Has british politics become more feminized since 1997 Essay

Has british politics become more feminized since 1997 - Essay Example While the current parliament has the largest number of women MP’s in British history, the proportion is only 22.6%, which is just an increase of about 4% since 1997. This proportion indicates an increase of 1.3% in female representation per each election held after 1997. As many political systems across the world move towards equality in representation, Britain still lags way behind other countries like China, Italy, Germany and Argentina among many others. Feminisation of British politics has progressed with slow increase since the major achievement of 1997. The concept of feminisation of politics is based on the gender rather than the party and sex differences existing between men and women. The increased debate on the feminisation of politics is essentially based the perceptions of women’s political styles being less legitimate, than those of their male counterparts. The practice of politics is believed to be completely different between men and women. The fundamental discrepancies existing in the ways which individuals from different genders practice politics are utilised in the determination of feminisation of political systems. Feminism politics are characterised as based on co-operation, collaboration and honesty, qualities that depict them as gentle and kind politics. Masculine politics on the contrary, are presumed to be based on conflicts, hierarchy and sleaze. The characteristics of political systems and the politics have a significant effect on how the political environment within a country. The basic definition of feminisation of politics is based on the gender representation of individuals rather than the content of the political system. Consideration of the gender issues within the British system results in the politics being considered to be less feminine, because of the large number of men within the

The Pros and Cons of Airport Privatization

The Pros and Cons of Airport Privatization I. Executive Summary Airports have evolved mainly as government-run enterprises. Now, many airports seek privatization in part to improve their abilities to compete in the new global economy. The manner of ownership covers a wide spectrum: government-owned and controlled airports, government-owned corporations, independent airport authorities, public-private partnerships with government majority ownership or with private majority ownership. Reasons to privatize an airport include an improved ability for an airport to diversify its operations to enhance profitability, to fund expansion, and to improve competitiveness. The arguments for privatization include that the falling availability of public funds, and a need to change to the market-oriented outlook that private businesses develop. Objections to airport privatization are related to the apprehension that a private operator will take advantage of the monopoly that airports represent in air travel. Not all airports are suitable for privatization. Some i n the developed world, such as in the USA, are controlled by local governments and affected by airline requirements. The less developed countries and their airport authorities lack sufficient funds to develop their airports; although these countries need these airports, privatization is impractical, and alternate business plans must be developed. Unlike other countries, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have taken the path of mixed public-private control to maintain power over matters that affect the public good. Privatization enables a long term focus to meet the demands of international competition, to maintain a customer-focused plan, and to free the government from providing subsidies to an unprofitable enterprise. The potential for Canada to completely privatize the National Airport System Airports is small due to the serving of the public good under the current system. II Introduction Airport privatization has become a trend in the past thirty years as economies change and the air transport sector matures. Airport management and ownership, once mainly the domain of governments, has evolved into a mix of public and private airport ownership. Airports must now compete with other airports around the world for business, and government may not be the best owner for a globally-competitive enterprise. Airports must have the freedom to compete on the commercial level, and not just provide a service to the travelling public. Airports seek privatization in part to improve their abilities to develop a customer-focused business plan. This paper will present a review of the history of privatization and predictions for the future of this trend, and a comparison of the means, effects, and relative success of government/ public vs. private control. What is airport privatization? Simply put it is the transfer of ownership or management or both to the private sector (Graham 2008, 15). The manner of ownership covers a wide spectrum: airports owned and operated by government departments, 100% government-owned corporations, independent airport authorities, mixed enterprises with government majority ownership and mixed enterprises with private majority ownership (Tae et al 2006, abstract). Analysis of the need to privatize Airports have evolved mainly as government-run enterprises. They serve the public good, and were thus taken on as any other part of public infrastructure would be. Bridges, roads, ports, and other transportation-related projects have traditionally been part of the public good. However, many of these facilities are being privatized. Roads and bridges are now conceived of as wholly privately developed and owned, or as public-private partnerships. Privatization can provide several benefits. It can remove the burden from the governments finances, spread the risk associated with operations, and introduce ways to improve efficiency and competition. Often better airport management can be put in place. For example, if the airport is run under a government department, facility commercialization would be difficult. Private management can reorganize the accounting so that the airports costs and revenues can be monitored and adjusted, costs can be cut, and revenues boosted. The arguments for privatization are many. Less public investment is needed; on the one hand, public funds are less available than they once were, and on the other hand, private corporations have a market-oriented outlook for their business plans. Improved access to commercial financial markets, improved ability for an airport to diversify, and improved operational efficiency may be the result. Employees and management are motivated to perform better. Lastly, a deregulated airline industry led to growth which the existing model of airport management and ownership could not handle. Privatization may be a better option if market forces can enable competition rather than a monopoly, meaning less government regulation is necessary. This preserves the public good and makes the enterprise more likely to be profitable. Conversely, if the potential exists for a monopoly in a market, then the involvement of the government in ownership is necessary, and so is more government regulation. Table 1: Government Control of Essential Elements of operations in three countries, shows how Canada, Britain, and Australia deal with these concerns by maintaining control in key areas of the public good of aeronautical standards, access, and pricing. III.  Privatization Strategies Privatization does not mean handing over of complete ownership to a corporation. The most practical scenario would be for a government to retain control over the type of facilities to be developed and other changes, while the operator, the commercial enterprise, oversees day-to-day and year-to-year operations of the airport (de Neufville 1999, 6). The net benefit to the public interest would seem to be the lack of necessity to raise funds to expand or run the facility, or to service debt. Types of Privatization transfer of operations to private sector (Graham 2008, 25). transfer of ownership to private sector (Graham 2008, 25). share issues, IPOs: airport needs to make a profit; shareholders assume the risks trade sale sale of facilities concession control passes to private operator for a fixed period this is how some new roads and bridges are managed in North America annual fee paid to government, which retains ownership (Graham 2008, 32). a private operator finances and builds new facilities, pays annual fee to government, thingies ownership to the government after a fixed period management contract an operator runs the facility, and either the operator gets a fee or the government receives a percentage of revenue (Graham 2008, 34). The better way to privatize is to share control between government and private interests. See Table 2: Degree of control mix among different styles of government and full private ownership (from de Neufville 1999, 17) for an illustration of how this is so. Determining the potential of an airport for privatization Not all airports are suitable for privatization, and the experience differs in the developed and less developed worlds. In the developed world, the USA is an anomaly. Less privatization has happened there, and this may be because most airports are under local control, and also under significant pressure from the airlines that use them (de Neufville 1999, 5). Both entities can interfere with any contemplated changes. The approach used in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, has been to turn the airports into not-for-profit corporations. Such airport authorities as Vancouver Airport Services, a not-for-profit corporation, operate their own and other airports. The case in the less developed world for airport privatization differs due to the lack of both public and private funds for infrastructure development. Still, these countries need these airports, and alternate business plans must be developed. Less developed countries have much more growth potential in air transport and that can be met with improved facilities and increased capacity (Button 2006, 14). The major part of their revenue is airside (Button 2006, 14). Figure 1: A generalization of airport trends in developing and developed countries will illustrate this phenomenon. Button (2006, 14) adds that airports in less developed countries do not generate sufficient revenue to cover costs, so the governments must provide subsidies, and this makes these airports unsuitable for privatization. A full privatization cannot be expected until a national economy can support infrastructure improvements and an airport can prove its potential for profitability. IV. Operating environment considerations regarding privatization The operating environment needs some favourable market conditions for success in privatization. External market forces can encourage or prevent successful conversion to private control or ownership; Button asserts that [r]egulatory changes in airport policy in countries such as the UK came against a backdrop of successful liberalization of many other markets, quite strong macroeconomic growth, and with fairly well defined objectives (2006, 3). A privatization could not proceed in the absence of these factors, as in the case of a less developed country. There, the private sector has limited access to capital markets and the government may not be able to afford to borrow internationally. The catch is that these economies lack sufficient development for an investment to have acceptable risk levels; without the airport and other transportation infrastructure, though, the country cannot develop. The common operating factors are: Competition exists for investor dollars with other forms of real estate malls, offices, developable land. The author of US Airport Privatization speculated in 1993 that the market for airports was not a speculative one. Now, market opportunities are being found in airport privatizations. Developers may not want to work with the government bodies, which regulate airports and airlines, or to be tied to a long-term investment. Developers would look for opportunities that facilitate adaptability to changing market conditions. Only a long-term strategy would work in this investment. The labour contracts in force when the ownership switches over from public to private would likely have to continue, hindering potential private operators. Property taxes would have to reflect enhanced market value of an airport property. Most of an airports real estate is empty land, and therefore not directly capable of providing a profit to an operator. Any airport has relations with the surrounding communities, but a private operator would be unable to negotiate in an area of government responsibility. In addition, other challenges, which may have hampered airport profitably before privatization, remain. These include security, air traffic growth, airline strategies, airport competition, and international incidents such as SARS or terrorism. Political interference is always a possibility in the area of airport regulations, industry deregulation, and the changing nature of the airline industry. A conflict exists between the desires of a private operator to have looser regulations and the need for government oversight of the industry. Objections to airport privatization are related to the monopoly that airports represent in air travel (Graham 2008, 16). The fear is that the private operator will make a profit that could have gone to the government. These fears are addressed by the nature of private enterprise, which seeks to run a business profitably. Potential Economic Benefits of Airport Privatization Originally airports were considered to be part of a nations essential infrastructure, and less attention was paid to profit than to operations (Frost Sullivan). The three means of economic gains to be found in privatization are: improvements in operating efficiency: the private for-profit business model more often leads to a further exploration for means to cut costs and boost revenues than does public management; the introduction of new management styles and marketing skills directed to serve users with a more consumer-oriented approach; and the ability to make better investment decisions. The trend in many countries is now to contemplating the potential for profit from an airport. The example of the Vienna airport will serve to illustrate how privatization in a developed country can benefit an airports operations. Before 1978, the airport was a public utility and had to seek subsidies to cover losses. In 1978, the airport management was reorganized so it would work like a commercial enterprise, but with public sector shareholder ownership. A further reorganization took place in 1992 to address industry and customer needs separately from the service divisions. Measures such as strategic planning and cost control were introduced to improve the airports competitive advantage (Graham 2008, 17). A share issue was made in 1992 for expansion and improved commercial operations, signaling a transition to private sector control. Privatization enables a long term focus to meet the demands of international competition, to maintain a customer-focused plan, and to free the government from providing subsidies to an unprofitable enterprise. Many privatizations have taken place because the potential for airside growth is limited. In other words, the developed countries have reached saturation on airside growth, so they seek growth from commercial services. This means shopping, restaurants, hotels, joint ventures are added to the airport to add value and capture more dollars. In addition, Button asserts that the success of privatized airports has encouraged governments to change the management and operations of their airports to mirror what the privately-run operations are doing (2006, 3). Then, the facility is seen as a single monopoly, but as separate revenue-generating businesses. Privatization seems to enable a better response to market forces by developing commercial potential. VI. Potential for Further Airport Privatization in Canada Canada has followed the route of maintaining almost all operational facets under shared control, with no airports being fully privatized. See Table 3: Status of Privatization of Airports in Australia, Britain and Canada before (B) and after Privatization (P) for a comparison of how control was changed after a degree of privatization. Australia and Britain have given control of finance and operations to the private operators, while Canada has retained it. To address local community and economy concerns, maintaining a partnership may be the better route to follow, and experience will show which method is better. Despite what the author of US Airport Privatization found, privatization in the airport industry is attractive to investors. However, Frost Sullivan report that by 2006, only two per cent of the worlds commercial airports had been privatized, either through management or ownership. Canadian airports are classified as one of two types: Non NAS airports, meaning National Airport System airports, with fewer than 200,000 passengers per year and which are locally and provincially owned and operated; NAS airports, with more than 200,000 passengers per year, are owned by the federal government but managed by boards of non-elected representatives. See Table 4 NAS Airports- Canadas National Airport System, for a list of these NAS airports. They operate as not-for-profit entities under long term leases with the federal government that are reflective of fair value, including the future earning potential (Canadian Airports Council 2008). Transport Canada, as the owner of the airports, has several aims in setting NAS airport rents. First they relate to infrastructure stability, and ensure the air transport sector remains financially healthy, meaning both the airport infrastructure and the airlines. The second aim relates to market conditions: to ensure an air transport sector that is competitive with both other forms of transport and with international air transport systems, and responsive to changing market conditions. The third serves the public good: the obtaining of a fair value for the government (National Airports Rent Policy Review 2010). The NAP, the National Airport Plan, appears to indicate that the federal government has no plans for complete privatization. Rents charged by the federal government to the local airport authorities are calculated with respect to long-term cash flow forecasts and capital expansion needs, and to valuations of international commercialized airports, particularly in the USA, Austra lia, New Zealand, and Britain. Therefore, the NAS airports serve the Canadian public good by providing a benefit to the Canadian public while remaining competitive. VII. Conclusion The encouraging factors include: continuing growth in air travel requires improvements in infrastructure that most governments cannot afford; improvements in economies of scale through expansion of facilities and concentration of services; still more commercial opportunities to be found for exploitation; investors with longevity have the better chance for continued profitability than would newer entrants. Privatization seems suitable for airports in more developed countries, because while more developed countries used to rely on government financing, the private sector has more to invest in major infrastructure projects than the government does. Allowing a private sector corporation to make profits could encourage the expansion of facilities sooner than a government-owned airport would do this. The fears that privatizing airports could be unsuccessful for the buyers and operators because of the untested variables, such as real estate values and external forces acting on an enterprise, seem to have calmed down with the growing body of experience in these operations. While ownership of facilities might be transferred to the private sector, government regulations still affect the business. A private operator cannot exercise eminent domain; it has to follow laws, while seeking to maximize his gain. Therefore an airport will never operate as an entity that is entirely separate from government. Now the focus is on the next step. The potential for future privatizations depends on the countys economic development and on its growth potential. In the long run, both central and local authorities may have to pursue the course of even greater diversification and commercialization of airport ownership structures. Works Cited Button, K 18 September 2006, Air Transportation Infrastructure in Developing  Countries: Privatization and Deregulation. Fundation Rafael del Pino conference on Comparative Political Economy and Infrastructure Performance: the Case of Airports. http://www.frdelpino.es/documentos/CONFERENCIASYENCUENT ROS/Reuniones%20de%20expertos/Aeropuertos/Button%20Madrid%20Conference.pdf. Canadian Airports Council 2008. Ownership and Management of Canadas Airports.  http://www.cacairports.ca/english/canadas_airports/index.php. Craig, V J 2 March 2000, Risk Due Diligence in Airport Privatization.  http://www.icao.int/icao/en/ro/nacc/aps/09_craig.pdf. De Neufville, R 1999, Draft: Airport Privatization Issues for the United States.  http://ardent.mit.edu/airports/ASP_papers/airport%20privatization%20issues%20for%20US.PDF. Frost Sullivan 25 April 2006, Abstract: Potential Economic Benefits of Airport  Privatization. http://www.marketresearch.com/product/display.asp?productid =1286859. Graham, A 2008, Managing Airports: An International Perspective. 3rd edn.  Butterworth-Heinemann: Oxford. http://books.google.ca/books?hl=enlr=id=5 Aa0rtzn8vgCoi=fndpg=PR7dq=The+privatization+and+commercialization+of+China%27s+airportsots=BbvkOe6cjusig=TiTmeH5HQg0RTuYo7IShMjE2kcY#v=onepageq=privatizationf=false. Oum, T, Nicole A, and Chunyan Y May 2006, Privatization, corporatization, ownership  forms and their effects on the performance of the worlds major airports. Abstract. Journal of Air Transport Management Volume 12, Issue 3, Pages 109-121. Air Transport Research Society Conference, Rio de Janeiro, July 2005. Vancouver. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL_ udi=B6VGP-4J14SM6_user=10_coverDate=05%2F31%2F2006_rdoc= 1_fmt=high_orig=search_sort=d_docanchor=view=c_searchStrId=1273863512_rerunOrigin=scholar.google_acct=C000050221_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=10md5=1c0d7c71dc3b52a6727c4c147f36f7c5. Transport Canada 15 March 2010. National Airports Rent Policy Review: Terms of  Reference. http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/policy/ace-nap-nap1-762.htm. US Airport Privatization: Why It Wont Work 1993, Airport Aviation Appraisals,  Inc. http://www.airportappraisals.com/includes/articles/Article-Privatization.pdf.

A Night at Grandma’s :: Personal Narrative Writing

A Night at Grandma’s When I stand in the foyer, taking off my coat, I realize just how small the place is. The narrow space is barely wide enough to open the closet door when there is more than one person standing there. The wire hangers rustle as I pick one to hang my coat on. My shoes make a whiffing noise as I wipe them on the carpet, and they squeak on the tiled floor. After I take them off, I stand up and look at the myriad of pictures hanging on the wall. I know all the people in them, but they seem like strangers because we are so young. The really old ones are yellowing around the edges and it is obvious that my grandfather took some of them because they are badly focused. My favorites are the ones that were taken when my cousins and I were young. I especially love the one of my dad without his moustache. I always try to picture what he would look like today if he shaved it off. The immaculate white carpet. It is so white, it looks brand new even though it is twelve years old. It feels plushy, warm and soft under my feet. I go into the kitchen, and suddenly the floor changes. The floor is no longer soft and plushy carpet, it is hard and cold and my stocking feet slide easily as if I were on ice skates. The kitchen is so small it can barely accommodate all three of us at the same time. I sit in the rickety metal chair with the white pleather seat and pull-down step. The chair squeals with my every movement. I rest my elbows on the cold formica countertops as I talk to my grandma and grandpa. The sharp corner jabs into my side, and I quickly recoil. On the stove, there are a couple of pots. The flames beneath them dance, showing off vibrant yellow and orange, while they warm the pots and their contents. Water hisses and spits from the pot on the back burner letting everyone know that it has come to a boil. The ceramic dishes scrape against one another as I pull them from them from the cabinet.

Mass marketing

Mass marketing is the process involved in presenting products to the general public using the mass media such as primetime television, radio, national newspapers, or magazines of general circulation.   This is usually done with products which appeal to or perceived to be useful to people from all walks of life such as toothpaste, laundry detergent, or headache pill.   This is referred to as the traditional method of marketing and was in use long before specialized or target-specific products came into being. Compared to the concept of direct marketing, mass marketing is more expensive because it utilizes the traditional mass media which get through to a wider range of audience.   For instance, it was estimated that in the 1960s, a single television spot aired simultaneously over the three television stations CBS, ABC, and NBC could already get a message across to 80% of women in the United States. (Bianco, Lowry, Berner, Arndt, Grover. 2004) Direct marketing, on the other hand, is a relatively new method in marketing where the target customers are contacted directly through mail, electronic mail, or the telephone.   This method relies heavily on a customer list created, maintained, and regularly updated by a company or an advertising firm for the purpose.   Organizations who are engaged in this method claim that their marketing efforts are measurable in terms of responses they receive from their targets. The system also allows them to conduct follow-ups in order to consummate sales, or extend after-sale services such as maintenance assistance or performance rating of their products.   Basically, direct marketing allows you to â€Å"focus limited resources where they are most likely to produce results; measure the success of campaigns accurately by analyzing responses; and test your marketing – you can target a representative sample of your target audience and see what delivers the best response rates before developing a full campaign.† (Business Link)   The concept is catching fire. The result of a transatlantic survey of over 500 direct marketers and service providers conducted in 2006 and released January 11, 2007, showed that â€Å"85% of respondents expect their online direct marketing expenditures to increase in 2007.† (Direct Marketing News) REFERENCES Bianco, A., T. Lowry, R. Berner, M. Arndt, & R. Grover. (2004). The Vanishing Mass Market. BusinessWeek online. (Retrieved from: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_28/b3891001_mz001.htm) Business Link. Direct Marketing: the basics. (Retrieved from: http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotz/action/detail?r.l1=1073861169&r.13=1073902327&type=RESOURCES&itemID=1073790746&r.12=1073858842&r.s=sc) Direct Marketing News. â€Å"Alterian finds 85% of marketing and service providers plan to increase Online spending in 2007†. (Retrieved from: http://www.dmn.ca/Click/articles/vol109/vol109_b.htm)   

Coraline Book review

Coralline is a horror story featuring a family that has recently moved to a new house. Coralline, a young girl, detests the move. When she discovers a door in the drawing room, she becomes curious. When she looks the first time, there is Just a brick wall, but the next time she checks, there is a passageway to an alternate universe. Coralline starts to believe that she likes this newfound world more, but will it stay that This British novella takes place in a community in Britain in summer 2002. This is a horror book but isn't as frightening as other books.The main characters are Coralline Jones, Mrs.. Jones, Mr.. Jones, The Cat, The Other Mother, and The Other Father. The story is told in third person and focuses mainly on Carolina's adventures. The plot revolves around a young girl named Coralline traveling through a door in her house to an alternate universe that has other versions of her parents that try to take her from the real world. Coralline believes she likes it there at fi rst and wishes she could live there but soon finds the evil in her other parent's plans. There are two possible themes to this book.The first is be careful what you wish for and the second is it's hard to look past the surface when it looks so perfect. This book was incredibly interesting and very different from any horror book I've ever read. Although it didn't terrify me like other books might, it was written differently and had a very interesting plot. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a new book or a good book to read. I read this book due to the interest In the movie that I saw when I was younger and I enjoyed It twice as much as I loved the movie. I would definitely recommend this to everyone.

Biological molecules lab report Essays

Biological molecules lab report Essays Biological molecules lab report Paper Biological molecules lab report Paper This does not mean to just restate what was in your sample. Think about it. Analyze it. Does the result make sense, based on the label and on what is known about the food. Do the results make sense to you. If they do not, think about, and research, what might be going on. Do not judge, just report (i. E. The soda is bad because it is full of sugar is a judgmental statement). A series of tests were performed on various different products to determine whether any of them contain glucose, starch, protein, or lipids. The Benedicts test is used to determine whether a product contains glucose. From the products used only Peptidase, chicken broth, regular lime soda, and red bull tested positive for glucose molecules. When a test is positive it turns into a red-orange color. The results for most of these products make sense with the exception of the peptidase. At first glance, peptidase does not seem like it should be in this category. After doing research, it was found that peptidase is actually made with the amount of glucose and fructose recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Next was the Iodine test for starch. When an Iodine test is positive, it turns black. After conducting this test, it was found that chicken broth was the only product in the list that contains starch. Later the Beirut test was performed to check for protein in products. After conducting the test it was established that rice milk and coconut water both contain protein. At first, this does not seem logical. After doing research it was discovered that rice milk and coconut water do indeed contain protein, although they are not significant amounts. Last, the Sudan IV test for lipids was performed. When a Sudan test is positive, the red dye will disperse and dissolve within the lipid.

smartphone Essay Example

smartphone Essay Example smartphone Essay smartphone Essay Smartphone? Snare one! Smartphones, does it make us more smart? A smartphone is a very advanced technology. It is also used every single day in our lives. They help and give us the information that we need such as any business-related matters, a toy for a kid or a device that will give us entertainment. This may sound that it is a very good thing, but it is unfortunately not. Therefore, I will precisely explain the reasons why I am against Smartphones. Smartphones are great when using for communication purposes but it is making us less smart as most of the people use it more often than we are upposed to. People have become less socially interactive due to their dependence and obssession in Smartphones. For instance, there are people that would constantly check their Smartphone while walking or doing other activities such as hanging out with their friends or having a date. This shows that people are not aware of their surroundings as they are always busy doing something on their Smartphone. This leads to lack of social interaction and may cause the person to not get used to talking to other people in person. Therefore, people should converse with other people, not with the Smartphones. Smartphones are becoming an extension of the human brain. People are being dependent to the Smartphones by using it as a GPS in order to remind the user about the upcoming events such as birthdays, assignment due dates, work-out routines that should be done on a particular date and more. These events and reminders are supposed to be remembered and stored in the brain, and our brains are supposed to be the one reminding the us these information. Therefore, this enables the brain to be more active and aware about our surroundings. Furthermore, by using the Apple iOS application Siri, people would not ften be bothered to search the information themselves as according to the Apple website, Siri .. understands what you say, knows what you mean, and even talks back. Siri is so easy to use and does so much, youll keep finding more and more ways to use it. Smartphones makes us less productive. Smartphone is a tool that has everything in it. According to the article that I have read, they did a survey in their company in order to find out the difference of the employees with and without a Smartphone while working in their workplace. The result shows that having a Smartphone during work makes everyone to be less productive. Smartphones are a huge distraction while working as there are a range of activities that a person can do in it such as e-mails, text and video messaging, phonecalls, playing games, taking down notes and more. Therefore, the employees think that Smartphones are very reliable when working although in reality, it is not. having Smartphones is a problem itself as it is a device that can do what the brain does. it would have been better if it was built into something that the brain cannot do. Creation of Smartphones is like uilding the escalator when you already have the stairs, it does not help us use our muscles and brains in order to remember simple and important information and events that we need and are happening in our lives. I agree to a psychological fact that says use it or lose it as this applies to our daily lives when using Smartphones such as remembering directions using our brain instead of using a GPS application brains can do. There is a huge impact to children when they use Smartphones. Smartphones separate the children from the principle of social interaction. Smartphones are designed to entertain the youth and adults but this discourages the children from interacting with the other kids as they do not really talk to each other using their mouth, but they Just type the words that they want to say on their Smartphone and sends it to their peers. The Smartphone also lowers their confidence towards other people. Smartphones can also ruin the childs brain development. Rather than doing physical activities such as running and Jumping with all the other children, they Just sit on the corner pressing, swiping and tilting their Smartphone screens. This can also affect the childrens health as they are often less mobile while playing with their Smartphones compared to what a usual kid would do. This results to children not having enough physical exercise that could result to being unfit and overweight or could develop any sickness or disease that may arise from insufficient physical activities. In conclusion, Smartphones are great for communication but it makes us less smart as it makes us less productive. Also, having a smartphones is the problem itself as it is a device that can do what the rain does and it has a huge destructive impact on the childrens generation Furthermore, Smartphones are becoming an extension of the human brain. The statements above are clearly enough to prove that Smartphones actually makes people less smart. Although there are several reasons on why Smartphones are useful, its negative consequences of using and owning one still outweigh its positive features; especially when it is used more often than normal. Therefore, people must try not to depend on it too much and this will be achieved if people would use Smartphones wisely and moderately.

Overview of the No Child Left Behind Act

Overview of the No Child Left Behind Act The No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLB) was initially legislated for 5 years, and has been since temporarily extended, but not officially reauthorized. Senate Democrats were divided were divided on reauthorization, while most Senate Republicans heartily despise NCLB. In May 2008, Senate reauthorization was put on the back-burner while legislators pondered hundreds of reform ideas. In early 2010 and again on March 14, 2011, President Obama said he will seek to reauthorize NCLB, but modified to be similar to his $4.35 billion Race to the Top initiative, which requires five major education reforms for K-12 public education, and pushes states to compete for education funding, rather than automatically receiving it based on a formula. At Race to the Top, Obamas 2010 Education Grant Initiative, read a summary of Obamas controversial five reforms which are a model for his planned reform of NCLB. NCLB is a federal law that mandates a number of programs aimed at improving U.S. education in elementary, middle and high schools by increasing accountability standards. The approach is based on outcome-based theories education that high expectations goal-setting will result in greater educational achievement for most students. Supporters of NCLB Supporters of NCLB agree with the mandate for accountability to educational standards, and believe emphasis on test results will improve the quality of public education for all students. Proponents also believe that NCLB initiatives will further democratize U.S. education, by setting standards and providing resources to schools, regardless of wealth, ethnicity, disabilities or language spoken. Opponents of NCLB Opponents of NCLB, which includes all major teachers unions, allege that the act hasnt been effective in improving education in public education, especially high schools, as evidenced by mixed results in standardized tests since NCLBs 2002 inception. Opponents also claim that standardized testing, which is the heart of NCLB accountability, is deeply flawed and biased for many reasons, and that stricter teacher qualifications have exacerbated the nationwide teacher shortage, not provided a stronger teaching force. Some critics believe that the federal government has no constitutional authority in the education arena, and that federal involvement erodes state and local control over education of their children. Current Status In January 2007, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings published Building on Results: A Blue print for Strengthening the No Child Left Behind Act, in which the Bush Administration: Asserts that the Act is challenging our students to succeed and our schools to improve.Claims that 90% of teachers have met NCLBs highly qualified teacher requirements... At-risk students are getting help earlier... children with disabilities are receiving more classroom time and attention... Spellings report admitted problems that NCLB has identified and not cured, including:Between 1999 and 2004, reading scores for 17-year-olds fell 3 points, and math scores fell 1 point.U.S. 15-year-olds ranked 24th out of 29 developed nations in math literacy and problem-solving, in 2003.1 million students annually drop out of high school before graduation. Changes Proposed by Bush Administration To strengthen the No Child Left Behind Act, the Bush Administration proposes: * A stronger effort must be made to close the achievement gap through the high school standards and accountability. TRANSLATED: More testing, and tougher tests. * Middle and high schools must offer more rigorous coursework that better prepares students for postsecondary education or the workforce. TRANSLATED: Tougher and more basics-focused courses in middle and high school. Also, clearer differentiation between college bound and non- college bound students. * States much be given the flexibilities and new tools to restructure chronically underperforming schools, and families must be given more options. TRANSLATED: The most controversial new proposal would enable students at failing schools to receive a voucher to transfer to a private school. Thus, the Bush Administration is proposing that public school funds would be used to pay private and religious schools. Until now, students at perennially failing schools had the options to either transfer to another public school or receive extended tutoring at the schools expense. Background The 670-page No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) was passed with strong bipartisan backing by the House of Representatives on December 13, 2001 by a vote of 381-41, and by the Senate on December 18, 2001 by a vote of 87-10. President George W. Bush signed it into law on January 8, 2002. The primary sponsors of NCLB were President George W. Bush and Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, a decades-long advocate for raising the quality of public education for all American children. NCLB was partially based on education reform strategies instituted by President Bush during his tenure as Texas governor. Those Texas education reforms were reputed to result in improved standardized test scores. Subsequent inquiry revealed test-rigging by some educators and administrators. Margaret Spellings, Former Secretary of Education One of the principal authors of NCLB was Margaret Spellings, who was nominated to Secretary of Education in late 2004. Spellings, who holds a B.A. in political science from University of Houston, was the political director for Bushs first gubernatorial campaign in 1994, and later served as a senior advisor to Texas Gov. Bush during his term as 1995 to 2000. Before her association with George W. Bush, Spellings worked on an education reform commission under Texas Governor William P. Clements and as associate executive director for the Texas Association of School Boards. Prior to her nomination to be Education Secretary, Margaret Spellings worked for the Bush Administration as Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy. Margaret Spellings has never worked in a school system, and has no formal training in education. She is married to Robert Spellings, former Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the Texas House, now a prominent attorney in Austin, Texas and Washington D.C., who has actively lobbied for the adoption of school vouchers. Pros The primary positives of the  No Child Left Behind Act  include: Accountability standards are set and measured annually by each state to foster educational growth and achievement. All results are also annually reported to parents.Standards are set for teacher qualifications.NCLB links state academic content with student educational outcomes, and requires school improvement be implemented using scientific-based research methods in the classroom, parent programs, and teacher development courses.NCLB emphasizes reading, writing and math.NCLB measures educational status and growth by ethnicity, and helps to close the achievement gap between white and minority students.NCLB requires schools to focus on providing quality education to students who are often underserved, including children with disabilities, from low-income families, non-English speakers, as well as African-Americans and Latinos.Parents are provided annually with a detailed report of student achievement, and explanations are provided of achievement levels. Cons Major drawbacks of the  No Child Left Behind Actinclude: Federal Underfunding The Bush Administration has significantly underfunded NCLB at the state level, and yet, has required states to comply with all provisions of NCLB or risk losing  federal funds. Said Sen. Ted Kennedy, a sponsor of NCLB and Senate Education Committee Chair, The tragedy is that these long overdue reforms are finally in place, but the funds are not. As a result, most states have been forced to make budget cuts in non-tested school subjects such as science,  foreign languages,  social studies  and arts programs, and for books, field trips and school supplies. Teaching to the Test Teachers and parents charge that NCLB encourages, and rewards, teaching children to score well on the test, rather than teaching with a primary goal of learning. As a result, teachers are pressured to teach a narrow set of test-taking skills and a test-limited range of knowledge. NCLB ignores many vital subjects, including science, history and foreign languages. Problems with NCLB Standardized Tests Since states set their own standards and write their own standardized NCLB tests, states can compensate for inadequate student performance by setting very low standards and making tests unusually easy. Many contend that testing requirements for disabled and limited-English proficient students are unfair and unworkable. Critics allege that standardized tests contain cultural biases, and that educational quality cant necessarily be evaluated by  objective testing. Teacher Qualification Standards NCLB sets very high teacher qualifications by requiring new  teachers  to possess one (or often more) college degrees in specific subjects and to pass a battery of proficiency tests. Existing teachers must also pass proficiency tests. These new requirements have caused major problems in obtaining qualified teachers in subjects (special education, science, math) and areas (rural, inner cities) where schools districts already have teacher shortages. Teachers especially object to the Bush 2007 proposal to allow districts to circumvent teacher contracts to transfer teachers to failing and poorly-performing schools. Failure to Address Reasons for Lack of Achievement At its core, NCLB faults schools and curriculum for student failure, but critics claim that other factors are also to blame, including: class size, old and damaged school buildings, hunger and homelessness, and lack of health care. Where It Stands Theres little doubt that the  No Child Left Behind Act  will be reauthorized by Congress in 2007. The open question is: How will Congress change the Act? White House Kicks-Off Reauthorization Discussions A meeting was held on January 8, 2007 at the White House to mark the 5th anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act, and to kick-off Bush Administration discussons with Congress regarding reauthorization of the act. Attendees at the meeting with President Bush and Education Secreatary Margaret Spellings were Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Chair of the Senate Education Committee; Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), ranking Republican on that committee; Rep. George Miller (D-CA), Chair of the House Education Committee; and Rep. Howard McKeon (R-CA), ranking Republican on that committee. According to Sen. Enzi,  There was agreement we should proceed, and an agreement in principal on what needs to be done. Religious, Civil Liberties Groups Propose NCLB Changes More than 100 religious denominations and  civil rights, education and disability advocacy groups have signed on to the  Joint Organizational Statement on NCLB, calling for changes to NCLB, and stating that: We endorse the use of an accountability system that helps ensure all children, including children of color, from low-income families, with disabilities, and of limited English proficiency, are prepared to be successful, participating members of our democracy... ... we believe the following significant, constructive corrections are among those necessary to make the Act fair and effective. Among these concerns are: * over-emphasizing standardized testing, narrowing curriculum and instruction to focus on test preparation rather than richer academic learning; * over-identifying schools in need of improvement; using  sanctions  that do not help improve schools; * inappropriately excluding low-scoring children in order to boost test results; * and inadequate funding. Overall, the laws emphasis needs to shift from applying sanctions for failing to raise test scores to holding states and localities accountable for making the systemic changes that improve student achievement.

CASE STUDY-EURO DISNEYLAND Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

-EURO DISNEYLAND - Case Study Example The entity was in the red with losses to the tune of 188 million francs. Moreover, only one third of the visitors of French nationality, while the projected figure was fifty percent. Before moving on to its European operations, the study provides a background of how Walt Disney (inadvertently) was responsible for creating a world famous brand, and later an empire that included film making, amusement parts, and theme parks like Epcot. The author provides a brief background of succession problems and survival of Walt Disney Company after the death of its legendary founder in 1966. His son (Roy Disney) had to face a lot of issues especially from CEO’s like Cardon Walker and Ronald Miller. There is a brief mention about its hit movies like Love Bug’, and also about a string of flops after the controversial family (box office hit) movie Splash. But the visionary in Walt Disney had moved on to providing wholesome and clean entertainment to families through the concept of them e parks. The first park was opened in Anaheim, California, followed by the hugely successful Orlando Disneyworld, Florida. But its overseas ventures had been plagued with problems that were cultural and political in nature. In Tokyo, though the venture was successful, was beset by minor issues.

Philosophy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 12

Philosophy - Assignment Example Indeed, since God is a superior being and invisible, it has been tough for any religion to prove his existence. This essay will take a look at how St. Anselm uses logic and reasons to argue out his points about the existence of God. To start off his argument, Anselm starts by giving his view on how God can be defined. He defines God as â€Å"something than which nothing greater can be thought. In addition, he claims that every human being, whether he or she believes in God or not will automatically agree with his definition. He uses the example of the fool in Psalms does not believe in God, and claims that even him will agree with his definition. Anselm then agrees to the fact that there is a difference between understanding God as a concept and understanding him to exist (Solomon, Higgins & Martin 53). To explain his point further, Anselm uses the painter’s analogy. He then claims that before any talented painter comes up with his or her own masterpiece, he or she can see it clearly in his head even though he knows that it does not exist. The painter only understands the masterpiece as a concept. However, once the painter has finished his work and it can be seen as reality, he can now understand the concept of the painting and also understand that it exists. The latter stage of the painting is the same position that a firm believer of God and agrees with Anselm’s logic would be at. If God’s definition which Anselm strongly believes that it is the best ever, then God is a superior being; superior to any other thing that exists in the world. It is from Anselm’s strongly stressed definition that he places his argument. He argues that an existent God is greater than a non-existent one. Therefore, since God is perfect from the definition, must be in existence. If God does not exist, he would not be the most superior beings to ever exist. Therefore, if anything existed and was superior to God, it would not be God. In other words, Anselm believes

Assignment 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Assignment 6 - Essay Example At their back are puppeteers, a representation of establishments who are casting shadows on the wall, where the prisoners can now experience the actual form of reality. They are inherently mistaken for reality. This is because the puppeteers behind the prisoners are using objects to cast shadows in front of the prisoners who are cannot turn back their heads as a form of reality to them. The prisoner is forced to face the fire after being released and the objects that to him once dictated reality to him, now show forms of reality that is accepted. This development indicates that what is perceived to be reality ever since we are born is untrue based on the grounds of imperfect interpretations or reflections of reality (Gaarder 81). This Allegory is a representation of a complex model in which we travel in our lives to reach the understanding of realty. The progress in the development of human represents our own path to finish the awareness in which the realty and the false will reach. The story presents a special view in which reality plays in our lives, and how a person understands. The mankind is stuck in the cave through their own ignorance, believing that what is before them is reality. They do not seek the knowledge of their senses, but instead look beyond their senses to find the underlying causes of things. Rene Descartes presented the idea that, he could not trust his senses and all he thought to be existing should be doubted. He gave three examples to his skepticism. First, is the deception of the senses as they deceive him, the deception of a dream which he termed as false experiences, and lastly the deception of God as an evil demon that is able to trick him as to what he experienced is real. Although many philosophers have found skeptical arguments as false, I think the dreaming argument can stand out to be real. It discredits sensory beliefs. So the dream argument is skeptical. For example, one may lie in bed and get

Epicenter and Magnitude of the Earthquake Assignment

Epicenter and Magnitude of the Earthquake - Assignment Example To locate the epicenter of the earthquake, the seismologists examine seismograms from three seismic stations. The seismologists measure the time interval of S-waves and P-waves in about 45 seconds and place the vertical lines at an interval of about 2 seconds. The measured S-P time interval will help to determine waves distance of travel from the focus to the station. It is paramount to note that the actual location of the epicenter is on the circle's perimeter to be drawn around the station. Therefore, to triangulate this position, there must be three seismic stations. A circle with an appropriate radius is drawn around every station and where the three circles intersect is the epicenter of the earthquake. Â  The seismologists use a well-known Richter scale to measure the magnitude of an earthquake. To determine the earthquake’s Richter magnitude, seismologists require one to know the surface the wave’s amplitude and the distance to the origin of the earthquake at the seismic recording site or location. The distance of the seismic recording and footage station from the epicenter can be determined by getting the time difference between the arrival of the P-waves and S-waves at the station. The difference is called S-P interval. The amplitude of the surface wave depends on the earthquakes magnitude and the distance between the epicenter and recording station. It is a measure of how many millimeters the ground will move at the recording station. The amplitude and S-P interval is then used to determine the Richter magnitude.

Building an Art Museum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Building an Art Museum - Essay Example Or if we try and become successful in creating some aesthetic and artistic objects, environment, and atmosphere that the people admire and appreciate, we call it an art of doing something. Art does mean to do something or perform something which can be done by any other person like sleeping, drinking, eating or going for an exercise. These are the acts which do not involve mental exceptionality and thus can never be termed as an art. Art means to do something uniquely. â€Å"With the most primitive means the artist creates something which the most ingenious and efficient technology will never be able to create† (Malevich K.). If we go on to recreate nature or realism in context of our own judgments and findings, we are going to perform an art based on our thinking. The basic aim and plan of each and every artist is to depict nature, grab different motions of life, and catch certain facts of nature and to translate those facts by means of paintings, sculptures and drawings. Eve ry artist has his own ideas and the views to see different aspects of nature. The art of translating them in paintings and other models is what we call fine arts. Now, if I talk about my philosophy of art, I would say that art is a creation of ideas related to different aspects of life according to our own thinking and judgments. If we want to achieve something which initially seems difficult, then the process we use to stabilize its difficulty level and then to achieve the desired results on basis of our creative abilities, this is an art of doing something exceptionally. Art doesn’t have any boundaries or limits. It is not restricted to countries, continents or genders. Any person in this world who has a desire to create something or innovate something according to his personal ability, talent and aptitude level, and he successfully achieves his motive, he is an artist. In my view, an art is to make other persons believe in what we create or

Employees would like to improve the value of their work using the 7 Essay

Employees would like to improve the value of their work using the 7 stage Checkland Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) - Essay Example In the end, the conclusion summarizes the findings and their applicability in the real world. Soft Systems Methodology was developed by Peter Checkland and is a seven step methodolgy to construe models to solve organizational problem situations. It provides a comparison of the current world with certain focused models that can solve ‘soft’ problems. The approach is deemed to be participative and can be carried out by organization members with the support of a facilitator who is familiar with the methodology. It is of most use for people who work and involves drawing rich pictures to expand on different models and systems (Hersh & Hamburg, 2006). The problem under consideration is how can employees improve the value of their work. There are many factors that can accrue to overall improvement in work performance. More importantly, factors that are impeding improvement strategies from being implemented need to be addressed. The value of work done by employees depends partly on the working environment and partly on the employer. Therefore, in order to bring about de finitive change, the employer’s support and cooperation is of great importance. This paper identifies the problems faced by employees in order to improve the value of their work. The first part of the SSM inquiry deals with identification of the problem. The later part deals with root definitions of the systems and the development of potential models; the last steps expound on the efficacy of the proposed recommendations in the real world. For a business organization to function successfully, the value of work of the employees plays a very critical role. It is as much the responsibility of the employees as it is the duty of the line manager to ensure that optimum employee performance is achieved. However, due to any reason, if the employees are not able to put in their best performance, the value of their work is

Building an Art Museum Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Building an Art Museum - Essay Example Or if we try and become successful in creating some aesthetic and artistic objects, environment, and atmosphere that the people admire and appreciate, we call it an art of doing something. Art does mean to do something or perform something which can be done by any other person like sleeping, drinking, eating or going for an exercise. These are the acts which do not involve mental exceptionality and thus can never be termed as an art. Art means to do something uniquely. â€Å"With the most primitive means the artist creates something which the most ingenious and efficient technology will never be able to create† (Malevich K.). If we go on to recreate nature or realism in context of our own judgments and findings, we are going to perform an art based on our thinking. The basic aim and plan of each and every artist is to depict nature, grab different motions of life, and catch certain facts of nature and to translate those facts by means of paintings, sculptures and drawings. Eve ry artist has his own ideas and the views to see different aspects of nature. The art of translating them in paintings and other models is what we call fine arts. Now, if I talk about my philosophy of art, I would say that art is a creation of ideas related to different aspects of life according to our own thinking and judgments. If we want to achieve something which initially seems difficult, then the process we use to stabilize its difficulty level and then to achieve the desired results on basis of our creative abilities, this is an art of doing something exceptionally. Art doesn’t have any boundaries or limits. It is not restricted to countries, continents or genders. Any person in this world who has a desire to create something or innovate something according to his personal ability, talent and aptitude level, and he successfully achieves his motive, he is an artist. In my view, an art is to make other persons believe in what we create or

How does school affect the behavior of the children(6years-12years) Article

How does school affect the behavior of the children(6years-12years) - Article Example It has aptly been stated that school serves as one of the primary institutions of society, which plays dynamic role in the upbringing and socialization of the young individuals by providing them with an environment that offers systematic coaching and teaching under the professional teaching and administrative staff. In addition, the adolescents learn how to act, react and behave while entering into interaction with other members of society, from their educational institutions, by presenting themselves as the dutiful, conscientious and responsible individuals before other members of society. Moreover, it is school that provides the young students with the opportunities of obtaining education and skill under different situations of competition and co-operation with their class-mates and school-mates. Thus, the school teaches the young minds the mannerism, discipline and punctuality in such a way that they could turn out to be the effective, proficient and responsible members of society for the future years to come. Since school is the first place where the adolescents are granted the chances of obtaining socialization in a formal way, its significance even surpasses the institution of family to some extent due to the very reality that the children are brought up in an informal manner in family, where there are no such restrictions, regularities and punctualities in per the rules and regulations introduced and observed by schools. It is particularly the case with the children belonging to the age group from six to twelve years due to the very reality this age group is regarded to be the most fertile one in respect of learning new things and remembering the same for long time. Since the children’s minds are like a clean slate at this age, every new thing leaves indelible impact on the raw and fresh minds. Since these years are generally spent in attending

The Yellow Wallpaper And Law Of Life English Literature Essay

The Yellow Wallpaper And Law Of Life English Literature Essay American Naturalism can be defined as a literary movement, based in literary realism that takes a deterministic view of human existence. It tends to highlight the forces of nature, over which we exert no control, by placing the protagonist of its literature in circumstances beyond their control. Further, practitioners of Naturalism have adopted the philosophy offered by Charles Darwins theory of evolution, and due to this they are able to write about issues that previously went untouched. This literary movement puts a dynamic on internal and external forces that determine everything that they do. I have chosen to analyze in this essay, Charlotte Perkins Gilmans The Yellow Wallpaper, and Jack Londons The Law of Life. In The Yellow Wallpaper, we observe a woman who has been inflicted with an apparent mental illness that is manifested through her obsession of the yellow wallpaper in her bedroom. Our first hint at this piece of literature being saturated in naturalism is the subject matter being discussed; the role of women in society, and mental illnesses. This is precisely the kind of topics that naturalism tend to focus onà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦those issues that drive the human nature without the bias of romantic ideals or principles. Within this story the protagonist is trapped by two forces, an external and internal force. The external force reveals itself to be the actual wallpaper that plagues her thought, but I dont mind it a bit only the paper. This quote shows us the degree of paranoia that the main character experiences and is inflicting upon her. Further it is true that her husband John serves as a stifling force upon her freedom, socioeconomic determinism, so I take phosphates or phosphites-wh ichever it is, and tonics, and journeys, and air, and exercise, and am absolutely forbidden to work until I am well again. Personally, I disagree with their ideas. We see a main theme here as John is forcing his subordinate wife to ingest pills that he believes will help herà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦against her will. While her husband is a socioeconomic deterministic force, due to his enforcement of women in the role of not being active or thinking for herself, he also acts as a biological deterministic force. By his actions he is making his wife fight for survival against the standards of man, which she debatably succeeds in with the releasing of the women in the wallpaper. This manifestation of the women creeping in the wallpaper shows the reader of her fear of being held captive by her husband, I dont like to look out of the windows even-there are so many of those creeping women, and they creep so fast. I wonder if they all come out of that wall-paper as I did? In this final scene of the st ory the narrator points out what the reader has already figured out, that she believes herself to be these women trapped within the wallpaper. This is significant because she associates herself with all of the other women in the world who are trapped by their socioeconomic status, and were forbidden to creep. This argument further adds to the theory of biological determinism within the story. Within Jack Londons story The Law of Life, the reader reads about the final journey of a blind and old man whose name is Old Koskoosh. Unlike in the previously analyzed work, this story focuses primarily on the harshness of nature and its uncaring attitude towards the Earths inhabitants. In this story the reader finds a plethora of biological deterministic features, primarily concerning the detached force of nature and the meaninglessness of the individual; Nature did not care. To life she set one task, gave one law. To perpetuate was the task of life, its law was death. Here the reader observes London showing mans inherent necessity to struggle with nature, and also how meaningless people are. This story, and therefore the quote, is deeply rooted within the belief of Darwinism in that the role of the individual is simply to reproduce and to sustain the survival of the speciesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦that is the simple law all must obey. This can be considered the internal and external determi nistic aspects that dictate the characters thoughts and actions. I believe that the crucial internal struggle with Old Koskoosh is his difficulty in accepting his fate that is inevitable, perhaps the heart of his son might soften, and he would come back with the dogs to take his old father on with the tribe. Though understandable, the narrator shows us that Koskoosh still holds out a hope that he might still survive and escape the dictating law of life. But it already has been determined that he must die, his role for this tribe and the species has been fulfilled by his reproducing. Further London describes this harsh environment in order to emphasize the harshness and lack of regard for the individual, Nature was not kindly to the flesh. She had no concern for that concrete thing called the individual. Her interest lay in the species, the race. London specifically calls out the meaning of the story here in saying that nature does not care for the individual simply the passing on of their line. This shows the reader that the individual only has one choice; to yield to nature when it is their time to die since their purpose is done. It has already been determined that this will happen and clearly is beyond the control of the old man, but one task did Nature set the individual. Did he not perform it, he died. Did he perform it, it was all the same, he died. Here we further see that the individual really has no choiceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦for it is already set that he must die no matter what he does by natures hand. Explicit Darwinism is displayed throughout this story. In conclusion, we observe that naturalism in America is deeply rooted in the beliefs of Darwinism and explicit detachment and determinism with regard to the individual. In Gillmans story we see that as a result of socioeconomic and biological determined factors that the narrator slips into insanity due to her feeling that she has been trapped by her surroundings and her husband. In Londons story the reader examines the harshness of nature, and its lack of regard for the individual in favor of the survival of the species. These stories best illustrate the deeply rooted themes of American Naturalism.

Analysis of the Discourse and Rhetoric since September 11 Essay

September 11, 2001. After terrorists hijacked four American airliners, toppling the World Trade Center in New York and damaging the Pentagon just outside Washington, rhetoric in various circles of the West among authors, theorists, and pundits centered around a number of interesting topics. The nature of evil has become a topic over which much debate and rhetoric has ensued. Some have used it as a means by which they can explain these actions, whereas others see it as an obstacle to a proper explanation. Even others see it as false, but a necessary falsehood for the war effort. Furthermore, the debate over if, or the extent to which, United States and Western foreign policy contributed to these attacks has also stirred passions on both sides of the argument. My intention is to engage in an analysis of the discourse and rhetoric since September 11. Discourse can be defined as the production of knowledge through language (Hall 201). Certainly, events such as those that occurred on September 11 lead to a production of knowledge, or, at the least, attempts at understanding. Language is being used in very interesting ways by many people in an attempt to produce knowledge or understanding since September 11. I have selected both public figures and intellectuals for this discursive evaluation in order to make a sufficient analysis. There is a dichotomy between the context within which public figures such as the Reverend Billy Graham and President George W, Bush speak and academics or literary figures such as Stanley Fish, Edward Said, and Salman Rushdie. Part of this dichotomy, undoubtedly, exists because of the accountability of public figures to those they represent. One of the first references to evil in the wake of t... ...ction to Modern Societies. Ed. Stuart Hall et al. Polity Press. 184-227. Kurtz, Stanley. â€Å"Edward Said, Imperialist.† The Weekly Standard. 8 October 2001: 33-35. Rushdie, Salman. â€Å"Fighting the Forces of Invisibility.† The Washington Post. October 2, 2001: A25. --------. â€Å"Yes, This Is About Islam.† The New York Times. 2 November 2001. 12 December 2001 . Said, Edward. â€Å"Islam and the West are inadequate banners.† The Observer. 16 September 2001. 12 December 2001. . ---------. â€Å"The Clash of Ignorance.† The Nation. 22 October 2001. 12 December 2001 . Williams, Raymond. Keywords: A Vocabulary of Culture and Society. New York: Oxford University Press, 1985.

Harry Potter Essay example -- essays research papers

Running Head: Concepts of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s stone   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Within the story of Harry Potter there are many concepts to be noted. This book is interesting and very different from any other book. These many concepts will tell you about some of these strange things that goes on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shortly after Harry was born a villain called Voldermont killed his parents. Somehow Harry did not die from Voldermont, but not only did he live, he almost killed this great dart magician. As the only survivor, a giant called Hagrid took him to his Aunt and Uncle Dursleys house and left them on the doorstep with a note. Ever since that day, he has been living in a blended family. That is a family whose members were once part of another.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Throughout this book there are some examples of discrimination between people. Since his Aunt Petunias sister was a muggle (wizard) her and her sister didn’t get along at all because her sister got all of the attention from her parents. Then when Harry comes along both her, and her husband become very discriminate against Harry because they know he is one also.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When Harry was living with the Dursleys they were his agents of socialization. They influenced his self-concept. Harry never thought he was anyone famous because his Aunt and Uncle never gave him attention or barely even talked to him, for Harrys birthday they gave him a pair of his Uncles’ used socks, they made him sleep in a cupboard under the stairs and the gave him their sons old used clothes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Living with the Dursleys had to be one of the worst things he has ever had to go through. His Aunt and Uncle basically alienate him from everybody. He had a sense of not belonging. Like when the letters kept coming in from Hogwarts, they wouldn’t let Harry read the letters. Also when it was his cousin, Dudlys birthday they tried to get rid of him for the day because they didn’t like him. Harry ended up going with them that day and had one of the best days of his life because he actually got to go somewhere for once.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Muggles and mortals both have their own nonmaterial culture. That is both groups have their own way of thinking. Most mortals don’t like muggles, like the Dursleys that is the reason they don’t li... ..., and people who are half muggle and half mortal. This is a very pluralistic society   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  At Hogwarts Harry has a whole group of friendships. This group dynamic influences Harry’s decisions. This is the way in which an individual affects a group. At the end when Harry and two others are playing chess to get through to another door, his friend makes the decision to sacrifice himself so the rest of the group can go on.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the end of the book Harry finally proved himself to everyone and achieved a status in his society. This is the position you earned or accomplished that involved effort. He did earn this position by his effort to accomplish his goals. He became a hero all over again by saving the sorcerer’s stone and getting rid of Voldermont again.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Over all the book was very good. The concepts went right along with what was in the book. This was a very interesting, and fun book to read. References   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Henslin, J.M. (2002). Essentials of Sociology. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Rowling, J.K. (1997). Harry Potter. New York: Scholastic Inc.

Moon Colonization Is Bad

Moon Colonization July 20, 1989: President Bush uses the 20th anniversary of the first footsteps on the moon to declare that Americans should return, establish a permanent presence there, and go on to Mars (Hartmann). After Bush proposed this idea of creating a permanent colony on the moon to serve as a â€Å"pit stop† on the way to Mars, NASA took it as a mandate to start planning. This idea of moon colonies brought upon a mood that was not seen since the days of the Apollo missions. The possibilities of a moon colony are great. The problem of overcrowding could be solved.Taking millions of people (over a matter of time) to the moon would greatly reduce the Earth’s rapidly growing population. While the people are living there, industrial factories could be built, producing goods for further space exploration. Planetary Scientist for NASA, Alan Binder, says â€Å"†¦slowly but surely, the way our forefathers did in the New World, we'd build up an industrial capacit y in space. The moon opens up the solar system. If you have industrial capacity to build from lunar materials, the moon could be a harbor.You could go there first, on your way to Mercury, Venus, or Mars. † This is all seems like a good idea, that is if it didn’t cost the nation an arm and a leg to implement. Also, due to lack of knowledge, we do not know the full effects of the moons one sixth gravity effect on the human body. Furthermore, the moons lack of an atmosphere, and harsh geological conditions, would not be so kind to the equipment set up to build this industrial franchise. Not only will the colonization of the moon be costly and inefficient, but also detrimental to human health and safety.For starters, building a spaceship that is capable of creating a force strong enough to escape the gravitational pull of the Earth, support the life of humans for days, and be able to come back down through Earths atmosphere, costs millions of dollars. The Space Shuttle Ende avour, the orbiter built to replace the Space Shuttle Challenger, cost approximately $1. 7 billion (NASA. gov). And a colony in space would need supplies due to the lack of resources on the moon. Shipping those supplies to the Space colony would cost a lot.The cost per pound into orbit was around $1000 during the years of the space shuttle program (Allen). Incorporate inflation, and you have a multi million dollar shipment of food, clothing, tools, etc. Once all the tools are shipped and ready to build, there would be the cost of actually constructing a factory or place to live. Rome (on Earth) was not built in a day; imagine trying to build a city in the extreme weather conditions of the moon, where gravity’s pull is one sixth that of the Earth. Building this colony requires a 30 year plan, costing $500 to $600 billion dollars (Guterl).Those prices alone make the Moon colony extremely costly and inefficient. Now let us say that this colony was built, and people did live ther e. What effect would it have on the human body, being in an environment where there is constant sunlight? Located at the Lunar North Pole, where all the water for farming is, there is constant sunlight, day in and day out. Prolonged human exposure to solar UV radiation may result in acute and chronic health effects on the skin, eye and immune system. Sunburn (erythema) is the best-known acute effect of excessive UV radiation exposure.Over the longer term, UV radiation induces degenerative changes in cells of the skin, fibrous tissue and blood vessels leading to premature skin aging, photodermatoses and actinic keratoses. Another long-term effect is an inflammatory reaction of the eye. In the most serious cases, skin cancer and cataracts can occur (World Health Organization). These statistics were taken on Earth, where we have an atmosphere to block most of the Sun’s harmful rays. In an environment where there is no atmosphere at all, the effects would be indescribable.After a year of exposure people would end up with 3rd degree sunburns, old wrinkly skin, and a bad case of cataracts. The conditions on the Moon are just not safe for any human. Another health factor is the effect of living in an environment where the gravity is one sixth that of the Earths. Exposure to weightlessness over month-long periods has been demonstrated to cause deterioration of physiological systems, such as loss of bone and muscle mass and a depressed immune system (Webster). Because this would obviously be a permanent residence for the people living there, they would be there much longer than a month.On average, people lose about 30 percent of their strength between ages 50 and 70, and another 30 percent of what's left per decade after that. Generally, people lose about 1 percent of their lean muscle mass per year after age 40. After a year on the moon a humans bones and muscle mass would deteriorate so greatly that they would have the body of a weak elderly 85 year old. In ad dition to those health concerns Space travel weakens the body's immune system and alters infectious diseases, making them more potent and resistant to antibiotics (Webster). Dr.Cheryl Nickerson, an associate professor in Tulane University's department of microbiology and immunology, states, â€Å"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that infectious disease could be a real show stopper in space flight, as we start sending people out on two- to three-year missions and colonizing the moon, it's not a question of if an outbreak occurs but when. † Basically this moon colony could end up being eerily reminiscent of the black plague. After looking at all the facts, the colonization of the moon would put America and any other country who attempts to settle there, in hundreds of billions of dollars of debt.After it is set up, it would cost even more money to keep it up and running. The health effects from the low gravity would make permanent residency there not so permanen t, because it would lead to death. When we live here on Earth, were surrounded by a wonderful, safe, UV absorbing, solar wind blocking, and sun flare reflecting atmosphere, as where the Moon doesn’t even have any sort of atmosphere to protect human beings. In reality colonizing the moon wouldn’t solve any problems on Earth, it would only cause more.

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 6

I woke up the next day, determined to go see Erik and get the truth about vampire hunters. Then, as I was brushing my teeth, I remembered yesterday's other crisis. Seth Mortensen. Swearing, I finished up in the bathroom, earning a disapproving look from Aubrey for my profanity. There was no telling how long this tour thing with him might take. I might have to wait until tomorrow to see Erik, and by then, this vampire hunter or whatever could have struck again. I set out for Emerald City, wearing the most nonattractive outfit I could muster: jeans and a turtleneck, with my hair pulled severely back. Paige, all smiles, approached me as I waited for Seth in the cafe. â€Å"You should show him Foster's and Puget Sound Books while you're out,† she told me conspiratorially. Still waking up, I took a sip of the mocha Bruce had just made me and tried to reason out her logic. Foster's and Puget Sound Books were competitors of ours, though not major ones. â€Å"Those places are dives.† â€Å"Exactly.† She grinned at me with her even white teeth. â€Å"Show him those, and he'll be convinced we're the best place for him to do his writing at.† I studied her, feeling seriously out of the loop. Or maybe I was just distracted still about the Duane thing. It wasn't every day one had his immortality revoked. â€Å"Why†¦ would he do his writing here?† â€Å"Because he likes to take his laptop and write in coffee shops.† â€Å"Yeah, but he lives in Chicago.† Paige shook her head. â€Å"Not anymore. Where were you last night? He's moving here to be closer to his family.† I recalled Seth mentioning his brother, but I had been too caught up in my own mortification to pay much attention. â€Å"When?† â€Å"Now, as far as I know. That's why this was his last stop on the tour. He's staying with his brother but plans on finding his own place soon.† She leaned close to me, eyes gleaming predatorily. â€Å"Georgina, if we have a famous author hanging out here regularly, it'll be good for our image.† Honestly, my immediate concern wasn't where Seth would be writing. What freaked me out was that he would not be departing for a different time zone anytime soon, a time zone where he could then forget about me and let us both get on with our lives. I could run into him every day now. Literally, if Paige's wish was realized. â€Å"Won't that be distracting to his writing if his presence is widely known? Annoying fans and whatnot?† â€Å"We won't let it become a problem. We'll make the most of this and respect his privacy. Careful now, here he comes.† I drank more of my mocha, still marveling at the way Paige's mind worked. She could think of promotional ideas that never would have entered my head. Warren might have been the one to invest capital in this place, but it had been her marketing genius that made it a success. â€Å"Good morning,† Seth told us, walking up to the table. He wore jeans, a Def Leppard T-shirt, and a brown corduroy jacket. The lay of his hair did not convince me he'd brushed it this morning. Paige looked at me pointedly, and I sighed. â€Å"Let's go.† Seth silently followed me outside, that awkward tension building between us like a solid barrier. He did not look at me; I did not look at him. It was only when we stood outside on Queen Anne Avenue and I realized I had no plan for today that conversation had to occur. â€Å"Where to start? Seattle, unlike Gaul, is not divided into just three parts.† I made the joke more to myself, but Seth suddenly laughed. â€Å"Seattle peninsula est,† he observed, playing off my observation. â€Å"Not exactly. Besides, that's Bede, not Caesar.† â€Å"I know. But I don't know very much Latin.† He gave me that quirky, bemused smile that seemed to be his trademark expression. â€Å"Do you?† â€Å"Enough.† I wondered how he would react if I mentioned my fluency in Latin dialects from various stages of the Roman Empire. My vague answer must have been interpreted as lack of interest because he looked away, and more silence fell. â€Å"Is there anything special you wanted to see?† â€Å"Not really.† Not really. Okay. Well. The sooner we got this started, the sooner it would end and I could see Erik. â€Å"Follow me.† As we drove off, I sort of hoped we might naturally flow into meaningful conversation, in spite of our bad start yesterday. Yet, as we traveled, it seemed clear Seth had no intention of carrying on any discourse. I recalled his nervousness in front of the crowd yesterday and even with some of the bookstore staff. This guy had serious social phobias, I realized, though he had made a valiant effort in shedding them during our initial flirtations. Then, I had gone and turned on the back-off vibes, undoubtedly scarring him for life and undoing whatever progress he had made. Way to go, Georgina. Maybe if I could broach some compelling topics, he would muster his earlier confidence and bring back our rapport – in a platonic way, of course. I attempted to recall my profound questions from last night. And once again, they eluded me, so I switched to mundane ones. â€Å"So your brother lives around here?† â€Å"Yup.† â€Å"What part?† â€Å"Lake Forest Park.† â€Å"That's a nice area. Are you going to look for a place up there?† â€Å"Probably not.† â€Å"Do you have another place in mind then?† â€Å"Not really.† Okay, this wasn't getting us anywhere. Annoyed at how this master of the written word could be so short on spoken ones, I finally decided to cut him out of the conversation altogether. Having him involved was too much work. Instead, I chatted on amiably without him, pointing out the popular spots: Pioneer Square, Pike Place Market, the Fremont Troll. I even showed him the shoddier representatives of our competition, per Paige's instructions. I neglected anything closer to the Space Needle than a brief nod, however. No doubt he'd seen it from Emerald City's windows and could pay the exorbitant fees to visit it up close if he really needed the tourist experience. We went to the U District for lunch. He followed without protest or comment to my favorite Vietnamese restaurant. Our meal progressed quietly as I took a break from talking, both of us eating noodles and staring out the nearby window to watch the bustle of students and cars. â€Å"This is nice.† It was the most Seth had spoken in a while, and I nearly jumped at the sound of his voice. â€Å"Yeah. This place doesn't look like much, but they make a mean pho.† â€Å"No, I meant out there. This area.† I followed his gesture back to University Way, at first seeing nothing more than disgruntled students hauling backpacks around. Then, expanding my search, I became aware of the other small specialty restaurants, the coffee shops, and the used bookstores. It was an eclectic mix, somewhat tattered around the edges, but it had a lot to offer quirky, intellectual types – even famous, introverted writers. I looked at Seth, who looked back at me expectantly. It was our first direct eye contact all day. â€Å"Are there places to live around here?† â€Å"Sure. If you want to share a house with a bunch of eighteen-year-olds.† I paused, thinking that option might not be so unappealing for a guy. â€Å"If you want something more substantial in this area, it'll cost you. I guess Cady and O'Neill ensure that's not really an issue, huh? We can drive around and look, if you want.† â€Å"Maybe. I'd honestly rather go there first.† He pointed across the street, to one of the used bookstores. His eyes flicked back to me uncertainly. â€Å"If that's okay with you.† â€Å"Let's go.† I loved used bookstores but always felt a little guilty walking into them. Like I was cheating. After all, I worked around bright, crisp books all the time. I could obtain a reprint of almost anything I wanted, brand new. It seemed wrong to take such visceral pleasure from being around old books, from the smell of aged paper, mildew, and dust. Such collections of knowledge, some quite old, always reminded me of times long past and places I'd seen, triggering a tidal wave of nostalgia. These emotions made me feel both old and young. The books aged while I did not. A gray tabby cat stretched and blinked at us from her spot on the counter as we entered. I stroked her back and said hello to the old man near her. He glanced up briefly from the books he sorted, smiled at us, and returned to his work. Seth stared around at the towering shelves before us, an expression of bliss on his face, and promptly disappeared into them. I wandered over to nonfiction, wanting to peruse the cookbooks. I had grown up preparing food without microwaves and food processors and decided it was high time to let my culinary knowledge expand into this century. Finally settling on a Greek cookbook with lots of colored pictures, I dragged myself away a half hour later and looked for Seth. I found him in the children's section, kneeling next to a stack of books, completely absorbed. I crouched down beside him. â€Å"What are you looking at?† He flinched slightly, startled by my proximity, and tore his gaze away from his find to look at me. This close, I could see that his eyes were actually more of a golden-amber brown, his lashes long enough to make any girl jealous. â€Å"Andrew Lang's fairy books.† He held a paperback entitled The Blue Fairy Book. On top of the stack near him sat another called The Orange Fairy Book, and I could only assume the rest followed color-coded suit. Seth glowed with literary rapture, forgetting his reticence around me. â€Å"The 1960s reprints. Not as valuable as, say, editions from the 1800s, but these are the ones my dad had, the ones he used to read to us from. He only had a couple, though; this is the whole set. I'm going to get them and read them to my nieces.† Flipping through the pages of The Red Fairy Book, I recognized the titles of many familiar stories, some I hadn't even known were still around. I turned the book over and looked inside the cover but found no price. â€Å"How much are they?† Seth pointed to a small sign near the shelf he'd obtained them from. â€Å"Is that reasonable for these?† I asked. â€Å"It's a little high, but it's worth it to me to get them all in one go.† â€Å"No way.† I gathered up part of the books, rising. â€Å"We'll talk him down.† â€Å"Talk him down how?† My lips turned up in a smile. â€Å"With words.† Seth seemed dubious, but the clerk proved an easy target. Most men would eventually cave before an attractive, charismatic woman – let alone a succubus who still sported a residual life force glow. Besides, I had learned bartering at my mother's knee. The guy behind the counter didn't stand a chance. By the time I finished with him, he had happily lowered the price by 25 percent and thrown in my cookbook for free. Walking back to my car, arms laden with books, Seth kept glancing at me wonderingly. â€Å"How did you do that? I've never seen anything like it.† â€Å"Lots of practice.† A vague answer worthy of one of his. â€Å"Thanks. I wish I could repay the favor.† â€Å"Don't worry – hey, you can actually. Would you mind running an errand with me? It's to a bookstore, but it's a scary bookstore.† â€Å"Scary how?† Five minutes later, we were on our way to see my old friend Erik Lancaster. Erik had been ensconced in the Seattle area long before me, and he was a well-known figure to almost every immortal entity around. Versed in mythology and supernatural lore, he regularly proved to be an excellent resource for all things paranormal. If he had noticed that some of his best patrons never aged, he wisely refrained from pointing that out. The only annoying thing about seeing Erik was that it required a visit to Krystal Starz – a stunning example of New Age spirituality gone wrong. I didn't doubt the place might have had good intentions back when it opened in the 1980s, but the bookstore now touted a barrage of colorful, highly commercial merchandise more weighted in price than any sort of mystical value. Erik, by my estimation, was the only employee with legitimate concern and knowledge of esoteric matters. The best of his coworkers were simply apathetic; the worst were zealots and scam artists. Pulling up into the store's parking lot, I immediately felt surprise at the number of cars there. This many people at Emerald City would have constituted a signing, but that sort of event seemed odd in the middle of the workday. A heavy wave of incense poured over us as we entered, and Seth appeared just as surprised as me by all the people and stimuli. â€Å"I might be a minute,† I told him. â€Å"Feel free to look around. Not that there's much here worth seeing.† He melted away, and I turned my attention to a bright-eyed young man standing near the door and directing the crowd around. â€Å"Are you here for the Gathering?† â€Å"Urn, no,† I told him. â€Å"I'm looking for Erik.† â€Å"Erik who?† â€Å"Lancaster? Older guy? African-American? He works here.† The young lackey shook his head. â€Å"There's no Erik here. Not as long as I've been working here.† He spoke like he'd founded the store. â€Å"How long has that been?† â€Å"Two months.† I rolled my eyes. A veritable veteran. â€Å"Is there a manager around here I can talk to?† â€Å"Well, Helena's here, but she's going to be – ah, there she is.† He gestured to the far side of the store where the woman in question appeared as though summoned. Ah yes, Helena. She and I had tangled before. Pale-haired, her neck bestrewn with crystals and other arcane symbols, she stood in a doorway marked meeting room. A teal shawl covered her slim shoulders, and like always, I wondered how old she was. She looked to be in her lower to mid-thirties, but something about her demeanor always made me think she was older. Maybe she'd had a lot of plastic surgery. It would be fitting, really, considering the rest of her trumped-up, artificial persona. â€Å"Everyone? Everyone?† She spoke in this obviously faked, high-pitched voice, meant to sound like a whisper, albeit one that could reach loud volumes. So mostly it came out raspy, like she had a cold. â€Å"It's time to start.† The masses – thirty or so, I'd say – moved toward the meeting room, and I followed, blending into the crowd. Some of the people around me looked like Helena: theme-dressed, in either all-black or too-vibrant shades, with a plethora of pentagrams, crystals, and ohms in attendance. Others looked like average people, dressed much like me in my work clothes, trailing along in excited curiosity. With a frozen, fake smile plastered across her face, Helena beckoned us into the room murmuring, â€Å"Welcome, welcome. Feel the energy.† When I passed by her, the smile faltered. â€Å"I know you.† â€Å"Yes.† The smile diminished further. â€Å"You're that woman who works at that big bookstore – that big, commercial bookstore.† A few people stopped and listened to our exchange, no doubt the reason she refrained from pointing out the last time I was in here, I had called her a hypocrite pushing marked-up crap merchandise. Compared to certain national chains, I hardly considered Emerald City commercial. Still, I shrugged in acknowledgment. â€Å"Yeah, what can I say, we're part of the problem in corporate America. However, we do sell all the books and tarot cards that you do, often at a discount if you're a member of Emerald City's Frequent Readers Program.† I mentioned this last part loudly. Extra advertising never hurt. Helena's weakening smile disappeared altogether, as did some of her raspy voice. â€Å"Is there something I can help you with?† â€Å"I'm looking for Erik.† â€Å"Erik doesn't work here anymore.† â€Å"Where'd he go?† â€Å"I'm not at liberty to discuss that.† â€Å"Why? Are you afraid I'll take my business elsewhere? Believe me, you were never in danger of having it.† She raised delicate fingers to her forehead and studied me seriously, eyes nearly going crossed. â€Å"I sense a lot of darkness in your aura. Black and red.† Her voice rose, drawing in the attention of her acolytes. â€Å"You would benefit greatly from some clearing work. A smoky or rutilated quartz might also help. We have excellent specimens of both for sale here. Either would lighten up your aura.† I couldn't resist a smirk. I believed in auras, knew they were perfectly real. I also knew, however, that my aura looked nothing at all like a mortal one, nor would someone like Helena even be able to see it. Indeed, a true human adept, capable of perceiving such things, would notice that in standing with a group of humans, I would be the only person without a discernible aura. It would be invisible to all, save someone like Jerome or Carter, though some particularly skilled mortal might be able to feel its strength and be understandably cautious. Erik was one such mortal, which was why he always treated me with so much respect. Helena was not. â€Å"Wow,† I crooned. â€Å"I can't believe you were able to deduce all that without your aura camera.† Krystal Starz proudly touted a camera that would photograph your aura for $9.95. â€Å"Do I owe you something now?† She sniffed. â€Å"I don't need a camera to see others' auras. I am a Master. Besides, the spirits who have assembled for this Gathering tell me plenty about you.† My smile increased. â€Å"What do they say?† I'd had little dealings with spirits or other ethereal beings in my long life, but I would know if any were present. She closed her eyes, hands to her forehead again, lines of thought creasing her face. The onlookers watched in wonder. â€Å"They tell me that much troubles you. That the indecision and monotony in your life force you to lash out, and so long as you choose the path of darkness and distrust, you will never find peace or light.† Her blue eyes opened, caught up in her own otherworldly ecstasy. â€Å"They want you to join us. Sit in our circle, feel their healing energy. The spirits will help you to a better life.† â€Å"Like they helped you out of the porn industry?† She froze, paling, and I almost felt bad for a moment. Adepts like Erik weren't the only ones with reputations in the immortal community. A crackpot like Helena was well known too. Someone who had apparently been a fan of hers back in the day had recognized her from a movie and passed on this bit of dirt to the rest of us. â€Å"I don't know what you mean,† she finally said, face struggling for control in front of her minions. â€Å"My mistake. You reminded me of someone called Moana Licka. You sort of rub crystals the way she used to rub†¦ well, you get the idea.† â€Å"You are mistaken,† Helena said, voice on the verge of cracking. â€Å"Erik no longer works here. Please leave.† Another retort rose to my lips, but then, beyond her, I caught sight of Seth. He had wandered up to the edge of the crowd, observing the spectacle with the others. Seeing him, I suddenly felt foolish, the thrill of humiliating Helena turning cheap and shallow. Embarrassed, I still managed to hold my head high as I withheld my remarks and walked away from her. Seth fell into step beside me. â€Å"Let me guess,† I said dryly. â€Å"Some people write the stories, and some people live them.† â€Å"I think you can't help but make a sensation wherever you go.† I assumed he was being sarcastic. Then, I glanced over and saw his frank expression, neither censuring nor snide. His earnestness was so unexpected that I stumbled slightly, paying more attention to him than where I was going. Having a much-deserved reputation for gracefulness, I recovered almost immediately. Seth, however, instinctually held out a hand to catch me. As he did, I suddenly had a flash of†¦ of something. Like that moment of connection back in the map aisle. Or the surge of fulfillment I got when I read his books. It was brief, fleeting, like maybe it hadn't happened at all. He seemed as surprised as I felt and released my arm tentatively, almost hesitantly. A moment later, a voice behind me broke the spell entirely. â€Å"Excuse me?† Turning, I saw a slim teenage girl with cropped red hair and piercings up and down her ears. â€Å"You were looking for Erik, right?† â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I can tell you where he's at. He left about five months ago to start his own store. It's in Lake City†¦ I forget the name. There's a light there, with a grocery store and a big Mexican restaurant†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I nodded. â€Å"I know that area. I'll find it. Thanks.† I eyed her curiously. â€Å"Do you work here?† â€Å"Yeah. Erik was always pretty cool to me, so I'd rather see him get business than this place. I'd have gone with him, but he doesn't really need any other help, so I'm stuck with Nutso in there.† She jerked her thumb back in Helena's direction. The girl had a serious, practical demeanor different from most of this place's employees. I recalled now that I'd seen her helping customers when I'd come in. â€Å"Why do you work here if you don't like it?† â€Å"I don't know. I like books, and I need money.† I dug through my purse, searching for one of my rarely used business cards. â€Å"Here. You want a new job, come talk to me sometime.† She took the card and read it, surprise filling her features. â€Å"Thanks†¦ I think.† â€Å"Thanks for the info about Erik.† Pausing, I considered further, and dug out another card. â€Å"If you've got a friend – anyone else who works here and is like you – give this to them too.† â€Å"Is that legal?† asked Seth later. † Dunno. But we're short-staffed at Emerald City.† I figured a specialty store like Erik's must be closed by now, so instead I turned toward Lake Forest Park to return Seth to his brother's house. I confess, relief flooded me. Being with one's hero was tiring, not to mention every interaction between us swung between wildly opposing poles. I'd probably be safer limiting our relationship to me simply reading his books. I dropped him off at a cute, suburban home, its front yard littered with children's playthings. I saw no sign of the children themselves, much to my disappointment. Seth gathered up his haul of books, gave me another scattered smile as he voiced his thanks, and disappeared into the house. I was almost back to Queen Anne when I realized I'd forgotten to ask him for my copy of The Glasgow Pact. Annoyed, I entered my building and immediately heard the front desk attendant solicit me. â€Å"Miss Kincaid?† I walked over to him, and he handed me a vase of flowers teeming with shades of purple and dark pink. â€Å"These came for you today.† I accepted the vase with delight, inhaling the mingled scents of roses, irises, and stargazer lilies. They had no card. Typical. â€Å"Who brought them?† He gestured beyond me. â€Å"That man over there.†