Place-Names: Its Cultural Significance Among the Western Apache Essay

Between 1979 and 1984, Professor Keith Basso of he University of New Mexico conducted a study of Apache places and place-names. Specifically, this stud focused on the ways in which the Apache refer to their land, the legends behind these places, and the ways in which these place-names are used in everyday conversation. Basso’s ethnography can be considered as an attempt to correlate social landscape with culture. Basso attempted to examine the effects of landscape to the everyday social interaction of Apache men and women. The Western Apache construction of history is a ‘worn trail’ created by the tribe’s first ancestors. It was also the same path that several generations of Apache undertook. It was in these places that ‘special events’ took place. The ancestors gave names to landscapes based on the events that happened there. These place-names were passed down from one generation to another to serve as a bridge between the Apache and their ancestors. It was in every sense, a memorial of the past, a dedication to the ancestors. Even if the landscape changed, its name remained alive in Apache culture. Basso then examined the specifics of the language used by the Apache to refer to place-names. Basso found that the Apache usually manipulated language (with regard to place-names) in order to elicit acceptable behavior and moralistic values from the members of the tribe. It can be said that the creation of place-names tales was generally moralistic in nature. It was intended to influence patterns of social collectivity. Its purpose was multi-faceted: 1) to provide enlightenment, 2) to criticize, and 3) to warn. The general implied purpose of place-names was to promote the general interest and unity of the Apache tribe. This is the reason why place-names remained a central force in Apache cultural life. As in every tribe, a historical tale is intended to create a critical and remedial response to specific situations, mostly on the individual level. An individual ho committed crime would have to be judged based on its implied offense to the historical value of place-names. The Apache examined whether such offense created a gap between the individual and the place-names. The landscape, therefore, served as the moral guide of the Apache. It generally outlined the dos and don’ts of an ethical and moral living. It was in every sense, the Apache view of moral life (a reference to ancestral events that occurred in specific places). The place-names when spoken evoked moral truths. Those who spoke it must know its essence. By judging it to be morally relevant, an Apache was expected to proclaim it from the heart. The process of knowing the truth must be silent and critical. One need not study it. Only an invocation from the heart would provide images of the truth and serve as an infallible guide to moral life. This â€Å"evoking of images† provided a direct form of criticism or advice without so much linguistic references. Thus, it can be said that the value of place-names to Apache life is both direct and indirect. It is direct because it served as a guide to the ideal life. It is indirect because the individual understood it from the heart. It was, in every sense, a bridge not only between the individual and the past, but also between the individual and the society. For example, the place-names of ‘great dog mountain’, ‘pillar of fire’, and ‘hill of discontent’ provided the means by which the individual may connect to the past. The anchorage of his actions could not be independent of the ‘will’ of these places, since these places are the only ones which give meaning to life. For an Apache, the ‘pillar of fire’ signified the foundation of life and the solitude of existence. The Apache mind rested on the edifice of these place-names both as a testimony to the greatness of their ancestors as well as the worth of its society. Reference Basso, Keith. 1996. Wisdom Sits in Places: Landscape and Language Among the Western Apache. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company.

You Suck: A Love Story Chapter 14~15

Chapter Fourteen Powers for Good The Emperor was sitting on a black marble bench just around the corner from the great opera house, feeling small and ashamed, when he saw the striking redhead in jeans coming toward him. Bummer lapsed into a barking fit and the Emperor snatched the Boston terrier up by the scruff of the neck and stuffed him into the oversized pocket of his coat to quiet him. â€Å"Brave Bummer,† said the old man. â€Å"Would that I could still hold that kind of passion, even if it were fear. But my fear is weak and damp, I've barely the spine for a dignified surrender.† He'd felt like this since he'd seen Jody outside the secondhand store, where she'd warned him away from the owner. Yes, now he knew her to be one of the undead, a bloodsucking fiend – but then, not so much a fiend. She had been a friend, a good one, even after he had betrayed Tommy Iff to the Animals. He could feel the City's eye on him, could feel her disappointment in him. What does a man have, if not character? What is character, if not a man's measure of himself against his friends and enemies? The great city of San Francisco shook her head at him, ashamed. Her bridges slumped in the fog with disappointment. He remembered a house somewhere and that same look on the face of a dark-haired woman, but mercifully, in an instant that memory was a ghost, and Jody was bending to scratch behind the ears of the steadfast Lazarus, who had never been agitated by her like his bug-eyed brother, who even now squirmed furiously in the woolen pocket. â€Å"Your Majesty,† Jody said. â€Å"How are you?† â€Å"Worthless and weak,† said the Emperor. She really was a lovely girl. He'd never known her to hurt a soul. What a cad he was. â€Å"I'm sorry to hear that. You have plenty to eat? Staying warm?† â€Å"The men and I have this very hour vanquished a corned beef on a sourdough roll the size of a healthy infant, thank you.† â€Å"Tommy's Joynt?† Jody said with a smile. â€Å"Indeed. We are not worthy, yet my people provide.† â€Å"Don't be silly, you're worthy. Look, Emperor, have you seen William?† â€Å"William of the huge and recently shaven cat?† â€Å"That's the one.† â€Å"Why yes, we crossed his path not long ago. He was at the liquor store at Geary and Taylor. He seemed very enthusiastic about purchasing some scotch. More energetic than I've seen him in many years.† â€Å"That was how long ago?† She stopped petting Lazarus and stood. â€Å"Little more than an hour ago.† â€Å"Thank you, Your Majesty. You don't know where he was going?† â€Å"I should think to find a safe place to drink his dinner. Although I can't claim to know him well, I don't think William passes the evening in the Tenderloin often.† Jody patted the Emperor's shoulder, and he took her hand. â€Å"I'm so sorry, dear.† â€Å"Sorry? About what?† â€Å"When I saw you and Thomas the other night, I noticed. It's true, isn't it? Thomas has changed.† â€Å"No, he's still a doofus.† â€Å"I mean he is one of your kind now?† â€Å"Yes.† She looked up the street. â€Å"I was alone,† she said. The Emperor knew exactly how she felt. â€Å"I told one of his crew from the Safeway, Jody. I'm sorry, I was frightened.† â€Å"You told the Animals?† â€Å"The born-again one, yes.† â€Å"And how did he react?† â€Å"He was worried for Thomas's soul.† â€Å"Yeah, that would be Clint's reaction. You don't know if he told the other Animals?† â€Å"I would guess yes, by now.† â€Å"Okay, don't worry, then, Your Highness. It's okay. Just don't tell anyone else. Tommy and I are leaving the City just like we promised those police detectives. We just have to get things in order.† â€Å"And the other – the old vampire?† â€Å"Yes. Him, too.† She turned and strode away, heading into the Tenderloin, her boot heels clacking on the sidewalk as she kept her pace just below a run. The Emperor shook his head and rubbed Lazarus behind the ears. â€Å"I should have told her about the detectives. I know that, old friend.† There was only so much weakness he could confess to at one time – that, too, a fault. The Emperor resolved to sleep somewhere cold and damp tonight, perhaps in the park by the Maritime Museum, as penance for his weakness. There was no way she was going to remember his new mobile number. It was five in the morning before Tommy had finished moving all of the furniture, books, and clothes. Now the new loft looked almost exactly like the old loft had looked, except that it didn't have a working phone line. So Tommy sat on the counter of the old loft, looking at the three bronze statues and waiting for Jody to call. Just the three statues left to move: Jody, the old vampire, and the turtle. The old vampire looked fairly natural. He'd been unconscious when he'd been bronzed, but Tommy had the biker sculptors downstairs pose him as if he was in midstep, out for a stroll. Jody was posed with her hand on her hip, her head thrown back as if she'd just tossed her long hair over her shoulder, smiling. Tommy turned his head to the side, getting perspective. She didn't look skanky. What made Abby say the statue was skanky? Sexy, well yes. Jody had been wearing some very low-cut jeans and a crop top when he'd posed her for the electroplating, and the bikers had insisted upon exposing more of her cleavage than was probably decorous, but what could you expect from a couple of guys who specialized in making high-end garden gnomes acting out the Kama Sutra? Okay, she looked a little skanky, but he didn't see how that was a bad thing. He had actually been delighted when she came streaming out of the ear holes to materialize, stark naked, in front of him. If she hadn't killed him, it would have been the fulfillment of a sexual fantasy he'd nurtured for a long time. (There had been this old TV show he'd watched as a kid, about a beautiful genie who lived in a bottle – well, Tommy had done some serious bottle polishing over that one.) So the Jody statue stayed. But the old vampire, Elijah, that was a different story. There was a real creature in there. A real scary creature. Whatever bizarre events had brought them to this spot had been set off by Elijah Ben Sapir. He was a reminder that neither he – Tommy – nor Jody had chosen to be vampires. Neither had chosen to live out the rest of their days in the night. Elijah had taken their choices away from them, and replaced them with a whole new set of scarier, bigger choices. The first of which was how the hell do you deal with the fact that you have imprisoned a sentient, feeling being in a shell of bronze, even if he is an evil dick-weed from the Dark Ages? But they couldn't let him out. He'd kill them for sure if they did. Really kill them, too, a complete death, the kind with no nooky. Suddenly Tommy was angry. He'd had a future. He might have been a writer, a Nobel Prize winner, an adventurer, a spy. Now he was just a foul dead thing, and the furthest his ambition would reach was his next victim. Okay, that wasn't really true, but still, he was pissed off. So what if Elijah was trapped in bronze shell forever. He'd trapped them in these monstrous bodies. Maybe it was time to do something monstrous. Tommy picked up Jody's statue and threw it over his shoulder and, despite his great vampire strength, followed it over backward as it clanged against the floor. Okay, it had taken the two bikers and a refrigerator dolly to get the statues up here, maybe a little planning was in order. It turned out he could move the statue pretty efficiently if he slung it over his back and let one of her feet drag, and so he did, down the steps, half a block down the sidewalk, and back up the steps of the new loft. Bronze Jody looked happy in the new place, he thought. The turtle took half as long. She, too, looked pleased with the surroundings. As for Elijah, Tommy figured what was the point of being in a city on a peninsula if you didn't take advantage of the water now and then. And Elijah evidently liked the ocean, since he'd come to the City on his yacht, which Tommy and the Animals had managed to blow to smithereens. The vampire statue was even heavier that Jody's, but Tommy felt energized by the idea of getting rid of it. Just a short twelve blocks to the sea and that would be that. â€Å"From the sea ye came, and to the sea ye shall return,† Tommy said, thinking that he might be quoting Coleridge, or maybe a Godzilla movie. As Tommy dragged the bronzed vampire down Mission Street, he considered his future. What would he do? He had a lot of time to fill, and after a while, figuring out new ways to jump Jody would only fill up a part of his nights. He was going to have to find a purpose. They had money – cash the vampire had given Jody when he turned her – and what was left of the money from the sale of Elijah's art, but eventually that would run out. Maybe he should get a job. Or become a crime fighter. That's it, he would use his powers for good. Maybe get an outfit. After a few blocks Tommy noticed that Elijah's toe, the one that was dragging on the sidewalk, was starting to wear away. The bikers had warned Tommy that the bronze shell was pretty thin. It wouldn't do to unleash a claustrophobic and hungry ancient vampire when you were the guy who had imprisoned him, so Tommy stood the vampire on the corner for a minute while he dug through a trash bin until he found some heavy-duty plastic Big Gulp cups, which he fitted on the vampire's dragging foot as skid protection. â€Å"Ha!† Tommy said. â€Å"Thought you had me.† A couple of guys in hip-hop wear walked by as Tommy was fitting the cups on the vampire's feet. Tommy made the mistake of making eye contact and they paused. â€Å"Stole it from a building on Fourth,† Tommy said. The two nodded, as if they were saying, Of course, we were just wondering, and proceeded to move down the sidewalk. They must sense my superior strength and speed, Tommy thought, so they wouldn't dare mess with me. In fact, the two had confirmed that the white boy in the ghost makeup was crazy – and what would they do with a four-hundred-pound statue anyway? Tommy figured he'd drag the statue to the Embarcadero and toss it off the pier by the Ferry Building. If there was anyone around, he'd just stand at the rail like he was there with his gay lover, then shove the statue in when no one was looking. He felt enormously sophisticated about the plan. No one would ever think a guy from Indiana was pretending to be gay. That kind of thing just wasn't done. Tommy had known a kid once in high school who had gone up to Chicago to see the musical Rent and was never heard from again. Tommy reckoned he'd been disappeared by the local Kiwanis Club. When he got to the Embarcadero, which ran all along the waterfront, Tommy was tempted to just chuck Elijah in the Bay right there and call it a night, but he had a plan, so he dragged the vampire that last two blocks to the promenade at the end of Market Street, where the antique streetcars, the cable cars, and the cross-bay ferries all converged in a big paved park and sculpture garden. Here, away from the buildings, the night seemed to open up to his vampire senses, take on a new light. Tommy stopped for moment, stood Elijah by a fountain, and watched heat streaming out of some grates by the streetcar turnaround. Perfect. There was absolutely no one around. Then the beeping started. Tommy looked at his watch. Sunrise in ten minutes. The night hadn't opened up to him, it had been shutting him down. Ten minutes, and the loft was a good twenty blocks away. Jody was quickstepping along the alleyway that came out in front of their old loft. She still had twenty minutes until sunrise, but she could see the sky lightening, and twenty minutes was cutting it too close. Tommy would be freaked. She should have taken the cell phone with her. She shouldn't have left him alone with the new minion. She'd finally found William, passed out in a doorway in Chinatown, with Chet the huge cat sleeping on his chest. They'd have to remember not to leave William with any money from now on, if he was going to be their food source. Otherwise he'd go elsewhere for his alcohol, and that wasn't going to work. He was making his staggering way home on his own. Maybe she'd let him take a shower at the old loft – they weren't going to get their deposit back anyway. There was still a light on in the loft. Great, Tommy was home. She'd forgotten to get a key for the new place. She was about to step out of the alley when she smelled cigar smoke and heard a man's voice. She stopped and peeked around the corner. There was a brown Ford sedan parked across the street from their old loft, and in it sat two middle-aged men. Cavuto and Rivera, the homicide detectives that she'd made a deal with the night they'd blown up Elijah's yacht. They'd moved just in time, but then, maybe not quite. She couldn't get to the new place either. It was only a half a block away, and she'd have to cross in the open. And even then, what if it was locked? She jumped four feet straight up when the alarm on her watch went off. It was toward the end of their second shift after returning to the Safeway that the Animals sobered up. Lash was sitting by himself in the wide backseat of the Hummer limo, his head cradled in his hands, hoping desperately that the despair and self-loathing he was feeling was only the effect of a hangover, instead of what it really was, which was a big flaming enema of reality. The reality was, they had spent more than a half a million dollars on a blue hooker. He let the hugeness of it roll around in his head, and looked up at the other Animals, who were sitting around the perimeter of the limo, similarly posed, trying not to make eye contact with one another. They'd had nearly two semi trucks of stock to put up that night, and they'd known it was coming because they'd ordered it to make up for the time they'd been away and Clint had let the shelves get low. So they'd sobered up, put their heads down, and thrown stock like the Animals that they were. Now it was getting close to dawn and it was dawning on all of them that they might have severely fucked up. Lash risked a sideways glance at Blue, who was sitting between Barry and Troy Lee. She'd taken Lash's apartment on Northpoint, and made him sleep on the couch at Troy Lee's, where there were about seven hundred Chinese family members, including Troy's grandmother, who, every time she passed through the room during the day, when Lash was trying to sleep, would screech, â€Å"What's up, my nigga!† and try to get him to wake up and give her a pound or a high five. Lash had been explaining to her that it's impolite to refer to an African American as a nigga, unless one was another African-American, when Troy Lee came in and said, â€Å"She only speaks Cantonese.† â€Å"She does not. She keeps coming in and saying, ‘What's up, my nigga? â€Å" â€Å"Oh yeah. She does that to me, too. Did you give her a pound?† â€Å"No, I didn't give her a pound, motherfucker. She called me a nigga.† â€Å"Well, she's not going to quit unless you give her a pound. It's just the way she rolls.† â€Å"That's some bullshit, Troy.† â€Å"It's her couch.† Lash, exhausted and already hungover, gave the wizened old woman a pound. Granny turned to Troy Lee. â€Å"What's up, my nigga!† She offered and received a pound from her grandson. â€Å"That shit is not the same!† Lash said. â€Å"Get some sleep. We have a big load tonight.† Now half a million dollars was gone. His apartment was gone. The limo was costing them a thousand dollars a day. Lash looked out the blackout windows at the moving patchwork of shadows thrown by the streetlights, then turned to Blue. â€Å"Blue,† he said. â€Å"We have to get rid of the limo.† Everyone looked up, shocked. No one had said anything to her since they'd finished stocking. They'd brought her coffee and juice, but no one had said anything. Blue looked at him. â€Å"Get me what I want.† Not a hint of malice, not even a demand, really, just a statement of fact. â€Å"Okay,† Lash said. Then to the driver he said, â€Å"Take a right up here. Head back to that building where we went last night.† Lash crawled over the divider into the front passenger seat. He couldn't see shit out the blackened windows. They'd only gone about three blocks into the SOMA district when he saw someone running. Running way, way too fast for a jogger. Running – like he was on fire – running. â€Å"Pull up alongside of that guy.† The driver nodded. â€Å"Hey, guys, is that Flood?† â€Å"Yeah, it is,† Barry, the bald one, said. Lash rolled down the window. â€Å"Tommy, you need a ride, man?† Tommy, still running, nodded like a bobble-head on crack. Barry threw open the back door, and before the limo could even slow down, Tommy leapt in, landing across Drew and Gustavo's laps. â€Å"Man, am I glad you guys came along,† Tommy said. â€Å"In about a minute, I'm going to – â€Å" He passed out in their laps as the sun washed over the hills of San Francisco. Chapter Fifteen Broken Clowns Inspector Alphonse Rivera watched the broken clown girl – black-and-white-striped stockings and green sneakers – come out of Jody Stroud's apartment and head up the street, then turn and look back at their brown, unmarked sedan. â€Å"We're made,† said Nick Cavuto, Rivera's partner, a broad-shouldered bear of a man, who longed for the days of Dashiell Hammett, when cops talked tough and there were very few problems that couldn't be solved with your fists or a smack from a lead sap. â€Å"We're not made. She's just looking. Two middle-aged guys sitting in the car on the city street – it's unusual.† If Cavuto was a bear, then Rivera was a raven – a sharp-featured, lean Hispanic, with just a touch of gray at the temples. Lately he'd taken to wearing expensive Italian suits, in raw silk or linen when he could find them. His partner was in rumpled Men's Wearhouse. Rivera often wondered if Nick Cavuto might not be the only gay man on the planet who had no fashion sense whatsoever. The knock-kneed kid with the raccoon eye makeup was making her way across the street toward them. â€Å"Roll up your window,† Cavuto said. â€Å"Roll up your window. Pretend like you don't see her.† â€Å"I'm not going to hide from her,† Rivera said. â€Å"She's just a kid.† â€Å"Exactly. You can't hit her.† â€Å"Jesus, Nick. She's just a creepy kid. What's wrong with you?† Cavuto had been on edge since they'd pulled up an hour ago. They both had, really, since the guy named Clint, one of the night crew from the Marina Safeway, had left a message on Rivera's voice mail that Jody Stroud, the redheaded vampire, had not left town as she had promised, and that her boyfriend, Tommy Flood, was now also a vampire. It was a very bad turn of events for the two cops, both of whom had taken a share of the money from the old vampire's art collection in return for letting them all go. It had seemed like the only option, really. Neither of the cops wanted to explain how the serial killer they'd been chasing had been an ancient vampire, and how he'd been tracked down by a bunch of stoners from the Safeway. And when the Animals blew up the vampire's yacht – well, the case was solved, and if the vampires had left, it would have all been good. The cops had planned to retire early and open a rare-book store. Rivera thought he might learn to golf. Now he was feeling it all float away on an evil breeze. A cop for twenty years, without ever so much as fixing a traffic ticket, then the one time you take a hundred thousand dollars and let a vampire go, the whole world turns on you like you're some kind of bad guy. Rivera was raised a Catholic, but he was starting to believe in karma. â€Å"Pull out. Pull out,† Cavuto said. â€Å"Go around the block until she goes away.† â€Å"Hey,† said the broken clown girl. â€Å"You guys cops?† Cavuto hit the window button on his door but the ignition was off, so the window didn't budge. â€Å"Go away, kid. Why aren't you in school? Do we need to take you in?† â€Å"Winter break, brain trust,† said the kid. Rivera couldn't hold the laugh in and he snorted a little trying to. â€Å"Move along, kid. Go wash that shit off your face. You look like you fell asleep with a Magic Marker in your mouth.† â€Å"Yeah,† said the kid, examining a black fingernail, â€Å"well, you look like someone pumped about three hundred pounds of cat barf into a cheap suit and gave it a bad haircut.† Rivera slid down in his seat and turned his face toward the door. He couldn't look at his partner. He was sure that if it was possible for steam to come out of someone's ears, that might be happening to Cavuto, and if he looked, he'd lose it. â€Å"If you were a guy,† Cavuto said, â€Å"I'd have you in handcuffs already, kid.† â€Å"Oh God,† Rivera said under his breath. â€Å"If I were a guy, I'll bet you would. And I'll bet I'd have to send you to the S and M ATM, because the kinky shit is extra.† The kid leaned down so she was eye level with Cavuto, and winked. That was it. Rivera started giggling like a little girl – tears were creeping out the corners of his eyes. â€Å"You're a big fucking help,† Cavuto said. He reached over, flipped the ignition key to â€Å"accessory,† then rolled up his window. The kid came over to Rivera's side of the car. â€Å"So, have you seen Flood?† she asked. â€Å"Cop?† She added  «cop » with a high pop on the p, like it was punctuation mark, not a profession. â€Å"You just came out of his apartment,† Rivera said, trying to shake off the giggles. â€Å"You tell me.† â€Å"Place is empty. The douche nozzle owes me money,† said the kid. â€Å"For what?† â€Å"Stuff I did for him.† â€Å"Be specific, sweetheart. Unlike my partner, I don't threaten.† It was a threat, of course, but he thought he might have hit pay dirt, the kid's eyes opened wide enough to see light. â€Å"I helped him and that redheaded hag load their stuff into a truck.† Rivera looked her up and down. She couldn't have weighed ninety pounds. â€Å"He hired you to help him move?† â€Å"Just little crap. Lamps and stuff. They were like, in a hurry. I was walking by, he flagged me down. Said he'd give me a hundred bucks.† â€Å"But he didn't?† â€Å"He gave me eighty. He said it was all he had on him. To come back this morning for the rest.† â€Å"Did either of them say where they were going?† â€Å"Just that they were going to leave the City this morning, as soon as they paid me.† â€Å"You notice anything unusual about either of them – Flood or the redhead?† â€Å"Just day dwellers, like you. Bourgeois four-oh-fours.† â€Å"Four-oh-Fours?† â€Å"Clueless – Pottery Barn fucktards.† â€Å"Of course,† Rivera said. He could hear his partner snickering now. â€Å"So you haven't seen them?† the kid said. â€Å"They're not coming, kid.† â€Å"How do you know that?† â€Å"I know that. You're out twenty dollars. Cheap lesson. Go away and don't come back here, and if either of them contact you, or you see them, call me.† Rivera handed the kid a business card. â€Å"What's your name?† â€Å"My day-slave name?† â€Å"Sure, let's try that one.† â€Å"Allison. Allison Green. But on the street I'm known as Abby Normal.† â€Å"On the street?† â€Å"Shut up, I have street cred.† Then she added, â€Å"Cop!† like the chirp of a car alarm arming. â€Å"Good. Take your street cred and run along, Allison.† She shuffled off, trying to swivel nearly nonexistent hips as she went. â€Å"You think they left the City?† Cavuto asked. â€Å"I want to own a bookstore, Nick. I want to sell old books and learn to golf.† â€Å"So that would be no?† â€Å"Let's go talk to the born-again Safeway guy.† Four robots and one statue guy worked the Embarcadero by the Ferry Building. Not every day. Some days, when it was slow, there were only two robots and a statue guy, or on rainy days, none of them worked, because the silver or gold makeup they used to color their skin didn't hold up well in the rain, but as a rule, it was four robots and one statue guy. Monet was the statue guy – the ONLY statue guy. He'd staked his territory three years ago, and if some poseur ever showed up, he had to meet Monet on the field of stillness, where they would clash in the motion-free battle of doing absolutely nothing. Monet had always prevailed, but this guy – this new guy – was really good. The challenger had been there when Monet arrived in the late morning, and he hadn't even blinked for two hours. The guy's makeup was perfect, too. He looked as if he had really been bronzed, so it was beyond Monet why he would choose to get his collections in Big Gulp cups that he'd jammed his feet into. Monet carried a small portfolio case, with a hole cut in it where tourists could stuff their bills. He had primed his money hole with a five today, just to show the challenger that he wasn't intimidated, but the truth was, after two hours, he hadn't made half of what he saw the newcomer take in, and he was intimidated. And his nose itched. His nose itched and the new statue guy was kicking his ass. Normally Monet would change positions every half hour or so, then stand motionless while the tourists taunted him and tried to make him flinch, but with the new competition, he had to stay still as long as it took. The robots on the promenade had all assumed poses from which they could watch. They only had to hold still until someone dropped cash into their cup, then they would do the robot dance. It was boring work, but the hours were good and you were outside. It looked like Monet was going down. Sundown. He felt like his ass was on fire. Tommy came to to the sound of a riding crop being smacked against his bare butt and the rough bark of a woman's voice. â€Å"Say it! Say it! Say it!† He tried to pull away from the pain but couldn't move his arms or legs. He was having trouble focusing his vision – waves of light and heat were rocketing around his brain and all he could really see was a bright red spot with waves of heat coming off of it and a figure moving around the edges. It was like staring into the sun through a red filter. He could feel the heat on his face. â€Å"Ouch!† Tommy said. â€Å"Dammit!† He pulled against his bonds and heard a metallic rattling, but nothing gave. The red hot light went away and was replaced by the blurry form of a female face, a blue face, just inches away from his own. â€Å"Say it,† she whispered harshly, spitting a little on the â€Å"it.† â€Å"Say what?† â€Å"Say it, vampire!† she said. She whipped the riding crop across his stomach and he howled. Tommy squirmed against his bonds and heard the rattling again. With the spotlight moved away, he could see that he was suspended by very professional-looking nylon restraints to a brass, four-poster bed frame that had been stood on end. He was completely naked and evidently the blue woman, who was dressed in a black vinyl bustier, boots, and nothing else, had been whaling on him for some time. He could see welts across his stomach and thighs, and well, his ass felt like it was on fire. She wound up to smack him again. â€Å"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa,† Tommy said, trying not to screech. He only realized then that his fangs were extended and he'd bitten his own lips. The blue woman held up. â€Å"Say it.† Tommy tried to keep his voice calm. â€Å"I know you've been doing this for a while now, but I've only been awake for about a minute of it, so I have no idea what you are asking me. If you slow down and repeat the whole question, I'll be happy to tell you whatever I know.† â€Å"Your safety word,† said the blue woman. â€Å"Which is?† Tommy said. He noticed for the first time that she had enormous boobs spilling out of that bustier and it occurred to him that he had never seen big blue boobs before. They were kind of mesmerizing. He wouldn't have been able to look away even if he weren't strapped down. â€Å"I told you,† she said, letting the riding crop fall to her side. â€Å"You told me what a safety word is?† â€Å"I just told you what it is.† â€Å"So you know it, then?† â€Å"Yes,† she said. â€Å"Then why are you asking?† â€Å"To see if you're at your breaking point.† She seemed to be pouting a little now. â€Å"Don't be a dick, this isn't my specialty.† â€Å"Where am I?† Tommy asked. â€Å"You're Lash's Smurf, aren't you? Are we at Lash's?† â€Å"I'm asking the questions here.† She snapped the riding crop against his thigh. â€Å"Ouch! Fuck! Stop that. You have issues, lady.† â€Å"Say it!† â€Å"What is it? I was asleep when you told me, you stupid bitch!† He was wrong, he was able to look away from the blue boobs. He snarled at her, something coming up from deep inside him that he didn't even recognize – something that felt wild and on the verge of out of control – like when he first made love with Jody as a vampire, only this felt – well, lethal. â€Å"It's Cheddar.† â€Å"Cheddar? Like the cheese?† He was getting beating because of cheese? â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"So I said it. Now what?† â€Å"You're broken.† â€Å"‘Kay,† Tommy said, straining against the heavy nylon straps, understanding now what he was feeling. He was going to kill her. He didn't know how yet, but he was as certain of it as of anything he had ever known. Grass was green, water was wet, and this bitch was dead. â€Å"So now you have to turn me,† she said. â€Å"Turn you?† he said. His fangs ached, like they were going to leap out of his mouth. â€Å"Make me like you,† she said. â€Å"You want to be orange? Is this another Cheddar thing? Because – â€Å" â€Å"Not orange, you nitwit, a vampire!† she said, and she snapped the riding crop across his chest. He bit his lips again and felt the blood running down his chin. â€Å"So for that you needed all the hitting?† He said. â€Å"Come over here.† She leaned up and kissed him, then pushed away hard and came away with his blood on her mouth. â€Å"I guess I'm going to have to get used to this,† she said, licking her lips. â€Å"Closer,† Tommy said.

Compare sex difference and women talk too much Essay

Compare sex difference and women talk too much - Essay Example Conversely, â€Å"Women Talk Too Much† is a piece of art that was authored by Holms. From the article, the author has proved that it is a mythical believe and myth that women tends to talk a lot. From the two articles, there are various similarities and differences between the two essays. The main comparison between â€Å"Sex Differences† and â€Å"Women Talk Too Much† is that in both articles, the authors have tried proving that the manner in which people believe on the sex difference and more so on women is not correct (McGeown, 2012). On the other hand, the main difference between â€Å"Sex Differences† and â€Å"Women Talk Too Much† is based on ways in which the views of the authors are directed to the society. The ideas outlined by the authors are significant for people to develop the society. The authors of both â€Å"Sex Differences† and â€Å"Women Talk Too Much† argue in defending their ideas. Macaulay has used research work in supporting his idea. He started with the research chronology on books that were written by Jespersen way back in 1920. Jespersen book, he mentioned on ways in women were heavily stereotyped based on their use of language and the ways in which they understood their language. Based on the book, he showed the audience that, previously there was this belied that women are used to using easy words. Additionally, they focus especially on the main and central arena of their language. Similarly, men tend to hold the new words with a lot of ease. It was also mentio ned that female counterparts have a less reserve of their vocabularies compared to men. Additionally, he included that women are quick in linguistic and better compared to men. However, according to Macaulay, he believes that this is absolutely stereotype. Conversely, Holmes has used illustrations and examples in proving their ideas to prove who talks a lot

Dance review Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dance - Movie Review Example The performance is structured around a collection of themes as well as reoccurring settings. The work can be viewed as being light but punctuated with some heavier moments. The choreographer, Barton ventures more into subjects regarding femininity, masculinity, ritual, water and nurture. The choreography depicted from the performance is quite demanding but despite this the performers rise to the challenge. There are three dancers that standout due to the fact that they are heavily featured: Davon Rainey, William Briscoe and Jonathan Alsberry. The three dancers are quite captivating based on their fast as well as a percussive unison section where they are able to sway their hips and also strut their things in a quite incredible but yet masculine way. The piece Awaa is a one evening length that is performed within a condensed time frame of about 45 minutes from the full version which was 75 minutes(Barton). The dance is a group work performed by six male and one female. The movements are simple and effectively magnified in order to suit the rhythm of the music selected. The dance movements are fast and greatly coordinated among the dancers. The dancers move at a meditative pace as they execute each routine of their performance. Based on my perception I tend to think that the choreographer, Barton tends to leave most of the explanation of the performance to the audience. Nevertheless, the performance made me view different aspects that are involved in choreography. The work clearly shows the relationship that tends to exist between dance and music. The dance routine must be greatly coordinated with the music that goes along with it. The piece Awaa has a unique dance routine that tries to tell a story based on the subjects of femininity and masculinity but due to the element of confusing array of the projected images it is quite difficult to formulate the entire story or what message the dance is trying to pass across to the audience. The dancers

Gun Control Unit 2 Part 2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Gun Control Unit 2 Part 2 - Research Paper Example This could have been a much needed move to woo supporters into his unpopular camp. Apparently, only four senators had publicly declared their support for the bill. However, President Bush’s personal physician, Dr. Burton Lee, was quoted saying that the bill would get support from the White House. A turn of events was what Senator Chaffee prayed for as he sought support from the reluctant public as well as the Congress (Mulligan, 1992). According to Hutcheson (1994), gun control was winning the debate in a 216-214 majority support of lawmakers. It appeared that the NRA constitutional interpretation and hence gun possession proposal was losing approval of the legislature. Rises in death toll by way of drive-by shootings as well as criminal mass killings prompted the decision of the lawmakers. Hutcheson further observes that NRA crackdown on possession of guns would go in line with the new law established by the lawmakers. Runkle and Rock, in the York Daily Record (2001) recorded that more than any anti-crime campaigners, including anti gun campaigners, safety and responsibility agenda was its top agenda. Media portrayal of the National Rifle Association (NRA) as shooters was a major deception that continued to thrive among the public. On the contrary, no other association had attempted to educate the media on safety and gun possession responsibilities than NRA did yet condemnation was in the giving. The Washington Post recorded a series of attacks in protest to the unfair media bias to issues on anti-gun lobbying against the NRA attempts to campaign for education on safe and responsible gun possession. There was a heated debate as to whether the public should continue to be misguided on the issue of gun possession which is legal in the first place. Guns or no guns in the public possession as member argued, giving of wrong information was the cause of all the squabbles in the debate. Apparently, NRA m embers

Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 10

Business Ethics - Essay Example The most common conflicts that arise in any organization is the inter and intra group conflicts. They may involve individuals or the whole company or sometimes the management. The differences that arise between the two employees can result from the difference in their approaches towards the work and environment in which they come across. As they both have different personalities, attitudes and also different families, their objective or vision may differ from the objective of the company or from the management under which they are working (Srinivasan). Apart from that, these conflicts can be developed between the two teams or groups of an organization. These conflicts arise when one of the teams feels differently about the other. Sometimes the member of any group raises some issues about another group or team. On this basis, rather to stay in his team and work, he prefers to leave it due to inter and intra group conflict. According to the survey conducted by Kathleen Cox, B. PhD, RN, intra group conflicts severely affect the functioning of the employees. It has the negative effect over the performances of team as well as on individuals. According to her research, it is important for the management to build an administration that can work to overcome the agitated environment of the company while maintaining the significance of team working (Cox). The culture and diversity in an organization can be defined or seen as the â€Å"beliefs, norms, or values† that allow the members of an organization to work accordingly. The diversity is referred to the identification of difference in opinions and cultures or behaviors among the people and then enables them to work under one roof. There are differences between employees but to maintain a better workplace and to build an effective team or corporation is what the culture and diversity all about. However, it is difficult to manage an organization with diversified ideas and approaches (Williams). As

Classical Management Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Classical Management Theory - Essay Example sion of labor, order, span of control, authority and responsibility, discipline, remuneration of personnel, equity, tenure stability, subordination of individual interests over general interests, initiative and Espirit de Corps (Anapkumar 2005). Some elements of the Fayol’s theory continue to have a positive impact on the culture of a functional unit. Although the theory does not include communication as one of its element, it is implicit that both vertical and horizontal communications are considered vital to the performance of the elements of this theory. The power structure advocated for by the theory espouses optimal functionality with managers holding authority over and responsibility to employees and the later submitting to the rules and orders (Miner 2006). Rewarding of employees within the organization through application of monetary rewards and job security boosts their work morale. The theorys insistence on human resource continues to play a crucial part in businesses successes worldwide by focusing on employees’ development. It views personnel as the essence of an organization but is attributed to the the growth of public administration. (Miner 2006) The theory is plagued by numerous weaknesses in dynamic market place which does not strictly adhere to the tenets of management as proposed by Fayol . Its insistence on excessive hierarchy, rigid compliance to rules, promotion on seniority and over developed specialization cannot work in todays market place unless it is made flexible. If not, it might be a precursor to bureau morbid behavior. A consequence of this will be bloated companies and proliferation of rules which will make it harder for companies to cope with the dynamic market place. The theorys treatment of employees as economic, irrational, passive and inert beings who are a product of the means of production capable of being only motivated by means of money works against the functional in todays businesses. (Alajloni et al 2010) It fails

Contemporary issues in market strategy Assignment

Contemporary issues in market strategy - Assignment Example It is now universally accepted that the majority of consumers spend more time online than on other media channels such as television. Information is derived from an individual consumer’s online activities that include Facebook, twitter, tumbler and many more. The information of interest to marketing personnel relates to the consumer’s tastes and preferences as well as their wishes and expectations. Marketers are also interested in consumers’ opinions and perspectives on products (BOUTELLIER, GASSMANN & ZEDTWITZ 2008, pg33). The information gathered is then used to influence the individual consumer into consumption of a â€Å"personalized† product. Modern day consumer behavior forces companies to understand the individual consumers in addition to acquiring knowledge about the consumers. That is; these companies have shifted their strategy from production of goods for the consumers to creation of consumers who then form the demand part of their sales cycle. The shift from traditional marketing has led to the emergence of innovational marketing strategies which are discussed below. Digital marketing refers to the extensive employment of electronic media such as computers and software dependent devices, smartphones, cellphones, gaming devices, personal computers and tablets in the marketing of products and services (KASHANI & HOROVITZ 2005, pg44). The internet is regarded as the most effective and popular and digital marketing tool since it statistically agrees that most people spend more time online than on any other electronic channel. Digital media marketing also occurs through channels such as text messaging, instant mobile messaging, electronic billboards, digital radios and televisions, mobile applications and podcasts. Through digital marketing, companies can understand the tastes and preferences of their consumers, therefore, creating a special type of relationship

The more we learn about culture, the greater our understanding of Essay - 2

The more we learn about culture, the greater our understanding of global consumerism,Discuss - Essay Example They go on to claim that people are â€Å"free and rational,† (Sheth & Malhotra, n.d, n.p) to make whatever choices they want about what to purchase, and that they have the desire to be different from others; this is what has resulted in the â€Å"rapid turn†over in goods and services,† (Sheth & Malhotra, n.d, n.p). Globalization has influenced this consumer culture in the way that ideas about what is fashionable spread from many parts of the world through the media and internet, creating what is a â€Å"global style,† (Globalization, 2010). Now we can sense that the consumer culture is becoming a global consumer culture; globalization has â€Å"homogenized images of the good life,† and created â€Å"sense of global identify and memory without which any cultural identity is incomplete,† (Sheth & Malhotra, n.d, n.p). Next, it should be helpful to explore what effect this globalization has on retailers and manufacturers in the fashion industry. Doherty notices how in UK there is a multitude of fashion retailers, both national and international, and how global brands have â€Å"come to characterize our major high streets and consumption patterns, and undoubtedly have an increasingly important influence on our lives and spending habits,† (Doherty, 2009, n.p). Globalization however means that the products provided by these international shops go through an extensive â€Å"network of contractors and subcontractors,† in different countries (Globalization, n.d, n.p). For example, a dress from a Gucci shop in Italy will be stitched and assembled in another country like Guatemala. It is rare that these international retailers like Nike, Gucci or Target produce their goods themselves; rather, they â€Å"source and market goods produced on contract in low-wage environments,† (Globaliza tion, n.d, n.p). Since these international retailers usually make huge profits,

Consider how the problems of cognitive bias might have influenced this Assignment

Consider how the problems of cognitive bias might have influenced this observation - Assignment Example Blue cars are not the only fats cars in Britain but boy racers have continuously selected them. This phenomenon can be associated with cognitive bias. People around us such as politicians, friends, politicians, expert and salesmen among others tend to influence our decision making by providing information that leads to their expectations (Stanovich & West 2000). This leads us to various forms of bias such as Confirmation, in-group, Gamblers fallacy, observational selection, post-purchase rationalization, and bandwagon effect biases among others other (Campbell 2010). One, two or more cognitive biases could have led boy racers in Britain to choose blue cars. Confirmation bias makes people agree with others who have similar opinion (Campbell 2010). Many people feel better while in the group of others who share same ideas and are insecure while in group of people sharing different ideas. A boy racer feels better while with other racers owning blue race cars. Blue cars may not be the fastest but no one among the racers is able to believe that there are faster cars bearing other color. As long as they keep that opinion that blue cars a re very fast, they will remain to use them. Racers may have also developed in-group bias. This is the bias associated by people who stay close together or those who have similarities in beliefs or origin (Finucane et al 2000). The fact that the boy racers are tied together by their age bracket and their fast driving habits, they have developed a close bond among them which makes them make similar choices as far as cars are concerned. This bias has led to their overestimation of blue cars’ ability to move faster than any other car. Gambler’s fallacy bias may have also influence their choice of blue car (Sides et al 2002). This is a type of bias that leads people to believe that past events influences future outcomes. If in the fast several blue cars won

Key Problems Facing the World Essay Example for Free

Key Problems Facing the World Essay Almost half the worlds population now live in urban areas and, as cities grow even larger, conditions for civil cities are likely to get worse. This continuously swelling population, if not properly addressed, will lead to several very serious problems. Three of the most critical key problems are increasing pollution, global warming, and worsening social conditions. Firstly, pollution is abundant in cities due to dangerous gases being released into the atmosphere and toxic effluents being dumped daily into streams and rivers. These cause significant pollution of air and water. This sorry scenario is the result of billions of selfish decisions made by millions of uncaring individuals. Next, cutting down of trees and forests to make way for agriculture and human habitation causes destructive floods to occur, animals to be deprived of their habitat and become extinct, and temperatures to rise. Ironically, the participation and support of governments and corporations in the name of development is like adding salt to the wound. Thirdly, having to leave homes for education and/or work in cities is tearing apart family relationships. Gone are the traditional family values like filial piety and closeness of blood relations. Such great increases in the urban population numbers lead to related problems like insufficient homes, lack of schools and poor health and sewerage facilities. Finally, immigration to cities can be likened to fire. If used well, it can spread warmness, Otherwise, destruction of lives and property would result. There must be proactive programmes so that the population, like fire, can be harnessed positively.

Playing God

Playing God Playing God What is science? In the nineteenth century many believed it was attempting to play God. During this era new scientific discoveries in Europe were immense, and controversy over them was extreme. Not only did this new movement challenge the principles of Christianity but the belief in God. â€Å"Mary Shelleys Frankenstein through Victor Frankensteins perilous journey shows the destruction behind mans thirst for scientific knowledge and the ethical reasons as to why man should not play God (cite).† Victor Frankenstein attempts to go beyond human bounds and undertake in the greatest mistake of his life. â€Å"Victors experiment created in the name of science holds the key to which Victor believes is his future success (cite).† â€Å"The Accomplishment of his toils† is described as a wretched male figure formed from the corpses of others (Frankenstein, 34). Through his efforts, Frankenstein brings this figure to life, and his desire to succeed and discover impel him to play God. It was the secrets of heaven and earth that [he] desired to learn; and whether it was the outward substance of things or the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of man that occupied [him] (22) (cite.) However, Frankenstein is so deeply captivated with bringing about life that he fails to recognize the moral affects the creature will have on society, and most importantly that there could possibly be an explanation we cant create life unnaturally or be immortal. After the completion of his experiment, Frankenstein begins to recognize some of the consequences when he states, â€Å"how can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pain and care I had endeavoured to form?(34) (cite). Is it not irresponsible and foolish to create life from death, while what is alive is not fully comprehended? When Frankenstein saw his creation and admitted his dissatisfaction, some may ask why he would create such a monster knowing it would definitely not fit into society. The clear explanation would be he fears his own death, thus trying to obtain the knowledge of life to prevent it. â€Å"Frankensteins scientific pursuit is for his selfish means, not for the betterment of society.† Frankenstein remarks by saying, â€Å"The labours of men of genius, however erroneously directed, scarcely ever fail in ultimately turning to the solid advantage of mankind† (34). â€Å"The novel goes on to prove this could be no farther from the truth. By simply addressing the issue that some scientists may be ‘erroneously directed, Frankenstein shows he is considering the ulterior motives of his plans. He is recognizing that his motives may not be for the ‘advantage of man kind, and that this would be simply a bi-product of his creation.† Frankenstein also fails to realize what society would think of his creature and how the creature would be affected by the general public. The creature is sent out into the world with the temperament of man, but entirely lacking the guidance and nurturing that all creatures need. This role playing of God is not what man was intended for, and children are made of a sperm and egg, not the hands of man. Who could handle the responsibility of controlling life? Only a Divine Power could control such an intricate process, and is a responsibility no person could endure. Victor takes many simple things for granted in his life, which are symbolized through the monster. I am alone and miserable: man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me (129). All the monster requests is someone to share his life with, to live happily, and be loved; and through these pleasures the monster witnesses happiness. Victors scientific pursuit interferes with his life and ruins his happiness. He loses the desire for companionship because of his endeavors, and though Elizabeth longs for his return, he is too engaged in his work. Frankenstein has an opportunity to be happy, but the monster is never given the chance. â€Å"This presents Shelleys argument that when you allow things such as science to get in the way of your true needs, such as love, you will not live a life worth living. Frankenstein and his monster are both miserable because they both live their life without love.† He solved the most incomprehens ible question, he reached the peak of scientific understanding, he accomplished his goals, yet he is miserable. â€Å"For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart† (42). Shelley purposely lets Frankenstein accomplish his goal, but she makes a point that if the scientific knowledge of life cant bring happiness then no scientific knowledge can. Victor is so infatuated with completing his task and achieving fame that he fails to realize the lasting affects or consequences of his breakthrough. Shelley makes a valid argument that in many ways, we would all be better off without complex scientific thought: â€Å"Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow (38). Victor advises Walton by declaring, â€Å"Seek happiness in tranquility and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries (200). This passage evidently discusses Victors selfishness in fulfilling his objective. Shelley argues that scientists who are only seeking fame and fortune do not consider the long term effects and will be considered notorious.

Construction Procurement In Sweden Construction Essay

Construction Procurement In Sweden Construction Essay Sweden is one of Scandinavian countries located between Norway and Finland in North part of Europe. It has a population of 9.2 million people. Swedish climate in summer but winters bring some heavy snow and low temperatures especially in north regions. It is known as one of the best democratic government examples but even more as a successful and modern economic benchmark. Construction sector plays a very important role in Swedens domestic economy. It is described as a major market or even backbone in terms of importance. According to the Swedish Construction Institute report (1997) and the Swedish Construction Federation data (2008) the construction sector is one of Swedens largest industries and contributes significantly to national prosperity. Being a member of EU, Swedens construction legal framework and procurement legislations (Swedish Public Procurement Act, 2008) tend to concentrate on: non discrimination, equal opportunities, transparency, cost efficiency and value for money etc. Due to conservative cultural approach, Sweden has established a distinctive procurement model based on mutual strategic consideration and trust among construction actors. Nevertheless, OECD (Organisation for Economic Co Operation and Development) in annual reports about Swedish construction industry (2007) and (2009) found that cartels and lack of competition are the main negative features affecting procurement efficiency in Sweden. In 1990 Swedish construction industry was at its peak followed by government funds mainly for roads, bridges etc. Renovation, repairs and maintenance account for 50% of the total construction output (The Swedish Construction Institute, 1997). In 1991 there was a downturn in the industry and total construction volume fell by nearly 25% until 1994. In 1995 together with membership in EU Sweden construction sector has joined ISO 9001 quality and responsibility standards, which led industry to much bigger output. As a member of EFTA (European Free Trading Association), Sweden has been participating actively in European standards making in CEN (European Committee for Standardization) (Atkinson, 1995). Building regulations and control was the main government contribution to growing construction sector. It produced a quality standard high enough to absorb internal market request. The most noticeable Swedish achievements regarding construction quality by Atkinson (1995, p. 149) are: the de legation of ministerial policies on social and technical matters to professionally staffed executive agencies which carry out tasks assigned under legislations within a financial programme, the delegation of central responsibilities for building regulation and associated arrangements for certification and quality assurance to Boverket (The National Board of Housing, Building and Physical Planning), administration of building regulations by local district authorities, helped by a well presented system of approved documentation, regulations the Swedish Building Code in which requirements, expressed in functional or performance terms, are supported by examples of solutions, recommendations and advisory information. Unlike many other countries Sweden has no particular legislation concerning contract relationships for building projects by private clients. Even though private procurement can be performed with less complicated regulations, this must be done not offending public principles for contracts, purchase laws and laws regarding competition. Public procurement regulations are governed by Public Procurement Act directives followed by EU procurement legislation. The Swedish Competition Authority is responsible for supervision of Public Procurement Acts from 2008 (Swedish Competition Authority, Public procurement, 2008). Procurement types available in Sweden are: open, restricted and negotiated (Swedish Competition Authority, Swedish Public Procurement Act, 2007). PPP/PFI has been recently applied in Sweden and this kind of procurement options should gain more attention from private investors. However, according to Osipova (2008) Swedish construction industry has been criticized for high costs which led to lack of competition between contractors as well as low productivity and project delays. The UK has a benefit of wide range of institutional forms of construction contracts. However, a number of government sponsored reports have also highlighted that this has major disadvantages, indentifying duplication of effort and a wasteful use of resources at almost every level of activity (Ashworth, 2006). In the nineteenth century a first standard form of construction contract was introduced in the UK. The form was described as the RIBA until 1977, when the term JCT (The Joint Contracts Tribunal) contract was adopted. The present body responsible for drafting the current form includes public and private sector employers, architects, quantity surveyors, contractors and subcontractors. With different contract forms appearing in the U.K. after 1964, JCT forms reflected different interests of construction parties involved into construction business. The selection of particular form of contract depends on various considerations such as: type of work to be conducted, size of the project, public or private sector, status of designer and procurement types. According to Contracts in use surveys, JCT 98 is the most popular form of contract for building contracts in the UK. It is the Standard Form of Building Contract (SFBC). Table 1 shows all JCT contract forms available in the UK. The Institut ion of Civil Engineers (ICE) form remains the most popular among civil engineer contracts. The UK construction industry has attracted a great deal of criticism in recent years for its inability to meet the needs of its clients (Wood et al., 2005). There was a great need of collaborative procurement type such as partnering. Radically different approach to the procurement offered specific objectives through supply chain maximizing the effectiveness and performance of construction activities. Positive partnering approach in the UK has led Sweden to adopt partnering concept. Hence, partnering procurement type does not have contractual form status. In Sweden, the majority of contracts are based on the general conditions of contracts. New forms of contracting occurring are the performance based contract and partnering. Performance based contracts are improved forms of the design and build contracts. Such contracts tend to provide stimulus for the contractor for development of higher level products. Partnering contracts proved to be successful in the UK are getting more popular in Sweden. Cost reduction and better performance are the main benefits of such contracts. As in Sweden the UK construction industry is strongly fragmented. To improve this many of the best clients use partnering or similar agreements to keep project team together (Sterner, 2002). Lack of competition in Swedish construction sector has been pointed out by OECD (2007) in 1999 and 2004. Survey held by OECD find out that cartels are common within Swedish construction industry. Also barriers are quite high for new construction companies which cannot compete on the bigger projects. The four largest developers, which account for a large share of the market, do not normally purchase construction services in the market as 75% of apartments are built in house (OECD, 2007). This results in higher building costs than for smaller developers, who procure projects to a much higher extent. Swedish construction sector is not competitive in terms of supply chain as large companies are dominating this segment. Sweden has one of the highest levels of construction costs among EU. Swedish construction regulations regarding input materials as well as a lack of EU certified construction codes are preventing new entries into the industry. Some procurement contracts (source does not indicate which) have requirements that disadvantage foreign companies from investment and acts just like protectionism. Other specific indicators creating high costs in constructions are: high construction service prices (over 8% higher, excluding VAT, than the EU average in 2004), labour costs (matter of high taxes), powerful and very influential construction workers union Byggnads activity in collecting extra charges for non member companies. The civil engineering industry is in hands of big societies which also manufacture key materials such as asphalt and ballast. As the import is limited, other companies have to purchase from the market leaders, and the price of building materials is high compared to many other EU countries (OECD, Sweden: achieving results for sustained growth, 2007) Possible solutions From the data provided by OECD, we can state that Sweden should stress construction sector against culture of cartels. By reducing number of cartels the industry will gain more actors involved into construction procurement procedures and cost efficiency should increase accordingly. Stronger competition within sector could be achieved if smaller companies would act together in order to compete against big firms, but government should encourage such competition through procurement acts. It is obvious that high tax policy has made construction costs far too expensive in Sweden. It might be the barrier which naturally protects industry from foreign investment and keeps Swedish companies busy, but also acts against fair competition. On the 7th of October 2009, Swedish Competition Authoritys (Konkurrensverket) official report stated the construction sector is one example where we observe limited foreign presence in this country (Konkurrensverket, 2009, p. 1). In order to satisfy the demands placed on the construction sector in the future, a number of changes must be made to procurement procedures, all of which point to the need of new forms of co-operation among all the actors. The empirical data shows that the currently used procurement procedures involve: specification by the client, open bid invitations, bid evaluations based on lowest tender price, high contract formalisation through standard contracts, fixed price compensation, low usage of collaborative tools and performance evaluation by the client (Eriksson, 2007). Swedish procurement types are focused on price and authority due to lack of social control. According to conceptual model, trust between construction actors should receive bigger attention. Such procedures as: incentive based compensation, limited bid invitation, bid evaluation based on soft parameters, joint selection of sub contractors and contractor self control have reduced the traditional focus on price and autho rity. Therefore, trust and cooperation appeared to play a key role between partners. The benefit of early subcontractor involvement into procurement procedures proved to be important way of partnering concept.

Earth Abides Essay -- essays research papers

Imagine waking up and looking around, only to realize that while you were asleep ninety percent of the world population had vanished. In the novel Earth Abides, George Stewart creates this scenario and makes it a reality. The novel is centered on the life of Ish, who wakes up only to find he is one of the few left on earth. Having to survive and adapt, Ish is faced with the responsibility of making contact with other survivors of the Great Disaster. In doing so, Ish meets several characters and together they form a tribe to fit the new lifestyle. Ish becomes the leader of the group and the main focus of the story; however, he is not the only important character. Some members of the community immerge and become important figures as well. In the novel Earth Abides, we see a tribe with only a few members, grow and develop into a community with over three hundred members. In a new world and with such hard conditions, The Tribe managed to survive successfully. This task was not easy, considering all the other people in the world who had failed. Many other survivors of the Great Disaster, killed themselves, drank their life away, and did not look for reason to live in a civilized manner. However, The Tribe overcame all of that and aimed itself in the right direction for yet another try at Mother Nature. Their success was mainly based on the fact that the members from the Old Times were able to adjust and adapt. They made use of the resources and in some way put the Great Disaster behind them. These members found their place in The Tribe and built a strong foundation for their children. Of such roles, one of the most important is that of a leader. The leader has to take charge of the group, make heavy decisions, and have knowledge and understanding of the world around him. It is the leaders' duty to prepare his people and make sure that they are able to survive and care for themselves. In the novel, we can see this in the character of Ish. From the moment Ish realized what had happened to the he had the desire to be a leader. When he met the black family in his cross-country trip and thought to himself, "I could be a king here if I remained." Later in the novel Ishs desires for leadership are even more noticeable when The Tribe first comes into contact with Charlie. Ish is the only one who feels hostility towards Charlie and act awkwardly around ... ...bers. Both groups often thought differently because of the different times they grew up in, and Ezra understood both cultures. Ish did not often understand what others were thinking, even the children who were his own. Ezra on the other hand could relate to everybody andcommunicate with The Tribe. The survival of The Tribe was dependent on each of the older generation members in some way. Ish had to lead, Ezra had to communicate and Em gave them all courage. There was also George; the repairman who fixed everything for everybody and made sure peoples homes did not fall apart. Molly, Jean, and Maurine, were all simple folks, but brought to The Tribe ideas. Just like in buildings, the foundation of a community or society is the most important part. All the other layers on top depend on the layer below them. The Tribe could not survive with out having a strong foundation to hold on to and build on top of. The older generation members set this foundation using themselves as examples. In the end, everything the Old generation members taught their children had paid off. The new generation were prepared for the future and were well aware of the world around them, they were survivors.

THE MAJOR EVENTS :: Business and Management Studies

THE MAJOR EVENTS The graphs below summarise the fluctuations in the share price and shareholders’ returns of Vodafone group, as a result of two major events which occurred in mid February, 2004 and mid November of the same year. On the 22nd 0f January 2004, AT&T Wireless, the third largest mobile phone group in the US, put itself up for sale but as shown above in Fig1, this does not seem to have affected the share price or volume of trading as there was no significant upward or downward trend in these two areas. This can lead to an assumption that the market is inefficient as it did not respond to the information or that investors were not expecting Vodafone to bid for AT&T Wireless because Mr Sarin had told investors and analysts that he was "happy" with Vodafone's joint venture with Verizon, the leading mobile phone operator in the US. Had Vodafone succeeded in acquiring AT&T Wireless, it would have had to sell its profitable stake in Verizon back to its partner, Verizon Communications - a prospect that did not appeal to its shareholders and so may be why the new information was not relevant to the Vodafone. â€Å"9th February 2004, saw the Vodafone Group Plc announcing that it will continue to monitor developments in the US market and is exploring whether a potential transaction with AT&T Wireless is in the interests of its shareholders†. This lead to a decrease in share price as investors knew that it would mean that Vodafone would have to sell its profitable stake Verizon to buy AT&T Wireless. The steep drop in Fig 1 suggests that the market was efficient in its reaction to this announcement. The formal bidding war began on the 13th when Cingular made an initial offer of $30bn, and the offer was matched by Vodafone. Cingular then raised its bid to $35bn which was again matched by the British company. When Cingular raised its offer to $38bn, Vodafone once more matched the bid and this suggested to investors that Vodafone would pay too much for AT&T Wireless, which is why the share price dropped each day till bidding ended on the 17th. â€Å"On 17th February 2004, Vodafone withdrew from the auction when it concluded that it was no longer in its shareholder's best interests to continue discussions†. We can see that there was a 5% increase in the share price when this was announced, and the volume of trading shows the markets informational efficiency Since news emerged that Cingular had made an informal offer in mid-January, Vodafone's shares have underperformed the rest of the market, cutting the value of the company by more than

Decrease Of Teen Pregnancy Rate :: essays research papers

The overall teen birth rate has declined by 16 percent from 1991 to 1997. â€Å"All states are recording a decline and it is the sixth year in a row that the teen birth rate has declined,† stated Donna Shalala, HHS secretary of U. S. Newswire. Although the birthrate among teens is decreasing and the percentage of teenagers who have had sexual intercourse is declining, it is a multi-fauceted problem affecting today’s youth. The government is taking in to consideration all possibilities and conditions with teen births to make an affective way to prevent it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Teenage pregnancy is a condition that can be controlled in many instances. Congress’ campaign is â€Å"To reduce the teenage pregnancy by supporting values and stimulating actions that are consistent with a pregnancy-free adolescence,† stated the Speaker pro tempore Mr. Taylor of North Carolina. Congress’ goal is to balance the budget and reduce spending in the area of Medicaid funds, food stamps, and AFDC funds that are especially hard-hit by the teenage pregnancy problem. Reducing teenage childbearing through this campaign is likely to require more than eliminating or manipulating welfare programs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A form of prevention funded by the Department of Public Health in Massachusetts is The Challenge Fund. It is a community-based approach to teen pregnancy prevention. These coalitions unite youth, family, and community in order to create and increase opportunities for youth development and leadership. It also increases awareness of ownership of the risks, costs and problems of teen pregnancy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Federal Government has invested millions of dollars into an abstinence education program for young adults that provide ways for them to avoid sexual activity at such a young age. The program teaches teens the importance of sustaining from sexual activity before marriage and the importance of a monogamous relationship in a marriage. It also teaches them the harmful effects psychologically and physically, of sexual activity at a young age.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Studies show a trend toward sexual abstinence and improved use of condoms as possible reasons for sudden change in the pregnancy rate decreasing. Other studies also show that teen abortions are steadily declining as well, ruling out abortion as a factor in the falling national teen birth rate. â€Å"The government cannot calculate an overall teen pregnancy rate, which includes live births and abortions, because ten states keep no figures on abortions,† stated Stephanie Ventura, a statistician with CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

A Soul Built Through Pain and Suffering Essay

Similar to imprints on sand or carvings in wood, character is moulded and developed by indents – through pain and suffrage. In the novel, The White Tiger, Aravind Adiga explores the dark realities of India’s caste system with a story of a man who broke through the division. The quote by Helen Keller, â€Å"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved,† is seen through Balram’s journey as he overcomes obstacles to achieve his success. Adiga illustrates that one cannot see true light of a strong soul, inspired ambition and success, without the struggles of being in true darkness and the disadvantages that come along with it. Balram Halwai is raised in the lower-social caste town of Laxmangarh, India, where he is forced to deal with indignities caused by his family’s poverty. Balram witness’s the death of both of his parents, from illnesses in both of which could have been cured had he been in a higher-caste system of society. His father, Vikram Halwai, died of mistreated tuberculosis. Balram exclaims the ignorance of the government as they failed to appropriately care for his father’s condition and death: The ward boys made us clean up our Father before we could remove the body. A goat came in and sniffed as we were mopping the blood off the floor. The ward boys petter her and fed her a plump carrot as we mopped our father’s infected blood off the floor. (Adiga 42) The lack of care exhibited by the hospital emphasizes the harsh reality of just how terrible life is for the impoverished in India. Balram spoke in high honor of his father and mentions that his father â€Å"never crouched,† like the servants were expected to on his job – that he â€Å"preferred to stand† (Adiga 20). A life of a man that Balram respected and loved, a life that protected him against his worst fear of lizards, and taught him how to have pride in everything he does – a life Balram held with the utmost importance and praise – was the same life that later had to be mopped off the floor by his very own son. The negligence of human life desensitized Balram at a young age and strengthened his soul by realizing the dog-eat-dog society he lives in. Following his father’s death, Balram soon realizes he doesn’t only live in a dog-eat-dog society, but a dog-eat-dog home, too. Balram reminisces on his encounter with his brother and notes: I couldn’t stop thinking of Kishan’s body. They were eating him alive in there! They would do the same thing to him that they did to father – scoop him out from the inside and leave him weak and helpless until he got tuberculosis and died on the floor of a government hospital†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Adiga 74) Balram recognizes that the women he used to live with before becoming a driver – especially his grandmother – use the men for hard labour to provide for the family, wearing them down to the bone. His grandmother’s further letters of blackmail demanding money from Balram are another clear example of selfishness within the family. This realization strengthens Balram’s soul even more by teaching him that he is truly alone and that no one – not even his own family – is willing or wanting to help guide him forward. If he is going to make it out of the darkness, Balram knows it will have to be on his own. Consequently, the pain and suffering triggered Balram’s ambition to veer the direction of his predetermined life of poverty into something more. Balram uses the rooster coop as his analogy of life for the low-caste system in India. He explains: Hundreds of pale hens and brightly coloured roosters stuffed tightly into wire-mesh cages, packed as tightly as worms in a belly, pecking each other and shitting on each other, jostling just for breathing space; the whole cage giving off a horrible stench†¦The roosters in the coop smell the blood from above. They see the organs of their brothers lying around them. (Adiga 147) He compares the chickens to the people in his country as neither of them are attempting to escape their cages, â€Å"The very same thing is done with human beings in this country† (Adiga 148). He details how the coop is self-trapping and comes to a conclusion that only through individual action can one break out of the coop. This realization gives Balram a will and determination to escape the rooster coop. As Mr. Ashok’s personal driver, Balram is forced to partake on more roles in the job such as giving the Stork foot massages, cooking, cleaning, and almost having to be framed for a murder he did not commit. When Balram finally starts cheating his master off his money, he expresses that, â€Å"Instead of guilt, what did I feel? Rage. The more I stole from him, the more I realized how much he had stolen from me.† (Adiga 196). This is a milestone in Balram’s life as he finally changes from the quiet, hard worker but begins to realize that he was facing numerous unnecessary humiliations, none of which were part of the job. He knows that the rich are treating him like an animal and that is a feeling that no amount of rupees can compensate for. Through the disloyalty towards his master, Balram demonstrates ambition by taking action in getting closer to his dream of escaping his servant status which is done by escaping the rooster coop. As a result of taking action to liberate himself from the rooster coop, he achieves success. Balram murders his master, Mr. Ashok, and steals his bag enclosed with thousands of rupees. He uses his reoccurring analogy of the rooster coop to validate the murder of his master by stating, â€Å"I think the Rooster Coop needs people like me to break out of it. It needs masters like Mr. Ashok – who, for all his numerous virtues, was not much of a master – to be weeded out, and exceptional servants like me to replace them† (Adiga 257). The murder of Mr. Ashok was the final action that all of his previous small acts of cheating and stealing led up to. The money Balram gained from the murder provided him a chance at a new life filled with endless opportunities. He chooses to start his own taxi business and explains, â€Å"Once I was a driver to a master, but now I am a master of drivers. I don’t treat them like servants – I don’t slap, or bully, or mock anyone. I don’t insult any of them by calling them â€Å"family,† either. They’re my employees; I’m their boss, that’s all.† (Adiga 259). This shows the contrast of his life and how far he has come. His life takes a complete turn, as he changes roles from servant to master. It also foils the characters of the rich and corrupted masters Balram encounters in his life, as it emphasizes his moral character. Balram achieves his success but still remains a fair, professional boss – nothing like the other masters in India. His struggles drove Balram to fight for a life of freedom and dignity. He re-evaluates the actions he had to take in order to achieve this success and questions, â€Å"Are you a man or a demon?† and quickly justifies it with, â€Å"Neither, I say. I have woken up, and the rest of you are still sleeping and that is the only difference between us† (Adiga 271). Balram realized the dog-eat-dog world he was faced with and knew from a young age that it was every man for himself. He had no advantages above any single other person living in the low-social caste. He was equally impoverished but woke up and broke free. Throughout the course of his life, there’s not a minute where Balram does not see suffering. Pushed by his dark life of having watched his parents die, and being stripped of his dignity by the rich, Balram becomes determined to raise himself up from the darkness and into the light. He takes the necessary action of murdering his master to carry out his plan of escaping the rooster coop. His hardships are finally rewarded by the honest taxi company he establishes. Had Balram never been encaged, he would not appreciate the beauty of his freedom as much as he does now. One who has never seen a sunset cannot fully appreciate the sunrise, and one who’s never felt the storm cannot fully appreciate the sun. Balram’s seen both dusk and dawn and rain and sun which allows him to appreciate the light a little more than ever.

A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield

A instill of TeaBy Katherine Mansfield rosemary disappear was not exactly beautiful. No, you couldnt induct c on the wholeed her beautiful. gravelly? Well, if you alsok her to pieces plainly why be so cruel as to take some(prenominal) atomic number 53 to pieces? She was boy equal, brilliant, super modem, exquisitely testty dressed, amazingly salubrious read in the newest of the new books, and her loties were the intimately delicious mixture of the guilelessly colossal mickle and artists quaint brutes, discoveries of hers, w lidever of them too terrifying for words, unless others pleasing of presentable and amusing. rosemary had been married two years. She had a duck of a boy.No, not dick Michael. And her husband absolutely adored her. They were rich, unfeignedly rich, not skilful comfortably well comp allowe, which is odious and stuffy and sounds like ones grandp bents. alone if rosemary cute to shop she would go toParisas you and I would go toBond Street. If she wanted to debauch flowers, the railway gondola pulled up at that stainless shop in Regent Street, and rosemary inside the shop only gazed in her blind, rather exotic way, and express I want those and those and those. Give me four bunches of those. And that stupor of roses. Yes, Ill go totally the roses in the jar. No, no lilac.I hate lilac. Its got no shape. The att canant arced and perplex the lilac tabu of luck, as though this was further too professedly lilac was terribly shapeless. Give me those bantam piddling tulips. Those red and white ones. And she was followed to the car by a cut shop- young woman reel under an immense white newsprint subdivisionful that looked like a baby in long clothes. One overwinter after(prenominal)noon she had been buying something in a short(p) antique shop inCurzon Street. It was a shop she like. For one thing, one usually had it to oneself. And therefore the earth who kept it was ridiculously fond of answer her.He beamed whenever she came in. He clasped his get throughs he was so gratified he could merely intercommunicate. Flattery, of course of study. all(a) the same, at that place was something You see, madam, he would explain in his low respectful tones, I bed my things. I would rather not part with them than sell them to someone who does not prize them, who has not that book feeling which is so r atomic number 18 And, br take inhing deeply, he unrolled a tiny square of bluing velvety and pressed it on the glass preclude with his pale finger-tips. To-day it was a miniature turning point. He had been keeping it for her. He had shown it to nobody as yet.An exquisite little enamel stroke with a glaze so fine it looked as though it had been baked in cream. On the lid a dainty puppet stood under a flowery tree, and a more than minute creature still had her arms round his neck. Her hat, rattling no lifesizeger than a geranium petal, hung from a branch it had gr een ribbons. And there was a pink cloud like a watchful cherub floating above their conduces. rosemary took her hands bring push through of her long gloves. She eternally took hit her gloves to examine much(prenominal) things. Yes, she liked it in truth much. She loved it it was a capital duck. She must defecate it.And, turning the chromatic box, opening and unopenting it, she couldnt help noticing how charming her hands were against the blue velvet. The shopman, in some dim cavern of his mind, may fall in dared to count on so too. For he took a pencil, leant over the counter, and his pale, bloodless fingers crept timidly towards those rosy, instant ones, as he murmured gently If I may venture to point out to madam, the flowers on the little ladys bodice. Charming rosemary admired the flowers. alone what was the cost? For a moment the shopman did not seem to hear. hence a murmur reached her. 28 guineas, madam. twenty-eight guineas. rosemary gave no sign. She lai d the little box down she buttoned her gloves again. Twenty-eight guineas. Even if one is rich She looked vague. She stared at a plump tea-kettle like a plump hen above the shopmans head, and her articulate was dreamy as she answered Well, keep it for me result you? Ill But the shopman had already bowed as though keeping it for her was all any human being could ask. He would be willing, of course, to keep it for her for ever. The discreet access shut with a click. She was outside on the step, gazing at the winter afternoon.Rain was falling, and with the rain it seemed the dark came too, rotate down like ashes. There was a cold bitter taste in the air, and the new- illume lamps looked sad. Sad were the lights in the houses opposite. Dimly they fire as if regretting something. And people hurried by, cloak-and-dagger under their hateful umbrellas. rosemary matte up a strange pang. She pressed her gasconade against her breast she wished she had the little box, too, to cling t o. Of course the car was there. Shed only to cross the pavement. But still she waited. There are moments, worthless moments in life, when one emerges from shelter and looks out, and its awful.One oughtnt to break out way to them. One ought to go pedestal and have an extra-special tea. But at the actually instant of thinking that, a young lady friend, thin, dark, shadowy where had she summon from? was standing at rosemarys elbow and a voice like a sigh, more or less like a sob, breathed Madam, may I speak to you a moment? Speak to me? rosemary dark. She truism a little stick around-up creature with enormous eyes, someone sooner young, no older than herself, who clutched at her coat-collar with blushful hands, and shivered as though she had just light out of the water. M-madam, stammered the voice. Would you let me have the monetary value of a cup of tea?A cup of tea? There was something simple, sincere in that voice it wasnt in the least(prenominal) the voice of a b eggar. Then have you no money at all? asked rosemary. None, madam, came the answer. How extraordinary Rosemary peered through the nightfall and the girl gazed pricker at her. How more than extraordinary And suddenly it seemed to Rosemary such an adventure. It was like something out of a falsehood by Dostoevsky, this meeting in the dusk. Supposing she took the girl shell? Supposing she did do one of those things she was ever so reading rough or seeing on the stage, what would happen? It would be thrilling.And she perceive herself apothegm afterwards to the amazement of her friends I simply took her abode with me, as she stepped ahead and verbalise to that dim person beside her hang home to tea with me. The girl draw back startled. She even stopped throb for a moment. Rosemary put out a hand and touched her arm. I mean it, she say, smiling. And she felt how simple and course her smile was. Why wont you? Do. fuck off home with me forthwith in my car and have tea. You you dont mean it, madam, give tongue to the girl, and there was ache in her voice. But I do, cried Rosemary. I want you to. To please me. behave along.The girl put her fingers to her lips and her eyes devoured Rosemary. Youre youre not victorious me to the police stead? she stammered. The police station Rosemary laughed out. Why should I be so cruel? No, I only want to make you warm and to hear anything you care to tell me. Hungry people are easily led. The footman held the introduction of the car open, and a moment subsequent they were graze through the dusk. There utter Rosemary. She had a feeling of triumph as she slipped her hand through the velvet strap. She could have verbalize, direct Ive got you, as she gazed at the little enwrapped she had netted.But of course she meant it kindly. Oh, more than kindly. She was going to rebel to this girl that rattling(prenominal) things did happen in life, that fairy godmothers were real, that rich people had hea rts, and that women were sisters. She turned impulsively, saying. Dont be frightened. After all, why shouldnt you come back with me? Were both women. If Im the more fortunate, you ought to express But happily at that moment, for she didnt make love how the sentence was going to end, the car stopped. The gong was rung, the door opened, and with a charming, protecting, almost embracing movement, Rosemary drew the other into the hall.Warmth, softness, light, a sweet scent, all those things so beaten(prenominal) to her she never even thought about them, she watched that other receive. It was fascinating. She was like the rich little girl in her nursery with all the cupboards to open, all the boxes to unpack. Come, come upstairs, state Rosemary, impulse to begin to be generous. Come up to my fashion. And, besides, she wanted to spare this brusque little thing from being stared at by the servants she mulish as they mounted the stairs she would not even ring to Jeanne, but take off her things by herself. The gigantic things were to be naturalAnd There cried Rosemary again, as they reached her beautiful big bedchamber with the curtains drawn, the fire leaping on her wonderful lacquer furniture, her gold cushions and the primrose and blue rugs. The girl stood just inside the door she seemed dazed. But Rosemary didnt mind that. Come and sit down, she cried, dragging her big guide up to the fire, m this comfy chair. Come and get warm. You look so dreadfully cold. I darent, madam, tell the girl, and she edged backwards. Oh, please, Rosemary ran forward you mustnt be frightened, you mustnt, unfeignedly.Sit down, when Ive taken off my things we shall go into the next room and have tea and be cozy. Why are you afraid? And gently she half pushed the thin figure into its deep cradle. . But there was no answer. The girl stayed just as she had been put, with her hands by her sides and her mouth jolly open. To be quite sincere, she looked rather stupid. But Rosemary wouldnt acknowledge it. She leant over her, saying Wont you take off your hat? Your middling hair is all wet. And one is so much more comfortable without a hat, isnt one? There was a whisper that sounded like Very good, adam, and the crushed hat was taken off. And let me help you off with your coat, too, said Rosemary. The girl stood up. But she held on to the chair with one hand and let Rosemary pull. It was quite an effort. The other scarcely helped her at all. She seemed to stagger like a child, and the thought came and went through Rosemarys mind, that if people wanted helping they must respond a little, just a little, otherwise it became very difficult indeed. And what was she to do with the coat now? She left it on the floor, and the hat too.She was just going to take a laughingstock off the mantelpiece when the girl said quickly, but so lightly and oddly Im very sorry, madam, but Im going to faint. I shall go off, madam, if I dont have something. reasoned heav ens, how thoughtless I am Rosemary rushed to the bell. Tea Tea at once And some brandy immediately The maidservant was gone again, but the girl almost cried out No, I dont want no brandy. * I never drink brandy. Its a cup of tea I want, madam. And she catch fire into tears. It was a terrible and fascinating moment.Rosemary knelt beside her chair. Dont cry, poor little thing, she said. Dont cry. And she gave the other her lace handkerchief. She really was touched beyond words. She put her arm round those thin, bird-like shoulders. Now at give way the other forgot to be shy, forgot everything except that they were both women, and gasped out I cant go on no longer like this. I cant transmit it. I cant bear it. I shall do aside with myself. I cant bear no more. You shant have to. Ill look after you. Dont cry any more. Dont you see what a good thing it was that you met me? Well have tea and youll tell me everything. And I shall arrange something. I promise. Do stop crying.Its s o exhausting. enthrall The other did stop just in time for Rosemary to get up before the tea came. She had the table dictated between them. She plied the poor little creature with everything, all the sandwiches, all the bread and butter, and every time her cup was empty she fill it with tea, cream and sugar. People always said sugar was so nourishing. As for herself she didnt eat she smoked and looked away tactfully so that the other should not be shy. And really the effect of that slight meal was marvelous. When the tea-table was carried away a new being, a light, soft creature with tangled air, dark lips, deep, lighted eyes, lay back in the big chair in a kind of sweet languor, looking at the blaze. Rosemary lit a fresh rear end it was time to begin. And when did you have your last meal? she asked softly. But at that moment the door-handle turned. Rosemary, may I come in? It was Philip. Of course. He came in. Oh, Im so sorry, he said, and stopped and stared. Its quite all right, said Rosemary, smiling.This is my friend, leave out _ Smith, madam, said the languid figure, who was strangely still and unafraid. Smith, said Rosemary. We are going to have a little talk. Oh yes, said Philip. Quite, and his eye caught sight of the coat and hat on the floor. He came over to the fire and turned his back to it. Its a beastly afternoon, he said curiously, still looking at that gloomy figure, looking at its hands and boots, and then at Rosemary again. Yes, isnt it? said Rosemary enthusiastically. Vile. Philip smiled his charming smile. As a enumerate of fact, said he, I wanted you to come into the library for a moment. Would you? Will discharge Smith excuse us? The big eyes were raised to him, but Rosemary answered for her Of course she will. And they went out of the room together. I say, said Philip, when they were alone. Explain. Who is she? What does it all mean? Rosemary, laughing, leaned against the door and said I picked her up inCurzon Street. Rea lly. Shes a real pick-up. She asked me for the price of a cup of tea, and I brought her home withme. But what on earth are you going to do with her? cried Philip. Be comme il faut to her, said Rosemary quickly. Be horribly nice to her. construe after her. I dont know how. We havent talked yet. But show her encompass her make her feel - My darling girl, said Philip, youre quite mad, you know.It simply cant be done. I knew youd say that, retorted Rosemary. Why not? I want to. Isnt that a reason? And besides, ones always reading about these things. I decided - But, said Philip slowly, and he cut the end of a cigar, shes so astonishingly pretty. bewitching? Rosemary was so surprised that she blushed. Do you think so? I I hadnt thought about it. Good captain Philip struck a match. Shes absolutely lovely. Look again, my child. I was bowled over when I came into your room just now. However I think youre making a ghastly mistake. Sorry, darling, if Im coarse and all that.Bu t let me know if Miss Smith is going to dine with us in time for me to look up The Milliners Gazette. You absurd creature said Rosemary, and she went out of the library, but not back to her bedroom. She went to her writing-room and sit down at her desk. fair absolutely lovely Bowled over Her heart beat like a heavy bell. Pretty Lovely She drew her check-book towards her. But no, checks would be no use, of course. She opened a drawer and took out five pound notes, looked at them, put two back, and holding the 3 squeezed in her hand, she went back to her bedroom.Half an hour later Philip was still in the library, when Rosemary came in. I only wanted to tell you, said she, and she leaned against the door again and looked at him with her dazzled exotic gaze, Miss Smith wont dine with us to-night. Philip put down the paper. Oh, whats happened? introductory engagement? Rosemary came over and sit down on his knee. She insisted on going, said she, so I gave the poor little thing a p resent of money. I couldnt keep her against her will, could I? she added softly. Rosemary had just done her hair, darkened her eyes a little and put on her pearls.She put up her hands and touched Philips cheeks. Do you like me? said she, and her tone, sweet, husky, troubled him. I like you awfully, he said, and he held her tighter. candy kiss me. There was a pause. Then Rosemary said dreamily I saw a fascinating little box to-day. It cost twenty-eight guineas. May I have it? Philip jumped her on his knee. You may, little inefficient one, said he. But that was not really what Rosemary wanted to say. Philip, she whispered, and she pressed his head against her bosom, am I pretty?