Succubus on Top CHAPTER 17 Free Essays

â€Å"Should I put up Lorelei Biljan’s posters now? Or wait until after E. J. Putnam’s gone?† I looked up from the invoices on my desk. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus on Top CHAPTER 17 or any similar topic only for you Order Now I’d just reread the same line of numbers about five times without comprehending any of it, and I was having only a little better luck parsing Tammi’s question. I rubbed my eyes. â€Å"Why†¦would we wait?† She shrugged. â€Å"Dunno. Just seems kind of rude to be advertising one author during another one’s signing.† My mind moved slowly, probably because only 5 percent of it was actually here at the bookstore. The rest of my brainpower attempted to muddle through the disaster that was my life. â€Å"Um†¦no, it doesn’t matter. Put them both up. They’re only a week apart, and we want Biljan to get a fair shot at publicity too. Besides, I don’t think authors really get worked up over competition like that. They’re pretty low-key.† Tammi ran a hand through her short red hair. â€Å"I don’t know. They’re famous and artistic. Seems like that’s a bad combination. Temperamental and stuff. Not all writers can be like Seth. In fact, I bet when he gets angry enough about something, he could really let someone have it.† â€Å"Anything else?† I asked, a sharp note of dismissal in my voice. â€Å"Otherwise, just put up all the posters, okay?† She gave me a startled look and left the office. When the door closed, I put my head down on the desk and groaned. Tammi, in her blissful adolescent na §?te, had no idea how close to home she had hit. Like her, I too believed Seth could display a lot of anger if given enough cause. Like, say, his girlfriend cheating on him. True, Bastien had been right in saying Seth and I had loose definitions of â€Å"cheating,† but even I knew what did and did not qualify. There was no gray area here. No mutability. I had fucked up hard-core. I’d known it too, lying there in that unholy union with Bastien. After my sleepless night, I’d left him around dawn and took a cab back to Queen Anne, my body still aching. I hadn’t wanted to talk to him. He’d slept so heavily, he hadn’t heard me leave. No guilt weighed him down. But me? My cup of guilt was runnething over. Not only that, I still had to make the next decision in this mess: to tell or not to tell? That was what had really bothered me all day at work. The past was over; I could only worry about it for so long. My attention now focused on how to proceed with the future. Fortunately, Seth had worked from home today, which helped a little. He and I eventually had plans to meet up in the evening, but until that happened, I still had time to come up with something. Anything. Yet when I walked home at the end of my shift, I was no closer to an answer than I had been at the beginning of the day. Miserable, I pulled up a chair at my kitchen table and sat down with pen and paper. Aubrey jumped up on the table’s flat surface and lay down to watch me, half of her sprawling on the page. I slid her off and made the following list: DONT TELL SETH Pros: status quo resumes, he won’t be upset Cons: my own gnawing guilt, totally blowing the honesty thing I considered the list for a moment, surprised that neither the pro nor con side had more items. It was just that simple. Moving farther down the paper, I wrote up the reciprocal list. TELL SETH Pros: right thing to do Cons: admitting I’m an idiot, painfully emotional blowout, inevitable breakup, a literal eternity of heart-wrenching sorrow and regret I held the pen and looked back and forth between both lists. â€Å"This isn’t really clearing things up, Aubrey.† In an effort to relieve my frustration, I hurled the pen somewhere into my living room. She watched it sail off with interest and then darted off to confirm the kill. â€Å"What do you need to tell Seth?† â€Å"Jesus!† I yelled, practically jumping ten feet in the air. Carter had appeared out of nowhere and now stood beside the table, looking casual and laconic. He wore a black T-shirt over a gray thermal shirt and the same jeans I swear he’d had on for the last couple decades. â€Å"Don’t do that, okay? Knocking isn’t a lost art.† â€Å"Sorry.† He pulled a chair out and straddled it, so his long arms draped lazily over the back. Flipping his stringy blond hair out of the way, he gestured toward my list. â€Å"Didn’t mean to interrupt.† â€Å"You’re not,† I muttered, crumpling up the paper. I tossed that into the living room too, so Aubrey could have more to hunt. â€Å"Anything you want to talk about?† he offered. I hesitated. Of all the people I knew, only Carter had been a steadfast believer in Seth and me having a serious relationship. He was the only one who hadn’t treated it as a joke. In some ways, that might have made him a good confidante, yet it also disqualified him. I could not confess to the one person who had believed in me just how seriously I had messed things up in a weak moment. â€Å"No,† I said brusquely. â€Å"But I assume you have something to talk about.† He eyed me a moment, like he might push me on what I clearly held back, but then he let the matter go. â€Å"I have something for you.† He extended a balled fist. When he opened it, I found a small pouch lying on his palm. I picked it up and stroked the material. I had no idea what it was, but the cloth’s smooth texture felt like a flower petal. I started to open it. â€Å"Don’t,† he warned. His commanding tone instantly made me stop. â€Å"You’ll break the spell.† â€Å"What spell?† â€Å"The one that masks what’s inside the pouch. And the one that masks your immortal signature. â€Å" I nodded with understanding. I might not know what to do with my own love life, but immortal conspiracies I could follow. â€Å"To hide me and this from Alec’s supplier.† The angel nodded in return. I held up the pouch and waggled it at him. â€Å"So do I get to know what’s in there?† â€Å"It’s a†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused, not from a reluctance to tell me but to search for the right word. â€Å"It’s a dart, I guess. Or maybe†¦like, an arrowhead. But that sounds weird. Nah, let’s call it a dart. It’s only about an inch long. A dart that looks like a small wooden arrowhead.† â€Å"Um. Okay. Got it. And what do I do with this darting arrowhead thing?† â€Å"You pierce the other immortal’s heart with it.† â€Å"Whoa. Like†¦staking a vampire?† â€Å"Uh, not entirely. You’ll sort of have to see when the time comes. The key is to move fast. As soon as you open the pouch, he’ll know what you are and what’s in there. You don’t want to give him time to react because it won’t be pretty if he does. Act fast, and don’t second-guess yourself.† â€Å"How is a small piece of wood going to solve all our problems?† â€Å"It’s special wood,† he replied with a grin. â€Å"Oh, yeah, that explains everything.† â€Å"Are you close to meeting him?† â€Å"Terribly close, actually. I probably could have met him yesterday if I’d wanted. Alec was very keen on introducing us.† Carter frowned, turning this over in his mind. â€Å"Hmm. Odd.† â€Å"Should I be worried?† â€Å"No more worried than you already should be at the thought of attacking an immortal.† â€Å"But I’ll be fine if I just act fast and don’t overthink it, huh?† â€Å"Right. I imagine that’s pretty common for you anyway.† â€Å"Anything else I should know?† â€Å"Well†¦let’s see. Yeah. One thing. Don’t actually do it until there’s provocation.† â€Å"What?† I stared. â€Å"Being a bastard who pushes addictive substances that destroy mortals isn’t provocation enough?† â€Å"Oddly, no. You have to be threatened in some way.† Annoyed, I tossed the pouch onto the table. This was so typical of Carter and Jerome. A bizarrely complex scheme with ridiculous nuances and loopholes. â€Å"Threatened? How can he threaten me? He can’t unless†¦wait, he’s not an immortal who could kill me, is he?† â€Å"No, of course not. But he could make things very†¦uncomfortable for you. Anyway, there’s a lot of ways to threaten a person. If he hurts you†¦or you feel vulnerable†¦like he could abuse his power over you, then that’ll work. He’s a stronger immortal than you. Preying on you – especially when you belong to Jerome, so to speak – is a big no-no. You would be justified in protecting yourself. But, if you attack wantonly, you’ll get in trouble from the powers that be for targeting other immortals. You’ll also get us in trouble for arming you.† â€Å"This sounds kind of like entrapment.† â€Å"That’s an ugly word. Let’s just keep it in terms of self-defense.† â€Å"So, you think things are going to get rough enough that I’ll actually need self-defense?† He hesitated. â€Å"I don’t know. I just don’t know.† â€Å"Yeah, but then, if this guy’s perfectly nice and just sells me a stash of ambrosia, I can’t do anything? We’ve wasted the trip?† â€Å"Like I said, I don’t know. Really. But honestly†¦if they’re making it this easy to find him, I have to think something weird is going on. Just be careful, okay?† His face was all seriousness now. â€Å"You’re smart. You can pull this off.† â€Å"And I don’t suppose, at any point in this, you’re going to tell me who this guy actually is?† â€Å"I believe ignorance is bliss.† I threw my hands up, not knowing what else to say. Carter traded a few more jokes with me and then rose to go. Hesitating, he gave me a curious look. â€Å"You sure you don’t want to talk? You’ve obviously got something bugging you. â€Å" â€Å"I do. But I’ve got to deal with it on my own.† â€Å"Fair enough. See ya.† An eyeblink later, the angel disappeared. Seth showed up about an hour later, a little blue paint smudged on his face. â€Å"Terry and Andrea are painting the kitchen now.† I smiled at him, swallowing all the churning emotions within me. â€Å"How can you get so messy when you don’t even do the painting?† I found a washcloth and dabbed at his face in a fruitless effort to clean him up. Standing so close, I suddenly had a flashback to last night. His hands stroking my breasts. Feeling him inside of me, filling me up. Our bodies moving together. His lips parting slightly when he came. â€Å"It won’t come off,† I said abruptly, jerking away. â€Å"Oh. Okay.† I stayed moody and silent for the rest of the night, stiff and distant at any sort of touching. Seth picked up on the vibe right away and let me have my space. We walked a few blocks down the street to a theater that only showed Oscar nominees and artsy, independent films. We saw one of the latter, and I have to admit, it did take my mind off my love life, if only for two hours. Sitting at an Italian restaurant afterward, I let him draw me into a discussion of the film’s merits. It amazed me that my mouth could keep up with the conversation while the rest of me was in an entirely different world. Over and over, I replayed what had happened last night – and not just the sex part. I analyzed everything, the events that had led up to it. Why had I done it? What had made me give in? Had it really been an altruistic attempt to fix Seth and me by removing the temptation? Had it been an aching desire to take comfort in Bastien? Or, most likely, had it been something selfish on my part? A burning desire to touch what I wasn’t supposed to have – not because it might help our relationship, but because I just wanted to do it. I had wanted that pleasure. I had craved his body and simply gave in to the hedonism I longed for. I was a creature of hell, after all. I had observed before that we weren’t exactly known for our self-control. Yet none of that changed the fact that it had happened. It had happened, and I had to do something about it. Or†¦did I? Seth sat across from me, looking happy and content as we talked. Ignorance really is bliss sometimes. I thought back to the lists. If he never found out, the truth couldn’t hurt him. We could go on as we had. The only problem would be that I knew the truth. I had to live with this betrayal, not only of our physical relationship but also of our attempts at honesty and openness. One more entry on the list of dark and nasty secrets I already kept. â€Å"You with me, Thetis?† he asked suddenly. â€Å"Huh?† He gave me a small, sweet smile and moved his hand over to hold mine. I squeezed it back. â€Å"You look like you’re miles away. â€Å" I gave him a half-smile in return. Apparently I wasn’t as subtle as I thought. I looked at him, studying those beloved features, and shook my head. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t tell him. Not yet. â€Å"Just tired,† I lied. We shared a dish of gelato and then returned to my apartment. We had just set up the Scrabble board when I felt immortal signatures approaching. I groaned, not wanting to deal with this. â€Å"Hail, hail, the gang’s all here.† Seth looked puzzled until we heard the knock at the door. I opened it, letting in Hugh, Peter, Cody, and Bastien. â€Å"You are alive,† said Peter cheerfully, smothering me in a hug. â€Å"We tried calling you tonight.† â€Å"And I’ve been trying to get a hold of you all day,† added Bastien pointedly. I was perfectly aware that he had called me many times. I had purposely not answered my phone. â€Å"Sorry,† I said to all of them. â€Å"Hey, Seth,† said Cody, clapping the writer on the back. The vampire and the rest of the immortals spread themselves out around my living room like they lived there. I gave their giggling and careless behavior a withering glance. â€Å"You guys been barhopping?† â€Å"Yup,† said Hugh with pride. â€Å"You – both of you – could have joined us.† â€Å"Fortunately, the night is still young,† declared Bastien. He strolled around the living room, arching an appalled eyebrow at the Scrabble board. â€Å"When you didn’t answer, we decided to come issue an invitation in person.† â€Å"We’re going to go shoot pool,† explained Cody happily. â€Å"Over at that place in Belltown. You guys should come along.† He gave Seth a conspiratorial grin. â€Å"Georgina’s a wicked pool player.† â€Å"Thetis is good at everything,† Seth murmured automatically. I could tell by his body language he wasn’t comfortable with a bunch of drunken immortals in the room. I also knew he didn’t want to go out. â€Å"Sorry, guys,† I told them. â€Å"We’ve already been out. We’re staying in.† This earned snide remarks and groans of disapproval. â€Å"Oh come on,† begged Hugh, trying to get Aubrey’s attention with a cat toy on a string. She didn’t fall for it and hissed at him instead. â€Å"We always get better service when you go with us.† â€Å"Besides,† said Bastien nastily. â€Å"It doesn’t look you’re doing anything else exciting. You should be grateful we came along. We’re giving you something. Something you couldn’t otherwise get.† I remained calm, but I think the others picked up on the sudden tension in the air. â€Å"Sorry,† I repeated. â€Å"We’re staying in. You guys can hang out for a little bit, but then I’ve got to kick you out. We’re doing our own thing. â€Å" â€Å"I wasn’t aware you guys did anything at all,† muttered Bastien in a voice only I heard. Maybe the vampires too, with their superhuman hearing. â€Å"You got anything to drink?† asked Peter, gently nudging me toward being a good hostess. I was still locked in a battle of wills and eye contact with the incubus. â€Å"Yeah, I just bought a six-pack of Smirnoff Ice.† â€Å"Oh,† said Cody. â€Å"Score.† He and Hugh raided my refrigerator, passing out bottles of prissy malted beverage to everyone except Seth and me. We abstained. Lounging around, conversation on silly topics soon ensued, although Bastien, Seth, and I did not participate. Seth stayed quiet because he always stayed quiet in such settings. Bastien and I stayed quiet because we were pissed off at each other. I excused myself for the restroom and found Bastien waiting outside the door for me when I finished. â€Å"Alcohol runs right through you, huh?† I asked, pushing past him. He blocked my way, backing me up against the wall. â€Å"What the hell’s wrong with you?† he demanded in a low voice. â€Å"Nothing. Let me go.† â€Å"Bullshit. I left you like a hundred messages. You’re avoiding me.† â€Å"So? It’s my prerogative. Just like that song.† He snorted. â€Å"Let me guess. You’re having some sort of melodramatic moral crisis over what happened last night. That’s so typical of you lately.† â€Å"Don’t talk to me about last night. You shouldn’t have done what you did.† â€Å"Is houldn’t have? My God, Fleur ,don’t act like you’re the victim here. Nobody forced you. You more than consented. In fact, I daresay you enjoyed it.† â€Å"It was a mistake.† â€Å"And so avoiding me is going to fix it? Don’t delude yourself. It wasn’t a mistake. It was good for you. I helped you. I gave you something you would have never gotten otherwise. You’ll remember it for the rest of your life.† â€Å"Gee,† I said, dripping sarcasm. â€Å"How kind of you. Because that’s really all there was to it, wasn’t there? You only did it to help me. Nothing more. You certainly didn’t do it just because you could. Because I was ‘beautiful and I was wonderful and you wanted me.’ â€Å" â€Å"Listen to me – â€Å" â€Å"No. You listen to me. If I want to avoid you, let me avoid you. Don’t show up at my house drunk and try to force your way into a dialogue. It makes you more of an asshole than you’d be otherwise. I don’t want to talk to you. Not anytime soon. Maybe not ever.† â€Å"Forever’s a long time.† He leaned closer, one hand on my arm. â€Å"Don’t you think you’re overreacting to one fuck? Besides, you can’t cut me off. You’ve got to help me with Dana.† â€Å"No,† I declared icily. â€Å"I do not. You’re on your own with that. And if you get sent to Guam, then it’s your own fucking fault. Maybe it’ll give you some time to think about your relations with women outside of business.† â€Å"Damn it – â€Å" â€Å"Georgina?† We both turned and saw Seth standing in the hallway. Bastien and I were close – too close – but not romantically close. Anyone with half a brain could tell we were locked in a dispute. Our postures radiated it, as did our expressions. The grip Bastien held on my arm was not friendly. â€Å"Are you okay?† Seth asked carefully. His words came out low and measured, but I saw something unfamiliar in his expression. Not anger, but something else kindling in his eyes. He had told me once he chose his battles carefully, and I wondered then what he would do if he thought the incubus was a real threat to me. â€Å"We’re fine,† I said. I broke from Bastien’s grasp, and he didn’t fight it. â€Å"Yes,† he agreed with a cold smile. â€Å"We’re fine.† He walked past me but stopped when he was even with Seth. â€Å"You should be flattered,† Bastien told him. â€Å"Most women invoke God during sex, but Fleur yells your name. One would have thought you were a deity, considering how many times she paid homage to you last night.† He continued on to the living room, and I didn’t even stick around to see Seth’s reaction. I stormed after Bastien. â€Å"Get out,† I told him. I looked over at the other immortals. â€Å"All of you, get out now.† Peter, Cody, and Hugh stared at me in astonishment. I’d kicked them out a number of times, but none of them had ever heard me use this voice on them. Consequently, they heeded it. They scrambled out the door in under a minute, Bastien shooting me a dark glance as he left. When they were gone, I took a deep breath and turned to Seth. Anger and despair boiled inside of me. â€Å"Let me guess. You want to know what he meant.† His face was unreadable. â€Å"Honestly, I don’t know.† He suddenly sounded tired. â€Å"I don’t know if I want to.† â€Å"Yeah, well, I’ll tell you anyway.† The words tore at me while coming out, but I really didn’t want to hold onto the secret anymore. Not only because Bastien had given it away but also because I knew I wasn’t going to be able to stand having it fester inside of me. It hurt too much. Talking to the incubus had made me realize that. So while I didn’t mention the pictures, I told Seth everything else. Everything. When I finished, he didn’t say anything. He stared at some nonexistent spot in the air, face blank once more. After a couple of minutes of aching silence, he finally turned back to me. â€Å"So. How was I?† How to cite Succubus on Top CHAPTER 17, Essay examples

The Great Irish Famine free essay sample

This paper takes a look at the causes and consequences of the Great Irish Famine. This paper takes a look at the Great Irish Famine and explains the extensive personal suffering endured by the civilians. It provides a political background and events leading up to the famine as well as demographic, social and political consequences thereof. From the paper: In researching this topic, I discovered that the Great Famine in Ireland was identified by several designations: the Irish Potato Famine, the Great Hunger, the Great Famine, and the Great Starvation. Although its title cannot depict the true nature of the suffering, the language used to describe this period will vary by the speaker. For example, those who describe the famine with innocuous images often refer to it as the Irish Potato Famine. This title brings to mind weather, nature, and blight, the result of acts of God. The Great Hunger and The Great Famine conjures a more realistic perception of suffering and death. We will write a custom essay sample on The Great Irish Famine or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, some refer to it as The Great Starvation to convey the belief that the Irish suffered and starved in the midst of surplus; that the famine was a ?symbol of the exploitation of a whole nation by its oppressors.?

Multiculturalism in Music free essay sample

Visualize in your head a rock band, and a rapper. What kind of clothes are they wearing. What lyric styles are they singing In? And what color are they? Ongoing stereotypes suggest that the rock band Is a group of white musicians and the rapper would be black. However, examples from the past and present shows that these stereotypes are untrue. Music is defined as The art of organizing tones to produce a coherent sequence of sounds to elicit an aesthetic response in a listener (Morris, 864). This countrys youth is unlike any others, we have much control over what we o, and music is something that evolves around all of us. In this essay, I will discuss the evolution of youth music ranging from early rock, to todays hip hop stars, from a multiculturalism point of view. Multiculturalism Is a term Identifying the presence of several significant cultures (Stark, 434). We will write a custom essay sample on Multiculturalism in Music or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Without the presence of multiculturalism, music may not be as diversified and rounded as it is today. Through sharing ideas, techniques and skills, music has evolved into a vast amount of identifying styles.The birth of youth oriented music began with the birth of rock and roll. Many think that rock Is generally composed of a white population, and not many would believe that rock was actually started by blacks. This shows early signs of multiculturalism through music. Rock and roll music is actually a spawn of rhythm and blues, that was created in the asses. The name Rock and roll was identified by Alan Freed, a radio disc Jockey that introduced rhythm and blues to the mainstream public, and altered it for the rock and roll. What Freed certainly knew but few whites were unaware of at the time was that the term (rock and roll) was widely used in black USIA as a euphemism for sex (RRG, 20). Concepts of rhythm and clues such as complex rhythms and call-out response and blending work of both Joys and sorrows in the South were taken black American heritage (RRG, 23). These styles of music were set to Anglo-style songs and thus produced a new style of music. This new style of music set the stage for some of the most influential musicians of youth in this time. One of the most influential musician of this time was Chuck Berry.Berry was one of the first rhythm and blues performers to have an Interracial audience, ND a heavy Influence In the future careers of the Rolling Stones, Battles, and Beach Boys. This new and exiting form of musical expression was taken In by the youth. It gave them a feeling of freedom and joy that had been lacking from previous music styles. Although rock became an instant hit with the youth, the music caused displeasure in the adult world. Rock was criticized for Juvenile delinquency to loosened sexual standards (RRG, 27). The most notorious example of what adults didnt Like In rock music can be found In Elvis Presley. Elvis was the first white performer to expose an audience to rock music. However, the free-will style Elvis exhibited was not a real big hit with the adults, where he was condemned as a whirling dervish of sex. Rock music then went on a tear, evolving into many different styles and forms. As rock matured and diversified, many new artists and distinct styles emerged. Such examples are blues, featured by 8. 8. King and Ruth Brown. Harmonious styles such as The Orioles, the energetic swing sounds of Little Richard, the role-model rock star Pat Boone, and the folk rock of the Overly Brothers. Such as war, politics, current events, and lifestyles. Another aspect that evolved rock music was technology. As more and more technology was developed, more integrated sounds were brought into rock, eventually resulting into such music as pop and disco. Music was now able to have artificial Beats that traditional instruments could not produce. This new form of music paved the road to a whole new dimension of music, one that is widely known today as hip-hop. Hip-hop music is a style that consists of sampling, attitude, dance, style, and sound effects. It is a Afro-diasporas cultural form which attempts to negotiate the experiences of organization (Rose, 72). Lyrics in hip-hop often refer to the experiences of urban life and other experience topics. Divisions of hip-hop usually but no not always include, the aspect of Digging, groups, rapping, break dancing, and the always present competitiveness. Hip-hop also is associated with living a certain lifestyle. This style is to live for danger and excitement, a particular style (clothes, cars, etc. ), and the feeling that you cannot let anyone stand in your was with what you want to be in life.Early hip-hop included music from Grandmaster Flash and the Sugar Hill Gang. This style of music brought much over from rhythm and blues and funk. These two groups correlated the live Jazz band feel with the new Durban beat technology. The next big wave of hip-hop occurred a few years later, against rap. This style was highlighted by a group called NNW. Gangs rap usually contained harsh lyrics about life as it would be living the gang life, and the struggles that must be overcome. In many cases, the harsh lyrics would be directed to another hip-hop group or rapper, usually of a different record label, or someone from a rival city or gang.This ongoing dud still exists, but has somewhat slowed down since the eventful murders of Tuba Shaker and The Notorious 8. 1. G. Currently rap is still about gangs. However, these Gangs are now the different record labels of rap, such as, Bad Boy, Ruff Ryder, No Limits, Rockefeller, and Death Row. The future of hip-hop is cloudy, and one can only speculate in the direction it is heading. Today, multiculturalism is represented in many forms of music. Many pop radio stations would likely play Jay-Z (rap), followed by Rickety Martin (Latin), and Backstreet Boys (five member group consisting of 4 efferent nationalities). An exchange of musical cultures is among us and it is beginning to show in recent music. The most significant example of this would be the newest and most popular music currently on the market, alt-rock. Alt-rock is a combination of both alternative rock and hip-hop, two styles of music that are pretty distinctive in their own ways. The hot-selling Limp Bikini, Kid Rock, Insane Clown Posse, and Rage Against the Machine are examples of these type of groups. This style of music features constant tempo changes, and rapping over guitar licks, which was seldom ever done before.For example, Limp Bikini is made up of the following member; a white rapping vocalist, a Jazzed-schooled drummer, a funk savvy bassist, a guitarist with roots in punk and metal, and a DC that spins beats while the guitar and drums play on. Another sign of multiculturalism though music, is the emergence of hip-hop and rap, without the typical hip-hop and rap stereotype. Kid Rock, Mine, Overcast, Fred Durst, and the pioneers, the Beastie Boys have brought new color to rap and hip-hop, white. All five artists are enjoying success at the moments and are being praised for it.It seems as if many of the racial barriers of music are These artists are respected through the hip-hop community and are all currently working with black hip-hop and rap artists on collaborations. This would include Dry. Deer and Mine, Fred Durst and Method Man, Kid Rock and Ill Kim, and Overcast and Santa, which is more rock and hip-hop, but color lines are still crossed. In conclusion, if multiculturalism is the collaboration of different ethnic groups ideas and cultures, then music could be Justified as a prime example. There once stood bold lines between the white rocker and the black rapper. These days, the line is virtually gone, and people are getting along better. This is shown in concerts such as the Family Values Tour, which despite the innocent name, features metal bands and rap artists. Through these concerts, you get many different ethnic groups getting together and having a great time together at a concert, and there has never been and race-related innocents at these concerts in the last few years. Music can have a strong influence on people, and if we are able to bring down color barriers that once stood tall though something that everyone loves, music, I say we should stick to that plan.

Metropolis (1927)

Metropolis (1927) Introduction Metropolis (1927) is a silent cinema, which is a prophetic (somewhat dramatic) science-fiction film produced in Germany by the Universal Film AG (UFA) at the height of the Weimar republic. Directed by Fritz Lang, produced by Erich Pommer and starring Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel and Gustav Frà ¶hlich, the movie is considered to be the first of its kind, that is, of a science-fiction genre. It opened the door to a fictional world, influencing other fictional films such as Star Wars and Forbidden Planet. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Metropolis (1927) specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is set in a futuristic city predicting the effects of technology and rapid industrialization (Minden Bachmann, 2002). Considered to be the biggest budgeted movie ever produced by UFA who found it hard to recoup its costs, the film revolves around a preacher/prophet named Maria (Brigitte Helm), who foresees the coming of a savior/mediator, and her love interest, Freder (Gustav Froehlich): the son of the city’s mastermind, Jon Fredersen (Alfred Abel). Main Body Maria and Freder meet at the eternal gardens, where Freder spends most of his time. Freder is amazed by her talk about togetherness and decides to follow her to the depths of Metropolis. On his way, he sees a horrific accident in the machine halls where workers work in despair. He confronts his father about it but is turned away on the notion that the workers deserved it. Freder, interested in the plight of the workers, is determined to do something but needs to track Maria first to learn more. This sudden interest forces Fredersen to hire an investigator to follow Freder. In the meantime, Fredersen witnesses Maria preaching patience in the hope that a savior who will reconcile the ruling and the working classes will emerge among them. Fredersen does everything in his power to destroy Maria and break the resistance. He orders the mak ing of a robot of Maria replica, which he would use to motivate the workers to violence so that he can apply force to them. To make this happen, he kidnaps Maria. Fredersen has a bigger plan to destroy the city. Fredersen is at odds with his son who sees himself as the savior and believes in Maria’s teachings. Metropolis is on the verge of total destruction as crowds hunt for Maria and her evil replica, and workers attempt to kill Freder and destroy the city’s generator driven by rage. Maria escapes to the workers’ city, which is now flooding with children left behind by the workers. The children were saved by Maria and Freder. The Maria double is burned revealing the machine. At the end, Freder acting as a mediator secures a truce between Fredersen and the workers.Advertising Looking for essay on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The film premiered on January 10, 1927 in Berlin an d was greeted with a strong attendance. The audience was blown away by the spectacular scenes and showered Lang and Helm with flowers at the end of the film. However, criticisms of the film were echoed around the world, especially from one of its inspirations, H.G. Wells who describes Metropolis as the silliest film ever. Conclusion Metropolis represents an important and crucial point in film history. Studies suggest that Metropolis consolidates to what silent cinema was about. Over forty copies were made for the premier in 1927 and not even one exists. Various versions (with missing parts-about a third of the original piece) of the Metropolis have been released with the 1997 edited American edition declared as standard for both domestic and oversee. In 2002, a restoration of the film was made to a 127 minute running time from lost footage. The latest restoration was in 2008, with the discovery of a lost footage from the 153-minute version. Though branded as the silliest film ever made, Metropolis is considered by many as one of the greatest movies of all time. Reference Minden, M., Bachmann, H. (2002). Fritz Langs Metropolis: Cinematic Visions of Technology and Fear. Studies in German Literature, Linguistics, and Culture. New York, NY: Camden House.

Cancer is a major burden of disease in the world

Cancer is a major burden of disease in the world A term of cancer can define as diseases in which abnormal cells divide without control and can invade nearby tissues. Cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body through the blood and lymphatic systems. There are several types of cancer. Carcinoma is a cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs. Sarcoma is a cancer that begins in bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, blood vessels, or other connective or supportive tissue. Leukaemia is a cancer that starts in blood-forming tissue, such as the bone marrow, and causes large numbers of abnormal blood cells to be produced and enter the blood. Lymphoma and multiple myeloma are cancers that begin in the cells of the immune system. Central nervous system cancers are cancers that begin in the tissues of the brain and spinal cord also called malignancy. Cancer is a major burden of disease in the world. Each year, tens of millions of people are diagnosed with cancer around the world, and more than half of the patients eventually die from it. In many countries, cancer ranks the second most common cause of death following cardiovascular diseases. As elderly people are most susceptible to cancer and population aging continues in many countries, cancer will remain a major health problem around the globe. (national cancer institiute, 2016) It is usually not possible to know exactly why one person develops cancer and another doesn’t. But research has shown that certain risk factors may increase a person’s chances of developing cancer. Diet, Obesity, Tobacco and disease screening are important lifestyle practices that increase cancer risk, Cancer harms the body when altered cells divide uncontrollably to form lumps or masses of tissue called tumours (except in the case of leukaemia where cancer prohibits normal blood function by abnormal cell division in the blood stream). Tumours can grow and interfere with the digestive, nervous, and circulatory systems, and they can release hormones that alter body function. Tumours that stay in one spot and demonstrate limited growth are generally considered to be benign. More dangerous, or malignant, tumours form when two things occur: A cancerous cell manages to move throughout the body using the blood or lymphatic systems, destroying healthy tissue in a process called invasion That cell manages to divide and grow, making new blood vessels to feed itself in a process called angiogenesis. When a tumor successfully spreads to other parts of the body and grows, invading and destroying other healthy tissues, it is said to have metastasized. This process itself is called metastasis, and the result is a serious condition that is very difficult to treat. There are some general signs and symptoms associated with cancer. They are fatigue, lump or area of thickening that can be felt under the skin, weight changes including unintended loss or gain, skin changes, such as yellowing, darkening or redness of the skin, sores that wont heal, or changes to existing moles, changes in bowel or bladder habits, persistent cough or trouble breathing, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness, persistent indigestion or discomfort after eating, persistent unexplained muscle or joint pain, persistent, unexplained fevers or night sweats. Cells can experience uncontrolled growth if there are mutations to DNA, and therefore, alterations to the genes involved in cell division. The DNA inside a cell is packaged into a large number of individual genes, each of which contains a set of instructions telling the cell what functions to perform. Not only that but also it tells how to grow and divide. Errors in the instructions can cause the cell to stop its normal function and may allow a cell to become cancer. Four key types of gene are responsible for the cell division process: oncogenes tell cells when to divide, tumor suppressor genes tell cells when not to divide, suicide genes control apoptosis and tell the cell to kill itself if something goes wrong, and DNA-repair genes instruct a cell to repair damaged DNA. Cancer occurs when a cells gene mutations make the cell unable to correct DNA damage and unable to commit suicide. Similarly, cancer is a result of mutations that inhibit oncogene and tumor suppressor gene function, leading to uncontrollable cell growth.A gene mutation can instruct a healthy cell to these things. They are allowing rapid growth, fail to stop uncontrolled cell growth, make mistake when repairing DNA errors. Allow rapid growth means a gene mutation can tell a cell to grow and divide more rapidly. This generate many new cells that all have that same mutation. Fail to stop uncontrolled cell growth means normal cells know when to stop growing. Therefore, we have just the right number of each type of cell. Cancer cells lose the controls. It tells them when to stop growing. A mutation in a tumour suppressor gene.

Iphone 5 Scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Iphone 5 Scenario - Essay Example With respect to the scenario under review, Apple is reportedly the first company to adopt and use relative technology, second generation LTE thin chips from Qualcomm Company. This has given it an upper hand and a competitive edge against its competitors in the telecommunications sector. Using the latest technology, it has been able to explore technological resources and use these in addressing wide ranging and emerging consumer needs. One of the devices that it has manufactured and which it wishes to sell includes the iPhone 5. The main aim for this is to present to the consumer base a smart telecommunication device with ideal features. The purpose of this paper is to undertake research regarding consumer perceptions and expectations of this product. Findings would be instrumental in ensuring that the product is customized to meet consumer needs. This will ensure that its performance in the market is optimal. In addition, the research would provide useful insights regarding consumer trends and changes in tastes and preferences. Based on this, Apple will be able to use its creativity in ensuring that relative needs and preferences and met accordingly. Besides this, market research will provide important information about the innovations of apple’s competitors. ... nship, Breen and Dukta (1998) found out that a significant percentage of the population fancy latest electronic products which meet their tastes and preferences. This can be used to explain why most of the users of iPhone 4S are not happy with the latest development. Ideally, they will be forced to purchase the new product in order to be at par with the market trends and lifestyle expectations. Previous trends regarding the performance of iPhone 4S in the market indicate that the sale of iPhone 5 would be a success. In this respect, a significant percentage of the population that purchased iPhone 4S had never used an iPhone before (Johnson, 2011). Market research ascertains that although iPhone 4 met most of the consumer needs, its low battery and storage capacity limits its effectiveness. Consumers are, thus, still searching for a product that would meet their needs, tastes and preferences in this respect. In their review, Hair, Wolfinbarger, Bush and Ortinau (2009) posit that iPhon e 5 provides the best opportunity for Apple to address these needs. Statistical evidence shows that a significant 35% of the consumer base has promised to buy the product immediately it is introduced in the market (Johnson, 2011). Aggressive marketing can go a long way in increasing this to a greater percentage. Previous trends indicate that consumers tend to gain confidence with a product after it is introduced and tested in the market. Research tools are instrumental in collecting vital data from the respondents. At this point, it is worth appreciating that the data collected is instrumental in credible decision making. It should therefore not only be comprehensive but also representative of the views of the consumer base. This would ensure that decisions made are based on informed

Contract Management for IT company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Contract Management for IT company - Essay Example Moreover, in this similar regard, any contract management process is also renowned as a practice where the parties of the contract ensure both time and cost effective accomplishment of the purposes of the contact. A contract has the task of assuring the aspect that the operations of business are executed as per the terms and conditions mentioned in the contract amid the contract manager and the company (Rendon 2009). Contextually, this particular report will mainly highlight the accountability of a contract manager in case of supply of an IT project while dealing with the terms and conditions of a contractual agreement. With regard to the management of contract within the project, the project manager or the contract manager in this case will need to be quite aware of all the legal obligations that can hamper validity and enforceability of the contract. Contextually, some of the aspects that the contract manager will need to assure include certifying proper validity of the contract through proceeding systematically while entering the contract. In this context, it can be stated that the contract manager will need to ensure proper execution of offer, acceptance and settlements of the terms and conditions while framing the contract. The contract manager will also need to analyse the potential areas within the contract which might result in disputes or conflicts and devise his/her move accordingly. The contract manager in charge of framing the contract for an IT project will also need to be familiar with other legal provisions in contracting with suppliers from other nations outside the European Union. This will ensure better results in the contract management process. These aspects are described in details hereunder. It is evident that a contract is a particular agreement amid two or more parties where each of the parties will be liable to adhered to the terms and conditions of the contract. A contract is generally entered amid two