Love Is A Strong Feeling - 923 Words

Love of a parents Love is a strong feeling, an attraction, a constant affection to another person. Love is also an emotional sentiment that a romantic relationship has. Although love is for two people to build up a relationship together, the love of unconditional ideal parents give to their children. The love of kindness, care and tenderness that a mother provides to raise children. The love of energy, strength and concern of a father allows children to learn and to receive the best support. Naturally, many parents want the best opportunities for their children but they take effort and time to reset rules to shape up a child’s discipline. In the same manner, my parents are the ones that raised me up, helped me in many obstacles and satisfied their life to bring my brother and me to the best future as it could be. There are differences between the instruction, care, and concern of a mother and a father, but both of their love is so clearly to view an unconditional love that it goes beyond infinities. My mother is the person that provides love through her appearances. Because of my mother raised my brother and me up, she would always giving love of fondness, obsession and compassion from her heart. For instance, when I was a little, my mother is the person that took care of me when I am sick, fed me up when I am hungry and stayed awake if I ever cry in the middle of the night. I called the endeavor of my mother â€Å"compassion’ because all she does is to give her children theShow MoreRelatedLove Is A Feeling Of Strong Or Constant Affection For A Person Essay1026 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Love is a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person†. People need love in their lives. It is not a thing that people think of first, but it will be the last thing people cherish. Loving can heal, and loving can hurt sometimes. But perhaps most important, love connects people together, and it helps people be strong to walk through a hard time. I remember the first time I heard people talking about love. It was so cheesy to hear about it. I only could imagine love was something specialRead MoreRomeo and Juliet Themes: Love889 Words   |  4 Pageshuge part of our culture today. The story of two star-crossed lovers, separated by an age-old family feud, which is eventually ended by the death of both Romeo and Juliet, is deeply embedded in our cultural psyche. It is an allegory, a story of true love and sacrifice, that continues to resonate throughout modern time. There is a great deal of social stigma attached to the story. People are very critical of Romeo and Juliet’s decisions. Also, people are inspired, interested, and influenced byRead MoreThe Varying Portrayals of Love in Marley and Me, Safe Haven, and Fireproof755 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout the media, love is defined in various manners. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, â€Å"love is defined as a strong feeling or constant affection for a p erson.† Love can be demonstrated between a family, a couple, or even a pet. Oftentimes, in the modern world, love is often mistaken for several meanings. In the movie, Marley Me, love is shown between an owner and its pet and the strong bond of love that they have for one another. Though, in the novel, Safe Haven, love is presented betweenRead MoreJane Eyre’s Transformation1301 Words   |  6 Pages and Tyra Banks, modern-day renowned television celebrities, are examples of strong, independent women who influence and inspire many people. In Charlotte Bronte’s novel Jane Eyre, the main character of Jane is an orphaned girl who feels abused and neglected living with the Reed family. As the story progresses and she gets older, she makes friends such as Helen Burns, the girl she met at Lowood, and sheds her feelings of loneliness. As she befriends more people, she overcomes her hesitant tendenciesRead MoreClose Reading of Sonnet Essay example1391 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Sonnet 116† written by William Shakespeare is focusing on the strength and true power of love. Love is a feeling that sustainable to alterations, that take place at certain points in life, and love is even stronger than a breakup because separation cannot eliminate feelings. The writer makes use of metaphors expressing love as a feeling of mind not just heart as young readers may see it. To Shakespeare love is an immortal felling that is similar to a mark on a person’s life. This sonnetRead MoreLove Is A Unique Attitude1039 Words   |  5 Pages Love passes various stages, and people associate the meaning of love in the terms of their own experiences. Even though, as everything has its advantages and disadvantages, most of people hear the word Love has in mind the positive attributes of the word. The Longman Dictionary stated that Love means to care very much about someone, especially a member of your family or a close friend (Love. Def. 1). An explanation of the meaning of love in this dictionary too tightly focuses on just oneRead MoreExplore the Way Shakespeare Present Strong Feelings in His Play, Much Ado About Nothing.1553 Words   |  7 PagesIn my opinion there are many different types or kinds of strong feelings, from hate to anger and romance to love. Shakespeare has and always will be one of the greatest writers of all time at expressing these types of feelings. Shakespeare portrays these in many different poetic styles and genres, for example in his sonnets. However he is also known for expressing his feelings towards love in over 30 of his plays through the genres of romantic comedy and tragedy. In one of his plays, â€Å"Much Ado AboutRead MoreLove Is A Strong Affection For A Person913 Words   |  4 PagesLove is used incorrectly in so many ways in today’s society. People think they know the true meaning when they do not. A lot of people also today will tell somebody they love them when they do not even mean it. The word is just thrown around and used like it has no meaning. Love to me is a strong passion and deep feeling for a person. When you love someone you are compassionate to them and are true and faithful. Some people have no clue what any of that is in today’s age. â€Å"Love is a strong affectionRead MoreRomeo and Juliet Love Essay814 Words   |  4 Pagesperson they love? Well in The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet written by William Shakespeare appears as a well-known plot with a twist ending on account of forbidden love. Two teenagers who come from different feuding families fall into love at first sight which always existed as forbidden since the families have hated each other since the beginning of time. The love comes off as so strong and powerful; it ends up killing them both with wrong information passed along. Since the strong feelings for one anotherRead MoreElizabeth Barrett Browning789 Words   |  4 PagesEmotions in â€Å"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways† by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Robert Frost said: â€Å"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words.† (Robert Frost) Emotions is the basis of poetry, which describe the main message of it and the authors purpose. In â€Å"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways†, by Elizabeth Barrett Browning, the author expresses her tremulous feelings to her husband Robert Browning by using strong emotions that allows her to produce

Young Goodman Brown the Downfall of Young Goodman Brown

Young Goodman Brown: The Downfall of Young Goodman Brown Young Goodman Brown, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, is a story that is thick with allegory. Young Goodman Brown is a moral story which is told through the perversion of a religious leader. In Young Goodman Brown, Goodman Brown is a Puritan minister who lets his excessive pride in himself interfere with his relations with the community after he meets with the devil, and causes him to live the life of an exile in his own community. Young Goodman Brown begins when Faith, Browns wife, asks him not to go on an errand. Goodman Brown says to his love and (my) Faith that this one night I must tarry away from thee. When he says his love and his Faith, he is talking†¦show more content†¦The suggestion that the woman in question is his Faith, and because of this, he easily loses his faith. Goodman Brown then loses all of his inhibitions and begins to laugh insanely. He takes hold of the staff which causes him to seem to fly along the forest-path. This image alludes to that of Adam and Eve being led out of the Garden of Eden as is Goodman Brown being led out of his utopia by the Devils snakelike staff. Hawthorne at this point remarks about the instinct that guides mortal man to evil. This is a direct statement from the author that he believes that mans natural inclination is to lean to evil than good. Goodman Brown had at this point lost his faith in God, therefore there was nothing restraining his instincts from moving towards evil because he had been lead out from his utopian image of society. At this point, Goodman Brown goes mad and challenges evil. He feels that he will be the downfall of evil and that he is strong enough to overcome it all. This is another demonstration of Browns excessive pride and arrogance. He believes that he is better than everyone else in that he alone can destroy evil. Brown then comes upon the ceremony which is setup like a perverted Puritan temple. The altar was a rock in the middle of the congregation andShow MoreRelatedCharacter Comparison of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and the â€Å"Lottery†967 Words   |  4 PagesCharacter Comparison of â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and the â€Å"Lottery† . Mathew Speakman English 102 Professor Katie Robinson July 15, 2012 Thesis Statement: In Nathaniel Hawthornes â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and Shirley Jacksons â€Å"The Lottery†, we are given a picture of seemingly normal people who are capable of incredible evil. Outline: Opening mood in both stories a. Goodman Browns sets out on a walk in the forest, but knows that evil awaits him. b. TheRead More Analysis of Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown Essay1517 Words   |  7 Pages Analysis of Young Goodman Brown nbsp; Young Goodman Brown by Nathanial Hawthorne is a short story that is very interesting, as well as entertaining. This essay will first provide a brief summary of the story, followed by an analysis of the importance of symbolism. The nature of evil will then be discussed as it relates to the control of the mind of a once naive and innocent goodman Brown. The climax of the story will be analyzed and the evil within this passage will be discussed and relatedRead MoreShort Story Analysis: Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne851 Words   |  3 Pagesï » ¿Young Goodman Brown, by Nathaniel Hawthorne Introduction Hawthornes short story Young Goodman Brown is a tale of innocence lost. Set in New England during the Puritan era, the protagonist, Goodman Brown, goes for a walk in the woods one night and meets the devil who tells him. Evil is the nature of mankind. Evil must be your only happiness. Welcome again, to the communion of your race. According to Levin this story is a condemnation of the hypocrisy of the puritan ethic. The Salem witch trialsRead MoreThe Downfall Of A Christian Man972 Words   |  4 PagesThe Downfall of a Christian Man Evil is defined as profound immorality, wickedness, and depravity. Evil can take over and control someone if they surround their self and give in to the devilish temptations. Over a period of time evil can change a person to eventually become the person they said they would never be. In â€Å"Young Goodman Brown†, Goodman Brown starts off a very good Christian man and goes on a walk through the forest leaving behind his wife Faith for the night. Goodman Brown stubblesRead MorePoint of View in Young Goodman Brown Essay818 Words   |  4 PagesIn Nathaniel Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown, the story is told from a limited omniscient third-person narrator point of view. Limited omniscient third-person narrator means that the focal point of the story is limited to one character. This technique works well with the story because it allows the narrator to portray what Goodman Brown is doing, and also allows him to assess and remark on Goodman Browns doings throughout the story. Somet imes this method is used to convey the beliefs of the authorRead MoreHawthorne s Young Goodman Brown899 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and the Road to Hell In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story, â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† he explores the downfall of the spirit of Goodman Brown and destroys the innocence and predestination of the title character by taking him down the metaphorical road to Hell. The road in the story passes into the forest surrounding Salem Village, and Hawthorne expresses the Puritan conclusion of all things evil to be found in the woods with the quote, â€Å"Come witch, come wizard, come Indian powwowRead MoreAnalysis Of Hawthorne s The Man s Fall 1438 Words   |  6 Pagescrisis. Goodman Brown’s decision is ambiguous to his audience because it is a revelation of his new life and that of his townspeople. He issues a stern warning regarding the dangers of an out-of-control religion by using symbolic influence in idea development. The literature criticism proves the need for a multi-pronged comprehensive critical approach to the story for an adequate comprehension of numerous layers of Hawthorneâ €™s allegory that he communicates accordingly. Young Goodman Brown has a historyRead MoreCompare And Contrast Scarlet Letter And Young Goodman Brown1485 Words   |  6 Pageshumiliate her and Goodman Brown’s hopelessness after seeing people he trusts conversing with the devil. In Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, Hester gains a new strength from the letter A after recognizing the evil nature of Puritan society. Whereas in Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† witnessing Puritan’s hypocrisy first hand, Goodman Brown falls into despair and confusing. Although depicted in different lights, Hawthorne’s characters in The Scarlet Letter and â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† ultimately revealRead MoreThe Puritan Influence in Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne451 Words   |  2 PagesThe Puritan Influence in Young Goodman Brown by Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† (repr. in Thomas R. Arp, and Greg Johnson, Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense, 8th ed. [Fort Worth: Harcourt, 2002] 316) is a short story with strong Puritan influence. Puritanism is a religion demanding strict moral conduct and strong faith. Puritans held that Christians should do only what the Bible commanded. Analyzing â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† is dependant upon understandingRead MoreComparison Of Young Goodman Brown And The Yellow Wallpaper1211 Words   |  5 Pages In the two short stories, â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† and The Yellow Wallpaper, † both protagonists, Goodman Brown and Jane’s obsession over an idea ultimately leads to their realization of their ‘failed’ judgement and the formation of a new opinion, which consequently results in the deterioration of their mental well-being. To begin, in â€Å"Young Goodman Brown,† Brown’s beli efs are tested to the fullest extent when he discovers that his wife, Faith has succumbed to the involvement of witchcraft. Brown’s

Analyzing The Compensation Programs Of The Royal Bank Of Canada

Question: Discuss about the Analyzing The Compensation Programs Of The Royal Bank Of Canada. Answer: Introduction The report helps in analyzing the compensation programs of the Royal Bank of Canada along with proper determination of the rate of pay of new hires with the existing staffs in the company in order to properly ensure internal equity. The different process that is used by the company has to be analyzed as well as this will help in ensuring that the compensation is aligned with the external equity. The main aim of the report is to understand the different benefits that are received by the employees for working with the respective organization. The report helps in understanding the effectiveness of the compensation program in the company. The main purpose of the report is to understand the different kinds of benefits that are received from the organization. The structure will be based on the analysis of the rate of new hires in the company along with understanding the different benefits that is received by the employees or working with the respective organization. Proper analysis has to be done on the analysis of the compensation program with the help of Likert scale and proper recommendations has to be provided to the company in order to improve the compensation program. Background of Royal Bank of Canada The Royal Bank of Canada is Canadian multinational company that is related to financial services and this is the second largest bank in Canada. The respective bank is serving more than 16 million clients as well as 80,000 employees worldwide as well. The corporate headquarter of the company is situated in Quebec and the bank was founded in the year 1864 in Nova Scotia ("Personal and Business Banking Services - RBC Royal Bank", 2017). The function of the Royal Bank of Canada is banking with the commercial and personal operations and it has serves more than sixteen million clients through the network of more than 1200 branches. There are more than 80,000 employees who are working the respective bank and it is providing cross border services to the Canadian travelers and expats. The employees who are working with Royal Bank of Canada are highly educated and they are having proper knowledge about the financial services that has to be performed by the organization. The location of the Royal Bank of Canada is situated at 700 Place d'Youville, Ville de Qubec, Canada. Evaluation of rate of pay for new hires and existing employees Salary range is the pay range that is decided by the different employers in Royal Bank of Canada with the performance of a particular function or job. The range of salary is determined with the help of pay rates of market that depends on the knowledge and skills of the employees in the organization. There are different companies wherein the compensation strategy is based on the level of experience of the employees as well as there are different differentiations in the salary that is provided to the employees who are working in the organization for many years (Baxter et al., 2014). In Royal Bank of Canada, the evaluation of the pay rate is dependent on several internal equity factors: Proper fairness perception wherein the culture of the organization is an essential factor and this will help in proper development and maintenance of the fairness culture as well (Feldman, 2016). When the different employees are getting equally paid for different kinds of employees in the organization, it means that the management is fair to the employees. In Royal Bank of Canada, there is proper perception of fairness as the employees respect the higher officials as they are fair to the employees and the employees listen to the guidance as this will help in proper achievement of the tasks as well (Pepper Gore, 2015). Proper reduction in exposure to discrimination is wherein the higher officials of the respective bank will provide proper emphasis on the internal equity. This will offer proper protection against the lawsuits related to discrimination (Belghitar Clark, 2014). The higher officials of the bank has to pay equally to the different employees who are performing same kind of tasks in the company as this will reduce the risk of discrimination among the employees. With the help of proper internal equity, this will help in reducing the risk of salary discrimination among the employees (Kaspin, Gorman Miller, 2013) Consistent and proper standards is properly maintained by the respective bank as proper consistent standards are met by the higher officials of the company in providing salary to the employees (Coles, Daniel Naveen, 2013). While conducting a proper analysis of the job, proper abilities as well as responsibilities are required in understanding the different positions of the employees in the workplace. This will make the entire task much easier in nature for paying them fairly (Bodnar et al., 2016). This is helping in motivating the employees in the workplace and this helps in improving the performance. Processes used by company in ensuring compensation is aligned to marketplace Royal Bank of Canada has to properly keep up with the competition in the marketplace as this will help them in motivating the employees and making them work for the respective company (Gormley, Matsa Milbourn, 2013). This is done because the employees may resign and work for other companies where the salary is higher than the previous one and this will help them in performing well (Rahmana, 2016). Royal Bank of Canada has to help with the negotiation as when the employees are working for a particular time, it is essential for the company to properly understand the work performed by individuals and ask for raise in salary as well. Royal Bank of Canada has to understand the pay structure of other companies in the competitive market as this will help in retaining the employees in the workplace (Osibanjoet al., 2014). Royal Bank of Canada has to perform competitive pricing as this will help in keeping the salary in line with the competitors in the competitive market. The wages that are paid to the employees by the company is ultimately priced into different products as well as services. Royal Bank of Canada has to stand in competition with other companies as this will help them in competiting properly in the market (Pathak, Hoskisson Johnson, 2014) Lastly, Royal Bank of Canada has to conduct proper researching as this will help them in staying on the top of the market. Proper market research has to be conducted by the company as this will help in figuring out the position of other companies. Proper conducting of the research in the market will help Royal Bank of Canada stay in the top of the list (Liao Hsu, 2013). Benefits received by employees in Royal Bank of Canada There are different kinds of benefits that are received by the employees in the respective bank. The Royal Bank of Canada is providing different benefits that include: Elder and child care benefits is provided in the respective bank as this is one of the essential benefits that are required by the employees who are working in the organizations (Kuratko, Covin Hornsby, 2014) Compensation time is available in Royal Bank of Canada as the employees who work for extra hours in the company are paid extra benefits and payments or there are other benefits such as take up to an hour off as this will motivate the employees. Family and friendly benefits are provided to the employees of the respective bank wherein the employees are provided with a paid leave in order to visit the family when he/she is staying away from family members and creating their own schedules for work as well (Larcker, McCall Ormazabal, 2015). Flex time is available in Royal Bank of Canada as well as this will help in providing the employees flexi timing and this will provide the employees proper motivation for performing the job and delivering it on time as well (Gupta Shaw, 2014). Health insurance is the standard benefit that is provided to the employees as this provides option that will act as benefit to the employees of the organization. Personal and parental leave is followed by Royal Bank of Canada wherein the employees are provided with three months of paid leave for family or personal issues or illness and this will help in motivating the employees to perform better in the organization as well. Overall effectiveness of compensation program Questions Completely Ineffective (1) Effective (2) Neutral (3) Perfect (4) Absolutely perfect (5) Overall effectiveness in compensation program You are satisfied and happy with the compensation program You are happy regarding the associate works I receive the correct amount of salary for the work performed by me I feel that the benefits provided to me is not up to the mark I feel I require proper gain in the salary as per my performance I feel more training programs has to be organized in order to make the employees effective in nature Table 1: Overall effectiveness of compensation program in Royal Bank of Canada (Source: Created by author) From the table, it can be analyzed that proper effectiveness is required in the compensation programs that are conducted by the Royal Bank of Canada as this will help in analyzing the different kind of issues that are faced by the individuals in the workplace. The salary that is being provided to the employees in the workplace has to be revised as this will help the respective company in standing out in the crowd and this will help in being more effective in nature as well. The other companies in the competitive market provide other benefits in the company that is not provided to the employees in the Royal Bank of Canada and proper strategies has to be implemented as this will the company to motivate the employees. The respective bank can offer more than a paycheck to the employees as this will help in improving the strategy of compensation. There should be proper activities that will help in promotion of employees as this will help in motivating employees. Recommendations Therefore, it can be recommended that Royal Bank of Canada needs to implement proper strategies relating to compensation of the employees. The respective company needs to provide promotions that are related to the performance of the employees as this will help in providing motivation to the employees and this will help in motivating the employees. Royal Bank of Canada has to properly develop proper range of salary for different employees and the employees who are performing equally has to be paid equally as well as this will help in providing motivation to the employees in the workplace. Proper performance management system has to be incorporated by Royal Bank of Canada as this will help them in providing proper competition to other companies and this will help them in performing better as well. References Baxter, S., Sanderson, K., Venn, A. J., Blizzard, C. L., Palmer, A. J. (2014). The relationship between return on investment and quality of study methodology in workplace health promotion programs.American Journal of Health Promotion,28(6), 347-363. Belghitar, Y., Clark, E. (2014). CONVEXITY, MAGNIFICATION, AND TRANSLATION: THE EFFECT OF MANAGERIAL OPTION?BASED COMPENSATION ON CORPORATE CASH HOLDINGS.Journal of Financial Research,37(2), 191-210. Bodnar, G. M., Giambona, E., Graham, J. R., Harvey, C. R. (2016). A view inside corporate risk management. Coles, J. L., Daniel, N. D., Naveen, L. (2013). Calculation of compensation incentives and firm-related wealth using Execucomp: Data, program, and explanation. Feldman, E. R. (2016). Managerial compensation and corporate spinoffs.Strategic Management Journal,37(10), 2011-2030. Gormley, T. A., Matsa, D. A., Milbourn, T. (2013). CEO compensation and corporate risk: Evidence from a natural experiment.Journal of Accounting and Economics,56(2), 79-101. Gupta, N., Shaw, J. D. (2014). Employee compensation: The neglected area of HRM research.Human Resource Management Review,24(1), 1-4. Kaspin, L. C., Gorman, K. M., Miller, R. M. (2013). Systematic review of employer-sponsored wellness strategies and their economic and health-related outcomes.Population health management,16(1), 14-21. Kuratko, D. F., Covin, J. G., Hornsby, J. S. (2014). Why implementing corporate innovation is so difficult.Business Horizons,57(5), 647-655. Larcker, D. F., McCall, A. L., Ormazabal, G. (2015). Outsourcing shareholder voting to proxy advisory firms.The Journal of Law and Economics,58(1), 173-204. Liao, C. H., Hsu, A. W. H. (2013). Common membership and effective corporate governance: Evidence from audit and compensation committees.Corporate Governance: An International Review,21(1), 79-92. Osibanjo, A. O., Adeniji, A. A., Falola, H. O., Heirsmac, P. T. (2014). Compensation packages: a strategic tool for employees' performance and retention.Leonardo Journal of Sciences, (25), 65-84. Pathak, S., Hoskisson, R. E., Johnson, R. A. (2014). Settling up in CEO compensation: The impact of divestiture intensity and contextual factors in refocusing firms.Strategic Management Journal,35(8), 1124-1143. Pepper, A., Gore, J. (2015). Behavioral agency theory: New foundations for theorizing about executive compensation.Journal of management,41(4), 1045-1068. Personal and Business Banking Services - RBC Royal Bank. (2017). Rbcroyalbank.com. Retrieved 20 November 2017, from https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/ Rahmana, D. M. (2016). Investor sentiment, Executive compensation, and Investment-Some International evidence: A Pitch.Accounting and Management Information Systems,15(2), 428.

Pink - Can#39t Take Me Home free essay sample

With her strong sense of self, gripping lyrics and one ofthe best producers in the music business, it seems that Pink has a winning albumon her hands. Pink is a native of Philadelphia, where she was aregular at many clubs. At 14, she first sang backup in a friends rap group andthen with a short-lived group, Basic Instinct. When they broke up, Pink joined agroup called Choice. Choice was signed to LaFace records, but didnt staytogether long enough to record an album. Pinks association with LaFace recordsproved successful, though, and she recorded her debut album Cant Take MeHome with them. This CD has such incredibly profound lyrics you cantell at once the artist put her own personality in each song. In MostGirls, Pink sings about looking for someone to fall in love with.There You Go is about breaking up with a boyfriend. With theartists great lyrics and attitude to match, this CD is unbelievable. We will write a custom essay sample on Pink Can#39t Take Me Home or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Any girlcan relate to Pinks lyrics and style of music. This CD has love songs andbroken-heart songs. It is the perfect blend of attitude and feeling. Pink emits asort of power to women everywhere. I recommend Cant Take Me Home toany woman who feels strongly about her emotions.

Culture in America

Culture in America Culture The linguistic and cultural study of the Indians started in mid-nineteenth century; however, the classifications were based mainly on genetically defined linguistic families or stock, without paying attention to culture (Sturtevant and DeMallie, 20001, p. 1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Culture in America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The American Indian culture is classified into geographical areas based on the U.S. National museum displays, with the plains Indians being artists by nature – for instance, the women painted their belongings for easy identification (Sturtevant and DeMallie, 20001, p. 9). According to Johnston (2006, p.9), the maintenance of the Native American art is suggested to aid students in maintaining their sense of belonging as well as attaining economic independence. In addition, racial characteristics of American Indian mystical views are said to be engraved in the Americ an culture, and are evident both in early European settler’s writings and in contemporary media. Indeed, the Indian culture is termed as a genuine virtue, which the non-Indians should strive to achieve (Snipp, 1989, p.29). This paper will discuss the Native American culture, as well as provide a comparison with the deaf culture. Some cultural aspects of Native American culture Art Art is one of the main fields that were used to incorporate the native Indians into the modern world mainstream. Art is a cultural tradition of the Indians and its interest to the non-Indians has made it to be easily incorporated into the modern mainstream as compared to other Indian cultures like dancing and hunting that are considered uncivilized. In addition, art is an unimpeachably refined pursuit as demonstrated by handcraft projects of reformers’ (Johnston, 2006, p. 200). According to DeCora, â€Å"the artistic talent was inbred in Native Americans,† while the art skill is associ ated with the native’s superior understanding of the surrounding environment (Johnston, 2006, p. 203). Cradleboards and moccasins are some of the traditional handicrafts that were suggested to be of high quality as compared to Euro-American manufacture products. Apart from the high standards of quality attained from products of Native American art, the contemporary artists working in literary fields is a source of pride (Johnston, 2006, p. 203) Survival According to Belgrad, the American Indian is branded as a positive symbol of survival in times of hardships that are oppressive mainly due to the endurance of the war in Europe and the continuing depression.Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is suggested that the American Indian had proved an outstanding ability to cope with the surrounding environment in order to construct a well-managed community and a high c ulture in harsh environment. Indeed, these are some of the achievements that are commonly known and the contribute in defining an Indian’s place in the society (Belgrad, 1998, p.54) Symbols Native Americans culture is comprised of symbols that entail symbolic meanings. In 1940s Pollock’s work, the Inuit mask had a symbolic meaning and was purposely for effecting the dancer’s transformation into a spirit (Belgrad, 1998, p.66). Adaptive Belgrad asserts that several Indian painters converted into the alternative painting style of John Herrera as a solution to the commercialism of studio style. In addition, these artists sought to psychologically and socially create meaningful works by incorporating traditional cultures into present (Belgrad, 1998, p.69 and 70). Culture of the deaf The culture of the deaf is surrounded by beliefs and practices that mainly evolve around the sign language in day-to-day life, a characteristic that distinguish a deaf person from a heari ng person. The hard-of-hearing people are the people who lost their hearing abilities late in life, and though they do not use sign languages, they use various adaptive communications. The deaf people are categorized differently, from the definitely deaf people to the ones who hear nearly well (Padden, Humphries, 2005, p.1). Language rights are also some of the major issues that the deaf people are fighting for, as they dislike to be viewed as medical objects; indeed, the modern deaf life is full of battles against dominance and control (Padden, Humphries, 2005, p.9). In professional industry, the ‘deaf middle class’ has existed in the USA for a period of time although the situation is different in UK mainly as evidenced by the fact that barely a dozen deaf professionals could be accounted for by the year 1976 (Ladd, 2003, p.184) Similarities between Native American Culture and Culture of the Deaf Adaptive: The two cultures, the Indian culture and the deaf culture, are both adaptive in nature. The Indians were adaptive by incorporating their native painting techniques into the modern style, while the deaf practices of seeing on the other hand are not logical and natural, instead, they have been heightened (Padden, Humphries, 2005, p.2). In addition to this, the hard-hearing people are said to use various adaptive communication methods (Padden, Humphries, 2005, p.1).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Culture in America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Symbols and signs: Both cultures possess symbols or signs that represent a particular meaning. The Indian Americans for instance used particular masks to symbolize the transformation of the dancer to the spirit form (Belgrad, 1998, p.66); while on the other hand, the deaf culture used the sign language to communicate (Padden, Humphries, 2005, p.2). Struggle: The element of struggle is depicted clearly in both cultures. The Indian Americ ans struggle to have their culture, which is termed primitive, to be recognized while the deaf are said to have day-to-day battles against dominance and control (Padden, Humphries, 2005, p.9). Distinctions between Native American Culture and Culture of the Deaf Attainment of culture: Both cultures are different in the sense that the Indian American culture is mainly attained because of naturally being born in the Native society while the deaf culture is attained due to hearing disabilities of a person. Passage of the practices: The passage of the practices is different in both cultures; for instance, in the Indian American culture, the practices are passed to a person through collective Indian community participation, while in the deaf culture, the practices are passed on in specialized institutions (Padden and Humphries, 2005, p.29) Conclusion The Indian culture and the deaf culture are both cultures that are still present in the contemporary America. Although the native Indian pra ctices have been diluted by modern world, that does not mean the culture has ceased to exist. The deaf culture on the other hand has improved with modern ways of communicating in different languages using the sign language. Moreover, the Indian culture is still eminent in the modern America media. It is presence in the origin of America is evident in the early European settlers. References Belgrad, D. (1998). The culture of spontaneity: Improvisation and the Arts in postwar America. Available from https://books.google.com/books?id=Gbz5QTegbRYCpg=PA275dq=modern+culture+of+american+indianshl=enei=c46tTPHwB8GK4QaCzd34Bgsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=4ved=0CDwQ6AEwAw#v=onepageq=modern%20culture%20of%20american%20indiansf=false. Johnston, A. P. (2006). Seeing high low: Representing social conflict in American visual culture. Available from https://books.google.com/books?id=zpAhjXHBm3kCpg=PA206dq=modern+culture+of+american+indianshl=enei=c46tTPHwB8GK4QaCzd34Bgsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resu ltresnum=7ved=0CEwQ6AEwBg#v=onepageq=modern%20culture%20of%20american%20indiansf=false.Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Ladd, P. (2003). Understanding the deaf culture: In search of deafhood. Available from https://books.google.com/books?id=Pr649oNCaSMCprintsec=frontcoverdq=deaf+culturesource=blots=sz4lQG_J_ksig=3prNAv_6umgyCcw4w9q-tOlmBBwhl=enei=G2itTILFC9CQswbXsvC-DQsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=16ved=0CE8Q6AEwDw#v=onepageqf=false. Padden, C, Humphries, l. T (2005). Inside deaf culture. Available from https://books.google.com/books?id=2B4XWIFPgowCprintsec=frontcoverdq=deaf+culturesource=blots=Fm6Vbucm8gsig=GpMPiPgo2MTD4fPrwzp5uuZ1e7Ahl=enei=G2itTILFC9CQswbXsvC-DQsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=13ved=0CEMQ6AEwDA#v=onepageqf=false. Snipp, C. M, (1989). American Indians: The first of his land. Available from https://books.google.com/books?id=E0CsvVoVA90Cpg=PA30dq=culture+of+american+indianshl=enei=CIGtTLjRM4yD4QaBndH0Bgsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=1ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepageq=culture%20of%20american%20indiansf=false. Sturtevant, C. W, DeMallie, J. R. (2001). Handbook of North American Indian s. Available from https://books.google.com/books?id=koQZmtDMbX8Cpg=PA2dq=culture+of+american+indianshl=enei=CIGtTLjRM4yD4QaBndH0Bgsa=Xoi=book_resultct=resultresnum=4ved=0CD0Q6AEwAw#v=onepageq=culture%20of%20american%20indiansf=false.

Why You Keep Failing Your Exams.

Why You Keep Failing Your Exams. You Start Studying Too Late. Whether or not you want to hear it, it takes months to prepare adequately and score really well on a test like the ACT, SAT, GRE and other standardized, high-stakes test. Why? They do not simply test your content knowledge, which could theoretically be crammed into your head a week before the test. (i.e. Who was Ronald Reagans press secretary? How do you say the word, eradicate in French?) Standardized tests often measure your ability to reason. Predict. Infer. Draw conclusions. And in your everyday, regular school life, you may not be practicing those skills. So, in order to get better at them, you need to brush up on them early and often. Repetition is key and cannot be mimicked the week prior to the test. Fix It: Get a study schedule put together several months before your exam. Write down study times into your calendar and commit yourself to them firmly. Let go of the idea that you can wing it and get the score youd like. I promise youll be grateful for prepping early for your major test! You Dont Prepare in a Way That Suits Your Learning Style This may be news to you, but everyone learns in different ways. Some people learn material really well sitting at a desk in a quiet corner, rehashing all their notes with headphones set to white noise. Other people learn best in a group! They want to be quizzed by friends, laughing and joking along the way. Still others prefer to type all their notes over again while they play a recorded lecture of the class review. If youre trying to force yourself to learn in a way that doesnt suit your learning style, youll doom yourself to fail your exams. Fix It: Take the learning styles quiz. Sure, its anecdotal and not 100% scientific, but it may help give you an idea about how you learn best. Find out if youre a visual, kinesthetic or auditory learner and prepare in a way that can actually help you learn. You Dont Learn the Ins and Outs of Your Exam Did you know that the ACT is very different from the SAT? Your vocabulary quiz is going to be an incredibly different type of test than your midterm exam. Perhaps youre failing your exams because you havent quite caught on that you need to prepare in different ways for different kinds of tests. Fix It: If youre taking a test in school, find out from your teacher the type of exam it will be – multiple choice? Essay? Youll prepare differently if so. Get a test prep book for the ACT or SAT and learn the strategies for each test. Youll save time (which leads to earning more points) by familiarizing yourself with the test content prior to testing.    You Pressure Yourself. Nothing is worse than test anxiety. Well, maybe childbirth. Or being eaten by sharks. But mostly, nothing is worse than test anxiety. For days before the test you can think of nothing else. You pressure yourself straight into hives. Youve decided that nothing – NOTHING – matters except a perfect score and youve sweated and cursed and hoped and despaired over your upcoming exam. And after having taken the exam, you realize that your score was absolutely awful and you wonder what you couldve done differently. Fix It: Practice steps to overcome test anxiety from your desk right before the exam. If that doesnt help, draw a timeline of your imagined life. (Birth – Death at 115 years old.) Place major events on it: first learned to walk; lost a grandparent; got married; the births of your 17 children; won the Nobel prize. Now, place a tiny dot of your test date on your timeline. Doesnt seem so enormous, now does it? Although a test can make you fraught with nerves, it helps to put it into perspective. Will you remember it on your deathbed? Highly unlikely. Youve Labeled Yourself a Bad Test-Taker Right now – this minute – stop calling yourself a poor test-taker. That label, called a  cognitive distortion, does more harm than you know! Whatever you believe yourself to be you  will become. Even if youve taken  and failed  tests in the past, your future testing self is not a guaranteed failure. Figure out the mistakes you made on those tests in the past (Maybe you didnt study? Perhaps you didnt sleep enough? Maybe you didnt learn the test strategy?) and give yourself the chance to rock this test by preparing. Fix It:  At least 30 days prior to the exam, write the words, Im a great test-taker! on post-its and stick them everywhere - your bathroom mirror, the dashboard of your car, the inside of your binder for school. Nerdy, but totally worth it. Write it on the back of your hand. Make it your screensaver and your computer password. Live it for the next month and watch your brain slowly begin to overcome the label youve given yourself in the past.

Outsourcing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Outsourcing - Essay Example The wings are built in Japan, the seat upholstery and fabric in Russia, interior amenities in China etc. With regards to agreeing or disagreeing with the means of production that Boeing has chosen, it is the opinion of this author that such is a necessity to stay solvent and competitive in the current world economic model (Raassens et al 690). Although we may not like the result of outsourcing, the fact of the matter is that firms such as Boeing are forced to compete with government subsidized companies such as Airbus for world market penetration (Maidment 44). Boeing, a non-government subsidized firm must necessarily seek out each and every advantage it can find as a means of providing itself with a model to sell its product and continue to say solvent, relevant, and profitable. Hubbard, Thomas. "Chicago business Online." Is Outsourcing Really to Blame for the 787 Fiasco. N.p., 25  Jan.  2013. Web. 25  Jan.  2013. . Raassens, Nà ©omie, Stefan Wuyts, and Inge Geyskens. "The Market Valuation Of Outsourcing New Product Development." Journal Of Marketing Research (JMR) 49.5 (2012): 682-695. Business Source Premier. Web. 26 Jan.

History of Printing Press and its Current Usage Research Paper

History of Printing Press and its Current Usage - Research Paper Example Printing in that era involved duplication of images, which were known as cylinder seals and involved trolling an impression of a certain image on tablets that were made up of clay. This was common among the Mesopotamia people who enjoyed civilization as early as 300bc. These people relied on the works of art for their livelihoods. Their works involved beautiful and complex images, which they would sell to trade partners. The use of printing in other countries such as china and Egypt was also practiced whereby they use small stamps to seal their proceeds of large blocks. In other countries such as India and most counties of Europe, the use of printing involved cloths and was widely practiced before they would turn to printing papers. An example of these countries in Europe was papyrus and Germany. Printing of images in clothes was mostly done using silk. This was practiced up to the seventeenth century.1 The history of printing can be traced back to areas given by in different stages. One of the foremost stages was the use of block printing. This is a technique that involves printing texts, patterns or images and was a common way of printing in Europe and East Asia whereby in Asia it was used on textiles under the influence of the Buddhism. In Europe, the art of printing was known as woodcut, which was used on paper to cover art team, with the exception of block-ups, which were mainly produced in the fifteenth century. The majority Christian Europe on cloths practiced the use of printing in Europe. This trend was common in the 1300s. They used these printings on cloths for religious purposes. The printings were normally large and elaborate that was used to convey a certain form of information. However, as time passed by, the use of paper became common by the 1400s. This was because of the ease of portability compared to the small woodcuts where they would paint religious images and cards. The use of paper became popular by the year 1425. The use of these forms o f printing became more popular in the mid 1400 century with the use of block books, woodcuts books that incorporated both texts and images. Typing was done on the same block, and was a cheaper alternative to the traditional forms of manuscripts and the books, which were printed using movable types. The movable type books were involved short heavily illustrated works that were repeated in many different versions of block-books. Some common examples of these printings in Europe were Ares Moriiendi and Biblia Pauperum.2 Printing in that era used various tools, which were made specifically for that purpose. It used stencils, which were used to add color to clothes that would last for a longer time. The use of stencils was ladder on advanced by the Japanese in their use of the Katazome on silk of cloths during a period known as Edo. The use of this stencils’ in Europe gained momentum in 1450s where they were commonly used to color old master prints that were printed mostly in blac k and white colors. This technique was mostly common in playing cards that continued to be colored using stencils even though other forms of printing had stopped using that form of printing. The colors used in this stencils was a mostly gotten from plants and flowers such as color green, purple indigo, violet. However, the people would advance further and derive color blue from the same plant extracts. These tools were mostly used for mass publications since they did not have to be handwritten.3 After the stencils era, printing moved to the movable type

Naturopathic Medicines over Pharmaceutical Medications Essay Example for Free

Naturopathic Medicines over Pharmaceutical Medications Essay For World Health Organization (WHO), health of an individual is not only means of getting rid of physical illness or pain but involves complete mental and social wellbeing of an individual. It is muti-dimensional and involves various aspects including social environment of a person or a society. Still eighty per cent of people are heard complaining about one or the other health problems and only one percent of people are in according to the WHO definition really healthy. Among several factors, it’s the departure of the people from our age-old system of naturopathic treatment towards hyped Pharmaceutical Industry – a product of Industrial revolution. Dr. Mathias Rath, a German-based advocate of patients’ rights and author of the book, â€Å"Why Animals Don’t Get Heart Attacks-But People Do†, rightly said, â€Å"There is an entire industry with an innate economic interest to obstruct, suppress and discredit any information about the eradication of diseases†. (Faseyin, 2004) He condemned millions of people who are eager to pay billions of dollars to the pharmaceutical industry for medicines that never cure rather kills. Pharmaceutical industry is earning more than one trillion dollars by selling drugs promising cure of various diseases and are being marketed at a cost more than 55,000 percent of the raw materials, bringing profit to the whole pharmaceutical industry and the people attached to it but without any concern to the health of the people. These drugs are merely removing symptoms instead of curing. As a result, more people are finding themselves facing deathbeds even from the preventable diseases. For e.g. few centuries back, James Lind had found that deficiency of vitamin C can cause blood loss and scurvy but still pharmaceutical industries dealing with medicines promising the cure of cardiovascular diseases are not supplying this information. The official RDA for vitamin C set at 60 mg is also not enough to prevent the disease. And the reason is the attitude of the pharmaceutical industry that looks at the cost effectiveness of the medicines rather than the health of the citizens; naturally they find vitamin C as an unprofitable venture for the pharmaceutical industry. Allopathic medicines can cure acute illnesses very effectively and pharmaceuticals and artificial respiration has also saved lives of millions.   But if we count the side effects, these are more than the actual benefits. Several cases have come to light when patients have suffered from pneumonia and acute physical dysfunction arising from the continuous use of steroid medication. Patients can also lose normal intestinal flora and can develop acute digestive problems. Nature has bounteous wealth of healing powers in its lap, which our ancient healers had fruitfully utilized, to the advantage of the patients. Naturopathic medicines go deep into cleaning of our immune system, healing hormonal, nervous systems and detoxifying them and eliminating diseases from its roots thus taking care of patient’s complete health. Medieval Jewish writer, Maimonides reflected Plato’s concept of health, when he said, â€Å"The cure of many diseases is unkown to the physicians†¦ because they are ignorant of the whole (body and soul) which ought to be studied also; for the part can never be well, unless the whole is well. For all good and evil, whether in the body or in the human nature originates†¦ in the soul, and overflows from thence†¦ and therefore if the head and body are to be well, you must begin by curing the soul; that is the first thing.† (Vaux Stenberg 2002) Underlying principles of healing on which the naturopathic medicine is based makes it different from all other medical approaches. Naturopathic doctors take the individual’s biochemistry, biomechanics, and emotional predispositions into account while prescribing medicines.   The body’s self-healing takes into consideration various aspects of body control and strive to maintain the biological balance of the body, which is a very crucial aspect of a healthy body. The holistic or naturopathic way of healing works in combination of best scientific diagnosis methods and monitoring techniques with both ancient and innovative health promotion methods. These methods involve use of natural diet and herbal remedies, nutritional supplements, exercises, relaxation, psycho-spiritual counseling, meditation, breathing exercises, and other self-regulatory practices taking into consideration history of patient’s health and his current life including family, job, and religious life and believes in basic concept that food and nutritional supplements are the best medicine. It focuses on prevention of diseases, maintaining high-level wellness and longevity. Besides, naturopathy beckons patients to be an active participant in his or her own healing process, rather than merely becoming a passive recipient of treatment. Naturopathy deals with specific individual needs, and involves in healing process of body, mind and soul. It is quite true that to understand about the illness, knowing about mere physical symptoms are not enough but emotional aspects of patient should also taken care of. Therefore naturopathic treatment is also called as a science of life as it regulates and maintains chemical activities in the brain, controls rhythm of heart, blood pressure, resistance power of skin and other functions inside our body.   It helps persons to overcome anxiety, depression, irritability, improve memory, create emotional stability, and proves to be a healing power for our old traumatic experiences and over and above rejuvenates our lives by giving us energy and vitality. There are several herbs that have multiple uses for human body. People have been growing herbs since centuries and their medicinal properties even challenge the practitioners of medicines of today. Our ancestors were growing the herb plants in their homes. Many evidences have come to light, which show that early settlers had grown herbs like parsley, anise, pennyroyal, sorrel, watercress, liverwort, wild leeks, and lavender across America and in other parts of the world also. They are still grown in many houses all over America and their proper use can relieve the patients from number of diseases. They are many more herbs like ginger, which reduces the chances of heart attack and act as a protective cover for heart and blood vessels. (Naturals Herbs Guide Online) In 1983, World Health Organization suggested to incorporate naturopathic medicine in conventional health care systems. In 1994, Bastyr University of Natural Health Sciences, received grant of   $1 million funds from the National Institutes of Health’s Office of Alternative Medicine to facilitate the research for alternative therapies to cure the patients affected with HIV and AIDS. The diet for cancer patients recommended by the National Cancer Institute was first published in a naturopathic medical textbook in the 1940s. Government of Germany has made it mandatory for conventional doctors and pharmaceuticals also to undergo formal training in naturopathic techniques, as they are cost-effective. (Morton Morton 1997) Graduates of naturopathic colleges have to put in more hours of study in basic and clinical science than their counterparts in Yale or Stanford medical schools and they receive more training in therapeutic nutrition than Md.’s, osteopathic physicians, or registered dietitians. In United States alone, there are more than one thousand licensed naturopathic physicians and many provinces of Canada also issue licenses to naturopathic doctors as primary care physicians and it is expected that by the end of 2010, all fifty states will start issuing licenses to naturopathic physicians. (Alan Morton, Marry Morton 1997) There are many more healing techniques like Chiropractic, Ayurvedic Medicine, Therapeutic Massage, Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)/ Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Acupressure, Atlas Orthogonal, Chelation Therapy, Colonics, Psychotherapy/Counseling, Movement Therapies/ Dance, Holistic Dentistry, Ear Candling- Ear Candling/ Ear Coning/ Thermal-Auricular, Feng Shui, Flower Essences (Bach Flower Remedy), Herbalism, Hypnotherapy, Lymph Drainage Therapy, Ohashiatsu and Vitamin Therapy, whose basic principles and remedies lie in the various ingredients found in the nature. So why not fully utilize what the nature has given to us as only with the healthy body, there is healthy mind and only healthy mind can lead the world towards healthy living. REFERENCE LIST Faseyin A.Y.   2004. The Pharmaceutical Cartel: A Tool for Genocide. Retrieved on February 10, 2008 from W.W.W: http://newafrikanvodun.com/pharm.html. Grout M.M. Allopathic Medicine. Retrieved on February 10, 2008 from W.W.W: http://www.crossroadsclinic.net/articles/allopathic_medicine.html Morton M. A. Morton M. 1997. Naturopathic Medicine. Retrieved on February 26, 2008 from W.W.W: http://www.healthy.net/asp/templates/article.asp?PageType=ArticleID=508 NaturalHerbsGuide.com. Natural Herbs, Herbal Remedies, Medicines, and Supplements Guide. Retrieved on February 26, 2008 from W.W.W: http://www.naturalherbsguide.com/ Vaux K.L. and Stenberg M. 2002. Covenants of Life: Contemporary Medical Ethics in Light of the thought of Paul Ramsay. USA: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Gibbons v Ogden Decision Fair or Unfair :: essays papers

Gibbons v Ogden Decision Fair or Unfair The decision in the Gibbons v. Ogden case is, in my opinion, a very just and fair one. Many believe it to be the first anti- trust decision in U.S. history. The economic results cannot be over-estimated, a different decision could have resulted in completely different circumstances than with which we are accustomed to today. The free flow of commerce, which we seem to almost take for granted in modern economics and business, may have never been a possibility without decisions such as this. Monopolies did not allow for equal division of business and therefore was unjust. If all men are created equal they should be given equal opportunities. The New York Livingston-Fulton monopoly clearly subjected any potential competition to harsh conditions that would make it impossible for them to keep up in their business. Travel by steamboat was much faster than any other means in the time of this case and to give complete control to only one partnership was unfair. Under the constitution Congress has the right to regulate commerce. Although the monopoly was a form of internal state trade regulation it directly impacted on inter-state trade after a number of states passed laws to come back at the New York monopoly. Therefore, Congress had the right to intervene and end the monopoly. To completely understand the impact of the Gibbons-Ogden decision it is necessary to understand the situation surrounding it. In 1798 Robert R. Livingston secured an exclusive twenty year grant from the New York legislature. By the terms of this grant he could exclusively navigate by steam the rivers and other waters of the state, provided that within two years he should build a boat which would make four miles an hour against the current of the Hudson River. The legislature had no faith whatsoever in the project but the decision was still made against the many jeers. The terms of the grant were not met and it was renewed in 1803, this time to Livingston and his new partner, Robert Fulton. It was renewed once more in 1807 and finally that August Fulton’s steamboat made its first successful trip from New York to Albany. The following year the Legislature, fully aware of the practical significance of Fulton’s achievement, passed a law stating that for each new boat navigated on New York waters by Fulton and Livingston that they should be provided with a five year extension to their monopoly, which may not exceed thirty years.

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 24

â€Å"Well?† Roman asked softly. â€Å"What do you think? Will you go with me?† â€Å"I don't know,† I replied, looking down. â€Å"I'm afraid.† A tremulous note hung in my voice. He turned my face toward his, obviously concerned. â€Å"Afraid of what?† I looked at him through my lashes. It was a demure action. Vulnerable, even. Hard to resist. I hoped. â€Å"Of†¦ of them. I want to†¦ but I don't think†¦ I don't think we could ever be free. You can't hide from them, Roman. Not forever.† â€Å"We can,† he breathed, putting his arms around me, his heart swelling at my fear. I didn't resist at all, letting him press his body up against mine. â€Å"I told you. I can protect you. I'll find the angel tomorrow, and we'll leave the next day. It's that easy.† â€Å"Roman†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stared up at him, my eyes wide, the look of one overcome with some emotion. Hope, maybe. Passion. Wonder. I saw my expression mirrored in his own, and when he leaned down to kiss me, I didn't stop him this time. I even kissed him back. It had been a long time since I'd kissed simply for the sake of kissing, for the feel of his tongue gently pushing into my mouth, lips caressing mine as his hands held me tightly to him. I could have kissed like that forever, just enjoying the physical sensation, devoid of any succubus feeding. It was magnificent. Intoxicating, even. There was no fear. Roman wanted more than kissing, however, and when he pulled me down, right onto my living room carpet, I didn't stop him then either. Obvious heat and yearning filled his body. Yet, he moved carefully and slowly over me, showing a restraint that surprised and impressed me. I slept with so many guys that yielded right away to their own needs that it was downright astonishing to have someone apparently concerned with my fulfillment. No way was I complaining. He kept his body against mine, so there was no space between us as he continued kissing me. Eventually he moved from my mouth to my ear, tracing it with his tongue and lips before shifting to my neck. My neck has always been one of my more erogenous places, and I exhaled a trembling breath as that clever tongue slowly stroked the sensitive skin, making gooseflesh rise. I arched my body into his, letting him know he could have expedited things if he wanted, but he seemed to be in no hurry. Down, down he moved, kissing my breasts through the delicate charmeuse of my shirt until the fabric was wet and clung to my nipples. I sat up so he could pull the shirt off me entirely. While he was at it, he slid off the skirt too, so I was left only in panties. Still focused on my breasts, however, he continued kissing and touching them, varying between soft, feathery kisses and hard, biting ones that threatened to leave flowering purple bruises. At last he slid down, trailing his tongue along the smooth skin of my stomach, pausing when he finally reached my thighs. Meanwhile, I was a wreck, aching and desperate to touch his body in return. But when I reached for him, he gently pushed my wrists to the floor. â€Å"Not yet,† he admonished. I guess that was just as well since I was supposed to be doing something with time here. Buying it, right? Yeah, that was it. I was delaying so I could figure out a plan. A plan that I'd get to†¦ later. â€Å"Magenta,† he observed, running his fingers along the panties. They were flimsy, barely a collection of scraps of lace and sheer material. â€Å"Who'd have guessed?† â€Å"I almost never wear any clothes in the pink and magenta family,† I admitted, â€Å"but for some reason I love lingerie in those colors. And black, of course.† â€Å"It suits you. You can shape-shift these on anytime, right?† â€Å"Yeah, why?† He reached out and, with one deft motion, ripped them off. â€Å"Because they're in my way.† Bending down, he pushed my thighs apart and buried his face between them. His tongue moved slowly over the edges of my lips and then darted forward to stroke my burning, swollen clit. Moaning, I lifted and ground my hips into him, trying to get more of my aching need fulfilled. Once again, he pushed me back to the floor, taking his time, letting his tongue circle and tease me, driving me into higher and higher pleasure. Every time I seemed about to peak, he would pull back and move his tongue down, letting it actually probe inside me where I was growing wetter. When he finally let me come, I did so loudly and wildly, my body practically thrashing as he held me down and continued sucking and tasting through my spasms. By then, I was so sensitive and dizzy that his touch was almost too much. I heard myself begging him to stop, even as he made me come again. Easing up, he released me and backed off, watching as the blissful spasms in my body slowed down. Between us, we had his clothes off in about two seconds, and he laid his body over mine, pressing bare skin against bare skin. When my hands slid down, grasping and stroking his erection, he sighed with palpable bliss. â€Å"Oh God, Georgina,† he breathed, eyes on mine. â€Å"Oh God. You have no idea how much I want you.† Didn't I? I guided him toward me, sliding him inside. My body opened to him, welcoming him like a piece of myself I'd been missing, and he moved in and out of me with long, controlled strokes, watching my face and gauging how each angle and motion affected me. I'm buying time,I thought sagely, but as he pinned my wrists to the floor, claiming ownership of my body with each thrust, I knew I lied to myself. This was about more than just buying time to warn Jerome and Carter. This was about me. It was selfish. I had continuously craved Roman over the last few weeks, and now I had him. Not only that, but it was exactly as he had said: there was no survival here, only pleasure. I had had sex with other immortals before but not in some time. I had forgotten what it was like to not have someone else's thoughts in my head, to simply luxuriate in my own sensations. We moved with a practiced rhythm, like our bodies did this together all the time. Those controlled strokes grew more savage, less precise. Harder and fiercer he brought himself into me, like he was going to go through the floor. Someone was making a lot of noise, and I realized distantly that it was me. I was sort of losing track of what was around me, of coherent thought. There was only my body's response, the building force that consumed me and set me on fire and still made me demand more. I longed for completion and urged him on, bringing my body up to meet his and clenching the muscles around him. He gasped as he felt me grow tighter. His eyes burned with a near-primitive passion. â€Å"I want to see you come again,† he gasped out. â€Å"Come for me.† For whatever reason, it only took that command to finish me off, to plunge me over the edge of that dizzying ecstasy. I cried out more loudly, my throat long since gone hoarse. Whatever expression I wore, it was enough to drive him into his own finish. No sound came out as his lips parted, but he closed his eyes and held himself inside me after a final hard thrust, shaking with pleasure. When he had finished, his body still trembling with the force of his orgasm, he rolled off me onto his back, sweaty and satisfied. I turned toward him, splaying my fingers on his chest, admiring the lean muscles and tanned flesh of his body. â€Å"You're beautiful,† I told him, taking a nipple into my mouth. â€Å"You aren't so bad yourself,† he murmured, stroking my hair. Perspiration rolled off my body too, making some of the strands damp and curl up more than usual. â€Å"Is this you? Your real shape?† I shook my head, surprised by the question. I trailed my lips up to his neck. â€Å"I've only worn that body once since becoming a succubus. A long time ago.† Pausing mid-kiss, I asked, â€Å"You want something different? I can be anything you want me to be, you know.† He grinned, flashing those white teeth. â€Å"One of the perks of loving a succubus, no doubt.† Sitting up, he scooped me into his arms and then rose, slightly wobbly with the added weight. â€Å"But no. Ask me in another century, maybe, and I might have a different answer. For now, I've got a lot more to learn about this body.† He carried me off to my bedroom, where we made love in a slower, slightly more civilized manner, our bodies twining together like ribbons of liquid fire. With that initial animalism somewhat satisfied, we lingered longer now, exploring the different ways each person's body responded. We spent most of the night cycling through a pattern: slow and loving, fast and furious, rest, repeat. I grew exhausted somewhere around three and finally gave in to sleep, resting my head against his chest, ignoring the nagging worries in the back of my mind. I woke up a few hours later, sitting bolt upright as the previous night's events came slamming back into me with sharper clarity. I'd gone to sleep in a nephilim's arms. Talk about vulnerability. Yet†¦ here I was, still alive. Roman lay beside me, snug and warm, Aubrey at his feet. Both of them regarded me with tired, squinty eyes, wondering at my sudden motion. â€Å"What's the matter?† he asked, stifling a yawn. â€Å"N-nothing,† I assured him. Removed from passion, I found myself able to think a bit more clearly. What had I done ? Sleeping with Roman might have bought me time, but I was no closer to finding some way out of this crazy situation. Lying there, I caught sight of Carter's daffodils, and they jolted me into a decision. The flowers themselves had only been part of a small act, but something about them made me realize I could not sit passively by and let Roman kill Carter. I had to act, no matter the risk, no matter the likelihood of failure. We all have moments of weakness. It's how we recover from them that really counts. It didn't matter if I loved the nephilim and hated the angel, neither of which was entirely true. This was more about me, about the kind of person I was. I had spent centuries hurting men for my own survival, often devastatingly so, but I could not be a part of premeditated murder, no matter how noble the cause. I hadn't reached that stage of life. Not yet. I blinked back sudden tears, overwhelmed by what I had to do. What I had to do to Roman. â€Å"Then go back to sleep,† he murmured, running a hand along my body, from waist to thigh. Yes, I knew what I had to do. It was a long shot, hardly a solid plan, but I couldn't think of anything else to take advantage of Roman's current, off-guard mood. â€Å"I can't,† I explained, starting to get out of bed. â€Å"I have to work.† His eyes opened wider. â€Å"What? When?† â€Å"I open. I need to be there in a half hour.† He sat up, dismayed. â€Å"You work all day?† â€Å"Yup.† â€Å"I still had a few more things I wanted to do to you,† he mumbled, sliding an arm around my waist to pull me back, cupping a breast in his hand. I leaned back into him, feigning being caught up in passion. All right, I wasn't exactly feigning. † Mmm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I turned my face toward his, brushing our lips together. â€Å"I could call in sick maybe†¦ not that they'd believe it. I'm never sick, and they know it.† â€Å"Fuck them,† he mumbled, pushing me back down into the bed, his hands growing bolder. â€Å"Fuck them so I can fuck you again.† â€Å"Then let me up,† I laughed. â€Å"I can't call in like this.† Reluctantly he released me, and I slid out of the bed, grinning back at him as I went. He watched me hungrily, like a cat sizing up prey. Honestly, I liked it. That desire quickly melted into apprehension as I walked into the living room and picked up my portable phone. I had left all the room doors open, acting as casual and relaxed as possible, giving Roman no cause for alarm. Knowing he could probably hear me in the living room, I mentally rehearsed my words as I dialed Jerome's cell phone number. Not surprisingly, however, the demon did not answer. Damn him. What good was our bond if I couldn't use it at will? Having anticipated this, I tried my next option: Hugh. If I got his cell's voice mail, I would be out of luck. I could not pull off my plan if I had to call his office number and wade through his arsenal of secretaries. â€Å"Hugh Mitchell speaking.† â€Å"Hey, Doug, it's Georgina.† A pause. â€Å"Did you just call me Doug?† â€Å"Look, I can't come in today. I think I've caught that bug that's been going around.† Roman wandered out of my bedroom, and I smiled at him as he made his way to my refrigerator. Meanwhile, Hugh tried to make sense of my nonsense. â€Å"Uh, Georgina†¦ I think you dialed the wrong number.† â€Å"No, I'm serious, Doug, so don't get smart with me. I can't come in, okay?† Dead silence. Finally Hugh asked, â€Å"Georgina, are you all right?† â€Å"No. I already told you that. Look, will you just pass it on?† â€Å"Georgina, what's going on – â€Å" â€Å"Well, I'm sure you'll figure out something,† I continued, â€Å"but it'll have to be without me. I'll try to be in tomorrow.† I disconnected and looked up at Roman, shaking my head. â€Å"It would figure Doug was there. He definitely didn't believe me.† â€Å"Knows you too well, huh?† he asked, drinking a glass of orange juice. â€Å"Yeah, but he'll cover for me, despite his complaining. He's good like that.† I tossed the phone onto the couch and approached Roman. Time for more distraction. I doubted Hugh would fully grasp the situation, but he would at least assume something wasn't right. As I had noted in the past, one couldn't live as long as an immortal did and be stupid. He would suspect something and hopefully hunt down Jerome. My job now was to keep the nephilim busy until the cavalry came. â€Å"So what exactly was it you wanted to do to me?† I purred. A number of things, as it turned out. We wound up back in my bedroom, and I discovered waiting out the time until Hugh could take action wasn't nearly as difficult as I had feared. Slight twinges of guilt tugged at me over enjoying Roman so much, especially now that I'd made my decision and called for help. He had murdered untold numbers of immortals and had designs on a near-friend. Still, I couldn't help my feelings. I was attracted to him – had been for a long time, even – and he was really, really good in bed. â€Å"Eternity doesn't seem so bad with you in my arms,† he murmured later, stroking my hair as I curled up against him. Turning my face toward his, I saw a somber expression in his eyes. â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"Georgina†¦ do you†¦ do you really want me to leave this angel alone?† â€Å"Yes,† I blurted out after a moment of surprise. â€Å"I don't want you to hurt anyone else.† He studied me for a long time before speaking. â€Å"Last night, when you asked me, I didn't think I could. I didn't think I could let it go. Now†¦ after being with you†¦ being like this. It just seems petty. Well, maybe petty isn't the right word. I mean, what they did to us was terrible†¦ but maybe if I keep going after them, I let them win. I become what they say I am. I let them keep dictating the parameters of my life. I'd be conforming to nonconformity, I guess, and missing what's really important. Like loving and being in love.† â€Å"Wh-what are you saying?† He cupped my cheek. â€Å"I'm saying, I'll do it, love. The past will not rule my present. For you, I'll walk away. You and me. We'll go today and leave all this behind. Get a home somewhere and start a life together. We can go to Vegas.† I turned rigid in his arms, my eyes widening. Oh God. A knock sounded at my door, and I nearly jumped ten feet. Only about forty minutes had passed. No, no, I thought. It was too soon. Especially in light of this sudden turnabout. Hugh couldn't have acted so fast. I didn't know what to do. Roman raised an eyebrow, curious more than anything else. â€Å"Expecting anyone?† I shook my head, trying to hide the racing of my heart. â€Å"Doug's always threatened to come get me,† I joked. â€Å"I hope he didn't finally decide to act on it.† Getting out of bed, I went to my closet, urging every nerve in my body to look nonchalant. I put on a deep red kimono, ran a hand self-consciously through my messy hair, and walked out to the living room, trying not to hyperventilate once out of Roman's sight. Oh Lord, I thought, approaching the door. What am I going to do? What am I going to – â€Å"Seth?† The writer stood outside, a bakery box in hand, his own face registering as much shock as mine undoubtedly did. I watched his eyes quickly slip up the length of me, and I suddenly became aware of how short my robe was and just how much the clinging silk revealed. His eyes snapped up to my face, and he swallowed. â€Å"Hi. I.,.that is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  One of my neighbors walked by, stopping and staring when he saw me in the robe. â€Å"Come in,† I urged Seth with a grimace, closing the door behind him. Having expected a cavalcade of immortals, I felt more confused than ever now. â€Å"I'm sorry,† he managed at last, trying to keep his eyes from drifting to my body. â€Å"I hope I didn't wake you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No†¦ no†¦ it's not a problem†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Naturally Roman chose that moment to make an appearance, coming down the hall from my bedroom in only boxers. â€Å"So what's – oh hey, how's it going? Seth, right?† â€Å"Right,† said Seth flatly, looking from me to Roman and then back to me. In the wake of that gaze, I didn't care about nephilim, immortals, or saving Carter. All I could think of was how this must look to Seth. Poor Seth, who had done nothing but be nice to me since I'd met him, yet who nonetheless managed to get hurt over and over by my insensitivity – not to mention an unfortunate set of circumstances. I didn't know what to say; I felt as mortified as he apparently did. I did not want him to see me like this, all of my lies and inconsistent signals coming to light. â€Å"Is that breakfast?† the nephilim asked cheerfully. He was the only one of us at ease. â€Å"Huh?† Seth still looked stunned beyond words. â€Å"Oh yeah.† He set the box down on my coffee table. â€Å"Keep it. It's a coffee cake. Maple pecan. As for me†¦ I'm going to†¦ I'm just going to leave now. I'm sorry to bother you. Really sorry. I knew it was your day off and just thought we could†¦ I don't know. You'd said yesterday†¦ well. It was stupid. I should have called. It was stupid. I'm sorry.† He started to turn, but the damage was done. Of all the possible scenarios, this would be the one in which short-spoken Seth chose to ramble. I knew it was your day off. Shit. Roman turned on me, the incredulity on his face transforming to fury before my eyes. â€Å"Who,† he gasped, voice barely coming out in his anger, â€Å"who did you call? Who the fuck did you call?† I stepped backward. â€Å"Seth, get out of – â€Å" Too late. A wave of power, not unlike the one Jerome had used on me, slammed against both Seth and me, thrusting us against my living room wall. Roman strode up to us, glaring at me, his eyes like blue flame. â€Å"Who did you call?† he roared. I didn't answer. â€Å"Do you have any idea what you've done?† Turning from us, he grabbed my phone and dialed. â€Å"I need you to get over here right now†¦.yes, yes, I don't fucking care. Leave it.† He recited my address and disconnected. I didn't need to ask who he had called. I knew. The other nephilim. His sister. Running a hand through his hair, Roman paced frantically around my living room. â€Å"Shit. Shit. You may have ruined everything!† he yelled at me. â€Å"Do you realize that? Do you realize that, you lying bitch? How could you do this to me?† I didn't respond. I couldn't. Movement, even talking, was too hard in that psychic net. I couldn't even look at Seth. God only knew what he must think of all of this. Ten minutes later, I heard another knock. If I had any sort of divine favor left, it would be Jerome and Carter, ready to come to my rescue. Surely even a succubus deserved a break now and then, I thought as I watched Roman open the door. Helena walked in. Oh, man. â€Å"About time,† Roman snapped, slamming the door behind her. â€Å"What's going – † She cut her words off, eyes widening at the sight of Seth and me. Turning back to Roman, she gave him and his boxers a once-over. â€Å"For crying out loud, what have you done now?† â€Å"Someone's coming,† he hissed, ignoring her question. â€Å"Right now.† â€Å"Who?† she demanded, hands on hips. There was no rasp in her voice now, and she looked amazingly competent. If I hadn't already been rendered speechless, the sight of her would have done it. â€Å"I don't know,† he admitted. â€Å"Probably our exalted sire. She called someone.† Helena turned and approached me, making terror sink into my bones as I realized my danger. Helena was the other nephilim. Crazy, swindling Helena. Helena, whom I had insulted on a number of occasions, mocked behind her back, and stolen employees from. The look on her face informed me she was considering all of those things as she stared me down. â€Å"Drop the field,† she snapped to Roman, and a moment later, Seth and I slumped forward, gasping, as the power released us. â€Å"Is he right? Did you call our father?† â€Å"I†¦ didn't call†¦ anyone†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"She's lying,† Roman observed mildly. â€Å"Who did you call, Georgina?† When I didn't answer, she walked over and slapped me hard, the impact making a loud crack. There was something oddly familiar about it, but then, there would be. Helena was the one who had beat me up that night on the street. I realized then she must have known it was me when I went to Krystal Starz, in spite of my disguise. Recognizing my signature, she had chosen to play with me, feeding me the lines about having a great future as she pushed titles and workshops on me. â€Å"Always difficult, aren't you?† she scoffed. â€Å"For years, I've put up with you and others like you, those who mock my lifestyle and teachings. I should have done something about you a long time ago.† â€Å"Why?† I wondered aloud, gaining control of my voice again. â€Å"Why do you do it? You, of all people, who know about angels and demons†¦ why do you tout the New Age bullshit?† She eyed me scathingly. â€Å"Is it really? Is it bullshit to encourage people to seize control of their own lives, to view themselves as sources of power instead of getting caught up in all the guilt of what's right and what's wrong?† When I didn't answer, she continued, â€Å"I teach people to empower themselves. I teach them to let go of sin and salvation, to learn how to find happiness now – in this world. True, some of it is†¦ embellished for the sake of creating wonder and awe, but what does that matter, if the ends are achieved? People walk away from my classes feeling like gods and goddesses. They find that within themselves, rather than selling out to some cold, hypocritical institution.† I couldn't even begin to formulate a response, and it occurred to me that Helena and Roman thought exactly alike, both of them dissatisfied with the system that had spawned them, each of them rebelling against it in different ways. â€Å"I know what you think of me. I've heard what you say about me. I saw you throw away the materials I gave you that night, no doubt thinking I was just some crazy, babbling New Age crackpot. And yet†¦ for someone so smugly confident, so critically self-righteous, you are one of the most unhappy people I've ever met. You hate the game, and yet you play it. You play it, and you defend it because you don't have the courage to do anything else.† She shook her head, chuckling dryly. â€Å"I didn't have to be psychic to give you any of those predictions. You are gifted, but you waste it. You are wasting your life, and you will spend it miserable and alone.† â€Å"I can't change what I am,† I told her hotly, stung by her words. â€Å"Spoken like a slave to the system.† â€Å"Fuck you,† I shot back. Having one's pride and self-identity shattered will often make a person irrationally angry, regardless if the point was well made. â€Å"Better a comfortable slave than some freakish divine bastard. It's no wonder your kind is being hunted to extinction.† She hit me again, this time packing nephilim power with the punch, not unlike that night in the alley. It hurt – a lot. â€Å"You little whore. You have no idea what you're talking about.† She moved to hit me again but was stopped as Seth suddenly pushed himself in front of me. â€Å"Stop it,† he exclaimed. â€Å"Stop it, all of – â€Å" A blast of power – from Roman or Helena, I didn't know – pushed Seth across the room, to the other wall. I flinched. â€Å"How dare you – † began Helena, her blue eyes flashing angrily. â€Å"You, a mortal, who have no idea what you're – â€Å" I was already moving before the words could even come out of her mouth. Seeing Seth abused sparked something in me, an angry response I knew to be hopeless but which I couldn't really prevent. I sprang at Helena, taking on the first shape that came to mind, no doubt thanks to seeing Aubrey earlier: a tiger. The transformation only took a second but hurt like hell, as my human body expanded, feet and hands turning to heavy, clawed paws. I had the element of surprise, but only for a moment, as I slammed into her, knocking her slight body to the floor. My victory was short lived. Before I could sink teeth into her neck, a hurricane-worthy force blew me from her into my china cabinet. The impact was ten times harder than the one that had pinned Seth and me earlier, and the pain jolted me back into my normal shape as glass and crystal broke behind me, pieces falling around me, cutting my skin. I moved again, frantic, knowing the futility but needing to do something, too caught up in battle lust. I lunged at Roman this time, urging my body to take on the shape of†¦ well, I didn't even know what. I had no specific form in mind, only features: claws, teeth, scales, muscles. Sharp. Large. Dangerous. A creature of nightmares, a true demon of hell. I never even came close to touching the nephilim, however. One or both of them anticipated me, mid-leap, throwing me back to land near Seth this time, his wide eyes watching me with terror and wonder. Bolts of power struck me, making me cry out in pain, shattering every nerve within me. My new shape's hide protected me only briefly, and then hurt and exhaustion made me lose control of the transformation. I slipped back into the slim, human body just as another net of power pinned me into place, ensuring I couldn't move anymore. My entire shape-shifting attack had lasted all of a minute, and I now felt completely drained and worn, my reserve of Martin Miller power finally dried up. So much for bravery. A nephilimcould easily blow one of you out of the water. â€Å"Valiantly done, Georgina,† chuckled Roman, wiping sweat off his brow. He had expended a great deal of power too, but he had a lot more of it to spend than I did. â€Å"Valiant, but foolish.† Walking over, he looked me up and down and shook his head with bitter amusement. â€Å"You don't know how to ration your energy. You've burned yourself out.† â€Å"Roman†¦ I'm so sorry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I didn't need him to tell me how low on energy I was. I could feel it. I wasn't just low, I was empty. Running on fumes, so to speak. Looking at my hands, I saw my appearance flicker slightly, shimmering almost like a heat mirage. That was bad. Wearing a body for long enough, even if it isn't your original, becomes ingrained after a few years, and I had had this one for fifteen. It was second nature to me. I thought of it as my own; it was what I always unconsciously returned to. Yet, I was fighting to hold on to it right now, to not slip back to the body of my birth. This was bad – very bad. â€Å"Sorry?† Roman asked, and I saw on his face just how terribly I'd hurt him. â€Å"You can't even begin to imagine – â€Å" We all felt it at the same time. Roman and Helena spun around to shoot each other alarmed looks, and then my front door blew open. The bonds holding me dropped as the nephilim redirected their power at the apocalypse coming through. Brilliant light spilled inside, light so brilliant it hurt. Familiar light. The same terrible shape I'd seen in the alley appeared once more, only there were two of them this time. Mirror images. Indistinguishable. I didn't know who was who, but I remembered Carter's offhand observation from a week ago: an angel in full form will freak most beings out – it'll kill a mortal†¦ â€Å"Seth,† I whispered, turning from that glorious spectacle to look at the writer. He was staring at it, brown eyes wide with awe and fear as the glory of it drew him in. â€Å"Seth, don't look at them.† With my fleeting strength, I lifted a shimmering hand and turned his face toward mine. â€Å"Seth, don't look at them. Look at me. Only at me.† Somewhere beyond us, someone screamed. The world was blowing apart. â€Å"Georgina†¦Ã¢â‚¬  breathed Seth, gingerly touching my face. â€Å"What's wrong with you?† Focusing all of my will, I urged my body to fight and hold on to the shape he had first come to know me in. It was a losing battle. A dying one even. I could not survive much longer like this. Seth leaned closer to me, and I tuned out the sounds of chaos and destruction raging around us, instead focusing all the world, all of my perception, toward his face. I had said Roman was beautiful, but he was nothing – nothing at all – compared to Seth in that moment. Seth, with those long-lashed, quizzical brown eyes, kindness made manifest in all of his actions. Seth, his messy hair and slightly unkempt facial hair, framing a face which could not hide his nature, the strength of his character shining out at me, his soul like a beacon on a foggy night. â€Å"Seth,† I whispered. â€Å"Seth.† He leaned toward me, letting me draw him closer and closer, and then, as heaven and hell raged beyond, I kissed him.

Lady in a Machine Shop: Margaret E. Knight

Margaret E. Knight was born in York, Maine in1838. Margaret was very interested in tools and machinery even as a young child. Woman in that period were not considered to be mechanically inclined or to be interested in machinery.   Children especially were not thought to be creative enough to invent things. Margaret, however, began inventing things at a young age and had her first success very early in life. She witnessed a horrible accident at the cotton mill where she and her brothers worked. Many people had tried over the years to make the looms safer for the workers but no one had come up with an idea that worked. Margaret spend hours and hours creating a safer design for the loom piece in question and at the tender age of 12 she had her first working invention. The covered shuttle she invented is still in use on cotton looms today. In 1868, Margaret moved to Massachusetts and began working at the Columbia Paper Bag Company. Paper bags at that time were envelope shaped and held closed by having twine or string wrapped around them. Square bottom bags were rarely used because they had to be made by hand and were very expensive. Margaret decided that there was definitely room for improvement and set about trying to create a machine that would cut, fold and paste square bottoms bags by itself. This would make the bags much less expensive to produce and do the work of many people with only one machine. She worked days at the Columbia Paper Bag Company and while she worked, she studied the machines that were in existence there already. At night, she took her ideas home and spent hours building and rebuilding models of a machine she thought would create a better paper bag machine. It took a very long time and a massive amount of work to get what she wanted from the  machine. She tested and adjusted and changed things in the plan until it was just what she wanted. Once the design of the machine was perfect, she hired some one to make the actual machine for her. The models had not been very sturdy and she wanted one made of iron that would hold up to a full days work. While Margaret was doing all this, a man named Charles Annan stole her idea and had a patent put on it under his own name. Margaret had put too much work into this machine and was not going to sit by and let someone else take the credit for it. She took Charles Annan to court over stealing her idea and her patent. Charles Annan was confident that he could win by convincing the judge that no woman understood machinery and would never be able to design and build a machine complex enough to make square bottom paper bags. Charles Annan underestimated Margaret Knight and it cost him the court battle. Margaret brought in all her drawings, plans and models of the machine. She explained how it worked and why it would improve the method currently used. Her knowledge and documentation proved to the judge that she was the rightful owner of the design and the machine. Margaret got her patent for the paper bag in 1870. She co-founded the Eastern Paper Bag Company in 1870 as well and put her invention to work. She is known as the Queen of Paper Bags and her invention is used to this day, along with the design she created for the square bottom paper bag. References: Tag Brill, M. (2001) Margaret Knight Girl Inventor Mill brook

Bob Brown Book review essays

Bob Brown Book review essays The Book review will consist of a critical, reflective analysis of a book which makes a major contribution to green/environmental thought. You will need to obtain approval for the book to be reviewed. The analysis should be approximately 2500 words. Due date is May 15, 2004. Brown. B. (2004) Memo for a Saner World. Penguin Books Camberwell, Victoria, Australia Browns Book is quite an easy read and I would suggest it is aimed at a young audience - most likely young voters. However the fact that this is an election year doesnt make the issues Brown (2004) raises any less poignant. This book also makes clear Browns emotional connection with his world and his mission, which turns his book of potentially depressing fact and figures on governments, and industries, lack of Greenness, into an inspirational piece. As an introduction to Memo for a Saner World I have included the blurb which appears on the back cover. It reads thus- Over the years, Bob Brown has been assaulted, jailed, vilified and shot at for his stance on the environment and human rights. This is his account of the defining moments in that life of activism, from the famous Franklin River blockade to his parliamentary protest against George Bush - a few minutes that gave voice to what many Australians felt but had no way of saying. By turns inspiring, compassionate and outraged, this personal story of being green makes the key issues easily understood. If you're someone who avoids reading about the world because you think it's too depressing, here's the good news: it's worse if you don't know. While some of the facts Bob presents are less than cheerful, his message is powerfully hopeful. With Bob Brown and the Greens set to become even more influential in Australian life, Memo for a Saner World is an essential record of what he stands for. The insight into a charter like Brown through his own writings is thwart with ...

Siege of Paris in the Franco-Prussian War

Siege of Paris in the Franco-Prussian War The Siege of Paris was fought September 19, 1870 to January 28, 1871 and was a key battle of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871). With the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War in July 1870, French forces suffered a string of serious reverses at the hands of the Prussians. Following their decisive victory at the Battle of Sedan on September 1, the Prussians quickly advanced on Paris and encircled the city. Laying siege to city, the invaders were able to contain Paris garrison and defeated several attempted breakout attempts. Seeking to reach a decision, the Prussians began shelling the city in January 1871. Three days later the Paris surrendered. The Prussian triumph effectively ended the conflict and led to the unification of Germany. Background Following their triumph over the French at the Battle of Sedan on September 1, 1870, Prussian forces began marching on Paris. Moving swiftly, the Prussian 3rd Army along with the Army of Meuse encountered little resistance as they neared the city. Personally guided by King Wilhelm I and his chief of staff, Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke, Prussian troops began encircling the city. Within Paris, the citys governor, General Louis Jules Trochu, had massed around 400,000 soldiers, half of which were untested National Guardsmen. Count Helmuth von Moltke. Photograph Source: Public Domain As the pincers closed, a French force under General Joseph Vinoy attacked Crown Prince Fredericks troops south of the city at Villeneuve Saint Georges on September 17. Attempting to save a supply dump in the area, Vinoys men were driven back by massed artillery fire. The following day the railroad to Orleans was cut and Versailles occupied by the 3rd Army. By the 19th, the Prussians had completely encircled the city beginning the siege. In the Prussian headquarters a debate was had over how best to take the city. Siege of Paris Conflict: Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871)Dates: September 19, 1870-January 28, 1871Armies Commanders:PrussiaField Marshal Helmuth von MoltkeField Marshal Leonhard Graf von Blumenthal240,000 menFranceGovernor Louis Jules TrochuGeneral Joseph Vinoyapprox. 200,000 regularsapprox. 200,000 militiaCasualties:Prussians: 24,000 dead and wounded, 146,000 captured, approximately 47,000 civilian casualtiesFrench: 12,000 killed and wounded The Siege Begins Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck argued in favor of immediately shelling the city into submission. This was countered by the sieges commander, Field Marshal Leonhard Graf von Blumenthal who believed shelling the city to be inhumane and against the rules of war. He also argued that a quick victory would lead to peace before the remaining French field armies could be destroyed. With these in place, it was likely that the war would be renewed in a short time. After hearing arguments from both sides, William elected to allow Blumenthal to proceed with the siege as planned. Within the city, Trochu remained on the defensive. Lacking faith in his National Guardsmen, he hoped that the Prussians would attack allowing his men to fight from within the citys defenses. As it quickly became apparent that the Prussians were not going to attempt to storm the city, Trochu was forced to reconsider his plans. On September 30, he ordered Vinoy to demonstrate and test the Prussian lines west of the city at Chevilly. Striking the Prussian VI Corps with 20,000 men, Vinoy was easily repulsed. Two weeks later, on October 13, another attack was made at Chà ¢tillon. St-Cloud after the fighting at Chà ¢tillon, October 1870. Public Domain   French Efforts to Break the Siege Though French troops succeeded in taking the town from the Bavarian II Corps, they were eventually driven back by Prussian artillery. On October 27, General Carey de Bellemare, commander of the fort at Saint Denis, attacked the town of Le Bourget. Though he had no orders from Trochu to move forward, his attack was successful and French troops occupied the town. Though it was of little value, Crown Prince Albert ordered it retaken and Prussian forces drove the French out on the 30th. With morale in Paris low and made worse by news of the French defeat at Metz, Trochu planned a large sortie for November 30. Consisting of 80,000 men, led by General Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot, the attack struck at Champigny, Creteil and Villiers. In the resulting Battle of Villiers, Ducrot succeeded in driving back the Prussians and taking Champigny and Creteil. Pressing across the Marne River towards Villiers, Ducrot was unable to breakthrough the last lines of Prussian defenses. Having suffered over 9,000 casualties, he was forced to withdraw to Paris by December 3. With food supplies low and communication with the outside world reduced to sending letters by balloon, Trochu planned a final breakout attempt. Prussian troops outside of Paris, 1870.   Bundesarchiv, Bild 183-H26707 / CC-BY-SA 3.0 The City Falls On January 19, 1871, a day after William had been crowned kaiser (emperor) at Versailles, Trochu assaulted the Prussian positions at Buzenval. Though Trochu took the village of St. Cloud, his supporting attacks failed, leaving his position isolated. At the end of the day Trochu was forced to fall back having taken 4,000 casualties. As a result of the failure, he resigned as governor and turned command over to Vinoy. Though they had contained the French, many in the Prussian high command were becoming impatient with the siege and the increasing duration of the war. With the war adversely affecting the Prussian economy and disease beginning to break out on the siege lines, William ordered that a solution be found. On January 25, he directed von Moltke to consult with Bismarck on all military operations. After doing so, Bismarck immediately ordered that Paris be shelled with the armys heavy Krupp siege guns. Following three days of bombardment, and with the citys population starving, Vinoy surrendered the city. Aftermath In the fighting for Paris, the French suffered 24,000 dead and wounded, 146,000 captured, as well as approximately 47,000 civilian casualties. Prussian losses were around 12,000 dead and wounded. The fall of Paris effectively ended the Franco-Prussian War as French forces were ordered to cease fighting following the citys surrender. The Government of National Defense signed the Treaty of Frankfurt on May 10, 1871, officially ending the war. The war itself had completed the unification of Germany and resulted in the transfer of Alsace and Lorraine to Germany.