Ancient Greek and Roman Names Information

When you think of ancient names, do you think of Romans with multiple names like Gaius Julius Caesar, but of Greeks with single names like Plato, Aristotle, or Pericles? There is a good reason for that. It is thought that most Indo-Europeans had single names, with no idea of an inheritable family name. The Romans were exceptional. Ancient Greek Names In literature, ancient Greeks are usually identified by only one name -- whether male (e.g., Socrates) or female (e.g., Thais). In Athens, it became mandatory in 403/2 B.C. to use the demotic (the name of their deme [See Cleisthenes and the 10 Tribes]) in addition to the regular name on official records. It was also common to use an adjective to show place of origin when abroad. In English, we see this in such names as Solon of Athens or Aspasia of Miletus. Roman Republic During the Republic, literary references to upper-class men would include the praenomen and either the cognomen or the nomen (gentilicum) (or both -- making the tria nomina). The cognomen, like the nomen was usually hereditary. This meant there could be two family names to inherit. The statesman M. Tullius Cicero is now referred to by his cognomen Cicero. Ciceros nomen was Tullius. His praenomen was Marcus, which would be abbreviated M. The choice, while not officially limited, tended to be among only 17 different praenomina. Ciceros brother was Qunitus Tullius Cicero or Q. Tullius Cicero; their cousin, Lucius Tullius Cicero. Salway argues the three name or tria nomina of the Romans is not necessarily the typical Roman name  but is typical of the best-documented class in one of the best documented periods of Roman history (Republic to early Empire). Much earlier, Romulus was known by a single name and there was a period of two names. Roman Empire By the first century B.C. women and the lower classes began to have cognomina (pl. cognomen). These were not inherited names, but personal ones, which began to take the place of the praenomina (pl. praenomen). These might come from ​a  part of the womans fathers or mothers name. By the 3rd century A.D., the praenomen was abandoned. The basic name became the nomen cognomen. Alexander Severus wifes name was Gnaea Seia Herennia Sallustia Barbia Orbiana. (See J.P.V.D. Balsdon, Roman Women: Their History and Habits; 1962.) Additional Names There were two other categories of names that might be used, especially on funerary inscriptions (see accompanying illustrations of an epitaph and a monument to Titus), following the praenomen and nomen. These were the names of filiation and of a  tribe. Filiation Names A man might be known by his father and even his grandfathers names. These would follow the nomen and be abbreviated. The name of M. Tullius Cicero could be written as M. Tullius M. f. Cicero showing that his father was also named Marcus. The f stands for filius (son). A freedman would use an l for libertus (freedman) instead of an f. Tribal Names After the filiation name, the tribal name could be included. The tribe or tribus was the voting district. This tribal name would be abbreviated by its first the letters. The full name of Cicero, from the tribe of Cornelia, would, therefore, be M. Tullius M. f. Cor. Cicero. References Whats in a Name? A Survey of Roman Onomastic Practice from c. 700 B.C. to A.D. 700, by Benet Salway; The Journal of Roman Studies, (1994), pp. 124-145.Names and Identities: Onomastics and Prosopography, by Olli Salomies, Epigraphic Evidence, edited by John Bodel.

Perception as a Defining Factor in Our Lives - 772 Words

Perception is a defining factor in all of our lives. Perception affects the way every action, choice, and decision we make is perceived. Though societal influences perception can be shaped based upon bias. The world is filled with it religious, political, sexual, and gender bias just to name a few. It is because of these biases that peoples perception is narrowed and what is deemed as â€Å"civilized† or the â€Å"right† thing to do may not always be one hundred percent true. In the book Walden by Henry David Thoreau we see a man who has looked past social norms and blazed his own path towards individual enlightenment. This is again illustrated in Lars Eighner’s essay, On Dumpster Diving. Here we see an individual that practices something that most†¦show more content†¦By being able to see things this woman had thrown away Eighner was able to discover what had happened to her. This idea illustrates the main concept of his essay which is that what we thro w way may not be waste. It still may hold worth possibly as far a usefulness goes, but it holds worth because it shows the impact that you have made on the world. It illustrates your perceptions of what you think waste is and what you deem damaged enough to throw away. In Thoreau’s book we learn that he has traveled away from society to try and find enlightenment in the nature surrounding Walden pond. In the passage â€Å"Where I lived, and What I lived For† Thoreau explains where he could have lived and why he decided to choose Walden Pond as his home. Thoreau wanted to get away fro every perception that society had at that time period. He just wanted to escape that all and so he left civilization and traveled to Walden where he could live a simpler, more enlightened life. Thoreau expresses his view points on societal perceptions when he make the statement, â€Å"Let us spend one day as deliberately as Nature, and not be thrown off the track by every nutshell and mos quitos wing that falls on the rails.† (Thoreau, 421). What this means is that he believed that societal perceptions were distracting himself as well as everyone else from true enlightenment. These distractions kept everyday people from seeing the real beauty and wonder in they lives. ItShow MoreRelatedThe Day Of Everyday Life1274 Words   |  6 Pages Throughout the walk of everyday life, we may find ourselves within the personal lives of others, giving us the option to either turn the other way and pay no attention, or to observe, and learn something about those individuals’ lives. The observation of others can not only bring a whole new understanding to the many forms of communication, but it can also provide a new perspective into something we have never taken the time to explore and analyze. One can learn a multitude of new things by observingRead MoreMental Illness1511 Words   |  7 PagesPenalty for Mentally Deficient Should the Government be allowed to execute an individual who is diagnosed officially as being mentally deficient? As individuals, we can feel and subsequently we are able to be miserable or blue now and again throughout our lives. We have all observed motion pictures about the psycho and his wrongdoing binge, with the hidden reason for psychological maladjustment. We occasionally even make jokes about individuals being insane or nuts, even though we realize that we shouldntRead MorePositivist and Constructionist Theories: Basic Differences1214 Words   |  5 Pageshappened. The future then is determined by our past. Positivism originated with August Comte. It was considered a philosophical approach that replaced speculation with science. Positivist theorists believe deviance is real and falls under three categories. First that deviance is absolutely real. Second, that deviance is observable or like an object and third that deviance is determined by forces. The old school positivism relied on biological reasons or factors. The newer idea or contemporary schoolRead MoreOur Individual Identity Is Determined by What Others Think of Us1283 Words   |  6 Pagesand belonging - Expository Essay Our individual identity is determined by what others think of us. Our identity is comprised of inner qualities and outer representations of self. It consists of innumerable defining characteristics that make up the whole of who we are in any given moment. These fragments of self include our sexuality, gender, and sense of belonging to a particular culture, nation, religion, family, or some other group. Our identity includes our looks, personality, beliefs and fearsRead MoreNarrative Therapy Offers a Rewrite of a Persons Life1797 Words   |  7 Pagespeople live through painful events in their life that can alter their perception of themselves, their family, and the world. Narrative therapy offers the client the opportunity to re-write their story and gain a different perspective of specific events. It is important to understand that within the history of narrative therapy, therapists view client’s stories through a political lens. Often times, focusing on the oppression and cultural dominance that exists within the constructs of our soci etyRead MoreExamine the Concepts of Normality and Abnormality1419 Words   |  6 Pagesmoral or ideal standards. These criteria demonstrate a fine line between defining abnormality in ways that focus distress to the individual and defining it in terms of what is or is not acceptable to society. Vividness and unconventionality represents a social judgment because it deals with what is seen as social convention or not. The danger of social judgments is that they often fail to consider how people live their lives. There is an increasing awareness of how psychiatric diagnosis of ethnicRead MoreEssay about Jean-Pierre Jeunets Film Amelie1474 Words   |  6 PagesJean-Pierre Jeunets Film Amelie Imagination is an intrinsic part of the human experience. It has the power to mold reality by defining the limits of possibility and affecting perception. Both Alan White and Irving Singer examine aspects of this power in their respective works The Language of Imagination and Feeling and Imagination. White delineates how imagination is a necessary precursor to possibility (White 179) while Singer primarily illustrates imaginations effect on human relationshipsRead MoreExamine the Concepts of Normality and Abnormality1419 Words   |  6 Pagesmoral or ideal standards. These criteria demonstrate a fine line between defining abnormality in ways that focus distress to the individual and defining it in terms of what is or is not acceptable to society. Vividness and unconventionality represents a social judgment because it deals with what is seen as social convention or not. The danger of social judgments is that they often fail to consider how people live their lives. There is an in creasing awareness of how psychiatric diagnosis of ethnicRead MoreWhat Is Space Of Space?1635 Words   |  7 Pagespersonal space. There are so many different definitions partially due to the confusion brought by the mixture of the philosophical idea and physical experience. Such enormous assortment of the different possible types of space makes it very hard in defining space, especially in design. But still, intuitively, space is already a kind of three-dimensional expansion of the world surrounding us, the breaks and pauses, distance and relationships in between people, objects and people, and also in betweenRead MoreInterpersonal Relationship Essay1554 Words   |  7 PagesWhat was the context? What were sources of internal and external noise? Did you or your partner have problems encoding or decoding each other’s messages? (read Ch 1) Answer My Church members had to set up a meeting for a bridal shower; this is how our conversations went; After church on a regular Sunday, all the women gathered together with the exception of the bride. † will be meeting at apple bees tonight† for Rita’s bridal shower. This person forgot to say which apple bees. Since we had one

Company law free essay sample

FidApplying this doctrine to the case study, Alicia can be regarded as one of the promoters of Batco Ltd, since she had involved in the formation of the company and ranked as one of the three directors after the registration. It’s also noticeable that the other two directors, Adam and Robin, were former employees of Alicia. Thus, even though Alicia didn’t play an active role in the formation of the company, the connection between her and Batco before and after the registration was solid. According to Aequilas v AEFC (2011) 19T ACLC 1006, the legal consequence of a person being identified as a promoter is that such person owes stringent fiduciary duties to the company and its shareholders. They are required to act in good faith and place the company’s benefits over their own (Harris, Hargovan and Adams 2011). More specifically, in Erlanger v New Sombero Phosphate Co (1878) 3 CA 1218, the House of Lords held that promoters have the duty of fully disclosure to a board of independent directors of the material facts when they enter into contract relations with the company; Or, as stated in the in Aequilas v AEFC (2011) 19T ACLC 1006, the court also accepts an explicit disclosure made to shareholders. All partners have the right to participate in the management of the business and all partners are jointly and severally liable for the debts and obligations of the partnership. To satisfy commercial interests, separate legal personalities have been bestowed in the United States and some Commonwealth Caribbean jurisdictions with the advent of the Limited Liability Partnership Act, for example, St. Lucia. But, by and large the United Kingdom Partnership Act of the 19th century continues to represent the foundation of partnership law in the Commonwealth Caribbean. The attractiveness lies in the informality of formation. They are not required to register and there are no filing requirements. It operates as a sole proprietorship as there is a collection of sole traders who co-operate for the sake of the business. The advantage lies in the flexibility and ease of operation. See the Jamaican decision in the case of Joseph v. MCKenzie (1993) 30 JLR 305 which is instructive of the essential characteristics of a partnership. The facts involved a breakdown in the relationship between the defendant (MCKenzie) and the plaintiff (Joseph) in relation to a restaurant. This business relationship started with an oral agreement relating to profit sharing. Justice Smith found the oral agreement was binding. He noted that it is a settled principle that a partnership can be formed as a result of an agreement between the parties to carry out a business in common with a view to sharing profit or loss. â€Å"There must be a community of profit or loss and to ascertain whether or not a partnership exists the agreement must be construed as a whole. The mere fact that the parties to it claim that they are partners is not conclusive. † Co-operatives 1. A co-operative differs from other forms of businesses in that its structure reflects its aims, which are generally stated as to service its members and to benefit the society at large. This is reflected in the course of its business as well as the use of profits. 2. An essential feature of the co-operative is democratic control i. e. one member one vote. Persons elected, or appointed, in a manner agreed upon by the members conduct their affairs. The elected or appointed persons are also accountable to the members. The policy of a co-operative is laid down in the general meeting and is reflected in the bylaws of the co-operative. In contrast in a corporation control is vested in shareholders, primarily those with the largest financial interest. 3. Open membership: Membership in a co-operative society should be voluntary and available without artificial estriction and without any social, political, racial or religious discrimination to all persons who can make use of its services and are willing to accept the responsibilities of membership. 4. Surplus distribution: A co-operative society belongs to the members. The economical result therefore is that any surplus must be distributed evenly so as to avoid one member gaining at the expense of other members. When a surplus is distributed it is allocated between members on the basis of the transactions with the co-operative. 5. All co-operatives should make provision for the education of the employees, members, officers and the general public. Liability A co-operative is an un-incorporated association so that historically a person seeking an action against a common fund would in effect have to prove the liability of all the members personally, since the fund is thought to be owned by all the members for the time being. This created problems because of fluctuations in membership and the procedural burden of getting judgement against all the members personally. Legislation now permits that an association can be sued in its own name. Taff Vale Ry v. A. S. R. S. [1901] AC 426 is authority for the proposition that an un-incorporated association can be liable in Tort through a class action. Boyce v. Committee of Management Enterprise Co-operative Credit Union Ltd. (1975) 10 Barb. L. As far as corporate legislation is concerned, it has many functions: 1. It is enabling; i. e. it empowers people to attain what they could not otherwise achieve, creating a body with a distinct corporate personality. 2. It is regulatory; legislation prescribes conditions, which have to be complied with to obtain incorporation. The rules of the Companies Act must be observed to protect the shareholders, creditors and the general public. The Companies Act classifies companies in terms of their size and their method of raising capital. Public Companies †¢ The Barbados Companies Act S. 2 defines a public company as a company whose shares or debentures[1] are issued to the public. This type of company dominates important segments of our economy and it represents perhaps the biggest centre of non-governmental power. †¢ Typically the share-holding body is massive and wide spread. †¢ The company is managed by a board of directors who delegate their powers to executive director s. †¢ S. 59 of the Barbados Companies Act states that a public company must have no fewer than three directors at least two of who are not officers or employees of the company or any of it’s associates. †¢ If public companies are going to be listed on the stock exchange they must have a minimum capital requirement. No such requirement for private companies of minimum capital. Listed Companies Some companies are listed on the stock exchange. Stock exchanges were incorporated in the region in the mid 1980’s. These were created to fill a void in the financial system. It comprises designated and non-designated members who make up the board. Designated members include the Minister of Trade, Governor of the Central Bank and Minister of Finance. Companies listed on the exchange fall under the purview of Securities Legislation. Such as: Barbados Securities Act of 2002 Jamaica Securities Act of 1993 Trinidad and Tobago Securities Act of 1995[2]. The listed company must enter into a listing agreement, which imposes a number of obligations on issuing companies. They enter into obligations relating to the conduct of trading prohibiting manipulative and fraudulent practices. In order to secure a listing a company must have a trading record or history and a certain number of shares must be held by members of the public who are not associated with the directors or major shareholders. Private Companies Generally these are small family type companies[3]. According to statute in â€Å"new law[4]† jurisdictions, there must be at least one director. It is a closely-knit unit with family members often comprising the share holding body. Because of the nature of this type of company, many of the formal requirements stipulated in the Companies Act are abandoned i. e. equirements for taking minutes, the holding of meetings. This is because often Directors do not bother to hold general meetings concentrating rather on running the business. Another characteristic of Private Companies is they normally have in their constitution a pre-emptive rights c lause. It is used to ensure shareholders remain â€Å"friendly†. It is a clause, which states that no shareholder can sell shares without the approval of the board. Holding and Subsidiary Companies This is where one company is in a position of control over another by owning more than 50% of the shares in that company. This is covered by the Companies Acts: Barbados S442 Jamaica S149 Trinidad and TobagoS5. Control is an essential ingredient. The parent or holding company has the ability to control or influence the policies of the other company and they can appoint executives. Limited and Unlimited Companies Not all companies are limited by shares, if they are limited, the letters Ltd. or the word â€Å"limited† must be affixed after the corporate name. If it is a public limited company the letters PLC or the words â€Å"Public Limited Company† must also be affixed after the corporate name. Method of Incorporation In Jamaica, Belize[5] and the Bahamas[6], incorporation is achieved by filing the memorandum of association and the articles of association. The memorandum of association is the company’s principal constitutional document and it governs the relationship between the company and the outside world. The memo sets out the details of the company’s existence. For example the company name, domicile, capital structure, whether it is a private or public company and the company’s objects. The articles of association regulate the company’s internal day to day affairs. For example when meetings have to be held, the number and rights of shareholders as well as directors powers. The first subscribers for shares sign both the memorandum and the articles of association, see for example Jamaica Companies Act Arts. 3 6. The signatures must be witnessed and each subscriber must take at least one share. The number of hares taken will be entered alongside the name in the memorandum. In new law jurisdictions there are pre-printed forms which are filled out. There are actually five standard forms, these are: Notice of Directors form Request for Name Search form Registered Head Office form Certificate of Incorporation and an Affidavit The affidavit stems from articles such as S. 4 of the Barbados Companies Act, which provides that you must be over 18, you must not be bankrupt, and you must be of sound mind. These things are sworn by an attorney in an affidavit. Lecturer:Ms. Lesley Walcott Date:September 23rd, 2003. Advantages of Incorporation 1. A company has perpetual succession. Unlike partnerships and sole traders, the â€Å"business† continues despite the death (or serious illness[7]) or shareholders and directors. 2. Its assets are owned and its debts owed by the company and not its members, this is so even with one-man companies, which are permissible in some territories[8]. 3. Generally a shareholder can freely transfer his share holdings unlike a partnership where the consent of the other partners must be obtained. 4. The liability of a shareholder is limited by his shares. In Barbados all shares must be fully paid whereas in Jamaica shares might be partially paid[9]. 5. Shareholders are not bound by a fiduciary duty either to themselves or the company. 6. There are fiscal advantages of incorporation as opposed to being a sole trader, there is scope for tax avoidance (which is legal as opposed to tax evasion which is illegal. ) Where there are high profits, it is advantageous to incorporate[10]. 7. It is arguably easier for a company to raise additional finance from banks and other financial institutions through shares and debentures. 8. As a separate legal person, the company can sue or be sued in its own name. Disadvantages of Incorporation 1. National Insurance contributions are payable by both employer and employee. 2. There has been an increase in the corporate tax rate, which makes incorporation to reduce tax liability less attractive. [11] 3. There is reduced flexibility, one has to maintain minutes, records of meeting and comply with the various statutory requirements. These are quite significant with regard to public listed companies. There are additional accounting and audit requirements imposed on companies and considerable financial information should be given to the shareholders by the board of directors. Corporate Persona A company is defined by S. 2 of the Companies Act of Barbados as â€Å"A body corporate that is incorporated or continued under this act. † Section 2 of the Jamaica Companies Act defined a company as â€Å"A company formed or incorporated under this act or an existing company. † In the eyes of the law, the company is regarded as a separate distinct person apart from its shareholders. For example, see the case of A. G. v. Antigua Times Ltd. [12] where the court stated that â€Å"the term person includes the body corporate. † See also the Interpretation Acts. Section 17 in the Barbados Companies Act provides that: â€Å"A company has the capacity and subject to this act, the rights, powers and privileges of an individual. † The decision cited as establishing the legal personality of the company is the House of Lords decision in the case of Salomon v. Salomon Co. Ltd. [13] In this case Salomon carried on business as a manufacturer of leather goods, he was a sole trader. Due to an increase in profitability he was advised to incorporate, he then created a limited liability company, which purchased the business. The company thereafter started to experience financial difficulties. Salomon gave the company a loan, which was secured with company assets. The company was forced into liquidation and Salomon claimed the assets of the company, which had been used to secure his loan, the liquidator and the other creditors objected to this. The House of lords unanimously reversed the decision of Vaughan Williams LJ and held that Salomon was under no liability to the company and its creditors that his debentures were validly issued, and his security over the company’s assets were effective against the company and its other creditors. Lord MCNaghten stated in summing up a company’s personality: â€Å"The company is at law a different person all together from the subscribers to the memorandum, and though it may be that after incorporation, the business is precisely the same as it was before and the same persons are the managers and the same hands receive profits, the company is not in law the agent of the subscribers or a trustee for them. Nor are the subscribers as members liable in anyway shape or form except to the extent and in the manner provided by the act. † The House of Lords held that no matter how large a proportion of the share capital is held by a shareholder, the company’s assets, liabilities and rights were not those of it’s controlling shareholders. Application of the Doctrine The principle of the company’s separate legal personality has been consistently applied since Salomon v. Salomon Co. Ltd. [14] See for example the case of Macaura v. Northern Assoc. Co. Ltd. [15] where the House of Lords held that the assets of the corporation were not those of the shareholders. See particularly the judgments of Wrenbury and Lord Buckmaster. This case is also authority for the proposition that the shareholders do not have an insurable interest in the in the property of the corporation because they do not have a legal or equitable interest in the property. Determine the validity of the arguments used in the case of Constitution Ins. Co. of Canada v. Kosmopolous [1987] 34 DLR (4th) 208. Since a company is a legal person, separate from its shareholders, the following applies: 1. A contract of employment can be entered into by a company and its sole director and controlling shareholder. See the case of Lee v. Lee Air Farming [1961] AC 12. [16] 2. Regardless of whether the person holds all the shares in the company, the company’s business is not necessarily that persons business in the eye of the law. However, where an individual controls a number of companies whereby their existence represents a sham, the court will treat these companies as his creatures whereby the individual will be personally liable. Piercing the Corporate Veil There are instances where the courts will pierce the corporate veil and disregard its separate existence. Within traditional legal scholarship, there is no principled distinction between the two limbs i. e. instances where the principle is applied and instances where it is ignored. The courts seem unwilling to define clear guidelines, preferring rather to describe instances where the corporate veil is used as a sham or a cloak. It is difficult to rationalise the cases except under broad and rather questionable headings. These headings are: 1. Agency 2. Fraud 3. Trusts 4. Enemy 5. Statute[17] See also the United States Patriot Acts and the Helms Burton legislation. Lecturer:Ms. Lesley Walcott Date:September 25th, 2003. Fraud Equity will not allow an individual to use a company as a shield for improper conduct or fraud. In a group relationship, the claimant must attack the artificiality of the Parent subsidiary relationship. The onus lies on the claimant and a high burden of proof must be discharged. He/she must establish that the company is a sham, cloak and buffer. See Gilford Motor Co. v. Horne[18]where the court of appeal held that the plaintiff was entitled to an injunction against both the defendant and the company which, the defendant, in contravention of a contract, formed a company and solicited his former employers clients. See also the case of Jones v. Lipman[19] where a vendor of land sought to avoid specific performance by transferring the land in breach of he contract to a company he had formed for that specific purpose. The court treated the company as a sham and granted an order for specific performance. See also the case of BG Preeco Pacific Coast Ltd. [1989] DLR 30. Please note however that an unsuccessful claim of fraud renders the claimant liable for costs. Agency An examination of the cases indicates that agency is often used in conjunction with other heads, for example fraud. One should consider whether agency precedes the lifting of the veil by virtue of the courts imputing an agency relationship-using agency as a means of lifting the veil resulting in implied or constructive agency. See the decision of Smith Stone Knight Ltd. v. Birmingham Corp. [20] and note that there are two types of agency, agency as a result of capitalist control, and agency as a result of functional control. Functional control is a question of fact. The factors to be considered are: 1. Does the shareholder treat as their own the profits of the company? 2. Who appoints the persons conducting the business? 3. Who is the head and brain of the trading venture? 4. Who decides what and how much capital should be injected into the various ventures? 5. By whose skill and direction are profits made? 6. In a group subsidiary relationship who closely and directly controls the subsidiary? Group Enterprises Regional company statutes contain definitions of the holding, subsidiary and affiliated companies. These are: -JamaicaS. 149 BahamasS. 2 BarbadosSs. 440 – 443 Trinidad Tobago S. 5 On the financial implications of the holding and subsidiary relationship see the case of Acatos Hutchinson Plc Watson [1995] 1BCLC 218, which involved an arrangement whereby the company acquired another company which held shares in it. See also the decision in Ord v. Bellhave Pubs Ltd. [21] Advantages of the Holding Company 1. It is suitable as a medium for controlling modern large-scale business enterprises. 2. There is simplicity in formation, by simply acquiring a majority of the shares that carry voting powers. This does not disturb creditors or preference shareholders or any minority of ordinary shareholders and it does not interfere with the good will and reputation of an existing business. 3. The holding company may be used for the purpose of financing the operations of its subsidiaries. 4. Tax advantages may be obtained for example where a company with accumulated losses acquires a subsidiary with substantive gains, the losses may be carried forward for income tax purposes and deducted from future profits. 5. Subsidiary companies insulate each individual company from the creditors of other subsidiary companies. In this way the risk of loss to the holding company is limited to the amount of capital subscribed in the subsidiary. The mere fact of ownership of shares or capitalist control does not impose a responsibility on the holding company. Disadvantage and Abuse of the Holding Company Some of the advantages mentioned may prove to be disadvantages: 1. Holding companies tend to create monopolies and concentrate the control of big business in the hands of a few [22]. 2. Share Pyramiding; control can be acquired by investing a relatively small amount of capital in a number of subsidiary companies. Control is achieved over the whole chain by holding a majority of shares in the first company. 3. Manipulation of accounts; inter-corporate transfer and transactions may be hidden. 23] Financial statements may be obscure and cover up essential information Generally the doctrine of Salomon v. Salomon Co. Ltd. [24] can be easily abused and the corporate personality used as a veil behind which to shield conduct prejudicial to the corporations creditors. An insolvent subsidiary is generally treated, as a separate lega l entity so that it’s parent company will rarely if ever be liable for it’s debts. The application of this principle to group companies has caused hardship to the unsecured creditors of the insolvent subsidiary. See the case of Multinational Gas v. Multinational Gas Petrochemical Services Ltd. [25] where the court held that there was no agency relationship between the plaintiff and defendant company. The court further found that when the parent company sent instructions to the subsidiary company and it was carried out, the subsidiary company ratified the instructions. In the case of DHN Ltd. v. Towel Hamlet,[26] the parent company requested that the courts pierce the veil because the subsidiary company had been compulsorily acquired. It was in this case that Lord Denning devised the â€Å"Single Economic Unit† theory. He felt the courts should pierce the veil in the â€Å"interest of justice. † In Adams v. Cape Industry Plc [1990] 2 WLR 657. The subsidiary company was mining asbestos; the court however found that there was no agency relationship between the parent and subsidiary companies. The court in this case also expounded the view that there was no such thing as â€Å"in the interest of justice. In the case of Polly Peck International plc. [27] the court of appeal affirmed the principles arising from Adams v. Cape Industry Plc[28]. In the United Kingdom, there continues to be a marked unwillingness on the part of the courts to acknowledge the economic reality of groups and pierce the corporate veil. In Europe, the â€Å"single economic unit† theory receives a far more favourable response. See the Barbadian case of Debdor Co. Ltd. v. Wilkinson[29]. In this case the owner of Bresmay transferred all of Bresmay’s assets to Debdor Co. Ltd. and only maintained the employees’ contracts with Bresmay. Miss. Wilkinson was terminated and sued for wrongful dismissal. She was successful but there were no company assets to settle the debt. The owner of Debdor then provided a Debdor cheque to settle the debt. He then argued in court that he had no authority to use Debdor assets to settle a Bresmay debt. The court of appeal held that although Bresmay had employed the former employee, it was no more than a shell. William’s J expressed the view of the court when he said: â€Å"The court strongly disapproves of the use of the corporate concept as a device for treating employees unjustly†¦It is nothing more than a shell, an entity used as a tool to hold contractual arrangements made with those who are employed in the business. When successful claims re made by employees, there is no substance to satisfy them and the employees are left with feelings of injustice and frustration. † Lecturer:Ms. Lesley Walcott Date:October 9th, 2003. Promoter There is a lack of judicial definition of the word promoter in the Jamaica Companies Act see S43 44 in Barbados the Companies Act refers to an incorporator. In jurisdictions such as Jamaica and Belize there is a promoter, but in the new law jurisdictions reference is made to an Incorporator. The term incorporator and Promoter are not synonymous. Promoters are persons who conceive the idea of forming a company, they undertake its incorporation, and they provide shares and loan capital. See for example the case of Emma Silver Mining Co. v. Lewis Son[30] where Lindley LJ stated that: â€Å"as used in connection with companies the term promoter involves the idea of exertion for the purpose of getting and starting a company, or what is known as floating it. † The nearest attempt at a definition can be found in Twycross v. Grant[31] in the 19th Century where Cobourne CJ states that a promoter is: â€Å"one who undertakes to form a company with reference to a given project and to see it going and who takes the necessary steps to accomplish that purpose. † The Need for a Definition A definition is often of the utmost practical importance so as to impose liability upon a defendant/promoter. See for example Vice Chancellor Bacon’s comments in Bagnall v. Carlton. [32] The grant of a particular relief or remedy may depend solely on this issue. In Jamaica see S. 40 of the Companies Act and the third schedule to the legislation. How therefore can a company and the persons who have authorised the issue of the prospectus fulfil this duty without knowing who is the promoter? Reasons For The Lack of Definition. 1. Where a promoters conduct falls to be considered by the courts the judges simply resort to equitable remedies. Relying on the principle that secret profits are inequitable, and anyone who has made them is a promoter. 2. One school of thought insists that the term promoter is best left as a business term rather than a legal one. See for example the case of Twycross v. Grant. [33] 3. The courts have intentionally failed to set down a definition in a formal sense, because if a definition were laid down it might be possible for persons concerned in the promotion of companies to avoid its application, taking advantage of their fiduciary position without incurring the liability of promoters. 4. A comprehensive definition is impossible due to the wide range of companies promoted, from small one-man companies to the large public corporations, and given the varied activities of the person engaged in promoting the company. Suggested Test The animus factum test see the case of Bagnall v. Carlton[34] when the defendants were held to be promoters â€Å"because it was their intention and conviction to sell the prospect of the company†. There we witness the element of intention and the fulfilment of this intention as the criteria. See the case of Re Leeds Hanley Theaters of Varieties Ltd. 35] where the element of intention was also stressed by Vaughan Williams LJ he stated: â€Å"If you trace all the proceedings of the finance company as detailed in their own minutes, it seems clear that they were acting and intended to act as promoters of the company. † Similarly see the decision of Twycross v. Grant[36] where it was stated that: â€Å"The defendants acts were done with a view to the promotion of the company. † The inference from these is that a promoter is not under a liability merely because he agreed to promote the company. To be liable the person had to act. See the case of Whaley Bridge Calico Printing v. Green Smith[37] as to what constitutes an active step. There is an active step of promotion only where the vendor has negotiated the promotion with other institutions. Please note that this has not been followed by later House of Lords decisions such as Gluckstein v. Barnes[38] and Erlanger v. New Sombrero Phosphates Co. [39]. Termination of Promotion In the decision of Twycross v. Grant[40] Cobourne LJ stated that: â€Å"So long as the work of formation continues, those who carry on that work must retain the title of promoter. † There is no statutory limitation of promoters, the courts have developed a test of intention and the promotion period covers all activities designed to start the company. As a reality; 1. The term promoter is not a term of art. 2. The obligations of the promoter have been built up piecemeal by the courts. See the use of agency and trust principles, buttressed at times by legislation. 3. Where attempts have been made at judicial definitions, the definitions have not been exhaustive. 4. The matter of whether or not someone is a promoter is a question of fact. 5. The promoter is not an agent of the company as there is no principal (This is because the principal or company is not yet formed). Duties and Obligations The promoters stand in a fiduciary relationship to the company. See the case of Erlanger v. New Sombrero Phosphates Co. 41]which was the first decision to recognise the existence of a fiduciary relationship Lord Blackburn commented on the extensive, almost unlimited powers which promoters have. Lord Blackburn indicated that such powers must be checked by an objective test of reasonable use. 1. A promoter must not make any secret profit out of the promotion of the company without the company’s consent. 2. A promoter is under a duty to disclose any interest in which he may have in a venture in which he has entered into.

T he scientific community has known for centuries Essays

T he scientific community has known for centuries that humans are teeming with bacteria. However, the emergence of the "microbiome" as a scientific concept represented a turning point in our appreciation of the bacterial world . The community of microbes that live in ou r guts has received particular attention because these microorganisms can dramatically affect our health, both positively and neg atively . However, it is becoming clearer that the influence of the gut microbiome reaches fur ther than anyone first expected . Now , further evidence that microbes in the gut can influence the brain and behavi or in mice . Scientist worked with a mouse strain called NOD (short for non-obese diabetic). Every day for two weeks, one quarter of the mice were fed water through a tube, a quarter were tube-fed a mix of antibiotics, a quarter were injected with saline and a quarter were injected with the cocktail of antibioti cs . The antibiotics were sel ected to kill off most of the gut bacteria when given orally but not when injected. They were then tested in behavior for all four groups of the NOD mice. Three of the groups did not change their behavior, but strikingly the group that had been fed water through a tube did behave differently. These mice tended to avoid other mice and showed increased signs of despair-like behaviors. Importantly, these behavioral changes did not happen in mice that had been tube-fed antibiotics or in the mice that had been injected instead. Once again the scientists repeated their tests with a second strain of lab mouse called "B6 " , but none of the treatments affected their behavior. Since only the tube-fed NOD mice showed differences in behavior . Upon studying them further t hey found that the gut micr obiome of the control mice ( the mice that had been fed with water) changed slightly, whereas the gut microbiome of the mice that had been fed antibiotics changed mo re. They also showed that the NOD mice and B6 mice had distinct microbiomes before any treatment. They then inspected a brain region called the medial prefrontal cortex, which had been linked previously to depression in mouse models of the disorder. They analyzed how genes were expressed in this region and again found striking differences in the control mice. Genes involved in producing the my elin sheath were less active in these mice. The control mice also had fewer myelin sheaths in the MPC than their antibiotic-fed mice . Notably, mice that are kept isolated for prolonged periods also produce less myelin in this brain region, and avoid social contact too. Other studies of germ-free mice have reported that the microbiome ca n influence myelination as well.

Legal but Deadly Essay

Legal but Deadly Essay Legal but Deadly Essay Legal but Deadly Prescription for Disaster 1/11/2013 The non-medical use and abuse of prescription drugs is a serious public health problem in this country. Although most people take prescription medications responsibly, an estimated 52 million people have used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons at least once in their lifetimes. They are potentially deadly when taken in large doses or when combined with alcohol or other drugs. Take Gerald Levert, an R including Vicodin, Percocet, and Darvocet for his shoulder and Achilles tendon injuries, also Xanax for anxiety attacks. Just because they are legal does not mean that pharmaceutical drugs are any less dangerous than illicit drugs. There are several misconceptions about taking prescription drugs without a prescription. One is that people think because they are prescribed by a doctor and are legal that they must be safe. They tend to believe that they are safer than illicit drugs like heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. Individuals have confidence in that they are not as addictive. There is also the belief by many using prescription drugs, even recreationally, that they can quit whenever they want. Taking these drugs without knowing the warning signs and getting behind the wheel of a car or heavy machinery, could ultimately be fatal. The fact is prescription drugs are very powerful and that is why they require a prescription from a doctor, so their use can be monitored more closely. Doctors regulate use of these drugs so they can inform patients about the risk factors and side effects. Taking more than you are prescribed increases your chances of severe side effects and up to addiction. Drug abuse is discriminatory; it does not care about race, gender, age or social status. Prescription drugs are everywhere, they are advertised daily on television, easily purchased without a prescription online, and most people have them in their medicine cabinets. The younger generation has begun to use them as a way to self-medicate; they get them from home and through friends. Even drug dealers are selling them because they have become more popular than illicit drugs like cocaine and marijuana. People are becoming more susceptible to sharing their prescriptions with others, not thinking of the affects they could have. Individuals tend to believe that a pill can fix almost any problem they have because that’s how they are advertised everywhere you look. There continues to be a more social acceptance of using medications, so the misuse is not frowned upon by many as drug abuse. Many people, of all ages, misuse prescription drugs to relieve pain, if they have sleeping problems, have trouble focusing, or just want to get high. Every person has their own excuses for using. They may be finding different ways to cope with the pressures of life’s demands, dealing with stress that occurs because of adaption, frustration, and overload of daily problems. Peer pressure is and always has been a factor concerning drug abuse. Younger individuals have their own set of rules concerning authority figures and friends, having the mind set to be adventurous and be like others in the â€Å"group†. Users think that drugs help them by keeping them motivated, by enhancing their performance, to be more creative, relieve tension, and most commonly it makes them feel good about themselves. An analysis from the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) showed that in 2008 emergency room records reported that more than 4.3 million visits were associated with some form of drug abuse. This number is up over an overwhelming 70 percent from2004. Almost half of the 4.3 million were results of drug misuse or abuse. The remaining 2 million were the result of legal medical use of prescription and over- the- counter drugs. ("Prescription Drugs More Dangerous Than

Free Essays on Keeping Violence Out of Schools

Factors contributing to school violence are numerous, complex, and mostly community-related. For example, teachers perceive that major factors contributing to student violence are lack of parental supervision at home, lack of family involvement with the school, and exposure to violence in the mass media. Teachers are also believed that certain types of parenting produce children who contribute to school violence. America's children are exposed to a steady diet of verbal and physical violence that begins early and continues throughout their lives. In too many communities, children constantly send signals that they feel isolated from and maligned by society. These feelings know no geographic, social, or economic boundaries. Children often receive mixed messages from parents and other adults about what is right and what is wrong. The use of material goods to persuade children to behave in one way or to dissuade them from behaving in another is an example of mixed messages. These attitudes and actions convey strong lessons about roles, responsibilities, and the right that must be learned in odes to assume positions as citizens good in a democratic society. How children learn theses lessons is as important as what they learn. Victims of violence in schools cover the spectrum. For example, 900 teachers are threatened, and over 2,000 students and nearly 40 teachers are physically attacked on school grounds every hour of each school day each year (Stone, 1994). Younger students (grades 6-10) are much more likely to be victims of violence than are senior high school students (The American Teacher, 1993;U.S. Department of Education). The Department of justice reported that students whose families moved frequently are students from racial or ethnic groups that are minorities within the school are more likely to be physically assaulted. Students, who wear expensive or fashionable clothing or jewelry, or who bring cameras, cassette player... Free Essays on Keeping Violence Out of Schools Free Essays on Keeping Violence Out of Schools Factors contributing to school violence are numerous, complex, and mostly community-related. For example, teachers perceive that major factors contributing to student violence are lack of parental supervision at home, lack of family involvement with the school, and exposure to violence in the mass media. Teachers are also believed that certain types of parenting produce children who contribute to school violence. America's children are exposed to a steady diet of verbal and physical violence that begins early and continues throughout their lives. In too many communities, children constantly send signals that they feel isolated from and maligned by society. These feelings know no geographic, social, or economic boundaries. Children often receive mixed messages from parents and other adults about what is right and what is wrong. The use of material goods to persuade children to behave in one way or to dissuade them from behaving in another is an example of mixed messages. These attitudes and actions convey strong lessons about roles, responsibilities, and the right that must be learned in odes to assume positions as citizens good in a democratic society. How children learn theses lessons is as important as what they learn. Victims of violence in schools cover the spectrum. For example, 900 teachers are threatened, and over 2,000 students and nearly 40 teachers are physically attacked on school grounds every hour of each school day each year (Stone, 1994). Younger students (grades 6-10) are much more likely to be victims of violence than are senior high school students (The American Teacher, 1993;U.S. Department of Education). The Department of justice reported that students whose families moved frequently are students from racial or ethnic groups that are minorities within the school are more likely to be physically assaulted. Students, who wear expensive or fashionable clothing or jewelry, or who bring cameras, cassette player...

Strategic Knowledge Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words - 1

Strategic Knowledge - Essay Example al., n.d.). With the intention to determine that whether the idea of intellectual capital can be managed at the strategic level or not, it can be affirmed that intellectual capital aids an organisation to generate greater value to the customers and drive success at in the long-run. Contextually, it has been viewed that the success of several foremost organisations including Microsoft, Amazon and Google among others have been typically based upon their respective intellectual capital in terms of managing it in an effective manner (Marr, 2008). Samsung Group, popularly known as Samsung, is one of the biggest Information Technology (IT) based global organisation that deals with various products and services including consumer electronics, medical instruments, mobile phones and telecommunication related equipments (Samsung, 2012). Notably, the vision of the company is to incessantly develop its pioneering technological advancements as well as effectual business procedures with the intention of penetrating into new business markets, enhancing profitability and most significantly accomplishing superior competitive position over its chief business market competitors (Samsung, 2012). Thus, it can be stated that the group can attain its expected business goals within the context of KM by effectively managing its intellectual capital. Based on these considerations, the discussion henceforth will intend to present a comprehensive analysis of the statement concerning the issue that whether the perception of intellectual capital can be managed at the strategic level. Different important aspects that include knowledge management or environment related managerial concerns, intellectual along with social capital, communities of practice and soft systems thinking will also be portrayed in this discussion. The conception of Knowledge Management (KM) is

Radical changes are needed in company reporting to cope with the rise Essay

Radical changes are needed in company reporting to cope with the rise of intangible assets. Discuss - Essay Example 1. Ability to be separately recognised: Since the asset can be separately quantified, relative commercial transactions such as sale, transfer or exchange could be carried out, Further, the creation of an intangible asset is out of an agreement or other legal imposition, 2. Ability to produce future benefits: Software development expenses is example of an intangible asset that has the ability to produce future benefits. For the same reason, special distribution and selling rights, trademarks and intellectual properties ownerships also constitute intangible assets Intangibles can be acquired either externally or through internal means. Intangible assets acquired externally are through buying, transfer or leasing process and the internally generated ones are established by way of the companies’ own efforts and market reputation. The main aspect to be considered with regard to intangible assets is that it must be compatible to quantitative analysis and future benefits. Whether the intangible assets are self generated or acquired externally. If this parameter is not met the investment would be â€Å"recognised as an expense when it is incurred [IAS 38.68]1† and not as an intangible asset. The aspect of intangible asset which is self generated refers to determination of goodwill and its accounting treatment. In real effect, goodwill represents â€Å"the excess paid for a firm over its adjusted net asset value.†2 (p.992). The goodwill amount refers to the special ability of the firm to generate revenue by way of its current market standing and also its future earning capacity. Goodwill is only seen in the context of business mergers and acquisitions representing the difference between the purchase prices and the net value of assets acquired. The aspect of goodwill in accounting cannot be undermined because â€Å"when Philip Morris acquired Seven Up for a price of $ 520 Million, approximately $ 390 million of the purchase price represented goodwill,†3

Language in Anthony and Brutus’ Speeches Essay Example for Free

Language in Anthony and Brutus’ Speeches Essay Compare and contrast Henry’s use of rhetoric to affect others in his Harfleur speeches with the effectiveness of the language in Anthony and Brutus’ speeches In Henry V, Henry uses rhetoric very effectively as he persuades the Governor at Harfleur to surrender and encourages his troops onward with his ‘Once more unto the breach’ speech. This is very similar to Anthony and Brutus of Julius Caesar as they use rhetoric to influence the ‘mob’; firstly Brutus wins the crowd over and they believe the death of Caesar is a good thing and then Anthony turns them around and they end up hating Cassius and Brutus. Henry uses rhetoric to create a number of different effects one of them being to persuade the Governor to surrender. Rhoda Koenig suggests that this scene ‘points up the character of this immature and disaffected king’, which I disagree with as I believe that this speech shows just how the King has matured as he is able to bluff his way through as his army is, really, worn and battered. This speech shows how Henry’s words are more powerful than his army, which is similar to Anthony in Julius Caesar who turns the mob into a state of madness just through the use of his oratorical skills. For example, Henry starts his speech with short, sharp sentences: â€Å"How yet resolves the governor of the/ town?† This creates an assertive beginning and one that makes Henry seem powerful and stern. This coupled with the use of a rhetorical question puts the Governor in a situation where the mercy of Henry is in his hands, as if the outcome of his men depends on his decision. This also removes the responsibility from Henry’s shoulders which is a recurring theme throughout the play. Henry also describes what the outcome could look like if the Governor doesn’t surrender: â€Å"The gates of mercy shall be all shut up.† The use of a metaphor here, ‘the gates of mercy’, refers to Henry as if once he starts the battle there’s no goi ng back. This is used to scare the Governor so that he believes Harfleur will be desecrated once the battle has begun. This, of course, is a faà §ade as Henry knows full-well that his army is worn thin and lacking in strength. This demonstrates Henry’s good leadership, as he bluffs his way through with confidence. Also, this quote contains lots of monosyllables which make it very powerful and reinforces the threat which forces the Governor to surrender. Bernard Richards raised an interesting point where he said that Shakespeare ‘wanted to show the full range of war – the glamour as well as the squalid and obscene violence.’ This interested me as throughout this speech there is talk of atrocities of war such as ‘shrieking daughters’ while elsewhere in the play we see the French think of war as glorious. This is very similar to Brutus in Julius Caesar who has to use rhetoric to convince the crowd to surrender, as they are initially angry at the conspirat ors for killing their leader. For example, he uses rhetorical questions to force the crowd to realise that the murder of Caesar will benefit them: â€Å"Who here is so base [†¦] Who here is so rude [†¦] Who is so vile [†¦] for him have I offended.† The crowd are forced to ask themselves if they would want to be slaves, for example, which they of course answer ‘no’. The use of a three-part list also emphasizes this and would allow the crowd to remember this more accurately: â€Å"Let him be Caesar!† This quote shows that Brutus’s rhetoric successfully convinces the crowd, although they appear to have missed the point as they want Brutus to be ‘the new Caesar’ and the sole leader of Rome which is what the conspirators were fighting against. It is also interesting to note that Shakespeare’s main characters usually speak in blank verse, but here Brutus speaks in prose. This is because prose is the perfect way to persuade so has a stronger affect on the crowd. It could also be argued that because he speaks to the low-life characters, they will understand prose better than blank verse. Within his speech Brutus also uses repetition which reinforces his message: â€Å"Hear me for cause [] hear.† The use of framing repetition here grabs the crowd’s attention and makes them listen. He also repeats ‘honour’ throughout his speech: â€Å"Believe me for mine honour, and have respect for mine honour.† This repetition is used to emphasize to the crowd that the conspirator’s cause was honourable and that they have done the right thing while it also serves to remind the crowd how Brutus is an honourable man, which is a similarity with Henry who also takes great care in ensuring the cause for going to war is moral. The repetition would ‘grind’ it into the crowds’ heads so that it’s almost like subliminal messaging. The repetition also shows how Brutus is still unsure himself and that he is trying to convince himself that they have done the right thing. Henry also uses rhetoric to empower his army and urge them on at Harfluer in what Hal Hinson of the Washington Post calls ‘the greatest half-time speech in human historyà ¢â‚¬â„¢. Here, Henry is forced to persuade his army that they should not retreat but attack once again: â€Å"Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.† Similarly to Brutus, Henry uses framing repetition to encourage his army to attack Harfleur once more. The repetition helps to reinforce the message and will stick in their minds through the battle. Also in this quote, he uses an endearing pronoun ‘friend’. This affects the army as they will feel that they are all friends of the King and will have a surge of confidence. This will help the army to conquer whatever they face, even though they have had to retreat. Interestingly, this contrast to what the Chorus says in the preceding scene as he states that the great British are invading France when really they are being forced to retreat. Henry also uses alliteration: â€Å"But when the blast of war blows in our ears.† The use of plosive alliteration here creates a powerful sound which suggests that the English army are powerful enough to defeat the French. This also shows Henry’s passion as if it’s bursting out of him as he desperately wants his men to survive as he feels guilty that the war may not have an honourable cause. Also is this speech, sibilance is used: â€Å"Stiffen the sinews.† This also creates quite an aggressive sound which would be passed onto the soldiers and make them feel aggressive and willing to fight. Henry also uses figurative language: â€Å"Let it pry [†¦] like the brass cannon.† This simile likens the mind prying to a cannon – an item associated with war – which would rile up the soldiers and also remind them that they are at war, its kill or be killed. Another simile used refers to Alexander the Great: â€Å"On, on, you noblest English [†¦] like so many Alexanders.† Here, Henry likens his army to a group of Alexander the Greats. Alexander the Great is a figure of Greek legend which states that he conquered the Persian Empire. It also says that he was often reckless with his own life and his soldiers as he believed he was indestructible. This would encourage his men and fill them with confidence as Alexander was a great warrior and Henry’s army will feel equally invincible. Shakespeare’s Elizabethan audience were very interested in Greek culture so the simile would have been more relevant and had more effect than it would on our society who have a lesser interest. Also, in this quote he addresses the ‘noblest English ’while further on he addresses the â€Å"good yeomen.† Henry directly addresses each social class as his army was compiled of a number of different classes, even nationalities. King Henry V was known for uniting people under him as he prevented a civil war between the Church and the Government and th is unity is shown in the scene between Gower, Fluellen, Jamy and MacMorris. This scene also, as James Shapiro suggests, ‘prophetically anticipates the notion of a united kingdom’. Although these nations were far from united in 1599, when the play was written as England and Ireland were at war, and some were very hostile during Henry’s reign. For example, James Shapiro criticizes that Henry says the Scots may attack yet here they are united. This would make each soldier feel important, needed and a friend of the king’s, which would, ultimately, provide the soldiers with confidence to fight, and beat, the French. Likewise, Mark Anthony in Julius Caesar also addresses his crowd individually while manipulating them until they run riot around Rome: â€Å"Friends, Romans, countrymen.† Anthony immediately begins with a three-part list which grabs his audience’s attentions and the first word used is ‘friends’. This instantly makes the crowd warm to him as he is speaking to them as equals. This is similar to Henry who calls his army the ‘noble English’ and ‘good yeomen’, while it contrasts with Brutus who says, â€Å"Romans, countrymen, and lovers†, as if ‘lovers’ is an afterthought. This may hint at why Henry and Anthony were successful at convincing their audience while Brutus failed, because Henry and Anthony allowed the audience to warm to them while Brutus did not. Another way Anthony wins his crowd over is by using repetition: â€Å"And Brutus is an honourable man.† This is repeated at regular intervals throughout his speech and each time it becomes more sarcastic. The sarcastic tone induces the crowd to question whether killing Caesar was an honourable thing. Here, in the same way as Brutus, he uses subliminal messaging; however he uses it against Brutus and to much better effect as the crowd end up rampaging across Rome. In conclusion, Henry and Anthony use rhetoric and their oratorical skills very well combining repetition, friendly language, and other techniques to persuade their respective crowds to see their way of thinking. Brutus, however, fails to convince his crowd (or is unable to deliver a speech worthy of Anthony’s) which goes to show how good Anthony’s speech is. Henry manages to convince the Governor to surrender, and convince his battered army to continue, while Anthony manages to convince an audience who love Brutus, to hunt him down. Brutus, on the other hand, cannot prevent the people of Rome from turning against him as he didn’t endear himself to the crowd.

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 1 Essay example -- English Literature

The Great Gatsby - Chapter 1 Read the beginning of the novel chapter 1 up to page 12 â€Å"Tom Buchanan in his riding clothes was standing with his legs apart on the front porch.† How effective do you find this as an introduction to Great Gatsby. In your response you should pay close attention to voice, language and style. The Great Gatsby was written by F Scott Fitzgerald in 1925, and is set during 1922, a period tinged with moral failure of a society obsessed with class and privilege. Fitzgerald presents us with the conflict between the illusion and the reality of the American dream. The novel begins in the present tense, and is told through the eyes of Nick Carraway, the narrator and moral centre of the novel. His tale is told in retrospect. Nick Carraway is a young man from the Mid West, introducing himself as a graduate of Yale and a veteran of World War One. He begins the first chapter by relaying his father’s advice: â€Å"Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven’t had the same advantages as you’ve had.† He states that he is also â€Å"inclined to reserve all judgement† about people and be a tolerant listener; who is entrusted with people’s secrets. This encourages him to withhold formulating opinions about people until he gets to know them, demonstrating his caution. Nick puts himself forward explicitly, as someone with an above average â€Å"sense of fundamental decencies† which now manifests itself as a wish for â€Å"the world to be in uniform and at a moral attention forever†. This military perspective clearly shows Nick has something of an authoritarian character with a developed instinct for discipline and order. These first pages of Chapter one... ...ds the end of page 9 the reader is given a sense of time and a positive idea of how the modern world is progressing, through the metaphor of â€Å"growing trees† and the â€Å"burst of leaves† creating new life that has potential just like the American Dream. â€Å"Fast movies† (p.9) and the â€Å"telephone† (p.12) symbolise the Twentieth –century technological environment. The growth of cinemas, cars, boats is recognised by the twenties as a decade of mass media and mass production in America. The novel raises the issue of individual worth in such a context. In contrast to this materialistic world, Daisy’s name evokes a delicate flower. The irony here is that her life is conducted in an entirely manufactured environment, distant from the natural world. The key structure of the chapter is the combination of first person narrative and the gradual revelation of the past.

Grass Fed Beef vs. Grain Fed Beef

Matthew Buckman Carla Baku English 1A 10:45 September 23, 2012 Beef Grass Fed Beef vs. Grain Fed Beef Before World War Two (WW2), ranchers raised grass fed cows and that was the norm. But because of the high demand for beef after WW2 ranchers had to change the way they raised cows. Ever since WW2, cows have been raised on grain which has become the norm when it comes to raising cows. That means they are fed mainly corn instead of grass. With the cows being fed corn they get fatter quicker so that means that they are at the weight to get slaughtered quicker.That was until recently when people started questioning corn fed beef and the health risks and how humane it was for the cows. Every year there are millions of cows slaughtered in the U. S for humans to consume. Most of the cows that are slaughtered are grain fed cows. Although some people argue that grain fed beef isn’t worse than grass fed beef in fact we should start eating more grass fed beef because it is more humane fo r the cows, better for the environment and it is healthier than grain fed beef for the consumer and the cows.We should start eating more grass fed beef because it is more humane for the cows. The first way that it is more humane for the cows is that they aren’t cooped up in a feed lot. This means that the cows aren’t kept in a confined space with other cows. They are more freely able to walk around on pastures and have the choice to eat whenever they want instead of having specific eating times. This allows the cows to live as they were meant to instead of the way grain fed cows are just raised for a quicker slaughter.Also with feed lots being such a confined space it collects a lot of manure instead which causes a lot of air and water pollution because the wind blows it up and when it rains it seeps into the groundwater. With grass fed cows being able to roam around on pastures they naturally spread their manure around the pasture which fertilizes the land. Another wa y that grass fed beef is more humane than grain fed beef is that grass fed beef aren’t given antibiotics and hormones like grain fed beef. Grain fed beef needs ntibiotics regularly because of the conditions that they live in. With being cooped up in a feed lot the cows have a lot of health risks such as dust pneumonia and E Coli because of air pollution and water pollution. With grass fed cows being able to roam free on pastures there isn’t as much air and water pollution so there is no need for antibiotics. The last way that grass fed beef is more humane than grain fed beef is that the cows get to live longer lives to get to their slaughter weight.With cows being raised on grass, it takes them roughly twenty-two months to get to their slaughter weight. That’s almost two full years for a cow to live. With cows being raised on grain they only get to live for sixteen months. That’s a full six months less then grass fed cows. I know that if I was a cow, I wo uld want an extra six months to live. Another reason we should start eating more grass fed beef because it is better for the environment. With grain fed beef, the cows manure is scooped up from their cell block and taken to the closet place to the feed lot to be dumped.This ruins the surrounding land because with too much manure being dumped in one place it gives the ground too many nutrients. With there being too many nutrients in the ground, the excess nutrients pollute the soil and water. With grass fed cows being raised in pastures they create and spread fertilizer naturally. This means that less chemicals and pesticides have to be used to fertilize the pastures. With pesticides not having to be used to, that means that less pesticides have the chance to get spread through the air and pollute are water ways and contaminate our drinking water.If pesticides get in our drinking water, it increases the chance of the person drinking the water to have reproductive disorders, and it ca n lead to neurological damage such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease. If farmers continually use pesticides to fertilize their land it reduces the soil fertility. All of these things are bad for our environment and with all of the things that are already bad for the environment, why would we add more to it when cows do the same thing naturally? Another way that grass fed beef is better for the environment is grass fed cows use less fossil fuels.Grain fed beef requires more fossil fuel to make the diet of the grain fed cows such as dried corn and soy. With all the required burning of these fossil fuels more carbon dioxide is being released into the air which is contributing to global warming. With fossil fuels burning being directly related to global warming, I think that by using less fossil fuel burning with grass fed beef that grass fed beef is better for the environment. The last reason we should start eating more grass fed beef because it is healthier for the c onsumers and the cows.When eating grain fed beef, you are taking in high levels of bad fats and cholesterol and low levels of good fats and Vitamin E. Grass fed beef is the complete opposite way, you take in high levels of good fats and Vitamin E, and low levels of bad fats and cholesterol. Just by these comparisons here it is clear that grass fed beef is better for the consumers than grain fed beef. Grass fed beef contains iron and calcium and a heavy healthy dosage of protein. This is all healthy for the consumer to eat. This gives the consumers a better healthier option of beef. Dr. Steve Atchley is one of many health-conscious carnivores fueling the trend. ‘I got tired of telling my patients they couldn't eat red meat,’ says the Denver cardiologist. So three years ago, he launched Mesquite Organic Foods, which sells grass-fed beef to 74 Wild Oats stores nationwide. Mesquite's ground beef is 65% lower in saturated fat and its New York strips are 35% lower than conven tional beef, as measured by the USDA. â€Å"Any feedlot-fattened animal has a much higher level of saturated fat than a forage-fed steer,† says Atchley. Another reason we should start eating more grass fed beef is because it is healthier for the cow that we are eating. With grass fed beef the cows are eating what they were meant to eat. Their four stomachs are made to digest grass. With the cows not having trouble digesting grass, the farmers don’t have to give the cows antibiotics and hormones to make digestion easier. So it only makes sense that with grass fed beef being fed grass that they would be healthier than grain fed beef. With grain fed beef being fed corn, and etc. heir stomachs have a difficult time digesting it because their stomachs aren’t meant to digest it. John Robbins a supporter of grass fed beef states, â€Å"When cattle are grain fed, their intestinal tracts become far more acidic, which favors the growth of pathogenic E. coli bacteria, whi ch in turn kills people who eat undercooked hamburger. † With the cow’s stomachs not being able to digest the grain, the farmers have to regularly give them antibiotics and hormones. Farmers now just put the antibiotics and hormones in the grain. Also before he first big hit of the mad cow disease, farmers would feed cows meat from other cows. This practice was basically turning herbivores into carnivores. This is not healthy at all because things like this are not supposed to be changed because you can’t change the way a living animal’s stomach digests something. This made a lot of cows’ sick which in turn makes the consumers sick. Although some people argue that grain fed beef isn’t worse than grass fed beef in fact we should start eating more grass fed beef because it is more humane for the cows, better for the environment and it is healthier for the consumer and the cows.Growing up I used to go to my grandpa’s farm every summer and help him with all of his work. He raised cows and chickens. He raised his cows off of grass instead of grains. So growing up I would always have grass fed beef. I feel that I am a healthy person today because of my grandpa having raised his cows on grass instead of grains. Works Citied Robbins, John. What About Grass-fed Beef?. N. p. , 18 April 2010. Web. 30 Sep. 2012. Roosevelt, Margot. â€Å"The Grass-Fed Revolution. † Time Magazine. 11 Jun 2006: 1. Web. 4 Oct. 2012. .

The Indigo Spell Chapter Twenty-One

SOME PART OF ME BEGGED FOR there to be a mistake. I watched the footage three more times, tossing crazy theories around in my head. Maybe Master Jameson had a twin who wasn't a fanatic who hated vampires. No. The video didn't lie. Only the Alchemists did. I couldn't ignore this. I couldn't wait. I needed to resolve this immediately. If not sooner. I sent Marcus a text as soon as my plane was on the ground: We meet tonight. No games. No runaround. TONIGHT. There was no response from him by the time I got back to my dorm. What was he doing? Reading Catcher in the Rye again? If I'd known what dive he was holed up in, I would've marched over there right then. There was nothing I could do but wait, so I called Ms. Terwilliger both as a distraction and to buy some freedom. â€Å"Nothing to report,† she told me when she answered. â€Å"We're still just watching and waiting – although, your extra charm is almost complete.† â€Å"That's not why I'm calling,† I said. â€Å"I need you to get me a curfew extension tonight.† I felt bad using her for something totally unrelated, but I had to do this. â€Å"Oh? Are you paying me an unexpected visit?† â€Å"Er – no. This is for something else.† She clearly thought that was funny. â€Å"Now you use my assistance for personal matters?† â€Å"Don't you think I've earned it?† I countered. She laughed, something I hadn't heard from her in a while. She agreed to my request and promised to call the dorm's front desk right away. As soon as we hung up, my phone chimed with the expected message from Marcus. All the text contained was an address that was a half hour away. Assuming he was ready for me now, I grabbed my messenger bag and got on the road. In light of my past meetings with Marcus, I wouldn't have been surprised if he'd led me to a department store or karaoke bar. Instead, I arrived at a vintage music shop, the kind that sold vinyl records. A large CLOSED sign hung on the door, emphasized by dark windows and an empty parking lot. I got out of my car and double-checked the address, wondering if my GPS had led me astray. My earlier zeal gave way to nervousness. How careless was this? One of Wolfe's first lessons was to avoid sketchy situations, yet here I was, exposing myself. Then, from the shadows, I heard my name whispered. I turned toward the sound and saw Sabrina materialize out of the darkness, carrying a gun as usual. Maybe if I showed her the one in my glove compartment, we could have a bonding moment. â€Å"Go around back,† she said. â€Å"Knock on the door.† Without another word, she returned to the shadows. The back of the building looked like the kind of place that screamed mugging, and I wondered if Sabrina would come to my aid if needed. I knocked on the door, half expecting some kind of speakeasy situation where I'd be asked for a password like â€Å"rusted iguana.† Instead, Marcus opened the door, ready with one of those smiles he kept hoping would win me over. Strangely, tonight it put me at ease. â€Å"Hey, gorgeous, come on in.† I stepped past him and found we were in the store's back room, which was filled with tables, shelves, and boxes of records and cassette tapes. Wade and Amelia stood against a wall in mirrored stances, their arms crossed over their chests. Marcus shut the door behind me and locked it. â€Å"Glad to see you back in one piece. Judging from your text – and your face – you found something.† All the rage I'd been holding in since my discovery came bursting out. I retrieved my laptop from my bag and had to resist the urge to slam it against a table. â€Å"Yes! I can't believe it. You were right. Your insane, far-fetched theory was right. The Alchemists have been lying! Or, well, some of them. I don't know. Half of them don't know what the other half's doing.† I expected some smug remark from Marcus or at least an â€Å"I told you so.† But that handsome face was drawn and sad, reminding me of the picture I'd seen of him and Clarence. â€Å"Damn,† he said softly. â€Å"I was kind of hoping you'd come back with a bunch of boring video. Amelia, go swap with Sabrina. I want her to see this.† Amelia looked disappointed to be sent away, but she didn't hesitate to obey his order. By the time Sabrina came back in, I had the video cued up to the correct time. They gathered around me. â€Å"Ready?† I asked. They nodded, and I could see a mix of emotions in all of them. Here it was, the conspiracy theory they'd all been waiting to prove. At the same time, the implications were staggering, and the three of them were well aware of how dangerous what they were about to see could be. I played the video. It was only a few seconds long, but they were powerful ones as that bearded figure appeared on the screen. I heard an intake of breath from Sabrina. â€Å"It's him. Master Jameson.† She looked between all our faces. â€Å"That's really the Alchemist place? He's really there?† â€Å"Yes,† said Wade. â€Å"And that's Dale Hawthorne with him, one of the directors.† That triggered a memory. â€Å"I know that name. He's one of Stanton's peers, right?† â€Å"Pretty much.† â€Å"Is it possible she wouldn't know about a visit like this?† I asked. â€Å"Even at her level?† It was Marcus who answered. â€Å"Maybe. Although, walking him right in there – even to the secure level – is pretty ballsy. Even if she doesn't know about the meeting, it's a safe bet others do. If it were completely shady, Hawthorne would've met him off-site. Of course, the secure list means this wasn't out in the open either.† So, it was possible Stanton hadn't lied to me – well, at least not about the Alchemists being in contact with the Warriors. She'd certainly lied about the Alchemists knowing about Marcus since he'd said he was a notorious figure to most higher-ups. Even if she was ignorant about Master Jameson, it didn't change the fact that other Alchemists – important ones – were keeping some dangerous company. Maybe I didn't always like their procedures, but I'd desperately wanted to believe they were doing good in the world. Maybe they were. Maybe they weren't. I just didn't know anymore. When I dragged my eyes from the frozen frame of Master Jameson, I found Marcus watching me. â€Å"Are you ready?† he asked. â€Å"Ready for what?† He walked over to another table and returned with a small case. When he opened it, I saw a small vial of silver liquid and a syringe. â€Å"What is – oh.† Realization hit me. â€Å"That's the blood that'll break the tattoo.† He nodded. â€Å"Pulling the elements out creates a reaction that turns it silver. It takes a few years, but eventually, the gold in your skin will fade to silver too.† All of them were looking at me expectantly, and I took a step back. â€Å"I don't know if I'm ready for this.† â€Å"Why wait?† asked Marcus. He pointed at the laptop. â€Å"You've seen this. You know what they're capable of. Can you keep lying to yourself? Don't you want to go forward with your eyes open?† â€Å"Well . . . yes, but I don't know if I'm ready to have some strange substance injected into me.† Marcus filled the syringe with the silver liquid. â€Å"I can demonstrate on my tattoo if it'll make you feel better. It won't hurt me, and you can see that there aren't any dire side effects.† â€Å"We don't know for sure that they've done anything to me,† I protested. He had a logical argument, but I was still terrified of taking this step. I could feel my hands shaking. â€Å"This could be a waste. There may be no group loyalty compulsion in me.† â€Å"But you also don't know for sure,† he countered. â€Å"And there's always a little loyalty put in the initial tattoo. I mean, not enough to make you some slave robot, but still. Wouldn't you feel better knowing everything's gone?† I couldn't take my eyes off the needle. â€Å"Will I feel any different?† â€Å"No. Although you could walk up to someone on the street and start telling them about vampires.† I couldn't tell if he was joking or not. â€Å"Then you'd just get thrown into a psych ward.† Was I ready for this? Was I really going to take the next step into becoming part of Marcus's Merry Men? I'd passed his test – which he'd been right about. Clearly, this group wasn't useless. They had eyes on the Alchemists and the Warriors. They also seemingly had the Moroi's best interests at heart. The Moroi – or, more specifically, Jill. I hadn't forgotten Sabrina's offhand remark about the Warriors being interested in a missing girl. Who else could it be but Jill? And did this Hawthorne guy have access to her location? Had he passed it on to Master Jameson? And would this information put those around her at risk, like Adrian? They were questions I didn't have the answers to, but I had to uncover them. â€Å"Okay,† I said. â€Å"Do it.† Marcus didn't waste any time. I think he was afraid I'd change my mind – which, perhaps, was not an unfounded fear. I sat down in one of the chairs and tipped my head to the side so that he'd have access to my cheek. Wade gently held my head with his hands. â€Å"Just to make sure you stay still,† he told me apologetically Before Marcus started, I asked, â€Å"Where'd you learn to do this?† His face had been solemn with the task ahead, but my question made him smile again. â€Å"I'm not technically tattooing you, if that's what you're worried about,† he said. I was actually worried about a lot of things. â€Å"These are just some small injections, just like being re-inked.† â€Å"What about the process itself? How'd you find out about it?† It was probably a question I should have asked before I sat down in this chair. But I hadn't expected to be doing this so soon – or suddenly. â€Å"A Moroi friend of mine theorized about it. I volunteered to be a guinea pig, and it worked.† He switched to business mode again and held up the needle. â€Å"Ready?† I took a deep breath, feeling like I was standing on the edge of a precipice. Time to jump. â€Å"Go ahead.† It hurt about as much as re-inking did, just a number of small pricks on my skin. Uncomfortable, but not really painful. In truth, it wasn't a long process, but it felt like it took forever. All the while, I kept asking myself, What are you doing? What are you doing? At last, Marcus stepped back and regarded me with shining eyes. Sabrina and Wade smiled too. â€Å"There you go,† Marcus said. â€Å"Welcome to the ranks, Sydney.† I took my compact out of my purse to check the tattoo. My skin was pink from the needle's piercing, but if this process continued to be like re-inking, that irritation would fade soon. Otherwise, the lily looked unchanged. I also didn't feel that changed on the inside. I didn't want to storm the Alchemist facility and demand justice or anything like that. Taking him up on his dare to tell an outsider about vampires was probably my best bet to see if my tattoo had been altered, but I didn't really feel like doing that either. â€Å"That's it?† I asked. â€Å"That's it,† Marcus said. â€Å"Once we get it sealed, you won't have to worry about – â€Å" â€Å"I'm not getting it sealed.† All those smiles vanished. Marcus looked confused, as though he might have misheard. â€Å"You have to. We're going to Mexico next weekend. Once that's done, the Alchemists won't ever be able to get to you again.† â€Å"I'm not getting it sealed,† I repeated. â€Å"And I'm not going to Mexico.† I gestured toward my laptop. â€Å"Look what I was able to pull off! If I stay where I'm at, I can keep finding out more. I can find out what else the Alchemists and Warriors are doing together.† I can find out if Jill is in danger. â€Å"Getting permanently marked and becoming an outcast kills all those opportunities for me. There's no going back after that.† I think Marcus almost always got his way, and this new development totally threw him off. Wade took up the argument. â€Å"There's no going back now. You're leaving a trail of bread crumbs. Look at what you've done. You already made inquiries about Marcus. Even if you haven't gotten super-friendly with the Moroi, the Alchemists still know you spend a lot of time with them. And one day, someone may realize you were there when the data was stolen.† â€Å"No one knows it was stolen,† I said promptly. â€Å"You hope they don't,† corrected Wade. â€Å"These little things are enough to raise red flags. Keep doing more, and you'll make it worse. They'll finally notice you, and that's when it'll be over.† Marcus had recovered from his initial shock. â€Å"Exactly. Look, if you want to stay where you're at until we go to Mexico, that's fine. Make your peace with it or whatever. After that, you need to escape. We'll keep working from the outside.† â€Å"You can do whatever you want.† I began packing up my laptop. â€Å"I'm going to work from the inside.† Marcus caught hold of my arm. â€Å"You're setting yourself up for a fall, Sydney!† he said sternly. â€Å"You're going to get caught.† I pulled away from him. â€Å"I'll be careful.† â€Å"Everyone makes mistakes,† said Sabrina, speaking up for the first time in a while. â€Å"I'll take that risk.† I slung my bag over my shoulder. â€Å"Unless you guys are going to forcibly stop me?† None of them answered. â€Å"Then I'm going. I'm not afraid of the Alchemists. Thank you for everything you've done. I really do appreciate it.† â€Å"Thank you,† said Marcus at last. He shook his head at Wade, who looked like he wanted to protest. â€Å"For getting the data. I honestly didn't think you'd be able to pull it off. I figured you'd return empty-handed, though I still would've broken the tattoo for you. A for effort, you know. Instead, you just proved what I'd thought before: you're remarkable. We could really use you.† â€Å"Well, you know how to get in touch with me.† â€Å"And you know how to get in touch with us,† he said. â€Å"We'll be here all week if you change your mind.† I opened the door. â€Å"I won't. I'm not running away.† Amelia called goodbye to me when I got into my car, oblivious to the fact that I'd just defied her beloved leader. As I drove back to Amberwood, I was amazed at how free I felt – and it had nothing to do with the tattoo. It was the knowledge that I had defied everyone – the Alchemists, the Warriors, the Merry Men. I didn't answer to anyone, no matter the cause. I was my own person, able to take my own actions. It wasn't something I had a lot of experience with. And I was about to do something drastic. I hadn't told Marcus and the gang because I'd been afraid they really would stop me. When I got back to Amberwood, I went straight to my room and dialed Stanton. She answered on the first ring, which I took as a divine sign that I was doing the right thing. â€Å"Miss Sage, this is unexpected. Did you enjoy the services?† â€Å"Yes,† I said. â€Å"They were very enlightening. But that's not why I'm calling. We have a situation. The Warriors of Light are looking for Jill.† I wasn't going to waste any time. â€Å"Why on earth would they do that?† She sounded legitimately surprised, but if there was one thing in all of this that I believed wholeheartedly, it was that the Alchemists were exceptional liars. â€Å"Because they know if Jill's whereabouts got out, it could throw the Moroi into chaos. Their focus is still on the Strigoi, but they wouldn't mind seeing thing go bad for the Moroi.† â€Å"I see.† I always wondered if she paused to gather her thoughts or if it was simply for effect. â€Å"And how exactly did you learn this?† â€Å"That guy I know who used to be with the Warriors. We're still friendly, and he's been having doubts about them. He mentioned hearing them talk about finding a missing girl that could cause all sorts of trouble.† Maybe it was wrong to drag Trey into this lie, but I seriously doubted Stanton would interrogate him anytime soon. â€Å"And you assume this is Miss Dragomir?† â€Å"Come on,† I exclaimed. â€Å"Who else would it be? Do you know any other Moroi girls? Of course it's her!† â€Å"Calm down, Miss Sage.† Her voice was flat and untroubled. â€Å"There's no need for theatrics.† â€Å"There's a need for action! If they might be on to her, then we need to get out of Palm Springs immediately.† â€Å"That,† she said crisply, â€Å"is not an option. A lot of planning went into getting her to her current location.† I didn't believe that argument for a second. Half our job was doing damage control and adapting to rapidly changing situations. â€Å"Yeah? Well, did you also plan on those psycho vampire hunters finding her?† Stanton ignored the jab. â€Å"Do you have any evidence at all that the Warriors actually have concrete data about her? Did your friend supply you with details?† â€Å"No,† I admitted. â€Å"But we still need to do something.† â€Å"There's no ‘we' here.† Her voice had gone from flat to icy. â€Å"You do not decide what we do.† I nearly protested and then caught myself. Horror set in. What had I just done? My initial intent had been to either get Stanton to take legitimate action or else find out if she might accidentally reveal knowledge of a Warrior connection. I'd thought mentioning Trey would give me valid backup since I could hardly tell her the real reason I feared for Jill. Yet, somehow, I'd gone from a request to a demand. I'd practically yelled an order at her. That wasn't typical Sydney behavior. That wasn't typical Alchemist behavior. What had Wade said? You're leaving a trail of bread crumbs. Was this because I'd broken the tattoo? This was no crumb. This was a full loaf. I was on the verge of insubordination, and my mind could suddenly imagine that list Marcus kept warning about, the one that kept track of every suspicious thing I did. Was Stanton already updating that list right now? I had to fix this, but how? How on earth did I take this back? My mind was racing frantically, and it took several moments for me to calm down and start thinking logically. The mission. Focus on the mission. Stanton would understand that. â€Å"I'm sorry, ma'am,† I said at last. Be calm. Be deferential. â€Å"I'm just . . . I'm just so worried about this mission. I saw my dad at the services, you know.† That would be a fact she could check on. â€Å"You had to have seen how it was that night I left. How bad things are between us. I . . . I have to make him proud. If things fall apart here, he'll never forgive me.† She didn't respond, so I prayed that meant she was listening intently . . . and believing me. â€Å"I want to do a good job here. I want to fulfill our goals and keep Jill hidden. But there have already been so many complications no one predicted – first Keith and then the Warriors. I just never feel like she's fully safe now, even with Eddie and Angeline. It eats at me. And – † I was no actress who could muster tears, but I did my best to make my voice crack. â€Å"And I never feel safe. I told you, when I asked to go to the services, how overwhelming it is with the Moroi. They're everywhere – and the dhampirs too. I eat with them. I'm in class with them. Being with other Alchemists this last weekend was a lifesaver. I mean, I'm not trying to dodge my duties, ma'am. I understand we have to make sacrifices. And I've gotten better around them, but sometimes the stress is just unbearable – and then when I heard this thing about the Warriors, I cracked. All I could think about was that I might fail. I'm sorry, ma'am. I shouldn't have flipped o ut on you. I was out of control, and it was unacceptable.† I cut off my rant and tensed as I waited for her response. Hopefully I'd given her enough to dismiss any thoughts of me being a dissident. Of course, I might have just come off as a totally weak and unstable Alchemist who needed to be pulled from this mission. If that happened . . . well, maybe I'd have to take Marcus up on Mexico. Her characteristic pause was especially painful this time. â€Å"I see,† she said. â€Å"Well, I'll take this all into consideration. This mission is of the utmost importance, believe me. My earlier questioning of your information was not some weakening of our resolve. Your concerns have been heard, and I will decide the best course of action.† It wasn't exactly what I wanted, but hopefully she would be true to her word. I really, really wanted to believe she was on the up-and-up. â€Å"Thank you, ma'am.† â€Å"Is there anything else, Miss Sage?† â€Å"No, ma'am. And . . . and I'm sorry ma'am.† â€Å"Your apology is noted.† Click. I'd paced while I'd talked and now stood staring at the phone. A gut instinct told me I really had driven Stanton to take some sort of action. The mystery was whether that action would prove beneficial or catastrophic for me. Falling asleep was difficult after that, and it had nothing to do with Veronica for a change. I was too keyed up, too anxious about what had happened with Marcus and Stanton. I tried to seize that feeling of freedom again, using it to strengthen me. It was only a spark this time, flickering with my new uncertainties, but it was better than nothing. I fell asleep sometime around three. I had a vague sense of a couple hours passing before I was swept into one of Adrian's dreams, back in the reception hall. â€Å"Finally,† he said. â€Å"I almost gave up checking in. I thought you were going to pull an all-nighter.† He'd stopped wearing his suit in these dreams, probably because I always showed up in jeans. Tonight he wore jeans also, along with a plain black T-shirt. â€Å"Me too.† I wrung my hands and began pacing here as well. The nervous energy from my waking self had carried over into the dream. â€Å"A lot of stuff's kind of happened tonight.† The dream felt real, solid. Adrian was sober. â€Å"Didn't you just get back? How much could've happened?† When I told him, he shook his head in amazement. â€Å"Man, Sage. It's all or nothing with you. Never a dull moment.† I came to a halt in front of him and leaned against a table. â€Å"I know, I know. Do you think I just made a huge mistake? God, maybe Marcus was right, and there was some compulsion forcing me to be loyal in the tattoo. I'm free for one hour and completely go over the edge with my superior.† â€Å"It sounds like you covered your tracks,† he said, though a small frown appeared on his face. â€Å"But I would be disappointed if they sent you somewhere less stressful. That seems like it might be the worst-case scenario from everything you said.† I started laughing, but it was the hysterical kind. â€Å"What in the world's happened to me? I was doing crazy stuff way before Marcus broke the tattoo tonight. Meeting with rebels, chasing evil sorceresses, even buying that dress! Yelling at Stanton is just one more thing on a long list of insanity. It's just like I said at Pies and Stuff: I don't know who I am anymore.† Adrian smiled and clasped my hands, taking a few steps toward me. â€Å"Well, first off, I'm the expert in insanity, and this is nothing. And as for who you are, you're the same beautiful, brave, and ridiculously smart caffeinated fighter you've been since the day I met you.† Finally, he put â€Å"beautiful† at the top of his list of adjectives. Not that I should have cared. â€Å"Sweet talker,† I scoffed. â€Å"You didn't know anything about me the first time we met.† â€Å"I knew you were beautiful,† he said. â€Å"I just hoped for the rest.† He always got this glint in his eyes when he complimented my looks, like he was seeing so much more than just my actual appearance. It was disorienting and heady . . . but I didn't mind. And that wasn't the only thing I suddenly found overwhelming. How had he gotten so close to me without me even realizing it? It was like he had secret stealth abilities. His hands were warm on mine, our fingers locked together. I still had remnants of that earlier joy within me, and being connected to him amplified those feelings. The green of his eyes was as lovely as usual, and I wondered if mine had the same effect on him. There was a little amber mixed with the brown that he had once said looked like gold. He's the only one who never tells me to do anything, I realized. Oh, sure, he asked me to do lots of things, often with cajoling and fast talking. But he made no demands on me, not like the Alchemists or Marcus. Even Jill and Angeline tended to preface their requests with, â€Å"You have to . . .† â€Å"Speaking of that dress,† he added, â€Å"I still haven't seen it.† I laughed softly. â€Å"You couldn't handle it.† He raised an eyebrow at that. â€Å"Is that a challenge, Sage? I can handle a lot.† â€Å"Not if our history is any indication. Each time I wear some moderately attractive dress, you lose it.† â€Å"That's not exactly true,† he said. â€Å"I lose it no matter what you're wearing. And that red dress was not ‘moderately attractive.' It was like a piece of heaven here on earth. A red, silky piece of heaven.† I should've rolled my eyes. I should've told him I wasn't here for his personal entertainment. But there was something in the way he was looking at me and something in the way I felt tonight that made me want to see his reaction. Breaking the tattoo hadn't affected anything between us, but it – and the deeds I'd done this weekend – had left me feeling bold. For the first time, I wanted to take a risk with him, despite my usual set of logical arguments. Besides, there was nothing dangerous in letting him look. I manipulated the dream the way he'd taught me. A few moments later, the lacy minidress replaced my jeans and blouse. I even summoned the heels, which bumped my height up. I was still nowhere near as tall as him, but the small boost brought our faces closer together. His eyes widened. Still holding my hands, he took a step back so that he could take in the whole look. There was almost something tangible to the way his gaze swept my body. I could practically feel every place it touched. By the time his eyes reached mine again, my breathing was heavy, and I was acutely aware that there really wasn't that much clothing between the two of us. Maybe there was something dangerous in letting him look after all. â€Å"A piece of heaven?† I managed to ask. He slowly shook his head. â€Å"No. The other place. The one I'm going to burn in for thinking what I'm thinking.† He'd moved toward me again. His hands released mine and moved to my waist, and I noticed I wasn't the only one breathing heavily. He pulled me to him, bringing our bodies together. The world was all heat and electricity, thick with tension that was only one spark away from exploding around us. I was balancing on another precipice, which wasn't easy to do in heels. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and this time I was the one who drew him closer. â€Å"Damn,† he murmured. â€Å"What?† I asked, never taking my eyes off his. He ran his hands over my hips. â€Å"I'm not supposed to kiss you.† â€Å"It's okay.† â€Å"What is?† â€Å"It's okay if I kiss you.† Adrian Ivashkov wasn't easy to surprise, but I surprised him then when I brought his mouth toward mine. I kissed him, and for a moment, he was too stunned to respond. That lasted for, oh, about a second. Then the intensity I'd come to know so well in him returned. He pushed me backward, lifting me so that I sat on the table. The tablecloth bunched up, knocking over some of the glasses. I heard what sounded like a china plate crash against the floor. Whatever logic and reason I normally possessed had melted away. There was nothing but flesh and fire left, and I wasn't going to lie to myself – at least not tonight. I wanted him. I arched my back, fully aware of how vulnerable that made me and that I was giving him an invitation. He accepted it and laid me back against the table, bringing his body down on top of mine. That crushing kiss of his moved from my mouth to the nape of my neck. He pushed down the edge of my dress and the bra strap underneath, exposing my shoulder and giving his lips more skin to conquer. A glass rolled off and smashed, soon followed by another. Adrian broke off his kissing, and I opened my eyes. He had an exasperated look on his face. â€Å"A table,† he said. â€Å"A goddamned table.† A few moments later, the table was gone. I was in his apartment, on his bed, and was glad that I no longer had silverware underneath me. With the venue change complete, his lips found mine again. The urgency in the way I responded surprised even me. I never would've thought myself capable of a feeling so primal, so removed from the reason that usually governed my actions. My nails dug into his back, and he trailed his lips down the edge of my chin, down the center of my neck. He kept going until he reached the bottom of the dress's V-neck. I let out a small gasp, and he kissed all around the neckline, just enough to tease. â€Å"Don't worry,† he murmured. â€Å"The dress stays on.† â€Å"Oh? Is that your decision to make?† â€Å"Yes,† he said. â€Å"You're not losing your virginity in a dream. If that's even possible. I don't want to deal with the philosophical side of it. And besides, there's no need to rush anyway. Sometimes it's worth lingering on the journey for a while before getting to the destination.† Metaphors. This was the cost of making out with an artist. I nearly said as much. Then his hand slid up my bare leg, and I was lost again. Maybe the dress was staying on, but he didn't mind taking liberties with it. That hand slipped under my dress, running along the side of my leg and up to my hip. I burned where he touched me, and everything within me became focused on that hand. It was moving far too slowly, and I grabbed it, ready to urge it on. Adrian chuckled and caught hold of my wrist, pulling my hand away and pinning it down against the covers. â€Å"Never thought I'd be the one slowing you down.† I opened my eyes and met his. â€Å"I'm a quick study.† All that burning and animal need within me must have shone through because he caught his breath and lost the smile. He released my wrist and cupped my face in his hands, bringing his face down only a whisper away from mine. â€Å"Good God, Sydney. You are – † The passion in his eyes turned to surprise, and he suddenly looked up. â€Å"What's wrong?† I asked, wondering if this was some weird part of â€Å"the journey.† He grimaced and began to fade away before my eyes. â€Å"You're being woken up.†