Fostering Creativity Essay -- Marketing, Innovation

The subject of score one for creativity or idea in the organization or workplace, in varied tactics or approaches, is gaining recognition as a critical part in assisting businesses to achieve better returns or profits and keeping employees satisfied; leaders and management increasingly realize creativity as the groundwork of competition in business (Gardner, 2007). In order to survive and succeed in this highly competitive market, creativity is not only the necessity requirement in the 21st century for business enterprises or institutions, and it is also the prerequisite for individuals and employees (Florida, 2010). In the following sections, this study will analyze and focus on the issues: The attributes that foster creativity and the elements or aspects that consider stifling creativity in 3C Inc. (3C), and how these attributes help evaluating strategic creativity and what approaches that they facilitate to create or manage creativity in the organization. Fostering creativity and 3C Inc. The subject of score one for creativity or innovation in the business or workplace, in varied tactics or approaches, is gaining recognition as a critical part in assisting organizations to achieve better returns or profits and keeping employees satisfied; leaders and management increasingly realize creativity and idea as the foundation or groundwork of competition in business (Gardner, 2007). As we are moving from an industrial economy to a creative economy, and in order to survive and succeed in this highly competitive market, creativity is not only the n foremost requirement in the 21st century for nations and business enterprises or institutions, and it is also the prerequisite for individuals and employee... ...). Lastly, as people argue that business in 3C needs to maintain focus, and the proposal of market potential appears rather small relative to the size of the current business; management and leaders must explain and remind them that many ideas first appeal unimportant or undersized functions, but they may develop and become bigger as the technology progresses, and users may find new uses for them (Harvard). As an open-innovation company, 3C leaders and managers must not suppress creativity or undermine and weaken it, they must keep away from the attributes that stifle creativity in the organization. The figure one below illustrates that (1) creative-thinking skills are one element of creativity and innovation, but that (2) expertise or knowledge and skills, and (3) motivation or inspiration are also vital and indispensable (Serrat, 2009; Harvard, 2003).

Ebags Case Study

eBags Case Study BUSI: 2003 Operations Management 11/16/2012 The eBags Corporation The purpose of this paper is analyze the business operations of the eBags Corporation, and provide recommendations for both the European luggage market and footwear industry based on current strengths and weaknesses eBags demonstrates. Through research and analysis, as a group we will map out the managing growth of the eBags Corporation. eBags is known for their innovative breakthrough of one stop shopping for luggage such as traditional travel bags and suitcases in addition to travel accessories like handbags, computer cases, and briefcases just to name a few.Operations management is a key component to the success of the eBags Corporation, and eBags has demonstrated innovative and cost effective business strategies by utilizing cross functional teams within their organization. With business growing, eBags has been able to increase their manufacturers from 10 to 300 and product lines increasing from 10 00 Stock Keeping Units (SKU’s) to over 15,000 SKU’s (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011).Due to the level of success eBags has accomplished they were able to create the eBags product line to consumers seeking low end luggage at an affordable price; the private label consisted of 1000 SKU’s held in a warehouse in Dallas, TX (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011) With desires of expanding their business eBags faces a number of hurdles in deciding which line of business will best suit their organization, their suppliers and manufacturers, their customers, all while generating the highest profit for their company. eBags Current Product Flow Process AnalysisTo maintain competitive in today’s market companies need to implement effective process flows. With options such as assembly lines, continuous, batch flow, and job shop it is important for companies to chose the option that is best going to fit both production needs and budget constraints. M aking the wrong choice for the product flow process can be very costly for any company; however, implementing the right process can reduce costs and speed up production time. The purpose of eBags is to create one stop shopping for luggage needs and in order to do so a wide variety of products should be available to their consumers. Bag and their manufactures use a made to stock order fulfillment process, and with various manufacturers and the eBags private label produced, eBags felt best to utilize the batch flow or batch production product flow process. This allowed products to be produced in lower volumes while still offering consumers a wide variety of products to choose from. By utilizing the batch flow process, it requires the use of general purpose equipment that does not specialize in making one specific product, which if loaded to full capacity could create a jumbled flow of products (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011).In order to maintain accurate inventory levels , eBags created the eBags Partner Network (EPN) which allows for the manufactures to post up to date product information to consumers ensuring that discontinued items don’t show available for purchase and consumers know the time needed for back order fulfillment. Analysis of eBags in the Footwear Industry and Recommended Product Flow Process Based on Type of Customer OrderWith such success rates in the luggage industry, eBags saw an opportunity to expand their business into foreign terrain, the footwear industry. With the footwear industry being a well known fragmented market, like the luggage market, allowing for flexibility to produce various different styles, designs, qualities, sizes, and colors while maintaining a competitive price. According to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), the footwear industry is three times the size of the luggage industry, so venturing into this market would not be an easy task.Some of the challenges that eBags faced in this market t hat they did not in the luggage market included: making consumers aware of the ability purchase footwear through an online channel and consumers generally want to try their shoes on to make they are getting the right product before purchasing (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011). However, eBags identified that if they could overcome the hurdles associated with this market they could expand even further with apparel and clothing which Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), described as the largest online retail market.With hopes to exploit the footwear industry with one stop shopping, eBags should continue to utilize the batch flow process for their product flow process of footwear. With the footwear industry being similarly fragmented to the luggage industry, by using the batch flow process eBags will be able to produce at low to medium volumes allowing for an equally wide line of products to choose from. This will allow customer to order multiple pairs of shoes simu ltaneously so they can try them one and decide which pair is going to best fit their style and comfort needs.With this approach, eBags can also implement the EPN with footwear manufacturers to ensure that up to date products are available eliminating issues of consumers trying to order out of stock or discontinued merchandise. Analysis of eBags in the European Luggage Market and Recommended Product-Process Strategy According to a 2002 report, â€Å"190 million internet users had spread across Europe and surpassed the 165 million internet users in the United States† (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011, p. 513). Expanding the current line of business would be safe and effective business strategy for eBags with minor hurdles to consider.The luggage industry is not a foreign concept for eBags, so to be able to expand their products into the European market would require similar business strategies that they are currently using. No one consumer is the same therefore their product needs, including luggage will generally not be the same. The goal is to create one stop shopping for consumers in the European market for their luggage needs and in order to accomplish this, eBags will need to provide a variety of products and lines for their new customers to choose from.Some of the issues that eBags faces, according to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), are language barriers involved in international shipping, shipping requirements, brand awareness, and maintaining the EPN. To overcome the hurdle of international shipping, eBags can create relationships with manufacturers domestic to the European market. eBags will be able to incur the cost of shipping without having to pay the expenses associated with international shipping unless they made their private label available to the European market.Also, this will allow eBags to mirror the drop ship model that contributed significantly to the success of their organization. To achieve the success eBag s is looking for in this market, it is recommended that eBags continues to utilize the batch flow process for product flow. This also allows for incorporation the EPN into the new market still allowing for their consumers to have up to date product information. This process will continue to meet the business needs of the luggage industry by producing at low volumes but offering flexibility to accommodate products that meet the low, middle and high end of the market.As with the American luggage industry, eBags products will use a made to stock order fulfillment and the manufacturer will be able to control the inventory by using the EPN. Customer Contact Matrix Analysis of eBags: Strengths and Weaknesses of eBags Processes The level of customer contact for eBags is low which puts them at the high end of a buffered system and the low end of the permeable system on the customer contact matrix. The eBags website is set up to help consumers be self sufficient during the ordering process f rom beginning to end, and because there is no interaction involved their customer service is buffered.In the event the consumer needs additional assistance, they can call the customer service center and the phone interaction would fall under permeable on the customer matrix. This can be considered as strength for eBags because â€Å"separating the customer from the service production system allows for greater standardization of processes and therefore better efficiency† (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011, p. 91). eBags is able to focus their attention on product production and quality management of their products without having consumer interruptions.This is what Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, (2011), refers to as variability from uncertainty, specifically arrival variability. With a made to stock fulfillment, consumers use the eBags website to choose from preselected inventory decided by the manufacturer. This process is also built to have low level custome r contact to eliminate the request variability, which puts eBags at the advantage of having a high efficient system because orders are completed away from the customer. Weaknesses with a low level customer ontact causes eBags to miss out additional business opportunities. According to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), high customer contact allows for opportunities to up-sell the customer with accessories or additional sale items in creating more revenue for the company. If eBags entered the footwear industry, eventually expanding into apparel and clothing, they will miss out on great deal of potential revenue. Secondly, consumers who have difficulties navigating through the eBags website will cost eBags a sale resulting in loss of business.Analysis of eBags Use of Technology in Providing Competitive Customer Service Technology it vital to business of eBags as all of their business transactions occur through the internet, so it is important that eBags employs a high skill ed technology department to ensure business runs smoothly. The systematic technology used allows the consumer to filter their results by type brand, features, color, price, by size, etc, making it easy and quick to find the right product (Horwitt, 2011). To enhance the customer experience eBags has invested a great deal into the online shopping experience for their consumers.According to PRNewswire (2012), eBags has implemented the FreeFlow system, which has allowed them to provide better rich product information to their consumers with limited interruptions in website downloads. eBags also incorporated what is referred to as ColdFusion software, which will create the ultimate customer experience by creating personalized stores for their consumers (PRNewswire, 2012). The personalized store will track the customers spending habits and provide product recommendations based on previous purchased items. Another important way the internet is used to provide competitive customer service i s through the EPN.The EPN is a way to connect the consumer with up to date product information, and with the scorecard system the manufacturers can track product sales, returns, and customer feedback (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011). Analysis of eBags’ Useof Three Aspects of the â€Å"Philosophy of Lean† Lean business practices are important to corporation survival in today’s business market. Companies are looking for ways to stay in business by bringing new products to the market with faster delivery times and higher standards of quality.In order to stay in competition with the surrounding market most of today’s businesses have incorporated lean thinking into their business practices by adopting some if not all of the five lean tenets. The five tenets are: 1) what about product or service creates value, 2) improve value stream for each product or service, 3) flow within a process is simple, smooth, and error free, reducing waste, 4) produce only what is pulled by the customer, 5) strive for perfection ((Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011).The first tenet that eBags demonstrates is creating both a product and a service that adds value for their consumers. eBags carries a wide selection of products and labels to choose from all while offering their customers the convenience to one stop shop from anywhere with an internet connection. This has saved eBags’ customers time and money from having to travel to a retail store that may or may not have what they are looking for.According to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), this lean tenet has allowed eBags to compete on product breadth, selection, and convenience instead of price. The second tenet that eBags demonstrates is improvement of value stream mapping by incorporated the drop-ship model, which is another way putting the customer in contact with the manufacturer by eliminating the middleman. With the customer orders going directly to the manufac turer, eBags was able to eliminate the middle man (retail merchant location), and create a direct customer-manufacturer relationship.The visual representation described on page 509 of Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), shows the customer placing their order on the eBags website, eBags then sends the order to the manufacturer electronically, the manufacturer ships the merchandise to the customer, eBags provides the customer with the shipping tracking number and customer is billed for the merchandise, the manufacturer sends eBags an invoice, and finally the manufacturer is paid.The third tenet seen by eBags is the creating simple, smooth, and error free process flows that reduce waste, which can be seen through the incorporation of EPN. Because this system allows the manufacturers to control inventory levels eBags has been able to avoid any waste associated with inventory costs and reduce overhead costs. Also, according to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), eBags was able to effectively market their products by removing items that were out of order or discontinued. Bags’ Service Blueprint for Current Product Line Analysis and Recommendation Regarding Business Process Reengineering The basic service blue print is as follows: Based on the group analysis of this service blueprint it is not recommended for eBags to consider a process reengineering. The goal of a process reengineering is to redesign and integrate the business process to increase customer satisfaction. eBags have set themselves apart from their competition with their service blueprint, and any changes can be considered a waste.Footwear Industry Quality Control Analysis and Recommendations The footwear industry is very different from the luggage industry, shoes will be on a person and a level of comfort is important when configuring quality control. One step in maintaining quality control in the footwear industry is to recruit manufacturers with reputable quality assurance guidelines such as material inspection, testing, and final inspections of product before shipped to the consumer. It is also important that the manufacturers hire knowledgeable, competent, and skilled staff to ensure that all quality standards are being met.A second step in quality control, according to Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham (2011), is to clearly identify the needs of the consumers. Once consumer needs are identified the consumer is not lost from the picture, consumer input is needed design specifications with the use of quality function deployment. This can also include information regarding consumer identified life expectancy of the shoes being produced consumers are not going to spend money on shoes that they are going to have to replace every 6 months. Malcolm Baldrige Award Analysis and Recommendation(s)Established in 1987, the Malcolm Baldrige Awarad was created to encourage businesses to strive for higher quality performance through management practices and im proved quality results (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2011). Spread between seven (7) categories: 1) leadership, 2) strategic planning, 3) customer focus, 4) measurement, analysis, and knowledge management, 5) workforce focus, 6) process management, 7) results; the Malcolm Baldrige Award allows for 1000 total points combined between the seven categories measuring quality assurance.As judges for the Malcolm Baldrige Award, our assessment of eBags Incorporated for this strategic award is as follows: Category and Items (2010):| Points| Comments| | | | | 1. Leadership| | | 1. 1. | Senior Leadership| 70| Senior management work collaboratively to analyze previous results and asses future business ventures| 1. 2. |   Governance and Social Responsibilities| 50| According to PRNews (2012), eBags partnered with Susan G Komen to create â€Å"pink program†. Over 900 pink items offered that eBags contributes 10% of retail sales to the Komen Foundation. | 2. Strategic Planning| | | 2. | Strategy Development| 40| Created one-stop shopping for consumers, incorporated the drop-ship model, and added EPN and vendor scorecard to website to keep consumers informed| 2. 2| Strategy Deployment| 30| Meeting to discuss future business plans for eBags (Footwear Industry or European Market) based on previous years sales numbers| 3. Customer Focus| | | 3. 1| Customer Engagement| 40| Customer engagement can be seen in what Yahoo (2012), called the â€Å"Bag an iPad† campaign that created flexibility in customer interaction by expanding to the channels that consumers use most to communicate. 3. 2| Voice of the Customer| 45| Voice of the customer can be seen through the EPN, manufactures and other consumers can read reviews and testimonials. This gives eBags an opportunity to learn what consumers want and make changes to their products and prcesses if needed. | 4. Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management| | 4. 1| Measurement, Analysis, and Improvement of Organ ization Performance| 40| This category reiterates the EPN and vendor score card system. Manufacturers are able to measure performance and use feedback to incorporate innovated ways to increase sales| 4. | Management of Information, Knowledge, and information technology| 40| ExtractTarget program, consumers receive up to date product and sales information, consumer reviews, and receive discount coupons. | 5. Workforce Focus| | | 5. 1| Workforce Engagement| 10| No information provided to support this category| 5. 2| Workforce Environment| 10| No information provided to support this category| 6. Process Management| | | 6. 1| Work Systems| 30| Maintaining the internet to avoid congestion within the website.Flow of the drop ship model| 6. 2| Work Processes| 45| eBags work processes is reflected through their improvement of work systems. | 7. Results| | | 7. 1| Product Outcomes| 90| I believe eBags has a strong product outcome by offering the customers products in the high, middle, and lo w end of the market| 7. 2| Customer-Focused Outcomes| 70| The process of the drop-ship model from eBags demonstrates how effective the experience is with the company, from shopping, to delivery to the vendor getting paid. 7. 3| Financial and Market Outcomes| 65| The financial and market outcomes at eBags have been set by their determination to offer more than 700 different brands to its market. This is done through cross functional teams within each department of eBags| 7. 4| Workforce-Focused Outcomes| 65| | 7. 5| Process Effectiveness Outcomes| 70| The process of the drop-ship model from eBags demonstrates how effective the experience is with the company, from shopping, to delivery to the vendor getting paid. | 7. | Leadership Outcomes| 70| By utilizing cross functional teams to create efficient and effective product and process flows, eBags has been able to shine among the industry setting precedence for future businesses. | | | | | | Total | 880| | In conclusion even though eBag s has some strong characteristics that can be appreciated in quality management it also has some weaknesses that can be improved on. These weaknesses impede eBags attempts at trying to win the Malcolm Baldridge Award. Analysis and Recommendation(s) for eBags Supply Chain Improvements The supply chain of eBags has been slimmed down as low as it can get.By implementing the drop ship model and EPN, all those involved in the supply chain are needed and the current processes are keeping consumers happy with wide selections of merchandise that can fit any style. It is recommendation that eBags is not in need of improvement in structure or infrastructure. By maintaining cross functional teams in product and process development eBags can stay on top of the competition by implementing innovative ways to improve process flows. Conclusion Over the years eBags has made a big name for itself being named Internet Retailer Magazine’s Top 50 Websites (Schroeder, Goldstein, & Rungusanatham, 2 011).With hopes to expand, eBags can venture into a brand new industry that can eventually open more doors or they can expand their current market into the unknown terrain of Europe. Both ventures will require cross functional teams to ensure that consumer wants and needs are addressed while creating process flows that will generate revenue for the company. Regardless of the industry eBags continues to expand in, the use of batch flow process and made to stock order process will accommodate any needs within any industry. Bags has set precedence for their innovate ways of conducting business such as with the drop ship model, EPN, vendor scorecard system, private label, and one stop shopping with the use of technology. eBags has also adapted well to current business practices and implanted the five tenets of lean which was a vital part of their success during a time of economic crisis. By conducting all business transactions, eBags has been deemed a low customer contact company becaus e all contact is done through the eBags website or on the phone with customer service representatives.Although eBags is missing out on opportunities for up-sale because of limited customer engagement, they make up their losses by saving consumers time and money from having to travel for their luggage needs. eBags scored rather high with the Malcolm Baldrige Award but was not quite at the mark to win. The category that had the biggest impact was workforce focus and very little information was available to support a higher score in this category. eBags can work on all areas in this category for improvement to secure a win of the Malcolm Baldrige Award.References: PRNewswire. (2012). eBags. com Raises Breast Cancer Awareness Year-Round with Pick Pink Program. Retrieved November 9, 2012 from http://www. prnewswire. com/news-releases/ebagscom-raises-breast-cancer-awareness-year-round-with-pick-pink-program-57176017. html PRNewswire. (2012). eBags. com Redefines Customer Service with Cutt ing-Edge Internet Technology. Retrieved November 2, 2012 from http://www. prnewswire. com/news- releases/ebagscom-redefines-customer-service-with-cutting-edge-internet-technology-73251862. html Horwitt, E. (2011).The Systematic Web gets Down to Business. Retrieved November 3, 2012 from http://www. computerworld. com/s/article/9209118/The_semantic_Web_gets_down_to_business Schroeder, R. G. , Goldstein, S. M. , & Rungusanatham, M. J. (2011). Operations management: contemporary concepts and cases. (5th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Yahoo Finance. (2012). eBags Boosts Fall Sales with New ExactTarget-Powered Cross Channel Marketing on Facebook, Email, and Mobile. Retrieved November 10, 2012 from http://finance. yahoo. com/news/ebags-boosts-fall-sales-exacttarget-153000369. html.

The Da Vinci Code Chapter 84-86

CHAPTER 84 In a rubbish-strewn alley very close to Temple Church, Remy Legaludec pulled the Jaguar limousine to a stop behind a row of industrial waste bins. Killing the engine, he checked the area. Deserted. He got out of the car, walked toward the rear, and climbed back into the limousine's main cabin where the monk was. Sensing Remy's presence, the monk in the back emerged from a prayer-like trance, his red eyes looking more curious than fearful. All evening Remy had been impressed with this trussed man's ability to stay calm. After some initial struggles in the Range Rover, the monk seemed to have accepted his plight and given over his fate to a higher power. Loosening his bow tie, Remy unbuttoned his high, starched, wing-tipped collar and felt as if he could breathe for the first time in years. He went to the limousine's wet bar, where he poured himself a Smirnoff vodka. He drank it in a single swallow and followed it with a second. Soon I will be a man of leisure. Searching the bar, Remy found a standard service wine-opener and flicked open the sharp blade. The knife was usually employed to slice the lead foil from corks on fine bottles of wine, but it would serve a far more dramatic purpose this morning. Remy turned and faced Silas, holding up the glimmering blade. Now those red eyes flashed fear. Remy smiled and moved toward the back of the limousine. The monk recoiled, struggling against his bonds. â€Å"Be still,† Remy whispered, raising the blade. Silas could not believe that God had forsaken him. Even the physical pain of being bound Silas had turned into a spiritual exercise, asking the throb of his blood-starved muscles to remind him of the pain Christ endured. I have been praying all night for liberation.Now, as the knife descended, Silas clenched his eyes shut. A slash of pain tore through his shoulder blades. He cried out, unable to believe he was going to die here in the back of this limousine, unable to defend himself. I was doing God's work.TheTeacher said he would protect me. Silas felt the biting warmth spreading across his back and shoulders and could picture his own blood, spilling out over his flesh. A piercing pain cut through his thighs now, and he felt the onset of that familiar undertow of disorientation – the body's defense mechanism against the pain. As the biting heat tore through all of his muscles now, Silas clenched his eyes tighter, determined that the final image of his life would not be of his own killer. Instead he pictured a younger Bishop Aringarosa, standing before the small church in Spain†¦ the church that he and Silas had built with their own hands. The beginning of my life. Silas felt as if his body were on fire. â€Å"Take a drink,† the tuxedoed man whispered, his accent French. â€Å"It will help with your circulation.† Silas's eyes flew open in surprise. A blurry image was leaning over him, offering a glass of liquid. A mound of shredded duct tape lay on the floor beside the bloodless knife. â€Å"Drink this,† he repeated. â€Å"The pain you feel is the blood rushing into your muscles.† Silas felt the fiery throb transforming now to a prickling sting. The vodka tasted terrible, but he drank it, feeling grateful. Fate had dealt Silas a healthy share of bad luck tonight, but God had solved it all with one miraculous twist. God has not forsaken me. Silas knew what Bishop Aringarosa would call it. Divine intervention. â€Å"I had wanted to free you earlier,† the servant apologized,† but it was impossible. With the police arriving at Chateau Villette, and then at Biggin Hill airport, this was the first possible moment. You understand, don't you, Silas?† Silas recoiled, startled. â€Å"You know my name?† The servant smiled. Silas sat up now, rubbing his stiff muscles, his emotions a torrent of incredulity, appreciation, and confusion. â€Å"Are you†¦ the Teacher?† Remy shook his head, laughing at the proposition. â€Å"I wish I had that kind of power. No, I am not the Teacher. Like you, I serve him. But the Teacher speaks highly of you. My name is Remy.† Silas was amazed. â€Å"I don't understand. If you work for the Teacher, why did Langdon bring the keystone to your home?† â€Å"Not my home. The home of the world's foremost Grail historian, Sir Leigh Teabing.† â€Å"But you live there. The odds†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Remy smiled, seeming to have no trouble with the apparent coincidence of Langdon's chosen refuge. â€Å"It was all utterly predictable. Robert Langdon was in possession of the keystone, and he needed help. What more logical place to run than to the home of Leigh Teabing? That I happen to live there is why the Teacher approached me in the first place.† He paused. â€Å"How do you think the Teacher knows so much about the Grail?† Now it dawned, and Silas was stunned. The Teacher had recruited a servant who had access to all of Sir Leigh Teabing's research. It was brilliant. â€Å"There is much I have to tell you,† Remy said, handing Silas the loaded Heckler Koch pistol. Then he reached through the open partition and retrieved a small, palm-sized revolver from the glove box. â€Å"But first, you and I have a job to do.† Captain Fache descended from his transport plane at Biggin Hill and listened in disbelief to the Kent chief inspector's account of what had happened in Teabing's hangar. â€Å"I searched the plane myself,† the inspector insisted,† and there was no one inside.† His tone turned haughty. â€Å"And I should add that if Sir Leigh Teabing presses charges against me, I will – â€Å" â€Å"Did you interrogate the pilot?† â€Å"Of course not. He is French, and our jurisdiction requires – â€Å"Take me to the plane.† Arriving at the hangar, Fache needed only sixty seconds to locate an anomalous smear of blood on the pavement near where the limousine had been parked. Fache walked up to the plane and rapped loudly on the fuselage. â€Å"This is the captain of the French Judicial Police. Open the door!† The terrified pilot opened the hatch and lowered the stairs. Fache ascended. Three minutes later, with the help of his sidearm, he had a full confession, including a description of the bound albino monk. In addition, he learned that the pilot saw Langdon and Sophie leave something behind in Teabing's safe, a wooden box of some sort. Although the pilot denied knowing what was in the box, he admitted it had been the focus of Langdon's full attention during the flight to London. â€Å"Open the safe,† Fache demanded. The pilot looked terrified. â€Å"I don't know the combination!† â€Å"That's too bad. I was going to offer to let you keep your pilot's license.† The pilot wrung his hands. â€Å"I know some men in maintenance here. Maybe they could drill it?† â€Å"You have half an hour.† The pilot leapt for his radio. Fache strode to the back of the plane and poured himself a hard drink. It was early, but he had not yet slept, so this hardly counted as drinking before noon. Sitting in a plush bucket seat, he closed his eyes, trying to sort out what was going on. The Kent police's blunder could cost me dearly. Everyone was now on the lookout for a black Jaguar limousine. Fache's phone rang, and he wished for a moment's peace. â€Å"Allo?† â€Å"I'm en route to London.† It was Bishop Aringarosa. â€Å"I'll be arriving in an hour.† Fache sat up. â€Å"I thought you were going to Paris.† â€Å"I am deeply concerned. I have changed my plans.† â€Å"You should not have.† â€Å"Do you have Silas?† â€Å"No. His captors eluded the local police before I landed.† Aringarosa's anger rang sharply. â€Å"You assured me you would stop that plane!† Fache lowered his voice. â€Å"Bishop, considering your situation, I recommend you not test my patience today. I will find Silas and the others as soon as possible. Where are you landing?† â€Å"One moment.† Aringarosa covered the receiver and then came back. â€Å"The pilot is trying to get clearance at Heathrow. I'm his only passenger, but our redirect was unscheduled.† â€Å"Tell him to come to Biggin Hill Executive Airport in Kent. I'll get him clearance. If I'm not here when you land, I'll have a car waiting for you.† â€Å"Thank you.† â€Å"As I expressed when we first spoke, Bishop, you would do well to remember that you are not the only man on the verge of losing everything.† CHAPTER 85 You seek the orb that ought be on his tomb. Each of the carved knights within the Temple Church lay on his back with his head resting on a rectangular stone pillow. Sophie felt a chill. The poem's reference to an† orb† conjured images of the night in her grandfather's basement. Hieros Gamos. The orbs. Sophie wondered if the ritual had been performed in this very sanctuary. The circular room seemed custom-built for such a pagan rite. A stone pew encircled a bare expanse of floor in the middle. A theater in the round, as Robert had called it. She imagined this chamber at night, filled with masked people, chanting by torchlight, all witnessing a† sacred communion† in the center of the room. Forcing the image from her mind, she advanced with Langdon and Teabing toward the first group of knights. Despite Teabing's insistence that their investigation should be conducted meticulously, Sophie felt eager and pushed ahead of them, making a cursory walk-through of the five knights on the left. Scrutinizing these first tombs, Sophie noted the similarities and differences between them. Every knight was on his back, but three of the knights had their legs extended straight out while two had their legs crossed. The oddity seemed to have no relevance to the missing orb. Examining their clothing, Sophie noted that two of the knights wore tunics over their armor, while the other three wore ankle-length robes. Again, utterly unhelpful. Sophie turned her attention to the only other obvious difference – their hand positions. Two knights clutched swords, two prayed, and one had his arms at his side. After a long moment looking at the hands, Sophie shrugged, having seen no hint anywhere of a conspicuously absent orb. Feeling the weight of the cryptex in her sweater pocket, she glanced back at Langdon and Teabing. The men were moving slowly, still only at the third knight, apparently having no luck either. In no mood to wait, she turned away from them toward the second group of knights. As she crossed the open space, she quietly recited the poem she had read so many times now that it was committed to memory. In London lies a knight a Pope interred. His labor's fruit a Holy wrath incurred. You seek the orb that ought be on his tomb. It speaks of Rosy flesh and seeded womb. When Sophie arrived at the second group of knights, she found that this second group was similar to the first. All lay with varied body positions, wearing armor and swords. That was, all except the tenth and final tomb. Hurrying over to it, she stared down. No pillow. No armor. No tunic. No sword. â€Å"Robert? Leigh?† she called, her voice echoing around the chamber. â€Å"There's something missing over here.† Both men looked up and immediately began to cross the room toward her. â€Å"An orb?† Teabing called excitedly. His crutches clicked out a rapid staccato as he hurried across the room. â€Å"Are we missing an orb?† â€Å"Not exactly,† Sophie said, frowning at the tenth tomb. â€Å"We seem to be missing an entire knight.† Arriving beside her both men gazed down in confusion at the tenth tomb. Rather than a knight lying in the open air, this tomb was a sealed stone casket. The casket was trapezoidal, tapered at the feet, widening toward the top, with a peaked lid. â€Å"Why isn't this knight shown?† Langdon asked. â€Å"Fascinating,† Teabing said, stroking his chin. â€Å"I had forgotten about this oddity. It's been years since I was here.† â€Å"This coffin,† Sophie said,† looks like it was carved at the same time and by the same sculptor as the other nine tombs. So why is this knight in a casket rather than in the open?† Teabing shook his head. â€Å"One of this church's mysteries. To the best of my knowledge, nobody has ever found any explanation for it.† â€Å"Hello?† the altar boy said, arriving with a perturbed look on his face. â€Å"Forgive me if this seems rude, but you told me you wanted to spread ashes, and yet you seem to be sightseeing.† Teabing scowled at the boy and turned to Langdon. â€Å"Mr. Wren, apparently your family's philanthropy does not buy you the time it used to, so perhaps we should take out the ashes and get on with it.† Teabing turned to Sophie. â€Å"Mrs. Wren?† Sophie played along, pulling the vellum-wrapped cryptex from her pocket. â€Å"Now then,† Teabing snapped at the boy,† if you would give us some privacy?† The altar boy did not move. He was eyeing Langdon closely now. â€Å"You look familiar.† Teabing huffed. â€Å"Perhaps that is because Mr. Wren comes here every year!† Or perhaps, Sophie now feared, because he saw Langdon on television at the Vatican last year. â€Å"I have never met Mr. Wren,† the altar boy declared. â€Å"You're mistaken,† Langdon said politely. â€Å"I believe you and I met in passing last year. Father Knowles failed to formally introduce us, but I recognized your face as we came in. Now, I realize this is an intrusion, but if you could afford me a few more minutes, I have traveled a great distance to scatter ashes amongst these tombs.† Langdon spoke his lines with Teabing-esque believability. The altar boy's expression turned even more skeptical. â€Å"These are not tombs.† â€Å"I'm sorry?† Langdon said. â€Å"Of course they are tombs,† Teabing declared. â€Å"What are you talking about?† The altar boy shook his head. â€Å"Tombs contain bodies. These are effigies. Stone tributes to real men. There are no bodies beneath these figures.† â€Å"This is a crypt!† Teabing said. â€Å"Only in outdated history books. This was believed to be a crypt but was revealed as nothing of the sort during the 1950 renovation.† He turned back to Langdon. â€Å"And I imagine Mr. Wren would know that. Considering it was his family that uncovered that fact.† An uneasy silence fell. It was broken by the sound of a door slamming out in the annex. â€Å"That must be Father Knowles,† Teabing said. â€Å"Perhaps you should go see?† The altar boy looked doubtful but stalked back toward the annex, leaving Langdon, Sophie, and Teabing to eye one another gloomily. â€Å"Leigh,† Langdon whispered. â€Å"No bodies? What is he talking about?† Teabing looked distraught. â€Å"I don't know. I always thought†¦ certainly, this must be the place. I can't imagine he knows what he is talking about. It makes no sense!† â€Å"Can I see the poem again?† Langdon said. Sophie pulled the cryptex from her pocket and carefully handed it to him. Langdon unwrapped the vellum, holding the cryptex in his hand while he examined the poem. â€Å"Yes, the poem definitely references a tomb.Not an effigy.† â€Å"Could the poem be wrong?† Teabing asked. â€Å"Could Jacques Sauniere have made the same mistake I just did?† Langdon considered it and shook his head. â€Å"Leigh, you said it yourself. This church was built by Templars, the military arm of the Priory. Something tells me the Grand Master of the Priory would have a pretty good idea if there were knights buried here.† Teabing looked flabbergasted. â€Å"But this place is perfect.† He wheeled back toward the knights. â€Å"We must be missing something!† Entering the annex, the altar boy was surprised to find it deserted. â€Å"Father Knowles?† I know Iheard the door, he thought, moving forward until he could see the entryway. A thin man in a tuxedo stood near the doorway, scratching his head and looking lost. The altar boy gave an irritated huff, realizing he had forgotten to relock the door when he let the others in. Now some pathetic sod had wandered in off the street, looking for directions to some wedding from the looks of it. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he called out, passing a large pillar,† we're closed.† A flurry of cloth ruffled behind him, and before the altar boy could turn, his head snapped backward, a powerful hand clamping hard over his mouth from behind, muffling his scream. The hand over the boy's mouth was snow-white, and he smelled alcohol. The prim man in the tuxedo calmly produced a very small revolver, which he aimed directly at the boy's forehead. The altar boy felt his groin grow hot and realized he had wet himself. â€Å"Listen carefully,† the tuxedoed man whispered. â€Å"You will exit this church silently, and you will run. You will not stop. Is that clear?† The boy nodded as best he could with the hand over his mouth. â€Å"If you call the police†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The tuxedoed man pressed the gun to his skin. â€Å"I will find you.† The next thing the boy knew, he was sprinting across the outside courtyard with no plans of stopping until his legs gave out. CHAPTER 86 Like a ghost, Silas drifted silently behind his target. Sophie Neveu sensed him too late. Before she could turn, Silas pressed the gun barrel into her spine and wrapped a powerful arm across her chest, pulling her back against his hulking body. She yelled in surprise. Teabing and Langdon both turned now, their expressions astonished and fearful. â€Å"What†¦ ?† Teabing choked out. â€Å"What did you do to Remy!† â€Å"Your only concern,† Silas said calmly,† is that I leave here with the keystone.† This recovery mission, as Remy had described it, was to be clean and simple: Enter the church, take the keystone, and walk out; no killing, no struggle. Holding Sophie firm, Silas dropped his hand from her chest, down to her waist, slipping it inside her deep sweater pockets, searching. He could smell the soft fragrance of her hair through his own alcohol-laced breath. â€Å"Where is it?† he whispered. The keystone was in her sweater pocket earlier. So where is it now? â€Å"It's over here,† Langdon's deep voice resonated from across the room. Silas turned to see Langdon holding the black cryptex before him, waving it back and forth like a matador tempting a dumb animal. â€Å"Set it down,† Silas demanded. â€Å"Let Sophie and Leigh leave the church,† Langdon replied. â€Å"You and I can settle this.† Silas pushed Sophie away from him and aimed the gun at Langdon, moving toward him. â€Å"Not a step closer,† Langdon said. â€Å"Not until they leave the building.† â€Å"You are in no position to make demands.† â€Å"I disagree.† Langdon raised the cryptex high over his head. â€Å"I will not hesitate to smash this on the floor and break the vial inside.† Although Silas sneered outwardly at the threat, he felt a flash of fear. This was unexpected. He aimed the gun at Langdon's head and kept his voice as steady as his hand. â€Å"You would never break the keystone. You want to find the Grail as much as I do.† â€Å"You're wrong. You want it much more. You've proven you're willing to kill for it.† Forty feet away, peering out from the annex pews near the archway, Remy Legaludec felt a rising alarm. The maneuver had not gone as planned, and even from here, he could see Silas was uncertain how to handle the situation. At the Teacher's orders, Remy had forbidden Silas to fire his gun. â€Å"Let them go,† Langdon again demanded, holding the cryptex high over his head and staring into Silas's gun. The monk's red eyes filled with anger and frustration, and Remy tightened with fear that Silas might actually shoot Langdon while he was holding the cryptex. The cryptex cannot fall! The cryptex was to be Remy's ticket to freedom and wealth. A little over a year ago, he was simply a fifty-five-year-old manservant living within the walls of Chateau Villette, catering to the whims of the insufferable cripple Sir Leigh Teabing. Then he was approached with an extraordinary proposition. Remy's association with Sir Leigh Teabing – the preeminent Grail historian on earth – was going to bring Remy everything he had ever dreamed of in life. Since then, every moment he had spent inside Chateau Villette had been leading him to this very instant. I am so close, Remy told himself, gazing into the sanctuary of the Temple Church and the keystone in Robert Langdon's hand. If Langdon dropped it, all would be lost. Am I willing to show my face? It was something the Teacher had strictly forbidden. Remy was the only one who knew the Teacher's identity. â€Å"Are you certain you want Silas to carry out this task?† Remy had asked the Teacher less than half an hour ago, upon getting orders to steal the keystone. â€Å"I myself am capable.† The Teacher was resolute. â€Å"Silas served us well with the four Priory members. He will recover the keystone. You must remain anonymous. If others see you, they will need to be eliminated, and there has been enough killing already. Do not reveal your face.† My face will change, Remy thought. With what you've promised to pay me, I will become an entirely new man.Surgery could even change his fingerprints, the Teacher had told him. Soon he would be free – another unrecognizable, beautiful face soaking up the sun on the beach. â€Å"Understood,† Remy said. â€Å"I will assist Silas from the shadows.† â€Å"For your own knowledge, Remy,† the Teacher had told him,† the tomb in question is not in the Temple Church. So have no fear. They are looking in the wrong place.† Remy was stunned. â€Å"And you know where the tomb is?† â€Å"Of course. Later, I will tell you. For the moment, you must act quickly. If the others figure out the true location of the tomb and leave the church before you take the cryptex, we could lose the Grail forever.† Remy didn't give a damn about the Grail, except that the Teacher refused to pay him until it was found. Remy felt giddy every time he thought of the money he soon would have. One third oftwenty million euro.Plenty to disappear forever.Remy had pictured the beach towns on the Cà ´te d'Azur, where he planned to live out his days basking in the sun and letting others serve him for a change. Now, however, here in the Temple Church, with Langdon threatening to break the keystone, Remy's future was at risk. Unable to bear the thought of coming this close only to lose it all, Remy made the decision to take bold action. The gun in his hand was a concealable, small-caliber, J-frame Medusa, but it would be plenty deadly at close range. Stepping from the shadows, Remy marched into the circular chamber and aimed the gun directly at Teabing's head. â€Å"Old man, I've been waiting a long time to do this.† Sir Leigh Teabing's heart practically stalled to see Remy aiming a gun at him. What is he doing! Teabing recognized the tiny Medusa revolver as his own, the one he kept locked in the limousine glove box for safety. â€Å"Remy?† Teabing sputtered in shock. â€Å"What is going on?† Langdon and Sophie looked equally dumbstruck. Remy circled behind Teabing and rammed the pistol barrel into his back, high and on the left, directly behind his heart. Teabing felt his muscles seize with terror. â€Å"Remy, I don't – â€Å" â€Å"I'll make it simple,† Remy snapped, eyeing Langdon over Teabing's shoulder. â€Å"Set down the keystone, or I pull the trigger.† Langdon seemed momentarily paralyzed. â€Å"The keystone is worthless to you,† he stammered. â€Å"You cannot possibly open it.† â€Å"Arrogant fools,† Remy sneered. â€Å"Have you not noticed that I have been listening tonight as you discussed these poems? Everything I heard, I have shared with others. Others who know more than you. You are not even looking in the right place. The tomb you seek is in another location entirely!† Teabing felt panicked. What is he saying! â€Å"Why do you want the Grail?† Langdon demanded. â€Å"To destroy it? Before the End of Days?† Remy called to the monk. â€Å"Silas, take the keystone from Mr. Langdon.† As the monk advanced, Langdon stepped back, raising the keystone high, looking fully prepared to hurl it at the floor. â€Å"I would rather break it,† Langdon said, â€Å"than see it in the wrong hands.† Teabing now felt a wave of horror. He could see his life's work evaporating before his eyes. All his dreams about to be shattered. â€Å"Robert, no!† Teabing exclaimed. â€Å"Don't! That's the Grail you're holding! Remy would never shoot me. We've known each other for ten – â€Å" Remy aimed at the ceiling and fired the Medusa. The blast was enormous for such a small weapon, the gunshot echoing like thunder inside the stone chamber. Everyone froze.† I am not playing games,† Remy said. â€Å"The next one is in his back. Hand the keystone to Silas.† Langdon reluctantly held out the cryptex. Silas stepped forward and took it, his red eyes gleaming with the self-satisfaction of vengeance. Slipping the keystone in the pocket of his robe, Silas backed off, still holding Langdon and Sophie at gunpoint. Teabing felt Remy's arm clamp hard around his neck as the servant began backing out of the building, dragging Teabing with him, the gun still pressed in his back. â€Å"Let him go,† Langdon demanded. â€Å"We're taking Mr. Teabing for a drive,† Remy said, still backing up. â€Å"If you call the police, he will die. If you do anything to interfere, he will die. Is that clear?† â€Å"Take me,† Langdon demanded, his voice cracking with emotion. â€Å"Let Leigh go.† Remy laughed. â€Å"I don't think so. He and I have such a nice history. Besides, he still might prove useful.† Silas was backing up now, keeping Langdon and Sophie at gunpoint as Remy pulled Leigh toward the exit, his crutches dragging behind him. Sophie's voice was unwavering. â€Å"Who are you working for?† The question brought a smirk to the departing Remy's face. â€Å"You would be surprised, Mademoiselle Neveu.†

Leg Ulcers

Chapter One *A Brief Overview of a Venous Leg Ulcer *and the Assessment Process The nurse must have the skills and knowledge to identify a venous leg ulcer. Dowsett (2005) believes that it is important that nurses and other health care professionals look for the underlying cause of an ulcer. Whereas, the Royal College of Nursing (1998) has different views, and argues that, professionals who are fully trained in leg ulcer management should only be able to identify an underlying cause as it is easily mistaken that diagnosis of an arterial leg ulcer is made rather than venous which could cause serious treatment complications for the wound as well as the patient. There are major problems associated with a venous leg ulcer such as, pain, loss of mobility, financial implications and much more which will be discussed in chapter 3. Leg ulcers appear as shallow holes or craters in which the tissue underneath is exposed. They can vary in size, discolouration and depth (National Health Service Direct 2008) (NHS). The clinical factors of a venous leg ulcer are, lipodermatosclerosis (champagne bottle shaped leg) ,which is cellulites affecting the dermis and subcutaneous tissue (Finlay & Chowdhery, 2007), hyperpigmentation, derived red blood cells extravagated from dilated, leaky capillaries which produces areas of brown discolouration (Brown & Burns, 2007). Atrophic Blanche, where interspersed by visible engorged capillaries seen as tiny red dots just below the surface of the skin (Moffat et al, 2007). However before looking at the patients wound it is the nurses role to look at the patient holistically and find out past medical and family history as well as personal factor that could contribute to the condition (Moffat et al, 2007). There are essential details that the patient can tell the nurse about their ulcer and the factors that may contribute to this. Such factors are their full medical history these details should include varicose veins, diabetes, Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), previous leg surgery and any family history of leg ulceration (Dougherty and Lister 2004). The importance of this is that if a leg ulcer is diagnosed incorrectly, such as a venous ulcer being mistakenly diagnosed as an arterial one can have serious complications for the patient and causing further delays in the healing of the wound. Also the nurse must undertake baseline observations this includes, the patient’s weight, height, blood pressure (BP), oxygen saturations levels, temperature nd respiratory rate, and also the patient’s nutritional intake, urine samples and routine blood tests such as glucose and haemoglobin levels must be gained, as diabetes is present in approximately 5% of patients with leg ulcer (SIGN 1998). Murray (2004) also agrees with Dougherty & Lister (2004) & Bolton et al (2004) stating that that hyperglycaemia can have an e ffect in the wound healing process, as this can be linked with infection and decreased oxygen levels in the haemoglobin will slow down the healing process and go onto starve tissue. These factors are important to know as it plays a big part in the wound healing process. In clinical practice thesebasic observations are a vital part of information gained to ensure safer patient care and early recognition of deterioration. The key factor in order to gain a thorough assessment it is essential that the nurse must have is communication and listening skills not only for this purpose but also for a nurse patient relationship. Dealey, (1994) believes that fear is one of the most common experiences a human can feel and a patients illness release many fears, in which health care professionals are unable to identify when not allowing the patient to express their needs freely. If the patient has a full understanding of their condition they are more likely to comply with treatment regimes and have a more productive relationship with healthcare professional’s (Anderson 2006). The RCN (2008) states, that the nurse-patient relationship is founded on trust. The nurse patient relationship allows the conversation to flow easy in order to gain a holistic approach to the patients care. The Code (2008) also agrees that as nurses ‘we must listen to people in our care and respond to their concerns and preferences’. Much research has taken place regarding nurse patient relationships, McCabe (2002) carried out a study which aimed to explore and produce statements relating to the patients experiences of how nurses communicate. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used. This focuses on individual’s interpretations of experiences and ways in which they express them (Parahoo 1997), followed by unstructured questionnaires which were tape recorded and lasted for approximately thirty minutes. The results found that four themes emerged, these were, lack of communication, ‘attending’, empathy and friendly nurses. Therefore the conclusions were that in contrast to the literature, nurses are not good at communicating with patients, however nurses can communicate well if the task undertaken was a patient centred approach. Although research has taken place the limitations were that only eight patients participated, therefore this could reduce the validity and reliability of the study. Also with such a small sample the study could be used as a pilot study which could be replicated in the UK as this study was undertook in Ireland.

The Woman in White – Letter from Marian to Walter

Dear Mr Hartright, Forgive me, as I would usually start my letter to a dear friend asking how they are and wishing them all the best. However, without further ado, I must go straight into the dreadful events that have occurred since your departure from Limmeridge House. Whilst by no means do I intend to put any weight on your shoulders or worry you unnecessarily, I feel it is my duty to let you know of the disheartening proceedings which have taken place. Sir Percival Glyde and my poor, innocent little sister Laura have returned from their honeymoon, and moved into his appalling and run down estate, Blackwater Park in Hampshire. Simply writing the name gives me shivers, my friend. It’s absolutely dreadful! The unkempt quarters are no place for a young woman to live. The dark, eerie atmosphere and the overgrown sinister looking trees are enough to make anyone wish to flee as soon as possible. As you will recall, shortly before your departure, you and I discussed matters concerning that of Anne Catherick. I doubt since leaving you will have thought further into the case, Mr Hartright, and in honesty, neither had I. A little while ago I was passing through the grounds of this dreadful place where my petite young sister would shortly move in to, and I heard a noise that seemed to be coming from the boathouse. The clamour resembled a faint whining noise; the sound of a pained creature fighting for survival. Sympathetic and concerned, I naturally decided to investigate the source of this noise. Upon entering the boathouse, I found a dog whimpering in pain. The poor creature was curled on the floor, blood seeping from its helpless body. Without a second thought, I picked up the deprived being in my arms. In an attempt to staunch the flow of blood, I put pressure on its wounds in hope that the defenceless mortal might be able to continue its journey. Upon presenting this injured animal to Sir Percival, he was furious. At first I could not comprehend why the sight of this unwell animal was enough to send Sir Percival into a flying rage. However, Mr Hartright, I was soon to find out the precise reasons why. Now, Mr Hartright, it would seem that Anne Catherick’s involvement with Sir Percival is far greater than we had ever imagined possible. I discovered a little later on that the dog belonged to Mrs Catherick; Anne Catherick’s mother. Mrs Catherick has been secretly visiting these dreadful grounds in an attempt to uncover more details about her daughter. You may recall that the last time we discussed matters involving Anne Catherick that it was not long after her letter to my sister, in which she revealed the terrible things she knew about Sir Percival. You and I my dear friend decided it best that we find her and attempt to talk to her but if you recollect, this was to no avail. Before we could resolve the matter, you had already made your departure from Limmeridge House. It pains me to inform you, my dear friend that this is not least of the bad news. I also regret to inform you that Sir Percival’s drinking problem has worsened. For a short period of time, it seemed hopeful and possible that an end to this horrific crisis could be in sight. Alas, this was not to be. The baronet’s temper is spiralling out of control and his anger appears to be growing each and every day, in direct proportion to the quantity of alcohol he consumes. I have, however, grown increasingly wary of one man in particular, Mr Hartright. His name is Count Fosco. He’s not quite what he seems. When I was first introduced to him, I believed him to be a trustworthy man; I was captivated by him. He appeared to be a very intelligent, sensitive and understanding person, whose words would linger in the air as they rolled off his tongue. I turned out to be very wrong. His charming manner compliments his strange and wonderful character, making me believe he was the kind of person to stay true to his word – an honest man. Unfortunately I could not have been more wrong. I overheard Sir Percival Glyde passing words, foolishly loudly, through dishonest means, with his deceiving friend Count Fosco. They were discussing their plan to obtain Laura’s money. Appalled and shocked, I continued to listen closely, and it soon became apparent that the baronet was in great debt and in desperate and urgent need of money. These sinful men deemed it reasonable to try to force a young, innocent woman – not involved in the matter – to pass over all her money, the money her late father left her, to this evil and egotistic monster. The controlling demon tried to force Laura to sign a document. She refused, and I backed her up, of course. He may be a powerful man, but my sister is a strong minded individual and I refuse to let anyone take advantage of her. At that moment, Sir Percival left Blackwater House, raging with fury. It’s clear to me that this man is not accustomed to having his wishes rejected. Without doubt, he is used to getting his way on matters. Not only is he a typical male figure, but he also has a higher status than almost all of his acquaintances; he believes this is reason enough that eople should abide by his rules. It’s simply the only explanation for why Percival dealt with this matter in such a foolish manner. As I’m sure you can imagine, my sister was extremely distraught by the events which had taken place recently. I felt so incredibly helpless that I could not offer her any alternative or solution. I could support her to stay strong, but I could not help, believing I was fundamentally useless – you see I wanted to help so much, Mr Hartright. Laura and I are only half-sisters, but we feel so very close. She always looks up to me for help, and unfortunately I had nothing to offer in this circumstance but sympathy and reassuring words. I was of course extremely relieved at Sir Percival’s departure, however deep down I was worried as to what would happen next. I could tell that the worst wasn’t over, and had an awful feeling more desperate acts of evil were to come. A few days passed after Glyde’s departure and Laura made a visit to the old boathouse in which I had found the wounded dog. I was taken aback after finding out that my dear sister had herself met with Anne Catherick there. On returning, Laura explained to me all that had happened. Miss Catherick had revealed to her that it in fact it was she who had written the alarming warning letter and that it was also she who had warned my sister of the evil baronet. I was also intrigued to discover that Miss Catherick revealed she knew a terrible secret about Sir Percival. An horrific, appalling and disastrous secret that she would subsequently disclose. Unfortunately, Laura explained that before she could learn of this awful secret from Miss Catherick, she was startled by something sudden, and fled as soon as she could. Laura told of how afraid Miss Catherick was, and how her face had the word ‘fear’ written all over it. That is the precise phrase she used. I apologise that in this letter I could not impart any good news. I urge you to make of this information what you will, Mr Hartright. I hope you realise why I felt the need to make this communication, and I hope it doesn’t detract from your trip away; I thought it best to inform you before your return and warn you of all that has happened before you find out from a second hand source upon your return. I regret to inform you that this isn’t all of the bad occurrences which have arisen. More unimaginable dealings have taken place, but that, my good friend, is for another letter. I have already burdened you considerably. I pray that the situation currently upon us can somehow be resolved in the foreseeable future, and I hope this letter finds you well and that your trip to America has been fruitful and enlightening. I look forward to your return. Yours faithfully, Marian Halcombe.

647 W5D Fish Bone diagram Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

647 W5D Fish Bone diagram - Essay Example Fishbone diagrams allow for a thoughtful analysis that avoids overlooking any possible cause for a need (Reilly, Myers, Salvador & Trowbridge, 2014). The diagram employs a technique that is easy to implement and that creates an easily comprehensible visual representation with categories. One can concentrate on the group that is most likely to cause the problem. Location can address the need to a given situation. However, the fishbone diagram goes further to indicate the areas of weakness requiring rectification in time before causing sustained difficulties (Wang, 2013). In the example below the problem in question is the â€Å"effect.† It illustrates the Missed Free Throws. The causes are categorised as either service setting or manufacturing setting. In this example, the manufacturing setting groups come first because they have no variability. They include materials, measurement, people, methods and environment. Enough details that identify the exact root causes are then fixed under each major category. The detailed sub-categories are generated from the data collected from the data sheets and brainstorming from group

Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Plan - Essay Example This may include private sector, non-governmental organisations and the federal government. Scope of the plan in the emergency operation plan includes the actions to be taken to support the local and state government efforts in protecting public health and property at the same time saving lives. It further contains a detailed description on the coordination of the federal and other states resources to mitigate the effects of the emergency. In the emergency operation plan, the concept of operation is outlined to ensure that there is smooth action. It prevents confusion at the time of emergency hence increasing effectiveness of the members of staff involved in the operation. Lastly organisation assignment and responsibility, are outlined in the plan to ensure that there are adequate resources available to mitigate the effects of an emergency. It outlines the resources to be released to the emergency area under the order of respective leaders. The release of resources, depend on the extent of the emergence as assessed from the initial received information from the area of the incident (Barr, 2008). The plan contains a well-defined emergency support functions that include transportation, public works and alerting, communication and alerting fire fighting, information planning among other support functions. They ensure that all the hazards are dealt with timely with adequate resources in case they occurred. The plan contains a hazardous material response plan, radiological emergency response plan and response to harsh weather changes. Thus the an covers all the most potential and disastrous emergency The plan has a well-designed emergency operation plan within the operation centre. This is aimed at ensuring that there are minimal collisions between people working at the centre. Thus it increases the effectiveness of the emergency response team. This is possible since