African American President Essay

Between the two articles; â€Å"Hell Yeah, There’s Still Slam-Banging Black Music† by Greg Tate and â€Å"Starting Now, There Is No Such Thing as Black Music† by Cord Jefferson, they are basically discussing the beginning times of when Black Music came about and how it became labeled Black Music. Also how there should be no such thing as Black Music due to certain circumstance. Going back to when Black Music first became labeled Black Music and thinking about all the important Black leader who stood up for their rights and some who accomplished successful things that were once thought could only be accomplished by the Whites, I believe Black Music being labeled Black Music should stay the same. I also think whether to be considered Black Music or not, it will always be up to ones decision on what they consider the type of music they listen to no matter what anyone else says. What is labeled Black Music today I think has very significant and important meaning to the African American culture because just like the article â€Å"Hell Yeah, There’s Still Slam-banging Black Music,† African Americans don’t even have a country to call their own. I think having something simply as a type of music the Black’s created to call their own I don’t think should be a big deal at all and should not be changed. The article also mentioned that everything Black’s did back then became a beauty, especially their music which I think would be easy for anyone to see just knowing the history of African Americans and what they had to do just to be where they are today, slave and discrimination free. There is also plenty of successful African Americans we know about living today and from back then that went through a lot just have some recognition for the African American culture. Some of these successful African Americans not only include Musicians, but also actress and or performers, novel writers, business owners, and today a African American President. I do believe there is a such thing as Black Music simply because the music portrayed as Black Music is still continued today as well as when it first started. In the article by Cord Jefferson, he’s trying to compare basketball to the matter calling it a White’s sport because it first being played by White males, but it wouldn’t make sense being called a White’s sports today when today it’s played by many different races other than White males. Not saying that there aren’t non-Black people recording what we as Americans consider Black Music, but the larger majority of artist recording what’s labeled as Black Music today are African Americans. That’s basically how it’s been since the beginning start of Black Music and that’s how I believe it will stay.

Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow: Hope and Dreams in a Bi-Cultural Identity

The dilemma of having a bi-cultural identity has oftentimes been neglected as immigrants’ voices have often occupied a marginalized position in mainstream media and literature that mirrors their position at the margins of society. In Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow, author Faiza Guene gives voice to Arab-French immigrants through the character of Doria and allows her readers a glimpse of Parisian life as viewed from the perspective of someone who desperately wants to be a part of it but is kept an outsider by her ethnicity.More importantly, Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow not only illuminates the hardship confronting the children of immigrants as they are caught in between cultures that often clash with each other but also the hope and dreams of better lives that individuals coping with bi-cultural identities nurture in order to survive, often taking and using the best from both worlds available to them as an inspiration to dream of better things.Doria’s story shows the painful experience of growing up in-between cultures as a Moroccan living in the projects of Paris and her struggle to cope with societal and cultural expectations as well as with marginalization. Born and raised in poverty by an immigrant Moroccan family, Doria has to contend with a variety of issues that mirror the problems faced by immigrants everywhere. She shamelessly reveals her bitterness about having to depend on food stamps and cheap housing from the French government although her mother already works long hours to earn a living.As a consequence of her difficulty with fitting into the mainstream French culture, Doria suffers from problems at school and withdraws from others in her immediate environment. Instead she feels most close to Hamoudi, a neighbor and drug dealer, who has known her since she was little and whom, perhaps in her view, she shares a commonality as a social outcast.Although she is regularly visited by a social worker to help her handle her problems, she develops feelings of r esentment for social workers and psychologists whom she thinks are insincere in their efforts to help them. This stems from her opinion that these people cannot truly empathize with the immigrants’ problems given the privileged position accorded to them by their pure French identities. Another source of bitterness for Doria is her gender, which she thinks is the reason why her father left her and her mother since the Moroccan culture places a premium on having a son.It is therefore not hard to imagine the roots of Doria’s hostility towards the world. Doria is doubly stigmatized by her ethnic identity as an Arab and by the impoverished condition of her family. For instance, she pities her illiterate mother whose accent is always being made fun of, a reflection of how the mainstream culture tends to look down on cultural minorities such as Arabs and on other cultures in general.On the other hand, Doria is depressed by the fact that the good Parisian life remains distant to her and her mother as illustrated by their inability to see the Eiffel Tower despite its proximity to their home, or by the fact that they cannot afford a real Levi’s jeans unlike her classmates. As such, Doria resorts to imagination, sarcasm, and even feigning autism to ease her feelings of alienation from affluent Parisian lifestyles.It is clear, though, that Doria has absorbed the value system of Parisian culture. In one of her accounts, for instance, she makes the observation that `waxing hurts, and if you hurt somebody it shows a lack of respect,† a comment that shows her knowledge of French women’s beauty regimen. She also sees the television as the â€Å"poor man’s Koran,† and even bases her fantasies and imaginings on the realities depicted in the television.At the same time, she invents a dream life based on both her Morrocan and French value systems to draw the Parisian life as she perceives it to be in her attempt to bridge the gap bet ween her dream and current reality. It is these dreams of leaving the projects and building a better life for herself and her mother that sustains Doria although she is painfully aware that for people like her these may remain out of reach.Thus, beneath her pessimistic and sarcastic tone, and even the vengeful characteristic of her imaginings, Doria desperately wants to overcome her bitterness towards her circumstances with her recognition of her difficulties as experiences to learn from. She is therefore brought to tears when Hamoudi states the phrase Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow as it represents a hopeful view that things are always getting better.Towards the end of the story Doria and her mother’s situation do not necessarily change for the better or even change at all, but this is exactly what Doria’s story aims to point out to its readers, that despite the hardships and the seeming inability of people like them to rise up from their marginal position, they will always dra w hope from knowing that tomorrow things will not be the same and there will be better times ahead of them.

Gifted Education-Instructional strategies for nurturing creativity Assignment

Gifted Education-Instructional strategies for nurturing creativity - Assignment Example Gifted children have higher IQ, and in order to be motivated, they require issues that are challenging, as they will provide enough incentive to succeed and excel. Provision of challenging assignments and tasks as well as examination will be a sound motivator for the gifted children, as it will test their knowledge. Children, especially gifted ones, love rewards in nature. The rewards should be used as a motivator to increase the interest of the children in a task and strengthen their creative ability. Rewards, such as recognition and analytic books for example, are bound to increase their interest. These children are not good at social behavior, and hence in a bid to seek a motivator, flexibility should be employed to have a motivator that does not require them to interact often with people. It should be flexible enough not to bring discomfort or make the child further lose interest. In order to pique their interest, gifted children require a motivator that is complex, where they will be expected to use a series of analytical skills to find solutions (Selby, Shaw, & Houtz, 2005). Their incentive should also be complex to occupy them and further increase their interest. The more the task is complex, the more the interest. Gifted children are risk takers, and their thrill comes from taking huge risks in any endeavor and being able to succeed. By providing tasks that involve taking risks even to a smaller extent, their interests will have been alerted and hence they will be motivated intrinsically and extrinsically. Curiosity is in the nature of children, but the more gifted they are, the higher their curiosity. A challenging and complex task increases their curiosity a notch above, and this in turn sparks their interest in the issue being discussed or presented, and hence the motivation which in this case will be intrinsic. The other characteristic of gifted children, which is bound to ensure

Assignment2 hlth3220 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assignment2 hlth3220 - Assignment Example However, this kind of analysis could also be used in one’s personal perspective as an self-assessment tool to determine personal strengths and competencies; any perceived weaknesses; as well as externa factors that offer opportunties or pose threats to the accomplishment of personal and professional goals. In this regard, the current discourse hereby aims to present the results of one’s SWOT analysis and to take three or four interesting points about the activity and to compare and contrast the findings/results of one’s analysis, as required. ... e or gregarious; Manifests tendencies to be an average achiever; despite knowing that one could still surpass the current level of accomplishments; Very family oriented. Opportunities: Sees one to excel in various endeavors after completion of the academic program being pursued; Establishment of good circle of friends could be potential sources of future employment opportunities; Proficiency in communication could be used as potential sources of livelihood; either in customer service or in professional writing endeavors; Future growth rates in the field of endeavor being pursued poses greater opportunities to land in diverse jobs of interest and which offers appropriate compensation and benefits. Threats: Any changes or fluctuations in economic condition of the country could significantly impact employment opportunities; The increasing number of graduates (new or old) who graduated and pursued similar profession and field of endeavor could restrict opportunities to gain future employ ment; Contemporary organizations’ thrusts for globalization pose both opportunities and threats in terms of expanding sources of talents from international shores; and at the same time, poses chances to go abroad. However, if the international market is pursued, there are still threats in terms of the need to address competencies in cultural diversity; Interesting Points An interesting point of undertaking the SWOT analysis was the opportunity it accorded to closely evaluate one’s strengths and weaknesses. It provided the chance to appreciate and recognize that there have been some competencies, knowledge, skills and talents that were not appropriately realized, until now. For instance, the strength that one possesses in terms of time management assists in maintaining a balance between

The Learning Organization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The Learning Organization - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that the paradigm shift in theory of management that resulted in the introduction of the Learning Organization is the shift of focus from mere â€Å"learning† to the â€Å"process of learning†. We now have a structured understanding not only of what we learn and how it can be applied but also how it is learned and communicated. As the rest of this paper endeavors to show, organizations also exhibit specific patterns of cognition, communication and evolution – with profound consequences for their economic output and vitality. This discussion highlights that it is perhaps best to start with an example. That the Japanese automakers have posed a serious threat to their American counterparts is common knowledge. Japanese cars have demonstrated greater efficiency and has generally been welcomed by the American Public. Not surprisingly, Japanese cars have been scrupulously examined by American engineers to decipher the secret of their performance. In one such test, it was found that a particular engine model was assembled with a set of three different bolts in America while the Japanese used only a single bolt standard. Each type of standard required a different type of wrench, complicating the inventory and incrementing the cost. It was found that this was because the American model was designed by three different teams of engineers while the Japanese model was entirely designed by one designer. Interestingly, this seemingly trivial action could have gone completely undetected though each of the three American teams were satisfied with their individual performance. It was not merely the lack of communication that resulted in the above complication. The fundamental breakdown of the American system of production was the lack of an integrated approach to design, production and testing.

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN MARKETING Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN MARKETING - Essay Example h the technological advancements, the markets have also widened which makes marketing trickier as now there is a plethora of markets and every market has its own individual needs. Thus communicating with every market is different and requires the usage of different marketing tools. Clever combinations of these tools with the help of technology can increase sales manifold or mismanagement of these very tools can hamper sales. It is up to the firm how it wants to get their message across to the target market. However, Kim and Smith (2001, pp. 211-222) adds that incorporating technology has now become essential and every firm now needs to excel in it so that it can face competition globally. Toyota is adept at its marketing communications. This is because it has reached at the top as it is the biggest manufacturer and seller of cars in the world. However, as per Liker and Hoseus (2007) marketing communication have to be varied according to the market segment, their demographics and the economic factors etc. for instance when the firm marketed its car Yaris in the UK after their through market research they focused on women aged 25-50. Kotelnikov (2010) explains that they also relied on integrated marketing communications which means using several media together to get the brand message across to the target market. As per Schrage (2010) they had a pre launch gathering where , then trained the dealers regarding the message, developed personal relations with the media and then after the launch communicated their product to the target market with the same message. The result is that the message stays with the consumers for a longer time. A sales promotion is something that the firm doesn’t focus much on because of the product type. They do have regional sales promotions where they sell different models at a discounted price. This is however limited argue Liker and Hoseus (2007) due to the taxes involved in different countries which affect the prices. To increase the

Advertisement for LibraTech Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Advertisement for LibraTech - Research Paper Example otes and documents from the convenience of their homes, and without having to carry heavy text books.The exact answer to all these problems being faced by different scholars has been solved by LibraTech Company.LibraTech is a Company that deals with information technology and that has tried to come up with a way of solving the reading problem of different individuals.The main objective of the company is ensuring accessibility and reducing unwieldy procedures in reading.The Company is seeking a situation where readers can access any type of book online without any difficulty.With this advanced technology,readers will also be able to read their documents very fast and easily due to the flip-page technology.In addition,eReading will also make articles which normally seem boring to be interesting due to the use of different colors and patterns.Thus,the technology also improves the reading morale of the reader and builds his or her interest.The technology is very convenient and very cruci al for any person irrespective of the work that they may be doing. This is because; people can also access novels, travel books and even academic notes using the eReading version. Therefore, any individual who is seeking to access a wide variety of readings ranging from novels and notes to journals, should look no further than the LibraTech Company. In addition, individuals seeking to cut down on the time spent when reading books and manuals should embrace the flip-page technology in order to save on their precious time. Furthermore, the technology will also help them to save on time spend when searching for a book. This is because; as opposed to case where a person has to walk from one bookstore to another searching for a book, with the eReading technology all a person has to do is type the book title and click the enter button to search for it. The product will be named the ‘Read Engine’. The name is very suitable for the eReading technology since; eReading is like a type of formula that is mainly trying to help individuals to enlarge their reading capacity and save time. From Physics, an engine or machine is defined as something makes work easier. Therefore, the name indeed fits the product perfectly since; It is trying to make the reading work easier for all readers. In addition, eReading is also like an engine since it will be managing a lot of data at the same time. It will be being accessed by a large number of persons and thus; it will involve heavy duty running just like any other machine. The other reason as to why I chose this name for the product is because; it is a name that will build curiosity in many people thus; attracting a large number of customers to try out and prove if indeed the name describes it perfectly. The name will indeed create the brand image that the Company is seeking since; it is very unique and intriguing. Therefore, people will want to know what indeed is meant by the name ‘Read Engine’. Consequentl y, out of curiosity they will end up knowing about the technology and thus applying it in their studying too. Advertisement Plan Target Market In order to launch a perfect advertising campaign, the plan for LibraTech will first have to indicate the key target market of the company. In the use of this technology, generally the product can

Scanning the Environment IP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Scanning the Environment IP - Essay Example It is head quartered in Cupertino, California and employs 21,600 employees. The company recorded revenues of $24,006 million during the fiscal year ended September 2007, an increase of 24.3% over 2006. The company’s revenue grew on account of increased sale of Mac systems and downloads of digital content. The operating profit of the company was $4,409 million during fiscal year 2007, an increase of 79.7% over 2006. The net profit was $3,496 million in fiscal year 2007, an increase of 75.8% over 2006.† 1. Brand Value and Recognition – This is the biggest strength of Apple. Right from Apple PCs (MACs) which was their first product introduced to the very recent iPHONE, all their products are positioned as luxury products and are designed with features to delight the customers and give them a â€Å"WOW† feeling on using the products. This has created strong brand recognition among the consumers. 2. Product Design – All their products are developed after thorough research and design and invariably are of premium look, feel and quality. The MAC operating system, the iPHONE, the iPOD, etc. are all examples of excellence in product design. 3. Product Functions and Features – The features and functionalities of their products are state of the art and highly innovative. All their products are feature rich and absolute delight to the users. 4. Innovation – Apple has always come out with innovative products and product lines. It started with the Apple PC and Mac Operating System followed by various Apple software applications and computer peripherals. Later they introduced totally different and innovative product line through the launch of iPODs as mobile music players. They were accompanied by innovative accessories such as speakers, podcasts, etc. This innovation in seen continued with launch of iPHONES which have touch screen technology combined with music rich features. 5. Accessories – Accessories to accompany differentiated

LO 1. Understand the difference between personnel management and human Essay

LO 1. Understand the difference between personnel management and human resource management LO 2. Understand how to recruit emp - Essay Example LO. 1 Understand the Difference between Personnel Management and Human-Resource Management Personnel management Personnel management is defined as: 1. obtaining, 2. maintaining, and 3. Utilizing the satisfied workforce The objective of personnel management is to achieve the mission and vision statements of the organization. Personnel management is a paramount pat of the management, which is mainly concerned with the employees as well as their relationships with the organization. It is paramount to note that personnel management is mainly administrative in nature whereby it deals employees, the employment laws and their payroll among other administrative functions. Personnel management is considered reactive since it offers demands and concerns as they are presented whereas from a motivational concept, it mainly tends to only motivate the employees through bonuses, compensations and rewards. Notable human resources management have defined personnel management as the process of: organi zing, planning, integration, maintenance, and Compensation of the employees. The fundamental purpose of this process is o effectively contribute to: societal, individual and Organizational goals. Goals of the Personnel Management 1. ... To create effective inter-personal relations at the same time developing a sense of responsiveness and responsibility amongst the employees and the workers. Personnel management adopts the best conceivable methods or techniques in order to bring the best possible developments of the employees on work by cooperation between capital and labor (Randhawa, 2007). Human Resource Management Human-resource management is the fundamental function within an organization that mainly focuses on management, recruitment as well as offering directions to the employees in order for them to achieve the organizations' objectives. The line managers can perform these functions since nowadays; human-resource management courses are an integral part of the line managers’ training. Human-resource management is an organizational role that deals widely with: hiring, safety, wellness, performance management, compensation, employees’ motivation, administration, communication, and Training. Human-re source management is a strategic approach that manages employees as well as the workplace environment and culture. Effective human-resource management plays a fundamental function in ensuring that an employee can contribute productively and effectively to the organizations’ overall directions and be able to achieve the organization’s objectives and goals. Human-resource management involves shifting away from the old traditional transactional, administration and personal roles. Currently, a human-resource manager is fully expected to add value, especially to the strategic utilization of the employees and to ensure that the various employee programs have a direct impact on the business in measurable ways. Some of the latest

The Islamic Hegemony Essay Example for Free

The Islamic Hegemony Essay The course of world history could have been altered if a single detail in the events in the 1200’s was changed or did not happen, or a decision was roughly executed at the wrong time, place and situation. Other races or nations may have been the world’s superpower today if the right opportunities were present at that time, and it only means that what could be happening today may be reversed in an instant as not a single nation holds the monopoly of societal change. The world we know today could have been much different if Genghis Khan’s attempt to destroy the Persian Empire was defeated. In the next sections we will present a historical alteration of events and hypothesize on the consequences of Genghis Khan’s defeat with its repercussions on the political, cultural and economic environment of the present. Islamic armies have conquered much of the Central Asian region and converted the population to Islam before the Mongolian invasion of Persia in the 1200’s which halted the Muslim expansion. Whenever these Muslim warriors went, torture, massacre and abuse on the different nomadic tribes, Turkish, Mongolian and other non-Muslim people were perpetuated. The affair on the Silk Road was the only event which altered the course of history. If Genghis Khan was not able to defeat the Persians, it would have been possible that the Islamic Empire expanded East ward without facing any formidable resistance. China in 1279 during the Sung Dynasty has suffered from Mongolian attacks hence any organized resistance would be impossible and the disoriented armies formed to oppose the Muslims would be severely annihilated en masse. The possibility was great that the combined forces of Khwarazmian Empire’s of Shah Muhammad II of Eastern Iran and the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad could take hold of the territories that the Mongolian hordes have reached; India, China, Central Asia and farther up in Poland. Without the emergence of Pax Mongolica (Phillips 32), Muslim influence could have reached a vast expanse in Asia, Eurasia and the Caucasus for it was evident that the Muslim armies converted to Islam every nation or kingdom that they had conquered under the scimitar and the green flag. Thus, we would be having two of the world’s most populous nations (China and India) under Muhammad’s doctrines and such could greatly alter the balance of power in the contemporary history. With Islam as the world’s leading religion in terms of the number of believers. The factor that could have attributed to the Islamic success in dispersing its culture and belief is that unlike the Mongolians, who subscribed to the cultures of the conquered lands, they brought along with tem an organized religion and culture paired with iron will to impose their belief and culture by the sword. Later in Kublai Khan’s rule, he had planned to conquer Japan from the Korean Peninsula but was halted when the Mongolian fleet was destroyed by a typhoon. The Mongol leader attacked in 1274 but was unsuccessful due to a hurricane, known to the Japanese as the winds of the Kamikaze. Eight years later, Kublai struck again launching the largest naval brigade prior to the 1700s. However, the Mongol fleet was sunk by another massive hurricane. After these two disastrous failures, Kublai deserted his plans for the conquest of Japan. (Hooker 2) Imagine when the Islamic conquerors have annexed China into the Islamic sphere of influence with the Arabian dynasty on its helm, we would have a Muslim Japan, which is another world superpower today. With the occupation of China and Japan, it would have been easier for the Arab converters to take hold of South East Asian countries like Philippines, Indonesia and the Indochina and monopolize the political and religious power in the region, blocking the European colonial powers from acquiring their colonies (Dutch East Indies, Indochina and Philippines) in the early part of the 14th century. On the other side of the picture, Muslim armies were also waging a war in the Iberian Peninsula, taking Portugal and Spain from their bases in Egypt and North Africa. This could have spelled total disaster for the Christian armies that were also engaged in the Crusades aimed at retaking the Holy Land from the combined armies of different caliphates and kingdoms in the Middle East. This would be greatly altered in the event that the Islamic armies would be concentrated on the expansion in the European kingdoms. Europe at that time was facing constant disputes on its closely knitted states and principalities hence the political atmosphere was not conducive to economic activities. Without trade from the East (mainly referred to the Silk Road) the mercantile economy was paralyzed. The Mongol hordes rampaged Europe with: †¦A massive raid rather than a complete occupation; nevertheless, the picture she paints is chilling. Driving across the North German plain, the same route Cold War planners pictured for a Soviet invasion, the Mongols would have made use of expert reconnaissance to target plunder and grazing land. They would have sacked Belgium and Holland, destroying the embryonic financial centers of Europe. They would have turned south into France, destroying Paris and with it the revival of ancient philosophy that it would have hosted a few decades later. Perhaps they would have crossed the Alps and ravaged Italy, destroying the other birthplaces of the Renaissance†¦The Dark Ages were pure light compared to what could have happened (Dutch) With such factors, the European nations would not be able to reach a stage of economic growth. The Anglo Saxon and European kingdoms were limited to self-preservation and busied with internal conflicts, so if ever the Arabian Empire would pose a threat to the continent, the nations would not be able to respond accordingly. Though these nations were not totally annexed by the Arabian Empire, the age of explorations will not be like what it was in real history. The colonial powers of Europe may have not conquered parts of Africa because of a strong Islamic influence on the continent brought about by the healthy trade relations with the caliphates and emirates in the Islamic world. The Asian continents were already fortified with Islamic sultanates that had ensued from China, which was already an Islamic territory. The discovery of the New World may have not been possible because of the diverted attention of the European nations from exploration to warfare and territorial defense. The effects of these events could have paralyzed the entire European economy as they were scuttling for raw materials for their industries and caused a crisis in the production system making wars of aggression and annexation more often. It should be noted that the Crusades were, hypothetically, defeated by the Muslim armies thus, the Holy Land was in the sole custody of an Islamic state in the Palestine. If that was what had happened, there is a strong probability that the Zionist Israel will not exist therefore a more peaceful Middle East. It was also likely that the strong Islamic states have maintained the sovereignty of their oil resources and subsequently created a more prosperous oil industry free of European influences. Hence, the events that could have transpired in the 1200’s would have created a new world order wherein the Islamic culture is dominant. The majority of the world’s population could have been Muslims and with such superiority in number religious discrimination would be inexistent. It could have been possible that a nation in Middle East is today’s superpower not the United States. Such was the gravity of the alterations in world affairs that even as we speak, we would be subscribing to Arabic-speaking television networks. The dynamism of history is truly fragile. There are many possibilities in the historical development of human societies and each would yield another result. Works Cited Dutch, Steven. The Mongols. (1998). May 23, 2008 http://www. uwgb. edu/dutchs/WestTech/xmongol. htm. Hooker, Richard. The Establishment of the Bakufu. Japan, Korea and the Mongols. May 23, 2008 http://www. wsu. edu/~dee/FEUJAPAN/KAMAKURA. HTM. Phillips, E. D. The Mongols. Vol. 2. New York: Frederick A. Prager, 1969.

Issues Of Premarital Sex And Promiscuity

Issues Of Premarital Sex And Promiscuity This essay will discuss the issues of premarital sex and promiscuity of both Ellistons and Punzos theories. Premarital sex (Punzos definition) means two persons engaging in sexual intercourse without full commitment while promiscuity (Ellistons explanation) is characterized as to have sex with various people without commitment. In the comparison of both philosophers, Punzo is considered the conservative theorist while Elliston is supporting casual sex with a variety of people. In Punzos theory, sexual intercourse, such intimate act, must involve a deep commitment between the two persons. However, Elliston would argue that sexual intercourse does not require any deep thinking or consideration of commitment as if it is not a big deal. How would Punzo react to Ellistons theory of promiscuity-to have sex with a series of people with no intention to any commitment other than the act of sexual intercourse? How does Elliston support his argument that promiscuity should be allowed and under what conditions is promiscuity morally permissible? Other issues such as sex with someone one hopes to love, sex with a friend, or recreational sex with an acquaintance is wrong or not will also be included. All these issues will be discussed in details with both philosophers arguments and theories. Elliston: Elliston defines promiscuity with the elaboration and combinations of the definitions of Oxford English Dictionary and Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary. Promiscuity, according to Elliston, the word has no descriptive content, but only emotive and/or hortatory forceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦It is to condemn a practice or person as promiscuous is simply to express feelings of disapproval, or issue a prohibitive Stop! This position attempts to resolve the issue of meaning by limiting promiscuity to its emotional or prescriptive force. The Oxford English Dictionary defines promiscuous as: without distinction, discrimination or order. Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary adds: engaging in sexual intercourse indiscriminately or with many persons.Promiscuity, according to Elliston, is too broad and begs the question at hand. For the promiscuous person clearly does draw some distinctions: typically he or she does not derive sexual satisfaction from a lovers shoe or copulate with a dead body or a sibling. These would be more precisely called fetishism, necro philia, or incest. Promiscuity is sometimes identified with free love. This persuasive definition may induce some to accept this sexual pattern because freedom, like motherhood, is a good everyone is supposed to espouse. Promiscuity may be identified with recreational sex-intercourse just for the fun of it(Elliston 142- 143.Despite the above definition, Elliston created his own definition of promiscuity that better suits his arguments. Promiscuity is defined as sex with a series of other adults not directly related through marriage and with no commitments; no promises of affection, sexual exclusivity in future (Elliston 144). In Ellistons definition of promiscuity, it must include the following 5 components: I. Promiscuity demands copulation-its telos is sexual intercourse. II. Repetition is essential-the pursuit of a new partner must recur. III. Both partners must be adults IV. The couple cannot be directly related throughmarriage. V. Promiscuity is noncommittal sex.Elliston explains his objections to sex without commitment would lead to deception and exploitation by clarifying the personality of promiscuous people that would cause such results. According to the popular prototype, promiscuous people are unfaithful and unreliable: they break promises, say things that are not true, and use others for their own sexual gratification. If this prototype were true, promiscuity would indeed be wrong, because it would violate familiar moral rules: people are supposed to keep their promises, tell the truth, and not deceive or exploit others (Elliston 146). People who only want to get others in-bed just to have sexual intercourse with the other by lying, deceiving, and exploiting, and similar acts, are wrong. It is wrong because it violates the well-established ethical principles, not promiscuity. The moral fault lies not in noncommittal sex but in the lies, deceptions, and exploitation to which some happens to have recourse in order to have intercourse. This defense is complicated by the fact that a double standard is operative within large segments of society: men are allowed to sow their wild oats, whereas women are denigrated as loose or fallen for the same behaviour. Promiscuity is to the advantage of males and to the disadvantage of femalesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it becomes exploitive in a more subtle fashion: men receive sexual gratification; women receive social condemnationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦it is not promiscuity that is wrong, but the double standard that places promiscuous women at a disadvantage in comparison to promiscuous menà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦since promiscuity cannot be shown to be wrong in all cases, the charge that it necessarily violates generally accepted moral principles is false(Elliston 146). The above statements from Elliston are saying that the double standard should be removed, not the promiscuity, because it is the double standard that puts female in a disadvantage situation to promiscuous women. Elliston explains his objections to sex without commitment would threatens personal emotional security and growth by using Bertoccis theory to support his argument. According to Bertocci, premarital sex is wrong by implication against promiscuity which threatens personal emotional security. He argues that the sexual demand outside of marriage demonstrates a lack of self-discipline in people who cannot control their desires, and fails to show respect and consideration for those on who the demand is placed. Such undisciplined and inconsiderate behavior places needless strain on the relationship, threatening to destroy whatever values it embodies (Elliston 147). Elliston explains that Bertoccis perception of incoherent or irrational behaviour is actually a self-conscious refusal to be directed by the western norm and that promiscuous people should not be faulted for failing to regulate their actions according to a principle they reject (Elliston 147). Elliston also agrees that promiscuity entail inconsiderateness only if respect is defined in terms of the western norm is promiscuity necessarily disrespectful Acknowledging the others freedom to engage or not engage in noncommittal sex demonstrates some degree of respect (Elliston 147). Promiscuity threatens the values of the relation (of the committed couples) which depends on what really is considered valuable; it could be pleasure, freedom, and respect which it should not and need not be jeopardized. Bertocci believes that emotional tensions and guilt feelings that arise from violating the taboos against non-marital sex corrode the relation. The act of promiscuity is also considered risk an d challenge to the marriage or the committed relationship. Sex is body language through the form of bodily interaction of two persons that leads to pleasure, but also has more in-depth meanings behind that; according to Elliston, sex is more than thrusts and moans, caresses and sighsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦just as verbal language has a dimension of meaning beyond phonemes and morphemes, so body language has a significance beyond the intertwining of two bodiesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Promiscuity has instrumental value in that it can facilitate the mastery of one kind of body languageà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦sexual body language is learned through sexual interactionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦experiences enable an individual to develop a repertoire of gestures for communicating desire and affection and of decisive movements that clearly state intentions of love or amusement. People can be moved not only by the things we say but also by the things we do-with them, for them, or to themà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦desire and satisfaction can be communicated not only through verbal exchanges, but also through a lingering look and an appreciative caress. To a shattered ego a physical embrace may express far more reassurance than its verbal counterparts, and a kiss may convey desire more eloquently than pleas or poemsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The observance of this etiquette is an acknowledgement of the selfhood of the other. The acquisition of it is one of the opportunities promiscuity provides(Elliston 149). Based on Ellistons statements above, promiscuity in the sex as a body language will improve ones language skills through the practices of promiscuity with a variety of sexual acts with a wider range of people outside of marriage or committed-relationships. The point of his analogy between sex and dining are both appetites whose satisfaction is socially regulated (Elliston 150). As married couples would be seen in the views of the society as one man is only allowed to dine with one woman; which is referring that dining with only one person means that in a marriage, both of the couples are (traditionally) only allowed to have sexual intercourse within themselves and no third party is acceptable. Since having sex and dining both satisfies ones appetites and while eating can be accompanied by zero to many people, then masturbation (alone) and sex with more than one person should be allowed with different sex positions or styles. Dining with a variety of menu choices or having sex with more than one person will increase the variety of choice which will also maximize the spice of life; therefore, one will not be bored of the having the same meal or sexual experience through repetition. The results of the above changes of menu or sex partners would guarantee to enhance sex lives physically and mentally (meaningful). This practice of promiscuity has expanded the form of sexual behavior from mere bodily interaction for pleasure to a form of corporeal dialogue (Elliston 150). Elliston made his existential defense of promiscuity by analyzing Heideggers theory to elaborate and explain his argument of authentic sexuality as an existential defense of promiscuity. (150). Authentic sexuality, in Ellistons definition, requires a similar openness to others. Commitments are changes that bind us to some and excludes us from others, blinders that narrow down the field of social praxis to a privileged one (monogamy) or few (friendship (Elliston 150). So to extract a variety of aspect of the human personality involves a wide range of networking and social interaction (in this sense, social means sexual interaction). To maximize healthy sexual development, one needs be open to various erotic aspects of social existence. Furthermore, promiscuity provides this openness through freedom from emotional and sexual commitment (Elliston 151). According to Elliston, having sex with a person first is compulsory before deciding whether to love that person or not; basically, having sex first would be the pre-stage of whether that persons sexual skills or chemistry through sexual intercourse would allow one to decide whether to love this person is feasible or not. Therefore, Elliston agrees that promiscuity would work or should be allowed because one can have sex with many others in order to build a profile of sexual skills and experiences which would increase the harmony of ones sexual gratification in his/her marriage. For example, sex with many others thats not the spouse would increase ones skills and expertise in sexual experience, then one can use such increased knowledge and skills to satisfy his/her beloved spouse to a higher extent; therefore, it would lead to happier sexual experience in the marriage which would also satisfy both spouses sexual desire and increase love affections for one another. Having sex with many others, one will know the ideal person he/she would find compatible to commit with and have sex with love would lead them to a higher degree of satisfaction of not only physically, but also mentally; sex with someone who one loves and with that persons appreciation, understanding and acknowledging ones complete self, one would become more complete and satisfied as a full person. Elliston would think that having sex with someone one hopes to love is ideal because sex with that person with pre-mindset of hoping to love him/her would increase the mental satisfaction; so having sex with that person would actually give one a clearer view of whether to really love that person or not. This is because one has already experienced the most intimate contact, sexual intercourse, with that person and one would recognize the feasibility of loving that person or not in the long run. Recreation sex with an acquaintance, in Ellistons view, would be ideal but so long as both parties have the mutual understanding of whether commitment is included or not. Therefore, recreational sex or any sexual encounter should be allowed as long as the act does not violate the ethical principles; no one is or should be deceived, misinterpreted, or have sex under the commitment of lies. Punzo: Sex before marriage or sex without commitment is wrong in Punzos opinion. Punzo answered the first question of is pre-marital sex without commitment wrong? by using Wilsons theory of sexual intercourse to compare with playing tennis and Chessers theory of two persons engaged in premarital sex has no difference comparing to going to see movies together. Basically both Wilson and Chesser find it normal and nothing morally wrong about premarital sex. Meanwhile, Punzo disagrees with both of them that it is the acquisitive character of our society that has blinded us to the distinction between the two activities (Punzo 118). Going to the movies or playing tennis with many others are general activities that everyone can encounter; it does not necessary have to be the same people that one would engage in sexual activity with. However, sexual intercourse, in Punzos view, must be only between two committed persons; therefore, sex without commitment is wrong. In Punzos argument of existential integrity is explained by his statements below: It is the unchaste person who is separating himself from his sexuality, who is willing to exchange human bodies as one would exchange money for tickets to a baseball game-honestly and with no commitment of self to self. The sexuality of man is seen as an integral part of his subjectivity. Hence, the chaste man rejects depersonalized sexual relations as a reduction of man in his most intimate physical being to the status of an object or pure instrument for another. He will not freely make of himself in his bodily existence a thing to be handed over to anothers possession, nor will he ask hat another treat his own body in this way. The total physical intimacy of sexual intercourse will be an expression of total union with the other self on all levels of their beings. Seen from this perspective, chastity is one aspect of mans attempt to attain existential integrity, to accept his body s a dimension of his total personality(Punzo 119). Punzo agrees that sex involves reveling oneself psychologically to the other in a way that is potentially self-, or life-, altering because commitment is a must before sex. Through sex, two persons give themselves to each other in the aspects of trust, expressing one anothers mind, feelings and affections through the most intimate activity-sexual intercourse. Although, Elliston agrees that sex involves reveling oneself psychologically to the other in a way that is potentially self-, or life- altering (in the future sense), but his theory is within a lesser serious extent; in the early stage, one only gives itself physically to many possible partners, then he/she will find a person that is compatible to commit with and then gives that person all his/her psychological self. Punzos view of Ellistons analogy between sex and dining is a faulty analogy because dining and sex are different in an extreme that it has nothing to connect both as if they are the same in terms of moral and social aspects. Dining can be with any or many others that does not involve sexual intimacy while sex is the most special activity that must be encountered with ones most special person (spouse). Dining (eating) and sex gives people satisfactions, but these satisfactions are totally different; food gives people satisfaction of hunger, while sex gives people a deeper sexual connection of two peoples bonding; this satisfaction occurs to enhance the intimate (romantic) personal relation. Ellistons theory is to have sex with one or many others before love exists, while Punzos theory is to have love or commitment before sexual intercourse. The moral perspectives of both philosophers are totally opposite in this perspective; therefore, Punzo would not agree with Ellistons analogy of s ex and dining because it violates his own philosophy. Evaluation and original position: A defect of Ellistons arguments or views is that the benefits of having sex with a series of persons is actually not only increasing the skills of ones sexual ability, but also diminishing the value of the specialness of the most intimate activity of sexual intercourse. As we all know that having sex with someone (only one person) that we love is the most fantastic feeling of being complete as full persons with the one we love (spouse or beloved one). Engaging in sexual activities with a variety of people and then claiming to be in love with their spouse is not a rational theory; it is also confusing and unreasonable that promiscuity does not damage the committed relationship. It is hard to understand or imagine how one could love a person so much that he/she would still have sex other people? Maybe the excuses would be to increase or maximize the sexual skills or abilities to satisfy ones beloved through outsourcing, but the actual reason is to satisfy ones ego of being better or the best at that activity. If such ego is more important, then sex with anyone would increase ones satisfaction and it doesnt have to be with love. So the value and specialness of having sex the committed one would decrease; since he/she does it with a lot of others, how can one prove that having sex with the spouse is better or more special? Sex without full commitment, one alienates oneself through uncommitted sex; this view may not be completely correct, one can have sex without full commitment but he/she may find out more of oneself-it does not necessarily alienate oneself just because one does not have the full commitment for the other person. A flaw of Punzos statement of full commitment is not clarified; what is full commitment mean? Does full commitment have to be a legal documentation that proves two persons are married or common-law couples are not considered fully committed? Commitment can be personal views; for example, a couple that is only dating but they have the hope to marry each other in the future. Does their engagement of sexual intercourse consider without full commitment? Punzo should clarify his definition of full commitment because different people have different perspective based on the term. Punzos philosophy is more reasonable in that sex must involve commitment at some point. Sex union is not simply a union of organs, but is as intimate and as total a physical union of two selves as is possible of achievement (Punzo 118). When having sex with a person (obviously with commitment), one is definitely giving his/her most intimate expression and feelings that one would not normally show to any other people. Under the conditions of mutual understanding and respect that pre-marital sex is not going to affect each other negatively, but to promote and increase the harmony of the two persons relationship. If pre- marital sex involves the intention of future commitment, such as marriage, it would be ideal. If pre-marital sex is allowed, then protection such as pregnancy control must be involved because unprotected sex is not desirable and it would be considered as a negative impact to the couples. The above arguments rely on the prescription of understanding and respect of both persons; concerns to avoid harms such as to prevent unprotected sex and pregnancy would not destroy the foundation they are building. It also promotes future harmony between those two such as working hard to build their own future or start a family. Other moral principles may be the friends and familys perceptions of how they perceive pre-marital sex; if they think it is morally unacceptable or degrading the traditiona l value of sex, then it may cause pressure and limit the couples activities. Conclusion: In conclusion, both philosophers have their pros and cons. Premarital sex should follow Punzos theory of sex and must involve commitment, but not necessarily full commitment. If full commitment means at the stage of marriage, then engaged couples or ready-to-marry couples are not really under his theory of full commitment. For instance, these committed couples whom engage in the act of sexual intercourse should not be consider immoral. Furthermore, Punzos statement of two persons union is not simply a union of organs, but is as intimate and as total a physical union of two selves as is possible of achievement is true; engaging in sexual intercourse two persons is not only giving one another their physical selves, but also psychological selves. In addition, promiscuity must involve all of the five components and should be permitted only if no one is deceived or hurt as a result of promiscuous acts. Furthermore, it is true that Ellistons argument of double standard, that places disadvantage to promiscuous women, should be removed and not promiscuous. Moreover, promiscuous acts are good practices to increase the sexual skills and ability; it is true that the term of practice makes perfect would suit the act of promiscuity.

Fossil Fuels Effects on the Environment :: Environment Ecology Ecological Impact Essays

Our world as it stands today is a truly magnificent place, amazing technological advances have been made over the years that have helped form a truly advanced place. However in order to achieve these technical advancements we need power. Many years ago the only power we needed or used was the power created with our own bodies, but as our society grew both larger and more intelligent we had to turn to other sources- the most obvious of those sources being fossil fuels. These almost â€Å"magical† resource including coal, natural gas, and petroleum, from millions of years ago, seemed the perfect solution to all our energy needs. Unfortunately we now realize that these resources have a very strong impact on the environment in the form of conventional pollution, and what could be even more severe greenhouse effect. There is a severe environmental impact in all stages of fossil fuel use including: recovery, transportation, preparation/ refining, and storage- not only the end use(the actual combustion) that most people think of. When recovering coal from the earth there are three major issues: The destruction of topsoil, acidic water runoff, and land subsidies. Some recovery issues with petroleum include drilling on land and offshore, gushers, and accidents. The transportation of fossil fuels can be a very risky proposition, with risk of oil pollution of the seas and accidents during routine operations. Petroleum transportation was brought to the forefront with the Exxon Valdez accident. The preparation/refining stage can produce sludge from coal cleaning plants and air/water pollution from petroleum refining. The storage of gasoline in underground tanks at your local gas station can be risky because those tanks have been known to leak. Almost all fossil fuel use is by combustion, the final stage of of fossil fuel. It produces waste products due to impurities in the fuel, especially particulates and various gases such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds. These waste products may affect our environment and people, in harmful ways (â€Å"By† ). These oxides created during combustion combine with moisture in the air to form sulfuric acid, carbonic acid, and nitric acid. When it rains or snows, these acids are brought to Earth in what is called acid rain (Britannica ). Fossil Fuels' Effects on the Environment :: Environment Ecology Ecological Impact Essays Our world as it stands today is a truly magnificent place, amazing technological advances have been made over the years that have helped form a truly advanced place. However in order to achieve these technical advancements we need power. Many years ago the only power we needed or used was the power created with our own bodies, but as our society grew both larger and more intelligent we had to turn to other sources- the most obvious of those sources being fossil fuels. These almost â€Å"magical† resource including coal, natural gas, and petroleum, from millions of years ago, seemed the perfect solution to all our energy needs. Unfortunately we now realize that these resources have a very strong impact on the environment in the form of conventional pollution, and what could be even more severe greenhouse effect. There is a severe environmental impact in all stages of fossil fuel use including: recovery, transportation, preparation/ refining, and storage- not only the end use(the actual combustion) that most people think of. When recovering coal from the earth there are three major issues: The destruction of topsoil, acidic water runoff, and land subsidies. Some recovery issues with petroleum include drilling on land and offshore, gushers, and accidents. The transportation of fossil fuels can be a very risky proposition, with risk of oil pollution of the seas and accidents during routine operations. Petroleum transportation was brought to the forefront with the Exxon Valdez accident. The preparation/refining stage can produce sludge from coal cleaning plants and air/water pollution from petroleum refining. The storage of gasoline in underground tanks at your local gas station can be risky because those tanks have been known to leak. Almost all fossil fuel use is by combustion, the final stage of of fossil fuel. It produces waste products due to impurities in the fuel, especially particulates and various gases such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds. These waste products may affect our environment and people, in harmful ways (â€Å"By† ). These oxides created during combustion combine with moisture in the air to form sulfuric acid, carbonic acid, and nitric acid. When it rains or snows, these acids are brought to Earth in what is called acid rain (Britannica ).

Immortal Hopes of Animal Farm Essay -- English Literature Essays

Immortal Hopes of Animal Farm Communism is supposed to be a system under which all property would be held in common. The dignity of the poor workers oppressed by capitalism would be restored, and all people would live as equals in communism. This book, Animal Farm by George Orwell is an amusing story of allegory of the early history of the Soviet Union. Orwell wanted to make political writing into an art and to harmonize political concerns with artistry. As he became inspired by the Russian Revolution he wanted to show how some governments would do almost anything it took to succeed the rest. The book itself has acquainted many by providing a basis to describe the problems of communism as it was once tried in Russia during the 20th century. We have a deeply marked example in the history of Soviet Communism, where many were slaughter to only satisfy one person, Stalin. I believe George Orwell created Animal Farm with the goal of showing people that there is not a pure form of communism and to realize the mass amount of time, effort, energy, and lives it took for people (or animals) to realize that c ommunism (animalism) would not succeed. In Animal Farm Orwell verified the moral economic failure of the Russian Communist system. Mr. Jones symbolizes Czar Nicholas Romanov II, the leader before Stalin (Napoleon). Jones represents the old government (monarchy), the last of the Czars. Orwell implies that Mr. Jones (Czar Nicholas Romanov II) was losing his "edge". In fact, he and his men had taken up the habit of drinking. Old Major reveals his feelings about Jones and his administration when he says, "Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, and he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving and the rest he keeps for himself." So Jones and the old government are successfully uprooted by the animals. Just like in November of 1917, when squads of Red Guards, sailors, and factory workers overthrew the government and showed them that they no longer had support. The pigeons symbolize Soviet Propaganda to countries like Germany, England, France, and even the United States. The USSR was very enthusiastic about its achievements and its... ...on of the seven commandments and the '"'Beasts of England'"', Napoleon becomes more of a dictator. I deeply and truly believe communism will never carry out the way it is planned to. There are too many factors to support this. But what I"'"ve come to an understanding is that Communism does not give equality. If anything it only takes away the little freedom some may have. Thus it also demolishes all hopes and dreams for it sets a constant never ending future. There will always be an abuse of power towards the naà ¯ve proletariats who are constantly seeking to better themselves. No matter the quantity of efforts towards equality one may give, there will not be equality; for we as humans become obsessed with power once we are entrusted and only to become even more power-hungry. I can say I truly learned from this book that communism will never be an efficient part of any government. For freedom is taken away without a warning as people become one with faded dreams of the better tomorrow. I believe George Orwell carried out his goal of teaching people that communism would not be eff icient and if anything the most loyal like Boxer would die in immortal hopes of life ever progressing.

Oran: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly :: essays research papers fc

Oran: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Oran, peaceful and unprepared, is overcome by Bubonic plague. Separation, isolation and indigence become the common lot of distinct characters whose actions, thoughts and feelings constitute a dynamic story of man imprisoned. Prior to the closing, people went about their business as usual, almost oblivious to the plague. When Oran was shut off from the world, its residents had to adapt to the new conditions of life. Men reacted to the terrible visitation in different ways, according to their beliefs and characters. I believe their reactions were based on their personality and their experience during the plague. Each react to the circumstances of the plague in a unique way, and emerge from the plague with his own new perspective of life and its values. The residents of Oran are as travelers on a long, straight, boring road. They came upon the plague as a traveler comes upon an unexpected fork in the road. Some veer left, some right. A few are unaffected by (or unaware of) the fork in the road, and proceed straight ahead with their lives with very little change in habit. These persons lift themselves above the desperation and focus their actions on the grueling responsibility of making life better for themselves and others. The greatest affliction the citizens of Oran suffer when visited by the plague is not fear but the sense of separation, the loneliness of exile, the pain of imprisonment. The plague has an affect on most everyone in Oran. Some become better people, some worse. Grand, Rambert and Paneloux are all markedly changed afterward. Dr. Rieux and Tarrou are virtually unaffected. Cottard undergoes but a temporary metamorphosis. Monsieur Cottard is a criminal hunted by the law. A silent, secretive, plump little man, he comes to Oran to hide from prosecution. M. Cottard is basically a man lacking in morals, drive and direction, a, " a traveling salesman in wines and spirits." He tries unsuccessfully to hang himself when life seems hopeless. Prior to the plague, he had an aloofness and mistrusted everyone. When the plague descends upon the city, he develops an altruistic side. He sets out to help people. He becomes more amiable as the plague progressed through the population. He tries to take control of his life but becomes discouraged by circumstances. Rather than dealing with the circumstances effectively, he allows them to dominate his life. When the plague passes, and his philanthropic efforts are outmoded, he looses his humanitarian side and starts randomly shooting. The plague gave him only a temporary suspension from prosecution and the plague had

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 14

â€Å"You called us together for biblical porn?† Hugh turned away with disinterest from where the vampires and I huddled around my kitchen table. Barely a bruise showed on him anymore. Putting a cigarette to his lips, the imp produced a lighter from his coat pocket. â€Å"Don't smoke in here,† I warned. â€Å"What do you care? Are you saying you didn't smoke throughout most of the twentieth century?† â€Å"I'm not saying that at all. But I don't do it anymore. Besides, it's bad for Aubrey.† The cat, sitting on one of my counters, paused mid-bath at the sound of her name and eyed him askance. Hugh, glaring back, took a long drag on the cigarette before putting it out on the countertop next to her. She returned to her cleaning, and he paced around the apartment. Beside me, Cody leaned over the table, studying my proffered Bible. â€Å"I don't get how these guys are actually angels. ‘Sons of God' seems like a generic term for humans. I mean, aren't we all supposed to be children of God?† â€Å"Present company excluded, of course,† called Hugh from the living room. Then: â€Å"Jesus Christ! Where'd you get this bookcase? Hiroshima?† â€Å"Theoretically we are,† I agreed, ignoring the imp and answering Cody's question. I'd done a lot of biblical perusal since my earlier discovery today and was growing tired of looking at the book. â€Å"But Warren's right – that term is used throughout to refer to angels. Plus, the women here aren't called ‘daughters of God.' They're called ‘daughters of men.' They're human, their husbands are not.† â€Å"Could just be good old-fashioned sexism.† Peter had finally taken the plunge and shaved his hair off. I did not find the look flattering at all, considering the shape of his head. â€Å"It's not like that'd be a new concept in the Bible.† â€Å"Nah, I think Georgina's right,† said Hugh, returning to us. â€Å"I mean, we know something made angels fall. Lust is as good a reason as any, and it beats the hell out of gluttony or sloth.† â€Å"So what's the point then?† Peter wanted to know. â€Å"How does this relate to the not-just-a-vampire hunter?† â€Å"Here.† I pointed to verse 6:4. â€Å"It says, ‘There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.' The key words here are ‘in those days' and ‘also after that.' It's saying angels have fallen for human women more than once. This answers our question about whether angels still fall anymore. They do.† Cody was nodding along with me. â€Å"Which backs up your theory that one is trying to fall right now.† â€Å"It doesn't sound like lust is going to be his catalyst, though,† Hugh noted. â€Å"I think assault and battery will do it first.† â€Å"Unless it's lust for Georgina,† suggested Peter dryly. â€Å"He seems to think you're pretty enough.† Something odd struck me at Hugh's observation. â€Å"Would assault and battery really do it, though? Especially of vampires and imps? It might be frowned upon by the other side, but I'm not convinced taking out evil agents would necessarily warrant an angel turning into a demon.† â€Å"Past evidence suggests the other side isn't exactly†¦ flexible with transgressors,† observed the imp. â€Å"And ours is?† wondered Peter. Cody gave me a sharp look. â€Å"Are you backing out of your own theory?† â€Å"No, no. I'm suddenly reconsidering the falling bit, that's all. The ‘rogue' or ‘renegade' part might be more accurate.† â€Å"But your note did mention angels falling,† Hugh pointed out. â€Å"Surely that's indicative of something? A meaningful clue and not just a bad attempt at humor?† I thought about the note. Yes, Hugh was right. I felt certain the note's content played a role here; I just couldn't yet grasp what it meant. â€Å"Bad humor is par for the course with angels,† Peter reminded us. â€Å"At least if Carter's any indication.† I hesitated a moment, nervous about bringing up my secondary theory. They all seemed to be going along with the angel idea, however, so I figured it was now or never. â€Å"Do you guys think†¦ do you think it's possible Carter might be the one behind all of this?† Three sets of eyes turned on me in astonishment. Hugh spoke first. â€Å"What? Are you crazy? I know you two spar a lot, but Christ, if you think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Carter's one of us,† agreed Cody fiercely. â€Å"I know, I know.† I proceeded to explain the reasoning behind my accusation, citing his weird shadowing of me and subsequent conversation at Erik's. Silence fell. Finally, Peter said, â€Å"All of that is strange. But I still can't buy it. Not Carter.† â€Å"Not Carter,† agreed Hugh. â€Å"Oh, I see. Everyone's quick to implicate me for Duane, but not perfect Carter?† My ire rose at their automatic solidarity, at the idea that Carter would be above reproach. â€Å"Why does he hang out with us then? Have you ever heard of an angel doing anything like that?† â€Å"We're his friends,† said Cody. â€Å"And we're more fun,† added Hugh. â€Å"You can believe that if you want, but not me. Going from pub to pub with a demon and his cronies is the perfect setup for sabotage. He's been spying on us. You're just biased because he's such a good drinking buddy.† â€Å"And don't you think, Georgina,† warned Peter, â€Å"there's just the slightest possibility that you're the one who's biased? I admit, this crazy angel theory makes more and more sense as time goes on, but where'd Carter come from?† â€Å"Yeah,† said Hugh. â€Å"Seems like you just sort of threw him in for no good reason. Everyone knows you two don't get along.† I stared disbelievingly at the three sets of angry eyes. â€Å"I have plenty of good reason. How do you explain him being at Erik's?† The imp shook his head. â€Å"We all know Erik. Carter could have been there for the same reasons you were.† â€Å"What about the things he said?† â€Å"What did he say really?† Peter asked. â€Å"Was he like, ‘Hey Georgina, hope you got my note'? It's all pretty flimsy.† â€Å"Look, I'm not saying I have strong evidence, just that circumstantially – â€Å" â€Å"I need to go,† interjected Cody, standing up. I gave him a cold look. Had I pushed them that far? â€Å"I understand if you don't agree with me, but don't just walk out.† â€Å"No, there's something I've got to do.† Peter rolled his eyes. â€Å"You're not the only one dating now, Georgina. Cody won't admit it, but I think he's got a woman stashed somewhere.† â€Å"A live one?† asked Hugh, impressed. Cody put his coat on. â€Å"You guys don't know anything.† â€Å"Well, be careful,† I warned automatically. The tense mood was suddenly shattered, and no one seemed to be angry with me about suspecting Carter anymore. It was clear, however, that no one believed me about him either. They were dismissing my ideas like one does a child's irrational fears or imaginary friends. The vampires left together, and Hugh followed soon thereafter. I wandered off to bed, still trying to put the pieces into place. The note writer had made a reference to angels falling for beautiful women; that had to be significant. Yet, I just couldn't reconcile it with this bizarre pair of attacks on Duane and Hugh, which had more to do with violence and brutality than beauty or lust. When I got to work the next day, my e-mail inbox revealed a new message from Seth, and I feared some sort of follow-up to his date request from yesterday. Instead, he merely responded to my last message, which had been one in an ongoing conversation about his observations of the Northwest. The message's writing style and voice were as entertaining as ever, and he seemed for all the world not to have minded – or even noticed – my wacky rejection yesterday. I verified this further when I went upstairs to buy coffee. Seth sat in his usual corner, typing away, oblivious to it being Saturday. I paused and said hello, getting a typically distracted response in return. He did not mention asking me to the party, did not seem upset, and indeed apparently didn't care at all about it. I supposed I should have been grateful that he'd recovered so quickly, that he wasn't pining or breaking his heart over me, but my selfishness couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. I wouldn't have minded making a slightly stronger impression on him, one that elicited some regret over my refusal. Doug and Roman, for example, hadn't let one rejection deter them. What a fickle creature I was. Thinking of both of them reminded me I was meeting Roman later to go to Doug's concert. I grew heady at the thought of seeing Roman again, though apprehension tinged the feeling. I didn't like him having this effect on me, and I had thus far demonstrated no aptitude in refusing his advances. We were going to reach a critical point one of these days, and I feared for its outcome. I suspected that when it did come, I would wish Roman had bowed out of my pursuit so easily as Seth seemed to have. Such worries vanished from my mind that evening when I admitted Roman into my apartment. He wore dress clothing all done in elegant shades of blue and silvery gray, every hair and fold perfectly in place. He flashed me one of those devastating smiles, and I made sure my knees didn't start knocking, schoolgirl style. â€Å"You do realize this is a post-grunge, punk rock, ska -type of concert we're going to. Most everyone else will be in jeans and T-shirts. Maybe some leather here and there.† â€Å"Most good dates do end in leather.† His eyes took in the sights of the apartment, lingering briefly on the bookcase. â€Å"But didn't you say this was a late show?† â€Å"Yup. Starts at eleven.† â€Å"That gives us four hours to burn, love. You're going to have to change.† I looked down at my black jeans and red tank top. â€Å"This won't work?† â€Å"That does wonderful things for your legs, I admit, but I think you're going to want a skirt or dress. Something like you wore swing dancing, only maybe†¦ steamier.† â€Å"I'm pretty sure I've never heard the word ‘steamy' applied to any of my wardrobe.† â€Å"I find that hard to believe.† He pointed down my hall. â€Å"Go. The clock is ticking.† Ten minutes later I returned in a clingy, navy dress made of georgette. It had spaghetti straps and an asymmetrical hemline, jagged and ruffled, that rose high on my left leg. I had taken my hair out of its ponytail and now wore it long over my shoulders. Roman looked up from where he'd been having meaningful, eye-to-eye communication with Aubrey. â€Å"Steamy.† He pointed to the King James Bible sitting on my coffee table. It was open, like he'd been perusing. â€Å"I never took you for the churchgoing type.† Both Seth and Warren had made similar jokes. That thing was ruining my reputation. â€Å"Just something I'm researching. It's only been moderately useful.† Roman stood up and stretched. â€Å"Probably because that's one of the worst translations out there.† I remembered the plethora of Bibles. â€Å"Is there a better one you'd recommend?† He shrugged. â€Å"I'm no expert, but you'd probably get more out of one meant for research, not devotional use. Annotated ones. Ones that they use in college classes.† I filed the information away, wondering if the mystery verses might still have more to reveal. For now, I had a date to contend with. We ended up at a small, hidden Mexican restaurant I'd never been to. The waiters spoke Spanish – as did Roman, it turned out – and the food had not been watered down for Americans. When two margaritas appeared on our table, I realized Roman had ordered one for me. â€Å"I don't want to drink tonight.† I recalled how flaky I'd been the last time we went out. He stared at me like I'd just declared I was going to stop breathing for a change. â€Å"You have to be kidding. This place makes the best margaritas north of the Rio Grande.† â€Å"I want to stay sober tonight.† â€Å"One won't kill you. Take it with food, and you won't even notice.† I stayed silent. â€Å"For Christ's sake, Georgina, just try the salt. One taste and you'll be hooked.† I reluctantly ran my tongue around the edge. It triggered a longing to taste tequila that rivaled my succubus urge for sex. Giving in against my better judgment, I took a sip. It was fantastic. The food was too, not surprisingly, and I ended up having two margaritas, instead of just the one. Roman proved to be right about drinking with food, fortunately, and I only felt mildly buzzed. I did not feel out of control and knew I could handle things until the sobering up began. â€Å"Two more hours,† I told him as we left the restaurant. â€Å"Got something else in mind?† â€Å"Sure do.† He inclined his head across the street, and I followed his motion. Miguel's. I racked my brain. â€Å"I've heard of that place†¦ wait, they do salsa dancing there, don't they?† â€Å"Yup. Ever tried it?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"What? I thought you were a dancing queen.† â€Å"I'm not done with swing yet.† Truthfully, I was dying to try salsa. Like Seth Mortensen's books, though, I did not like to burn through too much of a good thing too fast. I still enjoyed swing and wanted to run it into the ground before I switched dances. Long life tended to make one savor things more. â€Å"Well, now you'll just have to multitask.† Taking my hand, he led me across the street. I tried to protest but couldn't really explain my reasoning to him, and so, like the margaritas, I gave in fairly easily. The club was warm and packed with bodies, and the music was to die for. My feet immediately began counting out beats as Roman paid our entrance fee and led me to the dance floor. Just like with swing, he turned out to be an expert at salsa, and I found myself easily catching on after a few practices. I might not have demonstrated much talent for standing my ground against margaritas, but I had been dancing for centuries. The skill was fused into me. Salsa turned out to be a lot sexier than swing. Not that swing wasn't sexy, mind you, but salsa had a dark, sinuous edge about it. One couldn't help but focus on the closeness of the other person's body, the way hips moved together. I now knew what Roman had meant about steamy. After about a half hour, we took a break, and he led us to the bar. † Mojitosnow,† he told me, holding up two fingers for the bartender. â€Å"In keeping with our Latin theme tonight.† â€Å"I can't†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But the mojitos appeared without my counsel and turned out to be pretty damned good. We finished them faster than we should have, so we could get back out on the floor. By the time we had to leave for Doug's concert, post-grunge, punk rock, ska -type music didn't sound so good anymore. I was exhilarated from dancing, hot and sweaty, and I'd gone through another mojito and a tequila chaser. I knew I'd found a new passion in salsa and silently cursed Roman for what would probably become a dancing addiction, even though I had exalted in the movement. His body had moved with a seductive grace, brushing against mine in a way that left me quivering and aching. We stumbled out into the street, holding hands, breathless and laughing. The world spun around me slightly, and I decided it was probably just as well we'd left when we did. My motor controls had stopped operating at normal levels. â€Å"Okay, where'd we park?† â€Å"You've got to be kidding,† I told him, jerking him around the corner where I could see the soft glow of a yellow taxi. â€Å"We have to take a cab.† â€Å"Come on, I'm not that bad.† But he had the wisdom to protest no further, and we caught the taxi up to the brewery in Greenlake. People milled in and out of the building; there had been two other performances before Doug's. As I had feared, our posh dancing clothing looked hopelessly out of place among the rough and tumble ware of the college-aged, but it no longer seemed the big deal it had when Roman picked me up. â€Å"Don't get caught up in fashion games,† he advised as we squeezed our way inside the packed brewery. â€Å"These kids probably think we're old, nark conformists or something, but really, they're just conforming in their own ways. They're conforming to nonconformity.† I scanned for the bookstore crew, hoping they'd secured a table. â€Å"Oh no. You don't wax political when you're drunk, do you?† â€Å"No, no. I just get tired of people always trying to fit a mold, trying to toe some line, regardless if it's right or left. I'm proud to be the best-dressed person in this room. Make your own rules, that's what I say.† I spotted Beth and dragged Roman over to a table on the other side of the room. Other bookstore natives sat with her: Casey, Andy, Bruce – and Seth. My stomach sank. â€Å"Nice dress,† said Bruce. â€Å"We saved you a seat.† Casey indicated a chair. â€Å"I didn't realize you'd have a†¦ friend.† The chair situation held little concern for me. All I could feel were Seth's eyes on me, his face thoughtful but neutral. Flushing, I felt like a complete idiot and wished I could just turn around and leave. After refusing him with my stupid tirade about not dating, here I was, hand in hand, drunk off my ass with Roman. I couldn't even imagine what Seth must think of me now. â€Å"Not a problem,† Roman declared, oblivious to my churning emotions and unfazed by my colleagues' bemused attention. He sat down in the chair, pulling me onto his lap. â€Å"We'll share.† Andy made a bar run, bringing back beers for all of us except Seth who, just like with caffeine, chose to abstain. Roman and I explained where we'd been, lauding salsa as the world's new greatest pastime, thus earning demands from the others that I start up a second wave of dance lessons. Doug's group soon came on stage, and we all cheered appropriately at the sight of Doug-the-assistant-manager turned Doug-the-lead-singer of Nocturnal Admission. Beer kept coming, and while continuing to drink was probably the stupidest thing I could have done, I was beyond the point where I could reasonably stop. Besides, I had too many other things to worry about. Like avoiding eye contact with a thus-far-silent Seth. And savoring the feel of being on top of Roman, his chest against my back and arms around my waist. His chin rested on my shoulder, giving him easy access to whisper in my ear and occasionally run his lips by my neck. The hardness I felt underneath my thighs suggested I wasn't the only one getting something out of this seating arrangement. Doug came to talk to us during a break, covered in sweat but thoroughly ecstatic. He took in the sight of me plastered on Roman. â€Å"You're a little overdressed, aren't you, Kin- caid?† He reconsidered. â€Å"Or under. Hard to say.† â€Å"You're one to talk,† I shot back, finishing my†¦ second†¦ or was it third†¦ beer. Doug wore tight, red vinyl pants; combat boots; and a long, purple velvet jacket left open to expose his chest. A ragged top hat perched jauntily on his head. â€Å"I'm part of the entertainment, babe.† â€Å"So am I, babe.† Some of the others chuckled. Doug's expression turned disapproving, but he said nothing to me, instead making some comment to Beth about the number of people who had turned out for the show. I entered that weird sort of tunnel vision that occurs sometimes with alcohol, where I became so consumed with my own buzzing, swirling perceptions that the conversation and noise around me blurred to an indistinct drone, and faces and colors faded out to an irrelevant background separate from my existence. Indeed, all I really felt was Roman. Every nerve in me was screaming, and I wished the hands he rested on my stomach would slide up to touch my breasts. I could already feel my nipples hardening under the thin fabric and wondered what it'd be like to turn around and ride him like I had Warren†¦ â€Å"Restroom,† I suddenly exclaimed, clambering ungracefully off Roman. It was weird how one's bladder could turn from tolerable to unbearable so quickly. â€Å"Where's the restroom here?† The others looked at me strangely, or so it seemed to me. â€Å"Back there,† pointed Casey, her voice sounding far away despite her close proximity. â€Å"You okay?† â€Å"Yeah.† I pushed a slipping strap up. â€Å"I just need to use the restroom.† And get away from Roman, I silently added, so I can think about things clearly. Not that that last feat would probably be possible in my current state. Roman started to rise, as drunk and fumbling as me. â€Å"I'll go with you – â€Å" â€Å"I will,† offered Doug hastily. â€Å"I need to get back there anyway before the next set.† Taking my arm, he wound us through the people toward a less-populated back hallway. I staggered slightly as we went, and he slowed his pace to help. â€Å"How much have you had to drink?† â€Å"Before or after I got here?† â€Å"Holy shit. You are trashed.† â€Å"You got a problem with it?† â€Å"Hardly. How do you think I spend most of my nights off?† We paused outside the ladies' restroom. â€Å"I bet Seth thinks I'm a lush.† â€Å"Why would he think that?† â€Å"You don't see him drinking. He's such a fucking purist. Him and his stupid no caffeine and no alcohol shit.† Doug's dark eyes flickered in surprise at my language. â€Å"Not all nondrinkers despise drinkers, you know. Besides, Seth's not the one I'm worried about. I'm more concerned about Mr. Happy Hands out there.† I blinked, confused. Then: â€Å"You mean Roman?† â€Å"You've come a long way from refusing to date to practically making out in public.† â€Å"So?† I countered hotly. â€Å"Can't I be with someone? Aren't I entitled to do something for a change that's actually something I want to do, not something I have to do?† My words came out with more bitter truth – and volume – than I intended. â€Å"Of course,† he soothed, â€Å"but you aren't yourself tonight. You're going to do something stupid if you're not careful. Something you'll regret later. You should ask Casey or Beth to take you home – â€Å" â€Å"Oh, you're a piece of work,† I exclaimed. I knew I was being irrational, that I'd never have turned on Doug sober, but I couldn't stop. â€Å"Just because I won't go out with you, just because I choose to fuck Warren or someone else, then you have to step in and try to keep me pure and untouched. If you can't have me, then no one can, is that it?† Doug blanched, and a few passersby stared at us. â€Å"Christ, Georgina, no – â€Å" â€Å"You're such a fucking hypocrite,† I yelled at him. â€Å"You have no right to tell me what to do! No fucking right.† â€Å"I'm not, I – â€Å" I didn't listen to what else he had to say. Turning, I stormed into the ladies' restroom, the only place I could go to escape these men. When I'd finished and gone to wash my hands, I looked up in the mirror. Did I look trashed? My cheeks were pink, some of the waves in my hair a little limper than when I'd started the evening. And I was sweating. Not too trashed, I decided. I could be a lot worse. I felt hesitant to leave the restroom, fearing Doug waited for me. I didn't want to talk to him. Another woman came in with a lit cigarette, and I bummed one off her, smoking it in its entirety while I crouched in a corner to kill time. When I heard the band kick up again, I knew it was safe. I walked out of the restroom and ran straight into Roman. â€Å"Are you okay?† he asked, his hands catching me around the waist to steady me. â€Å"I was worried when you didn't come back.† â€Å"Yeah†¦ I'm fine†¦ er, no, I don't know,† I admitted, leaning into him, wrapping my arms around him. â€Å"I don't know what's going on. I feel so strange.† â€Å"It's all right,† he told me, patting my back. â€Å"Everything's going to be all right. Do you need to leave? Is there anything I can do?† â€Å"I†¦ don't know†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I pulled away slightly, looking up into his eyes. Those blue-green depths were drowning me, and suddenly, I didn't care. I don't know who started it – it could have been either of us – but suddenly we were kissing, there in the middle of the hallway, arms pulling each other tighter, lips and tongues working furiously. The alcohol enhanced my base physical response yet numbed my awareness of succubus energy absorption. It must have still been working in spite of my inability to sense it, however, because Roman abruptly pulled away from me, looking aghast. â€Å"Weird†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He put a hand to his forehead. â€Å"I feel†¦ dizzy all of a sudden.† He hesitated a moment then shook it off, pulling me toward him again. Just like all the others. They never caught on that it was me doing it, me hurting them, so they still came back for more. His pause had been what I needed to gain some tiny sense of clarity in my drunken cloud. What had I done? What had I let myself become tonight? Every interaction with Roman had pushed me past another boundary. First I'd said we wouldn't date. Then I'd confined us to limited dates. Tonight I'd sworn I wouldn't drink, and now I could barely stand up from all the booze. Kissing was another taboo I had just broken. And it would only lead to the inevitable†¦ In my mind's eye, I could see us after sex. Roman would sprawl, pale and exhausted, drained of his life. That energy would crackle through me like an electric current, and he would stare at me, weak and confused, unable to comprehend what he no longer had. Depending on how much I stole from him, he would lose years off his life. Some sloppy succubi had even been known to kill victims by drinking too much life too fast. â€Å"No†¦ no†¦ don't.† I pushed him away, unwilling to see that future realized, but his arm still held me. Looking beyond him, I suddenly caught sight of Seth coming down the hallway. He froze when he saw us, but I was too preoccupied to pay any attention to the writer. I was a hair's breath away from kissing Roman again, from taking him somewhere – anywhere – where we could be alone and naked, where I could do all the things I'd fantasized doing with him. Another kiss†¦ another kiss, and I would not be able to stop. I wanted it too much. I wanted to be with someone I wanted. Just once after all these years. And that was exactly why I couldn't do it. â€Å"Georgina†¦Ã¢â‚¬  began Roman confusedly, hands still on me. â€Å"Please,† I begged, my voice a whisper, â€Å"let me go. Please let me go. You have to let me go.† â€Å"What's wrong? I don't understand.† â€Å"Please let me go,† I repeated. â€Å"Let me go!† The sudden volume of my own voice startled me, giving me a small boost of will to break from his grasp. He reached toward me, saying my name, but I stepped back. I sounded hysterical, like a crazy woman, and Roman was looking at me rightfully so. â€Å"Don't touch me. Don't. Touch. Me!† My anger was more at myself, at my life, than it was at him. A terrible rage and frustration, amplified by alcohol, coursed through me at the universe. The world wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that some people had perfect lives. That beautiful civilizations should fall to dust. That babies should be born with only a handful of breaths. That I should be trapped in this cruel joke of an existence. An eternity of making love without love. â€Å"Georgina†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Don't touch me. Ever again. Please,† I whispered hoarsely, and then, I did the only thing left to me. Escape. I ran. I turned from him and ran down the hall, away from Roman, away from Seth, away from the main seating area. I didn't know where I was going, but it would keep me safe. Would keep Roman safe. I might not be able to heal my own pain, but I could prevent any more from coming to him. My poor coordination and desperation made me run into people who responded with varying degrees of politeness to my mania. Was Roman behind me? I didn't know. He'd drunk at least as much as I had; his coordination couldn't be any better. If I could just be alone, I could shape-shift or go invisible and get out of here†¦ I burst through a door, and a wave of cool night air suddenly engulfed me. Gasping, I looked around. I stood in the back parking lot. It was packed with cars, and a few people smoking pot lingered around, most not paying attention to me. The door I'd come through opened, and I turned, expecting Roman. Instead, I saw Seth, looking anxious. â€Å"Stay away from me,† I warned. He held up his hands, palms forward in an appeasing gesture as he approached me slowly. â€Å"Are you okay?† I took two steps back, fumbling for my purse. â€Å"I'm fine. I just have to†¦ have to get away from here†¦ get away from him.† I pulled out my cell phone, intending to call one of the vampires. It slipped from my hands, dodged my attempts to catch it, and hit the asphalt with a sickening crack. â€Å"Oh shit.† Kneeling down, I picked up the phone, looking with dismay at the gibberish on the display. â€Å"Shit,† I repeated. Seth knelt by me. â€Å"What can I do?† I looked up at him, his face swimming in my blurred vision. â€Å"I have to get out of here. I have to get away from him.† â€Å"Okay. Come on. I'll take you home.† Seth took my arm, and I had a faint recollection of being led a few blocks to some dark-colored car. He helped me inside and drove away. Leaning back, I sank into the motion of the drive, letting it pull me under, the backward and forward of inertia, backward and forward, backward and forward†¦ â€Å"Pullover.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Pull over now!† He complied, and I opened the door, expelling the contents of my stomach onto the street outside. When I had finished, Seth waited a moment before asking, â€Å"Are you okay to keep going?† â€Å"Yeah.† But a few minutes later, I made him pull over and repeated the process. â€Å"This†¦ car ride is killing me,† I gasped once we were on the road again. â€Å"I can't stay in the car. The motion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Seth's brow furrowed, and he suddenly made a hard right that nearly set me to throwing up inside the car. â€Å"Sorry,† he said. We drove a few more minutes, and I was on the verge of asking him to pull over again when the car stopped. He helped me out, and I looked around, not recognizing the building in front of us. â€Å"Where are we?† â€Å"My place.† He ushered me inside, straight to a bathroom where I promptly knelt and paid homage to the toilet, again releasing more liquid than I had realized was in me. I felt distantly aware of Seth behind me, pulling my hair out of the way. Dimly, I remembered that higher immortals like Jerome and Carter could be affected by alcohol as little or as much as they liked, choosing to sober up at will. Bastards. I don't know how long I knelt there before Seth gently helped me to my feet. â€Å"Can you stand?† â€Å"I think so.† â€Å"It's†¦ uh†¦ in your hair and on your dress. I think you'll want to change.† I looked down at the navy georgette and sighed. â€Å"Steamy.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Never mind.† I started pulling the straps down so I could get out of the dress. His eyebrows rose, and he hastily turned away. â€Å"What are you doing?† he asked in a forcibly normal voice. â€Å"I need to shower.† Naked, I stumbled over and turned on the water. Seth, still not looking at me, retreated to the door. â€Å"You won't fall or anything?† â€Å"I hope not.† I stepped into the water, gasping at its heat. I leaned against the tiled wall and just let the heavy stream power-wash me, the shock momentarily rousing my wits. Looking up, I saw that Seth was gone, the bathroom door closed. I sighed and shut my eyes, wanting to sink to my knees and pass out. Standing there, I thought again about Roman, about how good it had felt to kiss him. I didn't know what he would think of me now, not after how I'd acted. When I turned off the water and stepped out, the bathroom door opened a crack. â€Å"Georgina? Use these.† A towel and an oversize T-shirt were tossed through before the door closed again. I dried myself off and put on the shirt. It was red and had a picture of Black Sabbath on it. Nice. The activity took its toll, however, and a wave of nausea rolled over me again. â€Å"No,† I moaned, making for the toilet. The door opened. â€Å"Are you okay?† Seth came in and pulled my hair back once more. I waited but nothing came. Finally, I stood uneasily. â€Å"I'm all right. I need to lie down.† He led me out of the bathroom and into a bedroom with an unmade queen-sized bed. I collapsed onto it, pleased to be flat and stationary, even though the room continued to spin. He sat down gingerly on the bed's edge, watching me uncertainly. â€Å"I'm sorry about this,† I told him. â€Å"Sorry you had to†¦ do all this.† â€Å"It's okay.† I closed my eyes. â€Å"Relationships suck. This is why I don't date. You just hurt people.† â€Å"Most good things come with the risk of something bad,† he observed philosophically. I remembered the letter he'd sent me, about the long-term girlfriend he'd neglected for his writing. â€Å"Would you do it again?† I asked. â€Å"Go out with that one girl? Even if you knew things would turn out exactly the same?† A pause. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Not me.† â€Å"Not me what?† I opened my eyes and looked up at him. â€Å"I was married once.† It was the kind of drunken admission one made fully aware that it would never have been spoken sober. â€Å"Did you know that?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"No one does.† â€Å"It didn't work out then?† Seth asked when I didn't say anything for a minute. I couldn't help a bitter laugh. Didn't work out? That was an understatement. I had been weak and foolish, giving into the same physical urges that had nearly led me into disaster with Roman. Only with Ariston, I couldn't claim drunkenness for that slip. I had been dead sober, and honestly, I think I'd been planning it for a long time anyway. We both had. He'd come over one day for another visit, only this time we didn't talk much. I think we were past conversation by then. We'd both been restless, pacing and standing, making small talk that neither of us really listened to. My attention was on his physical presence – on his body and the powerful muscles in his arms and legs. The air was so thick with sexual tension it was a wonder we could move at all. I walked to the window, staring at nothing as I listened to him pacing the rest of the house. A moment later he returned, this time standing behind me. His hands suddenly rested on my shoulders, the first deliberate touch he'd ever made. His fingers burned me like a brand, and I shivered, making his hold tighten as he stepped closer to me. â€Å"Letha,† he said in my ear, â€Å"you know†¦ you know I think about you all the time. I think about what it would be like to†¦ be with you.† â€Å"You're with me now.† â€Å"You know that's not what I mean.† He turned me around to face him, and his gaze was like hot oil running over my body, slick and scorching. Trailing his hands up my neck, he cupped my face for a moment. He leaned down and held his mouth a breath away from mine. Then, his tongue darted out and lightly ran over my lips, the barest of caresses. My lips parted, and I leaned forward to take more, but he stepped away with a small smile. One of his hands moved down to my shoulder, to the clasp that held my gown together, and unfastened it. The fabric slid off me, pooling around me on the floor, so I stood naked before him. His eyes blazed, taking in every part. I should have felt embarrassed or shy, but I didn't. I felt wonderful. Desired. Adored. Wanted. Powerful. â€Å"I would do anything, anything at all to have you right now,† he whispered. His hands traveled down my shoulders to the sides of my breasts, to my waist, and then my hips. My mother had always said my hips were too skinny, but under his hands, they felt lush and sexy. â€Å"I would kill for you. I would go to the ends of the earth for you. I would do anything at all that you ask. Anything just to feel your body against mine and your legs wrapped around me.† â€Å"No one's ever said anything like that to me.† I was surprised at how calmly my voice came out. Inside, I was melting. I would hear variations of his promises for the next millennium or so, from a hundred different men, but at the time, the words were fresh and new. Ariston'slips turned up in a rueful smile. † Kyriakosmust say things like that all the time.† There was an arch tone to his voice, reminding me that even though the two men were longtime friends, there had always been a rivalry underscoring that friendship. â€Å"No. He makes love to me with his eyes.† â€Å"I want to use a lot more than my eyes.† In that moment, I suddenly understood the power women had over men. It was surprising and exhilarating. Never mind issues of property and politics; it was in the bedroom that women ruled. With flesh and sheets and sweat. The knowledge filled me, rushing through me with an arousal stronger than any aphrodisiac could produce. I thrived on it, liking this newfound clout. I think it was this revelation that would later make the powers of hell cast me as a succubus. I reached out trembling hands to him and began removing his tunic. He stood still as I undressed him, but every inch of him quivered with heat and longing. His breathing came heavy and fast as I studied his body now, noticing all the ways it was the same as Kyriakos ‘ and all the ways it was different. I moved my fingertips over him, lightly touching the tanned flesh, the well-defined muscles, the nipples. Then my hands moved lower, below his stomach, wrapping around the long, hard length they found there. Ariston emitted a soft groan but did not move toward me yet. He was still waiting for my consent. I raised my eyes from my fondling hands and looked into his face. He really would have done anything for me. That awareness increased my need for him. â€Å"You can do anything you want to me,† I told him finally. I made it sound like a concession, but truthfully, I wanted him to do anything he wanted. My words broke the spell that had been holding us apart. It was like a damn bursting. Like exhaling after holding your breath for too long. A rush. A release. My body nearly tumbled into his, like it had been straining and straining at bindings that had finally been cut. Touching him made me realize we should have been touching long before this. He jerked me into a harsh kiss, jamming his tongue into my mouth as his hands moved under me to grab the backs of my thighs. In one motion, he hoisted me up and pressed my back against the wall. My legs wrapped around his hips, needing him closer to me, and then with one hard thrust, he was inside. I don't know if I was too tight or he was too big – maybe both – but it hurt in a sort of pleasurable way. I let out a surprised cry, but he didn't stop to see if I was okay. The passion had seized him, that animalistic urge locked deep into our blood that ensures the continuation of our species. He focused only on his own pleasure now as he pushed into me, over and over, harder and harder, seeming to thrive on every moan and scream that crossed my lips. I wouldn't have thought I could find release in such rough sex, but I did – more than once. Each time, it came as a great, consuming wave of sensation, starting deep within me and spreading throughout my body, rubbing every nerve, covering every piece of me until I was completely saturated. Then the wave would explode into glittering fragments, leaving me warm and tender and breathless. Like being shattered then remade. It was exquisite. Each of these orgasms seemed to drive him more urgently until his own climax came. This time, I was the one thriving on his release, digging my nails into his back as tightly as I could, holding on to him, bringing the episode to a shuddering, gasping end. And yet, it wasn't the end because in only a little while, he was ready again. He took me to my bed and this time put me on my knees, leaning into me from behind. â€Å"I've heard the old women say this is the best position for conceiving a child,† he whispered. I had only a moment to ponder this before he was in me again, still rough and demanding. I considered his words as he pumped away, that maybe he would be the one who gave me a child after all, not Kyriakos. The realization made me feel strange, eager yet regretful. Aristonfelt no such regret when we lay back on the blankets later in the afternoon, both of us exhausted and spent as warm sun spilled in over us through the window. â€Å"The lack could be in Kyriakos,† he explained. â€Å"Not you. With as many times as I've had you today, you can't help but get pregnant.† He sucked my earlobe and wrapped his arms around me from behind, letting his hands rest on my breasts. â€Å"I've filled you up, Letha.† His voice was low and proprietary, like he'd just gained something more tangible than sex. Suddenly I wondered who really did have the power in the bedroom after all. I lay against him, wondering what I had done and what I wanted to do now. How did one go back to being a wife after being someone else's goddess? I never got to decide, however, because the next thing I heard was Kyriakos calling me from the front of the house, home too early. Ariston and I both sat up, startled. My fingers fumbled as I tried to get the blankets off me, tangling in the fabric. My dress. I needed to find my dress. But it wasn't here, I realized. I'd left it in the other room. Maybe, I thought desperately, I could get to it before Kyriakos found us. Maybe I could move fast enough. But it turned out I couldn't. In the present, all I said to Seth was: â€Å"Yeah. It didn't work out. Not at all. I cheated on him.† â€Å"Oh.† A pause. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because I could. It was stupid.† â€Å"That's why you don't date?† â€Å"Everything about that hurt too much. No good justified the bad.† â€Å"You can't know that the next one will turn out badly. Things change.† â€Å"Not for me.† I closed my eyes to hide the tears welling up. â€Å"I'm going to pass out now.† â€Å"Okay.† He might have left or he might have stayed; I didn't know. I simply slept, lost in black, numbing sleep.