#//He just wants ONE birthday (and many more to follow) where Kae is back in the dining room with him

[dutybcrne]

Though the days blurred for him in Snezhnaya, Diluc could always tell when the day his birthday would come. It felt like a curse, the horrid feelings he’d so associated with that day never once failing to take hold of him, like a beast intent to tear out his throat. On day in particular, he would have honestly preferred that instead.

Even after coming back to Mondstadt, the day is something he loathes greatly. But Adelinde and Elzer, and Tunner and the rest of the staff do make it easier on him. There is always something special implicit in the way they go about their day, but never enough to dredge up the worst of the feelings. Just enough for it to seem like an appreciation of his effort and care for them. He’s truly thankful for it.

[rottenwoodandwiltedsunflowers]

Waffle how was your birthday trip? Did you get any birthday tea from Matron?

I did get tea with the Matron! My birthday show was weird but not in a bad way. Kae flew home before I woke up that morning to check on our toddler and I am an extreme introvert so I probably would have just stayed in my hotel room all day reviewing party pics and videos and maybe wallowing. Luckily, I have the best of friends who invited me out so I spent the afternoon at The Met (which I haven’t been to in ages) before we all hit up Ovest for dinner pre-show. They are the best! Instead of wallowing alone in my hotel room, I was able to wallow a bit in my thoughts at a museum with friends. It was certainly preferable!

When we got to the show, there was a happy hour in the Manderley (due to it being that magical week where they have to set up the lodge for the winter) so we didn’t have to wait in line which is always nice. Birdie got me a birthday cookie because the staff there are simply THE BEST!

The show was a bit weird but honestly, I have spent a few birthdays there and it tends to be. It’s me, not the show. I tend to spend a lot of time thinking about loss and causation and regret. The hotel gives me the room to do that and the fabulous mask to hide the fact that I may be doing that. I think because I had such I nice day with friends, I decided to give myself a loop right off the bat with one of my favorite characters, Sexy Witch. I was in a good mindset and I afforded myself a loop of a guilty pleasure. Kae often likes to make fun of me when I follow Sexy out of the ballroom because it happens often and it used to happen even more often! I just really enjoy the loop. Her loop is one of the most fun in the building. The character, by design, is set up to be a fun and flirty character. Besides her post-rave break, there are really no moments of sadness or pain. It is unlike most of the other residents in that way. Even in the moments where she is inflicting harm on Porter or Lady Macduff, she is having a good time herself. I also think she has some of the BEST dances overall in a loop. Her couch duet with Banquo is one of my absolute favorites. Even if I don’t intend to follow Sexy witch for a full loop, I will almost always watch that dance. It’s beautiful and usually not super crowded 1st loop. Her duet with Fulton is amazing. Her duet with Speakeasy is amazing. Her bartop solo is amazing. Then you also get to see a lot of the major scenes, witches 1, ballroom, banquet, and the rave.

The fact that Kelly Todd was in the role was a no-brainer on how to start my night. I am so glad Kelly is back in the hotel. I have so much respect and admiration for her dancing and acting. She was clearly having a GREAT time that night. Audibly laughing her way up the back staircase and at points during the Banquo duet. During witches 1 when they are all by the hotel desk, Sexy leans back and extends her arms across the desk. I was standing behind another girl near the lights and guestbook. As she leaned back she smiled at the girl and whispered “Hi” before returning to the choreography. It was one of those small moments that was amazing to watch. I doubt many people even caught it. Ugh! Have I said how pleased I am that we all get to watch Kelly’s amazing performances again! After she wrapped her Speakeasy duet, she was off to high street before she stopped abruptly outside Malcolm’s office and took my hand. The phone rang and I was given a stern warning. After I hung up, she looked in my eyes for several seconds before taking my face in her hands and giving me a soft kiss on my mask. Then she was gone.

I am glad I afforded myself a loop of fun and flirtiness before I decided to head up to five because that is where I spent much of the remainder of my show. I did a bit of wandering and set admiring and wallowing. I watched the Matron for about an hour because I arrived toward the end of the chalking scene. I watched Stephanie Jean Lane do a lot of reading and writing. I think I saw her give 5 1:1′s. I watched the mirror dance which is about the point that my emotional stability started to crumble. I spent a lot of time outside the hut with my thoughts and feelings.

By the last time she opened the window before the next chalking scene, I had been there about 50 minutes or so which I didn’t know because it is impossible to keep track of time in the forest. She looked out into the forest and then looked down at me. She stared at me for several moments then reached her hand out the window to me. I took her hand as she continued to stare then she squeezed my hand and gave me a small, sad smile. This is not an interaction I had ever seen a Matron do so when she let go of my hand and started to fuss with her furniture I realized that I had been there a full loop and it was likely chalking time again. It then dawned on me that this was probably the international Sleep No More sign for “I see you, Iknow you are there, don’t go anywhere”. Sure enough, she locked up her hut and was off into the woods. It was a very slow walk. I think it always is but it seemed slower somehow. By the time we got to the chalkboard, there were silent tears running down my face. We had reached the emotional point of no return.

The 5th floor has always been a place that has attracted me. I don’t remember much of my first show. They tend to be a blur for most people. One thing I do remember is doing a lot of set exploration. It’s hard not to get drawn into the elaborate sets the designers have built. I ended up on the 5th floor, probably around the area with the laundry and I got really scared and nervous. The setting was too real and immersive and I remember getting a bit panicked and really wanting to leave the floor. It seems now so easy to navigate. The doors are on either end but I imagine I went from that middle area across to the room with the tubs. I saw the forest and (luckily) didn’t know how to get in. I went through the area with the beds. I didn’t realize there was a staircase around the corner and I think I eventually found my way back to the long hallway that leads to the stairs. I think it took me two shows after that to set foot on the floor again.

As I reflected back later on why that floor gave me such strong emotions, I connected it to a fear of hospitals and especially psychiatric wards. My last memory (which I am 90% sure is a real memory) of my aunt was going to visit her when she was committed to a psychiatric ward in the 1980′s. We went as a family. it was a nice day. We had a nice lunch with her. I was happy to see her. I was 5 and she lived with my family for a while when I was a kid. I remember the waiting area when we got there though and that was, in my kid memory, a very sterile, cold place. That was the summer or fall before my 6th birthday and the last time I ever saw my aunt. I later learned that she suffered from Schizophrenia and on my 6th birthday, while committed to a psychiatric ward, she hung herself. I don’t think it was a coincidence. I also don’t think it was my fault but it took me a long time to get there. When you are six, you can’t understand mental illness or the way it may impact someone’s perception of reality but it still affects me to this day.

Walking through those woods I felt that loss. I knew what was coming. The phrase “Who will hang them why the honest men” is ” is often assumed to be a question followed by a question. Who will hang them? Why the honest men? If you look at Macbeth, the quote comes from the text. It is a scene between Lady Macduff and her son. The son asks if his father was a traitor and Lady Macduff answers that he was and traitors must be hung. The son asks her, “Who must hang them?” and she replies, “Why the honest men.” The son then replies that if most men are liars and therefore traitors, they are also fools because they clearly outnumber the honest men so they would be fools to let themselves be hung. I’m not sure what exactly it is that resonates with me about those lines in relation to the story. Perhaps it’s the reality that we are all flawed, traitors at times. Perhaps it’s the fact of the matter that a child is quizzing his mother about his father’s flaws. Perhaps it’s the subject of death and hanging in general. Probably it’s a combination of them all with the additional layer of the Matron being an isolated (often sad) character that I relate to.

Needless to say, I am watching that scene with countless other audience members standing within arm’s length silently crying an overprocessing. We get back to the hut and the scene unfolds leaving a despondent looking Matron standing in the doorway looking out. She reached around another audience member to pull me in for tea time. God bless Stephanie Jean Lane. I often wonder what performers are thinking when people do odd things in the show and I have spent enough time creeping through the hole in the Matron’s hut to know, definitively, that crying during the 1:1 is not normal. God bless her for not flinching when I was on the verge of ugly crying. I am not a cryer. I don’t really cry in public for sure. I never cry in front of strangers. I have had a few moments in Sleep No More where I have been moved to a tear or two. I had one weird moment where Kae though it was Virginia’s Matron crying during the finale when I got her walk-out but it was me sobbing over how much I was going to miss the show going into our parenting stage of life. Then there is my birthday where I generally cry a bit but by myself in the set. NOT IN A 1:1. She was lovely. If I freaked her out, she didn’t show it.

I finished my ugly cry in the woods before returning to the bar to get a drink and regroup for a moment. It was the 3rd loop so I decided to go back in for the final 25 minutes. I briefly considered finishing the show with Lady Macduff then decided I really didn’t need to do that to myself so I decided to head back to the place I resonated with. If I want a walk-out, I usually want it to be with a character/actor that I spent a substantial amount of time with. It always makes it mean a bit more when you can really thank a performer for their performance. This show, that was obviously Matron. I was hoping I didn’t totally come off as a psychopath and that Stephanie would pick me for the walk-out. Could go either way! I knew I had to hustle to make it to the upper floors seeing as how they close first so I hurried to the concrete stairs. Already closed off. So I hustled back through the Manderley, through the lobby, and up the stairs to 3. Success! I cut across the floor and almost ran straight into the Nurse and Matron who were just entering the 3rd floor. I watched them solemnly tidy up the Macbeth’s quarters and then Matron came over and took my hand. We got to the mezzanine and it was so crowded that after about 3 attempts, Stephanie just ended up positioning me behind another girl who was short. It was the ending to the night I needed.

Hope that answered your question and thanks for the question that basically forced me to write a recap! Hahaha!!!

[wests-wow-gang]

Seratoph is Asked Questions by a Disembodied Voice

Art did by me but I’ll make some better stuff in the future i swear

BASICS

► Name ➔ “Seratoph. Just Seratoph. There are nicknames, but that’s basically it.”

► Are you single ➔ “Uh, y-yeah! I mean, I joke here and there, and I like thinking about it, but it’s nothing I actively search for. Maybe I’ll run into it some day.”

► Are you happy ➔ “It’s a weird mix. I’m dealing w-with a lot right now, but at the same time, I feel like my friends have my back. Emotionally and physically, th-that is.”

► Are you angry ➔ “Alright. Again, it’s a weird mix. Old gang showing up? P-Pisses me the hell off. And scares me. But again, friends help.”

► Are your parents still married ➔ “My birth parents? I don’t know, they can die in a hole in all h-honesty. My. . “ A deep, regretful sigh. “Old dad, Harph, was never married while I-I was with him.”

SEVEN FACTS

► Birth Place ➔ “Darkshore. Don’t remember it much. I-I probably am not going back.” 

► Hair Color ➔ “Purple, kinda. All natural.”

► Birthday ➔ “I remember it was in February! It was. . . O-Oh. Oh shit. . . Aww fuck when is my exact birthda--” A few moments pass. Probably just him going through a foolish panic. He eventually comes around. “Twenty-seventh. Let’s just say the twenty seventh.”

► Mood ➔ “Skeptical. I’m s-still on the lookout. I’m planning a strike against the Abandoned Moonlight. Making sure we weren’t followed from the first mission. B-But yeah. I’m just keeping an eye out.”

► Gender ➔ “I’m a boy. A very, very boy. . . B-Boy. I’m boy. Yeeeaaaaaaahhhhhh boooooyyyyyy. . .”

► Summer or winter ➔ “Winter. The wilds are beautiful, animals become more inclined t-to cuddle, and nights come sooner.”

► Morning or afternoon ➔ “Afternoon, p-probably. I like the night, but the sun’s out, just soaking on your skin. . . It’s the best.”

EIGHT THINGS ABOUT YOUR LOVE LIFE

► Are you in love ➔ “Not at the moment, but hey, a-again, still open to it if I happen on it.”

► Do you believe in love at first sight ➔ “I-I don’t know. Maybe at the moment, because I’m younger, yeah. But maybe when I’m a thousand or something, it’ll t-take more than just a look. But I do see some people sometimes, and I-I’m just thinking. . . Damn. You’d be nice t-to be held by next to a campfire. That’s very specific, b-but next question.”

► Who ended your last relationship ➔ “I-I’ve never had one before. I mean, non-romantic ones? The one with Harph ended because h-he thought I would be better off as an assassin and thief than as a kid!” A moment passes. “Okay. . . Deep breaths. . . Deep breaths. . .”

► Have you ever broken someone’s heart ➔ “Well, to bring up Harph again, yeah. He seemed pretty sad when me and my friends ditched him through a portal. I also broke his hand. With a blade. Wrist down. Th-Thought he’d be more pissed about that. . .”

► Are you afraid of commitments ➔ “I don’t know. So far, with all my problems, I just ran away. But I think the keg taught me th-that I need to face them sometimes. So I think that might’ve indirectly helped me w-warm up to that idea.”

► Have you hugged someone within the last week? ➔ “Yeah. Friends, family, friends-that-became-family. It feels good to be able to say that I’ve hugged someone. I-It makes me feel. . . Wanted? Which is great after going it solo for so long.”

► Have you ever had a secret admirer ➔ “No. But I’ve secret admired. Not like, intensely o-or with anyone I talk to. But as I have said earlier, once in a blue moon I-I’ll see someone who treats me and everyone nicely, and they look amazing, and they are amazing, and I’m j-just. . . Wow. How do y-you exist.”

► Have you ever broken your own heart? ➔ “I mean, I guess so. S-Set my expectations high, thought something was going to go my way. Then. . . Plop. Just a hard slap on th-the ground.”

FIVE CHOICES

► Love or lust ➔ “Love, probably. I mean, while I wouldn’t mind, y-you know. . . Having a special n-night some day. . . I think love takes priority.”

► Cats or Dogs ➔ “C-Cats. I love dogs as well, but cats have always been a comfort zone of mine. Both as an animal and as for my druid form.”

► A few best friends or many regular friends ➔ “A few best friends. Basically wh-what I have now, with a few familiar faces thrown in. I like my friends circle small. I feel closer t-to them, and more connected. And I know for a fact that th-they’re safe.”

► Wild night out or romantic night in ➔ “While the latter has it’s appeal. . . Wild night out. It’s a-always guaranteed fun.”

► Day or night ➔ “D-Do. . . Do I really need to answer this?”

FOUR HAVE YOU EVERS

► Been caught sneaking out ➔ “Well, with my old parents, no. The only time I snuck out w-was the one time they would never see me again. Then with Harph, no. Not only did he teach me how to sneak, b-but I never needed to sneak out. As long as I didn’t lead anyone back t-to where we were sleeping, I could leave whenever I wanted.”

► Fallen down/up the stairs ➔ “Like, once in a while? But I’m used to rough terrain, s-so not too often.”

► Wanted something/someone so badly it hurt? ➔ “Food, yeah. That’s when I st-started eating tree bark, which is consumable alongside meals, by the way, and i-it isn’t just me being a weird outsider! Other than that. . . Uhh. . . Friends. Th-That hurt. But I have that now.”

► Wanted to disappear ➔ “Well, yes. And t-technically, I did. For six years, before I eventually gutted up a-and walked up to the keg.”

FOUR PREFERENCES

► Smile or eyes ➔ “Uhhhh. . . Smile? I-I mean, I can read a smile more. And they usually mean someone’s happy. So when I see someone smile at me, I-I feel a bit better.”

► Shorter or Taller ➔ “If I had t-to choose, then taller. I don’t really mind, but something about someone wh-who’s just towering, but in a non-threatening way, m-makes me feel a bit safer. Like they’d be able to beat back anyone who tried to start something nearby.”

► Intelligence or Attraction ➔ “I g-guess. . . Intelligence? But not like, how long they were in school, or how many techniques they know by heart to put me in a ch-chokehold. More l-like, how well they know how to navigate life. And what they do with their experiences.”

► Hook-up or Relationship ➔ “Probably relationship. I-I mean, I guess the former has their place, but. . . Yeah. I think I’ve become more accustomed to relationships.”

FAMILY

► Do you and your family get along ➔ “The keg? Y-Yeah. My birth parents? No. Last th-thing I did to them was left them a note saying ‘fuck you, from Mr. Seratoph’ and smashing a window. Then with Harph. . . Well, last time I saw him before that m-mission, I cut off his hand. I have. . . Complicated relationships.”

► Would you say you have a “messed up life” ➔ “I mean, people have it worse, and it’s getting better. If my life only w-went until I was about thirty? Probably yeah, then. But I have thousands upon th-thousands of years ahead of me. The rest could treat me l-like royalty for all I know.”

► Have you ever ran away from home ➔ “. . . No. Never did. Why would I ever run away from-- By Elune yes I ran from home!”

► Have you ever gotten kicked out ➔ “I mean, unless if being kicked out after you ran away counts, th-then no. Also, I-I think I should use ‘fuck you, from Mr. Seratoph’ more often. Th-That was the coolest thing a twelve year old could have ever said.”

FRIENDS

► Do you secretly hate one of your friends ➔ “N-No. I’d bring it up to them before it g-got to that level. And if I did hate them, th-they’d know.”

► Do you consider all of your friends good friends ➔ “Y-Yeah! I really feel better when I’m around them, even if I was feeling good before.”

► Who is your best friend ➔ “Hmmmm. . . I-I mean, the other day, I was on a sugar high, and i-it was almost against my will about how much I thought Jax was a great friend. Pryn hired me as a bodyguard when I was low on jobs a-and just first getting into Stormwind. Ash and Jiira reluctantly took me in despite their better judgement, a-and basically helped kick off my new, better life. A-And they’re helping me now. Cel has b-been a great friend overall and I think sh-she’s really comforting to talk to and hang around.” He sighs, and rubs his face in frustration while trying to think. “G-Get back to me on that, one of these centuries.”

► Who knows everything about you ➔ “Cel, surprisingly. Sh-She’s really easy to vent to whenever sh-she’s willing to take it. Jax and Ash are also big players for th-that field. Kae as well, especially since she’s helped me get testosterone. Pryn was the one who recommended I talk to her about th-that.” 

I got tagged by @actionjaxkol who held me at gunpoint while asking me these questions and forced me to answer them in character.

I tag @engineermermaid, and @riizendraconis if they’d like to answer! (I’d tag more but Jax got’em. RIP)

[thesmollostbean3]

In a heartbeat headcanons

(GUYS WE HAVE REACHED 200 FOLLOWERS WOOP!!! Love all of you thank-you so so much! I will write what we are doing in celebration in another post, but since it is a little special occasion (it is a special occasion now!!) I am gonna write down stuff for “in a heartbeat” a short film that you have probably heard of and is so cute in so many ways oh my gosh. Me and Kae love it to death so here are some headcanons!! And later on might write a little one-shot thing. They are actually around my age so this should be really easy and fun to write for!!! Enjoy)

-Since they are around 13-14 I am gonna keep them in character for that in particular. (Should be easy as I relate a lot) -I am going to say one thing an done thing only that will make your heart melt. -picnic dates Yo. -Doesn’t even have to be with a picnic basket or anything just eating food together on the grass and blushing and laughing together. -Jonathon also blushing quite a bit to Sherwin’s surprise. -But both are still young, and are experiencing new things, so of course they are both nervous. -However now it is a more comfortable sweet nervous then before, it is more exciting and interesting. -soft relationship my dude. -You bet on the like, third picnic Jonathon asked if he could ruffle or play with Sherwin’s hair. -Sherwin was kinda surprised….but happy. -The feeling of someone playing with your hair is so nice though. -And he Sherwin is content as ever. -(Jonathon is so surprised because it is so curly and so soft!!!!) -Both blushing more than ever. -But sweet. -They are both still trying to discover who they are, after all age and stuff, emotions are getting more complicated and a larger understanding of the world around them makes them unsure. -I believe they are supportive of each other though. -They let each other vent, relax and they try to help as best as they can. -They care so much about each other, as the longer they date, the more they love about eachother. -I can see Sherwin stressing a lot over school work or family issues. -And Jonathon is right there for him, ready to help. -While it is an innocent, sweet relationship, and they are young, it doesn’t mean that it cannot mean a lot and be comforting to both sides. -Of course it is not going to be as mature as adult ones, however they can still care and help each other. -after all, like it was mentioned earlier, during this time of your life you are trying to figure out who you are and where you belong. -Things start becoming more real in terms of judgement, so to have someone to talk to an help you through this is a beautiful do important thing. -Now back to the headcanons… -Kisses on the cheek are kinda frequent. -They are short and cute and sweet. -Everything is quite slow in the relationship which is quite good for them. -I mean by this is that they don’t jump straight in, they hesitate and take things step by step. -I don’t think they would be big on pda at the start at all. -However after a bit of time (and when classmates may mature a bit….hopefully) just kisses on the cheek, hugging a bunch, etc. -OK can I just say. -One running joke with the whole floor is lava thing is that Sherwin knows the exact right times to say to make it the most inconvenient. -One time he said it in a park and Jonathon just scrambles up a tree as Sherwin quietly laughs. -I feel like Sherwin would need quite a lot of validation to know that Jonathon really does care about him. -And Jonathon notices this, and always make sure that Sherwin knows that hey, he does care for him and is there for him (apparently I am now Dr Seuss) -Everything is going to be ok. -On terms on Jonathon and his struggles I think eh may overwork himself. -Which is when Sherwin tells him that it is ok to have a break. -(followed by a mall date) -(treat Yo'self) -They grow really comfortable around each other and it is so cute. -Sherwin discovering that Jonathon is kind of a giant nerd and just is really passionate of so many things. -Jonathon realising that while Sherwin can basically learn any song by hearing to it once. -(It is like a damn talent he swears…) -Sitting under and on the tree in the film a bunch. -Like just imagine them sitting on it together, calm as ever. -Jonathon nearly falls asleep one time and Sherwin has to wake him up like. -Pls don’t sleep you are on a tree you will die -Them both getting extremely flustered yet loving it when the other kisses them. -They kinda get used to it but it is still new to them so I mean… -They are one of those couples that do the hand rubbing thing. -you know where they hold hands and one of them rubs the back of the other person’s hand with their thumb. -They are the definition of that. -When birthdays come around they both give the sweetest gifts it is uncanny. -Jonathon gives a bunch of homemade stuff like cookies and little crafts and stuff. -Sherwin in amazing at remembering little details of conversations so everytime Jonathon said that he liked or wanted something absentmindedly… -Sherwin remembers and gets every last thing. -Both such sweethearts. -By the way, piggy backs are a thing with them. -So sweet and so much fun!! -also laying one’s head on the others stomach is another thing with them. -napping together is a thing with them. -It is just so calming, and they love each other so much. -They take the cutest pictures. -I think that they might both be interested in photography and it is something they love talking about to each other. -Oh, also to end on a light note one time in winter Jonathon lent Sherwin his jumper as Sherwin was cold. -(to be fair Jonathon was also cold but he wanted to help his boyfriend so…) -Sherwin was bright red and just melted in it… -So soft!!! -Smell so nice!!! -Jonathon didn’t get the Jumper back for quite a while after that….

(To anyone who has not seen in a heartbeat, seriously I definitely recommend watching it!!! It is such a beautiful short film that is so sweet and emotional, that shows what it is like to have a first crush in this world we live in. It is beautiful and is only four minutes!!! Seriously please watch it, you will not regret it!)

-Ana

[jaboii]

Journal entry #3

Search for the case of the Malden Mills online.

1. Evaluate it in terms of ethics of care.

-In contrast to normal practice in an era of corporate downsizing and layoffs, Mr. Feuerstein told his employees on the night of the fire that they were the business and he was keeping all of them on the payroll for 90 days. It was an emotional moment. A man who worked at the plant told NBC, "I have never seen so many grown men cry."

Following the video, Dean Urban introduced Mr. Feuerstein.

At age 71, tall and lean with a chiseled face, penetrating eyes and wavy gray hair, Mr. Feuerstein is the patriarch of the family business that his grandfather founded at the turn of the century.

"I remember as a young boy, five or six years old, sitting at my father's table," he told the audience during the question-and-answer period. The discussion was about his grandfather who, when he started the business, insisted on paying his workers before sunset. His father explained that the practice was cited in the Torah, in the book of Deuteronomy (24: 14-15). Mr. Feuerstein read the passage in Hebrew and English.

"`You should not oppress the worker. He is poor and needy, whether he be thy brethren or a stranger'--and by stranger they meant all people, all faiths, all races," he said. "`And the very day of his work, you have to pay him his wages. And the sunset should not appear upon these unpaid wages because he can't afford it, and he would cry out against you to God, and you would have sinned.'"

Mr. Feuerstein condemned excessive pay to corporate CEOs, which he said was the result of "an unholy alliance between the moguls of Wall Street and executives with stock options."

He spoke as an advocate for research and development, for technology, for marketing and advertising, and for quality manufacturing.

The source of quality, he said, is the blue-collar workers, the doers--not just the engineers and the thinkers. "You can have the best engineers, the best R&D guy, the best technical expert, figure out how to get better quality. But in the last analysis, it is the man on the floor who is going to get that quality for you. If he feels he is a part of the enterprise and he feels he is treated the way he should be treated, he will go the extra mile to provide that quality."

`SAD COMMENTARY'

Entitling his talk "The People and the Community," he spoke principally as an advocate for an ethical policy towards employees and the community--to treat people the way "we expect them to treat us."

Mr. Feuerstein said, "A lot of the publicity I'm receiving is really not deserved. It is, rather, a sad reflection and commentary on our times.

"If you think of your business as a commodity business, that you are going to make the same thing as the next guy makes--that is a commodity marketplace. Then maybe one could argue that the only way to eke out a little more profit is to cut down on the hourly wages.

"Our vision of our business is not that we are in the commodity business. We want to distance ourselves as much as humanly possible from that commodity market. We are interested in making something different, to innovate, and with our research and development, and with our engineers, to make a product that is of better quality and has a better performance than anything else in the marketplace.

"If such is the case, then we are not into figuring out how to take the labor component and squeeze it by reducing the wages...

"We probably spend 10 times as much as the rest of our competitors put together on research and development. The ball game is in the marketing, the merchandising and the branding--in order to combine the better quality with a brand.

"We are probably spending 100 times more than our competitors on advertising. The brand is critically important. When the consumer goes to the store, how can he possibly know what he is buying--how can he give preference to Malden Mills and Polartec with our superior quality and performance--if there is no label, no advertising?"

A GIANT FIREBALL

Turning to a discussion of the fire, he described watching it in the midst of a terrible late-night traffic jam in Lawrence after a surprise 70th birthday party. "Everyone was gaping at the incredible scene--a veritable holocaust. Fire belching out of the windows of the old mill complex, joining together into a giant fireball covered by black smoke, going all the way up to heaven. What could one do in such a situation? It seemed hopeless.

"I held myself back. No time for crying, no time for weeping. As King Lear said, `Do you think I'll weep? No, I'll not weep. I have full cause of weeping but this heart shall break into a hundred thousand flaws or ere I'll weep.'

"Because," said Mr. Feuerstein, "the weeping is a way of feeling sorry for yourself," and one can't think creatively when weeping.

Three huge buildings were burning to the ground, even though Malden Mills had the latest fire-sensing devices and sprinkler system. "How it happened and what happened, we still don't know."

The fourth building, the critical building where the Polartec fleece is finished, was saved, Mr. Feuerstein said, by "a miracle. But as you know, every miracle is connected with people. Thirty-six of my people were in that building, fighting the fire all night long, and they succeeded," even when local and state fire officials said it was hopeless.

"I had to rebuild. There was no way I was going to take 3,000 people and throw them in the streets. And there was no way that I should be the one to condemn that community, which had suffered so much in the 20th century, to economic oblivion. No sir."

"Within four months we had 85 percent of the people back. Were it not for the slow payments of the insurance company, we would have over 100 percent back today."

The fourth plant, which prior to the fire had never produced more than 130,000 yards a week, is producing more than 200,000 yards of Polartec, he said.

Since the fire, "there's an extra responsibility on my shoulders because I acted the way that the people of America want corporate America to behave," Mr. Feuerstein said. The audience responded with immediate applause.

Mr. Feuerstein's talk, initiated by students in the Leaders for Manufacturing program, was sponsored by the Center for Technology, Policy and Industrial Development lecture series on Industry Leaders in Technology and Management.

2. how would the owner of malden mills kae his business decision if he was a utilitarian.

-First of all, remember that this was Aaron Feuerstein’s private company. He was not the agent of a set of shareholders. He had every right to do what he wanted, for his own reasons. I’m sure that if we asked him today he would still believe he did the right thing, the only thing. It satisfied him and his goals and values. It was a success.

3. what if he was just concerned of the rights.

-If we do have a quality product or service for which there is a decent market, then good ethics and good treatment of employees is without doubt a value added to the business that will contribute to the bottom line. Well-treated employees show up happier and more dedicated to company success. They steal less and work harder. Customers who receive what was promised to them and who are treated with respect will return more frequently for more business and recommend more friends to patronize the business. Anyone who needs a study to prove these common sense observations about the impact of good ethics on good business is beyond help.