Pablo Picassos Guernica of 1937 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pablo Picassos Guernica of 1937 - Essay Example The essay "Pablo Picasso’s Guernica of 1937" investigates the Guernica. It is a painting done by Pablo Picasso in the year 1937. The Guernica over the years has gained monumental status and has also served a constant reminder of the mayhem at that particular time. Evidently, the painting was first exhibited in Paris and was placed under the care of the Museum of Modern Art. Notably, in 1981 after the country had attained full liberation the painting was delivered to Spain and displayed in Madrid (Picasso, 123). On the contrary, this particular paper strives to analyse the painting into detail with the aim of determining through the images portrayed, the theme and the setting of the work of art. Furthermore, the paper also delves to document the purpose for the creation of the painting in relation to the time that it was done. Notably, the subsequent sections of this paper will also highlight the relevance of the work of art in our society today. First and foremost, since the p ainting was done during the war period in Spain, the work of art definitely is an anti-war painting. On the same point, through the championing of the aftermaths and suffering of the war, the painting serves to advocate for peace and address the suffering of the people particularly the innocent victims. On the other hand, the overall setting of the painting is within a confined room in which at the left open end, a wide-eyed bull stands over a woman who is mourning her child who is in her arms. At the centre of the room, a horse’s demise.

Company Research - Australain Stock Exchange Paper

Company - Australain Stock Exchange - Research Paper Example In April and May, the share price has a general decline trend with slight increases. For the month of June, the share price is initially stable, declines and then starts rising. In July, it declines, becomes stable and then starts rising. Between August and November, the share price steadily declines, and rises, stabilizes, then declines and finally stabilizes in November. In December, there is a steady decline in share price with little stability towards the end of the month and starts rising in January 2012, then stabilizes till almost the end of February when it starts declining, stabilizes a bit, then undergoes a steady decline in March 2012.Therefore, the general trend in the share price for the last twelve months has been volatile. The ASX General Index has mainly been unstable. There is a general decline in the share index with slight increases between March and May 2011.From May, the share index rises with slight declines. It stabilizes a bit at the beginning of June, and then undergoes a steady decline. In July, it rises and declines steadily. In August, there is a steady decline till the minimum share index, then it rises and undergoes an unsteady decline and rise till March 2012. Therefore, the share index has been volatile for the last twelve months. The AYI share index has generally performed better compared to the ASX General Index. As the ASX General Index declines, the AYI share index also declines, especially between the months of March and May, and as the ASX General Index rises, the AYI share index also rises, at times even higher than the General Index, especially between May and August (ASX.com). The company’s last announcement to the public was made on 1st March 2012 and it was titled `The Competent Person’s Statement.† The announcement was significant because it is a requirement by the ASX as part of the listing rules.

Information technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Information technology - Essay Example In hiring employees into an organization, the human resource department sets out a number of recruitment criteria. The employees hired in an organization are therefore determined to be the best for performing the specific roles. One key recruitment criteria of recruitment demanded by every human resource manager is relative knowledge relevant to the operations of the department. This is normally sought in the form of a college or university degree. However, after recruitment into the organization employees require effective orientation that is later followed by the requirement of on job training and the provision for continuous development. On job training and opportunities for development once in the company take the form periodic seminars and provision for study leaves. Such programs serve a number of functions in the realization of the organization’s objectives. Such programs motivate employees a factor that if implemented effectively results in highly motivated employees who in turn are very productive. Such opportunities make employees feel valued and acknowledged by their employer, they thus revamp their morale by increasing their out put level. Additionally, such programs retain employee relevance while at the organization. Knowledge changes and so are the means of production. To increase productivity, an organization needs to change its means of production and these may at times a change of the entire technology. A change in technology and means of production requires effective understanding of its operation. This therefore makes on job training and continuous development through studies more important. Some managers may prefer hiring newer employees with every new technology. While this may sound more effective, the cost of implementing such a policy may overwhelm the organization. Furthermore, it demoralizes employees thereby decreasing productivity. Commercial organizations exist in societies; this

E-Business Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

E-Business Strategy - Essay Example Kourdi defines business strategy as â€Å"the plans, choices and decisions used to guide a company to greater profitability and success† (3). In e-business terms, we can mould this definition to state that e-business strategy is the plans, choices and decisions that are used by the business owners to guide their electronic transactions with other businesses, customers, suppliers, executives, partners and investors to achieve high end productivity in the virtual world. If the e-business owners are able to implement clearly focused strategy, they are then able to provide commercial success to their virtual businesses. On the other hand, if the strategy is faulty, this leads to total destruction of the company in the short or long run. Therefore, it is important to understand the importance of e-business strategy which is quite different from the real world business strategy. It is also important to differentiate between the strategic plans and otherwise decisions because many bu sinessmen have the â€Å"tendency to label every plan and decision strategic when most are about implementing strategy rather than setting it†, according to Kourdi (3). Successful E-Business Strategy- An Example How and why e-business strategies are successful is understood when the results and outcomes are observed. Dave mentions in his book that when the e-business owner knows in which direction he will drive his company and what kind of organizational culture he is going to impart to his e-business so as to enhance the productivity and attract e-consumers efficiently, this enables them to lay down such a strategic plan that helps them achieve their mission. E-business strategies are successful because they tend to clarify the mission statement and the vision of the e-company thus resulting in goal-based and productive performance of the company in the cyberspace. Dave mentions in his book many examples of successful e-businesses out of which a very interesting one is that of the Dow Chemical (p.249). According to Dave, Dow chemical is the result of implementation of a successful e-business strategy

Evaluation Of Australias Decision Marketing Essay

Evaluation Of Australias Decision Marketing Essay Ferrero is an Italian manufacturer of chocolate products founded by confectioner Pierto Ferrero in the year 1946 based in Pino Torinese. In the survey of the 2009 reputation Institute, Ferrero was considered as the most reputable Company in the world. This company has been considered as one of the worlds secretive company. Company concentrates on the manufacturing innovation.It believes in social marketing concept to deliver value in a way to maintain or improve both the customers and societys well being. They focus on customers as centre of strategy to maintain long term relationship and mutual trust and consider this to be the key to their success. The company headquatered in Italian town of Alba has a overall sale of A$10 billion and it employees over 20,000 people around the world and holds over 7.3 % of worlds choclate share(Case Information). Q1. Evaluate Ferrero Australias decision to open an online boutique. Will this have any impact on the companys other business segments? A-With shoppers venturing online at an increasing rate in Australia, Ferrero recognised an opportunity to create an online boutique with ecommerce functionality. Evaluation of Australias Decision In Australia during festive seasons like Christmas there is always a high demand of chocolates. The public interest and demand let the company to launch the first online boutique in November 2010 in Australia aiming the Christmas ahead. These gift hampers are elegantly packed in beautiful keep sake box and personalised to make the special occasion more special. Ferrero choose Australia to pioneer its Asia pacific market because of its familiarity of western culture. According to census 2006 Australia is a country of diverse culture with predominance of Christianity, Roman Catholic (25.8%), Anglican (18.7%) and rest (19.4%).The composition of religious groups includes Buddhism ,Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Indigenous etc (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2007). So in a diverse place like this there will be people celebrating some festivals throughout the year. Festival means exchanging gifts and this make the demand for chocolate hampers throughout the year. The literacy rate in Australia is about 99% (WorldBank, 2012). GER (Gross enrolment ratio, Total is the total enrolment in primary education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the population of official primary education age) is found to be 105% in Australia that indicates that its a highly educated country (WorldBank, 2012). According to the internetworldstats about 80.1% of the Australian population use internet which comprise of around 17,033,826 users as of Aug 2009.There is 22.8% of population subscribing broadband connection as of September 2007.According to world bank GNI per capita is US$ 21,650(04) that indicates that its a very wealthy country. Ferrero Online boutique offers premium chocolate for special occasion. It positions as a status symbol with high class product which is seen as a classy and elegant. At the same time pricing is also too high. This is targeting the high income range of people which is niche market. In a place like Australia it can find a range of customers to buy the product that mainly concerns about the social status, pride and quality of service. The limited edition in variety always creates a demand among the customers. Australia is an urban country with 89% in 2010 with 1.2% of the rate of urbanization (CIA, 2012).According to World Bank report the density of population is Australia is 2.86 people per SQ km in 2009 (CIA, 2012).This indicates that the Australia is a huge country with less population. So people would prefer to do online shopping rather travelling long for the store shopping. In a much urbanised country like Australia people will tend to find easier way to get things done with less time. In this kind of world opening an online boutique using internet as a media is providing a convenient way to please their dear ones on special occasions without even spending too much time for it. This way company is meeting its mission as well as customer loyalty. Impact on Other Business Segments Ferrero has 3 different distribution channels to make product available to customers. These channels include online distribution channel, supermarket retailer and physical retailer channel. For online distribution channel ferrero focus on high income grade of population and target only on special occasion as a gift hamper. C:UsersSakiRaviDesktopsaki 2012 june mbamarketingMarketing-Mix.jpg The 4P (price, product, promotion and place) for the 3 different distribution channel are different. The price of the products in online boutique is very high and providing only limited number of variety to make it stand as a high status symbol. The product is a specially designed gift hamper for a special occasion or to be used as corporate gifts which is targeting the high business officials. It is available online and people cant buy these gift hampers in the stores. For the physical retailers and supermarket distribution channels the products like ferrero chocolate, nutella, tic tac, kinder surprise focus on daily needs of a person which can be consumable at all the times of the day. The prices for these products are relatively low to the price of online boutique hampers. These are available in supermarkets and stores and not available online in the boutique. So this clearly says the 4p of the traditional ferrero products and online boutique is different so it will not have any n egative impact on the other business segments. At the same time the strategy behind launching the online boutique was a market penetration strategy. Using very innovative kind of packaging and make it as a gift hamper they are targeting the same target market through different distribution channel. By presenting it as gift the value of the product changes. It adds more value. Using internet as a media they can reach a wide range of audiences. Even though it will not impact negatively the positive impact is always there. Online boutique can boost up the Brand awareness, Brand value, Brand positioning which in turn leads to brand equity. Loyal customers, new customers or the people who are gifted will get attracted to this new product and the company which in turn increases companys reputation. As online boutique offers the gift hampers which are very expensive to the reach of normal class they would like to try the products available in stores for relatively cheaper price which in turn creates brand awareness, creates more brand value and positions itself in the market which leads to brand equity. In fact it looks like its ferreros new strategy of value innovation to come out of competition of chocolate brands red oceans which includes fierce competition with Cadbury, nestles or mars. So its aiming to create significant leap in value for customers as well as company who will make its competitors feel obsolete to create a contested market place with positive impacts on the other products in stores and supermarket to boost up. CONCLUSION As Australia is a very posh, urban, full of literates, diversified and aware of western culture the idea of opening online boutique was breakthrough for the company that targets the niche market. Through the discussion above it is implied that the online boutique will not have any negative impact on the other business segments as the distribution channels for online boutique and stores products are different and both focus on different needs of consumers. Store products focus on daily needs of a person where as online boutique on special needs like gift items. Positively it creates brand awareness for all products. Q2-How can ferrero use new technology to market its products better? A-Even though ferrero is establish well in Australia its always a threat to a confectionary products to stay stable in market because of change in taste preference, emergence of new competitor or threat from existing competitor. With arising new technologies the company can make use of it effectively to create brand awareness and build long term relationship with the existing customers which is very important for a luxury brand like ferrero who target niche market. Attract new customers There is many search engines like Google, Yahoo, Microsoft that help the customer to find the stores or business via internet or mobile search. As People hardly go beyond the first page of listings its important for company to focus on Search Engine Optimizer(SEO) to optimise the metadata information and enable ferrero website to popup in the first listing when customers search for confectionary products (SupportGoogle, 2012). Web Blogs and Community- Ferrero create blogs and at least two communities to create online marketing, one community for Stores and Supermarket products and one for online boutique to avoid confusion. These blogging sometimes use to drive search results to let customers find the company and to gain greater attention. Social Medias are web or mobile based tools for sharing and discussing information. Ferrero can tap into the powerful networking sites to drive customers. Social networking sites like face book, twitter, MySpace, LinkedIn, YouTube can provide inexpensive but powerful online marketing. Ferrero should create sophisticated pages to attract users. It can think of allowing to buy products in these networks or can provide link that will allow them to buy in a click go. Additional opportunities include online radio shows on platforms such as BlogTalkRadio. This is very good media to be in direct touch with customers and getting their feedback about the products and building one to one relationship where around 608 million at the End of 2010 people were actively using social media like facebook (TheProvince, 2010). Delight existing customers and create high life time loyalty. The first thing important for a luxury product like ferrero is to find out the customers who are profitable and then try to create a long relationship with them as its cheaper to retain existing customers than acquiring new one (kotler Armstrong, 2012, p. 36). To do this CRM is the best technology used by many companies.CRM (customer relationship management) is an information industry to manage detailed information about the customers and carefully manage customers touch point to maximise customer loyalty using methodologies, software, and Internet capabilities (kotler Armstrong, 2012, p. 143).It consists of sophisticated software and analytical tools to integrate customers information from all sources and analyze them deeply and apply results to build strong customer relationship. So regency, frequency monitory value (RFM) is used to identify the best customers. The companies should focus on high customer life time valu e (CLV) and use methods to deal with them like Mobile marketing- These days cell subscribers read almost all messages they receive and can reach them in minutes. Ferrero should target the most loyal customers and text them about the offers or coupons to redeem in places that match their status, promotions, addition of new products. Apart from this it should focus in applications to be downloaded in app store to be used by iphones, ipad or it can target android as well for black berries .It can create application that will allow the customers to buy their products in a easy click using the application in their phones. QR codes are two-dimensional graphics (similar to barcode) contains information that customer needs like coupons, direction, contact information, availability of products etc. To read QR codes the customer need to download QR reader, then they need to take a picture of the code or scan through it to get the information that is embedded in the code (News C. , 2012). Ferrero can place these codes in ads, websites, in emails or on any other printable booklets or digital medium where camera can scan through the picture. This new technology will create anxiety among customers to know about it and will create more brand awareness. Email Marketing Service provider like mail chimp allows subscribers to send up to 500 emails per campaign and 3000 emails per month for no cost. Ferrero on identifying the profitable customers should send personalised emails or messages on their important days like birthday, anniversary, and festivals to show them how they value the customer and how important they are for the company. This leaves a positive impact in the customers who cares about the service. Email newsletter program enables customer to maintain an ongoing awareness of the company and this remind them about the company when they want service. A professional communication can reinforce branding message. Other than these new technologies ferrero can continue with the old mode of advertising and sponsorship to maintain the status of the brad in people mind. It should target the upcoming Olympic in London 2012. Ferrero can provide advertisements in the corporate blogs and community to attract the business officials and aware them that they have corporate gifts for them. This will attract high end business officials. CONCLUSION- With the emerging technologies, it is implied that ferreo has wide range of technologies to build customer relationship which is the main motto of the company that includes blogging, creating new communities, use of social media, sending personalised emails or messages, advertising in corporate blogs, mobile marketing as well as SEO to create long term relationship with customers and create new customers and make more brand awareness.

Capital Punishment Must be Abolished :: The Case Against the Death Penalty

"Crimes against children are the most heinous crime. That, for me, would be a reason for capital punishment..." -- Clint Eastwood "I could not become an American citizen. I would not like to become a citizen of a country that has capital punishment." -- Werner Herzog In most of the industrialized world, capital punishment is not used to punish criminals. However, it is still used in the United States. The capital punishment debate in the United States has raged for almost four hundred years. Supporters of capital punishment often cite its roles as deterrent and retribution as reasons for their support of the death penalty. Opponents of capital punishment cite its arbitrariness and finality as reasons for their opposition against the death penalty. Because capital punishment can lead to an unequal application of justice, sometimes to the point of executing innocent persons, no amount of argument from its supporters should prevent it from being abolished. The Arguments of Those Who Favor Capital Punishment Supporters of capital punishment begin by arguing that capital punishment deters murder. This view has been held for thousands of years. In his book The Penalty of Death, Thorsten Sellin notes what the famous 18th century English law commentator William Blackstone wrote in his Commentaries on the Laws of England: As to the end or final cause of punishment, this is not by way of atonement...but as a prevention against future offenses of the same kind. This is effected three ways, either by the amendment of the offender...or by deterring others...or lastly by depriving the party injuring of the power to do future mischief. (Sellin 77) This sentiment was expressed by Socrates (in Gorgias) and by his antagonist Demosthenes some 2,000 years before Blackstone (Sellin 3-5). But what evidence is there to support the idea that the death penalty deters potential murderers better than any other form of punishment? Until Professor Isaac Ehrlich released his study on this subject, only anecdotal evidence existed, and that had been provided by people in the law enforcement, judicial, and corrections fields. By 1953, the Royal Commission on Capital Punishment in England noted: ...capital punishment has obviously failed as a deterrent when a murder is committed. We can number its failures. But we cannot number its successes. No one can ever know how many people have refrained from murder because of the fear of being hanged.

Digital Fortress Chapter 115-117

Chapter 115 The emptiness in David Becker's mind was absolute. I am dead. And yet there was a sound. A distant voice†¦ â€Å"David.† There was a dizzying burning beneath his arm. His blood was filled with fire. My body is not my own. And yet there was a voice, calling to him. It was thin, distant. But it was part of him. There were other voices too-unfamiliar, unimportant. Calling out. He fought to block them out. There was only one voice that mattered. It faded in and out. â€Å"David†¦ I'm sorry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  There was a mottled light. Faint at first, a single slit of grayness. Growing. Becker tried to move. Pain. He tried to speak. Silence. The voice kept calling. Someone was near him, lifting him. Becker moved toward the voice. Or was he being moved? It was calling. He gazed absently at the illuminated image. He could see her on a small screen. It was a woman, staring up at him from another world. Is she watching me die? â€Å"David†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The voice was familiar. She was an angel. She had come for him. The angel spoke. â€Å"David, I love you.† Suddenly he knew. Susan reached out toward the screen, crying, laughing, lost in a torrent of emotions. She wiped fiercely at her tears. â€Å"David, I-I thought†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Field Agent Smith eased David Becker into the seat facing the monitor. â€Å"He's a little woozy, ma'am. Give him a second.† â€Å"B-but,† Susan was stammering, â€Å"I saw a transmission. It said†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Smith nodded. â€Å"We saw it too. Hulohot counted his chickens a little early.† â€Å"But the blood†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Flesh wound,† Smith replied. â€Å"We slapped a gauze on it.† Susan couldn't speak. Agent Coliander piped in from off camera. â€Å"We hit him with the new J23-long-acting stun gun. Probably hurt like hell, but we got him off the street.† â€Å"Don't worry, ma'am,† Smith assured. â€Å"He'll be fine.† David Becker stared at the TV monitor in front of him. He was disoriented, light-headed. The image on the screen was of a room-a room filled with chaos. Susan was there. She was standing on an open patch of floor, gazing up at him. She was crying and laughing. â€Å"David. Thank God! I thought I had lost you!† He rubbed his temple. He moved in front of the screen and pulled the gooseneck microphone toward his mouth. â€Å"Susan?† Susan gazed up in wonder. David's rugged features now filled the entire wall before her. His voice boomed. â€Å"Susan, I need to ask you something.† The resonance and volume of Becker's voice seemed to momentarily suspend the action in the databank. Everyone stopped midstride and turned. â€Å"Susan Fletcher,† the voice resonated, â€Å"will you marry me?† A hush spread across the room. A clipboard clattered to the floor along with a mug of pencils. No one bent to pick them up. There was only the faint hum of the terminal fans and the sound of David Becker's steady breathing in his microphone. â€Å"D-David†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Susan stammered, unaware that thirty-seven people stood riveted behind her. â€Å"You already asked me, remember? Five months ago. I said yes.† â€Å"I know.† He smiled. â€Å"But this time†-he extended his left hand into the camera and displayed a golden band on his fourth finger-â€Å"this time I have a ring.† Chapter 116 â€Å"Read it, Mr. Becker!† Fontaine ordered. Jabba sat sweating, hands poised over his keyboard. â€Å"Yes,† he said, â€Å"read the blessed inscription!† Susan Fletcher stood with them, weak-kneed and aglow. Everyone in the room had stopped what they were doing and stared up at the enormous projection of David Becker. The professor twisted the ring in his fingers and studied the engraving. â€Å"And read carefully!† Jabba commanded. â€Å"One typo, and we're screwed!† Fontaine gave Jabba a harsh look. If there was one thing the director of the NSA knew about, it was pressure situations; creating additional tension was never wise. â€Å"Relax, Mr. Becker. If we make a mistake, we'll reenter the code till we get it right.† â€Å"Bad advice, Mr. Becker,† Jabba snapped. â€Å"Get it right the first time. Kill-codes usually have a penalty clause-to prevent trial-and-error guessing. Make an incorrect entry, and the cycle will probably accelerate. Make two incorrect entries, and it will lock us out permanently. Game over.† The director frowned and turned back to the screen. â€Å"Mr. Becker? My mistake. Read carefully-read extremely carefully.† Becker nodded and studied the ring for a moment. Then he calmly began reciting the inscription. â€Å"Q†¦ U†¦ I†¦ S†¦ space†¦ C†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Jabba and Susan interrupted in unison. â€Å"Space?† Jabba stopped typing. â€Å"There's a space?† Becker shrugged, checking the ring. â€Å"Yeah. There's a bunch of them.† â€Å"Am I missing something?† Fontaine demanded. â€Å"What are we waiting for?† â€Å"Sir,† Susan said, apparently puzzled. â€Å"It's†¦ it's just†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I agree,† Jabba said. â€Å"It's strange. Passwords never have spaces.† Brinkerhoff swallowed hard. â€Å"So, what are you saying?† â€Å"He's saying,† Susan interjected, â€Å"that this may not be a kill-code.† Brinkerhoff cried out, â€Å"Of course it's the kill-code! What else could it be? Why else would Tankado give it away? Who the hell inscribes a bunch of random letters on a ring?† Fontaine silenced Brinkerhoff with a sharp glare. â€Å"Ah†¦ folks?† Becker interjected, appearing hesitant to get involved. â€Å"You keep mentioning random letters. I think I should let you know†¦ the letters on this ring aren't random.† Everyone on the podium blurted in unison. â€Å"What!† Becker looked uneasy. â€Å"Sorry, but there are definitely words here. I'll admit they're inscribed pretty close together; at first glance it appears random, but if you look closely you'll see the inscription is actually†¦ well†¦ it's Latin.† Jabba gaped. â€Å"You're shitting me!† Becker shook his head. â€Å"No. It reads, ‘Quis custodiet ipsos custodes.' It translates roughly to-â€Å" â€Å"Who will guard the guards!† Susan interrupted, finishing David's sentence. Becker did a double-take. â€Å"Susan, I didn't know you could-â€Å" â€Å"It's from Satires of Juvenal,† she exclaimed. â€Å"Who will guard the guards? Who will guard the NSA while we guard the world? It was Tankado's favorite saying!† â€Å"So,† Midge demanded, â€Å"is it the pass-key, or not?† â€Å"It must be the pass-key,† Brinkerhoff declared. Fontaine stood silent, apparently processing the information. â€Å"I don't know if it's the key,† Jabba said. â€Å"It seems unlikely to me that Tankado would use a nonrandom construction.† â€Å"Just omit the spaces,† Brinkerhoff cried, â€Å"and type the damn code!† Fontaine turned to Susan. â€Å"What's your take, Ms. Fletcher?† She thought a moment. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something didn't feel right. Susan knew Tankado well enough to know he thrived on simplicity. His proofs and programming were always crystalline and absolute. The fact that the spaces needed to be removed seemed odd. It was a minor detail, but it was a flaw, definitely not clean-not what Susan would have expected as Ensei Tankado's crowning blow. â€Å"It doesn't feel right,† Susan finally said. â€Å"I don't think it's the key.† Fontaine sucked in a long breath, his dark eyes probing hers. â€Å"Ms. Fletcher, in your mind, if this is not the key, why would Ensei Tankado have given it away? If he knew we'd murdered him-don't you assume he'd want to punish us by making the ring disappear?† A new voice interrupted the dialogue. â€Å"Ah†¦ Director?† All eyes turned to the screen. It was Agent Coliander in Seville. He was leaning over Becker's shoulder and speaking into the mic. â€Å"For whatever it's worth, I'm not so sure Mr. Tankado knew he was being murdered.† â€Å"I beg your pardon?† Fontaine demanded. â€Å"Hulohot was a pro, sir. We saw the kill-only fifty meters away. All evidence suggests Tankado was unaware.† â€Å"Evidence?† Brinkerhoff demanded. â€Å"What evidence? Tankado gave away this ring. That's proof enough!† â€Å"Agent Smith,† Fontaine interrupted. â€Å"What makes you think Ensei Tankado was unaware he was being killed?† Smith cleared his throat. â€Å"Hulohot killed him with an NTB-a noninvasive trauma bullet. It's a rubber pod that strikes the chest and spreads out. Silent. Very clean. Mr. Tankado would only have felt a sharp thump before going into cardiac arrest.† â€Å"A trauma bullet,† Becker mused to himself. â€Å"That explains the bruising.† â€Å"It's doubtful,† Smith added, â€Å"that Tankado associated the sensation with a gunman.† â€Å"And yet he gave away his ring,† Fontaine stated. â€Å"True, sir. But he never looked for his assailant. A victim always looks for his assailant when he's been shot. It's instinct.† Fontaine puzzled. â€Å"And you're saying Tankado didn't look for Hulohot?† â€Å"No, sir. We have it on film if you'd like-â€Å" â€Å"X-eleven filter's going!† a technician yelled. â€Å"The worm's halfway there!† â€Å"Forget the film,† Brinkerhoff declared. â€Å"Type in the damn kill-code and finish this!† Jabba sighed, suddenly the cool one. â€Å"Director, if we enter the wrong code†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yes,† Susan interrupted, â€Å"if Tankado didn't suspect we killed him, we've got some questions to answer.† â€Å"What's our time frame, Jabba?† Fontaine demanded. Jabba looked up at the VR. â€Å"About twenty minutes. I suggest we use the time wisely.† Fontaine was silent a long moment. Then sighed heavily. â€Å"All right. Run the film.† Chapter 117 â€Å"Transmitting video in ten seconds,† Agent Smith's voice crackled. â€Å"We're dropping every other frame as well as audio-we'll run as close to real time as possible.† Everyone on the podium stood silent, watching, waiting. Jabba typed a few keys and rearranged the video wall. Tankado's message appeared on the far left: ONLY THE TRUTH WILL SAVE YOU NOW On the right of the wall was the static interior shot of the van with Becker and the two agents huddled around the camera. In the center, a fuzzy frame appeared. It dissolved into static and then into a black and white image of a park. â€Å"Transmitting,† Agent Smith announced. The shot looked like an old movie. It was stilted and jerky-a by-product of frame-dropping, a process that halved the amount of information sent and enabled faster transmission. The shot panned out across an enormous concourse enclosed on one end by a semicircular facade-the Seville Ayuntamiento. There were trees in the foreground. The park was empty. â€Å"X-eleven's are down!† a technician called out. â€Å"This bad boy's hungry!† Smith began to narrate. His commentary had the detachment of a seasoned agent. â€Å"This is shot from the van,† he said, â€Å"about fifty meters from the kill zone. Tankado is approaching from the right. Hulohot's in the trees to the left.† â€Å"We've got a time crunch here,† Fontaine pressed. â€Å"Let's get to the meat of it.† Agent Coliander touched a few buttons, and the frame speed increased. Everyone on the podium watched in anticipation as their former associate, Ensei Tankado, came into the frame. The accelerated video made the whole image seem comic. Tankado shuffled jerkily out onto the concourse, apparently taking in the scenery. He shielded his eyes and gazed up at the spires of the huge facade. â€Å"This is it,† Smith warned. â€Å"Hulohot's a pro. He took his first open shot.† Smith was right. There was a flash of light from behind the trees on the left of the screen. An instant later Tankado clutched his chest. He staggered momentarily. The camera zoomed in on him, unstable-in and out of focus. As the footage rolled in high speed, Smith coldly continued his narration. â€Å"As you can see, Tankado is instantly in cardiac arrest.† Susan felt ill watching the images. Tankado clutched at his chest with crippled hands, a confused look of terror on his face. â€Å"You'll notice,† Smith added, â€Å"his eyes are focused downward, at himself. Not once does he look around.† â€Å"And that's important?† Jabba half stated, half inquired. â€Å"Very,† Smith said. â€Å"If Tankado suspected foul play of any kind, he would instinctively search the area. But as you can see, he does not.† On the screen, Tankado dropped to his knees, still clutching his chest. He never once looked up. Ensei Tankado was a man alone, dying a private, natural death. â€Å"It's odd,† Smith said, puzzled. â€Å"Trauma pods usually won't kill this quickly. Sometimes, if the target's big enough, they don't kill at all.† â€Å"Bad heart,† Fontaine said flatly. Smith arched his eyebrows, impressed. â€Å"Fine choice of weapon, then.† Susan watched as Tankado toppled from his knees to his side and finally onto his back. He lay, staring upward, grabbing at his chest. Suddenly the camera wheeled away from him back toward the grove of trees. A man appeared. He was wearing wire-rim glasses and carrying an oversize briefcase. As he approached the concourse and the writhing Tankado, his fingers began tapping in a strange silent dance on a mechanism attached to his hand. â€Å"He's working his Monocle,† Smith announced. â€Å"Sending a message that Tankado is terminated.† Smith turned to Becker and chuckled. â€Å"Looks like Hulohot had a bad habit of transmitting kills before his victim actually expired.† Coliander sped the film up some more, and the camera followed Hulohot as he began moving toward his victim. Suddenly an elderly man rushed out of a nearby courtyard, ran over to Tankado, and knelt beside him. Hulohot slowed his approach. A moment later two more people appeared from the courtyard-an obese man and a red-haired woman. They also came to Tankado's side. â€Å"Unfortunate choice of kill zone,† Smith said. â€Å"Hulohot thought he had the victim isolated.† On the screen, Hulohot watched for a moment and then shrank back into the trees, apparently to wait. â€Å"Here comes the handoff,† Smith prompted. â€Å"We didn't notice it the first time around.† Susan gazed up at the sickening image on the screen. Tankado was gasping for breath, apparently trying communicate something to the Samaritans kneeling beside him. Then, in desperation, he thrust his left hand above him, almost hitting the old man in the face. He held the crippled appendage outward before the old man's eyes. The camera tightened on Tankado's three deformed fingers, and on one of them, clearly glistening in the Spanish sun, was the golden ring. Tankado thrust it out again. The old man recoiled. Tankado turned to the woman. He held his three deformed fingers directly in front of her face, as if begging her to understand. The ring glinted in the sun. The woman looked away. Tankado, now choking, unable to make a sound, turned to the obese man and tried one last time. The elderly man suddenly stood and dashed off, presumably to get help. Tankado seemed to be weakening, but he was still holding the ring in the fat man's face. The fat man reached out and held the dying man's wrist, supporting it. Tankado seemed to gaze upward at his own fingers, at his own ring, and then to the man's eyes. As a final plea before death, Ensei Tankado gave the man an almost imperceptible nod, as if to say yes. Then Tankado fell limp. â€Å"Jesus.† Jabba moaned. Suddenly the camera swept to where Hulohot had been hiding. The assassin was gone. A police motorcycle appeared, tearing up Avenida Firelli. The camera wheeled back to where Tankado was lying. The woman kneeling beside him apparently heard the police sirens; she glanced around nervously and then began pulling at her obese companion, begging him to leave. The two hurried off. The camera tightened on Tankado, his hands folded on his lifeless chest. The ring on his finger was gone.