Understanding and Processing Keyboard Events in Delphi

Comprehension and Processing Keyboard Events in Delphi Console occasions, alongside mouse occasions, are the essential components of a clients association with your program. The following is data on three occasions that let you catch a clients keystrokes in a Delphi application: OnKeyDown, OnKeyUp and OnKeyPress. Down, Up, Press, Down, Up, Press... Delphi applications can utilize two strategies for getting the contribution from the console. In the event that a client needs to type something in an application, the least demanding approach to get that info is to utilize one of the controls that consequently reacts to keypresses, for example, Edit. At different occasions and for increasingly broad purposes, in any case, we can make techniques in a structure that handle three occasions perceived by structures and by any part that acknowledges console input. We can compose occasion handlers for these occasions to react to any key or key mix the client may press at runtime. Here are those occasions: OnKeyDown - considered when any key on the console is pressedOnKeyUp - considered when any key on the console is releasedOnKeyPress - considered when a key comparing to an ASCII character is squeezed Console Handlers All the console occasions share one parameter for all intents and purpose. The Key parameter is the key on the console and is utilized to pass by reference of the estimation of the squeezed key. The Shift parameter (in the OnKeyDown and OnKeyUp systems) demonstrates whether the Shift, Alt, or Ctrl keys are joined with the keystroke. The Sender parameter references the control that was utilized to call the strategy. methodology TForm1.FormKeyDown(Sender: TObject; var Key: Word; Shift: TShiftState) ; ... strategy TForm1.FormKeyUp(Sender: TObject; var Key: Word; Shift: TShiftState) ; ... methodology TForm1.FormKeyPress(Sender: TObject; var Key: Char) ; Reacting when the client squeezes alternate way or quickening agent keys, for example, those furnished with menu orders, doesn't require composing occasion handlers. What Is Focus? Center is the capacity to get client contribution through the mouse or console. Just the article that has the center can get a console occasion. Likewise, just a single part for every structure can be dynamic, or have the center, in a running application at some random time. A few segments, for example, TImage, TPaintBox, TPanel and TLabel can't get center. All in all, parts got from TGraphicControl can't get center. Also, parts that are imperceptible at run time (TTimer) can't get center. OnKeyDown, OnKeyUp The OnKeyDown and OnKeyUp occasions give the most reduced degree of console reaction. Both OnKeyDown and OnKeyUp handlers can react to all console keys, including capacity keys and keys joined with the Shift, Alt, and Ctrl keys. The console occasions are not fundamentally unrelated. At the point when the client presses a key, both the OnKeyDown and OnKeyPress occasions are produced, and when the client discharges the key, the OnKeyUp occasion is created. At the point when the client squeezes one of the keys that OnKeyPress doesn't distinguish, just the OnKeyDown occasion happens, trailed by the OnKeyUp occasion. On the off chance that you hold down a key, the OnKeyUp occasion happens after all the OnKeyDown and OnKeyPress occasions have happened. OnKeyPress OnKeyPress restores an alternate ASCII character for g and G, yet OnKeyDown and OnKeyUp don't make a differentiation among capitalized and lowercase alpha keys. Key and Shift Parameters Since the Key parameter is passed by reference, the occasion handler can change Key with the goal that the application considers a to be key as being associated with the occasion. This is an approach to constrain the sorts of characters that the client can include, as to keep clients from composing alpha keys. on the off chance that Key in [A..Z], at that point Key : #0 The above explanation checks whether the Key parameter is in the association of two sets: lowercase characters (for example aâ through z) and capitalized characters (A-Z). Assuming this is the case, the announcement appoints the character estimation of zero to Key to forestall any contribution to the Edit part, for instance, when it gets the adjusted key. For non-alphanumeric keys, WinAPI virtual key codes can be utilized to decide the key squeezed. Windows characterizes uncommon constants for each key the client can press. For instance, VK_RIGHT is the virtual key code for the Right Arrow key. To get the key condition of some uncommon keys like TAB or PageUp, we can utilize the GetKeyState Windows API call. The key status determines whether the key is up, down, or flipped (on or off - rotating each time the key is squeezed). in the event that HiWord(GetKeyState(vk_PageUp)) 0 at that point ShowMessage(PageUp - DOWN) else ShowMessage(PageUp - UP) ; In the OnKeyDown and OnKeyUp occasions, Key is an unsigned Word esteem that speaks to a Windows virtual key. So as to get the character an incentive from Key,â we utilize the Chr work. In the OnKeyPress occasion, Key is a Char esteem that speaks to an ASCII character. Both OnKeyDown and OnKeyUp occasions utilize the Shift parameter, of type TShiftState, a set banners to decide the condition of the Alt, Ctrl, and Shift keys when a key is squeezed. For instance, when you press Ctrl A, the accompanying key occasions are created: KeyDown (Ctrl)/ssCtrl KeyDown (CtrlA)/ssCtrl A KeyPress (A) KeyUp (CtrlA) Diverting Keyboard Events to The Form To trap keystrokes at the structure level as opposed to passing them to the structures parts, set the structures KeyPreview property to True (utilizing the Object Inspector). The segment despite everything sees the occasion, yet the structure has a chance to deal with it first - to permit or deny a few keys to be squeezed, for instance. Assume you have a few Edit parts on a structure and the Form.OnKeyPress method resembles: technique TForm1.FormKeyPress(Sender: TObject; var Key: Char) ; start in the event that Key in [0..9], at that point Key : #0 end; In the event that one of the Edit parts has the Focus,â and the KeyPreview property of a structure is False, this code won't execute. At the end of the day, if the client presses the 5 key, the 5 character will show up in the engaged Edit segment. Be that as it may, if the KeyPreview is set to True, thenâ the structures OnKeyPress occasion is executed before the Edit segment sees the key that is squeezed. Once more, on the off chance that the client has squeezed the 5 key, at that point it doles out the character estimation of zero to Key to forestall numerical contribution to the Edit segment.

Alexander Nevsky - Prince of Novgorod and Kiev

Alexander Nevsky - Prince of Novgorod and Kiev The child of a significant Russian pioneer, Alexander Nevsky was chosen sovereign of Novgorod on his own benefits. He prevailing with regards to driving attacking Swedes from Russian domain and fighting off the Teutonic Knights. In any case, he consented to pay tribute to the Mongols instead of battle them, a choice for which he has been criticized. Eventually, he became Grand Prince and attempted to reestablish Russian thriving and set up Russian power. After his demise, Russia crumbled into primitive territories. Otherwise called Ruler of Novgorod and Kiev; Grand Prince of Vladimir; likewise spelled Aleksandr Nevski and, in Cyrillic, Ð Ã° »Ã° µÃ° ºÃ± Ã° °Ã° ½Ã°'ñ€ Ð Ã° µÃ° ²Ã± Ã° ºÃ° ¸Ã° ¹ Alexander Nevsky was noted for Halting the development of the Swedes and the Teutonic Knights into Russia Occupations Roles in Society Military LeaderPrinceSaint Spots of Residence and Influence Russia Significant Dates Born:â c. 1220Victorious fighting on the ice: April 5, 1242Died: Nov. 14, 1263 Memoir Ruler of Novgorod and Kiev and Grand Prince of Vladimir, Alexander Nevsky is most popular for halting the development of the Swedes and the Teutonic Knights into Russia. Simultaneously, he paid tribute to the Mongols as opposed to endeavoring to fend them off, a place that has been assaulted as fearful yet which may have been only a question of understanding his cutoff points. The child of Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich, amazing ruler of Vladimir and premier Russian pioneer, Alexander was chosen sovereign of Novgorod (essentially a military post) in 1236. In 1239 he wedded Alexandra, the girl of the Prince of Polotsk. For quite a while the Novgorodians had moved into A finnish area, which was constrained by the Swedes. To rebuff them for this infringement and to bar Russias access to the ocean, the Swedes attacked Russia in 1240. Alexander scored a huge triumph against them at the conjunction of the Rivers Izhora and Neva, whereby he got his honorific, Nevsky. Be that as it may, a while later he was removed from Novgorod for meddling in city issues. Not long thereafter, Pope Gregory IX started encouraging the Teutonic Knights to Christianize the Baltic district, despite the fact that there were Christians as of now there. Even with this danger, Alexander was welcome to come back to Novgorod and, after a few encounters, he crushed the knights in a celebrated fight on the solidified channel between Lakes Chud and Pskov in April 1242. Alexander in the long run halted the eastbound extension of both the Swedes and Germans. Yet, another difficult issue won in the east. Mongol militaries were overcoming parts of Russia, which was not politically brought together. Alexanders father consented to serve the new Mongol rulers, yet he kicked the bucket in September 1246. This left the seat of the Grand Prince empty, and both Alexander and his more youthful sibling Andrew spoke to Khan Batu of the Mongol Golden Horde. Batu sent them to the Great Khan, who abused Russian custom by choosing Andrew as Grand Prince, presumably on the grounds that Alexander was supported by Batu, who was undesirable with the Great Khan. Alexander made due with being made the sovereign of Kiev. Andrew started to plan with other Russian sovereigns and western countries against the Mongol overlords. Alexander accepted the open door to reprove his sibling to Batus child Sartak. Sartak sent a military to oust Andrew, and Alexander was introduced as Grand Prince in his place. As Grand Prince, Alexander attempted to reestablish Russian flourishing by building strongholds and chapels and passing laws. He kept on controlling Novgorod through his child Vasily. This adjusted the custom of rule from one dependent on a procedure of greeting to institutional power. In 1255 Novgorod ousted Vasily, and Alexander set up a military and got Vasily back on the seat. In 1257 an insubordination broke out in Novgorod in light of an approaching evaluation and tax assessment. Alexander helped constrained the city to submit, most likely expecting that the Mongols would rebuff all of Russia for Novgorods activities. More uprisings broke out in 1262 against the Muslim duty ranchers of the Golden Horde, and Alexander prevailing with regards to deflecting responses by venturing to Saray on the Volga and addressing the Khan there. He likewise got an exclusion for Russians from a draft. In transit home, Alexander Nevsky passed on in Gorodets. After his demise, Russia broke down into quarreling realms however his child Daniel would found the place of Moscow, which would in the end rejoin northern Russian grounds. Alexander Nevsky was bolstered by the Russian Orthodox Church, which made him a holy person in 1547.

Guillermo del Toro Books A Reading Pathway

Guillermo del Toro Books A Reading Pathway In case youve been living under a rock, let me recap: Guillermo del Toro directed 2018s Best Picture awardâ€"winner,  The Shape of Water.  He has also directed famous films  Pans Labyrinth, Devils Backbone, Pacific Rim, Cronos,  and  Hellboy.  But you may have just found out that del Toro is an author as well, so below is a reading pathway of Guillermo del Toro books! Hes written several, been the subject of a few, and been inspired by manyâ€"all of which are worth reading because they were the stimuli for the iconic films that we have grown to love. At Home with Monsters: Inside His Films, Notebooks, and Collections  by  Britt Salvesen and  Jim Shedden I recommend starting with this book, especially if you are only familiar with Del Toros films. This book isnt quite an autobiography, but it does go into great detail about the directors inspirations for his monster movies and where he draws parallels among many genres. At Home  is one of two Guillermo del Toro books that is filled with photographs of the home that he has turned into a monster museum, too. He calls it Bleak House, after the Charles Dickens novel by the same name. The pictures alone make this book worth reading, thoughâ€"its so fun to see wax figures of Edgar Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft, paintings that inspired entire scenes in del Toros films, and even some original monster sketches by legends like H.R. Giger. This volume itself looks like it could be an artifact in  Bleak House. The hardback looks equal parts tooled leather and like the cover of the steampunk classic  20,000 Leagues Under the Sea  by Jules Verne. This book contains essays about the evolution of the monster in film and culture, which are fascinating, and it also has an interview with del Toro about his inspirations, as well.  At Home  also recommends Guillermo del Toro books that, while not written by him or about him, definitely influenced the genius that we now recognize. Cabinet of Curiosities: My Notebooks, Collections, and Other Obsessions by Guillermo Del Toro Cabinet of Curiosities  is very similar to  At Home  in that both are full of gorgeous images. The key difference is that this text was written by Del Toro himself about his creative process, rather than the artifacts that inspire him. Its the natural progression of the pathway: after seeing masterpieces of finished products, I always like to look at the works that inspired the artist. Next, I like to see how they went from inspiration to finished product. This book bridges the gap. The several sections in this book span from his collections (in brief) to his notebooks to his unfinished products (fangirling hard, fanning myself with my palm, swooning, regrouping, back to typing). The Strain series  by Guillermo del Toro, David Lapham, and Mike Huddleston This title may be most familiar to you from the FX adaptation of this trilogy into its television series of the same name. The premise (devised by Guillermo Del Toro) takes a spin on the horror sub-genre of vampirism as a viral outbreak. This is one of several Guillermo del Toro books conceptualized by the visionary himself, which means that we get to see it in several forms, both novel and visual, which is always exciting to me. Especially when the creator of the idea is involved in all versions. Hellboy  by Mike Mignola We are most familiar with the film adaptation, but this series of graphic novels was the inspiration for the on-screen characters that we love. This text also bears one of Del Toros trademarks in monster movies: those that present as evil on the outside are seldom also evil in drive. Hellboy as we know him looks monstrous, for sure, but he ultimately is trying to save the world. The essays and interview in  At Home with Monsters  elaborates on this relationship, too. Trollhunters  by Guillermo del Toro and Daniel Kraus This illustrated novel talks about fears that move in unseen places. Jim, our protagonist, learns of his troll-hunting legacy after being pulled under the bed one night. Like  The Strain,  this is one of Guillermo Del Toro books that  has also been adapted into film. You can watch the animated series, directed by Del Toro, on Netflix. the Shape of Water  by Guillermo del toro and Daniel Kraus The Oscar-winning film is now also a compelling novelization about an unusual love story between a monster and a human. If you loved the movieâ€" and nearly everyone doesâ€"you want to go deeper into the romance of Eliza and the Amphibious Man. (This is the second collaboration between Kraus and Del Toro, so if you like this book, be sure to check out  Trollhunters,  too!) Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark  by Alvin Schwartz and Stephen Gammell Im not really confident in your childhood experiences if you never read any of these books. Theyre in the process of being adapted to screen, as well, and although Del Toro will not be directing them, he co-wrote the screenplay and is co-producing the adaptation itself. This collection is definitely worth a read if you are unfamiliarâ€"or even if you  are  familiar, revisiting these stories as an adult is almost equally as harrowing. Plus, arent you thrilled to see what kind of fever dream shows up when adapting Stephen Gammells illustrations? I know I am! What are some of your favorite Guillermo Del Toro books? Let us know in the comments! Sign up to Swords Spaceships to  receive news and recommendations from the world of science fiction and fantasy. Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.

Abortion Essay - 1568 Words

Abortion The Oxford Dictionary defines abortion as the expulsion of a fetus, naturally or especially by medical induction, from the womb before it is able to survive independently, especially in the first 28 weeks of a human pregnancy. Today many argue whether abortion should be legal in the United States. Some show religious views while others show civic views. The basis of such a debate should be on medical information. It is evident that abortion is harmful to the mother. Although women feel relief after the operation, they do not perceive at least the physical consequences. The outcome of most abortions is graphic and painful. For many Americans, abortion involves a blend of social, moral, and legal issues so that one person may†¦show more content†¦The decision of any congregation, sect, or group is still different from the individual member. A survey done between 1972 and 1982 proved that not only did people realize that abortion is a controversial issue, but they also have their own opinions. The National Opinion Research Center has also asked those it may concern their reason for either supporting or opposing abortions (Siegel 55-56). Those in favor considered circumstances of rape, unwanted pregnancies, freedom of choice, health obstacles, and control over themselves. Those who opposed cited abortion as the killing of babies, to be against religious practice, and is the extermination of the living unborn. These views disseminate among the majority. As one country, Americans believe murder is wrong. Those who are Pro-life consider abortion to be murder according to the previous evidence while those who are Pro-choice are stubborn to believe so in that the term  ¡Ã‚ §abortion ¡Ã‚ ¨ is as cloudy as a rainy day. As one country, Americans should omit the fact whether abortion is murder for it is a fact that will not be resolve as long as there is diversity according to the author. What Americans should see are the results of the process. For once the people should not debate to legitimize abortion based on civic views, but on obvious medical research. Many types of abortions exist. Some are illegal and rare while others are lawful andShow MoreRelatedAbortion : Abortion And Abortion998 Words   |  4 PagesAbortion Abortion is defined in several ways all of which stop a pregnancy. There are different ways of abortion, which are spontaneous abortion, surgical abortion, and medical abortion. Abortion has been arguable topic for decades. One can neither believe abortion to be good nor bad. The idea of individuality and human life is not quite the same. Idea of human life has come from conception; simultaneously on the other hand, fertilizer eggs used for in vitro fertilization are also human lives butRead MoreAbortion : Abortion And Abortion Essay921 Words   |  4 PagesPaper: Abortion Laws The topic of abortion is a widely debated and very heated topic in Texas. The Republican party’s platform supports family values and are completely against abortion under any circumstances, including abortifacients. The Democrat party’s platform supports the rights for women to make choices about their own bodies. They support abortifacients and a person’s right to have an abortion. There is also a large percentage of those that are in the middle in that they believe abortion shouldRead MoreAbortion, The, And Abortion998 Words   |  4 PagesIn the United States there are more than a billion abortions performed each year. Since the court case Roe vs Wade in 1973 more than 56 million babies have been murdered in the United States before they had the chance to take their first breath (Snyder, Michael). These statics along with many more show the huge injustice that is happening in the country I call home. Abortion is defined as the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy. It can include any of variousRead MoreAbortion : Abortion And Anti Abortion1624 Words   |  7 Pagesa very large controversy between the ideas about abortion and anti-abortion. Different religious views, beliefs, peoples many different customs and even people of different cultures all have their own preferences and ideas on the take of this political issue. Views against abortion can lead to as much of an impact as a violent/non violent riots outside of an abortion clinics, to something as simple article in the newspaper. The belief on abortion that leads to a lot of the controversy is that inRead MoreAbortion, The, And Abortion Essay1656 Words   |  7 Pages An abortion is when the pregnancy of a women is ended; it is called sometimes Termination of pregnancy. There are two types of abortion. The first type is the spontaneous abortion; it occurs within the first two months. What causes it is frequently unknown yet is probably the results of intra-uterine contamination, or limited attachment in the building unborn child to the interior coating walls in the womb (uterus). Such conditions this unborn child, if the idea advances further, mayRead MoreAbortion, The, And Abortion953 Words   |  4 Pagesdebates that is constantly talked about is abortion. When it comes to abortion, the laws vary depending on the state you live in. Whether people support or are against abortion, few actually know about the abortion process. Have you ever heard of suction aspiration or prostaglandin chemical abortion? Those are two of the various methods that are performed in the different trimesters of pregnancy. According to writer Steven Ertelt of Li feNews.com, Oklahoma’s abortion laws are restrictive compared to otherRead MoreAbortion : Abortion And Abortion1930 Words   |  8 PagesAbortion has been around for quite some time. Laws have been set allowing it and banning it during different periods of time. The procedures that can be done are all very different. There is a medical abortion involving drugs and there are surgical abortion involving a more invasive procedure. There are also different points of view on it. There are those who fully support the termination of a pregnancy and those who are completely against it. There are many factors to consider and very differentRead MoreAbortion And Abortion2038 Words   |  9 PagesMostly seen as a religious issue, abortions are anything but that. Biology and science are the only deciding factors when it comes down to it. Science is the only thing that can prove whether an unborn child is living; no religion can do that. Through modern science and technology, it has been proven and well documented that human life does in fact begin at conception. The scientific evidence also contradicted the court ruling in the Roe v. Wade case, where it was stated that the Court could notRead MoreAbortion : The Fight For Abortion1543 Words   |  7 PagesAlthough abortion was decriminalized in 1973, the fight for abortion rights did not end with Roe v. Wade. Just in the past three years, there have been systematic restrictions on abortion rights sweeping the country sate by state. In 2013, 22 states enacted 70 antiabortion measures, including pre-viability abortion bans, unnecessary doctor and clinic procedures, limits on medicated abortion, and bans on insurance coverage of abortion In 2011, 92 abortion restrictions were enacted, an in 2012, thatRead MoreAbortion : The Issue Of Abortion1212 Words   |  5 PagesThe topic of abortion has been an ongoing debate for many years. According to ProChoice.org, abortion was legal in in the days of the early settlers . At the time that the constitution was adopted abortions were legal. Abortions were openly advertised and performed before the first fetal movement (13-16 weeks from the start of a women’s last period). The concern for abortion started in the late 1800’s when immigrants were coming into the country in large numbers and the fear was that they would produce

Sharon BegleysHappiness Enough Already - 977 Words

In â€Å"Happiness: Enough Already,† Sharon Begley argues that happiness is overrated and it should not always be a priority in your life. Begley argues that although everyone’s goal in life is to be happy, â€Å"too much happiness might not be such a good thing† (555). Begley believes that happiness is overrated and the media is forcing people to be happy against their will. For example, the media forces people to be happy against their will by advertising their self-help books, magazine articles and motivational speakers. The media also promotes the pharmaceutical companies that claim they are â€Å"working on a new drug to make [people] happier† (556). Begley also states that research has concluded â€Å"that being happier is not always better† and â€Å"the†¦show more content†¦She is an â€Å"award-winning staff writer at Newsweek† and â€Å"has written scores of articles that decode the complexities of science for lay readers† (554). In addition, Begley also â€Å"wrote for the ‘Science Journal’ column for the Wall Street Journal† which  "first appeared on the Newsweek-affiliated Web site the Daily Beast† (554). These credentials are evidence that allow the reader to trust her as a reliable author. Begley’s article is also trustworthy because she introduces sources that have published research on happiness, are psychologists or psychiatrists, and support her argument. For example, Begley mentions Ed Diener, a psychologist â€Å"who has studied happiness for a quarter century† (555). She also mentions the global research that has concluded that the people with â€Å"the highest levels of happiness† tend to put in less effort into improving and changing their lives (556). Begley also supports her article by mentioning several examples of well-known people who used their â€Å"negative emotions, including sadness, to direct [their] thinking† (557). For example, Begley mentions that â€Å"Beethoven composed his later works in a melancholic funk† (557). Begley believes that the ne gative emotions that lead famous people to their critical thinking can also help people such as, college students (557). Begley’s article is mainly directed to college students, their parents and young adults. The article is directed to college students and young adults because

What Is Cost Management Accounting Reporting Systems Free Essays

Cost Accounting Reporting System deals with the process of tracking, measuring, recording and classifying the appropriate allocation of expenditure (financial and non-financial) for the determination of the cost of product or service in an organization and for the presentation of suitably arranged data for the purpose of control and guidance of management (Horngren et al, 2010). Costs are measured in terms of Direct Costs, Indirect Costs and Overhead/Absorbed Costs. Managers use cost accounting to support decision making to reduce a company’s costs of products and services and improve its profitability. We will write a custom essay sample on What Is Cost Management Accounting Reporting Systems or any similar topic only for you Order Now Management Accounting Reporting System is concerned with the process of identification, measurement, accumulation, analysis, preparation, interpretation and communication of financial and non- financial information used by managers to plan, evaluate and control within an entity and to assure appropriate use of and accountability for its resources to managers within organizations, to provide them with the basis in making informed business decisions that would allow them to be better equipped in their management and control functions thereby enhancing both customer and shareholder value (CIMA, 2010). Unlike financial accounting information, management accounting information is used within an organization typically for decision-making in varied areas like product design, production,marketing, and performance management. Management accounting systems also do not have to follow set principles and rules and is usually confidential and its access available only to a select few. Cost Accounting operates within the parameters of Management Accounting. As businesses became more complex and diversified, a more comprehensive reporting system was needed in order to help management make decisions. Modern cost accounting systems take the perspective that collecting cost information is a function of the management decisions being made. Thus it can be safely understood that Management Accounting evolved from Cost Accounting. Hence, the distinction between management accounting and cost accounting is not so well-defined and the terms are used interchangeably (Horngren et al, 2010). Management Accounting principles are also used in other accounting related functions such as Long Term Planning (LTP), budgeting and forecasting revenue and profit planning. Again, cost accounting data is used as an integral part of the process. Management Accounting Reporting Systems: Necessity Role Value creation is the fundamental focal point for the managers in an organisation across diverse sectors (Smith, 2010). Value creation refers to both customer and shareholders. Creating customer value has been a key concern for the organizations but only in recent years have the managers come to recognize the importance of understanding the customer value – the value that a customer places on particular features of a product and satisfying customers is critical to achieving increased sales and market share and therefore to achieve the shareholder value (Smith, 2010). Shareholder value is also a key focus area for the managers and involves improving the net worth of the business for the shareholders/owners of the company. From a shareholders’/owners’ perspective, parameters like increased profits, share value and dividends are extremely important and management is charged with the responsibility of delivering on all the parameters. To enhance customer or shareholder value, managers need to understand what drives value. They have to make decisions and invest resources in the activities or aspects of their business that lead to improvements in customer and shareholder values. The effective and efficient use of resources is essential to creating value to customers and shareholders; and Management Accounting Reporting System provides the much needed critical information to assist managers to perform this role (Smith, 2010). Management Accounting System supports the organisation’s planning and implementation of strategy. The strategic planning of an organisation specifies the direction (type of businesses and markets to enter and how to compete in the market) that the organisation intends to take over the long-term to meet its objectives. Strategic planning draws on a wide range of management accounting information from costing, budgeting, performance measurement systems, as well as information from analytical studies, both external and internal to the organisation (Smith, 2010). The implementation of the strategy requires management accounting system link the long term plans to the budgeting system, to produce annual budgets that supports the2 organisation’s strategies. Performance Measurement Systems which forms a part of the management accounting system can be used to compare actual outcomes to budgets and other targets that focus on the organisation’s trategic objectives (Smith, 2010). With cut-throat competition in the market-place, well managed organisations focus their objectives and strategies on building and maintaining sources of competitive advantage. Thus Management Accounting Systems contributes to improving the organisation’s competitive advantage in terms of quality, delivery time, flexibility, innovation and cost through modern process improvement and cost management techniques. It also provides information to help manage resources, through systems for planning (e. g. budgets) and control (e. g. performance measures). Furthermore, Management Accounting System also provides estimates of the costs of the organisation’s output – goods and services, to support both the strategic and operational decision needs of managers. Cost Accounting Reporting System on a standalone basis helps the organisation in ascertaining the cost of the product, job or services. The reporting system provides detailed information about the composition of total cost for determining the selling price of the product or service under different conditions. Fully developed cost accounting system provides ready information regarding stock of raw material, work-in-progress and finished goods and also facilitates in the preparation of financial and other statements at such intervals as desired by the management. Cost accounting reporting system also helps in measuring and further increasing the efficiency of the organization (Horngren et al, 2010). This process involves a study of the processes and procedures used in manufacturing or providing goods or services to measure the efficiency of the organisation or departments and devising means of increasing the efficiency. Thus, the cost accounting information becomes the basis of formulating forward-looking operative policies. The Cost accounting information is also used to control and reduce cost and hence increasing the profits thereby increasing the customer and shareholder value (Smith, 2010). The techniques that are used for controlling cost are budgetary control and standard costing methods. The cost accounting information makes possible for the management to distinguish between profitable and unprofitable operations. Concentrating on profitable operations and eliminating non-profitable ones can maximize profit. This information also helps in eliminating wasteful expenditure of resources at various levels and will help the management in forming future course of action. Compared to other supportive reporting systems like Financial Accounting System, which provides information about the financial position and past performance of an organization on an annual or quarterly basis to investors, banks, regulators and other outside parties, Cost and Management Accounting Systems can provide information on a short and long term basis which can be past, present and future oriented and can satisfy the short and long term decision making needs of the management towards fulfilling the organizational goals (Horngren et al, 2010). The factors that contribute towards fulfilling the organizational goal of increasing profits and shareholder wealth like information for planning and controlling operations, estimates of cost of producing goods and services efficiently; and information for measuring performance can also be provided by Management Accounting Systems. Financial Accounting Reports has to follow very strict guidelines and protocol in its compilation and final presentation form. These norms and guidelines are internationally accepted and implemented while Management Accounting reports are for internal use of management for decision making and may not be completely objective and verifiable but is relevant to the issue at hand (Horngren et al, 2010). Moreover, Financial Accounting reports on the business or company in its entirety, i. e. Financial Accounting reports show the overall picture of a businesses financial position for a certain reporting period and are not concerned with any particular department of the organisation while Management Accounting reports’ primary emphasis is on segment reporting (Smith, 2010). It deals with the various segments like product lines, departments or any other categorization of the company’s activities that management finds useful and is not governed by generally accepted accounting principles. Conclusion In a nutshell, there is a tremendous necessity for management and cost accounting reporting systems in an organisation, not only for achieving the predetermined goals and remain profitable, but also to create value to both customers and shareholders. Since the complexities of running an organisation has increased due to complicated market systems and increased competition, there is a need for the management accounting reporting system to be brought under a common control framework for the effective function of the system and helping the organisation to proactively reduce cost and bring profitability. How to cite What Is Cost Management Accounting Reporting Systems, Essay examples

Mowendy Etienne Essays - Adolf Hitler, Nationalism, European People

Mowendy Etienne World history Tuesday, April 10, 2018 How did Hitler and the third Reich come to power? Basic history 1933-1945 How did Hitler and the third Reich come to power? One cannot write about WWII without bringing up Hitler. Before getting appointed chancellor of Germany by president von Hindenburg, Hitler was just a regular German guy who had concerns about his country's future and political power. Born in Braunau am Inn, Austria, on April 20, 1889; Hitler was fourth of six children. As a child, Hitler argued frequently with his emotionally harsh father, who also didn't support Hitler's later interest in fine art as a career. Following the death of his younger brother, Edmund, in 1990, Hitler became detached and introverted. It appears that is when his inner devil started to take over and would cause Hitler to become one of the world's most cruel man to ever live. (Adolf Hitler Biography), Hitler also showed an early interest in German nationalism, rejecting the authority of Austria-Hungary. This nationalism would become the motivating force of Hitler's life. As Hitler sought to gain power by getting in to politics, he ended up killing millions and changed the world permanently. When Hitler was just thirteen his father passed away, leaving him broken. On the bright side, there would be no more unpleasant words and unwanted arguments with his father over his career choice. Basically, Hitler's father death was a great opportunity for him to pursue his dreams freely. Despite the rough relationship in the past, the inherited money from his father would be the start of his persuasion in art. As art was Hitler's best subject in school, he moved to Vienna to do just that; however, both of his application to Vienna academic of art and the school of architecture were rejected. (www.history.com) At that point, Hitler was in a state of despondency. It is difficult to connect his anti-sentimism directly with the rejection from art school. After all, Hitler returned to the German fatherland and started fighting in the army; during the first world war Hitler volunteered to fight for the German Army and gained the gained of corporal, earning accolades as a dispatch-runner and he won awards for bravery, including the iron cross first class (theholocaustexplained.org) Hitler wasn't always interested in joining the army. In fact, one the reason he left Vienna was to avoid mandatory army service in the Austrian army; finally, after moving back Germany, he volunteer at age twenty-five by enlisting in the Bavarian regiment (Hitler's biography). There could be many reasons why Hitler joined the army as a last resort. one could be the failure to become an artist and two; his early passion in German nationalism, and him finding the treaty of versatile (The Treaty of Versailles (1919) was a document signed between Germany and the Allied Powers following World War I that officially ended that war.) to be degrading to his country, he thought getting into politic would be the perfect way to revenge for his country and also his personal issues. On some level, Hitler made himself likable. He was chosen to attend his first meeting of the Germans worker's party, an anti- Semitic, nationalist group as a spy for the German army; he quickly rose through the ranks, by 1921, he became the head of the party (Nazi); the support of the Hitler's party grew as the country's economy was in terrible conditions and rapid inflation. (Adolf Hitler's Biography) Fast forward to January 30, 1933; Adolf Hitler appointed chancellor of Germany by president Von Hindenburg. A year before that, Hitler ran against 84-year-old Paul Von Hindenburg for the presidency. His tactics were using unemployment and the depression that the country had experienced to his advantage. Although he didn't win the elections, people started to see him as a power force in German politics. After the president's death Hitler was in complete control of the country. In March 22, 1933 the first Nazi concentration camp opens in Dachau, a small village located near Munich the first commandant of Dachau is Theodor Eicke; "From 1933 until the start of the war in 1939, Hitler and his Nazi regime instituted hundreds of laws and regulation to restrict and exclude

The Past essays

The Past essays Without coming to terms with past injustices, it will be difficult for Australia to become a cohesive nation. Cohesive; meaning unified, as one, free from discrimination. Throughout history Australia has come across many discriminations, possibly the most outstanding of which is the past mistreatment of our indigenous people, the Aborigines. Before the Stolen Generation, before Federation, before British colonization, Australia was inhabited Aborigines. They lived in harmony with the land had done so for over 10,000 years in an almost utopian-like society. The flora and the fauna provided more than enough for their lifestyle; taking only what they needed from the land, sharing a mutual trust, love and respect for their country. Enter 2003. Whats changed? What happened? Where are the crystal clear oceans, never-ending horizon of the outback, the thick lush bush land? It is a world, destroyed. Not only a world, but an entire way of life, the spirit of the Aborigines, crushed by our ego centric, profit-driven, European ideals. But where did it all start? Where did we go wrong? The very first European visitors to Australia arrived on the Dutch ship, Duyfken, but every attempt to land was opposed by hostile Aborigines with spears. The first recorded European settlers came aboard the luxury Dutch trading ship, the Batavia. The ship ran aground on the west coast of Australia, on the Abrolhos Islands. The surviving members scrambled onto the island shores and assembled a camp. Francois Pelsaert, the captain, sailed to Java to hire another ship to rescue the survivors. Meanwhile rebel leaders killed many of the survivors. Those who survived the slaughter took refuge on the Australian mainland and eventually married into Aboriginal tribes, making the first peaceful contact between Europeans and Aboriginals. Alas, things only went downhill from there. Captain Cook tried to make acquaintances with tribes around...

Complex Congenital Heart Disease - Smart Custom Writing Samples

Complex Congenital Heart Disease - Smart Custom Writing LeadershipLeaders must play several, often conflicting, roles in managing technology. They must be good stewards and hold to tight budgets and schedules. Implementation speed to keep up with technological changes requires good project manager skills. Leaders must continually monitor program tar ­gets and completion dates. They must also be realists in assessing the risks, costs, and benefits of a new technology. 1.   Perspective on leadership Learning for development in Auckland International Airport, also known locally as Mangere Airport Auckland International Airport was far behind from the performance in the initial period. As visionaries, Leaders had to make a technical vision of a goal and relentlessly pursue it. As advocates, they made a commitment to the project and stood behind it. Finally, as gatekeepers, they kept everyone focused. When new technologies are being developed or implemented, the operations manager made a strategic plan for the team representing all affected departments to lead and coordinate the work. A project champion who promotes the project at every opportu ­nity made contagious enthusiasm to make the development to happen. Today, Auckland International Airport is setting standards to the world itself. This leader is respected by all team members and thereby reflected management's support of the team through ­out the project. Everyone should know that the manager is knowledgeable about the project, stands behind it, and will give it the resources it needs to succeed. As the hospitality system is concerned, the leader should be a constant learner by all means. He should be ready to focus on the assimilated facto all the time. In fact, he should be willing to learn regularly. Employee motivation from the side of the government and thereby self improving the organization can be done positive results to the firm. He should be ready to take positive aspects from everywhere and negative points from nowhere. This proactive step helps the leader to enhance the performance both of his employees and organization alike. ANSOFF HI. 1984. Implementing strategic management. New Jersey: Prentice.    2. Motivation and Empowerment Enhancing the performance by Rewarding in Contact Energy Limited made thorough reformation.   Contact Energy Limited is a New Zealand electricity generator and electricity, natural gas, and LPG retailer company over the periods in New Zealand. The company generates 24% of New Zealand's electricity and has the second largest market-share of the country's electricity-retailers. When it was the time of underperformance, the company authorities have analysed the situation and made a strategic programme in order to enhance the performance of the employee sector: rewarding performance must be motivated by giving proper appreciation, awards etc..Leaders have defined motivation from different perspectives. Some of the important efforts are presented in this sub-section. Need disposition theory as a powerful leadership strategy: A basic assumption in the motivation theory is that an organism behaves in order to reduce its needs. A need is a requirement that must be met for optimal adjustment of an organism to the environment. Need disposition theory as a powerful leadership strategy presents the point of view that people are motivated to take action and invest energy in pursuit of three motives, Achievement, Affiliation and Influence. Contact Energy Limited made a thorough reformation in the employee attitude and thereby boosted up the overall performance of the company in the next quarter.   3. Developing DiversityStrategic Plan to 2010 - New Zealand Police Designing other strategic change process within New Zealand PoliceThe following measures to re organize and re structure the system New Zealand Police made a well organized plan as follows: New steps for diversity to be taken to improve the performance  Ã‚  Ã‚   the activities of front line personnel, it is not just supervise them;   Ã‚  Ã‚   to make the force better, recruit new personnel   and give training   for new leaders and officers;   Ã‚  Ã‚   There should be adequate rewards for performance.  Ã‚   Internal interactive, internal and external   mass communication, advertising, and market and image research are some other methods that can help NZP to improve their performance   Ã‚  Ã‚   sponsoring them for training programs in the areas of marketing/performing, selling a behavioral sciences;   Ã‚  Ã‚   increase involvement of staff in activities like customer service campaigns, undertaking market surveys,   etc   as well as in customer service and branch productivity committee meetings;   Ã‚  Ã‚   organizing of marketing conference-cum-workshop for upcoming officers segment-wise basis;   Ã‚  Ã‚   Sharing of the findings of customer surveys, bank image and other studies to NZP management with the staff;   Ã‚  Ã‚   staff motivation, including offer of awards and rewards on individual and group basis; Today, New Zealand Police is setting standards to the world policing itself. This plan for the situation was respected by all team members and thereby reflected management's support in the team through ­out the re organization for diversity.    4. Courage and Moral Leadership Courage and moral leadership are considered to be the prime character of a leader is concerned. A leader must be brave to act wisely when and where time comes. He must have apt moral character for his team to respect his vision and mission. The definition which has the touch of practical common sense is the one evolved by a medical doctor- Mr. Moran. He was the medical officer of a New Zealand Infantry Battalion during World War II against Nazis. For two long years he served the Battalion and saw how young officers inspired their fellow citizens to fight the Germans with enthusiasm and courage, knowing full well that, many among them would get killed or maimed. He wondered how one individual could exercise such a decisive influence over others. It was not just the military law or discipline, because despite these there were examples of demeaning cowardice and inability to lead. About two decades later he became the Chairman of the Medical Council. Given below is a definition which is based on what he evolved: "Leadership is the capacity to frame plans which will succeed and the faculty to persuade others to carry them out in the face of all difficulties". 5. Strategic Leadership Strategy for Maintaining Leadership in the Air Conditioning Company Limited, Auckland    In a competitive environment, maintaining leadership is not easy. New substitutes and products made using new technologies would keep entering the market eroding competitiveness of existing firms. Under such circumstances, constant product improvement becomes essential to maintain product differentiation. Even in fields where competition is limited, it is worth attempting technological improvements either for cost reduction or product improvement. This means that the experience curve of such firms keep shifting continuously. This is well reflected in the air cooler industry in the recent years in ACCL Auckland. Although it is a seasonal industry, of late there is fierce competition to capture the top end of the expensive market segment. For instance, the leading national level manufacturer in the small scale sector entered the market with a revolutionary idea; an air cooler looking likes a room air conditioner. It was technically far better than a conventional air cooler. They improv ed upon his new ''air conditioner looking air cooler" and introduced three different models in three consecutive years, always improving upon the previous one, making it difficult for his competitors to catch up. Peter Drucker (1985) called it "fastest with the strategy, in the case of the solvent manufacturer referred to earlier also, there is a strong sense’ of product differentiation through technological development. Philip A. Wickham - Management Consulting: Delivering an Effective Project 2nd Edition    6. Leading Teams Westpac Banking Corporation is a giant conglomerate providing financial services and became Australia’s largest bank. Earlier it took over the second-largest bank in New Zealand-the St.George Bank. In the initial period bank face a lot of hard ships to proceed in a turbulent time. The directors had to overcome these problems with their strong and efficient managerial skills. They had made a plan for the same and ensured them to adhere properly. Tasks for Group    Defined, the task   Ã‚   Made the plan Allocated work and resources Controlled quality and tempo of work Checked performance against plan   Functions for Group Setting standards Maintaining discipline Building team spirit Encouraging, motivating, giving a sense of purpose Appointing sub-leaders Ensuring communication within the group Training the group    Functions for Individual Needs Attending to personal problems Praising of individuals Knowing individuals personally Recognizing and using individual abilities Training individuals The functions related to the needs of the three areas had been listed separately for their execution. In actual practice, however, most of these are integrated and achieved through the efficient co ordination of leaders. As a result, Westpac Banking Corporation has become one of the best multinational financial services company and became the largest bank in the region. Conclusion From all these above situations, one can understand how do leaders lead followers without being wholly led by followers. The statement that a 'good leader varies his style between authoritarian to participative   depending on the task, the changing situation he encounters and the changing group that he has to lead sums up, rather pithily, the way an effective leader has to function. However, no effective leader ever consciously adopts a style- it comes, and indeed it must come, naturally from within. Style invariably is the reflection of the substance. It is the expression of the man and the strength of character and the balance of his system through he sees the world. References AAKER DA. 2001. Developing business strategies. 6th edition. New York: Wiley. ANSOFF HI. 1984. Implementing strategic management. New Jersey: Prentice. FERREIRA A. 2000. Business strategy: having to cope with waves of change. Management Today, 16(9) Philip A. Wickham - Management Consulting: Delivering an Effective Project 2nd Edition Connor, Dick Davidson, Jeffrey. Marketing Your Consulting and Professional   Services. New York: John Wiley Sons, 1990. Ashford, Martin. Con Tricks: The Shadowy World of Management Consultancy and How to Make it Work for You. New York: Simon Schuster International, 1999. Barcus, Sam W., Wilkinson, Joseph W. ( Editors). Handbook of Management Consulting Services. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1995.

The Strategy of Verizon Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Strategy of Verizon - Research Paper Example The strategy of Verizon in increasing their business process and evolving new technologies in their business. Verizon is the service provider of broadband wireless communication service to its users. They want to meet the global need and establish new technologies and meet the customer requirement. The primary goal of the company is to reach the top in the market and take the leading position. A SWOT analysis is done on Verizon to identify the objectives of the company. Verizon is transforming its business process and aligning the different segment of its business process with their new strategy. The primary strategy of Verizon is to move to the wireless platform and make their infrastructure capable of giving the internet and wireless service to the cars and automobiles (About Verizon,2016). Verizon is innovating new technologies that would help the company to take a lead position in the future. It has identified that the wireless technology in the next evolution and thus it has qui ckly jumped into the wireless platform for further development. According to the strategy, they are working on new technologies that can implement and as a result, more than 98% of the US 4G network covered by Verizon (Greenwald,2013). They use the optical fiber cables for faster transmission instead of traditional copper wires.

GROUP PROJECT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

GROUP PROJECT - Essay Example Thus, this paper aims at looking how a particular research in the field of business is conducted. As such, the process or processes will be highlighted and compared to Sekaran’s research roadmap. There have been several suggestions on how research should be conducted depending on its nature, purpose, relevance, and contribution to the existing body of knowledge. In social sciences, especially in all fields related to business management and administration, many trends have surfaced out in the pursuit of delivering the best output both quantitatively and qualitatively so as to achieve certain goals necessary to the overall success of companies. Using the Sekaran research process, our group analyzed how Dennis Tourish and Paul Robson went about their research entitled Sensemaking and the Distortion of Critical Upward Communication in Organizations published by the Journal of Management Studies in its June 2006 issue. Dwelling on the importance of Critical Upward Communication or CUC as its point of inquiry, the researchers began by making sure that the readers can have a gist and eventually a full grasp of the whole paper by defining certain terminologies critical to the overall understanding and appreciation of the research. The research topic was then carefully introduced through the aid of â€Å"exemplifications and illustrations† which can be subsumed under â€Å"general observation,† the very first step in the process outlined by Sekaran. It was not difficult to identify the focal point of the research because it was overtly stated in its introduction coupled with clues that lead to the paper’s hypothesis. This is a clear deviation, at least in the manner or chronology of presentation, from the one outlined by Sekana. Steps 1, 2, and 3 were all jumbled up in the introduction. However, the paper can still be thoroughly understood as it presented its points and concerns in a deductive way. The literature review came right after the problem was

Hydrogen Fuel Cells Vs. Gasoline Essays -- Energy Power Global Warming

Hydrogen Fuel Cells Vs. Gasoline: Who’s Down With HFC? ABSTRACT: The world’s oil supply is a diminishing nonrenewable resource. Soon, a new fuel for automobiles will be needed. Hydrogen fuel cells may very well become the chief replacement for gasoline in our society. INTRODUCTION: In our busy world today, we often find ourselves surrounded by vehicles. But how often do we ponder about by which means these vehicles are running? Vehicles are fueled by gasoline, a gradually diminishing resource. As a replacement for this fuel, scientists have been experimenting with a new technology called hydrogen fuel cells. Swiss scientist Christian Friedrich Schà ¶nbein developed the principle behind the fuel cell in 1838. Then in 1932, the first successful fuel cells were engineered by Francis Thomas Bacon of Britain. The main type of hydrogen fuel cell is the Polymer Electrolyte Membrane, or Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM). In a PEM, electrons are separated from hydrogen atoms (at the anode), forming positively charged hydrogen atoms, or protons, and single electrons. Then the protons are drawn toward the oxygen atoms (at the cathode) on the other side of the membrane, where the electrons are forced to travel an alternate route to reach the hydrogen and oxygen. By traveling this alternate route, the electrons form a current, ergo energy. Once the protons and electrons meet with the oxygen, the byproducts created are water, heat, and some impurities (depending on the purity of the applied hydrogen). See Diagram 1 below (How PEM Fuel Cells Work). HFC 2 Which fuel supply is more efficient: hydrogen fuel cells or gasoline? To help reach a verdict, we will be comparing their availability, cost and efficiency, and pollution pot... ...en Fuel: a Clean and Secure Energy Future, The White House, Retrieved August 2, 2005, from http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/02/20030206-2.html 2. Fuel Cell, July 31, 2005, Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, Retrieved August 2, 2005, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_cell 3. How PEM Fuel Cells Work, Retrieved July 21, 2005, from http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fcv_PEM.shtml 4. Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Technologies Program, U.S. Department of Energy: Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Retrieved July 21, 2005, from http://www.eere.energy.gov/hydrogenandfuelcells/ 5. Hydrogen Production and Delivery, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Retrieved July 21, 2005, from http://www.nrel.gov/hydrogen/proj_production_delivery.html 6. Tokyo Gas, Retrieved August 2, 2005, from http://www.tokyogas. co.jp/pefc_e/image_add/wh-46_01.gif

Night World : Witchlight Chapter 6

It was a full-force invasion. Even before the echoes of breaking glass had died, figures in black uniforms were swarming through the window. Dark ninjas, Keller thought. An elite group made up of vampires and shapeshifters, the Night World experts at sneaking and killing. Keller's mind, which had been roiling in clouds of stifled anger, was suddenly crystal clear. â€Å"Nissa, take her!† she shouted. It was all she needed to say. Nissa grabbed Diana. It didn't matter that Iliana was screaming breathlessly and too shocked to want to go anywhere. Nissa was a vampire and stronger than a human Olympic weight lifter. She simply picked Iliana up and ran with her toward the back door. Without being told, Winfrith followed close behind, orange energy already sizzling between her palms. Keller knew she would provide good cover- Winnie was a fighting witch. She made full use of the new powers that all the Night People were developing as the millennium got closer. As one of the ninjas lunged after them, she let loose with a blast of poppy-colored energy that knocked him sideways. â€Å"Now you!† Keller shouted to Galen, trying to hustle him into the hallway without turning from the ninjas. She hadn't changed and didn't want to if she could avoid it. Changing took time, left you vulnerable for the few seconds that you were between forms. Right now seconds counted. Galen got a few steps down the hall, then stopped. â€Å"Grandma Harman!† I knew it, Keller thought. He's a liability. The old woman was still in the living room, standing with her feet braced apart, cane ready. Her apprentice, Toby, was in front of her, working up some witch incantation and tossing energy. They were right in the flow of the ninjas. Which was as it ought to be. Keller's mind had clicked through the possibilities right at the beginning and had come to the only reasonable conclusion. â€Å"We have to leave her!† Galen turned to her, his face lit by the multicolored energy that was flying around them. â€Å"What?† â€Å"She's too slow! We have to protect you and Hiana. Get moving!† His features were etched in shock. â€Å"You're joking. Just wait here-I'll bring her.† â€Å"No! Galen-â€Å" He was already running back. Keller cursed. â€Å"Go on!† she yelled to Nissa and Winnie, who were at the entrance to the kitchen, where the back door was. â€Å"Take the limo if you can get to it. Don't wait for us!† Then she turned and plunged into the living room. Galen was trying to shield Grandma Harman from the worst of the energy being exchanged. Keller gritted her teeth. This group of ninjas was only the first wave. They were here to breach the wards and make an opening for whatever was going to follow. Which could be a dragon. The ninjas hadn't finished their job, though. Most of the wards were holding, and the one that had fallen was on a small window. The dark figures could only squirm in one at a time. The house shook as whoever was outside slammed power at it, trying to break a bigger entrance. Faintly, Keller heard an engine rev up outside. She hoped it was the limo. Galen was pulling at Grandma Harman. Toby was grappling hand-to-hand with a ninja. Keller batted a couple of the sneaks out of her way. She wasn't trying to kill them, just put them out of commission. She had almost reached Galen. And then she heard the rumbling. Only her panther ears could have picked it up. Just as the first time when she'd heard it, it was so deep that it seemed both soft and frighteningly loud. It shook her to her bones. In a flash, she knew what was coming. And there was no time to think about what to do. Galen seemed to have sensed it, too. Keller saw him looking at the roof just above the door. Then he turned toward Grandma Harman, shouting. After that, everything happened at once. Galen knocked the old woman down and fell on top of her. At the same time, Keller sprang and landed on top of both of them. She was changing even as she did it. Changing and spreading herself out, trying to make herself as wide and flat as possible. A panther rug to cover them. The brick wall exploded just as the window had, only louder. Shattered with Power, Keller thought. The dragon had recovered†¦ fast. And then it was raining bricks. One hit Keller in the leg, and she lashed her tail in fury. Another struck her back, and she felt a deep pain. Then one got her in the head, and she saw white light. She could hear Galen shouting under her. It seemed to be her name. Then nothing. Something wet touched her face. Keller hissed automatically, pawing at it in annoyance. â€Å"Lemme lone.† â€Å"Boss, wake up. Come on, it's morning already.† Keller opened heavy eyes. She was dreaming. She had to be. Either that, or the afterlife was full of teenage girls. Winnie was bending over her with a dripping washcloth, and Nissa was peering critically over her shoulder. Behind Nissa was Iliana's anxious little heart-shaped face, her hair falling like two shimmering curtains of silvery-starlight gold on either side. Keller blinked. â€Å"I was sure I was dead.† â€Å"Well, you got close,† Winnie said cheerfully. â€Å"Me and Toby and Grandma Harman have been working on you most of the night. You're going to be kind of stiff, but I guess your skull was too thick to crack.† Keller sat up and was rewarded with a stabbing pain in her temples. â€Å"What happened? Where's Galen?† â€Å"Well, golly gee, Boss, I didn't know you cared-â€Å" â€Å"Stop fooling around, Winnie! Where's the guy who's got to be alive if the shapeshifters are going to join Circle Daybreak?† Winnie sobered. Nissa said calmly, â€Å"He's fine, Keller. This is Iliana's house. Everybody's okay. We got you guys out-â€Å" Keller frowned, struck by a new worry. â€Å"You did? Why? I told you to take the girl and go.† Nissa raised an eyebrow wryly. â€Å"Yes, well, but the girl didn't want to go. She made us stop and turn back for you.† â€Å"For Galen,† Keller said. She looked at Diana, who was wearing a pink nightgown with puffy sleeves and looked about seven. She tried to make her voice patient. ‘It was good to think of him, but you should have followed the plan.† â€Å"Anyway, it worked out,† Nissa said. â€Å"Apparently, the dragon blew the house down on top of you, but then he walked right over you trying to get to us.† â€Å"Yeah. I was kind of hoping he wouldn't realize Galen was there,† Keller said. â€Å"Or wouldn't realize he was important.† â€Å"Well, when he found we'd already gotten away in the limo, he and his buddies took after us in cars,† Winnie said. â€Å"But Nissa lost them. And then Iliana†¦ insisted, and so we circled back. And there you were. Galen and Toby were digging you out. We helped them and brought you here.† â€Å"What about Grandma Harman?† â€Å"She came out of it without a scratch. She's tougher than she looks,† Winnie said. â€Å"She talked to Iliana's mom last night,† Nissa added. â€Å"She fixed everything up so we can stay here. You're supposed to be a distant cousin, and the rest of us are your friends. We're from Canada. We graduated last year, and we're touring the U.S. by bus. We ran into Iliana last night, and that's why she was late. It's all covered, nice and neat.† â€Å"It's all ludicrous,† Keller said. She looked at Iliana. â€Å"And it's time to stop. Haven't you seen enough yet? That's twice you've been attacked by a monster. Do you really want to try your luck for a third time?† It was a mistake. Iliana's face had been sweet and anxious, but now Keller could see the walls slam down. The violet eyes hazed over and sparked at the same time. â€Å"Nobody attacked me until you guys came!† Iliana flared. â€Å"In fact, nobody's attacked me so far at all. I think it's you people they're after-or maybe Galen. I keep telling you that I'm not the one you're looking for.† This was the time for diplomacy, but Keller was too exasperated to think. â€Å"You don't really believe that. Unless you practice being stupid-â€Å" â€Å"Stop calling me stupid!† The last word was a piercing shriek. At the same time, Diana threw something at Keller. She batted it out of the air automatically before it could hit. â€Å"I'm not stupid! And I'm not your Witch Child or whatever you call it! I'm just a normal kid, and I like my life. And if I can't live my life, then I don't want to-to do anything.† She whirled around and stalked out, her nightgown billowing. Keller stared at the missile she'd caught. It was a stuffed lamb with outrageously long eyelashes and a pink ribbon tied around its white neck. Nissa folded her arms. â€Å"Well, you sure handled that one, Boss.† â€Å"Give me a break.† Keller tossed the lamb onto the window seat. â€Å"And just how did she make you two turn around and come back for us, by the way?† Winnie pursed her lips. â€Å"You heard it. Volume control. She kept screaming like-well, I don't know what screams like that. You'd be surprised how effective it is.† â€Å"You're agents of Circle Daybreak; you're supposed to be immune to torture.† But Keller dropped the subject. â€Å"What are you still hanging around for?† she added, as she swung her feet out of bed and carefully tried her legs. â€Å"You're supposed to stick with her, even when she's in the house. Don't stand here staring at me.† â€Å"You're welcome for putting you back together again,† Winnie said, her eyes on the ceiling. In the doorway, she turned and added, â€Å"And, you know, it wasn't Galen she kept screaming we had to go back and get last night. It was you, Keller.† Keller stared at the door as it shut, bewildered. â€Å"You can't go to school,† Keller hissed. â€Å"Do you hear me? You cannot go to school.† They were all sitting around the kitchen table. Iliana's mother, a lovely woman with a knot of platinum hair coiled on her neck, was making breakfast. She seemed slightly anxious about her four new houseguests, but in a pleasantly excited way. She certainly wasn't suspicious. Grandma Harman had done a good job of brainwashing. â€Å"We're going to have a wonderful Christmas,† she said now, and her angelic smile grew brighter. â€Å"We can go into Winston-Salem for a Christmas and Candle Tea. Have you ever had a Moravian sugar-cake? I just wish Great-aunt Edgith had been able to stay.† Grandma Harman was gone. Keller didn't know whether to be relieved or frustrated. Despite what she kept saying, as long as the old woman was around, Keller would worry about her. But with her gone, there was nobody to appeal to, nobody who could order Iliana into safekeeping. So now they were sitting and having this argument. It looked like such a normal breakfast scene, Keller thought dryly. Iliana's father had already left for work. Her mother was bustling around cheerfully. Her little brother was in a high chair making a mess with Cheerios. Too bad that the four nicely dressed teenagers at the table were actually two shapeshifters, a witch, and a vampire. Galen was directly opposite Keller. There were shadows under his eyes-had anyone gotten any sleep last night?-and he seemed subdued but relaxed. Keller hadn't had a chance to speak to him since the dragon's attack. Not that she had anything to say. â€Å"Orange juice, Kelly?† â€Å"No, thank you, Mrs. Dominick.† That was what this family thought their last name was. They didn't realize that witches trace their heritage through the female line and that both Iliana and her mother were therefore Harmans. â€Å"Oh, please, call me Aunt Anna,† the woman said. She had her daughter's violet eyes and the smile of an angel. She was also pouring Keller juice. Now I see where Iliana gets her scintillating intelligence, Keller thought. â€Å"Oh-thanks, Aunt Anna. And, actually, it's Keller, not Kelly.† â€Å"How unusual. But it's nice, so modern.† â€Å"It's my last name, but that's what everybody calls me.† â€Å"Oh, really? What's your first name?† Keller broke off a piece of toast, feeling uncomfortable. â€Å"Raksha.† â€Å"But that's beautiful! Why don't you use it?† Keller shrugged. â€Å"I just don't.† She could see Galen looking at her. Shapeshifters usually were named for their animal forms, but neither Keller nor Raksha fit the pattern. â€Å"I was abandoned as a kid,† she said in a clipped voice, looking back at Galen. Diana's mother wouldn't be able to make anything of this, but she might as well satisfy the princeling's curiosity. â€Å"So I don't know my real last name. But my first name means ‘demon.'† Diana's mother paused with the juice carton over Nissa's glass. â€Å"Oh. How†¦ nice. Well, then, I see.† She blinked a couple of times and walked off without pouring Nissa any juice. â€Å"So what does Galen mean?† Keller said, holding his gaze challengingly and handing her full glass to Nissa. He smiled-a little wryly-for the first time since sitting down. † ‘Calm.'† Keller snorted. â€Å"It figures.† â€Å"I like Raksha better.† Keller didn't answer. With â€Å"Aunt Anna† safely in the kitchen, she could speak again to Diana. â€Å"You understood before, right? That you can't go to school.† â€Å"I have to go to school.† For somebody who looked as if she were made of spun glass, Diana ate a lot. She spoke around a mouthful of microwave pancake. â€Å"It's out of the question. How can we go with you? What are we supposed to be, for Goddess's sake?† â€Å"My long-lost cousin from Canada and her friends,† Diana said indistinctly. â€Å"Or you can all be exchange students who're here to study our American educational system.† Before Keller could say anything, she added, â€Å"Hey, how come you guys aren't at school? Don't you have schools?† â€Å"We've got the same ones you do,† Winnie said. â€Å"Except Nissa-she graduated last year. But Keller and I are seniors like you. We just take time off for this stuff.† â€Å"I bet your grades are as bad as mine,† Diana said unemotionally. â€Å"Anyway, I have to go to school this week. There are all sorts of class parties and things. You can come. It'll be fun.† Keller wanted to hit her with the pot of grits. She had a problem, though. Iliana's little brother Alex had escaped from his high chair and was climbing up her leg. She looked down at him uneasily. She wasn't good with family-type things, and she especially wasn't good with children. â€Å"Okay,† she said. â€Å"Go on back and sit down.† She peeled him off and tried to start him in the right direction. He turned around and put his arms up. â€Å"Kee-kee. Kee-kee.† â€Å"That's his word for ‘kitty,'† Iliana's mother said, coming in with a plate of sausages. She ruffled his white-blond hair. â€Å"You mean Kelly, Kelly,† she told him. † ‘Keller, Keller!† Winnie corrected helpfully. Alex climbed into Keller's lap, grabbed her hair, and hoisted himself into a standing position. She found herself looking into huge violet baby eyes. Witch eyes. â€Å"Kee-kee,† he said flatly, and gave her a sloppy kiss on the cheek. Winnie grinned. â€Å"Having trouble?† The kid had two chubby arms around Keller's neck now and was nudging her chin with his head like a kitten looking for pets. He had a good grip, too. This time, she couldn't peel him off. â€Å"It's just-distracting,† she said, giving up and petting him awkwardly. It was ridiculous. How could she argue with baby giggles in her ears? â€Å"You look kind of sweet together,† Iliana observed. Tm getting dressed for school now. You guys can do whatever you want.† She floated off while Keller was trying to think of a reply. Nissa and Winnie hastily followed her. Galen got up to help Iliana's mother with the dishes. Keller tugged at the baby, who clung like a sloth. Maybe there was shapeshifter blood in this family. â€Å"Kee-kee†¦ pui!† That was what it sounded like. â€Å"Pwee?† Keller glanced nervously at his diaper. â€Å"He means ‘pretty† Iliana's mother said, coming back in. â€Å"It's funny. He doesn't usually take to people like that. He likes animals better.† â€Å"Oh. Well, he has good taste,† Keller said. She finally succeeded in detaching him and gave him back to his mother. Then she started down the hallway after Iliana, muttering, â€Å"Too bad about his eyesight.† â€Å"I think his eyesight's just fine,† Galen said, right behind her. Keller turned, realizing they were alone in the hall. His faint smile faded. â€Å"I really wanted to talk to you,† he said.

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