Succubus Blues CHAPTER 8 Free Essays

Paige was all smiles when I went in for the early shift the next day. â€Å"Nice work with Seth Mortensen,† she told me, glancing up from the neatly stacked paperwork on her desk. The desk Doug and I shared in the store’s back offices tended to look like an apocalyptic war zone. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus Blues CHAPTER 8 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"How so?† â€Å"In convincing him to write here.† I blinked. With our assorted U District and Krystal Starz adventures, I’d never said a word about him becoming our resident writer. â€Å"Oh?† â€Å"I saw him upstairs in the cafe just now. He said he had a great time yesterday.† I left her office, baffled, wondering if I’d missed something from yesterday. It hadn’t seemed like that stellar of an outing, but I supposed he felt pleased and grateful over the discounted books. Had anything else notable happened? Unbidden, the memory of touching Seth’s hand suddenly rushed back to me, the odd shockwave of familiarity it had sent through me. No, I decided, that had been nothing. I had imagined the moment. I went up to the cafe for a mocha, still puzzled. Sure enough, Seth sat in a corner, laptop spread out on the table in front of him. He looked much the same as yesterday, save that his shirt today sported Beeker from the Muppets. His fingers moved furiously along the keys, his eyes locked on the screen. â€Å"Hey,† I told him. â€Å"Hey.† He offered no more. He didn’t even look up. â€Å"Are you working?† â€Å"Yes.† I waited for elaboration, but it never came. So I kept going. â€Å"So, um, Paige told me you’re moving here.† He didn’t answer. I didn’t even know if he’d heard me. Suddenly, he looked up, his eyes sharpening. â€Å"Ever been to Texas?† That took me by surprise. â€Å"Sure. Which part?† â€Å"Austin. I need to know what the weather’s like there.† â€Å"When? This time of year?† â€Å"No†¦ more like spring or early summer.† I racked my brain. â€Å"Hot. Rain and storms. Some humidity. The edge of tornado alley, you know?† â€Å"Ah.† Seth turned thoughtful, then nodded smartly and returned his attention back down. † Cady’ll love that. Thanks.† It took me a moment to realize he meant one of his characters. Nina Cady’s dislike of inclement weather was notorious. My stomach suddenly dropped out of me and hit the floor. It was a wonder he didn’t hear the thud. â€Å"Are you†¦ are you†¦ writing something with Cady and O’Neill? Right now?† â€Å"Yeah.† He spoke very casually, like we were still discussing weather. â€Å"Next book. Well, next-next book. The next one’s already queued up for publishing. I’m about a quarter through this one.† I stared in awe at the laptop, like it was a divine golden idol from days of old, capable of performing miracles. Providing rain. Feeding the masses. Now I felt speechless. That the next masterpiece was being created right in front of me, that I might say something that could influence it was too much to bear. I swallowed heavily and dragged my eyes away from it, forcing calm. After all, I could hardly be excited about another installment when I had yet to read the current one. â€Å"A Cady and O’Neill book. Wow. That’s really – â€Å" â€Å"Um, so, I’m kind of busy here. I’ve got to run with this right now. Sorry.† The words stopped me cold. â€Å"What?† Was I being dismissed? â€Å"Can we talk later?† I was being dismissed. I was being dismissed without even being looked at. Heat flushed my cheeks. â€Å"What about my book?† I blurted out ungracefully. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"The Glasgow Pact. Did you sign it?† â€Å"Oh. That.† â€Å"What’s that mean?† â€Å"I’ll send you e-mail.† â€Å"You’ll send me – so you don’t have my book?† Seth shook his head and kept working. â€Å"Oh. Okay.† I didn’t understand the e-mail bit but wasn’t going to waste my time begging for his attention. â€Å"Well. I’ll see you later then. Let us know if you need anything.† My voice was stiff and cold, but I doubted he even noticed. I tried not to storm downstairs. Where did he get off acting like that? Especially after I’d shown him around yesterday. Famous author or no, he didn’t have the right to be a jerk to me. I felt humiliated. Humiliated over what, being ignored? chided a reasonable voice inside me. It’s not like he made a scene. He was just busy. After all, you were the one complaining he didn’t write fast enough. I ignored the voice and went back to work, still feeling put-out. Business didn’t allow me to nurture my wounded ego for long, however, as the afternoon and lack of staff ensured I stayed busy on the floor. The next time I managed to return to my office, it was only to grab my purse at the end of my shift. As I was about to walk out, I saw a message from Seth in my e-mail’s inbox. I moved to the computer and read. Georgina, Have you ever paid much attention to real estate agents – the way they dress, the kinds of cars they drive? Truth is stranger than fiction, as they say. Last night, I expressed interest in living in the University District to my brother, and he called up this real estate agent friend of his. She arrived in something like two minutes flat, no small feat I guess, since her office is in West Seattle. She pulled up in a Jaguar, whose shiny whiteness was rivaled only by the day-glow white of her Miss America smile. While gushing nonstop about how exciting it was to have me here, she hacked away at a computer, searching for appropriate residences, typing with nails long enough to impale small children on. (See? I remembered how much you liked the word â€Å"impale.†) Each time she found a place that might work, she’d get really excited: â€Å"Yes – yes. Oh yes! This is it! This is it! Yes! Yes!† I confess, by the time it was through, I felt kind of sleazy and exhausted, like maybe I should have tossed some cash on the pillow or something. Her theatrics aside, we did end up finding a nice condo not too far from campus, brand new. It was as pricey as you insinuated, but I think it’s exactly what I want. Mistee – yes, that’s her name – and I are going to look at it later tonight. I’m kind of afraid to see her reaction if I bid on the place. No doubt the thought of the commission will lead straight to multiple orgasms. (And to think, I always thought missionary position was what inhibited women from true fulfillment.) Anyway, I just wanted to give you the update since you were the one who first showed me the U District. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to talk earlier; I would have liked to pick your brain about restaurants over there. I still don’t know the area that well, and my brother and sister-in-law are too busy with their suburban life to recommend any restaurants that don’t serve children’s meals. Well, I guess I should get back to writing, so I can afford said new lodging. Cady and O’Neill are impatient mistresses – er, that is, an impatient mistress and master – as you observed earlier. Speaking of which, I haven’t forgotten about your copy of The Glasgow Pact. I intended to write something semi-original in it last night, after our nice day together, but the real estate vortex caught me up. My apologies. I’ll bring it to you soon. Later, Seth I reread the letter twice. I felt pretty confident that in the short span I’d known Seth, I’d never heard him utter aloud as many words as he’d just written. Not only that, they were funny words. Entertaining words. Like a mini Cady and O’Neill novel, addressed just to me. A far cry from his halting attitude this morning. If he’d said anything remotely comparable in person, I probably would have passed out. â€Å"Incredible,† I muttered to my screen. Part of me felt mollified by the letter, though another part felt he still could have been a bit more tactful in his earlier treatment, busy or no. The rest of me pointed out that all of these â€Å"parts of me† probably should be in therapy, and besides, I really needed to leave and go see Erik about the vampire hunter thing. I quickly sent back a response: Thanks for the letter. I suppose I’ll make it another day without the book. Good luck with the real estate agent, and be sure to wear a condom when you make an offer. Other good places to eat in that area are Han Sons, the Plum Tomato Cafe, and Lotus Chinese. – Georgina I left the store, promptly forgetting about Seth, happy there’d be no traffic this early in the day. Driving up to Lake City, I easily found the intersection the girl at Krystal Starz had indicated. Locating the store itself proved more of a challenge. Strip malls and assorted businesses packed the area, and I read through myriad billboards and storefronts in the hopes of finding something promising. Finally, I spotted a small, dark sign tucked away in the corner of a less-frequented cluster of stores, arcana, ltd. That had to be it. I parked in front, hoping it was actually open. No one had posted hours or anything on the door, but it gave way without resistance when I pushed on it. Sandalwood incense burned in the air around me as I entered, and faint harp music played from a small CD player set up on the counter. I couldn’t see anyone else in the room, and so I wandered around, admiring the sights. Real books on mythology and religion – not the flashy fluff Krystal Starz sold – lined the walls, and carefully arranged display cases held handcrafted jewelry I recognized from a few different local artists. Assorted ritual items – candles, incense, and statuary – filled in the nooks and crannies, giving the whole place a sort of jumbled, pleasantly lived-in feel. â€Å"Miss Kincaid. It is an honor to see you again.† I spun around from where I had been admiring a White Tara statue. Erik walked into the room, and I reined in my surprise at his appearance. When had he grown so old? He had been old the last time I saw him – dark skin wrinkled, hair gone gray – but I did not remember the slight stoop in his walk, or the hollowed look around his eyes. I tried to remember the last time we’d talked; I hadn’t thought it’d been that long. Five years? Ten? With mortals, it was easy to lose track. â€Å"It’s good to see you too. You aren’t easy to find anymore. I had to go poking around Krystal Starz to figure out what happened to you.† â€Å"Ah. I hope the experience wasn’t too†¦ awkward.† â€Å"Nothing I couldn’t handle. Besides, I’m glad you got out of there.† I looked around at the cluttered, dimly lit shop. â€Å"I like this new place.† â€Å"It’s not much – doesn’t bring in much either – but it’s mine. It’s what I’ve been saving for, where I’ll spend my last years.† I grimaced. â€Å"Don’t turn melodramatic on me now. You aren’t that old.† His smile broadened, his expression turning slightly wry. â€Å"Neither are you, Miss Kincaid. Indeed, you are as beautiful as the first time I saw you.† He gave me a slight bow, bending lower than someone with his back probably should have. â€Å"How may I be of service?† â€Å"I need information.† â€Å"Of course.† He gestured to a small table near the main counter, currently covered with books and an elaborate candle holder. â€Å"Sit and have tea with me, and we’ll talk. Unless you are in a hurry?† â€Å"No, I have time.† While Erik fetched the tea, I cleared off the table, setting books in neat stacks on the floor. When he returned with the teapot, we made small talk and sipped our drinks for a bit, but my mind really wasn’t into it. My restlessness must have come through loud and clear as my fingers danced along the cup’s edge and my toe tapped impatiently. Finally, I broached my topic. â€Å"I need to know about vampire hunters.† For most other people, this would have been a weird request, but Erik only nodded expectantly. â€Å"What in particular would you like to know?† â€Å"Anything. Their habits, how to recognize them. Whatever you’ve got.† He leaned back in his chair, holding the cup delicately. â€Å"My understanding is that vampire hunters are born, not made. They are ‘gifted,’ so to speak, with the ability to kill vampires.† He proceeded to relate several other details, most of which matched up with what I’d learned from Peter. Pondering what Cody had said, about the sense of being followed by someone he could not see, I asked, â€Å"Do they have any other special abilities that you know of? Can they go invisible?† â€Å"Not that I know of. Some immortal beings can, of course, but not vampire hunters. They’re still just mortals, after all, despite their odd talents.† I nodded, being one such creature who could turn invisible, though I rarely used the power. I toyed with the thought that Cody’s phantom might have been an invisible immortal, trying to play a trick, but he still should have sensed the telltale signature we all carried. Indeed, he should have sensed a mortal vampire hunter as well. The fact that he had neither seen nor felt anything lent credence to Peter’s theory that the stalker had all been in Cody’s head. â€Å"Can vampire hunters harm anyone else? Demons†¦ or other immortal creatures?† â€Å"It’s very hard to do anything tangible to an immortal,† he mused. â€Å"Certain denizens of good – powerful priests, for example – can drive off demons, but they can’t harm them permanently. Likewise, I’ve heard of mortals capturing supernatural creatures, but doing much more than that†¦ I’m not saying it’s impossible, just that I’ve never heard of it. To my offhand knowledge, vampire hunters can only harm vampires. Nothing else.† â€Å"I value your offhand knowledge more than most confirmed facts.† He eyed me curiously. â€Å"But this isn’t the answer you were expecting.† â€Å"I don’t know. It’s pretty much what I’ve already been told. I was just thinking there might be more.† It was entirely possible that Jerome had been telling the truth, that this was merely a case of a rampant vampire hunter and that his warnings to Hugh and me had been simple courtesies to protect us from discomfort. Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that Jerome had held back information, nor did I really believe Cody to be the kind of person who imagined things. I must have looked perplexed because Erik offered, somewhat hesitantly it seemed, â€Å"I could look into this more for you, if you’d like. Just because I’ve never heard of something capable of harming other immortals doesn’t mean it’s out of the realm of existence.† I nodded. â€Å"I’d appreciate that. Thank you.† â€Å"It’s a privilege to be of assistance to someone like you. And if you like, I could also make other inquiries into vampire hunters in general.† He paused again, choosing his words carefully. â€Å"Were such a person to be at large, certain signs would show up in the local occult community. Supplies would be bought, questions asked. Such beings do not go unnoticed.† Now I hesitated. Jerome had told us to be careful. I had the feeling he wouldn’t appreciate any vigilante work, though speaking with Erik now probably counted as exactly that. Surely it wouldn’t matter if I sent out my own feelers. Gathering information was not the same as me personally going out to find this person. â€Å"I’d appreciate that as well. Anything you could find out would be useful.† I finished the last of my tea and set the empty cup down. â€Å"I should probably leave now.† He rose with me. â€Å"Thank you for having tea with me.. Being with a woman like you is generally the sort of thing that only happens in a man’s dreams.† I laughed gently at the veiled joke, referencing the old story of succubi visiting men in their sleep. â€Å"Your dreams are safe, Erik.† He returned my smile. â€Å"Come back in a few days, and I’ll tell you what I’ve learned. We’ll have tea again.† Glancing around at the empty store, thinking how no customers had shown up during our visit, I suddenly felt the need to give him some business. â€Å"Let me buy some of that tea before I go.† He gave me an indulgent look, his dark brown eyes amused like he knew the game I played. â€Å"I always took you for more of a black tea advocate – or at least an admirer of caffeine.† â€Å"Hey, even I like to shake things up once in a while. Besides, it was good†¦ in an herbal, decaffeinated sort of way.† â€Å"I’ll pass your compliments on to my friend. She makes the blends, and I sell them for her.† â€Å"A lady friend, huh?† â€Å"Just a friend, Miss Kincaid.† He walked over to a shelf behind the register where several varieties of tea lay. Approaching the counter to pay, I admired some of the jewelry under its glass. One piece in particular caught my eye, a three-stranded choker of peach-colored, freshwater pearls, occasionally intermixed with copper beads or pieces of sea green glass. An ankh made of copper hung as its centerpiece. â€Å"Is this from another of your local artisans?† â€Å"An old friend in Tacoma made it.† Erik reached into the case and took the choker out for me, laying it on the counter. I ran my hands over the fine, smooth pearls, each one slightly irregular in shape. â€Å"He mixed some Egyptian influence in with it, I think, but he wanted to sort of invoke the spirit of Aphrodite and the sea, create something the ancient priestesses might have worn.† â€Å"They wore nothing so fine,† I murmured, turning over the necklace, noting the high price on its tag. I found myself speaking without conscious thought. â€Å"And many of the ancient Greek cities did have Egyptian influence. Ankhs appeared on Cyprian coins, as did Aphrodite.† Touching the copper of the ankh reminded me of another necklace, a necklace long since lost under the dust of time. That necklace had been simpler: only a string of beads etched with tiny ankhs. But my husband had brought it to me the morning of our wedding, sneaking up to our house just after dawn in a gesture uncharacteristically bold for him. I had chastised him for the indiscretion. â€Å"What are you doing? You’re going to see me this afternoon†¦ and then every day after that!† â€Å"I had to give you these before the wedding.† He held up the string of beads. â€Å"They were my mother’s. I want you to have them, to wear them today.† He leaned forward, placing the beads around my neck. As his fingers brushed my skin, I felt something warm and tingly run through my body. At the tender age of fifteen, I hadn’t exactly understood such sensations, though I was eager to explore them. My wiser self today recognized them as the early stirrings of lust, and†¦ well, there had been something else there too. Something else that I still didn’t quite comprehend. An electric connection, a feeling that we were bound into something bigger than ourselves. That our being together was inevitable. â€Å"There,† he’d said, once the beads were secure and my hair brushed back into place. â€Å"Perfect.† He said nothing else after that. He didn’t need to. His eyes told me all I needed to know, and I shivered. Until Kyriakos, no man had ever given me a second glance. I was Marthanes ‘ too-tall daughter after all, the one with the sharp tongue who didn’t think before speaking. (Shape-shifting would eventually take care of one of those problems but not the other.) But Kyriakos had always listened to me and watched me like I was someone more, someone tempting and desirable, like the beautiful priestesses of Aphrodite who still carried on their rituals away from the Christian priests. I wanted him to touch me then, not realizing just how much until I caught his hand suddenly and unexpectedly. Taking it, I placed it around my waist and pulled him to me. His eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t pull back. We were almost the same height, making it easy for his mouth to seek mine out in a crushing kiss. I leaned against the warm stone wall behind me so that I was pressed between it and him. I could feel every part of his body against mine, but we still weren’t close enough. Not nearly enough. Our kissing grew more ardent, as though our lips alone might close whatever aching distance lay between us. I moved his hand again, this time to push up my skirt along the side of one leg. His hand stroked the smooth flesh there and, without further urging, slid over to my inner thigh. I arched my lower body toward his, nearly writhing against him now, needing him to touch me everywhere. â€Å"Letha? Where are you at?† My sister’s voice carried over the wind; she wasn’t nearby but was close enough to be here soon. Kyriakos and I broke apart, both gasping, pulses racing. He was looking at me like he’d never seen me before. Heat burned in his gaze. â€Å"Have you ever been with anyone before?† he asked won- deringly. I shook my head. â€Å"How did you†¦ I never imagined you doing that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I learn fast.† He grinned and pressed my hand to his lips. â€Å"Tonight,† he breathed. â€Å"Tonight we†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Tonight,† I agreed. He backed away then, eyes still smoldering. â€Å"I love you. You are my life.† â€Å"I love you too.† I smiled and watched him ago. A minute later, I heard my sister again. â€Å"Letha?† â€Å"Miss Kincaid?† Erik’s voice snapped me out of the memory, and suddenly I was back in his store, away from my family’s long-since crumbled home. I met his questioning eyes and held up the necklace. â€Å"I’ll take this too.† â€Å"Miss Kincaid,† he said uncertainly, fingering the price tag. â€Å"The help I give you†¦ there’s no need†¦ no cost†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I know,† I assured him. â€Å"I know. Just add this to my bill. And ask your friend if he can make matching earrings.† I left the store wearing the choker, still thinking about that morning, what it had been like to be touched for the first time, touched only by someone I loved. I exhaled carefully and put it from my mind. Just like I had countless other times. How to cite Succubus Blues CHAPTER 8, Essay examples

Creative Writing Assigment Essay Example For Students

Creative Writing Assigment Essay Psycho?PrologueThe door to the motel room slammed shut, shaking the walls. Mother. Mother where are you? God damn it. You get out here right now. Ive not finished with you yet mother! Norman screamed. He stormed through the hotel room. Come out come out where ever you are. Norman lifted the cover on the edge of the bed, and ducked down to look under it. Mother, I know youre here somewhere. Im going to find you! In the bathroom Maude hid, cowering behind a shower curtain. With every one of her sons shouts she curled tighter and tighter into a ball. She pulled the shower curtain all the way around the tub, in a vain attempt to hide. She had no idea why she chose the bathroom; she just ran straight in there. Mommy dearest. Oh mommy. Norman slowly opened the door to the bathroom. One, two, Normans coming for you. He walked over to the bath and slowly pulled back the shower curtain. Hello mother. Why are you hiding? Ive got something for you. Maude whimpered with fear as the last rays of the sun glinted off the blade in Normans hand. ______________________________________________________________________________You ok there mum? Anthony asked. Im fine sweetheart. Now stop worrying about me and keep your eyes on the road. Jane replied. Want some music on mum? Anthony inquired. No darling. Lets just talk. Tell me more about your fiance. She said. Well youre going to love her. Shes funny, outgoing, compassionate, and beautiful. And I adore her. She makes me smile. She keeps me happy. Ive never met anyone like her in my whole life. He smiled as he talked. She sounds great. So tell me how you two met. Its strange actually. I saw her for the first time in the lift in our office building, but I never talked to her. Then it was my turn to fetch the sandwiches from the local shop. I gave my order and turned around to sit down. As I did I bumped into someone and said sorry. It was then I heard it, her voice. Its like honey or silk. I looked up and there she was. We sat together waiting for our sandwiches. It turns out that her offices are on the floor above ours. We walked back together and I didnt want to say goodbye. We just clicked. I dont know how else to describe it. As the lift approached my floor I decided to risk everything and ask her out on a date. She said yes and weve never looked back. She the one. I know it. Jane smiled and said In the end thats how it was for your father and I. We just knew. Alison sounds great. Im sure Ill love her and that well get on very well. Unless you think Im one of those frightening mother in law types? they both laughed. Anthony and his mother shared a close relationship, although not in the oedipal sense, nor were they dependent upon one another. They just enjoyed each others company. They fought, but then who doesnt fight with their parents? But Anthony and Janes fights were never vicious and never lasted long. Anthony was happy with his life. As he drove along he thought about how well everything was going. He couldnt wait for his mother to meet Alison. Although he had talked to them both about the other they had never actually met in person. This was due to the fact that his mother had been abroad for the past year. They hadnt even conversed much as due to constantly moving, Jane phone calls were infrequent and short, answered by Anthony. He was glad that his mother was home now and going to live near them. Hed missed her, but travelling was always something his mother had always wanted to do. He looked over at her and smiled. .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f , .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f .postImageUrl , .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f , .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f:hover , .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f:visited , .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f:active { border:0!important; } .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f:active , .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u31875ae35f74a395a38ee7d420ba357f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Total Quality Management Argumentative Essay Anthony, its getting late. Are we going to be driving all night or are we stopping somewhere? Jane asked him. Anthony looked out at the road and thought deeply for a moment. Well, by my reckoning, he said, weve got about another six hours to go. Anthony, dear, its half ten

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Australias Involvement In The Vietnam War Essay Analysis Essay The origins of the Vietnam War lie in the post World War II period when the European empires were being dismantled. The region which is now Vietnam was then part of Indo-China, part of the French empire. Revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh had led a national liberation struggle against wartime Japanese occupation (and the French colonialists) from 1941. With military and financial support from communist China, the Viet Minh made substantial gains, roundly defeating the French at Dien Bien Phu in 1954. Vietnam temporarily partitioned into North and South pending the outcome of peace talks. The peace talks broke down, but the struggle continued. The United States had been involved from the beginning, providing military advisors and financial assistance from the end of World War II. By 1954 they were paying for 80% of the cost of the French effort. American involvement was formalised and strengthened. Following the Gulf of Tonkin incident when US destroyers were fired upon by North Korean patrol boats, Congress authorised President Johnson to use ;all necessary measures; to ;repel any armed attack; on 7 August 1964. This resulted in increased bombing raids and, more significantly, an expansion of ground forces, from 23 000 in December 1964, to 316 400 by October 1966. Australia;s involvement began in 1962 when, in response to a request from the government of South Vietnam, Australia sent 30 military advisers to train and improve the effectiveness of South Vietnam;s Army. By 1965 this had been increased to 100 advisors plus six transport aircraft. That year, after a further request from the South Vietnamese Government, Prime Minister Robert Menzies decided to send a battalion of ground troops to provide support in South Vietnam. According to Menzies; statement of April 29 1965, ;The takeover of South Vietnam would be a direct military threat to Australia and to all the countries of South and South-Eas

French Cinema Essay Example

French Cinema Essay Example French Cinema Essay French Cinema Essay French Cinema Scene analysis The scene from the movie Rules of The Game by Jean Renoir shows many camera techniques and uses the camera to clench the true meaning of the screen. I will be discussing and analyzing the scene. The film beautifully demonstrates the use of precise shots and perfectly executed scenes. Throughout the scene of The Rules of the Game the camera is like another person in the room. It is invisible and wanders throughout the building almost like it is someone following what is happening. This makes for an interesting and new perception never seen before by film viewers. At one point in the scene the camera gets trapped and has to zoom out as though it is being caught. Along with the presence of the camera you can notice rack focusing, the lighting is obviously controlled. The scene begins with a near foreground and pans out to far background as they move throughout the building. One of the greatest aspects of the scene and the film is the incredibly long takes and long shots. This allowed us to be able to grasp whatever we wanted to see in every shot. Jean Renoir used montage editing; this gave the audience the freedom to choose what they wanted to see within the scene. The viewers are able to edit their own idea of the shot. As the scene progresses the camera moves weightlessly with the focus on the foreground while the two in the background escape through a door. The use of separation from the hallway to the main room acts as a sort of barrier between shots. : Although on take it feels as though it is separated into two. The primary focus of this shot is to establish the idea that Schumacher is looking for Saint-Aubin. The concept is that the viewer needs to choose who to look at. It forces the viewer to be crossed between the main focus and the deep focus. There is no cut of the camera which would cause all prior viewer attention to be diminished. Because of the fluid camera movement it makes for a realization of what is going on in the background. The final concept is the montage that Jean Renoir uses. The faint light hearted piano music adds to an overall mood and feeling of the shot. For the most part the movie could be seen as dreary but this scene adds an almost lighthearted tone as they move from the conversation in the hallway to the bigger room. Overall the film scene is a masterpiece in that the camera moves in such a way that allows the viewer to feel like you are right in the action. With All the techniques put into this particular shot you can clearly see that this is one of the greatest films ever made.

Small group communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Small group communication - Essay Example An effective small group that would guarantee efficient results is one that has established clear roles for the small group members. Firstly, there should be a task leader. A task leader is probably one of the key people within the small group as he controls the direction of the group and initiates debate points. He is resourceful enough to know when a point has been exhausted and also has the ability to come up with debatable points whose answers contribute to the overall discussion. The other critical aspect for a small group is communication. The members of the small group should understand each other they should be able to discern information provided by other members. This ensures that no single point escapes. In totality, this contributes to a healthy group discussion and one that maximizes on the resourcefulness of all the members. Looking through the definition forwarded by the text it is possible to identify our class groups as small groups. A project team, as it was constit uted to achieve a particular goal which was discussion of various academic topics. The intention of the project team was to improve our functionality in groups as well as integrate variable knowledge as presented by various group members. However, the only qualification as a small group only lay in the numbers and communication interactions. This was the only congruent aspect as our small group lacked a communication pattern. There were no ground rules that ensured the discussions remained focused on the subject matter. This was largely due to lack of a task leader. A task leader is defined as the person who emerges as the most qualified to lead a specific small group dealing with a particular problem (Cragan, Wright and Kasch 39). This type of a person lacked in our small group. The result was an uncoordinated group that engaged in debates far from the intended topics. It would take a long time to have the group members focus again on the topic of discussion. The greatest problem was that every time one of the group members seemed to take control of the group he was fast criticized and this again translated to a disorderly discussion. The text identifies that task leaders are not necessarily known at the inception of the

Hillside casr study 3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hillside casr study 3 - Essay Example The system holds relevant capacity and it is set to improve cash management. It seeks to streamline cash collection, Administration of records and determination of discount figures that would be sustainable. It is significant for the financial administrators at Hillside school to establish and understand the processes that the new billing system presents. This is to enable development of accurate decisions on when and at what point they should issue the discount with an aim to eliminate misappropriations or realization of dismal performance in the future. In particular, the new system presents a streamlined structure that defines cash collection effectively. The structure enables individuals to make credible choices from the available options based on set guidelines to boost performance (Barnard, 2008). The administration in a pursuit to improve student enrolment and effective collection of cash seeks to employ a discount strategy for individuals who make fixed payments. This is to ensure early payment of fees by students that would help in facilitating effective financial planning. In any setting, provision of cash discount influence consumers positively. Indeed, the new billing system presents a credible cash collection department where the discount figure should be developed. That is, the discount provided to fixed payees should be sorted at the accounts department to promote accuracy and accountability. The process would foster efficiency and effectiveness in terms of fee payment and collection. The school plans to give 5% discount to students who make prompt payments basic on fixed terms. The figure shows the cash transaction system where fee is collected from tuition and after care service centers. The system is to be upgraded with a discount payment program to facilitate the new initiative that is aimed at encouraging prompt payments. It stipulates that 5% discount is to be provided to students who make

Capital Investment Decision Making Research Paper

Capital Investment Decision Making - Research Paper Example The institution must also decide on a payment and delivery modes of the van that would be cost-effective. Other decisions would include appropriate model of the van and urgency of acquiring the van (Cleverley, Cleverley & Song, 2011). Information for evaluation of the investment on the van shall include the institution’s financial capacity, inventory, and expected trends; a clear record of prospective patient’s physical locations to determine the urgency for acquiring the van; other vehicles available that have the ability to be converted to self-contained ambulances; and the institution’s capacity to maintain such form of capital investment. At the decision making process, there is a likelihood of several challenges (Klonowski, 2010). Conflict of interest among and between stakeholders and shareholders may slow down the decision making process. The participants at the decision-making forums would have divergent views regarding the subject that may make the decision making sluggish (Jackson, Sawyers, & Jenkins, 2009). Moreover, availability of the required information for evaluation of alternatives shall determine the pace of the decision-making process. If the information is not available readily, the process might be tedious and