . . that’s why, the girl . . . the gods sent the boar . . . sent to punish me . . .† The king coughed, bringing up blood. â€Å"Wrong, it was wrong, I . . . only a girl . . . Varys, Littlefinger, even my brother . . . worthless . . . no one to tell me no but you, Ned . . . only you . . . † He lifted his hand, the gesture pained and feeble. â€Å"Paper and ink. There, on the table. Write what I tell you.† Ned smoothed the paper out across his knee and took up the quill. â€Å"At your command, Your Grace.† â€Å"This is the will and word of Robert of House Baratheon, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and all the rest—put in the damn titles, you know how it goes. I do hereby command Eddard of House Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Hand of the King, to serve as Lord Regent and Protector of the Realm upon my . . . upon my death . . . to rule in my . . . in my stead, until my son Joffrey does come of age . . . â€Å" â€Å"Robert . . . † Joffrey is not your son, he wanted to say, but the words would not come. The agony was written too plainly across Robert’s face; he could not hurt him more. So Ned bent his head and wrote, but where the king had said â€Å"my son Joffrey,† he scrawled â€Å"my heir† instead. The deceit made him feel soiled. The lies we tell for love, he thought. May the gods forgive me. â€Å"What else would you have me say?† â€Å"Say . . . whatever you need to. Protect and defend, gods old and new, you have the words. Write. I’ll sign it. You give it to the council when I’m dead.† â€Å"Robert,† Ned said in a voice thick with grief, â€Å"you must not do this. Don’t die on me. The realm needs you.† Robert took his hand, fingers squeezing hard. â€Å"You are . . . such a bad liar, Ned Stark,† he said through his pain. â€Å"The realm . . . the realm knows . . . what a wretched king I’ve been. Bad as Aerys, the gods spare me.† â€Å"No,† Ned told his dying friend, â€Å"not so bad as Aerys, Your Grace. Not near so bad as Aerys.† Robert managed a weak red smile. â€Å"At the least, they will say . . . this last thing . . . this I did right. You won’t fail me. You’ll rule now. You’ll hate it, worse than I did . . . but you’ll do well. Are you done with the scribbling?† â€Å"Yes, Your Grace.† Ned offered Robert the paper. The king scrawled his signature blindly, leaving a smear of blood across the letter. â€Å"The seal should be witnessed.† â€Å"Serve the boar at my funeral feast,† Robert rasped. â€Å"Apple in its mouth, skin seared crisp. Eat the bastard. Don’t care if you choke on him. Promise me, Ned.† â€Å"I promise.† Promise me, Ned, Lyanna’s voice echoed. â€Å"The girl,† the king said. â€Å"Daenerys. Let her live. If you can, if it . . . not too late . . . talk to them . . . Varys, Littlefinger . . . don’t let them kill her. And help my son, Ned. Make him be . . . better than me.† He winced. â€Å"Gods have mercy.† â€Å"They will, my friend,† Ned said. â€Å"They will.† The king closed his eyes and seemed to relax. â€Å"Killed by a pig,† he muttered. â€Å"Ought to laugh, but it hurts too much.† Ned was not laughing. â€Å"Shall I call them back?† Robert gave a weak nod. â€Å"As you will. Gods, why is it so cold in here?† The servants rushed back in and hurried to feed the fires. The queen had gone; that was some small relief, at least. If she had any sense, Cersei would take her children and fly before the break of day, Ned thought. She had lingered too long already. King Robert did not seem to miss her. He bid his brother Renly and Grand Maester Pycelle to stand in witness as he pressed his seal into the hot yellow wax that Ned had dripped upon his letter. â€Å"Now give me something for the pain and let me die.† Hurriedly Grand Maester Pycelle mixed him another draught of the milk of the poppy. This time the king drank deeply. His black beard was beaded with thick white droplets when he threw the empty cup aside. â€Å"Will I dream?† Ned gave him his answer. â€Å"You will, my lord.† â€Å"Good,† he said, smiling. â€Å"I will give Lyanna your love, Ned. Take care of my children for me.† The words twisted in Ned’s belly like a knife. For a moment he was at a loss. He could not bring himself to lie. Then he remembered the bastards: little Barra at her mother’s breast, Mya in the Vale, Gendry at his forge, and all the others. â€Å"I shall . . . guard your children as if they were my own,† he said slowly. Robert nodded and closed his eyes. Ned watched his old friend sag softly into the pillows as the milk of the poppy washed the pain from his face. Sleep took him. Heavy chains jangled softly as Grand Maester Pycelle came up to Ned. â€Å"I will do all in my power, my lord, but the wound has mortified. It took them two days to get him back. By the time I saw him, it was too late. I can lessen His Grace’s suffering, but only the gods can heal him now.† â€Å"How long?† Ned asked. â€Å"By rights, he should be dead already. I have never seen a man cling to life so fiercely.† â€Å"My brother was always strong,† Lord Renly said. â€Å"Not wise, perhaps, but strong.† In the sweltering heat of the bedchamber, his brow was slick with sweat. He might have been Robert’s ghost as he stood there, young and dark and handsome. â€Å"He slew the boar. His entrails were sliding from his belly, yet somehow he slew the boar.† His voice was full of wonder. â€Å"Robert was never a man to leave the battleground so long as a foe remained standing,† Ned told him. Outside the door, Ser Barristan Selmy still guarded the tower stairs. â€Å"Maester Pycelle has given Robert the milk of the poppy,† Ned told him. â€Å"See that no one disturbs his rest without leave from me.† â€Å"It shall be as you command, my lord.† Ser Barristan seemed old beyond his years. â€Å"I have failed my sacred trust.† â€Å"Even the truest knight cannot protect a king against himself,† Ned said. â€Å"Robert loved to hunt boar. I have seen him take a thousand of them.† He would stand his ground without flinching, his legs braced, the great spear in his hands, and as often as not he would curse the boar as it charged, and wait until the last possible second, until it was almost on him, before he killed it with a single sure and savage thrust. â€Å"No one could know this one would be his death.† â€Å"You are kind to say so, Lord Eddard.† â€Å"The king himself said as much. He blamed the wine.† The white-haired knight gave a weary nod. â€Å"His Grace was reeling in his saddle by the time we flushed the boar from his lair, yet he commanded us all to stand aside.† â€Å"I wonder, Ser Barristan,† asked Varys, so quietly, â€Å"who gave the king this wine?† Ned had not heard the eunuch approach, but when he looked around, there he stood. He wore a black velvet robe that brushed the floor, and his face was freshly powdered. â€Å"The wine was from the king’s own skin,† Ser Barristan said. â€Å"Only one skin? Hunting is such thirsty work.† â€Å"I did not keep count. More than one, for a certainty. His squire would fetch him a fresh skin whenever he required it.† â€Å"Such a dutiful boy,† said Varys, â€Å"to make certain His Grace did not lack for refreshment.† Ned had a bitter taste in his mouth. He recalled the two fair-haired boys Robert had sent chasing after a breastplate stretcher. The king had told everyone the tale that night at the feast, laughing until he shook. â€Å"Which squire?† â€Å"The elder,† said Ser Barristan. â€Å"Lancel.† â€Å"I know the lad well,† said Varys. â€Å"A stalwart boy, Ser Kevan Lannister’s son, nephew to Lord Tywin and cousin to the queen. I hope the dear sweet lad does not blame himself. Children are so vulnerable in the innocence of their youth, how well do I remember.† Certainly Varys had once been young. Ned doubted that he had ever been innocent. â€Å"You mention children. Robert had a change of heart concerning Daenerys Targaryen. Whatever arrangements you made, I want unmade. At once.† â€Å"Alas,† said Varys. â€Å"At once may be too late. I fear those birds have flown. But I shall do what I can, my lord. With your leave.† He bowed and vanished down the steps, his soft-soled slippers whispering against the stone as he made his descent. Cayn and Tomard were helping Ned across the bridge when Lord Renly emerged from Maegor’s Holdfast. â€Å"Lord Eddard,† he called after Ned, â€Å"a moment, if you would be so kind.† Ned stopped. â€Å"As you wish.† Renly walked to his side. â€Å"Send your men away.† They met in the center of the bridge, the dry moat beneath them. Moonlight silvered the cruel edges of the spikes that lined its bed. Ned gestured. Tomard and Cayn bowed their heads and backed away respectfully. Lord Renly glanced warily at Ser Boros on the far end of the span, at Ser Preston in the doorway behind them. â€Å"That letter.† He leaned close. â€Å"Was it the regency? Has my brother named you Protector?† He did not wait for a reply. â€Å"My lord, I have thirty men in my personal guard, and other friends beside, knights and lords. Give me an hour, and I can put a hundred swords in your hand.† â€Å"And what should I do with a hundred swords, my lord?† â€Å"Strike! Now, while the castle sleeps.† Renly looked back at Ser Boros again and dropped his voice to an urgent whisper. â€Å"We must get Joffrey away from his mother and take him in hand. Protector or no, the man who holds the king holds the kingdom. We should seize Myrcella and Tommen as well. Once we have her children, Cersei will not dare oppose us. The council will confirm you as Lord Protector and make Joffrey your ward.† Ned regarded him coldly. â€Å"Robert is not dead yet. The gods may spare him. If not, I shall convene the council to hear his final words and consider the matter of the succession, but I will not dishonor his last hours on earth by shedding blood in his halls and dragging frightened children from their beds.† Lord Renly took a step back, taut as a bowstring. â€Å"Every moment you delay gives Cersei another moment to prepare. By the time Robert dies, it may be too late . . . for both of us.† â€Å"Then we should pray that Robert does not die.† â€Å"Small chance of that,† said Renly. â€Å"Sometimes the gods are merciful.† â€Å"The Lannisters are not.† Lord Renly turned away and went back across the moat, to the tower where his brother lay dying. By the time Ned returned to his chambers, he felt weary and heartsick, yet there was no question of his going back to sleep, not now. When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die, Cersei Lannister had told him in the godswood. He found himself wondering if he had done the right thing by refusing Lord Renly’s offer. He had no taste for these intrigues, and there was no honor in threatening children, and yet . . . if Cersei elected to fight rather than flee, he might well have need of Renly’s hundred swords, and more besides. â€Å"I want Littlefinger,† he told Cayn. â€Å"If he’s not in his chambers, take as many men as you need and search every winesink and whorehouse in King’s Landing until you find him. Bring him to me before break of day.† Cayn bowed and took his leave, and Ned turned to Tomard. â€Å"The Wind Witch sails on the evening tide. Have you chosen the escort?† â€Å"Ten men, with Porther in command.† â€Å"Twenty, and you will command,† Ned said. Porther was a brave man, but headstrong. He wanted someone more solid and sensible to keep watch over his daughters. â€Å"As you wish, m’lord,† Tom said. â€Å"Can’t say I’ll be sad to see the back of this place. I miss the wife.† â€Å"You will pass near Dragonstone when you turn north. I need you to deliver a letter for me.† Tom looked apprehensive. â€Å"To Dragonstone, m’lord?† The island fortress of House Targaryen had a sinister repute. â€Å"Tell Captain Qos to hoist my banner as soon as he comes in sight of the island. They may be wary of unexpected visitors. If he is reluctant, offer him whatever it takes. I will give you a letter to place into the hand of Lord Stannis Baratheon. No one else. Not his steward, nor the captain of his guard, nor his lady wife, but only Lord Stannis himself.† â€Å"As you command, m’lord.† When Tomard had left him, Lord Eddard Stark sat staring at the flame of the candle that burned beside him on the table. For a moment his grief overwhelmed him. He wanted nothing so much as to seek out the godswood, to kneel before the heart tree and pray for the life of Robert Baratheon, who had been more than a brother to him. Men would whisper afterward that Eddard Stark had betrayed his king’s friendship and disinherited his sons; he could only hope that the gods would know better, and that Robert would learn the truth of it in the land beyond the grave. Ned took out the king’s last letter. A roll of crisp white parchment sealed with golden wax, a few short words and a smear of blood. How small the difference between victory and defeat, between life and death. He drew out a fresh sheet of paper and dipped his quill in the inkpot. To His Grace, Stannis of the House Baratheon, he wrote. By the time you receive this letter, your brother Robert, our King these past fifteen years, will be dead. He was savaged by a boar whilst hunting in the kingswood . . . The letters seemed to writhe and twist on the paper as his hand trailed to a stop. Lord Tywin and Ser Jaime were not men to suffer disgrace meekly; they would fight rather than flee. No doubt Lord Stannis was wary, after the murder of Jon Arryn, but it was imperative that he sail for King’s Landing at once with all his power, before the Lannisters could march. Ned chose each word with care. When he was done, he signed the letter Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Hand of the King, and Protector of the Realm, blotted the paper, folded it twice, and melted the sealing wax over the candle flame. His regency would be a short one, he reflected as the wax softened. The new king would choose his own Hand. Ned would be free to go home. The thought of Winterfell brought a wan smile to his face. He wanted to hear Bran’s laughter once more, to go hawking with Robb, to watch Rickon at play. He wanted to drift off to a dreamless sleep in his own bed with his arms wrapped tight around his lady, Catelyn. Cayn returned as he was pressing the direwolf seal down into the soft white wax. Desmond was with him, and between them Littlefinger. Ned thanked his guards and sent them away. Lord Petyr was clad in a blue velvet tunic with puffed sleeves, his silvery cape patterned with mockingbirds. â€Å"I suppose congratulations are in order,† he said as he seated himself. Ned scowled. â€Å"The king lies wounded and near to death.† â€Å"I know,† Littlefinger said. â€Å"I also know that Robert has named you Protector of the Realm.† Ned’s eyes flicked to the king’s letter on the table beside him, its seal unbroken. â€Å"And how is it you know that, my lord?† â€Å"Varys hinted as much,† Littlefinger said, â€Å"and you have just confirmed it.† Ned’s mouth twisted in anger. â€Å"Damn Varys and his little birds. Catelyn spoke truly, the man has some black art. I do not trust him.† â€Å"Excellent. You’re learning.† Littlefinger leaned forward. â€Å"Yet I’ll wager you did not drag me here in the black of night to discuss the eunuch.† â€Å"No,† Ned admitted. â€Å"I know the secret Jon Arryn was murdered to protect. Robert will leave no trueborn son behind him. Joffrey and Tommen are Jaime Lannister’s bastards, born of his incestuous union with the queen.† Littlefinger lifted an eyebrow. â€Å"Shocking,† he said in a tone that suggested he was not shocked at all. â€Å"The girl as well? No doubt. So when the king dies . . . â€Å" â€Å"The throne by rights passes to Lord Stannis, the elder of Robert’s two brothers.† Lord Petyr stroked his pointed beard as he considered the matter. â€Å"So it would seem. Unless . . . â€Å" â€Å"Unless, my lord? There is no seeming to this. Stannis is the heir. Nothing can change that.† â€Å"Stannis cannot take the throne without your help. If you’re wise, you’ll make certain Joffrey succeeds.† Ned gave him a stony stare. â€Å"Have you no shred of honor?† â€Å"Oh, a shred, surely,† Littlefinger replied negligently. â€Å"Hear me out. Stannis is no friend of yours, nor of mine. Even his brothers can scarcely stomach him. The man is iron, hard and unyielding. He’ll give us a new Hand and a new council, for a certainty. No doubt he’ll thank you for handing him the crown, but he won’t love you for it. And his ascent will mean war. Stannis cannot rest easy on the throne until Cersei and her bastards are dead. Do you think Lord Tywin will sit idly while his daughter’s head is measured for a spike? Casterly Rock will rise, and not alone. Robert found it in him to pardon men who served King Aerys, so long as they did him fealty. Stannis is less forgiving. He will not have forgotten the siege of Storm’s End, and the Lords Tyrell and Redwyne dare not. Every man who fought beneath the dragon banner or rose with Balon Greyjoy will have good cause to fear. Seat Stannis on the Iron Throne and I promise yo u, the realm will bleed. â€Å"Now look at the other side of the coin. Joffrey is but twelve, and Robert gave you the regency, my lord. You are the Hand of the King and Protector of the Realm. The power is yours, Lord Stark. All you need do is reach out and take it. Make your peace with the Lannisters. Release the Imp. Wed Joffrey to your Sansa. Wed your younger girl to Prince Tommen, and your heir to Myrcella. It will be four years before Joffrey comes of age. By then he will look to you as a second father, and if not, well . . . four years is a good long while, my lord. Long enough to dispose of Lord Stannis. Then, should Joffrey prove troublesome, we can reveal his little secret and put Lord Renly on the throne.† â€Å"We?† Ned repeated. Littlefinger gave a shrug. â€Å"You’ll need someone to share your burdens. I assure you, my price would be modest.† â€Å"Your price.† Ned’s voice was ice. â€Å"Lord Baelish, what you suggest is treason.† â€Å"Only if we lose.† â€Å"You forget,† Ned told him. â€Å"You forget Jon Arryn. You forget Jory Cassel. And you forget this.† He drew the dagger and laid it on the table between them; a length of dragonbone and Valyrian steel, as sharp as the difference between right and wrong, between true and false, between life and death. â€Å"They sent a man to cut my son’s throat, Lord Baelish.† Littlefinger sighed. â€Å"I fear I did forget, my lord. Pray forgive me. For a moment I did not remember that I was talking to a Stark.† His mouth quirked. â€Å"So it will be Stannis, and war?† â€Å"It is not a choice. Stannis is the heir.† â€Å"Far be it from me to dispute the Lord Protector. What would you have of me, then? Not my wisdom, for a certainty.† â€Å"I shall do my best to forget your . . . wisdom,† Ned said with distaste. â€Å"I called you here to ask for the help you promised Catelyn. This is a perilous hour for all of us. Robert has named me Protector, true enough, but in the eyes of the world, Joffrey is still his son and heir. The queen has a dozen knights and a hundred men-at-arms who will do whatever she commands . . . enough to overwhelm what remains of my own household guard. And for all I know, her brother Jaime may be riding for King’s Landing even as we speak, with a Lannister host at his back.† â€Å"And you without an army.† Littlefinger toyed with the dagger on the table, turning it slowly with a finger. â€Å"There is small love lost between Lord Renly and the Lannisters. Bronze Yohn Royce, Ser Balon Swann, Ser Loras, Lady Tanda, the Redwyne twins . . . each of them has a retinue of knights and sworn swords here at court.† â€Å"Renly has thirty men in his personal guard, the rest even fewer. It is not enough, even if I could be certain that all of them will choose to give me their allegiance. I must have the gold cloaks. The City Watch is two thousand strong, sworn to defend the castle, the city, and the king’s peace.† â€Å"Ah, but when the queen proclaims one king and the Hand another, whose peace do they protect?† Lord Petyr flicked at the dagger with his finger, setting it spinning in place. Round and round it went, wobbling as it turned. When at last it slowed to a stop, the blade pointed at Littlefinger. â€Å"Why, there’s your answer,† he said, smiling. â€Å"They follow the man who pays them.† He leaned back and looked Ned full in the face, his grey-green eyes bright with mockery. â€Å"You wear your honor like a suit of armor, Stark. You think it keeps you safe, but all it does is weigh you down and make it hard for you to move. Look at you now. You know why you summoned me here. You know what you want to ask me to do. You know it has to be done . . . but it’s not honorable, so the words stick in your throat.† Ned’s neck was rigid with tension. For a moment he was so angry that he did not trust himself to speak. Littlefinger laughed. â€Å"I ought to make you say it, but that would be cruel . . . so have no fear, my good lord. For the sake of the love I bear for Catelyn, I will go to Janos Slynt this very hour and make certain that the City Watch is yours. Six thousand gold pieces should do it. A third for the Commander, a third for the officers, a third for the men. We might be able to buy them for half that much, but I prefer not to take chances.† Smiling, he plucked up the dagger and offered it to Ned, hilt first. A Game of Thrones Chapter Fortyseven â€Å"Promise me, Ned,† Lyanna’s statue whispered. She wore a garland of pale blue roses, and her eyes wept blood. Eddard Stark jerked upright, his heart racing, the blankets tangled around him. The room was black as pitch, and someone was hammering on the door. â€Å"Lord Eddard,† a voice called loudly. â€Å"A moment.† Groggy and naked, he stumbled his way across the darkened chamber. When he opened the door, he found Tomard with an upraised fist, and Cayn with a taper in hand. Between them stood the king’s own steward. The man’s face might have been carved of stone, so little did it show. â€Å"My lord Hand,† he intoned. â€Å"His Grace the King commands your presence. At once.† So Robert had returned from his hunt. It was long past time. â€Å"I shall need a few moments to dress.† Ned left the man waiting without. Cayn helped him with his clothes; white linen tunic and grey cloak, trousers cut open down his plaster-sheathed leg, his badge of office, and last of all a belt of heavy silver links. He sheathed the Valyrian dagger at his waist. The Red Keep was dark and still as Cayn and Tomard escorted him across the inner bailey. The moon hung low over the walls, ripening toward full. On the ramparts, a guardsman in a gold cloak walked his rounds. The royal apartments were in Maegor’s Holdfast, a massive square fortress that nestled in the heart of the Red Keep behind walls twelve feet thick and a dry moat lined with iron spikes, a castle-within-a-castle. Ser Boros Blount guarded the far end of the bridge, white steel armor ghostly in the moonlight. Within, Ned passed two other knights of the Kingsguard; Ser Preston Greenfield stood at the bottom of the steps, and Ser Barristan Selmy waited at the door of the king’s bedchamber. Three men in white cloaks, he thought, remembering, and a strange chill went through him. Ser Barristan’s face was as pale as his armor. Ned had only to look at him to know that something was dreadfully wrong. The royal steward opened the door. â€Å"Lord Eddard Stark, the Hand of the King,† he announced. â€Å"Bring him here,† Robert’s voice called, strangely thick. Fires blazed in the twin hearths at either end of the bedchamber, filling the room with a sullen red glare. The heat within was suffocating. Robert lay across the canopied bed. At the bedside hovered Grand Maester Pycelle, while Lord Renly paced restlessly before the shuttered windows. Servants moved back and forth, feeding logs to the fire and boiling wine. Cersei Lannister sat on the edge of the bed beside her husband. Her hair was tousled, as if from sleep, but there was nothing sleepy in her eyes. They followed Ned as Tomard and Cayn helped him cross the room. He seemed to move very slowly, as if he were still dreaming. The king still wore his boots. Ned could see dried mud and blades of grass clinging to the leather where Robert’s feet stuck out beneath the blanket that covered him, A green doublet lay on the floor, slashed open and discarded, the cloth crusted with red-brown stains. The room smelled of smoke and blood and death. â€Å"Ned,† the king whispered when he saw him. His face was pale as milk. â€Å"Come . . . closer.† His men brought him close. Ned steadied himself with a hand on the bedpost. He had only to look down at Robert to know how bad it was. â€Å"What . . . ?† he began, his throat clenched. â€Å"A boar.† Lord Renly was still in his hunting greens, his cloak spattered with blood. â€Å"A devil,† the king husked. â€Å"My own fault. Too much wine, damn me to hell. Missed my thrust.† â€Å"And where were the rest of you?† Ned demanded of Lord Renly. â€Å"Where was Ser Barristan and the Kingsguard?† Renly’s mouth twitched. â€Å"My brother commanded us to stand aside and let him take the boar alone.† Eddard Stark lifted the blanket. They had done what they could to close him up, but it was nowhere near enough. The boar must have been a fearsome thing. It had ripped the king from groin to nipple with its tusks. The wine-soaked bandages that Grand Maester Pycelle had applied were already black with blood, and the smell off the wound was hideous. Ned’s stomach turned. He let the blanket fall. â€Å"Stinks,† Robert said. â€Å"The stink of death, don’t think I can’t smell it. Bastard did me good, eh? But I . . . I paid him back in kind, Ned.† The king’s smile was as terrible as his wound, his teeth red. â€Å"Drove a knife right through his eye. Ask them if I didn’t. Ask them.† â€Å"Truly,† Lord Renly murmured. â€Å"We brought the carcass back with us, at my brother’s command.† â€Å"For the feast,† Robert whispered. â€Å"Now leave us. The lot of you. I need to speak with Ned.† â€Å"Robert, my sweet lord . . . † Cersei began. â€Å"I said leave,† Robert insisted with a hint of his old fierceness. â€Å"What part of that don’t you understand, woman?† Cersei gathered up her skirts and her dignity and led the way to the door. Lord Renly and the others followed. Grand Maester Pycelle lingered, his hands shaking as he offered the king a cup of thick white liquid. â€Å"The milk of the poppy, Your Grace,† he said. â€Å"Drink. For your pain.† Robert knocked the cup away with the back of his hand. â€Å"Away with you. I’ll sleep soon enough, old fool. Get out.† Grand Maester Pycelle gave Ned a stricken look as he shuffled from the room. â€Å"Damn you, Robert,† Ned said when they were alone. His leg was throbbing so badly he was almost blind with pain. Or perhaps it was grief that fogged his eyes. He lowered himself to the bed, beside his friend. â€Å"Why do you always have to be so headstrong?† â€Å"Ah, fuck you, Ned,† the king said hoarsely. â€Å"I killed the bastard, didn’t I?† A lock of matted black hair fell across his eyes as he glared up at Ned. â€Å"Ought to do the same for you. Can’t leave a man to hunt in peace. Ser Robar found me. Gregor’s head. Ugly thought. Never told the Hound. Let Cersei surprise him.† His laugh turned into a grunt as a spasm of pain hit him. â€Å"Gods have mercy,† he muttered, swallowing his agony. â€Å"The girl. Daenerys. Only a child, you were right . . . that’s why, the girl . . . the gods sent the boar . . . sent to punish me . . .† The king coughed, bringing up blood. â€Å"Wrong, it was wrong, I . . . only a girl . . . Varys, Littlefinger, even my brother . . . worthless . . . no one to tell me no but you, Ned . . . only you . . . † He lifted his hand, the gesture pained and feeble. â€Å"Paper and ink. There, on the table. Write what I tell you.† Ned smoothed the paper out across his knee and took up the quill. â€Å"At your command, Your Grace.† â€Å"This is the will and word of Robert of House Baratheon, the First of his Name, King of the Andals and all the rest—put in the damn titles, you know how it goes. I do hereby command Eddard of House Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Hand of the King, to serve as Lord Regent and Protector of the Realm upon my . . . upon my death . . . to rule in my . . . in my stead, until my son Joffrey does come of age . . . â€Å" â€Å"Robert . . . † Joffrey is not your son, he wanted to say, but the words would not come. The agony was written too plainly across Robert’s face; he could not hurt him more. So Ned bent his head and wrote, but where the king had said â€Å"my son Joffrey,† he scrawled â€Å"my heir† instead. The deceit made him feel soiled. The lies we tell for love, he thought. May the gods forgive me. â€Å"What else would you have me say?† â€Å"Say . . . whatever you need to. Protect and defend, gods old and new, you have the words. Write. I’ll sign it. You give it to the council when I’m dead.† â€Å"Robert,† Ned said in a voice thick with grief, â€Å"you must not do this. Don’t die on me. The realm needs you.† Robert took his hand, fingers squeezing hard. â€Å"You are . . . such a bad liar, Ned Stark,† he said through his pain. â€Å"The realm . . . the realm knows . . . what a wretched king I’ve been. Bad as Aerys, the gods spare me.† â€Å"No,† Ned told his dying friend, â€Å"not so bad as Aerys, Your Grace. Not near so bad as Aerys.† Robert managed a weak red smile. â€Å"At the least, they will say . . . this last thing . . . this I did right. You won’t fail me. You’ll rule now. You’ll hate it, worse than I did . . . but you’ll do well. Are you done with the scribbling?† â€Å"Yes, Your Grace.† Ned offered Robert the paper. The king scrawled his signature blindly, leaving a smear of blood across the letter. â€Å"The seal should be witnessed.† â€Å"Serve the boar at my funeral feast,† Robert rasped. â€Å"Apple in its mouth, skin seared crisp. Eat the bastard. Don’t care if you choke on him. Promise me, Ned.† â€Å"I promise.† Promise me, Ned, Lyanna’s voice echoed. â€Å"The girl,† the king said. â€Å"Daenerys. Let her live. If you can, if it . . . not too late . . . talk to them . . . Varys, Littlefinger . . . don’t let them kill her. And help my son, Ned. Make him be . . . better than me.† He winced. â€Å"Gods have mercy.† â€Å"They will, my friend,† Ned said. â€Å"They will.† The king closed his eyes and seemed to relax. â€Å"Killed by a pig,† he muttered. â€Å"Ought to laugh, but it hurts too much.† Ned was not laughing. â€Å"Shall I call them back?† Robert gave a weak nod. â€Å"As you will. Gods, why is it so cold in here?† The servants rushed back in and hurried to feed the fires. The queen had gone; that was some small relief, at least. If she had any sense, Cersei would take her children and fly before the break of day, Ned thought. She had lingered too long already. King Robert did not seem to miss her. He bid his brother Renly and Grand Maester Pycelle to stand in witness as he pressed his seal into the hot yellow wax that Ned had dripped upon his letter. â€Å"Now give me something for the pain and let me die.† Hurriedly Grand Maester Pycelle mixed him another draught of the milk of the poppy. This time the king drank deeply. His black beard was beaded with thick white droplets when he threw the empty cup aside. â€Å"Will I dream?† Ned gave him his answer. â€Å"You will, my lord.† â€Å"Good,† he said, smiling. â€Å"I will give Lyanna your love, Ned. Take care of my children for me.† The words twisted in Ned’s belly like a knife. For a moment he was at a loss. He could not bring himself to lie. Then he remembered the bastards: little Barra at her mother’s breast, Mya in the Vale, Gendry at his forge, and all the others. â€Å"I shall . . . guard your children as if they were my own,† he said slowly. Robert nodded and closed his eyes. Ned watched his old friend sag softly into the pillows as the milk of the poppy washed the pain from his face. Sleep took him. Heavy chains jangled softly as Grand Maester Pycelle came up to Ned. â€Å"I will do all in my power, my lord, but the wound has mortified. It took them two days to get him back. By the time I saw him, it was too late. I can lessen His Grace’s suffering, but only the gods can heal him now.† â€Å"How long?† Ned asked. â€Å"By rights, he should be dead already. I have never seen a man cling to life so fiercely.† â€Å"My brother was always strong,† Lord Renly said. â€Å"Not wise, perhaps, but strong.† In the sweltering heat of the bedchamber, his brow was slick with sweat. He might have been Robert’s ghost as he stood there, young and dark and handsome. â€Å"He slew the boar. His entrails were sliding from his belly, yet somehow he slew the boar.† His voice was full of wonder. â€Å"Robert was never a man to leave the battleground so long as a foe remained standing,† Ned told him. Outside the door, Ser Barristan Selmy still guarded the tower stairs. â€Å"Maester Pycelle has given Robert the milk of the poppy,† Ned told him. â€Å"See that no one disturbs his rest without leave from me.† â€Å"It shall be as you command, my lord.† Ser Barristan seemed old beyond his years. â€Å"I have failed my sacred trust.† â€Å"Even the truest knight cannot protect a king against himself,† Ned said. â€Å"Robert loved to hunt boar. I have seen him take a thousand of them.† He would stand his ground without flinching, his legs braced, the great spear in his hands, and as often as not he would curse the boar as it charged, and wait until the last possible second, until it was almost on him, before he killed it with a single sure and savage thrust. â€Å"No one could know this one would be his death.† â€Å"You are kind to say so, Lord Eddard.† â€Å"The king himself said as much. He blamed the wine.† The white-haired knight gave a weary nod. â€Å"His Grace was reeling in his saddle by the time we flushed the boar from his lair, yet he commanded us all to stand aside.† â€Å"I wonder, Ser Barristan,† asked Varys, so quietly, â€Å"who gave the king this wine?† Ned had not heard the eunuch approach, but when he looked around, there he stood. He wore a black velvet robe that brushed the floor, and his face was freshly powdered. â€Å"The wine was from the king’s own skin,† Ser Barristan said. â€Å"Only one skin? Hunting is such thirsty work.† â€Å"I did not keep count. More than one, for a certainty. His squire would fetch him a fresh skin whenever he required it.† â€Å"Such a dutiful boy,† said Varys, â€Å"to make certain His Grace did not lack for refreshment.† Ned had a bitter taste in his mouth. He recalled the two fair-haired boys Robert had sent chasing after a breastplate stretcher. The king had told everyone the tale that night at the feast, laughing until he shook. â€Å"Which squire?† â€Å"The elder,† said Ser Barristan. â€Å"Lancel.† â€Å"I know the lad well,† said Varys. â€Å"A stalwart boy, Ser Kevan Lannister’s son, nephew to Lord Tywin and cousin to the queen. I hope the dear sweet lad does not blame himself. Children are so vulnerable in the innocence of their youth, how well do I remember.† Certainly Varys had once been young. Ned doubted that he had ever been innocent. â€Å"You mention children. Robert had a change of heart concerning Daenerys Targaryen. Whatever arrangements you made, I want unmade. At once.† â€Å"Alas,† said Varys. â€Å"At once may be too late. I fear those birds have flown. But I shall do what I can, my lord. With your leave.† He bowed and vanished down the steps, his soft-soled slippers whispering against the stone as he made his descent. Cayn and Tomard were helping Ned across the bridge when Lord Renly emerged from Maegor’s Holdfast. â€Å"Lord Eddard,† he called after Ned, â€Å"a moment, if you would be so kind.† Ned stopped. â€Å"As you wish.† Renly walked to his side. â€Å"Send your men away.† They met in the center of the bridge, the dry moat beneath them. Moonlight silvered the cruel edges of the spikes that lined its bed. Ned gestured. Tomard and Cayn bowed their heads and backed away respectfully. Lord Renly glanced warily at Ser Boros on the far end of the span, at Ser Preston in the doorway behind them. â€Å"That letter.† He leaned close. â€Å"Was it the regency? Has my brother named you Protector?† He did not wait for a reply. â€Å"My lord, I have thirty men in my personal guard, and other friends beside, knights and lords. Give me an hour, and I can put a hundred swords in your hand.† â€Å"And what should I do with a hundred swords, my lord?† â€Å"Strike! Now, while the castle sleeps.† Renly looked back at Ser Boros again and dropped his voice to an urgent whisper. â€Å"We must get Joffrey away from his mother and take him in hand. Protector or no, the man who holds the king holds the kingdom. We should seize Myrcella and Tommen as well. Once we have her children, Cersei will not dare oppose us. The council will confirm you as Lord Protector and make Joffrey your ward.† Ned regarded him coldly. â€Å"Robert is not dead yet. The gods may spare him. If not, I shall convene the council to hear his final words and consider the matter of the succession, but I will not dishonor his last hours on earth by shedding blood in his halls and dragging frightened children from their beds.† Lord Renly took a step back, taut as a bowstring. â€Å"Every moment you delay gives Cersei another moment to prepare. By the time Robert dies, it may be too late . . . for both of us.† â€Å"Then we should pray that Robert does not die.† â€Å"Small chance of that,† said Renly. â€Å"Sometimes the gods are merciful.† â€Å"The Lannisters are not.† Lord Renly turned away and went back across the moat, to the tower where his brother lay dying. By the time Ned returned to his chambers, he felt weary and heartsick, yet there was no question of his going back to sleep, not now. When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die, Cersei Lannister had told him in the godswood. He found himself wondering if he had done the right thing by refusing Lord Renly’s offer. He had no taste for these intrigues, and there was no honor in threatening children, and yet . . . if Cersei elected to fight rather than flee, he might well have need of Renly’s hundred swords, and more besides. â€Å"I want Littlefinger,† he told Cayn. â€Å"If he’s not in his chambers, take as many men as you need and search every winesink and whorehouse in King’s Landing until you find him. Bring him to me before break of day.† Cayn bowed and took his leave, and Ned turned to Tomard. â€Å"The Wind Witch sails on the evening tide. Have you chosen the escort?† â€Å"Ten men, with Porther in command.† â€Å"Twenty, and you will command,† Ned said. Porther was a brave man, but headstrong. He wanted someone more solid and sensible to keep watch over his daughters. â€Å"As you wish, m’lord,† Tom said. â€Å"Can’t say I’ll be sad to see the back of this place. I miss the wife.† â€Å"You will pass near Dragonstone when you turn north. I need you to deliver a letter for me.† Tom looked apprehensive. â€Å"To Dragonstone, m’lord?† The island fortress of House Targaryen had a sinister repute. â€Å"Tell Captain Qos to hoist my banner as soon as he comes in sight of the island. They may be wary of unexpected visitors. If he is reluctant, offer him whatever it takes. I will give you a letter to place into the hand of Lord Stannis Baratheon. No one else. Not his steward, nor the captain of his guard, nor his lady wife, but only Lord Stannis himself.† â€Å"As you command, m’lord.† When Tomard had left him, Lord Eddard Stark sat staring at the flame of the candle that burned beside him on the table. For a moment his grief overwhelmed him. He wanted nothing so much as to seek out the godswood, to kneel before the heart tree and pray for the life of Robert Baratheon, who had been more than a brother to him. Men would whisper afterward that Eddard Stark had betrayed his king’s friendship and disinherited his sons; he could only hope that the gods would know better, and that Robert would learn the truth of it in the land beyond the grave. Ned took out the king’s last letter. A roll of crisp white parchment sealed with golden wax, a few short words and a smear of blood. How small the difference between victory and defeat, between life and death. He drew out a fresh sheet of paper and dipped his quill in the inkpot. To His Grace, Stannis of the House Baratheon, he wrote. By the time you receive this letter, your brother Robert, our King these past fifteen years, will be dead. He was savaged by a boar whilst hunting in the kingswood . . . The letters seemed to writhe and twist on the paper as his hand trailed to a stop. Lord Tywin and Ser Jaime were not men to suffer disgrace meekly; they would fight rather than flee. No doubt Lord Stannis was wary, after the murder of Jon Arryn, but it was imperative that he sail for King’s Landing at once with all his power, before the Lannisters could march. Ned chose each word with care. When he was done, he signed the letter Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell, Hand of the King, and Protector of the Realm, blotted the paper, folded it twice, and melted the sealing wax over the candle flame. His regency would be a short one, he reflected as the wax softened. The new king would choose his own Hand. Ned would be free to go home. The thought of Winterfell brought a wan smile to his face. He wanted to hear Bran’s laughter once more, to go hawking with Robb, to watch Rickon at play. He wanted to drift off to a dreamless sleep in his own bed with his arms wrapped tight around his lady, Catelyn. Cayn returned as he was pressing the direwolf seal down into the soft white wax. Desmond was with him, and between them Littlefinger. Ned thanked his guards and sent them away. Lord Petyr was clad in a blue velvet tunic with puffed sleeves, his silvery cape patterned with mockingbirds. â€Å"I suppose congratulations are in order,† he said as he seated himself. Ned scowled. â€Å"The king lies wounded and near to death.† â€Å"I know,† Littlefinger said. â€Å"I also know that Robert has named you Protector of the Realm.† Ned’s eyes flicked to the king’s letter on the table beside him, its seal unbroken. â€Å"And how is it you know that, my lord?† â€Å"Varys hinted as much,† Littlefinger said, â€Å"and you have just confirmed it.† Ned’s mouth twisted in anger. â€Å"Damn Varys and his little birds. Catelyn spoke truly, the man has some black art. I do not trust him.† â€Å"Excellent. You’re learning.† Littlefinger leaned forward. â€Å"Yet I’ll wager you did not drag me here in the black of night to discuss the eunuch.† â€Å"No,† Ned admitted. â€Å"I know the secret Jon Arryn was murdered to protect. Robert will leave no trueborn son behind him. Joffrey and Tommen are Jaime Lannister’s bastards, born of his incestuous union with the queen.† Littlefinger lifted an eyebrow. â€Å"Shocking,† he said in a tone that suggested he was not shocked at all. â€Å"The girl as well? No doubt. So when the king dies . . . â€Å" â€Å"The throne by rights passes to Lord Stannis, the elder of Robert’s two brothers.† Lord Petyr stroked his pointed beard as he considered the matter. â€Å"So it would seem. Unless . . . â€Å" â€Å"Unless, my lord? There is no seeming to this. Stannis is the heir. Nothing can change that.† â€Å"Stannis cannot take the throne without your help. If you’re wise, you’ll make certain Joffrey succeeds.† Ned gave him a stony stare. â€Å"Have you no shred of honor?† â€Å"Oh, a shred, surely,† Littlefinger replied negligently. â€Å"Hear me out. Stannis is no friend of yours, nor of mine. Even his brothers can scarcely stomach him. The man is iron, hard and unyielding. He’ll give us a new Hand and a new council, for a certainty. No doubt he’ll thank you for handing him the crown, but he won’t love you for it. And his ascent will mean war. Stannis cannot rest easy on the throne until Cersei and her bastards are dead. Do you think Lord Tywin will sit idly while his daughter’s head is measured for a spike? Casterly Rock will rise, and not alone. Robert found it in him to pardon men who served King Aerys, so long as they did him fealty. Stannis is less forgiving. He will not have forgotten the siege of Storm’s End, and the Lords Tyrell and Redwyne dare not. Every man who fought beneath the dragon banner or rose with Balon Greyjoy will have good cause to fear. Seat Stannis on the Iron Throne and I promise yo u, the realm will bleed. â€Å"Now look at the other side of the coin. Joffrey is but twelve, and Robert gave you the regency, my lord. You are the Hand of the King and Protector of the Realm. The power is yours, Lord Stark. All you need do is reach out and take it. Make your peace with the Lannisters. Release the Imp. Wed Joffrey to your Sansa. Wed your younger girl to Prince Tommen, and your heir to Myrcella. It will be four years before Joffrey comes of age. By then he will look to you as a second father, and if not, well . . . four years is a good long while, my lord. Long enough to dispose of Lord Stannis. Then, should Joffrey prove troublesome, we can reveal his little secret and put Lord Renly on the throne.† â€Å"We?† Ned repeated. Littlefinger gave a shrug. â€Å"You’ll need someone to share your burdens. I assure you, my price would be modest.† â€Å"Your price.† Ned’s voice was ice. â€Å"Lord Baelish, what you suggest is treason.† â€Å"Only if we lose.† â€Å"You forget,† Ned told him. â€Å"You forget Jon Arryn. You forget Jory Cassel. And you forget this.† He drew the dagger and laid it on the table between them; a length of dragonbone and Valyrian steel, as sharp as the difference between right and wrong, between true and false, between life and death. â€Å"They sent a man to cut my son’s throat, Lord Baelish.† Littlefinger sighed. â€Å"I fear I did forget, my lord. Pray forgive me. For a moment I did not remember that I was talking to a Stark.† His mouth quirked. â€Å"So it will be Stannis, and war?† â€Å"It is not a choice. Stannis is the heir.† â€Å"Far be it from me to dispute the Lord Protector. What would you have of me, then? Not my wisdom, for a certainty.† â€Å"I shall do my best to forget your . . . wisdom,† Ned said with distaste. â€Å"I called you here to ask for the help you promised Catelyn. This is a perilous hour for all of us. Robert has named me Protector, true enough, but in the eyes of the world, Joffrey is still his son and heir. The queen has a dozen knights and a hundred men-at-arms who will do whatever she commands . . . enough to overwhelm what remains of my own household guard. And for all I know, her brother Jaime may be riding for King’s Landing even as we speak, with a Lannister host at his back.† â€Å"And you without an army.† Littlefinger toyed with the dagger on the table, turning it slowly with a finger. â€Å"There is small love lost between Lord Renly and the Lannisters. Bronze Yohn Royce, Ser Balon Swann, Ser Loras, Lady Tanda, the Redwyne twins . . . each of them has a retinue of knights and sworn swords here at court.† â€Å"Renly has thirty men in his personal guard, the rest even fewer. It is not enough, even if I could be certain that all of them will choose to give me their allegiance. I must have the gold cloaks. The City Watch is two thousand strong, sworn to defend the castle, the city, and the king’s peace.† â€Å"Ah, but when the queen proclaims one king and the Hand another, whose peace do they protect?† Lord Petyr flicked at the dagger with his finger, setting it spinning in place. Round and round it went, wobbling as it turned. When at last it slowed to a stop, the blade pointed at Littlefinger. â€Å"Why, there’s your answer,† he said, smiling. â€Å"They follow the man who pays them.† He leaned back and looked Ned full in the face, his grey-green eyes bright with mockery. â€Å"You wear your honor like a suit of armor, Stark. You think it keeps you safe, but all it does is weigh you down and make it hard for you to move. Look at you now. You know why you summoned me here. You know what you want to ask me to do. You know it has to be done . . . but it’s not honorable, so the words stick in your throat.† Ned’s neck was rigid with tension. For a moment he was so angry that he did not trust himself to speak. Littlefinger laughed. â€Å"I ought to make you say it, but that would be cruel . . . so have no fear, my good lord. For the sake of the love I bear for Catelyn, I will go to Janos Slynt this very hour and make certain that the City Watch is yours. Six thousand gold pieces should do it. A third for the Commander, a third for the officers, a third for the men. We might be able to buy them for half that much, but I prefer not to take chances.† Smiling, he plucked up the dagger and offered it to Ned, hilt first.

Domestic Influences in the Greek and Roman Theaters Essay

Domestic Influences in the Greek and Roman Theaters - Essay Example The Greek and Roman civilizations, which are perhaps two with the most abundant reference resources having extensively recorded their respective eras, do manifest this observation, if, at least, in their literary works alone. Even as both Mediterranean civilizations have expanded the influence of their clout and power, notably the Romans who spread out east to as far as India, the influence of domestic affairs and interests in the Greek and Roman person is evident even in the higher echelons of society and governments. Following is a Greek tragedy and a Roman comedy that very well typify the works of that classical era. From these two classical works, we shall survey influences in the plot, the characters, and the themes that reflect domestic elements, or, better still, to even find these elements central to the stories themselves. The "Antigone is a tragedy by Sophocles written before or in 442 BC. It is chronologically the third of the three Theban plays but was written first."( Fagles, p. 35) The other two plays in the trilogy by Sophocles being Oedipus the King and Oedipus at Colonus, Antigone proceeds where Seven Against Thebes, which was written much earlier by Aeschylus, leaves off. In the Seven Against Thebes, the two sons of Oedipus, Polynices and Eteocles, find themselves at odds against each other in a civil war over succession to the throne of Thebes which their father Oedipus had to relinquish. The brothers tragically kill each other. The Antigone, this time the story of one of Oedipus' two daughters, Antigone and Ismene, sisters of the brothers who slew each other, begins with sisters Antigone and Ismene discoursing on the older Antogone's decision to bury the body of their brother Polynices despite an edict of King Creon to deny his body honorable burial as the other brother's body, that of Eteocles, be honored. Despite the punishment of death by stoning to anyone who defies the king's command, Antigone prevails over her sister's persuasions and proceeds to cover her brothers body with earth declaring, "I will do my part,-and thine, if thou wilt not,-to a brother. False to him will I never be found." Reminded by Ismene of the consequence, Antigone retorts, "Such be thy plea:-I, then, will go to heap the earth above the brother whom I love." The play proceeds where Creon seeks the support of the Theban Elders who, in the play, are represented by the chorus, particularly to back his edict regarding the disposal of Polynices' body. The Elders pledges their support. Then a Sentry enters with dread to tell the king of the news that Polynices' body had been buried. Furious, the king orders the sentry to find out who did and if he fails, he faces death himself. The Sentry leaves and, after a while, returns with Antigone in tow. Asked by the king, "And thou didst indeed dare to transgress that law" Antigone replies, "I avow it; I make no denial." Creon fumes and swears the king, in his time, will not be prevailed over by a woman thus declares, "While I live, no woman shall rule me." Then assuming that the sister, Ismene, must have had a hand in the act as well, the king summons Ismene who, by now, also tries to confess falsely that indeed she has a hand in it while in truth she did not. Demanded by Antigone to tell the truth and be spared, she answers, "But, now that ills beset

Manging organizastion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Manging organizastion - Essay Example Psychology is the study of human mind and their behaviors. Without this, managers would likely confront the difficulties and dilemma in understand and predicting the responses of employees, especially in time when changes are introduced. Workers, regardless of nationalities and their personal orientations, illustrate their responses to stimulus depending on their principles, social influences, and cultures (Senaratne, et al., 2008; Kotler et al., 1979). The substances of their responses can be understood when they started articulating their position to an issue or to intervening changes (Shore, 2009). As psychology is focused on the science of human behavior, psychology offers a variety of theories that can help managers understand the considerations of human behaviors. Ajzen (1991) have pointed that human actions are governed by behavioral, normative and control beliefs. Ajzen (1991) perceived that these considerations are significant in knowing the surrounding circumstances, projects and programs when changing of workers behaviors is required (Cox & Nkomo, 1990; Senaratne & Sexton, 2008).). With sufficient knowledge on human behaviors, managers can strategically identify which and who of them can help him in introducing changes within the organization and make others follow through (Rogers & Wright, 1998). It can lessen possibility of confusing, unsubstantiated, uncontextualized and unintelligible observations. Managing an organization requires ability to predict the responses and attitudes of its personnel to proposed changes (Rogers et al., 1998; Senaratne & Sexton, 2008). Such way, manager is able to make objective and concrete analysis of situation, evaluate assumptions, objective understanding on peripheral issues and the emotional discomfort affecting them when presented to complex situations (Cox, De Cieri, & Fenwick, 1998). Through it, managers will be able to note where his technical, leadership and support are needed. While behaviors and

History topics since 1500s Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History topics since 1500s - Assignment Example The entry of the European into the Americas had some very serious impacts on the native people who frequently fell for diseases and genocidal policies of the Europeans. It was in the period of Amerindian population decline that some other forms of coercive human labor that included slavery got exploited during the construction of the new world. The cores of the development of Atlantic commerce were sugar and slave (Coclanis, 2005). Therefore, the history of the Atlantic commerce cannot in any way be separated with the history of slavery and the act of transferring both labor and capital across the Atlantic. The transfers of slaves and capital across the Atlantic is also very closely linked with sugar production. (Coclanis, 2005) The emergences of new and improved technology together with human culture were intertwined in the advancement of the sugar industry and this acted as one of the mainstays of the new Atlantic economies. The significance of the trade is that, it led to the mass ive movement of people across the Atlantic. The migrations that were made during this period led slaves settling on their working areas. The major significance of this type of trade is that it has shaped the history of the worlds trade and it has led to a massive growth of cities across the world. In between 1450 and 1750, the two states had several comparisons. Politically, there were differences in the type of leaders who ruled these empires; the forms of governments and the political structures were all different from many other comparisons (Berktay, 1991). There is also an economic and religious comparison of the two states and they are given in the table below. The people within the states and how some of their funds are used base the economic comparisons of the two states on the type of trades that are carried out. The source of livelihood to the

The Film American Beauty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Film American Beauty - Essay Example The philosophical idea of beauty Since the early days of Greek philosophy circa 427 B.C., the question of what is beauty has been asked. And in the earthly yet lofty discussion of the Dialogues, Plato narrates how his teacher Socrates draws them to realize that beauty is not only what is fair in physical form-- such as of a face, hands or other parts of the body --- but also what is fair or good in speech and knowledge. â€Å"Is not the good also the beautiful,† says Socrates (Jowett Translation 204). Apart from what is readily understood, Socrates speaks in more mystical terms as he teaches contemplation as a mental gaze to see â€Å" the very essence of beauty itself, everlasting not growing and decaying, or waxing or waning. . . which if beheld one would look and be with, bringing forth and nourishing true virtue† (118). The vision of Socrates on absolute beauty is not what is commonly known about the beautiful things in everyday life. Ordinarily, beauty is referred to with reference to appeal or loveliness mainly of the physical form, often enough of women. It would therefore be interesting to be clarified on what Socrates means by true, simple and divine beauty which â€Å"when beholden with the eye of the mind enables one to realize realities beyond images or physical form. The movie American Beauty may just have a comparable idea about absolute beauty. What American Beauty is In the movie American Beauty, the idea of beauty or the good is typified by the main characters. Living up to his ideal of the military service, Col. Fitts of the Marine Corps thinks military-like authority and discipline is good or beautiful for his family. He therefore subdued his own wife to full subservience and his son Ricky to outwardly regarding him as a role model and war hero. Next door neighbours are the Burnhams with Caroline Burnham bravely standing for the beauty of America’s economic rat-race which has turned her into a fierce competitor at the expense of her husband Lester, who has become less of a husband and more of a liability in her life. The teenage Angela Hayes typifies the young American beauty, obsessed with the need for attention and popularity among schoolmates. Her best friend Jane, daughter of Lester and Carol Burnham, has become the sounding board to her constant craving for adulation and her unending need to be someone special and not ordinary in school. Central to the movie, however, is not Angela, but Lester Burnham. The movie flows with his off-cam narrative and dramatic solutions to solve a middle-age crisis and discover the good and beautiful in life. Closely helping him in his search for life’s meaning is the young Ricky Fitts who introduced him to life space through drugs until Lester’s life was cut short by an assailant’s gun, that of Ri cky’s own father Col Fitts. The varied objects which appeared good or beautiful to the movie’s characters appear to compose the totality of beauty in the American way of life -- authority drawn from soldiery for Col. Fritts, drive for success at the expense of family for Carolyn, search for life space for Lester Burnham, popularity and attention for the insecure Angela, and the double life of discipline-and-drugs for the young Ricky Fitts. Who is the American Beauty It is easy to say that Angela Hayes, the object of a fleeting attraction of Lester Burnham is

Social intelligence Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social intelligence - Assignment Example They should be aware of the unspoken setting patterns, social regulations, and paradigms that govern different situations. Appreciation of various views from people and an understanding of the way these people react to uncertainty, stress, and conflicts should be part of a leader. 2. Leaders should be present This is the way a leader affects groups or individuals through his or her body language, physical appearance, how he occupies space in his office, as well as his demeanor and mood. Leaders ought to have listening skills to create a quality of effectiveness self assurance that allows them to relate well with others. 3. They should be Authentic Authenticity reveals how sincere and honest leaders are with themselves and with the rest. According to Albrecht, when leaders respect themselves, believe in their personal faiths and values, and are realistic, they will probably serve others with authenticity. In this context, authenticity entails the capacity relate genuinely with others, a value that demands compassion and empathy. 4. Leaders should be clear Clarity means that leaders should express their opinions, thoughts, intentions, and ideas in a clear way. They should understand the power of language as a means of expression and thought, and thus use it as a strategic asset. Leaders with high social integrity clarity can monitor their language patters as well as that of others, in order to avoid particular pathologies that can result to personal and collective disputes, misunderstandings, and maladjustments. 5. Leaders should embrace Empathy They should look at how considerate and really aware they are of how others feel and how capable they are to treat other people as unique persons. It is all about identifying with those who are below and sharing or appreciating their feelings. Albrecht views this strategy as a sense of connectedness and a state of positive feeling or rapport between two people. Protecting oneself from toxic personality Toxic personality o r behaviors are those which make others feel inadequate, angry, guilty, devalued, and frustrated. If one of my family members has these personalities, I can protect myself from letting his negativity by using the nourishing behaviors. I can do this by analyzing the few positive traits of my sibling, and how important he is in my life, such as by determining what critical roles he plays in terms of my overall composure and well being. If he has a value that may bring the best in me such as paying my school fees, even though he is harsh or abusive, I can ignore the â€Å"grenade† side of him and appreciate him in the well-being point of view. Proximity interaction zones and non-verbal cues According to Albrecht, social intelligence involves correct interpretation based on social signs of nonverbal behavioral cues and generation of non-verbal cues displaying social signals suitable in a given situation (Albrecht 2005). If I enter in a room a â€Å"Mix and Mingle† Business and people are already talking in groups, I would introduce myself by expressing some sense of happiness through a genuine smile. The second step will be to make an aye contact with the person close to me, a nonverbal cue that will engage the gathering and show my interest in participating in the discussion. For any leader who might get himself in a situation like mine, I recommend that he should first of all learn how to use positive body language signals. If people

The Five Agreements And how it has Impact in my life Essay

The Five Agreements And how it has Impact in my life - Essay Example Perceptually, this has changed my life in many ways considering the implications and literal translations of the words impeccable in your words. With this in mind, it has made me accountable for every word I utter in that there is no one to take responsibility for nay word said out of context or one that is uttered irresponsibly. As a result, this has taught me to be a person who only follows what I believe in and state that which I understand beyond reasonable doubt, and not that which I think. This has influenced to being a truthful person as there is no way I can state that which I do not know, the same way I can utter words without factual backing. However, this is not to mean that I have not been subject to issuing my own opinion on certain things and issues. Personally, truth does not refer to sticking to the facts, but also telling exactly what I feel and believe, which is a part of my belief system, as inculcated by the being impeccable in my word. Through adopting this stanc e, my opinion does not dig into other people’s privacy and rights, as well as beyond their comfort zones. Being personal is one of the reasons why the world is facing astronomical figures in terms of depressed persons that need professional help. This is what brings us to the second agreement, which is that of not taking everything or anything personally, which has affected my life profoundly. It may not be to the extent that I would like it to be so that I do not end up condemning other people for having done things that offend me. However, as a person I believe my life could not be better without this part of the agreements as it has assisted me in ridding my life of most forms of perceiving people as being fundamentally malicious. Therefore, this implies that before my encounter with the book highlighting these truths, it made everything seem to revolve around my life. As a result, everything was done towards or against me, which is one of the severe forms of

Short Answers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Short Answers - Essay Example 2009). A marketing audit to evaluate their effectiveness of strategies in accomplishing objectives is essential. The marketing mix components; product, place, promotion and pricing are influenced by environmental factors thus before choosing a strategy, PEST analysis is important. None of these components acts in isolation and therefore a marketer determines the best combination that can lead to marketing success. First, the marketing division establishes the kind of product to sell. Such aspects as; type of product whether it is for consumption or business use, packaging, branding and size, is considered. Political factors such as government regulations on packaging and labelling, environmental regulations and protection are considered to ensure compliance (Stone, 2001). Social factors such as lifestyle, age and income distribution can help in segmenting the market hence provide the right products for the target market. Technological factors determine production methods and new prod uct inventions. For example, advancements in the mobile technology enable use of wide range of services to satisfy the customers. After developing the product, the marketing division determines how well to mix place, price and promotion strategies to achieve success. Depending on where the customers are located, the channel of distribution is selected as the product has to be made available to the customer at the right place and right time (Lamb et al. 2009). The division also promotes the products and sets the right prices depending on the target market. The quality of product, cost of promotion and channel of distribution all play a part in determining price. PEST factors are useful in determining the marketing mix. For example, economic trends such as interest rates, inflation and exchange rates determine the consumption hence pricing of the product. Technology is important in promotion especially use of the internet to promote the organization and brands (Stone, 2001).Social fac tors determine distribution, pricing and promotional activities. Marketing audit is then carried out to assess the effectiveness of the marketing strategies and if not effective, the marketers formulate better strategies (Blythe, 2009). Word Count: 400 References Blythe, Jim (2009) Key Concepts in Marketing. London: Sage. Lamb, C., Hair, J., McDaniel, C (2009). The Essentials of Marketing. 6ed. USA: Cengage Learning. Stone, Phil (2001) Make Marketing Work For You: Boost Your Profits with Proven Marketing Techniques. UK: How to Books Ltd. Marketing Factors The marketing division ensures that effective marketing strategies are in place so as to ensure business success. To achieve this, it needs to carry out market research to determine customer needs and make appropriate decisions. It thus evaluates the internal and external environment by collecting useful information regarding customer satisfaction, quality of products, the behaviour of buyers, the effectiveness of the marketing mix in place (Boone et al. 2010). This information can be obtained from sales reports, published reports, experimentation and marketing information systems. The information is then analysed and used in making marketing decisions. The marketing information systems are more effective as they continuously assess internal and external data and are easy to access. The information gained through market research is useful in segmenting the market and formulating marketing strateg

Marijuana Should Not Be Outlawed Essay Example for Free

Marijuana Should Not Be Outlawed Essay Human laws are based on moral and ethical principles. This applies to almost all existing laws aside from the drug laws. Because of this aspect of the drug laws, much clamor is present as many groups are calling for the legalization of drugs like marijuana. Marijuana and other illegal drugs are not evil but it has gained a negative connotation because of numerous misinterpretations. The prohibition of drugs has also brought about negative effects instead of positive effects. In analysis, legalization may even prove to have more benefits. According to Benson Roe, the professor emeritus and chairman of the Cardiothoracic surgery at the University of California, there is no reason why marijuana, cocaine and heroine would be called poison as these substances have not been proven to have any ill effects on the health of a person. Roe narrated an incident when he was removing destroyed heart valves from a drug user and he got curious and consulted the San Francisco coroner to what extent do illegal drugs cause death. Roe was surprised to find out that the only causes of death coming from drugs come from the very rare cases of overdose and the use of infected intravenous injections. According to the coroner, â€Å"clean, reasonable dosages of heroin, cocaine and marijuana are pathologically harmless† (Roe). It is argued that marijuana causes psychological damage but the truth is no scientific evidence has traced mental illness or psychological damage to the use of marijuana. Marijuana users have been found to exhibit psychological distress after intake of the drug. However, it has been proven that these effects are temporary and will pass away after some time. It has also been argued that the harms brought about by marijuana have been scientifically proven but the Lancet, a British Medical Journal, concluded that based on 30 years worth of research, smoking marijuana is not harmful to health even if it is used in the long-term. Likewise, marijuana use has also been related to brain damage. This was thought to be proven in an earlier study when rhesus monkeys were exposed to marijuana smoke, however, a more reliable study wherein monkeys who were forced to inhale a significant amount of marijuana smoke manifested no brain damage. Anti-drug advocates also argue that marijuana has addictive properties even as evidence points to the direction that marijuana is not addictive. Less than one percent of marijuana smokers smoke marijuana on a daily basis. Majority of the people who smoke marijuana only smoke it occasionally. Some people who wish to stop smoking marijuana have no trouble breaking the habit. Even if a person experiences symptoms from marijuana withdrawal, these are usually mild symptoms (Drug Policy). There is also no reason to classify marijuana as illegal when other substances that have proven to be more addictive and harmful to the health, such as tobacco and alcohol, remain legal. In 2005, the number of deaths that has been associated with marijuana in England and in Wales only totals 19 while tobacco has been associated with 86,500 deaths and alcohol with 6,627 deaths. The number of deaths caused by alcohol and tobacco do not compare to the number of deaths caused by marijuana. Even other drugs which have more notoriety still fall short as heroine and morphine account for only 842 deaths, while cocaine (including crack cocaine) is associated with only 176 deaths (Transform). The use of drugs like marijuana does not affect other people aside from the person ingesting the drug. Technically, a person who uses drugs does not violate the rights of any other person. If a person under the influence of drugs violates the rights of another person or commits a crime, this is the time when he/she should be prosecuted by law. Alcohol remains legal even as drunk people commit heinous and even brutal crimes. The substance is not an excuse for committing a crime and drinking alcohol is not a crime in itself but when a person commits a crime under the influence of alcohol, this is when he/she is prosecuted. The same should apply for the use of drugs (Cussen Block, p. 532). Drugs are not evil per se but it has gained a negative image because of negative propaganda. The media always make use of the phrase â€Å"drug-related† in the presence of a drug in a crime even as the drug has not been indicated as a direct cause of the crime. Usually, the crime is not motivated by the drug. It is usually motivated by another external factor. The media has inadvertently played a role in giving drugs a negative image. This practice has been so common that no one even looks to identify if a crime really is related to drugs (Jackson). The anti-drug lobby also makes use of vague and emotive statements to persuade the people to support their cause (Russell). Even politicians make use of these statements and call for tougher drug laws simply to forward their political careers (Jackson). People interpret these vague and emotive statements differently and this may be identified as a basic element of a black propaganda. In a book entitled Hugs not Drugs: A Drug Abuse Prevention Manual published in the Philippines, the author starts by narrating a story of a studious young girl who got mixed with the wrong set of friends who influenced her to use marijuana. As a result, the young girl dropped out from school and had relationships with men that took advantage of her low self-esteem. After realizing what had happened to her, she decided to undergo rehabilitation. And after a tearful reunion with her parents, she vowed to stay away from drugs. This story is very common and immediately suggests that marijuana caused all the negative things failing to look at other factors which might have caused the girl to behave the way that she did. Additionally, the book indicated that drug use has been directly related with juvenile and even violent crime. However, the book does not cite where the information was taken or what study linked drugs with crime. The book also does not have a clear reference page evidencing that it is not a reliable source. Many critics of drug also make use of violent and obscene images in an attempt to prove that drugs are harmful. Drug prohibition results in too many expenses for the government as the drug laws leads to the incarceration of many non-violent offenders. In 2002, it is estimated that prohibition expenses amounted to $18. 22 billion indicating that â€Å"incarceration is an expensive policy option† (Taylor, Trace Stevens, p. 3-4). Prohibition is not good, in fact, it is even the greatest ally of the drug dealers as drugs are priced very high because they are illegal and not regulated (Jackson, 1998). Legalization will even benefit the general public. Marijuana has been related to crime rate by anti-drug groups but all unbiased studies have pointed to the direction that marijuana does not cause people to do criminal acts. The only crime that marijuana users commit is that they possess the drug (Drug Policy). Additionally, legalization will come with regulation which will eliminate the already minimal number of deaths as a result of drug use. Also, crime rate will decrease because drug prices will be regulated and people would no longer need to resort to crime to be able to buy the drugs. It will also be another source of income for the government as the drug trade will be taxed and the costs of prohibition would be avoided (Roe). No scientific evidence has proven that marijuana is harmful to the health and it also has not been identified as a cause of crime. Because of this information, there is no reason to outlaw marijuana. Legalizing marijuana may even be the better option as it will be a source of income for the government, all the while avoiding the high costs of prohibition. It will also reduce crime rate as well as prevent the incarceration of people that are merely caught possessing drugs. The negative image that drugs have gained is mainly because of negative propaganda.