The Impact of Imperialism on the Third World Essay

The Impact of Imperialism on the Third World The term imperialism carries with it many (perhaps rightfully attributed) negative connotations: slavery, subjugation, genocide, et cetera. Websters Unabridged Dictionary defines it as: The policyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ of seekingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the extension of the control, dominion, or empire of a nation, as by the acquirement of new, especially distant, territory or dependencies. Now one knows what it literally is and what it may entail, and thus, further inquiry into the subject of its good-ness or bad-ness may entail, from the perspective of the conquered. With what little example one might find in the 21st century of current applied imperialism, one must look to the†¦show more content†¦Perhaps the best example of post-colonial failures is with the nearly the entire continent of Africa. Josef Conrad, who wrote many stories involving the Dark Continent, wrote Everything here is repellent to me, upon his arrival in the Congo-the sights of colonized Africa had sickened him to the core, and the supposedly high-minded ideals of the European imperialists, especially his own King Leopold II were reflected in Kurtz, from Conrads most celebrated story, Heart of Darkness. (Along those same lines, the Francis Ford Coppola film loosely based upon that story, Apocalypse Now, did the same for the former French colony of Vietnam.) That was in the relatively tame days when the subjugated African nations had not been loosed upon themselves; since that time, several of those same nations have seen mass genocide and civil war follow in the wake of European withdraw. For the purposes of this essay, Rwanda will be used as an example: Tens of thousands were killed in the social revolution which began in 1959, and from there a gradual decline into anarchy began which reached its breaking point in 1994, when a Hutu regime killed 800,000 Rwandans in the space of 100 days. For centuries, it was a highly organized feudal kingdom, whereShow MoreRelatedImpact Of Imperialism On Th e Middle East, Africa, And Asia1287 Words   |  6 PagesImperialism is defined as a policy of extending a country s power and influence through diplomacy or military force. Countries during the Industrial Revolution wanted to imperialize due to social, political, and economic reasons. As early as the mid 1800’s, the European countries craved the idea of power and conquering new lands in order to obtain resources/raw materials. They took over Africa, the Ottoman Empire, India, and Southeast Asia due to this as well as for their convenient location. TheyRead MoreImperialism as a Source of Many Conflicts throughout History658 Words   |  3 PagesImperialism a source of most if not all conflicts throughout history. No matter the century or time period, the start of all wars, battles, and conflicts all draw their roots back to imperialism. Imperialism have had great impacts on nations and brought many changes to societies and their cultures. It has impacted on people lives and how they live. It has affected our societies to this day and shaped or helped create foundations for our countries and cultures that we have today. Imperialism beganRead MoreEssay about The Pros and Cons of Imperialism540 Words   |  3 Pagespolitical or cultural life is called as imperialism. Imperialism is often separated into two sects. The first one is old imperialism, which was the period from the 1500s to the 1800s, where European nation started to colonize many areas such as the Americas, and parts of Southeast Asia. On the other hand, the new imperialism was the period between the years â€Å"1870-1914†, where Europe became more focused on expanding their land into Asia and Africa. Imperialism had many pros and cons. In addition, itRead MoreThe Global Effects of Imperialism, World War I and the Great Depression1424 Words   |  6 PagesThe Global Effects of Imperialism, World War I and the Great Depression Bentley first talked about cross-cultural interactions as a way to categorize the World’s history. He in addition wrote aboutRead MoreThe Global North/South Divide1724 Words   |  7 Pagesthe global north and the global south. The theory of the Global North and Global South is a new geopolitical perspective. It divides the world into two blocs – the industrialized countries of the global North and the poor countries of the South on the global level of analysis. While â€Å"Global South† is sometimes used as a synonym for the more familiar â€Å"third world† that term has fallen into disfavor. This essay looks at globalization and discusses how it has exacerbated the pre-existing inequalitiesRead MoreAnalysis of International Communication and Globalization by Ali Mohammadi1028 Words   |  5 Pagesparadigm shifts in a variety of disciplines. In the field of International communication, the process of globalisation is not only about the emergence of huge transnational corporations. It also implies changes in communication policies and their impact on cultural autonomy and identity not only in weaker nations but in the most powerful ones as well. It is in this context that International Communication scholars are forced to rethink their existing theories of the free flow of information, theRead MoreEvents Between 1870-19451419 Words   |  6 Pagesdifferently than before hand, finding out ways to take a step back and look at actions as they affect multiple nations simultaneously. Of these international events from 1870-1945, the Age of Imperialism, World War I, and the Great Depression had worldwide impacts on economic and social issues. Imperialism in the late 19th century became a competition among European countries to take control of as many areas in Africa before the others did. For the most part, France, England, and Germany competedRead MoreNegative Effects Of Imperialism1139 Words   |  5 Pagesevents are talked about. That just shows what imperialism causes. Imperialism is when a dominant country seeks to increase their size and forces (either by war or diplomacy) a smaller country to submit to their rule. The Age of Imperialism began in the 1870s and went until World War 1. During this time imperialism was very prevalent and the events that took place during this time had lasting effects and still affect us to this day. While imperialism could be seen as beneficial, especially to theRead MoreImpact Of Globalization On Journalism On A Global Scale1677 Words   |  7 PagesPower and democracy play an extremely large role in media industries as well as spatial, economic and political inequalities. To unders tand this concept cultural labour, indigenous media practises as well as impacts of neoliberalism will need to be addressed to establish the impact of intensifies market forces on journalism on a global scale. (Lechner, 2002) Neoliberalism is the political monetary standard of our time- it alludes to the approaches and techniques whereby a relative handful of privateRead MoreAnalysis Of Equity, Diversity And Inclusivity1130 Words   |  5 Pagesbrutal oppression of the Taliban. Thus, this is a reason why the campaign exclusively focuses on the gender-based oppression of â€Å"Third World† women, without acknowledging the role of racism, colonialism, and economic exploitation. It also claims unity with â€Å"Third World† women and women of color, but the campaign is actually contributing to the stereotyping of Third World cultures as â€Å"uncivilized,† which ends up justifying imperialist intervention. This can be related to the reading on Dilemmas of

MP3 Player Industry Analysis Free Essays

Electronic gadgets are very much popular nowadays. Both teens and adults alike are caught up in this technology wave of the present and future. Almost everyone in the US and other first-world countries have mobile phones. We will write a custom essay sample on MP3 Player Industry Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now Even little kids have one for practical reasons, according to some parents. Yet another electronic gadget that is as popular as a mobile phone is the MP3 player. Since everyone seems to like music a lot, this little electronic device easily captured the hearts of many people around the world. Apple was the company that had big risks yet big hopes in this market when it released its own version of MP3 player called the Apple iPod in 2001. Some were not convinced of Apple’s strategy entering this line of business as the industry was not quite promising that time (Guglielmo, 2001). But even with its price tag on the upper bracket, Apple reportedly has the highest share in the market at about 80% (Skee, 2006). But with the increasing number of competitors in the market offering much more affordable digital audio players, this huge amount of market share will most likely decrease in the years to come. As all knows, technology is something that does not really stagnate at all. MP3 players would not only remain as simple music playing device forever. With continuous engineering and innovation, a third of the MP3 players currently available in the market now have video playing capability. This means that users will not only be able to listen to their favorite music wherever they want, but watch some cool music videos as well. This made a huge impact in the sales of MP3 players since the feature was introduced. Wargo, director of Consumer Electronics Association, (as cited in Slocombe, 2006) stated that, â€Å"MP3 technology helped boost the audio and accessories markets in 2005. With the introduction of video playback capability, MP3 player sales surged 200 percent in 2005 to $3 billion.[†¦]† The figures concerning this industry are really huge considering that this only talks about the US consumers alone. At present, MP3 players still do not lose their charm. Just for the past holiday season, MP3 players topped the survey of 1,000 US adults for their most wanted gift (Ogg, 2006). The device had outdone other popular consumer electronic devices such as digital cameras and portable DVD players. According to CEA (2007), â€Å"MP3 players continue to drive the audio market. [†¦] Thirty-four million MP3 players shipped in 2006 and an additional 41 million are expected to ship in 2007.† The toughest competitor of Apple iPod now is Microsoft’s own Zune which was just introduced in the market late 2006, just in time for the holidays. The two products have been compared by a lot of analysts. Most of the reviews and comparison reports made still think that Apple will be the leading brand in this industry for the next years to come. However, Apple is still in stand by because Microsoft is still Microsoft. Although there are not enough information yet as to how many people already own the new Microsoft Zune nor their current market share, it is well-known that the brand Microsoft itself owns about 90% of the market when it comes to operating systems which is about 300 million people. On the other hand, there are about 30 million people who have an iPod, which is about 70% of the MP3 player industry. (Elgan, 2006) In a nutshell, the MP3 player industry is still a promising and flourishing industry and will continue to increase sales in the coming years. With all the different companies trying to compete and outdo the market starter, Apple iPod still is the leading player in the market since its introduction despite the quite expensive price tag it has. References Elgan, M. (2006). Opinion: Why Microsoft’s Zune Scares Apple to the Core. Retrieved February 22, 2007 from http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasicarticleId=9003718pageNumber=1 Guglielmo, C. (2001). Apple Has Big Hopes for iPod. Retrieved February 22, 2007 from http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1242682,00.asp Ogg, E. (2006). MP3 Players Top Holiday Wish Lists, CEA Survey Finds. Retrieved February 22, 2007 from http://news.com.com/MP3+players+top+holiday+wish+lists,+CEA+survey+finds/2100-1041_3-6126358.html Skee, G. (2006). US MP3 Player Sales Will Reach $4.5 Billion in 2006. Retrieved February 22, 2007 from http://www.anythingbutipod.com/archives/2006/01/us-mp3-player-sales-will-reach-45-billion-in-2006.php Slocombe, M. (2006). CES 2006 Starts: MP3 Player Sales to Soar 200%. Retrieved February 22, 2007 from http://digital-lifestyles.info/2006/01/05/ces-2006-starts-mp3-player-sales-to-soar-200/ How to cite MP3 Player Industry Analysis, Essay examples

E-Business Applications for John Lewis- myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about theE-Business Applications for John Lewis. Answer: Introduction The future of retail business is largely impacted by the on-going digital revolution and transformation. The traditional aspect of retail business has been changed in the context of its nature, operational aspect and in scope with advent of internet and digital eco-system. The digital change is redefining the way of customer interaction and the way of customer engagement within physical channel and online channel. Retail giants all over the world are facing challenges to adapt with this transformation as this transformation is influencing the consumer behaviour and in specific the decision making process. Consumers now expect to have a good experience while they are purchasing something; the digital environment and use of internet can significantly improve this experience (Pantano, 2014). About John Lewis It is a well-known high end department store operating in United Kingdom and it is one of the leading Omni-channel retailers. It is providing quality, best service and unique value to its customers for 75 years. It has been an example for retail business which is delivering an extraordinary shopping experience through visionary adoption of digital and mobile technology. Johnlews.com is top online destination for shopping in UK with more than 280,000 products and alongside it has been awarded Best Furniture Retailer, Best in Store Experience, and Best Home wares Retailer at Verdict Customer Satisfaction Awards, 2017 (John Lewis Partnership, 2017). Future Retail through Digital in John Lewis John Lewis is one of the few retailers who are using digital technology to bridge the gap between offline and online consumers buying behaviour. John Lewis has kiosks which are digitally enabled and connected with in-store inventory and proving an option to customers to search for product ranges and order the product while they are in store. It has in store 3-D printing and RFID Tagging system. These two technologies enabled John Lewis in providing better customisation and range of variety to customers. Use of beacon technology in John Lewis store, is providing huge data regarding consumer behaviour within the store. Through use of those data, it can optimise its customer service and offerings (Piotrowicz and Cuthbertson, 2014). Their Click Collect counter has significantly reduced the waiting time of customers in store. Their interactive e-commerce website and mobile application are providing more unique value proposition to customers. John Lewis store is also equipped with interac tive Virtual Reality Installation and it is providing a unique customer experience while shopping. While focusing on delivering extraordinary in-store shopping experience, John Lewis is doing fantastic business internationally through huge investment for improved purchasing experience through mobile application and website. It has enabled delivery of its products in 40 countries and accepting payments in 10 currencies. Its technology supported Omni-channel approach has been a success story in terms of increased customer loyalty and repurchase (Blzquez, 2014). Conclusion In conclusion it can be said that John Lewis has improved customer shopping journey through huge planned investment in digital technology. In result it has awarded itself with better customer insights and provider of customer delight. For better digital adoption in their Omni-channel approach, it must focus on connected technology to improve product delivery and post purchase customer service (McCormick et al., 2014). References Blzquez, M., 2014. Fashion shopping in multichannel retail: The role of technology in enhancing the customer experience.International Journal of Electronic Commerce,18(4), pp.97-116. John Lewis Partnership 2017. About John Lewis. Retrieved 28 September 2017, from https://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/about/john-lewis.html McCormick, H., Cartwright, J., Perry, P., Barnes, L., Lynch, S. and Ball, G., 2014. Fashion retailingpast, present and future.Textile Progress,46(3), pp.227-321. Pantano, E., 2014. Innovation drivers in retail industry.International Journal of Information Management,34(3), pp.344-350. Piotrowicz, W. and Cuthbertson, R., 2014. Introduction to the special issue information technology in retail: Toward omnichannel retailing.International Journal of Electronic Commerce,18(4), pp.5-16.

The Telephone And Its Corporation Essays - Bell System,

The Telephone And Its Corporation The Telephone And Its Corporation The phone is easily one of man's most important, useful and taken for granted inventions. The telephone has outgrown the ridicule with which it first received, now in most places taken for granted, it is a part of many people's daily lives. It marvelously extended the ways man converses that it is now an indispensable help to whoever would live the convenient life. All disadvantage of being deaf and mute to any persons, which was universal before the advent of the telephone, has now happily been overcome. Before I tell of the history of how the telephone was constructed and put in to place I will tell of the past of communications. Ever since the ability of language and written language the most popular form of communication was done through a letter. Others were as documented in 1200 BC in Homer's Illiad were signal fires. Carrier pigeons were used in the Olympic games to send messages from 700 BC to 300 AD. In 1791 the Chappe brothers created the Semaphore system; they were two teens in France who wanted to be able to contact each other from their different school campuses. This system consisted of a pole with movable arms, which the positions took the place of letters of the alphabet. Two years later this idea had caught on and was being used in France, Italy, Russia, and Germany. Two semaphore systems were built in the U.S. in Boston and on Martha's Vineyard; soon Congress was asked to fund a project for a semaphore system running from New York City to New Orleans. Samuel Morse told Congress that not to fund the project because he was developing the electric telegraph. Soon Samuel Morse developed his electric telegraph he demonstrated it in 1844 it caught on and by 1851 51 telegraph companies were in operation. And it continued to grow to 2250 telegraph offices nationwide. In 1876 Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone. Alexander Graham Bell was born on March 3, 1847 in Edinburgh. He grew up deeply involved in the study of speech due to his father and grandfathers work. He was also a talented musician able to play by ear from a very early age, and, had he not been more interested in what his father was doing to help people speak, he might have ended up as a professional musician. He and his two brothers built a model human skull and filled it with a good enough reproduction of the human vocal apparatus, which worked with a bellows, so it would be able to say, "Ma-ma." Alexander became a Professor and taught visible speech he was greatly appreciated for this. Soon he went to work for Thomas Sanders a successful leather merchant from Salem who had a five-year old deaf son. Sanders also became a friend and admirer of Bell and his work. At his time at the Sanders house he was able to do his experiments in the basement until it became a tad bothersome to Sanders and told him to find a new place to experiment. So Alexander moved his lab to Charles Williams' electrical shop in Boston and employed Thomas Watson together they worked for weeks to figure out this enigma. Finally after tightly tying a copper string and plucking it caused a distinct sound on both ends. He applied for a patent on February 14, 1876 3 hours before Elisha Gray filed a patent for a similar device. March 7, 1876 the patent was issued three days later Alexander spoke the famous words after spilling acid on his pants "Mr. Watson come here I want you!" In order to distribute this new technology to the world and humanity a corporation needed to be created. The business venture to start this new corporation began before the invention with an agreement between Thomas Sanders, Gardiner G. Hubbard, and Bell dated February 27, 1875. Formed as a basis for financing Bell's experiments, the agreement came to be called the Bell Patent Association. The only tangible assets of this association were an early Bell patent, "Improvements in Transmitters and Receivers for Electric Telegraph," his basic telephone patent, No. 174,465, an "Improvement in Telegraphy" (March 7, 1876), and two additional patents that followed. Publicity was needed Hubbard urged Bell to demonstrate his new instrument as well as the further improvements Thomas Watson had produced at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition that summer. It was hot and muggy in Philadelphia and not many people were attracted the complex scientific experiment setup. But Bell had seen an old

Whats a Good PSAT Score for 2016 Expert Analysis

What's a Good PSAT Score for 2016 Expert Analysis SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you took the PSAT in October of 2016, then you got your scores back in mid-December, just before winter break. Your PSAT score report gives you a few different score types, including your total scores, section scores, and Selection Index. With all this data, how can you sort through the numbers to figure out what is a good PSAT score? This guide will go over the full scoring system of the PSAT so you know exactly what makes a good score. Let’s start with a quick glossary explaining the various types of PSAT scores on your score report. Types of PSAT Scores: A Glossary At first glance, your PSAT score reportcan look pretty confusing. You’re going to see all sorts of scoresdescribing how you did. If you don’t know what each type of score means, then you’ll be left with little understanding of how you performedon the PSAT. There will be six main pieces of data on your PSAT score report: your scaled total scores, section scores, raw scores, subscores, Selection Index, and percentiles. Here’s what all of these terms mean: Scaled total scores: your total scores on the PSAT that range between 320 and 1520. Half of the total score comes from the Math sections, and the other half comes from Evidence-based Reading and Writing (i.e., the Reading and Writing and Language sections together). Scaled section scores: two scores, one for Math and one for Evidence-based Reading and Writing, both of which fall between 160 and 760. Section (test) scores: three scores, one for Math, one for Reading, and one for Writing and Language, all of which fall between 8 and 38. Subscores: seven scores that all range between 1 and 15. Subscores tell you how you did on certain types of questions, some of which appear across two or more sections of the PSAT. You’ll get a subscore for questions that fallinto these seven categories: Command of Evidence, Words in Context, Expression of Ideas, Standard English Conventions, Heart of Algebra, Problem Solving and Data Analysis, and Passport to Advanced Math. Raw scores: three scores, one for each PSAT section, that represent the number of questions you got right. The ranges for raw scores vary by section. You can get a maximum raw score of 48 for Math, 47 for Reading, and 44 for Writing and Language. Selection Index: one score that ranges from 48 to 228. Your selection index is the sum of your three section scores between 8 and 38 multiplied by 2 ((section score + section score + section score) x2). The National Merit Scholarship Distinction uses Selection Index to award Commended Student and Semifinalist status. Percentiles: your ranking, represented as a percent, compared to other test-takers. Percentiles tell you what percentage of other students you scored the same as or better than. If you score in the 80th percentile, then you scored the same as or better than 80% of other test-takers. So, there you have it, all of the data on your not-so-straightforward PSAT score report. Out of all of these different score types, are any more important than others? If you find yourself confused about the different types of PSAT scores, scroll back up to review the definitions above! Which PSAT Scores Are Most Important? All of these PSAT score types are useful in different ways, but the most important ones for understanding how you did are your scaled total and section scores. As you saw above, you can score a max of 1520 on the PSAT or 760 in each section. While the Reading and Writing and Language sections are separate when you take the PSAT, they’re combined to bring you one scaled section score. Because these two sections unite, your total scores are made up of half math and half verbal. The other important piece of data for students competing for National Merit distinction is the Selection Index. NMSC sets a different cutoff for each state to decide who becomes Commended Student and Semifinalist. The top 1% of scorers in each state are named Semifinalists, and they couldmove on to become Finalists and win scholarship money. Finally, your non-scaled section scores, raw scores, and subscores are most useful for giving you detailed insight into how you did on the PSAT. These scores reveal how you did on each section and question type. This kind of understanding is especially helpfulwhen you go on to study for the SAT, as they show your strengths and weaknesses as a test-taker. By looking at these scores, you can figure out where you most need to improve, whether, for instance, you need to work on the Writing and Language section or more specifically, â€Å"Command of Evidence† questions. By the way, your section scores and scaled scoresaren't totally unrelated. You can easily convert your section scores between 8 and 38 to your scaled scores between 160 and 760. To get your verbal scores, add your Reading and Writing and Language section scores together and multiply by 10. To get your math scaled scores, simply multiply your section scores by 20. To get your total scores, add your two scaled section scores together. Consider this example, where the student gota 28 in Reading, a 32 in Writing and Language, and a 34 in Math. Test Section (Test) Score Scaled Section Score Total Score Reading 28 (28 + 32) * 10 = 600 600 + 680 = 1280 Writing and Language 32 Math 34 34 * 20 = 680 The different score ranges aren’t completelyrandom, but rather are related to one another. Now that you have the tools to sort through your PSAT score report, let’s go back to our original, million-dollar question: what makes a good score on the PSAT? Read on to find out. As you can see, the different PSAT scores aren't totally unrelated. They fit together like pieces in a puzzle. What Makes a Good Score on the PSAT? Before we can answer thequestion of â€Å"what’s a good score on the PSAT,† we first need to define what we mean by â€Å"good.† Good is a subjective term, and everyone will have their own personal goals for the PSAT. To help us find some answers, let’s define good in three ways. First, â€Å"good† can mean that you scored better than 50% or more of other test-takers. Based on this definition, we can use percentiles to figure out what makes an above-average PSAT score. Second, we can define â€Å"good† PSAT scores as scores thatqualifyfor National Merit. Actually, qualifying for National Merit means that you got excellent, amazing, near-perfect PSAT scores. We’ll discuss what you need to get in greater detail below. Finally, we’ll consider what colleges are looking for in terms of SAT scores. The PSAT is a very similar test to the SAT, so your score can help you figure out whether you’re on track to getting the scores you need for your colleges of choice. Starting with our first set of criteria, let’s consider PSAT percentiles. How do PSAT scores correspond to percentiles? One person's favorite activity could be another person's nightmare. What makes something good, like a PSAT score, can be subjective. How Do PSAT Scores Correspond to Percentiles? Full Chart Percentiles compare your scores to those of other test-takers. If you score in the 75th percentile, then you scored the same as or better than 75% of other students. The remaining 25% scored better than you. The highest possible percentile on the PSAT is the 99th percentile. You don’t have to get a perfect PSAT score to land in the 99th percentile. We don’t yet have percentile data for the October 2016 administration of the PSAT, but we can look at percentiles from the 2015 PSAT. They don’t change much, if at all, from year to year. Here’s the full chart that shows how PSAT scaled section scores compare, usingpercentiles. PSAT Section Score Reading and Writing Percentile Math Percentile 760 99+ 99+ 750 99+ 99+ 740 99+ 99 730 99+ 98 720 99 98 710 99 97 700 99 97 690 98 96 680 98 96 670 97 95 660 96 94 650 95 93 640 94 93 630 92 92 620 91 90 610 89 89 600 86 88 590 84 86 580 82 83 570 79 80 560 77 78 550 74 74 540 71 70 530 67 66 520 63 61 510 59 59 500 54 55 490 50 50 480 47 45 470 43 39 460 39 36 450 35 33 440 32 27 430 28 23 420 25 19 410 23 16 400 21 14 390 18 11 380 15 8 370 11 6 360 9 5 350 7 4 340 5 3 330 4 1 320 2 1 310 1 1 300 1 1 290 1- 1 280 1- 1 270 1- 1 260 1- 1 250 1- 1 240 1- 1 230 1- 1- 220 1- 1- 210 1- 1- 200 1- 1- 190 1- 1- 180 1- 1- 170 1- 1- 160 1- 1- As you can see, percentiles work slightly differently for Math and Evidence-based Reading and Writing, with Math being a little more competitive at most score levels. For instance, a verbal score of 700 ranks in the 99th percentile, whereas you’d need a 740 in math to score in the 99th percentile. This variation happens because more students get top scores in the math section than they do in the verbal section. For the most part, though, the two section scores correspond to percentiles in a similar way. Using this chart, let’s pick out what you have to score in each section to get a â€Å"good† PSAT score in a higher than average percentile. Using percentiles is a competitive, but useful way of figuring out what makes a good score on the PSAT. What Is a Good PSAT Score Based on Percentiles? If we define a good score as one that's competitive, we can use percentiles to figure outout what scores rank higher than the majority of other test-takers. To rank in the 50th percentile, you’d need a 490 in both sections. What about to rank in the 70th, 80th, 90th, or even 99th percentiles? Here are the section scores you’d need to score higher than the majority of other students. Percentile Reading and Writing Score Math Score Composite Score 70% 540 540 1080 80% 580 570 1150 90% 620 620 1240 99% 700 740 1440 Oddly enough, you’d have to score slightly higher in the verbal section than the math to make it into the 80th percentile. To make it into the 99th percentile, though, you’d have to score 40 points higher in math than in verbal. If you’re a strong test-taker aiming for National Merit, then a good PSAT to you would be one that qualifies for Commended Student or Semifinalist. Read on to learn what is a good PSAT score for National Merit distinction. What’s a Good PSAT Score for National Merit? The National Merit Scholarship Corporation distinguishes students who get top scores on the PSAT. Students who score in the top 3% to 4% are named Commended Students, and students who get top 1% scores are named Semifinalist. NMSC doesn’t rely on percentiles, though, but on itsSelection Index. Each state has its own Selection Index cutoff that students need to make to qualify for National Merit. Before showing you all of the cutoffs, let’s review how your Selection Index score is calculated so you understand where it comes from. Being named a National Merit Commended Scholar or Semifinalist is a very impressive distinction to have on your college applications. How Is Selection Index Calculated? You can easily calculate your Selection Index score once you know your section, or test, scores between 8 and 38. You simply add your section scores for Reading, Writing and Language, and Math together, and then multiply the entire sum by 2. Let’s say you got a 35 in Reading, a 32 in Writing and Language, and a 37 in Math. Here’s how you would figure out your Selection Index. Section Score Sum x 2 Selection Index Score Reading 35 (35 + 32 + 37) x 2 = 208 Writing and Language 32 Math 37 Once you add together and double your section scores, you get a Selection Index of 208. Does this score qualify for National Merit Semifinalist? That all depends on where you live. Keep reading for the full chart that shows the qualifying cutoff scores for National Merit in each state. Qualifying PSAT Scores for National Merit, State by State This chart shows the Selection Index score you need to qualify for Semifinalist in everystate. While National Merit Scholarship Corporation hasn’t released the full list of cutoffs, they do tell interested individuals what scores they need for their own state. This list, therefore, was crowdsourced from individuals across the country. If you think any cutoffs are in error, let us know in the comments! You can also verify your own state's cutoff by calling NMSC at (847) 866-5100. Here’s the full list of state cutoffs to qualify for National Merit Semifinalist. State PSAT Cutoff for NM Semifinalist Alabama 215 Alaska 213 Arizona 219 Arkansas 213 California 221 Colorado 218 Connecticut 220 Delaware 218 DC 222 Florida 217 Georgia 219 Hawaii 217 Idaho 214 Illinois 219 Indiana 217 Iowa 215 Kansas 217 Kentucky 215 Louisiana 214 Maine 214 Maryland 221 Massachusetts 222 Michigan 216 Minnesota 219 Mississippi 212 Missouri 216 Montana 210 Nebraska 215 Nevada 214 New Hampshire 216 New Jersey 222 New Mexico 213 New York 219 North Carolina 218 North Dakota 209 Ohio 217 Oklahoma 213 Oregon 219 Pennsylvania 218 Rhode Island 217 South Carolina 215 South Dakota 209 Tennessee 218 Texas 220 Utah 215 Vermont 215 Virginia 221 Washington 220 West Virginia 209 Wisconsin 215 Wyoming 209 Average score 216 On average, students need a Selection Index of 216. If you live in Washington, DC, Massachusetts, or New Jersey, then you need to meet the highest cutoff of 222. If you haven't taken the PSAT yet and are aiming for National Merit, then I'd recommend setting your target scores at least two to five points higher than your state's cutoff on this list. The cutoffs can fluctuate a bit from year to year, depending on how students do on the PSAT. Once you’ve found your state’s cutoff, how can you figure out what scores you need to qualify for National Merit? Your Selection Index cutoff for National Merit depends on whereyou live in the country. How to Calculate Your Target Scores for National Merit This section is for students that haven't taken the PSAT yet and are aiming for National Merit. You read above how to convert your PSAT section scores into the Selection Index. If you know what Selection Index you’re aiming for, all you need to do is work backwardto figure out your target section scores. Remember how you needed to add your section scores together and then multiply by two to get your Selection Index? Working backward just means dividing your Selection Index by two and then further splitting that quotient into three. Let’s say you live in New Hampshire. To qualify for National Merit, students who took the PSAT in 2015 needed a Selection Index of 216. Our first step, then, is to divide 216 by 2. 216 / 2 = 108. Now you know that your section scores in Reading, Writing and Language, and Math need to add up to 108. You could split 108 into three to reveal that you need a section score of 36 in each of the three sections. 108 / 3 = 36 However, not everyone is equally strong at math and verbal sections. You might aim a little higher in math and a little lower in Reading and Writing and Language. As long as your section scores still add up to 108, you’ll still get a Selection Index of 216 and potentially qualify for National Merit. Once you understand what total section scores you need, you can distribute your target scores among the three PSAT sections however you want. Set realistic goals for yourself based on your own math, reading, and writing skills. Of course, only a small group of students are aiming to become National Merit Semifinalist. Only 16,000 of the 1.6 million who take the PSAT will receive this distinction. A good PSAT score is also one that shows you’re on track to achieving your SAT goals and getting into college. Let’s consider our third and final piece of criteria for defining a â€Å"good† PSAT score by thinking about your own personal college goals. Qualifying for National Merit is like getting a gold medal in the PSAT. What Is a Good PSAT Score for College? The PSAT is extremely similar to the SAT, and your performance can help predict how you’ll do on the SAT. Almost everyone improves when they take these tests more than once, sothe PSAT is a useful trial run. You'll likely score higher on the SAT than you would if you'd never taken the PSAT. You can use your PSAT score report to see your current scoring level and findout where you can improve to hit your target SAT scores.To figure out your target SAT scores, you should do some college research. Find schools that you’re interested in, and look for the average SAT scores of accepted students. This piece of data will help you set your own SAT goals. Once you know what scores you need to get into your colleges of interest, you can use your PSAT score report to design a study plan. Pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses, and write down a personalized SAT study plan that targets your weak areas. You can set aside a certain amount of time for studying depending on how many points you’re seeking to improve. Here’s an estimate of how many hours you need to study to achieve variousscore improvements. 0-50 SAT composite point improvement: 10 hours 50-100 point improvement: 20 hours 100-200 point improvement: 40 hours 200-300 point improvement: 80 hours 300-500 point improvement: 150 hours+ If you’re already scoring close to your target SAT scores, then you can feel satisfied with your PSAT scores. If you fell below by a few hundred points, then you need to kick your test prep into gear and devote several hours a week to getting ready for the SAT. If you have months to prepare, then you can definitely see a big improvement in your scores and skills as a test-taker. Your PSAT score report offers a useful starting point for your SAT prep. Whether or not you think you got a good score on the PSAT, you can still achieve a good score on the SAT with enough commitment. In closing, let’s go over the key points you need to remember about what makes a good score on the 2016 PSAT. What scores do you need to be a competitive applicant to your dream school? The PSAT can help you work towards them. 2016 PSAT Scores: Key Takeaways If you took the PSAT in 2016, then you will get your scores back in mid-December. Your PSAT score report might look confusing at first glance, but now you understand what all of its scaled scores, section scores, and subscores mean. Any students aiming for National Merit will also search out their Selection Index score to get a sense if they qualified. If you haven't taken the PSAT yet, you can use the cutoffs to set goals for your scores. Everyone has their own definition for what is aâ€Å"good† PSAT score. You might think a good score is one that is higher than that of most other students. You can use percentiles to figure out what makes a good score on the PSAT. If you’re a high-achieving student who has spent time prepping for the PSAT, then good to you might mean receiving National Merit distinction. National Merit is extremely competitive and only goes to the top scorers across the country. Finally, scoring well on the PSAT relates to your plans for taking the SAT and getting into college. You might have a certain goal based on your eventual college applications. Even if you fall short of it, you can spend boost your SAT performance through studying. Taking the PSAT is a valuable experience that will help you get ready for the SAT.In the end, you decide what makes a good score for you based on your own personal goals and plans. What’s Next? If you are named National Merit Semifinalist, how do you move on to become Finalist and win scholarship money? Check out this full guide to learn how to become a National Merit Finalist. How many hours should you devote to SAT prep? This guide will help you figure out how long you need to study for the SAT. What’s the best way to prepare for the SAT? Check out our ultimate SAT prep study guide for the best resources to get ready for the test. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

A Familys Woes Shown in Juno and the Paycock

A Family's Woes Shown in 'Juno and the Paycock' Some stories depend more heavily on their environment to advance their plots and themes than others. Such is the case with Juno and the Paycock by Sean OCasey. The play follows the plight of a working class family in Ireland during the civil war that rocked that country in 1922. This divisive political backdrop to the story reflects how the characters are disconnected from one another and dont react as a cohesive unit working toward a single goal. Economic woes play a primary part in the unraveling of the family unit. Another facet of setting is the ritualistic religious convictions of the characters, especially Johnny, in their attempt to escape their dilemmas. The financial quandary of the family, the disunity of the political canvas on which their story is painted and their superstitious religious beliefs all define the setting of the play and the way that their surroundings successfully stifles the happiness of the characters. The Boyle familys struggle to communicate with one another is echoed in the dissension taking place among the Irish people outside their door. The citizens of the country have separated into two opposing camps, the Free Staters and the Diehards. When they should be working toward the common goal of independence from Britain, they are instead pitting brother against brother in a futile and bloody outburst of violence. Likewise, inside the Boyle house-where their situation is such that all members of the family might be expected to be working toward the common goal of self-reliance and financial security-there are a multiplicity of differing individuals at work, often laboring at cross-purposes. Mrs. Boyle toils vigorously to keep the entire familys financial heads above water. Taking advantage of this situation is Mr. Boyle, the father, who would normally be expected to be the breadwinner but is instead a lazy drunk and a despicable role model for his son. That son, Johnny, is meanwhi le held captive by the guilt he feels for having betrayed a fellow political comrade. Meanwhile, the daughter Mary is attempting escape from the realities both inside and outside her home by reading books. The family is detached and alienated from each other, fighting with one another over their values and beliefs just as the citizenry of Ireland are doing outside their tenement. Financial worries can either bring a family together or destroy them completely; in this situation those concerns are accomplishing the latter. At the beginning of the play, it quickly becomes apparent that this is a family in dire financial straits. The mother is the only member currently working since Mary is out on strike from her job. Mr. Boyle is making a habit of drinking and carousing and spending what little money he is able to find. Youd think he was bringin twenty pouns a week the way hes going on. He wore out the Health Insurance long ago, hes afther wearin out the unemployment dole, an, now, hes tryin to wear me out (69), says Mrs. Boyle of her husband. Hes an indolent slob who doesnt care where his money comes from as long as hes not forced to earn it through labor. A supposedly game pair of legs is keeping Mr. Boyle from taking a job, sending the family deeper into a financial spiral. Johnny cant work at all because hes missing an arm and his hip has been shot to pieces . Its quite possible that financial gain played a part in his decision to betray his friend Tancred. The Boyles need a miracle, and it would seem that a miracle comes their way when an unexpected inheritance seems destined for their door. The idea of a great deal of money coming in should bring the family closer together, but even that fails. They are living in more splendor, or at least less squalor, as they begin to decorate their home with better furnishings and flowers all about the place. The squabbling continues, only now its progressed to such topics as whether or not they should buy a gramophone and whether or not they are putting themselves into too much debt before they even get the money due them. Their situation in the second act of the play seems hardly better than it was when we first we met them. Money, even the idea of money, seems to be a wedge between their working together to make a joyful home. Christianity plays a major role in the lives of the Irish people; for the Boyles it becomes more of a frustration than an instrument of deliverance from their worries. The Boyles look to their beliefs in the dogma of the Catholic Church as a way of salvation, but their spiritual beliefs are not enough to save them from their destructive-and notably anti-Christian-tendencies. In the actual physical setting of the play, there is a picture of the Virgin Mary with a votive candle constantly kept burning beneath it. Religious images are dispersed throughout the play. At one point Mrs. Boyle says of her husband that hes constantly singin, no less, when he ought always to be on his knees offerin up a Novena for a job (69). Clearly, she thinks prayer is the answer to the heartbreaking question of why her husband refuses to work. This stifles any opportunity for a change in the situation because it is a simplistic approach to the more complex psychological problem of why Mr. Boyle tends to ru n away from the idea of working for a living. Mary was probably named after the Virgin Mary so its ironic that she violated the tenet of the Catholic Church that argues pre-marital sex is a sin. Mary commits the sin of sleeping with Mr. Bentham and predictably winds up with child and without husband. Both Johnny and her father instantly side with the Church by condemning her for bringing shame upon the family. This is very ironic considering both the moral failure of Johnny in his callous betrayal of Tancred and the moral failure of Mr. Boyle, who takes no active part in making sure his family is safe and secure. Finally, there is unique case of Johnny, who exhibits the most intense religious beliefs of any character in the play. Johnny is a man consumed with a very Catholic sense of guilt. The votive candle burning beneath the portrait of the Virgin Mary becomes more than just another religious ritual done regularly and without much conscious thought. The votive candle becomes high ly symbolic for Johnny. He seems to believe that as long its burning hell not have to answer for his great sin of perfidy. He may be right, for almost the minute that the candle goes out the Irregulars arrive to take Johnny to meet his barbarous fate. His belief in his religion has failed to protect him and his family from the ultimate tragedy. The environment in which the story of the Boyles takes place serves up images of violence, poverty and the hope for salvation from sins through religious practice. All of these are presented as background to the story of a family coming apart at the seems. Their story is a microcosm of the events taking place in the larger world outside their walls; a world that also faces violence, poverty and a religion that is a cause of, rather than a solution to, their troubles. Works Cited OCasey, Sean. Juno and the Paycock. Three Dublin Plays. London: Faber Faber Limited, 1998. 67-148.

Aaa Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Aaa - Essay Example Scientific and technological developments are part of our evolution and they do not necessarily intervene. I also do not agree with Dean Burnett’s argument that the convenience brought by technology made us physically weak. For example, Dean Burnett’s argued in his article entitled â€Å"Human evolution: the next stages† that â€Å"An increasingly health-and-safety conscious world where people are prepared to sue for even the most trivial injury means the danger of forceful impact is reducing, and as such rigid and inflexible bones wont be as essential to humans†. It is implied in this argument that modern man is getting weaker because he is used to convenience that evolutionary consequence in order to adapt better to the environment such as having more cartilage to become stronger is not happening. I disagree with this statement because man is in fact getting stronger even without the added cartilages as he suggested. If only Burnett cared to watch sports events such as Olympics where records after records are being broken, he too may change his mind that we are now way stronger than before. Technology did not intervene with our physical development. It enhanced it with better formulation of supplements, better techniques in exercise and training and better understanding on how our body would function better. Taken together, it tremendously improved our evolutionary process that our improvement is become exponential compared to the gradual evolution of

Appeal letter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Appeal letter - Essay Example I have taken all the previous evaluations constructively and have dedicated my time and effort in bettering my language proficiency. However, despite my hard work, it seems that my essay was not accurately evaluated. Therefore, I appeal the committee to reconsider my score in the Writing Portfolio. The comments from reader 41 starts with the statement that the â€Å"essay does not contain any direct quotes from the authors†. However, direct quotes were not a required element in the essay although its use would have helped back up the claims in the essay. It is clearly stated in the Portfolio Reading Set prompt that the â€Å"essay must quote and/or paraphrase† implying that paraphrasing could also be used in places rather than direct quotes. The line, â€Å"Similarly, religious values and the personality of an individual also determine the factors which may contribute in carving a happy life for an individual, which may differ from one individual to another (Kesebir 9),† from my essay is an example of paraphrasing with proper citation. Throughout my essay, I have also made sufficient attempt to connect claims with the text by means of paraphrased statements followed by the appropriate citation. The sentence, â€Å"At the same time, the study conducted by Inkeles concludes that monetary factors like financial status and the job or education of an individual may or may not directly affect the happiness of an individual, however, a reversal pattern is absolutely unattainable in his model (Easterlin 13),† is another example of analysis with proper connection with the text. I have tried to articulate the connection between happiness and money seeking as theorized by the authors in their essays. The ideas have been supported by theoretical explanations as laid down by the various authors. The comment further states that the â€Å"essay lack citation completely†. At various places, effort has

Importance of the Fed in the U.S. Economy Essay Example for Free

Importance of the Fed in the U.S. Economy Essay Apart from the investors and the consumers of the United States, the Federal Reserve happens to be the most important player in the United States economy. The central bank of the U. S. , the Federal Reserve (commonly referred to as the Fed) includes a â€Å"a federal government agency, the Board of Governors, in Washington, D. C. , and 12 regional Reserve Banks† in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Kansas City, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Richmond, San Francisco, and St. Louis (â€Å"The Federal Reserve†). This government agency at the heart of the United States economy, controlled through federal information coming from various quarters, determines how investors and consumers would behave in the future. In so doing, the Fed plays a ‘weighty’ hand in the functioning of the U. S. economy. The Federal Reserve is responsible for overseeing the functioning of banks. The Congress, on the other hand, is responsible for overseeing the functioning of the Fed. Dr. Robert Keleher, the Chief Macroeconomist of the Joint Economic Committee, expresses the importance of these facts with an emphasis on the role of the Fed in the U. S. economy: As the Nations Central Bank, the Federal Reserve is granted special privileges and so assumes the responsibilities and characteristics of such a bank. It monopolizes the issuance of paper money, serves as banker for both the government and commercial banks, and acts as lender of last resort. The latter, in turn, calls for bank regulatory responsibilities. Since Federal Reserve operations work to centralize reserves (Federal Reserve notes and deposits form a large portion of bank reserves), they entail responsibility for reserve management and hence monetary policy. Two critically important macroeconomic functions of the Central Bank, therefore, are the maintenance and achievement of price and financial system stability (i. e. , stable monetary policy and the provision of lender-of-last-resort services). †¦The importance of congressional oversight of the Federal Reserve cannot be overemphasized. These functions are important, for example, because they imply that the Federal Reserve controls and hence is responsible for the management of total spending or aggregate demand as well as inflation. In carrying out its monetary policy management (via manipulating reserves), the Federal Reserve influences interest rates—especially short-term rates—as well as foreign exchange rates and other financial market prices. And in times of financial crisis, the Federal Reserves lender-of-last-resort function stabilizes the entire financial system†¦. (â€Å"The Importance,† 1997). The Fed has the power to change the money supply in the United States (â€Å"Monetary Policy†). An increase in money supply tends to lower interest rates, which in turn may increase investment around the nation in addition to consumer spending. A decrease in the supply of money will raise interest rates. Given that raised rates of interest are expected to reduce consumer spending as well as capital investment, thereby reducing demand as well as prices, the Federal Reserve can hope to control inflation by decreasing money supply. The Federal Reserve uses interest rates as a tool to influence economic activity. The funds rate, which is the interest that banks charge each other on overnight loans, happens to be the Federal Reserve’s primary tool of monetary policy, seeing that this rate affects several other interests rates charged to consumers and to businesses (Associated Press, 2006). The interest rate influences money supply and various components of the U. S. economy. Most importantly, it is this tool of monetary policy that helps to determine the financial health of the people of America with respect to the state of the economy. How much money common people and businesses would be able to spend in a given time is, in fact, the responsibility of the Federal Reserve to adjust and readjust through its monetary policy. The amount of spending in the economy is closely related to the standard of living of the Americans. Hence, the Fed’s role of making monetary policy work for the United States is oft understood to be the most crucial one. The second most important role of the Fed is thought to be â€Å"Banking Supervision. † Seeing as a sound and strong financial system is essential to the â€Å"health of the economy and the effectiveness of monetary policy,† the central bank of the United States supervises as well as regulates financial institutions throughout the nation. By so doing, the bank of the banks is in a better position to make sound policy decisions (â€Å"Banking Supervision†). What is more, by ensuring that the investment and commercial banks around the nation are engaging in sound business practices, the Federal Reserve guarantees the investors and consumers of America that their moneys and economic interests would remain well guarded. The third function of the Federal Reserve is connected to the second, which is connected to the first. As â€Å"a bank for banks† the Fed not only supervises the latter, but also provides essential financial services to â€Å"depository institutions,† such as â€Å"banks, credit unions, and savings and loans. † Just as the commercial banks handle transactions among their customers, in addition to the transactions of their customers with the customers of other banks; the Federal Reserve handles transactions among banks. These financial services provided by the central bank include the electronic transfer of funds between banks; the collection of checks at various depository institutions; and the distribution as well as receiving of U. S. dollars and cents among and from the depository institutions, which require freshly minted money on a regular basis (â€Å"Financial Services†). The Fed also is a bank for the United States government. Referred to as the federal government’s â€Å"fiscal agent,† the central bank provides financial services to the government’s Department of Treasury. In addition, the â€Å"bank for the government† sells and redeems government securities, for example, â€Å"Saving Bonds and Treasury Bills† (â€Å"Financial Services†). It is at this point that the third most important function of the Federal Reserve joins with the first. By buying and selling government securities, the Federal Reserve changes the money supply: the selling of government securities decreases the money supply, and the buying of such securities increases the supply of money in the U. S. economy (â€Å"FOMC†). Whether the Federal Reserve must buy or sell government securities at a given time is determined by the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), which is a fundamental â€Å"branch of the Federal Reserves Board† and â€Å"composed of the Board of Governors†¦and five reserve-bank presidents. † The FOMC is also responsible for making decisions about the direction that the interest rate should take. While the investors may only speculate about the pertinent monetary policy decisions of the FOMC, the Americans may continue to enjoy sound sleep at night with the knowledge that the Federal Reserve is a highly responsible agent of the government which has accompanied the economy through periods of very high growth, especially in the most recent decades (â€Å"FOMC†). Given the above facts about the central bank of the United States, it would not be an exaggeration to claim that the Federal Reserve is the banker of each American. While setting the monetary policy and performing its other functions, the Federal Reserve has the best interests of the Americans and the American economy at heart. Whether it is unemployment rate that must be fixed, or the inflation rate that must be adjusted to account for technological improvements; the Fed is in charge of correcting the errors. The changes facing the economy at any time are varied. The Federal Reserve must sift through the information about the economy that it is presented with, analyze the information with an emphasis on the interest of the Americans, and then make sound policy decisions that would impact the future of the economy. During low growth periods, the Federal Reserve is looked up to for massive corrections in the system, generally carried out through appropriate monetary policy decisions. The American public has high expectations attached to the Fed in times of economic hardship. In periods of high growth, on the other hand, the Fed continues to oversee the functioning of the economy to check for the menace of inflation, etc. Thus, this ‘bank of America’ is constantly overseeing the economy and overruling bad choices in the employment of the resources available to the U. S. What is more, the United States economy at present cannot envision a time when it would be no more affiliated with the Fed. Rather, the Federal Reserve is indispensable in the U. S. economic system. References Associated Press. (2006, May 31). Federal Reserve Minutes Show Uncertainty Over Future Interest Rate Hikes. Fox News. Available 20 February 2007, from http://www. foxnews. com/story/0,2933,197674,00. html. Banking Supervision. Fed 101. Available 29 May 2007, from http://www. federalreserveeducation. org/fed101/supervision/. FOMC Federal Open Market Committee. Investopedia. Available 29 May 2007, from http://www. investopedia. com/terms/f/fomc. asp. Financial Services. Fed 101. Available 29 May 2007, from http://www. federalreserveeducation. org/fed101/services/. Monetary Policy. Fed 101. Available 29 May 2007, from http://www. federalreserveeducation. org/fed101/policy/. The Federal Reserve System Online. Available 29 May 2007, from http://www. federalreserveonline. org/. The Importance of the Federal Reserve. (1997, March). Joint Economic Committee Report. Available 29 May 2007, from http://www. house. gov/jec/fed/fed/fed-impt. pdf.

Infectious Mononucleosis :: essays research papers

CauseInfectious mononucleosis is caused by the Ebstein-Barr virus, which is a member of the herpes family. This family also includes the viruses that cause cold sores, chicken pox, genital herpes, and birth defects. The Ebstein-Barr virus has a lengthy incubation period and symptoms usually take about 4-10 weeks to develop.Once a person is infected with a herpes virus, it never really goes away. The viruses are able to lie dormant in our bodies and become active at any time. The only way mono can be spread is through direct contact with infected saliva. That explains why it is known as the "kissing disease". Drinking from each- others glasses, sharing silverware, and coughing can also spread the virus. In rare cases it can be transmitted from person to person through blood transfusions.A person can only be infected when someone who has the virus passes it to someone who has never been exposed. But less than 5% of people w/ mono can recall being in contact w/ someone who had mono. That is b/c some people are strictly carriers. They carry the virus and pass it along to someone else without ever getting any symptoms themselves.Population AffectedAnyone can get mono. About 70-80% of all cases occur in people btw/ the ages of 15-30. Mono is most common among high school and college students who immune systems are usually run down from stress and fatigue. Although mono peaks earlier in females, it occurs more often in males. Females are usually 15-16 when they contract mono and males tend to be around 18-23. It is estimated that by the age of 40, 95% of the population has already had mono. That might be hard to believe, but most people who had mono didn't even know it. They had such mild cases that they thought it was just a cold or flu and their bodies were able to produce antibodies against ever having mono again.SymptomsIf symptoms do appear, they don't develop immediately. The incubation period lasts anywhere from 2 to 7 weeks. The 1st symptoms are commonly mistaken for a cold. They are headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, and chills. The symptoms become more severe as the body's lymphatic system is affected. These include extreme exhaustion, sore throat, fever and swollen glands.

Culture Stereotypes Essay

The world today is a mul? cultural society. A globaliza? on has brought a greater diversity to communi? es. Although we live in post-modern world, there are s? ll believes, which can carry narrow-minded character concerning members of some na? on. Culture stereotype is the way of categorizing people in to the group and assuming that everyone who has the same culture, religion, values and race would act the same way. Stereotypes are generaliza? ons based primarily on membership in that group without excep? on. Culture stereotyping usually refers to nega? ve assump? ons because it is unjust to individuals who vary from others in the same group or culture. Whenever we talk about people from di&erent culture, we usually categorize people into a group of ac? ons and behaviors we assume that they would act in the same way. Stereotypes are rigid and ‘xed. Some? mes when the stereotype develops into a rigid a(tude and when people’s belief based on wrong assump? ons, prejudice occurs. So now what can we do to resolve cultural con? ict? First of all, you have to be aware of culture sensi? vi? es and diversi? es. Do not judge people from other cultures from their behaviors or appearances, because you do not know what lies beneath those behaviors. Moreover, you should try to be open and willing to accept others’ di&erences as much as possible when communica? ng with people form di&erent cultures. How to improve communica? on among di&erent cultures? Firstly, learn about other cultures. Learning about other cultures, only a basic level would make a big di&erence with you traveling to that country or have a conversa? on with others. You will have a sense what to do or should not do. Secondly, understand the poten? al problem that might occurs from cultural di&erences. Culture is an essen? al part of con? ict, so please bare in mind that your words or ac? on might found o&ensive in other cultures. Moreover, learn the nonverbal language used by other cultures to avoid cultural misunderstandings. Similar to ‘rst point, learning about nonverbal language used by other cultures would help you to avoid cultural con? icts. Thirdly, recognize the di&erent percep? ons about ? me. Europeans and Americans seem to run and rush all the ? me, while in Asian culture, people take things slow. People wander; they spend hours at a table talking about their family and friends. To sum up, it`s very important to overcome stereotypes and prejudices about representa? ves of foreign na? on, because only this way we can succeed mutual understanding and peace.

A Dirty Job Chapter 27

27 BITCH'S BREW Lily had been looking all night for a way to approach Minty Fresh. She'd made eye contact with him a dozen times over the course of the evening, and smiled, but with the atmosphere of dread that fell over the room she was having trouble thinking of an opening line. Finally, when an Oprah movie of the week came on the television and everyone gathered around to watch the media diva beat Paul Winfield to death with a steam iron, Minty went to the breakfast bar and started flipping through his day planner, and Lily made her move. â€Å"So, checking your appointments?† she said. â€Å"You must be feeling optimistic about how things will go.† He shook his head. â€Å"Not really.† Lily was smitten. He was beautiful and morose – like a great brown man-gift from the gods. â€Å"How bad can it be?† Lily said, pulling the appointment book out of his hand and flipping through the pages. She stopped on today's date. â€Å"Why is Asher's name in here?† she asked. Minty hung his head. â€Å"He said you've known all about us for a while.† â€Å"Yeah, but – † She looked at the name again and the realization of what she was seeing was like a punch in the chest. â€Å"This is that book? This is your date book for that?† Minty nodded slowly, not looking at her. â€Å"When did this name show up?† Lily asked. â€Å"It wasn't there an hour ago.† â€Å"Well, fucksocks,† she said, sitting down on the bar stool next to the big man. â€Å"Yeah,† said Minty Fresh. He put his arm around her shoulders. With Charlie pulling on the legs of the bobcat guy (who was doing some impressive screaming considering he had prototype vocal cords) and the squirrel people dog-piling onto the Boston terrier, they were eventually able to extricate their lieutenant from the jaws of the bug-eyed fury with only a few snags in his Beefeater's costume. â€Å"Down, Bummer,† Charlie said. â€Å"Just chill.† He didn't know if chill was an official dog command, but it should be. Bummer snorted and backed away from the surrounding crowd of squirrel people. â€Å"Not one of us,† said the bobcat guy, pointing at Bummer. â€Å"Not one of us.† â€Å"You shut up,† Charlie said. He pulled a beef jerky from his pocket that he'd brought for emergency rations, tore off a hunk, and held it out to Bummer. â€Å"Come on, buddy. I told the Emperor I'd look out for you.† Bummer trotted over to Charlie and took the beef jerky from him, then turned to face down the squirrel people as he chewed. The squirrel people made clicking noises and brandished their weapons. â€Å"Not one of us. Not one of us,† chanted Bob. â€Å"Stop that,† Charlie said. â€Å"You can't get a mob chant going, Bob, you're the only one with a voice box.† â€Å"Oh yeah.† Bob let his chanting trail off. â€Å"Well, he's not one of us,† he added in his defense. â€Å"He is now,† Charlie said. To Bummer he said, â€Å"Can you lead us to the Underworld?† Bummer looked up at Charlie as if he knew exactly what was being asked of him, but if he was going to find the strength to carry on, he was going to need the other half of that beef jerky. Charlie gave it to him and Bummer immediately jumped up to a higher, four-foot pipe, stopped, barked, then took off down the pipe. â€Å"Follow him,† Charlie said. After an hour following Bummer through the sewers, the pipes gave way to tunnels that got bigger as they moved along. Soon they were moving in caves, with high ceilings and stalactites in the ceiling that glowed in various colors, illuminating their way with a dull, shadowy light. Charlie had read enough about the geology of the area to know that these caves were not natural to the city. He guessed that they were somewhere under the financial district, which was mostly built on Gold Rush landfill, so there would be nothing as old-looking or as solid as these caves. Bummer kept on, leading them down one fork or another without the slightest hesitation, until suddenly the cave opened up into a massive grotto. The chamber was so large that it simply swallowed up Charlie's flashlight and headlamp beams, but the ceiling, which was several hundred feet high, was lined with the luminous stalactites that reflected red, green, and purple in a mirror-smooth black lake. In the middle of the lake, probably two hundred yards away, stood a great black sailing ship – tall-masted like a Spanish galleon – red, pulsating light coming from the cabin windows in the rear, a single lantern lighting the deck. Charlie had heard that whole ships had been buried in the debris during the Gold Rush, but they wouldn't have been left preserved like this. Things had changed, these caves were all the result of the Underworld rising – and he realized that this was just a hint of what was going to happen to the City if the Underworlders took over. Bummer barked and the sharp report echoed around the grotto, sending a cloud of bats into the air. Charlie saw movement on the deck of the ship, the blue-black outline of a woman, and he knew that Bummer had led them to the right place. Charlie handed his flashlight to Bob and set his sword-cane on the cave floor. He drew the Desert Eagle from the shoulder holster, checked that there was a round in the chamber, cocked the hammer, then reset the safety and reholstered the pistol. â€Å"We're going to need a boat,† Charlie said to Bob. â€Å"See if you guys can find something we can make a raft from.† The bobcat guy started down the shore with Charlie's flashlight, scanning the rocks for useful flotsam. Bummer growled, tossed his head like he had ear mites or perhaps to indicate that he thought Charlie was insane, and ran out into the lake. Fifty yards away he was still only in water up to his shoulder. Charlie looked at the black ship and realized that it was sitting way, way too high out of the water – that, in fact, it was sitting with its hull on the bottom in only about six inches of water. â€Å"Uh, Bob,† Charlie said. â€Å"Forget the boat. We're walking. Everyone quiet.† He unsheathed his sword and sloshed onward. As they approached the ship they could make out details in its construction. The railings were fashioned from leg bones lashed together, the mooring cleats were human pelvises. The lantern on the deck was, in fact, a human skull. Charlie wasn't exactly sure how his powers as Luminatus were going to manifest themselves, but as they reached the hull of the ship he found himself very much wishing it would happen soon, and that levitation would be one of the powers. â€Å"We're fucked,† said Bob, looking up at the black hull curving above them. â€Å"We're not fucked,† Charlie said. â€Å"We just need someone to climb up there and throw us a rope.† There was some milling around amid the squirrel people, then a lone figure stepped out of the little crowd – this one appeared to be a nineteenth-century French dandy with the head of a monitor lizard. His outfit – the ruffles and the coat – actually reminded Charlie of pictures that Lily had shown him of Charles Baudelaire. â€Å"You can do it?† Charlie asked the lizard guy. He held out his hands and lifted one foot out of the water. Squirrel paws. Charlie lifted the lizard guy as high as he could up to the hull, and the little creature caught ahold in the black wood, then scurried up the side of the ship and over the gunwale. Minutes passed, and Charlie found himself listening hard for some hint as to what was going on above. When the thick rope splashed down next to him, he leapt two feet in the air and barely contained blasting out a full-blown man-scream. â€Å"Nice,† said Bob. â€Å"You first, then,† Charlie said, testing the rope to see if it would hold his weight. He waited until the bobcat guy was about three feet over his head before he tucked the sword-cane down inside the Lexan plate strapped over his back and started the climb himself. By the time he was three-quarters of the way up the rope, he felt as if his biceps were going to pop like water balloons and he entwined his motocross boot into the rope to rest. As if being granted a second wind by the gods, his biceps relaxed and when he resumed climbing he felt as if he might really be gaining his power as the Luminatus. When he reached the railing, he grabbed one of the bone mooring cleats and swung himself up until he sat straddling the rail. He swung around and his headlamp caught the black shine in her eyes. She was holding the bobcat guy like an ear of corn, her claw driven through his skull, pinning his jaw shut. There was flesh and goo glowing dull red, running down her face and over her breasts as she tore another bite out of the Beefeater. â€Å"Want some, lover?† she said. â€Å"Tastes like ham.† At the breakfast bar in Charlie's apartment, Lily said, â€Å"Shouldn't we tell them?† â€Å"They don't all know about us. About this.† Minty held the date book. â€Å"Just Audrey.† â€Å"Then shouldn't we tell her?† Minty looked at Audrey, who was sitting on the couch entwined in a sleepy pile with Charlie's sister and one of the hellhounds, looking very content. â€Å"No, I don't think that would serve any purpose right now.† â€Å"He's a good guy,† Lily said. She snatched a paper towel off the roll on the counter and dabbed her eyes before her mascara went raccoon on her again. â€Å"I know,† Minty said. â€Å"He's my friend.† As he said it, he felt a tug on his pant leg. He looked down to where Sophie was staring up at him. â€Å"Hey, do you have a car?† she asked. â€Å"Yes, I do, Sophie.† â€Å"Can we go for a ride?† Without any hesitation, Charlie whipped the sword-cane out of his back and snapped it down on the Morrigan's wrist. She lost her grip on the bobcat guy, who bolted, screaming, across the deck and over the opposite railing. The Morrigan grabbed the sword-cane and tried to wrench it from Charlie's grasp. He let her – pulled the sword free, then drove it into her solar plexus so hard that his fist connected with her ribs and the blade came out her back, sinking into the wooden hull of the lifeboat she was reclining against. For a split second his face was an inch from hers. â€Å"Miss me?† she asked. He rolled away just as she slashed at him. He got his forearm up just in time to deflect the blow away from his face, the thick Lexan plate on his forearm stopping the claws from taking off his hand. She lunged for him, but the sword kept her pinned to the boat. Charlie ran down the deck away from her as she screeched in anger. He saw light coming from a door that must have led to the cabin at the aft of the ship – that same red glow – and he realized that it had to be coming from the soul vessels. Rachel's soul could still be in there. He was only a step from the hatch when the giant raven dropped in front of him and spread her wings out across the deck, as if trying to block the whole end of the ship. He backpedaled and drew the Desert Eagle from the shoulder holster. He tried to hold it steady as he clicked off the safety. The Raven snapped at him and he leapt back. The beak then pulled back, changed, bubbled into the face of a woman – but the wings and talons remained in bird form. â€Å"New Meat,† said Macha. â€Å"How brave of you to come here.† Charlie pulled the trigger. Flame shot a foot out of the barrel and he felt as if someone had hit him in the palm with a hammer. He thought he had aimed right between her eyes, but the bullet had ripped through her neck, taking half of the black flesh with it. Her head lolled to the side and the raven body flailed its wings at him. Charlie fell backward onto the deck, but pulled the pistol up and fired again as the raven was coming down on him. This one caught her in the center of the chest and sent her flying backward, up onto the cabin roof. The ringing in his ears felt like someone had driven tuning forks into his head and hit them with drumsticks – a long, painful, high-pitched wail. He barely heard the shriek from his left as another Morrigan dropped out of the rigging behind him. He rolled to the railing and brought the gun up just as she slashed at his face. The gun and his forearm pad absorbed most of the blow, but the Desert Eagle was knocked from his grasp and slid down the deck. Charlie did a somersault to his feet and ran after the gun. Nemain flicked her claws at his back and he heard the sizzle as the poison strafed the Lexan pad down his spine and burned onto the deck on either side of him. He dove for the pistol and tried to roll and come up with it pointed at his attacker, but he misjudged and came up with the back of his knees against the bone railing. She leapt, claws first, and hit him in the chest just as he fired the Desert Eagle and he was driven backward over the railing. He hit flat on the water. The air exploded from his body and he felt like he'd been hit by a bus. He couldn't breathe, but he could see, he could feel his limbs, and after a couple of seconds of gasping, he finally caught a breath. â€Å"So, how's it going so far?† asked the bobcat guy, about two feet from Charlie's head. â€Å"Good,† Charlie said. â€Å"They're running scared.† There was a big chunk bitten out of the middle of Bob's torso, and his Beefeater uniform was in tatters, but otherwise he seemed in good spirits. He was holding the Desert Eagle cradled in his arms like a baby. â€Å"You'll likely need this. That last shot connected, by the way. You took off about half of her skull.† â€Å"Good,† Charlie said, still having a little trouble catching his breath. He felt a searing pain in his chest and thought he might have broken a rib. He sat up and looked at his chest plate. The Morrigan's claws had raked the front of it, but in one spot he could see where a claw had slipped under the plate and into his chest. He wasn't bleeding badly, but he was bleeding, and it hurt like hell. â€Å"Are they still coming?† â€Å"Not the two you shot. We don't know where the one you stuck with your sword went.† â€Å"I don't know if I can make it up that rope again,† Charlie said. â€Å"That may not be a _roblem,† Bob said. He was looking up to the ceiling of the grotto, where a whirlwind of squeaking bats was spiraling around the mast, but above them was beating the wings of another creature altogether. Charlie took the pistol from Bob and climbed to his feet, nearly fell, then steadied himself and backed away from the hull of the ship. The squirrel people scattered around him. Bummer let loose with a fusillade of angry yapping. The demon hit the water about thirty feet away. Charlie felt a scream rising in his throat but fought it down. The thing was nearly ten feet tall, with a wingspan of thirty feet. Its head was as big as a beer keg, and it appeared to have the shape and horns of a bull, except for the jaws, which were predatory, lined with teeth, like a cross between a shark and a lion. Its eyes were gleaming green. â€Å"Soul stealer,† it growled. It folded its wings into two high points behind its back, and stepped toward Charlie. â€Å"Well, that would be you, wouldn't it?† Charlie said, a little breathless still. â€Å"I'm the Luminatus.† The demon stopped. Charlie took the hesitation to bring up the pistol and fire. The shot took the demon high in the shoulder and spun him to the side. He turned back and roared. Charlie could smell the creature's breath, like rotting meat, wash over him. He backed up and fired again, his hand numb now from the recoil of the big pistol. The shot knocked the demon back a step. There was shrill cheering from above. Charlie fired again and again. The slugs opened craters in the demon's chest. He wavered, then fell to his knees. Charlie aimed and pulled the trigger again. The gun clicked. Charlie backed up a few more steps and tried to remember what Minty had shown him about reloading. He managed to hit a button that released the clip from the pistol, which plopped into the water. Then he unsnapped one of the pouches under his arm to retrieve an extra clip. It slipped out and fell into the lake as well. Bob and a couple of the squirrel people splashed forward and started diving beneath the water, looking for the clip. The demon roared again, unfurled his wings, and, in one great flap, pulled himself to his feet. Charlie unsnapped the second clip and, with his hands shaking, managed to fit it into the bottom of the Desert Eagle. The demon crouched, as if to leap. Charlie jacked a shell into the chamber and fired at the same time. The demon fell forward as the huge slug took a chunk out of his thigh. â€Å"Well done, Meat!† came a female voice from above. Charlie looked up quickly, but then back to the bullheaded demon, who was on his feet again. Then he braced his wrist and fired, and again, walking forward, pumping bullets into the demon's chest with each step, feeling any second as if his wrist would just shatter into pieces from the recoil, until the hammer clicked on an empty chamber. He stopped, just five feet away from the demon when it fell over, facefirst into the water. Charlie dropped the Desert Eagle and fell to his knees. The grotto seemed to be tilting before him, his vision tunneling down. The Morrigan landed on three sides of him. Each had a glowing soul vessel in her claw and was rubbing it on her wounds. â€Å"That was excellent, lover,† said the raven woman standing closest to the fallen demon. Charlie recognized her from the alley. The stab wound his sword had made in her stomach healed over as he watched. She kicked the bullheaded demon's body. â€Å"See, I told you that guns suck.† â€Å"That was well done, Meat,† said the one to Charlie's right. Her neck was still knitting back together. She was the one he'd blasted up onto the cabin roof. â€Å"You guys do bounce back with a certain Wile E. Coyote charm,† Charlie said. He grinned, feeling drunk now, like he was watching all this from another place. â€Å"He's so sweet,† said the hand-job harpy. â€Å"I could just eat him up.† â€Å"Sounds good to me,† said the Morrigan to his left, whose head was still a little lopsided. Charlie saw the venom dripping from her claws, then looked to the wound below his chest plate. â€Å"Yes, darling,† said hand job, â€Å"I'm afraid Nemain did nick you. You really are quite the warrior to have lasted this long.† â€Å"I'm the Luminatus,† Charlie said. The Morrigan laughed, the one in front of Charlie did a little dance step. As she did, the bullheaded demon lifted his head from the water. â€Å"I'm the Luminatus,† said the demon, black goo and water running between his teeth as he spoke. The Morrigan stopped dancing, grabbed one of the demon's horns, then pulled his head back. â€Å"You think?† she said. Then she plunged her claws into the demon's throat. He rolled and threw her off, sending her sailing twenty feet in the air to smash into the hull of the ship. The Morrigan behind Charlie patted his head as she passed. â€Å"We'll be right with you, darling. I'm Macha, by the way, and we are the Luminatus – or we will be in a minute.† The Morrigan fell on the bullheaded demon, taking great chunks of flesh and bone off his body with each slash of their talons. Two took to the air and swept in, taking swipes at the demon, who flailed at them, sometimes connecting, but too weakened from the gunshots to fight effectively. In two minutes it was finished, and most of the flesh had been flayed from it. Macha held his head by the horns like she was holding the handlebars of a motorcycle, even as the demon's jaws continued to snap at the air. â€Å"Your turn, soul stealer,† Macha said. â€Å"Yeah, your turn,† said Nemain, baring her claws. Macha held the demon head out in front of her, driving it at Charlie. He backed away as the teeth snapped inches from his face. â€Å"Wait a minute,† said Babd. The other two stopped and turned to their sister, who stood over what was left of the demon's corpse. â€Å"We never got to finish.† She took one step before something hit her like a ball of darkness, knocking her out of sight. Charlie looked at the demon head coming at him, then there was a loud smack and Macha was yanked to the side as if she'd had a bungee cord attached to her ankle. The screeching started again and Charlie could see the Morrigan being whipped around in the darkness, splashing, and chaos – he couldn't follow what was happening. His eyes wouldn't focus. He looked to Nemain, who was now coming at him with her claws dripping venom. A small hand appeared at the edge of his vision and the Morrigan's head exploded into what looked like a thousand stars. Charlie looked to where the hand had appeared before his eyes. â€Å"Hi, Daddy,† Sophie said. â€Å"Hi, baby,† Charlie said. Now he could see what was happening – the hellhounds were tearing at the Morrigan. One of them broke, jumped into the air and unfurled her wings, then dove at Sophie, screeching. Sophie raised her hand as if she was waving bye-bye and the Morrigan vaporized into a spray of black goo. The souls, thousands of them, that she had consumed over the millennia, floated into the air, red lights that circled the grotto, making the whole huge chamber appear to have been frozen in the middle of a fireworks display. â€Å"You shouldn't be here, honey,† Charlie said. â€Å"Yes, I should,† Sophie said. â€Å"I had to fix this, send them all back. I'm the Luminatus.† â€Å"You†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yeah,† she said matter-of-factly, in that Master of All Death and Darkness voice that is so irritating in a six-year-old. The hellhounds were both on the remaining Morrigan now, tearing her in half as Charlie watched. â€Å"No, honey,† Charlie said. Sophie raised her hand and Babd was vaporized like the others – the captured souls rose like embers from a bonfire. â€Å"Let's go home, Daddy,† Sophie said. â€Å"No,† Charlie said, barely able to hold up his head. â€Å"We have something we have to get.† He lurched forward and one of the hellhounds was there to brace him. The whole army of squirrel people was coming around the bow of the ship, each carrying a glowing soul vessel he'd retrieved from the ship's cabin. â€Å"Is this it?† Sophie said. She took a CD from Bob and handed it to Charlie. He turned it in his hands and hugged it to his chest. â€Å"You know what this is, honey?† â€Å"Yeah. Let's go home, Daddy.† Charlie fell over the back of Alvin. Sophie and the squirrel people steadied him until they were out of the Underworld. Minty Fresh carried Charlie to the car. A doctor had come and gone. When Charlie came to he was on his bed at home and Audrey was wiping his forehead with a damp cloth. â€Å"Hi,† he said. â€Å"Hi,† Audrey said. â€Å"Did Sophie tell you?† â€Å"Yeah.† â€Å"They grow up so fast,† Charlie said. â€Å"Yeah.† Audrey smiled. â€Å"I got this.† He reached behind his chest plate and pulled out the Sarah McLachlan CD that pulsated with red light. Audrey nodded and reached out for the disc. â€Å"Let's put that over here where you can keep an eye on it.† As soon as her fingers touched the plastic case the light went out and Audrey shuddered. â€Å"Oh my,† she said. â€Å"Audrey.† Charlie tried to sit up, but was forced back down by the pain. â€Å"Ouch. Audrey, what happened? Did they get it? Did they take her soul?† She was looking at her chest, then looked up at Charlie, tears in her eyes. â€Å"No, Charlie, it's me,† she said. â€Å"But you had touched that before, that night in the pantry. Why didn't it happen then?† â€Å"I guess I wasn't ready then.† Charlie took her hand and squeezed it, then squeezed it much harder than he intended as a wave of pain washed through him. â€Å"Goddammit,† he said. He was panting now, breathing like he might hyperventilate. â€Å"I thought it was all dark, Audrey. All the spiritual stuff was spooky. You made me see.† â€Å"I'm glad,† Audrey said. â€Å"Makes me think I should have slept with a poet so I could have understood the way the world can be distilled into words.† â€Å"Yes. I think you have the soul of a poet, Charlie.† â€Å"I should have made love with a painter, too, so I could feel the wave of a brushstroke, so I could absorb her colors and textures and really see.† â€Å"Yes,† Audrey said, brushing at his hair with her fingers. â€Å"You have such a wonderful imagination.† â€Å"I think,† said Charlie, his voice going higher as he breathed harder, â€Å"I should have bedded a scientist so I would understand the mechanics of the world, felt them right down to my spine.† â€Å"Yes, so you could feel the world,† Audrey said. â€Å"With big tits,† Charlie added, his back arching in pain. â€Å"Of course, baby,† Audrey said. â€Å"I love you, Audrey.† â€Å"I know, Charlie. I love you, too.† Then Charlie Asher, Beta Male, husband to Rachel, brother to Jane, father to Sophie (the Luminatus, who held dominion over Death), beloved of Audrey, Death Merchant and purveyor of fine vintage clothing and accessories, took his last breath, and died. Audrey looked up to see Sophie come into the room. â€Å"He's gone, Sophie.† Sophie put her hand on Charlie's forehead. â€Å"Bye, Daddy,† she said. EPILOGUE THE GIRLS Things settled in the City of Two Bridges, and all the dark gods that had been rising to erupt out over the world remembered their place and returned to their domains deep in the Underworld. Jane and Cassie were married in a civil ceremony that was dissolved and sanctioned a half-dozen times over the years. Nevertheless, they were happy and there was always laughter in their home. Sophie went home to live with her Aunties Jane and Cassandra. She would grow to be a tall and beautiful woman, and eventually take her place as the Luminatus, but until then, she went to school and played with her puppies and had a fairly wonderful time as she waited for her daddy to come get her. THE SHOPKEEPERS While Minty Fresh had believed in the adage that in every moment there is a crisis, his belief had been somewhat academic until he started seeing Lily Severo, when it became very practical indeed. Life jumped up several steps for him on the interesting scale, to the point where the Death Merchant part of his existence became the more prosaic of his pursuits. They became renowned around town, the giant in pastels always in company with the short, Gothic chef, but the City really stood up and took notice when they opened up the Jazz and Gourmet Pizza Place in North Beach in the building that had once housed Asher's Secondhand. As for Ray Macy, Inspector Rivera set him up with a lady pawnbroker from the Fillmore named Carrie Lang, and they hit it off almost immediately, having in common a love of detective movies and handguns, as well as a deep mistrust for most of humanity. Ray fell deeply in love, and true to his Beta Male nature, was doggedly loyal to her, although he always secretly suspected her of being a serial killer. RIVERA Inspector Alphonse Rivera has spent most of his life trying to change his life. He'd worked in a half-dozen different police departments, in a dozen different capacities, and although he was very good at being a cop, he always seemed to be trying to get out. After the debacle with the Death Merchants and the strange, unexplainable things that had gone on around it, he was simply exhausted. There had been a brief time when he'd been able to leave police work and open a rare-book store, and he felt as if that might have been the only time he had ever truly been happy. Now, at age forty-nine, he was ready to try it again: take an early retirement and just read and live in a calm, unevent-filled world of books. So he was somewhat pleased when, two weeks after the death of Charlie Asher, he went to his mailbox to find a substantial envelope that could only be a book. It was like an omen, he thought as he sat down at his kitchen table to open the package. It was a book – what looked like a very rare and bizarre children's book. He opened it and turned to the first chapter. So Now You're Death: Here's What You'll Need. THE EMPEROR The Emperor enjoyed a happy reunion with his troops and went on to rule benevolently over San Francisco to the end of his days. For leading Charlie into the Underworld, and for his boundless courage, the Luminatus gave Bummer the strength and durability of a hellhound. It would fall to the Emperor to explain how his now all-black companion – while he never weighed more than seven pounds soaking wet – could outrun a cheetah and chew the tires off a Toyota. AUDREY Audrey continued her work at the Buddhist center and did costuming for a local theater group, but she also took a volunteer job with hospice, where she helped people to the other side as she had done for so long in Tibet. The hospice position also, however, gave her access to bodies that had been recently vacated by their souls, and she used these opportunities to cycle the squirrel people back into the human flow of birth and rebirth. And for a while, there were remarkable instances of people recovering from terminal illness in the City, as she exercised the p'howa of undying. She didn't give up her work with the squirrel people altogether, however, as it was a skill she had come to over a long time and a lot of work, and it could still be extraordinarily rewarding. At least that's how she was feeling as she looked over her latest masterpiece in the meditation room of the Three Jewels Buddhist Center. He had the face of a crocodile – sixty-eight spiked teeth, and eyes that gleamed like black glass beads. His hands were the claws of a raptor, the wicked black nails encrusted with dried blood. His feet were webbed like those of a waterbird, with claws for digging prey from the mud. He wore a purple silk robe, trimmed in sable, and a matching hat with a wizard's star embroidered on it in gold thread. â€Å"It's only temporary, until we find someone,† Audrey said. â€Å"But take my word for it, you look great.† â€Å"No, I don't. I'm only fourteen inches tall.† â€Å"Yeah, but I gave you a ten-inch schlong.† He opened his robe and looked down. â€Å"Wow, would you look at that,† Charlie said. â€Å"Nice.†