Capstone Case Study †Arthur Andersen LLP Essay

1. Examine the ecological, key and hierarchical changes that happened over the life of Andersen with regards to figure 11.1. While Andersen began as a steady situation, when changes began being made to the fundamental focal point of the organization numerous progressions were sped up. While still fruitful in it’s inspecting business, different open doors emerged that took into account faster and increasingly powerful income development. This vital move from examining just to offering various different administrations (computerized accounting, data advances, counseling, corporate staffing) in the end prompted a break inside the organization, the division of tasks into two organizations under one umbrella, and the in the end severance of those two organizations into two entirely separate corporate elements. When the two organizations (Andersen Consulting and Arthur Anderson) split, Arthur Andersen, which was initially the reviewing just arm, however had plunged again into the counseling industry despite the fact that it ought not have per it’s concurrence with AC, went full power into offering the full scope of administrations. In the journey for the greatest deal and to drive non-review income, chiefs were remunerated dependent on deals focuses rather than execution or nature of work. This absence of value control and change in the focal point of the business was the start of the descending projection of AA. The way that there were changes in every one of the three regions, ecological, vital and authoritative, made it hard for there to be tight control at AA and nearly settled on it satisfactory to settle on sketchy choices as long as the customers got what they needed and incomes kept on coming in. 2. Assess Andersen’s guarantee that their issues on the Enron review were because of a couple â€Å"bad partners† in the association. On the off chance that you concur with this case, examine what you believe were the main drivers of the issue. It was AA’s choice to enlist 40 examiners from Enron, at that point increased by 150 ofâ their own staff, and spot them inside Enron as it’s in house bookkeeping staff. Since the staff was nearby at Enron, went to Enron gatherings, and settled on choices to the greatest advantage of Enron and not with accomplishing quality work, it is difficult to take confidence in AA’s guarantee that it was just a couple â€Å"bad partners†. Likewise, AA settled on the choice to separate it’s own Professional Standards Group and re-find individuals from that gathering to neighborhood workplaces. When that occur however, their capacity was usurped and held no water. In the event that they addressed choices, they were expelled. It is dependent upon the organization to settle on choices that help produce business, however shield the organization and it’s representatives from any faulty circumstances or conditions where exploitative situations may play out. 3. Assume you were Andersen’s overseeing accomplice in the mid 1990’s. OK have done anything any other way than the real administration (accepting you knew just what they did at that point)? There are a few things that I could have done had I been the overseeing accomplice for Andersen in the 1990’s. I think the partition of the counseling industry and the bookkeeping business into two organizations was really a decent move. The way that AA inevitably began to offer and follow non-evaluating administrations business with customers was the place a slip-up was made as I would see it. In the event that I were an accomplice at AA I would have carefully implemented the understanding that we would be staying with examining business as it were. While offering a lower edge than the counseling industry, it was a strong establishment and permitted more oversight, tight controls and diminished the probability that flawed choices would be made. I likewise would have kept the Professional Standards Group in propriety to manage and audit all parts of the activity. Separating the gathering and doling out individual individuals to nearby workplaces essentially fixed their capacity and took into account those hoping to control the framework to do as such. 4. Talk about the connection between what occurred at Andersen and perform various tasks head operator hypothesis. With the Multi-Task Agent Theory, certain assignments are compensated and other tasksâ are not, and in light of this the non-remunerated errands experience the ill effects of disregard of a decline in quality. The first run through this was an issue is was before the split into two organizations, where those driving the counseling and IT business were discontent with the way that the examining side had such a great amount of control over the organization despite the fact that it was not the fragment driving the income. After the possible split into AC and AA under one umbrella, and afterward the all out split into two separate enterprises, with Andersen getting business other than examining was remunerated more than reviewing business, to the point that it was expect that overseeing accomplices got twice as much counseling and different business as it did evaluating business, in any case face punishments or even end. In every one of the three phases of the company’s history the imbalance between the counseling industry and the evaluating business prompted there being a de-accentuation on the inspecting portion of the business (both in quality and as a driver of income). 5. Examine the connection between the â€Å"hard† and â€Å"soft† components of a firm’s corporate culture with regards to this case. On account of Andersen, it nearly appears as though the adjustments in the â€Å"soft† components of corporate culture were either legitimately identified with or a symptom of progress in the â€Å"hard† parts of the corporate culture. As expressed for the situation study, during most of the company’s presence, â€Å"tradition was everywhere†. From â€Å"soft† components like the physical plan of workplaces and the manner in which accomplices dressed and looked to hard components like the quality control applied over all parts of the business, there were standard the whole way across the board. As changes began to occur in the â€Å"hard† culture, similar to the attention being on driving income instead of putting out quality work, changes were additionally found in the delicate parts of the way of life. Overseeing accomplices didn't dress as sharp, the mammoths wooden entryways of the workplaces (that appeared to be an illustration for the solid, tough activity of the organization) were evacuated, and another corporate logo was presented. 6. Do you feel that the issues at Andersen were one of a kind to them or did they exist at the other huge bookkeeping firms? Assume you were the top accomplice at one of the other significant bookkeeping firms around then of Andersen’s end. What activity, assuming any, okay take accordingly? Clarify. As indicated when Andersen themselves raised doubt about the acts of one of it’s contenders (requiring an examination), these issues at Andersen are not one of a kind to their organization (however it may not occur on as stupendous of a scale). In the event that I was the top accomplice at one of the other significant bookkeeping firms at the hour of Andersen’s death, I would have quickly either required an inner examination of my firm’s practices or elected to have my company’s rehearses inspected by the SEC or another fitting power. I would open up to what was discovered, roll out any fundamental improvements to hierarchical structure or practices, and push ahead. I figure this would be significant in light of the fact that at the hour of Andersen’s death, it is likely the validity of ALL bookkeeping firms was harmed, and I would need there is to be verification that our organization was doing things the correct way. 7. In 2000, the SEC proposed new guidelines that would confine counseling work by bookkeeping firms. This proposition was not passed by congress. Do you think the lawmakers were attempting to act in the open intrigue when they neglected to pass this proposition? Clarify. Officials were not acting in the public’s eventual benefits; they were bowing to pressure from the evaluating business lobbyists. Steve Samek, who led tasks that as of now lead claims, payouts, insolvencies and fines, drove the charge to restrict the proposition. By then it ought to have been evident that the correct consider was passing the proposition. The way that distinctive enactment identified with the oversight of bookkeeping firms was in the long run passed later on in 2002 (the SOA) shows that oversight was important, yet simply required a stupendous disappointment like Andersen/Enron to permit lawmakers to feel good in standing firm. 8. The American Institute of CPAs is the essential expert relationship for CPAs. It has built up a Code of Professional Conduct that sets theâ standards of lead for CPAs. Individuals can document protests about the moral lead of a CPA with the AICPA, which can exact authorizations and different punishments against its individuals. Do you imagine that the deceptive lead at Andersen (and conceivably other bookkeeping firms) was the flaw of the AICPA for not setting and implementing higher moral standard among its individuals? Clarify. While I think the AICPA has a spot in setting measures and morals in the business, and has the privilege to impose assents and punishments against it’s individuals (in light of objections that are recorded), they are not an administrative office and their arrive at just expands up until now. Truly, being a part association, if a partnership wouldn't like to manage or reply to the AICPA, they and decide not to be a part. It might hurt their notoriety, however over the long haul the work they do and the customers they have will have an a lot more prominent impact of their business than whether they are an individual from the AICPA. While it is ideal to have associations like the AICPA and the SEC sitting above the acts of companies in the business, it is difficult to move flaw for the deceptive conduct of an organization away from the organization that acted that was to some part association or administrative office. It is the association or agency’s spot to set rules and react w

Pearl Essays (330 words) - The Pearl, Pearl, La Perla, Kino

Pearl This book is about a pearl jumper named Kino. He and his significant other and child are a poor family. At the point when his child turns out to be sick, Kino takes to the ocean on a mission to discover some approach to spare his child. He finds a magnificant pearl. Kino and his better half belive that they will be wealthly and live the remainder of their lives in bliss, yet when Kino visits the nearby pearl handlers, he feels the costs which they offer him are unbelievable and won't sell. Kino takes his family and together they set out traveling to Mexico City, where Kino accepts he will show signs of improvement cost for his shocking pearl. Because of the way that the pearl vendors are so fixated on Kino's pearl, they send a gathering of trackers after them. The trackers trap them partially up a stone face and one of the men shoots Kinos child, mortally injuring him. Kino and his better half profit to their home for the sea shore and Kino tosses the pearl once more into the ocean from where it came. Kino, the hero, is a solid willed, if obstinate, man. He will not sell the mischievous pearl vendors his valuble pearl despite the fact that he urgently needs the cash. He does this since he feels firmly that what the men are doing to him isn't right, and he will not yield to that. The principle thought of the story is that beneficial things can have awful impacts. While its goals were acceptable, the pearl realized the destruction of the hero. Because of the voracity of the pearl vendors, and mostly becasue of Kino's own desire for riches, his child is executed and he loses nearly all that he claims. I beleive this was a generally excellent book. I delighted in the assortment and shading with which Stienbeck depicted his characters. The story itself was elegantly composed and I felt near the primary characters of the book. English Essays

Balancing School With Part-time Work

Balancing School With Part-time Work Balancing School With Part-time Work Balancing School With Part-time Work As tuition rises and so does the cost of living, more and more students have no choice but to work throughout the school year. Having a regular income can be great, but sometimes balancing both work and school feels like an impossible task. Luckily there are simple steps you can take before school starts and during the year to maximize your time and stay sane. Plan Ahead Before you choose your classes for the year, take a good look at your work schedule. Are there certain seasons when work will be busier? Try to take a lighter course load then. If your job gets less demanding in the winter months, for example, try to book your toughest courses for that semester. Consider things the other way around too, when will school be the busiest? Communicate with your boss well ahead of time so you don’t end up working all day everyday during midterms or exam season! Be Realistic Think logically about how many hours of work you can handle on top of your course load. Rushing from work to attend night class might be fine one night a week, but it’ll likely drive you crazy if you have to do it every day. Plan your schedule effectively so you can handle everything. Consider All Options Many schools offer online classes or lectures by TV so you don’t have to be physically present on campus to take a course. This might be easier to handle if you work at an off-campus location and it’s hard to rush there for class. As long as you have the discipline to sit down and get to it when you do have time, this is a great option for students with very hectic schedules. Give Yourself a Break Yes, balancing work and school is demanding and time-consuming. But it shouldn’t eat up every minute of every day for the entire year. Once in a while, plan to have a day or weekend off just to relax and not worry about work. It’ll make you happier, calmer, and help you concentrate better on work when you get back to it. When you’re balancing both work and school, it’s only understandable that sometimes it’ll just be too much. Consider Homework Help USA’s custom writing assignment services when you’re really in a pinch. We can finish all types of assignments in many subject areas so you don’t have to sacrifice grades just to work and pay the rent! References: 5 Tips to Achieve Your Optimal Work/School/Life Balance. (2014, December 18). Retrieved August 31, 2015, from 5-tips-achieve-your-optimal-workschoollife-balance Balancing School With Part-time Work Balancing School With Part-time Work Balancing School With Part-time Work As tuition rises and so does the cost of living, more and more students have no choice but to work throughout the school year. Having a regular income can be great, but sometimes balancing both work and school feels like an impossible task. Luckily there are simple steps you can take before school starts and during the year to maximize your time and stay sane. Plan Ahead Before you choose your classes for the year, take a good look at your work schedule. Are there certain seasons when work will be busier? Try to take a lighter course load then. If your job gets less demanding in the winter months, for example, try to book your toughest courses for that semester. Consider things the other way around too, when will school be the busiest? Communicate with your boss well ahead of time so you don’t end up working all day everyday during midterms or exam season! Be Realistic Think logically about how many hours of work you can handle on top of your course load. Rushing from work to attend night class might be fine one night a week, but it’ll likely drive you crazy if you have to do it every day. Plan your schedule effectively so you can handle everything. Consider All Options Many schools offer online classes or lectures by TV so you don’t have to be physically present on campus to take a course. This might be easier to handle if you work at an off-campus location and it’s hard to rush there for class. As long as you have the discipline to sit down and get to it when you do have time, this is a great option for students with very hectic schedules. Give Yourself a Break Yes, balancing work and school is demanding and time-consuming. But it shouldn’t eat up every minute of every day for the entire year. Once in a while, plan to have a day or weekend off just to relax and not worry about work. It’ll make you happier, calmer, and help you concentrate better on work when you get back to it. When you’re balancing both work and school, it’s only understandable that sometimes it’ll just be too much. Consider Homework Help Canada’s custom writing assignment services when you’re really in a pinch. We can finish all types of assignments in many subject areas so you don’t have to sacrifice grades just to work and pay the rent! References: 5 Tips to Achieve Your Optimal Work/School/Life Balance. (2014, December 18). Retrieved August 31, 2015, from 5-tips-achieve-your-optimal-workschoollife-balance

Abington School District v. Schempp Murray v. Curlett

Do public school officials have the authority to pick a particular version or translation of the Christian Bible and have children read passages from that Bible every day? There was a time when such practices occurred in many school districts across the country but they were challenged alongside school prayers and ultimately the Supreme Court found the tradition to be unconstitutional. Schools cannot pick Bibles to be read or recommend that Bibles be read. Fast Facts: Abington School District v. Schempp Case Argued: February 27—28, 1963Decision Issued:  June 17, 1963Petitioner: School District of Abington Township, PennsylvaniaRespondent:   Edward Lewis SchemppKey Question: Did a Pennsylvania law requiring public school students to participate in religious exercises violate their religious rights as protected by the First and Fourteenth Amendments?Majority Decision: Justices Warren, Black, Douglas, Clark, Harlan, White, Brennan, and GoldbergDissenting: Justice StewartRuling: Under the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, public schools cannot sponsor Bible readings or recitations of the Lord’s Prayer.  Laws requiring participation in religious exercises directly violated the First Amendment.   Background Information Both Abington School District v. Schempp and Murray v. Curlett dealt with state-approved reading of Bible passages before classes in public schools. Schempp was brought to trial by a religious family who had contacted the ACLU. The Schempps challenged a Pennsylvania law which stated that: ...at least ten verses from the Holy Bible shall be read, without comment, at the opening of each public school day. Any child shall be excused from such Bible reading, or attending such Bible reading, upon written request of his parent or guardian. This was disallowed by a federal district court. Murray was brought to trial by an atheist: Madalyn Murray (later OHair), who was working on behalf of her sons, William and Garth. Murray challenged a Baltimore statute that provided for the reading, without comment, of a chapter of the Holy Bible and/or of the Lords Prayer before the start of classes. This statute was upheld by both a state court and the Maryland Court of Appeals. Court Decision Arguments for both cases were heard on the 27th and 28th of February, 1963. On the 17th of June, 1963, the Court ruled 8-1 against of allowing the reciting of the Bible verses and the Lords Prayer. Justice Clark wrote at length in his majority opinion about the history and importance of religion in America, but his conclusion was that the Constitution forbids any establishment of religion, that prayer is a form of religion, and that hence state-sponsored or mandated Bible reading in public schools cannot be allowed. For the first time, a test was created to evaluate Establishment questions before courts: ...what are the purpose and primary effect of the enactment. If either is the advancement or inhibition of religion then the enactment exceeds the scope of legislative power as circumscribed by the Constitution. That is to say that to withstand the structures of the Establishment Clause there must be a secular legislative purpose and a primary effect that neither advances nor inhibits religion. [emphasis added] Justice Brennan wrote in a concurring opinion that, while legislators argued that they had a secular purpose with their law, their goals could have been achieved with readings from secular document. The law, however, only specified the use of religious literature and prayer. That the Bible readings were to be made without comment demonstrated even further that the legislators knew that they were dealing with specifically religious literature and wanted to avoid sectarian interpretations. A violation of the Free Exercise Clause was also created by the coercive effect of the readings. That this might entail only minor encroachments on the First Amendment, as argued by others, was irrelevant. The comparative study of religion in public schools is not prohibited, for example, but those religious observances were not created with such studies in mind. Significance of the Case This case was essentially a repeat of the Courts earlier Court Decision in Engel v. Vitale, in which the Court identified constitutional violations and struck the legislation. As with Engel, the Court held that the voluntary nature of religious exercises (even allowing parents to exempt their children) did not prevent the statutes from violating the Establishment Clause. There was, of course, an intensely negative public reaction. In May 1964, there were more than 145 proposed constitutional amendments in the House of Representatives which would permit school prayer and effectively reverse both decisions. Representative L. Mendell Rivers accused the Court of legislating - they never adjudicate - with one eye on the Kremlin and the other on the NAACP. Cardinal Spellman claimed that the decision struck ...at the very heart of the Godly tradition in which Americas children have for so long been raised. Although people commonly claim that Murray, who later founded the American Atheists, was the women who got prayer kicked out of public schools (and she was willing to take the credit), it should be clear that even had she never existed, the Schempp case still would have come to the Court and neither case dealt directly with school prayer at all — they were, instead, about Bible readings in public schools.

How Is Buddhism Different From Christianity - 1683 Words

How is Buddhism different from Christianity? There are several different types of religion throughout the world. Many of us take on the religion of the house hold in which we grew up. Lots of time we maintain that religion through our adult lives and even pass it on to our kids without researching or even attending any other religious service or event. For most people, once a denomination is chosen they believe it to be the only religion that is true and all others are fake or untrue. The belief that all other religions are wrong is achieved without knowing anything about the religion or its beliefs. A quick google search says that there are roughly five major religions in the world with around 4,200 different various. For this†¦show more content†¦Because of the many different definition given to the word God, I will focus on how it is defined in Buddhism and in Christianity. Buddhism does not believe in a God, but does not deny the existence. Buddha believes that a person’s belief in a God would take away from their quest for Nirvana. Nirvana is the â€Å"the release from suffering and rebirth that brings inner peace (Molloy 179).† Additionally Buddhism believes even if there was a God that being would be impermanent like all living beings of the world. Buddhism also feels that God is not necessary to explain the origins of the universe. There is no evidence of God and science does have evidence of creation that do not involve a God. Finally, Buddha did not like the idea of a God because the idea of God can be traced to the origins of fear. Often God is used to invoke fear into people in order to get them to comply with the guideline of a religion. Fear of God is at the center of Christianity. When Jesus begin ministering the word of God, many believed that they were living in the ends of time. â€Å"God would destroy all the enemies of pious Jews (Molloy 336).† This fear of God led many to Christianity. Accor ding to the Holy Trinity there is not just God, but instead there are three. The Father God, the son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit which is the power of God. Christians believe that God sent Jesus to earth inform them of his existence and to teach them how to worship his believes

The Crystal Shard 20. A Slave to No Man Free Essays

â€Å"No arguin’,† Bruenor snarled, though none of his four friends standing beside him on the rocky slopes of the climb had any intention of speaking against the decision. In their foolish pettiness and pride, the majority of the spokesmen had doomed their communities to almost certain destruction and neither Drizzt, Wulfgar, Catti-brie, nor Regis expected the dwarves to join in such a hopeless cause. â€Å"When will you block the mines?† Drizzt asked. We will write a custom essay sample on The Crystal Shard 20. A Slave to No Man or any similar topic only for you Order Now The drow hadn’t yet decided if he would join the dwarves in the self-imposed prison of their caves, but he had planned to act as scout to Bryn Shander at least until Akar Kessell’s army moved into the region. â€Å"The preparin’ll begin tonight,† said Bruenor. â€Å"But once they’re in place, we’ve no rush. We’ll let the stinkin’ orcs come right down our throats afore we drop the tunnels, an’ take ’em in the fall! Are ye to stay with us, then?† Drizzt shrugged his shoulders. Though he was still shunned by most of the people of Ten-Towns, the drow felt a strong sense of loyalty and wasn’t sure that he could turn his back on his chosen home, even under suicidal circumstances. And Drizzt had little desire to return to the lightless underworld, even in the hospitable caverns of the dwarven town. â€Å"And what’s yer decision?† Bruenor asked Regis. The halfling, too, was torn between his instincts for survival and his loyalty to Ten-Towns. With the help of the ruby, he had lived well during the last years on Maer Dualdon. But now his cover had been stripped away. After the rumors flowing out of the council, everyone in Bryn Shander whispered about the halfling’s magical influence. It wouldn’t be long before all of the communities heard about Kemp’s accusations and avoided, if not openly shunned, him. Either way, Regis knew that his days of easy living in Lonelywood were nearing an end. â€Å"Thank you for the invitation,† he said to Bruenor. â€Å"I’ll come in before Kessell arrives.† â€Å"Good,† replied the dwarf. â€Å"Ye’ll get a room near the boy, so none o’ the dwarves has to hear yer bellyachin’!† He flashed Drizzt a good-natured wink. â€Å"Nay,† said Wulfgar. Bruenor looked at him curiously, misunderstanding the barbarian’s intentions and wondering why he objected to having Regis beside him. â€Å"Watch yerself, boy,† the dwarf teased. â€Å"If ye’re thinkin’ ye’re to be stayin’ beside the girl, then be thinkin’ about duckin’ yer head from the swing o’ me axe!† Catti-brie chuckled softly, embarrassed yet truly touched. â€Å"Your mines are not the place for me,† Wulfgar said suddenly. â€Å"My life is on the plain.† â€Å"Ye forget that yer life is mine for choosin’!† Bruenor retorted. In truth, his yelling was more the short temper of a father than the outrage of a master. Wulfgar rose before the dwarf, proud and stern. Drizzt understood and was pleased. Now Bruenor also had an idea of what the barbarian was getting at, and though he hated the thought of separation, he felt more pride in the boy at that moment than ever before. â€Å"My time of indenture is not ended,† Wulfgar began, â€Å"yet I have repaid my debt to you, my friend, and to your people many times over. â€Å"I am Wulfgar!† he proudly proclaimed, his jaw firm and his muscles tightened with tension. â€Å"No more a boy but a man! A free man!† Bruenor felt the moisture rimming his eves. For the first time he did nothing to conceal it. He walked out before the huge barbarian and returned Wulfgar’s unyielding stare with a look of sincere admiration. â€Å"So ye are,† Bruenor observed. â€Å"Then might I ask ye, on yer choice, if ye’ll stay and fight beside me?† Wulfgar shook his head. â€Å"My debt to you is paid, in truth. And forever I shall name you as my friend†¦dear friend. But I have another debt yet to pay.† He looked out to Kelvin’s Cairn and beyond. The countless stars shone clearly over the tundra, making the open plain seem even more vast and empty. â€Å"Out there, in another world.† Catti-brie sighed and shuffled uncomfortably. She alone fully understood the vague picture that Wulfgar was painting. And she wasn’t pleased with his choice. Bruenor nodded, respecting the barbarian’s decision. â€Å"Go then, and live well,† he said, straining to hold his breaking voice even as he moved to the rocky trail. He paused for one last moment and looked back at the tall, young barbarian. â€Å"Yer a man, there’s none to argue that,† he said over his shoulder. â€Å"But don’t ye never forget that ever ye’ll be me boy!† â€Å"I shan’t,† Wulfgar whispered softly as Bruenor disappeared into the tunnel. He felt Drizzt’s hand on his shoulder. â€Å"When do you leave?† the drow asked. â€Å"Tonight,† Wulfgar replied. â€Å"These grim days offer no leisure.† â€Å"And where do you go?† Catti-brie asked, already knowing the truth, and also the vague answer that Wulfgar would give. The barbarian turned his misty gaze back out to the plain. â€Å"Home.† He started back down the trail, Regis following. But Catti-brie waited behind and motioned for Drizzt to do likewise. â€Å"Say your farewells to Wulfgar this night,† she told the drow. â€Å"I do not believe that he shall ever return.† â€Å"Home is a place for him to choose,† Drizzt replied, guessing that the news about Heafstaag joining Kessell had played a part in Wulfgar’s decision. He watched the departing barbarian with respect. â€Å"He has some private matters to attend to.† â€Å"More than you know,† Catti-brie said. Drizzt looked at her curiously. â€Å"Wulfgar has an adventure in mind,† she explained. She hadn’t meant to break her trust with Wulfgar, but figured that Drizzt Do’Urden, above anyone else, might be able to find a way to help. â€Å"One that I believe has been put upon him before he is ready.† â€Å"Matters of the tribe are his own business,† Drizzt said, guessing what the girl was suggesting. â€Å"The barbarians have their own ways and do not welcome outsiders.† â€Å"Of the tribes, I agree,† said Catti-brie. â€Å"Yet Wulfgar’s path, unless I am mistaken, does not lead directly home. He has something else ahead of him, an adventure that he has often hinted at but never fully explained. I only know that it involves great danger and a vow that even he fears is above his ability to fulfil alone.† Drizzt looked over the starry plain and considered the girl’s words. He knew Catti-brie to be shrewd and observant beyond her years. He did not doubt her guesses. The stars twinkled above the cool night, the celestial dome engulfing the flat rim of the horizon. A horizon as yet unmarked by the fires of an advancing army, Drizzt noted. Perhaps he had time. * * * Although Cassius’s proclamation reached even the most remote of the towns within two days, few groups of refugees came down the roads to Bryn Shander. Cassius had fully expected this, or he never would have made the bold offer of sheltering all who would come. Bryn Shander was a fair-sized city, and her present population was not as large as it had once been. There were many vacant buildings within the walls, and an entire section of the city, reserved for visiting merchant caravans, lay empty at the present time. However, if even half of the people of the other nine communities sought refuge, Cassius would be hard-pressed to honor his pledge. The spokesman wasn’t worried. The people of Ten-Towns were a hardy folk and lived under the threat of a goblin invasion every day. Cassius knew that it would take more than an abstract warning to make them leave their homes. And with the allegiance between the towns at such a low point, few of the town leaders would take any action at all to convince their people to flee. As it turned out, Glensather and Agorwal were the only spokesmen to arrive at the gates of Bryn Shander. Nearly all of Easthaven stood behind their leader, but Agorwal had less than half of the people of Termalaine behind him. The rumors from the arrogant city of Targos, itself nearly as well-defended as Bryn Shander, made it clear that none of its people would leave. Many of Termalaine’s fishermen, fearing the economic advantage that Targos would gain over them, had refused to give up the most lucrative month of the fishing season. Such was the case with Caer-Konig and Caer-Dineval. Neither of the bitter enemies dared give any edge to the other, and not a single person from either city fled to Bryn Shander. To the people of these embattled communities, the orcs were but a distant threat that would have to be dealt with if it ever materialized, but the fighting with their immediate neighbors was brutally real and evident in all of their daily routines. On the western outskirts, the town of Bremen remained fiercely independent of the other communities, viewing Cassius’s offer as a feeble attempt by Bryn Shander to reaffirm its position of leadership. Good Mead and Dougan’s Hole in the south had no intention of hiding in the walled city or of sending any troops to aid in the fighting. These two towns on Redwaters, smallest of the lakes and poorest in terms of knuckleheads, could not afford any time away from the boats. They had heeded the call for unity five years previous under the threat of a barbarian invasion, and though they had suffered the worst losses of all the towns in the battle, they had gained the least. Several groups filtered in from Lonelywood, but many of the folk of the northernmost town preferred to stay out of the way. Their hero had lost face, and even Muldoon now viewed the halfling in a different light and passed the warning of invasion off as a misunderstanding, or perhaps even a calculated hoax. The greater good of the region had fallen beneath the lesser personal gains of stubborn pride, with most of the people of Ten-Towns confusing unity with dependence. * * * Regis returned to Bryn Shander to make some personal arrangements on the morning after Wulfgar departed. He had a friend coming from Lonelywood with his prized belongings, so he remained in the city, watching in dismay as the days drifted by without any real preparations being made to meet the coming army. Even after the council, the halfling had held out some hope that the people would realize the impending doom and band together, but now he came to believe that the dwarves’ decision to abandon Ten-Towns and lock themselves into their mines was the only option they had if they wished to survive. Regis partially blamed himself for the coming tragedy, convinced that he had gotten careless. When he and Drizzt had concocted plans to use political situations and the power of the ruby to force the towns into unity against the barbarians, they had spent many hours predicting the initial responses of the spokesmen and weighing the worth of each town’s alliance. This time, though, Regis had placed more faith in the people of Ten-Towns and in the stone, figuring that he could simply employ its power to sway any of the few remaining doubters of the severity of the situation. Yet Regis could not sustain his own guilt as he heard the arrogant and mistrusting responses coming in from the towns. Why should he have to trick the people into defending themselves? If they were stupid enough to let their own pride bring about their destruction, then what responsibility, or even what right, did he have to rescue them? â€Å"You get what you deserve!† the halfling said aloud, smiling in spite of himself when he realized that he was beginning to sound as cynical as Bruenor. But callousness was his only protection against such a helpless situation. He hoped that his friend from Lonelywood would arrive soon. His sanctuary lay underground. * * * Akar Kessell sat on the crystal throne in the Hall of Scrying, the third level of Cryshal-Tirith, his fingers tapping nervously on the arm of the great chair as he stared intently at the dark mirror before him. Biggrin was long overdue with the report on the reinforcement caravan. The last summons the wizard had received from the lair had been suspicious, with no one on the end to greet his reply. Now the mirror in the lair revealed only blackness, resisting all of the wizard’s attempts to scry out the room. If the mirror had been broken, Kessell would have been able to sense the shift in his visions. But this was more mysterious, for something he could not understand was blocking his distance sight. The dilemma unnerved him, made him think that he had been deceived or discovered. His fingers continued to rap nervously. â€Å"Perhaps it is time to make a decision,† Errtu, in its customary place at the side of the wizard’s throne, suggested. â€Å"We have not yet reached our fullest strength!† Kessell retorted. â€Å"Many goblin tribes and a large clan of giants have not come in. And the barbarians are not yet ready.† â€Å"The troops thirst for battle,† Errtu pointed out. â€Å"They fight with each other – you may find that your army will soon fall apart around you!† Kessell agreed that holding so many goblin tribes together for long was a risky and dangerous proposition. Perhaps it would be better if they marched at once. But still, the wizard wanted to be certain. He wanted his forces at their strongest. â€Å"Where is Biggrin?† Kessell wailed. â€Å"Why hasn’t he answered my summons?† â€Å"What preparations are the humans now making?† Errtu asked abruptly. But Kessell was not listening. He rubbed the sweat from his face. Maybe the shard and the demon had been right about sending the less-conspicuous barbarians to the lair. What must the fishermen be thinking if they found such an unusual combination of monsters lairing in their area? How much had they guessed? Errtu noted Kessell’s discomfort with grim satisfaction. The demon and the shard had been pushing Kessell to strike much earlier, as soon as Biggrin’s messages had stopped coming in. But the cowardly wizard, needing more assurance that his numbers were overwhelming, had continued to delay. â€Å"Shall I go to the troops?† Errtu asked, confident that Kessell’s resistance was gone. â€Å"Send runners to the barbarians and to the tribes that have not yet joined us,† Kessell instructed. â€Å"Tell them that to fight beside us is to join in the feast of victory! But those who do not fight beside us shall fall before us! Tomorrow we march!† Errtu rushed from the tower without delay, and soon cheers for the onset of war echoed throughout the huge encampment. Goblins and giants raced excitedly about, breaking down tents and packing supplies. They had anticipated this moment for long weeks, and now they wasted no tine in making the final preparations. That same night, the vast army of Akar Kessell pulled up its camp and began its long march toward Ten-Towns. Back in the routed verbeeg lair, the scrying mirror sat unmoved and unbroken, securely covered by the heavy blanket that Drizzt Do’Urden had thrown over it. How to cite The Crystal Shard 20. A Slave to No Man, Essay examples

The rise of the qin dynasty Essay Example

The rise of the qin dynasty Essay The role/importance of Qin Shi Huang in early China Today China is a great industrial power, its rapid economic growth over the past few decades have been very remarkable. Almost everything is made in China, almost every United States citizen can be seen with at least one consumer item from the country. But this country was not always this great economic power. Long before China became the great power it is today, long before it was even a country, China was secluded from the outside world. Chinese history primarily focused on inner China because the surrounding area contained a very hostile environment. This independence thrust on the Chinese from its seclusion serves to explain how the Chinese developed a unique and independent civilization. Even within China, the country was never a unified state in ancient times. Rather, it was divided into dozens of independent Chinese states. However, after centuries of fghting, seven major kingdoms emerged, the most important being the kingdom of Qin. It was within this kingdom that Wang Ying Chen unified China after years of ruthless fighting. Under this king, China was, for the first time ever, unified under one ruler. When Wang came into power, his title as king was not good enough, so he renamed himself Shih Huang D, which means first emperor. Through his reign, he made China a greater power economically, politically and socially. Before his rule, China was not politically stable, so to avoid political chaos, conquered states could not be referred to as independent nations. Shih Huang Di then divided his empire into thirty six commanderies. These administrative units served well for China, for they made China more organized. And what made this system so unique was that it was different from what previous dynasties had done. We will write a custom essay sample on The rise of the qin dynasty specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The rise of the qin dynasty specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The rise of the qin dynasty specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Previous dynasties had used loose alliances and federations, which did not do the country well. Moreover, government appointments were no longer based on nepotism but rather on merit. This eliminated any corrupt activity within the government that would Jeopardize the country in any way. The first emperor of China was also responsible for unifying China economically. He standardized units of measurements for weight and measures. Moreover, he standardized the currency. And more importantly, he helped establish an extensive network of roads and canals that facilitated trade and contributed to the economic ell-being of the country. But most of all, under his rule, the Chinese script was unified. This made the communication system of China completely unified. These accomplishments were important in establishing China as a better country. China would not be the same if it were not for Qin Shih Huang. The influence he had over Chinese culture can not be doubted. Outline l. Intro a. China wasnt always as great as it was today b. Ancient times: not unified c. First emperor II. Political influence a. Standardized currency b. Network of roads c. Effect IV. Social influence a. Communication system V. Conclusion