Netflix Case study - SmartCustomWriting.com Samples

Netflix Case study - SmartCustomWriting.com Netflix Case studyIntroduction According to Reed Hastings, Netflix have been facing a lot of competition in the video renting market and thus the need to come up with most effective strategies that may help it in improving its productivity. Netflix is a new adventure brought into the market through the internet commerce and the advent of DVD that aided in securing movie rentals. He says that the new strategies that they have employed such as the recommendation system and also focusing on enhancing their clients’ experience concerning their website. It is clear that through such strategic focus Netflix has been able to grow into one of the largest online entertainment subscriptions service in the United States with a total of more than 6.3 million subscribers. Netflix has been in one of the most competitive fields as a business venture. It has been competing with companies such as the Blockbuster. It is therefore vital for Netflix to employ a strategy that will ensure that it gets secondary markets. It is important to develop and implement a flexible and disciplined business strategy that will aim at driving revenue growth, minimizing operation costs and profitability, and maximizing store level productivity. The profitability of the market is the determining factor of the attractiveness of this movie industry. Even though the industry has high burrier to profitability, it also contains various factors that validate its attractiveness. As a result of increased buyer demand, online movie renting is presently one of the fastest growing markets globally. An attractive feature in the market of movie renting is the possibility of having newcomers who develop strong competition, revenue, brand recognition, and strong lead of customers. The main vision of Netflix is to change the manner in which people access and view the movie of their zeal and love. For that reason implementation of present strategies will enable Netflix to reach their objective and guarantee the accomplishment of their vision (Willy, Stephen, David, 2009). Business strategy of Netflix After Netflix realized that the traditional merchandizing system was ineffective, its engineers came up with a proprietary recommendation system in order to balance the needs of their customers. Netflix also signed a new signing account which made customers to be capable of identifying new favorite movie genre, including rating specific movie titles from one to five. Netflix’s proprietary algorithm was a strategy that solely depended on the results of these surveys. The surveys help both the company and its clients in placing their orders or choosing the movies they prefer. This recommendation page also included information on why the movie was being recommended apart from just the title and rankings. This kind of strategy ensured that customer’s gotten what they preferred most. Moreover, Netflix’s software refined its understanding of the clients’ preference (Willy, Stephen, David, 2009). The company also did the screening of movies through its inventory management with the aim of avoiding frustrating its customers. The system increased utilization Netflix’s library of films in order to be in short supply. It was an important strategy since it satisfied the needs of the customers since it picked the needs of the customer. SWOT Analysis of Netflix Netflix has a number of strengths which include: a) a strong e-commerce expertise, b) knowledge about technology, c) defect free merchandise to the clients, and d) expertise that are capable of providing consistent customer services. It also has experienced and capable workforce, valuable physical assets, and proven managerial know-how (Willy, Stephen, David, 2009). Netflix also has a number of core deficiencies in comparison to other companies that puts it at a disadvantage in the marketplace which include: a) inventory control is one of the most difficult things in Netflix since DVDs are sent to the clients through the mail, and this means that the DVDs may arrive late or may be broken or even lost in the delivery process, b) it is also hard to determine the number of DVDs that reach customers since they have the right of keeping them as long as they wish, c) Netflix also does not distribute videotapes, but just DVDs, this can make the company loose customers, and finally, d) even though it is not expensive but convenient, it is less economical to those client who watch less than one movie every week (Willy Smith, 6). Netflix also has some opportunities such as: a) Netflix will provide a service that will allow its customers to download movies online, b) it will also give lower variable costs which will be profitable in the long run, c) its feature (SamGoody.com) will be a service that will enable its clients to access discs if need be, and finally, d) it has a rapid growth potential that will enable it to gain popularity and development (Willy, Stephen, David, 2009). Netflix has threats that do not allow them to be more competitive in the online video market; it also has some features that do not satisfy the needs of the clients. It is also faced with competition from other companies offering online rental services. Conclusion In order for the company to gain a large base, it must begin to implement its long term goals and advertise to specific consumer needs which have been assured by the recommendation system. Since technology is ever changing, Netflix will have to devise it marketing strategies to march those that other companies use in online market. It is also vital to look at globalization which is another long term goal since it has various guiding principles to worry about when venturing into the global market. Finally the whole team at Netflix needs to target on the research development in order to improve on their strategies (Willy, Stephen, David, 2009). Work Cited Willy Smith, Stephen Kaufman, and David Spinola. â€Å"Netflix Case from the Business Harvard School, Case # 9-607-138, (2009), pp 2-15.

Sustainability In Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sustainability In Business - Essay Example As a result, the question arises as to how organizations as well as societies which are capable of sustaining exceedingly productive performance can be developed. Moreover, it has become increasingly comprehensible that â€Å"sustained economic success and quality of community life depends on developing a different relationship with the natural environment† (Dunphy, 2000, p.5), and hence, it is necessary to realize the fact that much of the economic affluence has been attained at the cost of global resources that have been exploited at an unsustainable rate. In the light of these facts, the current research will aim at evaluating the corporate sustainability of three global majors, viz. Royal Dutch Shell plc (Shell), Fluor Corporation (Fluor), and The Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) in terms of the sustainable profiles of different countries wherein they operate. The report will address a range of corporate sustainability issues that organizations commonly face, in order to substanti ate the fundamental premise of this research. The major strengths of the Shell include its internal factors that have lead to rapid growth of the company. It is one of the largest oil companies and it has acquired very strong market position in global oil industry. It enjoys an upper hand position in the market. The company has taken vertical integration for its operations that allows it to enter downstream and upstream activities like oil and gas exploration and refining, business-to-business sales etc (Shell-b, 2009). The company internal strategies and management team are efficient in maintaining the global operational business operations. The company has acquired high technical advancements for their business operational projects. Since last five years, the weaknesses of Shell have become more prominent due to certain negative factors. Firstly, the decreasing profit and sales margins are the major weakness of the company.

Tourism Management Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Tourism Management - Research Proposal Example The charm of Cancun lies in the fact that this secluded island offers all kinds of facilities within the island so that tourists do not need to leave the island in order to get any kind of necessities. It has hotels for all classes of tourists and caters to a variety of tastes and preferences as well. In fact, Cancun has 140 hotels, which translates to 24,000 rooms. There is something here that everyone can afford. In addition there 190 flights plying to and from Cancun daily - so getting there is not a problem. This is a definite draw for a large chunk of tourists. Further, it has over 600 restaurants which ensure that people with varied tastes can find their ideal kind of cuisine in this island. In this regard, sustainable tourism is an important feature that can be built into the tourism of the area as this area garners a major proportion of income from the tourism industry in Mexico. Sustainable tourism in this region can flourish mainly as this island has a rich heritage of dive rse vegetation and scenic beauty apart from sea world vegetation and rare species of fish and other such species. Sustainable tourism in a beautiful island like Cancun is like a dream come true for environmentalists as well as policy makers who believe in green politics and green economy. Premises Premises of Analysis: Hypothesis: The study of sustainable tourism in the island of Cancun will be based on the following aspect. The case of Benidorm in the South of Spain as a model upon which the sustainable tourism model for Cancun can be fashioned. Owing to the fact that the basic issue in the case of studying the South of Spain region in terms of scope for sustainable development with an eye on positive and negative impact of such a strategy on the physical environment as well as the socio economic structure of the region in context of legislations of the regional, national and supra national organisations, there has been a use of ontology. The questionnaire method will be the following: the tourist will have to evaluate the island from the following points of view: price, range of accommodation and exposure of tourists. Literature: For the reasons mentioned above, many literary sources attached a particular to this island. In context of the impact of sustainable tourism on the physical environment and socio economic structure in the region, an important book that has helped in setting the criteria for analysis is Mediterranean Tourism: Facets of Socio Economic Development and Cultural Changes. This book has covered 13 countries and has relevant factual information upon which the analysis was based in the dissertation. The chapter titled Towards a Sustained Competitiveness in Spanish Tourism is of special relevance to this dissertation as it creates a nexus between sustainable tourism management and competitive advantage in the tourism industry. The book titled The Tourism Area Life Cycle is another relevant work that helped gain an insight into specific areas and the tourism life cycles enjoyed by the same. (Butler, 2006). In context of tourism life cycles, this book has important and relevant infor mation on the various legislations by the various supra national, national and regional organisations in case of the tourism indus

CUSTOMER SERVICE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CUSTOMER SERVICE - Essay Example In addition, if the language used in the query or reply is not courteous and polite, the customer is most likely not to reply back. Directly addressing customers or Phone call follow-ups: This type of follow-up has mixed results. Either they will be annoying for the customers making their responses the same annoyed ones or planning to get rid of the person or honest opinion will be given. Usually this is entirely dependent upon the person calling or talking to the customer. If they are polite, friendly and precise, the customer is more likely to give an honest opinion rather than just wanting to get rid of the question being asked. The call centre is outsourcing its services to various small companies. Their aim is to expand their services to larger outlets. For the time being, their focus is providing the best possible services to the customers. These services are prompt and accurate. For this purpose, they train every employee in the specified product information they are servicing before letting them work in the call centre (Kotler et al., 2009). This training enables them to be precise and helpful to the customer as much as they can. They also focus on hiring people with a pleasant personality, clear accents and voices so that the customer does not feel offended talking to them. Professionalism is highly encouraged here in all aspects whether it is answering queries or helping a difficult customer out. Rewards are also given to employees who offer the best support for the month. Employee input for improvement in service is also taken under consideration. The local mart also has a high value of customer service. It is a family run business and slowly they are expanding due to their high service quality, word of mouth and repeat customers. Their policies include always putting the customer first. Any sign of discomfort or dissatisfaction is

COPD with Cognitive Status in an Elderly Sample

COPD with Cognitive Status in an Elderly Sample COPD with Cognitive Status in an Elderly Sample using the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Dean Sherzai, MD MAS PhD(c), Rachel Schade, Sonia Vega, Ayesha Z. Sherzai, MD Author’s Affiliations: 1Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Cedar Sinai Health System, Los Angeles, CA, USA; 2Keck Science Department, Pitzer College, Claremont, CA, USA; 3Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Loma Linda School of Public Health, Loma Linda, USA; Department of Neurology, The Neurological Institute of New York, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. Keywords: COPD, cognitive status, dementia, aging Abstract Purpose: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) has been associated with dementia and cognitive impairment. We attempted to assess the relationship between COPD and cognitive impairment in a nationwide database, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Methods: Data was analyzed from the NHANES III database, a nationally representative cross sectional observational study among older adults. The diagnosis of COPD was based on calculation of FEV1/FVC ratio, with a cutoff of 0.7. The odds of having poor cognitive status was assessed using logistic regression models between COPD and three cognitive tests (immediate recall, delayed recall, and serial subtraction tests), adjusted for demographic variables and medical comorbidities. Results: We identified 17,181,182 individuals with a diagnosis of COPD. The mean age of was 71.5  ± 0.19 years. In the crude model, there was a strong relationship between those with COPD and poor cognitive test scores. This relationship was strengthened in the multivariate model adjusted for demographic variables and vascular comorbidities, such that those with COPD had a higher odds of having impaired immediate recall (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.44- 4.53), delayed recall (OR 3.10, 95% CI 1.73- 5.52), and serial subtraction tests scores (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.17- 6.40). Conclusions: Individuals with COPD have a higher odds of having cognitive impairment in this large nationally representative database. Introduction Approximately 35.6 million currently suffer from dementia worldwide, and this number is expected to double by 2030 and triple by 2050 [1]. In the last few years we have become more cognizant of the importance of identifying cognitive decline at the earlier stages when it is more amenable to treatment. We have also become more knowledgeable about possible comorbidities that may propagate the process of cognitive decline and ultimate dementia. Causes of cognitive decline, and possible progression to dementia, are believed to be multifactorial. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive disease that affects more than 13.5 million people in the United States and has been associated with cognitive decline [2]. To date, there are no definitive treatments for dementia; therefore, much emphasis had been placed on the prevention of dementia, and identification of modifiable risk factors early in the disease process. Multiple studies have reported the association between COPD and either global cognitive deficits with the most severe deficiencies in specific cognitive domains such as perception, motor function or memory [3]. Despite the current body of evidence, the majority of studies are based on a single region, and there are a few studies that used a nationally representative data (Health and Retirement Study). Given that society is facing an increase in the rate of chronic diseases of aging [4], and the lack of large scale investigation on the relationship between COPD and diminished cognitive status, we analyzed this nationwide database, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), to better elucidate this relationship. Materials and Methods NHANES III is a cross sectional health survey conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), performed from 1988 to 1994 in persons aged two months and older in the United States. NHANES has a multistage, probability sampling design used to select participants representative of the civilian, non-institutionalized US population. Our study population consisted of 39,488,973 adults 60 to 89 years. Of these, participants were included if they had measurements for spirometry and the cognitive tests. Based on The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (GOLD) standards, cases of COPD were defined based on the patient’s ratio of forced expiratory volume (FEV1) to the forced vital capacity (FVC). Patients with a ratio of less than 0.7 were classified with COPD. Our control group, patients without COPD, was classified by a ratio greater than 0.7. For the older population, NHANES-III measures cognitive status with three cognitive tests: an immediate a nd delayed logical verbal memory test from the East Boston Memory Test, a three word registration/memory task (â€Å"apple,† â€Å"table† and â€Å"penny†) and five serial subtractions by intervals of three. A point was awarded for every correct answer from the three word memory task and the logical verbal memory test. For immediate memory, using a summary score of logical memory (0-6 points) plus three word task (0-3 points), we considered less than 5 out of 9 points to be impaired (low), such that individuals with 0-4 were score ‘low’, and those scoring 5-9 were scored ‘high’. For delayed memory, a summary score of less than 4 out of 9 points was considered impaired (low). Both summary scores are consistent with previous NHANES-III reports. For the test of serial subtractions, any miscalculation during the five trials was considered impaired, and only a perfect score was considered ‘high’. The reported race and ethnicity includes non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, Mexican-Americans and ‘other’. Smoking was defined by a â€Å"yes† response to the following two questions: â€Å"Have you smoked at least 100 cigarettes during your entire life† and â€Å"Do you smoke cigarettes now†. These questions can be found on the NHANES III household adult questionnaire. Education was stratified in three categories: 12 (some college and beyond). We performed an X2 and t-test analysis to compare demographic characteristics between patients with COPD and patients without COPD. To assess the association between COPD and a low cognitive test score (with high score as reference) crude and adjusted logistic regression analysis were performed. Adjusted potential confounders were age, race-ethnicity, sex, BMI, education status and smoking. Appropriate NHANES-III weighted sampling was applied during this analysis. All data analyses were conducted using SAS (v 9.3; SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Results Table 1 presents the demographics of the population. There were 17,181,182 individuals with COPD; 50.1% were females, 49.9% males and 85.9% were non-Hispanic White. The mean age for patients with COPD was 71.5 ±0.19. In both groups, patients had less than a high school education, were non-smokers and had both hospital and medical coverage. Majority of individuals with COPD scored low on each cognitive test as compared to those without COPD (Table 1). Coronary artery disease was the most prevalent comorbidity in patients with COPD (31.9%) and in patients without COPD (30.4%). In the unadjusted model, participants with COPD had increased odds of impaired scores on each of the three cognitive tests: the immediate recall (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.81- 2.62), delayed recall (OR 2.25, 95% CI 1.87- 2.70) and serial subtraction test (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.10-1.90). We then examined the association between COPD and the cognitive tests, initially adjusted by age and race, which diminished the relationship slightly for all three tests, but the relationship was rendered insignificant for the serial subtraction test (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.95-1.69) (Table 2). Then, we adjusted for age, sex, height, body mass index and education, which did not change the relationship significantly. In the third model, further adjustment for race, poverty income ratio, and medical coverage did not appreciably change the relationship. In the last model, we additionally adjusted for vascular risk factors such as smoking, stroke, hypertension, CHF, diabetes and coronary artery disease. This increased the odds for poor scores for all three tests; immediate recall (OR 2.56, 95% CI 1.44- 4.53), delayed recall test (OR 3.10, 95% CI 1.73- 5.52), and serial subtraction (OR 2.74, 95% CI 1.17- 6.40). Discussion We were able to identify a strong association between COPD and diminished cognitive status across three common cognitive tests. Individuals with COPD had significantly greater odds of impaired verbal memory, and this relationship remained robust after adjusting for potential sociodemographic and vascular risk factors. The relationship between COPD and the serial subtraction test scores was rendered significant after it was adjusted for vascular risk factors. Despite evidence in the extant literature showing an association between race with cognitive status [10], race was not a factor in the relationship between COPD and cognitive status. Our results are consistent with a growing body of evidence that has revealed a strong association between COPD and poor cognitive function. In one of the largest epidemiological studies, The Health and Retirement Study (n=4,150), patients with severe and non-severe COPD had significantly lower cognitive test scores compared to healthy controls. In adjusted models, only patients with severe COPD had the lower scores on the cognitive tests [5]. Furthermore, a dose-response relationship between COPD severity and cognitive dysfunction was previously established, with more severe COPD cases performing worse on the cognitive tests [6]. Notably, a 2013 study demonstrated significantly reduced memory tests scores on the Mini Mental State Exam (MMSE) among patients with COPD but without hypoxemia [7]. Further evidentiary support for global cognitive impairment in patients with COPD was also shown in a study that observed significant differences in executive functioning, working memory, episod ic memory, processing speed, and visuospatial ability [8]. Recently, several COPD studies have combined cognitive testing with neuroimaging, which have revealed significant white matter pathology in this population, with varying degrees of cognitive impairment [8,9,10,11]. The mechanism by which COPD causes cognitive decline is not very clear. COPD results in hypoxemia and hypercapnia, which has been implicated in diminished cognitive status [3,5]. Recent imaging studies have pointed to possible microvascular damage [3], and other studies have implicated chronic inflammatory process causing cognitive decline [12]. Yet others believe that the hypoxic process may cause direct neuronal damage, glial activation and the generation of free radicals which could affect cognitive functioning [13]. Given the prevalence of both COPD and cognitive decline in the elderly population and a probable causal relationship, it is important to further investigate the mechanism underlying the relationship. Limitations As all studies, this one has many limitations that need to be visited. One of the limitations unique to our study was that majority of the individuals in our elderly NHANES population had less than high school education. Given that educations has repeatedly been found to be strongly correlated with resilient cognitive function as well as less susceptible to neurodegeneration, our results could have been confounded by the lower mean education level in our population[14-18]. Another limitation lies with the cognitive testing used by NHANES. Only three cognitive tests were utilized, which does not provide a comprehensive assessment of cognitive function. In addition, the cognitive tests used most likely overlap in the cognitive function they measure, not allowing for specificity. However, the cognitive variables have been validated as a good tool for testing memory [19]. Furthermore, the cross-sectional nature of this paper does not allow us to make a causal link. In addition, the restr icted scope of lifelong socioeconomic status is a limitation, which is strongly associated with both cognitive impairment and COPD. However, it has been demonstrated that individuals with poor socioeconomic status may have a higher risk of developing COPD and lower cognitive reserve [20,21]. The strengths of this study are its large, diverse representative sample, that provided extensive medical history and allowed for control of confounding variables, as well as the objective measure of cognitive impairment and COPD. Also, the spirometry data from NHANES III allowed for more accurate diagnosis of COPD. Conclusion We were able to demonstrate a strong relationship between COPD and diminished cognitive status. We were not able to demonstrate any effect of gender, race, as well as sociodemographic or vascular risk factors on this relationship between COPD and cognitive status. The independent relationship between COPD and cognitive status may provide us an important clue into the pathophysiology of dementia, which needs to be further explored. Declaration of Interest References Prince M, Bryce R, Albanese E, et al. The global prevalence of dementia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Alzheimers Dementia 2013;9(1):63-75. Ford ES, Croft JB, Mannino DM, et al. COPD Surveillance- United States, 1999-2011 COPD Surveillance. Chest 2013;144(1):284-305. Dodd JW, Getov SV, Jones PW. Cognitive function in COPD. Eur Resp J 2010;35(4):913-922. Dall TM, Gallo PD, Chakrabarti R, et al. An Aging Population And Growing Disease Burden Will Require A Large And Specialized Health Care Workforce By 2025. Health Aff 2013;32(11):2013-2020. Rusanen M, Ngandu T, Laatikainen T, et al. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma and the risk of mild cognitive impairment and dementia: a population based CAIDE study. Curr Alzheimer Res 2013;10(5):549-555. Li J, Huang Y, Fei GH. The evaluation of cognitive impairment and relevant factors in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Respiration; International Review of Thoracic Diseases 2013;85(2):98-105. Gupta PP, Sood S, Atreja A, Agarwal D. A comparison of cognitive functions in non-hypoxemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and age-matched healthy volunteers using mini-mental state examination questionnaire and event-related potential, P300 analysis. Lung India: official organ of Indian Chest Society 2013;30(1):5-11. Dodd J, Van Den Broek M, Jones P, Charlton R. S92 cognitive function cerebral white matter tract microstructure in COPD. Thorax 2011;66(Suppl 4):A43-A44. Charlton RA, Dodd JW, van den Broek M, et al. Can brain MRI explain cognitive decline in COPD? A pilot study. Eur Resp J 2010;38(Suppl 55):29-36. Chung A, van den Broek MD, Charlton RA, et al. Cognitive Function And Cerebral Functional Connectivity In COPD: A Resting State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study. Age 2012:65(68):20-27. Dodd JW, Chung AW, van den Broek MD, et al. Brain structure and function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a multimodal cranial magnetic resonance imaging study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2012;186(3):240-245. Borson S, Scanlan J, Friedman S, et al. Modeling the impact of COPD on the brain. Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2008;3(3):429-434. Singh B, Mielke MM, Parsaik AK, et al. A Prospective Study of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and the Risk for Mild Cognitive Impairment. JAMA Neurol 2014;71(5):581-588. Schmand B, Smit J, Lindeboom J, et al. Low education is a genuine risk factor for accelerated memory decline and dementia. J Clin Epidemiol 1997;50(9):1025-1033. Stern, Y. Cognitive reserve and Alzheimer disease. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2006;20(2),112-117. Ngandu T, von Strauss E, Helkala EL, et al. Education and dementia What lies behind the association? Neurology 2007;69(14):1442-1450. Scarmeas, N, Stern, Y. Cognitive reserve and lifestyle. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2003;25(5):625-633. McDowell I, Xi G, Lindsay J, et al. Mapping the connections between education and dementia. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology 2007;29(2):127-141. Albert M, Smith LA, Scherr PA, et al. Use of brief cognitive tests to identify individuals in the community with clinically diagnosed Alzheimers disease. Int J Neurosci. 1991;57:167-178. Eisner, MD, Blanc, PD, Omachi, TA, et al. Socioeconomic status, race and COPD health outcomes. J Epidemiol Community Health 2011;65(1):26-34. Stern, Y, Tang, M X, Denaro, J, et al. Increased risk of mortality in Alzheimers disease patients with more advanced educational and occupational attainment. Ann Neurol 1995;37(5):590-595. Table 1. Baseline characteristics by COPD status in the NHANES III population * p values derived from t test comparison of means of COPD by population characteristics SD = Standard deviation Table 2: Crude and adjusted odds ratio for COPD and cognitive tests among 17,134,886 individuals in the NHANES III population OR = odds ratio, CI = confidence interval, ref = reference Model 1: adjusted for age and race Model 2: adjusted for age, sex, height, BMI and education Model 3: Model 2 additionally controlled for poverty income ratio, race, and medical coverage Model 4: Model 3 additionally adjusted for stroke, coronary heart disease, hypertension, congestive heart failure, diabetes. 1

Merchant Of Venice - Antonio And Shylock :: Free Merchant of Venice Essays

William Shakespeare shows how two tradesmen can have completely different lives when others view them differently in the play The Merchant of Venice. In the play, Bassanio, Antonio’s friend, needs money to pursue his love. They seek a loan from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender in Antonio’s name. The contract is for three times the value of the bond in three months or else Shylock cuts off a pound of flesh from Antonio. While all this is happening, there are love plots going on. One of which is for Shylock’s daughter to elope with Lorenzo, a Christian. Later on, Antonio’s source of money, his ship, is reported sunken in the English Channel, dooming him to the loss of one pound of his flesh. There is a trial on the bond, and when it seems sure that Antonio will die, Portia, disguised as a doctor of laws legally gets Antonio out of the situation and Shylock recieves harsh penalties. Antonio and Shylock, two similar businessmen of Venice, are viewed differently and are treated oppositely to heighten the drama of the play and mold a more interesting plot. Antonio and Shylock are both successful entrepreneurs in Venice but they both have different attitudes and experiences. When Antonio is asking Shylock for the loan he says, â€Å"Within these two months – that’s a month before this bond expires – I do expect, return of thrice times the value of this bond.† (1.3.169-170). Antonio and Shylock both are well off and successful businessmen. Antonio, being a man who is treats everyone nicely, lends his good name to Bassanio to woo Portia. Shylock on the other hand, could never do that and is a very greedy man who asks for three times the value of the loan. Also, Antonio is a risk taker and thinks things will always go the right way for him and his success will continue, which is shown when he accepts the high interest rate and the bizarre payment if the money isn’t received. Shylock handles his business straightforward and charges interest because it is his job, although being a very high amount and if it isn’t carried out, Shylock gets his payment of one pound of flesh. Shylock is depicted as the greedy businessman while Antonio is the nice man who tries his luck. Another way Antonio and Shylock are different is their religion based social status: Antonio is a Christian and Shylock is a Jew. Merchant Of Venice - Antonio And Shylock :: Free Merchant of Venice Essays William Shakespeare shows how two tradesmen can have completely different lives when others view them differently in the play The Merchant of Venice. In the play, Bassanio, Antonio’s friend, needs money to pursue his love. They seek a loan from Shylock, a Jewish moneylender in Antonio’s name. The contract is for three times the value of the bond in three months or else Shylock cuts off a pound of flesh from Antonio. While all this is happening, there are love plots going on. One of which is for Shylock’s daughter to elope with Lorenzo, a Christian. Later on, Antonio’s source of money, his ship, is reported sunken in the English Channel, dooming him to the loss of one pound of his flesh. There is a trial on the bond, and when it seems sure that Antonio will die, Portia, disguised as a doctor of laws legally gets Antonio out of the situation and Shylock recieves harsh penalties. Antonio and Shylock, two similar businessmen of Venice, are viewed differently and are treated oppositely to heighten the drama of the play and mold a more interesting plot. Antonio and Shylock are both successful entrepreneurs in Venice but they both have different attitudes and experiences. When Antonio is asking Shylock for the loan he says, â€Å"Within these two months – that’s a month before this bond expires – I do expect, return of thrice times the value of this bond.† (1.3.169-170). Antonio and Shylock both are well off and successful businessmen. Antonio, being a man who is treats everyone nicely, lends his good name to Bassanio to woo Portia. Shylock on the other hand, could never do that and is a very greedy man who asks for three times the value of the loan. Also, Antonio is a risk taker and thinks things will always go the right way for him and his success will continue, which is shown when he accepts the high interest rate and the bizarre payment if the money isn’t received. Shylock handles his business straightforward and charges interest because it is his job, although being a very high amount and if it isn’t carried out, Shylock gets his payment of one pound of flesh. Shylock is depicted as the greedy businessman while Antonio is the nice man who tries his luck. Another way Antonio and Shylock are different is their religion based social status: Antonio is a Christian and Shylock is a Jew.

Water issues in the Middle East

There are several factors that have caused such high demand in the Middle East. The water level is a lot shorter than most places and is increasing all the time. The region suffers from droughts every few years. The development of water resources is not making any progress factors such as cost, dealing with neighbouring countries which all delay the progress. Farming results in the highest level of water consuming at 80% leaving 20% for the Middle East. Cities such as Amman in Jordan ration its piped supplies; tankers deport the water which costs more than the poor can pay. The level of population growth is also increasing, which results in rising standards of living increasing the demand of water. The regions water is constantly in dispute. The regions water is spilt which results in confrontation and disagreements. ‘Water Wars' are improbable as three of the disputed river basins due to the uneven military powers are not equal. Egypt and Israel are downstream, Turkey is upstream and Iraq and Syria are also downstream. MAP SHOWING THE ROUTE OF THE EUPHRATES RIVER The Turkish purpose to use the water for an irrigation project in south-eastern Anatolia, this project will result in Syria's and Iraq's share of the Euphrates by 40% and 60%. This scheme is planned to revitalise the economy of the south east of the country. Eventually 22 dams in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers will provide irrigation and hydroelectric power to transform the local economy. They hope to gain the support from European companies, but in 2002 companies where forced to withdraw from the project, nevertheless Turkey has still continued to develop the dam. The dam will provide a clear positive outcome to the Middle East region. The water will be stored in the dam reducing the water flow, gradually allowing water through to the areas. The dam will provide jobs to the local community; this development will help the poorer citizens. Long term profit and economical issues may increase over the years as its helping the future for the water problems in the Middle East. Migrants will move into the area which may vary to a positive or negative outcome. The dam's main function is to provide hydro-electric power, which is more environmentally friendly. This will provide electricity to communities located around the Middle East. The energy provided is eco friendly and is reliable without using precious fossil fuels. With the new dam created larger business may move into the area, providing primary products to be distributed to other countries. This may provide more business to trade with the countries, developing the countries economical distributions. Although smaller business may lose money and go out of business resulting unemployment. The land used to create the dam, has resulted in angry local people. The local people have now received compensation funds. The amount of money put into the dam has been lost to local people, especially the few powerful landlords who each stand to collect huge compensation funds. Changes in rivers cycles will be vastly effected, rivers will lose millions of mà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ of water being irrigated into cities located downstream from the upstream contributories. The Agriculture use dropped in all the area's creating a regional water market resulting for people paying for the water use. One example is the Yarmouk River which has a mean discharge of 400 million mà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ a year, and provides almost half of Jordan's surface-water resources. The water in this river, after allowing some 17million mà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ a yr for downstream users in the neighbouring countries providing agricultural water needs in the Jordan valley. This example has improved in the water use; this is similar situation to other rivers in the Middle East. Discharge is evenly distributed but resulted in higher levels of Agriculture. Area's downstream have resulted in less water being transported and reduced. Syria dam prevents water flowing restricting water flow to places such as Baghdad. Syria and Iraq have agreed to work together, after problems with bombing back in 1979. The political consequences have resulted in countries signing with each other separating themselves which could lead to future wars. Water extraction from the Euphrates has resulted in the government gaining a profit for charging them for the use of the water. This has also lead to the negative sentiment and response from the poorer citizens. Escalating growth of rising business increasing in the regions resulted in higher proceeds in the area. The government had to make a decision and verdict to their own areas to what they felt was overall best towards the people and for the future. Reponses won't be positive either way but never less the decision were what was felt most paramount and preeminent at the time.

Storm Born Chapter Ten

By my count, we'd spent a little over two hours at Dorian's and almost an hour getting there. That did not please me. At this rate, we might not get home until dawn in our world. If we made it home. Dorian's servant, Gawyn, looked like he was about a hundred years old. No, wait. Actually, that'd be pretty young for one of the gentry. Okay. He looked about a millennium old. I don't know. He was just old, plain and simple. His gray hair fell almost to his ankles, and as soon as I saw him hobble forward, I suddenly envisioned us taking another three hours to get to Aeson's, despite how close Dorian and the spirits claimed it was. â€Å"He's ancient,† I whispered to Dorian. â€Å"And he seems kind of†¦out of it.† Gawyn was currently telling Wil what lovely legs he had, despite the fact that Wil had none in spirit form. I wasn't entirely sure if Gawyn even realized Wil was male. â€Å"His mind will be razor sharp when it comes to Aeson's castle. As for speed, I'll give you horses. You look like you could ride a number of things exceptionally well.† I ignored the innuendo, mostly thinking how it'd been years since I'd been on a horse – not counting my earlier capture. Horses had never done much for me. I didn't get why little girls wanted ponies. If I did more riding tonight, I'd likely be sore as hell tomorrow. Once my weapons were returned, we set out. Dorian waved us off, telling me he'd be looking forward to my next visit. I stayed professional, simply thanking him for his help. I think this delighted him more than any other reaction could have. The horses did give us more speed than walking and were the best I could have hoped for in a world without mechanical transportation. The horse I rode was midnight black with a small white star on its nose. Gawyn's appeared to be a palomino. The spirits and Wil merely drifted in our wakes. In the darkness, I could just barely see Gawyn glancing over at me. â€Å"So you're Eugenie Markham. The Dark Swan.† â€Å"So they say.† â€Å"I met your father once.† â€Å"Oh?† I didn't bother making the father-stepfather clarification. â€Å"Great man.† â€Å"You think so?† â€Å"Absolutely. I know some don't think so†¦but, well, you should be proud.† â€Å"Thank you. I am.† Gawyn said no more, and I pondered his words, feeling kind of surprised. Considering what Dorian had told me, I hadn't expected Roland to have fans in the Otherworld. Then again, Dorian had also said that some – what was her name? Maiwenn? – had opposed Storm King. They might very well view Roland as a hero. We traveled in relative silence after that, broken occasionally when Finn would happily spout about what a great party Dorian had had. Like before, we crossed in and out of the various kingdoms and their climatic changes. I still felt like we traveled in circles. More than once, Gawyn called us to a halt, scratched his head, and mumbled to himself. I didn't find that reassuring. At one point, he led us off the trail and into a forest, and I hoped one of my minions would speak up if we'd gotten completely lost. Everything was tropically warm and flourishing here, so presumably we rode in the Alder Land again. Gawyn came to a stop. â€Å"Here,† he said. I looked around. Night insects sang in the trees around us, and the smell of dirt, fresh growth, and decaying plants permeated the air. It had been dark before, but now the canopy of leaves blocked out even starlight. Gawyn climbed off his horse, nearly falling into a heap on the ground. I started to get down and help him, but he soon righted himself. He walked a few paces forward and then slammed his foot against the ground. A hard, solid sound answered back. I dismounted as well. â€Å"What is that?† Volusian, back in a legged form, walked over. â€Å"A door of sorts. Built into the ground.† â€Å"Yes,† said Gawyn triumphantly. â€Å"Built for sieges. But never used anymore.† â€Å"Does it lead into Aeson's fortress thing?† I asked. â€Å"To the cellar. Stairs from the cellar lead up to the kitchen. From the kitchen, you take the servants' stairs – â€Å" â€Å"Whoa, hang on.† I wanted to make sure I had it all. Volusian created blue flame to cast light, and we drew a map in a clear spot of dirt based on Gawyn's recollections. I might have doubted his memories, but he spoke with certainty, and he had managed to lead us to this obscure place. Maybe Dorian had been right in the â€Å"razor sharp† assessment. When Gawyn felt we had the directions to the residential wing memorized, he told us he wouldn't join us. He would wait here to tell Dorian what became of us. That was fine by me. I didn't really regard Gawyn as a battle asset – or Wil, for that matter. Unlike the old man, however, the ghostly conspiracy theorist didn't take being left behind so well. â€Å"But I told you, I need to reassure her – â€Å" â€Å"No,† I said firmly. â€Å"I let you come this far, and you almost ruined things with those riders. Now you wait. If Jasmine's scared, she'll hold on a few more minutes until we bring her out to you.† I worried I'd have to bind him – I could actually do it since he was here in spirit, not in body – but it didn't come to that. He conceded, so I entered the trapdoor with just my minions in tow. â€Å"Truly,† remarked Nandi as we entered a darkened tunnel, â€Å"it is amazing that you have not died yet, mistress.† â€Å"Well, hang in there. The night is young.† Volusian provided light again, and we let it guide us along a stone-encased tunnel that smelled damp. Rats ran by at one point. Finn had been right. Apparently the Otherworld did have its share of animals and vermin. When the tunnel sloped upward, I knew we had reached the end. A wooden door in the ceiling marked our next gateway. I asked the spirits to go into an insubstantial form. Hitherto, they'd walked along looking very human. I needed them obscured now. Compliant, all three shifted to what looked like a fine mist surrounding me. I pushed open the door and climbed out, finding myself in a small enclosed space. The mist that was Volusian glowed once more, and I made out the shapes of bags and boxes. If Gawyn was right about this attaching to the kitchen, then those containers probably contained food or other supplies. Twenty feet in front of me, a doorway was outlined in light shining through from the other side. I walked up about ten steps and gingerly opened the door. I now stood in a kitchen, a very rustic one compared to my own, but completely on par with what I'd seen at Dorian's place. All was quiet. â€Å"Where is everyone?† I murmured. â€Å"It's late now,† Finn whispered back. â€Å"No one's hungry. And Aeson's not into the party scene as much as Dorian.† We found the servants' stairwell exactly where Gawyn had said it would be. Unfortunately, when I opened the door, I found a servant there, just coming down. We stared at each other stupidly, and I had only a heartbeat to decide how to handle him. I wielded both gun and athame. In another state of mind, I probably would have just killed him. But something held me back. Maybe it was Dorian. Maybe it was seeing his people and having to acknowledge they were more than just a faceless mob. Whatever it was, I chose not to kill this time. I reached out, grabbed the guy, and gave him a hard jolt to the head with my fist and the butt of my gun. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed to the floor. Once he had been safely deposited in the cellar, we continued on our way. We encountered no one else on the stairs, nor in the magnificent hallway it led us to. Enormous stone pillars supported the high ceiling, and rich oil paintings of various landscapes turned the walls into seas of living color. We had reached the residential wing, just as Gawyn had said. If my other intelligence was correct, we'd find Jasmine Delaney behind one of the many doors lining the hall. Fortunately, housekeeping had decided to leave open all of the unoccupied rooms. Sticking my head inside a few, I could see no one had occupied them in awhile. The beds were stripped of covers, and dust coated everything. Only two doors were actually closed. In some ways, that made my job easier. Yet, I might have enjoyed the buildup of opening a few false doors before the big payoff. Weapons readied, I opened the first one. It led to a bedroom almost bigger than Dorian's, but no one was inside. All was dark and still. A smoldering fire provided the only source of movement. Pausing a moment, I admired the wall tapestries and canopied bed. It had a nice layout, almost circular, complete with adjacent rooms and high ceilings. It made my bedroom at home look like a closet. â€Å"One left,† I muttered, slipping back out. We turned down the hall and approached the only other closed doorway. Unless Jasmine was locked in a dungeon, we should find her here, according to what we'd heard. I reached for the handle, then hesitated. â€Å"You open it, Volusian.† Some of the mist coalesced into physical form. Once solid, Volusian slowly opened the door and peered in. It looked dark. I started to move forward, but he held up a warning hand. â€Å"No, there's something – â€Å" Light flared on, and suddenly we were under attack. I tried to back out of the room, but someone grabbed me, pulling me inside. With me at risk, the other minions poured into the room. They had no choice, their preemptive orders always demanding they look to my safety. This was a bedroom, like the other one, but seven men stood here, armed with weapons and magic. I fired at the one who had grabbed me, aiming for the face and neck now that I knew what little effect I'd had on Dorian's people. It was bloody and messy, but I felt pretty sure even the best healing magic would have a tough time fixing that guy up. Once free of him, I turned on the next one who came at me. He was smart enough to strike out at my gun hand, attempting to neutralize that threat. I slashed at him with the other hand, the one holding the athame. He flinched at the feel of iron, and I used that momentary weakness to grab him and shove him into the wall with my elbow. He collapsed to the floor, and a sharp kick to the gut made sure he stayed down. I saw the spirits engaged in battle nearby, shoving and fighting with a strength that was literally inhuman. Two other men had been subdued or killed by them, and they now fought a third. That left two. One lunged at me, and I shot him, the gun's report loud in the small room. He fell backward, and I fired again, still not trusting gentry healing on their own turf. I started to look for the last guy when I heard a small whimper on the far side of the room. I turned, pausing. It was her. Jasmine Delaney. She was smaller and slighter than I'd thought she'd be. A long white gown covered her body, and she wrapped its voluminous folds around herself as she huddled in the corner. Lank, reddish blond hair nearly covered her face, but it couldn't hide her eyes. They were enormous and gray, filled with fear. They stood out sharply against her pale, gaunt face. Seeing my gaze upon her, she cringed further. Anger boiled within me. And pity. I knew she was fifteen, but in that moment, she looked about ten. She was a child. And she was trapped here, taken against her will. Hotter and fiercer my rage grew. I needed to make her captor pay, to let him know he couldn't just – My moment of emotion cost me. In those seconds I'd spent staring at her, I'd lost the last man. I felt a blade at my throat and realized I'd let him sneak up behind me. â€Å"If you want to live,† he said, â€Å"drop your weapons and call off your servants.† I didn't really think I'd live if I did that, but I was pretty sure I wouldn't if I didn't. So I did as he asked. Yet, it wasn't entirely clear to me what this one guy could really do alone. A moment later, I had my answer as another man entered. Immediately, I knew he was Aeson. For one thing, the others had been dressed in a sort of uniform. He was not. He wore deep burgundy pants tucked into thigh-high boots made of black leather. A shirt of black silk clothed his upper body, billowing and gleaming. His gray-streaked brown hair was pulled back in a short ponytail, and a circlet of gold sat on his head. His face was long and narrow, with a mouth destined for good sneers. Arrogant or not, Dorian had never worn a crown in his own keep, I realized. There had been no need. His kingship was obvious to all. Two guards followed Aeson, and upon seeing the situation, he sent one for backup. And here we'd been doing so well in evening the odds. â€Å"If I'd realized you would decimate my men in minutes, I would have had the whole garrison up here,† Aeson remarked. He leaned toward me, touching my cheek. â€Å"It really is you. Eugenie Markham. I can't believe I finally have you.† I tried to squirm from that touch, but I had nowhere to go, not with a blade at my throat. My minions waited, tense, willing to do whatever I asked. Yet, I feared unleashing them might put Jasmine at risk – and my own throat. â€Å"You have her,† said a shaking voice from the hall. â€Å"I did what I said. Now give me Jasmine.† Moving my eyes, I stared in astonishment. Wil floated in the doorway. He must have followed us after all. He looked at Aeson expectantly. An uneasy feeling built up within me, and everything clicked into place. â€Å"You traitorous son of a bitch!† Ignoring my outrage, Wil turned pleading eyes to Aeson. â€Å"Please. I brought you Eugenie. I kept my part of the deal.† â€Å"Yes,† said Aeson without even looking at the other man. â€Å"You did. And I will keep my word – momentarily.† He kept studying me like I was some kind of treasure or artifact. Like I was the eighth wonder of the world. I appreciated the boost to my ego, but the look in his eyes was actually kind of creeping me out. â€Å"Aeson – † tried Wil again. â€Å"Shut up,† snapped the king, still staring at me. The hand on my cheek slipped down and cupped my chin. He smiled, but it was a cold smile, one that didn't meet his eyes. In the corner, I heard Jasmine make a distraught sound. â€Å"After all this time, after so much waiting, I can finally beget the heir.† The statement was so ludicrous as to simply bounce off of me without comprehension. â€Å"Either kill me or let me go. I hate these idiotic soliloquies.† The entranced look on his face suddenly sharpened, and he blinked. â€Å"You†¦you have no idea, do you?† When I didn't answer, he started laughing so hard, I thought tears would form in his eyes. â€Å"I've tried so hard to get you, and you never even knew. You really don't know.† â€Å"Know what?† I asked impatiently. â€Å"Who your father is.† I didn't really appreciate the Star Wars?Cesque routine. â€Å"Roland Markham is my father. And the next time I see him, we're going to come back and kick your ass together. If I don't do it now.† â€Å"The next time you see him, you should ask him for the truth about you and Storm King.† â€Å"I don't have anything to do with Storm King.† â€Å"He's your father, girl. Roland Markham is a murderer and a thief. How could you not have known?† He might as well have been speaking a foreign language. â€Å"Maybe because you're insane. And because I'm human.† â€Å"Are you? Funny. You function in this world as easily as one of the shining ones. I've never met a human who could.† â€Å"Maybe I'm gifted.† I had on my bitch-bravado face, but his words were sneaking into me. I've heard that the soul often recognizes truth when it hears it, even if the mind does not. Maybe that was what was happening. My logical self was still being stubborn, but something†¦something in his words tickled the back of my mind. It was like some image lay there, covered in a black veil, waiting for me to lift it. â€Å"You are gifted. More than you know.† He brushed my hair out of my face. â€Å"Soon I will give you the greatest gift of your life. I'll redeem you for being a blood traitor.† â€Å"Shut up.† The keres had called me a blood traitor too. â€Å"You don't know what you're talking about.† â€Å"Then why do you look so pale? Admit it. You've always known. You've always been alone.† â€Å"Everyone feels alone.† â€Å"Not like you do. Rest easy, though. You won't be lonely much longer. I would have taken you to my bed even if you were ugly, but now that I've seen you – â€Å" There were a lot of ways to have your maniacal tirade cut short, but being attacked by a fox was a new one. I didn't even know where it came from. One minute, Aeson was babbling on about having his way with me, and the next, a red fox was leaping out at him, claws and teeth bared. I'd never thought of a fox as a really dangerous animal, but this one looked lethal. It was the size of a German shepherd, and it hit Aeson like a tank. Its claws left scratches on his face. The guard holding me released me to help his master, and I retrieved my gun. I fired on him just as he was about to pry the fox from Aeson. It wasn't a killing shot, but it distracted him, halting his progress. I grabbed the wounded guard and threw him as far as the difference in our body weights would allow. He collapsed into a pile, and I shot him again. I turned toward Aeson to check the fox's progress, but the fox was no longer holding the king down. Kiyo was. My mouth dropped open. Kiyo. The black hair curled behind his ears, and I could see his muscles straining as he struggled with Aeson, his hands wrapped around the king's throat. Fire flared up from Aeson's fingertips, and I heard Kiyo grunt in response. I started to go to him without conscious thought, but he yelled at me to get Jasmine. Jasmine. Of course. The reason I was here. I dragged my eyes from the face I'd been obsessing on for the past week and approached the girl in the corner. I didn't think she could move any farther against the wall, yet she seemed to do so with each step I took. â€Å"Jasmine,† I said, leaning over and trying to sound gentle despite the panic coursing through me. â€Å"I'm a friend. I'm here to help you – â€Å" With those pathetic eyes and worn features, I'd expected some difficulty in getting her on her feet. What I did not expect was for her to suddenly leap out and flail at me with both hands. â€Å"Noooo!† she screamed, her shrill voice grating against my ears. I recoiled, not because of the threat she represented but because of the damage I could potentially cause her. â€Å"Aeson!† She ran to the struggling men and started beating fists on Kiyo's back. I suspected they had about the same effect as a fly landing on him. He transformed into a fox, and her blows fell on Aeson instead. I reached for her in that moment of surprise, but she was too small and too fast. She slipped away from me and everyone else in the room, and ran out the door before any of us could stop her. â€Å"Jasmine!† I yelled, my cries echoed by Wil as I ran to the door. Kiyo and Aeson still fought, and some distant part of me noted how Kiyo slipped in and out of fox and human forms as Aeson used fire magic against him. â€Å"Eugenie,† gasped Kiyo, â€Å"get out of here. Now.† â€Å"Jasmine – † I began. â€Å"The girl is gone, mistress,† said Volusian. â€Å"The kitsune is right. We need to get out of here. Cut your losses.† â€Å"No.† I stuck my head out the door. Jasmine was not in sight. Over a dozen or so guards running down the hall were, however. â€Å"Eugenie!† It was Kiyo again. â€Å"Run!† â€Å"Yes, Storm Daughter,† laughed Aeson, blood running out of his nose. â€Å"Run home. Ask Roland Markham who your father is.† â€Å"You bastard – † I wanted to lunge at him, to help Kiyo, but Finn grabbed me. â€Å"Jump now. Back to your world.† The pounding boots in the hall were almost upon us. â€Å"I can't. Not from here. I don't have an anchor.† â€Å"Yes, you do.† He glanced over at Wil, who hung there, translucent and utterly useless. If it had been up to me, I would have left Wil and his betraying ass here to be destroyed, but suddenly he had a purpose. Seeing my uncertain look, Kiyo said, â€Å"I'll go as soon as you do. They're here!† And they were. Men pouring into the room. I probably shouldn't have cared what happened to Kiyo, but I did. I wanted him to get out of this alive. I wanted to find Jasmine and bring her away. But the best I could do now was save my own skin. Invoking Hecate, I shifted my senses away from this world, reaching out to my own. While doing so, my will grabbed ahold of a startled Wil, dragging his spirit with me. A hard transition like that, without a crossroads or thin spot, theoretically could have dumped me anywhere in the human world. But I had Wil's spirit in tow. It had no choice but to snap back to his physical body, out in the Sonora Desert. If I was strong enough. â€Å"Follow!† I yelled to the minions. Or maybe it was to Kiyo. I didn't really know. The world shifted, my senses blurring. Crossing worlds in a convenient spot was like crossing through a wall made out of plastic sheeting. It was thin, and it took some struggling and clawing, but you could eventually get through. Jumping without a normal crossover spot, however? Well, that was like breaking through a brick wall.