The Exchange of Dirty Hypodermic Needles

The Exchange Of Dirty Hypodermic Needles For Clean Ones, Or The Sale Of Clean Ones. Is it the exchange of dirty hypodermic needles for clean ones, or the sale of clean ones necessary for our society? The exchange of dirty hypodermic needles for clean, or the sale of clean ones is very necessary and important because our society is in need of solutions on how to prevent and decrease the big amount of infections and death that these type of diseases such as HIV and hepatitis c are causing.A lot of people do not protect themselves as they should because of lack of information. Many people think that HIV and many other diseases are spread only through sexual contact and not through needles that have been used and infected with these diseases appearing by others. I totally agree that the exchange between dirty hypodermic needles for clean ones, or sales of clean ones is going to provoke a huge positive impact in people’s life and health because they will be more aware of the damage that such negligence would cause if they are not well informed.First, the exchange of dirty hypodermic needles for clean one, or the sale of clean ones it’s important because our society needs more solutions on how to prevent infections and diseases. Often we try to find and fix these types of problems before even looking where they coming from in order to create solutions for it. According by The Lindesmith Center, New York City by 1994, 125,000 people had developed AIDS as a result of injecting drugs with unsterile syringes and over a third of new AIDS cases stem from injection drug use.There are many ways people can stop this big increment or at least prevent them. The best way you can prevent such infections or diseases is to stop injecting drugs or never start using them, go to programs where they can help you with these types of things such as substance abuse. If you continue to inject drugs, always use new, sterile syringes and never use more than once or share syring es, needles, water or other drug preparation materials.Do not share toothbrushes, razors and other items that may be contaminated with blood. Tattooing or body piercing may also increase the risk of infection and always, always practice safe sex. Second, the exchange of dirty hypodermic needles for clean one, or the sale of clean ones program is need to create more knowledge to those people who still ignore the big consequences that the exchange of needle can cause to their life and health. We, as part of this society, must show greater interest in our health.According to the Massachusetts statewide harm reduction coalition, this program of exchanging used dirty needles for new ones is a big step and it promises to provide these syringes through different courses and manuals explaining how and why it is best to do this instead of keep using the same needles that others might have used since these can cause infections and diseases to many more people. Also, it offered information and counseling about these diseases as how we can avoid them and prevent them, as also about drugs and sex among others.However, many people are still against these types of programs because they think that instead of helping our society to reduce the large number of infected people caused by the mishandling of dirty needles injections with these programs, it will make them increase; According to them people will consume more and will became more addicted because of it. I do not agree with this kind of assertion because it is a complete lie that because of information and the exchange of a needle people will consume more, at least there is still nothing that can prove it.In the other hand, there are many articles and studies that prove as the use of needle exchanges increases, the use of shared needles decreases according to the Lindesmith Center, New York City. In conclusion, I think the exchange of dirty hypothermic needle to clean ones, or the sale of clean ones is very important fo r us and our society because along with this, people will be more safe and well inform since the lack of information that some of us have according to these type of situations.Many people get infected because of their negligence for example, tattooing with needles that have been used by others or as most cases injecting drugs using the same syringe of another person. In the future, if these type of issues continue without something that can stop it or at least prevent it like the program that a lot of states have â€Å"exchanging a dirty hypodermic needle for a new one† the amount of people infected will be much greater than we think.

Interpersonal interactions in health Essay

Language Barrier/ Overwhelming Language. Mrs Singh and her husband speak minimal English. This would firstly be a barrier between the MDT staff present at the meeting and themselves. The MDT team are using jargon and large words that neither Mrs Singh nor her husband can understand because of their lack of English language. They would have to try and guess what was being said through body language, facial expressions and tone of voice. What is being said can be completely misunderstood and can make the situation a lot worse. In this scenario a translator would have been effective in breaking the barrier between Mrs Singh, her husband and the doctors. The doctors are not including Mrs Singh and her husband in the conversation or checking that what is being said is understood by them. They are not using open questions to confirm their understanding. This is not a good feeling for them to be feeling and means that it has not been communicated effectively. Without the translator or the doctors making sure they understand, Mrs S ingh and her husband will be feeling very confused and nervous. Tone/Speed of Conversation The MDT team need to understand that not everything that is being said is being interpreted correctly and this conversation is not effective because of their lack of thought. When explaining and trying to organise the discharge package for Mrs Singh, it is quite clear that she does not understand what is being explained and discussed because of the bewildered look on her and her husband’s face. The MDT team need to slow down what they are saying and need to be clearer with explaining the package. They will  need to be patient because it will take Mrs Singh longer to understand what is being said because of the language barrier. Once again they will also need to ask open questions to solidify that Mrs Singh understands what is being said. As a team they will need to give Mrs Singh and her husband time to respond to the discussion and have a chance to ask question if they’re needed (which they should know). Tones of voice needs to be thought about as well because this i s how Mrs Singh would try and interpret what is being said because she won’t understand the language clearly. The Environment The main problem with where and when it was held in the public, ward day room at lunch time. The fact that it was in a public place is not helpful or ideal to the situation because it was very busy and not private or personal at all. It was also done at lunchtime, where the people involved in the conversation would most likely be hungry so would not be concentrating well and get distracted and this would not be helpful or best for the situation. The fact that there are a lot of people at the meeting (7 MDT team members and Mrs Singh and her husband) would usually be helpful because the more people, the more helpful it can be to the patient but the fact there was a lot of people in such a crowded situation makes it very overwhelming and can be unhelpful and intimidating. Because it was held at lunchtime, it was very noisy and the background noise was very distracting and unsettling. Not being able to hear made the ward nurse raise her voice which is very scary for Mrs Singh seeing as she doesn’t understand what is being said anyway. The fact that her voice had to be raised can also make Mrs Singh feel that there may be something wrong and if you cannot understand the language, you listen to the tone of voice and figure out what is trying to be explained so if they are shouting it creates a negative environment.

Explain how far the New York Courts have extended the case Brady v Research Paper

Explain how far the New York Courts have extended the case Brady v. Maryland and its requirement for a prosecutor to turn over exculpatory evidence to the defense - Research Paper Example The prosecution allowed this but hid the statement in which the companion admits to the actual killing. The petitioner did not notice that statement was missing until after his sentence. After the denial to receive evidence by the prosecution issues of oppression rose that the prosecutor denied the petitioner right to the due process of law. The Maryland court of appeal remanded the case requesting for a new trial, a new trial however was only for the question of punishment This case involved both Brady and Boblit; both found guilty of first-degree murder. In the trials the petitioner( Brady), when the prosecution denied him the evidence in which Boblit admitted to the actual killing he appealed to the Maryland court of appeal which requested foe the new trial. The basis for this trial was the question of punishment, the question of punishment in Brady and Boblits case was a murder committed in an incidence of robbery. The punishment to the crime of murder in Maryland was death or life imprisonment This case brought rise to the Bradys rule, which represents a limited departure from the existing pure adversary model. This is due to the fact that the prosecutor role transcends to that of the adversary. During the litigation of the Bradys crime, that defense should always examine whether the prosecution team acts consistently with the aim to assist the defense in that making of the case or whether it is acting strategically. The Brady versus Maryland case brought about some of the rules used in different courts in New York; this rules resulted from the failure of the prosecutor to provide the information needed by the defendant. In this case as per the fourteenth amendment, due process states that the turnover all the information is a major requirement. The amendments due process states that the suppression of evidence by the prosecution upon request by the defendant, evidence

Critical evaluation of financial markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Critical evaluation of financial markets - Essay Example As stated by Bolbol & Omran (2003) in their paper on stock market emergence in Arab countries, a change in the technology and output mix of the indigenous industries will require the stock markets to allocate the resources to the industries more efficiently. This is because stock market activities provide an effective way to check the performance of the new firms in the event of any opinion divergence in the manner it is managed. At present in the Arab countries there are stock exchanges in Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon, Tunisia, Sudan, Dubai, Bahrain Abu Dhabi, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Among these countries it is said that the Arab stock markets are dominated by five countries in terms of active and large markets- Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Tunisia. On 3 June 2006 a resolution was passed in Libya which paved the way for the creation of the Libyan stock market, set up as â€Å"Syarika Musahima† with capital strength of LD20 million split i nto 2 million shares of 10LD per share. The headquarters as per Article 2 of the resolution was decided to be Tripoli with main branch to be set up in Benghazi. Levine & Zervos (1996) used a dataset of 47 nations for the period 1976 to 1993 to highlight that the stock market liquidity is an important predictor of real per capita gross GDP growth, physical growth in capital and growth rate in productivity. This highlights the importance of the establishment of Libyan Stock Market for the authorities in Libya1 The banking system in the country comprises four major banks which are either fully owned or in majority ownership of the Libyan Central Bank. This list of banks includes Wahda bank, Jamahiriya Bank, Umma Bank, Sahara Bank and National Commercial Bank. These banks comprise nearly 90 percent of the assets related to the Libyan banking sector. All these banks have capital strength of minimum 100 million Libyan Dinars with the two of these banks on the verge of privatisation. The f inance availability in the local market is frugal. The Libyan banks provide limited number of financial products, loans are granted based on personal rapport and the managers of the public banks do not seem to have any incentives in portfolio expansion. Scarcity of financing is a major deterrent in local development impeding the completion of the projects and the initiation of new projects. Presently the banking system in the country is undergoing a modernisation program to improve the existing products or services, handling of non-performing assets, promotion of the use of payments in modes other than cash and establishment of new accounting standards2 Reforms in Libyan Financial Sector The Libyan government is jointly working with reputed international organisations to facilitate improved transparency in the financial sector, chalking out plans to bring in international credit rating agencies in the country to evaluate the domestic financial instruments and the recently

Marketing in a regulated market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Marketing in a regulated market - Essay Example Although it is a regulated market, the government decides on the production practices it realizes the tobacco monopoly and does not try to implement measures that would eventually curb the business out of operation (Pampel, 2009:89). The script outlines the basis at which producers deceive buyers, market the product against the wish of ethics and morals, and ignore the constraints issued by the world health organizations to amass profits at the long run, and a documented inclusion of defiant states to the constraints. Further, the script entails the marketing mix variables and the ethical concerns of tobacco. Ethical issues pertaining GBT’s practices The company advertises the Gold brand uniformly through social networks and media, and this aspect catches the public equally, but fails to warn possible buyers on the consequences of smoking. Another ethical concern arises from the untamed advertising that, tobacco contains medicinal value, which is an ancient belief, and the com pany expresses it to increase demand on the output (Smith, 2003:42). The third ethical dilemma arises from the product design and packaging of the cigarettes since there are no warning signs on the Gold brand depicting the possible health hazards of smoking. Distribution of the GBT’s Gold Brand (Place) Tobacco market decline would adversely affect a nation that grows, processes, produces, and sells the cigarettes. The economy of Malu produces tobacco and depends upon it for economic growth and change in the people’s lifestyles. The government allows distribution of tobacco product brands in different channels to reach a wide range of consumer effectively. The famous homemade cigarette brand of â€Å"Gold† sells among all ages in Malu, despite the constraints to refrain from the practice, this practice is unethical to the extent that it will harm the health of the citizens. The product reaches the market via proper distribution and adequate creation of awareness throughout the potential market segments in the south Asian country (Mani and Sandhu, 2006:69). Promotion marketing mix strategy of the GBT’s Gold Brand The various promotion practices of the Gold brand cigarettes are deceptive and meant to retain buyers, entice new ones, recall old consumers, and increase the marginal consumptions. The idea of deception enables the GBT firm to survive in the market since buyers tend to retain the â€Å"value† they derive from consumption of cigarettes and avoid quitting altogether, as they feel affiliated to the product. Therefore, Fiona’s practices are unethical and morally bend to lure citizens in promoting economic growth through consumption of cigarettes and, at the expense of their general welfare and health (Weightman, 2011:87). Pricing strategy of the GBT’s Gold brand The international Tobacco products Manager at GBT, Fiona Fuller defines the best practices that the company intents to take in the process of wedgin g out possible threats that may injure the company’s operations and the desire to acquire the set goals profitably in the next decade. Fiona adapts to penetration pricing in acquiring the market that guarantees the company that the new venture is profitable (Pampel, 2009:95). She understands the presence of strong brands in the market from European nations that currently dominate 20% of market. Therefore, she strategically prices the

Encouraging the Growth of a Young Artist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Encouraging the Growth of a Young Artist - Essay Example Pente (in Grauer,Irwin & Emme, 2011) contends that developmental models can guide teachers in understanding ways children make art and to understand the broad differences among the various ages, however, many other factors can influence a child’s art development such as the materials to be used, socio-cultural considerations, and contemporary contexts in the child’s life. These can either advance or hinder a child’s art development, no matter what developmental stage he belongs to. Although it is important for teachers to know the developmental level of the children they teach so they are aware of the skills they can already learn and do, it is still essential for a teacher to be a keen observer of children’s interests and learning styles. Marne-Thompson (2009) argues that this is the best way for teachers to learn how children use art to learn and express meaning into it. Eisner (2002) offers five principles that guide teachers in art education. He enumer ates: Art education should give pride of place to what is distinctive about the arts†¦ foster the growth of artistic intelligence, help students how to create satisfying visual images, help students recognize what is personal, distinctive and even unique about themselves and their work.. and make special efforts to enable students to secure aesthetic forms of experience in everyday life (Grauer,Irwin & Emme, 2011, p. 13). In following these guidelines, teachers of young children will gain enough confidence to teach Art. Teaching Art to a Six-year old Boy I had the pleasure of working one-on-one with a creative little boy of six. In observing him, I learned that he was quite adept in using some art materials, as he exhibited good fine motor skills in drawing, cutting, pasting, molding and pasting. My objectives for our art sessions were: To inspire him to express his creativity through art To engage him in the process of collage-making, clay-molding and painting as art forms To motivate him to use art as a creative expression of himself And to simply enjoy the art activities. The first activity was creating a a big black spider with different coloured thick cardboard paper. We first discussed how spiders looked and he described that it looks like a bug but with eight legs. Then, to encourage his imaginative thinking, I asked him how he would want his own spider to look if he was to design it. He said he wanted it big and scary, but happy with a lot of colors in order to â€Å"attract friends who’d think he’s scary, but when they get to know him, is actually a friendly guy†. This verbalization about his planned art work corresponds to the talk as art criticism as referred to by Feldman (1994) when he says â€Å"Art criticism has become the storytelling aspect of art and aesthetics and transforms visual experiences into verbal expressions that can be shared with others (Cromer, 1990, p. 9 as mentioned in Grauer, Irwin & Emme, 2011, p.10 9). He started to cut an oval out of thick black cardboard and eight long rectangular â€Å"legs† and attached these around the oval. He also cut a smaller oval to attach as the head. Next, he chose different colors of construction paper and began cutting them in different shapes. For some, he tore, leaving some fibers of the paper exposed at the edges. Then, he carefully pasted the different colors randomly on the big oval, covering all the

Ask week 1 m9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ask week 1 m9 - Essay Example Elaborate on the importance of each of the processes. In order to ensure that the governance framework functions as expected in every company, these processes must be followed. There is a need for concern over the ABC’s external stakeholders due to diverse cultural setting. How important is such a concern? There tends to be conflicts when people from different cultures interact due to differences in their customs and beliefs (Badaracco 1992). However, this should not deter a company from achieving its goals. What are ways through which issues of individual morality and organizational ethical responsibility can be managed? Badaracco (1992), Holt (2006) and McDonald (2010) provide four spheres on how to handle such issues. For example, development of a moral character can be used by managers to adjust morals and ethics to suit the situation prevailing in their environment. What are ethical problems in your organisation? These problems could relate to social cultural, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility (Mele 2011). Any commercial oriented organisation can expect to face such challenges. In the effort to find solutions on how to create a high performance teams, there is a need to identify ways to manage and solve ethical problems. What are some of the issues would you focus on towards this effect. This is important because achievement of a certain goal needs a clear framework of how to achieve it. Why is the selection and recruitment of executives an important workplace-based problem? According to McDonald, 2010, ethics have been considered on different levels among them being the individual level. In addition, the ethical behaviour of leaders is rooted in their personality (Mele 2011). In this regard, recruitment and selection of leaders is one of the many considerations to take in order to ensure a correct individual is hired. Your workplace-based problem involves ethical relativism. Why do you think this

Use of coconut oil as a renewable resource in 2050 Term Paper

Use of coconut oil as a renewable resource in 2050 - Term Paper Example There are different kinds of coconut oil, such as coconut oil from wet coconut and coconut oil from dry coconut. The technology, which is used to produce coconut oil, is well developed and medium scale industries use this type of technology. In daily human life, coconut oil is very important. Human beings can use this oil for their skin to reduce the dryness of the skin. As a renewable resource, the demand of coconut oil cannot be undermined, rather it needs to be proliferated in order to ascertain that the future generation can leverage the benefits of using various products that require the extensive use of oil to run. In the historical parlance, human beings used coconut oil and the coconuts as foods for thousands of years. Coconut oil is produced by the crushing copra that can be determined as the dried kernel, which consists of about 60 to 65% of oil. This oil has the natural sweetened taste of coconut and encompasses 92% of soaked fatty acids (Krishna & et. al., 2010). A majority of them are lower chains soaked acid, which is known as medium chain fatty acids. Everyone can use coconut oil as an important psychologically efficient food for diet (Schardt, 2012). It is thus defined as an essential food that provides health benefit and the basic nutrients. Coconut oil is one of the most easily digestible oils and can observe the fats. It will neither increase nor decrease the cholesterol level. In comparison with all other oil seeds, coconut oil has the highest productivity as well as consistency in production. Diverse kinds of coconut oil are also available, such as coconut oil from dry coconut, virgin coconut oil from wet coconut and coconut oil by solvent extraction method that is called refined oil (Krishna & et. al., 2010). The technology, which is used for production of coconut oil through mechanical method, is well developed while many medium scale industries use this method or technology to produce the coconut oil. Nevertheless, small- scale

Analysis of Why i Live at the P.O. by Eudora Welty Essay

Analysis of Why i Live at the P.O. by Eudora Welty - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that Why I live at the P.O. is a book written by Eudora Welty, who was born in Jackson Mississippi. She was a multitalented artist, who succeeded as a writer and a photographer. She was inspired to write this story by a lady ironing in a small rural post office, whom she saw while working as a public photographer. Although Welty writes in varied moods and styles, Why I Live at the P.O. is a representation of her masterful use of vital characteristic of southern speech. It is, therefore, one of her beloved stories.   The story takes a form of a dramatic monologue. It is taught from the first person narrator, sister. Sister tells her side of story, explaining to the readers why she moved away from a home she had grown into adulthood, to a local post office. Her story is an appeal to the reader to take her side of the story as she resentfully recounts her Sister’s unfair maneuvers in turning every member of the family against her. How ever, her exaggeration and self pity turn her situation unintentionally humorous. The events of Why I Live in P.O. sets in motion when the narrator’s Sister, Stella Rondo returns to the family in China Grove. Sister states that before the arrival of her sister, she was getting along well with her mother, Papa-Daddy, and Uncle Rondo. The arrival of her sister, therefore, interrupts her uneventful life. Stella Rondo had just left her husband, Mr. Whitaker, a man Sister had briefly dated before becoming engaged to Stella. Stella Rondo arrives home with a girl, Shirley T, she claims to have adopted. Everybody in the family believes that the girl is actually adopted except for sister, who believes that Shirley is Stella’s biological daughter. Sister asks Stella bout Shirley’s parentage, and Stella gets furious with her. She decides to turn Papa-Daddy against Sister and tells him that Sister suggested that he should cut short his beard. Papa-Daddy believes this and ge ts angry with Sister, reminding her that it was through him that she got the job at the Post Office. Later, Sister prepares green-tomato pickles, an act that is disapproved by Mama since Uncle Rondo and Shirley T would not agree with the food. In an argument between Mama and Sister, Mama does not agree with Sister’s believe that Shirley-T is not adopted. Sister goes further to suggest that Shirley could have a developmental problem since she had never uttered a word. Stella is angered by the accusation, and has Shirley sing a song. Mama insists that Sister should apologize, but she refuses. In her attempt to have Uncle Rondo turn against sister, Stella claims that Sister sneers at his ludicrous appearance. Uncle is angered and throws lit firecrackers in Sister’s bedroom. It is at this point that Sister decides to move. She makes her reasons known and collects her belongings from the house. The story is taught from the first person point of view, therefore, a subject to the distorting interpretations. She skillfully directly addresses her audience in an attempt to call for attention to specific egregious offenses. At the end of the story, she believes that a change in venue shall be a solution to her problems, but it is arguable that her departure is a sign of cowardice (McHaney 39). Welty skillfully uses diction throughout the story. This is evident in the manner in which she records distinctive speech models of the characters. This is meant to humanize the characters and firmly place them in a local setting. In addition to this, she fills the stripes of dialogue with idiomatic expressions extracted from speech among the southerners. For instance, instead of must have, she writes must of, a transcription, grammatically unacceptable, but standard to the characters exceptional self expression ((McHaney 76)). Welty also uses appearance of words as an attempt of adding uni que rhythms and tones to the speaker. For instance, when Papa-Daddy is angered, she writes l-a-y-s (McHaney 76). This spacing is intended

Appeal Letter Essay Example for Free

Appeal Letter Essay Id be happy to give you some suggestions if youll take them. I was an English major in college and I currently work as a copywriter for a company, so hopefully I can give you a few tips to make your letter more formal. How about this: Dear Office of Student Financial Aid, My name is *your name* and I am writing to ask you to appeal my suspension of federal aid. The fall and summer semesters were a very stressful and overwhelming time in my life because I was not only returning to school after being out of it for ten years, but I was also taking care of my seven children, sharing one car between my husband and myself, and also working a full-time job. It was very difficult for me to concentrate and do well in my classes when I had to put my family ahead of myself. I do realize that I neglected my studies and I would like another chance to do better in them. I have compiled a list of steps I need to take in order to be successful in school: 1. I will resign from my full-time job in order to give my full attention to school. 2. I will obtain a tutor for my most difficult classes by becoming familiar with the tutoring center on campus. 3. I will talk to each of my instructors personally to find out how I can do well in their classes. 4. I will manage my time wisely so that I can balance my family and studies together. 5. I will attend all of my classes to take advantage of what they have to offer. My goal is to earn a degree in education so that I can make a difference in the lives of young students. This is very important to me because I want to make sure that they dont make the same mistakes that I did. But I can only do this if I can apply for financial aid. I am a hard-working student and a dedicated mother, and I would like the chance to prove to you that my next semester will not be a disappointment. I will try my hardest to be good role model to my family and other students.

Analysis Of Langston Hughes English Literature Essay

Analysis Of Langston Hughes English Literature Essay Change is hard to accept, but its also hard to bring. Change can be brought in a number of different ways; it can be brought through violence, speeches or words. Wars forced change through violence, Gandhi brought it through speeches and Hughes caused it by his poems. Winston Churchill once said, There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction. Winston Churchill believed in change as long as it was for the better. Langston Hughes also believed in the same change. He wanted to change America and make them accept African Americans as their own American brothers. Langston Hughes witnessed the racial prejudice against his community. He was terrified at the racial inequalities faced by African Americans, which influenced his poetry and made him dedicate his work to bringing change. Hughes changed his poetry style, during the Harlem Renaissance in 1920s, as he started to admire jazz music, manipulating his poetry towards music. During the early 1930s, Langston Hughes wa s largely influenced by The Great Depression. Hughes thoughts became pessimistic and his dreams became hopeless, as he started to express it in his poetic work. Hughes surroundings influenced his thoughts, which encouraged him to reflect it in his poetry. This caused Langston Hughes poetry to evolve from discussions of racial inequalities, to jazz poetry, and then to his pessimistic views on life. As a result from witnessing racial abuse, Langston Hughes decided not to be a bystander. Hughes started to reflect his surroundings in his work. He began to write in his poems the tough challenges faced by African Americans. Hughes based most of his work on the theme of social injustice. He expresses, in his poems, the racial inequalities faced by African Americans, as they were subject to low class and discrimination. His critics often objected that he portrayed lower-class aspects of life through his choice of subject matter, but Hughes often felt that he needed to communicate that, in order to convey his message. Hughes wanted to bring change through his poems; he wanted to show that Blacks are not really different from other ethnic groups. Hughes truly portrayed this through his poem I, Too Sing America. In this poem, he illustrates unimportance of blacks during that time when he writes, I am the darker brother / They send me to eat in the kitchen / When company comes (Hughes 2-4 ). Hughes first conveys the image of how blacks are treated. Then he continues on, Tomorrow, / Ill be at the table / When company comes. (Hughes 8-10). Hughes then shows the change that he strives to cause. The poem continues on to show that the change is accepted as, Theyll see how beautiful I am / And be ashamed (Hughes 16-17). Hughes then closes off the poem with, I, too, am America (Hughes 18) and shows that Blacks are not really different, as they are also American and sing the same national anthem as other Americans. Hughes expresses deep concern for the suffering that his community faced, through his poems, and aims to bring change. Later on during the 1920s, a new movement started in America known as the Harlem Renaissance. Most African Americans started to move from the rural agricultural South to the urban industrial North during 1914-1918. During this time many African American gathered in New York. Many settled in New York and in the district of Harlem. This movement brought many talented African Americans together. It also brought many good black musicians together, who publicized jazz music during that time. The Harlem Renaissance also brought many artistic Blacks who had their talents in art and literature. These African Americans found a new way to explore and experience black life in America. Many intellectual African American and artists challenged racism and rejected to mimic white American styles. These talented and intellectual artists celebrated their black dignity and creativity. This caused these African Americans to express their true feelings about the racism they faced, and their urge for fre edom and democratic rights. The African Americans explored their identities and celebrated their black culture, as they tried to renew it from the existing low class perception. With so many intellectual and talented figures, writers, artists, and poets started producing a variety of original work dealing with African-American life. These works then promoted and attracted many other blacks from all over the world and established a new cultural community within America. Hence, Langston Hughes became connected to the Harlem Renaissance. He quickly became known for his work during the Renaissance and led poetry division. He established a different style in his poetry and innovated jazz poetry in his work. Hughes started to listen and admire blues and jazz music. He spent much time in blues and jazz clubs, which influenced him to write about jazz poetry. Hughes really enjoyed listening to jazz and wrote it in his poems, as he said, I tried to write poems like the songs they sang on Seventh Street(these songs) had the pulse beat of the people who keep on going. (Famous Poets and Poems, www.famouspoetsandpoems.com). Hughes changed his theme of his poetry and started to write in the spirit of jazz. Many of his poems were set to music and communicated operettas, a genre of opera. Hughes jazz poetry is usually represented through the poem The Weary Blues. In this poem Hughes talks about him listening to jazz as he writes, He played that sad raggy tune like a musical fool. Sweet Blues! Coming from a black mans soul O Blues! (Hughes 13-16). Hughes shows his love for jazz music during the Harlem Renaissance, as he changes the theme of his poetry and follows a transition to jazz poetry. Consecutively, The Great Depression brought an end to the Harlem Renaissance and the African American literary activities. It forced many of the talented and artistic African Americans to become full time labourers, as there was scarce of jobs. Many artists quit their literary work to make a living for themselves and to support their families. This destroyed the hopes and dreams of many artists of their freedom and rights. Some artists also became involved in radical politics, since they not only felt racial injustice, but they also suffered through job loss and lower wages. This made most intellectual poets hopeless about their survival and freedom. A struggle for life started as money and food become a big issue, and for the African Americans their colour was also another issue. It was hard for them to speak out, since they could not make a living from just literary work at a time like this, causing most to support radical politics for some hope. The Great Depression caused hopeles sness and people had negative views about their dreams, as it turned down hope for a bright future for the Black communities. This lead to people having pessimistic views on life and their life became more miserable as they continued to struggle and establish their dreams once again. However, Langston Hughes also suffered a lot from The Great Depression. His dreams of bringing change seemed hopeless now. Now that the literary activities had gone down, Hughes also struggled for survival. Langston Hughes poetry also changed during this time, as Hughes became interested in socialism. Hughes supported the Soviets ideologies of communism as there were no flaws of equality. The communistic economies presented struggle and poverty, but Hughes still believed in it since there was no racism or classes in society. Hughes took part in the communist party in the US, along with other Black figures. Seeing his dreams and of other Black artists become bleak, Hughes thoughts became pessimistic and were reflected in his poetry. In his poem Life Is Fine, Hughes writes his pessimistic thoughts, I took the elevator Sixteen floors above the ground. I thought about my baby And thought I would jump down (Hughes 10-13). In another poem Hughes writes about his dreams being put off as suggested by the title Dream Deferred, in which Hughes writes What happens to a dream deferred? / Does it dry up / Like a raisin in the sun? (Hughes 1-3). This shows that Hughes became hopeless about his dreams coming true, as they were belated due to The Great Depression. Hughes thoughts became pessimistic as his hopes for his dreams turned bleak, but he still retains some hope to keep him on track and to keep him writing his poems. In conclusion, Hughes brings a major change in the eyes of Americans, through his influential and powerful poetry. He witnesses the social injustice faced by African Americans, finds his admiration in jazz music, and suffers pessimistic thoughts and weakened hope through the 1930s. Langston Hughes reflects the ambience in his poetry, as his themes change according to his feelings, thoughts and setting. Hughes poetry emerges from examination of social injustice, followed by jazz poetry, and then to his pessimistic views on life. Hughes plans of bringing change are revealed in his poems and become his dreams. They are however, shunned as he faces the Great Depression and the suffering it causes to his community. His dreams are deferred and his hopes of bringing change among his people diminish. He learns from his experience and relates it in his poem Dreams, as he writes, Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die / life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly. (Hughes 1-2). Langston Hughes teaches his readers and admirers to fight their dreams and to not let them delay, as dreams become your success to life.

Marlows Catharsis in Conrads Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays

Marlow's Catharsis in Heart of Darkness  Ã‚   Conrad's novel, Heart of Darkness, relies on the historical period of imperialism in order to describe its protagonist, Charlie Marlow, and his struggle. Marlow's catharsis in the novel, as he goes to the Congo, rests on how he visualizes the effects of imperialism. This paper will analyze Marlow's "change," as caused by his exposure to the imperialistic nature of the historical period in which he lived. Marlow is asked by "the company", the organization for whom he works, to travel to the Congo river and report back to them about Mr. Kurtz, a top notch officer of theirs. When he sets sail, he doesn't know what to expect. When his journey is completed, this little "trip" will have changed Marlow forever! Heart of Darkness is a story of one man's journey through the African Congo and the "enlightenment" of his soul. It begins with Charlie Marlow, along with a few of his comrades, cruising aboard the Nellie, a traditional sailboat. On the boat, Marlow begins to tell of his experiences in the Congo. Conrad uses Marlow to reveal all the personal thoughts and emotions that he wants to portray while Marlow goes on this "voyage of a lifetime". Marlow begins his voyage as an ordinary English sailor who is traveling to the African Congo on a "business trip". He is an Englishmen through and through. He's never been exposed to any alternative form of culture, similar to the one he will encounter in Africa, and he has no idea about the drastically different culture that exists out there. Throughout the book, Conrad, via Marlow's observations, reveals to the reader the naive mentality shared by every European. Marlow as well, shares this naivetà © in the beginning of his voyage. However, after his first few moments in the Congo, he realizes the ignorance he and all his comrades possess. We first recognize the general naivetà © of the Europeans when Marlow's aunt is seeing him for the last time before he embarks on his journey. Marlow's aunt is under the assumption that the voyage is a mission to "wean those ignorant millions from their horrid ways"(18-19). In reality, however, the Europeans are there in the name of imperialism and their sole objective is to earn a substantial profit by collecting all the ivory in Africa. Another manifestation of the Europeans obliviousness towards reality is seen when Marlow is recounting his adventure aboard the Nellie.

Thoughtful Wedding Speech by the Groom -- Wedding Toasts Roasts Speech

Thoughtful Wedding Speech by the Groom Ladies and gentlemen: I would like to thank the previous speaker for those sincere words and to the bride's parents for the love that they have both shown me, not only in preparation for today, but from the first moment that we met some two and a half years ago. I dont know who was more surprised that first night when my future wife brought me home without warning, when they were sitting there all ready for bed in their satin bath robes and her dad in his Snoopy slippers. Anyway quickly moving on... I did have a speech all worked out for this occasion, but of course now that I'm a married man, my wife has insisted that I read from the one that she has written for me. So here goes: On behalf of my wife and I -I suppose I'm going to have to get used to saying that? I would like to start by thanking everyone here today for sharing our very special day with us. Thank you for all the wonderful gifts and cards that you have given us, we are very touched at your generosity. We have both been very nervous about today and it means a great deal to us that you are sharing our day with us, and we hope that you are enjoying the occasion every bit as much as we are. Most people on their wedding day describe it as the happiest day of their lives. That worries me, because it implies that as from tomorrow there's a lifelong decline ahead, so I`m making the most of today. However, I'm so happy today that even days less happy would still be blissful. I would like to say a special thank you to those of you that have traveled some distance to be here today. It is quite a humbling experience to realize that you have friends and family that care so much for you. And I do genuinely mean that.... ...rything you have done today, and in the build up to the wedding, we have a small gift for you both.(Present gifts) Now before I finish and ask you to join me in a toast. I believe that my lovely wife would like to gatecrash these speeches and say a few words. (The bride?s speech) Thankyou darling. I would like to bring my speech toward a close by saying a very special thankyou to our lovely bridesmaids. I am sure you will all agree on how beautiful they look and I will always treasure the picture in in mind of you both entering the room and walking down the aisle. I would like you to know that your earrings and neck-laces are a token of our appreciation for everything you have done today. On that note. I would like to propose a toast to the bridesmaids, so could you all stand and and raise your glasses and join in as we toast. To the bridesmaids.

What are the Effects of Texting on Teenagers? Essay -- essays research

Which are the effects of texting on teenagers? Slavery or freedom? We hear a lot these days about texting - the ability to get/send a text message from/to anyone, anywhere, via wireless networks and some kind of portable device, which might be a fancy pager, a digital cellphone or a palmtop computer. The technology is here, though it doesn't work everywhere yet. We could argue about how affordable or reliable texting is, but we can't deny it exists and will probably become more widespread. But is this a good thing? In my opinion, there are certain ways in which texting affects many teenagers. Some teenagers believe that text message communication enables them to express their feelings freely and sincerely to someone. This is why they like to be â€Å"plugged-in† with it all day long. I think that it depends on each person when considering if cellphone messaging is a kind of slavery or freedom because I belief in free will, therefore each of us have the choice of doing it or not. There are times when it's good, to ask for homework, to reach you in an mall, on a bus, at the theatre, or to call your mom so that she can pick you up from someplace. The â€Å"important thing† may be to know when to leave the cellphone or pager at home. Unfortunately, for some people, the fact that these things exist creates the expectation that they'll always use them. People need time away from work, time to be with their families, or with their cats, time to study, or just time to be alone. Many tee...

Like Water for Chocolate Essay

Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Squalevella Bantam Doubleday Dell Pub (Trd); ISBN: 0553472550 Copyright 1994 CHAPTER ONE. JANUARY. Chrutnuw Ro/ INGREDIENTS 1 can of arOin 1/2 choriw aaye oreyano 1 can of chitej rrano 10 haro ro PREPARATION: Take care to chop the onion fine. To keep from crying when you chop it (which is so annoying!), I suggest you place a little bit on your head. The trouble with crying over an onion is that once the chopping gets you started and the tears begin to well up, the next thing you know you just can’t stop. I don’t know whether that’s ever happened to you, but I have to confess it’s happened to me, many times. Mama used to say it was because I was especially sensitive to onions, like my great-aunt, Tita. Tita was so sensitive to onions, any time they were being chopped, they say she would just cry and cry, when she was still in my greatgrandmother’s belly her sobs were so loud that even Nancha, the cook, who was halfdeaf, could hear them easily. Once her wailing got so violent that it brought on an early labor. And before my greatgrandmother could let out a word or even a whimper, Tita made her entrance into this world, prematurely, right there on the kitchen table amid the smells of simmering noodle soup, thyme, bay leaves, and cilantro, steamed milk, garlic, and, of course, onion. Tita had no need for the usual slap on the bottom, because she was already crying as she emerged, maybe that was because she knew then that it would be her lot in life to be denied marriage. The way Nancha told it, Tita was literally washed into this world on a great tide of tears that spilled over the e dge of the table and flooded across the kitchen floor. That afternoon, when the uproar had subsided and the water had been dried up by the sun, Nancha swept up the residue the tears had left on the red stone floor. There was enough salt to fill a ten-pound sack-it was used for cooking and lasted a long time. Thanks to her unusual birth, Tita felt a deep love for the kitchen, where she spent most of her life from the day she was born. When she was only two days old, Tita’s father, my great-grandfather, died of a heart attack and Mama Elena’s milk dried up from the shock. Since there was no such thing as powdered milk in those days, and they couldn’t find a wet nurse anywhere, they were in a panic to satisfy the infant’s hunger. Nancha, who knew everything about cooking-and much more that doesn’t enter the picture until later offered to take chargeof feeding Tita. She felt she had the best chance of `educating the innocent child’s stomach,† even though she had never mauled or had children. Though she didn’t know how to read or write, when it came to cooking she knew everything there was to know. Mama Elena accepted her offer gratefully, she had enough to do between her mourning and the enormous responsibility of running the ranch and it was the ranch that would provide her children the food and education they deserved-without having to worry about feeding a newborn baby on top of everything else. From that day on, Tita’s domain was the kitchen, where she grew vigorous and healthy on a diet of teas and thin corn gruels. This explains the sixth sense Tita developed about everything concerning food. Her eating habits, for example, were attuned to the kitchen routine: in the morning, when she could smell that the beans were ready, at midday, when she sensed the water was ready for plucking the chickens, and in the afternoon, when the dinner bread was baking, Tita knew it was time for her to be fed. Sometimes she would cry for no reason at all, like when Nancha chopped onions, but since they both knew the cause of those tears, they didn’t pay them much mind. They made them a source of entertainment, so that during her childhood Tita didn’t distinguish between tears of laughter and tears of sorrow. For her laughing was a form of crying. Likewise for Tita the joy of living was wrapped up in the delights of food. It wasn’t easy for a person whose knowledge of life was based onthe kitchen to comprehend the outside world. That world was an endless expanse that began at the door between the kitchen and the rest of the house, whereas everything on the kitchen side of that door, on through the door leading to the patio and the kitchen and herb gardens was completely hers-it was Tita’s realm. Her sisters were just the opposite: to them, Tita’s world seemed full of unknown dangers, and they were terrified of it. They felt that playing in the kitchen was foolish and dangerous. But once, Tita managed to convince them to join her in watching the dazzling display made by dancing water drops dribbled on a red hot griddle. While Tita was singing and waving her wet hands in time, showering drops of water down on the griddle so they would â€Å"dance,† Rosaura was cowering in the corner stunned by the display. Gertrudis, on the other hand, found this game enticing, and she threw herself into it with the enthusiasm she always showed where rhythm, movement, or music were involved. Then Rosaura had tried to join them-but since she barely moistened her hands and then shook them gingerly, her efforts didn’t have the desired effect. So Tita tried to move her hands closer to the griddle. Rosaura resisted, and they struggled for control until Tita became annoyed and let go, so that momentum carried Rosaura’s hands onto it. Tita got a terrible spanking for that, and she was forbidden to play with her sisters in her own world. Nancha became her playmate then. Together they made up all sorts of games and activities having to do with cooking. Like the day they saw a man in the village plaza twisting long thin balloons into animal shapes, and they decided to do it with sausages. They didn’t just make real animals, they also made up some of their own, creatures with the neck of a swan, the legs of a dog, the tail of a horse, and on and on. Then there was trouble, however, when the animals had to be taken apart to fry the sausage. Tita refused to do it. The only time she was willing to take them apart was when the sausage was intended for the Christmas rolls she loved so much. Then she not only allowed her animals to be dismantled, she watched them fry with glee. The sausage for the rolls must be fried over very low heat, so that it cooks thoroughly without getting too brown. When done, remove from the heat and add the sardines, which have been deboned ahead of time. Any black spots on the skin should also have been scraped off with a k nife. Combine the onions, chopped chiles, and the ground oregano with the sardines. Let the mixture stand before filling the rolls. Tita enjoyed this step enormously, while the filling was resting, it was very pleasant to savor its aroma, for smells have the power to evoke the past, bringing back sounds and even other smells that have no match in the present. Tita liked to take a deep breath and let the characteristic smoke and smell transport her through the recesses of her memory. It was useless to try to recall the first time she had smelled one of those rolls-she couldn’t, possibly because it had been before she was born. It might have been the unusual combination of sardines and sausages that had called to her and made her decide to trade the peace of ethereal existence in Mama Elena’s belly for life as her daughter, in order to enter the De la Garza family and share their delicious meals and wonderful sausage. On Mama Elena’s ranch, sausage making was a real ritual. The day before, they started peeling garlic, cleaning chiles, and grinding spices. All the women in the family had to participate: Mama Elena, her daughters, Gertrudis, Rosaura, and Tita, Nancha, the cook. And Chencha, the maid. They gathered around the diningroom table in the afternoon, and between the talking and the joking the time flew by until it started to get dark. Then Mama Elena would say: â€Å"That’s it for today.† For a good listener, it is said, a single word will suffice, so when they heard that, they all sprang into action. First they had to clear the table, then they had to assign tasks: one collected the chickens, another drew water for breakfast from the well, a third was in charge of wood for the stove. There would be no ironing, no embroidery, no sewing that day. When it was all finished, they went to their bedrooms to read, say their prayers, and go to sleep. One afternoon, before Mama Elena told them they could leave the table, Tita, who was then fifteen, announced in a trembling voice that Pedro Muzquiz would like to come and speak with her. After an endless silence during which Tita’s soul shrank, Mama Elena asked: â€Å"And why should this gentleman want to come talk to me?† Tita’s answer could barely be heard: â€Å"I don’t know.† Mama Elena threw her a look that seemed to Tita to contain all the years of repression that had flowed over the family, and said: â€Å"If he intends to ask for your hand, tell him not to bother. He’ll be wasting his time and mine too. You know perfectly well that being the youngest daughter means you have to take care of me until the day I die.† With that Mama Elena got slowly to her feet, put her glasses in her apron, and said in a tone of final command: . II â€Å"That’s it for today.† Tita knew that discussion was not one of the forms of communication permitted in Mama Elena’s household, but even so, for the first time in her life, she intended to protest her mother’s ruling. â€Å"But in my opinion â€Å"You don’t have an opinion, and that’s all I want to hear about it. For generations, not a single person in my family has ever questioned this tradition, and no daughter of mine is going to be the one to start.† Tita lowered her head, and the realization of her fate struck her as forcibly as her tears struck the table. From then on they knew, she and the table, that they could never have even the slightest voice in the unknown forces that fated Tita to bow before her mother’s absurd decision, and the table to continue to receive the bitter tears that she had first shed on the day of her birth. Still Tita did not submit. anxieties sprang to her mind. Doubts and the next week she didn’t speak a single word to her. What passed for communication between them resumed when Mama Elena, who was inspecting the clothes each of the women had been sewing, discovered that Tita’s creation, which was the most perfect, had not been basted before it was sewed. â€Å"Congratulations,† she said, â€Å"your stitches are perfect -but you didn’t haste it, did you?† â€Å"No,† answered Tita, astonished that the sentence of silence had been revoked. `Then go and rip it out. Baste it and sew it again and then come and show it to me. And remember that the lazy man and the stingy man end up walking their road twice.† â€Å"But that’s if a person makes a mistake, and you yourself said a moment ago that my sewing was . â€Å"Are you starting up with your rebelliousness again? It’s enough that you have the audacity to break the rules in your sewing.† â€Å"I’m sorry, Mami. I won’t ever do it again.† With that Tita succeeded in calming Mama Elena’s anger. For once she had been very careful, she had called her â€Å"Mami† in the correct tone of voice. Mama Elena felt that the word Mama had a disrespectful sound to it, and so, from the time they were little, she had ordered her daughters to use the word Mami when speaking to her. The only one who resisted, the only one who said the word without the proper deference was Tita, which had earned her plenty of slaps. But how perfectly she had said it this time! Mama Elena took comfort in the hope For one thing, she wanted to know who started this family tradition. It would be nice if she could let that genius know about one little flaw in this perfect plan for taking care of women in their old age. If Tita couldn’t marry and have children, who would take care of her when she got old? Was there a solution in a case like that? Or are daughters who stay home and take care of their mothers not expected to survive too long after the parent’s death? And what about women who marry and can’t have children, who will take care of them? And besides, she’d like to know what kind of studies had established that the youngest daughter and not the eldest is best suited to care for their mother. Had the opinion of the daughter affected by the plan ever been taken into account? If she couldn’t marry, was she at least allowed to experience love? Or not even that? Tita knew perfectly well that all these questions would have to be buried forever in the archive of questions that have no answers. In the De la Garza family, one obeyedimmediately. Ignoring Tita completely, a very angry Mama Elena left the kitchen, and for that she had finally managed to subdue her youngest daughter. Unfortunately her hope was short-lived, for the very next day Pedro Muzquiz appeared at the house, his esteemed father at his side, to ask for Tita’s hand in marriage. His arrival caused a huge uproar, as his visit was completely unexpected. Several days earlier Tita had sent Pedro a message via Nancha’s brother asking him to abandon his suit. The brother swore he had delivered the message to Pedro, and yet, there they were, in the house. Mama Elena received them in the living room, she was extremely polite and explained why it was impossible for Tita to marry. â€Å"But if you really want Pedro to get married, allow me to suggest my daughter Rosaura, who’s just two years older than Tita. She is one hundred percent available, and ready for marriage At that Chencha almost dropped right onto Mama Elena the tray containing coffee and cookies, which she had carried into the living room to offer don Pascual and his son. Excusing herself, she rushed back to the kitchen, where Tita, Rosaura, and Gertrudis were waiting for her to fill them in on every detail about what was going on in the living room. She burst headlong into the room, and they all immediately stopped what they were doing, so as not to miss a word she said. They were together in the kitchen making Christmas Rolls. As the name implies, these rolls are usually prepared around Christmas, but today they were being prepared in honor of Tita’s birthday. She would soon be sixteen years old, and she wanted to celebrate with one of her favorite dishes. â€Å"Isn’t that something? Your ma talks about being ready for marriage like she was dishing up a plate of enchiladas! And the worse thing is, they’re completely different! You can’t just switch tacos and enchiladas like that!† Chencha kept up this kind of running commentary as she told the others-in her own way, of course-about the scene she had just witnessed. Tita knew Chencha sometimes exaggerated and distorted things, so she held her aching heart in check. She would not accept what she had just heard. Feigning calm, she continued cutting the rolls for her sisters and Nancha to fill. It is best to use homemade rolls. Hard rolls can easily be obtained from a bakery, but they should be small, the larger ones are unsuited for this recipe. After filling the rolls, bake for ten minutes and serve hot. For best results, leave the rolls out overnight, wrapped in a cloth, so that the grease from the sausage soaks into the bread. When Tita was finishing wrapping the next day’s rolls, Mama Elena came into the kitchen and informed them that she had agreed to Pedro’s marriage-to Rosaura. Hearing Chencha’s story confirmed, Tita felt her body fill with a wintry chill: in one sharp, quick blast she was so cold and dry her cheeks burned and turned red, red as the apples beside her. That overpowering chill a lasted a long time, and she could find no respite, not even when Nancha told her what she had overheard as she escorted don Pascual Muzquiz and his son to the ranch’s gate. Nancha followed them, walking as quietly as she could in order to hear the conversation between father and son. Don Pascual and Pedro were walking slowly, speaking in low, controlled, angry voices. †Why did you do that, Pedro? It will look ridiculous, your agreeing to marry Rosaura. What happened to the eternal love you swore to Tita? Aren’t you going to keep that vow?† â€Å"Of course I’ll keep it. When you’re told there’s no way you can marry the woman you love and your only hope of being near her is to marry her sister, wouldn’t you do the same?† Nancha didn’t manage to hear the answer, Pulque, the ranch dog, wentrunning by, barking at a rabbit he mistook for a cat. â€Å"So you intend to marry without love?† â€Å"No, Papa, I am going to marry with a great love for Tita that willnever die.† Their voices grew less and less audible, drowned out by the crackling of dried leaves beneath their feet. How strange that Nancha, who was quite hard of hearing by that time, should have claimed to have heard this conversation. Still, Tita thanked Nancha for telling her-but that did not alter the icy feelings she began to have for Pedro. It is said that the deaf can’t hear but can understand. Perhaps Nancha only heard what everyone else was afraid to say. Tita could not get to sleep that night, she could not find the words for what she was feeling. How unfortunate that black holes in space had not yet been discovered, for then she might have understood the black hole in the center of her chest, infinite coldness flowing through it. Whenever she closed her eyes she saw scenes from last Christmas, the first time Pedro and his family had been invited to dinner1 the scenesgrew more and more vivid, and the cold within her grew sharper. Despite the time that had passed since that evening, she remembered it perfectly: the sounds, the smells, the way her new dress had grazed the freshly waxed floor, the look Pedro gave her . . . That look! She had been walking to the table carrying a tray of egg-yolk candies when she first felt his hot gaze burning her skin. She turned her head, and her eyes met Pedro’s. It was then she understood how dough feels when it is plunged into boiling oil. The heat that invaded her body was so real she was afraid she would start to bubble-her face, her stomach, her heart, her breasts-like batter, and unable to endure his gaze she lowered her eyes and hastily crossed the room, to where Gertrudis was pedaling the player piano, playing a waltz called the Eyes of Youth.† She set her tray on a little table in the middle of the room, picked up a glass of Noyo liquor that was in front of her, hardly aware of what she was doing, and sat down next to Paquita Lobo, the De Ia Carzas’ neighbor. But even that distance between herself and Pedro was not enough1 she felt her blood pulsing, searing her veins. A deep flush suffused her face and no matter how she tried she could not find a place for her eyes to rest. Paquita saw that something was bothering her, and with a look of great concern, she asked: â€Å"That liquor is pretty strong, isn’t it?† â€Å"Pardon me?† â€Å"You look a little woozy, Tita. Are you feeling all right?† â€Å"Yes, thank you.† â€Å"You’re old enough to have a little drink on a special occasion, but tell me, you little devil, did your mama say it was okay? I can see you’re excited-you’re shaking and I’m sorry but I must say you’d better not have any more. Yo u wouldn’t want to make a fool of yourself.† That was the last straw! To have Paquita Lobo think she was drunk. She couldn’t allow the tiniest suspicion to remain in Paquita’s mind or she might tell her mother. Tita’s fear of her mother was enough to make her forget Pedro for a moment, and she applied herself to convincing Paquita, any way she could, that she was thinking clearly, that her mind was alert. She chatted with her, she gossiped, she made small talk. She even told her the recipe for this Noyo liquor which was supposed to have had such an effect on her. The liquor is made by soaking four ounces of peaches and a half pound of apricots in water for twenty-four hours to loosen the skin1 next, they are peeled, crushed, and steeped in hot water for fifteen days. Then the liquor is distilled. After two and a half pounds of sugar have been completely dissolved in the water, four ounces of orange-flower water are added, and the mixture is stirred and strained. And so there would be no lingering doubts about her mental and physical well-being, she reminded Paquita, as if it were just an aside, that the water containers held 2.016 liters, no more and no less. So when Mama Elena came over to ask Paquita if she was being properly entertained, she replied enthusiastically. â€Å"Oh yes, perfectly! You have such wonderful daughters. Such fascinating conversation!† Mama Elena sent Tita to the kitchen to get something for the guests. Pedro â€Å"happened† to be walking by at that moment and he offered his help. Tita rushed off to the kitchen without a word. His presence made her extremely uncomfortable. He followed her in, and she quickly sent him off with one of the trays of delicious snacks that had been waiting on the kitchen table. She would never forget the moment their hands accidentally touched as they both slowly bent down to pick up the same tray. That was when Pedro confessed his love. â€Å"Sen on to Tita, I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to be alone with you to tell you that I am deeply in love with you. I know this declaration is presumptuous, and that it’s quite sudden, but it’s so hard to get near you that I decided to tell you tonight. All I ask is that you tell me whether I can hope to win your love.† â€Å"I don’t know what to say . give me time to think.† â€Å"No, no, I can’t! I need an answer now: you don’t have to think about love, you either feel it or you don’t. I am a man of few words, but my word is my pledge. I swear that my love for you will last forever. What about you? Do you feel the same way about me?† â€Å"Yes!† Yes, a thousand times. From that night on she would love him forever. And now she had to give him up. It wasn’t decent to desire your sister’s future husband. She had to try to put him out of her mind somehow, so she could get to sleep. She started to eat the Christmas Roll Nancha had left out on her bureau, along with a glass of milk, this remedy had proven effective many times. Nancha, with all her experience, knew that for Tita there was no pain that wouldn’t disappear if she ate a delicious Christmas Roll. But this time it didn’t work. She felt no relief from the hollow sensation in her stomach. Just the opposite, a wave of nausea flowed over her. She realized that the hollow sensation was not hunger but an icy feeling of grief. She had to get rid of that terrible sensation of cold. First she put on a wool robe and a heavy cloak. The cold still gripped her. Then she put on felt slippers and another two shawls. No good. Finally she went to her sewing box and pulled out the bedspread she had started the day Pedro first spoke of marriage. A bedspread like that, a crocheted one, takes about a year to complete. Exactly the length of time Pedro and Tita had planned to wait before getting married. She decided to use the yarn, not to let it go to waste, and so she worked on the bedspread and wept furiously, weeping and working until dawn, and threw it over herself. It didn’t help at all. Not that night, nor many others, for as long as she lived, could she free herself from that cold. TO BE CONTINUED Next month’s recipe, Chabeta weooina Cake. CHAPTER TWO. FEBRUARY. Chabefa Wany Cake INGREDIENTS. 175 aranw refinco granetlate0 uyar 300 yram cake flour, fteo’ three tim& 17eay arateo peel of one lime PREPARATION: Place five egg yolks, four whole eggs, and the sugar in a large bowl. Beat until the mixture thickens and then add two more whole eggs repeat, adding the remaining eggs tw o at a time until all the eggs have been added. To make the cake for Pedro and Rosaura’s wedding, Tita and Nancha had to multiply this recipe by ten, since they were preparing a cake not for eighteen people but for 180. Therefore, they needed 170 eggs,which meant they had to arrange to have that number of good eggs on thesame day. To get that number of eggs together, they preserved all the eggs laid by the best hens for several weeks. This preserving technique had been employed on the ranch since time immemorial to ensure a supply of this nourishing and indispensable food throughout the winter. The best time to preserve eggs is August or September. The eggs must be very fresh. Nancha preferred to use only eggs laid the same day. The eggs are placed in a cask containing crumbled sheep fodder, allowed to cool, and then covered completely. This will keep the eggs fresh for months. If you want them to keep for more than a year, place the eggs in an earthenware crock and cover them with a ten-percent lime solution. Cover tightly to keep the air out and store in the wine cellar. Tita and Nancha had chosen to use the first method because they didn’t need to keep the eggs fresh for that many months. They had placed the cask containing the preserved eggs between them under the kitchen table and were taking the eggs out of it as they put the cake together. When she had beaten barely a hundred eggs, the phenomenal energy required for the task began to have a bad effect on Tita’s mood. To reach the goal of 170 seemed unimaginable. Tita beat the mixture while Nancha broke the eggs and added them to it. A fit of trembling shook Tita’s body and she broke out in goose bumps when each new egg was broken. The egg whites reminded her of the testicles of the chickens they had castrated the month before. Roosters that are castrated and then fattened up are called capons. The family had decided to serve capons at Pedro and Rosaura’s wedding because they would impress everyone with the quality of the dinner, as much for the amount of work required in their preparation as for the extraordinary flavor of the birds themselves. As soon as the date of the wedding was set for the twelfth of January, they ordered two hundred roosters to be bought for castrating and fattening up. This task fell to Tita and Nancha. Nancha because of her experience and Tita as punishment for feigning a headache to avoid her sister Rosaura’s engagement. â€Å"I won’t stand for disobedience,† Mama Elena told her, â€Å"nor am going to allow you to ruin your sister’s wedding, with your acting like a victim. You’re in charge of all the preparations starting now, and don’t ever let me catch you with a single tear or even a long face, do you hear?†

Child Development Theories Essay

While theorists have different ideas and perspectives, insight on child and adolescent development can assist teachers and parents in helping children reach their full developmental and learning potential. Having knowledge about the development of a child and adolescent provides clues in understanding behavior and what is â€Å"normal,† or typical, in growth and development in the early months and years of life. Three developmental theories are broken down to understand the concepts, points of similarity and difference, and the interaction of cognitive, physical, and emotional development of a child. The three theorist perspectives analyzed in this essay include Erikson, Kohlberg, and Piaget. Erikson’s Psychosocial Stage Theory Erikson’s view Erikson’s theory is from a psychoanalytic perspective, which believes that development forms by uncontrollable forces that drive human behavior. He expands on Freud’s theory of psychosexual stages, but Erikson focuses on social changes instead of sexual (Heffner, 2004). Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development breaks down in eight stages throughout the human lifespan, and believes â€Å"personality is influenced by society and develops though a series of crisis† (Papalia, D. & Olds, S. & Feldman, R., 2006). Each of Erikson’s stages are described as a crisis in personality requiring a positive and negative trait. When the outcome of each stage (or crisis) is  successful, a virtue (or strength) develops. The eight stages include: Basic trust vs. mistrust (birth to 12-18 months); baby develops sense of whether the world is a good and safe; the virtue is hope Autonomy vs. shame (12-18 months- 3 years); child develops balance of independence and self-efficiency over shame and doubt with virtue of will Initiative vs. guilt (3-6 years), child develops initiative without guilt with the virtue being purpose Industry vs. inferiority (6 years to puberty),child must learn skills of culture or face feelings of incompetence; the virtue is skill Identity vs. identity confusion (puberty to adulthood), adolescent must determine sense of self, or confusion about roles may be experienced; the virtue is fidelity Intimacy vs. isolation (young adulthood), person seeks to make commitments to others and when unsuccessful, isolation and self-absorption may result; the virtue is love Generativity vs. stagnation (middle adulthood), adults are concerned guiding the next generation or feels personal impoverishment; the virtue is care Integrity vs. despair (late adulthood), acceptance of own life and death, or despairs over inability to relive life; the virtue is wisdom (Papalia, et al., 2006, table2-2) Kohlberg’s Moral Understanding Stage Theory Kohlberg’s view Kohlberg builds off of Piaget’s moral reasoning theory, but Piaget’s  viewed the concepts of development of children as fairness through interaction of peers; whereas, Kohlberg thought â€Å"all social relationships offer opportunities for social role-taking—taking the perspective of others—and thus stimulate moral development† (Papalia, et al., 2006). Kohlberg’s focus was a child’s development of right, wrong, and justice; he argues that child developments progress consecutively, and are based on spirituality and God through stages of â€Å"thought processing, implying qualitatively different modes of thinking and of problem solving† (Cory, 2006). Kohlberg explains moral reasoning in three levels and divides each into two stages. The first level, from ages 4 to 10, Kohlberg calls preconventional morality. Stage one of reasoning in preconventional morality level is a child’s orientation toward punishment and obedience. In this stage, children obey rules to avoid punishment. In stage two, instrumental purpose exchange, children â€Å"conform to rules out of self-interest and consideration for what others can do for them† (Papalia, et al., 2006). Conventional morality is the second level, reached after age 10. Maintaining mutual relations and getting approval of others, wanting to please and help others happens at stage three. In stage four, an individual begins social concern and having a conscience, and understanding the principles of authority. In level three, post-conventional morality, development is in early adolescence, young adulthood—or never. Stage five of level three describes a person developing, or understanding morality of contract, individual rights, and democratically accepting the law. In this stage, people are aware of principles and think rational deciding between human need and the law. Morality of universal ethical principles is the concept of stage six. Piaget’s Cognitive Development Stage Theory Piaget’s view Jean Piaget’s theory focused on cognitive development as mental operations mature based on â€Å"simple sensory and motor activity to logical, abstract thought† (Papalia, et al., 2006). Piaget’s view was that growth occurs as a child matures and interacts with his or her surroundings; he  looks at the human mind as a focal point and base for everything around it (Heffner, 2004). Cognitive development occurs in three interrelated processes, according to Piaget. The interrelated processes are organization, adaptation, and equilibration. Piaget’s stages of cognitive development are broken down and explained in a web page created by James Atherton: Sensori-motor (0-2 yrs) Differentiates self from objects and recognizes self as agent of action and begins to act intentionally: e.g. pulls a string to set mobile in motion or shakes a rattle to make a noise; Achieves object permanence: realizes that things continue to exist even when no longer present to the sense Pre-operational (2-7 years) Learns to use language and to represent objects by images and words. Thinking is still egocentric: has difficulty taking the viewpoint of others. Classifies objects by a single feature: e.g. groups together all the red blocks regardless of shape or all the square blocks regardless of color. Concrete operational (7-11 years) Can think logically about objects and events; Achieves conservation of number (age 6), mass (age 7), and weight (age 9) .Classifies objects according to several features and can order them in series along a single dimension such as size. Formal operational (11 years and up) Can think logically about abstract propositions and test hypotheses systematically; becomes concerned with the hypothetical, the future, and ideological problems. (Atherton, 2009) Similarities, differences, & key concepts The major points of similarity, or agreement, in each viewpoint are; development occurs in stages in all three perspectives, and all theorists believe development begins from birth. One of the differences is each theorist’s interest. Erikson’s interest was in how children socialize and how this affects their sense of self. His concept was that if a stage of  crisis were unsuccessful, the result would be an inability to get to the next stage; which in turn contributes to an unhealthy personality and sense of self. Kohlberg’s interest was how children get a sense of right and wrong, with a theory that originates from character of God. Piaget’s interests were intellect and the ability to see relationships mature, with a concept based off sensory and motor activity. A difference between Kohlberg and Piaget’s theory is that Kohlberg’s theory may not apply equally to genders and cultures; whereas, Piaget’s theory is believed to be a fixed order in all children and cultures, with ages of each stage varying from child to child. The importance of understanding normal child and adolescent development Conclusion Indeed, while theorists have different ideas and perspectives, parents and teacher who have some knowledge have a better chance in helping children reach their full developmental and learning potential, and they will be more aware when development and growth are in the normal range. References Cory, R. (2006, August 13). Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development. Retrieved June 29, 2009, From Aggelia Internet Publishing: http://www.aggelia.com/htdocs/kohlberg.shtml Heffner, C. L. (2004, March 21). Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Development. Retrieved June 29, 2009,from All Psych Online: The Virtual Psychology Classroom: http://allpsych.com/psychology101/social_development.html Papalia, D. & Olds, S. & Feldman, R. (2006). A Child’s World: Infancy Through Adolescense . NY, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Mechanical engineering

Are you interested in Jobs that require athletic or mechanical ability, working with objects, machines, tools, plants or animals, or being outdoors? You enjoy working with your hands, tools, machines, and things that are practical, mechanically and physically inclined. Careers you would enjoy Architecture Chef / / Hospitality Management Engineering Information Technology Mechanical / Automobile Engineering Music Pharmacy Pilot / Aviation Veterinarian Are you interested in jobs with people who like to observe, learn, investigate, analyses, evaluate or solve problems?You enjoy working with theory and information. You are analytical, intellectual and scientific. Computer Science Economy Mathematics & Statistics Medicine / Dentistry Psychology Sciences Journalism Are you interested in Jobs involving artistic, innovative or intuitive abilities, and like to work in unstructured creative situations? You are non-conforming, original, independent and creative though sometimes chaotic. Acting Advertising Writing / Authoring Architecture / Interior Design / Graphic Design Dancing Designing / Photography Reporting Do you like to work with people to inform, help, train, enlighten, develop or cure or are you skilled with words? You enjoy working in cooperative environments and are supportive, helpful, healing and nurturing. Therapy Counseling Education Hospitality Psychiatry Sociology Public Relations Client Servicing Are you interested in Jobs where you work with people to influence, perform, persuade or lead for organizational goals or economic gain?You enjoy working in competitive environments and are good at leading, persuading, dominating and rumoring. Administration Business Communication Hospitality & Tourism Banking / Investment Law / Politics Marketing / Advertising Management / Construction Management Are you interested in Jobs that involve data, clerical tasks or numerical ability; carrying things out in detail or following instructions? You like working with data and have clerical or numerical ability. You are precise, detailed, orderly and organized. Actuary Banking Clerical Retailer Secretarial Quantity Surveying

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 24

Once I'd assured Evan I wasn't calling him a son of a bitch, I got off the phone and turned to Roman. â€Å"The vessel's not anywhere around here. It's up in BC.† Roman's eyes had followed my finger to White Rock on the map. â€Å"Okay, you get points for the compelling name, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything.† â€Å"Yes! It means everything. The Army's been a distraction from the beginning, when the seal was created, when Ephraim talked to Cedric†¦and when Jerome was summoned. They staged their event on the Space Needle- here , but they didn't actually do anything until Jerome was taken. As soon as he was, they acted out to draw Cedric's attention here, away from his own territory.† Realization lit Roman's features. Sociopath or not, he'd always been smart. â€Å"Because Grace then hid the vessel in Cedric's territory.† I nodded. â€Å"That's where it's at. She needed Cedric gone, in case he noticed its presence before it was hidden. I think he's down here for the thing with Ephraim, but if I call now and tell him-â€Å" â€Å"No,† said Roman quickly. â€Å"We can't tell anyone.† â€Å"What is up with you?† I exclaimed, standing up. â€Å"The clock's ticking. We may not have time for a leisurely drive before the stasis ends.† â€Å"Chance we've gotta take, love.† He rose as well. â€Å"Grab your keys. Let's go.† I started heading toward my bedroom, then hesitated. â€Å"Damn. I told Seth I'd consider taking him with me. Too late now.† Roman considered. â€Å"No, do it.† â€Å"Why?† I asked in surprise. â€Å"I'll go invisibly. I don't know if anyone'll notice you leaving, but if they're tracking you, better they think you're on a romantic getaway. Even masked, I don't want anyone in power seeing my face yet.† That put me in a weird situation. Roman's entire reasoning throughout all of this was increasingly bizarre. There was also the debate I'd had last night, about whether I should let the balcony date shine on us as my last beautiful moment with Seth or if I should eke out a few more seconds. Letting it end at last night would have been the poetic thing to do†¦but I was made of baser stuff. I called him as soon as I was on the road and picked him up shortly thereafter. He rode in the front with me while Roman lounged invisibly in the back, which was creepy, to say the least. Fortunately, none of my talk with Seth was sappy or romantic. He sensed the urgency crackling around me and asked questions about my reasoning for the trip. I answered as thoroughly as I could, all the while trying to drive the speed limit. I couldn't risk the delay of a ticket-or count on supernatural charms to get me off. It took a little less than two hours to get there. We'd accidentally left the atlas at home but had all but memorized the directions anyway, which were straightforward. When we'd almost reach the park where the aforementioned rock was, I had the sense to call Peter and tell him not to go outside. â€Å"You think I'm stupid?† he asked. â€Å"I know as well as you the stasis is about to end.† â€Å"Yeah,† I agreed. â€Å"But it might not end like you're thinking.† We disconnected. â€Å"This is it, isn't it?† asked Seth. A sign directed us to the beach's parking lot, and I turned toward it. â€Å"Yeah, I think so.† I could feel myself starting to panic. â€Å"God, I'm afraid†¦I don't know what'll happen†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Seth reached over and patted my shoulder. â€Å"Easy, Thetis. This'll end the way it's supposed to. Do what you have to do, and we'll manage the best we can.† I parked the car and looked over at him. So much burned between us, it was a wonder it didn't suffocate Roman. Seth was right. This was the end, and we would face it and do what needed to be done, no matter how hard. That was one of the wonderful things about Seth. He knew what the right thing was. We got out of the car. Seth and I headed off down the beach, hand in hand. It was low tide, and the receding waters had revealed a landscape that had almost as much gravel as sand. Once you moved farther inland, though, the terrain turned green and grassy-probably the result of park maintenance crews. Semiahmoo Bay itself stretched off into a dark, choppy vastness that would have probably been blue and beautiful on a nicer day. Heavy gray clouds obscured most of the land surrounding the far sides of the bay, and I thought I heard a rumble of thunder, something that wasn't so common in the mild Pacific Northwest. I hoped we'd find what we needed soon because it looked like a storm was about to break out. Ah, metaphor. Seth interrupted my ponderings. â€Å"That,† he said, â€Å"is a white rock.† I came to a halt, turning my attention from the larger panorama to the path in front of me. There, about eighty feed ahead of us, was a white rock-a huge, white rock. And from the looks of it, Evan hadn't been exaggerating when he'd said it was about five hundred tons. â€Å"I kind of feel stupid wasting my time with scraps of white gravel,† I mused, brushing hair out of my eyes. The wind promptly whipped it back. â€Å"It was so obvious†¦and yet not. Shall we?† I nodded, and we approached the rock, our steps filled with both eagerness and apprehension. After all this time and all the failed efforts, it didn't seem possible that we'd really done it. Something was going to happen. Something had to happen. â€Å"Whoa,† I breathed, staring up at the rock's top when we reached it. It was so massive that it covered us in shadows. â€Å"I can see why people thought this came from the gods.† Seth was looking down. â€Å"Unfortunately, we've got to direct our attention to less lofty places. How are we supposed to find this? Just dig at random?† If Seth and I were alone, that would have been the method. Now, I was hoping Roman would reveal some insight about where the vessel was-if it was even here. A small part of me panicked that us ending up here might have been the biggest misdirection of all. I scanned the ground around the rock, but there was nothing indicative of a recent digging. On a beach like this, all of the ground was uneven. â€Å"Something like that,† I said, needing Roman to pick up on his cue. Seth had let go of my hand when we reached the rock, but now he caught hold of it again and pulled me to him. â€Å"Georgina†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I dragged my eyes from the ground and met his. My adrenaline was up, ready for the conclusion to this adventure†¦and yet, my heart was heavy, knowing what the consequences of this would be. I squeezed Seth's hands and stepped closer, resting my head against his chest. His heart beat heavy within. No doubt his emotions were tangled up as well. â€Å"I know,† I said softly. â€Å"I feel the same way.† He held me tight and kissed my forehead. â€Å"When we find Jerome†¦when you free him†¦it'll go quickly, won't it?† â€Å"Yeah. I don't know how long it'll take, but†¦well, I think it'll be pretty fast. That's how it was when he was taken.† â€Å"And that's it.† â€Å"I guess.† We stood there, both of us hurting and confused. I didn't think anything could be worse than when Seth had forcibly ended things back in December. I understood now that he'd done it because he thought it would be for the greater good, but it still smarted. And this†¦this was a pain of a different type. When Seth and I first kissed back at my apartment, I thought this could all be a vacation for me, just as it was for the vampires. Seth would be my sunshine, something I could have a brief fling with before returning to my dreary immortality. I could take the memories with me, and that would be enough. Only now, standing with him, I realized it wouldn't be enough. It would only hurt more now, knowing exactly what I could never have again. I would never make love with Seth again, never have these intimate moments of comfort and rapport. He wasn't mine anymore. He never could be again. â€Å"I don't know what to do,† Seth said, kissing my forehead. â€Å"What do you mean? We don't have a choice.† â€Å"We always have a choice, Thetis. After this, even when you're a succubus again†¦I don't know. I wanted so badly to protect you from all the world's hurts. I still do. But after being with you this last week, I'm starting to wonder if-â€Å" â€Å"You have got to be fucking kidding me.† Seth and I looked up in surprise. I would have expected Roman to come bust up our romantic interlude or maybe even Grace, in defense of her prize. What I was not expecting, however, was Dante. I didn't know where he'd come from. He stepped around the side of the rock like he'd been lurking behind it, but I suspected he'd just walked up to us unnoticed in our moment of lovers' angst. Anger radiated off him, and his eyes were as dark and stormy as the sea beyond us. And as soon as I saw him, I needed no drawn-out questioning, no build-up to a revelation. I didn't need to ask what he was doing there because I suddenly knew. â€Å"You're the summoner,† I said. â€Å"Of course.† There was a dismissive tone to his voice as he said that, like it was an insult that anyone else could have played that role. â€Å"Who else? I wasn't kidding when I told you I was the best in the area. I can't honestly believe you never even considered me. No, scratch that. Of course I can believe that. No matter how jaded or sorrowful you get, there's still that Pollyanna piece of you that wants to believe the best in those you care about.† â€Å"You say that like it's a bad thing,† I said, feeling my own anger grow. Being played this whole time was bad enough. But being played by my own boyfriend? Unacceptable. And yet†¦he was right. It had been stupid of me not to consider him, yet I couldn't believe he would have subjected me to all this torment. â€Å"It is a bad thing. I was hoping I could break you of it, but I guess not.† His eyes flicked to Seth's face and then back to mine. â€Å"Of course, I can't really talk about naà ¯vet? ¦ since you were screwing me over this whole time. Or, well, screwing him.† There wasn't really anything I could respond with. I could hardly say, â€Å"It's not what you think,† because†¦well, it was exactly what he thought. Regardless of his role in Jerome's summoning, the fact remained that I had cheated on Dante, and I'd been caught. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said lamely, my hand still clutching Seth's tightly. He'd taken a step forward. He wasn't blocking me from Dante, but there was definitely a protective stance going on. â€Å"Yes, yes, I know.† Dante gave an exasperated sigh. â€Å"Damn it, Georgina. What does it take with you? I never gave you shit about your job. I was trying to make a good life for us. And yet†¦you still went back to him . As soon as you could fuck him without hurting him, you jumped right on it.† â€Å"Trying to make a good life†¦is that why you did all this?† I remembered Greg's comments about how anyone assisting a demon in this affair would be getting paid in concubines and TVs. In Dante's case, it had been much more basic. He'd simply been paid in money, enough to buy me jewelry and flowers and start talking about sharing a home with me. â€Å"Succubus, what else was I supposed to do?† He was still speaking to me in a mocking tone, but I could see the raw anguish on his features. It tore at my heart. â€Å"You can enslave kings and rock stars. There was no way you were going to stick with me forever, not where I was going. The palms barely pay the bills, and the window for when my spells could really pay off has passed.† â€Å"None of that mattered,† I said resolutely. â€Å"I would have stayed†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Yet, even as I spoke, I recognized the contradiction. So did Dante, as he gestured at a thus-far silent Seth. Seth seemed very intent on something. Dante rolled his eyes. â€Å"Yes. Clearly.† â€Å"I never wanted this†¦never wanted you to literally make deals with the devil.† â€Å"What did you expect from me? You know what I am. You got involved with me because you wanted to walk on the dark side. This deal was my biggest chance-the biggest payoff I was going to get for my power. She needed the best, and she could pay for my services.† â€Å"She†¦Grace.† Dante gave me a twisted smile. â€Å"I should have known you'd figured that part out too and had been sitting on it. Even when you trusted me†¦you still didn't really trust me. Maybe you aren't as oblivious as I thought. And when I got to your place and saw the atlas-well, that's when I knew I'd underestimated you. You're lucky Grace just sent me up here and didn't come herself. We might get you out of here alive after all.† Seth and I still stood close, close enough that when he spoke into my ear, he barely had to raise his voice at all. â€Å"The watch,† he breathed. â€Å"It's in the watch.† I had no time to process that further because suddenly, Seth broke from me and advanced on Dante. â€Å"Look, just leave her alone, okay? You caught her. She caught you. Call it even, and let us go.† I stared. It was uncharacteristically aggressive for him. â€Å"Even?† exclaimed Dante. â€Å"It is not even. I did what I did because I love her.† Seth's voice was level yet hard. â€Å"Love her? You got her caught up in that cult mess. You nearly got her killed by a demon.† Dante glowered and took a step toward Seth. â€Å"That wasn't supposed to happen. Jerome came up with the Canada thing on the fly. She wasn't supposed to be caught in the middle of this. The plan was for her to wait out the stasis like everyone else, and then return to normal once Grace was in power. Grace messed up when she told Nanette about her meddling, but then Grace made sure Nanette wouldn't fuck with her again. I worked to keep Georgina safe.† Cedric had told the truth. He really hadn't told Nanette about my theories; Grace had. â€Å"Yeah, you did a great job.† â€Å"It's not my fault!† yelled Dante. â€Å"Say what you want about me, my reasons were noble. Whereas hers†-he pointed at me-â€Å"were in keeping with the selfish little whore she's been her entire life.† And then†¦the unexpected truly happened. Seth sprang forward and punched Dante. I didn't know what was more surprising, that Seth would be so aggressive or that he could throw such a clean punch. He'd thrown himself at a mugger once, and while it had been wonderfully brave, it hadn't been nearly as precise or coordinated. I had no idea where he'd learned that. Dante appeared as startled as me. He staggered back from the blow and took a moment to recover. Then, with a snarl, he leapt toward Seth. Seth only partially dodged the blow-on purpose, it seemed-and fell back with the impact, causing both men to collapse to the ground. They grappled around a bit, trying to get leverage and blows in, and for a moment, I was too stunned by it all to react. Then, finally, Seth's words hit me. The watch . I hurried over to them, careful not to get hit by a flailing limb. Seth caught a glimpse of me and did his best to grab a hold of Dante's wrist and thrust it toward me. Dante kept squirming, however-I had a feeling he'd been in a few more fights in his life than Seth had-and increased his struggles once he realized what was happening. The watch. It made sense, really. Grace wore her part of the seal around her neck. Dante would want to keep his safe as well, and why not hidden in the only accessory that he-by his own admission-ever wore? At last, Seth managed to immobilize Dante's wrist just long enough for me to get my fingers under the watch's straps. I gave a hard jerk, using more strength than I thought possible, and the strap broke. The watch came away in my hand, and I scurried back as Dante yelled in rage. Seth eased up on restraining Dante, now that our goal was achieved. As soon as he was free, however, Dante came after me, and Seth shot up to catch a hold of him. I continued backing up, the watch clutched in my hand, until I hit something-or rather, someone. I turned and found myself staring into Grace's cold, hard eyes. Whereas Dante had seemed to appear out of nowhere, I knew Grace actually had. I froze, and behind me, the sounds of fighting stopped. I think the guys were just as surprised as me to see her-or maybe not. Dante had all but said he'd told Grace we were here. â€Å"Georgina,† she said. â€Å"You are such a good employee†¦and yet, you're also a bad one.† Her voice was as flat and emotionless as ever, except unlike in the past, I had a feeling she was actually planning to kill me now. â€Å"Why?† I asked, playing for time. â€Å"You had a good job under Jerome.† â€Å"Under being the operative word. I wasn't going to spend the rest of my existence as someone's second-in-command and certainly not their co-second-in-command.† â€Å"She has the seal,† I heard Dante say behind me. â€Å"I know she does,† Grace replied. â€Å"You gave it to her.† â€Å"Hey, I-â€Å" She raised her hand, and Dante screamed. Jerking my head around, I saw him writhing in pain, like he was suspended by strings that she controlled. After enduring Nanette's wrath, I knew how truly excruciating demonic torture was, and I couldn't stand to see anyone else go through that. Seth looked from me to Dante, clearly unsure what to do. Fistfights might be out of his comfort zone, though they were something he could do. But this? Totally different. â€Å"Let him go!† I said. As stupid as it was, I reached out and tried to shake her, but I would have had as much luck budging the huge glacial rock beside her. â€Å"I should never have relied on someone who was close to-â€Å" Her words were cut off when she suddenly went flying through the air, slamming into the rock. The impact seemed to surprise more than it hurt her, and mercifully, her torture of Dante stopped. She looked around, eyes wide and confused. â€Å"What the-â€Å" Roman materialized out of the air and strode toward her, fierce and frightening. Finally, I thought. Without my immortal senses, I couldn't feel his aura or signature, but something told me he was wielding a considerable chunk of his power as he advanced. Doing so was risky. It would make his identity known to any greater immortals nearby, though with all the drama in Seattle, there probably weren't any in the area to sense him. Cedric certainly wasn't around. Grace gave a sharp intake of breath. â€Å"You†¦I remember your signature.† That was all the warning she gave before fire streaked from her hands toward Roman. He didn't move or bat an eyelid, but the fire hit an invisible wall. It arced around him, leaving him unscathed. â€Å"Georgina,† he said, not taking his eyes off Grace. â€Å"The vessel's over by the north side of the stone's base.† I wasted no time in hurrying over to the spot he'd indicated. I heard Grace's outrage and caught her moving toward me in my periphery. But then, her anger turned to pain. Roman had blasted her with something, and her attention returned to him. My own attention was on the rocky ground as I began digging with my bare hands. In my zeal, I'd once again forgotten a spade. Seth was by my side in an instant, clawing at the sandy surface with me. Large, fat drops of rain began falling on us, but I didn't have time to care. â€Å"Who's stronger?† he asked as the sounds of fighting raged behind us. If Roman's appearance startled him, he was ignoring it for now. â€Å"I don't know,† I said. The ground was getting harder to dig in. It was damp and caked together from a recent rain, and I could feel it building up under my nails. â€Å"Roman can theoretically be as strong as Jerome, and I'm guessing she's less powerful than Jerome. I don't know for sure, and he might be holding back. The more power he uses, the more he alerts others that he's here.† My fingers hit something hard, and Seth and I both worked to pry it out. It was a wooden box, an old cigar case from the looks of it. I managed a good hold on it, and it began lifting out. â€Å"Here,† I said, pausing. I tossed him my purse and then immediately returned to my digging. â€Å"Get my phone. Look in the numbers, and you'll find Mei. Call her. Tell her where we're at.† The cigar box came up out of the earth. â€Å"You want me to call a demon?† he asked in shock. â€Å"We need her. Tell her where we're at. Then get away from here. Get in my car and go.† â€Å"Georgina-â€Å" â€Å"Go!† I shouted. Seth hesitated for the space of a heartbeat, then got up and ran with my purse, keeping well away from the combatants. I didn't know if Mei would react to a call from a mortal. I didn't even know if she'd answer, nor did I know if she could be trusted. I was relying on instinct-and that na;ve hope about everyone's good side-that she and Grace weren't collaborating. Roman's scream caused me to look up sharply. He was on his back, Grace advancing. What looked like lightning crackled toward him, though just with the fire, it split away. Only, it got a lot closer to him than before. He was weakening. Frantically, I scraped sand off the cigar box. It looked deceptively easy to open, but when I attempted to pry the lid up, nothing happened. It wouldn't budge, and I knew no efforts of mine would make it happen. Turning to the watch I'd taken from Dante, I peered at it. The face was a pale brown marbleized pattern-one that easily blended in with the seal. It was an ingenious hiding spot. I smashed the watch against the cigar case, and on the third try, the glass cracked. I plucked away the pieces and tried to pull up the face. It was embedded firmly. Taking a small shard of the watch's surface, I slipped it under the seal's edge, and after a few moment's pressure, everything fell apart, and†¦there was no seal. I stared. Gears, watch hands, pieces of glass, and the face†¦but no seal. Seth had been certain. I had been certain. Dante had no other place on him that he would keep it. Carter had said it was possible that the summoner might hide the seal elsewhere, and if Dante had done that, we were screwed. â€Å"Fuc-â€Å" I cut my own profanity off and stared at my wrist, at the glittering watch winking up at me. No. Surely it wasn't this obvious. Dante had given me the watch before Jerome had been summoned, and then I'd lost it right around the time of the summoning. I'd blamed it on myself, but was it possible that Dante had actually briefly taken it back†¦? Jerking the watch off my wrist, I didn't hesitate to give it the same treatment as Dante's watch. It killed me to shatter that beautiful gold-and-glass piece of work, but when the filigree face popped out, I found a piece of smoky quartz that complemented Grace's. Dante needed more credit. He'd kept the seal close to him and hidden it where no one who was looking for it-i.e., me-would ever think to search. The seal was useless, though, without the other half. Looking up, I saw that Grace had her hand around Roman's neck and was lifting him off the ground. He was completely limp. I didn't quite understand, but something told me he'd completely shut off all his power. Why? It was suicide. I wanted to scream, to run over and save him, but there was nothing I could do. Her back was to me, but I could imagine the gleam in her eyes. â€Å"When I kill you,† she hissed, â€Å"my position will be secured.† Suddenly, she jerked her head back toward me. For a moment, I thought I'd attracted her attention, but she wasn't looking at me. She was looking beside me, having sensed what I no longer could: the signature of another greater immortal. Mei stood there, hard and grim. I'd always considered her stone-faced, but the look she wore was truly terrifying, and I cringed. She and Grace locked gazes, and then a few seconds later, Grace flung Roman away. He landed with a hard thud and lay still for a moment. Then, he lifted his head and slowly began crawling across the sand toward me, every movement seeming to cause him agony. â€Å"You have seriously screwed things up,† said Mei. â€Å"I have improved my situation,† said Grace evenly. â€Å"And I can improve yours.† â€Å"I don't need your help-especially when I reveal that you were behind all this. The others will reward me. Jerome will reward me.† â€Å"You're an idiot! Do you want to spend the rest of eternity working for someone else?† â€Å"My time will come,† Mei returned smoothly. â€Å"And I'd rather work for him than you.† And without any more banter, they lunged at each other. It was a bizarre fight. Half of it seemed very human, complete with physical blows and grappling. At the same time, there was definitely a supernatural element to it, as they wielded the same kind of elements and invisible blows Grace and Roman had. The rain was pouring down, drenching both of them. With their abilities, they could have remained impervious, but they were too distracted by each other. Roman was still crawling toward me. Holding onto the seal and the box, I hesitantly moved to meet him half-way. â€Å"Can you open it?† I asked, handing him the box. His breathing was heavy and pained, but he gripped the box like I had and tried to pry the lid open. His fingers clenched the wood, and I saw exertion on his face, both of a physical and magical level. At last, he grimaced. â€Å"No. Not a greater immortal power I inherited.† I looked up at the demonesses. There was a slight shimmer around both of them. As the battle intensified, they were in danger of shifting to their true immortal forms, which would be bad for me to see. â€Å"Who's stronger?† I asked. â€Å"They're evenly matched,† said Roman, following my gaze. â€Å"Grace is a little worn down, though.† I hoped it would be enough. Hugging the box to my chest, I watched them fight, ready to look away if they totally shifted form. I'd always thought they had a hard sort of beauty, but now, it was all hardness and no beauty, and it wasn't difficult to see that under their human facades, they were truly demons of hell. I could also see what Roman meant about them being evenly matched. Each time one gained an advantage, the other took it back. Until, just when it seemed Grace might be getting the better of Mei, Mei suddenly came on full force with an attack of unseen blasts that caught Grace off-guard and made her stumble back. With inhuman speed, Mei reached forward and ripped the choker from Grace's neck. Equally fast, she threw it toward me and then turned back to block Grace, who seemed to realize the end was near. I grabbed hold of the necklace with trembling fingers and pulled off the crescent-shaped piece of the seal. I placed it next to Dante's half, unsure what to do, but as soon as they were close enough, they merged together into one whole disc. â€Å"Put it on the box,† said Roman. â€Å"Hurry.† I pressed the seal onto the box's top, and again, it seemed to know what to do, embedding itself in the wood's surface, almost like it melted. And with that, there seemed to be no other option. I opened the lid. The power that blasted out of it knocked both Roman and me backward, and at the same time, I felt a different sort of power snap into my body. The strings that bound my soul to Hell reattached. My immortal essence coursed through me, and with it, I felt all the other abilities Hell had granted me return. I felt strong. Charged. Invincible. My senses tuned back in to the unseen world, and the blast of powerful immortal auras filled the air. And there, in the rain, light and color slowly coalesced out of the box and into a man-shaped form. A few minutes later, it took on a completely human appearance. One that looked like John Cusack. Grace and Mei halted their attack, both staring. Carefully, hesitantly, Mei then took a few steps back. Jerome paid her no attention. He was focused on Grace. â€Å"Oh man,† I said softly. â€Å"You are so fucked.†