Strategic management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Strategic management - Assignment Example As Atkinson (2011) reports, in November 2011, the Citigroup planned to sell EMI Group’s recorded music sector to Universal Music Group and music publishing division to Sony/ATV consortium. This paper will use a number of strategic management theories including SWOT analysis, PESTLE analysis, Porter’s five forces model, and BCG matrix to assess the level of competitiveness of EMI and identify the need for strategic change in the digital competitive environment of 2012. SWOT Analysis Strengths Strong global presence is one of the major strengths of the EMI group because this factor assists the company to spread its risk elements. In addition, EMI is one of the world’s leading music corporations with 12.6% global market share (Light Speed Research, 2012). The group has a roster of over 1300 artists and many of them are world class artists like David Bowie and Norah Jones. The merger of the Columbia Graphophone Company and the Gramophone Company in 1931 resulted in t he formation of EMI Ltd. Weaknesses The EMI Music’s poor performance in the US market, the world’s largest recorded music market, seems to be its most potential weakness. Since EMI is an independent music industry, it has to find its own resources without any assistance from a parent company. Declining global market share is another weakness of the organisation. Financial data indicate that the firm’s global market share dropped from 13.4% in 2002 to 12.6% in 2003 and eventually 9.55% in 2005 (Bridgewell, 2004). Opportunities Joint ventures offer greater expansion opportunities for the company. The company has often enjoyed potential advantages from its joint ventures with other larger multinationals such as Apple and Yahoo. Liberalisation of mergers and acquisitions in the music industry would significantly promote the company’s growth (Department of Business Innovation & Skills, 2010). In addition, the fast development of internet applications also crea tes a range of potential opportunities for the firm. Threats Declining scope of recorded music is identified to be the biggest threat to the EMI Group. The recent global recession drastically affected the global economy and this condition appears to be an impediment to the growth of the music industry as well. Evidently, music piracy and aggressive market competition also threaten the further development of EMI. PESTLE Analysis Political factors The EMI Group maintains good relations with foreign countries to expand its business territory and thereby improve global market share. The company obtains good support from the political spectrum as it has designed many employee benefit schemes such as flexible working hours, family policies, and other financial incentives. Economic factors The global economic landscape is not much appealing because of the drastic effects of the recent global recession. Many of the EMI’s markets are still under the process of recovery. Hence, the eco nomic factors are not favourable for the organisation. Social factors The EMI website claims, â€Å"whatever the culture, whatever the society, wherever there are people, there is music† (EMI, 2012). In addition, EMI gives more focus on specific cultural aspects of each country where the company has a music market. Hence, social factors are less likely to affect the EMI’s business. Technological factors The technology sector has been performing outstandingly over the

Accounting & finance Financial Ratio Anlysis Essay

Accounting & finance Financial Ratio Anlysis - Essay Example Prolong Limited’s gross profit margin decreased from 42.4% in 2009 to 37.5% in 2010. This can be due to the considerable increase in the cost of goods sold from $680,000 in 2009 to $750,000 in 2010. Prolong Limited’s net profit margin was 19.8 % in 2009 and decreased to 13.9 % in 2010. This was due to the increase in the operating expenses of the company. This rise in costs can be due to the rise in the inflation rate in the economy. Prolong Limited should take measures to control their costs of producing the goods. 60% of the current assets are tied up in stock due to which the liquidity position of the company is not very good. Prolong Ltd does not have ample cash to repay its creditors and due to this amount owed to the creditors have increased. Prolong Ltd should improve upon its liquidity position so that it can repay its debt on time. The overall liquidity of the company in 2010 has improved because of the bank loan taken by Prolong Ltd. But still, the creditors of Prolong Ltd are accumulating and it would be difficult for Prolong Ltd to repay its debt if the company does not generate ample cash through sales. Moreover, most of the cash of Prolong Ltd is tied up in non-current assets. Prolong Ltd can generate cash by selling off some of their non-current assets which will improve their liquidity position. Asset turnover indicates the sales that are generated from $1 investments in assets. Prolong’s Ltd asset turnover remained relatively stable in 2009 and 2010. Although the sales increased marginally by $20,000, the total assets increased by $99,000. The investment in the assets was not translated into the corresponding increase in sales revenue. Days inventory ratio of Prolong Ltd indicate that it took 79 days on average to sell the goods in inventory in 2009 and 93 days in 2010. The days inventory has increased in 2010 and this high days inventory figure is not very beneficial for the company. Days debtor ratio indicates

Should stem cell transplants be done Essay Example for Free

Should stem cell transplants be done Essay Stem cell transplants are often one of the last choices a patient has to survive cancer. All have already gone through chemotherapy, radiation therapy or both and this is the next step in their treatment. Patients have two choices in transplants autologous or allogeneic. In an autologous transplant stem cells are collected from the patient and then given back to them at a later date after the body has been properly prepared for transplantation. In an allogeneic transplant stem cells are collected from a donor, related or unrelated to the patient, then transplanted into the patient. Stem cells can be collected in two different ways. One way is via bone marrow and the other is via peripheral blood. The donor’s or patient’s bone marrow is collected from the pelvis, femur or sternum, though the pelvis is the most common, and then infused into the patient via a central line. In a peripheral blood stem cell collection the donor or the patient has their stem cells collected via a central line in a process called apheresis. This can take multiple collections to ensure enough stem cells for transplantation. Both procedures need to be meticulously planned and all support medications given to ensure successful collection. There are many cancers that stem cell transplants are commonly used for. Multiple myeloma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease and chronic myelogenous leukemia are more commonly treated with transplantation. Each of these cancers has a different success rate, some have a higher success rates than with chemotherapy alone. Proper preparation is important for stem cell transplants. All patients undergo chemotherapy prior to transplantation. This is used to clear out the bone marrow of cells to ensure a successful transplant. Also most patients have already undergone chemotherapy in hopes of curing their cancer without having to have a stem cell transplant. Chemotherapy is not the only medication used to aid in transplants. Patients generally receive G-CSF injections to help promote cell production prior to harvest and to aid in engraftment. Transplantation is not without risks, patients can experience fatigue, infections, lowered red blood cells and platelets or even graft versus host disease. These can all be treated though with good supportive care by the physicians and other support staff. Research shows that stem cell transplants should be done in certain cases because it can allow a greater quality of life by ridding the body of cancer and promoting healthy cell growth and allowing a patient to have other options of therapies to overcome cancer. Multiple myeloma is one of the cancers that can have successful outcomes by a stem cell transplant. Though research shows this is not a true curative treatment for patients, it can give them a chance at a longer life. Both autologous and allogeneic transplants can be done for multiple myeloma though allogeneic transplants are more successful. Bruno et al, (2007) attributes this to the inability of the pre-transplant chemotherapy to eradicate all myeloma cells. Also allografting using stem cells from a HLA-identical sibling has higher success rates than transplants using non HLA-identical siblings. Another cancer that has successful outcomes after transplantation is acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Kiehl et al, (2004) shows that up to 46% of patients who receive an allogeneic transplant have successful disease free survival. Higher risk patients and patients who are in their second complete remission should undergo a stem cell transplant for a greater chance at long term survival. Those who are in their third complete remission, or have had induction failure, have a lower chance at a successful transplant with disease free survival. As stated by Kiehl et al, (2004) these patients only have a 5-15% chance of long term survival despite transplantation. The allogeneic donor can either be related or unrelated, though the donor of choice is a matched sibling. This is not always possible so transplantation should go ahead with and unrelated donor. Hodgkin’s disease can be successfully cured with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, though some patients will need transplantation at some point. Research by Sureda et al, (2001) shows that these patients can achieve long term survival after an autologous stem cell transplant. These patients have generally relapsed after initial chemotherapy or have refractory disease. Poorer outcomes after transplantation can be found in patients who have a short remission period or bulky disease at time of transplantation. This is not a deciding factor in not attempting a transplant though. Stem cell transplants continue to be the only curative option for chronic myelogenous leukemia. Most of these patients receive an allogeneic transplant though some undergo and autologous if no donors are available. Maziaz and Mauro, (2004) show that an allogeneic transplant from a sibling donor had a 60% disease free survival at 5 years. Autologous transplants have an 80% survival rate at 5 years though these patients are only in remission not truly disease free. Age, other health factors, and donor availability are factors to be considered prior to transplant. Maziarz and Mauro, (2003) bring up the question of non-transplant therapy by using Imatinib. This medication is still being researched regarding its efficacy and curative rates. This could be an option for patients who are too ill to undergo a transplant. Stem cell transplants are reliant on multiple medications prior to and after transplantation. Chemotherapies are used to ablate the bone marrow and ready it for production of new healthy cells. Granulocyte colony stimulating factor, G-CSF, is used pre and post transplantation. This medication assists in cell production for a successful harvest and then for successful engraftment. High dose chemotherapies such as Ifosfamide, Carboplatin and Etoposide are often used prior to transplantation. (Schlemmer et al, 2006, Straka et al, 20003) These medications ready the bone marrow for transplantation by destroying cells, both good and bad. Elderly patients and patients who cannot tolerate full dose therapy are often given doses at a decreased rate. This does not decrease the chances of a successful transplantation. (Straka et al, 2003) Without obliteration of all cells successful engraftment could not happen. The stem cells would be overrun by cancerous cells and the disease would continue. This is one reason why so much chemotherapy is given prior to transplantation. Granulocyte colony stimulating factor, G-CSF, is a very important part of stem cell transplantation. It stimulates the bone marrow to produce more leukocytes. G-CSF is used both pre and post transplantation. When used pre transplantation it helps produce more lymphocytes that are then harvested for transplantation. Post transplantation it is used to support engraftment and decrease neutropenia. Samaras et al, (2010) states the use of G-CSF can reduce the time to engraftment and potentially lower the risk for post-transplant infections. There are different side effects and complications that can arise from transplantation. As the body is prepared for transplantation, the body is stripped of its natural defenses against infection. With no white cells to help battle against opportunistic infections a patient can become extremely ill. They are also at risk for anemia and thrombocytopenia as the chemotherapy also destroys red blood cells and platelets. This is one reason patients are kept in the hospital for many days during high doses of chemotherapy. They are also at continued risk after transplantation until engraftment and cell recovery happens. Another major side effect that can happen is graft versus host disease (GVHD). This is where the donor cells perceive the recipient’s body as foreign and begin to attack the body. There are 4 grades of graft versus host disease and they can either be acute or chronic. Acute GVHD generally happens as the new cells are engrafting into the host body. Chronic GVHD can happen years later and is more severe in effects to the body. In the acute phases of GVHD the patient can be treated and cured by the use of short term immunosuppressant therapy and steroids. Long term immunosuppression can lessen the effects on the body in chronic GVHD. This in itself can lead to infections due to chronic immunosuppression. (Kiehl et al, 2004, Bruno et al, 2007) Most patients experience some level of fatigue while recovering from transplants. This can be exacerbated by nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, sleep issues and other side effects of transplantation. As patients experience more fatigue they become less inclined to do further activities. It is important to treat all symptoms effectively and encourage patients to be up and moving. This can shorten hospital stays and lessen the chances of infections. (Hacker et al, 2006) Stem cell transplants though complicated and risky are still one of the best choices for many patients. They can be the last chance at survival for patients as well as the best option for the possibility of longer life living with cancer. Relapse and failure of transplant are risks that patients choose to take. There is a complex series of chemotherapy and supportive medications for transplant, but without these, transplantation would not be possible at all. Though side effects can happen, the benefits far outweigh the risks associated with transplantation. Research shows that stem cell transplants should be done in certain cases because it can allow a greater quality of life by ridding the body of cancer and promoting healthy cell growth and allowing a patient to have other options of therapies to overcome cancer. As the years continue and further research is done stem cell transplants will become the first step in caring for cancer patients.

The Goals And Ideals Of Les Six Film Studies Essay

The Goals And Ideals Of Les Six Film Studies Essay Les Six is a name given in 1920 by critic Henri Collet to a group of six composers working in Montparnasse whose music is often seen as a reaction against the musical style of Richard Wagner and impressionist music. (Owen 2011.) The works of Arthur Honegger, Darius Milhaud and Francis Poulenc all play an important part in French music and the 20th century. Research question What were the goals and ideals of Les Six? Consider the works of Honegger, Milhaud and Poulenc. 2. LES SIX Members A younger group of composers absorbed the strong influence of neoclassicism but sought to escape the old political dichotomies. (Grout 2009: 880.) Les Six was a group of young avant-garde French composers. Initially Les Nouveaux Jeunes, the name was changed along with the line-up to crystallize as Les Six in 1923. With Jean Cocteau as the spokesman and Satie as the guru, the group was formed and the name was given by French critic Henri Collet. With this identifying label, the individual composers gained public attention as a group in force. (Owen 2011.) Despite the elements the six composers had in common, their differences were far greater. In the 1920s each of them was pursuing solo careers (Latham 2002: 10). Best remembered today, are Darius Milhaud, Francis Poulenc and Arthur Honegger. Few pieces by Louis Durey and Georges Auric are performed. Germaine Tailleferre was probably still best remembered because she was the only woman of the group. (Kelly 2003: 51.) The group was officially launched in January 1920 by a series of two articles by the French music critic and composer Henri Collet in the French journal Commedia. While it seems apparent that Cocteau was behind these articles, the actual name of the Group was selected by Collet who decided to compare Les Six with the Five Russians. (Kelly 2003: 4.) The members of Les Six were: Georges Auric (1899 1983) Louis Durey (1888 1979) Arthur Honegger (1892 1955) Darius Milhaud (1892 1974) Francis Poulenc (1899 1963) Germaine Tailleferre (1892 1983) Although Honegger was a member of Les nouveaux jeunes and, subsequently of Les Six, he shared with the other members a stimulating companionship rather than a group aesthetic, the existence of which he always denied. (Sadie 2001: 680.) Darius Milhaud was a pioneer in the use of percussion, polytonality, jazz and aleatory techniques. Few of his works of the 1920s are in the spirit of Les Six, however one might seek to define it. Le boeuf ser le toit had nothing to do with Les Six until it was hijacked and turned into a ballet by Cocteau. (Sadie 2001: 679.) Ironically, in the only work to which all members of the group contributed, the Album des six, Milhaud is represented by a Mazurka he wrote in 1914. More important to his music of the 1920s was the confirmation of opera as a major and continuing thread. (Kelly 2003: 89.) During the first half of Francis Poulencs career the simplicity and directness of his writing led many critics away from thinking of him as a serious composer. Gradually, since World War II, it has become clear that the absence from his music of linguistic complexity in no way argues corresponding absence of feeling or technique. (Sadie 2001:227.) Georges Auric was a child prodigy and at age 15 he had his first compositions published. Before he turned 20, he had orchestrated and written incidental music for several ballets and stage productions. (Owen 2011.) His participation in Les Six led to writing settings of poetry and other texts as songs and musicals. Louis Durey was primarily self-taught. From the beginning, choral music was of great importance in Dureys productivity. After the Les Six period, Durey continued with his career. (Owen 2011.) Germaine Tailleferre was the only female member in the group Les Six. She studied piano with her mother at home, composing short works of her own. (Owen 2011.) Music by Les Six The only musical project in which all six composers participated in was Lalbum des six (published in 1920) and it is a solo piano music collection, which were all dances. Prà ©lude (1919) by Auric Romance sans paroles, Op. 21 (1917) by Durey Sarabande, H 26 (1920) by Honegger Mazurka (1914) by Milhaud Valse en ut, FP 17 (1919) by Poulenc Pastorale (1919) by Tailleferre Les six has a lot of compositions under their names but none of them included all six composers, except for Lalbum des six. Each of these individual composers has contributed to the group Les Six in their own unique styles and ways. Their styles are most certainly equally different and with such diverse styles they were able to come as one and compose many pieces while they were still known as Les Six. The goals and ideals of Les Six was to create an individual style of its own, because of the great differences in style and techniques each of them had, but in the end, they were all able to work as one to create Lalbum des six which has gained wide popularity. 3. WORKS OF HONEGGER, MILHAUD AND POULENC Arthur Honegger Arthur Honegger (1892 1955) was a Swiss composer, who was born in Le Havre, France. His serious-minded musical aesthetic was entirely different from that of others in Les six. He developed unusual musical and dramatic forms in large-scale works for voices and orchestra, and was one of the 20th centurys most dedicated contrapuntalists. (Sadie 2001: 679.) It is very clear that Honeggers compositions are tonal but characterized by a highly individual use of dissonance, if you listen to his compositions very carefully you will be able to hear the dissonances that occur. His music was first heard publicly in Paris in July 1916 (Sadie 2001: 680). The series of large-scale dramatic works and major symphonic scores he composed during the following 30 years established him as one of the most significant composers of his generation. His symphonic movement Pacific 231 (1923), a translation into music of the visual and physical impression of a speeding locomotive, was hailed as a sensational piece of modernist descriptive music. (Grout 2009: 881.) It was said that his symphonic movement Pacific 231 was misinterpreted by the public as specifying programmes, rather than sources of musical inspiration (Spratt 1987:69). This movement is a great example of the goals and ideals of Les Six, they all had a very different approach to music but all their ideas combined became a great masterpiece of its own individual style. Darius Milhaud Darius Milhaud (1892 1974) was a French composer, who was born in Marseilles. He was associated with the avant garde of the 1920s, whose abundant production reflects all musical genres. Though his sources of inspiration were many and varied, his music has compelling stylistic unity. (Sadie 2001: 675.) There is scarcely a genre not represented in Milhauds output. From grand opera to childrens piano pieces, everything seems to be there in extraordinary profusion. He found his musical voice very early on, and there was neither anguish in creation, nor any problem of language or expression, let alone of technique. (Sadie 2001: 677.) It was also apparently said that he could compose anywhere and at anytime, he was not bothered by the disturbance around him. The decade of the 1920s ended with Christophe Colomb and Maximilien, the former and justly celebrated work, the latter one of Milhauds mot riotously noisy scores. (Collaer 1988: 176.) The works of the 1930s are characterized by a greater tendency towards through-composition, in comparison with the clearcut sectional divisions of the earlier works. The opera Mà ©dà ©e is perhaps his finest work of this period: a fascinating study of a woman scorned, graphically portrayed in some of the composers most angular, expressionist music. (Sadie 2001: 679.) Then in the course of the 1950s emerged what might be called his final style. This development can be seen by comparing the operas David and Fiesta, though it comes out especially in the chamber music which, in his late years, he produced abundantly. (Kelly 2003:56.) Despite the impression his music usually gives, he had at times, and especially during the early years, a distinctly theoretical turn of mind, a feature that sets him quite apart from his contemporaries (Sadie 2001:678). Francis Poulenc Francis Poulenc (1899 1963) was a French composer and pianist, who was born in Paris. Poulenc regarded this dual heredity as the key to his musical personality: he associated his deep Catholic faith with his Aveyronais roots and attributed his artistic heritage to his mothers family. It is certainly the case that two strands, profane and religious, co-exist in his work. (Sadie 2001:227.) Poulenc destroyed his first attempts at composition, dating from 1914. He made his public dà ©but in Paris in 1917 with his first work, Rapsodie nà ¨gre, dedicated to Satie and performed at the Thà ©Ãƒ ¢tre du Vieux Colombier at one of the avant-garde concerts orgnaized by Jane Bathori. (Mellers 1993: 37.) Poulenc learnt a clear but colourful style of piano playing, based on a subtle use of sustaining pedal, and in his own piano music he was insistent on there being beaucoup de pà ©dale. (Sadie 2001: 228.) In his earlier pieces such a style gives body to the often arrogantly popular tunes that abound, softening the ostinatos in the Sonata for piano duet (1918) and the quasi-Alberti bass in Trois mouvements perpà ©tuels (1918). (Sadie 2001: 228.) Poulenc admitted that his reliance on past formulae (long pedal notes, arpeggios, repeated chords) was not always free of routine and that in this regard his familiarity with the piano could be a hindrance; his most inventive piano writing, he claimed, was to be found in his song accompaniments. (Buckland 1999: 346.) His own favourite pieces were the 15 Improvisations ranging in date from 1932 to 1959 and in dedicatee from Marguerite Long to Edith Piaf. This confirms that the piano was not always a vehicle for his deepest thought, he called the Thà ¨me varià ©e (1951) an oeuvre sà ©rieus and included a retrograde version of the theme in the coda to show that he was up with the latest serial idea, but it is hardly the best of him. (Sadie 2001: 228.) 4. CONCLUSION Through my research on Les Six, I have concluded that each of these six composers were very different in style, and had their own unique technique. Each of them made huge contributions to Les Six and keeping the title going for a long time before they embarked their separate careers. But it is very evident that they all had different musical backgrounds but could each collaborate with one another to make music work. The composers that influenced and created the group Les Six have clearly made a mark in 20th century music. It is very clear that the goals they aimed for were achieved through their music and the talent that each one of them brought to this versatile group. It is remarkable that the different ideas they all had could be compiled into one idea as a group. SOURCES Buckland, S. 1999. Francis Poulenc: Music, Art, and Literature. United Kingdom: Ashgate Publishing Limited. Collaer, P. 1988. Darius Milhaud. San Francisco Press. Grout, D. 2009. A History of Westerm Music, eighth edition. New York: Cornell University. Kelly, B. 2003. The Tradition and Style in the Works of Darius Milhaud. United Kingdom : Ashgate Publishing Limited. Latham, A. 2002. The Oxford Companion to Music. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Mellers, W. 1993. Oxford Studies of Composers: Francis Poulenc. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Owen, P. 2011. Les Six. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Peter Owen Publishers. http://www.britannica.com/EBcheck/topic/547009/Les-six. 10 September 2011 Sadie, S. 2001. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, second edition. New York: Macmillan Publishers Limited. Spratt, G. 1987. The Music of Arthur Honegger. Cork: Cork University Press.

Albert Einstein And His Theories :: essays research papers

Albert Einstein and His Theories Einstein, Albert (1879-1955), German-born American physicist and Nobel laureate, best known as the creator of the special and general theories of relativity and for his bold hypothesis concerning the particle nature of light. He is perhaps the most well-known scientist of the 20th century. Einstein was born in Ulm on March 14, 1879, and spent his youth in Munich, where his family owned a small shop that manufactured electric machinery. He did not talk until the age of three, but even as a youth he showed a brilliant curiosity about nature and an ability to understand difficult mathematical concepts. At the age of 12 he taught himself Euclidean geometry. Einstein hated the dull regimentation and unimaginative spirit of school in Munich. When repeated business failure led the family to leave Germany for Milan, Italy, Einstein, who was then 15 years old, used the opportunity to withdraw from the school. He spent a year with his parents in Milan, and when it became clear that he would have to make his own way in the world, he finished secondary school in Arrau, Switzerland, and entered the Swiss National Polytechnic in Zà ¼rich. Einstein did not enjoy the methods of instruction there. He often cut classes and used the time to study physics on his own or to play his beloved violin. He passed his examinations and graduated in 1900 by studying the notes of a classmate. His professors did not think highly of him and would not recommend him for a university position. For two years Einstein worked as a tutor and substitute teacher. In 1902 he secured a position as an examiner in the Swiss patent office in Bern. In 1903 he married Mileva Marià §, who had been his classmate at the polytechnic. They had two sons but eventually divorced. Einstein later remarried. Early Scientific Publications In 1905 Einstein received his doctorate from the University of Zà ¼rich for a theoretical dissertation on the dimensions of molecules, and he also published three theoretical papers of central importance to the development of 20th-century physics. In the first of these papers, on Brownian motion, he made significant predictions about the motion of particles that are randomly distributed in a fluid. These predictions were later confirmed by experiment. The second paper, on the photoelectric effect, contained a revolutionary hypothesis concerning the nature of light. Einstein not only proposed that under certain circumstances light can be considered as consisting of particles, but he also hypothesized that the energy carried by any light particle, called a photon, is proportional to the frequency of the radiation.

Does It Matter? by Siegfried Sassoon Essay -- Papers

Does It Matter? by Siegfried Sassoon "Does It Matter" is an angry, heavily ironic war poem written in 1917 by the famous World War I poet Siegfried Sassoon. On first read, it appears that the poet is addressing an injured soldier who has returned from the trenches, asking this man whether or not it is important that he is missing limbs and sight, instead highlighting the virtues of the world and offering these as a remedy for his pains. The poem is written in a nursery-rhyme-like structure, where there is an obvious rhyming pattern and distinctive rhythm, and where many lines even have an equal number of syllables. For such a complicated subject matter, the poem is also rather brief - very succinct at just three stanzas comprising of five lines each. The opening lines of each stanza begin similarly with a question asked but never answered: Does it matter - losing your legs?... There is a lot to discuss even here. Firstly, we notice that the question itself is not answered - Sassoon does this very deliberately. Of course he goes on to back his rather naà ¯ve point by highlighting the constructive aspects of living without the use of one's legs, but he leaves a great void here, like the unfilled silence after a particularly awkward question. We, as readers, can easily answer the question of whether or not it matters in our own minds - of course it matters, and it matters further when we shake our heads at the sinister complacency exhibited throughout the remainder of the poem. Sassoon intentionally utilises this almost child-like perspective (given more strength through his nursery-rhyme structure and know-no-better naivet... ...stion at the beginning of each stanza - does it matter? The poem is turned on its head and, just maybe, the soldier complies with Hamlet's statements: "To die, to sleep / No more". How, then, does this fit in with the rest of the poem? Well, it soon becomes clear to me that the form of Utopia the narrator describes in the three stanzas is hard to visualise even today, and we must remember that the poem is set during a major and bloody war. This form of Utopia, then, can exist only beyond reality - in a paradise found after death. It would appear, then, that this is a goodbye note from a dying soldier, seeking comfort as he withers away amidst the fighting in thoughts of the "undiscovered country", and finally exhaling his last breath, taking his afflictions away with him to a place where 'people will always be kind'.

Thorn Queen Chapter Sixteen

I tossed and turned that night, surprised I didn't lapse into the alcohol-induced coma I'd kind of hoped for. I finally woke up with the sunrise and decided to leave before too many people noticed. Only a few servants were up and around, for which I was grateful. I didn't want to see Shaya's concerned look or listen to Dorian and Ysabel flirt over breakfast. I didn't want to think about what the two of them had done last night-or why it bothered me so much. I was Dorian's friend. That was enough. Before leaving, I stuck my head downstairs in the prison. The night shift of guards was still awake and alert, and Volusian kept his emotionless watch in the cell's corner. Jasmine was curled up in a ball, fast asleep, though I could see dried tears on her cheeks. Unguarded in sleep, she seemed very young. I transitioned back to Tucson, bearing one of the worst hangovers of my life. Despite the fact that it was later in the morning there, my house was as still as the castle had been. Considering the way the cats and dogs watched me expectantly, I had to assume Tim hadn't gotten up to feed them yet. I let the dogs out in the backyard and told the cats they'd have to wait. As for me, I downed two glasses of water and half a bottle of aspirin practically, before collapsing in my room. My own bed provided the comfort the castle's couldn't, and I slept heavily for two hours. I felt a lot better when I got up, and a shower improved things further. The smells of French toast wafted out to me, and my tormented stomach welcomed the thought of food. I headed out to the kitchen to tell Tim to serve up a double helping and found that he wasn't alone. A girl in her twenties sat at the table, giggling and wearing his Homeland Security T-shirt. Tim stood at the stove with the aforementioned French toast, bare-chested in sweatpants and several beaded necklaces. â€Å"Oh, hi,† squeaked the girl. â€Å"Eug! What are you-er, greetings of the morning, Sister Eugenie.† Tim held up his palm. â€Å"I did not realize you were home.† I rolled my eyes, having no patience for his routine this morning. I poured myself a cup of coffee. â€Å"I hope you've got real maple syrup.† He handed me over a plate of French toast, fresh off the stove. I think it had been intended for his lady friend, but he knew better. I found the maple syrup in the refrigerator, doused the toast liberally, and then headed back out to the living room without another word to either of them. A few minutes later, Tim scurried in, looking sheepish. â€Å"You know you aren't supposed to bring them home,† I said. â€Å"Yeah, I know. It's just†¦well, I didn't actually think you'd be home with the way things have been lately.† â€Å"Not unreasonable,† I conceded. â€Å"But that doesn't change the rules. You stay at their places.† He nodded. â€Å"Can she at least finish breakfast before I kick her out?† I chewed my own food, thinking about what I had to do today. I swallowed and sighed. â€Å"You can let her stay all morning. I'm leaving soon anyway†¦I'll probably be gone most of the day.† Tim brightened with unexpected pleasure. â€Å"Really? Oh, sweet. Thanks, Eug. You're the best-â€Å" I handed him my empty plate. â€Å"Just get me a refill, and we'll call it even.† Since telling Lara to keep my schedule open, I now had days with no plans-which proved terribly convenient today. I was going to drive out to Yellow River again to talk to Abigail and Art and try to make some sense of this red snake business. There were too many questions and loose ends surrounding it all, and I needed to start tying some of it up so that I could get on with my life. The downside of a drive like that was that it gave me lots of time to think. Lots and lots of time. It was a clear day, and there were no major cities along the way. It was just me, my mind, and the open road. I kept thinking about how Kiyo and I had last driven this trek together and the sex that had followed at the hotel. I thought about him and Maiwenn now, celebrating the birth of their daughter. I thought about my breakdown with Dorian and my fears that Kiyo wouldn't want me anymore. I'd brought my cell phone with me and had it sitting on the passenger seat, volume up high. I didn't want to miss a call from Kiyo†¦because surely he'd call to tell me about his daughter as soon as he could, right? If I hadn't heard anything, it meant he was still in the Otherworld, which-as one might imagine-didn't have the greatest cell coverage. We'd visited Art first last time, but when I got off the highway, I found I was closer to Abigail's. So, I drove through Yellow River's modest downtown-past the sex-toy store-and parked outside her building. It was afternoon by now, and people were out and about, with tourists in particular poking their heads into the antiques store beneath Abigail's apartment. I found the little doorway by the store's entrance and headed upstairs, wondering if I'd be overrun with cats. But I wasn't-largely because I never made it into the apartment. I knocked several times and even called Abigail's name once. When that didn't pan out, I dialed the number Roland had given me. I got her voice mail but nothing more. â€Å"So much for that,† I muttered. Maybe it was just as well. Art was the one who held most of my attention anyway, what with his tattoo and all. He was the one who needed to be questioned. So, I left the town for the suburbs, and in full daylight I could really take in how cute Art's neighborhood was. The houses were large and new like his, and his neighbors appeared to love their lawns just as much. I didn't see Art outside, but a large red SUV in the driveway boded well for him being around. I knocked twice on the door, and for a moment, I thought he too must be out and about. Just as I nearly rang the doorbell, he finally opened the door. His hair was damp, like he'd just come out of the shower, and he held a pair of hedge clippers in one hand. â€Å"Eugenie!† His face split into a grin. â€Å"This is a surprise.† The smile momentarily faltered. â€Å"Is everything okay? Roland†¦?† â€Å"Fine, fine,† I assured him. â€Å"I just wanted to ask you some more questions.† â€Å"You drove a long way for that,† he mused, stepping outside and shutting the door behind him. People had an easier time lying over the phone, but I could hardly tell him that. â€Å"I had the time and thought it would make things simpler.† â€Å"Sure. I'm happy for the company†¦so long as you don't mind hanging out with me while I get a little work done?† He waved the clippers by way of explanation. â€Å"No problem.† He offered me something to drink first, but I was still holding on to coffee I'd bought at a gas station and declined. I sat down on his front step while he began trimming some of the thick shrubs flanking the front of the house. They were thick and heavy-leaved, filled with pretty yellow blossoms. They seemed to want to consume the house, and I was reminded of Sleeping Beauty's castle, and the thorns that had surrounded it. He didn't cut their overall height but mostly seemed concerned with making them look neat. â€Å"I stopped by Abigail's on my way here, but she didn't seem to be home.† â€Å"I think she's in El Paso for a few days,† Art said. The muscles in his arms bulged, raising his T-shirt's sleeve and showing me the coiled red snake. â€Å"Her sister lives there. They're close, which is good, but I sure could have used her help with a banishing the other day. You should have come by then. It was a gentry girl, actually-you were looking for those, right?† â€Å"Yes,† I said, startled. â€Å"I take it you managed to send her back on your own?† â€Å"Yeah. She wasn't that tough. More scared than anything else.† I sipped my coffee, trying to make sense of this new development. I may have very well indeed jumped to conclusions about Art's kidnapping role. Maybe Moria had just been banished after wandering here. â€Å"Do your jobs ever actually take you to the Otherworld?† I asked. He gave a gruff laugh. â€Å"Not if I can help it. Those transitions are a bitch, even with that crossroads. I haven't actually been over in†¦I don't know. Years.† â€Å"Huh,† I said. Art paused in his clipping, giving me a puzzled look. â€Å"Why do you ask?† â€Å"I've heard stories-that is, gentry rumors-about some human over there who kind of sounds like you.† â€Å"Like me?† His confusion grew. â€Å"That's a little weird.† â€Å"It was a human with a red snake tattoo.† I didn't mean to sound accusatory, but a tiny bit of it slipped into my tone. â€Å"Why on earth would I lie about crossing over?† he asked. He wasn't angry, exactly, but some of that friendly demeanor had cooled a little. â€Å"Whoa, hey. I didn't say you did.† I tried not to sound too defensive. â€Å"It was just weird that there were sightings of someone who looked like you near where your crossroads lets out.† â€Å"The gentry I've banished are probably getting confused and thinking I was in their world when I kicked them out of this one†¦it's honestly hard to understand how any of them think. And you know how disorienting banishing is.† â€Å"Yeah, I know. I'm just saying the story I heard was weird.† Art said he'd kicked a gentry girl out, but Moria sure had sounded like she'd escaped. If I thought his attitude was cool earlier, it was frigid now. â€Å"I find it equally weird that a shaman is chummy enough with gentry to be listening to their stories-and concerned about them. Why does it matter to you if humans are over there anyway?† â€Å"Because those humans might be harming gentry.† â€Å"And?† â€Å"And it's not right.† He snorted and returned to his trimming. â€Å"They're gentry, Eugenie. They're not like us. And from what I hear, you're not all that gentle with them anyway.† â€Å"When they're in this world, yeah.† â€Å"Any world, Eugenie. They're literally not human. Why do you care so much?† â€Å"None of your business.† The harsh words were out before I could stop them. Art paused again and this time turned to fully face me. â€Å"And it's none of your business where I go and what I do-in either world.† My heart lurched in my chest. â€Å"What, are you saying it is you? That you have been over in the Otherworld recently?† â€Å"I'm saying I'm done with this discussion. You're not welcome here if you're just going to toss around ridiculous accusations-accusations that don't even matter.† â€Å"It matters to them.† â€Å"I think you're asking the wrong questions here. You need to examine your motives and figure out why you're so eager to defend those who have no regard for us-and why you're picking fights with your own kind.† I shot up, careful of the coffee. â€Å"I'm not picking a fight.† â€Å"Then get out of here before there is one.† We stood there, locked in antagonism, and I wondered if it would come to a fight. I was armed, and he wasn't, though he was bigger and better-muscled. No, that was stupid. Why would he fight? He hadn't confessed to anything, only grown hostile at what he read as me accusing him of things he didn't consider crimes. That didn't make him guilty-but it didn't make him innocent either. Something just didn't feel right here. â€Å"Fine,† I said, backing off. â€Å"I didn't mean to upset you. I'm just trying to figure things out and make sure no one's being wronged.† He smiled, but it was a far cry from the easy grin that had greeted me. â€Å"What in God's name would you do if someone was? Come on, Eugenie. Don't overinflate your sense of obligation-or importance. There's no shaman police. You don't have any jurisdiction or right to dictate what I or anyone else around here-or anywhere-does.† â€Å"Noted,† I said, heading toward my car. I was afraid if I stayed, I was going to say something I'd regret. Regardless if he had a role in all this, I didn't like the callous way he treated gentry-particularly since it was similar to the attitude I'd once had. â€Å"I'll send your regards to Roland.† â€Å"Make sure you do,† called Art. â€Å"And maybe you should have a talk with him about some of these ideas while you're at it. Roland knows what's right.† I bit my lip and got in the car without further comment. So. No real answers here, but something felt wrong about Art. He was too guarded and hostile, and despite his claims about not having been to the Otherworld recently, the rest of his comments made it seem very plausible that he could be lying. Yet, I realized what also bothered me as much as his reticence was his attitude toward the gentry. Roland's was similar, albeit not as harsh, and he'd warned me away plenty of times. Kiyo also wanted me to keep out of gentry affairs-inasmuch as I could-which was rather hypocritical, considering his involvement. I was enmeshed, whether I liked it or not, and had accepted that my views on the gentry had changed. They were odd, and I didn't always approve of them, but in their hearts, I knew they were people not all that different from me, full of the same feelings and hopes. I couldn't understand how Art or anyone else could think girls disappearing was unimportant-even if they were gentry. It occurred to me as I drove away that Art hadn't invited me inside either time. Coincidence? His meticulous yard certainly suggested he spent as much time outdoors as within. And yet†¦would I have found some evidence in there to shed more light on his activities? Damn. There was nothing to be done for it now, not with Art still there and suspicious of me. As I drove back through town toward the highway, a backup plan came to me. What had Art said? That Abigail was out of town for a few days? As of yet, I had no evidence whatsoever to suggest that she was involved with any of this Otherworldly intrigue, but she was an associate of Art's. Maybe there was something to be unearthed at her place. So, I parked outside her apartment once more and slipped in past the antiques store. My athame, wand, and gun were my usual tools of the trade, but I did carry a few little-used ones, such as a quartz crystal for reading energy. I also had a small lock-picking kit I kept in my bag. Imps, trolls, and other creatures of that ilk sometimes tried to lock themselves away from me. If Abigail's lock wasn't particularly state of the art, I should be able to get in. It wasn't, and judging from the lack of beeping, there was no alarm system within either. The closest she had was her herd of cats. They swarmed around me in a furry, slithering mass, less hostile than hungry. I wondered who fed them when she was gone. Uneasily, I decided to make this search quick, lest an unsuspecting pet sitter come trolling around. Searching wasn't easy since the place was still cluttered with books, incense, and candles. My task was made more difficult by the fact that I had no clue what I was looking for. I lifted and moved things as best I could, hoping the place wouldn't look ransacked. In spite of the mess, I was again struck by how nice the apartment was, how it had been expensively restored. The floors were true hardwoods-no laminate here-and all the molding and crownwork was elaborate and beautiful. This place couldn't be cheap, and it seemed a shame she'd let her pack-rat habits get the best of it. Not that I was one to talk. I concluded my search with a quick scan of the bedroom. It was less messy and hence had less to browse. Her duvet was a patchwork of brightly colored silks, and the closet was filled with scarves and gauzy dresses. A jewelry box on her dresser displayed a stunning collection of necklaces and rings, and beside it was-so help me-a pair of handcuffs. I almost laughed, trying to imagine New Agey Abigail into something kinky. Maybe I hadn't been the only one to visit the sex-toy shop. Of course, whereas mine had been cheap and lightweight, these were industrial-strength steel ones, like cops would use. If she was into kinky stuff, then it was pretty hardcore. I drove back to Tucson after that, arriving in early evening. My autopilot sense of direction started to take me home, and then, at the last moment, I called Tim. â€Å"Has Kiyo called or stopped by?† â€Å"Nope. But one of his cats threw up on the living-room floor.† â€Å"That's not quite the same.† We disconnected, and I checked my cell phone for the hundredth time. Nope. No missed calls there either. With a sigh, I turned toward Saguaro National Park and its easy-access crossroads. If Kiyo couldn't emerge from the Otherworld and into this one, then perhaps he'd sent some sort of message to the Thorn Land. I felt stupid and desperate, like a girl waiting by the phone. But what else could I do? Unfortunately, the Otherworldly news was no better. â€Å"No, your majesty,† said Nia. Her voice was anxious and apologetic, as though she herself was personally to blame. â€Å"There's been no word.† I thanked her and figured that if I'd gone to the trouble to come here, I should find Shaya and get some sort of update. When I went searching, however, it was a most unexpected visitor I found instead: Girard, the dark-skinned courtier and metalsmith from Maiwenn's party. â€Å"Your majesty,† he said with a bow, as flamboyant as ever. â€Å"I was hoping I'd see you before I had to leave.† â€Å"Before you had to†¦what are you doing here?† I asked, more perplexed than displeased by his presence. â€Å"I've come to bring you this.† Like a magician producing a rabbit from under his cape, Girard held out a stunning necklace. The chain was made of exquisite, swirling links that rippled like water, and a pear-shaped sapphire ringed in pearls hung from it. â€Å"Oh my God,† I gasped, taking it from him. â€Å"This is incredible. Did you make this?† â€Å"Yes, your majesty.† His voice was modest, but he was clearly pleased by my regard. â€Å"Who's it from?† Recalling the comments others had made about his political aspirations, I half-expected it to be a gift from him. Then, suddenly and hopefully, I wondered if Kiyo had sent it as a token of affection since he had to spend so much time away from me. I wouldn't have put it past Dorian either, but he would have presented it himself. â€Å"It's from Prince Leith of the Rowan Land.† Of course. I should have known. Leith accepting his fate last night had been too good to be true. â€Å"His highness adds that he'll also have me make a crown to match if you would like. He sends this with his greatest love and devotion.† â€Å"I'm sure he does.† I sighed and handed the necklace back. â€Å"Well, a crown is definitely out of the question, I'm afraid. And actually†¦I'm really sorry, Girard, but I can't even keep this. I hate for your work to go to waste.† He took the necklace and deftly slipped it into one of his many pockets. â€Å"It's no trouble at all. I understand how romantic affairs go-or rather, how they don't go. His highness will be sad, but I enjoyed the chance to work on something new for a change, so it was worth it, even if it won't grace your neck.† I recalled how he lived at Katrice's court. â€Å"What do you usually work on?† He made a small face. â€Å"Her majesty Queen Katrice is partial to animals and collects figurines, jewelry†¦anything depicting them. Last week, I made a crystal squirrel. It was lovely, of course, but it's the fifth squirrel I've made this year.† I couldn't help but laugh. â€Å"Well, I guess I'm glad for this, then. Maybe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  An idea suddenly came to me. â€Å"Maybe I can give you another project away from her menagerie. Do you have the time?† Girard bowed low. â€Å"Of course.† â€Å"I heard you can work with iron to a certain extent. Here's what I need†¦.† I described my problem with Jasmine and how I needed more flexible restraints that contained as much iron as he could handle. Theoretically, I could have brought over human handcuffs, but I wanted special ones not only for mobility but because I needed bronze or copper somewhere on them so that my guards could touch them if need be. Girard listened thoughtfully, nodding as I spoke. â€Å"Yes, of course I can do this. I can have them for you tomorrow.† â€Å"Whoa, I didn't expect-â€Å" He threw back his head and laughed. â€Å"Your majesty, you forget that we don't forge and work metal like humans do. I order the metal to bend, and it does. The rest is in skill and patience.† I supposed he had a point. I thanked him profusely, telling him that Shaya would settle the price with him later. Once he left, I then set out to find Shaya myself, still needing a report. Before I could, I was intercepted again-this time by Ysabel. She was alone, which I took to mean Dorian had returned to the Oak Land. That was something, at least. I didn't want him camping out around here-particularly after my teary-eyed weakness last night. She came to a halt before me, arms crossed. Whatever fear she'd had from our last lesson seemed to have completely vanished. Maybe Dorian's visit had reassured her. Or maybe she figured she had little to fear from someone who'd spent all of last night moping and drinking away her sorrows. â€Å"My lord says I still cannot leave until we've worked together at least one more time.† â€Å"Bummer,† I said and started to pass her. â€Å"I've got to find Shaya.† She blocked my way again. It was deja vu of the last time she'd accosted me about this. â€Å"Shaya's gone right now. The sooner we get this over with, the better. I know you have nothing else to do with your time right now either. You're simply waiting for your kitsune to throw you some sort of bone.† Alright, now she'd pissed me off, largely because she was right. â€Å"That's not true. I have plenty of things to do. Besides, I don't know if I really need your help anymore. I think at this point it's all just practicing on my own.† With my mind, I reached out, feeling the different types of air around us. I stayed well away from her but pulled together several groups. Now that I understood their individual natures, it wasn't that hard to combine them into larger gusts. I blasted the air through the hall, creating a gust of wind that rivaled the one she'd smugly showed me that first day. Her expression showed disdain, but I swear, there was fear in her eyes again. I remembered what Shaya had said, that I was learning too quickly and too well. â€Å"That is†¦acceptable,† Ysabel said at last. â€Å"But it was clumsy. And you can't combine it with water yet to truly control the weather.† She was right on that, but I felt I had a good enough understanding of both to just keep practicing. â€Å"It'll come with time. I'll be fine on my own.† â€Å"My lord said one more time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  That scornful expression faded now, replaced by uncertainty. â€Å"There is something else†¦something†¦well, you haven't even come close to it yet.† â€Å"I inherited storm magic. Water and air. What else is there?† â€Å"Follow me, and I'll show you-if you can handle it.† There it was, the old attitude. It was almost comforting. She took me back out to the courtyard we'd been in last night. A servant I'd seen around the castle was painstakingly setting more tiles into the ground, expanding the patio area. We stood well away from him, and Ysabel continued keeping her arms crossed over her chest, posture still rigid and defensive. â€Å"I'll be glad when this is over and I can return to the Oak Land. It's obvious my lord misses me.† Her eyes glinted wickedly. â€Å"He made love to me last night with a passion I've never seen before. It left me screaming and aching in ecstasy.† I rolled my eyes and stopped myself from saying, Yeah, because he was thinking of me. â€Å"Let's just get this over with so you can leave and get all the screaming and aching you want. What else was there I needed to know?† â€Å"There's something else in the air,† she said. She bit her lip in thought, trying to articulate her meaning. â€Å"I can feel it, but I'm unable to touch it. Probably you can't either.† â€Å"Can you be a little more specific?† â€Å"It's always there†¦it's like the pieces of the air are†¦prickly. Sharp to the touch. There are more of them, though, before a storm.† I stared stupidly for a moment, and then the human part of me put it together. â€Å"Lightning†¦you're talking about making lightning,† I breathed. What was the scientific term? â€Å"Those are charged particles.† The term meant nothing to her, but she'd nodded when I mentioned lightning. Eagerness flared up in me, and I immediately felt out around me. Sensing all the air molecules was easy now. The only two I could name were oxygen and carbon dioxide. All the others had their own unique feel, but I couldn't say if they were nitrogen or hydrogen or what. After a few minutes of groping with my mind, I shook my head. â€Å"I don't feel anything like that.† Ysabel seemed pleased by this. â€Å"Like I said, you likely aren't strong enough.† â€Å"It's a clear day,† I pointed out. â€Å"There probably aren't any around.† â€Å"No, they're always there. There aren't many today, but I can feel them.† I set my lips into a hard line, trying again. It was just like the old days with Dorian: endless waiting, save that he would have tied me up. Ysabel probably would have too if I'd let her, if only to use the chance to slit my throat. Air, air, air. Every particle unique, yet none of it had the sharp, prickly feel she was describing. Distantly, I remembered the one time I had summoned a storm. I'd been caught by an elemental gentry, on the verge of being raped while my mother lay injured. In my crazy desperation and panic, I'd summoned a storm that nearly leveled my house. I had little memory of how I'd done it, though. The whole thing was a blur, like some kind of dream that- All the hairs on my arms suddenly stood up. There. There, mixed in with other air above us was something†¦well, to put it bluntly, electric. It felt prickly, just as she'd described. I reached for it, trying to control it as I had the other particles, but it was slippery. It was like oil running through my fingers, and I understood now why she couldn't do it. It was a very different phenomenon. Steeling myself, I tried again, and for one heartbeat, I drew them together into a knot. The smell of ozone filled the air, and then I lost my grip. No flash of light, no thunder. But Ysabel's face was aghast. â€Å"You†¦you did it. You shouldn't have been able to†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I didn't really do anything.† â€Å"You shouldn't have been able to do that†¦not yet†¦. I can't even touch them.† Too fast and too easily. Just like my father. â€Å"I'm nowhere near to being there yet.† I hoped I sounded reassuring. â€Å"This is going to be harder.† I couldn't say how I knew; it was just something I felt. Wielding air, creating wind†¦that would come with practice. Lightning was a different beast. But when I did†¦ I suddenly shivered and was astonished at the exultation that ran through me. If I could learn to create and control lightning†¦Jesus Christ. That kind of power was unimaginable. It was a large part of what had made Storm King so feared. Being able to do that would be unbelievable. Amazing. Exquisite. Being like a god†¦ I snapped myself out of those thoughts, aghast at what I'd been thinking-again. Talk about megalomania. I was no god. Craving that kind of power was wrong; everyone said so. Well, those from the human world, at least. Yet, if I could summon lightning, I could blow a fair number of those fucking demons out of existence. Surely that was a good use of my power. Unfortunately, what I'd said to Ysabel was true. It was going to take awhile, and until I developed some other amazing weapon, those demons were going to keep coming back and- I froze, suddenly forgetting about the phenomenal power I'd just touched. I had a weapon right in front of me, something that might seriously get rid of those demons once and for all. Unfortunately, it was not an easy one to use. â€Å"Son of a bitch,† I said. â€Å"Jasmine.†