Sample Research Title Proposal free essay sample

1. Rationale: Course evaluations consist of series of questions in order to evaluate the instruction of a given course. Primarily, it helps teachers develop professionally. Personally, it helped me identify my weaknesses as an instructor at the same what the students like about how I performed in the class. Additionally, Course evaluations can also be useful response for the administration especially the qualitative responses of students that are utilized to provide formative feedback intended to facilitate improved teaching and course development (Hodges Stanton). However, written comments of students on courses are not in fact interpreted, analyzed and integrated in summative evaluations (Gravestock Gregor-Greenleaf, 2008). According to Frank (1988), students’ conceptions and expectation about mathematics influence their learning approach to the course. This might have been the reason then that I struggled in algebra during my secondary years because of the thought that learning numbers can be so complicated and certainly not a thing for me. We will write a custom essay sample on Sample Research Title Proposal or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Echoing this view, Anderson (2007) identified this face of mathematic learner identity as â€Å"imagination†. How a student envision math as something part of their activities can either influence positively or negatively to their learning. In a study of students from accredited public and private schools in Metro Manila, it was found out that there were difficulties in mathematics caused by reading deficiencies in vocabulary, comprehension and study habits (Tadeo and Dadigan, 2006). Results also showed that the teachers teaching math were not skillful in teaching the concepts of the subject and their teaching strategies were not aligned with the students’ learning styles. Malaysian undergraduate students on the other hand, exhibited low level of anxiety towards mathematics course (Usop, Sabri, Sam Wah, 2009). While the study found only fair amount of math anxiety, findings revealed that teacher was an influencing factor to the development of students’ anxiety. With the apparent gap in the literature of the evaluation of qualitative responses and the dearth of research conducted about the effectiveness of  mathematics courses particularly among computer-related courses, I am prompted to know how the students view math subjects. I further believe that this will aid in improving the contents of math courses for computing education as well as the teaching strategies of the faculty handling the subject. 2. Objectives of the Study 2.1 General: Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of computing-mathematics courses 2.2 Specific: 1. Determine how do the students view the course in terms of efficiency and effectiveness 2. Identify recommendations from students on the improvement of the math courses 3. Conceptual Framework : Not Applicable 4. Methodology The researcher of this study employed the qualitative research design. The study was conducted in the University of Mindanao during the school year 2012-2013. Respondents of the study are the computing education students. The research instrument used in the conduct of the study is the standard university course assessment.

Creation of the world essays

Creation of the world essays For millions of years people have made myths about how the earth and the people on it were created. I decided to compare the Iroquois creation story compared to the Bilaan creation story. The Iroquois lived in the low lands of Southern Ontario and Quebec and parts of the United States as where Bilaan is an Austronesian language spoken on the island of Midanao. This Philippine language is spoken by approximately 300,000. Iroquois believe that along time ago before the world was fully formed, there were two worlds: that of the sky, and the lower, darker world. The lower world had only water, and water creatures. A woman fell from the cloud world, and she was pregnant with twins; one good and one bad. Some birds saw her falling and decided to break her fall. She was too heavy for them, however, and so a huge turtle offered to hold her. The water creatures wanted to save her from the waters, and so decided to get some earth from the bottom of the sea for her. First the beaver dived down for some earth, but the sea was too deep, and when he came back up, he died from trying. The otter then tried, and died the same way. Finally, the muskrat tried, and when he came back up he had managed to get some earth, and the huge turtle put it on his back, where it grew to form the Earth we know today. The woman was in the final stages of pregnancy, and the bad twin wanted to be born through his mother's arm pit. Th e good twin tried to stop him, but didn't succeed. Both twins were born, and their mother died in the process. The good twin didn't like living in the dark, and so decided to make some light for the world. He took his mother's head, and made it into the sun, and made the rest of her body into the moon. He also molded animals out of clay and eventually, created people. Meanwhile, the bad twin didn't like what his brother was doing. As his brother was creating the peace and comfort in the world, he went around and created ...

Christmas Trends, Demographics, Spending and Waste

Christmas Trends, Demographics, Spending and Waste Christmas is one of the most widely celebrated holidays by people all over the world, but what are the particularities of it in the United States? Who is celebrating it? How are they doing it? How much are they spending? And how might social differences shape our experience of this holiday? Lets dive in. The Cross-Religion and Secular Popularity of Christmas According to Pew Research Centers December 2013 survey about Christmas, we know that the vast majority of people in the U.S. celebrate the holiday. The survey confirms what most of us know: Christmas is both a religious and a secular holiday. Unsurprisingly, about 96 percent of Christians celebrate  Christmas, as do a whopping 87 percent of people who are not religious. What may surprise you is that people of other faiths do too. According to Pew, 76 percent of Asian-American Buddhists, 73 percent of Hindus, and 32 percent of Jews celebrate Christmas. News reports indicate that some Muslims also celebrate the holiday. Interestingly, the Pew survey found that Christmas is more likely to be a religious holiday for older generations.  While just over a third  of people ages 18-29 celebrate Christmas religiously, 66 percent of those 65 and older do so. For many Millennials, Christmas is a cultural, rather than a religious, holiday. Popular Christmas Traditions and Trends According to the 2014 National Retail Federations (NRF) survey of planned activities for Christmas Day, the most common things we do are visit with family and friends, open gifts, cook a holiday meal, and sit on our bums and watch television. Pews 2013 survey shows that more than half of us will attend church on Christmas Eve or Day, and the organizations 2014 survey shows that eating holiday foods is the activity that we most look forward to, after visiting with family and friends. Leading up to the holiday, the Pew survey found that  the majority of American adults- 65 percent- will send holiday cards, though older adults are more likely than younger adults to do so, and 79 percent of us will put up a Christmas tree, which is slightly more common among higher income earners. Though hurtling through airports at top foot-speed is a popular trope of Christmas movies, in fact, just 5-6 percent of us travel long-distance by air for the holiday, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. While long-distance travel  increases by 23 percent at Christmas time, most of that travel is by car. Similarly, though images of carolers punctuate holiday films, just 16 percent of us join in the activity, according to Pews 2013 survey Studies also show that we are getting engaged, conceiving children, and deciding to get divorced more so on Christmas than during any other time of  the year. How Gender, Age, and Religion Shape Our Christmas Experiences Interestingly, a 2014 survey by Pew found that religious affiliation, gender,  marital status, and age have an impact on the extent to which people look forward to the  common ways of celebrating Christmas. Those who regularly attend religious services are more enthusiastic on average about Christmas activities than are those who attend less often, or not at all. The only activity that escapes this rule? Americans universally look forward to eating holiday foods. In terms of gender, the survey found that, with the exception of visiting with family and friends, women look forward to the holiday traditions and activities more than men. While the Pew survey did not establish a reason for why this is the case, existing social science suggests that it could be because women spend more time than men do shopping and visiting with or taking care of family members in the context of their everyday lives. Its possible that mundane and taxing chores are more appealing to women when they are surrounded by the Christmas glow. Men, however, find themselves in the position of having to do things that they are not normally expected to do, and so they dont look forward to these events as much as women do. Echoing the fact that Christmas is less of a religious holiday for Millennials than it is for older generations, the 2014 Pew survey results indicate an overall generational shift in how we celebrate the holiday. Americans over the age of 65 are more likely than others to look forward to hearing Christmas music and attending religious services, while those in the younger generations are more likely to look forward to eating holiday foods, exchanging gifts, and decorating their homes. And while the majority of all generations do these things, Millennials are the most likely to buy gifts for others, and the least likely to send Christmas cards (though still a majority do it). ChristmasSpending: Big Picture, Averages, and Trends More than  $665  billion is the amount the NRF forecasts  Americans will spend during November and December 2016- an increase of 3.6 percent over the previous year. So, where will all that money go? Most of it, on average $589, will go  to gifts, out of a total $796 that the average person will spend. The rest will be spent on  holiday items including candy and food (about $100), decorations (about $50), greeting cards and postage, and flowers and potted plants. As part of that decorative budget, we can expect Americans to collectively  spend more than $2.2 billion on about 40 million Christmas trees in 2016 (67 percent real, 33 percent fake), according to  data from the National Christmas Tree Association. In terms of gift-giving plans, the NRF survey shows American adults intend to buy and give the following: Clothing or accessories (61%)Gift cards or certificates (56%)Media items (books, music, videos, games, etc.) (44%)Toys (42%)Food or candy (31%)Consumer electronics (30%)Personal care or beauty items (25%)Jewelry (21%)Home decor or furnishings (20%)Cash (20%)Sporting goods or leisure items (17%) The plans adults have for gifts for children reveal the stronghold that gender stereotypes still have in American culture. The top five toys that people plan to buy for boys include Lego sets, cars and trucks, video games, Hot Wheels, and Star Wars items. For girls, they plan to buy Barbie items, dolls, Shopkins, Hatchimals, and Lego sets. Given that the average person intends to spend nearly $600 on gifts, its not surprising that nearly half of all American adults feel that exchanging gifts leaves them stretched thin financially (according to Pews 2014 survey). More than a third of us feel stressed out by our countrys gift-giving culture, and nearly a quarter of us believe that it is wasteful. The Environmental Impact Have you ever thought about the environmental impact of all this Christmas cheer? The Environmental Protection Agency reports that household waste increases by more than 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Years Day, which results in an additional 1 million tons per week going to landfills. Gift wrapping and shopping bags amount  to a whopping  4 million tons  of Christmas-related trash. Then theres all the cards, ribbons, product packaging, and trees too. Though we think of it as a time of togetherness, Christmas is also a time of massive waste. When one considers this and the financial and emotional stress of consumerist gift-giving, perhaps a change of tradition is in order?

Ergonomics, Work Methods, Satandards and Work Design Case Study

Ergonomics, Work Methods, Satandards and Work Design - Case Study Example The collected data were tabulated and graphically represented in order to conduct the proposed program more smoothly. The gathered information clearly indicated that back injuries and cumulative trauma disorders (CTD) were very common among the employees. However; among the recordable cases, 30% were back related whereas CTDs constituted only less than 10%. From a detailed analysis, the investigators identified that ‘selectors’ were the group most vulnerable to back injuries while forklift operators maintained the second place. A department-wise study revealed that the grocery department had majorily affected by injuries followed by freezer department and meat and diary departments in second place and third place respectively. Contusions and sprains were outnumbered and hence that could not be brought under the range of this study. In addition to the collection of statistical data, the project members also gathered ten minutes videos of each department’s work perf ormance in order to examine the nature of physical strain caused by each job. The adopted biomechanical techniques for this study included â€Å"a three dimensional analysis of static strength requirements and an analysis of repetitive lifting using the revised National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Lifting Equation† (Laurie, Andres & Wood, n.d.). As a part of the research, frequency data in January, 1994 were gathered for each job. Vertical and horizontal distances between each job location were estimated using measurement tapes and handled loads are weighed. The investigators also consulted personnel familiar with these operations with intent to acquire information regarding overtime work. The collected information processed using the two selected methods. The study outcomes illustrate that lifting cases above 50 lb. and horizontal movement cases beyond 20† cause high stress on the body and it would probably affect the low back or shoulder area. Section 2 Every organization largely depends on its employees to achieve a comprehensive economic growth. The above stated grocery warehouse distribution company also offers certain benefits to its employees. As discussed earlier, the firm implements an incentive pay system by which the employees get the opportunity to earn unlimited income. Under this option, the fastest worker achieves more so that an employee may tend to perform his works rapidly. An employee’s outstanding physical performance on a regular basis would certainly result in injuries and sprains on his body. This situation turns out to be the main cause of increased back injuries and CTDs in the organization. It has been identified that the grocery selectors are the most affected category of back injuries. The gathered data show that grocery selectors lift a weight of 30 pounds at a frequency of four per minute and this activity continues for eight hours. The asymmetry angle or back twisting angle for this wo rk is 30 degrees. At the same time, meat selectors lift 70 pounds two times in a minute and their job duration is also 8 hours. All other elements remain the same for each

Unit 5 discussion art and hummanities Research Paper

Unit 5 discussion art and hummanities - Research Paper Example Instead of keeping the hopelessness to himself, he would even discourage the wife who at least had some fire (Yezierska, 1997). James Hughes Langston was born in 1902, in Missouri. He was raised by his grandmother following the divorce of his parents. At thirteen, he later moved to Illinois to join his mother who lived her husband. It was hear that James began his writing career as a poet. James Hughes after graduating from the University of Colombia, spent a couple of years participating in odd jobs such as launderer, busboy and seaman. His many works of poetry, plays, short stories and novels majorly revolved around the black life in America. He later succumbed to prostate cancer and hitherto, is remembered for his huge input on the works of literature. That affects people all over the world. There are some basic needs and desires that apply to the whole world and most people are bound to relate to a story that dwells on such. I perceived the poem as a cry for justice. The poet vented out the inequalities that existed in America, and personified most oppressed groups and the hopes and desires that lie within them. He does not end on a gloomy note since he offers hope that maybe someday this people will have equal opportunities when America becomes what it ought to be. The idea behind the poem is to show that to depict America as having the ideal of equality would be hypocritical. This is because most opportunities are taken up by the elite without regard to the lower classes of the community. In some instances, these opportunities are not even meant for them, they just grab them. Ted Kooser who was born in 1939 in Ames, Iowa received his first Bachelor degree in Arts from Iowa State and later earned his master’s degree in the same field from the University of Nebraska. He has authored and co-authored more than ten collections of poetry and books both fiction and non-fiction. Kooser’s works of poetry is

Esistance and conductive putty Essay Example for Free

Esistance and conductive putty Essay The aim of this investigation is to find out the relationship between resistance and conductive putty, and to see how length of putty affects this relationship. The Experiment: Conductive putty is specially designed to be a conductor; this is achieved by adding carbon black. This can easily be used to prove the concept of resistivity because it is malleable and so the cross-sectional area, length and shape can easily be changed. This experiment will show the effects on resistance in a circuit, as the length of putty decreases. I will be using 30cm of putty, and decreasing it by 5cm each time. First the voltage of the battery will be taken using a voltmeter, and this will be recorded at the start of the experiment. Then a circuit will be constructed containing the battery, the ammeter and putty. See diagram. For each different length of putty, a reading will be recorded from the ammeter and when the practical has been completed, I will work out the resistance using the formula R=VI. From those results I will draw a graph and then evaluate and conclude my experiment. Diagram: Constants: My constants include the weight of my putty I am going to start each experiment with 50g of putty. I will also sustain the same thickness of putty throughout my experiment, and the same battery will be used constantly. Variables: Possible variables in this experiment are temperature, voltage, cross-sectional area, mass, surface area and length. My variable is going to be the length of my putty, which will decrease by 5cm each time. I am going to start each experiment, using 30cm of putty. Fair Test: To ensure my results are as accurate as possible, I will make sure my experiment is a fair test. For this, there should only be one variable. Other procedures can ensure it is a fair test, such as accurately measuring the putty to make sure it is decreased by 5cm exactly every time. The same battery should be used throughout the experiment and to guarantee no results are anomalous, the experiment will be conducted three times and a mean average will be taken from each result. Prediction and Hypothesis: I predict that the resistance will be directly proportional to the length of the conductor so that if the length is doubled, the resistance will double providing all other factors remain constant. My hypothesis for this is that conductors have lower resistance when they are shorter because the electrons have a shorter distance to travel so more energy is conserved since there are fewer collisions, and the current is higher. In the longer lengths, as free electrons move from atom to atom some energy given off to heat. The longer a conductor is, the more energy is lost to heat. The additional energy loss subtracts from the energy being transferred through the conductor, resulting in a decrease in current flow and an increase in resistance Safety: The conductive putty is a harmless, non toxic and non-staining, however if gloves are not worn, your hands become black and you will need to wash them. A lab coat should be worn to minimize marks on clothes and the experiment is conducted on a tray to reduce the possibility of a messy workspace. Apparatus list: 50g of conductive putty 2 coins Tray to work on Knife Ammeter Ruler Voltmeter Wires Crocodile clips Gloves Method: Put on gloves and rolled putty into 30cm long piece on the tray, trying to keep the thickness consist ant. Used voltmeter recorded the voltage of the battery. Connected battery to ammeter, and connected ammeter and other terminal of battery to putty by putting crocodile clips on the ends of the wires, clipping them to coins and placing coins at either end of the putty, this was done to make a reliable connection. See circuit diagram. Recorded reading from ammeter. Measured 5cm of putty with ruler and cut with knife. Re-attached putty to circuit. Repeated process, deducting 5cm from puttys length each time, recording the reading from the ammeter. Repeated experiment three times, which will enable me to spot anomalous results. Results: I have calculated the resistance using the formula: R=V/I. Resistance is measured in ohms and the unit uses the symbol ?. Experiment 1 battery voltage = 6. 12V: Length of putty in cm Amps in A Resistance in ? Analysis of Results: This graph shows me the results for all three of my experiments, and there is a line of best fit for each experiment. There are some inaccuracies as the voltage was slightly different for each experiment, and I feel that points for the later experiments are also out. This is visible in my results and is maybe due to the fact that the same piece of putty was used for all three experiments, and so heat from my hands must have affected results. I have taken the averages of my results. Length of putty in cm Resistance in ? These are my average results. These results were plotted on a graph (see graph) and they show a visible decrease in resistance as the length of putty decreases. This would prove my prediction and hypothesis to be correct, as it states that the putty will have lower resistance when the length is shorter rather than longer or the resistance of a conductor is directly proportional to its length; due to factors such as loss of energy to heat, higher rate of collisions etc.(see prediction and hypothesis) However, when looking at my graph I noticed that the two points representing the shortest lengths of putty were out. This could be because as the putty was being worked, rolled and cut throughout the experiment it had become warmer and softer due to the heat from our hands; this could have affected the resistance. Evaluation: My results have proven my prediction and hypothesis to be correct, in that resistance is directly proportional to the length of the conductor, in this case the conductive putty. I think my results were quite accurate, but what may have let them down was the fact that the batterys voltage was slightly different for each experiment and the coins used to connect the wire to the putty, did not stay in place very well. I also noticed there was often a big jump in amps and resistance between 10cm and 5cm of putty. This can be seen by looking at my results and the graph, and I have concluded that this is probably caused by my hands transferring heat to the putty by means of conduction, as the putty is regularly in contact with my hands during the experiments. I expect this could be separate experiment, in which we could investigate how temperature affects resistance. If this experiment was going to be redone, then I think I might use a new battery for each experiment, and record the voltage as constant for all experiments. Also I would maybe use a different method to connect the wires to the putty, like maybe sticking the wires directly and vertically into the ends of the putty. Another thing to do would be to use temperature or even cross-sectional area as a variable alongside length, and to do a series of experiments involving increasing the length while decreasing the cross-sectional area, and vice versa. Conclusion: I think this experiment was a success in that it proved the theory that resistance is lower with shorter lengths of conductor and my hypothesis declares that as the electrons have a shorter distance to travel if the length is shorter, there are fewer collisions and less energy is lost to heat unlike in a longer length of conductor, so the putty will have lower resistance. Therefore my hypothesis was correct and I have successfully concluded my experiment proving that resistance is directly proportional to the length of conductor. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Electricity and Magnetism section.

Pet Overpopulation: Cause and Effect of Homeless Pets Essay -- cause a

A harmless visit to the neighborhood pet store turns into a ruthless encounter for me. Every Saturday, Pecan (my dog) and I visit a local pet store to purchase food and treats for her. Pecan and I pass by a dozen of shelter volunteers eagerly showcasing homeless dogs before entering the pet store. Shelter volunteers are special because they are willing to devote their Saturday morning to help homeless pets. On the way I stop and great each volunteer and dog, then I walk away emotionally grieving and trying to holding back tears. My sadness soon turns into anger, when I realize I cannot adopt every homeless pet. The pet population is a increasing crisis in America. In this essay I will discuss the cause and effect of homeless pets, I will begin by explain the anatomy that contributes to pet overpopulation, then I will discuss the consequences encompassing animal breeding, then I will examine the social stance that effects pets, lastly I will conclude by suggesting soluti ons. First, I will begin by introducing the correlation between anatomy and the pet population. T...

To What Extent Did the Russian Economy Improve in the Period 1894 to 1914?

The Russian economy is universally declared to have been a thoroughly backward prior to 1890s therefore it is highly likely that there was economic improvement in the given period; however the extent of this is difficult to define due to the varying manifestations of economic improvement and the independence with which they may occur. The finance minister during this period was Sergei Witte, and to him the majority of the improvements are credited, yet the improvement was not universal. Whether this was him personally or simply a product the awful conditions which the Russian economy rose from is to be decided. In 1897, 82% of the Russian population were peasants, leading one to the believe that any economic improvement must be both partially caused by and result in improvements in this area. This is because generally the greater the economic improvement the greater the amount of people are involved in bringing it about and the greater the number of people it affects for the better. The situation in 1894 was a mass of peasants that owned small and mainly subsistence farms. This meant that they sold very little of their produce and therefore had very little money. This was bad for two reasons. Firstly if they sold little then the state would have very little to sell to other countries, meaning that no extra wealth was coming in to Russia. Secondly, if the peasants had little money than they would not be able to buy much. If we acknowledge John Keynes’ theory of demand as true, this lack of it can only be seen as a severe impediment to the Russian economy. To answer the question, one must therefore decide if either the peasants started producing enough to sell or if less people were peasants. There is evidence to suggest that between 1890 and 1910 there was an increase of 38 million tonnes of cereals produced. One could argue that this shows economic improvement because they were working the land more efficiently, and therefore selling more so getting richer, the extra wealth generated would be pumped into other areas such as manufacturing due to the rise in demand. In addition the extra grain acquired by the government could be sold to other countries, and this money could then be spent on industry, improving the economy. This theory is complemented by the fact that between 1897 and 1914 Odessa, the major gain exporting port, saw a rise in population from 403 thousand to 499 thousand, which would lead one to believe that more eople lived there because there was more work to be done because there was more grain to export. On the other hand it could be believed that this does not show an improving economy firstly because it 74 million tonnes in 1910 is actually a lot less per hector then more developed countries were able to produce. They were still poor in comparison with other countries s uch as England which had experienced the industrial revolution and therefore had more efficient farming. In addition it must be taken into account that the population of Russia was rapidly increasing at this time, it doubled between 1861 and 1914 to 130 million people, therefore this increase in food production would not have lead to a vast amount of either overseas income or surplus money because they needed to eat most of it. This argument would lead one to the belief that on both an international and internal scale the agriculture of Russia shows very little economic improvement. It is, however commonly acknowledged that a failing of Witte’s was his lack of action in the agricultural department. The fact that in 1914 four-fifths of the population were still peasants that we have already asserted helped very little towards an economic improvement puts into great doubt the scale of such an improvement. Nevertheless it is possible for large change to be implemented by few people therefore instead of passing judgement based only on Witte’s weakest area of economic reform the others must be examined. Transport is highly necessary for a good economy because it allows workers to move to where there are jobs, business to trade goods with ease and ideas to spread quickly. Witte was aware of this and therefore undertook a massive project of railway extension going from 19510 miles of track in 1891 to 43850 miles in 1913. This included the Trans-Siberian railway which stretched from Moscow to Vladivostok and was meant to encourage the migration of workers from remote area to the manufacturing centre. Unfortunately this project was a disappointment internally as east-west migration did not increase significantly, which perhaps in explained by the fact that in 1914 sections were still incomplete. One could argue that the smaller scale railways were just as important because they allowed peasants to move from the overcrowded agricultural land to the cities where they could benefit the economy by working in factories. This may have happened to a small extent however we have already concluded that the majority of the peasants stayed peasants, besides by law peasants had to gain permission from village elders to move , stifling the desired rural to urban migration and therefore economic improvement. It must therefore be decided that internally the transport revolution helped to improve the Russian economy to an unexpectedly small amount. However the railway system in its vastness attracted international attention that was to improve the economy in other ways. The Trans-Siberian Railway was seen by other countries as a symbol of Russian enterprise and advancing society; this positive attention encouraged them to trade with Russia, therefore bringing in money, which in the long term would create demand and subsequently improving the Russian economy. Figures to back this are those of the comparative industrial output which rose from 109. 5 in 1904 to 163. 5 in 1913. As four fifths of the population were virtually incapable of buying this, we can only assume that the excess was either sold abroad or used on the railways. This will have brought money into Russia, improving the economy. One must then decide if the benefits of the foreign trade and the kick starting of industry was worth the massive amount the railways would have cost the government. In the long term it must be considered so, as without both something and someone to trade with the Russian economy would have taken much longer to improve. In addition, although the intended benefits were not seen within the given period, they may have appeared later, if the country had not been disrupted by war. However in the given time span economic improvement due to the railway was limited to the sector of foreign trust and therefore sales. The actual production of goods is often a good indicator of the success of an economy. There is no doubt that this happened in the years 1894 to 1914. For example between the years 1890 and 1913 the annual production in millions of tons rose from 5. to 35. 4 in coal, 0. 89 to 9. 1 in pig iron and 3. 9 to 9. 1 in oil. This is proof that in the industrial sector there was economic improvement. However it is known that much of this improvement was state directed, which would be fine if it were not for the fact that this direction was financed heavily by overseas loans. This meant that though the economy did improve, it was not strong in the way the France and Britain’s were because it firstl y needed state intervention to keep it going and secondly could not finance itself. If the improvements in this period in the economy could be continued over another twenty years, then it is probable that the loans would have been paid off and state intervention no longer necessary to such a large degree, however in this time period such drastic improvements were not possible. Therefore it must be understood although the industrial part of the economy did improve in measurements such as output and turnover during the given time period, it did not stabilise in a way that would make it strong. The improvement of an economy is all comparative, as well as comparing the Russian economy to how it way at the start and finish of the given period we must also compare it’s improvement to that of other countries, so as to create a more contextual answer. Of the five great powers, Russia shows the least increase in national income between 1894 and 1913 at 50% however its growth in national product between 1898 and 1913 is the highest at 96. 8%. The latter figure shows that Russia’s production of goods had gone up by fa more than its rivals, showing that the economy defiantly improved. After our inspection of both the industrial and agricultural sides of the economy it is possible to say that this improvement was almost entirely in industry. Never the less this shows great economic improvement. On the other hand the fact that Russia’s national income had increased the least shows that the people of Russia were not richer in comparison with the rest of the world. This may be firstly explained by the great increase in Russia’s population. Although production may have increased, the profit from it had to be shared out between more people. Therefore as a country the economy had improved but for the individual it was hardy better. Although this is still economic improvement it is far more precarious as unhappy individuals may lead to economy damaging strikes such as the 3574 in Russia, in 1914. The fact that other countries such as Britain invested in Russian economy supports the idea that the country as a whole was improving economically, as these advanced countries would not risk their money otherwise. The reason for this was firstly the railways, as has been discussed but also the fact that in 1897, the Russian currency was put on the Gold standard. This gave it strength when exchanged with other currencies, again helping Russia in the international climate but making it harder for Russian inhabitants to buy anything as prices naturally increased. Although putting the Russian rouble on the gold standard helped to stabilise the currency itself, it was not so powerful a move as to stabilise the economy and in fact added to the instability by further decreasing home sales. Therefore the Russian economy was improving greatly in comparison with its rivals in overseas sales and production, but this improvement was limited by domestic instabilities that Russia’s rivals had to a much lower degree. In conclusion the Russian economy did improve greatly between 1894 and 1914 however this improvement was confined to a very small sector of the economy. That sector was industry on a national scale. On an individual scale this improvement of the economy amounted to very little, with wages not allowing a significant growth in home demand. The agricultural side of the economy also improved very little, meaning that by 1914 four fifths of the people were not involved in the economical improvements to any great extent. The fact that the economic improvement was restricted to one area meant that it was unstable. On the other hand, although it must then be assumed that this improvement was greatly superficial in 1914, Russia was starting from the very bottom and therefore it is unlikely that a vastly improved in all areas and stable economy was possible in 20 years. If Russia’s economical improvement was extended at that rate for another 20 years then it would have had time to both gain security and reach out into other sectors that were overlooked in 1914, such as light industry. Therefore it must be concluded that between 1894 and 1913 there was great improvement in one area of the economy, which, due to its confinement was superficiality in an economic overview, yet due to the awful conditions in which this improvement operated in, it must be deemed substantial.

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 7

â€Å"Get out,† I said immediately. Yasmine and Vincent, finishing their breakfast at my table, looked up in surprise. Niphon gestured toward them. â€Å"I was invited in. I didn't think it'd be a problem.† Angel and human looked distinctly uncomfortable, and I could guess what had happened. Niphon had turned up, and they'd let him inside, not knowing about our animosity. They'd probably figured he was a partner in evil which, in the most technical of ways, he was. Vincent hastily stood up and took his empty plate to the sink. Yasmine followed. â€Å"Well,† said Vincent. â€Å"We should probably get going.† â€Å"Yeah,† agreed Yasmine, grabbing her coat. Fools rushed in where angels feared to tread, apparently. â€Å"Great seeing you guys.† They left so fast that they might as well have teleported out. I fixed my attention back on Niphon. â€Å"Get out,† I repeated. He leaned back against my couch, draping his arms over the back of it. â€Å"Letha, Letha – â€Å" â€Å"And stop calling me that.† â€Å"Whatever you like. And don't worry, I'll be out of your hair soon. I just wanted to give you a Tawny update.† Oh God. Tawny. Please, please let her have scored last night, I silently begged. Her attitude at the bar hadn't really inspired confidence, but maybe me leaving with Jude had set a good example. â€Å"She hasn't taken a victim yet.† Damn. â€Å"Alright, thanks,† I said, pointing at the door. â€Å"You can leave now. And next time, it's really okay if you call to give me an update. Preferably when you're in the taxi that's taking you to the airport so I don't ever have to fucking see you again.† He rose from the couch, giving me a wounded look. â€Å"Fine, fine. But there is one other thing I wanted to talk to you about.† â€Å"There is nothing at all I want to talk to you about.† I was on the verge of growling. â€Å"Oh, I'm not so sure about that.† His hand rested on the doorknob, but he showed no intention of actually leaving. â€Å"I think you'll be very interested. It's about your love life.† â€Å"No! We are not talking about this.† â€Å"Le – Georgina, I just want to help you,† he whined. â€Å"I think it's terrible that you two can't fully express your love.† â€Å"We. Are. Fine. And don't lean against the door. I don't want your hair to leave an oil stain.† Niphon straightened up and ran a solicitous hand over the back of his head. â€Å"Look, I get why you don't want to sleep with him. It's admirable. You want to protect his lifespan, not wipe him out, etc., etc. But what if that wasn't an issue? What if I made it so that you could have sex without the dire side effects?† â€Å"Right. And you'd do that out of the kindness of your heart.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shrugged and spread his hands wide. â€Å"There's always a price.† â€Å"It's not worth it. Not worth Seth selling his soul.† â€Å"I could sweeten the deal. Give him a longer lifespan†¦longer youth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"No. I swear to God, if you don't leave now, I'm calling Jerome.† That was a bluff, seeing as Jerome was out of town. â€Å"Like I said, just trying to help,† Niphon said. â€Å"Yeah, like you helped me?† I asked, not bothering to hide the sarcasm. Suddenly, the mocking, teasing look vanished. Niphon's face grew hard. Angry. Scary. â€Å"I did help you, Little Letha. You were no one. No one at all. Some poor fisherman's daughter in a shit, backwoods town. Some whore in a shit, backwoods town. You fucked up your life, and I fixed it for you. I made you who you are. Erased your problems. Saved your husband. Gave you eternal life and beauty. If anything, you owe me.† â€Å"It wasn't worth it,† I said, in a voice that matched his dark expression. â€Å"It wasn't worth it.† â€Å"Wasn't it? Would you have rather watched your husband commit suicide? Would you rather have died an outcast and disgraced?† I didn't answer. I thought about the desperate look on my husband's face when he'd found out that I'd cheated on him. Even after all these centuries, that expression still haunted me. He'd been driven to such despair that he'd been on the verge of taking his own life. In selling my soul and becoming a succubus, I'd struck a bargain with Hell that made him and everyone else I knew forget me. My husband had lived and gone on with his life, forgetting I'd ever existed. Had it been worth it? Observing my silence, Niphon's face turned taunting once more. He opened the door. â€Å"Good-bye, Georgina. Let me know if you change your mind.† He left, and I stared at the door for a long time before finally forcing my feet to start moving. The Seth soul-selling offer held no temptation for me whatsoever. That didn't trouble me. But his other words†¦the reminders of my past†¦ I sighed. I didn't want to deal with that, not with everything else going on in my life right now. And speaking of which†¦with two hours left until work, I decided to bite the bullet and again try to get more information about my dreams. From Dante. His store looked as bleak as the last time I'd visited, but this time, he actually had a customer. She was a young woman, college-aged maybe, with layered brown hair and a gray sweatshirt. Seeing her, I started to step back outside, but he waved me in. â€Å"No, no, it's okay. You can wait here.† Dante glanced at the girl. Both of them sat at the shabby, velvet-covered table. â€Å"You don't mind, do you?† She barely spared me a glance. â€Å"No! No! Hurry, go on. I want to hear more about the man.† Dante produced a dazzling grin that seemed a bit fake to me but which I suspected was actually very effective on her. Taking a step closer, I realized he was reading her Tarot cards. Several already lay on the table. He flipped another over. â€Å"Ah, the Hierophant.† His voice held a mysterious, knowing note. â€Å"What's that mean?† she squealed. â€Å"You don't know? You don't know anything about these?† She shook her head. â€Å"Nothing.† â€Å"Well, the Hierophant is a great love card. It represents a romantic man, someone good-looking and charming who loves giving gifts and doing small gestures. You know the kind.† â€Å"I don't, actually,† she said wistfully. â€Å"All my boyfriends have been jerks.† â€Å"Well, that's going to change,† he promised. I knew quite a bit about Tarot cards, actually. The Hierophant represented tradition, wisdom, and organized religion. He wasn't exactly a romantic figure, particularly considering he was usually depicted as a priest. â€Å"Why is he dressed so weird?† asked the girl. â€Å"He looks like he's in robes.† â€Å"It's not weird,† Dante said. â€Å"It's opulent. Remember, the Tarot is an ancient system. A guy dressed like this represented the height of fashion back in the old days. You know, a real designer label kind of guy.† I caught Dante's gaze and rolled my eyes. He maintained his poker face and flipped the next card. â€Å"Things are looking good,† he declared. â€Å"The Tower.† The Tower was pretty much the worst card in the deck. â€Å"This shows you guys have a promising future.† â€Å"Why is it on fire?† she asked. â€Å"And why are people falling out of the windows?† â€Å"It's all symbolic,† he said hastily. â€Å"And although things look really good for when you meet this guy, it means you have to be cautious and read the signs around you.† â€Å"Oh, wow,† she said. â€Å"I hope I can.† Dante gathered up the cards and stacked them neatly. â€Å"Well, I can help if you want. I could give you a package set of readings at a discount. That way, you'll have a guide as you go along. You'll be prepared for when you meet him.† I sincerely doubted she was ever going to meet this mythical guy. â€Å"How much?† she asked hesitantly. â€Å"Hmm, let's see.† Dante turned speculative. â€Å"Well, they're normally fifty dollars. Usually, I give a five-dollar discount for packages†¦but, hell. I really want to see this work. I'm a romantic myself, you know? It's a stretch, but I'll do a set of six for forty dollars each. You can buy them now and then come in whenever you want to claim them.† The girl deliberated, and I wanted to yell at her that it was a scam. But I needed Dante's advice and didn't want to get on his bad side. Not that I was necessarily on his good side right now. â€Å"I don't want to pressure you,† he told her gently. â€Å"So, please. Don't feel obligated. Just do whatever your heart tells you to do. I mean, if the cards have told us anything, it's that you have to protect your heart now as you enter this important stage of your life.† That sold her. â€Å"Okay. I'll do it.† I watched in disbelief as the two of them walked to his register. She handed over two-hundred-forty dollars – plus tax – and he gave her a Tarot punch card, not unlike what you'd get at a coffee or sandwich shop. â€Å"You should be ashamed of yourself,† I told him when she was gone. â€Å"Succubus. Nice to see you too.† â€Å"That wasn't a romance reading.† â€Å"Nope,† he agreed, coming over to stand beside me. â€Å"It actually suggested she'd soon be having a sex change and joining a suicide cult.† â€Å"But you told her it was about love.† â€Å"She's twenty years old. Love's all they want to hear about at that age.† â€Å"You're going to Hell.† â€Å"I could have told you that. In fact, I did tell you that last time, didn't I? Now. What can I do for you? You change your mind about the sex?† â€Å"No. Of course not.† He looked offended. â€Å"Of course not? What's with the attitude? I'm not that unappealing.† â€Å"No,† I agreed. He looked like he still hadn't shaved in a couple days, and there was something very sexy about that and the way his indigo T-shirt fit him. I hadn't realized before what nice ab muscles he had. Probably the lack of business around here gave him lots of time to work out. â€Å"But that's not why I'm here. And honestly, if this behavior is just the tip of the iceberg, I'm thinking your soul isn't going to be worth my time anyway.† He threw his hands in the air. â€Å"She comes and insults me, then expects help. So what is it you want? Your dishwasher finally break?† â€Å"No, but I had the dream again. And there was more.† I recapped it, and he listened, face unreadable. â€Å"You sure you don't want a new dishwasher?† he asked dubiously. â€Å"No!† â€Å"What about kids?† â€Å"What about them?† â€Å"You want them?† I fell silent, and despite his lopsided smile, I could see Dante scrutinizing me. He might be a con artist, but he was smart. The best ones always are. People like him make their living reading people and exploiting little things – like that girl's longing for romance. â€Å"It doesn't matter,† I said. â€Å"You know that. I can't have them.† â€Å"I didn't ask that, succubus. I asked if you wanted them.† I averted my eyes, studying the crystal ball. With the way the sunlight hit it, I suspected it was actually plastic. â€Å"Sure. I did even when I was mortal. If I could have kids now, I would.† He nodded, and for the first time, I got the impression he might almost be taking me seriously. Almost. â€Å"And let me guess. You woke up without energy.† â€Å"Yes, and I'd gotten a victim the night before. Just like last time.† His face turned speculative. â€Å"Interesting. It only happens when you're charged up.† â€Å"What do you think it means?† â€Å"Dunno. Might not mean anything.† â€Å"It has to! I'm losing energy for no reason at all.† â€Å"You're stressed,† he argued. â€Å"And you're, like, one of the most uptight people I've ever met – immortal or otherwise. You've spent centuries wishing you could get knocked up. You have this celibate boyfriend thing going on. And you work for that demon, right? The one who looks like Matthew Broderick?† â€Å"John Cusack,† I corrected. â€Å"He looks like John Cusack.† â€Å"Whatever. That's enough to tax anybody. Your dreams are manifestations of the woes in your life, coming out of your subconscious in vivid, energy-sucking ways.† â€Å"You are so unhelpful. Your dream expertise is a scam – like everything else.† â€Å"Nah. Not everything I do is a scam. I know dreams. I know spells. And I know what could help you.† â€Å"What?† He pointed to the counter. â€Å"You and me. Up there. Naked. Horizontal.† I groaned. â€Å"Wow, you really weren't lying. You are a romantic.† â€Å"A pragmatist. And an opportunist.† â€Å"A sleazy guy, treating me like a cheap whore†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Fuck, I haven't been laid in months, and now this succubus shows up wanting my help. You'd try to bargain for sex too.† I eyed him warily. â€Å"Is that what this is about? I have to sleep with you to get help?† Dante shoved his hands in his pockets. â€Å"Nope. You'd be more fun if you were willing, I think. Besides, I have no other help to give.† Disappointed, I made motions to leave. â€Å"Okay. Thanks. Sort of.† â€Å"You know what else might help?† he called after me. â€Å"If it involves sex – â€Å" â€Å"A vacation. At the very least, a massage. Basic stress reliever things.† Those were actually reasonable things, and I was pleasantly surprised to see his mind wasn't always in the gutter. â€Å"They can help,† I told him. â€Å"But I doubt a massage will fix the problems in my life.† â€Å"Maybe. Maybe not. But if you want a free one†¦a naked free one†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I left. I'd already felt like my romance with Seth was some infinite loop tape reel. The rest of my life apparently was too. Have the same dream, go to Dante, get no help, go to work, and ruminate. Because that's exactly how my day was unfolding, just like before. I went through the motions of paperwork and customer service at Emerald City, all the while consumed by images of the little girl in the dream and the sweet fantasy of having a daughter. My heart ached to see her again, to see that smile. Everything at my job seemed so shallow and meaningless compared with her. When work ended, I brought Maddie back to my apartment to make good on my promise to get her a date. â€Å"You're going to sell me?† she exclaimed when I told her the plan. â€Å"It's an auction,† I said. â€Å"For a children's charity. You don't hate kids, do you?† â€Å"Well, no, but – â€Å" â€Å"Then this'll be great. Here, try this on.† I tossed her a BCBG shopping bag. She eyed it warily. â€Å"Isn't that a place for teenagers?† â€Å"It's a place for anybody with style,† I assured her. She opened the bag and pulled out the knee-length dress I'd picked up for her the other day. It was silk chiffon with a dark pink geometric print. The empire waist had a slightly gathered top, and the V-neck had a bow that tied underneath it. Fluttery cap sleeves finished it off. â€Å"I can't wear this,† she said immediately. â€Å"Why? Because it'll look good?† She shot me a glare. â€Å"There's hardly anything there.† â€Å"What? There's plenty.† I owned lots of dresses that had â€Å"hardly anything there.† This was elegant and tasteful. Amish country compared to some of my clothing. â€Å"Try it on, and we'll see.† She did, reluctantly, and I could have crowed with delight when she stepped out of my bathroom. I'd totally nailed the size. It fit perfectly. â€Å"There isn't an extra inch here,† she fretted, pulling at the fabric around the waist. â€Å"Exactly.† â€Å"Doesn't it make me look fat?† â€Å"It makes you look great. If it were spandex or something, there might be a problem, but this is light and drapey.† â€Å"The neckline's awfully low – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, be quiet,† I snapped. â€Å"And let's finish the rest of you.† I did her makeup and arranged her hair down for a change. It shone like black silk when brushed out, and I thought it was a shame she wore it in a haphazard ponytail so often. Besides, everyone knows that in the movies, shy girls always become beautiful by letting down their hair and taking off their glasses. Maddie already wore contacts, but the principle was still sound. I finally finished her off with half-heeled shoes I'd bought to match the dress. Higher ones would have looked better, but even I knew when not to press my luck. Satisfied with the results, we headed out to the auction. â€Å"You're like my fairy godmother,† she muttered as we walked into the hotel the event was being held at. â€Å"But I'm still a pumpkin.† I elbowed her. â€Å"How did you get so negative? You should start some angstful emo rock band to compete with Doug's.† â€Å"Oh, yeah. That'd go over – hey, is that Seth?† We were cutting across the open room the auction would take place in, heading toward the volunteers' area. Lots of people had gathered, filling most of the round tables facing the stage. I followed her gesture to where Seth sat at one of the few tables that wasn't already full. Seeing us notice him, he held up his hand in greeting. â€Å"He wanted to come support you,† I told her. Actually, Seth had been appalled at me strong-arming Maddie into this and had attended mainly out of a perverse fascination at what he thought might end in disaster. But Maddie, not knowing his motives, was pleasantly surprised. She smiled, and I nearly swooned. â€Å"That,† I said. â€Å"That right there is what you need to do.† The smile dropped. â€Å"That what?† Hugh practically skipped over when he saw us. â€Å"I knew you didn't hate kids. I knew you'd cave and come help – â€Å" â€Å"Not me,† I said. â€Å"Maddie.† I rested a hand on her shoulder. Hugh's face turned perfectly blank. â€Å"Oh?† Just then, a tall brunette in a black satin evening dress strolled over. The â€Å"fucking fox,† presumably. She extended her hand. â€Å"Hello, I'm Deanna, the coordinator. You must be Hugh's friend?† â€Å"Georgina,† I said, shaking. â€Å"But Maddie here is your volunteer. She's a journalist for an important women's magazine.† Deanna's eyes lit up. â€Å"Ah! We love celebrities. Let me take down your information.† She led Maddie away. As soon as they were gone, Hugh turned on me. â€Å"What the hell? I wanted Georgina, and you give me Georgy Girl.† â€Å"You are such an asshole. That's a horrible thing to say.† He shrugged, eyes on Maddie. â€Å"I call 'em like I see 'em. She's huge.† My eyes were on Maddie too. She actually looked quite slim in the dress, but Hugh was one of those guys who liked bony types – so long as their chests were big enough. â€Å"You're the reason women have such horrible self-esteem issues. You tear them apart. Women, I mean. Not the issues.† â€Å"Look, I'm sure she's not all bad,† he said. â€Å"She probably gives good head.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Flatterer. Why do you say that?† â€Å"Fat girls always do. They have to. Only way they can get men.† I punched him in the arm. Hard. â€Å"Ow! Fuck, that hurt.† â€Å"You're a jerk,† I told him. â€Å"Maddie's beautiful.† â€Å"She's okay,† he said, rubbing his injured arm. â€Å"And I can't exactly have just okay tonight – not with that liability already on deck.† He pointed over to where some of the other volunteers waited. Immediately, I found what he referred to. It was easy because Tawny towered over the other women by about a foot. â€Å"Holy Christ,† I said. â€Å"How did that happen?† He threw up his hands, looking miserable. â€Å"She latched on to the idea when you mentioned it at the bar.† â€Å"I didn't even think she heard me,† I said apologetically. Hugh waved me toward the crowd. â€Å"Too late now. Go have a seat, Brutus, so this disaster can get under way. You've ruined the night. I don't know why you hate kids so much.† I gave him a parting glare and went off to find Seth. The vampires had joined him since I'd come in. â€Å"You guys here to get a date or a victim?† I asked. â€Å"Neither,† said Peter. â€Å"We're here to see the Tawny Show.† I sighed. â€Å"This is supposed to be a charity event, and people are treating it like a freak show. Hugh already accused me of ruining it by bringing Maddie.† Seth looked surprised. â€Å"Why? She looks great.† I pointed her out to Peter and Cody, who also concurred about her cuteness. â€Å"She'll be fine,† said Cody. â€Å"Tawny's going to be the one to watch. I haven't really been able to see what she's wearing. I hope it's up to her usual standards.† â€Å"Maybe her Secret Santa will get her some nicer clothes,† said Peter. He glanced at me. â€Å"You bought for yours yet?† â€Å"Huh?† Right. Carter. I'd completely forgotten. Buying something for that cynical angel hadn't exactly been at the top of my priority list. â€Å"I, um, have some ideas. Still thinking about it.† â€Å"What about a Christmas tree? You got one of those?† â€Å"Um, haven't done that either.† â€Å"I didn't know you wanted a Christmas tree,† said Seth. â€Å"Do you need help picking one out?† â€Å"Well, I don – â€Å" The auction started, cutting me off. The auctioneer, Nick, was a young guy in his early thirties who probably had a second job doing minor modeling contracts that would never actually get him out of Seattle. He smiled non-stop and did a good job flirting with the women and making guy-jokes to the men. Bids flew fast and furious, and it was easy to get caught up in the excitement. â€Å"Next up,† said the auctioneer, reading from a card, â€Å"is Tawny Johnson.† â€Å"Johnson?† asked Cody. â€Å"Kind of boring.† â€Å"She made up both her names,† I said. Succubi often did. â€Å"She probably didn't have any mental energy left after choosing the first one.† â€Å"Ouch,† said Seth. â€Å"Who's being mean now?† â€Å"You haven't met her,† I warned. Tawny pranced up, wearing seven-inch high-heeled shoes that appeared to be made out of stainless steel. They looked like medieval torture devices but matched her super-tight, silver lam? ¦ hot pants and jacket. â€Å"She didn't disappoint,† said Cody, studying the outfit. Unsurprisingly, she stumbled the last couple of steps, and Nick reached out to steady her. â€Å"Careful there,† he said, flashing his brilliant white teeth. â€Å"Men are supposed to fall all over you.† It took her a moment to get the joke, and then she burst into small, high-pitched giggles. The noise grated on my nerves, but Nick seemed quite pleased to have someone appreciate his jokes. â€Å"Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself, Tawny,† he said. â€Å"It says here you're currently unemployed. Does that mean you're out looking for something right now?† â€Å"Well, Nick, I'm out looking for someone right now – if you know what I mean.† â€Å"Oh my God,† I said. â€Å"That was kind of funny,† Peter noted. â€Å"No, it wasn't.† Nick apparently agreed with Peter. He threw back his head and laughed. â€Å"Careful there, guys†¦we got a dangerous one on our hands. Tell me, Tawny, what is it you're looking for in a man?† She pursed her red-lacquered lips in deep thought. â€Å"I'm looking for heart, Nick. Heart and soul. Those are the most important things.† There was a collective â€Å"aww† from the audience. Beside me, Peter said, â€Å"Okay, the soul thing really was funny. Only to us, of course, but still.† Tawny then winked at the crowd. â€Å"But stamina and a big checkbook can make up for that sometimes.† Nick waited for the audience's laughter to fade. â€Å"Okay, let's start the bidding at fifty – oh my God.† Tawny had taken off her jacket, revealing a zebra-print bandeau top underneath. ‘Top' was a dubious term at best, though. When wrapped around her enormous bust, it looked more like a rubber band and really only served to cover her nipples. Bids exploded from the audience, much to the astonishment of my friends and me. More surprising still was when Nick the auctioneer actually joined in. â€Å"Folks, I know this is a bit unusual†¦but, well, I just can't help myself. Three-hundred dollars.† â€Å"Three-fifty!† â€Å"Four-hundred!† In the end, Nick was the one who ended up winning her, paying a startling five-fifty. â€Å"Well, I'll be damned,† said Peter. I would have made a joke about his comment if I wasn't so shocked. When I finally found my voice, it was to say, â€Å"Well†¦this is a good thing, right? That guy looks like he'd sleep with her right now.† â€Å"And,† added Cody, â€Å"it was all for the kids.† Slowly, my astonishment faded into relief. This was an unexpected twist to the evening. The Tawny problem was fixed. Apparently, all we'd needed to do was essentially run an ad for her. She'd sleep with him, and Niphon would get off my back. One less thing for me to worry about – which was good, because I certainly had plenty of other things. Like Maddie. It was her turn next. She walked out, face grim and set for battle. She looked both terrified and terrifying. In spite of that hard countenance, I still saw a few interested faces in the audience. â€Å"Smile, smile,† I muttered to no one in particular. â€Å"Maddie Sato,† said Nick cheerily. â€Å"You write magazine articles. Anything I'd know?† â€Å"Probably not,† she said, still wearing that grimace. â€Å"Not unless you read feminist publications.† â€Å"Feminist,† he said, clearly amused. â€Å"Next you'll be telling us you hate men.† She gave him a blank look. â€Å"I only hate stupid men who don't actually understand what ‘feminist' means.† He laughed. â€Å"You run into a lot of men like that?† â€Å"All the time.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Even as we speak, Nick.† â€Å"Oh no she didn't,† said Peter. I groaned. It took Nick a full ten seconds to realize he had just been insulted. Then, for the first time that night, he stopped smiling. Turning to the crowd, he said flatly, â€Å"Okay, let's start the bidding at fifty.† Silence met him. The interested faces no longer looked so interested. I swallowed a scream. No, this couldn't be happening. I'd promised her a date. This would destroy her. After what seemed like an eternity, I heard a voice in the back of the room. â€Å"Fifty.† Relieved, I craned my head and looked. The guy who had bid was about fifty years old and looked exactly like this pedophile I'd once seen on a news special. â€Å"Fifty,† said Nick. â€Å"Do I hear seventy-five?† Silence. I turned to Seth. â€Å"Do something!† I hissed. He flinched. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Going once†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I elbowed him, and his hand shot up. â€Å"Seventy-five.† There was a collective â€Å"ooh' in the room. Apparently no one, including Maddie, had expected a bidding war for the belligerent man-hater. Her eyes widened in surprise. â€Å"One hundred,† said the pedophile look-alike. Then, either to end this quickly or because he felt sorry for Maddie, Seth said, â€Å"Three hundred.† More sounds of astonishment followed. The other bidder couldn't compete; he must have spent all his money on bail. â€Å"Sold to the gentleman in the Welcome Back, Kotter T-shirt.† â€Å"Nice,† said Cody, as Maddie exited the stage. I reached out and squeezed Seth's hand. â€Å"Thank you.† He gave me his half-smile. â€Å"Anything for the kids.† Nick flipped to his next card. â€Å"And now we have†¦Georgina Kincaid.† My head shot up. Across the room, I saw Hugh's smirking face. â€Å"Oh no he didn't,† I said through gritted teeth. Nick, puzzled, glanced toward where the other auctionees were. â€Å"Georgina Kincaid?† â€Å"No avoiding it,† Peter told me. â€Å"Might as well go up there. Otherwise people'll think you hate kids.† â€Å"That joke is getting old,† I hissed. Vowing to slap Hugh later, I reluctantly rose from my chair. Upon seeing me, Nick turned on the supernova smile. â€Å"Ah, there she is. Fashionably late.† On the subject of fashion, I wished I'd worn something as nice as Maddie's dress. I might have just gotten tricked into this thing, but now I wished I could do it right. I still looked good; my normal sense of aesthetics would allow for nothing less. I had on a black skirt and a purple cashmere sweater, my hair in a ponytail. In tiny increments – too slow and small for anyone to notice – I tightened the sweater around my figure and made the neckline bigger. I put a saunter into my hips and pulled out my ponytail tie, shaking out my hair. It had worked for Maddie and countless nerdy movie girls. It would work for me because I suddenly had a serious issue at stake here. There was no way on God's green earth that I was going for less than Tawny. â€Å"Georgina,† said Nick, helping me onto the stage. â€Å"My notes say you prefer Georgie.† Yeah, Hugh was definitely getting slapped. â€Å"And that you run a bookstore.† If I'd taken a victim recently and had succubus glamour on me, I wouldn't have to do a single thing except stand there. I wouldn't even have to smile. Now I'd have to work a little. Quickly, I assessed this crowd. The kinds of guys who came to events like this tended to be white-collar professionals with disposable income. Some would be here simply because philanthropy was trendy and good for the image, and this was a stylish way to do it. Others, while perhaps not desperate, were nonetheless intellects and introverts who found this a good opportunity to meet women. These men all wanted smart, competent women – women who were also pretty, of course. And wit†¦wit always went over well. I gave Nick, then the audience, a heart-stopping smile. â€Å"That's right. I organize events, bring in money, make sure everything looks good, and whip people into shape.† â€Å"Sounds like a lot of work,† he said. â€Å"Or,† I said, â€Å"an excellent first date.† There was no cymbal crash, but my punch line elicited the laughs I'd hoped for. â€Å"You have some high expectations,† said Nick. â€Å"Well, I think everyone should. Why settle? If a guy meets my expectations, I'll meet his. And in the end, it's all about sense of humor and a conversation that won't put me to sleep.† I realized I sounded vaguely like a Miss America contestant, but maybe there wasn't much difference. I could see from the intrigue in the audience that I'd made a good impression. â€Å"This one's a keeper,† said Nick. â€Å"Let's start at fifty for Georgie.† I got my fifty and then some. Bids flew around the room. At one point, I glanced at Seth. Our eyes met, and I could tell by his expression that he was on the verge of bidding. I shook my head. He was the only one I wanted to go out with in this room, but I didn't want to taint Maddie's win. I wanted her to feel special. Besides, I also didn't want Seth to blow that much money. I went for seventeen-hundred dollars. â€Å"I can't believe that,† Maddie whispered to me afterward. â€Å"I think you're the highest one so far. The guy looked cute too.† He had. Late thirties. Armani suit. Harmless. Nobody I planned on establishing anything meaningful with, but he'd do for a casual date. Maybe an energy fix if I decided to use this body. â€Å"You brought in some money yourself,† I teased. Her eyes found Seth, sitting across the room, and studied him speculatively. â€Å"Seth probably did it because he felt sorry for me.† â€Å"Of course not,† I said quickly. She still looked skeptical. â€Å"Well, it doesn't matter. I'd rather drink coffee and talk shop with him than go out with some sleazy guy. That other bidder reminded me of this sex offender I saw on TV once†¦Ã¢â‚¬  When the auction wound down, I exchanged contact info with my buyer for a future date. Hugh attached himself to Deanna and stayed as far away from me as possible. No worries. I'd have plenty of time to deal with him later. Tawny, fortunately, also stayed away from me and clung to Nick's arm. I watched them like a proud parent. Tonight was going to be a great night.

George Bush essays

George Bush essays George W. Bushs War on Terror now seems to include the potential for the use of military force against Iraq. Whose right is it to declare war? Does the President have the power, the Congress? Some think that Congress has the Constitutional power to declare war, while others believe that the President obtains that power. The Presidents power in both domestic and foreign affairs has changed considerably throughout history. Depending on the President and the war, decisions on war can be put in both the hands of the President and the Congress, it is best when they both support the same decision, but overall the President has the power. Today it seems that the president holds more power to declare war than years ago. An example of this is shown in George W. Bushs War on Terror against terrorists, such as Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. George W. Bush has taken full control on going to war against terrorists. It seems that most American peoples feel that the President is doing the right thing, whether it be out of revenge, or justice, he has the support. As commander in chief of the armed forces, the president has the power to formulate and direct military strategy and actions in times of war and peace. As the country's principal military commander, the president is responsible for the nation's security and the safety of its citizens. He does what he feels is right although congress may not always agree. The Constitution may grant Congress the power to declare war, however, historically the president has had nearly total freedom to send troops into combat. A series of presidents-Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon-waged war in Vietnam without a formal declaration of war from Congress. In my personal opinion, I feel that it should be always best to have Congress and the American people supporting your decision in war. I feel this way because not only does the deci...

Character Development in Arthur Millers The Crucible

The role of Arthur Miller in the development of The Crucible The Crucible deals with the main events of Salem and the main changes and developments of roles emerging in the play. Every character in the drama experiences some change whether it is good or good. Arthur Miller believes in the good and evil of Chura, he thinks that all characters are doing work of God, but actually shows encouraging devils. They are good and sincere Christians, but many people can not even follow the Ten Commandments. The Crucible of the theme of the Crucible Development Arthur Miller is a historical drama, but more important is the social and psychological drama. Various ways to develop themes through The Crucible are through characters, plots, settings, and conversations. According to Raymond Williams, the importance of witch trials, the moral crisis of society is clear and directly be formulated, have been described. In this way, life style overall quality of the organic non-existent You can see the qu ality (Ibsen to Brecht's play, until 1968). Abigail Williams of Arthur Miller 's Cru 埚 saw various aspects of the role of Abigail Williams in the whole drama of Krusselsburg. Arthur Miller created funny and complex characters with diverse and distinctive features, but in the first scene, the audience clearly recognized the characteristics of her control and operation. Abigail was first introduced as 17 years old, very beautiful girl, orphan ..., but since the parents were found to be absent, the audience became sad. Please refer to Mirror 's introduction to Abigail Williams with Waste. How realistic he is about her performance as a controller. In Arthur Miller's The Crucible, Abigail Williams appeared as an administrator of many key figures. Abigail can manipulate and control many characters well. Her beauty allowed her to influence others. Arthur Miller's Justice and Injustice in Chura, by Arthur Miller, by John Proctor, by Elizabeth Proctor and by Abigail Williams the role of justice and injustice. It also shows through the small role of Mary Warren and Messi Luis, the followers of Abigail Williams, and Danfoss and various citizens. There was a rumor that Abigail Williams and girls were discovering dancing in the forest by pastor Paste, when Bettari and Ruth Putnam found magic, there was magic between them.

(CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) Assignment

(CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) - Assignment Example CATCH support appropriate decision-making regarding resource allocation, health care policy development, and strategy implementation leading to the further research of population heath issues (Staggers and Nelson, 2014). The CDC and the WHO have a common goal of promoting a healthy public and sharing data about chronic diseases and preventing them. The CDC is a central agency that conducts and support health promotion, prevention, and preparedness in America with the aim of improving overall public health. WHO strategically bases to check on the health of its 194 member states globally. Both CDC and WHO uses EHR Electronic health records in data processing for easy manipulation and storage of health data records. The CDC and WHO, recognize the importance of health IT therefore investing in the Public health information networks (PHIN) for perfect sharing of public health information (Jenkins, 2011). Employees can share information about chronic diseases including Ebola, through social media channels. The difference is that, the CDC deals with local data within the US while the WHO is an international body with CDC version to maintain public heath globally including 194 countries. WHO concentrates on annual recording of health-related issues for its 194 Member States. It focuses on the progress designed towards achieving the health-related Millennium development to the member states. WHO deals with the global development goals (MDGs) and related targets checking on the universal health coverage and civil registration coverage. The CDC is an American based center for disease control monitoring and preventing chronic disease and maintaining sound health within America states.CDC helps the American public health with statistics including diseases, pregnancies, births, and mortality. The standard research methods are literature searches, talking with people, focus groups, Personal