Canterbury Tale

Who lived in a cottage with his wife in Astrakhan. Used to be happily married, loved his wife dearly His love was very palpable, seen clearly. But as years passed his feelings towards her began to wither Because the arguments they had were getting bigger and bigger They would scream and shout and yell the night away To the point where they'd wake up their neighbors, all of whom were gay. As their emotional feelings grew more and more distantTheir overall sex life became all but non-existent. While laboring in the fields one day He thought Of a brilliant idea, with whore's he'd lay. While adultery was bad, and this he knew To his morals he thusly bid adieu. He began to visit a brothel Hookers a plenty, all of them docile He'd indulge in his carnal desires While the wife had no clue he was a liar. He returned late one night to home So his wife got a case of the I-think-my-spouse-is-a-cheater syndrome. She asked where he'd been, she absolutely inquired l don't need this† and to be d he retired.Her suspicions were then indubitably confirmed When she revealed something from his laundry and learned In his pocket was a note that said â€Å"intercourse with you was lovely' Signed at the bottom with hearts and lipstick, was Beverly. She finally knew of her husband's infidelity Which stemmed from their lack of chemistry. To receive information and some advice She went to her transvestite brother Bryce. â€Å"Don't get mad, get even† he said â€Å"This may not be the time, but told you not to wed. â€Å"What do you propose do? â€Å"l actually have the perfect solution for you, have acquired a concoction At the recent marketplace auction. Slip this in his food, and into a frog he will turn. † â€Å"If I go through with this, will in hell I burn? † â€Å"My dear sister that I do not know. † â€Å"All right then, whatever, YOLK. † She barely arrived home, before the crack of dawn Just as her husband awoke with a yawn. She prepped a hearty breakfast, the most important meal of the day Which consisted of milk and honey, and a warm souffleWith the honey she mixed her secret elixir Woe is she, what a tricky trickster. Just like a kitty, he tongued it deftly All the way down to the bottom, until ‘twats empty. Immediately his eyes began to swell His mouth opened, but came out no yell Instead he croaked, his transformation was smooth He now had nary a hair on his body, not even a tooth He remained an amphibian, for the rest of his days Regretting his decisions that he made in his naive haze His wife was very happy, tit for tat. Adultery is bad so there's that.

Profit Maximization Model

SAMPLE ANSWER FOR QUESTION 5 Profit-making is one of the most traditional, basic and major objectives of a firm. Profit-motive is the driving-force behind all business activities of a company. It is the primary measure of success or failure of a firm in the market. Profit earning capacity indicates the position, performance and status of a firm in the market. In spite of several changes and development of several alternative objectives, profit maximization has remained as one of the single most important objectives of the firm even today.Both small and large firms consistently make an attempt to maximize their profit by adopting novel techniques in business. Specific efforts have been made to maximize output and minimize production and other operating costs. Cost reduction, cost cutting and cost minimization has become the slogan of a modern firm. It is a very simple and unambiguous model. It is the single most ideal model that can explain the normal behavior of a firm. Main proposit ions of the profit-maximization model The model is based on the assumption that each firm seeks to maximize its profit given certain technical and market constraints.The following are the main propositions of the model. 1. A firm is a producing unit and as such it converts various inputs into outputs of higher value under a given technique of production. 2. The basic objective of each firm is to earn maximum profit. 3. A firm operates under a given market condition. 4. A firm will select that alternative course of action which helps to maximize consistent profits 5. A firm makes an attempt to change its prices, input and output quantity to maximize its profit. The model Profit-maximization implies earning highest possible amount of profits during a given period of time.A firm has to generate largest amount of profits by building optimum productive capacity both in the short run and long run depending upon various internal and external factors and forces. There should be proper balan ce between short run and long run objectives. In the short run a firm is able to make only slight or minor adjustments in the production process as well as in business conditions. The plant capacity in the short run is fixed and as such, it can increase its production and sales by intensive utilization of existing plants and machineries, having over time work for the existing staff etc.Thus, in the short run, a firm has its own technical and managerial constraints. But in the long run, as there is plenty of time at the disposal of a firm, it can expand and add to the existing capacities build up new plants; employ additional workers etc to meet the rising demand in the market. Thus, in the long run, a firm will have adequate time and ample opportunity to make all kinds of adjustments and readjustments in production process and in its marketing strategies. It is to be noted with great care that a firm has to maximize its profits after taking in to consideration of various factors in to account.They are as follows – 1. Pricing and business strategies of rival firms and its impact on the working of the given firm. 2. Aggressive sales promotion policies adopted by rival firms in the market. 3. Without inducing the workers to demand higher wages and salaries leading to rise in operation costs. 4. Without resorting to monopolistic and exploitative practices inviting government controls and takeovers. 5. Maintaining the quality of the product and services to the customers. 6. Taking various kinds of risks and uncertainties in the changing business environment. . Adopting a stable business policy. 8. Avoiding any sort of clash between short run and long run profits in the business policy and maintaining proper balance between them. 9. Maintaining its reputation, name, fame and image in the market. 10. Profit maximization is necessary in both perfect and imperfect markets. In a perfect market, a firm is a price-taker and under imperfect market it becomes a price -searcher. Assumptions of the model The profit maximization model is based on tree important assumptions. They are as follows – 1.Profit maximization is the main goal of the firm. 2. Rational behavior on the part of the firm to achieve its goal of profit maximization. 3. The firm is managed by owner-entrepreneur. Determination of profit – maximizing price and output Profit maximization of a firm can be explained in two different ways.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Total Revenue and Total Cost approach.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Marginal Revenue and Marginal Cost approach. Profits of a firm are estimated by making comparison between total revenue and total costs. Profit is the difference between TR and TC.In other words, excess of revenue over costs is the profits. Profit = TR – TC. If TR is equal to TC in that case, there will be break even point. If TR is less than TC, in that case, a firm will be incurring losses. In this case, we take in to account of total cost and total revenue of the firm while measuring profits. It is clear from  the following diagram how profit arises when TR is greater than that of TC. 2. MR and MC approach In this case, we take in to account of revenue earned from one unit and cost incurred to produce only one unit of output.A firm will be maximizing its profits when MR= MC and MC curve cuts MR curve from below. If MC curve cuts MR curve from above either under perfect market or under imperfect market, no doubt MR equals MC but total output will not be maximized and hence total profits also will not be maximized. Hence, two conditions are necessary for profit maximization- 1. MR = MC. 2. MC curve cut MR curve from below. It is clear from the following diagrams. Justification for profit maximization 1. Basic objective of traditional economic theory.The traditional economic theory assumes that a firm is owned and managed by the entrepreneur himself and as such he always aims at maximum return on his capit al invested in the business. Hence profit-maximization becomes the natural principle of a firm. 2. A firm is not a charitable institution. A firm is a business unit. It is organized on commercial principles. A firm is not a charitable institution. Hence, it has to earn reasonable amount of profits. 3. To predict most realistic price-output behavior. This model helps to predict usual and general behavior of business firms in the real world as it provides a practical guidance.It also helps in predicting the reasonable behavior of a firm with more accuracy. Thus, it is a very simple, plain, realistic, pragmatic and most useful hypothesis in forecasting price output behavior of a firm. 4. Necessary for survival. It is to be noted that the very existence and survival of a firm depends on its capacity to earn maximum profits. It is a time-honored hypothesis and there is common agreement among businessmen to make highest possible profits both in the short run and long run. 5. To achieve ot her objectives.In recent years several other objectives have become much more popular and all these objectives have become highly relevant in the context of modern business set up. But it is to be remembered that they can be achieved only when a firm is making maximum profits. Criticisms 1. Ambiguous term. The term profit maximization is ambiguous in nature. There is no clear cut explanation whether a firm has to maximize its net profit, total profit or the rate of profit in a business unit. Again maximum amount of profit cannot be precisely defined in quantitative terms. . It may not always be possible. Profit maximization, no doubt is the basic objective of a firm. But in the context of highly competitive business environment, always it may not be possible for a firm to achieve this objective. Other objectives like sales maximization, market share expansion, market leadership building its own image, name, fame and reputation, spending more time with members of the family, enjoying leisure, developing better and cordial relationship with employees and customers etc. lso has assumed greater significance in recent years. 3. Separation of ownership and management. In many cases, to-day we come across the business units are organized on partnership or joint stock company or cooperative basis. In case of many large organizations, ownership and management is clearly separated and they are run and managed by salaried managers who have their own self interests and as such always profit maximization may not become possible. 4. Difficulty in getting relevant information and data.In spite of revolution in the field of information technology, always it may not be possible to get adequate and relevant information to take right decisions in a highly fluctuating business scenario. Hence, profits may not be maximized. 5. Conflict in inter-departmental goals. A firm has several departments and sections headed by experts in their own fields. Each one of them will have its own independent goals and many a times there is possibility of clashes between the interests of different departments and as such always profits may not be maximized. 6. Changes in business environment.In the context of highly competitive and changing business environment and changes in consumer’s tastes and requirements, a firm may not be able to cope up with the expectations and adjust its policies and as such profits may not be maximized. 7. Growth of oligopolistic firms. In the context of globalization, growth of oligopoly firms has become so common through mergers, amalgamations and takeovers. Leading firms dominate the market and the small firms have to follow the policies of the leading firms. Hence, in many cases, there are limited chances for making maximum profits. 8.Significance of other managerial gains. Salaried managers have limited freedom in decision making process. Some of them are unable to forecast the right type of changes and meet the market challenges. They are more worried about their salaries, promotions, perquisites, security of jobs, and other types of benefits. They may lack strong motivations to make higher profits as profits would go to the organization. They may be contented with only satisfactory level of profits rather than maximum profits. 9. Emphasis on non-profit goals. Many organizations give more stress on non-profit goals.From the point of view of today’s business environment, productivity, efficiency, better management, customer satisfaction, durability of products, higher quality of products and services etc. have gained importance to cope with business competition. Hence, emphasis has been shifted from profit maximization to other practical aspects. 10. Aversion to reduction in power. In case of several small business units, the owners do not want to share their powers with many new partners and hence, they try to keep maximum powers in their hands.In such cases, keeping more power becomes more important than profit maximization. 11. Official restrictions over profits of public utilities. Public utilities or public corporations are legally prohibited to make huge profits in many developing countries like India. Thus, it is clear that a firm cannot maximize its profits always. There are many constraints in the background of multiple objectives. Each one of the objectives has its own merits and demerits and a firm has to strike a balance between all kinds of objectives.

Blood Promise Chapter Fifteen

â€Å"Just like that?† I asked in disbelief. His lips quirked into a smile. â€Å"Rolan knows who I am. He knows who works for me. Once Pavel makes my†¦ ah, wishes known, that will be the end of it.† I shivered, knowing Abe spoke the truth. Considering what a smartass I’d been to Abe this whole time, it really was a wonder I hadn’t had my feet set in cement and been tossed into the ocean. â€Å"So why aren’t you forcefully dragging me out of here?† â€Å"I never like to make anyone do anything they don’t want to. Even Rolan. It’s much easier if people simply see reason and do what I ask them to, without the use of force.† â€Å"And by ? ®see reason,’ you mean, ? ®blackmail,'† I said, thinking of what I’d just agreed to. â€Å"We made a trade,† he said. â€Å"That’s all. Don’t forget your end of the bargain. You promised to leave here, and you don’t seem like the type to go back on your word.† â€Å"I don’t.† â€Å"Rose!† Viktoria suddenly appeared at the door. Wow, that was fast. Pavel was calmly dragging her by her arm. Her hair was mussed, and a dress strap was slipping from her shoulder. Her face was a mixture of incredulity and anger. â€Å"What did you do? That guy came and told Rolan to get out of here and never see me again! And then†¦ Rolan agreed. He just left.† I found it slightly funny that Viktoria immediately blamed me for this. True, I was responsible, but Abe was standing right there. It wasn’t a secret who his employees were. Nonetheless, I defended my actions. â€Å"He was using you,† I said. There were tears in Viktoria’s brown eyes. â€Å"He loves me.† â€Å"If he loves you, then why did he hit on me as soon as your back was turned?† â€Å"He did not!† â€Å"He’s the one who got Sonya pregnant.† Even in the alley’s dim lighting, I saw her face pale. â€Å"That’s a lie.† I threw up my hands. â€Å"Why would I make that up? He wanted to make plans with me as soon as you were out of town!† â€Å"If he did,† she said, voice shaking, â€Å"it was because you led him on.† I gaped. Beside me, Abe listened quietly, a smug look on his face. He was so self-satisfied and probably thought he was being proven right. I wanted to punch him, but Viktoria was my concern. â€Å"How can you think that? I’m your friend!† I told her. â€Å"If you were my friend, you wouldn’t be acting like this. You wouldn’t try to stand in my way. You act like you loved my brother, but there’s no way you could have-no way you really understand love!† Didn’t understand love? Was she crazy? If she only knew what I’d sacrificed for Dimitri, what I’d done to be where I was now†¦ all for love. She was the one who couldn’t understand. Love wasn’t a fling in a back room at a party. It was something you lived and died for. My emotions surged, that darkness welling up within me that made me want to lash out in return for her horrible accusation. It was only through the strongest of efforts that I remembered she was already hurting, that she only said the things she did because she was confused and upset. â€Å"Viktoria, I do understand, and I’m sorry. I’m only doing this because you’re my friend. I care about you.† â€Å"You aren’t my friend,† she hissed. â€Å"You aren’t part of this family. You don’t understand anything about us or how we live! I wish you’d never come here.† She turned and stormed away, pushing back inside through the long line of partygoers. My heart ached as I watched her. I turned to Abe. â€Å"She’s going to go try to find him.† He still wore that damnably knowing expression. â€Å"It won’t matter. He’ll have nothing to do with her anymore. Not if he values that pretty face of his.† I was worried for Viktoria but kind of had a feeling Abe was right about Rolan. Rolan would no longer be an issue. As for Viktoria’s next guy†¦ well, that was a worry for another day. â€Å"Fine. Then we’re done here. Do not follow me anymore,† I growled. â€Å"Keep your promise to leave Baia, and I won’t have to.† I narrowed my eyes. â€Å"I told you: I always keep my promises.† And as I hurried back to the Belikov house, I suddenly wondered if that was true. The blowout with Abe and Viktoria was like cold water on my face. What was I doing here? To a certain extent, Abe had been right†¦ I had been deluding myself, pretending Dimitri’s family was my own in order to soothe my grief over him. But they weren’t. This wasn’t home. The Academy wasn’t my home either, not anymore. The only thing I had left was my promise-my promise to Dimitri. The promise I’d somehow lost sight of since coming here. Some of the Belikov family was in bed when I got home, but others were still in the living room. I slipped upstairs to my room, waiting anxiously for Viktoria to get home. A half hour later, I heard footsteps on the stairs and the sound of her door closing. I knocked gently on it. â€Å"Viktoria,† I said in a loud whisper. â€Å"It’s me. Please talk to me.† â€Å"No!† came the response. â€Å"I don’t ever want to talk to you again.† â€Å"Viktoria-â€Å" â€Å"Go away!† â€Å"I’m just worried about you.† â€Å"You aren’t my brother! You aren’t even my sister. You have no place here!† Ouch. Her voice was muffled by the door, but I didn’t want to risk a fight in the hall and let the others hear. Going to my room, my heart breaking, I stopped and stood in front of the mirror. It was then that I knew she was right. Even Abe was right. Baia wasn’t my place. In a flash, my meager belongings were packed, but I hesitated before going downstairs. Viktoria’s closed door stared at me, and I had to fight the urge to knock again. If I did, it would only trigger another fight. Or, maybe even worse, she would forgive me-and then I would want to stay forever, lost in the comfort of Dimitri’s family and their simple life. Taking a deep breath, I headed downstairs and walked out the front door. I wanted to tell the others goodbye but worried the same thing would happen, that I’d look at their faces and change my mind. I needed to go, I realized. I was angry at both Viktoria and Abe. Their words had hurt me, but there’d been truth in them. This wasn’t my world. I had other things to do with my life. And I had a lot of promises to keep. When I was about eight blocks away, I slowed down, not because I was tired but because I wasn’t sure where I was going. Leaving that house had been the biggest step. I sank down on the curb in front of a neighbor’s silent, dark yard. I wanted to cry without knowing why. I wanted my old life back. I wanted Dimitri and Lissa. Oh, God, I wanted them. But Dimitri was gone, and the only way I’d see him was if I truly set out to kill him. And as for Lissa†¦ she was more or less gone to me too. Even if I survived this, I didn’t think she could forgive me. Sitting there, feeling lost and alone, I tried reaching out to her one more time. I knew it was foolish, considering what I’d seen before, but I had to try one more time. I had to know if I really could have my old place back there. I slipped inside her mind instantly, my runaway emotions making the transition easy. She was on a private jet. If Jill had been stunned by meeting St. Vladimir’s A-list students, going on a trip with them made her downright comatose. She stared at everything wide-eyed and barely said a word during the whole flight to the Royal Court . When Avery offered her a glass of champagne, Jill could barely stammer out, â€Å"N-no thanks.† After that, the others seemed to forget about her and got carried away by their own conversation. Lissa noticed Jill’s uneasiness but didn’t do much to remedy it. That was a shock. The Lissa I had known would have gone out of her way to make Jill comfortable and be included. Fortunately, the younger girl seemed perfectly entertained by watching the others’ antics. I also took comfort in knowing Jill would be okay once she met up with Mia. Lissa had sent word ahead to Mia to come pick up Jill when they landed, seeing as Lissa and the others had to attend to one of Tatiana’s functions right away. Mia had said she’d take Jill under her wing for the weekend and show her some of the innovative things she’d learned to do with her water magic. Lissa was glad for this, happy she wouldn’t be babysitting a freshman all weekend. Even if Jill was totally off of Lissa’s radar, one person wasn’t: Avery’s brother Reed. Their father had decided it would be a good idea for Reed to go with them, and seeing as Mr.-excuse me-Headmaster Lazar had played a key role in working with Tatiana to arrange this trip, there was little argument. Avery had rolled her eyes and spoken to Lissa about it covertly, just before boarding. â€Å"We’re all riding your reputation,† Avery said. â€Å"Part of the reason Dad let me come was because you’re in good with the queen, and he wants it to rub off on me. He’s then hoping I’ll get in good with her, and then that’ll rub off on Reed-and the rest of the family.† Lissa tried not to over think the logic too much. Mostly, she was bothered because Reed Lazar was still as unpleasant as he’d been the first day they met. He wasn’t really mean or anything; it just made her uncomfortable being around him. Really, he was the polar opposite of Avery. Whereas she was animated and could always strike up conversation, he stayed tight-lipped and spoke only when spoken to. Lissa couldn’t really tell if it was shyness or disdain. When Lissa had tried asking him if he was excited to go to Court, Reed had simply shrugged. â€Å"Whatever. I don’t care.† His tone had been almost hostile, like he resented her for asking, so she’d given up all other attempts at conversation. The only person, other than his sister, that Lissa saw Reed ever speak to was Avery’s guardian Simon. He had also come along. When the flight landed, Mia was as good as her word. She waved enthusiastically when Lissa stepped off the plane, her blond curls whipping around in the wind. Lissa grinned back, and they gave each other quick half-hugs, something that never failed to amuse me given their former enemy status. Lissa made introductions for those who needed them as an escort of guardians led them away from the landing strip and toward the inner portion of Court. Mia welcomed Jill so warmly that the younger girl’s uneasiness faded, and excitement glowed in her green eyes. Smiling fondly, Mia glanced away from Jill and over to Lissa. â€Å"Where’s Rose?† Silence fell, followed by uncomfortable glances. â€Å"What?† demanded Mia. â€Å"What did I say?† â€Å"Rose is gone,† said Lissa. â€Å"Sorry†¦ I thought you knew. She dropped out and left after the attack because there were some things†¦ some personal things†¦ she needed to take care of.† Lissa feared Mia would ask about the personal things. Only a few people knew about my search for Dimitri, and Lissa wanted to keep it that way. Most thought I’d just disappeared from post-battle trauma. Mia’s next question completely shocked Lissa. â€Å"Why didn’t you go with her?† â€Å"What?† Lissa stammered. â€Å"Why would I do that? Rose dropped out. No way am I going to.† â€Å"Yeah, I suppose.† Mia turned speculative. â€Å"You guys are just so close-even without the bond. I assumed you’d follow each other to the ends of the earth and figure out the details later.† Mia’s own life had gone through so much upheaval that she took that kind of thing in stride. That weird, fluctuating anger I’d been feeling pop up in Lissa every so often suddenly reared its head and turned on Mia. â€Å"Yeah, well, if we were so close, then it seems like she wouldn’t have left in the first place. She’s the selfish one, not me.† The words stung me and clearly shocked Mia. Mia had a temper of her own, but she sat on it and simply held up her hands in an apologetic way. She really had changed. â€Å"Sorry. Wasn’t trying to accuse you of anything.† Lissa said nothing else. Since my departure, she’d beat herself up about a lot of things. She’d gone over and over things she could have done for me before or after the attack, things that might have made me stay. But it had never occurred to her to go with me, and the revelation hit her like a smack to the face. Mia’s words made her feel guilty and angry all at the same time-and she wasn’t sure who she was the maddest at: me or herself. â€Å"I know what you’re thinking,† said Adrian a few minutes later, once Mia had led Jill away and promised to meet up later. â€Å"What, you read minds now?† asked Lissa. â€Å"Don’t have to. It’s written all over your face. And Rose never would have let you go with her, so stop agonizing over it.† They entered the royal guest housing, which was just as lush and opulent as it had been when I’d stayed there. â€Å"You don’t know that. I could have talked her into it.† â€Å"No,† said Adrian sharply. â€Å"You couldn’t have. I’m serious-don’t give yourself one more thing to be depressed about.† â€Å"Hey, who said I’m depressed? Like I said, she abandoned me.† Adrian was surprised. Since my departure, Lissa had been more sad than anything. She’d occasionally been angry at my decision, but neither Adrian nor I had seen such vehemence from her. Dark feelings boiled within her heart. â€Å"I thought you understood,† said Adrian, with a small, puzzled frown. â€Å"I thought you said you’d-â€Å" Avery suddenly interrupted, giving Adrian a sharp look. â€Å"Hey, hey. Leave her alone, okay? We’ll see you at the reception.† They were at a point where the groups had to split, girls going to one part of the lodging and guys to the other. Adrian looked like he wanted to say more, but instead he nodded and headed off with Reed and a couple of guardians. Avery put a gentle arm around Lissa as she glared at Adrian’s retreating figure. â€Å"You okay?† Avery’s normally laughing face was filled with concern. It startled Lissa in the same way Adrian’s moments of seriousness always startled me. â€Å"I guess. I don’t know.† â€Å"Don’t beat yourself up over what you could have or should have done. The past is gone. Move on to the future.† Lissa’s heart was still heavy, her mood blacker than it had been in quite a while. She managed a tight smile. â€Å"I think that’s the wisest thing you’ve ever said.† â€Å"I know! Can you believe it? Do you think it’ll impress Adrian?† They dissolved into laughter, yet despite her cheery exterior, Lissa was still struck by Mia’s offhand comments. They plagued Lissa in a way she hadn’t thought possible. What really bothered her the most wasn’t the thought that if she’d come with me, she could have kept me out of trouble. No. Her biggest issue was that she hadn’t thought of coming with me in the first place. I was her best friend. As far as she was concerned, that should have been her immediate reaction to my departure. It hadn’t been, and now Lissa was racked with even more guilt than usual. The guilt was all-consuming, and she would occasionally transform it to anger to ease the pain. It didn’t help much. Her mood didn’t improve as the evening progressed, either. Not long after the group’s arrival, the queen hosted a small reception for the most elite of all visitors who had come to the Court. Lissa was quickly discovering that the queen always seemed to be hosting some party or another. At one point in her life, Lissa would have considered that fun. She no longer did, at least not when it came to these kinds of parties. But keeping her dark feelings locked up, Lissa stayed good at playing the role of nice royal girl. The queen seemed happy that Lissa had a â€Å"suitable† royal friend and was equally pleased when Lissa impressed other royals and dignitaries she was introduced to. At one point, though, Lissa’s resolve nearly faltered. â€Å"Before you leave,† said Tatiana, â€Å"we should see about your guardians.† She and Lissa stood together with a group of admirers and hangers-on who were keeping respectful distances. Lissa had been staring vacantly at the bubbles in her untouched champagne and looked up with a start. â€Å"Guardians, your majesty?† â€Å"Well, there’s no delicate way to put this, but now, for better or for worse, you’re without any protection.† The queen paused respectfully. â€Å"Belikov was a good man.† My name naturally didn’t come to her lips. I might as well have never existed. She’d never liked me, particularly since she thought I was going to run off with Adrian. As it was, Lissa had noticed Tatiana watching with some consideration while Avery and Adrian flirted. It was hard to say if the queen disapproved. Her partying aside, Avery seemed a model girl-save that Tatiana had wanted Lissa and Adrian to eventually get together. â€Å"I don’t need any protection right now,† said Lissa politely, her heart clenching. â€Å"No, but you’ll be out of school soon enough. We think we’ve found some excellent candidates for you. One of them’s a woman-a lucky find.† â€Å"Janine Hathaway offered to be my guardian,† said Lissa suddenly. I hadn’t known that, but as she spoke, I read the story in her mind. My mom had approached her not long after I left. I was a little shocked. My mom was very loyal to her current assignment. This would have been a big move for her. â€Å"Janine Hathaway?† Tatiana’s eyebrows rose nearly to her hairline. â€Å"I’m sure she has other commitments. No, we’ve got much better choices. This young lady’s only a few years older than you.† A better choice than Janine Hathaway? Not likely. Before Dimitri, my mother had been the gold standard by which I measured all badassedness. Tatiana’s â€Å"young lady† was undoubtedly someone under the queen’s control-and more importantly, not a Hathaway. The queen didn’t like my mom any more than she liked me. Once, when Tatiana had been bitching me out for something, she’d made a reference to a man my mother had been involved with-someone whom I suspected might be my father, a guy named Ibrahim. The funny thing was, the queen had almost sounded like she had once had an interest in the guy too, and I had to wonder if that was part of her dislike for my family. Lissa put on a tight, polite smile for the queen and thanked her for the consideration. Lissa and I both understood what was going on. This was Tatiana’s game. Everyone was part of her plan, and there was no way to go against her. For a brief moment, Lissa had that strange thought again, of something Victor Dashkov had once said to her. Aside from his crazy killing and kidnapping schemes, Victor had also wanted to start a revolution among the Moroi. He thought the power distribution was off-something Lissa occasionally believed too-and that it was wielded unfairly by those with too much control. The moment was gone almost as soon as it came. Victor Dashkov was a crazy villain whose ideas deserved no acknowledgment. Then, as soon as courtesy allowed, Lissa excused herself from the queen and headed across the room, feeling like she was going to explode with grief and anger. She nearly ran into Avery as she did. â€Å"God,† said Avery. â€Å"Do you think Reed could embarrass me any more? Two people have tried to make conversation with him, and he keeps scaring them off. He actually just told Robin Badica to shut up. I mean, yeah, she was going on and on, but still. That is not cool.† Avery’s dramatic look of exasperation faded as she took in Lissa’s face. â€Å"Hey, what’s wrong?† Lissa glanced at Tatiana and then turned back to Avery, taking comfort in her friend’s blue-gray eyes. â€Å"I need to get out of here.† Lissa took a deep, calming breath. â€Å"Remember all that good stuff you said you knew about? When is that going to happen?† Avery smiled. â€Å"As soon as you want.† I returned to myself, sitting there on the curb. My emotions were still going crazy, and my eyes were fighting off tears. My earlier doubts were confirmed: Lissa didn’t need me anymore†¦ and yet, I still had that feeling that there was something odd going on that I couldn’t quite put a finger on. I supposed her guilt over Mia’s comment or spirit side effects could be affecting her, but still†¦ she wasn’t the same Lissa. Footsteps on the pavement made me look up. Of all the people who might have found me, I would have expected Abe or maybe Viktoria. But it wasn’t. It was Yeva. The old woman stood there, a shawl draped over her narrow shoulders, and her sharp, cunning eyes looking down at me disapprovingly. I sighed. â€Å"What happened? Did a house fall on your sister?† I asked. Maybe there was a benefit to our language barrier. She pursed her lips. â€Å"You can’t stay here any longer,† she said. My mouth dropped open. â€Å"You†¦ you speak English?† She snorted. â€Å"Of course.† I shot up. â€Å"All this time you’ve been pretending not to? You’ve been making Paul play translator?† â€Å"It’s easier,† she said simply. â€Å"You avoid a lot of annoying conversation when you don’t speak the language. And I’ve found that Americans make the most annoying conversation of all.† I was still aghast. â€Å"You don’t even know me! But from the first day, you’ve been giving me hell. Why? Why do you hate me?† â€Å"I don’t hate you. But I am disappointed.† â€Å"Disappointed? How?† â€Å"I dreamed you would come.† â€Å"I heard that. You dream a lot?† â€Å"Sometimes,† she said. The moonlight glinted in her eyes, enhancing her otherworldly appearance. A chill ran down my spine. â€Å"Sometimes my dreams are true. Sometimes not. I dreamed Dimka was dead, but I didn’t want to believe it, not until I had proof. You were my proof.† â€Å"And that’s why you were disappointed?† Yeva drew the shawl more tightly around her. â€Å"No. In my dreams, you shone. You burned like a star, and I saw you as a warrior, someone who could do great deeds. Instead? You’ve sat around and moped. You’ve done nothing. You haven’t done what you came to do.† I studied her, wondering if she really knew what she was talking about. â€Å"And what is that exactly?† â€Å"You know what it is. I dreamed that, too.† I waited for more. When it didn’t come, I laughed. â€Å"Nice vague answer. You’re as bad as any scam fortune-teller.† Even in the darkness, I could see the anger kindle in her eyes. â€Å"You’ve come to search for Dimka. To try to kill him. You must find him.† â€Å"What do you mean ? ®try’?† I didn’t want to believe her, didn’t want to believe she might actually know my future. Nonetheless, I found myself getting hooked in. â€Å"Have you seen what happens? Do I kill him?† â€Å"I can’t see everything.† â€Å"Oh. Fantastic.† â€Å"I only saw that you must find him.† â€Å"But that’s all you’ve got? I already knew that!† â€Å"It’s what I saw.† I groaned. â€Å"Damn it, I don’t have time for these cryptic clues. If you can’t help me, then don’t say anything.† She stayed quiet. I slung my bag over my shoulder. â€Å"Fine. I’m leaving then.† And like that, I knew where I would go. â€Å"Tell the others†¦ well, tell them thank you for everything. And that I’m sorry.† â€Å"You’re doing the right thing,† she said. â€Å"This isn’t where you should be.† â€Å"So I’ve heard,† I muttered, walking away. I wondered if she’d say anything else: chastise me, curse me, give me more mysterious words of â€Å"wisdom.† But she stayed silent, and I didn’t look back. I had no home, not here and not in America. The only thing left for me was to do what I’d come to do. I had told Abe I kept my promises. I would. I’d leave Baia like I told him. And I’d kill Dimitri, as I’d promised myself I would. I knew where to go now. The address had never left my mind: 83 Kasakova. I didn’t know where it was, but once I reached the town’s center, I found a guy walking down the street who gave me directions. The address was close by, only about a mile, and I headed out at a brisk pace. When I reached the house, I was glad to see that the lights were still on. Even as pissed off and raging as I was, I didn’t want to wake anyone up. I also didn’t want to speak to Nikolai and was relieved when Denis opened the door. His expression was all astonishment when he saw me. Despite his bold words back at the church earlier, I don’t think he’d really believed I’d join him and the other unpromised ones. He was speechless, so I did the talking. â€Å"I changed my mind. I’m coming with you.† I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what came next. I’d promised Abe I’d leave Baia-but I hadn’t promised to return to the U.S. â€Å"Take me to Novosibirsk.† Blood Promise Chapter Fifteen â€Å"Just like that?† I asked in disbelief. His lips quirked into a smile. â€Å"Rolan knows who I am. He knows who works for me. Once Pavel makes my†¦ ah, wishes known, that will be the end of it.† I shivered, knowing Abe spoke the truth. Considering what a smartass I’d been to Abe this whole time, it really was a wonder I hadn’t had my feet set in cement and been tossed into the ocean. â€Å"So why aren’t you forcefully dragging me out of here?† â€Å"I never like to make anyone do anything they don’t want to. Even Rolan. It’s much easier if people simply see reason and do what I ask them to, without the use of force.† â€Å"And by ? ®see reason,’ you mean, ? ®blackmail,'† I said, thinking of what I’d just agreed to. â€Å"We made a trade,† he said. â€Å"That’s all. Don’t forget your end of the bargain. You promised to leave here, and you don’t seem like the type to go back on your word.† â€Å"I don’t.† â€Å"Rose!† Viktoria suddenly appeared at the door. Wow, that was fast. Pavel was calmly dragging her by her arm. Her hair was mussed, and a dress strap was slipping from her shoulder. Her face was a mixture of incredulity and anger. â€Å"What did you do? That guy came and told Rolan to get out of here and never see me again! And then†¦ Rolan agreed. He just left.† I found it slightly funny that Viktoria immediately blamed me for this. True, I was responsible, but Abe was standing right there. It wasn’t a secret who his employees were. Nonetheless, I defended my actions. â€Å"He was using you,† I said. There were tears in Viktoria’s brown eyes. â€Å"He loves me.† â€Å"If he loves you, then why did he hit on me as soon as your back was turned?† â€Å"He did not!† â€Å"He’s the one who got Sonya pregnant.† Even in the alley’s dim lighting, I saw her face pale. â€Å"That’s a lie.† I threw up my hands. â€Å"Why would I make that up? He wanted to make plans with me as soon as you were out of town!† â€Å"If he did,† she said, voice shaking, â€Å"it was because you led him on.† I gaped. Beside me, Abe listened quietly, a smug look on his face. He was so self-satisfied and probably thought he was being proven right. I wanted to punch him, but Viktoria was my concern. â€Å"How can you think that? I’m your friend!† I told her. â€Å"If you were my friend, you wouldn’t be acting like this. You wouldn’t try to stand in my way. You act like you loved my brother, but there’s no way you could have-no way you really understand love!† Didn’t understand love? Was she crazy? If she only knew what I’d sacrificed for Dimitri, what I’d done to be where I was now†¦ all for love. She was the one who couldn’t understand. Love wasn’t a fling in a back room at a party. It was something you lived and died for. My emotions surged, that darkness welling up within me that made me want to lash out in return for her horrible accusation. It was only through the strongest of efforts that I remembered she was already hurting, that she only said the things she did because she was confused and upset. â€Å"Viktoria, I do understand, and I’m sorry. I’m only doing this because you’re my friend. I care about you.† â€Å"You aren’t my friend,† she hissed. â€Å"You aren’t part of this family. You don’t understand anything about us or how we live! I wish you’d never come here.† She turned and stormed away, pushing back inside through the long line of partygoers. My heart ached as I watched her. I turned to Abe. â€Å"She’s going to go try to find him.† He still wore that damnably knowing expression. â€Å"It won’t matter. He’ll have nothing to do with her anymore. Not if he values that pretty face of his.† I was worried for Viktoria but kind of had a feeling Abe was right about Rolan. Rolan would no longer be an issue. As for Viktoria’s next guy†¦ well, that was a worry for another day. â€Å"Fine. Then we’re done here. Do not follow me anymore,† I growled. â€Å"Keep your promise to leave Baia, and I won’t have to.† I narrowed my eyes. â€Å"I told you: I always keep my promises.† And as I hurried back to the Belikov house, I suddenly wondered if that was true. The blowout with Abe and Viktoria was like cold water on my face. What was I doing here? To a certain extent, Abe had been right†¦ I had been deluding myself, pretending Dimitri’s family was my own in order to soothe my grief over him. But they weren’t. This wasn’t home. The Academy wasn’t my home either, not anymore. The only thing I had left was my promise-my promise to Dimitri. The promise I’d somehow lost sight of since coming here. Some of the Belikov family was in bed when I got home, but others were still in the living room. I slipped upstairs to my room, waiting anxiously for Viktoria to get home. A half hour later, I heard footsteps on the stairs and the sound of her door closing. I knocked gently on it. â€Å"Viktoria,† I said in a loud whisper. â€Å"It’s me. Please talk to me.† â€Å"No!† came the response. â€Å"I don’t ever want to talk to you again.† â€Å"Viktoria-â€Å" â€Å"Go away!† â€Å"I’m just worried about you.† â€Å"You aren’t my brother! You aren’t even my sister. You have no place here!† Ouch. Her voice was muffled by the door, but I didn’t want to risk a fight in the hall and let the others hear. Going to my room, my heart breaking, I stopped and stood in front of the mirror. It was then that I knew she was right. Even Abe was right. Baia wasn’t my place. In a flash, my meager belongings were packed, but I hesitated before going downstairs. Viktoria’s closed door stared at me, and I had to fight the urge to knock again. If I did, it would only trigger another fight. Or, maybe even worse, she would forgive me-and then I would want to stay forever, lost in the comfort of Dimitri’s family and their simple life. Taking a deep breath, I headed downstairs and walked out the front door. I wanted to tell the others goodbye but worried the same thing would happen, that I’d look at their faces and change my mind. I needed to go, I realized. I was angry at both Viktoria and Abe. Their words had hurt me, but there’d been truth in them. This wasn’t my world. I had other things to do with my life. And I had a lot of promises to keep. When I was about eight blocks away, I slowed down, not because I was tired but because I wasn’t sure where I was going. Leaving that house had been the biggest step. I sank down on the curb in front of a neighbor’s silent, dark yard. I wanted to cry without knowing why. I wanted my old life back. I wanted Dimitri and Lissa. Oh, God, I wanted them. But Dimitri was gone, and the only way I’d see him was if I truly set out to kill him. And as for Lissa†¦ she was more or less gone to me too. Even if I survived this, I didn’t think she could forgive me. Sitting there, feeling lost and alone, I tried reaching out to her one more time. I knew it was foolish, considering what I’d seen before, but I had to try one more time. I had to know if I really could have my old place back there. I slipped inside her mind instantly, my runaway emotions making the transition easy. She was on a private jet. If Jill had been stunned by meeting St. Vladimir’s A-list students, going on a trip with them made her downright comatose. She stared at everything wide-eyed and barely said a word during the whole flight to the Royal Court . When Avery offered her a glass of champagne, Jill could barely stammer out, â€Å"N-no thanks.† After that, the others seemed to forget about her and got carried away by their own conversation. Lissa noticed Jill’s uneasiness but didn’t do much to remedy it. That was a shock. The Lissa I had known would have gone out of her way to make Jill comfortable and be included. Fortunately, the younger girl seemed perfectly entertained by watching the others’ antics. I also took comfort in knowing Jill would be okay once she met up with Mia. Lissa had sent word ahead to Mia to come pick up Jill when they landed, seeing as Lissa and the others had to attend to one of Tatiana’s functions right away. Mia had said she’d take Jill under her wing for the weekend and show her some of the innovative things she’d learned to do with her water magic. Lissa was glad for this, happy she wouldn’t be babysitting a freshman all weekend. Even if Jill was totally off of Lissa’s radar, one person wasn’t: Avery’s brother Reed. Their father had decided it would be a good idea for Reed to go with them, and seeing as Mr.-excuse me-Headmaster Lazar had played a key role in working with Tatiana to arrange this trip, there was little argument. Avery had rolled her eyes and spoken to Lissa about it covertly, just before boarding. â€Å"We’re all riding your reputation,† Avery said. â€Å"Part of the reason Dad let me come was because you’re in good with the queen, and he wants it to rub off on me. He’s then hoping I’ll get in good with her, and then that’ll rub off on Reed-and the rest of the family.† Lissa tried not to over think the logic too much. Mostly, she was bothered because Reed Lazar was still as unpleasant as he’d been the first day they met. He wasn’t really mean or anything; it just made her uncomfortable being around him. Really, he was the polar opposite of Avery. Whereas she was animated and could always strike up conversation, he stayed tight-lipped and spoke only when spoken to. Lissa couldn’t really tell if it was shyness or disdain. When Lissa had tried asking him if he was excited to go to Court, Reed had simply shrugged. â€Å"Whatever. I don’t care.† His tone had been almost hostile, like he resented her for asking, so she’d given up all other attempts at conversation. The only person, other than his sister, that Lissa saw Reed ever speak to was Avery’s guardian Simon. He had also come along. When the flight landed, Mia was as good as her word. She waved enthusiastically when Lissa stepped off the plane, her blond curls whipping around in the wind. Lissa grinned back, and they gave each other quick half-hugs, something that never failed to amuse me given their former enemy status. Lissa made introductions for those who needed them as an escort of guardians led them away from the landing strip and toward the inner portion of Court. Mia welcomed Jill so warmly that the younger girl’s uneasiness faded, and excitement glowed in her green eyes. Smiling fondly, Mia glanced away from Jill and over to Lissa. â€Å"Where’s Rose?† Silence fell, followed by uncomfortable glances. â€Å"What?† demanded Mia. â€Å"What did I say?† â€Å"Rose is gone,† said Lissa. â€Å"Sorry†¦ I thought you knew. She dropped out and left after the attack because there were some things†¦ some personal things†¦ she needed to take care of.† Lissa feared Mia would ask about the personal things. Only a few people knew about my search for Dimitri, and Lissa wanted to keep it that way. Most thought I’d just disappeared from post-battle trauma. Mia’s next question completely shocked Lissa. â€Å"Why didn’t you go with her?† â€Å"What?† Lissa stammered. â€Å"Why would I do that? Rose dropped out. No way am I going to.† â€Å"Yeah, I suppose.† Mia turned speculative. â€Å"You guys are just so close-even without the bond. I assumed you’d follow each other to the ends of the earth and figure out the details later.† Mia’s own life had gone through so much upheaval that she took that kind of thing in stride. That weird, fluctuating anger I’d been feeling pop up in Lissa every so often suddenly reared its head and turned on Mia. â€Å"Yeah, well, if we were so close, then it seems like she wouldn’t have left in the first place. She’s the selfish one, not me.† The words stung me and clearly shocked Mia. Mia had a temper of her own, but she sat on it and simply held up her hands in an apologetic way. She really had changed. â€Å"Sorry. Wasn’t trying to accuse you of anything.† Lissa said nothing else. Since my departure, she’d beat herself up about a lot of things. She’d gone over and over things she could have done for me before or after the attack, things that might have made me stay. But it had never occurred to her to go with me, and the revelation hit her like a smack to the face. Mia’s words made her feel guilty and angry all at the same time-and she wasn’t sure who she was the maddest at: me or herself. â€Å"I know what you’re thinking,† said Adrian a few minutes later, once Mia had led Jill away and promised to meet up later. â€Å"What, you read minds now?† asked Lissa. â€Å"Don’t have to. It’s written all over your face. And Rose never would have let you go with her, so stop agonizing over it.† They entered the royal guest housing, which was just as lush and opulent as it had been when I’d stayed there. â€Å"You don’t know that. I could have talked her into it.† â€Å"No,† said Adrian sharply. â€Å"You couldn’t have. I’m serious-don’t give yourself one more thing to be depressed about.† â€Å"Hey, who said I’m depressed? Like I said, she abandoned me.† Adrian was surprised. Since my departure, Lissa had been more sad than anything. She’d occasionally been angry at my decision, but neither Adrian nor I had seen such vehemence from her. Dark feelings boiled within her heart. â€Å"I thought you understood,† said Adrian, with a small, puzzled frown. â€Å"I thought you said you’d-â€Å" Avery suddenly interrupted, giving Adrian a sharp look. â€Å"Hey, hey. Leave her alone, okay? We’ll see you at the reception.† They were at a point where the groups had to split, girls going to one part of the lodging and guys to the other. Adrian looked like he wanted to say more, but instead he nodded and headed off with Reed and a couple of guardians. Avery put a gentle arm around Lissa as she glared at Adrian’s retreating figure. â€Å"You okay?† Avery’s normally laughing face was filled with concern. It startled Lissa in the same way Adrian’s moments of seriousness always startled me. â€Å"I guess. I don’t know.† â€Å"Don’t beat yourself up over what you could have or should have done. The past is gone. Move on to the future.† Lissa’s heart was still heavy, her mood blacker than it had been in quite a while. She managed a tight smile. â€Å"I think that’s the wisest thing you’ve ever said.† â€Å"I know! Can you believe it? Do you think it’ll impress Adrian?† They dissolved into laughter, yet despite her cheery exterior, Lissa was still struck by Mia’s offhand comments. They plagued Lissa in a way she hadn’t thought possible. What really bothered her the most wasn’t the thought that if she’d come with me, she could have kept me out of trouble. No. Her biggest issue was that she hadn’t thought of coming with me in the first place. I was her best friend. As far as she was concerned, that should have been her immediate reaction to my departure. It hadn’t been, and now Lissa was racked with even more guilt than usual. The guilt was all-consuming, and she would occasionally transform it to anger to ease the pain. It didn’t help much. Her mood didn’t improve as the evening progressed, either. Not long after the group’s arrival, the queen hosted a small reception for the most elite of all visitors who had come to the Court. Lissa was quickly discovering that the queen always seemed to be hosting some party or another. At one point in her life, Lissa would have considered that fun. She no longer did, at least not when it came to these kinds of parties. But keeping her dark feelings locked up, Lissa stayed good at playing the role of nice royal girl. The queen seemed happy that Lissa had a â€Å"suitable† royal friend and was equally pleased when Lissa impressed other royals and dignitaries she was introduced to. At one point, though, Lissa’s resolve nearly faltered. â€Å"Before you leave,† said Tatiana, â€Å"we should see about your guardians.† She and Lissa stood together with a group of admirers and hangers-on who were keeping respectful distances. Lissa had been staring vacantly at the bubbles in her untouched champagne and looked up with a start. â€Å"Guardians, your majesty?† â€Å"Well, there’s no delicate way to put this, but now, for better or for worse, you’re without any protection.† The queen paused respectfully. â€Å"Belikov was a good man.† My name naturally didn’t come to her lips. I might as well have never existed. She’d never liked me, particularly since she thought I was going to run off with Adrian. As it was, Lissa had noticed Tatiana watching with some consideration while Avery and Adrian flirted. It was hard to say if the queen disapproved. Her partying aside, Avery seemed a model girl-save that Tatiana had wanted Lissa and Adrian to eventually get together. â€Å"I don’t need any protection right now,† said Lissa politely, her heart clenching. â€Å"No, but you’ll be out of school soon enough. We think we’ve found some excellent candidates for you. One of them’s a woman-a lucky find.† â€Å"Janine Hathaway offered to be my guardian,† said Lissa suddenly. I hadn’t known that, but as she spoke, I read the story in her mind. My mom had approached her not long after I left. I was a little shocked. My mom was very loyal to her current assignment. This would have been a big move for her. â€Å"Janine Hathaway?† Tatiana’s eyebrows rose nearly to her hairline. â€Å"I’m sure she has other commitments. No, we’ve got much better choices. This young lady’s only a few years older than you.† A better choice than Janine Hathaway? Not likely. Before Dimitri, my mother had been the gold standard by which I measured all badassedness. Tatiana’s â€Å"young lady† was undoubtedly someone under the queen’s control-and more importantly, not a Hathaway. The queen didn’t like my mom any more than she liked me. Once, when Tatiana had been bitching me out for something, she’d made a reference to a man my mother had been involved with-someone whom I suspected might be my father, a guy named Ibrahim. The funny thing was, the queen had almost sounded like she had once had an interest in the guy too, and I had to wonder if that was part of her dislike for my family. Lissa put on a tight, polite smile for the queen and thanked her for the consideration. Lissa and I both understood what was going on. This was Tatiana’s game. Everyone was part of her plan, and there was no way to go against her. For a brief moment, Lissa had that strange thought again, of something Victor Dashkov had once said to her. Aside from his crazy killing and kidnapping schemes, Victor had also wanted to start a revolution among the Moroi. He thought the power distribution was off-something Lissa occasionally believed too-and that it was wielded unfairly by those with too much control. The moment was gone almost as soon as it came. Victor Dashkov was a crazy villain whose ideas deserved no acknowledgment. Then, as soon as courtesy allowed, Lissa excused herself from the queen and headed across the room, feeling like she was going to explode with grief and anger. She nearly ran into Avery as she did. â€Å"God,† said Avery. â€Å"Do you think Reed could embarrass me any more? Two people have tried to make conversation with him, and he keeps scaring them off. He actually just told Robin Badica to shut up. I mean, yeah, she was going on and on, but still. That is not cool.† Avery’s dramatic look of exasperation faded as she took in Lissa’s face. â€Å"Hey, what’s wrong?† Lissa glanced at Tatiana and then turned back to Avery, taking comfort in her friend’s blue-gray eyes. â€Å"I need to get out of here.† Lissa took a deep, calming breath. â€Å"Remember all that good stuff you said you knew about? When is that going to happen?† Avery smiled. â€Å"As soon as you want.† I returned to myself, sitting there on the curb. My emotions were still going crazy, and my eyes were fighting off tears. My earlier doubts were confirmed: Lissa didn’t need me anymore†¦ and yet, I still had that feeling that there was something odd going on that I couldn’t quite put a finger on. I supposed her guilt over Mia’s comment or spirit side effects could be affecting her, but still†¦ she wasn’t the same Lissa. Footsteps on the pavement made me look up. Of all the people who might have found me, I would have expected Abe or maybe Viktoria. But it wasn’t. It was Yeva. The old woman stood there, a shawl draped over her narrow shoulders, and her sharp, cunning eyes looking down at me disapprovingly. I sighed. â€Å"What happened? Did a house fall on your sister?† I asked. Maybe there was a benefit to our language barrier. She pursed her lips. â€Å"You can’t stay here any longer,† she said. My mouth dropped open. â€Å"You†¦ you speak English?† She snorted. â€Å"Of course.† I shot up. â€Å"All this time you’ve been pretending not to? You’ve been making Paul play translator?† â€Å"It’s easier,† she said simply. â€Å"You avoid a lot of annoying conversation when you don’t speak the language. And I’ve found that Americans make the most annoying conversation of all.† I was still aghast. â€Å"You don’t even know me! But from the first day, you’ve been giving me hell. Why? Why do you hate me?† â€Å"I don’t hate you. But I am disappointed.† â€Å"Disappointed? How?† â€Å"I dreamed you would come.† â€Å"I heard that. You dream a lot?† â€Å"Sometimes,† she said. The moonlight glinted in her eyes, enhancing her otherworldly appearance. A chill ran down my spine. â€Å"Sometimes my dreams are true. Sometimes not. I dreamed Dimka was dead, but I didn’t want to believe it, not until I had proof. You were my proof.† â€Å"And that’s why you were disappointed?† Yeva drew the shawl more tightly around her. â€Å"No. In my dreams, you shone. You burned like a star, and I saw you as a warrior, someone who could do great deeds. Instead? You’ve sat around and moped. You’ve done nothing. You haven’t done what you came to do.† I studied her, wondering if she really knew what she was talking about. â€Å"And what is that exactly?† â€Å"You know what it is. I dreamed that, too.† I waited for more. When it didn’t come, I laughed. â€Å"Nice vague answer. You’re as bad as any scam fortune-teller.† Even in the darkness, I could see the anger kindle in her eyes. â€Å"You’ve come to search for Dimka. To try to kill him. You must find him.† â€Å"What do you mean ? ®try’?† I didn’t want to believe her, didn’t want to believe she might actually know my future. Nonetheless, I found myself getting hooked in. â€Å"Have you seen what happens? Do I kill him?† â€Å"I can’t see everything.† â€Å"Oh. Fantastic.† â€Å"I only saw that you must find him.† â€Å"But that’s all you’ve got? I already knew that!† â€Å"It’s what I saw.† I groaned. â€Å"Damn it, I don’t have time for these cryptic clues. If you can’t help me, then don’t say anything.† She stayed quiet. I slung my bag over my shoulder. â€Å"Fine. I’m leaving then.† And like that, I knew where I would go. â€Å"Tell the others†¦ well, tell them thank you for everything. And that I’m sorry.† â€Å"You’re doing the right thing,† she said. â€Å"This isn’t where you should be.† â€Å"So I’ve heard,† I muttered, walking away. I wondered if she’d say anything else: chastise me, curse me, give me more mysterious words of â€Å"wisdom.† But she stayed silent, and I didn’t look back. I had no home, not here and not in America. The only thing left for me was to do what I’d come to do. I had told Abe I kept my promises. I would. I’d leave Baia like I told him. And I’d kill Dimitri, as I’d promised myself I would. I knew where to go now. The address had never left my mind: 83 Kasakova. I didn’t know where it was, but once I reached the town’s center, I found a guy walking down the street who gave me directions. The address was close by, only about a mile, and I headed out at a brisk pace. When I reached the house, I was glad to see that the lights were still on. Even as pissed off and raging as I was, I didn’t want to wake anyone up. I also didn’t want to speak to Nikolai and was relieved when Denis opened the door. His expression was all astonishment when he saw me. Despite his bold words back at the church earlier, I don’t think he’d really believed I’d join him and the other unpromised ones. He was speechless, so I did the talking. â€Å"I changed my mind. I’m coming with you.† I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what came next. I’d promised Abe I’d leave Baia-but I hadn’t promised to return to the U.S. â€Å"Take me to Novosibirsk.†

15 topics about sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

15 topics about sociology - Essay Example At present, a majority of the world’s population has or is living in a city; and yet, it was only about 100 years ago when there were only about 12 cities in existence. This speaks much of the pace and speed by which urbanization has taken place in various towns and rural areas. The growth in the population in these cities has also exceeded expected numbers for regular cities. These cities are called megacities because the rate of population growth and of development has increased and risen to unprecedented levels. And â€Å"we now live in an urban world where the mega-metropolises: Tokyo-Yokohama and greater Mexico City have populations of over 20 million† (Palen, p. 2). The rapidity of change from rural to urban life is at least as important as the amount of urbanization because the success or failure of the transition from rural to urban life is very much dependent on the pace of the development and the reception of the people to the development. And the megacities now cater to more advancement in industry and technology. The pace of these advancements is fast and is manifesting on a massive scale. But a large proportion of the world’s population is still based in the rural areas and in most Western nations. And the pace of transition from rural to urban life has been a dramatic transition as most population growths have been seen in the cities. Much of the population growth and transitions from rural to urban areas have been exhibited in developing countries. And these third world nations have managed to experience an expansion of their cities because many of the citizens seek greener pastures in these cities. As a result, today, â€Å"th e number of people living in developing world cities outnumbers the entire population of the world only 100 years ago† (Palen, p. 3). These numbers indicate that the pace of transition from rural to urban life has as much impact and importance as the amount of

Organisation Development-Academic Review Research Proposal

Organisation Development-Academic Review - Research Proposal Example Since, the concept has a origin long back it is sure that we can expect a great among its practitioners in the present world, and more over all those who are working in the filed of organizational development are closely related to the business sector but, due to the enormous development in the filed of information and communication the business sector in the present world irrespective of the type of business they are undertaking has taken a new dimensions when compared to the earlier periods. OD is closely inter linked with the organizations which are involved in any business in one way or the other, so it can be clearly noted that the way it was practiced in the earlier periods will not be worth while in the present stage. Identification of a problem is the main factor, which decides the results of any research, whether it is an action research or any other explorative research studies. Since, conducting any research without identifying the correct problem is like searching an answer without a question. Hence, problem identification should be given prior importance before designing any research. In general in every research work after identifying the problem the next main concern is to verify whether the identified population which will constitute the respondents has any relation with the identified problem so as to confirm whether the research will give a acceptable inferences whether a positive or negative, which in turn will pay way to further researches or it will help any decision making issues. In this research the identified problem can be stated as the "Assessment of the Organizational Development" which can be accepted as researchable topic. Since, in general any research will be conducted to identify or study any serious problems or issues or situations. In this context though assessing the filed of organization cannot be considered as a serious problem it can be considered as one of the serious issues the world is facing as today's world depends on the business sector for all their needs it is very important that the organization or the management running any business should be more effective. So assessing the organization development in particularly to find its strength, weakness, opportunities and the threats will surely pave to the improve in the practices which in turn will help in the better management of the organizations. Considering the all above said factors we can come to a conclusion that at this juncture the authors selection of research problem is notable. Literature Review: After identifying the population and problem among them, which is, going to be considered for research the second major thing is conduct the review of literature. Literature review is considered as such an important part of any research since this section of the research is the one which helps researcher to finalize the research design without any replication and with some improvements in the selected field. In the present article though we were not able to see the details about the reviewed literatures we can find that as it is stated in the methodology section that more than eighty recent literatures related to business challenges and opportunities were reviewed. We hope that all of them will be of great use in designing the other SWOT analysis section. Research

Summary of an article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 9

Summary of an article - Essay Example She then cited the issue of education. The trend identified was that there are more women graduating in college than men and that their career trajectory runs parallel with the growth of the knowledge economy. What this means, for Luscombe, is that women (who claims a big part in keeping the partnership strong) are no longer dependent on marriage because of their financial independence. She pointed out that two-thirds of divorces were initiated by wives. Finally, Luscombe concluded that marriage as the ultimate "merit badge" for successful personal life is no longer true. She argued that more and more people found that those things that can make them happy like sex life, companionship and children could all be achieved outside of the wedlock. All in all, Luscombe was quite persuasive with her arguments. She cited solid evidences to back her points. However, she fails to comprehensively address the marriage issue. She has recognized that it is an institution and, certainly, it takes more than money or economics to erode how people perceive it. While it is valid to say marriage is losing its appeal, it is important to cover all dimensions in explaining such

Financial Statements Paper Part II Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Statements Paper Part II - Essay Example here has been no reduction in equity of the company in year 2009 when compared with year 2008 so reduction in debt-equity ratio and debt ratio is attributed to lower debt component in year 2009. Lower debt-equity ratio reduces the risk of the company during difficult time as witnessed after the financial crisis of 2008. Major impact in the Home Depot’s performance has come in the form of interest coverage that has reduced in 2009 to just 6.98 times from the much safer coverage of 22.6 times in year 2008. This has also reduced its capacity to borrow more funds for business expansion. As far as revenue is concerned, the company reported sales of $77.3 billion in 2008; it has decreased to $71.228 billion in 2009. The company’s sales are in downward trends. It is apparent that the company’s businesses have been affected by the economic recession that set in after financial crisis in 2008-09. This reduction in revenue has also affected its return on assets that decreased significantly to 5.34% in year 2009 from 9.9% registered in 2008. Post 9/11 regulatory environment pertaining to information security has been quite rigorous. No company can afford to compromise with employee, customer and company data. Customers rely enormously on the company management and believe that their personal information and data will not get misused or compromised. It is true that any misappropriation of customer, employee or company data could endanger their reputation significantly resulting into financial losses apart from facing lawsuits by the affected people. Zoning regulations prevent use of property in a certain manner. Zoning regulations mean conforming to local land and building regulations and conduct businesses conforming to local laws. Zoning regulations also imposes certain conditions such as providing adequate parking facilities, timing of operations for doing business activities. Thus, zoning ordinances may impact the business activities of the company’s store in

Cultural and Intellectual Developments Annotated Bibliography

Cultural and Intellectual Developments - Annotated Bibliography Example From the source it is evident that the 1950s saw China adopt a strategy of collectivization of agriculture based on the model that was being applied by the Soviet Union. Yun expressed hope that the industrialization of the country based on the five year plan would guarantee the country economic independence and freedon to avoid relying on imperialists. This source is important to the research as it provides good ground for understanding the course China, under Mao Tse-Tung, took toward achieving economic development. Tse-Tung, Mao. â€Å"Let Us Unite And Clearly Distinguish Between Ourselves And The Enemy†. Speech delivered at the thirty-eighth meeting of the Standing Committee of the First National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference August 4, 1952. https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-5/mswv5_22.htm This source is a speech by Mao Tse-Tung, the leader of China at the time the speech was being made. In the source Tse-Tung traces the situations that China has gone through over the years. He emphasizes that China needed to increase its production and apply strict economy for its gowth. The leader noted that the three evils and the five evils movements had been successful and that the country was getting more economically stable. Among other things, the Korean war, resistance against U.S. aggression, corruption, waste and bureaucracy were noted by Tse-tung to be major hurdles to the economic growth of the nation. This source is significant for the study since it gives an insight into the progress that China made under Mao and the political upheavals that led to its slow growth. Richard Bush was a one time acting director of the American Institute in Taiwan and is currently a director of Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies (CNAPS) affiliated with the Brookings Institution. A political

Survey of a Public Building Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Survey of a Public Building - Essay Example It is said that the building was presided by one Tower 42 and surpassed by the Shard London Bridge. The cost of the building then is said to have been ? 500 million (London Architecture, 2012). During the construction of the building, some prominent personalities were of the contrary opinion with the then prime minister Margret Thatcher opposing its construction. I. Identify and comment on the structure and construction of the various components, which make up the primary and secondary elements associated with your chosen building. From 1991 to 2010, one Canada square remained the tallest building in the city of London with 50 storey floors (Emporis, 2012). The with such magnificent features the building involved high level engineering works given the nature of the building in terms of height and the weight. The building utilized almost 16,000 pieces of steel used to constitute the exterior cladding and the structural frames of the building. Within the floor of the building, there is the composite construction that consists of the compact steel core that also involved the perimeter columns that surrounds the outer perimeter. 130 feet pyramid weighing 11 tons is also used to for the capping of the building (39.6 meters) (London Architecture, 2012). The building also prides of being the first to be clad in stainless steel. In this regard, the building consumed approximately 370,000 of the material Pattern Hyclad Cambric in square feet. The material is used to clad the entire building. The weight in metric tones that is used to make the building is 27,000 metric tons of steel reinforced by over 500,000 bolts (London Architecture, 2012). This is in the consideration of the whole building. There is also the lobby clad that is used in the building. The lobby clad is 11 meters (36 feet) high and about 90,000 square feet origin of the marble were imported from two countries Guatemala and Italy in the construction of the building (London Architecture, 2012). The buildin g’s foundation was reinforced with a number of stainless steel with motor and concretes to provide firm support for the buildings enormous weight. The stainless steels used in the building were all bolted for the required firmness of the building. Further protection of the steel was achieved by the use of mortar in-fill. The buildings floor area is 28,000 square feet. The building also has installed at the top a pyramid. The building is capable of handling about 108, 000 deliveries in a single year. Aircraft warning are also fitted in the building and flashes 40 times every minute (NCE, 2012). The picture above shows a cross section of the architectural design of the building’s wall, the position of the stainless steel used in the building can be seen in the figure. The integrated composite construction that constitute the floor and the steels that forms part of the wall were designed in such a manner to provide proper anchorage of the building owing to the mass of the materials used in the building and that of the pyramid at the top. The use of stainless steel was to provide the required strength and to eliminate the possibility of corrosion in the building. The steels connection are all done by use of fastening bolts for the provision of extra support. II. Give consideration to the period and date of the construction, the type of the dwelling, its expected design life at the time of construction and the state of its structural

Critical opinion on history of design Term Paper

Critical opinion on history of design - Term Paper Example Significantly, the design history also exists as a component of practice based courses with its teaching and study being as a result of the National Advisory Council of Britain and was launched in the 1960s under the art and design programs. Considerably, the council aimed at making art and design education a legitimate academic activity which necessitated the employment or ‘buying in’ of specialists from art history disciplines, leading to a particular style of delivery. Wood is among the core components of design (as a material) that most people including designers, appreciate and love; simply because it is an incredibly useful material that has minimal effect to the environment (Gustav 1). Over the years, wood has provided humans with shelter, warmth, tools and furniture and it has been a great inspiration that even the earliest man interacted with wood in this most basic ways and more. Typically, wood is embedded with many layers, all of which are symbolic in the aspects of its history in design, time and where it has been applied; for instance, wood keeps a record of its environment and each year brings new growth that marks its past or the rings of a tree can teach us about the environment and specific events in the trees life holding its history within and its living energy expresses it outward. Most of the craftsmen that use wood in design express energy that is added to the depth of the material; reflectively, furniture has been part of the human experience since the development of the non-nomadic cultures and there is historical evidence that it goes the Neolithic period (Gustav 1). This theory is an example of how design in general has been of great significance to the human era, not to forget that it does not in any negative way affect the environment. Furniture designed from wood is not only a product but is also considered to be a from of

Transfer To Virginia Tech Essay Example for Free

Transfer To Virginia Tech Essay I have come to a point in life that many people have not.   I have made a firm decision to recommit myself to pursuing my dreams.   While there are those who believe that with an ounce of luck and a ton of persistence anything can be accomplished, I believe that there is no reason to expend so much energy and rely on luck.   I believe in taking hold of my destiny and carving out a future for myself based on the decisions that I make in life.    Life is simply too short and too precious to be left to luck alone.   This is why I have chosen to apply at (Selected University Here). My most important character strength, in my opinion, is my ability to adapt, accept and learn from different cultures.   I traveled a lot when I was younger and have been exposed to all sorts of cultures and societies.   Growing up, I found myself amidst people of many different cultural backgrounds and I have found that I have grown to accept people for who they are and not where they are from. The world is fast becoming a borderless place.   Cultures, races, beliefs and ideologies are blend together and interact because of the growing advances in communications.   In order to succeed in this world, one needs to be able to adapt to the various cultural differences as well as be able to maintain a certain sense of individual identity.   This is why I firmly believe that Virginia Tech is the perfect place for me. In order to get ahead in this world, it is important to have a good education.   While I began to pursue my dream at App State University, I feel that Virginia Tech is the better place for me.   The fact that my mother graduated from Virginia Tech only adds to the many reasons why having a quality education from a well-known school is crucial to the pursuit of my long term goals in life. While I personally believe that â€Å"there is no such thing as a free lunch† and that everything a person has in life must come from hard work and perseverance, I also believe in charity.   I believe in helping others who do not have much in life.   I believe in helping people regardless of their nation, race or creed.   I believe in being a better person so I can best help myself and others around me.   I strongly feel that my time of being an object at rest has gone on long enough and that it is now time for me to move forward to achieve my dreams.   For this reason, I feel that (name of university) is the best place for me to turn these beliefs into realities.

Works of Poe Essay Example for Free

Works of Poe Essay Poe vividly re- accounts these acts through the eyes of this deceitful narrator and creates a horror and disgust that is oh so real and palpable as in His visualization of the murder in The Black Cat, I withdrew my arm from her grasp, and buried the axe in her brain. She fell dead upon the spot, without a groan (Black Cat 386). The use of this horror grabs and maintains the readers attention, and is further perplexed through the environments he creates with his settings. Setting can help to achieve the overall mood a writer is trying to obtain. Poe purposely creates settings that fabricate dark and mysterious imagery in the readers mind. His use of description takes the mind on a journey into these dark and evil places where the protagonist characters follow through with their evil notions: At the most remote end of the crypt there appeared another less spacious. Its walls had been lined with human remains, piled to the vault overhead, in the fashion of the great catacombs of Paris. Three sides of this of this interior crypt were still ornamented in this manner. From the fourth side the bones had been thrown down, and lay promiscuously upon the earth, forming at one point a mound of some size (Amontillado 544). In each of these short stories the setting is a some sort of depressing place, whether it be told from a lonely jail cell, a dark residence of an elderly caretaker, or the deep, dark catacomb under a palazzo. The settings create strong overtones and quickly dictate the moods of Poes stories. His Style of setting, even though in different forms such as a residence or jail cell, is executed with much clarity. The theme of horror is carried out and put into reality in these dreadful places where evil prevails For a purpose such as this the cellar was well adapted and made to resemble the rest the cellar (Black Cat 386). These settings give way to the characters personalities and enhance the mood and existence of evil each one of their personalities hold. Characters make the story what it is. They evoke emotions from the reader and are the basis for what literary critics and everyday readers alike form their opinions on. Characters can be relatable, or as far-fetched as the immoral protagonists Poe has created. The protagonists in these three stories prove to be round characters as they are well developed and closely involved in the main action. There are a few background characters in these stories such as the old man and police in The Tell -Tale Heart, the wife and cats in The Black Cat, and Fortunato in The Cask of Amontillado. These characters, although extremely relevant to each story, are flat and not very well developed. Poe chooses to use his protagonist as the main character and the driving force for the plot. There is a bit of irony in each of the characters Poe created and most likely a purpose for underlying symbolisms he used. Inferences can be made for his use these ironic character traits he created. The old man in the Tell-Tale Heart had a crazy eye, which could be associated with evil eyes of vultures He had the eye of a vulture-a pale blue eye, with a film over it. (Tell-Tale 354). Evil eyes meant bad luck, and this poor old mans defect resulted in the superstitions of his tenant getting the best of him. In The Black Cat, superstition also got the best of the protagonist who was antagonized by the stereotypical evils of a black cat I seized him; when, in his fright at my violence, he inflicted a slight wound upon my hand with his teeth (Black Cat 382). Poe named Fortunado with the intent of creating irony, The thousand injuries of Fortunado I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. as fortunado quickly learned, his fortune was meant to be an un-timely death at the hand of his avenger (Amontillado 542). Edgar Allan Poe used his writing to evolve his works into a style that is distinctly Poe. His use of point of view, themes of horror, setting, and characters in The Black Cat, The Tell-Tale Heart, and The Cask of Amontillado help to show the uniqueness of his style. He created these chilling and enraging stories to play with the readers emotions and to take them to a demented mind state where not many wander. His style is well known today and one that revolutionized American fiction. Works Cited Poe, Edgar Allen. The Black Cat. Sixty-Seven Tales: as well as the Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket The Raven and other Poems. Edgar Allan Poe. New Jersey: Gramercy Books, 1985. 381-387. . The Tell-Tale Heart. Sixty-Seven Tales: as well as the Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket The Raven and other Poems. Edgar Allan Poe. New Jersey: Gramercy Books, 1985. 354-357. . The Cask of Amontillado. Sixty-Seven Tales: as well as the Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket The Raven and other Poems. Edgar Allan Poe. New Jersey: Gramercy Books, 1985. 543-545. Word count: 1,803.

The Role Of Cocoa In Conflicts Politics Essay

The Role Of Cocoa In Conflicts Politics Essay A great deal of attention has been given to the role of resource abundance in the onset and duration of conflicts. It is difficult to prove that the sole abundance of a certain natural resource can increase the risk of conflict. Different studies emphasize that the mismanagement of resources actually raises the risk of potential conflict.  [2]   Cote dIvoire, a resource-rich country, certainly had the potential to be just another African country in the claws of a resource-motivated civil war. As one of the worlds leading producers of cocoa beans, the cocoa trade undoubtedly played an important role in the countrys conflict.  [3]  Cocoa was used to finance the military expenditures of both government and rebel forces. However, little has been said about the role of cocoa in onset of the conflict. Cocoa cannot be considered the only resource that contributed to the conflict, but one must acknowledge the importance of cocoa. This is the case because it has been the backbone of Cote dIvoires economy for decades. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of resource governance in the onset of the conflict in Cote dIvoire. The analysis will be based on resource governance as transparent, efficient and fair allocation of revenues and non-harmful participatory implementation of policies including all relevant actors and affected communities.  [4]  This paper will analyze the governance of the cocoa sector because this sector has been the most important aspect of the countrys economy to date. It will begin with the post-colonial period and the rule of President Felix Houphouet-Boigny, and then continue until the onset of the conflict in 2002. It was during this year that the united rebel forces Forces Nouvelles (FN) managed to gain control of the cocoa-rich northern part of the country. The management of resources, or resource governance, cannot be explained simply via an analysis of a countrys economic policies. It is important to examine both economic and political decision-making processes since the two are often interconnected. This paper will explain the relationships between the states economic and political decisions that, directly or indirectly, contributed to circumstances in which a conflict was more likely to begin. II SHORT OVERVIEW OF THE CONFLICT A former French colony located in West Africa, resource-rich Cote dIvoire was considered one of the most prosperous countries in the region. After gaining independence from France in 1960, it was subsequently ruled for 33 years by an autocratic leader named Felix Houphouet-Boigny. President Houphouet-Boigny is often referred to as the father of the nation. Although rich in various resources such as cocoa, coffee, timber, gold, diamonds, oil and gas, the golden years of prosperity during Houphouet-Boignys government were closely related to agricultural advances. To be more precise, the economic prosperity of the country was primarily due to the export of commodities. Dependence on primary commodities export directly influenced Houphouet-Boignys political platform. The governments policy encouraged migration from neighboring countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Liberia etc.) to cocoa rich regions. Over time, this drastically altered the ethnic structure of the country. When world market commodity prices fell in the 1980s, the effects were intensely felt in both economic and governmental sectors. Social unrest triggered by the governments unpopular attempts to downsize the unsustainable state apparatus ultimately resulted in the introduction of a multi-party system. The power struggle that occurred following President Houphouet-Boignys death in 1993 planted the seed of the ethnic division in Cote dIvoire. Henri K. Bedie succeeded Houphouet-Boigny. Bedie and other politicians placed questions of identity at the forefront of the political agenda. During this period of economic decline and uncertainty, it was not difficult to manipulate questions of identity that focused on distinctions between local the local first-comers and the migrant late-comers.  [5]  The distinction between foreigners and locals was an important political tool for defining citizenship. When Bedie enacted the new electoral code in 1995, all foreigners lost their right to vote. The new code also required that the parents of any presidential candidate be citizens of Cote dIvoire. Similar practices of exclusion occurred within military institutions. Although Bedie believed such tactics would minimize political opposition, it ultimately resulted in a military coup. In 1999, G eneral Robert Guei came to power. Political violence slowly became entrenched in Ivorian society. This occurred via a violent boycott of the 1995 elections, Gueis military coup and the military and civil unrest which preceded the 2000 presidential elections. When Laurent Gbagbo took over the presidency, he introduced a new program of identification that further deepened the gap between locals and migrants. In September 2002, multiple army personnel staged an attempted coup against President Gbagbo. This led to a de facto division of the country in which southern Cote dIvoire remained under the control of the government and the north was overtaken by rebel forces. French military forces called Licorne monitored a ceasefire-line, the zone de confience. Three rebel movements (Mouvement Patriotique de la Cote dIvoire (MPCI), Mouvement Populaire Ivoiren du Grand Ouest (MPIGO) and Mouvement pour la Justice et la Pix (MJP)) ultimately joined forces and became the Forces Nouvelles (FN). The Linas-Marcoussis Peace Agreement was signed in January 2003. As per the parameters of the agreement, all conflict parties committed themselves to forming a government of national unity. In the following years, both parties repeatedly obstructed various peace efforts following the Marcoussis Treaty.  [6]  After years of sporadic outbursts of violence, the March 2007 Ouagadougou Political Accord (OPA) was signed between president Gbagbo and FN leader Guillaume Soro. Soro was subsequently appointed Prime Minister. Implementation of the OPA has been very slow. However, it provided an adequate level of security and made the November 2010 presidential elections possible.  [7]   Preliminary elections results showed that President Gbagbo had lost the elections to his rival, former Prime Minister Alassane Ouattara. The ruling party contested the results on charges of massive fraud in the northern territories of Cote dIvoire, which were controlled by the FN. International observers disputed these charges. The report of the results led to severe tension and violent incidents. To this date, the dispute over the election results in Cote dIvoire has not been settled. III RESOURCE GOVERNANCE USE AND ABUSE Post-Colonial Period Although often considered the golden years of Cote dIvoire, Houphouet-Boignys post-colonial rule did contribute to the countrys conflict. An abundance of land used for cocoa cultivation triggered the effects of the so-called resource curse. The resource curse thesis addresses reasons why a resource-abundant country fails to use resources in a way that would be economically beneficial. It refers not only to the socio-economic development of the country, but also to its governance and prospects for democracy.  [8]  The following chapter will analyze resource governance, economic development and the political decisions of Houphouet-Boignys government. It will demonstrate that these factors ultimately contributed to the onset of the conflict. 1.1. Economy, Politics and Policies Cote dIvoire gained its independence from France in 1960. By 1978, it was already one of the worlds leading cocoa producers. Cocoa, or more broadly the agricultural sector, constituted the backbone of the countys economy. Agricultural growth was mostly due to the conversion of forest areas into cropped areas and a shift in production from food stuffs to highly remunerative coffee and cocoa. Liberal immigration policies promoted by the government attracted a foreign workforce from neighboring countries. Rapid deforestation carried out by immigrant farmers later impacted agricultural capacities. 1964 marked the establishment of an important governmental institution. Caisse de Stabilisation et de Soutien des Prix des Produits Agricoles (CAISTAB) commercialized the cocoa and coffee sectors and guaranteed a fixed price for farmers through an advance sale system. CAISTAB bought cocoa directly from farmers and then sold it on the world market. The differences between the world market prices for cocoa and the prices paid to farmers were significant. The management of public revenues from cocoa was far from transparent and enabled government officials to indulge into corrupt activities. However, CAISTAB did bring about government investment in economic infrastructure and other services of great importance to farmers.  [9]   In 1967, President Houphouet-Boigny issued a decree stating that the land belonged to the person who cultivated it. This caused patronage relationships to form between the local landowners and the migrants who came to work the land. It essentially meant that the new laborers could sell part of the crops they helped produce. These relationships were often regulated through informal agreements between locals and migrants. However, some migrants gained land access on the grounds of a valid principle of entitlement to rights by virtue of invested labor (and not by virtue of descent), which was fostered by Houphouet-Boignys policies.  [10]  Migrants were also given the right to vote. The subsequent impact of this policy and its relation to the onset of the conflict will be discussed later in the paper. Cocoa prices continued to rise on the world market during late 1970s and revenues further contributed to Cote dIvoires development. CAISTAB, a stabilizing factor, ensured good prices for the farmers and continued to stimulate cocoa production. Additionally, inclusive politics regarding migrant farmers lended political support to the regime. The government was able to purchase social peace by ensuring that different ethnic groups received a share of the revenues. However, macroeconomic imbalances had grown to unsustainable levels, and the country carried a budget deficit of approximately 10% GDP. This was primarily a result of debt servicing problems due to rapid build-up of external debt during the second half of the 1970s, as well as inefficient resource allocation.  [11]  Unsustainable development and governance were only possible due to soaring cocoa prices on the world market. It is important to stress the interplay between the socio-economic, political and institutional dimensions. Lack of transparency regarding the distribution of revenues via CAISTAB and the nature and efficiency of infrastructural investments indicate the presence of politically motivated state activity in the economy. Most state investments were typical white elephant projects  [12]  that did not contribute to the countrys overall development.  [13]  Undoubtedly, there was too much government interference in economic activities. This resulted in the insufficient development of a strong, independent private sector vis-a-vis the government. Concurrently, Cote dIvoire endured widespread corruption and an absence of government accountability due to an autocratic regime and a lack of checks and balances. The Cocoa War Whether or not certain regime types are more susceptible to conflict than others is subject to debate. What is known is that the type and quality of political institutions that develop overtime within a country may determine how natural resources are managed.  [14]  The government failed to contribute to economic diversification or invest in infrastructure for cocoa processing. As the prime recipient of vast amounts of external rent, Cote dIvoires government had no intention of changing its policies or cutting excessive public spending. Excessive state intervention in the agricultural sector, dependence on cocoa export and an inefficient public sector all played a role in Cote dIvoires economic development when world market cocoa prices collapsed in the 1980s. The governments response was the two year Cocoa War in which a government-imposed cocoa embargo sought to influence global prices. This plan backfired and only proved beneficial to other cocoa-producing countries. When Cote dIvoire returned to the market, its share in world production was reduced to 20% and prices for farmers were halved. As the country hovered on the verge of bankruptcy, state expenditures were reduced. International financial institutions, such as the World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF), intervened. Cote dIvoires government was pressured into downsizing its large civil service and introducing greater transparency. CAISTABs powers were restricted and farm gate prices were cut by half. Succumbing to both pressure at home and abroad, the government introduced a multi-party system. Cote dIvoires high dependence on primary commodities export made it extremely vulnerable to external shocks. Furthermore, such vulnerability and dependence compounded the risk of potential conflict. The correlation between different economic characteristics such as dependence on primary commodity exports, low average incomes and slow growth played a role in increasing the risk of civil war.  [15]   New Government, Old Governance After Houphouet-Boignys death and forced political reform that introduced a multi-party system, the political arena was primed for a power struggle. New political circumstances and the continued economic downturn only increased overall political and social instability in the country. The following chapter will stress the lack of political will to introduce new, effective measures and ease the governments grip on the cocoa trade. It will also illustrate the political manipulation of identity. 2.1. CAISTAB and its Successors A scandal involving the embezzlement of 34.5 million USD in European Union (EU) credits intended for health care projects caused the WB and IMF to liquidate CAISTAB.  [16]  This resulted in even greater pressure on Cote dIvoires government to liberalize the cocoa market. Although liberalization meant the discontinuation of guaranteed prices for farmers, it did not improve their wages. Following CAISTABs liquidation, new institutions to govern the cocoa (and coffee) trade were formed. In barely a year, five new institutions came into existence. These included the Autorite de Regulation du Cafà © et du Cacao (ARCC), Bourse du Cafà © et Cacao (BCC), Fonds de Regulation et de Controle du Cafà © et Cacao (FRC), Fonds de Developpement et de Promotion des activites des Producteurs de Cafà © et de Cacao (FDPCC) and the Fonds de Garantie des Cooperatives Cafà © et Cacao (FGCCC). In order to fund the rapidly multiplying cocoa institutions, the government introduced new levies on each kilogram of exported cocoa. This had a direct impact on the farmers wages, as exporters simply transferred the cost of levies to the farmers. The reform of cocoa governing institutions only permitted diversion of cocoa revenue à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ for private purposes and towards off-budget expenditure by the Government, particularly military spending.  [17]   2.2 The Question of Identity Political opponents manipulated identity issues as a means of maintaining power. The distinction between the first-comers, or autochtones, and the late-comers, or allogenes, became central to the ongoing power struggle. In 1995, President Bedie enacted a new electoral code that exempted foreigners from their right to vote and stipulated that the parents of any presidential candidate hold Ivorian nationality.  [18]  This meant that approximately 25% of the population (mostly in cocoa rich regions) was deprived of its right to vote or run for president. Additionally, the parliament passed a new land law excluding non-Ivorian planters from acquiring land titles in principle (Art.1).  [19]  Due to the overall instability in the country, this law was never enforced. President Gbagbos contribution to the issue was the introduction of a new program of identification based on the concept of autochtony.  [20]  This new concept made it even more difficult for migrants to prove thei r village of origin  [21]  , thus further contributing to the autochtone allogene distinction. The lack of positive effects of liberalization coupled with the continued mismanagement of cocoa revenues through state institutions contributed to overall economic decline. High unemployment rates in urban areas put more pressure on the areas where cocoa was cultivated, because many youth returned to their villages and attempted to claim the land from migrants. Questions of ownership naturally arose. The 1967 decree stated that the land belonged to the person who cultivated it.  [22]  However, this principle now came into conflict with the principle of intergenerational justice, which guarantees the younger generation appropriate access to family land.  [23]   Onset of the Conflict The politization of the identity question that ethnically divided the country was a result of a fight for control of the countys vast resources. Continued poor resource governance further destabilized the economy. The following chapter will analyze the development of the discourse of grievance. 3.1. The Discourse of Grievance The grievance hypothesis suggests that part of a certain population, or a certain region of a country, may feel deprived of the benefits of resource-related income and therefore decide to fight.  [24]  In the case of Cote dIvoire, the fact that migrants were working the cocoa land turned out to be crucial. This is because the cocoa production sector was most affected by the governments suicidal economic strategies. Collier argues that rebel organizations develop a sense of grievance in order to function.  [25]  However, concerning Cote dIvoire, one may ascertain that the government actually fomented an objective sense of grievance among the migrants. This sense was then further exploited by the rebels. Collier argues that the motive itself (i.e. the real or imagined grievance) is not the core determinant regarding whether or not a country will experience civil war.  [26]  What appears more important is the feasibility of predation which determines the risk of conflict.  [27]  Different studies of Cote dIvoire do not examine whether the cocoa trade was used to finance the onset of the conflict. These studies find evidence suggesting that the FN rebels illegally traded diamonds and gold in order to finance themselves. Cocoa has been identified only as a resource that contributed to the duration of the conflict. Still, cocoa was a substantial source of revenue for the FN rebels. As soon as the rebels managed to seize power over the northern part of the country, they began taxing cocoa. They introduced the so-called protection taxes for travel within the FN controlled zone. Additionally, all trucks were weighed and the additional tax per kilogram of cocoa had to be paid. This s ystem later developed into an official taxing body called Le Centrale. Collier argues that sense of grievance alone is not enough for a conflict to start. Rather, it is the feasibility of the rebellion that will determine whether a country will experience civil war.  [28]  In the case of Cote dIvoire, both of the factors were present. The negative effects of poor resource governance, along with a number of political and judicial decisions, created an objective sense of grievance among the migrant minority and inspired this segment of the population to take up arms. Although the lootability of cocoa itself is debatable, the taxation system imposed to collect revenues from the cocoa trade was very profitable. IV CONCLUSION In Cote dIvoire, both resource governance and political decision-making processes had a significant impact on the later onset of conflict in the country. This interplay resulted in circumstances that made conflict more likely. The post-colonial autocratic regime of Houphouet-Boigny led to a government apparatus with full economic control. The lack of transparency and government accountability resulted in populist redistribution policies. The expansion of cocoa production and favorable policies for migrants changed the ethnic structure of the country and played a significant role in the onset of the conflict. Although favorable migrant policies might have been good for the countrys economy at one point, one other reason for their implementation was the fact that migrants were good soldiers and gave the government more legitimacy. Such policies were implemented in a country with no democratic institutions and under developed human rights mechanisms, which later made it possible for other political actors to abuse them. Mismanagement of cocoa revenues through CAISTAB made the country dependant on primary commodities export and therefore vulnerable to external shocks. The clumsy political and economic reforms that followed did not deliver the expected results and only paved the way for further instability. The manipulation of identities was the outcome of a power struggle due to the recently introduced multi-party system. Further mismanagement of resource revenues through new cocoa institutions, continued high public spending and forced liberalization of the market caused high unemployment rates and impoverished the population. One cannot say that the attempt to democratize the country and liberalize its economy was wrong, but one can question the way new rules were imposed. The country did not possess basic democratic mechanisms, an efficient system of control, or a satisfying level of transparency. The state was not ready to give up its piece of the cake from cocoa revenues and start playing fairly on the new liberal market. Ultimately, farmers had to pay the price. Growing unemployment rates, especially in urban areas, caused people to return to their villages and try to claim their land from migrant farmers. Unclear ownership of cocoa land impacted the developing identity issue by deepening the gap between the autochtones and allogenes. In addition to being deprived of some basic human rights, this raised the question of the access to cocoa land they considered their own. The farmers were also affected by the overall economic instability in the country and bore the weight of the governments reforms. Ultimately, the stage was set for the feeling of objective grievance to develop and serve as a motive for the onset of conflict. In the case of Cote dIvoire, the root causes  [29]  of the conflict were socio-economic development (dependence on primary commodities export, slow economic growth, high poverty rates, forced institutional reforms, liberalization of the market), state institutions (CAISTAB, new cocoa trade institutions), political processes (migrant policies, introduction of new democratic institutions, politization of the identity issue) and government accountability (lack of transparency resulting in high corruption levels, mismanagement of resource revenues). In order to understand the conflict in Cote dIvoire, it is important to analyze the interplay of all of these factors. These factors developed the sense of grievance and provided the motive that aggravated and triggered the conflict. The means and opportunity for sustaining the conflict were provided through the lucrative taxation system imposed by the rebels. V BIBLIOGRAPHY Basedau, M., Ley, J., (2005). 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