The Statutory Definition Of Pornography Essays -

The Statutory Definition of Pornography Suppose one accepts MacKinnon and Dworkin's suggested statutory definition of pornography. How does one who generally accepts MacKinnon and Dworkin's views on the pervasively harmful effect of pornography, and who accepts a need for legal redress of the harms perpetrated by pornography, deal with pornographic material? The ordinance proposed by MacKinnon and Dworkin would deal with such material by enacting legislation which gives people adversely affected by the works, which clearly fit their definition of pornography, a cause of action against the producers, vendors, exhibitors or distributors for "trafficking", or for an assault "directly caused by the specific work. I do not think liberals, or others for that matter, should have much problem with the clause dealing with assault, since a causal connection to specific works is demanded by it. However, s. 3.2(iii) which deals with trafficking would be very problematic for liberals and legal conservatives because it creates a cause of action for a person contrary to the traditional conception of a rights holder's cause of action. This subsection reads: Any woman has a claim hereunder as a woman acting against the subordination of women. Any man, child or transsexual who alleges injury by pornography in the way women are injured by it also has a claim. [emphasis added] My goal in this paper is to suggest that a slight modification to this subsection of the ordinance would make it very difficult for liberals and legal conservatives to object to it. This modification would restrict the cause of action to the same persons as the other sections of the ordinance, namely, the particular victim of the specified injury. I shall argue that such a modification would largely cohere with the conception of harm already at work in Ontario law, would afford only a minor reduction in the potential efficacy of such legislation in curbing the harm of pornography, and would offer to empower the feminist camp which is behind such an ordinance with a mechanism for social and political change if a sufficiently organized feminist "vanguard" took hold of the opportunity to empower women. Adrian Howe argues that the concept of social injury which may be suggested by the ordinance recognizes the differential harm felt by women from pornography. Howe suggests this social notion of harm may be a necessary feature of any successful law reform which is to address the huge social problem of male domination and female oppression. The liberal notion of an individuated human right fails to capture, for MacKinnon and Howe, "the specificity of the harm to women." Thus, an ordinance which did not create a cause of action "for women as women" would fail to address the root of the social problem of which pornography is a manifestation. This conception of social harm, and thus subsection 3.2(iii), may offend liberals or legal conservatives in two ways. First, the notion of non-individuated harm is antithetical to the liberal conception of a rights holder claiming a cause of action. Fundamental to a liberal conception of harm is the notion of the individual who is autonomous, separate and fundamentally worthy of respect. Rawls and Kant exemplify this view in their analyses when they posit the undifferentiated self, free of any particular qualities save that of being an agent worthy of a fundamental, inviolable respect. This notion of the individual worthy of equal concern and respect in the eyes of the state permeates liberal conceptions of rights. It is also a fundamental, if not exclusive, tenet of the common law of torts: In tort litigation, the courts must decide whether to shift the loss suffered by one person, the plaintiff, to the shoulders of another person [emphasis added]. Clearly, on its face this conception of harm precludes the notion of a harm suffered collectively which cannot be delineated individually. While class actions are possible, and claims may be made on behalf of groups such as company shareholders, this is only by virtue of the fact that a legally recognized individual has suffered an identifiable particular harm. Thus, the conventional liberal notion of harm is radically distinct from that outlined by Howe and MacKinnon. Since on the liberal conception rights holders are autonomous, individual selves who are essentially distinct, harm to one is distinct from harm to another. It may be that a liberal conception of a rights holder simply renders the concept of a social harm, and thus a cause of action "for women as women" incoherent. I do not wish to discuss whether it is possible to develop a complete liberal notion of social harm. It is sufficient to

The eNotes Blog To the Beat of Our Own Drum My Life Among the BeatGeneration

To the Beat of Our Own Drum My Life Among the BeatGeneration This guest post comes to us by way of one of our educators, wordprof. Besides serving as one of our literary experts, having written two books on drama and worked for Purdue University, wordprof has much to share for having witnessed firsthand one of the most interesting time periods in American literary history. Read on to find out a little more about one of our best educators as well as the decade dominated by  the Beat movement. There is an interesting way to think of History: it is any time you didn’t live through.  The Beatnik era, however, for me is not history, because I was there, in San Francisco in the 1950’s, and I experienced the emergence of a new sensibility, in the contrasting lifestyles of the time. San Francisco (of course, New York also) experienced a dynamic, innovative time just before the invasion of the â€Å"Flower Children† in the 1960’s.   It was known as the Beatnik era (named by Herb Caen), combining the Russian suffix –nik from Sputnik (1957) to the â€Å"Beat† designation from Kerauoc’s â€Å"Beat Generation† (meaning many things, including â€Å"The Beatitudes,† because there was a beatific, nonviolent atmosphere to the art of the time). I remember at the time that the aesthetic atmosphere brought an interesting contrast between the commercial, conservative atmosphere of the Ayn Rand   mentality  (The Fountainhead,  Atlas Shrugged), and Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, Allen Ginsberg’s Howl, Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s A Coney Island of the Mind, and the like. The contrast could most easily be seen in the two dominant book stores- Paul Elder’s Books, downtown, where multiple copies of such novel bestsellers as Pasternak’s Dr. Zhivago (1957) and Nabakov’s Lolita (1957 in English translation) were stacked in towers in the expanses of window displays, and City Lights Book Store in North Beach. The latter, co-owned by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, featured single copies of books on shelves marked â€Å"Alternate Lifestyles† and â€Å"Non-Western religions,† where my friends would keep in touch with me by leaving notes on the cork bulletin board made available to all. Lawrence Ferlinghetti stands outside City Lights Bookstore, which devoted itself to selling alt and ,yes, banned books. The reading habits of this period reflected a vital new interest in Eastern philosophies and literature, prompted in large part by translation of eastern thought by Alan Watts ( The Way of Zen, 1957) and by English editions of Herman Hesse’s work (Siddhartha, Steppenwolf, Glass Bead Game, Journey to the East).   The Lebanese writer Kahlil Gibran of The Prophet  and the ancient Egyptian â€Å"Hermes Trismegistus† of The Kybalion also became widely read; Krishnamurti and the theosophists were much admired, along with existential philosophical writers- Jean-Paul Sartre (Being and Nothingness, but more often Existentialism and Human Emotion), Albert Camus’ novels, Andre Gide, Dostoevsky, Ouspensky’s Tertium Organum,   all much read, passed along, and discussed. It was a time of experimentation for all. Other influences, both philosophically and stylistically, were Walt Whitman, T.S Eliot, Ezra Pound, and especially E. E. Cummings, not only because of his distinct poetry, but for his prose autobiographical The Enormous Room and his seminal Norton Lectures i. six nonlectures. (I enjoyed a brief correspondence with Cummings that started as a paean to his genius and an inquiry about whether we should capitalize his name in our writings, and ended up with a request to be his apprentice, to which he responded in a postcard: â€Å"This nonhero is too busy being to teach.†)   Erich Fromm’s Art of Loving (1956), in many ways a contrast to the other popular literature of the time, was also read widely.   My personal â€Å"book of wonder† during these years of the Beatnik era was Bucke’s Cosmic Consciousness (written earlier but enjoying a revival), a conjecture about the next phase of human development, followed by a collection of brief biographies of persons who had transcended self-consciousness into â€Å"cosmic† consciousness (Francis Bacon, Walt Whitman, Gautama Buddha, etc.). It was all very beatific. As for my own enlightenment, I had my spine read by a â€Å"chiropracter† who could tell me all about my previous lives (I had been a sailor and an astronomer!). I was charted by a â€Å"personology† expert, who read my face, hair, and head bumps to determine my predilections toward a profession in this lifetime.   I also tried to teach myself Greek by reading interlinear translations of The Odyssey (no luck), and took playwriting lessons at the Sears-Whiteside School of Drama. That was the world of the â€Å"Beatnik† wannabe. Between that world and the world of ego-driven commercialism lay a chasm only bridged by San Francisco’s geographic splendor.   Besides the obvious tourist attractions- Pelican Island (Alcatraz), the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, Fisherman’s Wharfthere was Golden Gate Park, containing, besides expansive grass valleys, dozens of commemorative statues (many hidden by fast-growing shrubbery), as well as the De Young Museum and the Japanese Tea Gardens.   At the park’s western edge, guarded by two old-fashioned windmills, was the Pacific Ocean beach, a free public expanse of sand beyond which nothing existed except the Farallon Islands and the mysterious East.   At the top, northern tip of the beach, was Seal Island, close enough to shore to observe the seals without the coin-operated   binoculars, overlooked by the Camera Obscura and the Cliff House restaurant and bar, next to Sutro’s Bath House (since burned down).   These sites were somehow almo st reserved for natives to discover (despite the gift shops), again because the beach was free and we were always broke. Living as a young adult in the mid-50s to early 1960’s, I witnessed the contrasts daily. In North Beach, for example, (not a beach, but the Italian-American area surrounding the intersection of Columbus and Broadway streets) one could walk from a sublime, subtle Benny Bufano bronze statue of St. Francis in front of St. Francis Church, to the frighteningly commercial art studio and gallery of Walter Keane, where the big-eyed clown portraits reeked of poor taste.   Elsewhere throughout the Bay Area, Elmer Bischoff, Richard Diebenkorn (my friend, a student at S.F. School of Fine Art, did his gardening and mowed his lawn), and Paul Thiebaud were carving out Fine Art careers. (I remember one abstract expressionist painting at the DeYoung originally called something like â€Å"Study No. 2† but renamed â€Å"The Unnatural Battle of the Four Primal Elements† but I don’t recall the artist’s name.) The contrast in drinking establishments, too, was always apparent, from the upscale nightclubs- The Condor, Finnochio’s, Bimbo’s, Vesuvio’s, and the Buena Vista at the cablecar terminus- to â€Å"The Place†, a simple bar where anyone could speak publicly on the topic of the day, on Blabbermouth night, posted on a blackboard behind the bar. I myself spoke to â€Å"Is Nixon a Stone Fetishist?† (when he was vice-president and was stoned by the crowds as he toured South America on a â€Å"goodwill mission†) and to â€Å"Is Nudism a Form of Catharsis?† before nudism entered the free enterprise system with Carol Doda. Poet Allen Ginsberg (right), at North Beachs popular hangout Caffe Trieste. Hes joined by City Lights clerk Shig Murao, who was once arrested for selling Howl to an undercover police officer. In music (pre-British Invasion), Bob Dylan, Odetta, and Mose Allison sang out from apartment windows, while Flamenco dance music and West Coast Jazz floated out of the nightclubs (financially out of reach for the Beatniks, who would cluster on the sidewalks just outside the bouncer-doorman’s jurisdiction). A startlingly good recording of Porgy and Bess, with Mel Torme and Francis Faye, came out- in vinyl, of course- with a real red handkerchief in a pocket on the cover. Comics considered cutting-edge at the time would be featured at the Hungry I- Lenny Bruce, Nichols and May, George Carlin. Entertainment- other than the private gatherings in apartments decorated with free posters of faraway places (handed out by downtown travel agencies) featuring cheap wine and Tarot card readings, I Ching yarrow stick interpretations, and Mah Jongg games- was self-generated. We played chess at the Co-Existence Bagel Shop (where no bagels were served), or attending Auteur theatre. We watched  Jules et Jim,  Hiroshima, Mon Amour,  La Dolce Vita  and a dozen others, or the free performances in Golden Gate Park of the San Francisco Mime Troupe. There was a growth of experimental theatre, with 1957s  Waiting for Godot, (an outstanding production directed by Herbert Blau, with Jules Irving as Lucky, performed downtown and then at San Quentin prison), Albee’s The Sandbox, Kopit’s Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Mama’s Hung You in the Closet and I’m Feeling So Sad, the Happenings of Allen Kaprow, and an interest in the New York theatre experiments emerging at the begin ning of the 1960’s, Living Theatre, Open Theatre, etc.   In the conservative category at the same time, the best were the movies The Vikings and The Horse’s Mouth and on stage a traveling production of West Side Story.   I remember the Jack Tar hotel (finished in 1960) being built, ugly, rectangular, devoid of charm, an outsider to San Francisco’s opulent tradition of upscale hotels- the Mark Hopkins, and the St Francis.   As one critic put it: â€Å"It looks like the box that the Mark Hopkins came in.† The changing landscape of Broadway and Columbus signified the ushering in of a new era and the end of the time that belonged to the Beats. Geographically and socially, the Beatnik era ended around 1962, not only because of the Kennedy assassination, but also because Carol Doda at the Condor brought a different kind of tourism to the Columbus and Broadway area (her larger-than-life image in neon became a visual reminder of the change in atmosphere). The creative forces of the writers and poets were moving on, to Telegraphic Hill and to the Eastern cultures that Zen, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Krishnamurti had introduced them to- Japan, China, India, Tibet. The new neighborhoods were the Castro district and the Haight-Cole area (later claimed and re-named by the Flower Children as the Haight-Ashbury area, surrounding the panhandle of Golden Gate Park.) The writing generation just before the Beatniks, such as William Saroyan (Fresno), Jack London (Oakland), and John Steinbeck (Monterey), had branded California as a literary haven, but the Beats took San Francisco as their own (Saroyan lived on Carl Street in the Haight-Co le district before returning to Fresno). They- we- branded it with the indelible image still found today between the stacks of City Lights, or the pages of On the Road. All in all, if my memory hasn’t distorted the actual facts (Hinman Collator needed), the contrasting worlds served to heighten my awareness of the changes in social aesthetics that were taking place at that time. Whether the Beat Generation or the Ayn Rand Establishment won that particular battle, only history will tell. Besides, I wasn’t in history- I was in my salad days, in San Francisco during the Beatnik era.

Dissertation

Dissertation A dissertation is always a challenge for college students. Here is a short dissertation writing guide to make this task easier. In case you need professional help team is always there for you! For any student that is about to write a dissertation, there is a lot of information that you have to assemble ensure your paper includes the relevant data for a dissertation. You also have to make sure that your work is well-researched and then it’s going to be clearly structured. Here are a few tips to guide you through the dissertation writing process. What Is a Dissertation? You might ask, â€Å"What is a dissertation and how do I set it up?† It’s best to read through sample instructions first so you understand how to read your dissertation and the difference between a dissertation and the thesis to help guide you in your work. Dissertations, so that you know, are the documents that are going to be required for you to earn your Ph.D. This document is going to be something that will generally be published but it also is going to help you to specialize in your particular field of study. DISSERTATION WRITING You may be wondering what a completed dissertation looks like. There are plenty in the library for you to peruse. When you examine them, notice how varied they are. But student life is too short to spend it in libraries, you can always count on us our professional writers will gladly  help you to conduct research. Thesis vs. Dissertation The dissertation is not the same as writing a thesis because a thesis is on a smaller scale and it’s something that’s required for graduate school. This is not the same as a dissertation which is required for your Ph.D. to get your doctorate. To give you a better understanding of the difference between a dissertation and a thesis, your dissertation is a very lengthy document that will help you get your doctoral degree at the particular college or university that you’re studying at. When you study for a thesis, and you want to prepare a thesis, this is completely different because it’s a smaller paper that’s going to help you to support a particular argument. You may look for research on a topic and expand upon that based on what you find online and other information. How to Structure and Outline a Dissertation? In understanding how to structure an outline a dissertation, there are several key steps to consider and that’s one of the reasons why you want to take your time and set up all of the different parameters so that way you have all of the information that you need. Your dissertation outline is going to help guide you through your work. That’s why you need a thorough understanding of how it needs to be structured because you actually need an outline which is more like a linear plan that’s going to guide you through. DISSERTATION FORMAT In terms of how to structure your dissertation, you want to definitely be organized in your work,  because there a lot of different sections that you have to work on. You want to build the language for your work and you also want to look at the different types of academic supporting documents you are going to use in your dissertation. How to Write a Dissertation? In understanding how to write a dissertation, there are a lot of different areas that you can tap into, but it’s best to go from the introduction to the conclusion to help you to better understand how to draft your paper in a streamlined way so that it structured and it’s clearly focused. Introduction.  The introduction is where you want to discuss what the topic is and why you are studying it. You can also mention what your focus is. Research Question.  You are going to have a research question and this is going to be the area where you’re going to ask a question and you going to explain and define all of the terms that you’re going to use throughout your dissertation. Literature References. You’re going to outline the particular parameters of literature that you’re using so this is the area where you’re going to have your literature references. As you can see this is already different from a thesis paper or a regular research paper where you would have your references at the end because this is the section where you’re going to include your key references, and who is behind any underlying theoretical ideas that you might be using. Research Methodologies. You are going to have your research methodologies. This will be the area where you may decide how you want to argue your paper and whether not you want to use pros and cons, where you pick one side versus the other. You may want to stress the analysis of the particular data that you’re using, and you may want to use the presentation of your data in terms of explaining what you found in the results that you were able to come up with. Supporters. This is a  section that’s devoted to supporters for the document. You may have counter arguments that you found in your research that goes against your beliefs or states how their opinion is worded and conclusions that they came to. You can also point out your own point of view and then your argument to support your beliefs and what you may find in common with other theorists and what they come up with. Conclusions. You’re going to go into your conclusions and you’re also going to discuss whether or not there is a need for further research. This is the segue for other students who may come behind you and work on your paper to develop their own dissertation. Bibliography and Appendixes. This is the area for your bibliography and your appendix. Any additional information that you add is going to be in this section and you’re going to include it here. List all of the references and the different types of materials that you were able to use whether that  were online videos or interviews. Dissertation Writing Tips When you write your dissertation, it has to be well organized and you also have to be very well versed in the language that you use and how you word your document. It is also very important that you keep track of your information. You also need to keep track of any areas where you found a gap in information or areas that you were not able to get research if you trying to prove a point and you couldn’t draw a conclusion from it. You need to state this in your work. The Dos and Don’ts of the Dissertation Writing Process Because your dissertation can be up to about a hundred thousand words, this is a very lengthy document that’s almost the size of a book. That’s why it has to be well-organized and it has to be very in depth. You also have to know how to write on this level to help you to get from one section to the next. There are a few dos you should focus on: You do want to consider your time management skills in assessing how your work will be laid out so that way you can clearly structure it and focus your time. As you work on your dissertation, you also want to take regular breaks and intervals to keep track of the work that you’re doing and also to allow large blocks of time so that you can focus on different sections to keep it consistent all throughout. DISSERTATION WRITING SERVICE You want to make sure you understand the purpose of your dissertation because it is a thing it is based on your ability to understand research and also offer insightful ideas into the research that you’re finding. In terms of the various types of don’ts as it relates to your dissertation, you want to make sure that you’re giving enough time to the dissertation and the work that you have to assemble, so don’t wait until the last minute. You also want to ensure that you are giving the research enough time, so don’t forget to set up a timeline and outline. You will need ample time to measure the data you’re collecting and you want to make sure that you’re developing tests that are going to coincide with and correspond to the particular hypothesis that you’re coming up with as you have to account for various variables. Because you do want to make sure that you’re allocating enough time for the work at hand, don’t take this work lightly. Jumping ahead, what does a faculty member look for in a proposal? It should be well-written Organized, with a logical flow Concise, but also complete Good grammar Are you looking for a model custom writing service? can help with your assignment!

The Ethics of Hacking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Ethics of Hacking - Essay Example For numerous cognitive minds, as the world has advanced over time, even the criminal patterns have discovered their new courses to satisfy the devil inside them. However, at this point it is essential that a clear distinction is drawn between the engagement of the ethical aspect, in endeavours that are believed to be rather criminal and immoral in nature, such as hacking. Before assimilation is rendered between the engagement of ethics, in the affair of hacking, it is highly imperative that a clear understanding is acquired, concerning the connotations attached to the phenomenon of ethics, as well as hacking. Primarily, on a rather basic level, the term Ethics, eloquently denote the motivation of the human acts or endeavours, based on the ideas of right and wrong, and the basic comprehension of the moral values and rules, pertaining to a substantial human intent, or potential activity. Hacking As discussed earlier, there have been numerous human practices that have altered the course s pertaining to the endowments rendered by the modern world, and amongst them is the phenomenon of hacking. It is highly imperative that before any substantial judgment is laid down regarding the involvement of ethics in hacking, the core construct of this phenomenon is comprehended. For a naive mind, the term hacking denotes the activity of cutting through someone’s computer or network system, and either gaining its entire control, or spifflicating the systems, the data or steal the records found in that system. Interestingly, numerous intentions are believed to be associated with such activity; for instance, as mentioned earlier, it is executed either to gain total control over someone’s network system or gain hold of substantial data and records; however, numerous immature minds, also execute such activities merely for fun and recreational purposes, either in a competition with their peer, or just to prove their mastered computer skills to themselves or their associ ates. Ethics of Hacking Interestingly, the primary connotation attached to the term hacking is widely negative and rather criminal in nature; therefore, It is interesting for a common mind to fight the comprehension of the involvement of the ethics in any possible criminal activity; either it is carried for the leisure purpose, or some other underlying objectives. With the passage of time, courtesy, the advent of technology, even the individuals involved in the acts of hacking have now turned into a community; and even they find it obligated to pursue their activities within a designated boundary or limit. It is imperative that a clear distinction id lay down between those who rigorously revere the aspect of ethics in this phenomenon (being hackers themselves), and those who ridicule the notion of ethics, and do as they please. According to numerous observers, the individuals who take pride in ridiculing the notion of ethics in hacking must simply be graded as computer criminals or terrorists rather than hackers. Now if the both terms, ethics and hacking are taken together, it can easily be assimilated that the act of involving oneself in the criminal intent, pertaining to the computerized activities; however, with a moral aspect attributed to it, or pursuing those

Wireless and Mobile Technologies Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Wireless and Mobile Technologies - Case Study Example e of this discussion is to use the case study of Delta Airlines and demonstrate the way mobile and wireless technologies can be used for attracting new customers and carrying organizational tasks as a way of improving business efficiency. Mobile technology refers to the cellular communication based on portable technology (Smyth, 2004). The technology includes the use of dial-up services and wireless protocols access to the internet. On the other hand, wireless technologies refer to all types of communications where transmission of information happens over a defined distance without the help of wires, cables or any electrical conductor (Webb, 2010). For example, Infrared wireless communication is used for data or information in devices with infrared radiation installation Mobile and wireless communication technologies are used to improve customer service in business settings. Customers can use wireless communications or mobile computing options to access customer relationship management systems. Wireless connection allows the business to update customer details from a remote location. Delta utilizes smartphone apps and Wi-Fi to create a 24-hour customer service during flights (News.delta.com, 2015). The technologies provide great flexibility in working. Mobile computing provides powerful solutions that can be accessed through a network. For example, Delta aims at creating a lasting traveling experience and updating customers about flights and ticketing through wireless and mobile platforms. Customers get information through smartphones and social media on how to book tickets and catch next flights. Mobile and wireless technologies are used to keep production or service provision problems in check (News.delta.com, 2015). Firms churn out products or offer services without any gross errors. The security and safety of Delta customers depend on how well they can track their luggage and baggage during the flight. Installation of a Wi-Fi system where customers can

Previous chest radiation Essay Example for Free

Previous chest radiation Essay Women who menstruate at an early age and menopause at a later age are likely to develop breast cancer (American Cancer Society, n. pag). This can be associated with the longer exposure to estrogen and progesterone hormones. Women who had undergone a radiation therapy on the chest area at an early age can significantly increase the risk for breast cancer, especially if the breasts are still developing when the therapy was taken (American Cancer Society, n. pag. ). Stages Breast cancer, as other kind of cancer, starts from a single dot that develops into a threatening stage when it is not detected and treated at an earliest time. The purpose of staging the disease is to ascertain the type and degree of treatment that may be applied to the patient. Normally, the stages of breast cancer start from 0 to III. Stage 0 This is otherwise known as the non- evasive breast cancer (American Cancer Society, n. pag. ). At this stage, no evidence of cancer cell breakage or invasion into other tissues can be noticed. Stage I Stage I is known by invasive breast cancer (American Cancer Society, n. pag. ). During this stage, the cancer cells starts to invade or spread to other normal tissues. The tumor can also be noticed as grows to two centimeters (American Cancer Society, n. pag. ). Although there is no lymph nodes involved (American Cancer Society, n. pag. ). Stage II At this stage, the cancer cells expands to the lymph nodes under the arm or the tumor increases up to five centimeters (American Cancer Society, n. pag). During this stage, the lymph node are not yet united to other nodes and to other normal tissues. Stage IIIA The cancer is said to have advanced to stage III when the tumor measure more than five centimeters or when the lymph nodes are clump together or stuck to one another or to other tissues (American Cancer Society, n. pag. ). Stage IIIB This stage is characterized by the spread of the tumor, at any size, to the breast skin, internal mammary gland, or chest wall (American Cancer Society, n. pag. ). This stage also includes the inflammatory breast cancer, a very serious but rare type (American Cancer Society, n. pag. ). Inflammatory breast cancer is distinguished by the redness and warmness in some or in all part of the breast. Stage IV The breast cancer has advanced to the last stage when the tumor expands on to the breast, underarm, and internal mammary lymph nodes and also on lungs, bone, or brain (American Cancer Society, n. pag. ). This stage also includes Metastatic cancer, which is the spread of cancer. Treatments of Breast cancer At an early, the suitable treatment for is the breast conservation that involves lumpectomy. On this process, the infected tissues and the surrounding normal tissues are removed (National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre, n. pag. ). This shall be coupled by surgery and followed by radiation therapy which is used to kill the tumor cells left after surgery. Research has shown that radiation therapy is as effective as mastectomy, which is the surgical removal of the breast. Other medication may include prescription of hormone- blocking drug tamoxifin for post- menopausal women, and ovarian ablation to younger women. Ovarian ablation is the stopping the ovaries from producing estrogen and can be done either by removing the ovaries or by prescribing certain drugs (National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre, n. pag. ). Chemotherapy is also used to treat breast cancer. Chemotherapy is the medication that kills cancer cells or stops them from growing (National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre, n. pag. ). It can be done in three strategies namely; adjuvant chemotherapy, presurgical chemotherapy, and therapeutic chemotherapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy is given to reduce the possibility of returning of the cancer and is given to people who had surgery or radiation while presurgical chemotherapy is used to shrink or kill the stray cancer cells and to completely get rid of the cancer (National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre, n. pag. ). Therapeutic chemotherapy, on the other hand, is given to women whose cancer has spread beyond the breast or those who have serious case of breast cancer. For advance breast cancer, the treatment may include chemotherapy. Treatments given to metastatic breast cancer are aimed to reduce the symptoms experienced by the patient so that the quality of her life may be improved. The treatments may include stopping the growth of the cancer and using one or more anti- cancer treatments depending on the parts of the body that has been affected by the cancer (National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre, n. pag. ). Such therapies available are high- dose chemotherapy, immunotherapies, gene therapies, and targeting therapies. However, their efficacies are not yet measured. Among the immunotherapies, only the monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) have been approved for breast cancer (National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre, n. pag. ). However, there are other forms that are under observation. The Herceptin or MAb trastuzumab is on top of the list which is used by women with cancer cells having too many copies of HER2/neu gene (American Cancer Society, n. pag. ). The HER2/neu gene is able to produce extra receptors to stimulate growth on the cells resulting into a more aggressive breast cancer. When the trastuzumab are attached to the receptors, the growth is lowered because the access to the cancer cells are blocked (American Cancer Society, n. pag. ). Another form of immunotherapies is the Bevacizumab or Avastin, which is an antibody that helps slow the growth of blood vessels in the tumor (American Cancer Society, n. pag. ). Some promising treatments for advanced breast cancer are interferons and interleukons, autologous vaccine therapy, and other antigen vaccine. These immunotherapies are being studied because their effectivity has not yet been ascertained. Conclusion Among the women, the disease that is very threatening is the breast cancer. Cases of breast cancer are increasing every year and so with the mortality rate. Yet treatments do not give complete assurance. Moreover, treatments are so expensive that are not available to poor patients. Cancer, as generally known, is a disease that is traitor and known only at a later stage. In order to avoid getting breast cancer, n individual shall be aware of the risk factors and avoid it as soon as possible. Works cited Baum, Michael, and Schipper, Harvey. Fast Facts Breast Cancer. Oxford: Health Press, 1999. Cadwell, Karin, and Maffei, Cindy, T. Breastfeeding A-Z: Terminology and Telephone Triage. New York: Jones Barlett Publishers, 2006. â€Å"Detailed Guide: Breast Cancer. † 13 September 2007. American Cancer Society. 24 June 2008 http://www. cancer. org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_What_are_the_risk_factors_for_breast_cancer_5.asp. Franz, Mary. â€Å"Diet and Breast Cancer. † Vegan Handbook:Over 200 Delicious Recipes, Meal Plans and Vegetarian Resources for All Ages. Ed. Debra Wasserman Reed Mangels. Vegetarian Resource Group, 1996. 193. â€Å"Genetic Testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2: Its Your Choice. † 2 June 2002. National Cancer Institute. 24 June 2008 http://www. cancer. gov/cancertopics/factsheet/risk/brca. â€Å"Treatment options. † 28 November 2006. National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre. 24 June 2008 http://www. breasthealth. com. au/treatment/.

Culture Clash: The Puritans and the Native Americans :: American America History

In 1608, a group of Christian separatists from the Church of England fled to the Netherlands and then to the "New World" in search of the freedom to practice their fundamentalist form of Christianity (dubbed Puritanism). The group of people known as the Native Americans (or American Indians) are the aboriginal inhabitants of the Northern and Southern American continents who are believed to have migrated across the Bering land bridge from Asia around 30,000 years ago. When these two societies collided, years of enforced ideology, oppression and guerrilla warfare were begun. The great barriers of religion, ethics and world-views are the three largest factors which lead to the culture clash between the Puritans and the Native Americans. Religion played a very important role in both Puritan and Native American society, though their ideologies differed greatly. According to Puritan beliefs, God had chosen a select number of people to join him in heaven as his elect. The Native Americans, on the other hand, believed that everyone was the same; no one was better than anyone else. As Sitting Bull once said, "Each man is good in [the Great Spirit's] sight. (Quotes from our Native Past). This theory was in direct conflict with the Puritan's view. The means through which the beliefs of these two groups were carried on also differed greatly. The Puritans had their Bible which detailed their entire religion and held the answers to all possible questions. The Native Americans on the other hand relied on oral transmission of their theology. Thus, while the Puritans had a constant place to turn to when they wanted to figure out what they believed, Native Americans were forced to fill in the blanks between stories they had heard when it came to their basic ideals. This aspect made them both unable to relate to one another. The most prominent difference between the two religions were their gods. The Puritans believed in one God and one God only. The Native Americans, though also worshipping their own almighty "Great Spirit," took further reverence for all living (and once living) things, worshipping the trees and their ancestors as well as their omnipotent Tirawa (or Wakan Tanka). The Puritans, holding all aspects of the Bible literal and as divine mandate, saw this worship of beings other than their God as idolatry (which was in clear violation of the first commandment). Therefore, the Puritans held the Native American society as a society wallowing in sin. Culture Clash: The Puritans and the Native Americans :: American America History In 1608, a group of Christian separatists from the Church of England fled to the Netherlands and then to the "New World" in search of the freedom to practice their fundamentalist form of Christianity (dubbed Puritanism). The group of people known as the Native Americans (or American Indians) are the aboriginal inhabitants of the Northern and Southern American continents who are believed to have migrated across the Bering land bridge from Asia around 30,000 years ago. When these two societies collided, years of enforced ideology, oppression and guerrilla warfare were begun. The great barriers of religion, ethics and world-views are the three largest factors which lead to the culture clash between the Puritans and the Native Americans. Religion played a very important role in both Puritan and Native American society, though their ideologies differed greatly. According to Puritan beliefs, God had chosen a select number of people to join him in heaven as his elect. The Native Americans, on the other hand, believed that everyone was the same; no one was better than anyone else. As Sitting Bull once said, "Each man is good in [the Great Spirit's] sight. (Quotes from our Native Past). This theory was in direct conflict with the Puritan's view. The means through which the beliefs of these two groups were carried on also differed greatly. The Puritans had their Bible which detailed their entire religion and held the answers to all possible questions. The Native Americans on the other hand relied on oral transmission of their theology. Thus, while the Puritans had a constant place to turn to when they wanted to figure out what they believed, Native Americans were forced to fill in the blanks between stories they had heard when it came to their basic ideals. This aspect made them both unable to relate to one another. The most prominent difference between the two religions were their gods. The Puritans believed in one God and one God only. The Native Americans, though also worshipping their own almighty "Great Spirit," took further reverence for all living (and once living) things, worshipping the trees and their ancestors as well as their omnipotent Tirawa (or Wakan Tanka). The Puritans, holding all aspects of the Bible literal and as divine mandate, saw this worship of beings other than their God as idolatry (which was in clear violation of the first commandment). Therefore, the Puritans held the Native American society as a society wallowing in sin.

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 23

I couldn't stay in my bedroom after that, not after seeing two angels die – one physically and one spiritually. I had to get out of there, out of the apartment. None of the others seemed to notice or care that I fled. With Nyx captured, there were bigger things to worry about in the universe than one distraught succubus. I'd been driving in the car for about ten minutes before I realized where I was going. Dante's. Vincent's talk about the evil charm suddenly seemed unimportant. What I needed right now was to talk to someone about what I'd seen. Seth wouldn't entirely understand, and besides, matters still weren't fixed between us. Discussing serious things with the vampires was hard for me sometimes. I was still mad at Hugh. I wouldn't bother Erik since he was still recovering. Dante was all I had left. He opened the door to his store after I banged on it for about five minutes. The messy hair and wrinkled clothing showed me that I'd woken him again. He looked annoyed, as usual, when I walked inside. â€Å"Didn't it work? I told you – † He took a closer look at me. â€Å"What happened?† I staggered to one of the chairs and collapsed into it, hands resting on the side of my forehead. I could have been a mirror of Yasmine. I opened my mouth to speak, to explain what had happened†¦but no words came out. He knelt beside me. â€Å"Succubus. You're freaking me out here. What happened?† I stared blankly at him for several seconds before finally focusing on his concerned face. â€Å"She fell.† â€Å"Huh? Nyx?† â€Å"No†¦Yasmine.† â€Å"Who?† My eyes went unfocused again as I remembered that black flame. The horrible sound. Blinking, I tried to shake it off and turn my attention to Dante. â€Å"She's an angel. Was an angel. Maybe she still is. I don't know. Fuck, I don't know. I don't know what she is.† He reached out and gripped my arms, shaking me slightly to get my attention again. â€Å"Look, you're losing me. I don't know how an angel falling ties into Nyx. If it ties into Nyx. You've gotta calm down and start from the beginning. Take a deep breath.† I did. â€Å"Now another.† I did. â€Å"Now talk.† I did. It was hard at first, and I had a few false starts. Finally, however, I was able to back up and explain the cast of angels to Dante. The story slowly spilled from my lips, and I told him all about what had happened: Nyx's capture, Joel's death, and Yasmine's fall. He kept his hands on my arms when I finished, and I later realized it was to steady me. I was shaking. Several quiet minutes passed as we sat there. He exhaled at last and shook his head. â€Å"Fuck, succubus. That's a lot for one night. Even for you.† He touched my chin with his hand and tilted my face up. â€Å"But you know angels fall. You know they still fall. All the time.† â€Å"But I've never seen it,† I whispered. â€Å"In all this time†¦ I've never known anyone who was an angel and then became a demon. All the demons I know†¦well, they've always been demons. I never saw them when they were angels.† â€Å"First time for everything.† I met his eyes. â€Å"But I liked her.† I expected some comment like, â€Å"Bad things happen to good people.† Instead, he just shook his head. â€Å"I'm sorry.† I swallowed back tears – I'd already cried enough tonight – and leaned forward, resting my head against his chest, just as I had the other night. He ran a hand down my hair and rocked me. â€Å"What hope is there?† I asked. â€Å"If even angels fall, what hope is there for the rest of us?† â€Å"There isn't,† he said. â€Å"We're on our own. And we have to make the choices we think are best for our own survival. If your angel friend had been thinking like that, she wouldn't have fallen.† â€Å"But that's the thing†¦angels don't think about themselves, right? They're selfless.† â€Å"Maybe,† he said doubtfully. â€Å"She let things get that far with the nephilim†¦that wasn't really selfless. Now they're both fucked, and we've got another member in the club.† â€Å"What club?† â€Å"The club. Our club. The one for people who make one mistake and are punished forever because of it.† He paused. â€Å"It's a pretty big club.† I gently pulled out of the embrace. â€Å"What did you do?† â€Å"Hmm?† â€Å"Your one mistake. Vincent found the charm†¦he said it was horrible. Black magic. He said you had to have done something really bad to make it.† Dante's eyes were sad as he regarded me. â€Å"You really want to know?† I nodded. â€Å"No. You don't. Right now, for the first time, you're talking to me like maybe I'm not the biggest asshole on earth. I tell you the truth†¦and you'll lose all respect for me.† â€Å"I won't. I'll respect you more.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"People always say noble things in hypothetical situations. ‘I'd never cheat on my spouse.' ‘I'd return the million dollars that I found on the street.' It's bullshit.† â€Å"It's not,† I argued. â€Å"I respect the truth.† â€Å"But you won't like it. Why do you think I didn't kiss you that day outside Erik's? I joke about wanting to sleep with you – hell, I do want to sleep with you – but if we'd done it, you'd have felt how little energy I really have.† â€Å"I buy the low energy thing, but I still want to know the story behind it.† His eyes narrowed in frustration. â€Å"Look, succubus. I don't even think I could tell the story if I wanted to. It's too hard.† His comment about kissing suddenly inspired me. â€Å"Can you show me?† â€Å"What?† I moved toward him. â€Å"Kiss me. I can hardly get any energy from you, but if you open yourself to the memory, I should be able to feel pieces of it.† I hoped that was true, at least. While my lovers' thoughts and feelings came through to me during sex, it wasn't exactly a system we could control. I couldn't summon up specific things. Usually what I felt was whatever the guy was thinking about just then. More often than not, it was amazement or perhaps a guilty conscience over the lover he was cheating on. But maybe†¦maybe if Dante was specifically thinking of whatever he had done, it would come through. It was worth a shot. I leaned closer to him. He didn't move, so I went in all the way and kissed him. Initially, it was just a kiss – all physical. Gradually, I started to get a bit of his life force – but it was just like he'd said. His soul was too dark. The life energy that flowed into me was barely a trickle. It was only a few drops, like a leaking faucet. Then†¦once I'd assessed the energy, I felt something else. I felt his soul – felt why it was so black, so devoid of the shining life most humans had. That blackness began pouring into me, that sickening and oozing evil†¦and there, behind it, was despair and anger and hopelessness and frustration. It was nauseating. Blackness and blood. I wanted to pull away, but I had to see what he was hiding. The memory came through to me in disjointed images, but I was able to piece them together and form a narrative. I saw a sister. Older than him by ten years. She'd taken care of him throughout his childhood – both in a motherly way and as an instructor. She was a psychic too. She'd taught him how to harness his power, to tap the magic of the world that was unseen to most humans. She had been powerful, but he was even stronger. It hadn't been enough, though. He'd wanted more than to simply control his power – he'd wanted to enhance it. But as Hugh and Vincent had told me, few humans were born with the magnitude of power that he'd craved. So, he'd taken it. Ripped it out. From her. I saw his face when he killed her, felt his pain as the dagger touched her throat. She was half-mother and half-sister to him, but he stole her life anyway. And with that act, his power had grown by magnitudes – both because he'd gained hers and because of the spell involved. The blood of the innocent always brings power, and the black magic intertwined in this death brought it in spades. It had left him feeling like a god. And wishing he were dead. He'd damned himself. He still loved the power, still loved wielding it†¦but after killing his sister, he'd hated himself. He'd withdrawn from the world, trying to bury his memories in drugs and alcohol, only occasionally using his powers for small, nickel-and-dime con jobs. I broke the kiss, not wanting to see or feel anymore. If we went further, I'd probably see what he had to do to make the charm. It wouldn't be as bad as what he'd done to his sister, but I was through with all this. Wide-eyed, I scooted away from him on the floor. â€Å"She was Erik's lover,† I said softly. I'd had a brief glimpse of Tanya – that was her name – and Erik together. â€Å"She was the woman in the picture. That's why he hates you.† Dante nodded. â€Å"The three of us†¦we were going to do great things. We were all so fucking talented, you know?† He rested a hand on his head, eyes full of grief. â€Å"Unsurprisingly, Erik chose to end our friendship after this. He wanted to kill me†¦he should have. He really should have. But, well. He's not that kind of guy.† â€Å"No,† I agreed, voice cold. â€Å"He's not.† I stood up and backed away from Dante, who was still sitting on the floor. He looked up and realized what I was doing. The miserable face turned angry. â€Å"Leaving so soon?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Well. Thanks for stopping by. And thanks for proving me right.† â€Å"About†¦?† He threw his hands in the air. â€Å"This. I told you you'd hate me.† â€Å"I don't – † I stopped. I did hate him. I couldn't help it, not after seeing how much he and his sister had loved each other. Not after realizing how much this must have hurt Erik. â€Å"Dante†¦what you did†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Was a mistake. One I would take back if I could. One mistake to damn me forever. Just like your angel friend. Just like you.† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"It's not the same. Yasmine fell because of love.† â€Å"She fell because of selfishness,† he argued. â€Å"But I won't challenge that point. Tell me about you. Did you fall because of love?† I didn't say anything. I'd fallen because of lust. I'd cheated on my husband because I was hurt and lonely and bored and†¦well, because I could. Dante regarded me sharply. â€Å"You see? I get it. You fucked up too. I understand you – you're not going to find too many people who do. I bet your boyfriend doesn't.† â€Å"He accepts me.† â€Å"But does he understand? Have you ever told him in painstaking detail what you did?† â€Å"No, but it doesn't matter.† Dante stood up and approached me. â€Å"It does matter! Being with him is a joke. It can't work. I'm not saying you have some great romantic future with me either, but at the very least, you should stick with people who know where you've come from.† â€Å"Right. Hanging out with you means I'd just drink and hate life.† â€Å"Your point?† â€Å"Seth makes me hope for better things. Makes me want to be better.† â€Å"But there's no point!† exclaimed Dante. â€Å"Why don't you get that? Things can't change for you. Even your own fucking palms say so.† â€Å"No†¦Nyx said†¦Nyx said the dream could come true. The man in the dream – â€Å" † – was her scamming you. You would have fallen for it, too, if your angel hadn't fallen first.† I clenched my teeth. â€Å"Her dreams are true. Seth and I – â€Å" † – are going to get married? Run off into the sunset? Have babies? Succubus! Wake up!† Dante was shouting, his face inches from mine. â€Å"It can't happen. Not for you. Maybe it can for him – but not with you. Every day you spend with him just ensures his life is going to be as empty and meaningless as yours.† â€Å"That's not true!† I screamed. â€Å"We're happy. We're going to be happy together, and I don't care if you don't believe me. I'm never going to see or speak to you again. I know why Erik hates you, and I hate you too.† I kicked the door open. â€Å"You deserve to burn in Hell.† I left him, but I still couldn't make myself go home. With nothing else to do, I simply found a twenty-four-hour diner and drank coffee, pointedly ignoring anyone who talked to me. I watched the sun come up over the Olympic Mountains and finally went to work when the bookstore opened. I helped out with the last-minute Christmas rush, doing mindless and mechanical tasks. We were closing early that day, and everyone was finishing up their shopping. It was hectic and crazy, but it gave my zombie-like body something to do. When we closed, it was nearly time for me to take Maddie to the airport. She needed a few more Christmas purchases herself and asked if I'd swing downtown with her. After witnessing the death of an angel, shopping seemed like the most trivial thing in the world. Still†¦I had nothing else to do, so I agreed. I probably would have agreed to anything. Downtown Seattle was decked out in its Christmas finery, with lights and wreaths strung along the shopping nexus that centered around Fourth Avenue. At four in the afternoon, it was already dark outside. Rain pounded down on the pavement, the kind of torrential downpour most people believed we had year-round. Really, it only rained in the winter, and that was usually a drizzly type. This heavy stuff was a rare event, as though perhaps the heavens mourned Joel's passing. Through a window, I watched the rain and pedestrians fighting with umbrellas while Maddie searched in Banana Republic for something for her sister. I'd half-heartedly looked for a present for Seth, but my motivation eventually faded, and anyway, there was no way to compete with the ring. I still wore it around my neck. It felt heavy today. Along with my grief over what had happened to Yasmine, I still kept thinking about Nyx. In particular, I kept thinking about what she'd said to me. The man in the dream. Who was the man in the dream? The question consumed me, as futile as it was. I kept repeating Dante's words, trying to tell myself it didn't matter – that the whole thing had been a hoax. But that dark silhouette still haunted my mind's eye, and some part of me believed that if I knew his identity, then maybe it could all be real. â€Å"Georgina?† I turned from the rainy street and saw Vincent standing in front of me. Beyond him, a preoccupied Maddie flipped through a rack of cardigans. I'd thought he looked grief-stricken in my apartment, but that was nothing compared to what I saw now. His face was pinched and pale. His eyes were glassy and red, but whether from crying or lack of sleep, I couldn't say. Probably both. He handed me my apartment key. â€Å"Just wanted to give this back.† I took it. â€Å"You didn't need to find me for that. You could have left it.† â€Å"Yeah.† He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at the ground. â€Å"I guess I just†¦wanted to talk to someone.† â€Å"Have you, um, seen Yasmine?† He shook his head. â€Å"Nope. I don't know what happened to her. I mean, I know†¦she's off somewhere in Hell. Maybe they have orientation or something. I don't know. Whatever it is, it must be awful. And it's my fault.† â€Å"It's not,† I said automatically. â€Å"It was her choice.† â€Å"She did it for me, though.† â€Å"It doesn't matter why. The point is that she did it willingly. It isn't your place to question the decisions she makes.† As the words left my mouth, I had a total holy shit moment. I was saying exactly what everyone had been telling me about Seth. I was saying exactly what Seth himself had been telling me for so long. â€Å"I guess. I don't know.† He sighed. â€Å"It's so fucking stupid too. All these years, we've been so cautious to stay at arm's length, so she wouldn't fall. We were so good – holding back from what we wanted. And then, we get the same results from a stupid moment of confusion and passion. It just happened so fast, you know? I acted to protect her, she acted to protect me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He trailed off and looked as though he might weep. I kind of felt like that myself. It's a pretty big club, Dante had said. â€Å"But†¦if she's already fallen†¦well. Maybe you guys can be together now.† Vincent shook his head and gave me a small smile that made him look sadder than when he hadn't been smiling. â€Å"I don't know. I don't even know if she'll meet with me now. Something tells me she won't want me to see her like that.† â€Å"And how do you feel?† â€Å"I love her unconditionally†¦or, well, at least†¦I loved Yasmine the angel unconditionally. She's not that woman anymore. I mean, she may hate what's happened†¦she may be miserable. But eventually, she'll settle in. They always do. And then she'll be one of them. She won't be the same Yasmine, and I don't know if I can love her or if she can love me. Part of what made her such a great person was that she resisted that temptation†¦and I think she felt the same about me.† I forgot Vincent for a moment as my attention turned inward, toward my own situation. Again, it was like Seth and me, I realized. The continual tension in our arrangement was a pain, yet the morals it was based on were part of what attracted us. He might have said he was okay with us not having sex, but I think some part of him loved me because of my continual refusal to give in to that. Likewise, I loved his stead-fastness – not only in abstaining from me but from other lovers as well. It was part of what had made the fight so shocking. I didn't expect him to be weak. And yet†¦even if we admired each other for our principles, was it worth it? And had that really been weakness on his part? Vincent and Yasmine had been together much longer than Seth and I had, torturing themselves in the same way. In the end, it had done them no good. Things had unfolded as they had. â€Å"Star-crossed love isn't as glamorous as it seems,† Vincent said, perhaps guessing my thoughts. â€Å"I never believed it was.† â€Å"Sometimes I think†¦well, maybe it would have been better if she and I had never been together at all. These years have been wonderful†¦but well, she'd still be the woman I loved if I'd never gotten involved.† I didn't know about that. Surely, brief moments of joy were worth the pain that might follow? Wasn't that why I was with Seth, despite knowing he'd eventually die? Maybe Seth had been right about taking chances. Life was short. Maybe you needed to seize what good you could. It was all so confusing, and all of a sudden, I wanted to talk to Seth about all of this – about living life and taking risks, about what made us love one another, and about what made our relationship worth fighting for. I didn't want to make the mistakes Yasmine and Vincent had. Seth and I needed to sit down with open minds and make this thing with us work. â€Å"What are you going to do now?† I asked Vincent. I didn't think now was the best time to argue relationship philosophy with him. He gestured vaguely behind him. â€Å"Leave town. Even being masked, I know they're looking for me. I need to hide out somewhere.† I nodded. I was sad to see him go, but I knew what the other angels and demons would do if they found him. So, I wished him well and shared a brief hug before he departed. As I watched him leave, I again pondered the cautionary tale he represented. Growing anxious, I hoped this airport trip would go quickly so that I could call Seth. Wandering to the other side of the store, I found Maddie paying for her purchases. â€Å"Who was that guy?† she asked me, handing over her credit card. â€Å"He was cute. Bedraggled†¦but cute.† â€Å"He's had a long day,† I told her. And a long eternity to go. â€Å"He's just a friend.† â€Å"Is he single?† I thought about it. â€Å"Yeah, I guess he is.† While I waited for her, I looked over at a nearby mirror. Maddie was still going strong with her new cute and stylish self. She'd gotten a haircut too, the layering of which made her face appear delicate and lovely. The slacks and sweater, though simple, looked sleek and elegant on her. By contrast, I looked kind of like the ugly stepsister. Oh, I still had the nice figure and pretty face born of shape-shifting, but I'd thrown on jeans and an old coat, not really concerned with high fashion today. I also hadn't bothered to shape-shift my hair. I'd simply brushed it into a high ponytail. Most telling of all was my face. I wore as much grief as Vincent. There was a hollowness to my eyes that startled me. It counteracted all the other beauty of my features. Glancing back at Maddie, I realized she was the hot one today. When we finally hit the road to the airport, traffic was as horrible as I'd expected. I-5 was at a standstill, and with my luck lately, there was probably an accident up ahead to compound the rush hour and holiday mess. Sighing, I settled back into my seat. â€Å"Okay,† I told Maddie, desperately needing distraction. â€Å"What's the report? What adventurous things have you done? I'm pretty sure you've more than met your quota.† â€Å"Well,† she began. â€Å"There's the new clothes, of course. You've seen a lot of them, and I own more lingerie than I ever have in my life. I was always kind of afraid of it, but there's so much cute stuff out there, you know?† â€Å"Yup. I sure do.† â€Å"I got a bunch of high heels too. I'm still kind of learning to walk in them, but I'm doing okay, I think.† She groaned and looked like the snarky feminist writer she was. â€Å"I feel like†¦well, like a girl.† I smiled and looked at the cars ahead of me. All the variables were in place for an accident, so I had to be careful. In this kind of stop and go, people tended to cease paying attention and fall into a lull. That was how cars got rear-ended. It was also an oddity that Seattle drivers had trouble driving in the rain. â€Å"You seemed fine in the heels to me. What else have you done? Other than shopping?† â€Å"I signed up for a judo class.† â€Å"You did not.† â€Å"I so did,† she said, laughing. â€Å"It was the craziest class I could think of. Besides, I can finally get back at Doug after all those years he used to pull my hair.† â€Å"Well-deserved,† I said. I moved over to the farthest lane, with the futile hope that it might move a fraction faster. â€Å"Anything else?† â€Å"Mmm†¦well. I started looking for my own place.† â€Å"That's a good idea.† â€Å"And checking out flights to some places I've always wanted to see.† â€Å"Another good idea.† â€Å"And I slept with Seth.† I nearly drove into the median. â€Å"What?† I said, jerking the wheel back to my own lane. Maddie had her hands stretched out protectively. â€Å"Did you say Seth?† â€Å"Yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Seth Mortensen?† She sounded incredulous. â€Å"Of course. Who else?† It was one of those things that was so ludicrous, I couldn't even fully react. It was like saying, â€Å"Hey, did you notice the earth just exploded?† It wasn't real because all the rest of the data in your known world said it was impossible. My brain wasn't going to bother processing it yet. Wasted cells. â€Å"How†¦I mean, what†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shook my head. â€Å"Explain.† I could see by her face that she was dying to. This was what had been bursting in her in my office yesterday. â€Å"Well, two nights ago, I ran back to the bookstore after closing because I'd left something. I saw Seth out in the parking lot. He'd been out somewhere and was coming back to get his car.† â€Å"Somewhere† was my apartment. That had been the night of the fight. â€Å"Anyway,† she continued. â€Å"He looked kind of down, and I remembered what you'd said about taking risks. Plus, he still owed me the date, right? So, I asked him out for a drink, and he said sure.† I tried not to drive into the median again. â€Å"He didn't drink, did he?† â€Å"No, not alcohol. But we stayed out really late, and we had a great time. You can't even imagine how great he is to talk to. He comes across as shy, but once you get to know him†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She sighed happily. â€Å"He thinks like I do too†¦wants to do all sorts of things, go places†¦Anyway, the place finally closed, and he asked if I wanted to go hang out at his place for a while.† I couldn't even look at her now. â€Å"Seth†¦asked you back to his place?† â€Å"Well, if we went back to mine, we'd have to hang out with Doug, and we just wanted to talk more. And we did†¦except, well, after a while†¦we stopped talking. And one thing kind of led to another.† She exhaled, like she still couldn't believe it herself. â€Å"I never do things like that. Not so soon. But, well, he's a nice guy, you know? And I wanted to do something adventurous†¦Ã¢â‚¬  No, no, no. This really wasn't happening. This was a dream. This was Nyx getting back at me for not helping her. She was sending me a nightmare, one I hoped I'd wake up from soon. I didn't realize how long I'd been quiet until Maddie hesitantly asked, â€Å"Georgina? You still with me? You don't think†¦you don't think I was too easy, do you?† There was fear in her voice, fear of my disappointment and disapproval. â€Å"Huh? No†¦no†¦of course not.† I took a deep breath. â€Å"So, um, it was good?† â€Å"Oh, yeah!† She gave a nervous giggle. â€Å"I can't believe I'm even talking about this. But, yeah, Seth's a great lover. He's really attentive.† â€Å"Yeah, I imagine he would be.† â€Å"God, I can't believe this happened.† That made two of us. â€Å"What's going to happen now? Was it†¦a fling?† After all, what else could it be? Seth was with me, right? I had no reason to be upset. I'd given him the go-ahead to get sex elsewhere. In fact†¦I had told him to that night. If he wanted to sleep with her, that was fine. But obviously, it meant nothing. It had to be a fling, right? Right? â€Å"I don't know,† she admitted. â€Å"I hope not. I really like him†¦and it was so great. I feel like we really connected†¦like the auction hadn't just been because he felt sorry for me. He said he would call and we'd go out again sometime.† Once more, she turned timid and unsure. â€Å"You don't think†¦you don't think he's the kind of guy who'd just say something like that and not mean it, do you?† She was the Maddie I'd known before, the one who looked up to me and wanted my guidance. The one who didn't trust men. I stared ahead and decided maybe the heavens were weeping for me now. After several moments, I finally said, â€Å"No, Maddie. If he says he wants to go out, he means it. That's the kind of guy he is.†

Game Theory and Report Teachers Association

Ridgecrest School Dispute Initial Report Teachers’ Association 11/15/12 In order to maximize combined interests and reach the Pareto Efficient Frontier, our strategy is to build trust by sharing information about our interests and priorities. In addition, sharing information can help create a positive relationship with the Board of Education and can increase the chances that they will reciprocate that behavior by giving away information about their interests and priorities.Given that many people are reluctant to share information with the other side, we also plan on asking the Board of Education many questions so that we can learn from what is not said as well as from what is said. Another strategy we will use to create value is to make multiple offers simultaneously because it helps to collect valuable information and it makes us appear more flexible. This is a particularly important strategy given that we can compromise on various issues if the other side is willing to offer us some concessions on other matters in return.For instance, we would be willing to accept a formula in which any pay received for performing civic duty would be deducted from regular pay if the board is willing to meet our demands for salary acceptably (See planning document for what is acceptable). The cost-cutting strategy is useful in that it allows for one party to get what it wants while the other has the costs associated with its concession reduced or eliminated. This is a strategy we will use by proposing to the other side a budget that we have come up with that minimizes our concessions while still allowing them to get what they want (See attached Budget Proposal).We have prepared this budget so that when the other side claims that there is no other way expenditures can be cut, we can show them an alternative solution. In addition, we also want to trade off differences in interests and priorities in order to create value. We plan on doing this by trading issues that are mo st important to us such as salary and workload for issues that are most important to the other side. We realize that this might be a problem if the interests that are most important to us are also most important to the other side.But, there might be issues that are significantly more important in terms of other issues to one side than they are to the other side. Finally, we plan on searching for post-settlement settlements in order to look for an agreement that is better for both sides. Once we have created the most possible value that can be created, we will use strategies to claim value. First, we will open aggressively given that initial positions act as anchors and affect the perception of what outcomes are possible. We will do this by asking for more than our target (See planning document for target).For example, we will ask for a $7,000 increase in salaries for lower levels and reduce the pupil/teacher ratio to 13:1. We realize that the other side will not agree to this, but i t will still be helpful as an anchor. Another strategy we will use to claim value is to give credible reasons for our interests whenever possible (See Issues Analysis for several reasons). For instance, the reason we want an increase in salaries is because we have not had any salary increases in years and our workday is longer than the NJ average (See attached for NJ average). If we do not have a credible reason for an interest, then we will use a pseudo reason.In addition, we will know what interests we are willing and not willing to give concessions on (See planning document for concessions). This is important given that there are so many issues in this negotiation that we can compromise on if the other side is willing to give us something else in return. Finally, we are prepared to make smaller concessions to indicate that we are reaching our bottom line without revealing our bottom line. This is always an important strategy because we want a deal that is close to our target, but are willing to accept any deal that is at or above our bottom line.

Bag of Bones essays

Bag of Bones essays Bag of Bones is the best book Stephen King has written in years. As shocking as Carrie, as mysterious and menacing as The Shining, as funny and honest about writers as Misery, as evocative of place as his record-setting bestseller The Green Mile, this is a horror novel steeped in all the finest qualities of our favorite Stephen King stories. And yet it is also a bold step beyond, toward a more mature vision of marriage, sex, loss, family-and, especially, evil. Narrator Mike Noonan is a best-selling writer of romantic thrillers-"V.C. Andrews with a prick," as he ruefully puts it. Plagued by nightmares and writer's block following the sudden death of his wife, Mike escapes to their lakeside summer house, known as Sara Laughs. But this is King territory, and Mike's beloved Yankee town has its dark side. A century ago, a group of local men murdered a black blues singer and her family. The killers' heirs have paid the price ever since. But this is only one of the buried secrets Mike unearths. The community is held in the grip of Max Devore, a powerful millionaire with a wicked past. Devore is obsessed with taking away his granddaughter, Kyra, from her young widowed mother, Mattie. As Mike falls in love with Mattie and comes to adore Kyra, he has to decode the warnings that only he and the child are receiving-from ghosts. He must do all these things, or the killing won't stop. It would be unfair to reveal any more of King's story, a complex web of relationships, rivalries, and revenge. Refrigerator magnets that spell out warnings and a spooky trip back in time to a country fair are just the beginning of a long and scary ride. By the end, King has given you a larger sense of the interrelatedness of past and present-and of the wages of sin. Bag of Bones, then, is the author at his best, and something more. ...

What to expect from your book cover designer

What to expect from your book cover designer What to expect from your book cover designer You’ve written a brief and commissioned a designer. What’s next? In this guest post, bestselling book cover designer Simon Avery explains the process of working with a cover designer, from the first concepts up to the final payment.  Professional cover design is part of what makes a bestselling title. So it’s no wonder that successful indie authors are serious about the process. Once you’ve tracked down a cover designer you like, the first thing you’ll need is a good brief (which you can learn how to do with this guide). But after you've come to an agreement to work together, what comes next? Round One – The concept stageThe first and longest part of the process is the concept stage. In a nutshell, your book cover designer will take your brief and produce several potential ideas for a cover.Behind the scenesFor me, the concept stage takes between 1-2 weeks. In this time I create 10 or so designs, many of which will never see the light of day. The best 3-5 will be sent as concepts to the author to give a feel for how the final cover could look.In the concept stage I’m also doing a  number of things:Consulting image librariesA good designer will subscribe to a big selection of image libraries. This ranges from well-known libraries like iStock and Shutterstock to smaller specialist outlets. For example, I might consult a library that stocks edgy urban images. This also means my clients get pictures that are not in wide circulation. Image libraries charge for picture downloads. Some designers charge extra for this but I personally include it as part of my fee. The final concept stageArmed with the favourite concept, I then tidy up and polish. This is my favourite part of the process. I add any suggested changes. For example, an author might ask to change the eye colour of a character or make some element more or less prominent. For the most part, however, I’m just finalising the chosen concept ready to publish.The big finish!The cover is done and the author might use it to Tweet and gain social media prior to publication. When authors are happy with their cover they ‘sign it off’, meaning I forward them all the artwork and they pay me.Check out Simon Avery’s profile on Reedsy:  https://reedsy.com/simon-averyWant to learn more about Reedsy's book cover design professionals and how to work with them? Click here!

American History of 1870-1945's Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American History of 1870-1945's - Term Paper Example This paper focuses on achievements and political activities of both these persons as presidents of America. Emergence of America Ever since America found its place in world map, it underwent through a total of seven stages and is presently undergoing the eighth. The time from 1912 to 1929 is referred to as ‘Melting- pot America†. This period was preceded by an Industrial America (1870- 1912) and was immediately followed by America emerging as a superpower at the global level (1929- 1960). Melting pot America had certain distinctive features or characteristics. During this time America experienced some major changes in social and political field. Immigrants from across the world flooded into different American provinces. They not only brought their distinctive cultures with them and merged them with American culture, but at the same they also reinforced a reversal of political practices. It was during this time that America’s political and economic potentials were r ecognized, thereby making America play an important role during First World War. Another feature of Melting pot period is ‘Roaring Twenties’. All these made America urbanized and a fast paced destination from global point of view (Chhokar et al, 191-194). Both Woodrow Wilson as well as Theodore Roosevelt played significant roles in turning America into a superpower. Convention Politics and Theodore Roosevelt Teddy Roosevelt was a Republican who succeeded William McKinley. Strategically, Roosevelt was the first to introduce a dynamic relation between the contradictory ideals of Conservatism and Liberalism. He was of the view that, approaches mush be made softy but, to be made tougher when the work is not delivered timely or some corruption creeps in. thus, Roosevelt displayed a tough attitude to issues which were bothering America during first half of twentieth century, like crime and corruption within unions or workplaces, political mechanism and most importantly Ã¢â‚¬Ë œanti- trust activities of monopolies’. At the same time, Roosevelt believed in ‘activist’ approach in presidency. As far as Liberalism is concerned, Roosevelt took some remarkable steps. One of them is introduction of progressive income tax, which ensured higher returns for the State. In this regard, he played a huge role in broadening the prospects of executive power in political scenario of contemporary America (Johnson, 194). The party machinery was very much clear when Roosevelt appeared in Chicago during June of 1912, before the election. At the time of his arrival, the entire political control was in the hands of political bosses who refused to support the delegates of Roosevelt and instead supported Taft. However towards the end, Roosevelt was finally able to make most delegates of Taft desert him. The Republicans choose to follow Roosevelt, thus expressing discontentment on the proposal of Republican- moderates of compromise. This counter- convention led to the formation of ‘Progressive Party’ or Bull Moose Party with Teddy Roosevelt as its president, and a pre-panned convention set for August that year. There was a clash of interests with the Democrats during this time as the Democrats chose to select Woodrow Wilson, then a reformist governor of New Jersey as their candidate for the electoral poll. As president, Roosevelt stressed upon the doctrine of ‘two- party system’, i.e. incorporating political ideologies of both Democrats and the Republicans, and eradication of