Chief Information Security Officer Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Chief Information Security Officer - Term Paper Example The repercussions of these breaches are felt by multiple parties including the administrative staff, the university itself, the IT department and the student body. It is therefore, imperative for higher education institutions to familiarize themselves with the constantly changing threats besides the high cost associated with leaving data and systems unprotected. Introduction Computer system hacks and data breaches with higher education institutions as the main target are constantly dominating the headlines. The higher education institutions are increasingly at high risk having their information and data compromised by malicious activities and hackers beside insider mistakes. The considerable number of system hacks and data breaches experienced by higher educational institutions can be attributed to such factors as resource plague issues experienced by IT department within the institutions, budgetary constraints and desperate database systems among other factors (Gahm, 2010). Higher e ducational institutions posses a considerable amount of data and distinct data type which make them a potential target by malicious attackers and hackers. A wealth of personally identifiable information is mostly stored by these institutions thus the high risk of data breaches and system hacks. A health record of students, employees and parents together with their names, social security numbers and credit card numbers are among the sensitive information that subject these institutions to potential threats and makes them a valuable target to the hackers. (Gahm, 2010) According to Gahm, Higher educational institutions should learn to take actions besides implementing proactive security to their database infrastructure in order to protect the critical information contained in their database systems. These database systems house a variety of information that can be exploited for financial gain. Given that the institution’s databases are the most critical repository of confidentia l and sensitive information at these institutions, safeguarding the database is of the essence (2010). Recent hack attacks against higher educational institutions Some of the top and best universities around the world had recently been reported to have fallen victim of computer system hack and data breaches. Team GhostShell, a hacking group claimed to have hacked into the servers of close to a hundred universities across the globe including Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Stanford and University of Michigan. Close to 120,000 records were accessed from the breached universities’ servers and publicly posted. Critical and confidential information such as the names, phone numbers, log in details and email addresses were among the records exposed in the event of the breaches. The reports further showed that the hackers used malware injection into the servers in order to compromise their security and gain access to the records. The log-in credentials exposed were further used to improperly access some of the universities’ websites including Stanford University. Another data breach incident involving Western Connecticut State University was reported and blamed on the vulnerabilities existing on their computer systems. The breach utilized the existing vulnerabilities in the system and inappropriately accessed and exposed confidential inf

Rhinoceros Poaching Essay Example for Free

Rhinoceros Poaching Essay Despite of the protective measure, prosecution of this animal continues with the exceptionally high and illegal price on the rhino horn in clandestine market. In Kaziranga National Park, 69 rhinos were poached during the period of 1988 to 1991 (Bhattacharya 1993). In Nepal, data shows that intensity of rhino poaching is depend on the action taken by the management authority. During 1976 to 1983 poaching was completely stopped due to the Army involvement in the conservation of rhinoceros. Since 1984, poachers restarted poaching and reached maximum at 1992, about 18 rhinoceros were killed in this year. The Anti-Poaching Units (APU) was established to control the situation and this measure did work and minimized the poaching and was virtually stopped by 1995. However, from 1996, poaching was started again, out of 98 rhinoceros died during the period of May 1996 to July 2000, 28 were from poaching (DNPWC 2000a). It shows that slack in protection due to the political instability, transfer of APU staff and the merging of Gainda Gasti (Rhino Patrol Unit) to the forest guard enhanced the rhino poaching in Chitwan Valley (Fig 1. ]. Fig 1. Rhino poaching trend in Royal Chit wan National Park Data Source: DNPWC 2000 Heavy poaching in Africa and Asia (Williams 1993, ARSG 1999) is mainly for the high priced rhino horn and it has been proved that better protection is the only successful means so far to protect this animal from extinction. Thus, to decrease incentive to poach rhino, management should either increase the opportunity cost of crime through imposed wage elsewhere or increase the probability and severity of the punishment or decrease the actual profit from the crime (Williams 1993). Rhinoceros in Nepal In Nepal, rhinoceros population was estimated at about 1000 animals until 1950 in Chitwan Valley. Rhinoceros populations were dropped down to less than 100 individuals during late 1960s (DNPWC 2000a). After a successful effort of His majesty’s Government of Nepal by creating Royal Chitwan National Park in 1973, disappearing population of rhinoceros started to increase gradually and reached 270-310 individuals by 1975 (Laurie 1978). By 1988, the park was supporting a viable population of 358 rhinos (Diner stein and Price 1991). In 1994, 466 individuals were recorded, like wise in rhino count 2000 the number increases to 544 in Chitwan and 67 in Royal Bardia National Park (DNPWC 2000a) (Fig 2). Fig 2. Population trend of Greater one horned Rhinoceros in Nepal. Rhino Conversation in Nepal Community mobilization Army Information and awareness. Conclusion In adequate large chunk of habitat due to the human interference along with the rampant poaching are the major causes for the depletion of the rhino population in the past. Once depleting population of greater one horn rhinoceros can be recover by the intensive protection measure. However, increasing habitat fragmentation due to the human population growth and confined population of rhino may lead to the loss of genetic variability. Inadequate habitat and the small population can be managed through developing different sub-populations of the animal in a met population concept. Which not only assure the genetic variability but also save from the various natural calamities? Assuring genetic variability only may not enough to safeguard this animal for long term. Externalities like poaching and the hostile nature of the local inhabitants may conflict with the conservation goal. Thus, building social capital of the local people towards the conservation is very much essential. Fulfillment of daily need forest resource and economic incentive to the local people may bring the awareness for the conservation among the local people. Initiation has been begun in Nepal to conserve rhinoceros in the holistic way. Successful translocation activities, satisfactory increment of the host and sink population and encouraging supports from the local people shown that there is great potentiality and hopes to conserve greater one horn rhinoceros. However, the long-term success of this effort will be determined by the regional and international cooperation. 1. strict law establishment: First consider whether the supply or demand curve shifts. Secondly consider the direction of shift and lastly see how the shift affects the equilibrium price and quantity. Its direct impact is on the sellers rather than the buyers. When government able to stop some Rhino poachers or arrest more poachers, it raises the cost of selling that product (Rhino) and therefore, reduces the quantity of product supplied at any given price. Such law was successful during early 70s and 90s due to establishment of Anti-Poaching Units (APU) but later fail due to political instability and centralized management approach. So in this way we can show the economic figure (demand and supply curves) of Rhino horn on black market. Fig: demand and supply curves on black market economy when implementing strict laws. As demand for Rhino Horns are inelastic, the decrease in supply of raises the price of drugs proportionately more than it reduces poaching act. It raises total amount of money that Buyers pay for Rhino horns. Thus implementing harsh law does not always reduce the poaching crimes because Nepal government cant spend or allocate such huge money on conservation alone.

The Royal Truth :: Essays Papers

The Royal Truth The poem Sir Gawain And The Green Knight was written anonymously around 1375 for the royal court in London. This work is a combination of comedy and satire. The poem also has two plots: "the beheading contest, in which two parties agree to an exchange of blows with a sword or ax, and the temptation, an attempted seduction of the hero by a lady" (Norton, 200). This essay will discuss one description of the setting of the poem, the characters' behavior, and how this courtly society has deteriorated from the ideal. The poem begins with the burning of the city, Troy, and the flight of Aeneas. The great-grandson of Aeneas, Felix Brutus, is also the founder of Britain, and he comes to rebuild the city in Britian. The poem continues to describe how the city is built and says that King Arthur becomes the successor of the throne. The author makes the readers understand that the action is taking place during the winter because he mentions that the king, who is the handsomest of all his guests, is having a Christmas party at Camelot. The text states: ...he is the comeliest king, that that court holds, For all this fair folk in their first age were still. Happiest of mortal kind, King noblest fame of will; You would now go far to find So hardy a host on hill (203). The author is also very graphic. For example, the author describes the beheading of the Green Knight this way: "...the head was hewn off and fell to the floor; ...The blood gushed from the body, bright on the green..." (Norton, 211). The passage from lines 60 to 129 of Sir Gawain And The Green Knight describes how the king and his guests celebrate New Year's Day. Before the king enters the room, the food is served to the guests. When the king comes in, everyone stops and the "Clerics and all the court acclaimed the glad season, Cried Noel anew, good news to men" (Norton, 203), which means that the guests exchange greetings with each other. Then men and women hand out gifts, but at the same time they play a kissing game. The entertainment continues until the food is served. In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight, the unknown author explains his characters' personalities and their appearance. He says that Queen Guenevere is a perfect person, who has no faults.

Destiny, Fate and Free Will in Homers Odyssey - Guidance and Loyalty E

Guidance, Fate, and Loyalty in The Odyssey The Odyssey is an epic poem about a journey. After the Trojan War is won Odysseus leaves Troy for his home in Ithaca. However, the gods decide to test his courage and resolve and send him on a twenty-year odyssey. Odysseus' courage is constantly tested as he struggles with the many obstacles the gods place before him. Although Homer depicted The Odyssey as a self-reliant journey, in reality the gods and other mortals guide Odysseus. It is his loyalty to and his love for his family that keeps him going. The Odyssey depicts Odysseus as he overcomes each obstacle through guidance, fate, and loyalty to his family. To Odysseus loyalty is the most important quality. He expects his family and friends to be loyal. He especially expects loyalty from his wife Penelope. Odysseus talks to Penelope disguised as an old man, "and as the snow melts on the lofty mountains, when Eurus melts what Zephryrus has scattered, and at its melting flowing rivers fill; so did her fair cheeks melt with flowing tears, as she bewailed the husband who was seated by her side" (187). Odysseus doesn't reveal himself even though he pities his sobbing wife because he knows she wouldn't be able to conceal her love for him in front of all her suitors. This touch of dramatic irony helps the reader sympathize with the struggles of Odysseus' wife. Odysseus demonstrates his loyal to Penelope during his stay with the Phaeacians. Even with Nausicaa by Odysseus' side because she likes him, he still stays loyal to Penelope. As the Phaeacian woman watch Odysseus as he starts to bathe he says, "Women, stand here aside, while by myself I wash the salt from off my back... ... in the sunlight he is. Odysseus is guided by the Phaeacians as he sleeps and due to his sleep misses important elements. Since Odysseus is asleep a sense of dramatic irony is shown because the reader knows something that the Odysseus doesn't. Homer's epic poem The Odyssey tells the tales of Odysseus, a man who has an epic journey through life. He overcomes the struggles and conflicts of life through three main elements: loyalty to and from his family, fate, and guidance. Loyalty to his family and from his family helps him long to make it home. The gods determine his fate and by overcoming the struggles and conflicts of life he is able to fulfill his fate. Lastly guidance by the immortals and mortals helped Odysseus eventually make it home to Ithaca. Odysseus' tale is one that covers only a portion of his life, but seems like a lifetime.

E-Learning Questionnaire

This proposal focuses on only e-learning in one developing country, Malaysia. For this study, e-learning is used at tertiary level. The overall purpose of the research is to investigate, analyse and discuss the effectiveness of technology in the education system – theoretically and pedagogically. Since there are not many empirical researches in developing countries about the effectiveness of using technology in the education system, perhaps this paper may be able to contribute some ideas and new insights into the field. Many assumptions have been made nation wide about the fact that technology helps in the process of teaching and learning. However, they are not proven and as such the need to have more independent study on the effectiveness of e-learning is high. Another research concludes that the performance of e-learning students is at least the same as face-to-face (FTF) learning students. This comes with the same consideration for pedagogical designs, delivery and also the right amount of sources. Thus, the governments and education stakeholders have to look again at the investments on e-learning; if e-learning gives the same results as FTF, then perhaps educators can just choose to explore new FTF strategies. -Learning: Concept and practice in Malaysia To be more specific on the practice of e-learning, there is not yet a 100% e-learning. It is always a blended e-learning; a mixed mode e-learning whereby a combination of e-learning and FTF learning are used together. The e-learning concept allows for more working people to further their studies as distance and time are no longer the barriers to education. There are four objectives of this tertiary e-learning in Malaysia. The first is to introduce new concept of learning at a higher level of education. Secondly, it introduces interactive and productive method of learning. The third objective is to ensure students study independently and lastly to allow for balanced education in Malaysia. Learning model in e-learning includes independent study, on-line interaction, self-evaluation and graded assignments sent on-line. This proposal intends to use pre/post tests, examination results, questionnaires and interview as the basis of data collection and measurement for the effectiveness of e-learning. These designs are chosen because they can give an indicator for the effectiveness of e-learning. Pre/post test results can give a surface value on the effectiveness of e-learning itself. Meanwhile, questionnaires and interviews can gauge students’ awareness and belief on e-learning as a new tool of learning. Research questions This proposal has four research questions. They are, 1. 2. 3. 4. How does e-learning help in the process of teaching and learning? What are the relations between students’ academic achievement and e-learning? What are the differences in students’ academic achievement before and after e-learning treatment? What are the relations between gender, socio-economic background, academic ability and e-learning? Conclusion As this is a proposal on the topic of effectiveness of e-learning, collecting and analysing secondary data are still in progress. Students or subjects for the research have been identified and preliminary preparation is being made to organise groups, classes and materials for the students. At the same time, questionnaires are being prepared and will soon be pilot tested. The pre/post tests are being finalised. It is hoped that this research can be completed within its time frame as the findings may be crucial to the education system in Malaysia.

Business Weekly Assi. #14 Example

Business Weekly Assi. #14 Example Business Weekly Assi. #14 – Essay Example Visual Clichà ©s A clichà © is described in the dictionary as a trite phase or expression and a hackneyed theme, characterization or situation. A visual clichà © is a clichà © shown visually in the form of pictures. They are usually based on easily recognized or familiar cues which can be interpreted by majority.Avoiding Visual Clichà ©s Visual clichà ©s are something that cannot be avoided entirely but they need to be avoided as much as possible. The reason is that for avoiding them a person needs to have a very original and unique approach to visualizing and showing things or another way to avoid is to explore an area which is new to people therefore showing a unique point of view to new things. Repeatedly, we have been told to avoid clichà ©s because clichà ©s repeatedly, tend to make a person accepting things just the way they are. This effectively kills the creativity of a person and encourages laziness if nothing else comes to mind. Visual clichà ©s can very rightly be portrayed an old man with sagging eyes, worn knees and feet pointing in a circular direction since they don’t lead anywhere. They just lead us in circles showing the same old things over and over in slightly different ways making it same as everyone else’s.For the creativity and originality to come forward and for us to create and show new things with a unique and dynamic perspective is what is required in present times of visual progress, therefore avoiding any sort of clichà ©s is important by all. "ClichÃÆ' © - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary."  Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2012. Davis, Mike. "How do you avoid making a  clichà ©? - Blog - Picture Editor : Photography Consultant : Mentor : Mike Davis."  Home - Picture Editor : Photography Consultant : Mentor : Mike Davis. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2012. Weintraub, David. "Eye on Image-Making: Visual Clichà ©s | Black Star Rising."  Bl ack Star Rising: Photography and Design. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 May 2012.

The World We Dont Live In Essays - Pacey Witter, Jen Lindley

The World We Don't Live In Essays - Pacey Witter, Jen Lindley The World We Don't Live In Steve Lippo Final TV Essay 10/26/00 The World We Dont Live In Television is not real life. Its not even close. From Friends to Frasier, peoples lives do not resemble TV show plots by any means. Televisions number one goal is to portray what viewers would want their lives to be like. Dawsons Creek is no different. The world does not revolve around a small group of high school students, yet in this show it seems to. Dawson's Creek chronicles the wry humor the undeniably intense period of awakening known as teenage years. Set in the Boston suburb of Capeside, this series explores the blooming self-awareness and growing pains that go hand-in-hand with the triumphs of growing up. Dawsons Creeks fantasy lifestyle and unrealistic dialogue create a world where consumerism rules over conflicting relationships and the search for true love. Wisely intelligent and yet naively open, four teens are at the heart of this drama as they unknowingly embark on the road less traveled, going against the norm in the paths they choose. Together in this passage from adolescence to young adulthood, the series stars Dawson Leary, Joey Potter, Pacey Witter, and Jen Lindley. Dawson is a 17-year-old Steven Spielberg fanatic who is charmingly obsessive and passionate about his love of movies. Dawson's longtime best friend Joey is the tomboy and emerging beauty who lives a less functional home life down the creek. Paceys gift for sarcasm is topped only by an over-confident knack for stumbling awkwardly and unprepared into adult situations. Rounding out the inseparable foursome, Jen may appear to be the girl next door, but she has an air of mystery surrounding her as she harbors a dark secret from her past. Together, they learn that growing up is never as easy as it seems in the movies. Blindly testing the waters towards young adulthood, the se four astute teens shed their childlike innocence and endure the compromise of morality that accompanies so-called maturity. Exploring the passions that lie beneath the surface of Dawson's Creek, they deal with friendship, jealousy, family, school and love in their struggle to attain adulthood. The opening of Dawsons Creek features these lyrics sung by Paula Cole: I dont want to wait for our lives to be over. I want to know right now what it will be. I dont want to wait for our lives to be over. Will it be yes or will it besorry. Each episode begins with this song as clips of the group sitting around and laughing with each other are flashed by the viewers eyes. The opening resembles one of the music videos commonly seen on MTV. This is significant because Dawsons Creek and MTV try to obtain the same teenage viewer demographics. By using this strategy for the opening package, the show relates to the pop culture side of their audience. It is that MTV lifestyle, that livelihood, which the show tries to focus on. The obvious consumeristic success of MTV is a desirable trait to networks. Teenagers today are savvy consumers, and this is becoming more and more evident to networks. If you tap into the consumer side of teens, you have opened up a whole new world of ratings never see n before. The lyrics themselves also relate a message about the show. As in real life, the characters in the show grow up way too fast at this stage in life. Our society, along with our parents and authority figures, places such an emphasis on adult-like behavior in teenagers that Dawsons Creek epitomizes the socially acceptable way to behave. Teens in real life along with the characters in the show are being pressured to grow up too fast. Theyre ready to go out and experience what life has to offer, and thats what this show is all about. The fact that this show takes place in Capeside, Massachusetts, a Boston suburb, tells us that we should be prepared for anything. Arthur Berger states that Boston has an identity due, in part, to its being on the east coastThe fact that this takes place in Boston prepares us for all kinds of characters (236). There are noticeable differences between the large urban empire of Boston and the small

Informative Speech Essay

Informative Speech Essay Informative Speech Essay How voodoo started Voodoo is a religion that was brought to the Western coasts by slaves from Africa. It is believed to have started in Haiti in 1724 as a snake cult that worshipped many spirits pertaining to daily life experiences. The practices were intermingled with many Catholic rituals and saints. It was first brought to the Louisiana area in 1804 by Cuban plantation owners who were displaced by revolution and brought their slaves with them. Beliefs At first glance, it seems that a religion that revolves around spiritual possession, potions, and the worship of ancestors would have little to do with Christianity. However, there are strong parallelsÍ ¾ in the case of Louisiana and Haitian voodoo, many Christian traditions, beliefs, and figures have been incorporated into this flexible religion. The spirits are central to the practice of voodoo, and many of the central figures have Christian counterparts. Aida Wedo is a virginal figure of Mary, while Legba, the guardian gatekeeper, is a mirror image of St. Peter. In voodoo, important spirits that believers connect with are called the loa (or lwa)Í ¾ in some locations, these loa and their families can be called by the names of the Catholic saints they represent. In West African voodoo, there is a very Christian belief that there is one supreme god ruling all. Rituals A voodoo ritual can be performed whenever the voodoo rituals feels necessary, for special occasions, or in the privacy of individual homes or communities. Voodoo rituals can also be performed by a single person, by the entire organization, even by a small group of voodoo friends. Voodoo rituals may be restricted in certain parts of the community or town and can encourage or underscore the passages between the voodoo religious or voodoo social states. The purposes of rituals are variedÍ ¾ they include compliance with religious obligations or ideals, satisfaction of spiritual or emotional needs of the practitioners, strengthening of social bonds, demonstration of respect or submission, stating one's affiliation, obtaining social acceptance or approval for some event - or, sometimes, just for the pleasure of the ritual itself. Rituals of various kinds are a feature of almost all known human societies, past or present. They include not only the various worship rites and sacraments of organized religions and cults, but also the rites of passage of certain societies, oaths of allegiance, coronations, and presidential inaugurations, marriages and funerals, school "rush" traditions and graduations, club meetings, sports events, Halloween parties, veteran parades, Christmas shopping and more. Many activities that are ostensibly performed for concrete purposes, such as jury trials, execution of criminals, and scientific symposia, are loaded with purely symbolic actions prescribed by regulations or tradition, and thus partly ritualistic in nature. Even common actions like hand ­shaking and saying hello are rituals. In any case, an essential feature of a ritual is that the actions and

How Do Teachers Use the Internet in Education Essay

How Do Teachers Use the Internet in Education - Essay Example Today, teachers have also incorporated internet in their classroom environment. According to a survey by NetDay (a nonprofit education technology organization), approximately 84% of the teachers consider use of computers and internet a vital part of their curriculum. They think that internet enhances the education quality and 75% of them believe that it is an essential tool to bring new resources for the classes. Today, almost all teachers have access to internet in their respective schools and about 80% of all classrooms have online computers. The internet is beneficial to all its users, be it teachers or students. Most teachers find internet as a research device for retrieving new information for their students and then teaching it in class. According to NetDay, 48% of the teachers view internet as a significant tool for teaching and for the past twelve years has been used in almost every school environment. In the past, books were the only source of information for the teachers an d students but in today’s globalized world, internet has become an important source for all types of information and teachers use it daily to teach their students. (Pastore, 2001) Teachers not only use internet for research and academic work in today’s society. ... In developing nations, it is still vulnerable for girls to attend schools on a daily basis or terrorist activities do not permit daily education; in such instances, online education is the ultimate answer. Teachers at Harvard, Stanford, Oxford, New York University and many other higher educational establishments worldwide give online classes to their students. Video conferencing and virtual education have grown to an extent that people use it widely in all demographic regions of the world. Teachers also update their lesson plans and homework for their students on the internet on various websites of their universities. (Pastore, 2001) Teachers not only use internet for research and communicating with their students, but they receive trainings for their courses online as well. With the expansion of internet and information technology, principals of school find it important to train their staff to use the world of internet. Teachers today receive IT trainings via the internet so that th ey are better able to teach their students. Complex courses and advanced technologies’ trainings are given to teachers worldwide. Teachers are trained in information technology so that they can better integrate it in their classrooms. Approximately 34% of all teachers in Hungary, Canada, Japan, and Iceland use external training for advanced courses over the internet. At least 30 percent of primary school teachers in Hungary and New Zealand have received IT trainings. (OECD, 2001) The percentage of teachers making use of internet for educational purposes has immensely increased during the past ten years. Today, the concept of missing a class and missing all class work and homework has long gone. Teachers make sure that the students work on their

Economics of Modern Capitalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Economics of Modern Capitalism - Essay Example Malthus made two propositions in his argument about population. Firstly, that population escalates in a geometrical type of ratio and secondly, that subsistence rises in an arithmetical type of ratio. These two Malthus’ propositions form the popular population principle which, as he argues is part of the causes of lack of progress by mankind to the achievement of happiness. This so called cause is coherently related to the human nature where there is a continual trend of the entire animated life to rise in populations beyond what is there to nourish them. The necessary as well as natural impacts arising from such tendency are misery and other related vices that has had philanthropists trying in vain to rectify. The principle of population applied by Malthus to bring forth his argument is all based upon natural law where animated life increases far much higher than the available means for the subsistence of their life. This natural law of growth in population is usually put in check by another as Malthus continued to argue, which is the necessity law that restrains the growth inside particular boundaries and at the same time keeping it as low as the available subsistence means. In the case of humans, this natural law of necessity acts by the dictated way of numerous checks that can be ranked under two major categories. These major categories are with the inclusion of; (i) preventive kind of checks that put an impediment upon fertility and (ii) the positive types of checks that raise mortality or the death probability. The final outcome is the misery and poverty situations witnessed among the poor of every country as well as the futile attempts by the well-to-do to rescue them. Marx, and Engel alike, on the other hand came up with a counter argument in reaction to Malthus’ theory of population. They did their analysis under two levels to make their argument clear. The first level is their view that Malthus’ theory is too general principally i n that it is just another of the way bourgeois economists make more reified the relationships observed in a typical society. In the theory of Malthus, reify bears the meaning of changing concrete historical relations in a society as well as processes into eternal laws of nature. The process of reification mentioned with regards to social relationships, are characterised in the intellectual production nature under the capitalist conditions of production and the process of human reflections of the social life forms in tandem with the scientific analysis of the same social life forms. The second level is the more precise level of the Marx’s reaction to Malthus’ population principle. This level is about the principle of â€Å"the reserve army of labour† which is also referred to as the relative surplus population. He expounds on his point as he continues to make an analysis of the capital accumulation general law. Marx says that the expansion and accumulation of cap ital comprises of the capitalism’s driving force and this becomes a possibility only in scenarios where capitalists are able to operate at a gain. Gains arise in the appropriation of the surplus value that is produced by the power of labour he purchases. Accumulation arises at the point where capitalists change a part of their surplus value capital. This serves capitalists by allowing them some space to realise expansion and to apportion the extra surplus value and

Government and Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Government and Market - Essay Example Infrastructure is a very vital cog of any country, and hence takes a supremely significant position in the government's perception. Now, Rostow, who was a specialist in this field has made note and brought to light the fact that the inability of the governments to create infrastructure was one of the major road blocks that were faced during the process of modernization in Europe during the 19th century. In his argument, he says that the "creation of preconditions for take-off was largely a matter of building social overhead capital". This comes in line with the generally accepted argument that the cost of infrastructure or the social overhead capital compliments the industrial production process as this facilitates the transfer of goods, which leads to the creation of mobilization of markets on a national and international level. Haber, another esteemed expert in this field, has further developed the importance of infrastructural support in his arguments based on the case study of Me xico. Here, he offers the opinion that Mexico was unable to solve the problem of surplus capacity which it was facing in the 1980s by exporting goods to different countries around the world. All of this, he attributes to the lack of infrastructural support that was present in the country at that point in time. He cites Avisador Comercial de Havana which attributes this problem related to the exorbitant costs of transportation: "How, then, can merchandise be shipped to the coast at an advantageous price How can they [Mexican manufacturers] compete in foreign marketsif within their own borders they have incredibly high freight rates" [1] [5] In recent times, economic analysts have argued that the major difference between the growth differentials of different countries is infrastructure as highlighted by the case on India and China. Due to the importance infrastructure plays in the workings of a country and its non-excludable and unrivalled nature has further substantiated the claim for the need of governmental intervention to facilitate and hasten industrial growth in the country. On face value, one can see that this notion is somewhat not contestable in nature in that not many can refute the claim that has been put forward; however, some economists have also offered the notion of a private sector backed infrastructural growth. This notion certainly has immense promise in theory as this would basically remove the role of the government from this entire workup and would subsequently move the entire mechanisms onto a free market which would be highly appreciated in light of the concept at hand. However, that certainly doe s not appear to be a distinct possibility at the current point in time which is why infrastructural support has been ascribed to governments to this day and age. The rationale behind this is suggestions like the one offered are more likely to fail in the developing countries as private sector led infrastructural growth needs immensely advanced institutional or technological support in order to create and sustain excludable and rivaling properties. Due to this, infrastructure would remain severely under protected as well as remain under produced which would be due to the large number of externalities that cannot

Economic assisgnment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economic assisgnment - Assignment Example Geometrically, this effect is demonstrated by a shift of demand curve for bananas from Latin American market. Since the supply of agricultural product is inelastic, a gradual increase in the demand of bananas causes excess demand or shortage of bananas. It means that many buyers with will and the purchasing power are chancing few bananas2. The equilibrium price increases but more proportional than the increase in the quantity supplied. Increase in quantity demanded and increased propane users have led to a boost in the demand for propane in the USA market. Since the supply is inelastic, this change in the USA market for propane causes a shift in the demand curve. It led to a shortage in the market, which encourage the supplier to skyrocket the price of propane to take the advantage in the market. Foreign goods become attractive to the US consumers, and they ought to import thereby decreasing the demand for propane in the US market. The equilibrium price decreases and equilibrium price will then decrease. In retrospect, propane and farm crops are complementary goods. When the price of propane increases, the price of farm crops also increases. The price of propane and reduced quantity of propane are among the non-price factors that affect the price of farm crops in the market. It causes a shortage since less will be produced and shift of the supply curve upward. The equilibrium price rises and equilibrium price decreases. According to Arthurs Okun’s theory, a three-percentage increase in economic growth causes a one-percentage decrease in unemployment. Mathematically, the data above is consistent3. On the other hand, Phillips explained that unemployment is inversely related to inflation. The figure above exemplifies this correlation since as the unemployment decreases from 10.0% in 2003 to 9.5% in 2006, inflation increases from 0.8% to 1.4% respectively. To this end, Okun’s theory

Home Nursing reflection on maternal death Dissertation

Home Nursing reflection on maternal death - Dissertation Example But with the knowledge, skills and experience I had amassed, I was able to patiently navigate and resolve issues dealing with nursing responsibilities and those arising from various personality conflicts. I soon gained respect as a proven and dependable manager and after two years was made Head Nurse. At my Maternal Child Health Care Clinic (MCH) I presently manage a staff of 10 female staff nurses and two female attenders. This dissertation concerns prevailing issues that have arisen from my experience concerning home nursing during postnatal period. The study will use the methods of reflective practice to analyse the problems that nurses face during the postnatal home nursing period. The main duties provided by the maternal and child health nurse include screening of antenatal and postnatal patients; making assessments and giving immunization to children under 5 years of age; providing specific women services such as pap smears and distribution of the family planning pill; home vis iting and home nursing, and providing school health services. Specific duties of the latter include giving health talks to the public school and village or community groups. The Problem I want to research the theme of home nursing due to an incident that occurred a few years ago and that has remained powerfully within me as a memory. One of our postnatal patients died because of what I thought was ultimately due, but not mainly because of, deficiencies in our home care operation. Proper nursing procedure requires that postnatal care be provided everyday for the first four days after delivery and then on day 6, 8 and 10, and lastly on day 20. After birth, this patient had somehow disappeared in the communication lines of our hospital system. She had received no follow-up or home visiting and because of this, had died. This particular patient had been diagnosed in the antenatal period as well and fit. However, she was quite obese. It was later found she had placenta praevia, a low lyi ng placenta, and that she was experiencing bleeding antepartum haemorrhage type iii where the placenta was covering only part of the top of the cervix. She received a lower segment caesarean section (LSCS) in one of the specialist hospitals. But her birth had not been reported back to the specialist hospital. I don’t feel this patient had received the best medical attention that she could have had. I believe the system had broken down for her. UK Background Compared to other developed nations, the UK has had a good record over the years in keeping maternity and infant mortality low. Infant mortality rates per 1000 averaged 6 for 2000 and 5 for 2008 for infants under 1 (WHO, p. 55). For infants under 5, the figures were 6 for 2000 and 2008. Compared to the United States, the figures were 7 and 7, and 9 and 8 (p. 55). The lowest figures were for Japan at 3 and 3, infants under 1, and 5 and 3, for infants under 5 (p. 51). Developing countries typically display figures broaching above 50 deaths reaching to well over 200 deaths in both categories. UK maternity ratio per 100,000 live births averaged 7 between 2000-2009, with interagency figures showing 8-15 in 2005 (WHO, p. 54). The United States averaged 13 (p. 54), Sierra Leone averaged 857, showing 800 to 3,700 in 2005 (p. 54); and Canada averaged 9 and 7 to 13 in 2005 (p. 50). The infant and maternity mortality rates in developed countries have been low,

Economic assisgnment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Economic assisgnment - Assignment Example Geometrically, this effect is demonstrated by a shift of demand curve for bananas from Latin American market. Since the supply of agricultural product is inelastic, a gradual increase in the demand of bananas causes excess demand or shortage of bananas. It means that many buyers with will and the purchasing power are chancing few bananas2. The equilibrium price increases but more proportional than the increase in the quantity supplied. Increase in quantity demanded and increased propane users have led to a boost in the demand for propane in the USA market. Since the supply is inelastic, this change in the USA market for propane causes a shift in the demand curve. It led to a shortage in the market, which encourage the supplier to skyrocket the price of propane to take the advantage in the market. Foreign goods become attractive to the US consumers, and they ought to import thereby decreasing the demand for propane in the US market. The equilibrium price decreases and equilibrium price will then decrease. In retrospect, propane and farm crops are complementary goods. When the price of propane increases, the price of farm crops also increases. The price of propane and reduced quantity of propane are among the non-price factors that affect the price of farm crops in the market. It causes a shortage since less will be produced and shift of the supply curve upward. The equilibrium price rises and equilibrium price decreases. According to Arthurs Okun’s theory, a three-percentage increase in economic growth causes a one-percentage decrease in unemployment. Mathematically, the data above is consistent3. On the other hand, Phillips explained that unemployment is inversely related to inflation. The figure above exemplifies this correlation since as the unemployment decreases from 10.0% in 2003 to 9.5% in 2006, inflation increases from 0.8% to 1.4% respectively. To this end, Okun’s theory

Business Ethics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Business Ethics - Research Paper Example One reason why government health care is important is because of the poor health of many Americans. The number of Americans who are considered to be obese is growing every year. This situation desperately requires some intervention for the sake of their health, and the government is best placed to do this. Everyone knows that the America is the largest economy in the world and its people enjoy one of the highest standards of living globally, yet many of its citizens cannot afford health insurance and thus remain afflicted of their illnesses. In fact, the United States of America is one of the last few remaining developed countries that don’t have a government sponsored health care system in place for its citizens. This reflects poorly of the American government because its number one priority should be to take care of its citizens. After all, Americans were the ones who voted a government into office, so their health needs should be a major priority. Another reason why the United States government should enact its health care program is that the economy will improve over the long term. If a large number of Americans are too sick or ill to go to work, then this has a direct negative effect on the American economy. The government is ideally placed to step in and provide support so that these people could be looked after. But, what better way to help them than to give them adequate health care so that they can go back to work. With more people in employment, the economy would experience an upswing. While it would cost the government money to provide health care for it citizens, these sick people would eventually repay this back to the economy over the long term. Opponents of government run health care say that the program is too similar to socialism. Why should it be the responsibility of the government to look after people that may have made bad choices in life? The truth is that the government should be for the people and not against them, so this direct

Resource Allocation Essay Example for Free

Resource Allocation Essay Project management is the discipline of defining and achieving targets while optimizing the use of resources: time, money, people, materials, energy, space, etc. , over the course of a project. The most important resources that project managers have to plan and manage on day-to-day basis are people, materials, equipment and working capital. Obviously, if these resources are available in abundance then the project could be accelerated to achieve shorter project duration. On the other hand, [Avoid using colloquial language, slang or jargon in formal writing (14)] if these resources are severely limited, then the result more than likely will be a delay in the project completion time. Depending on the type of resources, the costs of providing an abundance of such resources to accelerate project completion time can be very high. However, if resources are readily available and excess premiums are not incurred to use them on the project, then project cost should be low, as some project costs are resource related while others are likely to be time dependent. In seeking professional services for the design and construction of our garage with living quarters, the management team has been confronted with a broad variety of choices. The services solicited are based on past history and excellent referrals. The Ransom family has selected the following individuals for the organizational structure of the garage project, all team member functions, responsibilities, qualifications, and capabilities are defined, as well as where each member fits into this structure. [Comma splice and/or run-on sentence. Rewrite as two sentences, or separate with a semicolon. (32)] The Ransom’s are confident that this group of individuals will form a cohesive team to complete the project within scope, budget and time. Ransom Family James Sampson is a low-level manager who will function as project manager. As PM he has been given the authority by the board of directors to resolve any resource allocation issues that may arise. James reports directly to the board of directors. His qualifications are over 20 years of experience in the areas of industrial engineering, materials and operations management. His academic credentials include a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and an MBA specializing in quantitative business analysis and business statistics. James will serve as liaison for the city planning commission. James has the following skills and abilities: principles and practices of contemporary project management, strategic, conceptual and analytical thinking, adaptability and flexibility including ability to manage pressure, ambiguity and change, team leadership, interpersonal, communication, and project management skills. Jody Bryant is a functional manager in charge of Contract Administration and Documentation. She reports to James Sampson. Jody’s qualifications are 18 years experience in the area contract administration and associated policies, and procedures. Her academic credentials include a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an MBA specializing in technology. She maintains contract administration systems that ensure that contractors perform in accordance with the terms, conditions, and specifications of their contracts and/or purchase orders. Her responsibilities include: documentation and record keeping, receiving, evaluating and acting on engineering and other change proposals, negotiating cost and schedule impact relating to change orders and other contract modifications. She also ensures timely submission of required reports. Rose Matos is functional manager in charge of structure and on-site management. She reports to James Sampson and Jody Bryant. Rose has 15 years experience designing beams, columns, walls, floors, roofs, and foundations of various structures. She will be responsible for overseeing Big Time Builders, Keep-em Happy Architectural, Martin Grading, and other of contractors such as electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and industrial engineers. James Vann Haigler is functional manager over quality assurance. Vann, as he prefers to be called, has an extensive background in quality assurance management, which includes a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, specializing in Computer Science. He has over 13 years of experience in QA, 3D graphics applications. Vann reports to James Sampson, and is responsible for the overall management of activities related to the sampling, and release of raw materials and components. This includes, but is not limited to, writing of specifications and SOPs, control of artwork, shop floor testing, resolution of Sub-standard Material Reports, and maintenance of vendor files. He guarantees a level of quality for the end client, and is focused on creating a quality deliverable. Task and Responsibility Matrix After the project is organized, there is a need to define what roles and responsibilities for each member of Team B. Within the project the labor will not be specificity be accomplished by the team members but from sub-contractors, however each task must be carried out in order to complete the project. [This sentence is confusing. Reword for clarity] In order to insure that all tasks are carried out in the necessary order described within the Statement of Work the overseeing of the tasks are divided and assigned to various team members according to the members role which is defined by; responsibility, approval and support. With this in mind, the team has developed a task/responsibility matrix to keep track of these steps.

Empowerment and Job Satisfaction in Nursing Educators

Empowerment and Job Satisfaction in Nursing Educators Research Design This research will use a descriptive correlational study design and involve the following variables: Structural Empowerment and Job Satisfaction in nursing educators. This is a non-experimental descriptive correlational research that does not manipulate or control the independent variable which is the nursing educators. The researchers, based on the descriptive design, will summarize the phenomena observed within the natural environment without manipulation and also establish a correlation to determine the relationship between structural empowerment and job satisfaction. This quantitative research is undertaken to investigate structural empowerment and level of job satisfaction and its sub variables to determine: concepts (measureable reflections) and constructs (concept that is â€Å"man-made† and deliberately used by the researchers for a specific purpose) that affect the nursing educator. The assumed direction is that structural empowerment (independent variable) influences the level of job satisfactions of nursing educators (dependent variable). The researchers decided that descriptive correlational type of study design was best used to illustrate, understand and establish if there is a significant relationship between the two constructs. This design is dissimilar to the other descriptive research designs that focus on ideas not specific to the needs of the researchers, for example a comparative design compares and contrasts two or more groups which is inappropriate for a study solely based on nursing educators. A longitudinal design, studies samples over a period of time to show trends and growth changes across a span of time, which the researchers did not deem necessary at this point in time for the study ( possibly for future researchers that replicate this study) . A retrospective and prospective design was ill fitted for the researchers’ specific purpose, which was to establish the current level of job satisfaction of nursing educators ba sed on their perceived structural empowerment. *Insert and lift definition from book* Respondents of the Study This study will exclusively utilize nursing educators in the Philippines specifically nursing educators employed in the Metro Manila Area and more precisely the schools in the University Belt. The inclusion criteria dictate that the respondents of the study are current employed educators in accredited nursing schools offering a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. Explicitly, the educators will be employed within the schools encompassing the University Belt in Manila and hold a minimum of a masteral degree. For this study, the respondents must be a fulltime member of the faculty and be employed greater than six months in the department. The educator must teach a minimum of one major nursing course and or is a clinical instructor for greater than one semester of a school year. The exclusion criteria dictate that an adjunct educator or a professor teaching in another accredited school or institution other than the one surveyed in will be excluded for this study. Sampling Technique The sample for this study is selected to be optimistically representative of the entire nursing educator population in the Metro Manila Area. A probability sampling will be done in order to randomize selection of respondents. This method is optimal to obtain a representative sample because the respondents are not subject to the researchers biases. A cluster sampling will be administered to determine the individuals included in the study selected through a simple stratified random sampling. The researcher will select a random sample from a larger general population (all accredited nursing schools within the University Belt) and from that batch a selected quota will be determined to identify the strata of the population (how many nursing educators are in the schools selected) this number will then be proportioned as a whole to determine the total and again the individuals randomly selected. The random sampling will become successively smaller units until the desired proportionate rando m sampling will be made. The sample size will be determined by the target population and the Slovin formula. Research Setting The research study will be conducted in the de facto sub district in Manila, unofficially named the University Belt or U-belt where in, there is a greater concentration of colleges and universities in a four mile (six kilometer) area. The university belt is described as an irregular cresent with a tail encompassed by the following areas of Sampaloc, Quiapo, Santa Cruz, Santa Mesa, and San Miguel. The following colleges and universities that offer a bachelors in nursing degree are clustered in this area and will be included in this study: *the cluster sampling will determine the actual colleges included in the paper* Arellano University The College of Nursing Arellano University 2600 Legarda Street, Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines In 1954, Arellano University opened a school of nursing which offered a basic nursing course. In April 1960, the School of Nursing expanded its curricular offerings by adding courses in post-basic nursing with majors in public health and clinical teaching. The School of Nursing was later renamed College of Nursing. At about the same time, a preparatory medical course was added to the general curriculum of the College of Arts and Sciences.The Arellano University School of Nursing grew out of the Graduate Nurse Program which was organized in 1960. The course leading to the B.S.N. Degree was started in 1965. Its first group of graduates took the Board Examination for Nurses in June, 1970.The college offers the following courses: Bachelor of Science in Nursing with optionto complete and earn degree from Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia and an International Nursing Program of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing To be completed at either Alderson-Broaddus College, Philippi, We st Virginia, USA orEdith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia. http://www.arellano.edu.ph/colleges/nursing Centro Escolar University College of the Holy Spirit- De Ocampo Memorial College Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology Far Eastern University FEATI University College of the Holy Spirit La Consolacion College Manila Manuel L. Quezon University National Teachers College National University (Philippines) Perpetual Help College of Manila Philippine School of Business Administration PMI Colleges formerly Philippine Maritime Institute San Beda College San Sebastian College – Recoletos de Manila Philippine College of Health Sciences, Inc. Polytechnic University of the Philippines Technological Institute of the Philippines University of the East University of Manila University of Santo Tomas Mary Chiles College Data Gathering Instrument The two major variables in the study will be measured by the following questionnaires: Conditions for Work Effectiveness – II (CWEQ-II) for structural empowerment and Mueller and McCloskey Satisfaction Scale. Permission to use these tools were granted (see Appendix) still waiting on email and reply from the authors* The study will utilize the Conditions for Work Effectiveness – II (CWEQ-II) for structural empowerment developed by Dr. Heather K. Spence Laschinger which is based on Kanter’s theory of structural empowerment. The Questionnaire measures four empowerment dimensions: 1. perceived access to opportunity 2. support 3. information and 4. Resources in the work environment. The questionnaire takes about 10-30 minutes to accomplish. The instrument has been used frequently in research and especially nursing since the 2000’s and has consistently shown reliability and validity. ( source http://publish.uwo.ca/~hkl/tools/cweq/index.html) *Keep this here I haven’t seen the questionnaire anyway since the author hasn’t emailed me but this is a good reference just incase its from a website im not sure if its reliable so hold off on this part* The tool consists of 19 items (39 questions) that measure Kanter’s 6 components of structural empowerment described by opportunity, information, support, resources, formal power, and informal power and a 2-item global empowerment scale which is used for construct validation purposes.Items on each of the six subscales are summed and averaged to provide a score for each subscale ranging from 1-5.These scores of the 6 subscales are then summed to create the total empowerment score (score range: 6-30).Higher scores represent higher perceptions of empowerment. The McCloskey Mueller Satisfaction Scale was developed by Charles W. Mueller and Joanne Comi McCloskey. In the article published in the Academy of Management Journal 1990, the MMSS is said to be a reliable and valid measurement for job satisfaction in nurses. The McCloskey Mueller instrument being designed for health care settings, dominated the other instruments in terms of the combination of psychometric properties and ease of use. The MMSS is a 31 item questionnaire with the sub scales of: Extrinsic rewards, scheduling satisfaction, famly/work balance, co-workers, interaction, professional opportunities, praise/recognition, control and responsibility global scale. A 5 point Likert response category was used for each various item (5) very satisfied, (4) moderately satisfied, (3) neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, (2) moderately satisfied, (1) very dissatisfied. Source Mueller, C., McCloskey, J. 1990. Nurses’ job satisfaction: a proposed measure s and efficiency.AcademyofManagementJournal, 36(6):1345-1347. Validation of Research Instrument The Conditions for Work Effectiveness – II (CWEQ-II) for structural empowerment and Mueller and McCloskey Satisfaction Scale questionnaires will be pre- tested to a select number of respondents similar to the determined sample size, this will ensure internal validation of the instruments and determine if the tools adequately assess what is needed by the researchers and that the respondents have no difficulty in answering the questionnaires. These test respondents will not be added to the study’s sample size. Since these instruments were not made and administered in the Philippines the researchers deliberated on the need for interpreting the questionnaires but deemed that the original documents need not be altered because of the educational attainment and profession of the respondents. Any irregularities or issues with the questionnaires will be considered and further changes will be made if discrepancies arise during the administration and interpretation. Data Gathering Process The data gathering process begins and is determined by the acquiescence of the Dean of Nursing of each college and university selected in the research to allow their faculty to participate in the study. If the proper permissions have been granted, the time period for administration of the questionnaires will be the school year 2014-2015 in the months of June to August. The total respondents for each college and university will be determined and in line with ethical and privacy concerns, will be informed about the confidentiality of the results and if deemed necessary the results will be forwarded at the Deans request. As individual respondent permission is granted the respondent will be given the questionnaires to be fulfilled and collected by the appointed liaison within the institution to be forwarded to the researchers. The data will be collated from the colleges and universities selected and tallied based on the scoring scales for each questionnaire. Statistical Treatment of Data Ma’m Nava * I don’t get this part à ¯Ã‚ Ã…’ angella

Restoring Mind-Brain Supervenience: A Proposal :: Philosophy Philosophical Papers

Restoring Mind-Brain Supervenience: A Proposal ABSTRACT: In this paper I examine the claim that mental causation — at least for cases involving the production of purposive behavior — is possible only if ‘mind/brain supervenience’ obtains, and suggest that in spite of all the bad press it has received in recent years, mind/brain supervenience is still the best way for a physicalist to solve the ‘exclusion problem’ that plagues many accounts of mental causation. In section 3, I introduce a form of mind/brain supervenience that depends crucially on the idea that some brain state-types-namely, those involved in the production of purposive behavior-are nonlocally sensitive, where by ‘nonlocal sensitivity’ I mean cases where relevant causal histories and environmental circumstances effect a difference in some of an organism’s brain state-types intrinsic, causal properties. I will argue that such a mode of sensitivity of brain state-types offers the best way out of the exclusio n problem for anyone convinced that mental state-types should be relationally individuated. I In what follows, I examine the claim that mental causation—at least for cases involving the production of purposive behavior—is possible only if ‘mind/brain supervenience’ obtains, and suggest that in spite of all the bad press it has received in recent years, mind/brain supervenience still is the best way for a physicalist to solve the ‘exclusion problem’ that plagues many accounts of mental causation. In section III, I introduce a form of mind/brain supervenience that depends crucially on the idea that some brain state-types—namely, those involved in the production of purposive behavior—are nonlocally sensitive, where by ‘nonlocal sensitivity’ I understand cases where relevant causal histories and environmental circumstances effect a difference in some of an organism’s brain state-types’ intrinsic, causal properties, and argue that such a mode of sensitivity of brain state-types offers the best way out of the exclusion problem for anyone convinced that mental state-types should be relationally individuated. (1) It is important to notice from the outset that nonlocal sensitivity, as I understand it, is not equivalent to relational individuation. Indeed, I am not claiming that a change in a brain state-type’s relational properties effects a difference in its intrinsic, causal properties. I agree that brain state-types should be individuated nonrelationally, but introduce ‘local’ and ‘nonlocal’ sensitivity as modes of nonrelational individuation of brain state-types, and argue that nonlocally sensitive brain state-types make up the proper subvenient base for mental state-types. If my view is correct, strong mind/brain supervenience is restored, and the exclusion problem solved.

Jews in the Renaissance: Irony of the Promised Land Essay -- Essays Pa

Jews in the Renaissance: Irony of the Promised Land â€Å"The LORD appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’ So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him† (Holy Bible, Gen. 12.7). Despite God’s oath to the Jews, this Promised Land has been repeatedly offered and confiscated by Christians. The Renaissance is one period in history, though, during which Jews faced unimaginable brutality. Beginning in England, Jews throughout Europe were forced to constantly move in order to avoid persecution. However, the ways that Jews were treated in their respective countries differed sharply from the ways that they were portrayed in literature. Jews were eventually forced to leave England in 1289, by Charles of Anjou’s Edict of Expulsion. An excerpt clearly outlines the intentions of England: Although we enjoy much temporal profit from the aforesaid Jews, we prefer to provide for the peace of our subjects rather than to fill our coffers with the mammon of iniquity, especially since by the loss of temporal goods spiritual gains are achieved. Therefore, exhibiting zeal for the life-giving Cross, we have, for the honour of God and the peace of the aforesaid areas, expelled and ordered expelled from our aforesaid counties of Anjou and Maine all Jews, male and female, adults and young people, children and infants, of whatever sex or condition they might have been born and raised. We have expelled them from all areas of these counties not only for the present but for all times, both for our time as well as that of our successors upon whom the said counties may happen to devolve. (Mundill 300) After weighing the monetary gains associate... ... International Bible Society, 1984. Bible Gateway. Muskegon, MI: Gospel Communications International, 2003. 16 Mar. 2004. Mundill, Robin R. England’s Jewish Solution: Experiment and Expulsion, 1262-1290. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1998. Roth, Cecil. A History of the Jews in England. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1978. Shapiro, James. Shakespeare and the Jews. New York: Columbia UP, 1996. Yaffe, Martin D. Shylock and the Jewish Question. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1997. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] There is some disagreement about the influence of Dr. Lopez’s Jewish heritage. According to Berek, he was charged and executed because he was considered to be a traitor. Berek argues that the crime of â€Å"Jewishness† is only used when there is no other appropriate charge. Jews in the Renaissance: Irony of the Promised Land Essay -- Essays Pa Jews in the Renaissance: Irony of the Promised Land â€Å"The LORD appeared to Abram and said, ‘To your offspring I will give this land.’ So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him† (Holy Bible, Gen. 12.7). Despite God’s oath to the Jews, this Promised Land has been repeatedly offered and confiscated by Christians. The Renaissance is one period in history, though, during which Jews faced unimaginable brutality. Beginning in England, Jews throughout Europe were forced to constantly move in order to avoid persecution. However, the ways that Jews were treated in their respective countries differed sharply from the ways that they were portrayed in literature. Jews were eventually forced to leave England in 1289, by Charles of Anjou’s Edict of Expulsion. An excerpt clearly outlines the intentions of England: Although we enjoy much temporal profit from the aforesaid Jews, we prefer to provide for the peace of our subjects rather than to fill our coffers with the mammon of iniquity, especially since by the loss of temporal goods spiritual gains are achieved. Therefore, exhibiting zeal for the life-giving Cross, we have, for the honour of God and the peace of the aforesaid areas, expelled and ordered expelled from our aforesaid counties of Anjou and Maine all Jews, male and female, adults and young people, children and infants, of whatever sex or condition they might have been born and raised. We have expelled them from all areas of these counties not only for the present but for all times, both for our time as well as that of our successors upon whom the said counties may happen to devolve. (Mundill 300) After weighing the monetary gains associate... ... International Bible Society, 1984. Bible Gateway. Muskegon, MI: Gospel Communications International, 2003. 16 Mar. 2004. Mundill, Robin R. England’s Jewish Solution: Experiment and Expulsion, 1262-1290. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1998. Roth, Cecil. A History of the Jews in England. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1978. Shapiro, James. Shakespeare and the Jews. New York: Columbia UP, 1996. Yaffe, Martin D. Shylock and the Jewish Question. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP, 1997. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] There is some disagreement about the influence of Dr. Lopez’s Jewish heritage. According to Berek, he was charged and executed because he was considered to be a traitor. Berek argues that the crime of â€Å"Jewishness† is only used when there is no other appropriate charge.

Succubus Revealed Chapter 10

In centuries? I thought that was kind of an exaggeration. But I wasn't going to argue any further with him, not when he had that zealous look in his eyes. It was one I knew all too well, which in its mildest form resulted in recipe experimentation and in its severest led to immortal killing sprees. With all the schools on winter vacation now, Santa was no longer just doing evening duty at the mall. I had drawn a day shift for Monday and finally left Roman for bed so that I could get an early start. He acknowledged my good night with a nod, lost in his own brooding. Despite how hard he'd grilled me, I knew he was thinking about the same question I'd demanded of him: why would Hell want me out of Seattle so badly that they were willing to create a dream scenario for me? I had no answers for it that night or the next morning. I arrived at the mall bright and early, in my foil dress, only to find a mob of parents and kids already lined up there waiting for us to open shop. Walter-Santa, I was pleased to see, was actually drinking straight coffee this morning, with no mention of alcohol. Of course, he was most likely getting rid of a hangover from last night, and I didn't doubt that the requests for â€Å"something harder† would start by noon. â€Å"Santa wishes his pavilion wasn't under the mall's skylight,† he remarked, furthering my hangover suspicions. He settled himself into his chair – much to the gathered children's delight – and winced unhappily up at the sunlight spilling through the latticed roof of the â€Å"holiday gazebo.† He turned back to me and Grumpy. â€Å"I don't suppose we could get a tarp for that?† Grumpy and I exchanged looks. â€Å"I don't think they sell tarps at this mall, Walt – Santa,† I told him. â€Å"But maybe on my break I can score some sheets from Pottery Barn for you.† â€Å"Yeah,† said Grumpy, repressing an eye roll. â€Å"I'm sure we can find something very tasteful.† Santa nodded solemnly. â€Å"Santa is grateful to have such dutiful elves.† We opened the floodgates. I was working right next to Santa today, meaning I got a front row seat for some of the more outlandish requests. I was also the one who got to remove screaming children, despite parental protests and pleadings to â€Å"just keep her there until I get the picture!† All the while, I kept thinking that instead of doing this, I could be in Las Vegas right now, working through Matthias's routines and listening to Phoebe's jokes along the way. Of course, that isn't to say I was entirely scornful of the whole experience. I liked Christmas, and I liked children. I wouldn't have signed on for this job if either of those weren't true. But in watching these families – especially little girls with their mothers – I just couldn't shake my worries for the Mortensens. If I thought too much about them, I started to tear up. So . . . yeah. Cynicism was preferable at times. It kept me from getting lost in my own despair. When my shift ended later in the day, I discovered I wasn't the only one going home. Grumpy put up a SANTA ON 10-MINUTE BREAK sign, much to the dismay of those waiting in line, and Walter followed me as I headed out to the mall offices. It was hard not to smile at the reaction of kids who just happened to be out shopping with parents and hadn't come to specifically see Santa. Children came to a standstill, mouths gaping and fingers pointing. â€Å"You've been pretty good today,† I told Walter. â€Å"It's easier when Santa knows he can go out for a drink at dinnertime,† he told me. I frowned. â€Å"Are you going home? Oh. Of course you are. You've been here as long as me.† Elves had always moved in and out of shifts, but Santa had stayed constant. Now, with us pulling longer hours, Walter couldn't be on the clock all the time. â€Å"Do you have a replacement?† He put a finger to his lips and winked at me, refusing to say anything while we were in public. Once we were out of sight, in the administrative offices, I got my answer when we found another Santa sitting in a chair, leafing through a Victoria's Secret catalog. He looked up at our approach and set the magazine down. â€Å"Is it time?† Walter nodded and turned to me. â€Å"Vixen, do we look the same?† â€Å"Of course,† I said. â€Å"You're both men in red suits and white beards.† â€Å"Look closely,† he scolded. The other Santa rose, and they stood side by side. â€Å"Details matter. Anything a child waiting in line might notice when Bob goes out to take my place. Beard alignment, glasses, fit of the coat . . . it all matters. One small detail is all it takes for those kids to realize they've been played, that there are two of us.† â€Å"And if they realize that,† added Bob, using the same British accent Walter always did, â€Å"then the illusion is over. They'll know they've been tricked, that there is no one, true Santa.† â€Å"Wow, you guys take this seriously,† I said, a little astonished. So, I did a closer assessment, making a few minor adjustments. I straightened Bob's hat and fixed the way some of his beard's curls were arranged. At last, I nodded. â€Å"You're good to go.† Bob looked at Walter expectantly. Walter took off his hat, beard, and glasses, revealing an ordinary-looking man with thinning salt-and-pepper hair. â€Å"Only one Santa can exist outside this room,† explained Walter mysteriously, watching Bob go. â€Å"It's part of the magic.† â€Å"This was kind of sweet,† I remarked. Off the clock now, Walter immediately produced a flask from his locker and began guzzling it. I wondered if the two Santas shared the same addiction. â€Å"Creepy, but sweet.† After a wardrobe change of my own and a brief stop home, I eventually made my way to Burt's Bowling Alley. Roman had chosen it for our immortal league practice. It was also the site of a date he and I had had way back when, during our ill-fated romance. Living with him day to day, coping with the mundane absurdities of roommate life, it was easy to forget about that part of our history. There had been a time when I thought I was falling in love with Roman, though eventually my feelings for Seth had won out. Learning Roman's true nature – and about his plot to kill Carter – hadn't helped our fledgling relationship. He'd given all that up, thankfully, but there were times I wondered just how much Roman still cared for me. There was no sign of our illustrious teacher yet, but Seth was already there, along with Cody, Peter, and Hugh. Seeing me enter, Seth shot me a desperate, grateful look. I could only imagine what conversation he'd been subjected to while trapped with them. As I approached, the four guys' shirts instantly caught my eye. Seth was wearing a Say Anything T-shirt. That was typical of him. What wasn't so typical was that my three immortal friends were all wearing identical light blue shirts. Before I could get a good look at them, Cody leaped up and thrust a folded-up blue shirt toward me. â€Å"Here,† he said. â€Å"I can't wait to see what all four of us look like together in these.† The shirt was a standard bowling style, short-sleeved and button-down. My name was embroidered on the front. Flipping it over, I found THE UNHOLY ROLLERS done in elaborate, flaming letters. I arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Really?† I said. â€Å"This is what we're going with?† â€Å"It's clever on so many levels,† Peter said excitedly. â€Å"It's a take on ‘holy rollers,' and then when you think about the fact that we're rolling balls – â€Å" â€Å"Yeah, yeah,† I said, putting the bowling shirt on over my turtleneck. The size was off a little, and I shape-shifted to adjust it. â€Å"I know what the definition of a pun is, Peter. I just didn't realize we were going with something so . . . blatant.† â€Å"It was either that or the Sinsationals,† said Hugh. I made a face and settled into the crook of Seth's arm. â€Å"I think you went with the right choice. And at least they're in a tasteful color.† Hugh and Cody exchanged pleased, triumphant looks. Peter scowled. â€Å"There's nothing wrong with pink,† he said. â€Å"I think it would have made a statement.† â€Å"Yeah,† said Hugh. â€Å"A statement that we're pansy-asses that Nanette's team could clean the floor with.† Peter gave a long-suffering sigh. â€Å"Why must you be so insecure about your masculinity? If Georgina had been around when we voted, I bet she would've gone with pink too.† At once, his words reminded all of them of why I'd been gone. Their faces fell. â€Å"Is it true then?† said Cody. â€Å"You're leaving?† â€Å"Afraid so,† I told him, attempting cheerfulness I didn't feel. â€Å"Next month, I'm Vegas-bound.† â€Å"But that's not fair,† Cody protested. â€Å"We need you here.† Hugh gave him a rueful smile. â€Å"You haven't been in this business long enough, kid. ‘Fair' doesn't enter into it.† Cody didn't like the reference to his lack of experience, but Hugh was right. Cody hadn't been immortal long enough to go through a transfer or the organizational machinations of HR. Peter and Hugh had, and while they might be sad at the thought of leaving me, they also knew that there were some things you just can't fight. â€Å"Don't feel too bad for me,† I said breezily. â€Å"Bastien's working there now. And I've already got a job as a dancer.† â€Å"You can't even get a job here,† pointed out Peter. â€Å"Like a topless dancer?† asked Hugh. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"But scantily clad in sequins.† Hugh nodded in approval. â€Å"That'll work.† Cody was still wearing his heart on his sleeve. His gaze fell on Seth. â€Å"Well. I guess one good thing is that with your job, you can live anywhere. Easy enough relocation.† I didn't know what Seth's thoughts on that were exactly, but he managed a brave smile. â€Å"We'll see.† Suddenly all I could think about was my last conversation with Andrea, when we were talking about Seth. He's the rock supporting us all right now. An uncomfortably warm feeling spread over me, tinged with the scent of brimstone. The other immortals and I looked up as Jerome entered, trailed by a pensive-looking Roman. I saw my surprise mirrored on my friends' faces. â€Å"I didn't know you were coming,† I said to Jerome, when the father-and-son duo reached us. â€Å"I thought you'd made it clear you weren't part of the team.† â€Å"I'm not,† he said, eyeing the worn leather chairs with disgust. â€Å"But seeing as my honor is riding on this so-called team, I figured I'd best make sure you're on the right track.† â€Å"Thanks for the vote of confidence in my abilities,† said Roman, entering our names into the lane's computer. â€Å"I don't doubt your abilities,† said Jerome, deigning to sit at last. â€Å"But I also know a little encouragement can sometimes go a long way in furthering success.† â€Å"I assume by ‘encouragement,' you're referring to your extreme displeasure if we fail,† I noted. Jerome's lips twitched. â€Å"Exactly, Georgie. Besides, I also wanted to hear – â€Å" Jerome fell silent as his gaze rested on Seth's T-shirt, depicting John Cusack's iconic stance with the boom box over his head. â€Å"Nice shirt,† said Jerome at last. â€Å"Um, thanks,† said Seth. Jerome turned back to me, like nothing had happened. â€Å"As I was saying, I wanted to hear about your Las Vegas weekend.† â€Å"How considerate,† I said. Beside me, I felt Seth shift restlessly. I knew my other immortal friends made him uncomfortable in just a weird sort of way, but Jerome unnerved Seth in a whole other way. No, it was more than unnerving. Jerome scared Seth, which made sense because half the time, Jerome scared us too. â€Å"I'm sure you have enough eyes and ears to tell you exactly how my weekend went.† â€Å"True,† said Jerome. â€Å"But that doesn't mean I don't enjoy getting your insight.† â€Å"Right,† I said. â€Å"Because my happiness means so much to you.† Roman crossed his arms over his chest and fixed us with an irritated look. â€Å"Sorry to interrupt, but do you want to practice or not?† He gave no indication that he'd grilled me on every detail of the aforementioned weekend. From his expression now, you'd think that was the last thing on his mind. â€Å"Certainly,† said Jerome magnanimously. He gesture toward the lane, like some monarch kicking off a celebration. â€Å"Begin.† Roman rolled his eyes and then turned to us Unholy Rollers. â€Å"Okay, first, let's see what level you're all at.† Roman's lessons hadn't stuck with me over the last year, though I acquitted myself well with six pins on my first roll and two on the next. Cody surprised everyone with a spare, and Hugh, after first rolling a gutter ball, matched my eight. Peter created a perfect split on his first roll and hit nothing on the second. Seth, in a rare moment of bravery, leaned toward Jerome. â€Å"Are there going to be handicaps in this tournament?† â€Å"That,† said Jerome, dark eyes on the gaping hole Peter had made, â€Å"is an excellent question.† Even Roman seemed a little surprised at how all over the map we were. He jumped into his role as coach, helping each of us with our own specific problems. Cody was the only one of us who needed little assistance and threw strikes and spares pretty regularly. I proved surprisingly correctable and was soon throwing spares about two-thirds of the time, which I thought was a decent rate. No amount of instruction seemed to help Peter, whose rolls were increasingly bizarre and erratic. Hugh improved slightly but still had a tendency to always throw right, which he just couldn't shake. â€Å"Here,† said Seth, standing up as Hugh was about to finish a frame. â€Å"Can I do it? I used to roll exactly like you do.† Hugh relinquished the ball willingly, and Seth stepped up to the line. I sat up with interest, never having seen Seth bowl. He showed Hugh his technique first, miming a throw that curved slightly left. Then Seth threw for real, releasing a fast, neat ball that cleaned up Hugh's leftover pins. â€Å"Jesus Christ,† said Jerome in disgust. â€Å"I'm going to have to see if Nanette will let me put mortals on the team. It's the only way I'm going to save face.† â€Å"Hey,† said Roman. â€Å"Give them a chance. I can work miracles in a week.† Jerome stood up. â€Å"Miracles generally aren't in our repertoire. I've seen all I need to. I'm going to go drink now in a futile effort to wipe away the memory of this debacle. When I show up for your next practice, I expect to see significant improvement in all of you. If I don't, you're all going to learn a new definition of teamwork through your shared misery and suffering.† He turned abruptly on his heels and nearly ran into a waitress approaching us. She yelped in surprise when she saw the furious look on his face. â€Å"Do not serve them alcohol,† he warned her. â€Å"We can't risk any chance of this getting worse – not that that's probably possible.† We watched them both hurry away. Once Jerome left the bowling alley, Roman exhaled in relief and sat down with us. â€Å"Okay, now that he's gone, can we dispense with this bowling nonsense and get down to business? Cody, we need to talk to you about Milton.† â€Å"Whoa, whoa,† said Peter. â€Å"Was I the only one who heard that part about ‘shared misery and suffering'? We need to practice.† Roman waved a dismissive hand. â€Å"We'll get back to that.† â€Å"What about Milton?† asked Cody, looking puzzled for any number of reasons. â€Å"You told him,† said Hugh. â€Å"Shit.† â€Å"What'd you expect?† I asked. â€Å"You had to have known I'd do something about it.† â€Å"Milton's a hit man for Hell,† said Roman. â€Å"Milton . . . not Milton that asshole vampire that was here a while ago?† asked Peter incredulously. â€Å"A hit man? Come on. He was a fashion nightmare, but that's about it.† â€Å"We have good reason to think he really is an assassin,† I said slowly. â€Å"He travels a lot, and when he's in town . . . people die. Like Erik.† â€Å"Erik was killed by a robber,† said Cody. â€Å"There was no sign of a vampire.† â€Å"Well, of course not,† said Roman. â€Å"Hell doesn't want its murders to look obvious.† â€Å"Yeah,† said Peter, â€Å"but that implies Hell had a reason for killing Erik.† â€Å"Hell did,† said Roman. He nodded toward me. â€Å"Her. Erik was investigating Georgina's contract when he was killed.† I swallowed, taking a moment to find my voice. There was a small, small comfort in thinking there was a reason for Erik's death and not just some random chance of the universe. But that comfort was negated by the fact that I was the reason. â€Å"Roman thinks there's some nefarious explanation for me being transferred. Some larger plot. And that Erik's death was part of it,† I said at last. Seth stared at me in astonishment. â€Å"I thought you said this was routine.† I shrugged, unable to meet his eyes. â€Å"I don't know. Maybe it is. Maybe it isn't.† â€Å"It isn't,† said Roman fiercely. â€Å"There are too many things going on, too many things that don't add up. Erik got too close to something, and Hell got rid of him. Which brings me back to my original point. Cody. You and Gabrielle followed Milton around, right?† â€Å"I . . . yeah . . .† Cody was still in shock. â€Å"But I mean, we didn't see him kill Erik! We didn't see anything like that.† â€Å"Did you ever see him in Lake City?† I asked. That was where Erik's store had been. Cody shook his head. â€Å"Never that far out. We just followed him mostly to some clubs. It was a game, that's all. She wanted to see a vampire, so we watched him for a while. We never followed him outside of downtown.† â€Å"I did.† Everyone turned to stare at Peter. â€Å"Why are you looking at me like that?† he demanded. â€Å"I didn't know about that,† said Cody. â€Å"Why did you follow him?† Peter snorted. â€Å"Why do you think? He was in our territory. I was seeing if he was really just on vacation like he claimed. I had to make sure he wasn't out hunting victims.† I grew so complacent sometimes with the idea of my silly, laid-back friends that it was easy to forget their true natures. Peter and Cody were the most deceptive of all sometimes. They were goofy and absurd in most of their normal living, but at the end of the day, they were vampires. â€Å"And?† asked Roman, getting that zealous look again. â€Å"Did you see him in Lake City?† â€Å"No. I followed him once to the Eastside and once to West Seattle.† A chill ran down my spine. â€Å"West Seattle? What was he doing there?† â€Å"Nothing,† said Peter. â€Å"He drove though some neighborhoods, sat in his car for a while. I figured he was stalking prey but saw me and gave up. Which he was smart to do.† â€Å"He might very well have been stalking prey,† I murmured. â€Å"Erik lived in West Seattle. Do you remember the neighborhood?† â€Å"If I saw it, maybe,† said Peter. â€Å"But I couldn't lead you back there. I'm sorry.† â€Å"It doesn't matter,† said Roman. â€Å"This is all we need. This is enough proof.† â€Å"It's circumstantial at best,† argued Hugh. â€Å"Which I told Georgina initially. And it doesn't explain why Hell would want him killed – especially after he helped Jerome. I know, I know.† Both Roman and I had started to protest, and Hugh held up a silencing hand. â€Å"The contract. But remember, Kristin checked it for you. She said there was nothing wrong with your contract.† Kristin was an imp who worked in Vancouver. I'd done her a favor, and in return, she'd dared to look in Hell's archives and review my contract for me, back when I'd clung to the hope that there might be an error. The imp who'd brokered my contract, Niphon, had been in town behaving suspiciously, and I'd been certain we'd learn that the contract was faulty. Kristin had come back with disappointing news: everything was in order. â€Å"Erik said it wasn't mine that was the problem, though. He said it was a different one,† I said. â€Å"What other contract? And how is this connected to your transfer?† asked Hugh. When none of us had an answer, he sighed. â€Å"Look, sweetie. I'm as much for a good caper as any of you, but not at the expense of being stupid.† He glared at Roman. â€Å"You've been around for a while, I'll give you credit for that, but you haven't lived our lives. You haven't had to answer to the system. We do. Don't fuck things up for her with some far-fetched, crazy-ass theory.† â€Å"What if it's more than a theory?† asked Roman. â€Å"What if it's true?† Hugh met his gaze squarely. â€Å"Then make damned sure uncovering it is worth the consequences.† Silence fell over us. At long last, Cody said, â€Å"How much do you think Jerome scared that waitress? Because I could really use a drink.† Roman resumed his coaching, but a weird mood had descended upon us in the wake of the Milton and Erik revelation. We went through the motions, but it was clear no one's heart was really in bowling. When we finally called it a night, Roman declared that we'd all improved but were still in need of more practice. Since that wasn't a mystery to any of us, we set up a schedule for the rest of the week before dispersing. Roman caught a hold of my arm as I was walking out. â€Å"I won't be home tonight,† he said. â€Å"I've got some . . . things to do.† â€Å"Things that are going to get you in trouble?† I asked warily. â€Å"No more than I already am. Just figured I'd let you know in case . . .† He glanced at Seth, then me. â€Å"You know, just in case you wanted to know.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said. Taking the hint, I turned to Seth once we were alone in the parking lot. â€Å"What do you think? Do you want to come have a sleepover? Or do you have to go back to Terry's?† Seth put his hands around my waist and drew me close. â€Å"Actually, I have the night off. Andrea was having a good day today.† I remembered yesterday, how, despite her fatigue, it had been clear she'd significantly improved. I felt a flutter of hope in my chest and rejoiced at finally having something that was clear-cut and good in the world for a change. â€Å"Do you think she's really healing? That the treatment's working?† â€Å"I don't know,† he said wistfully. â€Å"I'd like to believe it. It would be . . . amazing. More than I could hope for.† My heart ached for him and for the whole family. I didn't know what to say, so I simply brushed a light kiss across his lips. They were warm in the chill air. â€Å"Georgina,† he said, when I'd pulled back. â€Å"All this other stuff . . . about your contract and the transfer. This is the first I'm hearing about it.† â€Å"I know,† I said. â€Å"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to keep anything from you. It's just . . . so much is still unknown. I didn't want to bring it up when I don't even fully understand what's happening.† â€Å"And I understand even less than you,† said Seth. I nodded. â€Å"I didn't want you to worry.† He gazed down at me, eyes honest and full of affection. â€Å"You have to stop that. I'm not going to break. You can always talk to me about anything. We won't get anywhere without things being open between us. We're in this together, Thetis. What happens to you affects me. I want to be there for you.† â€Å"I know,† I said. â€Å"It's a hard habit to break . . . wanting to protect you.† â€Å"One thing struck me . . . what Hugh said. Are you doing something dangerous? He's right about Roman, isn't he? That Roman doesn't face the same consequences as the rest of you? I hate the thought . . . I hate the thought of you getting caught up in one of his schemes, that you might suffer for his rash actions.† â€Å"I'm not sure they're so rash,† I said. â€Å"At first, I did. But now, I think he really might be onto something. About Erik. About my transfer.† â€Å"And if he is? What is there for you to gain? I mean, from what I know about Roman and nephilim, it'll be enough for him if he can catch Hell in a cover-up. That's what he gets his kicks from. But you . . . you answer to Hell. What do you get for uncovering some grand plan of theirs? Unhappy employers.† I leaned against his chest, staring off into the night. The sky was clear, but we were too close to downtown to see much in the way of stars. â€Å"I get the truth,† I said at last. â€Å"I don't know how my transfer plays into Erik's death – or if it even does – but if it's true that Erik wasn't killed by being in the wrong place at the wrong time, then yeah. I need to know that. I need to know the truth.† â€Å"It's worth it?† He squeezed me tight. â€Å"Worth the risk to yourself?† â€Å"Yes,† I whispered. â€Å"It's worth it.† Yet, even as I spoke, I thought of Erik – kind and wise Erik who did so much for others, with little regard for himself. Generous, wonderful Erik who had done so much for me and possibly lost his life for it. Finding out the truth of that, what he'd died for . . . yes, I'd meant what I said. It was worth any risk to me, but that didn't negate the terribleness of it all. It couldn't change what had happened to Erik. He was still dead, and the intrigue around us was only growing thicker and thicker. â€Å"What's the matter?† asked Seth. Without even thinking about it, I'd closed my eyes and buried my face closer to his chest, perhaps in some subconscious effort to hide from the storm I felt was brewing around me and my immortal world. I opened my eyes and sighed. â€Å"Nothing. Everything. I don't . . . I don't want to think about any of it. At least for a little while. Tomorrow . . . this is all going to be waiting, I know. But please . . .† I pressed myself even closer to him, keeping my lips only a couple inches away. â€Å"Let's go home. Help me to forget about this . . . just for tonight.† Seth didn't need to be told twice. His lips found mine, and we locked in a kiss that was both hungry and desperate. Heat and electricity coursed through me, making me oblivious to the winter night. When we broke away, both breathless, I just barely managed to say, â€Å"Meet you at my place.† We each headed off for our own cars, which was a good thing since we probably would have been hazardous together if attempting to drive home in the same vehicle. As it was, I was kind of amazed at my ability to get back to my condo on Alki Beach without breaking any traffic laws. But once we reached my place, pulling into the lot at almost the same moment, that was it. We were all over each other and just barely had the sense to make it through my door before letting go completely. I'd tried to put up a good front about resisting sex, but the truth was, I'd missed it as badly as Seth. All the flings in the world couldn't make up for not doing it with him, the one I loved. My succubus duties were becoming even emptier and more hollow than usual. I still believed rationing our sex life was the smart and safe thing to do, but right now, I was willing to bend the rules. He swept me into his arms as soon as we stepped inside my condo, still managing to kiss me at the same time. The cats, normally ready to pounce with love on anyone who came through the door, had enough sense to give us our space as we stumbled back toward the bedroom. Seth lost his balance while carrying me and only barely managed to make it to my bed when he stumbled, depositing us both in an unceremonious heap. Had it really only been a month? As my mouth tasted his and my hands grew reacquainted with his body, I couldn't help but think it felt more like years. I'd been in a drought. I'd been starving for him. I couldn't get his T-shirt off fast enough and luxuriated in the feel of his bare skin under my fingertips. Seth was busy working on my shirt, which was a little difficult. The Unholy Rollers shirt didn't go over my head so well, meaning each button had to be undone individually. He did it with infinite patience and skill, soon making quick work of the shirt underneath. Once I was stripped, he gazed at me with the same longing and hunger I felt for him. He ran his hands over the length of my body, reverently tracing the curve of my hips and breasts. â€Å"So beautiful,† he murmured, drawing me on top of him. He then stretched back and shifted so that my breasts hung over his face, allowing him to take one of my nipples into his mouth. I gasped, not just because of the touch of his tongue – which was exquisite – but because it was Seth. His lips and tongue teased my nipple until it was aching and tender. Then, he switched breasts, giving my other nipple the same adoration. Fire flared through me again, along with the silvery sweet high of his life energy. With it came his feelings – his love and passion for me – and the combination of it all was intoxicating. I cried out softly, and he slid me down so that our mouths could meet again, this time in a kiss so deep and crushing, it made the parking lot seem chaste. As we kissed, I felt him slide a hand down the side of my body, moving toward my inner thighs. His fingers moved deftly as they explored me, slowly moving farther and farther until they slid inside of me. I exclaimed again, but the cry was swallowed in the kiss, which was so deep I felt as though I could hardly breathe. Patiently, those fingers danced around, testing me until he found the place that got the biggest reaction. Starting slowly, he stroked me over and over, playing with how wet I was, while intense pleasure lit all my nerve endings. I could easily put off my own climax as long as I needed, but there was no need tonight. I wanted to lose myself in him and let my body do whatever it wanted. What it wanted, as it turned out, was to come quickly. Seth and I had been apart too long, and my body has missed his touch. A few more skillful touches, and I felt my lower body explode with bliss, the sensation so overwhelming that I wasn't certain I could handle being touched anymore . . . even though I craved it. Seth continued teasing me until my orgasm finally subsided, and only then did he remove his fingers. He finally broke the kiss too, and we both gasped for breath, our eyes locked on each other. â€Å"Come here,† I said, pulling him back toward me. Like me, Seth could've easily dragged out more foreplay . . . and like me, he didn't want to. I guess this was the cost of â€Å"rationing.† It didn't leave much room for patience. His body pressed against mine, and I felt him push inside me, hard and ready. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him again as he began to thrust in and out of me. I wanted as much of him as I could get, wanted to make contact with as much of his body as I could. As we made love, though, I had the same sense I always did: even with him in me, pushing as hard as he could, he would never be close enough to me. I always wanted more of him. Our bodies were meant to be together, I decided. There was something so wonderfully, agonizingly right about the feel of him inside of me. â€Å"Georgina,† he gasped, as his motions grew faster and more intense. â€Å"You're amazing. Beyond amazing. . . .† If any more sentiments were there, I never found out. His face transformed as his orgasm seized him, his body surging forward into mine with a new intensity. He let out a soft groan as he came, still thrusting as he took every last bit of pleasure that he could. And as he came, I felt the full surge of his stolen life force. It was glorious and heady, and I tried to accept it as part of the rest of the experience. I didn't want to ruin this moment with guilt. When Seth's body finally slowed, he collapsed onto me, resting his head on my chest. He exhaled heavily and planted a kiss between my breasts. â€Å"Did I mention that you're amazing ?† he asked. I sighed contentedly and ran my hand through his hair, which was now even more messed up than usual. â€Å"Not that amazing,† I remarked. â€Å"I feel like you did all the work.† He kissed me again. â€Å"That's what's great about you, Thetis. You don't even know when you're being amazing.† I felt a smile creeping over my face, and it had nothing to do with the compliments. Georgina. Thetis. The old, familiar nicknames. After the last time we'd had sex, some frightened part of me had worried I was in for a repeat and that he'd call me Letha again. But, no. That memory, that name . . . they were all gone, just like the person I used to be. â€Å"I love you,† I said, because it seemed the only adequate response. â€Å"Mmm.† He snuggled closer. â€Å"Let's not wait so long next time, okay?† I laughed softly. â€Å"We're going to wait even longer. I don't think monthly sex is going to work if we ration for a lifetime. It's still too frequent.† He groaned. â€Å"Come on. I don't mind the risks. It's worth it. I could be content with biweekly sex. Tonight was proof you can't hold out very long either.† â€Å"Biweekly! That's definitely too frequent. You only got it tonight because I suddenly had a moment of crisis.† He chuckled, though it was soon lost in a yawn. â€Å"If I got sex every time you had ‘a moment of crisis,' then I'd probably be getting it every night.† I gently elbowed him. â€Å"That's not true.† I thought about it. â€Å"Much.† He laughed again and wrapped his arms around me, keeping us close. â€Å"Oh, Georgina. You make everything we go through worthwhile. Everything.†