Disposal of Offal and Environmental Concerns Essay

People complain about the much slower disposal of offal and other animal waste thrown uncovered in the midst of residential areas after sacrificing of hundreds of thousands of animals by the citizens as the necessary ritual of Eid ul Azha. Such highly random throwing of animal waste could cause an outbreak of infectious diseases anytime in the overcrowded residential areas. Dwellers of various parts of the country had been pinning great hopes to the revival of town administrations, after the gap of a long time, for resolution of their long-pending municipal and civic problems, especially unattended piles of garbage nearby to densely populated residential areas, posing serious health hazards to their residents. Town administrations claim to have made effective arrangements for the removal of offal and cleanliness during Eid ul Azha. The concerned public quarters said that the sanitation and cleanliness situation had been a lot better in residential areas. In several instances, especially in far-flung areas, offal and other animal waste remained unattended in open grounds and alleys from dawn to dusk. In some brazen incidents, the stray dogs and scavenger birds were found tearing up and devouring upon these openly thrown pieces of offal and other parts of animal waste, creating serious health and civic problems. In some areas civic situation had been already pathetic with sewage overflowing on several of the major roads of city and with these scattered unattended offal and other parts of animal waste, the situation has been quite messy in the area with the passage of Eid ul Azha days. In several residential parts, people on self-help basis and privately hiring the services of sweepers disposed of offal and other animal waste and also undertook health preventive measures as till late evening there had been no disposal work by the town administration. Management practices -an overview: Appreciable practices: * Every town administration had designated its own offal collection and dumping points for proper disposal of offal and animal waste. These trenches for disposal of offal would be filled after the third day of Eid ul Azha. * Extensive insecticide fumigation and aroma spray carried out in residential areas to prevent the outbreak of contagious diseases and ameliorate the civic and sanitation situation in major residential areas of the city. * The management has failed to dispose of the intestines, offal and carcasses of sacrificial animals the jurisdiction during the Eid ul Azha. * A visit revealed that sanitary workers of the civic body did not bother to clean the areas of scattered entrails of the sacrificial animals, which were still lying along the main road. * The management before the Eid-ul-Azha had divided the city into zones for effective implementation of the action plan, especially prepared for cleanliness. * To keep the city clean and remove remains of the sacrificial animals cancellation of leaves of the Sanitation staff was announced to work round-the-clock in three shifts. * In many major cities the authorities made deep ditches for the proper disposal of the of offal and animal flashes while Lime powder also being sprinkled and applied to garbage trolleys and sacrificial places to avoid pollution and rush of birds. * The vehicles and staffers used by the Town administration for emergency duties for disposing of offal after sacrificing of animals, proved to be too less in numbers given the heavy volume of task. Malfunctioning of administration: * The inhabitants have been urging the administration high-ups to ensure cleanliness of the entire city on emergency basis to avoid nauseating odor and related problems. * It was also observed that in most parts of the capital city excluding posh areas people have not thrown the offal and other wastage of sacrificial animals at prescribed places. * The improper disposal of offal and wastes is not only polluting the environment but also disturbing the aerial traffic in the airspace near the airport. After the slaughtering of animals near railway tracks, the intestines, offal and other wastes need attention of the authorities to prevent people from spreading pollution in jurisdiction of airports and cant areas. * Birds pose a safety threat to airplanes, especially during landing and take-off. When birds strike an aircraft traveling at high speed, the impact can sometimes be dangerous. Despite Pakistan Air Force (PAF) awareness campaign before Eid, the locals as well as the municipal staff could not ensure quick and safe disposal of the remains of the sacrificial animals in the jurisdiction of the airport. * The surrounding area’s pollution attracted birds and causes problems to the pilot. The removal of dirty flashes and meet of animal from the sites of slaughtering centers is direly needed in order to avoid any misshape. * Some residents throwing the animals` waste into narrow drains, causing stringent smell in their locality. * Suburbs were specially ignored by the sanitary workers of the civic body where remains of the sacrificial animals had created serious problems for residents. The Irony: The reckless attitude of the local municipal administration and residents not caring for cleanliness could also cause diseases. There is severe need that municipal administration should ensure that the waste of each animal should be dumped in deep ditches to avoid pollution as well as rush of birds toward slaughtering sites in the city. Those people who violate law and leaving animal wastes on open surface of the earth must be charges with heavy fine to forces them to keep the environment clean. Measures to be taken: * A consolidated strategy should be adopted on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha for sanitary arrangements and disposal of offal of sacrificial animals. * Cleanliness is an article of faith and as a nation, it is a collective responsibility to keep the surroundings clean. * Cleanliness arrangements should be ensured on Eid as well as Taroo and Maroo at any cost and stern action should be taken against the persons burning â€Å"Siri Paays† (head and feet of sacrificial animals) on the roadsides as it causes environmental pollution. * The administrative officers and officials displaying negligence towards sanitary arrangements during Eid days will not be spared. * Ban on the sale and purchase of sacrificial animals in the city should be strictly implemented and this business should be carried out only at the points specified for this purpose. * A vigorous public awareness campaign should be launched for maintaining cleanliness during the Eid days and disposal of animals waste and the assembly members should personally supervise the Eid arrangements. * The Chief Minister directed that complaint cell regarding cleanliness arrangements should be activated and it should work round the clock to redress public complaints. * Modern technology should be utilized for the supervision of the sanitary staff and planning should be made for this purpose with the assistance of Information and Technology Board. * Volunteers should also be deputed for sanitary arrangements on the occasion of Eid. * Special bags should be given to the citizens for disposal of animal waste while special centers should also be established for the collection of offal from where it will be taken and destroyed at specific places in a proper manner. References: 1. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-4-140017-Slow-disposal-of-offal-irks-residents-in-many-areas 2. http://www.brecorder.com/general-news/172/1252726/

The events that occurred in Derry on January 30th 1972 became known as Bloody Sunday

The events that occurred in Derry on January 30th 1972 became known as Bloody Sunday. Why have these events produced such different historical interpretations? The straightforward answer is because at present historians do not know precisely what happened on Bloody Sunday. The basic facts are clear. These are that on 30 January NICRA (Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association) planned to hold a civil rights march in Londonderry to protest against Internment (the imprisonment of suspected terrorists without a trial.) British troops opened fire, killing thirteen people and wounding several more. However there are many different interpretations of who started the violence and who was to blame for the events of Bloody Sunday. The Northern Ireland government had banned all such marches, the year before, but the marchers were determined to go ahead anyway. Besides, few Catholics took much notice any longer of the Northern Ireland government. The marchers were unarmed, but when they reached barricades that had been put up by the army to stop them leaving the Bog side, they began to throw stones and shout insults at the soldiers. Snatch squads were sent in to arrest troublemakers, but shooting broke out. Afterwards the soldiers claimed that they had come under fire from flats alongside the road, but the marchers claimed that the soldiers had opened fire first. Thirteen marchers were killed and another thirteen were injured. Each side blamed the other for the disaster. The soldiers claimed that the IRA, which had used the march as a means of provoking a response, fired them on first. Catholics believed that the army had deliberately attacked the marchers. Source C supports that view because it tells of soldiers being heard before Bloody Sunday, talking about â€Å"clearing the bog†, which is referring to Derry's bog side. However the source also shows that the information could be unreliable as it took place in a pub and could just be hearsay. The Republicans of Northern Ireland are seen by some to be determined to humiliate the British authorities by demanding an independent investigation, which is still on going today. Until recently, the British Government has always accepted the view of the British Army, shown in the ‘Widgery Report', that its soldiers had simply fired in self-defence after being fired at by IRA gunmen. Nationalists claim that the British soldiers were unprovoked and opened fire either in response to some imaginary threat or, as a deliberate act of violence The two sides give a different view because of who they are and what they want. The only known truth is that the British government sent troops to Northern Ireland to control the violence between Protestants and Catholics. Whether they did that or not, once in Northern Ireland, the British army quickly became a target for IRA rebel attacks. It therefore was appropriate for the British authorities to support the accounts of the soldiers policing the march who claimed they acted in self-defence. They viewed themselves as ‘carrying out their duties as a peacekeeping force', and blame the IRA terrorists, who had already carried out many attacks on the Ulster Constabulary and British Army in Northern Ireland. Nationalists, especially Sinn Fein and the IRA, regarded the British Army as an Army of ‘occupation'. In their view, the British Army's presence in Ireland was itself an act of aggression so in their eyes the Nationalist community had every right to protest against it. Their interpretation of Bloody Sunday is that the soldiers' response to the marchers was the act of an aggressive invasion force trying to put down legal protest against an illegal occupation of Ireland. It reflects their view that Republicans were not simply terrorists, but occupied in a justifiable armed struggle against British aggression. In the Widgery report the government claimed, † Each soldier was his own judge of whether he had identified a gunman.† A Catholic priest at the scene claimed that he saw no one shooting at troops. He claimed that he saw the British Army shoot without selecting targets, â€Å"it was a massacre.† Due to his religious tendency one would expect him not to make up such a statement, however someone writing a report concluding the true actions of Bloody Sunday would have to question the priest's reliability, because like many others present at Bloody Sunday there is the possibility of a one sided or biased view. The report went onto state â€Å"some soldiers showed high degrees of responsibility, [some] firing bordered at the reckless.† Part of Source A supports the military claim that soldiers simply responded when they came under fire. One former soldier stated how the so-called new evidence was being brought up, but the nail bombs and acid bombs he claimed were used against them were not mentioned. He made a valid point that thousands of people had been on the streets of Derry that day, and that if they had been firing so indiscriminately as people have said, then why were there no women and children killed? Several prominent Nationalists were at the scene and claim to be eyewitnesses to the British army's aggression, but it is questionable as to whether their version of events can be trusted without independent evidence. Source K for example reflects the idea of the soldiers shooting everywhere around them without any provocation. The paratrooper responsible for shooting Damien Donaghy, stated he had â€Å"intended to shoot dead† a man he was â€Å"convinced was a nail bomber.† However he admitted he â€Å"could have shot the wrong man† or that one of the shots he had fired hit Mr. Donaghy â€Å"by accident†. Damien Donaghy, 15 at the time of Bloody Sunday's events, denies that he was carrying any nail bombs or other weapons, but was without doubt shot in the thigh in Derry's bog side during the civil rights march on the day soldiers shot dead 13 Catholic men and boys who were said to be unarmed. Source B supports his view as it weakens claims about supposed nail and acid bombs being used, due to new forensic evidence suggesting that the Widgery reports findings could have been caused by contamination such as emissions from car exhausts. When two groups oppose each other, interpretations are bound to differ, however another cause for the difference in interpretation is that because Bloody Sunday happened 31 years ago, all the buildings are different now and the place itself cannot be used as evidence to support either side's statements. Source I is therefore an example of a valid piece of evidence as it shows a reconstruction of Derry's bog side and can portray the bog side as it was, which is needed to support peoples accounts. Interpretations may differ because people hear, see and experience things differently and so for example a gun being fired by a soldier could have triggered other soldiers to open fire if they had cause to believe it was a civilian or member of the IRA. Currently, the only people who know the truth are those who carried and used weapons on that terrible day and their commanders, both British Army officers, possibly acting on the orders of the British government, or the IRA leadership. This is why the â€Å"Saville Inquiry† has been set up by the British government as part of the current peace process to try to find out the truth behind Bloody Sunday.

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 11

Marketing - Essay Example Examples of costumer information for this hand-held computer company are; i. Businesses have a mix of bad, good and best customers in the market. Market information helps to distinguish between these groups of people and finally come with a strategy that is applicable to all. For a company, dealing with hand-held computer games, the information needed in the market will consider; ii. Customer preference-Since there are many varieties of computer games, the researcher will specifically look for what is being enjoyed most by the customers. If it is racing or action backed gaming, then the company should dwell more on that line iii. Customer age-just to be sure what ages of the customers are attracted to the products, it is important to know the exact ages of the group Computer gaming is common among the young people and it would be clear if the company knows the clear age bracket for technical and regulation purposes. iv. Customers’ location- the geographic location of the customer is important especially where the company is going global. Issues of culture, social behaviors and economic communication processes will be very important. Exporting products (electronic-computer related) to the Antarctic will need technical considerations on terms such as climatic and transportation costs. v. Consumer education- computer games are electronically developed and needs a lot of skills if not knowledge to master and enjoy the game. It would be very impractical for the company to market such products in remote parts of Kenya where even electric power is a nightmare let alone availability of computers. vi. Occupation of costumers-very busy customers will find little time for computer games. It is therefore important that the company seeks to find out targets that are keen to having computer games for leisure. vii. Purchasing power- a company cannot just sells the products

Network Foundation within Office Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Network Foundation within Office - Assignment Example This essay explores the software application purchase. General application software can be Microsoft Office 2010 as it includes wax viewer, work processing software, presentation software, and spreadsheet software etc. Microsoft application software comes with authorized registration that will allow different features for quick office use. Wi-Fi connections are very important but with the advanced smartphones, office work can be accessible. Smartphones with IOS technology such as HTC phones, Nokia, and iPhone etc. can be used as backup computers to stay connected to the main office server. Internet connectivity is also allowed by the telecom subscriptions available with the phones. Installation of computers, application software,  and antivirus can be installed and maintained by the company from where the computers will be purchased. These computers will be under guarantee. Also, automatic updates can be installed by the computers because it is an easy and two-step process.

World Bank- Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

World Bank- Globalization - Essay Example It grants aids and loans to the underdeveloped world, funds the provision of infrastructure to poor countries and strives to improve the health, food, education, and sanitation facilities around the globe. This implies that it is an institution coming across with a heterogeneous range of cultures, societies and environments in its every single operation. It requires thoughtful management and leadership roles to deal with such delicate issues upon which its success rests. Hence, the study attempts to illustrate globalization and the issues associated with the term in the practical sense. It will encompass in fine depth the challenges encountered by the global business activities through cultural, social and environmental dynamics. It will be accompanied with a thorough analysis of the management and leadership theories for cross cultural business activities particularly in the context of World Bank's operations. It will provide a fair understanding of the issues concerning the global business activities and the management caliber required to deal with those accordingly. The term 'globalization' has been illuminated by several authors through different words and perspectives such as Daly (1999), Ohmae (1995), Harvey (1996), Dicken (1998) and Brown (1992) etc. According to Ohmae (1995), globalization refers to eradication of all the obstacles coming in the way of social and commercial interaction. This explanation of the term 'globalization' associates it with all the activities that are undertaken to liberate the social and business exchange of information. In other words, globalization takes place when all the barriers to exchange between different nations are obliterated altogether. Brown (1992, p123) describes globalization as the reciprocal link "between overlapping interests of business and society". Under this perception, globalization refers to the connection between the commercial and social concerns when they come to exist together. Daly (1990, p1) illustrates the term more comprehensively as, "Globalization refers to global economic integration of many formerly national economies into one global economy, mainly by free trade and free capital mobility, but also by easy or uncontrolled migration". This illustration of the term broadly relates to the modern view of 'globalization', which combines together the world economies into one 'global village' through free flow of commerce, capital and people from one country to another. Globalization that is concerned in this study is the concept underlying the activities of an organization or institution spread over a global scale. It is compelled to encounter various challenges during the course of its operation owing to the diversity demonstrated in human beliefs, values and performance across the globe. World Bank is a major contributor to globalization. It performs its activities across the globe and exerts efforts to promote the prevalence of globalization. It is the short name for "The World Bank Group" and is formed with several international institutions most conspicuously, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), serving the governments through the provision of loans, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), striving for the promotion of private sector within nations. As indicated

Jean-Jacques Rousseau Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Jean-Jacques Rousseau - Essay Example Natural inequality involves differences between one man's strength or intelligence and that of another - it is a product of nature. Rousseau is not concerned with this type of inequality and wishes to investigate moral inequality. He argues this inequality is endemic to a civil society and relates and causes differences in power and wealth. This type of inequality is established by convention. Rousseau appears to take a cynical view of civil society, and refers to times before the current state of civil society, when man was closer to his natural state, as happier times for man. To Rousseau, civil society is a trick perpetrated by the powerful on the weak in order to maintain their power or wealth. But this is Rousseau's end product. He begins his discussion with an analysis of a natural man who has not yet acquired language or abstract thought. Rousseau's natural man possesses a few qualities that allow him to distinguish himself from the animals over a long period of time. Of extreme importance is man's ability to choose, what Rousseau refers to as the "free-agency" that differentiates him from other animals. Man's ability to refuse instinct pushes him along the path out of his natural state. In addition, Rousseau argues that "another principle which has escaped Hobbes" is man's compassion. This quality of man also motivates him to interact. And finally, man possesses the quality of "perfectibility" which allows him to improve his surroundings. Man's contact with other men leads him to develop "amour propre" which is in a sense a "moral me" that creates concern for how others perceive him. Amour proper has four consequences: (1) competition, (2) self-comparison with others, (3) hatred, and (4) urge for power. These all lead to Rousseau's cynical civil society. But amour proper already suggests a significant step out of th e state of nature (http://www.radicalacademy.com). Perhaps Rousseau's most important work is The Social Contract, which outlines the basis for a legitimate political order. Published in 1762 it became one of the most influential works of abstract political thought in the Western tradition. Building on his earlier work, such as the Discourse on Inequality, Rousseau claimed that the state of nature eventually degenerates into a brutish condition without law or morality, at which point the human race must adopt institutions of law or perish. In the degenerate phase of the state of nature, man is prone to be in frequent competition with his fellow men while at the same time becoming increasingly dependent on them. This double pressure threatens both his survival and his freedom. According to Rousseau, by joining together through the social contract and abandoning their claims of natural right, individuals can both preserve themselves and remain free. This is because submission to the authority of the general will of the people as a whole guarantees individuals against being subordinated to the wills of others and also ensures that they obey themselves because they are, collectively, the authors of the law. In the words of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the general will is different from the will of all; the general will considered the common interest, while the will of all considered the private interest, a sum of

Philosophy High School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Philosophy High School - Essay Example This is usually translated as the Way. But it's hard to say exactly what this means. The Tao is the ultimate creative principle of the universe. All things are unified and connected in The Tao. Taoism is a religion of unity and opposites; Yin and Yang. The principle of Yin Yang sees the world as filled with complementary forces - action and non-action, light and dark, hot and cold, and so on.3 The common view of Daoism is that it encourages people to live with detachment and calm, resting in non-action and smiling at the vicissitudes of the world. Contrary to this common view, Daoists through the ages have developed various forms of community and proposed numerous sets of behavioral guidelines and texts on ethical considerations. Beyond the ancient philosophers, who are well-known for the moral dimension of their teachings, religious Daoist rules cover both ethics, i.e., the personal values of the individual, and morality, i.e., the communal norms and social values of the organization. They range from basic moral rules against killing, stealing, lying, and sexual misconduct through suggestions for altruistic thinking and models of social interaction to behavioral details on how to bow, eat, and wash, as well as to the unfolding of universal ethics that teach people to think like the Dao itself. About eighty texts in the Daoist canon and its supplements describe such guide lines and present the ethical and communal principles of the Daoist religion. They document just to what degree Daoist realization is based on how one lives one's life in interaction with the community-family, religious group, monastery, state, and cosmos. Ethics and morality, as well as the creation of community, emerge as central in the Daoist religion. Livia Kohn, Cosmos and Community Taoist ethics are concerned less with doing good acts than becoming a good person who lives in harmony with all things and people.4 Taoist ethics are inseparable from Taoist spirituality - both contain the same ideas. If a Taoist wants to live well they should take all their decisions in the context of the Tao, trying to see what will fit best with the natural order of things. Taoists thus always do what is required by events and their context, but they only do what is required, no more. But what is required may be a lot less than modern Westerners think: From the perspective of classical Taoism, Western humanism makes the mistake of assuming that the ability to intervene in life's events translates into a moral duty to do so. The constant and unmistakable teaching of the Tao Te Ching is that humans are indeed capable of intervening in life's events, but the evidence of life, which humans constantly ignore, is that such intervention is destructive to all involved, and that we therefore have a moral duty to refrain from taking such actions. Russell Kirkland, Responsible non-action in a natural world So, in theory at least, Taoists tend not to initiate action - but wait for events to make action necessary - and avoid letting their own desires and compulsions push them into doing things. In practice Taoism recommends the same sorts of moral behavior to its followers as other religions. It disapproves of killing, stealing

Reflective Writing Assignments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reflective Writing Assignments - Essay Example However, there should be a limit to the free will since it can be disastrous at times (Campbell 9). A world without free will but with only good things happening is an incomplete world. This is because free will is an important component of life, and thus without it life can be sometimes unbearable. Conversely, a world where the presence of free will leads to occurrence of bad things is not good either. This is because people misuse the free will accorded to perform evil actions that may sometimes end up being disastrous (Campbell 13). This is because everyone perceives free will as the right to behave or do things that only pleases without considering the impact of such actions to fellow human beings. However, when comparing the two scenarios, it is better for one to live in a world without free will but has good things happening to him rather than live in a world with free will but the freedom makes him do evil things that at times prove disastrous. A world without free will is goo d since even though a person is denied the freedom of choice, he is not exposed to bad things associated with free will. For instance, a person can live without free will but he is properly treated and therefore, exposed to good things. This is because the person is only denied freedom of choice while accorded other good things of life, which might make life more bearable. This is true since at times the presence of free will exposes an individual to bad things; for instance, freedom of choice might lead a person to make wrong decisions with grave consequences (Campbell 18). Consequently, a world with free will is not good and forms a dangerous place since the freedom makes an individual perform evil actions. Thus, the free will leads to the occurrence of bad things with grave consequences. For instance, a world where each person is permitted to kill, maim, or even oppress one another is a bad place to live in since life becomes unbearable. In such world, people become revengeful an d so evil because there is no law or person dictating the free will. Therefore, since no human being prefers facing or experiencing bad things in life, it is better to live in a world with lots of good things but without free will. This is because there is more suffering in a world with free will since every person does what pleases him or her without considering the consequences of such action to other people within the surroundings (Campbell 25). For instance, in a world without freedom, an individual might decide to play booming music late in the night without considering the unnecessary noise and inconveniences caused to the sleepy neighbors. In a retaliatory attack, the neighbors might decide to attack and severely beat him since there is no law restricting them from doing such an action. From the two scenarios, it is clear that although free will is important in the world, too much of it is so dangerous since it can lead to the occurrence of bad things. Due to such scenarios, it is better to live in a world where freedom is restricted to avoid occurrence of bad things attributed to the free will. At least such a world will have minimal records of bad things occurring and this will make life at least bearable and enjoyable. (634 words) Q2. Is it okay to spend one being in order to save one thousand human beings? Is it okay to assassinate one human being in order to save one thousand human beings? Is it okay to draw up a battle plan that deliberately costs the lives of

US Marine Corps Combined Action Program in South Vietnam Article

US Marine Corps Combined Action Program in South Vietnam - Article Example From this paper it is clear that  the configuration of a village defense platoon is arrived upon combining a Marine squad with indigenous forces.This proved very effective in thwarting enemy forces security at the village level. CAP, which was first implemented during operations in South Vietnam, has withstood the test of time. Although there is no comprehensive statistical evidence to prove its effectiveness, first hand observations of military officers and subjective evaluations have assented to its utility. The successes met by American troops in later wars in regions such as Haiti, Bosnia, Somalia, etc, underscore CAP-style organization’s relevance and usefulness.This study outlines that  the CAP was a natural extension of the martial traditions that the US Marines excelled in. The US Marines have long understood how pacification of locals and subsequent co-option to their cause drastically improves chances of success. A robust training program for the local recruits a nd provisions for their security greatly helped with administration of localities. The validity of the CAP concept is attested by its successful implementation in war experiences in Haiti, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, etc during the last two centuries. CAP-style organization is especially applicable in regions where the opposition employs guerrilla warfare tactics.   In this sense, the CAP concept can be construed as counter-guerrilla warfare.... The CAP organized the hamlet defense and lived in the hamlet on a 24-hour basis. Besides hamlet security, â€Å"CAP teams provided the villagers medical care and assistance with hygiene and disease related problems. CAP teams also built simple structures and roads and conducted a variety of other civic projects aimed at helping the people. The Marine pacification program was successful in screening the people from the VC and in large part insulating them from some of the corruption and abuses of the GVN.† (Clark, 1990, p. 115) One of the early demonstrations of CAP’s organization and operation was witnessed in August of 1965 in the Vietnam theatre. The unit assembled from 3rd Battalion of 4th Marines is a case in point. Led by Lt. Col. William W. Taylor in the Phu Bai area, the unit’s Tactical Area of Responsibility (TAOR) covered half a dozen villages plus an airfield. Under pressure from enemy retaliation and realizing how thinly spread his personnel are across the terrain, the Colonel’s executive officer forwarded a plan to include members of the local militia into the 3/4 unit’s operations. After going up the ranks for evaluation and approval, the suggestion was finally assented by major General Lew Walt and Lieutenant General Victor Krulak. They foresaw how this concept could prove to be a force multiplier. It was upon their approval that General Nguyen Van Chuan of the local militia (Army of the Republic of Vietnam - ARVN) agreed to the co-operative arrangement. General Chuan gave General Walt control of local platoons in the Phu Bai jurisdiction. The results of the Phu Bai experiment encouraged further trials. The Marines instilled a combative, offensive spirit in their counterparts and gave the militia a

Stages of Development Essay Example for Free

Stages of Development Essay Thus, he or she is â€Å"challenged† to identify which skills he or she lacks to reflect upon how to improve his or her thinking †¢ Stage Three: The Beginning Thinker wherein the individual is already taking steps to improve upon and understand his or her thinking. He or she is aware that improving his or her thinking is not just a necessity but a commitment †¢ Stage Four: The Practicing Thinker wherein the individual is not only taking the necessary steps to create a systematic way of thinking but he or she also criticizes if indeed the system is working. Self-reflection becomes a habit for the practicing thinker. †¢ Stage Five: The Advanced Thinker wherein the acquired system of thinking starts to pay off for the individual, gaining for him or her a deeper understanding of problems and better insight on the difference of egocentic and sociocentric thought †¢ Stage Six: The Master Thinker wherein the individual now has a fully integrated system of understanding and monitoring of thinking, that critical thinking is now intuitive. Master thinkers not only practice but are actively seeking ways to improve their thinking, exhibiting a deep commitment to the development of their consciousness Comparing the characteristics of each stage to his experiences, the writer concludes that he is at the Stage Three of Development Thinking. Since the writer has been exposed to different situations, people and philosphies, he is in the stage of seeking out his own system of thinking. Like a sift under a steady stream of sand, the writer opens himself up to a myriad of opinions, concepts and philosophies and tries to apply different aspects of these into his own consciousness. The Evolution of I I would like to think of myself as a rational thinker. In decision making, I seldom rush into actions without first analyzing each aspect of the problem at hand. I give weight to opinions, treating them as important factors in my reflections. However, I have the tendency to overthink things. My mind is sometimes deluged with so much advice and points of view that I sometimes lose my own thinking about issues. When this happens, I usually end up pleasing all sides and almost always regretting the decision. I have tried to create my own system of thinking which will aid me in decision making. My academic experience has been a rich source of these different systems since I am exposed to a myriad of individuals, each with his or her own unique thinking. In converstaions with friends, I would always probe their own systems of thinking in the hope of finding useful strategies to further my own system. One of the most common strategies that I have discovered is the technique of listing down the strengths and weaknesses or the pros and cons of each decision. I have adopted this technique and it is in this frame that I usually tackle problems. Although I have found it time consuming, listing down the differences between decisions gives me a clearer picture of their consequences. One instance of my application of this technique also happened in school. I was given a choice between which group to join for a final project in an English class. I could either join a group where the members were most of my friends or another group where all the members were merely acquiantances. My first reaction was to go with my friends since I was sure that I would enjoy doing the project. However, my subconscious implored me not to be rash and that was when I applied the pros and cons technique.

Evolutionary Roots of Deception: Book Review

Evolutionary Roots of Deception: Book Review Loredana Lenghel Deception – Evolution’s Hidden Agenda â€Å"Deceit is the Cinderella of human nature† (2004, p.2) says David Livingstone Smith in his book â€Å"Why We Lie, The Evolutionary Roots of Deception and the Unconscious Mind†. The author tries to show, through several examples and intriguing connections, that lying is an evolutionary adaptation which allowed the human species to thrive. He argues that â€Å"Deceit () is essential to humanity but disowned by perpetrators at every turn† (2004, p.2). The book proves to be an ambitious try at showing that deception is an intrinsic part of cognition; that it comes naturally to all humans. Even more spectacular is his try to convince us that deception is controlled by the unconscious mind, thus allowing for self-manipulation. For this purpose, Smith uses The Machiavellian Mind Theory arguing that humans’ extra Intelligence allows them to overcome primal needs, thus being advantageous for social manipulation. The author’s aim is to convince the reader that manipulation plays a central role in the evolution of humans. He argues that in order for our ancestors to thrive in the ever developing social context and increase their fitness, they were required to come up with ways to mediate social encounters. He starts by showing that everyone is a â€Å"natural-born liar†. From baby monkeys to human infants, from religious myths to children stories, lying is ubiquitous and a part of all cultures. Smith argues that lying does not resume to just words, people also lie with their bodies and actions. Even more intriguing, lying is not always aimed at someone else. He proposes that â€Å"we are equally adept at deceiving ourselves† (2004, p.21). The unconscious is actively trying to conceal information from us through the process of self-deception; an idea not unique to Smith (Chance et al., 2011; Hippel Trivers, 2001). He continues to show that not only humans are â€Å"manipu lators and mind readers†. He gives examples of deception from the animal sphere, from camouflage and mimicry to more sophisticated ways of deception, such as language, he argues that these are proof that deception is an evolutionary advantage. Mind reading, an organism’s ability to predict another’s behaviour, increases its chances of survival, thus acting as an adaptation. It is the driving force behind evolution because â€Å"Mind reading facilitates deception, and deception encourages mind reading† (2004, p.35). In â€Å"The Evolution of Machiavelli† he elaborates on the roots of deception and self-deception. He argues that deception was used by our ancestors to conceal their true intentions. The ones that were superior in this aspect had an edge over others. He presents Nick Humphrey’s papers in which he argues that the race between the best deceiver and the best mind-reader was what gave birth to human intelligence, allowing them to manage the increasing social complexity. This hypothesis is supported by others, who, by looking at the neocortex’s size, brain part involved in relationship mediation, found evidence in support for the social intellect theory (Dunbar, 1992). They argued that the ratio of the neocortex volume is the best predictor of group size. Moreover, Orbell et al. argued that Machiavellian intelligence could have evolved alongside cooperation (Orbell et al., 2004). This idea raises the question whether, as Smith said, unconscious deception would be eve n more beneficial for cooperation and the increase of the human species. His next chapter builds on the idea that self-deception is possible due human mind’s division into unconscious and conscious regions. He argues that the time between the unconscious awareness and conscious perception is what allows the Machiavellian module to act and distort the information. He supports Freud’s idea that â€Å"consciousness had no role in mental processing† (2004, p.97). To portray this intriguing proposition of self-deception being an adaptation, Smith used a creative analogy. He argued that humans are constantly part of a game of â€Å"social poker†. In order to win it, one needs to anticipate the other player’s move by using the mechanisms of deception and mind-reading. To improve their own strategy and avoid being foreseeable, the mechanism of self-deception became an adaptive advantage. By believing the lie themselves, other players could not predict their moves. This analogy shows the benefits of self-deception. That being sai d, some argue that even though there might be short-term psychological benefits, self-deception can come with long-term costs, such as an inaccurate prediction of future performance (Chance et al., 2011) or loss of information integrity which can result in inappropriate action (Hippel Trivers, 2011). The device that allowed for this to happen, he says, was the evolution of language, which ushered the struggle between deception and detection. Language offered an advantage in the social poker game, giving more chances of success to those with this skill. In his view, social exchanges are monitored by the unconscious Machiavellian mind. This module is sensitive to both the conscious and unconscious cues of others because it is the Machiavellian module itself who communicates through unconscious verbal insinuations. He argues that this idea is â€Å"less bizarre than it might at appear† (2004, p.121). Coded communication might have evolved due to the language’s initial purpose, gossip. Concealing information from third parties and exchanging confidences through cheap gossip allowed for secret alliances and a favoured position in the social circle. He affirms that â€Å"For our species, all roads lead to self-deception and thus to unconscious communication† (2004, p.147). At a first look online, it is noticeable that only with the title this book has stirred some controversy. Commentaries stating that the book â€Å"got them hooked† from the beginning were prevailing. The book was generally regarded as an interesting read, but not a piece of strong evidence for its propositions. Pinker (2010) did not view it as an attempt to persuade readers, but rather, as an attempt to recruit researchers into conducting studies to test the theory’s value. Others regarded the book as highly speculative without even considering the â€Å"obvious counterarguments† (Sager, 2004). Sager argued that not even the speculations seem plausible, thus begging the question whether they could even lead to anything more. Dickins (2005), although being less critical, agrees with the general argument that the connection made between the unconscious and deception is questionable. In conclusion, Smith’s book presented itself as a worthwhile read. First catching my attention by not completely disregarding Freud’s theories, and then using it to stir controversy upon human integrity, it undoubtedly offered some food for thought. Even though converting readers into believers of its cause is improbable, the book will make them critically analyse their interactions and looks for the smallest hints of (self)deception. The style of writing and creativity in portraying ideas were an additional bonus to the book’s appeal, raising interest in Smith’s other works. Bibliography Chance, Z., Norton, M. I., Gino, F., Ariely, D. (2011). Temporal View of the Costs and Benefits of Self-Deception. PNAS, 15655-15659. Dickins, T. E. (2005). A Necessary Pain in the Heart. Retrieved March 02, 2014, from Human Nature. Dunbar, R. I. (1992). Neocortex Size as Constraint on Group Size in Primates. Journal of Human Evolution, 469-493. Hippel, W. v., Trivers, R. (2011). The Evolution and Psychology of Self-Deception. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 1-56. Orbell, J., Morikawa, T., Hartwig, J., Hanley, J., Allen, N. (2004). Machiavellian Intelligence as a Basis for the Evolution of Cooperative Dispositions. American Political Science Review, 1-15. Pinker, S. (2010). The Cognitive Niche: Coeolution of intelligence, sociality, and language. PNAS, 8993-8999. Sager, A. (2004). Review Why We Lie The Evolutionary Roots of Deception and the Unconscious Mind . Retrieved March 02, 2014, from Metapsychology: http://metapsychology.mentalhelp.net/poc/view doc.php?type=bookid=2262 Smith, D. L. (2004). Why We Lie The Evolutionary Roots of Deception and the Unconscious Mind. New York: St. Martins Griffin.

Mother and Daughter Relationships Exposed in Amy Tans The Joy Luck Clu

Relationships Between Mothers and Daughters Exposed in The Joy Luck Club  Ã‚        Ã‚  Ã‚   Amy Tan's novel, The Joy Luck Club is one that is truly amazing and a joy to read. There are a number of issues at work in the novel, the most obvious one is the exploration of relationships between mothers and daughters. Unfortunately, for these four sets of mothers and daughters, there is not only a generational gap between them, but a cultural one as well. Tan reveals these rifts, and their love for one another, in much the same way William Faulkner or Toni Morrison let us glimpse their characters lives instead of telling us their stories. This quality, along with the important generational/cultural gap make this somewhat autobiographical work of fiction one that people will be reading for years to come. In the second half of this century, it has become important for people to explore and get back in touch with their culture. We see the result of this in the popularity of writers such as Morrison and Tan. What makes Tan's work important is that it is not just for Asia n-American people, but that people of all ethnicities can enjoy it, finding pieces of themselves within. Also, I think this work helps bring a greater understanding of the Chinese culture, for both Asian-Americans and non-Asian people. And what could be better than that? While Tan is a creative and talented author in her own right, there are writers that have come before who have kind of paved the way for writers such as Tan through their own writing. Faulkner is one such writer, who focused many of his novels such as The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying, on the family dynamic and are examples of books that have been written in a "decentered, multiple monologue mode" (S... ...n Writers. Ed. Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1997. 85-7. Schell, Orville. Critical Extract. Asian-American Women Writers. Ed. Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1997. 82-3. Shear, Walter. "Generational differences and the diaspora in The Joy Luck Club." Women Writers. 34.3 (Spring 1993): 193. Expanded Academic Index. Souris, Stephen. "'Only Two Kinds of Daughters:'" Inter- Monologue Dialogicity in The Joy Luck Club." Melus 19.2 (Summer 1994):99-123. Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. New York: Ivy Books, 1989. Willard, Nancy. Critical Extract. Asian-American Women Writers. Ed. Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 1997. 84-5. Xu, Ben. "Memory and the Ethnic Self: Reading Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club." Melus 19.1 (Spring 1994): 3-17.   

Old Leisure - Literary Devices :: essays research papers

History has seen advancements in technology, philosophy, and industry, all of which radically changed the lives of those witnessing such developments. Slower, more relaxed lifestyles have given way to lifestyles of a faster paced nature. George Eliot describes her preference for the leisure of the past, conveying the message that the rushed leisure of her time is hardly leisure at all. She accomplishes this by using several stylistic devices, including personification, imagery, and diction. The most obvious stylistic device used by Eliot is that of personification. She uses this device to create two people from her thoughts on old and new leisure. The fist person is New Leisure, who we can infer to be part of the growth of industry in the 19th century. He is eager and interested in science, politics, and philosophy. He reads exciting novels and leads a hurried life, attempting to do many things at once. Such characteristics help us to create an image of New Leisure as Eliot sees him. Old Leisure is quite contrasting to New Leisure. Being a stout country squire of the 18th century, he is laid back, simple minded, well fed, and financially well off. He reads but one newspaper and favors Sunday services that "allow him to sleep." "He never went to Exeter Hall, or heard a popular preacher, or read Tracts for the Times or Sartor Resartus." He is not bothered by his "inability to know the causes of things" and sleeps "the sleep of the irresponsible." Eliot describes Old Leisure more than New Leisure because today's readers are familiar enough with living a life as hurried and fast paced as New Leisure's. Her description of Old Leisure is nostalgic of a slower paced way of life. While Eliot uses human characteristics and actions to describe Old and New Leisure, she also creates images of both personages to further depict their contrasting lifestyles. The images of Old Leisure include him "scenting the apricots when they were warmed by the morning sunshine." They also depict portraits of life in Old Leisure's era as "slow waggons," "spinning wheels," and "pedlars, who brought bargains to the door on a sunny afternoon." They also tell of how Old Leisure "fingered the guineas in his pocket" and was "fond of sauntering by the fruit-tree wall." New Leisure, on the other hand, does not live in a world where such images are present. He is ""prone to cursory peeps through microscopes" and is "prone to excursion- trains, art museums, periodical literature, and exciting novels.

Bowens Family Systems :: Psychology

The purpose of this paper is to explain using Bowen's family systems framework, how an individual's level of differentiation and anxiety influence family relationships and strengths. Bowen's family systems theory addresses how patterns of interaction in the family of origin influence a couple's interaction in the next generation with their children. Bowen describes the differences in family functioning, by the degree of anxiety or the degree of differentiation within the family. Bowen's definition of differentiation of self as a persons ability to differentiate intellectual functioning ( thinking ), from feelings. The level of differentiation of self is determined in the family of origin. When an individual has an increased level of differentiation, he has a clear sense of his own identity. A person's intellectual functioning helps behavior to be rational, less impulsive, more independent and autonomous. These individuals have good problem solving techniques, and are less influenced by others. As differentiation of self increases, levels of anxiety decrease. As anxiety goes up, differentiation goes down. A child's differentiation of self develops around an emotional system. With a high level of anxiety, functioning is impulsive, rather than rational. Individuals with a low level of differentiation, develop dependent and emotionally fused relationships. These individuals are more dependent on others. Their sense of self is clouded, and they don't develop a clear identity. Their feelings and thoughts are fused, and they express a pseudoself rather than their true opinions. Families whose members have increased levels of differentiation and decreased levels of anxiety, they will be rational and cognitive in their ways of relating to other family members, and more effective with problem solving skills. They will try to clearly communicate their views or beliefs. They will have healthier relationships. An individual with an increased level of differentiated self , will allow their child to be their own person, and express himself openly. This leads to a well adjusted independent adolescent, with flexible problem solving skills, and an increased level of goal orientation. Families with decreased levels of differentiation and increased anxiety with in the

Education For All Essay

Introduction There is so many reasons and so many ways that education can benefit people all around the world. It is stated that schooling for 1 year can increase one person’s income up to 10%, and that is only with 1 year of education!. Education makes people healthier by arming them with knowledge that they can use in their daily lives to protect themselves with, so that they can know how to clean and take care of themselves better. It also saves more children because educated mothers know how to take care of their children better since babies are fragile and very hard to take care of and will  decrease the children mortality rate. Education also teaches people female rights that are often ignored in poorer parts of the world because they have a different view of women. With education women will know their own rights and stand up for themselves instead of doing nothing. Having education for all people around the world is very important because it is the tool to combat poverty. Education will surely decrease poverty all around the world if there was education for everyone, that is not just my opinion, there are so many facts that prove that education will help people in need. Global Perspectives  Governments all around the world has been onto education for all, realizing how important it is to everyone because it can improve the world by a lot, so they decided to set up 6 goals that are related to education for all. These goals will help get the people in poverty basic education that they deserve. These goals will hopefully bring decrease poverty and hunger around the world. Those 6 goals will increase childhood care and also expand on childhood education. They also aim towards providing mandatory primary education for everyone so that everyone has basic education to arm themselves with. The goals will also push for learning life skills for everyone so that more people will be more willing to learn. Increasing adult literacy is also part of the agenda in the education for all goals. Improving the quality of education is one of the aims because there is no use having education for everyone if the quality of education is really low. I think that these goals are all really good goals to follow and if all the government stick to the goals and all the goals get achieved, there will be no more poverty because of education! National/Regional In China, Shanghai tried to give more access to all students and more support for  students that are failing or finding education hard. Shanghai aims to reduce the work that students have to do so that they can do better a school environment, and also create better preschool education to make sure students will do better in primary school. This goal is set to be reached at 2020. Most of the children that aren’t doing well in school are children of people who are migrant workers who didn’t have public education before. It is estimated that around 20% of students are the children of people that are migrant workers. Educational achievement is one thing China really cares about. Contrary to other countries in China, Shanghai realizes that minority students get good education too so Shanghai now has a policy letting migrant student attend public schools with other Shanghai children. There is a system that basically where a special type of school that has more sources than other schools and they accept less students, these schools are called â€Å"key schools†. This system is really outdated and it is less popular now. Shanghai removed this system because it promoted education inequality and made a policy where students had to attend their local school so it will be more equal. Local Perspectives In Hong Kong, they have rules that promote education for all so that everyone will be equal and no races will be left out just because of their race. In Hong Kong, schools can’t discriminate against your race by refusing to take in your child, or admitting your child in worse terms. They cannot deny access of any benefits, facilities or services that they give to other students. It is also against the law for any school, teacher or students to harass other children because of their race. There are 6 kind of schools in Hong Kong. Government schools, Aided schools, DSS Schools (Direct  Subsidy School), Private schools, ESF (English Foundation School), International School. The government, DSS and aided schools use a local curriculum while the other schools use curriculums based on themselves and what they believe in so this can vary a lot depending on the school. The government has a 6 year primary education plan that means you have to attend primary education for 6 years that is a necessity but it can be free if you are attending government schools or aided schools because those schools are funded by the government and not by any private owners. Personal Perspectives. I think that education for all is very important. There are social benefits from having education. There has been stats surveyed that people who have received college education have generally longer lives and will take better care of themselves. The people who receive education will have more self esteem and will be more satisfied with themselves. The people with good education will also be better at solving day to day problems that will make his life much more easier on a daily basis. Educational should be for both genders equally because Education should also be for everyone, it is  also more important for females because the education that the women received has more of an effect on her family and their generations. It doesnt only help herself, she also helps her family. That is why educating women is a good way and a first step to solving poverty on a global scale. There has been research done that married women will have smaller and healthier families. Educated women know the significance of health care and how to get it for her and her family. Education also helps women be more confident about herself and know that she has equal rights and both genders are equal. Education of parents are also linked to the education that their children are gonna receive and mothers is more influential than the fathers so mothers education is important. Educated women are likely to have less mistimed birth and unwanted babies so they will be prepared when they actually decide to have a baby. Education are being received by both genders now because equality of both genders are being recognized as important. Being education gender equal is one of the goals of the millennium development goals that is due in 2015. There are groups like UNFPA that advocate for universal education. They help try to make education more equal in more underdeveloped countries so more countries understand the importance of reducing the gender inequality gap. Future Scenarios and Possible Courses of Action I think that the governments all around the world need to prioritize education for all and bring it higher on their to do lists because it is easily one of the most important things to achieve and it will so many problems on earth. We should also make sure that there will be less sexism in this world because in the poorer areas, women are considered less equal than men. If a family had a daughter and a son, and could only  afford education for one, they will choose the boy because they think the girl is flawed compared to the boy. There should be more policies that empower women and make them more important because right now, people are sexist and still think that men is better than women even though its not true and there are information that suggests women can help solve poverty if more women get educated. I think that the governments in poorer places need to set up more event that promotes education so that everyone knows how important education is so they will emphasize on education for their children. The government should host events to get people to endorse and embrace education so children will want to go to school and work hard. I think there should be cheaper transport in poorer places so that children can get to school much more easily and in a cheaper way so the price of transportation won’t deter them away from going to school. Young people who received formal education should teach people around them so he can spread education to more people. I also think that the more developed countries should use some of their money to fund some organisations that help the less developed countries build schools and  education so more people will have proper education because everyone has the right of education and education is considered a basic human right for a long time. Personal Response I think education is really important because education also plays an important role in reducing world hunger. Child malnutrition is one of the highest death causing problem there is in underdeveloped countries. It is estimated that about 1 billion people do not have access to proper nutrition that is needed to have a healthy life. One of the most important factors of reducing world hunger is educating women, which is  even more effective than directly giving them food. In Bangladesh, if a mother is illiterate, there is a higher chance that her child will be malnourished. Education can help increase food production in countries by giving people the knowledge they need to produce more food and also to increase their knowledge about health. There are studies that show that education directly correlates with food security. In Bangladesh, as women with higher forms of education, there is a much lower chance that they have malnourished children. Research also shows that people with higher forms of education  can produce more foods than ordinary farmers with no knowledge because they might adapt smart strategies that can help produce more food than farmers that use the same strategies over and over again. Only few years of primary education can already boost a farmers output by 9%. In saharan africa, investing in educating women can potentially boost the output of the food by about 25% which is a really higher number. AIDS/HIV is a really huge problem in still developing countries and one of the most important ways of preventing or help reduce the number of AIDS/HIV is education. According to the global campaign for education, â€Å"If all children received a complete primary education, the economic impact of HIV/AIDS could be greatly reduced and around 700,000 cases of HIV in young adults could be prevented each year, seven million in a decade† That just shows that education is key to stopping and preventing AIDS/HIV from spreading even more. Lots of young men and women who don’t have the required education do not even know about AIDS/HIV and is in risk of getting it very easily. References www. educationforallblog. org www. unicef. org www. eoc. org. hk www. ncee. org www. unesco. org www. un. org.

Explain the Biological Mechanisms by Which Stress Can Induce Depressive Behaviour

Explain the biological mechanisms by which stress can induce depressive behaviour. Introduction Depressive behaviour is a core feature of several major psychological disorders, most obviously major depression (MD) and depressive episodes of bipolar depression (BP). Depression is also frequently found to be co-morbid with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and with anxiety-related disorders (e. g. social phobia or OCD). Depression is the biggest major risk factor for self-harm and suicide, thus posing a real clinical problem to try to understand and reverse the mechanisms involved.Traditional anti-depressant treatment has only shown a modest benefit to placebos in treating the disorder; therefore, more effective drugs that target the right biological mechanisms are imminently needed. The majority of experimental research in the area has used rodents to test medication and model known psychopathological aspects of depression in humans, such as learned helplessness, cognitive def icits and increased co-morbidity with anxiety-related behaviours. There are many factors that may explain why some people (around 16% of the population) will experience a depressive episode in their lifetime and others won’t.Genetic vulnerability and epigenetic changes, psychosocial support, socioeconomic status or even climate-related factors all have to be considered in considering the right treatment for individual cases. Whilst the causal link between many of these and the onset of depression is somewhat inconclusive, the strong association between chronic mild stress (CMS) and depressive behaviour is now a huge area of research, resulting in the stress-induced model of depression.Even where there is evidence for the role of genes in depression, such as allele variants for the 5-HTT promoter region, it is shown to vary as a function of exposure to stressful life events. The mechanisms by which environmental stressors can lead to depressive behaviour have been explored tho roughly, with a strong focus on the role of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis and its dysfunction in depression. The consequent rise in levels of the glucocorticoid hormone cortisol, following HPA activation, has been shown to become chronic increased in depressed patients.This is thought to be due to the development of glucocorticoid resistance, whereby high levels of cortisol are present in the bloodstream and peripheral tissue but negative feedback to shut down the HPA axis no longer works. Due to the numerous roles of cortisol within the body, several biological processes may be affected as a consequence of CMS that may lead to depressive behaviour. Direct and indirect effects of HPA dysfunction include changes in immune response, neuronal damage, decreased rates of neurogenesis and the serotonin pathways.These processes tend to interact and exacerbate one another; therefore, understanding each proposed biological mechanism of stress-induced depression and their impa ct upon each other is likely to lead to a better treatment outcome. Acute Stress and the HPA Axis The experience of acute mild stress is a normal and adaptive process, triggered by an environmental ‘stressor’ deemed to be potentially harmful. From an evolutionary perspective, this serves to protect the individual from danger via activation of the sympathetic nervous system, preparing the individual for ‘fight or flight’ mode.Stress, as well as input from the amygdala, hippocampus and midbrain, directly activates the ‘stress response’ via the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. The first immediate response is the release of corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) from the hypothalamus, which travels to the pituitary where it binds to CRH Receptor 1 (CRHR1). CRH can also act directly on other brain regions, e. g. the amygdala at this early stage. CRH1 activation stimulates the release of adrenocorticotrophin release hormone (ACTH), which tr avels via the bloodstream to the kidneys, stimulating the delayed release of the glucocorticoid (steroid) cortisol.Cortisol acts throughout the body in all cells, via binding to cytoplasmic glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors (GR and MR) (see Figure 1). Figure 1: Cortisol can pass through the cell membrane due to its lipophillic properties. Binding of cortisol to the GR complex in the cytoplasm causes dissociation of GR from the complex, resulting in an active GR monomer. Two GRs then dimerise to form a GR dimer. This can act as a transcription factor in itself by attaching to Glucocorticoid Binding Elements (GBE), or it can interact with other Hormone Binding Elements and transcription factors to initiate gene transcription. http://jimlund. org/blog/? m=200910] A rise in cortisol levels, alongside CRH, leads to adaptive changes in behaviour, cognition and immune function. Importantly, this rise is followed by a negative feedback loop of cortisol and CRH acting upon its o wn receptors (NC3R1 and CHR2, respectively) to shut down the HPA axis once the ‘threat’ has been resolved. This homeostatic mechanism terminates the production of any more CRH and therefore brings cortisol levels back to baseline (pre-stressor), vital for returning the individual back to a normal ‘resting’ state.It is this negative feedback mechanism which has been shown to be disrupted in patients with depression. Chronic Stress and Glucocorticoid Resistance In a situation of CMS, the prolonged activation of the HPA axis leads to abnormally elevated cortisol levels. However, chronically elevated cortisol can be dangerous, due to its role in suppressing the immune system and increasing vulnerability to infection. It is possible that in order to counteract the constant influx of circulating cortisol causing potentially unwanted downstream effects, GRs in lymphocytes become unresponsive or resistant to glucocorticoids.This dysfunction of GRs is typically seen in depressed patients and has been shown numerous times using the dexamethasone suppression test (DST). Dexamethasone (a synthetic glucocorticoid) mimics cortisol by binding to GRs and shutting down HPA activity in healthy controls. Therefore, dexamethasone-treated individuals have almost no detectable cortisol over the course of the following day. On the other hand, in depressed patients, the DST doesn’t show any significant repression of HPA activity.Whilst they already show significantly higher overall levels of cortisol, they also show reduced suppression of dexamethasone during the DST. This shows that the GRs are unresponsive to glucocorticoids, leading to the typical feature of glucocorticoid resistance in depressed patients. The Inflammation/Cytokine Hypothesis Glucocorticoid resistance has important implications for immune system function. Under normal acute stress, cortisol suppresses lymphocytes in peripheral tissue from producing pro-inflammatory cytokines by act ivating intracellular GRs and leading to transcription of downstream regulatory genes.Key targets of GR-mediated transcription related to immune function include the upregulation of anti-inflammatory genes annexin-1, IL-10 and I? B? (inhibits NF-? B) and down-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine genes, such as IL1-6, 9, 11-13, 16-18 and TNF-?. However, glucocorticoid resistance following chronic stress can mean that lymphocytes stop responding to cortisol, so there is an increase in the proliferation of leukocytes and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines.The proposed mechanism for how these peripherally-generated cytokines are able to affect the central nervous system (CNS) involves several pathways. These cytokines (IL-1? , TNF-? and IL-6) cannot typically diffuse across the blood-brain-barrier, but they can enter the CNS in regions of high BBB permeability or be actively transported across the BBB by endothelial cell transporters. Additionally, without crossing the BBB, cyt okines are able to activate endothelial cells to produce soluble factors (e. g.PG-E2) to indirectly activate neurons, as well as activating certain afferent neurons (e. g. the vagus nerve) that carry information to the CNS about the inflammation. In these ways, peripheral inflammation can cause typical changes in the CNS and ‘sickness behaviour’ seen in depressed patients: lethargy, anhedonia, reduced locomotor activity and sleep and weight disturbances. Support for this proposed mechanism comes from findings that clinically depressed patients show an abnormally high production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1? IL-6 and TNF-? ), cytokine-based immunotherapy often causes depression in cancer or hepatitis C patients and cytokine administration causes depressive behaviour in animal models. Reversal of this depressive behaviour can be seen by administration of anti-depressants, which target and reduce the inflammatory response in both patients and animal models. In a sim ilar fashion, anti-inflammatories such as cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitors or omega-3 have strong anti-depressant effects on behaviour. Inflammation-Induced NeurodegenerationAnother approach to modelling stress-induced depression has focused on the controversial findings of clinically depressed patients show changes in volume of structural brain regions, including the hippocampus, amygdala, anterior cingulated, prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia. The mechanisms by which some brain regions, in particular the hippocampus as implicated in stress-induced depression, might decrease in volume appear to be a combination of both neurodegeneration (increased apoptosis of neurons) and a decrease in adult neurogenesis in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus (DG).Stress-induced HPA hyper-activity may explain the atrophy seen in some brain regions of clinically depressed patients. Glucocorticoids stimulate the breakdown of tissue into glucose for the quick release of energy; therefore, ch ronically increased levels may result in brain tissue loss in regions where cortisol acts, such as the hippocampus. Furthermore, the link between stress, inflammation and an increase in oxidative stress may also explain a large portion of the neurodegeneration apparent in depression.Inflammation has been shown to increase oxidation and the fact that the CNS has no proper defence against oxidative damage makes it very vulnerable to oxidative stress (OS). This has been demonstrated as a key feature in neurodegenerative diseases and depression, implicating a causal role of stress-induced inflammation in triggering degeneration. The damage caused by OS can lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, which can lead to further intracellular build up of damaging oxidised proteins.The only way for cells to cope in this situation is to activate programmed cell death (apoptosis), or in less controlled circumstances, necrosis can occur, leading to a decline in cell numbers and lateral effects on the ne ural network. This mechanism of oxidative stress-induced neurodegeneration can be slowed down and treated by the application of antioxidant enzymes, which serve a neuro-protective role. These enzymes eradicate free radical oxidising particles and also suppress pro-inflammatory cytokine action.A further damaging feature seen in neurodegeneration and depression is nitrosative stress (NS), which may contribute to neurotoxicity and therefore cell death. An increase in the production of cortisol after acute stress will temporarily cause a suppression of neurogenesis in the DG. Neurogenesis in the DG has been demonstrated to be vital for healthy cognition and memory, impacting mood, the sleep-wake cycle and appetite; all affected in depression. Therefore, CMS leads to prolonged suppression of neurogenesis and may explain the behavioural outcomes typical of depression.The decrease in neurogenesis following exposure to stress may possibly involve the neurotrophin Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF), shown to be greatly reduced in regions that also show a decrease in neurogenesis and related to brain regions typically affected in depression. Animal models exposed to CMS show decreased neurogenesis and BDNF levels in overlapping brain regions and elicit depressive behaviours associated with dysfunction of these regions. Furthermore, anti-depressant treatment that successfully increases BDNF levels also leads to recovery from depressive behavioural symptoms.However, the causation here is not clear; whether the BDNF levels dropping are a result of other stress-induced mechanisms or whether it is partly the cause of the behaviour. Some evidence suggests that anti-depressants can work independently of BDNF restoration. Hagen and colleagues set out to control for possible variables such as age, time of cortisol readings and overall brain volume. Whilst there has been no robust evidence for a link between baseline cortisol levels and hippocampal volume, this study did fi nd that hippocampal volume was negatively correlated with length of depressive episode pre-hospitalisation.Furthermore, better responsiveness (lowering of cortisol levels) after treatment was predicted by greater hippocampal volume (relative to overall brain volume). b) antineurogenic effects and reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels; and c) apoptosis with reduced levels of Bcl-2 and BAG1 (Bcl-2 associated athanogene 1), and increased levels of caspase-3. Stress-induced inflammation, e. g. increased IL-1? , but not reduced neurogenesis, is sufficient to cause depression. Antidepressants a) reduce peripheral and central inflammatory pathways by decreasing IL-1? TNF? and IL-6 levels; b) stimulate neuronal differentiation, synaptic plasticity, axonal growth and regeneration through stimulatory effects on the expression of different neurotrophic factors, e. g. trkB, the receptor for brain-derived neurotrophic factor; and c) attenuate apoptotic pathways by activating Bc l-2 and Bcl-xl proteins, and suppressing caspase-3. It is concluded that external stressors may provoke depression-like behaviours through activation of inflammatory, oxidative, apoptotic and antineurogenic mechanisms.The clinical efficacy of antidepressants may be ascribed to their ability to reverse these different pathways. Neuronal damage and apoptosis Activation of the Kynurenine Pathway (KP) 5-HT Accumulated evidence indicates a role of the hippocampal 5-hydroxy-tryptamine (5-HT) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the response to stress and modulation of depression, but it is unclear whether and how the hippocampal 5-HT and NPY systems make contributions to chronic unpredicted mild stress (CUMS)-induced depression.Here we observed that rats receiving a variety of chronic unpredictable mild stressors for 3 weeks showed a variety of depression-like behavioral changes, including a significant reduction in body weight, sucrose preference, and locomotion, rearing and grooming in open fiel d test, and a significant increase in immobility time in forced swimming test. These CUMS-induced behavioral changes were suppressed or blocked by intra-hippocampal injection of 5-HT (31. 25 microg/microl) or NPY (10 microg/microl). These data suggest a critical role of reduced hippocampal 5-HT and NPY neurotransmission in CUMS-induced depression.

Operation Torch

Reasons for Initiating Operation Torch – – The Allies planned to occupy Vichy France to prevent the land from being occupied by Axis; the invasion would eventually force Axis powers to fight a two-front war; also helped to diminish transportation of supplies to Axis forces; Key Personalities (Involvements) – – General Dwight D. Eisenhower – – Jean Francois Darlan – – Andrew Cunningham – Objective(s) of Operation Torch – – Allies planned to team up with Vichy France in North Africa in order to take Tunisia before Germans could occupy it from nearby Sicily.After invading North Africa and convincing the French to join the Allies, American and British forces planned to head directly to Sicily, invade, and move up to the core of Europe. Victory here would also allow the Allies to clear up the Mediterranean of Axis forces for their own personal use. Important Readings – from Earl Rice’s â€Å"Strate gic Battles in Europe† . . . – page 24: The Americans joined their British allies. Roosevelt's military advisers wanted to build up immediately for an invasion of the European mainland later in the year or early in 1943.Churchill and his counselors declared that an invasion of the continent so soon would be next to impossible because of insufficient time to assemble the necessary forces and too few available landing craft in which to haul them across the English Channel. Churchill and his advisors did not want to risk a failed invasion. – page 25: Churchill instead favored extending operations in North Africa, where British forces were already fighting. he argued that seizing North Africa and beyond would introduce American troops to the action, boost American morale and appease Stalin's demands for a second front.But Roosevelt's advisors were unreceptive to Churchill's plan and suggested redirecting U. S efforts to the Pacific Theater. In June 1942, Churchill to ld Roosevelt that Britain was both unable and unwilling to undertake the invasion of Europe in 1942 or even in 1943. Having already been driven from Norway, France and Greece by the Germans, the British (now page 26) intended to stay the next time they landed on the Continent. – page 26: Roosevelt accepted Churchill's proposal. Torch’s primary objective was to take Tunisia before the Germans could occupy it from nearby Sicily.The Anglo-American invasion force in the west would then move eastward to link up with Lieutenant General Bernard L. Montgomery’s British 8th army, advancing westward through Libya. Together the 2 Allied armies would form a vise within which to crush Field Marshal Erwin Rommel’s 100,000-man German-Italian army in Libya, including his vaunted Afrika Korps. But first they had to deal with the French. https://www. diigo. com/list/audreym96/operation-torch SOURCE and Earl Rices â€Å"Stategic Battles in Europe†; Even though Stalin required that the Allies attack somewhere in Europe, Operation Torch was successful: the Allies gained a wide amount of land and the Suez Canal was saved. So what’s the importance of the Suez Canal, huh? The Suez Canal provided a short sea route between Britain and Middle East oil supplies, and its imperial colonies in Asia and the Far East. It enabled the Allies to move supplies,men,equipment,fuel,and raw materials around the world to where they were needed much more quickly than if they had had to sail around the southern tip of Africa,which would have made them much more vulnerable to U-boat attack.Why the British cared SO much about North Africa? – When the second World War broke out, there were many soldiers from many different nations in Cairo. The Italians were there, but there were really no serious attempts to help Mussolini by them. The only real enemies in Cairo were the Germans. The British secret police watched them very carefully. There was a political r aid in which the British caught German spies that had come to Cairo with money, a radio transmitter and a house boat on the Nile.Because the English were unable to ship all of their supplies in from Britain, they trained and employed thousands of Egyptians in various trades. Some were mechanics, electricians, drivers, engineers and even lens grinders. They repaired military equipment and even built trains and machinery. Egypt started to weave their own cloth out of silk and wool. Advances were made in mining, cement, petroleum refining and chemical industries. In Egypt, the British spent over ten million pounds every year. In July of 1942, the British were pushed back almost to Alexandria.Rommel stopped at Alamein because his troops were exhausted and almost out of supplies. The British rushed to Cairo. Soldiers were sent to various places to train while other got ready to retreat from the city. The British officers went to the banks to try to get their money while at the British he adquarters, vital papers were burned. This scare changed Cairo to a point where it would never be the same again. Montgomery took over the Eighth Army in the desert and moved them to Alamein. He won this battle in October or November of 1942.After this battle, Egypt lost most of the fantasy and glamour that had been year during the years of occupation. Now the city settled down to the first order of business, national liberation. http://www. touregypt. net/hbritish. htm SOURCE ALGERIA AND MOROCCO – http://www. ushmm. org/wlc/en/article. php? ModuleId=10007303 Operation Torch, the Algeria-Morocco military campaign, began on November 8, 1942, and ended on November 11, 1942. US and British forces, commanded by American General Dwight D. Eisenhower, carried out this campaign.Three task forces landed on the beaches near Casablanca on the Moroccan Atlantic Coast; near Oran in western Algeria; and near Algiers, more than 250 miles to the east in Algeria. Although Vichy French forces initially resisted, a coup d'etat by the French resistance in Algiers on November 8 neutralized the French XIX Corps before the Allied landing. General Mark Clark, Eisenhower's deputy, induced Admiral Jean Francois Darlan, Vichy High Commissioner for North Africa, and General Alphonse Juin, the commander of the Vichy French armed orces in North Africa, to order French forces to cease armed resistance in Oran and Morocco on November 10–11. In return for his cooperation, Darlan temporarily remained head of the French administration as the French forces in North Africa joined the Allies. The Allied landings triggered the German occupation of the unoccupied zone of France and the rapid dispatch of German troops to Tunisia. To avoid capture of their Mediterranean Fleet by the Germans, the Vichy French scuttled it in the harbors of Toulon on November 27, 1942. By the end of November, the Allies had crossed the Tunisian border in the northwest.

Succubus Revealed Chapter 6

Fortunately, no dictionaries or bats ever came into play, and Seth and I spent a pleasant night together. He sent me off that weekend in a good mood, and during the time I was with him, it was easy to believe this might all end well. Once I began the tedious parts of travel by myself, the doubts began to set in. The ride to the airport, security, safety instructions . . . all little things in and of themselves, but each one began to weigh on me. I just couldn't see Seth moving to Las Vegas – not anytime soon, at least. That left long-distance dating, and it was hard to imagine us going through a trip like this every . . . hell, I didn't know how often. And that was another problem. What exactly did long-distance dating mean? Visits every week? Every month? Too-frequent visits meant the irritation of travel. Too few put us in danger of out-of-sight, out-of-mind complications. So, naturally, I was all worked up by the time my flight landed in Las Vegas. And strangely, I took comfort remembering Jerome's words, of all things. If Seth and I had survived the huge problem of immortal?Cmortal dating, then really, what was a two-hour plane ride compared to that? We could make this work. We had to. â€Å"There she is!† A familiar, booming voice startled me as I was waiting at the baggage claim. I spun around and found myself looking up at the tanned good looks of Luis, Archdemon of Las Vegas. I let him wrap me up in a giant hug, something he managed with remarkable delicacy, considering what a bear of a man he was. â€Å"What are you doing here?† I asked, once those muscled arms had released me. Realization hit me. â€Å"You're not here to pick me up, are you? I mean, don't you have people who have people to do that kind of thing?† Luis grinned at me, his dark eyes sparkling. â€Å"Sure, but I couldn't trust an underling to pick up my favorite succubus.† â€Å"Oh, stop,† I groaned. My bag came around the carousel, but when I went for it, Luis brushed me aside and easily lifted it up. As I followed him toward the parking garage, I couldn't even begin to picture Jerome doing something like this. â€Å"You scoff, but most of the succubi around here bore me to tears. Hell, most of our staff here does,† Luis said. â€Å"You get a full range of personalities and talent levels with so many. The exceptional and the unexceptional. You, my dear, are exceptional.† â€Å"You don't have to try to sweet-talk me into the job,† I said, smiling in spite of myself. â€Å"Not like I have a choice.† â€Å"True,† he agreed. â€Å"But I want you to be happy here. I want everyone who works for me carrying stories about how awesome I am. It ups my cred at the annual company conference.† â€Å"Jerome's trying to up his by having us beat Nanette's employees in bowling.† Luis laughed at that and led us out to a gleaming black Jaguar double-parked in the handicapped zone. Once he'd stowed my suitcase, he even went so far as to open the door for me. Before starting the car, he leaned over conspiratorially and whispered loudly, â€Å"If you want to shape-shift into something else, now's your chance while we're still inside.† â€Å"Shape-shift into what?† He shrugged. â€Å"You're in Vegas. Live the lifestyle. No need to resign yourself to jeans and sensible shoes. Give yourself a cocktail dress. Sequins. A corset. I mean, look at me.† Luis gestured grandly at himself, just in case it was possible to miss the gorgeous and undoubtedly custom Italian suit he was wearing. â€Å"It's barely noon,† I pointed out. â€Å"Doesn't matter. I dress like this the instant I get out of bed.† With a self-conscious look around the garage outside, I quickly shape-shifted out of my travel clothes and into a one-shoulder minidress that wrapped around me like a Grecian gown. The fabric glittered silvery when it caught the light just right. My long, light brown hair turned equally glam. Luis nodded in approval. â€Å"Now you're ready for the Bellagio.† â€Å"The Bellagio?† I asked, impressed. â€Å"I figured I'd be shoved off to some crappy motel ten miles from the Strip.† I amped up my makeup for good measure. â€Å"Well,† he said, backing the car out, â€Å"that is actually what the normal budget allows for when it comes to new employee visits. I was able to pull some extra funds – and dip into my own pockets – to upgrade you a bit.† â€Å"You didn't have to do that,† I exclaimed. â€Å"I could have paid for my own room somewhere.† Yet, even as I said it, I knew that if accruing funds over the centuries was easy for someone like me, it was a million times easier for someone with Luis's lifespan. The car and his suit were probably bought with pocket change from his income. He waved off my concerns. â€Å"It's nothing. Besides, my car would probably get stolen if I parked it at one of the ‘budget-friendly' places.† The car's readout told me the outside temperature wasn't that far off from Seattle's in December. The difference was in the light. â€Å"Oh my God,† I said, squinting out the window. â€Å"I haven't seen the sun in two months.† Luis chuckled. â€Å"Ah, just you wait until high summer, when the temps hit triple digits. It cooks most people alive, but for someone like you, you'll love it. Hot and dry. Doesn't get below eighty at night.† I loved Seattle. Even without Seth in the picture, I could have been happy there for many, many years. But, I had to admit, my one weakness with the region was the weather. Relative to the extremes of the East Coast, Seattle was a very mild climate to live in. That meant it didn't get very anything. Not very cold, and certainly not very warm. The hot weather we got in midsummer was fleeting, and then the mildness of the winter was marred with rain and clouds. By February, I was usually ready to start consuming entire bottles of vitamin D. I'd grown up on the beaches of the Mediterranean and still missed them. â€Å"This is great,† I said. â€Å"I wish I were visiting while it was warmer.† â€Å"Oh, you don't have long to wait,† he told me. â€Å"Another month like this, and then the temperature will start going up. You can break out your bikini by March.† I thought that might be kind of an exaggeration but returned his grin nonetheless. We were approaching the Strip and all its glory. The buildings became more flamboyant and expensive looking. Sidewalks and streets grew more crowded. Billboards advertised every form of entertainment imaginable. It was like an adult-oriented theme park. â€Å"You seem pretty happy here,† I said. â€Å"Yup,† Luis agreed. â€Å"I lucked out. Not only is the place great, but I command one of the largest groups of Hellish servants in the world. When I saw your name come up, I thought, ‘I've got to get her in on this.' â€Å" Something in his words put a crack in the rose-colored glasses I was viewing the wondrous sights around me through. â€Å"When my name came up?† â€Å"Sure. We get e-mails all the time about transfers, job openings, whatever. When I saw you were being moved out of Seattle, I tossed my hat into the ring.† I turned toward the side window so he couldn't see my face. â€Å"How long ago was that?† â€Å"Oh, I don't know. A while ago.† He chuckled. â€Å"You know how long these things take.† â€Å"Yeah,† I said, trying to keep my voice light. â€Å"I do.† It was exactly what Roman and I had talked about: the painstakingly long time Hell took with personnel decisions. Roman swore the circumstances surrounding this transfer were suspicious and implied a rush. Yet Luis was behaving as though everything had gone along according to perfect procedure. Was it possible there really had just been some oversight with Jerome's notification about my transfer? It was also possible, I knew, that Luis was lying. I didn't want to believe that of him, but I knew that no matter how friendly and likable he seemed, he was still a demon at the end of the day. I couldn't allow myself to be lulled into complete trust by his charm. We had a favorite saying among my friends: How can you tell if a demon is lying? His lips are moving. â€Å"I was surprised to be transferred at all,† I said. â€Å"I've been happy in Seattle. Jerome said . . . well, he said it was because I was a slacker employee. That I was being moved for bad behavior.† Luis snorted and pulled into the driveway for the Bellagio. â€Å"He did, huh? Well, don't beat yourself up, honey. If you want a reason for them pulling you out, my guess is that it has something to do with Jerome getting himself summoned and letting nephilim and dream creatures run rampant with his succubus.† I had nothing to say to that, but fortunately, we reached the hotel's entrance and yielded the car to a valet driver who seemed familiar with Luis and his generous tips. Entering the Bellagio, I was soon awash in stimuli – color and sound and life. A lot of the people moving in and out were dressed as glamorously as us, but plenty of average â€Å"everyday† people walked through as well. It was a mixing of all social classes and cultures, all here and united in search of enjoyment. Equally overwhelming was the intense wave of human emotion. I didn't have any magic power to let me â€Å"see† emotion, exactly, but I was very good at reading faces and expressions. It was that same knack that had let me pick out the desperate and hopeless at the mall. This was the same, except magnified a hundred times. People swung the full gamut of hope and excitement. Some were joyous and eager, either high off of triumph or ready to risk it all for triumph to come. Others had clearly attempted it – and failed. Their faces were full of despair, disbelief at how they'd ended up in this situation and sorrow over their inability to fix things. Just as obvious were the good marks. Some guys were so blatantly trolling for a hookup that I could have propositioned them then and there. Others were ideal succubus bait, guys who had come here saying they were going to keep themselves in line – but who could easily step off the edge of temptation with the right finessing. Even with my heart tied up with Seth, I couldn't help but take in and thrive under all the admiring looks I got. I was suddenly glad I'd taken Luis up on his shape-shifting suggestion. â€Å"So easy,† I murmured, staring around as we waited for an elevator. â€Å"They're just there like . . .† â€Å"Cattle?† suggested Luis. I made a face. â€Å"Not quite the word I wanted.† â€Å"Not much difference.† An elevator opened, and a cute twenty-something guy gestured me forward. I smiled winningly at him, loving the effect I had. After he exited on his floor, Luis winked at me and leaned over to whisper in my ear. â€Å"Easy to get used to, huh?† Our floor came next, and Luis nodded to our right when the door opened. A few steps down the hall, I realized something. â€Å"I have a suite?† I asked, startled. â€Å"That's a little much, even to make a good impression.† â€Å"Ah, well, that's what I didn't get a chance to tell you yet. You have a suite because it has more room. You have to share it with another new employee.† I nearly came screeching to a halt. Here it was, the catch in what was otherwise a sugar-coated fantasy. I envisioned myself rooming with another succubus and immediately knew I'd be seeking other accommodations. Succubi forced into close proximity put reality show drama to shame. â€Å"I don't want to impose on anyone's privacy,† I said delicately, wondering how I could get out of this. Luis reached a door and took out a keycard. â€Å"Nah, the place is huge. Two bedrooms and a living room and kitchen that go on forever.† He unlocked the door and opened it. â€Å"You could avoid each other all weekend if you wanted to. But somehow, I don't think you will.† I was about to question that, but suddenly, there was no need. We'd stepped into a living room as expansive as Luis had promised, all sleek lines and modern furniture, colored in shades of gold and green with dark wood trim. A long window offered a sweeping view of the city, and a man stood in front of it, admiring the panorama. I couldn't see his face, and something told me that even if I could, I probably wouldn't recognize it. That didn't matter. I knew him by his immortal signature, the unique sensory markers that distinguished him from everyone else. I could scarcely believe it, even as he turned around and smiled at me. â€Å"Bastien?† I exclaimed.