there will come soft rains Essays (199 words) - Greek Mythology

BASTILLE-ICARUS Ooh Look who's digging their own grave That is what they all say You'll drink yourself to death Look who makes their own bed Lies right down within it And what will you have left? Out on the front doorstep Drinking from a paper cup You won't remember this Living beyond your years Acting out all their fears You feel it in your chest Your hands protect the flames From the wild winds around you Icarus is flying too close to the sun Icarus's life, it has only just begun It's just begun Standing on the cliff face Highest foe you'll ever grace It scares me half to death Look out to the future But it tells you nothing So take another breath Your hands protect the flames From the wild winds around you Icarus is flying too close to the sun Icarus's life, it has only just begun This is how it feels to take a fall Icarus is flying towards an early grave You put up your defenses when you leave You leave because you're certain Of who you want to be You're putting up your armor when you leave You leave because you're certain Of who you want to be Icarus is flying too close to the sun Icarus's life, it has only just begun This is how it feels to take a fall Icarus is flying towards an early grave

Lessons I Learned from a Suicidal Arsonist

Lessons I Learned from a Suicidal Arsonist On Friday, September 26, I set out to travel from New York City back home to Madison. I dutifully arose at 4:00 a.m. to meet a car service, arriving at the airport with plenty of time to spare. Boarding went smoothly and we left the gate. I looked forward to a 10:36 a.m. landing in my hometown after 3 days at a conference in Denver and a week with my family and friends. I had wonderful plans for Friday evening and Saturday. Then the announcement came: There has been a fire in the Chicago air traffic control tower. All flights in and out of Chicago have been delayed. The guy across the aisle from me began cursing and waving his fists around. I resolved to take the news better than he was taking it. After calling United twice and spending an hour on hold, I managed to get rebooked through Atlanta. But when I landed in Atlanta there were three voice mail messages advising me that my flight to Madison had been cancelled, and one informing me that I had been rebooked on a flight the next day through Washington D.C. I would, if all went as re-planned, arrive in Madison at 9:12 p.m. Saturday night. The punch line is, I made it home. But there’s more. Throughout this adventure, I learned or was reminded of some valuable life lessons. Here are some of them: One person can truly make a difference. That guy Brian Howard who set a fire in the Chicago air traffic control tower was one single man who managed to paralyze air travel across the country for two days. I’m guessing he also affected security measures at air traffic control towers throughout the world. Yet so many of us sit around thinking we can’t make a difference. What are the extreme positive acts you could take to change something you want to change? Surrender to what’s so. When faced with the prospect of spending the night in Atlanta, I was not thrilled. But since all flights to Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago and pretty much all areas surrounding were cancelled, I decided the best plan was to surrender. I got on a line for customer service, hoping there might be a hotel voucher for me if Atlanta was my only overnight option. An hour later I was at the counter, having had some lovely conversations with other stranded travelers, and discovered that there were no more hotel vouchers remaining, and that my flight to D.C. was that very night. Suddenly I had a new reality before me, and I accepted that one too. It’s amazing how much my stress level went down when I dealt with what was so instead of wishing it were another way! It’s good to have friends everywhere. Through a combination of college connections and my dance community, as well as other life adventures, I have built a network of friends and family in almost every major U.S. city (and some overseas cities as well). Drop me in New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Austin, Tucson or Tel Aviv, and I will have a friendly place to lay my head. When I discovered I would be in Washington, D.C. for a night, I started calling friends, one of whom, my college buddy Sara, was happy to put me up for the night. I had not seen her in about 10 years, so it was a great treat to spend unexpected time with her. Not only that, but she had kale in her fridge, a blender, and a free pass to her gym which we used to attend a class together Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon we swam together in an outdoor pool, well after any such pool in Madison would ever be open. I also saw a high school football game that was highlighted on Fox 5 Friday night! I was well taken care of. And I got on a deep l evel that I have led my life well to be able to call on so many people to help. Of course I would do the same for all of them. Talk to strangers. In the customer support line and on various airplanes Friday and Saturday, I met some other waylaid travelers. It was good to connect with humanity. They put my situation in perspective, and helped me out by watching my bag while I went to plug in my phone, whose battery was on its last legs. One woman guided me where I needed to go in D.C. to get to the suburban Metro stop where I met my college friend Sara. I noticed I felt fairly upbeat given the monkey wrench that had been thrown into my life, and on one of my plane rides I identified why: I was talking to strangers! In an article I read on the plane in Success (which is quickly becoming my favorite magazine), I discovered that a social science study by researcher and professor at Harvard Business School, Michael Norton, Ph.D., showed that â€Å"talking with strangers can be at least as important to our daily happiness as talking to our close friends and family.† Norton confirmed this to be true regardless of personality type. I know it is true for me! I always feel more energized when I connect with the people around me than when I retreat into my shell. On Saturday night my flight departed from D.C. on time and landed in Madison 30 minutes early. My housesitter Mariah picked me up and drove me home, where I arrived fairly exhausted yet grateful. I slept well that night, knowing that I am well-loved, resourceful, connected, and able to handle the challenges that one suicidal arsonist  threw in my direction. 🙂 This is a good reminder to travel a couple of days early for any important event. 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Parliamentary Supremacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Parliamentary Supremacy - Essay Example This actually outlines why the term parliamentary supremacy has been used. â€Å" Judicial statements that the court must simply interpret and apply that which had been so enacted, and may not question the procedure by which these consents were given, represent, therefore, no more than the rule of recognition in practice.†2 He doctrine of the legislative supremacy of parliament has been so firmly established that it has scarcely been challenged in the courts. When Canon Selwyn made an application questioning the validity of the Royal Assent to the Irish Church Disestablishment Act 1869 as being inconsistent with the coronation oath and the Act of settlement, Cockburn C.J, and Blackburn J in refusing the application said:† There is no judicial body in the country by which the validity of an Act of parliament can be questioned. An Act of legislature is superior in authority to any court of law†¦.and no court could pronounce a judgment as to the validity of an Act of parliament.†3 In Martin v O’sullivan4, Nourse J and the court of appeal refused to consider a claim that proceedings in thee House of Commons during the passage of the Bill which became the social security Act 1975 were invalid because the members of the House were all disqualified from sitting. There was, according to the judges, a fundamental answer to this case, namely, that a court only look at the parliamentary roll of statutes and if it appeared that an Act had passed both Houses of parliament and had received Royal assent it could look no further. In Attorney-General for the New South Wales v Trethowan5, the constitution(Legislative council Amendment)Act 1929, an Act of the New South Wales parliament provided that the parliament’s upper House could not be abolished except by a Bill approved in a referendum after completing its parliamentary

The Impact of NAFTA and ASEAN on Globalization Research Paper

The Impact of NAFTA and ASEAN on Globalization - Research Paper Example This paper discusses the impact of two of the known trading blocs, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on globalization. NAFTA and Globalization NAFTA includes Mexico, Canada, and the United States. It is the biggest free trade zone in the world in terms of gross domestic product (GDP). In 1992, Mexican President Salinas, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, and U.S President George Bush ratified the treaty. It was immediately implemented on the 1st of January 1994 (Hing, 2010). The idea of NAFTA is to encourage economic progress by facilitating the flow of products and services between the member countries. Trade relations among the member countries have widened significantly since the completion of NAFTA (Lederman, Maloney & Serven, 2005), although scholars differ over the level to which this growth is an immediate outcome of the agreement. As shown in the report of the U.S Trade Representative (USTR), the primary re presentative of the United States in foreign trade and an important motivator of free trade agreements, the general trade value within North America has substantially increased since the initiation of the accord. Regional business investment in the United States, still according to USTR, increased 117% in 15 years, from 1993 to 2007, in comparison to a 45% increase in the previous 14 years (Teslik, 2009, para 2). Trade with the associates of NAFTA currently comprises at least 80% of Mexican and Canadian trade, as well as of U.S trade. As stated by Gary Clyde Hufbauer and Jeffrey Schott (Teslik, 2009, para 3), â€Å"It has worked. North American firms are now more efficient and productive. They have restructured to take advantage of economies of scale in production and intra-industry specialization.† C. Parr Rosson III and associates emphasize that the notion of trade blocs is quite fresh in North America, yet claims that comparable agreements in other parts of the world have demonstrated steady gains when analyzed from a long-term point of view. The authors identify various types of ‘preferential trading arrangements’ (Teslik, 2009, para 4), from restricted economic and customs unions to more free trade agreements such as NAFTA, which have been thriving in Europe. The paper, mentioned in the article of Teslik (2009), stresses that preferential trading agreements can in fact make trade temporary and can bring about disorders in the labor market that are quite unfavorable to a number of laborers, yet can be assumed to have important enduring gains as well. Representatives of the three members of NAFTA have suggested an eagerness and/or plan to broaden NAFTA. This move would be both logical economics and wise foreign policy. The broadening of NAFTA membership into a free trade bloc in the Western hemisphere would prevent the detrimental repercussions of NAFTA and improve the ability of trade growth to encourage economic progress in the region (Caulfield, 2009). At present, there are four settings for enlarging NAFTA (Bernal, 1994, 30): (1) complete accession of other nations through a section in the current NAFTA accord; (2) employing a ‘hub and spoke’ system to add more trading allies to the United States; (3) Mexico or Canada separately, integrating several lesser regional trading unions into NAFTA; or (4) slowly expanding the trading rights of NAFTA to lesser nations without

The Site Environmental Defense Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Site Environmental Defense - Case Study Example Our interactive organization focuses on the protection of our ecosystems such as rivers, forests, and wildlife. We are currently encouraging partnerships and expanding incentives for environmental conservation-related activities. (Source http://www.edf.org/ecosystems) Our organization has been fighting as a voice of change towards environmental conservation and adoption of environmentally friendly practices. Currently, most of our activities are funded by well-wishers and donors. We are also recruiting members and anybody is free to join us by signing up and the end of the page. There are several ways through which members and well-wishers can make their donations and become environmental defenders. Finally, we have initiated a number of campaigns that champion the adoption of a greener economy and protect the rights of individuals to openly speak about their environmental concerns. Links to other pages on the site News of our activities Campaigns Donate Blog About Us Since the early 1980s, Environmental Defense .com has always been a leader in inspiring environmental conservation by creating an opportunity for people to connect and share their concerns regarding environmental protection. Consequently, we have grown to become one of the greatest unbiased sources of information related to environmental protection on the internet. ...Environmental defense.com was begun by a small team of environmental conservationists who were concerned by the diminishing populations of aquatic organisms as a result of excessive use of fertilizers and harmful pesticides such as DTT in several parts of the world during the 1980s. It was discovered that these mostly agricultural chemicals often found their ways into the rivers, lakes, and oceans through run-offs and consequently build up to poison several aquatic species. The group of environmental conservation scientists also noted that as the residues of these harmful pesticides and chemicals continue to build up in these organis ms, they eventually found their way up the food chain thus endangering the lives of humans as well. As a result, the environmentalists teamed up together with a few lawyers and scientists to form Environment Defense.com as an organization that inspires environmental conservation by creating an opportunity for people to connect and share their environmental concerns. Over the years, Environmental defense.com has recruited thousands of members including small volunteer groups and is currently working towards organizing funds through donations to expand the organizations' services and activities globally. Finally, our mission is to defend the environment by inspiring change in corporate organizations, in governments as well as individuals to enable them to contribute towards a greener, healthier and sustainable environment for all. Useful Information on our Activities and Advocacy Throughout the last few decades of our existence, our impacts have been felt in many areas of environmenta l concerns such as health, ecosystems, climate, and oceans.

Types Of Software Testing Computer Science Essay

Types Of Software Testing Computer Science Essay Software testing gives independent view of the software to which allow the business to understand the risks of implementating the software. The software Test system are not limited to executing a program or application to finding software bugs in existing software or the developed one which has created for customer request. Software Testing can also define as the process of validating and verifying software programe, application and product meets the business requirements which helped to design and developthe software.The most software testing occur when requirements fulfilled and system has developed for execution of programe. Software Testing Team The software testing mostly done by professional software testers. The software tester term was used generally until 1980, but after 1980 the software tester term became a proper separate profession. In software testing there were many roles has been established like,Managers, test lead, test designer, tester and test administrator. Functional Testing The functional testing normally takes test to vereify some specific function of the code and also action of that code.These kind of testing normally found in those documentation of code requirements.The functional testing of software normally takes to answer some following question i.e.user are ables to do thisor does particular part of codeing or feature work. NON Fnctional Testing The Non functional testing normally takes test of software that could not be related to specific function,user action.like security.The Non functional testing normally takes to answer following question for example how many user can log on at once or is it possible to hack this software easly. Software validation and verification: The software testing can take place in association of validation and verification of software. Verification: The verification of software testing means that to know if Software which has developed is that built right.for example it fulfill or match the user requirements or specification of software. Validation: The validation of software means that have we built the right software.i.e.is it that software which customer wants to be built. The software Testing Methods The box approach There issoftware testing approach which can taken to perform software testing. The Box approach The box approach manly divide into two parts Black box testing white box testing Black Box Testing The black box testing will treat software as black box,that means this testing will take without knowing any knowledge of internal implementation of software.The Black box testing approach include.fuzz testing,model based testing and specification based testing. Specification-based testing: The specification testing use to test the functionalty of software system according to requirements.The software tester inputs the data and will only be able to see the output on test object.This type of testing normally requires some test cases to provided the tester and the tester can verify that data with given input the output of testing either is or is not same as it was expected . The specification testing is important or necessary but this would not be good for some certain risks. White Box Testing. The white box testing is another method which test the software.The white box testing method is done when the tester has internal access of data structures and programe code that implement .Here is few types of white box testing API Testing Code Coverage Testing Fault Ijection Testing Static Testing API Testing: The API stands for application programming interface .The API testing will test those application which using both public and private API. Code Coverage Tsting:This testing purpose is to test some code coverage.For example The software tester will take test on all programming code to execute once while testing the software. Fault Ijection Testing:This testing purpose is that improve the code coverage. Static testing:In static testing all the testing which took in white box testing is static testing. Testing Levels There are few testing level Unit Testing Integration Testing System Testing System Integration Testing Regression Testing Alpha Testing Beta Testing Security Testing Unit Testing:The unit test is takes to test the functionality of some particular section of programe code.This testing normally takeing at functional level of programe.for example In Object Oriented language this testing will be taken at class level,the unit test in object oriented include destructor and constructor.these tests are normally written of those testers who work on coding to make sure that every specific part of codeing is working properly.In this testing there could be many tests taken at one fuction of coding.The only unit testing can not test the functionalty of software.The software works independently.The unit testing also called component testing. Integration testing:The integration testing is type of software testing that verify the interfaces between components against a software design. The components of software could integrated in an repertation of process or together .The integration software testing will test to find the defects in the interfaces and interaction between integrated components. The large number of software tester groups will test all the elements of design of system and will test until the software works perfectly. System Testing:The system testing will tests the complete system to make sure the software fulfill all requirements. System Integration Testing:The system integration testing is that if any third party or external member wants to intergate with this system will be able to do and the system define the system requirements. Regression Testing:The Regression testing means the tester will focus on finding a defect after the major part of coding for some reasons has been changed.In this testing the software tester focus on old errors that could occur again.Those regressions happen whenever software functionality which was working before test but stops working after that.The regression happen when some code changes,for example when the newly built code of software collide with old code or existing code.The mane purpose of regession testing is that testing that software which has already been tested means retesting again whether the previously resolve fault may have come back.The fully testing is happen when software is in release phase and when there will be risk for developer will add some more features.The changes depends on early part of builting a software. Alpha Testing:The alpha testing is that which have been done by the end user ,customers or an independent means the actual user who is going to use this software will test this software at developers site.The alpha testing is normally done before the software will go sale or before handing to customer.i.e.off the shelf testing after this software will go for beta testing Beta Testing:The beta testing will take after alpha testing.The beta testing means that the software will release for limited people outside the developers to check the functionalty of software.The other purpose of testing is the further testing will take to find bugs or faults.sometimes the beta version of software will release to open public to get more feedback from maximum number of peoples. Security Testing:The security testing is most important for any software that process the personal details of customers data .The security is important to prevent system from hackers. Sample Testing Cycle There is commonly used cycle for testing.The below sample is very commonly used with in organisations which is using waterfall development model. Requirements analysis: This phase should begin in requirements phase of software development life cycle.In design phase tester work with software developer determine what design of software is testable. Test Planning: The test planning or test plan in this there will be many test taken so there should be plan for testing. Test Development:The test developer or Test procedures, test data, to use in testing software. Test Execution: The tester will execute the software based on plan and will report any bugs or errors to developer. Test Reporting: In this phase once the testing is completed then tester will make final report on their test which they have taken throw many phases and report will show whether the software is ready to release or not. Test result analysis: The test result analysis or Defect Analysis,is normally done by the developers with client and make them sure what defects should be treated.for example the software is working properly or it could be done later. Defect Retesting:In this phase once defect has dealt by developers than it will bw retested by testing team. Regression Testing: In any programe it is likely to have samll testing program built into software to test when user wants and it make sure when new development or fixed software and modfied will come to software will not disturb the software completely.The complete software will working properly. Test Clousure:After completeing all test and test fulfill the exit requirements than it is important to key outputd ,logs and documents related to software should kept safe for future development..

The Conservative Movement Essay -- U.S. Politics

The conservative movement has played a crucial role in American politics in the post war era. Ronald Story and Bruce Laurie indentify various elements of the American conservatism. These elements include challenging authoritarian governments and modernist culture, upholding tradition, Christian religion and the rule of law, defending western civilization, and supporting republicanism. American conservatism has been characterized by competing ideologies and tension throughout history. The Americans who are politically liberal and economically conservative favor free trade, minimal state intervention, low taxes, and a small government. On the other hand, conservatives hold the view that American traditional values are normally undermined by secularism. Social conservatives have always opposed same-sex marriages and abortion, and instead have been supporting the idea of integrating prayer into the school curriculum (Story and Laurie 1). In the 1950s, after the Word War II, modern conservative movement emerged in the U.S. This conservative movement blended the elements of libertarianism and traditional conservatism. However, many historians have associated the emergence of the modern conservative movement with the New Deal. One of the most important elements of the conservative movement in 1950s is that it was an anti-communist group. This was experienced in the 1950s when North Korea, which embraces communism, attacked South Korea. Truman, who was the president at that time, tried liberate South Korea by force without obtaining the approval of the congress. Instead, he obtained approval from the United Nations. This made republicans to strongly criticize the war as well as the policies that were being employed by Truman. In additio... ... Ball, Stuart and Ian Holliday. Mass Conservatism: The Conservatives and the Public since the 1880s. London: Frank Cass Publishers. Print. Brennan, Mary C. Turning Right in the Sixties: The Conservative Capture of the GOP. The University of North Carolina Press, 1995. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. Cooper, Barry, Allan Kornberg and William Mishler. The Resurgence of Conservatism in Anglo-American Democracies. Durham: Duke University Press, 1988. Print. Dallek, Matthew. â€Å"The Conservative 1960s From The Perspective Of The 1990s, It's The Big Political Story Of The Era.† The Atlantic Online. The Atlantic Online, Dec. 1995. Web. 24 Apr. 2012. Story, Ronald and Bruce Laurie. The Rise of Conservatism in America, 1945-2000: A Brief History with Documents. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. Print.

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 14

Instinct made me drive back to Queen Anne. I operated on autopilot, my mind blank. It was only when I'd parked and gotten out of the car that my senses slowly began to return to me. Still, I tried my best to stay numb, to not think about anything right away. My stomach was growling, so I decided to focus on basic needs. I walked over to a Thai restaurant between my apartment and the bookstore, seeking the comfort of a corner table and green curry. Once I was settled, there was no avoiding it. What had happened back there? Part of me could still feel Greg's hands on me, still feel the sickening sensation of being utterly and completely helpless. But the rest of me was slowly starting to analyze the stove exploding. I'd noticed the gas stove upon my initial inspection, but I'd noticed no smell until right before it caught on fire. With gas leaks, didn't a place usually fill up over time? This had been sudden. An out-of-the-blue surge of gas, and BAM! No warning, no anything. I supposed it could have been coincidence. Lucky timing. But in my world, coincidences didn't happen. They were usually guided by a stronger power. The question was: who or what was responsible? I had too much to worry about now without some unseen arsonist on the scene. â€Å"Why so pensive, Daughter of Lilith?† I looked up from my half-eaten food. â€Å"Carter!† I was pretty sure I'd never been so happy to see the angel in my life, except for maybe when he'd rescued me from Helena the crazy nephilim last fall. He wore the same clothes he'd had on in Vancouver. They appeared to stay in a perpetually consistent state of dishevelment-never getting worse, never getting better. He slid into the chair opposite me. â€Å"You gonna finish that?† he asked, pointing at my plate. I shook my head and slid the curry over to him. He immediately dug in, practically inhaling it. â€Å"What's going on?† he asked between mouthfuls of rice. â€Å"You know what's going on. Seattle's gone to hell. Literally.† â€Å"Yeah, I've noticed. How's it feel to be footloose and fancy free?† â€Å"It sucks. For some reason, my hair's always frizzy. I used to style it myself before this happened, and it never did that.† Carter grinned. â€Å"I doubt you were doing it all yourself. You may have still done all the labor, but some subconscious part of you was probably tweaking it just a little bit to keep it perfect.† I pulled a face. â€Å"Well, even if that's true, I've got a few bigger problems.† I gave him a brief recap of my adventures this morning and what had happened with Greg. Even speaking about it still sent a chill down my spine. I expected Carter to laugh and make some quip at my expense, but his face stayed serious. â€Å"You need to be careful,† he said gravely. â€Å"Everything's different now. It'll only be for a short time, true, but even if you can't die, you're still locked in a dangerous game.† â€Å"We have to find Jerome. Do you know where he's at?† Carter shook his head. â€Å"Nope. He disappeared off our radars too. I don't know anything more than you do.† â€Å"You probably know more about demon summoning than I do,† I pointed out. â€Å"Depends,† he said. â€Å"What do you know?† â€Å"Pretty much what I already told you. Dante didn't have much more to offer than who he thought could do it. And those other losers didn't give up anything at all-except attitude.† Carter flagged down a waitress and ordered a plate of panang curry and Thai iced coffee. Afterward, he tapped the table lightly with his finger, face drawn and thoughtful. â€Å"I can tell you how it's done,† he said at last. â€Å"But I can't do much more. This is your side's business, not ours. We're not supposed to interfere.† â€Å"Dispensing information isn't the same as interfering,† I said. He smiled. â€Å"Depends on your definitions. And your people are great at finding loopholes and technicalities.† â€Å"Yeah, but†¦Carter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I sighed. â€Å"I don't really have anyone else.† Even if I'd had full succubus charisma going, I don't think it would have worked on him. But I still had some sort of Georgina charisma that he was susceptible to. He liked me and was concerned about my life, even if he had a funny way of showing it sometimes. The Thai iced coffee appeared, and he paused to take a drink. â€Å"Okay. Here's how it works. Basically, a demon gets summoned into an object, and with enough magic, the demon becomes bound to that and is trapped. You've heard stories about genies, right? Well, they're kind of variations on this principle. Humans who summon demons into objects can then occasionally release the demon and make them run errands.† â€Å"But this one's keeping Jerome locked up.† â€Å"Right. Which makes it harder. What makes it harder still is that if this human has any sense at all, they've got the object hidden in a place of power.† He took another sip and waited for me to process this. I knew what he was talking about. The earth was covered in places of power-sacred sites, ley lines, magic-infused spots. Anyone sifting through mythology would come across countless references to them and the roles they'd played in human history. There was just one problem with it. â€Å"There are dozens of those in Seattle,† I said slowly. Carter nodded. â€Å"Yup. And even if you find the right one, the power in that place is going to help mask the power coming from the bound demon. For you? Gonna be nearly impossible without your usual senses. You need another immortal to help, the stronger the better. Or possibly a human psychic.† I groaned. â€Å"But you can't help, and none of the demons will.† The panang curry arrived, and Carter devoured it with enthusiasm. â€Å"Putting that aside, let's suppose I find this object, whatever it is. Then what?† â€Å"Mmm, that's hard too,† he said. â€Å"A greater immortal could just break it open.† â€Å"But not me.† I was beginning to see how this worked, and it wasn't encouraging. â€Å"No, not even if you were in your normal state. The summoner probably put a lock on it-a seal. That'll keep a lesser immortal out. The seal's used in the binding, then it's broken into two pieces that are kept separated for safekeeping. The practitioner most certainly keeps one. If he or she had a demon's help, I'm guessing the demon has the other. Or else the practitioner would hide it.† â€Å"Do you think another demon was involved?† He swallowed. â€Å"Most definitely. If you can recover the pieces of the seal, though, then you could unlock the object and set Jerome free.† When I'd first seen Carter standing over my table, I'd been filled with hope, convinced this miserable situation was going to resolve soon and we'd get Jerome back. Now? I was more pessimistic than before. â€Å"So, let me get this straight. All I have to do is find this mystical object that Jerome's locked in, an object I have no way of even sensing. Once I have it, I then simply have to force the pieces of the lock away from the summoner and a demon .† â€Å"Yup,† said Carter, licking his fork. â€Å"That pretty much sums it up.† â€Å"Fuck.† â€Å"Yup.† â€Å"Well, the info's good, but I can't do anything. I have no leads on any part of this, nowhere to start.† His gray eyes twinkled. â€Å"The seal has to be made of quartz.† â€Å"Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hand-carved by human hands.† I raised an eyebrow, curious as to where this was going. â€Å"By someone familiar with magic and runes.† He looked at me expectantly. â€Å"So?† â€Å"How many people do you think that describes in the Seattle area?† He didn't wait for me to finish. â€Å"Not many.† Carter and his riddles. â€Å"You're saying I should find who made the seal, in the hopes they can tell me who commissioned it.† â€Å"Right. And they can also tell you what the seal's specifics are. It's almost always a disc about this big.† He used the fingers of one hand to make a circle about the size of a quarter. â€Å"But the color and designs will be different and provide clues as to what kind of place it's been hidden in.† â€Å"God, this is complicated.† â€Å"You're trying to find a demon that's been captured and bound as part of a larger political power play, Georgina,† Carter said. â€Å"What do you expect?† â€Å"Fair point,† I murmured. â€Å"I have one more question, though. It has nothing to do with the seal, though.† â€Å"Shoot.† â€Å"Why'd the stove at Greg's blow up?† â€Å"Because of a gas leak.† â€Å"One that came on out of nowhere?† He shrugged. â€Å"Compared to what we see every day? A lot stranger things happen.† I eyed him for a moment, wondering if I should press him with my real question. He'd said he couldn't directly interfere in this, but Carter had saved my life once before. His showing up here now was awfully coincidental†¦Was it possible he'd been following me all day? Had he helped expedite the stove's incineration to save me? One might argue that touching Greg would have been direct interference†¦but harming the stove wouldn't be, if you wanted to use demon-worthy technicalities. And, in a typically angelic way, Carter hadn't actually denied his involvement. I decided to let the matter go. If Carter was keeping his help a secret, there was a good reason. With a sigh, I glanced at the clock to my right. â€Å"Well, I'm still technically on leave, so I should probably take advantage of that and hunt down this seal maker.† â€Å"Good luck,† said Carter. â€Å"But joking aside, I meant what I said earlier. You've got to be careful. At the very least, don't do this stuff alone.† â€Å"You sure you can't break the rules and come with me, then?† I asked a bit wistfully. â€Å"Nope, but why do you need me when there are plenty of other candidates?† With a grin, he nodded at something beyond me. I glanced back and saw Seth standing at the take-out counter. I jerked my head back toward Carter. â€Å"Hey! How'd-â€Å" Carter was gone. Just then, the waitress set down the bill, which included Carter's meal. â€Å"Fucking angels,† I muttered, fumbling for my credit card. Turning back around, I studied Seth, feeling my stomach twist in that usual way. As though sensing me, he suddenly turned and made eye contact. Surprise registered on his face, and then he held up his hand in a hang on a second kind of way. A few agonizing minutes later, he walked over to my table holding a take-out bag. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"Hey.† â€Å"Is that lunch?† I was suddenly embarrassed by the fact that I had two plates in front of me. â€Å"Yeah, I'm actually heading home to work. The caf? ¦ at the store's too crowded and noisy.† â€Å"I thought you could work through anything.† He shook his head. â€Å"These days I'm more†¦distractible than usual.† His eyes studied me for a moment, and then he looked away. But in that moment, I'd felt a tingle run through my skin. Seth cleared his throat. â€Å"So†¦what about you?† He forced himself to look back at me. â€Å"You look†¦I don't know. Uneasy. Not as bad as yesterday but still troubled. More immortal intrigue?† A good portion of my present uneasiness was simply due to his proximity. â€Å"Yeah, afraid so.† â€Å"So, you haven't found Jerome yet, and you're still†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Now it was my turn to look away. â€Å"Yeah. I followed some leads on Jerome this morning, and it was kind of†¦um, well, it's not important. Let's just say it wasn't a pleasant experience, and I didn't find out anything anyway.† I glanced back in his direction, making sure I kept my eyes on his Blondie T-shirt and not his face. â€Å"I've got one more thing to check into, then I guess I can call it a day.† â€Å"Well, that's good, I guess.† He shifted uncomfortably, and that awkward tension that was so characteristic for us multiplied. I tried to think of something to say, but nothing came. â€Å"So†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he began at last. â€Å"I know what you said before†¦but I still have to ask. Is there anything†¦anything I can do?† The retort was on my lips, to tell him I didn't need him, not anymore. But an image of Greg flashed into my mind, and I hated myself for the fear it invoked. I didn't want to be a damsel in distress. I didn't want to live in fear and need a man to watch over me. Greg's weight and element of surprise had shown that self-defense wouldn't always work. Sometimes it was hard to face danger alone. Carter's words repeated in my head: Why do you need me when there are plenty of other candidates? I blurted out my question before I had time to reconsider. â€Å"Would you go with me?† It was hard to say which of us was more surprised by this. â€Å"On†¦your errand?† he asked. I nodded. â€Å"Yeah. But I mean, if you've got stuff to do†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I'll go,† he said quickly. He held up his take-out bag. â€Å"Can I eat in your car?† â€Å"You can eat right now,† I said. â€Å"Seeing as I don't know where we're going yet.† Leaving Seth to eat at the table, I stepped outside to make a couple of phone calls. The first was to Dante. He answered, fortunately, but had no clue about what I needed. â€Å"Someone who carves crystal?† he asked incredulously. â€Å"I don't do fluffy New Age stuff.† â€Å"Yeah. I found out more about demon summoning. Apparently there's some kind of seal involved that only a master artisan can make.† â€Å"I don't know anyone like that,† he said. â€Å"As much as it pains me to admit a lack of knowledge about anything.† â€Å"Well, I guess even you have limits.† â€Å"You are so in trouble for that the next time I see you, succubus.† After we hung up, I tried Erik. He too answered, and in his usual way, he never bothered to ask why I needed the information. â€Å"There is someone,† he mused. â€Å"I've acquired crystal jewelry from her before, carved into assorted sacred symbols-ankhs and crosses. I don't know if she works with the arcane or spellcraft, but she's the only one I know in the area who comes close.† I took down her name and address and went back inside. Seth had nearly finished his meal, rivaling Carter for speed. â€Å"Do we have a mission objective yet?† I nodded. â€Å"Yup. Out to the hinterlands, even.† Okay, Carnation wasn't exactly the hinterlands, but it was well outside the Seattle urban and even suburban sprawl. It was one of several small rural communities that clung to western Washington's edge before giving way to the wilderness of the Cascade Mountains and the desert on the other side. I made a Starbucks stop along the way so that I could acquire some caffeine. It seemed requisite to get through this. When Seth asked me to order him a mocha Frappuccino, I nearly crashed into the drive-thru window. â€Å"That's got caffeine in it,† I said. â€Å"I know. But they're really good. Maddie got me hooked on them.† We drove in utter silence for ten minutes after that. If not for Jerome's summoning, I would have said this was the most astonishing thing to happen to me in the last twenty-four hours. Seth was drinking caffeine. It was unheard of. He'd abstained from it for years, and despite my clear addiction and coaxing throughout our relationship, he'd never shown any interest of cracking. Yet, Maddie- Maddie! -had somehow gotten him to change? I don't know why I took such offense at that. Honestly, it was an inconsequential thing in the greater scheme of the universe. Still†¦I couldn't help feeling hurt. Well, maybe hurt wasn't the right word. Inadequate, perhaps. She'd gotten him to do something I couldn't. Why? Why her and not me? Was she more inspiring? Did he care about her more? â€Å"Is something wrong?† Seth finally asked. My silence and death grip on the steering wheel had probably tipped him off. â€Å"Nope,† I lied. â€Å"Just worried about all of this.† â€Å"You are not.† â€Å"I'm not worried about all this?† â€Å"Okay, you are. But that's not why you're upset right now. You're upset about this.† Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him wave the Frappuccino. After all this time, he still knew me. â€Å"That's stupid. Why would I care about that?† He sighed. â€Å"Because I know you. You're irritated that I did something I never said I'd do.† â€Å"Why should I care?† I replied stiffly. â€Å"I'm happy you're expanding your horizons.† The look he shot me told me he knew better. We reached the address Erik had given me without further argument, largely because we didn't talk. The house was an older rambler set on a huge yard that would have held an entire subdivision back in Seattle. Lawn ornaments-a deer and a gnome, to name a few-cluttered the grass, and wind chimes dangled on the porch. We knocked on the door, and several moments later, a woman in her late forties or early fifties answered. She had hair dyed an unnatural shade of red that put me in mind of Tawny's current hue. Her tight-fitting top pressed a lot of cleavage into her scoop neckline and was also not that far off from something Tawny might wear, albeit a little less tacky. The look the woman gave us wasn't unfriendly so much as curious. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Hi,† I said. â€Å"Are you Mary Wilt-â€Å" † Oh my God! † she squealed. She had just done a double-take on Seth. â€Å"You're Seth Mortensen!† Seth stiffened and exchanged looks with me. â€Å"Well, yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her blue-shadowed eyes bugged as she practically drooled over him. â€Å"I can't believe it. I can't believe it! Seth Mortensen's on my porch! I recognize you from your website. I look at it every day. Every day . Oh my God. Oh my God ! I'm your biggest fan. Come in!† Seth looked like he wanted to bolt then and there, but I nudged him forward. This turn of events was a bit unexpected-and creepy-but could possibly work to our advantage. We stepped through the doorway. There was nothing particularly extraordinary about the inside of her house. The d? ¦cor was more modern than the outside suggested, all done in neutral shades. There was a bit of normal lived-in clutter and far more figurines than I found tasteful, but overall, it was a nice place. Some of the figurines were carved out of crystal, which I took as a good sign. â€Å"Come in, come in,† Mary gushed, beckoning toward the living room. â€Å"Sit, sit! Can I get you anything? Iced tea? Coffee? Tequila?† â€Å"Er, no. I'm fine,† said Seth, who was clearly becoming more and more uncomfortable with all of this. â€Å"Thank you.† He and I sat down on the couch, and Mary sat in an armchair across from us, leaning forward in a way that afforded an ample view of her breasts. â€Å"What can I do for you?† she asked. â€Å"Are you here to buy something? I'd do anything for you. Anything .† She grinned at Seth, making her â€Å"anything† intentions obvious. â€Å"You're so much cuter than I expected. Will you sign my books while you're here? I own all of them.† She gestured toward a set of shelves on the wall, and sure enough, Seth's books stood out prominently. I had been a longtime fan girl of Seth's before we started going out, and I wondered uneasily if I'd sounded this crazed and desperate way back when. She probably would have passed out if she'd known about the advanced copy Seth gave me. â€Å"Sure,† said Seth. â€Å"I'd, um, be happy to.† He elbowed me, no doubt in an effort to get me to state our business and save him. Still a little irritated from our car argument, I almost enjoyed watching him in her clutches. â€Å"We're actually not here to buy anything,† I told her. â€Å"We wanted to find out about a piece you might have recently made for someone.† Mary turned toward me, seeming to notice me for the first time. Her gleeful, ravenous expression dimmed and even turned a little suspicious. â€Å"Who are you again?† â€Å"Georgina. We're wondering if you recently made a piece for a client. A carved disc about this big with some sort of arcane symbol on it.† I approximated the size Carter had shown me. Her face grew more wary and pinched. â€Å"I can't say.† I frowned. â€Å"You don't remember?† She shook her head. â€Å"I keep records of all my pieces. But that's confidential. I can't give that kind of information away.† â€Å"This is really important,† I said. â€Å"We think†¦there may be a crime involved.† â€Å"Sorry, Giselle. I can't tell you about that. Not unless you're with the police or something.† â€Å"Georgina,† I corrected. Her adherence to client confidentiality was perfectly understandable-but well, I wasn't really concerned with what was morally correct right now. Giving Seth an elbow poke of my own, I hoped he'd jump in and use his author god power. It took him a few moments, but he did. â€Å"It would help us so much, Mary. We'd- I'd -really appreciate it.† He stumbled over the words a little, but from the way her face lit up, you'd think he'd just murmured the sexiest thing in her ear. â€Å"Oh, Seth,† she sighed. â€Å"I really would do anything for you†¦but, well, I do try to respect my clients' privacy. Surely a man like you understands that.† â€Å"Well, yeah, of course I-† I elbowed him again. He shot me a quick glare and then returned his gaze to her. â€Å"That is, I do understand, but like I said, this is really important.† Indecision warred on her face, and I kind of admired her principles. She actually looked uncrackable, and I had a feeling Seth wasn't going to be too much more assertive. Glancing beyond her, I noticed a hallway leading off to another part of the house. I keep records of all my pieces . â€Å"You're right,† I said abruptly. â€Å"We can't expect her to give out that kind of information. Right, Seth?† He turned to me again, giving me a curious glance. â€Å"Right?† It was more of a question than an agreement. Mary nearly melted in relief, her eyes all over Seth. â€Å"Oh, I knew you'd understand. I could tell right away that we think just alike. Kindred spirits and all that, you know? Just from the way you write I-â€Å" â€Å"Hey, Mary?† I interrupted. She looked over at me, again seeming astonished that I was still there. â€Å"Do you have a bathroom I could use?† â€Å"Bathroom?† she repeated, like it was a crazy concept. â€Å"It was a long drive,† I explained sweetly. â€Å"Besides, that'll give you and Seth a chance to get to know each other while he signs your books.† Her face brightened again, and she turned to Seth without another glance for me. â€Å"Oh, sure! That's a great idea, Georgia. It's down the hall.† I stood up. â€Å"Thanks.† Seth and I made brief eye contact. There was a look of both panic and wariness. He didn't want to be left alone. And he also knew I wouldn't give up the fight so easily. He suspected that I was up to something. He was right. I was about to go break into Mary's records.

Mid term paper Essay Example

Mid term paper Essay Example Mid term paper Essay Mid term paper Essay PEPS to be bubbled means increase in PEPS required is 100%. DC = 2 means, 1% change in Sales brings 2% change in PEPS. Hence, to bring 100% increase in PEPS, sales need to increase by I. E. By RSI 215,000. C. By how much the Sales should be increased, if BIT is to be tripled ? Measure of leverage that links BIT with Sales is DOLL. DOLL is 1. 869 in this case. BIT change in Sales brings 1. 869 % change in PEPS. Hence, to bring 200% increase in PEPS, sales need to increase by 107% I. E. By RSI 890100. D. What would be the impact of increasing fixed cost proportion in cost structure of the firm on the operating leverage ? Show demonstration. And also show what would be the percentage increased required in sales to double the PEPS. [2+3] Fixed cost proportion in cost structure is linked with operating leverage. Higher the fixed cost proportion in cost structure, higher will be the operating leverage. Show one example of it. 9. Answer the followings: a) What are the factors to be taken into consideration by Finance Manager in order to maximize the wealth of shareholders ? Explain with examples. B) What is agency problem and agency cost ? What can be the ways to prevent agency costs in a profit making company ? Section C The question carries 25 marks. 10. As an investment advisor, you have been approached by a client called Peter for advice on his investment plan. He is 30 years old and has RSI. 300,OHO in his bank. He plans to work for 20 years and retire at the age of 50, so that he can pursue his hobbies and travel widely in his post-retirement period. His present salary is RSI. 600,000 per year. He expects his salary to increase at the rate of 12 percent per year until his retirement. Peter has decided to invest his bank balance and future savings in a balanced mutual fund scheme which he believes will provide a return of 10 percent per year. You concur with his assessment. Peter seeks your help in answering several questions given below. In answering these questions, ignore the tax factor. (I) Once he retires at the age of 50, he would like to withdraw RSI. 1,000,000 per year for his consumption needs for the following 30 years (His life expectancy is 80 years). Each annual withdrawal will be made at the beginning of the year. How much should be the value of his investments be when he turns 50, to meet his retirement need? Withdraw RSI. 1,OHO, 000 per year from the beginning of the 21st year for a period of 30 years? Assume that the savings will occur at the end of each year. Remember that he already has some bank balance. ( Approximate it to the nearest 000) [10] Peter needs 10,369,700 when he reaches the age of 50. His bank balance of RSI 300,000 will grow to: 300,000 (1 . 10)20 = (ill) Suppose Peter wants to donate RSI. 800,OHO per year in the last 10 years of his life to a charitable cause. Each donation would be made at the beginning of the year. Further, he wants to bequeath RSI. 3,000,000 to his son at the end of his life. How much should he have in his investment account when he reaches the age of 50 to meet this need for donation and bequeathing? (Approximate it to the nearest 000. 10] One more question: Peter wants to find out the present value of his lifetime salary income. For the sake of simplicity, assume that his current salary of RSI 600,000 will be paid exactly a year from now, and his salary is paid annually. What is the present value of his lifetime salary income, if the discount rate applicable to the same is 8 percent? Remember that P eter expects his salary to increase at the rate of 12 percent per year until retirement. [This is the case of Growing Annuity Finite Time. The formula and example of such case can be seen in the lecture slide of time value of money]

Free Essays on The Babe Ruth Story

â€Å"The Babe Ruth Story† On February 6, 1895, Kate Schamberger Ruth gave birth to her first child. George Herman Ruth, Jr. was born in the house of his grandparents in Baltimore, Maryland. He was the first of eight children born to Kate and George Herman Ruth. Unfortunately, most of the children died in infancy, and only George, Jr. and his sister Mamie survived to lead a full life. George experienced little, if any, real love from his parents who made no time for their son. Ultimately, they felt that they could no longer care for their son. On June 13, 1902, George Herman Ruth took his seven year-old to St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys. Not only did he place George in the school, but he also signed over custody of the boy to the Xaverian Brothers, a Catholic Order of Jesuit Missionaries who ran St. Mary's. St. Mary's was both a reformatory and orphanage that was surrounded by a wall similar to a prison with guards on duty. There were approximately 803 children at St. Mary's. The reformatory had four dormitories that housed about 200 kids each. George, Jr., who by the age of seven had already been involved with mischievous altercations, was classified as "incorrigible" upon his admission. For a few brief periods he was returned to live with his family, but he was always sent back to St. Mary's, and no one ever came to visit him while he was there. In 1902 Baseball was a popular and primary form of recreation for the boys at St. Mary's. Young George Ruth, Jr., displayed his potential at a very young age. He In 1902 Baseball was a popular and primary form of recreation for the boys at St. Mary's. Young George Ruth, Jr., displayed his potential at a very young age. He played all positions on the field, and was an excellent pitcher. He also possessed a superb ability to hit the ball. By his late teens Ruth had developed into a major league baseball prospect. On February 27, 1914, at the age of nineteen, Ruth ... Free Essays on The Babe Ruth Story Free Essays on The Babe Ruth Story â€Å"The Babe Ruth Story† On February 6, 1895, Kate Schamberger Ruth gave birth to her first child. George Herman Ruth, Jr. was born in the house of his grandparents in Baltimore, Maryland. He was the first of eight children born to Kate and George Herman Ruth. Unfortunately, most of the children died in infancy, and only George, Jr. and his sister Mamie survived to lead a full life. George experienced little, if any, real love from his parents who made no time for their son. Ultimately, they felt that they could no longer care for their son. On June 13, 1902, George Herman Ruth took his seven year-old to St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys. Not only did he place George in the school, but he also signed over custody of the boy to the Xaverian Brothers, a Catholic Order of Jesuit Missionaries who ran St. Mary's. St. Mary's was both a reformatory and orphanage that was surrounded by a wall similar to a prison with guards on duty. There were approximately 803 children at St. Mary's. The reformatory had four dormitories that housed about 200 kids each. George, Jr., who by the age of seven had already been involved with mischievous altercations, was classified as "incorrigible" upon his admission. For a few brief periods he was returned to live with his family, but he was always sent back to St. Mary's, and no one ever came to visit him while he was there. In 1902 Baseball was a popular and primary form of recreation for the boys at St. Mary's. Young George Ruth, Jr., displayed his potential at a very young age. He In 1902 Baseball was a popular and primary form of recreation for the boys at St. Mary's. Young George Ruth, Jr., displayed his potential at a very young age. He played all positions on the field, and was an excellent pitcher. He also possessed a superb ability to hit the ball. By his late teens Ruth had developed into a major league baseball prospect. On February 27, 1914, at the age of nineteen, Ruth ...

Company law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Company law - Essay Example Contemporary legal provisions have it that shareholders who are also known as the owners of the company have the advantage of not being disturbed by the various issues that the company may have with regard to the managerial process and also with regard to the manner in which it does in the forex market if the company is public1. It is important to recognize that this comes in as strength in the legal provision as the shareholders have the privilege of indulging in other activities that they may have. The legal provision however states that it is the rights of the shareholders to get information regarding the company upon their request in a bid to recognize or rather manage their investments2. The contemporary law however does not provide for certain factors that ought to come in as a major importance to the company. One of these factors is the amount of money that shareholders ought to get. According to the law, any company after making profits ought to put in some of the money to th e companies running for the purpose of acquiring new stock and other managerial tasks. However, shareholders ought to get a certain share of the company’s earnings in a rather precise manner. ... The power of the shareholders would increase from the fact that their investments would be brought back in terms of dividends3. Despite the various weaknesses identified in the law, there are strengths that it has with regard to class rights of the shareholder. One of the strengths is the fact that the shareholder has the right to apply for an appeal in the case of a variation being cancelled4. Variation identifies the contemporary strength of the company under review and the shareholders might get inclined to inquire about the state of the company through this method. Shareholders do this in an effort to identify how his contribution or rather investment is doing in case they seek to get dividends. It is the right of each shareholder to have this power and failure of the company to allow the shareholder to do this might get them seeking legal justice5. However, this only applies to people who hold above 15% of the company’s shares. This is because some shareholders might hold a very minimal amount of shares in the company and consequently make decisions that may affect the company’s running and best interest. There is strength in the legal system in the fact that it provides for the right of the shareholder to vote. There are many times that a company might get faced by very difficult decisions concerning the eligibility of some of the working conditions and market prices of their commodities. The law provides for the shareholders to engage with the management team of the company in that they can vote in a major decision making conquest. The law however does not suggest a clear approach with regard to the class right of a shareholder attending the meetings6. The law states that it is not always appropriate for the shareholders to attend all the

Health Care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Health Care - Essay Example This places businesses who offer insurance coverage for their workers at a disadvantage as they spend more on health care. This also affects the households paying for their own coverage and has an impact on their spending on other goods and services. This paper gives a summary of the information on health care costs and the impact it has on society and the economy. The spending on health care has changed over the years and according to reports an average of $6,500 is spent on an individual annually. It is found that sixteen percent of the economy of the gross domestic product (GDP) which represents the total economic activity is devoted to health care. These findings are shocking and the major concern is the rapid increase over the years. Health spending grows faster than all other sectors in the economy for example education, transportation, education, transportation and agriculture that grow at the same rate as the economy. Health spending has been observed to exceed the economic growth over the years and the trends show significant differences between health care and all other sectors in the economy as explained by Shi and Singh (2009).These findings are staggering calling for major reforms in the health care sector since the impact on the economy is very significant. The country spends more on health care than all other developing countries and according to findings by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. It was found that it spent 13 percent more than next highest spending country and this translates to 90 percent higher than their global competitors. Despite the relatively high spending, it does not maintain substantially better health care as compared to other developed countries. This may be because the wealthy countries can afford to spend more on health care and this is found to be a major correlation between health care and spending. Health studies show that the difference in health spending may be due to investment in