Gallery Review †Nancy Lang Essay

Today, the 9th of March, I have heard of the Pyo Gallery, and as soon as I heard that it was in Wangjing, I changed my plan from going to the Dashanzi District to trying the new place. It was hidden in several other galleries. I was lucky to get there before the exhibition time was over. The owner was a Korean, who kindly explained some paintings for me. I was glad to find out that they currently had an exhibition of Nancy Lang’s art. I have always wanted to find out more about Nancy Lang ever since I have seen her in person at the art fare I have been to, in Korea last summer. There was her trademark series of ‘Taboo Yogini’ paintings of which I have seen one piece of it before. Among all of the paintings that looked similar in overall size and image, I preferred this particular painting the most. Nancy Lang is an American born-Korean Pop artist who is very young and innovative. This piece of her is named the ‘Taboo Yogini, Swinger’ and has an enormous size of 210 x 175 cm. She used mixed media on canvas to create this huge piece. This painting was finished in the year 2006, when she was 27. On this humungous canvas, there is a big character in the middle which has the body of a robot and a head of a girl with some abstract and obscure figures as legs. The subject has a basket full of tennis balls in its right hand. The light-blue background is solid with no value. The most interesting aspect about this art piece is the mysterious figure placed in the center holding the viewers attention. This piece looks more like a collage than a painting with images attached on the screen. The positive space is the one and only subject on the canvas. The body, which appears to be a robot, contains the three primary colors with a considerable amount of white. These colors together form a fancy image of a child’s robot toy, attracting the viewers’ eyes to the center of the figure, which is where the head is placed. An image of the head of a human girl is used, juxtaposing the robot body. In the figure’s right hand there is a basket of lime green tennis balls. In the lower part of the art piece, as the legs of the main subject there are two obscure figures that could be hardly described. On the left side there is a fan shaped quadrilateral printed on a shiny material, and on the right side there is a figure that seems like a mixture of blood vessels and bones. The objects do not seem to have any connection between them, but as a whole they get together very well forming one huge body. The negative space is painted in one tone of light-blue, which helps the subject to stand out. Unlike its visual texture the actual texture of the piece is very smooth just like a painting. Nancy Lang is famous for her mysterious art pieces and unconventional performances. She is a multi-talented young woman who wants to be famous and rich, according to her own words. She actually has played a violin in the middle of a street wearing Victoria Secret lingerie and red high heels with kabuki style makeup. In her series of Taboo Yogini, she mixes up diverse icons to create a sort of cyborg that she declares to be the ironical face of the democracies we live in. According to her, this character Yogini, which originally means a yoga trainee, points to an existence between an angel and devil. So the name of her series ‘Taboo Yogini’ is in a way representing both good and bad. I think the half-robots that appear on her pieces also represent Nancy Lang herself and the various different sides of her. Nancy Lang’s paintings are very obscure and difficult to understand. When I first looked at this piece, I was totally blown away by the innovative design of the image. However, I could never see the ironical face of the democracies before I read the explanation. These mystical figures, which look almost like monsters, keep appearing on her canvases expanding the viewer’s imagination and interpretation of them. Still, I think they are insufficient to clearly deliver the author’s true intention of creating such images. Nevertheless, it is impossible for one to see through the genuine mind of an author. I really like Nancy Lang and her innovative spirit. She is afraid of nothing, even the awkward stare of others.

Leading Marines Essay

Originator: Lance Corporal Steven M. Spencer / 1262282666 / 0431 Task: Provide an essay summarizing MCWP 6-11 Leading Marines, also answer the question of, ‘Why did the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps want every Marine to read MCWP 6-11’, with 1000-1500 words. Method: By reading MCWP 6-11 Leading Marines, answer and write an analysis on the objectives given per instruction. End State: All guidelines will be followed to the highest standard and while answering these questions give support on the opinionating statements. Chapter 1: Our Ethos For anyone to understand the United States Marine Corps personally, they would have to go through the process of transforming into a Marine. The Marine Corps stands out from every other branch of the any military in the world with a tremendous amount of differences. Yes, we have rank, pay and differences in authority, but what makes Marines more proficient in anything they do more than anybody else? Whenever somebody sees the Eagle, Globe and Anchor instantly they think United States Marine Corps or just the â€Å"Marines.† We hold a standard that is not just known in the United States or is easily taught and absorbed, but known throughout the world. Even though we except having our name tapes on our uniforms receive recognition for reaching impossible goals, we expect to be known as a Marine more than anything. There is no such thing as being selfish in the Marine Corps because Marines are instilled and trained to care for their fellow brothers and sisters who are common, but the traditional way we care for each other is only known in the Marine Corps. A change can and usually only lasts for a short period of time, but a transformation into a Marine is worth a life time. Failure isn’t in the vocabulary of the Marine Corps so we are trained to fight first, never to back down and win. Chapter 2: Foundations Learning the ways to become a Marine and the ways of the Marine Corps will  evermore be the hardest lessons taught to you and to learn in life. No matter if you stay in for one enlistment or two, the depth of the Marine Corps is unknown so knowledge will continuously flow and it is endless. All Marines get taught the basics of being a leader in entry level training, but only a few can react to help form their trait into an elite skill only for them. In order to become the elite you have to build a â€Å"Foundation of Values† (pg.31) so that respect in all aspects will become evident between the followers and their leader(s). While setting the example it does not matter what rank you are, you still show that the standards that you hold will reflect on who you are as a person and a Marine. Each Marine chooses how their standards and ways will become beneficial not only to the Marine Corps, but to themselves also. Why do ethics make conducting a moment of decision making so har d? At some point and time every Marine will come to a point in their career or life where the grey area will be the path they choose, but will not think that it is the right way. Moral and ethic dilemmas are common more and more each day. Every Marine is taught to be the toughest both physically, and mentally. The most profound and scariest ability of a Marine is the Quiet Courage. Even though not everyday a Marine comes to that point, it is a skill that takes time, blood, sweat and tears to achieve. Physically saying something is important, but body language is the most important aspect in life no matter what the circumstance. Having the ability to act without either hesitating or thinking for more than a few seconds about the next step is horrifying. You never know how not only your destiny, but your nation’s destiny and the destiny of your peers will change on a split second decision in combat. That’s why having the brotherhood bond with your peers and showing the mutual respect to your fellow brothers and sisters will help you focus on everyday lessons. Life lessons are endless. Chapter 3: Challenges The uncertainty of making life, perception, war and a new way of life all come into one and into harmony will form friction. The way things throughout your life add up to will either be lessons being taught to yourself or failures for others. What is continuously coming towards Marines everyday is the way of challenging. There is more than one way to challenge you, but what way is that? There will always be challenges for your morals, attitude  and leadership throughout the Marine Corps. Exceeding any expectations will boost not only your moral, but the moral of your peers. Moral Courage is self-sustained, but can be turned on or off in an instant. If the standards cannot be met in tranquility then difficult decisions will become more evident not only in battle, but in peacetime or in peace. Controlling the way a battle goes mentally throughout your Marines is very important, but physical courage, the urge to keep pushing forward is what gave us every reason of why we are known today. Having both moral and physical courage are challenges to overcome, but if adapting to a life style of quick teaching is too difficult for you then unit cohesion or embracing leaders is an imperative move; Also the innovation, winning and being the best Marine you can be will never be applicable to your life. Question: Why did the commandant of the United States Marine Corps want every United States Marine to read MCWP 6-11 Leading Marines? Answer: The main purpose on why I think the commandant of the Marine Corps wanted every marine to read Leading Marines is not only the lessons on how to strive to become a better marine, the book teaches the aspects from the bottom up so a full transformation can be seen. The basics is where every Marine gets the skills to start out with, but then the article goes into depth of what can happen, why you think happens and why it actually happens. Having more than one type of ability all built into one is what sets United States Marines apart from anyone in the world. The focus, leadership and the drive among the elite is what had not just made history, but is currently and forever will be carving the way through the heart of the few and transforming the few to the proud then the proud to the well renown elite Marine.

Alex Bell Essays - C. S. Lewis, British Films, Knights Bachelor

Alex Bell Huma 3303 November 21 , 2015 History of shadowlands William Nicholson was born in 1948 and is the original master mind behind the story of shadow lands. The film that we have today actually started off out as a play for television and a live stage show. It would be called the best play in 1990 and also won him a Tony Award. In 1994 Nicholson worked with Richard Attenborough in order to turn his stage play into a full film. The film itself was shot mostly in England in places such as Christ Church Meadow, Oxford, and Oxford shire. The real life story is supposed to show the coming together of Joy Gresham and C.S Lewis but like many retold stories some of the actual facts were skewed a bit for example in real life Joy Gresham had two sons but in the film she is only shown to have one. Personal Critique Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Debra Winger, Julian Fellowes , Joseph Mazzello Director: Richard Attenborough Synopsis: Poet Joy Gresham travels to England with her son, who is a big C.S Lewis fan, in order to meet C.S Lewis himself. When they meet they realize that they are polar opposites but manage to start a glowing friendship. She divorces her husband that is in America and ask C.S Lewis, also known as Jack if he would agree to marry her in order for her to stay in England. After agreeing to marry her strictly so she may remain in the country, she becomes very ill and he discover that despite them not knowing each other very well he really loves her and wants to be with her. Unfortunately their love will be short lived. Lord Richard Attenborough's film brings together a great cast of actors that all are able to show off their acting abilities in this journey of love that brings together two unlikely people together. Sir Anthony Hopkins is a generational actor that adds on to his impressive acting resume with the portrayal of C.S Lewis. He has a natural and smooth voice that seems to help draw in the audience into wanting to listen to every word that he says. With this particular character he was able to combine both the intellectual brilliance and emotion that was required to really bring the story together. Debra Winger is the second star that the story circles around and her character in the Shadowlands appears to be tailor made for her. The Cleveland, Ohio native portrays the fiery Joy Gresham who refuses to take any lip from anyone regarding her life. Much like Hopkins her ability to be able to be both emotional and hardnosed added to the ch aracters appeal to the viewers. Shadow Lands which is based on the play by William Nicholso n is a great story that puts the brilliant acting styles together in a film to show that true love does not have to come from the typical channel that relationships are formed. Professional Critiques 1. Shadowlands' (PG) By Desson Howe Washington Post Staff Writer January 07, 1994 "Shadowlands" isn't just a three-hankie tearjerker. You'll need bulk linen to stay dry through this romance between Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger. Yet this dramatized account of the C. S. Lewis-Joy Gresham af fair is more than manipulative. An engaging encounter between adults, it's also about lost childhoods, questions of God, intellect versus emotion, pain versus pleasure and other far-reaching themes. Perhaps most significantly, "Shadowlands" is illuminated from beginning to end by Hopkins. This may be the best thing he's ever done. The basic biographical details are true. Lewis, author of "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe," among many books, indeed met and fell in love with Gresham. But as screenwriter William Nicholson (who wrote the original BBC teleplay and Broadway stage play before this) emphasizes in press notes for the movie: "I have used parts of their story, not used othe r parts and imagined the rest." If those imaginings are all-too-neatly contrived, they're at least arranged along the classier lines of "84 Charing Cross Road" (another Brit-Yank encounter starring Hopkins), David Lean's "Brief Encounter" and "Turtle Diary," to name a few. On

Comparison between the characteristics of citizens of Germany and Essay

Comparison between the characteristics of citizens of Germany and Qatar - Essay Example As it is explained in the book â€Å"Culture Smart: Germany†, Germans make their best effort to complete a task within the time assigned, and make sure that they do the work rightly the very first time it is done. In short, we can say that they are too committed to their jobs and respect the deadlines. When I compare that to the trend in my country, Qatar, I find a huge difference because most of the people in Qatar are too careless about the work deadlines, and more often than not, work is completed after the deadlines. Regardless of the religion or cultural differences with Germans, I respect them as a Muslim for their hard work, because in Islam, we are taught to do everything with extreme enthusiasm and professionalism. In one saying, our Prophet Mohammed has conveyed that God loves it when someone does something and he/she does it well. Another characteristic that I particularly like about Germans is their straightforwardness. Germans have a habit of saying straight whate ver they have in their mind, and they do not feel any hesitation or embarrassment in being truthful in their speech. There is no hypocrisy in them. Thus, whatever they say, they mean it and they do what they think is right. Straightforwardness to such a high extent may sound rude occasionally, but for me it should not be taken like that. I feel that one should welcome criticism as long as it is just. I would not mind someone telling me to correct myself in a particular way if I am really wrong in that. In my country, people frequently make use of flattery for personal gains. This is a sign of hypocrisy and is strictly forbidden in Islam. In addition to their straightforwardness, I like German’s truth.

Advertising and promotion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Advertising and promotion - Essay Example Different brands are differentiated by the creation of unique brand logos, brand names, brand values and brand designs as well as typefaces. The first step towards development of a brand is the assessment of the business, how it operates, and the kind of messages to be sent to the consumers. The company should work out its product competencies, assess the existing and potential customer, and find out the feeling of the customers about the brands after which the company considers the development of a new brand within its current customer perception. This is then followed by putting all elements together and creation of the brand (Clifton, 2010). A good example is Reebok from Adidas Group and Jordan Brand from Nike Inc, both which are sports wear brands. Creation of the Reebok brand was inspired by its fitness and its commitment to consumers by empowering them to be fit for life. The success of this product is based on its courage to challenge convention in innovative products developm ent and in the creation of new markets. The Reebok brand comes with different designs, color and strap lines. Despite of these different designs, the brand is highly differentiated with features which persuade customers to love it and even come more loyal to the brand. The Reebok brand and the entire Adidas Group are highly focused on the environment as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility. The company has developed an effective strategy to manage environmental impacts and risks from its brands, and this has promoted its brands value. The creation of Jordan Brand from Nike Inc was inspired by the dynamic legacy, vision and the direct involvement of Michael Jordan. The brand comprises of apparel, footwear and accessories. The creation of the brand was based on the assessment of the existing and the potential customers and the definition of the core competencies of the company. Different brand design, color, different brand names under the shelter of Jordan Brand and strap line s are parts of the Jordan Brand and its different images. The different designs of the Jordan Brand attract different consumers depending on their needs. With the use of different designs, the company is able to persuade different customers to love and like the brand and even increase brand loyalty. The brand values of Jordan Brand are indicated by its Corporate Social Responsibility towards investing in the community in sectors like creativity, sport and education. The engagement of the Jordan Brand in the community has mad the brand to remain active in the market as it has promoted the brand value. Section B: Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning Market segmentation is the process of subdividing the larger market into segments with similar wants, needs and market characteristics. It involves the identification of market portion which are distinct from each other in order to better satisfy all the needs of the consumers. Market segmentation can be achieved by dividing the market geographically, demographically, in terms of their behavior and psychology (Cant, Strydom and Jooste, 2009). Targeting is the process of selecting a certain group in the market in which the company intends to focus its advertising efforts. Targeting can also refer to a group of like minded individuals who are inclined towards similar products and who

Effective Anti-Racist Guidelines in the British Education System Literature review

Effective Anti-Racist Guidelines in the British Education System - Literature review Example In this literature review, a brief description of the notion of race, ethnicity, and faith, as well as the distinctions among them, will be discussed. The concept of ‘ethnicity’ is quite new. Before the 1970s there was hardly any discussion of it in anthropology works and literature, even a mention of its definition (Faas 2010). Prior to the Second World War, the word ‘tribe’ was the chosen word for ‘primitive’ societies and the word ‘race’ for contemporary societies (May 1999). Because of the strong connection between the ideology of the Nazis and the concept of ‘race’, the word ‘ethnicity’ eventually succeeded ‘race’ in Europe and the United States (Spalek 2007). The discourse on ethnicity is confounded by a diversity of associated concepts applied to distinguish comparable trends, like the nation, race, minority, and tribe. Several researchers and scholars apply these concepts synonymously w hile others use them as distinct terms (Spalek 2007). Nevertheless, the connection between race and ethnicity is complicated. Even though there is much continuity they are different notions. For instance, Pierre van den Berghe defines the term ‘race’ as a specific classification of ethnicity that makes use of genetic attributes as an indicator of ethnicity (Cashmore & Jennings 2002, 122). Although the connection between the two notions is more complicated than the above definition, his description is quite accurate (p. 122). British scholars normally exclusively attribute ethnicity to minority groups.

The Making of a Global Brand Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

The Making of a Global Brand - Essay Example Chernatony and Riley (1998), in their research paper, demonstrate the different tangible and intangible elements that makeup brands. For example, some tangible qualities this research paper lists down are â€Å"symbols, slogans, name, logo, colors, brand mark, advertising slogan, trademark, functional capabilities, legal protection, presence and performance, physique, physical design and graphics†, ultimately anything that helps the product differentiate itself from the competition. In listing down intangible components of brands, this research paper states â€Å"identity, corporate brand, integrated communications, customer relationships, positioning, user identification, relevance, advantage, bond, personality, relationship, culture, self-image, social and personal values, esteem, familiarity†. In effect the, a brand becomes the product’s differentiating identity. When Samsung was known as only an OEM producer, there were a set of tangible and intangible elements associated with its brand. Expected product quality was low, with high defect rate. Consumers thought of Samsung products as low quality, low price. Firms would only choose to buy from Samsung if they could not afford better quality or more expensive products from the more renowned OEM companies. The non-OEM, globalized Samsung brand stands for a completely new set of tangible and intangible components. It embodies high quality, modern technology, an integrated communication strategy, a bond with its customer base; it creates relevance by making its products usable and relevant to the lifestyles of its target audience. Meanwhile, Samsung’s new logo conveys stability and warmth through the use of the colors white and blue and advancement and evolution by using the elliptical shape.

Research project outline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Research project outline - Essay Example This report will outline the internationalization strategy and activities of Bentley in its efforts to enter and establish itself in China’s emerging economy, the market situation analysis, in addition to the firm’s expansion motives, strategic direction. Bentley’s internationalization trajectory Lately, Bentley has been engaged in a number of internationalization strategies including exportation, establishment of wholly owned subsidiaries, Greenfield ventures, and vertical integration across national frontiers; these global brand strategy aim to strengthen its position in the highly competitive automobile industry (Peng 2009, p.33). In formulating a most effective course of action, Bentley has evaluated several advanced technology options and decided to focus on improved efficiency and the use of alternative powertrain technology to reduce CO2 emissions while improving fuel economy. In this regard, Bentley’s environmental strategy addresses both the globa l issues of fuel security and global warming (Bentley 2008, p.7), thus cutting a niche for the socially responsible consumes who are keen in making environmentally sound investments. Bentley is also keen on improving efficiency by utilizing a range of technologies including engine revisions, improved transmission systems, drive train alterations, in addition to enhanced vehicle characteristics. Bentley has also explored the market of hybrid cars due to the advancement of hybrid technology thereby contributing greatly to the energy and CO2 emission savings when driving these cars especially in an urban environment. Besides the hybrid cars, Bentley also has explored the use of Hydrogen and Electricity, as an alternative automobile propulsion system; hydrogen and electric cars have a zero tailpipe CO2 emissions because Hydrogen burns cleanly and combustion is not necessary for electricity-powered cars. Largely, Bentley’s internationalization trajectory is based on economically v iable, ethical, and environmentally sound solutions in response to the global potential crisis over energy shortages and climate change. Bentley’s introduction of car models that are powered by renewable and sustainable energy sources is motivated by the firm’s commitment to reduce the environmental impact of its vehicles with the improvement of efficiency. Situation Analysis China is undoubtedly the second leading automobile producer and market by 2009 with annual sales that are slightly shy of 14 million cars, yet the market continues to expand at a rate of about 36.1% increase in annual sales by 2010 (APCO Worldwide 2010, p.3). The rapid growth of the Chinese automobile industry market is attributable to the rising domestic demand for vehicles because of the rising incomes, an emerging middle class, and supportive government policies in the industry (Xavier Richet and Joel 2008, p.450). The Chinese government has implemented special tax adjustments and subsidies for the purchase of cars, which are aimed to motivate buyers to go for hybrid electric vehicles or the purely electricity powered vehicles, in addition to normal models with a reduced engine displacement. Places such as Beijing in China have

Political influence of different racial politicians Essay

Political influence of different racial politicians - Essay Example This method will be efficient in narrowing the vast area of study to few hypotheses that can be used to substantiate the main hypothesis. This method involves study and research but omits interviews that may give misleading information. Also the method does not take a lot of time and it can be carried out in fewer phases. This makes it very easy to allocate time to analysis and elimination of non essential materials. This will help in making an accurate assessment on the main hypothesis. This method will also allow for sampling of many materials that may lead to the accurate conclusion of views and reasons in accordance to the hypothesis. The statistical approach in this will involve quantitative research which will be emended with two approaches; the process and principlesThe process; the examination will have one or more speculations. These are the inquiries that they need to address which incorporate forecasts about conceivable connections between the things they need to research (variables). Keeping in mind the end goal to discover replies to these inquiries, the exploration will additionally have different instruments and materials and a plainly characterized arrangement of movement. The principles; Objectivity is exceptionally vital in quantitative exploration. Subsequently, specialists take incredible forethought to dodge their vicinity, conduct or demeanor influencing the results. They likewise basically inspect their strategies and conclusions for any conceivable predisposition.

Strategic intent as an agent of change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic intent as an agent of change - Essay Example The concept of strategic intent also focuses on achieving the goal of the organization by the members who belong to it. Thus, it follows then that strategic intent focuses on exactly how to achieve the goal put forward by the company (Bartlett & Ghoshal, 1994). In order for this to happen, there is a need for all the members of a particular group or company to collaborate together, or work separately in order to achieve the objectives or goals set aside by the organization. In order for this to happen, there is a need for the members to act in such a way that their actions or tasks complement each other. Should this not be the case, instances of confusion may arise. Therefore, it is necessary that every member should be able to understand his or her own approach to any task assigned, and how this approach would be able to mesh with the approaches of the other members of the organization or group.

Profit Maximization Essay Example for Free

Profit Maximization Essay Details Pixie ( £ per unit) Elf ( £ per unit) Queen ( £ per unit) King ( £ per unit) Selling Price 111 98 122 326 Variable Costs: Direct Materials 25 35 22 25 Direct Labor 5 5 5 5 Variable Overheads 17 18 15 16 47 58 42 46 Contribution 64 40 80 280 Type 1 Labor 8 6 Type 2 Labor 10 10 Type 3 Labor 5 25 Contribution per type 1 labor 8 6.67 Contribution per type 2 labor 8 28 Contribution per type 3 labor 16 11.2 Details Ranking Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Pixie 1 N/A N/A Elf 2 N/A N/A Queens N/A 2 1 King N/A 1 2 Planned Production Schedule Elf = no production (no hours of type 1 labor available) King = 1,000 units (full production) Queen = no production (no hours of type 3 labor available) Profit Statement Pixie ( £ per unit) King ( £ per unit) Total ( £ per unit) Sales 111,000 326,000 437,000 Variable Costs: Direct Materials 25,000 25,000 50,000 Direct Labor 40,000 175,000 215,000 Variable Overhead 17,000 16,000 33,000 Total Variable Costs 82,000 216,000 298,000 Contribution 29,000 110,000 139,000 Fixed Costs 15,000 Net Profit 124,000 Direct Labor King: Type 2 = 1,000 units x 10 hours per unit x  £5 =   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚    £50,000 Type 3 = 1,000 units x 25 hours per unit x  £5 =  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚    £125,000 Total Direct Labor Cost  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚    £175,000 b) Under instances of limiting factors, like labor in this case, profit maximization is determined by deducing the production that will provide the highest contribution per limiting factor (Drury C. 1996, p 265). This is based on the premise that optimum utilization of resources will stem from producing the products that provide the highest profit in terms of the limited resource used. The main limitation of the aforementioned approach is that it solely considers financial factors.   In a business environment, there are qualitative features, which also significantly affect the organization.   For instance, products Elf and Queen might be loss leaders.   These are products, they generate low profits and sometimes-even losses, but are key variables in boosting the sales of other products (Kotler P. et al 2004, p 378).   For example, blank CDs and DVDs generated few profits to retailers of computer equipment.   However, they attract clients, who may eventually purchase hardware products that generated greater income. References:    Drury C. (1996). Management and Cost Accounting. Fourth Edition.   New York: International Thomson Business Press. Kotler P.; Armstrong A. (2004). Principles of Marketing. Tenth Edition. New Jersey: Pearson Education Incorporation.

Xbox Doxing Guide Essay Example for Free

Xbox Doxing Guide Essay How to get agent on: Call 1800-4 After intro message, push 1 then say other and then wait till the robot says please say or enter your home phone number and say agent. When the agent answers they will tell you their name, and may say whats your name or how may I help you? This is your Response: Hello _______, My name is ___________ with the Universal department of xbox support, and I am need of help from a fello agent. I have a customer on the other line that claims his Xbox 360 CONSOLE has been stolen from his House Hold, and he says he just bought a new xbox 360 and is trying to recover his gamertag, but it will nto recover, So what I was going to do was console ban his STOLEN xbox 360, and get the customer through base line verification to help him on his way to getting a password reset. I tryed pulling his account up in CCF to get him past BASE LINE VERIFICATION and as soon as I opened his account my CCF and my system both froze. So I contacted my team lead and she stated that she would come to my office in the next 10-20 mins to help me fix my system and forward this customer to TIER 2 because it is a major case, if you can help me with this I highly appreciate it! Choices: A:Agent Says no, hang up! B:Agent says yes do the following: Say thanks so much, ask him/her if they can pull the account up in their CCF, if agent says yes, say I was told by my team lead to document all information, including your name and the accounts information on paper so I can document later on my system, so i will need to copy down the base line verification info, and that will make it even easier to verify with customer so we do not have to switch back and fourth to see if the information is correct or not. Then just have the agent give you the BASE LINE INFORMATION that he/she is able to see, one bit of information you have to ask for to get is the Date the Customer joined, and this will help the chances of you getting a reset, You also may want to ask for the Console Serial Number, Some times they give it some times they dont/wont, becuase most are to dumb adn do not know how to locate that information. NOTE: Agents cannot see the Secrect Answer nor the last 4 digits of the Credit Card, so do not waste your time asking for it. How ever they can see what payment method they last used, and the PrePaid Card Code.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Causes and Symptoms

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Causes and Symptoms Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome in the Reproductive Woman: An Epidemiological Approach Abstract One of the most prevalent disorders among women with reproductive age is polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Though the etiology of this syndrome is unknown, it can be diagnosed on the basis of three cardinal characteristics. This paper defines the issue along with a brief background and its significance. It also explores the prevalence and incidence rate worldwide and especially in Pakistan. Moreover, it will enlighten the major risk factors and long term concerns which have made life of women miserable. A review of treatment which includes pharmacological and non-pharmacological ways that is diet and exercises will be highlighted. Furthermore, it provides recommendation at individual, community, institutional, national and government level. It also explores the need of future researches among women with PCOS. By approaching all these aspects, women can combat with PCOS and reduce forthcoming morbidities. Women of all ages experience multiple health issues. Particularly, women during her reproductive years encounter gynecological and endocrine disorders that exasperate their lives. Among all disorders, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy. PCOS was referred as Stein-Leventhal Syndrome after Irving Stein and Micheal Leventhal, who first described it in 1935 (KINZA). However, record of PCOS dates back from atavistic era. Hippocrates, Soranus of Ephesus and Moises Maimonides identified women with oligomenorrhea, sterile conditions, masculine and healthy appearance which suggests PCOS (Azziz, Dumessic, Goodarzi, 2011). According to National Institute of Health Conference (1990), â€Å"Women are defined to have PCOS if they have chronic anovulation and evidence of androgen excess for which there is no other cause† (Guzick, 2004, p. 181). The diagnostic criteria’s for PCOS are convened by the National Institute of Health in 1992, the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology/American Society for Reproductive Medicine i.e. Rotterdam criterion in 2004 and the Androgen Excess and PCOS Society in 2006. However, a Rotterdam criterion is widely used. According to Rotterdam criterion, presence of any two cardinal features is sufficient to diagnose a woman with PCOS. These features include oligomenorrhea or anovulation, clinical or biochemical hyperandrogenism and polycystic ovaries. This criterion also defines the morphology of polycystic ovaries i.e. â€Å"the presence of 12 or more follicles measuring between 2 and 9 mm in diameter and/or an increased ovarian volume of greater than 10 cm3† (Sirmans Pate, 2014, p. 3). PCOS has a high prevalence and incidences not only in western areas, but also in Eastern areas, specifically in Asia. Rehman, Salahuddin and Obaid-ur-Rehman (2005) estimated 20% women from the general population, and 10% women of reproductive age suffer from PCOS. A study conducted in UK reported that 20% 25% white women suffer from PCOS whereas the ratio was found to be much higher in South Asian women i.e. 52% (Karachi: Seminar told ovarian disease, 2010). A prospective study conducted in Greece, Spain and United States concluded that about 4% 8% of women were diagnosed with PCOS (Teed, Deeks Moran, 2010). In India, a cross-sectional study revealed that 51 out of 96 women have PCOS (Bhattacharya Jha, 2011). Furthermore, 20.7% women of reproductive age group are affected in Pakistan (Baqai, Khanam, Parveen, 2010). The morbidity rate of PCOS is expanding to a great momentum due to lack of awareness regarding preventive measures and inappropriate healthcare facilities. Its long t erm consequences do not limit to the reproductive axis; women with PCOS are at high risk for acquiring metabolic and cardiovascular illnesses (Avery Mayer, 2007). Inspite of its deleterious impacts PCOS has persisted for many years. It also remains a challenge for the clinician’s to diagnose and manage it. However, better understanding of the complexities of PCOS will ultimately lead to improved health outcomes and effective clinical care. This compelled us to converse over the epidemiology of PCOS. â€Å"PCOS has been identified as an area of clinical need and as a public health issue† (Hailes, 2011, p. 28). The exact etiology of PCOS is yet unknown, but several sufficient determinants are associated with its occurrence (Rehman et al., 2005). Insulin resistance is the major underlying factor. About 50-80% of the women with insulin resistance reported to have PCOS. Insulin plays both direct and indirect roles in the appearance of the disease. High levels of insulin work synergistically to the luteinizing hormone. Together they increase the androgen production of theca cells which lead to lipid abnormalities (Zacur, 2003). Moreover, elevated insulin level inhibits hepatic synthesis of sex hormone–binding globulin leading to increase amount of unbound or free testosterone (Ehrmann, 2005). Ahmed et al. (2008) highlighted genetics as an important risk factor for PCOS. Deregulation of the cytochrome P450c17 gene affects ovarian function which results in hyperandrogenism (Ahmed et al., 2008). Ehrmann (2005) reported that an abnormality in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis (HPOA) is associated with PCOS. Rojas et al. (2014) concluded that an increase impulse frequency of HPOA raises the production of luteinizing hormone (LH). This in turn increases the synthesis of androgens, suggestive of PCOS (Ehrmann, 2005). Other factors include altered steroid metabolism that is dysregulation of 11b-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase (Ahmed et al. 2008). In a retrospective study, women on antiepileptic drugs reported menstrual irregularities. Hence a positive relation between antiepileptic drugs and PCOS was found (Zacur, H., 2005; American Pregnancy Association, 2014). Vitamin D deficiency may place a woman to develop PCOS (Thys-Jacobs, Donovan, Papadopoulos, Sarrel, Bilezikian, 1999). Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) decreases if women have higher body mass index (BMI), fat and insulin resistance. Hence, vitamin D deficiency alters intracellular calcium, which results in ovarian dysfunction (Khan et al., 2014). Untreated PCOS have various ramifications, including reproductive, metabolic, cardiovascular and psychological alterations. According to Legro et al. (2013), endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer may occur due to deficiency of progesterone. Moreover, women with PCOS are prone to develop Diabetes Mellitus (DM) type II in later life. A case control study revealed that 7.5% of women end up with DM type II (Legro, Kunselman, Dodson, Dunaif, 1999). In addition, PCOS can affect circulatory system in an indirect way as women develop dyslipidemia and cardiovascular diseases. Anxiety and depression are the most common psychological issues reported by women with PCOS (Way, 2013). Lifestyle modification should be adopted by women suffering from PCOS. These amendments include weight control, stress management and dietary modification. A small amount of weight loss as little as 5% can help a woman to regulate the menstrual cycle and ovulation. Weight control can be beneficial for a woman to sustain mental well-being, and enables her to partially culminate the risk of cardiac and metabolic disorders (Boyle Teede, 2012). Moreover, dietary management includes the consumption of low glycemic index, high fiber and low fat diet to reduce the associated symptoms of PCOS. No ideal pharmacological treatment has yet been found that completely treats PCOS. However, symptomatic treatment is usually preferred. Low dose of oral contraceptive pill, cyclic progestin and metformin are used as first line treatment for PCOS. These drugs help in treating ovarian dysfunction, menstrual irregularities and hyperandrogenism (Garad, Teede, Moran, 2011). Elter and colleagues concluded from their clinical trial that OCP in combination with metformin is more effective in suppressing the androgen level as compared to OCP alone (Ahmed, Qureshi, Anjum, Akhtar, Anhalt, 2008). In presence of hirsutism spironolactone (200mg/d) is commonly prescribed (Guzick, 2004). Clomiphene citrate is recommended to induce fertility in women with PCOS. It triggers FSH secretion and mature ovarian follicle. Herbal therapies are also used to cure PCOS which includes liquorice, kasip fatimah, spearmint tea, etc. All three herbs have anti-androgenic properties. In Turkey, RCT concluded that wo men who receive spearmint tea have decreased levels of free testosterone (Goswami, Khale, Ogale, 2012). Recommendation and future research PCOS is endemic in Pakistan, particularly in the reproductive women. To reduce the incidence rate following recommendation can be helpful. At an individual level, it is significant to provide psychological support to the women suffering from PCOS. This will enhance her self-confidence and enable her to cope effectively. Moreover, counseling services should be readily available for newly diagnosed women. These services should emphasize on weight management via diet and exercise. Proper instructions regarding drug dosage, side effects and the importance of compliance is crucial. The physical changes in the women with PCOS not only impact her well-being, but her family is equally affected. Therefore, family concerns should be addressed. Further, regular follow up should be stressed. It is estimated that 70% of women with PCOS remain undiagnosed in the community due to lack of awareness (March et al., 2010). Therefore, several screening programs should be organized to assess women’s physical, metabolic, and reproductive health. These programs help women to identify any alterations in their bodily functions. Further, it helps health care workers to plan effective need based interventions for them. Community health centers should arrange weekly monitoring of blood pressure, weight and BMI. Health institutions should initiate yearly screening programs for lipid profile, glucose levels (Boyle et al., 2012) and Vitamin D levels. Various mediums can be used to increase awareness in the population. Women should be educated to self-monitor the symptoms of PCOS. This could be achieved through the distribution of pamphlets, brochures, and flyers at institutional level. Similarly, at national level mass media like television shows and commercials, plays an important role. Awareness is an essential tool to save future daughters, wives and mothers from PCOS. Government in affiliation with health and education sectors should make policies to initiate awareness among school going girls, regarding menstrual irregularities and warning signs of PCOS. Also, the government should introduce free health services in district and tehsil hospitals to maintain sexual health of women (Beydoun et al., 2009). In collaboration with non-governmental organizations awareness sessions and support groups should be planned for high risk and previously diagnosed women to prevent them from complications. More parks and walking tracks should be made, and specific hours should be allocated for women. PCOS remains a debating issue for researchers as its causes and outcomes are emerging day by day. Matzke (2011) suggested that large sample studies in non-randomized clinical trials should be conducted. This would increase validity, reliability and applicability of the researches. Longitudinal studies should be conducted, and an individual should be followed for more than 5 years exactly after the diagnosis. The purpose of long term monitoring is to evaluate the significant changes that occur due to PCOS (Matzke, 2011). There is a need to modify the name of PCOS as this term only focuses on cyst and ovaries. Therefore, a name that defines its intricacy and reflects its characteristics in metabolic, hypothalamus, pituitary, ovarian, and adrenal interactions should be suggested (National Institute of Health, 2012). A few studies indicate that fertility drug such as clomiphene citrate may increase the risk of ovarian cyst if taken for a long period (American Pregnancy Association, 2014) . In this regard, further experimental researches should be performed to evaluate the evidence of PCOS in such women. A Chinese medicine cryptotanshinone is known for its significant effect in endocrine and metabolic disorders. However, this medicine is only tested on rats and showed a significant decrease in the symptoms of PCOS (Yu et al., 2014). Therefore, clinical trials of this drug are suggested. Ayurveda is a traditionally used treatment regimen. An experimental uncontrolled study was done to investigate the effectiveness of samprapti kriya and other herbs for curing sub-fertility in PCOS. Results showed that 85% of the women get cured and75% were able to conceive (Siriwardene, Karunathilaka, Kodituwakku, Karunarathne, 2010). About 70% of Pakistani people prefer alternative therapies over conventional medicines (Kokab Ahmad, 2011). Therefore, further research is required to validate the effectiveness of ayurveda treatment. In conclusion, PCOS have emerged as a devastating endocrine disorder among  women worldwide. The chief cause is unknown yet. This syndrome displays a variety of reproductive, metabolic, cardiovascular and psychological features. Management primarily focuses on lifestyle modification along with certain pharmacological medications for presenting symptoms. To eradicate this disorder, efforts are required at individual, community, institution and governmental level. Working on future research needs would help us to achieve better outcomes in upcoming years.

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KATA PENGANTAR Puji Syukur kami panjatkan kehadirat Allah SWT, Tuhan Yang Maha Pengasih lagi Maha Penyayang, karena atas Rahmat dan karunianya maka Pengabdian Masyarakat †Pelatihan Pembuatan Web bagi Kelompok Informasi Masyarakat† telah selesai dilaksanakan dan dapat berjalan dengan lancar sesuai dengan perencanaan. Diharapkan penyelenggaraan pelatihan tersebut dapat bermanfaat bagi seluruh peserta khususnya dan bagi masyarakat pada umumnya sehingga mampu meningkatkan ketrampilan pengelolaan di bidang Web Site. Laporan kegiatan ini sangat penting dibuat sebagai bukti pertanggungjawaban pelaksanaan kegiatan yang telah dilasanakan dan harus disampaikan kepada pim-pinan. Adapun tujuan dibuatnya laporan ini adalah sebagai berikut : 1. Sebagai dasar untuk pengembangan rencana selanjutnya. 2. Sebagai penentuan kebijakan atasan 3. Sebagai bukti laporan kegiatan yang telah di laksanakan 4. Untuk mengetahui proses dan perkembangan kegiatan yang dilaksanakan. Dalam laporan ini berikut kami sampaikan tentang : Dasar Penyelenggaraan, Tujuan Pelatihan, Pembiayaan , Kompetensi,Pelaksanaan, J...

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La jurisprudence à ©tait dà ©finie diffà ©remment par les juristes romans qui ont vis pendant la pà ©riode de l’Antiquità © parce que l’à ©tymologie du mot dà ©signe la  « science du droit  » qui comprit le phà ©nomà ¨ne juridique. Ce fait est envisagà © par la dà ©finition que Justinien a inclut dans son Å“uvre là ©gislative :  « Juris prudentia est divanarum atque humanarum rerum notitia, iusti atque injusti scientia  » (La jurisprudence est la connaissance des faits divines et humaines, la science du ce qui est juste et injuste.) Au fil du temps, le droit s’est à ©cartà © de cette explication et a donnà © à   la jurisprudence une signification vraiment diffà ©rente comme l’ensemble des rà ¨gles de droit nà ©es de l’actività © judiciaire. Au mà ªme temps, la nouvelle dà ©finition de la jurisprudence a introduit l’une des principales diffà ©rences entre les grands systà ¨mes de droits. En consà ©quence, d’une parte la famille du droit romano-germanique considà ¨re que  « le juge est la bouche qui dit la loi  », c’est-à  -dire qu’il a seulement la compà ©tence d’interprà ©ter la loi, d’autre parte il y a la famille anglo-saxonne qui est gouvernà ©e par le principe  « judge made law  » (le juge a crà ©Ãƒ © la loi). La raison pour l’existence des limites du pouvoir du juge dans le systà ¨me là ©gislative franà §ais peuvent à ªtre trouves dans le courant illuministe qui a suscità © l’esprit de la Rà ©volution Franà §aise. Ce motif consiste en l’idà ©e que le juge est le reprà ©sentant du roi et de la catà ©gorie noblesse qui ne se prà ©occupe pas de l’internet gà ©nà ©ral, mais de maintenir les privilà ¨ges de l’aristocratie. Telle puissante à ©tait la rà ©volte contre les juges que Robespierre considà ©rait que  «le mot jurisprudence des tribunaux doit à ªtre effacà © de notre langue  ». La Rà ©volution Franà §aise a introduit le principe de su... ...’il devienne parti de l’ordre juridique communautaire. Par consà ©quent, les dà ©cisions rendues par les juridictions europà ©ennes contribuent à   l’à ©laboration de la jurisprudence de droit interne. Cependant, la jurisprudence de la CJCE est substantiellement diffà ©rente de celle qui provient des juridictions nationales parce qu’elles à ©mettent des dà ©cisions qui ont seulement une autorità © relative, c’est-à  -dire qui s’applique pour le cas à   solutionner et entre les parties du procà ¨s en cours. Au contraire, les dà ©cisions de la CJCE s’imposent dans le droit interne ayant une force juridique de loi et donc la jurisprudence de la CJCE devient une source de droit. Par suite de ce fait, il y a le caractà ¨re paradoxal de la jurisprudence : elle est source du droit quand il est le rà ©sultat de l’actività © judiciaire rendue par CJCE, mais non quand il s’agit une juridiction nationale. Essay -- La jurisprudence à ©tait dà ©finie diffà ©remment par les juristes romans qui ont vis pendant la pà ©riode de l’Antiquità © parce que l’à ©tymologie du mot dà ©signe la  « science du droit  » qui comprit le phà ©nomà ¨ne juridique. Ce fait est envisagà © par la dà ©finition que Justinien a inclut dans son Å“uvre là ©gislative :  « Juris prudentia est divanarum atque humanarum rerum notitia, iusti atque injusti scientia  » (La jurisprudence est la connaissance des faits divines et humaines, la science du ce qui est juste et injuste.) Au fil du temps, le droit s’est à ©cartà © de cette explication et a donnà © à   la jurisprudence une signification vraiment diffà ©rente comme l’ensemble des rà ¨gles de droit nà ©es de l’actività © judiciaire. Au mà ªme temps, la nouvelle dà ©finition de la jurisprudence a introduit l’une des principales diffà ©rences entre les grands systà ¨mes de droits. En consà ©quence, d’une parte la famille du droit romano-germanique considà ¨re que  « le juge est la bouche qui dit la loi  », c’est-à  -dire qu’il a seulement la compà ©tence d’interprà ©ter la loi, d’autre parte il y a la famille anglo-saxonne qui est gouvernà ©e par le principe  « judge made law  » (le juge a crà ©Ãƒ © la loi). La raison pour l’existence des limites du pouvoir du juge dans le systà ¨me là ©gislative franà §ais peuvent à ªtre trouves dans le courant illuministe qui a suscità © l’esprit de la Rà ©volution Franà §aise. Ce motif consiste en l’idà ©e que le juge est le reprà ©sentant du roi et de la catà ©gorie noblesse qui ne se prà ©occupe pas de l’internet gà ©nà ©ral, mais de maintenir les privilà ¨ges de l’aristocratie. Telle puissante à ©tait la rà ©volte contre les juges que Robespierre considà ©rait que  «le mot jurisprudence des tribunaux doit à ªtre effacà © de notre langue  ». La Rà ©volution Franà §aise a introduit le principe de su... ...’il devienne parti de l’ordre juridique communautaire. Par consà ©quent, les dà ©cisions rendues par les juridictions europà ©ennes contribuent à   l’à ©laboration de la jurisprudence de droit interne. Cependant, la jurisprudence de la CJCE est substantiellement diffà ©rente de celle qui provient des juridictions nationales parce qu’elles à ©mettent des dà ©cisions qui ont seulement une autorità © relative, c’est-à  -dire qui s’applique pour le cas à   solutionner et entre les parties du procà ¨s en cours. Au contraire, les dà ©cisions de la CJCE s’imposent dans le droit interne ayant une force juridique de loi et donc la jurisprudence de la CJCE devient une source de droit. Par suite de ce fait, il y a le caractà ¨re paradoxal de la jurisprudence : elle est source du droit quand il est le rà ©sultat de l’actività © judiciaire rendue par CJCE, mais non quand il s’agit une juridiction nationale.

Themes Presented in Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti Essay -- Gobli

Themes Presented in Goblin Market by Christina Rossetti Christina Rossetti's used her poetry to express herself; her work exhibits many autobiographical elements and from it the reader can discern Rossetti's emotions, beliefs and her comments on the society she lived in. As a female poet it would have been improper for Rossetti to deal directly with these issues though and so her ideas are masked through appearing to be children's poetry and having simple meanings. 'Goblin Market' superficially appears to a moral story about two sisters one of whom gives way to the temptation of the goblins forbidden fruits but through her poetic techniques Rossetti manages to embody her fears and desires. One of the desires Rossetti appears to have in this poem is for a relationship similar to that of Lizzie and Laura; the closing lines of the poem express the joys of having a sister "To fetch one if one goes astray", but Rossetti had only brothers. This theme of friendship is crucial to the plot of the poem and maybe Rossetti yearns for someone she can feel close to. Rossetti shows the difference between the love Laura has for the goblins fruits and the love between the sisters through the use of parallelism. While Laura "sucked" the goblins' fruits "until her lips were sore" showing Laura's greed as she gives way to temptation and gives a strongly physical image, Lizzie calling "Hug me, kiss me, suck my juices / Squeezed from goblin fruits for you" brings to mind Lizzie's self-sacrifice - the difference of Laura's lust for the juices and Lizzie's love for her sister is apparent. The image by Rossetti describing the sisters "Like two pigeons in one nest" creates a strong impression of the closeness between the two s... ...n coming before love in Rossetti's life. 'Goblin Market' contains many of the key themes that appear throughout Rossetti's poetry. In typical Rossettian style it appears almost superfluous on first reading but subtexts hidden within it. The casual rhyming scheme suggests that the work is a aimed at being children's poetry but the issues it deals with are distinctly adult. Early in the poem Laura is described as "rearing her glossy head" and much later on Lizzie is referred to as being stubborn as a "horse"; this demonstrates that through repetition and subtle parallels Rossetti manages to show how both sisters are so similar and yet so far apart. Christina Rossetti's use of poetic devices allows 'Goblin Market' to work on several levels allowing her to write poetry both acceptable to the society she lived in while also allowing her to express herself.

European Politics Essay

Not long after taking office as President, Nicolas Sarkozy initiated a bold agenda of sweeping governmental and economic reform which enflamed controversy and engendered violent confrontation within the French government and among the French population regarding both the state of economic parity within French society, and France’s role in a swiftly changing global-political climate. Sarkozy, a former member of the National Assembly, a two-time appointee as Minister of the Interior, and a past President of the UMP, rose to prominence as a widely popular (and also widely unpopular) figure in the conservative wing of French politics. Although Sarkozy’s personal and romantic life as well as his financial dealings and his â€Å"public image† have all fallen under the intense scrutiny of the French and International media, the most controversial issues associated with President Sarkozy have generally been and continue to be issue and policy oriented. Prior to being elected President, Sarkozy made International news headlines when, as Minister of the Interior, â€Å"Sarkozy, insisted that Muslim women pose bare-headed for official identity photographs† (Scott, 2005), a move which provoked a storm of opposition within France and throughout the globe. However, Sarkozy’s intentions were even much wider than revealed by his policy regarding identity photos; Sarkozy’s â€Å"main recommendation, accepted by Chirac in January 2004, was for a law prohibiting the wearing of ostentatious signs of religious affiliation in public schools. This is now the law of the land† (Scott, 2005). Sarkozy’s record prior to becoming President indicated that he was a man unafraid to pursue a controversial course of action. As president, one of Sarkozy’s first publically criticized actions was his handling of a Libyan hostage crisis which involved the retrieval of Belgian health-care workers who had been held in Libya. In return for releasing the Belgians, the Libyan dictator Gaddafi was able to gain President Sarkozy’s signature on a treaty which transferred hundreds of millions of euros, along with important military equipment to Libya. This move was met not only with criticism but with a call for an investigation at the parlimentary level which was requested by the head of the French Socialist Party. Although this single example may seem slight in light of the forthcoming discussion regarding governmental reform and the EU policy on climate change which will form the heart of the present study of Sarkozy’s administration, the incident is illustrative of the odd duality which seems to stamp itself on many of Sarkozy’s policies, programs, and initiatives. The duality is one rooted on one side in what many might consider a superficial, yet effective, understanding of public image and political theater; on the other side, it is rooted in what many might call brutally pragmatic economics. Critics of Sarkozy go further than to call the President an economic pragmatist. Many members of Sarkozy’s own conservative party, the UMP, have criticized the President for being a strong advocate of free-trade while simultaneously backing sweeping reforms in the working-class sector including his â€Å"loi de modernisation de l’economie† (Lawday, 2007), or â€Å"Modernization of the Economy Law† which in addition to relaxing federal restrictions on retail prices and work-regulations, allowed workers who worked over thirty-five hours a week to collect their overtime pay tax-free. If, basically, Sarkozy’s economic policies reflect â€Å"a free-market, self-responsibility venture that he claims every advanced country in Europe, from Britain to those in Scandinavia, and lately Germany, has adopted to its advantage† (Lawday, 2007) they also reflect an essentially conservative philosophy which stands in odd contrast to Sarkozy’s iconoclastic image as an agent of change. As one observer phrased it, Sarkozy’s economic philosophy and national economic program â€Å"represents not so much novelty as catch-up politics with a conservative twist† (Lawday, 2007) and, as such, Sarkozy’s economic programs include the curbing of labor unions and their power. These aspects of Sarkozy’s approach to government and economic matters leaves little room for doubt that — at least in relation to financial matters — the President is a true conservative, although his vision may be, overall, a bit more modern than that which is commonly associated with conservatism, the end-result is the same. Sarkozy’s economic philosophies are important not only because they impact one of the most crucial sectors of public policy and governmental influence in France — the economy — but also because they indicate the aforementioned duality of purpose and bearing which seems to stand as part and parcel of Sarkozy’s political career. If on e the one hand, Sarkozy wanted to â€Å"amend the 35-hour working week so that it is no longer the reposeful regulation it implies† (Lawday, 2007), he also sought to simultaneously â€Å"force strikers to maintain a minimum service for trains, buses and other public services† (Lawday, 2007) and to â€Å"slice into the bloated state bureaucracy, where the unions are strongest, by permitting one replacement for every two retiring government office workers† (Lawday, 2007) while at the same time admitting — in the face of the recent global economic crisis — that laissez faire capitalism is dead. The economic platform and policies which Sarkozy has advocated indicate that — above all else — Sarkozy is a pragmatist. This fact is s very useful fact because, by keeping it firmly in mind, a more complete understanding of Sarkozy the politician can be gained. In point of fact, most of what passes for â€Å"populism’ in Sarkozy’s public image is precisely due to his pragmatic approach. His populist reputation as a French nationalist who is for robust immigration reform may collide somewhat uncomfortably with his status as the (rotating) President of the European Union, just as his stand on unions collides with his recent, public statements regarding socialism where Sarkozy responded to the question: have you become a socialist? — with the answer â€Å"Maybe† (Lawday, 2007). Sarkozy’s radicalism — which stands in sharp contrasts to his fiscal conservatism and his conservatism on issues such as immigration and unions — manifests itself not in ideology, necessarily, but within the framework of his aforementioned pragmatism. In other words, Sarkozy may be a populist to the extent that he adopts positions which will curry favor with French Nationalists, such as the â€Å"headscarf† legislation mentioned at the opening of this paper, he may be a fiscal conservative bent on busting the unions and generating a productive working class base for French society, but in each case his convictions, while arguably difficult to pin down under a single umbrella of ideology, are always enacted by way of robust action. Sarkozy may be many things, but one thing he certainly is not is a dawdler. One of the most illustrative examples of Sarkozy’s style and substance as a leader, and specifically as the President of France, is his massive reform of French government and the displacement of governmental power. Although — as will be demonstrated shorty — Sarkozy’s controversial reforms to French government have the design and purpose of bringing the government into the modern era of global-politics and allowing for a more efficiently run government within France itself, the same reforms have been assailed by Sarkozy;’s critics, primarily by the French Socialist party, as being tantamount to instating a dictatorship in France with Sarkozy himself enthroned as dictator. Although the specificities and complexities of Sarkozy’s reforming of French government pose much too vast a too vast to exhaust within the confines of this short discussion, the overall impact and intention of his reform policies offer profound insight into not Sarkozy’s ambitions as President but into the potentially radical reshaping of French government as well as France’s relationship to the EU. Before delving into the specifics of the reform legislation, it is useful to remember just how the French Constitution regarded the separation of governmental powers and — more importantly — what role the President of France was accorded by the Fifth Republic’s Constitution. Because Sarkozy’s program of governmental reform offers, as a centerpiece, the apparent expansion of Presidential power and authority, while simultaneously strengthening the role and power of parliament, sorting out the specific angles by which Sarkozy enabled the expansion of Presidential power can be quite difficult to achieve. However, the role of the French President, according to the Fifth Republic’s Constitution was limited: â€Å"Article 5 [†¦ ] states that the President â€Å"‘Provides by their arbitration for the regular functioning of the public authorities and the continuity of the State’† (Bell, 2000, p. 15), with nothing mentioned about the President’s own power to legislate. This aspect of the Constitution is the key area by which Sarkozy sought to expand, in the eyes of the anti-reformers, Presidential power. Specifically, the most controversial aspect of the reform-laws was Sarkozy’s † plan to allow the president to address parliament, opening up the possibility of a US State of the Union-style address. That has not been permitted since 1875, in an attempt to keep the executive and legislative branches separate† (BBC News), and it is by this seemingly simple move that Sarkozy expanded Presidential authority while simultaneously seeming to limit that same authority. Because the Fifth Republic’s Constitution calls for the President to function as an â€Å"arbitrator† the American-style Presidency of the President as the leader of the legislature, addressing parliament, becomes a specter of dread to those who view this as an incursion on the Constitutional separation of powers. While it is true that â€Å"Article 5, which implicitly restricts the Presidency, has been a subject of controversy† (Bell, 2000, p. 15), Sarkozy’s expansion of Presidential authority has proven to be even more divisive. Sarkozy’s plan to rewrite the Fifth Republic’s Constitution represents the two primary aspects of his governing style which have formed the roots of the current discussion; these aspects are his inherent conservatism and his obvious pragmatism. The reform legislation introduced radical, pragmatic steps toward affecting sweeping change in France and rewrote the French Constitution, but while Sarkozy verbalized his assurances that the reforms represented â€Å"‘Movement, change, modernity,'† (BBC News) as well as a victory for French democracy, the same reforms also contributed to the strengthening of Presidential authority and resulted in a divided parliament with Sarkozy’s reform bill passing â€Å"by 539 votes to 357 – one vote more than the three-fifths majority of the combined Assembly and Senate required to pass the reforms† BBC News), so if strengthening democracy was Sarkozy’s intention, his initial result was to divide the parliament and pass a sweeping reform to the French Constitution with next-to-no consensus. This fact in itself would seem to confirm the trepidation regarding his proposed reforms (now law) which engulfed his detractors in parliament. One of these detractor s, â€Å"Socialist senator Bernard Frimat told lawmakers before the vote at a special session at the Chateau of Versailles† (BBC News) that Sarkozy had offered a † â€Å"consolidation of ‘monocracy’,† (BBC News) but Sarkozy, always careful to play to populist ideas and ideals, counter-weighted the expansion of Presidential authority with corresponding limits and restrictions on the French Presidency. The reform laws while strengthening the President’s role in the legislature also limit the President to two five year terms, â€Å"gives parliament a veto over some presidential appointments, ends government control over parliament’s committee system, allows parliament to set its own agenda, and ends the president’s right of collective pardon† (BBC News). Seemingly, by these latter reforms, Sarkozy was interested in limiting not expanding the powers of the French President; however the telling point of the reform laws as they relate to the French Presidency lies within the mere expansion of the President’s role as a lawmaker rather than, as the Fifth Republic’s Constitution advocated, a â€Å"a neutral ‘umpire’ who has three principal tasks: i) to see that the Constitution is respected; ii) to ‘arbitrate’ to ensure the continuity of the state; iii) to be vigilant on the issues of national independence, territorial i ntegrity and the respect for treaties† (Bell, 2000, p. 16). Sarkozy’s vision of the President — and the reform legislation he was able to enact to realize this vision — stands in direct opposition to Article 5 of the French Constitution. Sarkozy’s radical pragmatism extends beyond the parameters and confines of French domestic issues into the realm of International affairs. As the acting President of the European Union, Sarkozy has applied a similarly â€Å"hands on† approach to issues of international importance such as climate change. As illustrated by Sarkozy’s reform legislation and the somewhat concealed agenda therein which provided for the expansion of Presidential authority, Sarkozy seems to have adopted a similar approach to his position as EU President. On the topic of global warming and climate change, Sarkozy has proven to be as pragmatic and as forceful as he was on the issues of crime, immigration, and government reform in France. At the thirty-third summit of the G8, Sarkozy offered a plan to reduce French CO2 emissions by half and what followed was the adoption of this concept by the G8 nations as a whole. Although the agreement which was reached at the summit was non-binding, Sarkozy’s lead enabled the G8 nations to put forth a collective plan to cut in half the global emissions of greenhouse gasses. Sarkozy continued to push for a binding agreement, but his efforts proved futile. Nevertheless, his approach to the issue of climate change represented, as his approach to governmental reform. a pragmatic and comprehensive approach to a hard problem. Of interest is the fact that the binding agreement regarding greenhouse gas emissions was apparently blocked by the United States with its President, George W, Bush, citing the refusal of third-world nations to also enter into the agreement. Responding tot his obstacle, Sarkozy turned his efforts not toward America or the Third World, but to China, utilizing his status as EU President to put forward a comprehensive and progressive energy policy which included a collaborative effort with the Chinese. Sarkozy’s successful brokering of a deal on energy adn climate change between the EU adn China marks one of the most important accomplishments of his pragmatic and often radical approach to governing. It is due to this combination of tenacity and creativity that Sarkozy has evolved from a controversial cabinet member in the French government known mostly for being a strong conservative to an actor on the world stage who seems to be equal parts populist and conservative. It is, perhaps, not necessary, to understand which of the aspects, conservative or populist is dominant in Sarkozy, it is possibly not even that important to understand, at a personal, human level, which aspect represents more honestly Sarkozy’s own world-view. While some observers may claim that Sarkozy’s populism is merely a smokescreen to conceal his ambitious moves toward a consolidation of personal power, others may claim, with good reason, that Sarkozy’s populism represents a genuine attempt to represent the global sea-change which has currently cast global economics and world-affairs into an ambiguous and dangerous place. No matter which of these perspectives lies closer to the objective truth of Sarkozy the man, the result of Sarkozy’s actions as a world-leader will involve much more than a consideration of President Sarkozy’s motives. One of the most compelling aspects of Sarkozy as a world leader is his simultaneous insistence of modernity while maintaining an acute, almost reverential, respect for the past. Like the other dualities apparent in Sarkozy’s governing style adn thinking style, this duality of â€Å"past vs. future† manifest, in Sarkozy, not as an abstract idealogy but in pragmatic application. In addition to his highly controversial reforms in regard to economics, government, unions, immigration, and climate change, Sarkozy has also generated a great deal of controversy regarding his position of cultural subjects and education in France. While seeming to be a strong nationalist with a true conservative’s reverence for tradition, Sarkozy has readily admitted that France has failed to â€Å"democratize† its culture and that in doing so, accomplished â€Å"one of the chief failures of the past 50 years of French government† (â€Å"Sarkozy out to ‘Democratize’,† 2007, p. B01). As always, his suggested course of action revealed a blend of populism and conservatism and fused the cultural concerns of France with the power of the French government: â€Å"Sarkozy defined â€Å"democratisation de la culture† as providing the means for the largest number of people to understand and appreciate Sophocles, Shakespeare and Racine. He added that the purpose of education is to â€Å"teach you how to tell the difference between ‘Madame Bovary’ and a police blotter, or between ‘Antigone’ and ‘Harry Potter. ‘ Later, you can read what you like. † (â€Å"Sarkozy out to ‘Democratize’,† 2007, p. B01) In conclusion, Sarkozy’s style of governing offers a curious and sometimes uncomfortable blend of populism and conservatism. In the area of domestic policy, he has proven to be both radical in his approach and keenly aware of the political impact of his pragmatic reforms, on international issues he has proven to be creative, opportunistic, and decisive. While Sarkozy’s bold embracing of â€Å"modernity† may be authenticated by his actions in some cases, many of his policies and programs reveal an essentially conservative politician who seeks, not merely reform, but the type of reform which ensures the continuation of his carefully crafted ideological beliefs.

Mass Spectrometer

Research Task On Mass Spectrometer When was the first mass spectrometer made and by who? Find an example of a mass spectrogram for an element and explain how it is used to find the relative atomic mass of that element. A solid disk of unknown mass ad known radius R is used as a pulley in a lab experiment, as shown. A small block of mass m is attached to a a lab experiment, as shown. A small block of mass m is attached to a string, the other end of which is attached to the pulley and wrapped around it several times. The block of mass m is released from rest and takes a time t to fall the distance D to the floor. econds before the plane is directly overhead? 14) Johnny Rockabilly has just finished recording his latest CD. The company can produce the CD with no fixed cost and a variable cost of company can produce the CD with no fixed cost and a variable cost of $5 per CD. A) Find total revenue for quantity equal to 10,000, 20,000, and so on. What is the marginal revenue for each 10,000 increase in the quantity sold? B) What quantity of CDs would maximize profit? What would the price be? What would the profit be? C) If you were Johnny†s agent, what recording fee would you advise Johnny to demand from the record company?Why? 15) A pop singer has a monopoly over a scarce†¦ if a nation's real GDP increases from 100 billion to 106 billion and its population jumps from 200 million to 212 million, its real GDP per its population jumps from 200 million to 212 million, its real GDP per capita will†¦ 2. What were the risks associated with outsourcing to Flextronics? Did Microsoft mitigate these risks? Do you think Microsoft would have Did Microsoft mitigate these risks? Do you think Microsoft would have been better off making the Xbox itself?

ICT Multimedia Coursework Assignment Essay

Introduction: I am going to set my presentation on Work Experience and this will target students in year 10 which will help them know what would be done before Work experience in order to them to go on it. I will also give the year 10’s a taste of how it will be like when their on work and the skills that they will gain during the weeks on their work. In this assignment I have used Microsoft Word to type up my report because it’s really fast and easy and better than writing it by hand. I also used Microsoft PowerPoint to do my presentation about Work Experience. During my assignment I used Windows Explorer to get images, which will be put on to my presentation and some on my video that I have created on Movie Maker. Techniques used: Custom Animation: – I used this technique because it helps you add affects to your slides. I do this simply by click on slideshow at the top then clicking on custom animations then you have a choice to pick which animation you need. Action Buttons: – I used action buttons in my presentation because when you view on a slideshow it will show a set of buttons and when you click on them they will take you directly to a slideshow, so basically its like a shortcut if you want to go to the previous slide, and to do this you will have to add action buttons to your master slide this will automatically add Action buttons to all of your slideshows. Slide Transition: – I used slide transition because these are affects, which are placed between one slide to another to make your slideshow more Attractive, there are all types of affects with a range to choose from. Master Slide: – I also used master slide in my presentation because I thought it will save me a lot of time for example if I want something to appear on every slide I don’t need to write it out every time I can just use master slide and do everything I want on one of the slide and it will automatically appear on all of them. Slide 1 (Work Experience): – In my first slide I used a theme which was used for all of my slides and as you can see it has a certain colour which appears as a title and for other descriptions. I also got the two pictures from clipart which relates to work experience and gave them custom animation as well. Also I used master slide to put the action buttons on all of my slides. Slide 2 (Why do we do work experience?): – In my second slide I used the same theme but changed the colours slightly just to make it look different. I used custom animation to my title, writing and picture. The picture from clipart shows a clock which relates to what I said about work and punctuality. Slide 3 (What do you achieve from work experience): – My third slide was about the achievements of work experience which will explain to the year 10s of the achievements they will get when they do work experience. I used custom animation to all of writings and pictures, which shows graduated students. I used this picture because it refers back to what I said in this slide about what achievements will work experience give you when you go to university and college. Slide 4 (Where can you get work experience from?): – The fourth slide will tell the year 10s a brief description of what they need to do to apply for a work. The picture from clipart relates to the slide because it shows number of employed people and it will give the people an idea of the sort of jobs that will be available for them when they go to work. I also used custom animation to my slide to make it more entertaining and flexible.lol Slide 5 (Rules of work experience): – This slide is about the rules of work experience that need to be flowed by the year 10s while they are in work. I also added a video of what they need to do in work experience for e.g. keeping their workplace clean and tidy. I also used custom animation to my slide as it will entertain the people looking at the power point. Slide 6 (Selection of jobs): – My last slide was about the type of jobs they can choose whether from the website or manually by going o the place and getting the form by the employer. I added a picture from clipart it shows a man signing paper this refers to what I said in this paragraph about the application form and jobs. I also used custom animation to it to make it entertaining.

Succubus Shadows Chapter 8

Knowing Carter was on the job with Simone made me feel mildly better, but there was something about him that always unnerved me when it came to Seth – and, well, my love life in general. He was too interested. I'd gotten used to an angel hanging out with my friends, but sometimes I wondered if I was being lulled into some kind of trick. Heaven had its own agenda, just as we did, and their motives were often harder to figure out. I had a morning shift the next day. It passed by easily until Doug delivered some bad news to me about ten minutes before I was going to leave. â€Å"Can't go with you tonight, Kincaid.† I looked up from my spreadsheet in disbelief. â€Å"What?† He shrugged, hovering near the door to my office. He'd had the same shift as me today, and I had a feeling he was telling me at the end to save himself from hours of anger. Kind of like how people who get fired are told at the end of the day on Friday. â€Å"There's this girl I met†¦and I can't really turn down the chance to go out with her. Oh, man. She's smokin'. She's got this body that – â€Å" â€Å"I don't need the details,† I interrupted. â€Å"Can't you just take her instead of me? Cody was starting to get into this idea†¦he'll be really down if it gets canceled.† â€Å"No need to cancel. Just go without me. I couldn't bring her instead of you – Cody needs you.† I groaned. â€Å"Yeah, but the safety of a group is gone, and I become the third wheel.† â€Å"Find someone else to go, then.† It was then that Maddie appeared beside her brother. She was relieving him for the next shift. â€Å"Go where?† My next words made me cringe, but I did not want to go alone with Cody and Gabrielle. â€Å"Do you want to go to a, um, metal concert tonight?† At least having another woman along would kill the double date insinuations. This clearly wasn't an invite that she'd been expecting. â€Å"Well†¦I would, except I've got to close, and then I'm supposed to meet a friend.† I had serious doubts about the â€Å"I would† part and this so-called friend. Metal was not Maddie's scene. She suddenly brightened. â€Å"You know what? You should bring Seth.† â€Å"I†¦what?† I asked. â€Å"Mortensen?† asked Doug, sounding as baffled as me. â€Å"I don't think that's his thing,† I said uneasily. I knew for a fact it wasn't. â€Å"Yeah,† agreed Doug. â€Å"Probably not a good idea.† I hid a frown at Doug's words. With as much as he wanted to get out of this and see his smokin' woman, I figured he'd be willing to push anyone off on me. Maddie was oblivious. â€Å"No, really. He's been cooped up for weeks with the book, and I think it'd be good for him to go out. I think the wedding stuff is stressing him out.† Yeah, that made two of us. â€Å"Oh, I don't want to, um, push him outside of his comfort zone,† I said lamely. She laughed. â€Å"Like I said, it'd be good for him. I'll go ask him now.† She was gone before either Doug or I could protest. Several moments of silence hung between us. â€Å"Well,† he said at last. â€Å"She can talk him into almost anything. I guess you're set.† â€Å"I guess so.† He walked off, and I found it intriguing that neither of us was excited about this prospect. It drove home the double date thing even more and also made me feel guilty about Maddie's blind trust. On the bright side – kind of – I supposed it would take some balls for Simone to crash the concert and continue her â€Å"seduction† of Seth. As Doug had predicted, Maddie did indeed convince Seth to go. It was a late show, and the four of us had agreed to meet outside the club around 10:30 so that I could distribute our tickets. Once we were all there, I glanced at the three faces before me, trying to decide whether it was all comical or pathetic. Seth was doing the averting-his-eyes thing, clearly uncomfortable that Maddie had pushed him into this. Cody was paler than usual for a vampire and looked ready to bolt at any moment. In fact, I wouldn't have been surprised if both men teamed up to formulate an escape plan. Gabrielle was the only one who looked excited to be there, her eyes alight and eager. She was also the only one really dressed for the scene, all in black, with her hair spiked up and makeup done to dramatic levels. Cody and Seth wore their usual street clothes, and I'd dressed somewhere in the middle: black jeans and a black bustier top, adorned with heavy silver jewelry. It was clearly too designer for this place, however. â€Å"Thanks so much for letting me come along with you guys,† she said. â€Å"I didn't know any of you liked Blue Satin Bra.† â€Å"What's not to like?† asked Seth, face innocent. I kept my eyes away from him because I had a feeling I'd start grinning. I handed out the tickets, and we headed inside, surrounded by a crowd that I decided I'd want on my side if I was ever in a street brawl. We managed to snag a high-top table in the back. It meant standing the whole time, but at least we had a surface to put our glasses on. â€Å"Offer to buy her a drink,† I hissed to Cody. The nice thing about playing Cyrano to a vampire was that his enhanced hearing meant I could keep my voice far below levels that Gabrielle could pick up. The noise in the room – even before the band started – also furthered the covert nature of all this. Cody dutifully obeyed, and when Gabrielle started to dig out cash, he assured her the first round was on him. The smile she gave him seemed to boost his confidence as he headed off. Seth leaned toward my ear. He stood on the opposite side of me from Gabrielle, and she was too entranced by the sights to even notice us. â€Å"This might be crazy enough to work,† he murmured. â€Å"Don't get carried away,† I responded back, trying not to think of his proximity. â€Å"The night is young. Any number of wacky mishaps might ensue.† He smiled. â€Å"Those are your specialty, aren't they?† â€Å"Unfortunately, yes.† Cody returned with the drinks, earning more approval from Gabrielle. She wasn't showing any romantic attraction to him whatsoever, but at least she knew he was alive. While I still stood firm that he shouldn't overdo the vampire/Goth thing, I realized we were going to have to work hard to get past the â€Å"ordinary† facade she saw. â€Å"Talk to her,† I told him. He'd slipped back to his place between me and Gabrielle. â€Å"Once they start, it's probably going to be impossible.† â€Å"What do I say?† Seth, overhearing, leaned across me, and I wished I'd covered up more skin. His arm brushing up against me sent thrills through my body. â€Å"Ask her if she's ever seen them live before,† Seth said. â€Å"If she says no, tell her about this one time you saw them at†¦I don't know. A private party. If she says yes, ask her what she thought.† Cody gave an uneasy nod. He leaned toward her, and while I only caught bits and pieces of the conversation, she grew animated as she spoke. I leaned back to Seth. â€Å"When did you become an expert in dating advice?† I asked incredulously. â€Å"It's what O'Neill would do.† I scoffed. â€Å"You're using fiction to further Cody's love life?† â€Å"Life imitates art, and art imitates life.† â€Å"That statement is ridiculous. And, you know, I've never really seen you utilize that advice.† â€Å"Well, that's O'Neill's advice. I have lots of characters I can draw from.† â€Å"Funny, I don't remember any introverted, stammering writers in your books.† â€Å"I don't stammer,† he said defensively – though there was a smile under his words. â€Å"Besides, maybe there'll be someone like that in the new series.† â€Å"Ooh,† I said, mocking his melodrama. â€Å"What's with the ‘maybe'? I thought you had the premise for this whole fantastic new thing figured out.† â€Å"I do. But it can always be improved along the way.† â€Å"Introvert authors improve everything.† â€Å"Damn straight.† Laughing, I remembered that I should have been helping Cody, but he was talking to Gabrielle on his own, which I took as a positive sign. I turned back to Seth. â€Å"So does this mean you've figured out the ending to Cady and O'Neill?† â€Å"No.† He still held his good humor, despite a small frown on his brow. â€Å"One of these days, I'll have to – â€Å" His words were cut off when the eardrum-splitting screech of a guitar ripped through the room. Blue Satin Bra had come onstage while I was talking (flirting?) with Seth. I hated stereotypes, but truthfully: they looked like what you'd expect from an all-guy metal band. Black clothing, piercings, and hair that ran in extremes: shaved or super long. The one thing that differentiated them was, well, the fact that they were wearing blue satin demi bras over their clothes. Even above the deafening music that followed, I could hear Gabrielle shrieking, â€Å"Oh my God!† Her face was ecstatic, and when Cody said something to her, she lit up further and nodded eagerly at the band. My guess was – whether it was true or not – he was reaffirming how awesome they were. The music forced Seth and me to lean close in order to talk. â€Å"You know,† he said, â€Å"I'm pretty sure the bass player stuffed his bra.† â€Å"Nah,† I teased back. â€Å"It's a push-up bra, so it just seems that way. They do amazing things for cleavage.† All things considered, Blue Satin Bra wasn't that bad. Metal might not be my favorite music, but I was still open to a lot of types. The setting and craziness that ensued throughout the night gave Seth and me lots of material to joke over. We were both in really good moods when the show finally ended and we walked out with Gabrielle and Cody. â€Å"That was awesome,† she exclaimed. â€Å"Thank you so much for sharing the tickets.† â€Å"No problem,† I said. My ears were ringing, and I wasn't sure if I was still shouting. â€Å"I think that was the best show I've ever seen,† said Cody nobly. Gabrielle clutched his sleeve, and his eyes widened. â€Å"I know! Which was your favorite song?† Silence. â€Å"Mine was that one were they kept saying ‘My Armageddon scales will burn your post office,'† said Seth deadpan. â€Å"Oh, yeah. That's one of their greatest,† she said. â€Å"It's called ‘Plywood Fuck.'† â€Å"That's my favorite too,† said Cody. I somehow doubted he'd heard any of the music tonight. His senses were all on Gabrielle. Perfectly in sync, Seth and I glanced at each other and exchanged secret smiles, both of us amused at Cody's love. I wasn't as far gone as he was, but when our group finally split up, I found myself walking on air too. â€Å"Interesting night,† Roman told me when we got home. He'd been along in spy mode. â€Å"I think Cody might actually have a chance.† â€Å"Maybe,† I said. â€Å"He's clearly smitten, but she only seems mildly interested. In a friendly way, though.† Roman rummaged through the kitchen and poured himself a bowl of Lucky Charms. â€Å"He's not the only one who's smitten.† I sighed and collapsed onto the couch. â€Å"Let it go, okay? We all know I'm a long ways from getting over Seth.† Roman gave me a sly look. â€Å"I wasn't talking about you.† I stared at him for a moment, my vodka-addled brain trying to make sense of his words. â€Å"Wait†¦you're talking about Seth? He's over me.† â€Å"Oh my God, Georgina. Could you be any more delusional?† â€Å"He's getting married.† â€Å"That means nothing. If it did, guys wouldn't catch chlamydia at their bachelor parties.† â€Å"But he does love Maddie. And no matter what you think about his feelings, he'll be out of my reach once they're married.† â€Å"The fact that they're dating means he should already be out of your reach – but past evidence shows that's not true.† I scowled and kicked off my shoes. â€Å"Don't bring that up. I feel bad enough – and so does he. If you're just going to taunt me, then I'm going to bed.† But to my surprise, Roman didn't wear that mocking look that had become so typical for him since returning to Seattle. His eyes were serious, his expression – almost – concerned. â€Å"I'm not trying to taunt you. I'm just stating the facts. No matter what happens, you and Seth can't seem to stay away from each other. You should put in a transfer request.† â€Å"What, out of Seattle?† I asked incredulously. â€Å"I love it here.† â€Å"You'll learn to love some other place. Honestly, it's the only way you're going to be able to move on – the only way either of you can move on. You're in a situation where you see him every day – tonight being a prime example. He broke up with you, and then you broke up with him for some ‘greater good' kind of goal. But if you keep hanging around each other, it won't matter. You'll never heal. You're just going to get your heart ripped out every day.† I was so stunned that I couldn't even respond for several seconds. The old taunt danced in my head: circles and circles. â€Å"I†¦why do you say that? Why do you care?† â€Å"Because I already see it happening every day. You are getting your heart ripped out over and over, and it kills me to watch it happen.† Again, I fell speechless for a moment. â€Å"I thought†¦I thought you hated me. I thought you wanted to destroy me.† He finished his cereal and set the bowl down. I didn't have the will to shoo the cats away. â€Å"I don't hate you, Georgina,† he said wearily. â€Å"Am I upset about what happened to Helena? Absolutely. Am I upset about you lying about loving me? Yes. Do I want some kind of revenge? Maybe. Honestly, my feelings change from day to day. Some days I do want something awful to happen to you. Some days†¦well, I know you did what you did out of some misguided sense of†¦I don't know. You thought you were doing the right thing.† I wanted to tell him that I had loved him, in a way. But that probably wouldn't be useful right now. â€Å"Well, watching this Seth drama unfold is probably giving you lots of material when it comes to something awful happening to me.† â€Å"No,† he said, with a weary head shake. â€Å"I don't like this. Like I said, I'd rather see you leave and start a new life. Every time I see you now, it's like†¦it's like watching you die. Over and over.† I stood up, suddenly wanting to sleep. â€Å"Yeah,† I said softly. â€Å"That's kind of what it feels like.† I hesitated. â€Å"Thanks for listening. And understanding.† â€Å"Anytime,† he said. This also caught me by surprise. Somewhere in these last few crazy months, I realized, Roman and I had become friends again. â€Å"I hate to ask you this, but, well, I'm not doing a very good job with keeping an upbeat mood tonight. Would you – â€Å" He rose as well. â€Å"Yup. I'll watch you sleep. If you can handle the creepy factor.† â€Å"It's an acceptable trade,† I said with a smile. â€Å"Thanks.† And maybe it was the vodka, but I stepped forward and hugged him. He was stiff for a moment, clearly caught off guard, but then he relaxed and wrapped his arms around me. I rested my head against his chest, taking small comfort in someone warm and alive who wasn't a stranger. He smelled like I remembered, the clean, sharp scent of his cologne surrounding me in a way very different from Seth's woodsy smell. I was just thinking I should pull away when a voice asked, â€Å"Am I interrupting anything?† I jerked away from the embrace and found Carter standing in the living room, arms crossed and one eyebrow arched. Roman seemed equally flustered and took a few steps back as well, getting as far away from me as he could. â€Å"Don't you ever knock?† I asked. â€Å"Not sure you'd answer,† said Carter good-naturedly. â€Å"Especially with the news I've got.† I groaned. â€Å"That was fast. Does it have to do with Simone?† He nodded. â€Å"Afraid so. She met up with Seth again.†