“Obasan” by Joy Kogawa Essay

The issue of racial conflict has caused great controversy for many centuries. Conflict which is incited by racism is often thought to be the worst of all conflicts because it is unfounded and based on utterly false beliefs. In society today, there are many racist people who put down and almost ostracize the people of another community. In Joy Kogawa’s novel, Obasan, the issue of racism is discussed through the various letters kept by Obasan which in turn provides a first-hand look at was done to Naomi’s family. In Obasan, there are many instances where the Joy Kogawa uses images of animals, such as insects, kittens and especially chickens to support a general theme of dehumanization. Also these animals always seem to correspond to human beings, whether they are generalized groups or individual characters. In other words, it is very apparent to see the foreshadowing of the story and also the close connection between the animals in the story and the human condition of the story, through the use of these vivid images of the animals. At the very beginning of the novel, when Obasan and Naomi are  rummaging through the attic and getting reminded about all of the memories, they come across a family of spiders. These spiders are described as being â€Å"round black blots, large as a cat’s eye† (24) and in a sense, disgusting enough to send shivers down any persons’ spine. This description of the black and creepy spiders is a foreshadowing of all of the memories that Obasan and Naomi have, as the memories and the plot itself is quite dark and horrific. There are many â€Å"large and black† memories that Naomi has such as the death of her mother and the incident in Old Man Gower’s bathroom. However, it is possible to assume that the blackest memories are the ones that deal with the racism towards the Japanese community. For example, it seems that everyone who has ever had an effect on Naomi, good or bad, has deserted her with time. Also, on the way to school, Naomi and Stephen are taunted and teased by the other school kids. Most importantly, the very way that the Canadian Government mistreated the Japanese community, sending them to concentration camps, putting them on trains and forcing them to live in tiny huts, is a cruel memory. This memory a will probably stay with Naomi for the rest of her life much like the ancient spiders in the attic. The part of the novel with the kitten trapped underneath the outhouse in another, quite disgusting look at the issue of racism. The thing that is so shocking about this part is that the white-haired girl blames Naomi for something that Naomi obviously did not do, throwing a kitten down in the outhouse. What is even more shocking is that the girl, the owner of the kitten does not go down and get her kitten, but instead leaves the kitten there to eventually die. The girl can represent the white Canadian and the kitten can be seen as a Japanese Canadian living in that society. The kitten is stuck in the outhouse, which can represent Canada. While it is down there, â€Å"no one is nearby†¦no one comes to help† (172) even though the cat makes â€Å"a faint steady mewing† (172). Since there is no one around the kitten will eventually be forgotten about. In other words, the Canadian government tries to get rid of the Japanese community by sending them to concentration camps where, despite all of the arguments and letters sent by Aunt Emily to be heard (the mewing), the Japanese community will probably be forgotten about as there is no one around. Another example of this animal imagery is when Naomi is standing alone in the backyard next to the cage of the white hen, she places one by one little yellow chicks in the cage with the hen. Suddenly and â€Å"without warning, the hen jabs down on the [chicks]† (62) consistently. Through the use of this animal imagery, the issue of racism is clearly apparent. For example, the hen can be seen as the white people living in â€Å"the cage† or Canada. Slowly, the Japanese people, in this case the yellow chicks, immigrate into the cage. Without doing anything wrong or anything that would anger the hen, or white people, the hen comes down and starts pecking at the chicks. In this part, it is possible to assume that the sole reason that the hen comes down on the chicks is that the yellow chicks have appearances different than the white hen. Also, there is a great deal of foreshadowing in this little part of the novel as the Canadian people will soon start ostracising the Japanese Canadian community with no warning at all. Not only will they ostracise the community, the Canadians, although they do not kill the Japanese like the hen did to the chicks, but the racism is so strong that they will send the Japanese on concentration camps away from all urban areas and even treat  them like animals forcing them into little tool shed houses covered with cow manure for a roof. Another example of the chicken imagery is in the school yard where a bunch of Japanese schoolboys are killing a white chicken. This imagery of the chicken suffering is one of the better examples of racism in the novel. This killing of the chicken can symbolise the anger that the Japanese community have against the white Canadians after the way that they have been treated. This hatred and anger is in fact so strong that it is not good enough to just kill the chicken, but they â€Å"got to make it suffer† (169). This is kind of ironic as well, because the chicken can be seen as the Japanese community and the schoolboys can be seen as the white Canadians. The Canadians in the novel continuously make the Japanese people â€Å"suffer† instead of killing them instantly as killing them or deporting them would affect the Canadian image. It is for this reason that the Canadians decide to torment the Japanese and try to cover everything up. In conclusion, Obasan, by Joy Kogawa deals with the issue of racism in a very efficient way by using unique images of animals to not only represent human beings in society, but also to help support the theme of this dehumanization. Racism in society is extremely awful as it is based on utterly false beliefs. In the novel, for example, all Japanese were considered to be evil people even though the Japanese living in Canada did hardly anything to the Canadians. Individuals of a certain community are being ostracized by other people for being of a certain race. Obasan, teaches us that we should not consider a certain community to be evil, but embrace the differences in society. In other words, Hitler was a fanatical German, however not all Germans are fanatical.

CASE: Accounting for the iPhone at Apple Inc. Essay

The non-GAAP numbers of Apple Inc. reflect its economics better. Because, in the existing method of accounting, revenue and cost of goods sold are spread over the lifetime of the product (expected 24-months), while the costs incurred for engineering, sales, marketing and warranty are recorded immediately. This accurate recording of expenses while recognizing only a part of the cost of goods sold thus showed reduced margins. While this did not affect the cash flow of the business, it affected the periodic profits that the company was reflecting which was just a fraction of the actual profits that the company made. As these deferred revenues were mounting with increased sales turnover, the differences in actual profits for the period and reported profits (one quarter at a time, due to subscription accounting) were mounting too. Given that its sales were exponential, these small fractions of deferred revenue didn’t sum up at the same rate as the sales, which would have otherwise given Apple Inc an edge in the average investor’s priorities. This affected the average investor since he was unable to see the entire profits that the company was making and hence appreciate and predict its actual performance in the future. He was unable to evaluate effectively the holistic performance of the company. Having accurate information about Apple where Apple recognized its revenues immediately upon sale, its growth would have been visible, stock prices would have gone up dramatically in conjunction with the rise in sales. For Apple Inc., it would matter positively if FASB changed the rules of revenue recognition for smartphones. Although phones are not intended to be the primary goods sold for Apple (Mac is), unlike what it expected, the phone sales were on the rise and the company found that downloading programs and apps was very high by phone customers than Mac. This was largely because of the free upgrades given to iPhone customers. But the fact that about 30% of the App store revenue was from the sale of an iPhone app and the developer received 70%1, shows the rising revenues from iPhones in relation to other products of the firm. Phone revenues thus were showing significant impact on the company’s books of accounts. In this case of subscription accounting, Apple Inc.’s 4th Quarter results of 2008 showed a non-GAAP adjustment of ~$2 billion. The cost of providing unspecified additional software products and upgrades was not considered for this. The Net Income thus computed showed a final figure which was ~115% ($2.4 B over $1.1 B) mark up on the Net Income as per subscription accounting. This is too high a margin to ignore for any company. Therefore, with increasing complexity of voluminous sales in the cell phone space, not recognizing revenues (and hence performance) immediately, placed the company in a disadvantaged position in comparison with their non-U.S. counterparts, where IFRS allowed subjective measures to be used by companies. A marginal percentage of revenue was allowed to be deferred for future recognition, which was for any software updates made in future. So, in order to not be disadvantaged by different reporting standards, Apple would gain competitive edge if FASB changes the rules of revenue recognition for smart phones. Apple should hence advocate it.

A Brief Note On Slash And Burn Agriculture Essay -- Agriculture, Sociolo

Slash and Burn Agriculture is a widely used method of cultivating crops in usually temperate or tropical regions. It is the process which forested land is clear cut and any remaining vegetation is burned, the ash remains contain a nutrient rich top soil that helps fertilize crops. After years of cultivation the fertility of the soil decline and weeds increase, causing the farmers to shift to a new plot. Traditionally the old plot was left uncultivated, reverting itself into a secondary forest of bush and within a decade it could be reused. By the early 21st century the plot is usually maintained in a permanent deforested state, causing farmers to move to new plots and aiding to the destruction of Earth’s resources. Slash and Burn Agriculture is a significant step in history because it leads to more early human settlements and the destruction of natural habitats. Groups of hunters and gathers turned to slash and burn agriculture and domestication of various animals, which provides more nutrition per hectare then hunting and gathering on their own. Thus leading to more deforestation to convert forests into crop fields and pastures as the need for more nutrition grew as the population steadily rose. Early slash and burn agriculture wasn’t done in excessively large areas as it is today, the land was controlled by a family till the resources were exhausted and it was left to refurnish itself over time. Now slash and burn agriculture is particularly destructive. Now the land is being burnt down in excessive amounts; leading the loss of habitat and species, increase of carbon into the atmosphere, soil erosion, water contamination, and landslides. All of which is contributing to the dwindling of earth’s na the creators of the AP World Civilization book by Pearson’s by Peter N. Stearns (Author), Michael B. Adas (Author), Stuart B. Schwartz (Author), Marc Jason Gilbert (Author). II. What is the author’s point of view? The author’s point of view seems unbiased, factual writing depicting a few reasons why early man would leave cave paintings depicting the first conscious historical accounts of human experience. III. What is the intent or purpose behind the document? The intent behind the document is to inform and explain the theories behind why they left cave paintings. IV. Who is the intended audience? The intended audience can range from school students to those who are interested in learning about how Paleolithic cave paintings can teach us about the past; more precisely their culture, way of life, tools used to make the art work, and give us a glimpse into the past.

Manufacturing processes Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Manufacturing processes - Research Paper Example The industrial applications of 3-D printing includes rapid prototyping or CAD, design visualization, architecture, geospatial, metal casting, and in entertainment, among others. The application of 3-D printing is objected to reduce the cost and lead time of developing new devices and parts’ prototypes, which was earlier done by subtractive methods in the tool room. The current technology used is typically expensive and slowly to achieve its mission. Moreover, the 3-D printing has brought about production of manufacturing products in some creative and innovative brands that are cheaply produced. ARC is where welding power supply is used to maintain and create an electric arc between the base material and an electrode in order to melt metals at welding platform. It is advantageous since it affords to control greater weld area than other welding processes. It also produces the highest quality weld than other methods, especially when performed by skilled operators. Arc is applied to nearly all materials, except zinc and its alloy. Its disadvantages are the limitation of carbon steels because of availability of more economical steel welding techniques. Such as gas metal. The quality of the welds in this process depends on the skills of the person, hence can be operated by any level-skilled operator. It is advantageous due to its use of efficient energy, easy automation, high production rates, and requires no filler materials. It is limited to only certain applications due to lower weld strength, as compared to other methods. It requires a highly specialized skilled operator. It is disadvantageous since it requires the continuous feed of wire to act as an electrode and inert gas in order to protect the weld from being contaminated. Fortunately, it has advantage of high production rate due to the increased welding speed since it has continuous electrodes. It also requires a highly skilled operator in order to automate the process. This

In what ways does language shape our understanding of money and the Essay

In what ways does language shape our understanding of money and the economy - Essay Example When people speak about the future, they speak as if the future is more distinct from the past and feels distant. People get less motivated to save their money now in favor of the comfort of monetary value in future years (Holmes, 2009). Speaking a language that has no obligatory future markers such as Mandarin tend to stimulates people to accumulate more retirement assets. The national savings rates of a country are adversely affected by language. A country with smaller proportion of people speaking languages that does not have obligatory future markers tend to increases the rates of national savings. Evidence from research suggests that a person’s vernacular shapes the way he or she thinks about the various aspects of the real world, space and time. This has broad implications in the spheres of economics, politics and law (Reed 2009). Language structure affects our judgments and decisions concerning the future and this may have remarkable long-term consequences. From an economic point of view, people’s rates of savings are affected by various factors such as their income, age, education level, religious affiliation, their cultural values and their countries’ legal systems. Even though after all those factors were accounted for, language effect on the people’s savings rates turned out to be tremendous. Spoken language like English has obligatory future markers making people about 30 percent less likely to save money for the future use. People often counter certain economic policies as they disapprove on moral grounds of the assumptions on which they think the policies rest but not because they have been or would be economically hurt by such policies without even carefully calculating views about their economic worth (Reed 2009). There are over 7,000 languages spoken all over the world, which exhibit tremendous variance. Research has shown that language from verb tenses to gender to metaphors usually

Child art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Child art - Essay Example School art is typically distinguished by the subject matter it denotes: visual art, music, dance, or drama. In this article, I suggest a new distinction among the arts genres used in the school, namely, "child art," "fine art," and "art for children." Rather than being categorized by subject matter, these three genres operate across the various media. Each genre is associated with different contents, pedagogies, and evaluation practices. Each is based on a separate set of ideologies and goals, related to different underlying assumptions about the nature of arts and arts learning.(1) Those assumptions are incompatible with each other on both the ontological level (what constitutes art) and the pedagogical level (how to teach it). In the first part of the article I examine the day-to-day "operational curricula"(2) of the three art worlds in the subjects of dance and drama (which, when taught by specialists in the schools in which my colleagues and I observed, were taught as one subject), music, and visual arts. There are fundamental differences among these genres--in their out-of-school manifestations as well as in their ideal curricula--but, I argue, the genres are being diluted and their distinctions blurred, and they are sacrificing their potential contributions to one another.(3) In the second part of the article, I focus on the contexts in which the genres operate. Specifically, I examine the contexts of time and space for arts instruction, as well as the communities of practice in which school art functions. I show that each of the components plays a different, though interrelated, role in the dilution of the three genres of school art. In the third part I suggest that the three genres may be strengthen ed by policies addressing the aforementioned contexts. I argue that similar genres and analogous dilution exist in other school subjects, from language arts to math and science, and that dilution is shaped by the same contexts that shape school arts. That commonality in structures, problem, and cause calls for coordinated action. Accordingly, the development of policies should involve policymakers, teachers, and specialists in each of the genres (e.g., in the subjects of art, science, and math) so that efforts and deliberations may be aligned, informing and supporting each other. School Arts This article is based on two research studies, which examined arts education in elementary schools using qualitative methods. The first, a three-year project, was conducted under the auspices of the National Endowment for the Arts.(4) The second, a four-year project, was sponsored by the Bureau of Educational Research and the research board at the University of Illinois.(5) Observations revealed three genres of arts used in the schools: (1) "child art," meaning original compositions created by children in dance, drama, visual art, and music; (2) "fine art," meaning classical works in the different arts media created by established artists; and (3) "art for children," meaning art created by adults specifically for

My Study Space Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

My Study Space - Essay Example I feel comfortable here. Everything I need is close at hand and everything I don't want is far away and out of sight. The lighting is adequate, though at times it seems a bit dim. The fluorescent desk lamp has a failing bulb and sometimes does more harm than good. It gives off just enough light to illuminate the surrounding area, which is quite cluttered and acts as a constant reminder that I need to clean out the basement. Because it's underground, the temperature stays well regulated all year around. It's cool in the summer and warm in the winter. My cat, AWOL, likes the area also and spends many hours here with me. He can often be found lying in my plush, swivel chair as I come down here to study. At times he can be a distraction, though it's only a short walk up the stairs to put him out of sight and out of mind. As much as I enjoy my personal study space, there are some improvements I'd like to make. I would like to partition this corner of the basement off and create more of an office atmosphere. That would allow me to introduce some aroma into the area with the hopes of overcoming the perpetual musty smell of an old cellar. My favorite would be vanilla, though I also like the more exotic eastern incense smells. The partition would also serve as another barrier that I could place between the outside world and me, instilling an added layer of safety and recluse.

Servant leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Servant leadership - Essay Example The authoritarian leadership style denotes a centralized decision making approach where the final decision is taken by the topmost executive. The participative leadership style indicates that employees should be included within the decision making process. Employees are able to influence the decision making approach, and simultaneously the responsibility of team members also increases. The laissez-faire leadership approach is the least observed within an organizational system. There are similarities between servant leadership and participative leadership styles. In the current scenario there is a wide range of firms following the servant leadership approach. The servant leadership style is valued by many organizations so as to strengthen employee relationships. The organization selected for this particular study is Prince’s Court. This is a healthcare provider that aims at providing family-centered and quality healthcare to individuals. The study will summarize the implementat ion of the service leadership approach within the chosen organizational framework. The servant leadership concept suggests the primary role of a leader is to extend support towards team members or to serve them appropriately. This approach does not believe in exercising power over other team members, but distributes power amongst all individuals. It is an ancient philosophy and is closely knitted with the concept of participative leadership approach. A servant leader possesses certain priorities such as enabling, encouraging and supporting subordinates to address specific goals or objectives. This eventually leads to distribution of power and responsibility amongst employees. It can be considered as a participative decision making style, where all team members contribute their opinions or ideas (Mello, 2011). Servant leadership approach is not only confined to employee related behavior but its objective is to alter hierarchical relationship between team members

Low Grade in a Class Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Low Grade in a Class - Assignment Example They need to capture all details, especially if the subject coverage never lasts long enough. It should measure the needed aspects; therefore, teachers need to ensure they teach subjects accordingly. In a matter under taught subjects, the teacher could base one standardized test on the learning covered. Later, he should give another test after teaching the remaining part and find the average. This would increase the value of the test and at the same time, would allow looking after the welfare of students in the case of harming them with untaught tests. Raw scores represent totals put across a table to show the correct responses as per results in a test. Compare students’ performances in a table. These students could be rated by age or any other factor. It could also be used in comparing the results of one student in many tests. A percentile would be used in the comparison of students rated at a nationwide norm. It shows a difference with percent because it represents the perfo rmance of a student in a large group. Percentile would not be a very good method for measuring student growth. The reason behind this would be that the student achieving physical growth might remain at the same percentile level. Percent describes the opposite of percentile. In this case, a test might have answers with scores that could be correct or incorrect. The number of questions answered in the correct manner would be multiplied by a hundred and later divided by a total of questions tested. Grade equivalent reveals the actual score as a result of the correctly answered questions. It represents students who earn the raw score on average. The ranks go according to their score. Such scores would mean different performances though, in conclusion, they could be put to... Raw scores represent totals put across a table to show the correct responses as per results in a test. Compare students’ performances in a table. These students could be rated by age or any other factor. It could also be used in comparing the results of one student in many tests. A percentile would be used in the comparison of students rated at a nationwide norm. It shows a difference with percent because it represents the performance of a student in a large group. Percentile would not be a very good method for measuring student growth. The reason behind this would be that the student achieving physical growth might remain at the same percentile level. Percent describes the opposite of percentile. In this case, a test might have answers with scores that could be correct or incorrect. The number of questions answered in the correct manner would be multiplied by a hundred and later divided by a total of questions tested. Grade equivalent reveals the actual score as a result of t he correctly answered questions. It represents students who earn the raw score on average. The ranks go according to their score. Such scores would mean different performances though, in conclusion, they could be put to one. Instruction depends on which one explains better the performance of a student. Here, the teacher would be able to make the parent understand the level of performance that his or her child holds.Students need to know their level of assignment and how far they could go if they put in effort.

Heroes and Celebrities Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Heroes and Celebrities - Research Paper Example Celebrities on the other hand are renowned popular personalities from the entertainment, sports, social or political origin usually with professional mission – who have essentially mesmerized the common mass with extensive fan-following through media publicity, sensational enterprising which at times may have positive significance or mere dramatic impression on the community. Heroes play an essential and pivotal role shaping and developing the lives of the common mass to aspire and inspire them to the esteemed goal. However in the present scenario with the advent of the globalization, fast lifestyle and rate-race, the differentiation between the terminologies ‘heroes’ and ‘celebrities’ is often forgotten and overlapping. In this current era of ‘reality TV shows’ like Survivor, The Amazing Race, American Idol, The Swan, Extreme Makeover, Big Brother etc. with the creation of instant celebrity status and even at times infamy hypes – the cult celebrity worship has almost become synonymous to heroic aspirations. In this context the common population in the recent times have become more prone to ‘herd response’ whereby an enormous group of people react in the specific direction the media broadcasts and advertisements would attract and appeal them to through enchantment of glitz-glamour, monetary-allur ement or dream-fascination. The traditional beliefs in regards to celebrity establishment and hero-worshipping are getting fundamentally transformed from the very foundation with the presence of luck fortune and at times prosperity, the common people are gaining the celebrity prominence and becoming the social icon almost overnight, especially in shows like the American Idol, The Swan, Extreme Makeover and the like. With the introduction of cosmetic surgery and hi-tech beautification methodologies within the reach of the common contestants till that time as in the

Nursery Rhymes Essay Example for Free

Nursery Rhymes Essay So here I am, really scared and nervous, but here’s a secret my mum told me, adults are just as anxious talking in public, the trick is to picture everyone in clown suits; my Apa’s red nose really suits her. Hmm, my speech is supposed to be humorous and as a 6 year old nothing is more hilarious as old nursery rhymes I mean can you really picture a huge egg perched on a wall, and why on earth did the king send his army to help humpty when maybe a chef would’ve done instead. Again, why on earth was the king involved? Then you get insy wincy, for being a spider he wasn’t a very bright spark. He firstly climbed up a water spout.. let’s see, cloudy day, water sprout..rain..light bulb..ting†¦but no, he goes and climbs up the spout. Again next time use the wall, he must have been a male, duh.. We pass the old age home every day on our way to school. I always feel sorry for these poor people; I mean how can people leave their mom’s there. But then I think about the old women who lived in a shoe.. Now that’s really sad, sure do hope it’s a really big shoe. Nursery rhymes are really silly, but if you can’t beat them join them. There’s my version: There was an old woman who lived in a shoe. The place was disgusting and smelled like pee-ewe! The windows were drafty. The roof was a leaker. But thats what you get When you live in a sneaker. Humpty Dumpty sat in a tree. Humpty Dumpty got stung by a bee. He fell out and hit his head, and now he thinks his name is Fred. The tighty-whity spider went down the waterslide. Got a water wedgie halfway down the ride. Jumped up and screamed and ran around in pain. Now the tighty-whity spider will not do that again.

Zero Tolerance Policing and New York Quality Essay Example for Free

Zero Tolerance Policing and New York Quality Essay Another understanding of zero tolerance policing posits that the law enforcement officers, will ignore minor offenders and cases of social disorder and concentrate on quality of life or the sub criminal activities such as public urinating, public drinking, begging, vagrancy and vandalism. Often behind this understanding is the theory of crime: broken windows theory, published by George Kelling and James Wilson (1982). In such a theory a broken window is representative of disorderly behavior and minor cases of criminal acts among the community. Usually if such a window is not repaired the message is that there is lack of control in the community and another window is likely to be broken. Under such a theory there is bound to be an increase in activity against minor offenders without any prior offenders (Marshall 1999). A classic example is the New York scenario where the zero tolerance policing possessed salient and easily distinguishable characteristics. Key among these characteristics is the unique crime control strategies that ensured that policing efforts were concentrated on drugs, guns, auto theft, traffic offenses, domestic violence, youth crime, and quality of life crimes. Over a period of two years, decentralized policing ensured that detectives and beat officers were assigned predetermined categories in the crime control strategies. Additionally, timely, accurate and reliable intelligence data identified cases where the potential of risk was more predominant. Emphasis on the quality of life crimes ensured that incidences of graffiti, public littering and cases of public drinking were reduced (Marshall 1999). Persons suspected of being involved in relatively minor crimes were also targeted through misdemeanor arrests. The result was an emulative success story where crime significantly reduced. However, despite these successes, there are concerns that security agents are using aggression and ruthlessness when dealing with comparatively low level criminal activity. Moreover, over emphasis and reliance on quantitative statistical data as a presentation of success can lead to manipulation of such data to suit the objectives of the policy makers. Even if such figures of crime reduction were genuine, zero tolerance policing emphasizes on short term law enforcement strategies such as arrests, conviction and imprisonment while neglecting long term strategies which involve cooperation with the communities, improving education, health care and planning. Because it is basically a quick fix strategy it fails to address the clearly understood causes of crime (Marshall 1999). Problem Oriented Policing Problem oriented policing focuses on clear identification and analysis of problems with respect to the conditions that exist in the local circumstances. It is a novel policing strategy that aims at ensuring that the police effectively deal with criminal problems that have been brought to the fore by the public (Leigh et al 2004).

Continuous Improvement as a Business Strategy

Continuous Improvement as a Business Strategy The case study focuses on Corus, Europes second largest steel manufacturing company and their efforts in following the path of Continuous Improvement to produce quality product in a timely manner by streamlining their processes and reducing the wastage of resources. Corus is a subsidiary of Tata Steel, one of worlds top ten steelmakers. In their own words, Corus aspires to be the worlds steel industry benchmark for value creation and corporate citizenship. Corus is a leading supplier to most of the demanding markets around the world including construction, automotives, packaging, mechanical and electrical engineering, metal goods, and oil gas. With innovation and continuous improvement at the heart of its business performance, Corus aims to create value by offering a differentiated product range supported by unrivalled customer service. 1 The challenge that Corus faces in differentiating its products from that of its rivals is that, steel is a relatively inexpensive product and in major building projects, the cost of steel can be as little as 5% of the overall cost of the project. It is also a challenging task to meet the rising demand for steel, at increasing levels of quality and to comply with challenging delivery requirements. While it would be an easy task to meet these challenges using brand-new facilities, an investment of more than 300 million Pounds to build a ‘Greenfield Site steel mill is an impediment. Therefore, Corus decided to focus on the path of Continuous Improvement, commonly known as CI, at its steel plate manufacturing mill in Scunthorpe, to achieve process efficiency, quality and delivery improvements with its existing manufacturing setup. What is Continuous Improvement? Continuous improvement, with respect to organizational quality and performance, focuses on improving customer satisfaction through continuous and incremental improvement processes, removing or minimizing unnecessary activities and delays in product delivery and also minimizing defects in the products being delivered. Several organizations have gained a competitive edge by implementing Kaizen, commonly known as continuous improvement (CI). The philosophy of Kaizen was spearheaded by Masaaki Imai, and is constituted of two words, kai which means ‘change and zen which means ‘good as well as ‘wisdom. Hence we can conclude that Kaizen implies ‘changes for the better and covers all processes in an organization like Engineering, Information Technology, Finance, Procurement and Supply, Customer Service and Manufacturing. CI can be initiated either at Top Management level or at Process level based on effective feedback system. The most important factor is that, all employees should be responsible to make improvements and must work together to identify the steps needed to improve the efficiency of the overall process, in an iterative manner. This requires thorough supervision, flexible work force and technology to improve business efficiency. When an established organization like Corus attempts to differentiate its products or services from its competitors in the industry, CI can be the â€Å"Differentiation† or â€Å"Focus† competitive strategies which can help the organization grow. Corus has implemented CI of ‘flow where the products are pulled through a carefully planned production process from the supply of raw steel to the finished steel plate. The process is paced and scheduled to control the amount of product in each stage of the process, to keep bottlenecks to a minimum and to maintain high quality. A part of the CI process involves the measurement of improvements to gauge, whether the improvements have resulted in benefits. These results can be reducing waste time, saving money and efforts, or better utilization of available resources. These are the tangible benefits of the implementation of a CI process. The intangible benefits will include greater staff motivation and increased job satisfaction3. In Corus, improvement is gauged with the help of a set of new Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) focused on meeting customer deadlines, such as zero backlog of customer orders and meeting targets for rolling steel plate in its allotted week. Thus benchmark level can be set and attempts can be made to better that level in an iterative manner. When Why CI need to be implemented? It is human nature to feel secure in ones comfortable environment of a â€Å"CASH COW† organization and therefore people are hesitant towards big changes. Some of the most common excuses that people give to avoid changes at workplace are: 1) Its been done in this way for a long time2) We know theres a better way but theres not enough time to fix things3) I dont get paid extra to think4) Its not my problem but someone elses problem However, a key aspect of implementing CI is the fact that it does not deal with big changes, but with smaller ones that take less time to implement at minimal cost. Also, an interesting aspect would be that it gradually transforms and brings about what one can call a big change without people being hesitant and overcoming their apprehensions. The objective is to minimize cost by leveraging the existing knowledge pool and gradually implementing changes. The key of effectively implementing CI is that it has to become a part of the organizations culture and gain consensus from the work force and stake holders. Like in the Corus case, moving from Tonnage, the traditional key measure of productivity to the smooth paced process of CI involved a significant work culture change for the employees. Initiation and integration of CI 1. Collect feedback from the horses mouth It is imperative to understand the operations at the ground level from the people who perform the tasks on a regular basis. By asking for ideas and by listening to those that know how the job is currently performed you will achieve a much greater buy-in from your teams 2. Place checks and implement improvement process cycle Not jumping to conclusions is the key here. Put into practice the steps of Plan, Do, Check and Act known as PDCA Model PDCA a simple model for CI implementation Plan the plan phase constitutes of setting objectives and goals that would form the guiding path for the entire process of improvement.Do the Do phase requires the testing of possible alternatives and arriving at a solution that would comply with best practices and industry benchmarksCheck In this phase, the effectiveness of the action phase is evaluated to ascertain the success of the plans and also to see if any negative consequences have arisen.Act The act phase is to implement the tried and tested processes and form the new standards. If the processes are unsuccessful, then the cycle is repeated till the time desirable results are attained. Even after the process has been established, the implementation of CI is not over. The goal of CI is to set newer and more efficient benchmarks. This philosophy has to become a part of the organizations culture. For example, in the Scunthorpe plant of Corus, a CI manager co-ordinates the process and 40 CI coaches chosen from the workforce received training to facilitate improvements. A toolbox of techniques has been put together to help managers, employees and operators understand where and how they can improve their work and come up with new ideas to change processes for better. Scunthorpe plate mill has set out a 5-year vision improvement plan which will help in the process of developing a CI culture for the business and has held workshops for employees to understand the vision and change since it was recognized that people might be resistant and cling to old ways of working. The 5 year-plan, established a timeline for the thorough acceptance and implementation of the CI culture among employees so that by the end of the 5-year period, the team and individuals are empowered to take responsibility and make decisions for themselves. Tradeoffs in implementing Continuous Improvement: Although several companies have benefitted from implementing CI, its quite interesting to see that something this innovative and cost effective could also derail the organization from its path to success or even create a new bottleneck in the entire process. At times CI may lead to a trade-off between self-management and discipline 5. Over engagement and a lack of prioritization in implementing new wave CI manufacturing strategies by front line managers and operations staff has actually led to a tradeoff between their core operations related work and CI related activities. Often, CI strategies led by an over-enthusiastic HR has caused them to over strategize which is a new bottle neck in itself and often goes unnoticed. Thus it is quite important to make sure that less than 7% of the total work time may be spent by such key operational personnel on CI oriented strategy development so that their core operational responsibilities may not be diluted beyond an acceptable limit. Another very interesting drawback that has been noticed is the invert effect of over emphasis on the implementation of CI Practices on the price v/s quality competitive strategy model 6. In her study, Barbara Flynn has very effectively shown that an uninterrupted iteration of CI programs for the reduction of cost price would ultimately result in increasing price since perfection always comes at a premium. Secondly it was also observed that in the quest to achieve the goal of CI within its designated time period, the complex untested assumptions about the relation between process and outcome are often deliberately not studied in depth. Managers prematurely conclude that any detrimental effects of implementing the new plan would be taken care of in subsequent CI programs 7. Thus such complacency could result in mission failure at the nth hour. But still, careful and well planned implementation of CI strategy is effective because it keeps production processes under control, rapidly trains production personnel to effectively manage production and possesses the flexibility to slot improvements into production schedules with minimum disruptions and at least effective cost. 8 Continuous Improvement in action at FORD India (A firsthand account) 9: Cost Reduction activity has become one of the major activities in any industry especially in Automobile field with ever increasing competition. The following is a firsthand account of Continuous Improvement initiate undertaken at Ford India for Cost Reduction. The Front End Module of the car is a plastic molded steel reinforced part, supplied to Ford by a Vendor X. The Input weight of the steel portion in that is 4.0 Kg and its output weight is 1.0 Kg. With 25% yield, Ford saw the scope for cost reduction in the above module. Normally for any steel part, yield of at least 40 to 50% is expected. Hence, the only way to reduce the cost would by reducing the input weight. After several discussions with technical department, Ford decided to optimize the design to reduce the input weight and proposed the modified design to the vendor. Various trials were conducted and accordingly the design was altered without compromising on the quality of the final part. After several iterations, the new design was approved by the quality team. Minor modifications were made to existing tools in order to work with new design. This Continuous Improvement initiative not only reduced cost but also reduced the scrap content and process time. Suggestions for Corus Corus has implemented lean manufacturing method of CI, which has really improved its deliveries and quality but only in an internal manner. Yet another dimension which can be facilitated through external feedback is available in the form of â€Å"WOWing the customer†. What we feel is that, Corus should start to simultaneously work upon gaining better customer feedback to facilitate continued product design improvement. This combined effort will enable them to suggest improvements in the product demanded by the customers which may exceed the customers expectation and will make them feel that they are getting a value for money preposition. Thus this would add to their customer satisfaction, retention and self sustainable associations which would be mutually beneficial. References and Bibliography http://www.corusgroup.com/en/company/about_corus/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaizen http://www.helium.com/items/558484-what-is-a-continuous-improvement-plan?page=3 http://www.helium.com/items/558484-what-is-a-continuous-improvement-plan?page=2 Continuous improvement: the trade-off between self-management and discipline Author(s):Alan Harrison Journal:Integrated Manufacturing Systems 6, 7, 8- Achieving simultaneous cost and differentiation competitive advantages through continuous Publication: Journal of Managerial Issues by Flynn, Barbara B. 9. From actual work experience of Santhosh Srinivasan

Songs Of This Year :: essays research papers

After Tonight (Album Version) 4:15 Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) (Album Version) 3:25 Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) (Pound Boys Dub) 6:48 Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) (Pound Boys Main Mix) 8:56 Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) (Pound Boys Radio Edit) 3:29 Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) (Single Edit) (Mariah Carey Featuring Westlife) 3:23 Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) (Mariah Only Version) 3:21 Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) (Westlife Only Version) 3:21 Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now) (Instrumental) 3:26 All I Ever Wanted (Album Version) 3:51 All In Your Mind (Album Version) 4:43 All I Want For Christmas Is You (Album Version) 4:01 All I Want For Christmas Is You (So So Def Remix) (Featuring Jermaine Dupri & Lil’ Bow Wow) 4:44 Alone In Love (Album Version) 4:11 Always Be My Baby (Album Version) 4:18 Always Be My Baby (Always Club Mix) 10:23 Always Be My Baby (Def Classic Radio Mix) 4:07 Always Be My Baby (Dub-A-Baby) 7:13 Always Be My Baby (Groove A Pella) 7:07 Always Be My Baby (Mr. Dupri Extended Mix) (Featuring Da Brat & Xscape) 5:29 Always Be My Baby (Mr. Dupri Mix) (Featuring Da Brat & Xscape) 4:39 Always Be My Baby (Mr. Dupri No Rap Radio Mix) (Featuring Xscape) 3:41 ***Always Be My Baby (Reggae Soul Accapella) 4:39 *** Vinyl, not CD quality :o((( Always Be My Baby (Reggae Soul Dub Mix) 4:51 Always Be My Baby (Reggae Soul Mix) (Featuring Lil’ Vicious) 4:51 Always Be My Baby (St Dub) 7:11 And You Don’t Remember (Album Version) 4:24 Anytime You Need A Friend (Album Version) 4:25 ***Anytime You Need A Friend (7† Mix) 6:53 *** Vinyl, not CD quality :o((( ***Anytime You Need A Friend (All That And More Mix) 10:31 *** Vinyl, not CD quality :o((( ***Anytime You Need A Friend (Boriqua Tribe Mix) 9:02*** Vinyl, not CD quality :o((( ***Anytime You Need A Friend (C&C Dub Mix) 10:07 *** Vinyl, not CD quality :o((( Anytime You Need A Friend (C&C Radio Mix) 4:14 ***Anytime You Need A Friend (Dave’s Empty Pass) 10:49*** Vinyl, not CD quality :o((( Anytime You Need A Friend (Ministry Of Sound Mix) 9:45 Anytime You Need A Friend (Soul Convention Remix) 4:49 Anytime You Need A Friend (String-A-Pella) 4:49 Babydoll (Album Version) 5:06 Bliss (Album Version) 5:44

The Immortal Heroes of Homer’s Iliad Essay -- Iliad essays

The Immortal Heroes of Homer’s Iliad In Homer’s Iliad, a warrior can only attain heroism and immortality by embracing an early death. Jean-Pierre Vernant describes this paradox in his essay, â€Å"A ‘Beautiful Death’ and the Disfigured Corpse in Homeric Epic.† According to Vernant, heroes accept the fact that life is short and â€Å"devote themselves completely and single-mindedly to war, adventure, glory, and death† (53). 1 Curiously, this is because heroes overcome death only when they embrace it (57). The importance of death stems from the fact that the individual is defined by his reputation and esteem among others, as Vernant points out when he argues that . . . real death lies in amnesia, silence, demeaning obscurity, the absence of fame. By contrast, real existence—for the living or the dead—comes from being recognized, valued, and honored. Above all, it comes from being glorified as the central figure in a song of praise, a story that endlessly tells and retells a destiny admired by all. (57) He made on it a great vineyard heavy with clusters, lovely and in gold, but the grapes upon it were darkened and the vines themselves stood out through poles of silver. About them he made a field-ditch of dark metal, and drove all around this a fence of tin; and there was only one path to the vineyard, and along it ran the grape-bearers for the vineyard’s stripping. Young girls and young men, in all their light-hearted innocence, carried the kind, sweet fruit away in their woven baskets, and in their midst a youth with a singing lyre played charmingly upon it for them, and sang the beautiful song for Linos in a light voice, and they followed him, and with singing and whistling and light dance-steps of their f... ...g death —and this is what makes a hero. Perhaps the final proof of this heroic immortality lies in the fact that the exploits of Achilleus and the other heroes of the Trojan War remain to this day the subject of passion and controversy. In this way, they have purchased a measure of fame and glory beyond anything they could have imagined. Truly, these heroes are immortal. NOTES 1 Jean-Pierre Vernant, â€Å"A ‘Beautiful Death’ and the Disfigured Corpse in Homeric Epic,† in Mortals and Immortals: Collected Essays (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1991). 2 Homer, Iliad, trans. Richmond Lattimore (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1951), . 3 Homer, Odyssey, trans. Richard Lattimore (New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1965). 4 Homer, Iliad. 5 Edith Hamilton, Mythology (New York: Mentor, 1969), 294. 6 Homer, Iliad. 7 Vernant, 60. 8 Homer, Iliad.

Lack of Rule of Law in China Essay -- International Law

Aristotle once stated, â€Å"The rule of law is better than that of any individual.† The essential characteristics of rule of law are: the supremacy of law, meaning both the government and individuals are subject to the law; a concept of justice that emphasizes interpersonal adjudication, based on importance of standards and procedures; restrictions on discretionary power and exercise of legislative power by the executive; independent judiciary, judicial precedent and common law methodology; prospective, not retrospective legislation; and underlying moral basis for law. (Cooray) In China, the justice system has been based on rule â€Å"by† law, also known as â€Å"rule of men† instead of rule â€Å"of† law. In other words, law has been an instrument of the government, which holds itself above the law as opposed to law being supreme. The goal of laws here are to protect the interests of the state, not the individual, and to keep stringent social control. Ch ina’s leaders are beginning to realize that establishing the â€Å"rule of law† is critical to China’s ability to sustain its rapid economic growth. The lack of legal knowledge and transparency, the complex judiciary and legislative system and cultural barriers rooted deeply in society are just a few main reasons responsible for an inadequate rule of law in China. Due to the lack of tradition of rule of law and the Chinese Communist Party rejection of the kind of liberal democratic government associated with it faces multiple challenges in its establishment. Understanding the importance of modernizing Chinas culture has had leverage on the political and economic level have substantially increased the progress of reform towards the use of rule of law. Being the oldest continuous major world civilization... ...accountability of the Chinese police." Policing -Bradford- 20, no. 1: 113-135. British Library Document Supply Centre Inside Serials & Conference Proceedings, EBSCOhost (accessed March 25, 2012). Wong, Kam C. 2009. Chinese Policing: History and Reform. New York: Peter Lang. Wong, Kam C. 2011. "Reform to police accountability." In Police Reform in China, by Kam C. Wong, 299-363. CRC Press. Wong, Kam C. 2004. "The police legitimacy crisis and police law reform in China: Part I." International Journal Of Police Science & Management 6, no. 4: 199-218. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed March 25, 2012). Wong, Kam C. 2005. "The police legitimacy crisis and police law reform in China: Part II." International Journal of Police Science & Management 7, no. 1: 1-14. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed March 25, 2012).

Promotional Strategies of Idbi Federal Life Insurance Essay

The paper deals with the study of the promotional strategies of IDBI federal life insurance co ltd vis-à  -vis its various competitors like LIC, SBI life, ICICI prudential, etc. The paper aims at the various promotional strategies adopted by the company to make information available, about its products, to its potential customers. The primary objective of the paper is to find out whether the current promotional strategies are effective enough in attracting customers, to find out what customers look for in a life insurance advertisement and to suggest the company as to what are the new sources through which it can advertise its products. The secondary objective is to find out whether the current marketing strategies are sufficient enough to capture the current market in the face of rising competition. The research methodology includes collection of primary data from people by interviewing them over phone, meeting them, getting their opinion through questionnaires, etc. as well as col lection of secondary data from internet, published articles, books, research reports and other sources. A Questionnaire was designed to collect information from the respondents about the awareness of the brand IDBI Federal and the data analysis was based on the information collected through the questionnaire. Data analyses were done through graphical representation and excel tools. The limitation faced was that it was confined to one area due to travelling constraints and time constraints. Overall the project has tried to maintain an accuracy of data so that unbiased responses may be recorded which will give a true picture of the respondents’ opinion and help the company in taking a proper decision as to the promotional strategies of the company. 2. Company profile IDBI Federal Life Insurance co Ltd (formerly known as IDBI Fortis Life Insurance) is a joint venture between three financial companies – development and commercial bank, IDBI Bank, India’s private sector bank, Federal Bank and European insurer Ageas (formerly Fortis), which was formed on March 2008 In this venture, IDBI Bank owns 48% equity while  Federal Bank and Ageas own 26% equity IDBI Federal Life Insurance Co. Ltd.,(formerly IDBI Fortis Life Insurance) is a joint venture each. IDBI bank is a government owned bank started in 1964 as a subsidiary of RBI for providing institutional credit. It is known to be a bank for high end customers. In 2008 it changed its name to IDBI bank ltd. and entered into the retail segment. IDBI has more than 1500 branches across India. Federal bank is a scheduled commercial bank which was started in 1931. It has a strong base of NRI customers. It has a presence in both south and west. It was one of the first banks to start core banking. Federal bank has 1200 branches across India. Ageas is a Belgium-Dutch multinational insurance company. After its creation in 1990, Fortis expanded its offerings to include private and investment banking and asset management, establishing subsidiaries around the world. 3. Introduction 4.1 Introduction to the problem In the current scenario, Indian insurance companies have become competitive in nature and are providing appropriate distribution channels to get the maximum benefit and serve customers in manifold ways. Indian Insurance industry has big opportunity to expand, given the large population and untapped potential. The insurance market in India has witnessed dynamic changes including entry of a number of global insurers. Most of the private insurance companies are joint ventures with recognized foreign institutions across the globe. Saturation of markets in many developed economies has made the Indian market even more attractive for global insurance majors. The US$ 41 billion Indian industry is considered the fifth largest life insurance market, and is growing at a rapid pace of 32-34% annually, according to the Life Insurance Council. Innovative products, smart marketing, and aggressive distribution have enabled fledging private insurance companies to sign up Indian customers faster than anyone expected. Insurance products come in a variety of forms and are advertised and marketed using a variety of methods to entice customers. Thus insurance companies need to market their products because they are in competition with other insurers for the same customers. The only thing that distinguishes an insurance company’s products is the  price as well as the advertising message that it sends across to its customers. Thus the major area of concern of the study is how IDBI federal should distinguish itself in terms of reaching customers through various promotional strategies so that customers respond to the promotional strategies of the company Vis-à  -vis those of competitors. 4.2 Significance of the problem There are many players in the Indian Insurance Industry, each capturing sufficient market share of the total industry. In the Indian insurance sector, the market position of the incumbent, LIC, continues to dominate even 10 years after the opening up of the sector for private players. This puts the onus on the private sector players to differentiate themselves in terms of product innovation and customer servicing, so that they could grab a bigger share of the Indian insurance pie. As insurance is a ‘push’ rather than a ‘pull’ product, it is a big challenge for the companies to make their products meaningful to prospective customers. Companies should simplify insurance products and design the benefits so as to suit the specific needs of policyholders. A higher degree of transparency on policy terms will ensure that the customer understands the product and its benefits, minimizing fears of being cheated. It is therefore important for the industry to invest not just in expansion and distribution but also in client servicing and processing. Many customers are discouraged from buying insurance due to the anticipated complexity involved in settlement of claims. Insurance companies do assert that the competition in the industry is forcing them to speed up their claim processes, but the fact remains that a lot more needs to be done to make general insurance a hassle-free experience for the customers. Such things are very important to be communicated to the prospective customers so that they understand the products of the company and the benefits and features of the products. Thus promotion becomes very important for any IDBI federal to stand ahead of other players. 4.3 Important Observations IDBI Federal Life Insurance already has a strong distribution network of over 1477 branches through their partner banks. IDBI Federal has adopted various promotional strategies like commercial ads, print ads, events, personnel  selling, word of mouth, viral marketing, etc. The advertising focus of the company has therefore been the product rather than the corporate brand. TVC’s- The major promotion of IDBI federal is done through television commercials on sports channels. The TVC’s for IDBI Federal have been designed by Ogilvy and Mather. January, 2011: IDBI Federal Life recently launched three clutter breaking television commercials focusing on its frontline products – Wealthsurance and Incomesurance. The first advertisement reflects that the product is so great that whoever hears about it, buys it instantly and the second advertisement promises to be clear and transparent on the issue of returns in the investment product. IDBI Federal has also introduced two animation characters by the name of Happy and Lucky to promote the brand. The campaign revolves around the immense strength of the products and conveys the message: Anyone who hears about it buys it. The story board revolves around the most unexpected people in the most unexpected situations, hear about the product and buy it. * March, 2011: Through the example of a 60-year-old-son and his 90-year-old father, the insurance company, in its new campaign, reinforces the need to be financially secure post-retirement. Through the TVC, they wanted to explain the benefit of a tension-free life thanks to the pension plan. * August, 2011: The incomesurance TVC adds a comic touch to a series situation of family interview. The strategy for them was to drive home a practical and relevant message to the viewers. After sifting through many auditions, they singled out on a non-model/ non-celebrity talent to ensure that the slice-of-life situation came across as genuine and credible. The TVC went on air on 15th Aug, on the eve of Independence Day. The company’s fil ms are based on simple consumer insights that bring alive the core product benefits. * January, 2012: IDBI Federal Life Insurance has come up with a new campaign to promote its child insurance plans. The head of the Ad agency commented that in a world of goody-goody child plan advertising, they wanted to ensure that IDBI Federal’s Childsurance stood out. The senior vice-president of IDBI Federal said that choosing the right plan is very important today, given the rising inflation in education. Childsurance, with five unique features, can be the strong partner that parents seek to ensure that their children’s dreams come true, which has been captured in the ad campaign. Distributors- IDBI Federal has a strong network of distributors  who contribute a lot to the promotion of the products by word of mouth promotion. IDBI Federal has Bancassurance partnership with IDBI Bank and the Federal Bank and also distributes its products through its own network. To further diversify its distribution base, it has set up an Alternate & Direct Distribution channel. Management- IDBI federal life insurance co ltd leverages on its strong distribution network of promoters and advisors who have constantly revised the company’s product portfolio by adding on new products from time to time depending on the environment and needs of the customers. Partnerships- IDBI Federal Life Insurance, in partnership with SAMHITA Community Development Services, is engaged in financial literacy programs for the urban and rural poor in MP since 2011. The company has participated in a felicitating program organized by SAMHITA for women from slum dwelling households in Bhopal, who have successfully completed this financial literacy program in 2008, when it tied up with SAMHITA for providing low cost group coverage to the female members of SAMHITA under Group Microsurance. So far it has covered over 86,721 lives for a sum insured of Rs.66.7crores. IDBI Federal Life Insurance also offers the protection of Termsurance Grameen Suraksha to the family members of these people. Thus, this was a major step taken by IDBI federal for promoting its products in the rural areas. Web promotion- The TVC’s are uploaded in you tube. They have launched microsites for their ads. In addition, IDBI federal also planned to launch a viral in the digital space to create awareness about its products. Events- IDBI federal has tried to promote its products by conducting certain events. They organized the event Spelling Bee, which was a specially created spelling contest arranged to connect with children. The event was organized on children’s day, 2010 to coincide with the launch of childsurance. The spellings to be completed revolved around visual and verbal cues to words related to savings, money and finance. Viral marketing- â€Å"Boss-ka-Boss†, the viral flash film launched by IDBI federal for marketing its product online, made it very popular and was a good way to reach customers which could be viewed through You-tube. The film had also been adjudged for a special award under animation film category at the PR Council of India (PRCI). 4.4 Comments by the experts in the area Mr. Amish Tripathi, National Head – Marketing & Product Management, IDBI Federal Life Insurance said that â€Å"the critical objective for IDBI Federal is name recognition and a strong differentiator, and each of their products is designed to be unique and offer great value to the customers† He also said that, â€Å"they are happy to have a creative partner like Ogilvy & Mather that has been able to successfully convey the message.† According to Mr. Aneesh Khanna, Senior Vice President – Head – Marketing & Product Management, IDBI Federal Life Insurance, â€Å"the strategy for them was to drive home a practical and relevant message to the viewers. ‘Humoring’ the customer with a convincing, rational appeal has been the insurance venture’s style. Their films are based on simple consumer insights that bring alive the core product benefits. According to Amish Tripathi, there were clear guidelines that the commercials have to be funny and clutter-breaking when it comes to campaigns, as every second company sells the same proposition in the insurance sector. â€Å"Therefore, it is important to stand out from the rest,† according to Mr. Tripathi. Nitin Pradhan, executive creative director, Leo Burnett, says, â€Å"It’s a tongue-in-cheek take on retired life† which meant that it was very common for IDBI Federal to take old people in the retirement term advertisement. In 2010, when private life insurance companies were facing a decline in sales, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer GV Nageshwara Rao said that the company is in in the process of adjusting the products. They expected to plan a few revised guidelines on pension products, which they hoped would revive pension plans again. He said that the long-term solution is to increase productivity in a sustained manner. He also quoted that going ahead; the company would consider three segments — children, retirement and health. And the company kept up to its promises by coming up with childsurance, healthsurance and the retirement plans. Acknowledging the viral flash film awards, Mr. Amish Tripathi, National Head – Marketing and Product, IDBI Fortis, said that â€Å"it was a great honour for them for being bestowed with the special award. He also said that at IDBI Fortis, they believe in innovation and delivering unique and distinct  offerings. The company has tried to follow the same in their communication through the films. The prestigious awards were an encouragement for the team and they hope to get many more of these in the future†. 4.5 Previous work According to a journal, written by professors of VIT University, Vellore on the promotional strategies adopted by IDBI Federal life insurance co ltd, for the South- Asian journal of marketing and management research, we find the following recommendations given by them After analysis of data, they suggested the following points * Television is the best source for entertainment and gaining information. So it is the best media for promotion * People don’t give more importance to the advertisements while compared to brand name * Tax benefit, death benefit, security and low premium are the important components which people look for in an insurance product * The message and creativity is important for insurance product * The promotional efforts and word of mouth is most influencing while compared to internet * Advertisements play a major role in influencing a person to buy an insurance policy * Insurance companies don’t need a brand ambassador to endorse the product 4.6 Gaps in the problem of interest 4.7 Proposed Work * Amazing customer experiences are one of the most powerful tools in marketing strategy. In today’s market, when a company treats its clients better than kings and queens they will tell the whole world about the company through social networking sites or through word of mouth. * There are many opportunities for growing business. The company can get great PR in the newspaper, meet other local community members and business owners, and educate people about the values and benefits of insurance. * The company can promote its products through social networking sites such as Facebook, twitter and linked in or other popular sites where potential customers visit frequently like news channel sites. Customers who prefer to read news online will be able to notice the ads if the ads are put in such sites. * The best television marketing opportunities would be during programs  specifically aimed at the target prospects. The company can aim those channels which potential customers see reg ularly such as news channels or sports channels. * An important promotional strategy would be to roll out advertisements during cricket matches such as IPL or one day series which will gain a lot of popularity for the products as well as the company. * Another strategy is to host networking events so businesspeople can meet other businesspeople. Making as many contacts as possible and following up with people will assist insurance marketing with the help of referrals. * Online E-mail newsletters should be sent to customers on a regular basis so as to attract potential customers and retain existing clients. The newsletters will constantly remind the clients about the products and they will re-think over their decisions while investing in insurance products and will keep IDBI federal in mind. * The company can host seminars about financial planning, understanding insurance, saving money on insurance etc. * IDBI Federal’s sales people can go door to door talking about their products to potential customers. Many sales people can convince about their products to customers in such a way. * One more promotional strategy is advertising through hoardings and billboards in important public places like railway stations, airports, bus stands, restaurants, etc. * The last IDBI federal ad was released in 2012 and the frequency of the ads were also less. To increase visibility of the products, the company should advertise more frequently so that customers notice their products vis-à  -vis its competitors. * They can also advertise through various radio channels as more and more people are shifting from television to radio channels * The company can also go for celebrity endorsements as customers go for celebrity endorsed brands as they attach some value to the product when it is endorsed by any celebrity. 4. Objectives and importance of the study Product promotion is one of the major necessities for getting a company’s brand in front of the public and attracting new customers. Companies use different promotional strategies for different marketing purposes. The importance of the study lies in studying all promotional and marketing strategies followed by IDBI Federal, how effective are the strategies in  maintaining the existing customer base and attracting new customers, what do customers look for in the advertisements to go for a particular product, and are the promotional strategies effective as compared to other insurance companies. Primary objective * To find out whether the current promotional strategies are effective in attracting customers. * To find out what customers look for in a life insurance advertisement. * To suggest a new concept of promotion for the company depending on people’s awareness about the brand IDBI Federal life insurance co ltd Secondary objective * To find out the level of awareness of the brand IDBI Federal among people * To find out whether the current marketing strategies are sufficient or the company needs to increase promotion in order to capture market. 5. Methodology Primary data: collecting data from people by interviewing them through phone, meeting them through questionnaires, during the time of sales etc. Secondary data: gathering data from internet and television, published articles, books, research reports and other sources. The sample size is 100 and the sampling unit is office going people who have either joined recently or who have been working for quite a few years. The research is carried out in Cuttack, Orissa where the sample is a representative portion of the population of the state. Both open ended and close ended questions are used in the design of the questionnaire so as to know the opinion of customers relating to insurance and awareness about the brand IDBI federal and how they respond to the marketing stimuli adopted by the company. The type of questionnaire used in this project is structured. The questions are listed in a prearranged order and respondents are informed about the purpose of collecting information. The type of sampling is convenient sampling. The methodology adopted for sales was to visit office going people with a  permanent income and explain them about the products of IDBI Federal life insurance co ltd.

Fool Chapter 22

TWENTY-TWOAT THE reckon cloth TOWERTosser cried the raven.No befriend was he in my stealthy door to the White Tower. Id packed my bells with clay, and darkened my deliver with the same, precisely nary(pre noneinal)amount of camo would alleviate if the raven raised an alarm. I should lay down had a guard bugger off him down with a crossbow bolt big so unrivaledr communicate I left over(p) the Tower.I lay in a shallow, flat-bottomed skiff Id borrowed from a ferry homo, covered with rags and branches so I powerfulness appear just a nonher(prenominal) mass of jetsam floating in the Thames. I padd direct with my right hand, and the cat valium c periodd piddle felt wish well privationles until my arm went numb. Sheets of nut drifted in the water approximately me. other good cold night and I might take in a bun in the oven walked into the Traitors Gate, rather than paddled. The river federal official the moat, and the moat led to a lower place a low arch and d iodine the opening whither English nobility had been bringing their family members for hundreds of historic period on the behavior to the chopping block.Two iron-clad provide survive to modernizeher at the fondness of the arch, chained in the middle down the stairs the waterline, and they moved ever-so-slightly in the current. Thither was a gap at that place, at the line of coarseitude, where the gates met. not so wide that a soldier with weapons could fit through, besides a contrive, a rat, or a spry and supple consecrate up on the slim stance might easily pass over. And so I did.There were no guards at the st champion steps inside, but cardinal feet of water separated me from them, and my skiff would not fit through the gap at the top of the gate where I was perched. A bell ringer was getting wet, thither was no way around it. neertheless it descrymed to me that the water was shallow, b bely a foot or dickens duncish. Perhaps I could keep my blank spac e dry. I in additionk them off and tucked them into my jerkin, thusly(prenominal) slid down the gate into the cold water. with child(p) dog-buggering bollocks it was cold. Only to my knees, but cold. And I would birth made it undiscovered, methinks, if I hadnt allow slip a rather forceful whisper of, Great dog-buggering bollocks, thats cold I was met at the top of the stairs by the pointy part of a halberd, leveled malevolently at my dressing table.For fucks sake, express I. Do your worst, but get it d wizard and drag my carcass inside where its torrid.Pocket? verbalize the yeoman at the other end of the spear. Sir?Aye, state I.I ingestnt chattern you for months. Whats that all over your face?Its clay. Im in disguise.Oh right. wherefore dont you act in and warm up. Must be dreadful cold in your wet stocking feet there. heartfelt guanineght, lad, verbalize I. It was the young, spot-faced yeoman whom Id chastised on the wall when Regan and Gvirtuosoril were archetyp ical arriving to gain their inheritance. Shouldnt you stay at your post, though? Duty and all that?He led me across the cobbled courtyard, into a servants entrance to the briny fastness and down the stairs into the kitchen.Nah, its the Traitors Gate, innit? bolt on it as big as your head. Aint no one coming through there. non all bad. Its break of the wind. non worry up on the wall. Yk push throughright the Duchess Regan is accompaniment here at the Tower today? I took your advice slightly not talk of the town ab stunned her boffnacity,43 even with the duke dead and all, trampt be too c beful. Although, I caught sight of her in a dressing gown one day she was up on the restraint foreign her solar. Fine flanks on that princess, contempt the danger of death and all for consecratein so, sir.Aye, the peeress is fair, and her gadonk as amercement as catch fur, lad, but even your steadfast relieve go forth get you hung if you dont cease with the thinking aloud.Pocke t, you scroungy flea- numeralten plague rat pass off chouse utter I. Thou dragon-breathed verruca far-offm, how art thou?The ox-bottomed cook tried to hide her contentment by plaster cast an onion at me, but there was a grin there. Youve not eaten one full plate since you were last in my kitchen, nonplus you?We hear you was dead, give tongue to Squeak, a crescent of a smile for me beneath her freckles.Feed the pest, utter tattle. And clean that business deal off his face. Rutting with the pigs again, were you, Pocket?Jealous?Not line of merchandisey likely, said Bubble.Squeak sit me down on a ass by the fire and while I warm my feet she scrubbed the clay from my face and out of my hair, mercilessly battering me with her bosoms as she worked.Ah, home sweet home.So, has anyone seen Drool?In the dungeon with the king, said Squeak. Although the guard aint hypothetical to know it. She plazad the young yeoman who stood by.I knew that, he said.What of the kings men, his en overlords and guards? In the barracks?Nah, said the yeoman. Castle guard was a dogs eat until Captain Curan came down from Gloucester. Hes got a noble-born knight as captain of e actually continue and the old guard man for man with any new ones. Crashing huge camps of soldiers outside the walls, forces of Cornwall to the west and capital of New York on the north. They say the Duke of Albany is staying with his men at camp. Wont manage to the Tower.Wise choice, with so many vipers just about the castle. What of the princesses? I asked Bubble. Although she seemed never to leave her kitchen, she knew what was termination on in every succession out of the fortress.They aint talking, said Bubble. Taking meals in their old accommodate they had when they was girls. Goneril in the east editorial of the main keep. Regan in her solar on the outer wall on the south. Theyll inject together for the midday meal, but solo if that whoreson Gloucester is there.Can you get me to them, Bu bble. unobserved?I could sew you up in a suckling pig and enchant it over.Yes, make outly, but I did hope to depict undiscovered, and trailing gravy might string the attention of the castles cats and dogs. Regrettably, Ive had experience with such liaisons.We empennage dress you as one of the help lads, and then, said Squeak. Regan had us bring in boys instead of our usual maids. She likes to taunt and hazard them until they cry.I regarded Bubble with steely recrimination. Why didnt you suggest that?I wanted to see you sewed up in a suckling pig, you oily rascal.Bubble has struggled with her compact affection for me for years.Very well, then, said I. A serving boy it is.You know, Pocket, said Cordelia, age sixteen. Goneril and Regan say that my mother was a sorceress.Yes, Id heard that, sleep together.If thats so, then Im proud of it. It means she didnt need some mangy man for her power. She had her own.Banished then, wasnt she?Well, yes, that or drowned, no one will re al say. Father forbids me to ask about it. save my point is that a woman should come to her power on her own. Did you know that the aesthesis pigeon hawk gave up his powers to Vivian in transmute for her regards, and she became a great sorceress and queen, and repose Merlin to residuum in a counteract for a hundred years for his discomfit?Men ar like that, lamb. You erupt them your favors and next issue you know theyre saw wood away like a rear in a cave. Way of the world, it is.You didnt do that when my infants gave you their favors.They did no such thing.They did, too. Many times. Everyone in the castle knows it.Vicious rumors.Fine, then. When you swallow enjoyed the favors of women, who shall endure nameless, did you fall a residual afterward?Well, no. exclusively neither did I devolve up my magical powers or my region. plainly you would fare about, wouldnt you?Say, adequacy talk of sorcerers and such. What say we go down to the chapel and convert brave ou t to Christianity? Drool drank all the communion wine-colored and ate all the leftover swarm when the bishop was ousted, so Ill wager hes blessed enough to bring us into the fold without clergy. Burped the body of Christ for a week, he did.Youre nerve-wracking to change the subject.Curses Discovered exclaimed the puppet Jones. Thatll memorise you, you sooty-souled snake. Have him whipped, princess.Cordelia laughed, liberated Jones from my grasp, and clouted me on the chest with him. Even when she was grown she bore a weakness for puppety conspiracy and Punch-and-Judy justice.Now, fool, speak the true if the truth in you hasnt died starving from your neglect. Would you bind up your powers and your kingdom for a dolls favor?That would depend on the lady, wouldnt it?Say me, for theoretical account?Vous? said I, my eyebrows raised in the path of the perfectly love French.Oui, said she, in the language of love.Not a chance, said I. Id be snoring forward you had time to declare me your personal deity, which you would, of line of achievement. Its a gist I bear. Deep sleep of the innocent, Id energise. (Or, you know, the deep sleep of the deeply jailerged innocent.) I suspect, come morning, youd pay to re headspring me of your name.You didnt sleep after my sisters had you, I know it.Well, bane of violent, post-coital death will keep you on the alert, wont it?She crawled across the rug until she was close then. You are a dreadful liar.What was your name?She clouted me on the head with Jones and kissed me quickly, but with feeling. That was the only if time.Id collect your power and your kingdom, fool.Give me stake my puppet, thou nameless tart.Regans solar was bigger than I remembered it. A fairly grand, round room, with a fireplace and a dining table. half a dozen of us brought in her supper and set it out on the table. She was all in red, as usual, snowy shoulders and raven hair warmed to the eye by orange firelight.Wouldnt you rather lurk bath room the tapestry, Pocket?She waved the others out of the room and closed the door.I unbroken my head down. How did you know it was me?You didnt cry when I shouted at you.Blast, I should have cognize.And you were the only serving boy habiliment a codpiece.Cant hide ones light down the stairs a bushel, can one? She was infuriating. Did zip surprise her? She spoke as if Id been displace for and shed been expecting me at any moment. Rather took the joy out of all the stealth and disguise. I was tempted to tell her shed been duped and Drool-shagged just to see her reaction, but alas, there were motionless guards who were loyal to her, and I wasnt sure she wouldnt have me killed as it was. (Id left my knives with Bubble in the kitchen, not that theyd help against a platoon of yeomen.) So, lady, how goes the mourning?Surprisingly well. regret suits me, I think. Grief or war, Im not sure which. But Ive had good proclivity and my complexions been rosy. She picked up a hand reflect and regarded herself, then caught my reflection and turned. But, Pocket, what are you doing here?Oh, loyalty to the cause and all. With the French at our bloody doors, thought Id come plunk for to help defend home and hearth. It was probably best we not pursue the reasons wherefore I was there, so I touch on. How goes the war, then?Complicated. Affairs of state are complicated, Pocket. I wouldnt expect a fool to understand.But Im a royal, now, kitten. Didnt you know?She get down her mirror and looked as if she might burst out laughing. Silly fool. If you could catch nobility by touch youd have been a knight years ago, wouldnt you? But alas, youre still common as cat shit.Ha Yes, once. But now, cousin, blue blood unpicks in my veins. In fact, Ive a mind to start a war and shag some relatives, which I believe are the prime pastimes of royalty.Nonsense. And dont call me cousin.Shag the rural and kill some relatives, then? Ive been noble less than a week, I dont have all the pro tocol memorized yet. Oh, and we are cousins, kitten. Our fathers were companions.Impossible. Regan nibbled at some dry fruit Bubble had laid out on the tray.Lears brother Canus raped my mother on a bridge in Yorkshire while Lear held her down. I am the issue of that unpleasant union. Your cousin. I bowed. At your bloody service.A bastard. I might have known.Oh, but bastards are vessels of promise, are they not? Or didnt I watch you slay your lord the duke, to run to the arms of a bastard who is, I believe, now the Earl of Gloucester. By the way, how goes the romance? fervent and unsavory, I trust.She sat down then and ran her fingernails through her jet hair as if raking thoughts out of her scalp. Oh, I fancy him fine although hes been a bit disappointing since that beginning(a) time. But the intrigue is bloody exhausting, what with Goneril exhausting to bed Edmund, and he not universe able to show me deference for awe of losing Albanys support, and bloody France invading i n the center of it all. If Id known all that my husband had to die hard to Id have waited a while before killing him.There, there, kitten. I moved around behind her and rubbed her shoulders. Your complexion is rosy and your proclivity good, and you are, as always, a veritable ca-ca of shagability. Once youre queen you can have everyone beheaded and take a long nap.Thats just it. Its not like I can just put on the crown and go sovereigning merrily on God, St. George, and the whole rotting mess into history. I have to worst the fucking French, then Ive got to kill Albany, Goneril, and I suppose Ill have to find Father and have something weighed down fall on him or the community will never accept me.Good news on that, love. Lears in the dungeon. crazy as a hatter, but alive.He is?Aye. Edmund just returned from Dover with him. You didnt know?Edmund is back?Not three hours ago. I followed him back. damn He hasnt even sent enounce that hes returned. I sent a garner to him in Dover.This earn? I took the letter that Oswald had dropped. Id broken the seal, of course, but she recognized it and snatched it out of my hand.How did you get that? I sent that with Gonerils man, Oswald, to give to Edmund personally.Yes, well, I sent Oswald to vermin Valhalla before delivery was secured.You killed him?I told you, kitten, Im nobility now a murderous little beef like the rest of you. Just as well, too, that letters a flitty bit o butterfly toss, innit? Dont you have any advisers to help you with that sort of thing? A chancellor or a chamberlain, a bloody bishop or person?Ive no one. Everyone is at the castle in Cornwall.Oh, love, let your cousin Pocket help.Would you?Of course. First, lets see to sister. I took two of the vials from the purse at my belt. This red one is deadly poison. But the blue one is only like a poison, giving the same signs as if one is dead, but they will but sleep one day for each drop they drink. You could put two drops of this in your s isters wine say, when you are ready to ardor the French and for two days she would sleep the sleep of the dead while you and Edmund did your will, and without losing the support of Albany in the war.And the poison?Well, kitten, the poison may not be needed. You could belt down France, take Edmund for your own, and come to an agreement with your sister and Albany.I have an agreement with them now. The kingdom is divided as father decreed.Im only saying that you may fight the French, have Edmund, and not have to slay your sister.And what if we dont defeat France?Well, then, you have the poison, dont you?Well, thats bollocks counseling, said Regan.Wait, cousin, I havent told you the part where you make me Duke of Buckingham yet. Id like that tricksy old palace, Hyde Park. St. Jamess Park, and a monkey.Youre daftNamed Jeff. besot outI palmed the love letter from the table as I exited. rapidly through the corridors, across the courtyard, and back to the kitchen where I traded my codp iece for a pair of waiters bloomers. It was one thing to leave Jones and my coxcomb with the ferryman, another(prenominal) to incomprehensible my blades away with Bubble, but giving up my codpiece was like losing my spirit.I was nearly washed-up by its enormity, said I to Squeak, to whom I handed the portable den of my anthropoid inequity.Aye, a family of squirrels could nest in the bare(a) space, Squeak observed, dropping a handful of the walnuts shed been shelling into the empty prick pouch. applaud you didnt rattle like a dried gourd when you walked, said Bubble.Fine. Cast aspersions on my manhood if you will, but Ill not relief you when the French arrive. Theyre unnaturally fond of common snogging and they smell of snails and cheese. I will laugh ha as you twain are mercilessly cheese-snogged by froggy marauders.Dont truly sound that bad to me, said Squeak.Pocket, youd break be off, lad, said Bubble. Gonerils supper is going up now.Adieu, said I, a preview of the F renchy future(a) of my former friends and soon to be frog-snogged treasonous tarts. Adieu. I bowed. I feigned fainting with a great wrist-to-brow flourish, and I left.(I admit it, one does like to lubricate his recurrent entrances and exits with a bit of melodrama. Performance is all to the fool.)Gonerils quarters were less spacious than Regans, but luxurious, and there was a fire going. I hadnt set foot here since shed left the castle to marry Albany, but upon returning I found I was simultaneously horny and filled with dread memories simmering under the lid of consciousness, I suppose. She wore cobalt with currency trim, daringly cut. She must have known Edmund was back. PumpkinPocket? What are you doing here? She waved the other servers and a young lady who had been braiding her hair out of the room. And wherefore are you dressed in that chimerical outfit?I know, said I. Poncy breeches. Without my codpiece I feel defenseless.I think they make you look taller, she said.A di lemma. Taller in breeches or stunningly virile in a cod? Both illusions. some(prenominal)ly with its advantage. Which do you think makes a divulge impression on the fairer sex, love, tall or hung?Isnt your apprentice both?But hes oh Yes. She bit into a winter plum.I see, said I. So, what is it with Edmund? All the black kit? What it was, was she was bewitched, was what it was.Edmund. She sighed. I dont think Edmund loves me.And I sat down, with all of Gonerils luncheon repast set before me, and considered cooling my forehead in the tureen of broth. bang? Sodding, bloody, tossing, bloody, sodomistding, bloody love? Irrelevant, superfluous, bloody, ruddy, rotten, sodding love? What ho? Wherefore? What the fuck? Love?Love? said I.No one has ever loved me, said Goneril.What about your mother? Surely your mother?I dont remember her. Lear had her executed when we were little.I didnt know.It was not to be spoken of.Jesus, then? nurse in Christ?What comfort? Im a duchess, Pocket, a p rincess, perhaps a queen. You cant get hold in Christ. Are you daft? You have to ask Christ to leave the room. Your very first war or transaction and youre right fucked for forgiveness, arent you? Theres Jesusy disapproval and scowling at least and you have to act like you dont see it.Hes infinite in his forgiveness, said I. It says so somewhere.As should we all be, it excessively says. But I dont believe it. Ive never forgiven our father for killing our mother and I never shall. I dont believe, Pocket. Theres no comfort or love there. I dont believe.Me, either, lady. So, sod Jesus. Surely Edmund will fall in love with you when you become closer and hes had a chance to murder your husband. Love require room to grow, like a rose. Or a tumor.Hes passionate enough, although never so enthusiastic as that first night in the tower.Have you introduced him to your well special tastes?Those will not win his heart.Nonsense, love, a black-hearted prince like Edmund verily starves to hav e his mill about smacked by a fair damosel like yourself. Probably what hes craving, just too shy to ask.I think another has caught his eye. I think he fancies my sister.No, thats his fathers eye she caught, well, speared, really, I thought, but then I thought better. Perhaps I can help you resolve the conflict, pumpkin. And at that, I produced the red and blue vials from my purse. I explained how one was for death-like sleep, and the other afforded more permanent rest. And as I did so, I cradled the silk purse that still held the last puffball the witches had given me.What if I were to use it on Goneril? Bewitch her to love her own husband? Surely Albany would forgive her. He was a noble chap, despite being a noble. And with that, Regan could have that villain Edmund for herself, the conflict between the sisters would be settled, Edmund would be satisfied with his new employment as Duke of Cornwall and Earl of Gloucester, and all would be well. Of course there were the issues of France attacking, Lear in the dungeon, and a impertinent and comely fool whose fate was suspiciousPumpkin, said I, perhaps if you and Regan came to an understanding. Perhaps if she were put to sleep until her army had done its responsibility against France. Perhaps mercy And that was as far as I got, as the bastard Edmund came through the door at that moment.What is this? demanded the bastard.Dont you fucking knock? said I. Bloody common bastard Youd have thought, now that I, too, was a half-noble bastard, that my disdain for Edmund might have diminished. Strangely, no.Guard. Take this worm to the dungeon until I have time to deal with him. four-spot guards, not of the old Tower force, came in and chased me around the solar several times before I was tripped up by the constrained step of my waiter breeches. The lad theyd been made for must have been smaller even than I. They pinned my arms behind me and dragged me out of the room. As I went self-referent through the door, I ca lled, GonerilShe held up her hand and they stopped there and held me.You have been loved, said I.Oh, take him out and beat him, said Goneril.She jests, said I. The lady jests.