Writing an Academic Plan Essay

Writing an Academic Plan EssayA sample academic plan essay should be one of the most useful pieces of writing advice. The idea is to write a piece that you have been assigned to do, but your professor may not want to give out for the reason that they may be keeping something secret. This is why they will ask you to draft a sample plan or just give you something to work from. You should use your own uniqueness to make your piece stand out from the rest.Now, there are many things that can go into an outline. The most common and probably most basic for your instructor is grammar. They may require you to use a format, but you can decide on how you want it. When writing an outline, you must remember that if it's boring, they won't read it. You should be sure to outline your ideas and give your own personal spin on them.Of course, you will have to begin with the major parts of your information. This includes the title, the first paragraph, and then some ideas that have to do with your main topic. Many students let their teacher guide them by writing this part themselves. There are many excellent outlines that teach you how to do this.The next part of the outline is where you will need to get a feel for your professor. You will also need to fill in any gaps or areas of knowledge. For example, you may need to fill in the rest of the syllabus for the semester. The teacher may also have other concerns such as time management, relationship issues, and the other things they teach every semester.Once you have written the outline, you will have to work on it. It's best to take up some time in the evening to edit it and format it. It's not that important what you do with the outline. What'important is that you write it well. The plan is just there to give you a way to learn how to write, so do it well.Another thing that can help you with this essay is to try to put yourself in the shoes of your professor. How would they like to learn? If you can put yourself in their position and imagine what their needs and wants are, you will have a better chance of coming up with a perfect plan for your class.An academic plan is one of the best ways to write an essay. Remember that the goal is to find your own style, but when you write it, you should not forget to leave a lot of personal style in your outline.

Topic Paper 3 Essays (293 words) - Rape, Crimes Against Women

Skylar Rose Goodman October 25, 2018 Topic Paper #3 Death Penalty Reflection (Outline) Morality Defined as a doctrine or system of moral conduct. (Merriam-Webster.) https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/morality Constitutionality Retribution Irrevocable Mistakes Cost of Death vs. Life in Prison Race Closure for Victims' Families Attorney Quality Physicians at Execution Prior to reading the required novel "Dead Man Walking," my views of the death penalty were for the pracitce. In that, I had a very firm belief that should a life be taken, and the guilty party be convicted without any doubt whatsoever, that death would be an appropriate punishment. The only crimes that the death penalty should be allowed would be rape in the first degree and murder in the first degree. While reading "Dead Man Walking," I did find myself questioning my viewpoints in terms of the convicted felon's family and friends. Previously, the idea of those who knew the criminal and their feelings on the matter did not occur to me, and if they did, I often thought to the victim and their family. The reasoning behind this viewpoint was simply that if a life is taken that in turn whoever took that life should also die. In terms of rape and sexual assault, I believe and know that many victims, most, if not all, would feel a sense of security knowing that the person who attacked them can no longer be able to physically do so.

Optimization of Human Resource Allocation in Software Development essay

Optimization of Human Resource Allocation in Software Development essay Optimization of Human Resource Allocation in Software Development essay Optimization of Human Resource Allocation in Software Development essaySoftware development industry is one of the core industries in the modern world. New software products are used for automating processes in virtually all spheres of human life. This fact contributes to the diversity of domains for software projects. Rapid evolution of software frameworks, technologies and approaches creates a constant need for change. Hence, companies operating in software development industry have to deal with short-term projects, projects with very specific knowledge requirements, projects requiring special expertise, etc. This diversity creates a situation when software developments and other IT professionals are involved in the projects from time to time, often combine working on several projects and deal with various technologies simultaneously. Due to high flexibility of workforce in software projects and very specific requirements to project members, there emerge situations when the resourc es are allocated inefficiently.Problem StatementThe problem considered in this report is the following. The company provides the services of software development to a large number of clients. Due to the varied nature of projects, short-term project life cycle and specific skill sets needed in software projects there emerges the problem of inefficient resource allocation.According to Fairley (2011), companies providing the services of custom software development and companies offering consulting services in software development allocate 85% or more of their operating costs to development costs. In other words, business costs of such companies are formed by the salaries paid to software developers and other IT professionals (Fairley, 2011). However, the company has numerous inefficiencies in the process of workforce allocation to projects. This means that the company spends excess money on development and reduces the chances of successful project completion. Such state of affairs redu ces the companys competitiveness and viability. Therefore, it is important to address and resolve this workplace issue.There are several sources of inefficiency in the current process of resource allocation. The company deals with different projects, the duration of which varies from 2 weeks to 6 months on average. These projects are broken into stages; commonly, these stages include setting requirements and planning, software design, implementation, verification and sometimes maintenance (Martin, 2009). At each stage, the number of IT professionals required is different, and the skill sets needed during different phases also change. However, project team is usually assigned at the first stage, and there are additional resource allocations during implementation and verification phases.Sometimes project members lack the necessary skills for implementation and verification. They have to deal with technologies where they have little experience or perform supplementary tasks. It also ha ppens that team members have no business expertise in the required domain, and there are no professionals with the required technical skills and business knowledge available. In such cases, team members have to master the new domain, which increases their value for future projects but reduces the effectiveness of solutions in the existing project. Finally, the work load is not uniform: there are times when team members have to work overtime and times when team members have to wait until other developers complete their parts of work. Such situation leads to professional burnout after overtimes (which are followed by escalating project costs) and to low performance during the idle time.This report is devoted to analyzing the problem of inefficient resource allocation in a software development company, considering several workplace programs and procedures aimed at resolving this problem and selecting one of the alternatives according to five criteria of software project effectiveness r elevant to the situation. Therefore, this report contributes to improving workplace effectiveness in companies providing the services of custom software development.Overview of AlternativesAlternative AThe first alternative that is commonly used in software development industry relies on the services of outsourcers or freelancers. Analysis of the key factors causing inefficiencies in resource allocation shows that there are three major causes: inflexible or premature allocation of resources, absence of prospective team members with the required characteristics (combined with the inefficiency of hiring developers with these characteristics due to short-time nature of the tasks) and fluctuating workload.The industry-wide practice is to invite freelancers or using the services of outstaffing companies to resolve such issues (Futrell, Shafer Shafer, 2002). Possible implementation of such approach include (Futrell, Shafer Shafer, 2002): placing ads for the required freelance services, contacting potential team members in person or using the services of an outsourcing company. It would be most efficient to use the latter option and sign a contract with several outstaffing companies. These companies would help to add external team members when necessary.Alternative BAnother alternative is using more efficient resource leveling practices and detailed assessment of employee skills and abilities. The proposed program is the following: project managers should divide the stages of the project into smaller sub-stages, assign project roles and responsibilities in accordance with these sub-stages (Schiel, 2009). It is essential that project managers adjust project roles after every sub-stage of the project and align the changes with the schedule containing   activities of potential team members (including previous projects and future projects) (Schiel, 2009). HRM professionals should improve skills assessment process and introduce sub-skills in development and different business domains. These skills should be weighed against current project role requirements so that project managers could assign team members who can add maximal value to the project.CriteriaCriterion 1. Compliance with customer requirementsThis criterion determines to which degree the companys ability to adhere to customer requirements will be changed after implementing the new program.Criterion 2. Adherence to initial budget estimates.This criterion determines the extent to which project teams will be able to match initial budgets after implementing the new program.Criterion 3. Compliance with project timingThis criterion describes the degree of complying with schedule that teams will demonstrate after implementing the new program.Criterion 4. Business risk exposureThis criterion assesses the change in the degree of exposure to business risks achieved due to implementing the new program.Criterion 5. Project risk exposureThis criterion assesses the change in the degree of exposure to project risks achieved due to implementing the new program.Research MethodsThe methods used to research the information needed to determine the best recommended alternative included reviewing literature, analyzing research evidence pertaining to the impact of the use of outstaffing and advanced resource leveling on project resource allocation. In addition, the sources related to the influence of outstaffing and/or resource leveling on software quality, project time and budget, project risks and corporate risks were considered. The information was collected from software project management books, human resource management books and journals, computer science journals and case studies evaluating the effect of project management solutions.

Research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Research Paper Example Services offered can either be of personal or corporate finance levels. Similar to any other industry, financial sector needs appropriate tools and technologies in managing and delivering services to clients. Use of those tools facilitate efficient and effective service provision; hence enhancing the commercial concept of profitability. This research paper strives to appraise the breadth and depth of technology integration in finance, especially information technology and changes brought by the integration. Four decades ago, information technology only found wide application in military institutions. Military units used secured networks in relying communications. Financial institutions used traditional ledger books in keeping transaction records. Later, banking sector adopted the use of secure communication channels to deliver sensitive information for processes like confirming funds reception. Currently, technology dominates almost every aspect of financial services industry. According to Balling and Lierman (2009), technological tools like computers allow generation of financial statements, budgets and expected rate of return with a single click of an icon. In addition, investment companies can easily make precise predictions of future financial trends using customized software programs. Technology not only enhances production of records but also improves the labor aspects of the industry. Effective communication tools like internet, Skype and video conferencing allows company manage rs to outsource jobs to experts’ location. Times when Wall Street had to mail each client a stamped copy of a general meeting letter are long gone. Moreover, piling of financial records in files became redundant. With rapid evolution of technology, computer systems are becoming increasingly sophisticated, reliable and fast. This speed of evolution created the

Lenin and the Bolsheviks Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Lenin and the Bolsheviks - Assignment Example After his arrival, Lenin advocated for the government overthrow through his speeches. The Bolshevik newspaper referred to Lenin’s speeches as the April theses. After his return, he yearned to replace the Bolshevik rule in Russia. Other socialists in the city were after his immediacy in controlling the Bolshevik rule. Lenin was termed a quack that could not make his radical move. He later pulled his supporters to furnish his plans within the shortest time possible. His movement was regarded as ‘all power to the soviet’ and he hoped to agitate the masses to avoid the provisional government (William 19). His strategy focused on the coming up with a new revolution in Russia. Lenin decided to manipulate the Meshevic who were a group of the soviet. He had the plan to manipulate them to satisfy his own wish (William 38). Lenin tried all means to pull the Bolshevik out of power after his return to Russia. On 1 April, he took his first attempt after there was disagreement between the Petrograd and the provisional government. The two groups disagreed due to unstated means of pulling Russia out of the First World War. The attempted coup was in vain after the Bolshevik who was determined to throw the government failed in their mission. There were demonstrations in the streets and this caused a lot of chaos. The Bolshevik tried other attacks and to incite the masses and this was a strong hold to Lenin as he learned from the failures of the Bolshevik. Lenin learned that the slow nature by which the provisional government was acting on Russia’s withdrawal from the war was a major weakness. Lenin knew that the four years that the government had received the treat from the Bolshevik was a thorough way for his army to revolt and come back home. Lenin maintained that Russia vacates the war very fast and this was not on condition whether Russia could lose its boundary or not. Thereby, Lenin received a lot of support from the armed forces. This to Lenin w as a turning point towards seizing the federal government’s power. He therefore launched a campaign that was full of propaganda to the Russian troops who held high posts in the army. The Russian government had hoped that the return of Lenin could unite them than divide them. He thus came in at a point of confusion in Russia. Lenin was more concerned with defaming the provisional government and taking over power. This was his trick throughout his struggle for power (William 54-56). Good planning and the preparation by the Bolsheviks was a key factor for their success. The Bolshevik had a strong military foundation in the lower level. The troop was also promised peace from the German government. In addition, the group had a huge sum of money, which came from abroad, and partly from robbing of the local banks. The group referred to the mass as propaganda as the group’s name meant that it had the majority. This helped most of them to gather a lot of votes and fame from the locals who supported their mission to oust the government. This tainted the minds of the public as being the most popular group. Lenin and Trotsky, who were the troop leaders, were smarter than their competitors were. The Kerensky government received pressure from outer sources to leave power (William 88). The government had also lacked trust from many

Physiology of Athletes

Physiology of Athletes Extended Response 1 This is fun run is effective as it incorporates factors affecting performance.   The two competitors which participated in the long distance (14km) fun run must have used the dominant energy system which is the Aerobic Energy System even though in the certain parts of the event the ATP energy system could have been used.   The aerobic system is initiated during continuous activity and the body is then able to provide oxygen to the working muscles. The presence of oxygen allows the muscle glycogen to be broken down to form ATP, this overall process is the aerobic glycolysis. The sources of fuel for the aerobic system are carbohydrates which are broken down into glucose are either used or stored as muscle glycogen and/or the liver, fat can also be used over long periods once the glycogen fuels deplete. Compared to the ATP/PC system the production of ATP for the Aerobic System is the slowest but the most efficient , it utilises oxygen to metabolise muscle and liver glycogen as well as blood glucose and fatty acids. The duration is technically unlimited depending on the intensity and availability of oxygen, the cause of fatigue is the continuous use and depletion   of blood glucose, muscle glycogen, or fatty acids. The by-products of energy production in the aerobic energy system is water, carbon dioxide (CO2) and heat. The aerobic system takes the longest time to recovery and depending on the intensity of the activity it takes approximately 24 hours to replenish the energy stores. The two athletes must have had different physiological adaptations due to the huge difference in times as the faster athlete finished in 48 min while the slower athlete finished in 85 min. These adaptations include resting heart rate which is the minimum number of heart beats required to maintain body function at rest, in response to training the resting heart rate decreases as aerobic fitness improves because of the increased efficiency of the cardio respiratory system   meaning the heart does not need to work as hard. Other adaptations include stroke volume and cardiac output which refer to the amount of blood pumped via the left ventricle in each contraction and the amount of blood pumped each minute , in response to training the heart size will increase especially the ventricles making it possible for more powerful contractions and more blood to be discharged every contraction. A high intensity activity will need more blood meaning higher stroke volume, this is one of the factors that clarify why the competitor finished faster than the other as the trained athlete has a higher stroke volume compared to an untrained athlete.   The cardiac output also becomes more efficient as the heart rate adjusts to the body meeting the blood demands, it is proportional to stroke volume. Oxygen uptake and lung capacity are physiological adaptations, oxygen uptake (VO2 max) is the absorption and utilisation of oxygen by muscles at certain intensity, lung capacity is the amount of air that can be held within the lungs during a breadth. In response to training vital capacity increases slightly while the residual volume slightly decreases, but the total lung capacity does not change unless maximal effort activities are undertaken. Haemoglobin level is the amount of red blood cells (oxygen carriers) this is also a physiological adaptation, in response to training the haemoglobin level increases meaning the red blood cells can carry more oxygen making the athlete perform high intensity activities. Due to training another physiological adaptation that can occur is the reduction of blood pressure in the body due to the result of extensive training, blood pressure is the term used to describe the pressure of blood in the inner artery walls. Looking at all the stated physiological adaptations by the help of aerobic exercise it is clear that the faster athlete has trained extensively using a proper training program, by doing so this athletes long term body response due to the training is enhancing his ability in completing the 14km fun run faster than the slower athlete. Extended Response 2 Athletes using supplementation is often debated on the basis of how effective it is. The reason why athletes use supplements is to help the athlete achieve their nutritional needs and goals especially during competition and training. The main supplements used by athletes include vitamins, minerals, caffeine, protein supplements and creatine supplements. The point of taking vitamin supplements is to help the body release energy from food, the energy that is released is then incorporated in tissue rebuilding and metabolic regulation. The advantage of taking vitamins is that through taking antioxidants (vitamin C, E and beta-carotene) it can de-stress the athletes. The disadvantage is that if an athlete takes vitamins in high dosage it could have detrimental effects (excessive consumption if vitamin A can cause fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea and skin dryness) and in general it does not affect performance. Vitamins do not affect sports directly. By taking mineral supplements performance is maintained as the body function is regulated. The consumption of iron supplements reduce the effects of sports anaemia and the use of calcium maintains the quality of bones. Minerals are mostly used in sports to make sure the athlete performs at their peak. Protein is the supplement responsible for growth, repair and maintenance of body tissue and in most cases while performing extreme level activity can act as a energy source. Protein can repair deficient muscles, but in excess use it can contain carcinogenic additives while protein seen to be very useful it has not directly related to sport. Caffeine is an ergogenic aid which has a positive impact on metabolic processes and it is also affects the aerobic/anaerobic performance due it being a stimulant having an effect on the cognitive processes helping the alertness of an athlete. Caffeine is helpful for endurance athletes (marathon runners) due to the free fatty acids which are used on working muscles converted from fat stores and it also advocates glycogen sparing. Working muscles that use ATP-PC can derive energy through creatine supplementation. Creatine supplements helps an athlete achieve muscle hypertrophy and improves ATP resynthesis and recovery time, but if overdosed the chances of contracting renal disease and getting muscle cramps increases. Creatine supplements focuses on weightlifters and also sprinters as with it use gives explosive movements. There is a lot of evidence pursuing for the use of supplements for improved performance. This evidence includes that it can help specific athletes either who are vegetarians that lack calcium or iron in their diets or females to prevent osteoporosis later in life they may need the consumption of more calcium meeting their nutritional goals having an indirect performance enhancement. Direct performance enhancement can be achieved through the correct use of supplements, caffeine assists in fat metabolism in endurance events and improves cognitive processes, protein can be taken by strength athletes and endurance athletes due to the intensity of the activity, creatine easily allows muscle hypertrophy to be achieved and it also improves the recovery time and ATP resynthesis. Another piece of evidence is that it provide the athlete with a psychological boost improving performance (placebo effect). The use of supplements can also meet the nutritional goals of an athlete such who has defici encies (mineral/vitamin), the difference in food when travelling to a different country and not being able to maintain normal eating schedule. There is also a lot of evidence voting against the use of supplements for improved performance. Evidence includes that it may have side effects through excessive use; vitamins can cause joint and muscle pain, nausea, headaches ; creatine can cause increase chance of renal disease and muscle cramps; protein is a contributor to obesity due to the unused protein being stored as fat and can also cause renal problems. Other side effects that have an effect on performance is when consuming creatine it can cause unnecessary weight-gain creating a problem for weight based sports e.g. boxing, protein can contain carcinogenic additives and caffeine can cause a diuretic effect increasing the rate of dehydration. Another piece of evidence against supplementation is that if the body is in excess the expensive capsules/powders consumed are excreted. Creatine also cause contamination as it may contain banned substances (banned by anti-doping agencies). With the constant use of supplements the costs focused on training, equipment and diet needs shifts to the supplements causing a finance problem. For an elite sports athlete having a balanced with adequate amounts of protein, a natural source of creatine and eating foods that contain what the supplements contain sufficiently   makes the use of supplementation unnecessary however if due to certain circumstances cannot keep to the balanced diet they may turn to supplements as a short-term assistor.

Fool Chapter 12

TWELVE A KING'S ROAD Having set the course of events in motion, I wonder now if my training to be a nun, and my polished skills at telling jokes, juggling, and singing songs fully qualify me to start a war. I have so often been the instrument of the whims of others, not even a pawn at court, merely an accoutrement to the king or his daughters. An amusing ornament. A tiny reminder of conscience and humanity, tempered with enough humor so it can be dismissed, laughed off, ignored. Perhaps there is a reason that there is no fool piece on the chessboard. What action, a fool? What strategy, a fool? What use, a fool? Ah, but a fool resides in a deck of cards, a joker, sometimes two. Of no worth, of course. No real purpose. The appearance of a trump, but none of the power. Simply an instrument of chance. Only a dealer may give value to the joker. Make him wild, make him trump. Is the dealer Fate? God? The king? A ghost? Witches? The anchoress spoke of the cards in the tarot, forbidden and pagan as they were. We had no cards, but she would describe them for me, and I drew their images on the stones of the antechamber in charcoal. â€Å"The fool's number is zero,† she said, â€Å"but that's because he represents the infinite possibility of all things. He may become anything. See, he carries all of his possessions in a bundle on his back. He is ready for anything, to go anywhere, to become whatever he needs to be. Don't count out the fool, Pocket, simply because his number is zero.† Did she know where I was heading, or do her words only have meaning to me now, as I, the zero, the nothing, seek to move nations? War? I couldn't see the appeal. Drunk, and dire of mood one night, Lear mused of war when I suggested that what he needed to cast off his dark aspect was a good wenching. â€Å"Oh, Pocket, I am too old, and the joy of a fuck withers with my limbs. Only a good killing can still boil lust in my blood. And one will not do, either. Kill me a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand on my command – rivers of blood running through the fields – that's what pumps fire into a man's lance.† â€Å"Oh,† said I. â€Å"I was going to fetch Shanker Mary for you from the laundry, but ten thousand dead and rivers of blood might be a bit beyond her talents, majesty.† â€Å"No, thank you, good Pocket, I shall sit and slide slowly and sadly into oblivion.† â€Å"Or,† said I, â€Å"I could put a bucket on Drool's head and beat him with a sack of beets until the floor is splattered crimson while Shanker Mary gives you a proper tug to accentuate the gore.† â€Å"No, fool, there is no pretending to war.† â€Å"What's Wales doing, majesty? We could invade the Welsh, perpetrate enough slaughter to raise your spirits, and have you back for tea and toast.† â€Å"Wales is ours now, lad.† â€Å"Oh bugger. What's your feeling on attacking North Kensington, then?† â€Å"Kensington's not a mile away. Practically in our own bailey.† â€Å"Aye, nuncle, that's the beauty of it, they'd never see it coming. Like a hot blade through butter, we'd be. We could hear the widows and orphans wailing from the castle walls – like a horny lullaby for you.† â€Å"I should think not. I'm not attacking neighborhoods of London to amuse myself, Pocket. What kind of tyrant do you think me?† â€Å"Oh, above average, sire. Well above bloody average.† â€Å"I'll have you speak no more of war, fool. You've too sweet a nature for such dastardly pursuits.† Too sweet? Moi? Methinks the art of war was made for fools, and fools for war. Kensington trembled that night. On the road to Gloucester I let my anger wane and tried to comfort the old king as best I could by lending him a sympathetic ear and a gentle word when he needed it. â€Å"You simple, sniveling old toss-beast! What did you expect to happen when you put the care of your half-rotted carcass in the talons of that carrion bird of a daughter?† (I may have had some residual anger.) â€Å"But I gave her half my kingdom.† â€Å"And she gave you half the truth in return, when she told you she loved you all.† The old man hung his head and his white hair fell in his face. We sat on stones by the fire. A tent was set in the wood nearby for the king's comfort, as there was no manor house in this northern county for him to take refuge. The rest of us would sleep outside in the cold. â€Å"Wait, fool, until we are under the roof of my second daughter,† said Lear. â€Å"Regan was always the sweet one, she will not be so shabby in her gratitude.† I had no heart to chide the old man any more. Expecting kindness from Regan was hope sung in the key of madness. Always the sweet one? Regan? I think not. My second week in the castle I found young Regan and Goneril in one of the king's solars, teasing little Cordelia, passing a kitten the little one had taken a fancy to over her head, taunting her. â€Å"Oh, come get the kitty,† said Regan. â€Å"Be careful, lest it fly out the window.† Regan pretended she might throw the terrified little cat out the window, and as Cordelia ran, arms stretched out to grab the kitten, Regan reeled and tossed the kitten to Goneril, who swung the kitten toward another window. â€Å"Oh, look, Cordy, she'll be drowned in the moat, just like your traitor mother,† said Goneril. â€Å"Nooooooo!† wailed Cordelia. She was nearly breathless from running sister to sister after the kitten. I stood in the doorway, stunned at their cruelty. The chamberlain had told me that Cordelia's mother, Lear's third queen, had been accused of treason and banished three years before. No one knew exactly the circumstances of the crime, but there were rumors that she had been practicing the old religion, others that she had committed adultery. All the chamberlain knew for sure was that the queen had been taken from the tower in the dead of night, and from that time until my arrival at the castle, Cordelia had not uttered a coherent syllable. â€Å"Drowned as a witch, she was,† said Regan, snatching the kitten out of the air. But this time the little kitten's claws found royal flesh. â€Å"Ow! You little shit!† Regan tossed the kitten out the window. Cordelia loosed an ear-shattering scream. Without thinking I dived through the window after the cat and caught the braided cord with my feet as I flew through. I caught the kitten about five feet below the window as the cord burned between my ankles. Not having thought the move completely through, I hadn't counted on how to catch myself, kitten in hand, when the cord slammed me into the tower wall. The cord tightened around my right ankle. I took the impact on that shoulder and bounced while I watched my coxcomb flutter like a wounded bird to the moat below. I tucked the kitten into my doublet, then climbed back up the cord and in through the window. â€Å"Lovely day for a constitutional, don't you think, ladies?† The three of them all stood with their mouths hanging open, the older sisters had backed against the walls of the solar. â€Å"You lot look like you could use some air,† said I. I took the kitten from my doublet and held it out to Cordelia. â€Å"Kitty's had quite an adventure. Perhaps you should take her to her mum for a nap.† Cordelia took the kitten from me and ran out of the room. â€Å"We can have you beheaded, fool,† said Regan, shaking off her shock. â€Å"Anytime we want,† said Goneril, with less conviction than her sister. â€Å"Shall I send in a maid to tie back the tapestry, mum?† I asked, with a grand wave to the tapestry I'd loosed from the wall when I leapt. â€Å"Uh, yes, do that,† commanded Regan. â€Å"This instant!† â€Å"This instant,† barked Goneril. â€Å"Right away, mum.† And with a grin and a bow, I was gone from the room. I made my way down the spiral stairs clinging to the wall, lest my heart give out and send me tumbling. Cordelia stood at the bottom of the stairs, cradling the kitten, looking up at me as if I were Jesus, Zeus, and St. George all back from a smashing day of dragon slaying. Her eyes were unnaturally wide and she appeared to have stopped breathing. Bloody awe, I suppose. â€Å"Stop staring like that, lamb, it's disturbing. People will think you've a chicken bone caught in your throat.† â€Å"Thank you,† she said, with a great, shoulder-shaking sob. I patted her head. â€Å"You're welcome, love. Now run along, Pocket has to fish his hat from the moat and then go to the kitchen and drink until his hands stop shaking or he drowns in his own sick, whichever comes first.† She backed away to let me pass, never taking her eyes from mine. It had been thus since the night I arrived at the tower – when her mind first crept out from whatever dark place it had been living before my arrival – those wide, crystal-blue eyes looking at me with unblinking wonder. The child could be right creepy. â€Å"Do not make yourself a maid to surprise, nuncle,† said I. I held the reins of my and the king's horse as they drank from an ice-laced stream some hundred miles north of Gloucester. â€Å"Regan is a treasure to be sure, but she may have the same mind as her sister. Although they will deny it, it's often been the case.† â€Å"I cannot think it so,† said the king. â€Å"Regan will receive us with open arms.† There was a racket behind us and the king turned. â€Å"Ah, what is this?† A gaily painted wagon was coming out of the wood toward us. Several of the knights reached for swords or lances. Captain Curan waved for them to stand at ease. â€Å"Mummers, sire,† said the Captain. â€Å"Aye,† said Lear, â€Å"I forgot, the Yule is nearly on us. They'll be going to Gloucester as well, I'll wager, to play for the Yule feast. Pocket, go tell them that we grant them safe passage and they may follow our train under our protection.† The wagon creaked to a stop. Happening upon a train of fifty knights and attendants in the countryside would put any performer on guard. The man driving the wagon stood at the reins and waved. He wore a grand purple hat with a white plume in it. I leapt the narrow stream, and made my way up the road. When the driver saw my motley he smiled. I, too, smiled, in relief – this was not the cruel master from my own days as a mummer. â€Å"Hail, fool, what finds you so far from court and castle?† â€Å"I carry my court with me and my castle lies ahead, sirrah.† â€Å"Carry your court? Then that white-haired old man is – â€Å" â€Å"Aye, King Lear himself.† â€Å"Then you are the famous Black Fool.† â€Å"At your bloody service,† said I, with a bow. â€Å"You're smaller than in the stories,† said the big-hatted weasel. â€Å"Aye, and your hat is an ocean in which your wit wanders like a lost plague ship.† The mummer laughed. â€Å"You give me more than my due, sirrah. We trade not in wit like you, wily fool. We are thespians!† With that, three young men and a girl stepped out from behind the wagon and bowed gracefully and with far too much flourish than was called for. â€Å"Thesbians,† said they, in chorus. I tipped my coxcomb. â€Å"Well, I enjoy a lick of the lily from time to time myself,† said I, â€Å"but it's hardly something you want to paint on the side of a wagon.† â€Å"Not lesbians,† said the girl, â€Å"thesbians. We are actors.† â€Å"Oh,† said I. â€Å"That's different.† â€Å"Aye,† said big hat. â€Å"We've no need of wit – the play's the thing, you see. Not a word passes our lips that hasn't been chewed thrice and spat out by a scribe.† â€Å"Unburdened by originality are we,† said an actor in a red waistcoat. The girl said, â€Å"Although we do bear the cross of fabulously shiny hair – â€Å" â€Å"Blank slates, we are,† said another of the actors. â€Å"We are mere appendages of the pen, so to speak,† said big hat. â€Å"Yeah, you're a bloody appendage, all right,† I said under my breath. â€Å"Well, actors then. Smashing. The king has bade me tell you that he grants you safe passage to Gloucester and offers his protection.† â€Å"Oh my,† said big hat. â€Å"We are only going as far as Birmingham, but I suppose we could double back from Gloucester if his majesty wishes us to perform.† â€Å"No,† said I. â€Å"Please, do pass through and on to Birmingham. The king would never impede the progress of artists.† â€Å"You're certain?† said big hat. â€Å"We've been rehearsing a classic from antiquity, Green Eggs and Hamlet, the story of a young prince of Denmark who goes mad, drowns his girlfriend, and in his remorse, forces spoiled breakfast on all whom he meets. It was pieced together from fragments of an ancient Merican manuscript.† â€Å"No,† said I. â€Å"I think it will be too esoteric for the king. He is old and nods off during long performances.† â€Å"Shame,† said big hat. â€Å"A moving piece. Let me do a selection for you. ‘Green eggs, or not green eggs? That is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to eat them in a box, with a fox – ‘† â€Å"Stop!† said I. â€Å"Go now, and quickly. War has come to the land and rumor has it that as soon as they've finished with the lawyers, they're going to kill all the actors.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Aye,† I nodded most sincerely. â€Å"Quick, on to Birmingham, before you are slaughtered.† â€Å"Everyone jump on,† said big hat, and the actors did as directed. â€Å"Fare thee well, fool!† Then he snapped the reins and drove off, the wagon's wheels bouncing in the ruts of the road. Lear's train parted and watched as the team pulled the wagon by at a gallop. â€Å"What was that?† asked Lear when I returned. â€Å"Wagonload of knobs,† said I. â€Å"Why do they hurry, so?† â€Å"We commanded it so, nuncle. Half their troupe is ill with fever. We want them nowhere near your men.† â€Å"Oh, good show, then, lad. I thought you might be missing the life and were going to join their troupe.† I shuddered at the thought. It had been a cold December day like this when I'd first come to the White Tower with my mummer troupe. We were decidedly not thespians, but singers, jugglers, and acrobats, and I a special asset because I could do all three. Our master was a crooked Belgian named Belette, who bought me from Mother Basil for ten shillings and the promise to feed me. He spoke Dutch, French, and a very broken English, so I don't know how he managed to secure the White Tower for a performance that Christmas, but I was told later that the troupe that was supposed to have performed had suddenly taken ill with stomach cramps and I suspect that Belette poisoned them. I had been with Belette for months, and except for the beatings and cold nights sleeping under a wagon, I had received little but my daily bread, the occasional cup of wine, and the skills of knife-throwing and sleight of hand as it could be applied to purse cutting. We were led into the great hall at the tower, which was filled with nobles reveling and feasting on platters of food such as I had never seen. King Lear sat at the center of the main table, flanked by two beautiful girls about my age, who I would later find out were Regan and Goneril. Beside Regan sat Gloucester, his wife, and their son Edgar. The intrepid Kent sat on the other side next to Goneril. Under that table, at Lear's feet, a little girl was curled up, watching the celebration – wide-eyed, like a frightened animal, clinging to a rag doll. I must confess, I thought the child might be deaf or even simpleminded. We performed for perhaps two hours, singing songs of the saints during dinner, then moving on to bawdier fare as the wine flowed and the guests loosened their hold on propriety. By late in the evening everyone was laughing, the guests were dancing with the performers, and even the commoners who lived in the castle had joined the party, but the little girl remained under the table, making not a sound. Not a smile, not an eyebrow raised in delight. There was light there behind those crystal-blue eyes – this was not a simpleton – but she seemed to be staring out of them from afar. I crawled under the table and sat next to her. She barely acknowledged my presence. I leaned in close and nodded toward Belette, who stood by a column near the center of the hall, leering lecherously at the young girls who frolicked about him. I could see the little girl spied the scoundrel, too. Ever so softly, I sang a little song the anchoress had taught me, with the lyrics changed a bit to adapt to the situation. â€Å"Belette was a rat, was a rat, was a rat, was a rat, Belette was a rat, was a rat, was a rat, was a rat, Belette was a rat who ate his tail.† And the little girl pulled back and looked at me, as if to see if I had really sung such a thing. And I sang on: â€Å"Belette was a rat, was a rat, was a rat, Belette was a rat, was a rat, was a rat, Belette was a rat, who drowned in a pail.† And the little girl cackled – a broken, little-girl yodel of a laugh that rang of innocence and joy and delight. I sang on, and ever so softly, she sang with me, â€Å"Belette was a rat, was a rat, was a rat, Belette was a rat – â€Å" And we were no longer alone under the table. There was another pair of crystal-blue eyes, and behind them a white-haired king. The old king smiled and squeezed my biceps. And before the other guests noticed that the king was under the table, he sat back up on his throne, but he reached down and lay a hand across the little girl's shoulder and the other upon mine. It was a hand reached across a vast chasm of reality – from the highest position of ruler of the realm, to a lowborn orphan boy who slept in the mud under a wagon. I thought it must have been how a knight felt when the king's sword touched his shoulder, elevating him to nobility. â€Å"Was a rat, was a rat, was a rat,† we sang. When the party died down and noble guests hung drunk over the tables, the servants piled onto the floor before the fire, Belette began to move among the revelers and tap each of his performers, calling them to gather by the door. I had fallen asleep under the table, and the little girl against my arm. He pulled me up by my hair. â€Å"You did nothing all night. I watched.† I knew there was a beating in store for when we got back to the wagon, and I was prepared for it. At least I had eaten some supper at the feast. But as Belette turned to drag me away he stopped, abruptly. I looked up to see the master frozen in space, a sword-point pressed into his cheek just below his eye. He let go of my hair. â€Å"Good thought,† said Kent, the old bull, pulling his sword back, but holding it steadily aimed, a hand's breadth from Belette's eye. There was a sound of coin on the table and Belette couldn't help but look down, even at the peril of his life. A doeskin purse as big as a man's fist lay before him. The chamberlain, a tall, severe chap who looked perpetually down his nose, stood beside Kent. He said, â€Å"Your payment, plus ten pounds, which you shall accept as payment for this boy.† â€Å"But – † said Belette. â€Å"You are a word from your mortality, sirrah,† said Lear. â€Å"Do go on.† He sat straight and regal on his throne, one hand pressed to the cheek of the little girl, who had awakened and was clinging to his leg. Belette took the purse, bowed deeply, and backed across the hall. The other mummers of my troupe bowed and followed him out. â€Å"What is your name, boy?† asked Lear. â€Å"Pocket, your majesty.† â€Å"Well, then, Pocket, do you see this child?† â€Å"Yes, majesty.† â€Å"Her name is Cordelia. She is our youngest daughter, and henceforth shall be your mistress. You have one duty above all, Pocket. That is to make her happy.† â€Å"Yes, majesty.† â€Å"Take him to Bubble,† said the king. â€Å"Have her feed and bathe him, then find him new clothes.† Back on the road to Gloucester, Lear said, â€Å"So, what is your will, Pocket? Would you be a traveling mummer again – trade the comfort of the castle for the adventure of the road?† â€Å"Apparently, I have, nuncle,† said I. We camped at the stream, which froze over during the night. The old man sat shivering by the fire with his rich fur cloak wrapped around him; the garment so full and the man so slight that it appeared he was being consumed by a slow but well-groomed beast. Only his white beard and the hawk nose were visible outside the cloak – two stars of fire shone back in the cape creature, his eyes. Snow fell around us in great wet orgies of flakes, and my own woolen cloak, which I'd pulled over my head, was sodden. â€Å"Have I been so unfit as a father that my daughters would turn on me so?† asked Lear. Why, now, did he choose to stare into the dark barrel of his soul, when he'd been content all these years to simply scoop out his desires and let the consequences wash over whomever they may? Bloody inopportune time for introspection, after you've given away the roof over your head. But I did not say so. â€Å"What would I know of proper fathering, sire? I had no father nor mother. I was reared by the Church, and I'd not give a hot squirt of piss for the lot of them.† â€Å"Poor boy,† said the king. â€Å"As long as I live, you shall have father and family.† I would have pointed out that he had himself declared his crawl to the grave commenced, and that given his performance with his daughters, I might do better to go forth an orphan, but the old man had rescued me from the life of a slave and wanderer, and given me a home in the palace, with friends and, I suppose, family of a sort. So I said, â€Å"Thank you, majesty.† The old man sighed heavily and said, â€Å"None of my three queens ever loved me.† â€Å"Oh, for fuck's sake, Lear, I'm a jester, not a bloody wizard. If you're going to keep diving into the muck of your regrets then I'll just hold your sword for you and you can see if you can get your ancient ass moving enough to fall on the pointy part so we can both get some bloody peace.† Lear laughed then – twisted old oak that he was – and patted my shoulder. â€Å"I could ask nothing more of a son than he give me laughter in my despair. I'm off to bed. Sleep in my tent, tonight, Pocket, out of the cold.† â€Å"Aye, sire.† I was touched by the old man's kindness, I cannot deny it. The old man tottered over to his tent. One of the pages had been carrying hot stones into the tent for an hour and I felt the heat rush out as the king ducked inside. â€Å"I'll be in after I've had a wee,† said I. I walked to the edge of the fire's light and beside a great bare elm was relieving myself when a blue light shimmered in the forest before me. â€Å"Well, that's a woolly tuft of lamb wank,† said a woman's voice, just as the girl ghost stepped out from behind the tree upon which I was weeing. â€Å"God's balls, wisp, I've almost peed on you!† â€Å"Careful, fool,† said the ghost, looking frighteningly solid now – just a tad translucent – snowflakes were passing through her. But I was not frightened. â€Å"Warm thy grateful heart, In the king's family, But for his royal crimes, You'd not an orphan be.† â€Å"That's it?† I asked. â€Å"Rhymes and riddles? Still?† â€Å"All you need for now,† said the ghost. â€Å"I saw the witches,† said I. â€Å"They seemed to know you.† â€Å"Aye,† said the ghost. â€Å"There's dark deeds afoot at Gloucester, fool. Don't lose sight.† â€Å"Sight of what?† But she was gone, and I was standing in the woods, my willie in my hand, talking to a tree. On to Gloucester in the morning, and I'd see what I was not to lose sight of. Or some such nonsense. Cornwall's and Regan's flags flew over the battlements alongside Gloucester's, showing they had already arrived. Castle Gloucester was a bundle of towers surrounded by a lake on three sides and by a wide moat at the front – no outer curtain wall like the White Tower or Albany, no bailey, just a small front courtyard and a gatehouse that protected the entrance. The city wall, on the land side of the castle, provided the outer defenses for stables and barracks. As we approached, a trumpet sounded from the wall announcing us. Drool came running across the drawbridge, his arms held high. â€Å"Pocket, Pocket, where have you been? My friend! My friend!† I was greatly relieved to see him alive, but the great, simple bear pulled me from my horse and hugged me until I could barely breathe, dancing me in a circle, my feet flying in the air as if I was a doll. â€Å"Stop licking, Drool, you lout, you'll wear my hair off.† I clouted the oaf on the back with Jones and he yowled. â€Å"Ouch. Don't hit, Pocket.† He dropped me and crouched, hugging himself as if he were his own comforting mother, which he may have been, for all I know. I saw red-brown stains on his shirt back, and so lifted it to see the cause. â€Å"Oh, lad, what has happened to you?† My voice broke, tears tried to push out of my eyes, and I gasped. The muscular slab of Drool's back was nearly devoid of skin – his hide had been torn and scabbed over and torn again by a vicious lash. â€Å"I've missed you most awful,† said Drool. â€Å"Aye, me too, but how happened these stripes?† â€Å"Lord Edmund says I am an insult to nature and must be punished.† Edmund. Bastard.