The World is Not Enough - different stages of production essays

The World is Not Enough - different stages of production essays Since 1962, there have been 5 different people who have played James Bond and 18 Bond movies. The film that I will be discussing is The World Is Not Enough starring Pierce Brosnan, Judy Dench and Robert Carlisle. On the opening weekend, this film had a box office take of $37,000,000 compared to the $25,000,000 that the previous Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies took. So how is this film so successful? This essay looks at the significant aspects of pre production, production and post production to help to see how Bond 19 The World Is Not Enough was such a box office hit. The USA release date of The World Is Not Enough was set to be on November 19th 1999, 2 years since the previous film. This gave Michael Apted, the director, 24 months to come up with a Bond film different to all the others. The World Is Not Enough is Bonds family motto- it was the film to take us into the millennium, so it had to be good! The first thing needed was a script it took Robert wade and Neil Purvis around 6 months to come up with an exciting yet diverse script. The thing about Bond is that he is always going from location to location never looking back. This is what sets The World Is Not Enough apart from the others because Bond actually revisits a location he has been to previously. Next, a very important aspect of pre-production is the budget. It cost over $100 million dollars to produce The World Is Not Enough and the film must make 2.5 times that to make a profit. Bond is all about his locations, they are famous for being striking and exotic, this is another reason why The World Is Not Enough is set apart from the rest. All the scenes were shot in sets in Pinewood Studios in London, apart from the scenes set in Kazakhstan, which were filmed in Spain. This is because it can be extremely difficult to find locations which are able to be ...

Thesis Citation Recommendations

Thesis Citation Recommendations Thesis Citation Recommendations Citation is the process by which you give proper attribution to authors of materials you used to form a thesis. Without proper citation and corresponding bibliographical references listed at the end of a paper, you could be accused of plagiarism or unfounded/unsupported statements and conclusions. Experienced writers in Toronto and surrounding areas recommend the following steps: Writing Formats There are various writing styles and citation formats to consider: APA (American Psychological Association) MLA (Modern Language Association) Chicago Manual of Style /Turabian Harvard CBE (Council of Biology Editors) CGOS (Columbia Guide to Online Style) Check Your Citations Make sure your paper meets the necessary citation and reference list criteria: Are all references cited in the text? Are all the citations mentioned in the reference list? Are all entries in alphabetical and numerical order? Do reference list entries have basic, required information (e.g. author/s, publication year, title, page number, DOI Digital Object Identifier, URL, etc. ) Do the in-text citations with multiple authors have the correct number of names and use of â€Å"et al.† appropriately? Are the names of the authors spelled correctly (and use either full first name or first initial as required by the chosen style format)? Are the titles accurate? Do various papers written by the same author(s) have the proper use of â€Å"ibid.† or â€Å"op cit† in the in-text citations? Master Essay is an exceptional thesis writing service. You can request a Standard, Premium or Platinum quality paper from one our expert writers. Each member of our writing team can assist you with any assignment. Call for expert writing help in the GTA today at 1-800-573-0840.

Microeconomic of my own life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Microeconomic of my own life - Essay Example Having learnt various principles and theories in microeconomics, the objective of this paper is to relate my life experiences to some of these microeconomic aspects. Microeconomics has made me appreciate choice as a comparison of alternatives. The forgone opportunities for the next benefit alternatives would be referred to as opportunity cost as noted by Boyes and Melvin (23). Opportunity costs refer to the highly valued alternatives which have to be forgone when making a choice. Thus, in my case, the freedom to watch movies, eat the food of my choice and play with my pet would be considered as the opportunity cost as I had to forgo this for the sake of enrolling in a boarding school. The next benefit alternative would thus be joining a boarding school which was meant to make me excel academically. Despite the academic benefit that I was to realize by being in a boarding school, I found other benefits that I would not have found had I remained in my previous learning institution. My father worked in a pen manufacturing firm and hence gave me the best ball-pens to use for my writing. I made many friends in school because of these pens as many students would borrow my pens. At first, I was generous enough to give them out. Within a short period of time, students would demand to know where the pens were sourced from. Actually, the pens were available in the stores but at a high cost and thus stocked less. Remember, Boyes and Melvin (23) observe that costly goods do not elicit the urge to buy from consumers. A majority of pen users would prefer the less costly pen varieties as long as these pens served the intended purpose, quality aside. Since my father supplied these pens to me free of charge and in unlimited quantities, I started selling them to those students who demanded for it at a slightly lower cost than they fetched in the retail stores. The attractive qualities of the pens including swift gliding while writing and availability in diverse colors made the p ens popular. Word went round the school on the attributes of the pen which made the demand increase. Students drawn from various classes would look for me to supply them with these pens. Realizing the increased demand for the pens, I raised the selling price for each pen. This trend follows the microeconomic law of supply which according to Boyes and Melvin (52) dictates an increase in supply with increase in the prices of specific goods or services and a decrease in supply with a fall in price. Assuming the role of a supplier, as the students were willing to spend more to have the pens, I kept increasing the cost. Since I could not wholly satisfy the demand for these pens, I could not determine the effect of price increase on demand which according to the law of demand dictates that with such price increases, there tends to be a decrease in demand. But the trend did not last for long as I had to be careful neither to sell the pens at the cost in the stores nor to sell them at a cos t deemed exorbitant to the students. It reached a point where I could clearly see the impact of price increment on the demand for the pens from the students. As if abiding by the law of demand, the students gradually reduced their demand until I had a number of students whose demand for the pens I could satisfy at the indicated cost. In essence, this was the equilibrium according to

The Russian-speaking communities in Portland and NorthWest Pacific Research Paper

The Russian-speaking communities in Portland and NorthWest Pacific - Research Paper Example The Russian Americans are currently reported to be about three million currently. Most Russian Americans no longer speak Russian. This is because they are born and raised by English-speaking Russian American parents. Statistics however suggest that by the year 2007, Russian was the principal language used by about eight hundred thousand Americans based on U.S. census results in that year (Spickard 2007). Further statistics by the Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard submit that by 1990 there were over seven hundred thousand ethnic Russian Americans in the U.S.A. The Ukrainians and Carpatho-Rusyns who trace their ancestry to Carpathian Ruthenia in the 19th century and early 20th century also identify themselves as Russian Americans. The recent emigres often refer to these people as the starozhili which when translated means â€Å"old residents†. These â€Å"old residents† were most instrumental in establishing the Russian Orthodoxy religion in America (Marrows 1997). These ethnic Russian Americans have in the recent decades been assimilated into the American society and culture but their ethnic traditions are still very much alive and are observable primarily around the Russian Orthodox Church. 3. ... The first wave begun around the 18th century during which time the Russians who were expanding their territory begun venturing into northwest America areas in search of furs. Fort Ross was established in 1812 by members of the Russian American company (Marrows 1997). This was where they established a hunting and trading company. This company was wholly owned by Russia’s elite society referred to as the tsar. This company had been in business for about a century before the fort was built. The conditions that necessitated the immigrations of the Russian Jews in the 1800’s were quite squalid and could be compared to Ireland’s â€Å"throes of famine†. There abodes were sparsely furnished and overly crowded with sickly elderly relatives and malnourished children who had to share meager rations of food. Some of the areas were so devastatingly poor that residents had to make do with bread and water. In areas such as Galicia for instance, many Jews starved to deat h annually. Basic human rights such as the freedom of worship and legal autonomy of citizens were revoked prompting the emigration by the Russian Jews. For most of the peasant Jewish immigrants, the journey to America was extremely trying and quite a life threatening adventure. The steamships they used to cross were rather small and large numbers of these poor Russian Jews were crammed into the limited space. The conditions in the ships were despicable and these travelers had to contend with little rations of food and disease (Spickard 2007). The normal procedure was that the husband went to America and got a job after which he would save up and send for his wife and children back

Public policy making Essay Example for Free

Public policy making Essay This section sets the context for testing the hypotheses. Historically, church-state relationships have been a recurring and significant source of political controversy in European states. The outcomes of these controversies may be viewed in terms of the following taxonomy: the Erastian model, in which the state has assumed responsibility for the direction of the church; the liberal model, in which the state is secular and neutral in its relationships with the church(es) found in its society; the theocratic model, in which the church has achieved supremacy in religious and secular affairs; the spheres model, in which the church prevails in some spheres and the state in other spheres of society; and the anti-church model, in which the state stands in opposition to the church and seeks to curtail or eliminate religion. The Erastian model. On this model, the state seeks to organize the church as a department of the state. This model is commonly associated with the Protestant German states of the Reformation. The Erastian model confronts the problem of internal religious change, perhaps expressed in controversies over liturgy or doctrinal controversies. From the regulatory perspective, two broad responses to internal change may be taken by the Erastian state. First, the state may simply tolerate a good deal of doctrinal variation within the church viewed as a common religious house. Second, the state may seek to play the role of arbiter or imprimatur in determining the correctness of certain positions in theological disputes. Both positions run the risk of reduced credibility for both the church and the state. The liberal model. The liberal model argues for neutrality of the state in the affairs of churches. It conceives the state as one in which there is no privileged relationship between the state and any particular church. Although the liberal model has its origins in European thought, it may be argued that it has rarely been found in European countries. Few European regimes have adopted neutrality as the basis for church-state regulation. The United States is often judged to be a better example than European nations of the application of the liberal tradition to church-state relations. [14] The United States also is a nation with one of the highest rates of church attendance on either side of the North Atlantic. Does the fact that the American state constructs church-state relations as a wall of separation contribute to the apparently greater American public willingness to attend church and to attach importance to religion? Roger Finke has argued that the deregulation of churches in the United States has promoted religious individualism; that is, for an American church to survive it must attract communicants in the open market by responding to the individuals understanding of religion as one of personal conversion. [15] The theocratic model. Here the church assumes or is given a sphere of influence that embraces both religious and secular spheres. As with the state in the Erastian model, the church is supreme and so the question of the states defining boundaries does not arise. The churchs autonomy in determining public policy is not confined to its membership but embraces the broader community in which the church is located. This model may exist in regions within a state but certainly is not characteristic of nations in Europe today. The best example of a European theocracy in the last century was the Papal states in what is now modern Italy. The spheres model. This model can best be described by saying what it is not. It is not the liberal tradition or the Erastian or the theocratic. Rather, it may be described as the situation in which the society is understood as made up of competing or perhaps complementary spheres. Conflicts between the Holy Roman Emperors and religious hierarchies often reflected this battle over spheres of autonomy. Variations of this model are found in a remarkably wide range of European nations today. These range from nations that profess to be of a certain church, to others that are critical of a specific church. Samuel Krislov argues that the determination of boundaries between church and state is enormously difficult in any system that seeks to recognize separate spheres of responsibility between a church and a state. [16] It is probably useful to conceptualize the spheres model as a continuum. At one end are the Roman Catholic Churches in Ireland and in todays Poland, where the sphere of church influence is quite large and embraces many areas of public policy making. At the other end of the continuum are Scandinavian churches which have narrowly-defined spheres of influence in public policy making. The anti-church model. This final model is one in which the state is deeply critical if not in outright opposition to the church. The former regimes of Eastern Europe reflected an oppositional tradition as historically did the nineteenth and early twentieth century regimes in Mexico and in France which often sought to disestablish or to curtail church life severely. Examples of opposition include expulsion of religious orders, seizure of church resources, and prohibition of many church-sponsored activities.

Harley Davidson Strategic Analysis Essay -- Motorcycles Harley Davidso

Harley Davidson Strategic Analysis   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  William Harley and Arthur Davidson wanted to take the work out of riding bicycles in 1901. After being joined by the Arthur brothers, Walter and William, they came up with the idea of putting a motor and a bicycle together. Many engine changes were made before the builders were satisfied. In 1903, they created the first Harley-Davidson motorcycle and produced three that year. Harley built its first building in 1907 on Juneau Avenue in Milwaukee. That same year, 150 motorcycles were produced. As they were used for recreational purposes, they were also used in military situations. They proved useful in border skirmishes and the government called for 20,000 bikes to be shipped overseas. Following the war, other companies tried to enter the market, but Harley remained the largest. The depression had an unfavorable effect on Harley as it did with most corporations, but it outlasted the crisis and celebrated its fiftieth year in 1953 as the sole survivor in the motorcy cle industry. Harley did turn public in 1965, but was bought by thirteen senior Harley-Davidson executives in 1981. It was returned to public ownership in 1986 by offering two million shares of common stock. It was approved by the New York Stock exchange in 1987 and has been there ever since. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  A company with the history of Harley-Davidson has few weaknesses and threats, but a SWOT analysis can help them turn them into favorable opportunities and strengths. Strengths- Customer loyalty is probably the number one strength of Harley's business. Once a person buys a Harley, it seems as though they become trapped in the entire Harley business. Once they buy a Harley, they usually never buy another brand of motorcycle. Along with the bike comes the apparel. Once a person purchases a bike, the jacket, bandanas, etc. become a must. Opportunity- For Harley is that the economy is at a place where people will go out and purchase a motorcycle for recreational purposes. Whether the economy is good or not, is a place where they may thrive. When the economy is not doing as well, people may look at a motorcycle as a more economical way to travel so Harley can do well in both situations. Weaknesses- Large numbers of products being produced can make for many errors. When there is such a demand to produce many of one type of product, there can be many mistakes that... ...s and perhaps by reaching out to them with these types of products, they will develop future relationships with them. These performance products can be used for recreation and competition while keeping that edge that Harley has had since it began. 5.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The stock of Harley continues to rise as the idea that the Japanese is dominating the industry. Since the beginning of the year, the stock for Harley has risen almost 49%. Part of the reason is the change in their operations. For years, people would have to wait for months for a bike due to the huge demand, but foul ups have been fixed and they are now pumping out bikes like never before. This article also states how well Harley deals with its employees and their union. Most recently, they signed a seven-year contract while still having one year left on their previous contract. There are some critics though who believe that Harley is just a "balloon waiting to burst". Due to the expensive price, they believe that there is not much room to grow and that it is only a matter of time before the stock price begins to drop. -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  www.harleydavidson.com -  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/nov2000/nf20001117_421.htm

Sy’s Fish Company Risk Analysis Essay

As Sy’s business grows there are certain risks and that must be acknowledged and addressed in order to make operations run smoothly and efficiently. Below are the risks that have been identified and recommendations to mitigate them. Risk: Sending documents to Sy via mail. There is a high probability that the documents could be lost and therefore the transactions never recorded. Mail can take up to a week to receive so the timing would be affected. Transactions would be recorded in the wrong period and adjustments would have to be made to correct this. Recommendation: Sy should implement an information technology system so documents can be recorded in a timely manner and not lost in the mail. Risk: Return policy There is not a limit of days a customer has to return the fish. A customer can order fish, and if they are unhappy three months later, they can return the fish for a full refund no questions asked. This is a risk because customers can take advantage of this policy therefore affecting sales revenue. Recommendation: Sy sells only fresh fish to customers. Because of this, he needs to change his return policy to 15 days. This will ensure that customers do not wait to return fish months later after the fish has gone bad. Risk: Bookkeeping and Job Responsibility All of Sy’s bookkeeping is done by various employees from various stores. Having employees from various locations doing different parts of bookkeeping is risky because not one person is held responsible. Transactions cannot be collaborated from beginning to end until all the paperwork is received from each individual. Recommendation: If Sy plans on growing his business he is going to have to hire more employees to help with the bookkeeping. He should have separation of duties to avoid falsifying of information. All the bookkeeping should be done in one location. Internal controls should be set up for the process of recording transactions. Risk: Accounts payable procedure Natalie holds all the miscellaneous payable documents for payment at the end of the month. She records the document being received on the same day she issues payment. This is a risk because it effects what period the documents are recorded. Natalie pays all fishers in one lump sum instead of separating each payment. This is risky because it could be recorded incorrectly and there is no way to know which order was input wrong. Recommendation: She should record each miscellaneous payable document on the date received and the date paid should be when the check was written. She should record each fisher payable document individually. Risk: Bad Debt Sy does not know how much each customer owes or when they will receive payment. This is a risk because he will not be able to account for bad debt. Recommendation: He should make an accounts receivable ledger to study which customers have not paid and how long they are past due. By keeping records it will be easier to account for bad debt. Risk: Payables checking account Money in the payables checking accounts that has not been claimed cannot be traced back to the vendor. This affects revenue recognition and is a risk because Sy does not know where this money is going. Recommendation: There should be a record of what vendors have cashed their checks. Implement a direct deposit system to pay vendors and fishers. Risk: AFS securities There is no documentation on Sy’s AFS securities. There are no footnotes or explanations on the beginning balance sheet (Appendix 1). This is a risk because external users do not know where Sy’s investments are going. If there are no footnotes or explanations for the security investors they might not want to invest. Reccomendations Sy needs to add additional disclosures to explain his security and what he plans on doing with it.

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 9

I was starting to envy the teleportation that higher immortals used. I'd always complained about it in the past (it tended to be a bit disorienting), but suddenly, a spot of dizziness seemed trivial compared to doing the Vancouver-Seattle drive yet again. Annoying or not, I was anxious to talk to Jerome, so as soon as Cedric gave me leave to go home the next day, I hit the road back to the States. Isabelle had seemed convincing enough in denying her role in the Army's shenanigans, and both Carter and Cedric seemed certain she wasn't involved either. I couldn't dismiss any leads here, however, not when my permanent return to Seattle was on the line and certainly not when someone was actually messing with Seattle itself. Isabelle might truly be innocent, but I wasn't going to shut the door on this until I'd run it by Jerome. â€Å"It seems like you're here more than you are there,† noted Hugh when I called to tell him I was back in town. â€Å"Doesn't really seem like you're being punished all that much.† â€Å"Punishment's subjective. Do you know where Jerome's at?† â€Å"Last I knew, he was meeting someone.† â€Å"The Cellar?† â€Å"Mmm, no†¦that new bar in Capitol Hill. Clement's.† â€Å"Is he going to be mad if I show up while he's at a lunch meeting?† â€Å"If he doesn't want to be interrupted, you won't be able to find him.† Fair point. Without going home, I drove straight to Capitol Hill, finding street parking that wasn't actually too far from Cody and Peter's apartment. Clement's was a new place that had gone in recently, a bit sleeker and trendier than the Cellar, which was a divey haunt in Pioneer Square we immortals often frequented. Clement's had the same upscale feel and designer drink menu that Mark's had had, and I had a hard time convincing myself that a drink probably wasn't the best idea while I was here in the midst of demonic business. I spotted Jerome right away. He was at a back table, facing the doorway. His eyes met mine as I approached, my signature declaring my presence, just as his came through to me. Only, his wasn't the only immortal aura there. I recognized the bearer's identity before the woman seated across from him even turned around. Nanette. I came to a stop by their table, speechless more from surprise than fear. Jerome and Nanette together? When had this come about? There was a sly smile on her face, like she was in on some joke the rest of us weren't. She had on another cute sundress, lavender silk that looked great with her blond hair, though the spring weather didn't quite seem warm enough for it yet. Of course, when you were a demon, I supposed the fires of Hell kept you warm. â€Å"Georgie,† said Jerome, not unpleasantly, â€Å"it seems like you're here more than you are in Vancouver.† â€Å"Cedric sent me home. He doesn't seem to want me around if I'm not doing something specific.† Nanette chuckled and paused to take a drink of what looked like a Lemon Drop martini. â€Å"I imagine so, after that spectacle yesterday. Brilliant work, I might add.† I grimaced, deciding to out myself and risk losing Jerome's regard. â€Å"I actually didn't have anything to do with that. They did it without telling me.† Jerome didn't seem to mind. â€Å"That footage is all over YouTube. I've watched it a hundred times.† This whole thing was so confusing. Jerome ostensibly wanted me to help Cedric unravel the cult, yet my boss clearly took great pleasure in seeing the progress stall out. Again I felt like I was missing a piece of the picture here, making me even less secure about my position. â€Å"Look,† I said. â€Å"I don't want to interrupt your drinks. I'd just been hoping to chat with Jerome, but I can find you later.† Nanette downed her martini and stood up. â€Å"No, no. We're finished here. Have my seat.† I was hesitant, but she was insistent, and Jerome didn't appear to be too put out at her departure. She walked out of the bar like a normal human, not bothering with any elaborate teleportation-at least not while others could see her. He gestured toward her chair, and I sat down. â€Å"So, what can I do for you, Georgie?† Jerome was drinking brandy, something more suited to a night by the fire than a Sunday afternoon. â€Å"You were hanging out with Nanette?† I asked, momentarily putting Isabelle on hold. â€Å"As you saw.† â€Å"I told you about her meeting with Cedric.† â€Å"And?† â€Å"And, doesn't it seem weird that she's meeting with each of you behind the other's back?† â€Å"It's not behind anyone's back,† he countered. â€Å"I know she met with Cedric, and she knows I know.† Isabelle was moving farther and farther to the back burner of my mind. Suddenly, it all seemed perfectly obvious. Isabelle had denied being the angel because she didn't want her situation to change. Nanette, however, did want change. She wanted to stop feeling like Cedric and Jerome were eyeing her territory and squeezing her between them. She'd claimed her meeting with Cedric was defensive on her part, yet I couldn't help but wonder if she might be more on the offensive than any of us realized. â€Å"Georgie,† said Jerome dryly. â€Å"I can see those wheels in your head spinning. What are you thinking?† Starting with the meeting at Tim Hortons, I gave Jerome a full report of my experiences with the Army and the theories I'd put together about the Angel of Darkness being a literal angel-Isabelle. â€Å"Ridiculous,† said Jerome. â€Å"It's not her.† â€Å"You sound just as certain as Cedric did.† He shrugged, almost looking embarrassed to have agreed with his rival. â€Å"Because she's not running any cult. I've met her. She's not the type.† â€Å"Well, I'm actually starting to agree.† I took a deep breath and pushed forward. â€Å"I don't suppose it's occurred to either of you that Nanette could be the one behind this?† Jerome's face grew even more incredulous. â€Å"Nanette? Georgie, this is out there, even for you.† â€Å"What, demons eyeing each other's territories? Come on, Jerome. That's not out there at all! It's what you and Cedric were-maybe still are-doing for each other. If something blows up, Nanette's in a far better position to benefit from it than Isabelle would. Nanette's running to both of you, claiming she's worried about the other when really, she's playing you both off each other.† Jerome rolled the brandy in his glass. â€Å"And let me guess: she's blond too, like this alleged golden-haired angel.† â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sighed, took a last swig of the brandy, and set the glass down hard. â€Å"Not that I have any reason to explain our goings-on to you, but here it is. Nanette doesn't have the balls to try something like that. Oh, sure, some of your points are correct. This wouldn't be unreasonable demon behavior, particularly one feeling threatened. But not her. She might want to do something like this, but she won't. She's a lot of talk but not much on action.† I didn't usually get answers that detailed from Jerome and was a bit taken aback. â€Å"You're certain?† â€Å"I am,† he said firmly. A waiter delivered a new glass of brandy. â€Å"Leave her and Isabelle behind. Find some other reason for what this absurd group's doing. Barring that, disband them like you're supposed to. And barring that , do give me some credit that I can take care of my affairs without a succubus' help.† I left not long after that, leaving Jerome to drink alone. As I pushed the door open, I glanced back and studied him. His face was momentarily unguarded, troubled as he stared into the depths of his glass. He seemed very alone, literally and figuratively, despite his bold words. I felt a strange pang in my chest, a bit of sorrow over what was undoubtedly an eternity of torment made worse when complications like our current ones ensued. But then, maybe these bursts of demonic drama helped break up the monotony. I considered errands after that but decided heading straight home sounded best. My phone rang just I stepped into my apartment. I kicked the door closed with my foot while my free hand dug through the depths of my purse. Doug's number showed on the caller ID. â€Å"Is everything okay?† I asked as soon as I answered. â€Å"You know what's sad here, Kincaid? You aren't asking if I'm okay. You saw my number, assumed there was some crisis at work, and want to know if the store's okay.† â€Å"Your point?† â€Å"The store's fine. I wanted to know if you're in town. Maddie made it sound like you can cross time and space now and be everywhere all the time.† â€Å"I wish I could, but yeah, I'm at home. What's up?† â€Å"You going to Casey's party?† â€Å"Casey's what?† Even as I spoke the words, I remembered Casey pulling me aside in the store and asking if I'd attend her graduation party. â€Å"Ugh. That's today, isn't it?† â€Å"Yup. You want me to pick you up?† â€Å"Doug, I don't think I can go. In fact, I even told her I couldn't.† â€Å"Right. Tell me right now, immediately, what you have to do instead.† â€Å"Well, I, uh-â€Å" â€Å"Too slow. You have nothing going on.† â€Å"I'm just not in a party mood.† â€Å"The beauty of that is that when people aren't in party moods, that's actually when they need a party the most.† â€Å"Doug-â€Å" â€Å"Come on! How can you not acknowledge the achievements of some brainiac math major who's graduating early, for fuck's sake?† â€Å"Latvian.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Math and Latvian. Dual majors.† â€Å"You're making my point for me. It would be sad and wrong if we didn't help her celebrate. She overcame a life of adversity, coming to this country in the hopes of making a better life for herself and her family.† â€Å"Doug, she's, like, fourth generation. Her dad's a neurosurgeon.† â€Å"Come on! Maddie's gotta stay and close, so I have no one to go with. That, and it's kind of creepy how I've been going to social events with my sister lately. I need you to make me look like a man again.† â€Å"Doug-â€Å" â€Å"See you in five minutes, Kincaid.† I knew how Doug could be in these moods. He wasn't kidding about showing up in five minutes, and he was also right that I had nothing else to do. With so little time, I simply shape-shifted into a plain gray skirt and black blouse that seemed appropriate for a graduation party. While rustling around for a blank card that I could stick a check into, I dialed Dante to let him know I was in town and to see if he wanted to come with us. Like usual lately, I went to his voice mail. What was it with me and unreliable men? I'd had trouble getting a hold of Seth when we dated because he was always caught up writing. Now I had trouble getting a hold of Dante because†¦well, because he was unreliable. I left Casey's address with the message and hurried to get ready. I'd wanted to wear Dante's watch but couldn't find it before Doug showed up-honestly, it had been more like four minutes-so I ended up just running out the door without accessories. Casey's family lived over in Clyde Hill, a beautiful lakeside suburb befitting a neurosurgeon's family. The party had been going on for about an hour when we arrived, and we found their expansive backyard filled with music, food, and people. Dusk was falling, and the soft glow of lanterns strung along trees and the fence line gave everything a sort of elfin mystique. We paused at the yard's entry, assessing our surroundings and looking for others we knew. â€Å"This is kind of wholesome for me,† Doug noted. â€Å"There are kids here.† â€Å"Of course there are. This is a graduation party, not one of your after-show keggers.† â€Å"Oh, hey,† he said brightly. â€Å"There's a bartender. Looks like this'll be tolerably wholesome.† Casey found us getting drinks and threw her arms around both of us in a massive double hug. â€Å"Oh! You guys came! Thanks so much.† She was aglow with excitement and energy and could barely stay still. She accepted my card with another hug, told us to let her know if we needed anything, and then dashed off when she saw her great aunt from Idaho arrive. â€Å"Wow. All this kind of makes me wish I'd stayed in college,† Doug mused. A few of our coworkers waved at us from the far side of the yard, and we began winding our way toward them. â€Å"Yup. You could have had all this fun waiting for you after school.† He grimaced. â€Å"The problem is, I was having all this fun during school.† The other bookstore staff were happy to see us, and we all fell into comfortable conversation that varied from the party itself to shop talk from work. Casey's family had spared no expense, and waiters came around with various types of finger food. None of us had eaten dinner, so we practically devoured the trays and probably looked like savages in our corner. I was contemplating a second drink when Beth suddenly said, â€Å"Oh, hey. Seth and Maddie are here.† I stiffened. One of the reasons I'd answered the door when Doug came to pick me up was that he'd said Maddie was closing. Knowing I'd get a reprieve from her and Seth had made this prospect bearable, but apparently, there'd been some sort of incorrect intel afoot. I did an immediate 180, hoping I had misheard Beth. Nope. There they were: Seth and Maddie. Worse, Seth's little niece Kayla was with them. She was the youngest of his brother's girls, four years old with blue eyes and a mop of blond curls. I'd recently discovered that Kayla had the makings of a psychic and was able to sense the unseen world, much as Dante or my friend Erik could. She was a long way from having their skills or having any idea what they meant yet. For now, she was just a happy little girl-albeit a very quiet one-and seeing her with Seth and Maddie jerked painfully at my heartstrings. â€Å"I thought you said she was closing,† I hissed to Doug. He didn't notice the upset tone in my voice and read it as surprise. â€Å"I thought so. Maybe she got Janice to do it. I know she's been giving her more and more responsibility. Makes me wonder about my own job security.† The bookstore gang greeted the newcomers with cheering. Kayla broke from her guides and, to my astonishment, ran over to me. â€Å"Georgina!† I scooped her up, and that dark, angry serpent within me settled down a little. Not only had Kayla sought me out, she'd also spoken-a rarity. I hugged her to me, and with her in my arms, it suddenly seemed as though all had to be right in the world. â€Å"You've got a fan, Kincaid,† laughed Doug. He winked at her. She gave him a shy smile in return and then turned back to me and rested her head on my shoulder. â€Å"She spoke,† said Maddie in wonder. Maddie knew I'd been friends with the Mortensens and thought nothing of me knowing the girls. â€Å"An entire soliloquy,† I laughed. â€Å"We're watching her while the others are at a school play,† explained Seth. â€Å"This party's unreal,† said Maddie, gazing around at all the fanfare. â€Å"Does anyone know why she dual-majored in Latvian?† â€Å"Blow-off major?† suggested Beth. â€Å"Anthropology and Women's Studies are blow-off majors,† said Doug. â€Å"Not Latvian.† â€Å"Hey!† said Maddie, elbowing her brother. She often wrote freelance articles for feminist magazines. â€Å"Hey, don't take it out on me. I'll never forget you taking that class called Evolution of the Dress.† â€Å"It was harder than you think!† The rest of us watched the Sato siblings with amusement, and to my dismay, so did Seth. I guess I'd kind of hoped he'd be shooting furtive, longing glances at me. Instead, he watched Maddie almost†¦fondly. Like he found her smart and funny-which she was, of course. He was watching her the way any guy would watch his girlfriend. â€Å"Hey,† I said to Doug. â€Å"Why don't you stop annoying your sister and go get us a refill?† â€Å"You're a bad role model for the kid,† he warned. But he took my cup anyway and headed for the bar. If anything, it seemed me holding Kayla gave Seth and Maddie a chance to be more affectionate. They held hands. So, I paid more attention to Kayla, snagging novel appetizers as they went by and explaining to her what quiche and brie were. Once Doug returned with my drink, I took it down pretty rapidly, still conscious of the fact that I held a child. When I'd finished my third, I knew enough to hand her off. Maddie took her by the hand and led her to look at a koi pond on the far side of the yard. This left me alone with the others, and whether it was alcohol or succubus charisma or just a desire to show up Maddie, I found myself coming to life. I joked and talked to everyone, making sure each person was included in the conversation. I saw them all light up, caught up in the aura of comfort and good cheer I created. Maybe I had ulterior motives, but despite that, I actually enjoyed myself. It had been awhile since I'd been able to just have a fun, effortless social encounter. When Maddie returned, however, I decided it was time for my fourth drink. I headed across the yard, graceful in spite of the alcohol. While waiting in line, the guy behind me struck up conversation. â€Å"I've seen you somewhere.† I glanced up at him. He was tall, late thirties, and had bronzed hair. I gave him a winning smile. â€Å"That's a very bad pick-up line.† â€Å"No, I'm serious.† He frowned. â€Å"In the paper†¦were you in some sort of date auction?† â€Å"Oh my God. You do recognize me.† Through Hugh's machinations, I'd participated in a charity date auction last December. I'd ended up going for an obscene amount of money and had made the paper. â€Å"If I remember, you did a lot for that charity.† â€Å"What can I say? I love kids.† Our turns came, and we each got new drinks. Stepping off to the side, we continued our conversation. â€Å"I don't suppose,† he said, â€Å"that I'd have to pay that much for a date?† â€Å"You're asking me out?† â€Å"Seeing you in person? Yeah. I kind of understand the price now.† â€Å"Wow, you don't waste time on formalities.† He shrugged. â€Å"I don't have time to. Too busy with work.† Ah. One of those guys. I didn't have Hugh's ability to see souls, but something told me I wouldn't get an enormous energy fix from this guy. Of course, just then, it didn't matter. I was drunk and distressed and a sleazy guy seemed just like what I needed right then, no matter how inappropriate the setting. In fact, the inappropriateness kind of added to it. â€Å"No, not that much. Though to tell you the truth, I'm kind of busy myself. I don't like to waste time on something that's going to fizzle out. I'm sort of a try-before-you-buy girl.† He studied me very carefully, face serious. â€Å"What exactly do you have in mind?† I inclined my head toward the house. â€Å"They must have a bathroom in there.† As expected, he didn't take much coaxing. The house was wide open to anyone who needed to get in there, and we passed wait staff moving in and out as we sought one of the house's many bathrooms. We finally ended up at a small one on the second floor that was adjacent to a guest room. It didn't look like it saw much use, and as soon as we shut the door, we were all over each other. He'd told me along the way that his name was Wes and that he had some sort of corporate position in a bank downtown. I'm not sure why he was trying to impress me, seeing as I'd made this painfully easy for him, but I appreciated the weak effort anyway. My biggest concern was his relationship to the family, but it turned out he was a friend of a friend of a business associate, so I had little worry about this getting back to Casey. My skirt came off almost immediately, followed by a rapid unbuttoning of my blouse that pulled off a button. It skittered across the floor, lost forever. He left the blouse itself on, simply hanging open, and ran his hands over my body, taking in the black lace bra and matching panties. â€Å"Good God,† he breathed. â€Å"You might be worth more than that auction price.† â€Å"I'm not a call girl,† I snapped, irritated for some reason I couldn't entirely understand. â€Å"And make this fast. My friends are going to be waiting for me.† Wes seemed a little surprised that I wasn't fawning all over him, but he didn't argue. His pants and briefs came off next, and he grabbed a hold of my hips, tilting me so that I sat on the edge of the counter, with my body at an angle and my head and shoulders against the mirror. The counter and his height lined up perfectly, and a moment later, he was in me, neither rough nor gentle, just somewhere in the middle. It was a little boring, actually, like he couldn't quite make up his mind and take a stand. But as he gripped my ankles and held my legs up, the pace steadily increased, and I saw sweat break out along his brow. The life energy seeping into me was moderate, just like everything else about this tryst, but compared to Dante, it was fairly significant. That energy made up for the rest of it, and when he came with a primal sort of grunt, that burst of life coursed into me in its entirety. Like fine tendrils of light, it raced through my body, reinvigorating me and making me strong. He staggered back, and I hopped down off the counter to quickly put my clothes back on. â€Å"Wow,† he gasped. â€Å"That was-â€Å" â€Å"Do not say worth the money,† I warned. â€Å"Particularly since you didn't pay.† He shut up, and I smiled. With a quick kiss on the cheek, I moved over to the door. â€Å"Thanks,† I said. â€Å"It was fun.† He fumbled for his underwear. â€Å"You want to go out sometime?† â€Å"Nope.† I left him to get dressed, discreetly closing the door behind me and remembering to take my drink with me. No one was upstairs, so our encounter had gone unnoticed-or so I thought. When I reached the bottom of the stairs, I nearly walked right into Seth. â€Å"Oh my God,† he said, giving me a once over. â€Å"You really did it?† â€Å"Did what?† I asked in a saccharine voice. â€Å"You know what. You've got that-that glow. That, and you're missing a button.† I glanced down at the guilty gap in the blouse and shape-shifted it to its former state. â€Å"There. Good as new.† He shook his head, keeping his voice low so we wouldn't be overheard. â€Å"I didn't really believe you'd do it. I saw you walk off with him and thought, ‘No, she wouldn't. Not here.' So I came over and-â€Å" â€Å"You what? Came to stop me?† I couldn't help an incredulous laugh. â€Å"Seth, what I do or don't do is none of your business.† â€Å"What about Dante? You just cheated on him.† â€Å"I cheat on all my boyfriends. Did you forget? It's what I do.† â€Å"You didn't need the energy fix. I could tell.† â€Å"Yeah, but I wanted the energy fix. What are you, jealous?† â€Å"What happened to you?† he demanded, evading my question. â€Å"How did you change so much? You're better than this.† â€Å"I've always been like this. You were just too starstruck to notice.† I turned and left him, heading back out to our friends, making sure I neatened up my appearance in tiny increments as I walked. The alcohol was really kicking in at this point, but I was pretty sure I still managed to walk without looking obviously drunk. When I reached the group, Kayla gestured to be picked up again. I was a little hesitant, but she seemed so insistent that I handed my drink to Doug and lifted her into my arms again. Mercifully, I didn't fall over. She studied me with those big blue eyes, and I wondered what she sensed. Something about her gaze affected me in a way that Seth's chastising hadn't. I felt bad for what I'd done. Dirty. Cheap. â€Å"She sure does like you,† said Maddie. â€Å"And you're great with her too. You should have kids of your own.† I ran a hand over Kayla's fine hair, recalling the dreams Nyx had sent me while she'd stolen my energy. They'd all shown an impossible future, me with a daughter and husband. â€Å"Can't,† I said. â€Å"Doug would be lousy at child support.† â€Å"Oh, be quiet,† he snapped back good-naturedly. I think he'd been drinking as much as me by now. Seth returned just then and touched Maddie's arm, his expression grim. â€Å"We should head off. Terry and the others will be back, and Kayla's probably getting tired.† Maddie's face fell a little. â€Å"Already?† It was the first time in their idyllic relationship that I'd ever seen signs of clouds. â€Å"We need to get her back,† Seth reiterated mildly. â€Å"And I've got a chapter to write.† She rolled her eyes. â€Å"Ah. Now the truth comes out.† Interesting. Maddie had to put up with the same stuff I had. â€Å"Stay,† Doug told her. â€Å"I'll give you a ride.† â€Å"Yeah, like I'd trust you behind a wheel right now.† â€Å"Then you drive me and Kincaid home, and Mortensen can go now.† They all finally decided that was a good idea. As Seth and Kayla were about to go, Maddie suddenly did a double-take. â€Å"Oh! Wait. You have to give Georgina her present.† I blinked. â€Å"Present?† Seth's face turned almost- almost -mischievous, though he was still clearly bothered by what had taken place in the house. â€Å"Uh, yeah. I just got a box of advanced copies of the next Cady and O'Neill book and wondered if you wanted one.† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stopped, unsure what to say. Maddie laughed. â€Å"You've been the belle of the ball all night, and this is what makes you speechless?† â€Å"Hey, it's not that easy. I mean†¦this is Cady and O'Neill. You know how I feel about them. I've sort of accepted that I wouldn't get to read their next installment until October. If I get it now, my whole universe will be thrown out of whack.† â€Å"So you don't want it?† asked Seth. â€Å"Oh, I want it. Just seems†¦I don't know. It feels like cheating.† â€Å"They're in the car right now,† teased Maddie in a singsong voice. â€Å"Sure you don't want one?† I looked at Seth's smile, and something weird passed between us. I could hardly believe that minutes ago, we'd been fighting in the house. The looks we exchanged, the way I felt†¦it was almost like it used to be. I hastily turned away. â€Å"Yes,† I groaned. â€Å"Of course I do.† Seth said good-bye to the rest of the bookstore gang and tried to find Casey, but she was surrounded by a throng of relatives. Giving up, he led me out of the yard to where he'd parked a block or so away. Kayla was still in my arms. None of us spoke, and it was just as well because my feelings were all tangled up. Every post-breakup interaction between us had been angry or painfully tense lately. Yet, in these last few moments, things had become almost comfortable again. Was it possible we'd ever move past this phase? Could the pain I'd gone through with him really ease up so quickly? He unlocked the car and got the book for me. I hoped I didn't gape like a schoolgirl when I saw it. All Fools Night . The cover showed the skyline of Washington, DC, blurred like a Renoir painting and overlaid with dark indigo. All sorts of warnings about it being an advanced copy and not for sale were on it, but I paid those no heed. I didn't want to sell it. I wanted to read it. Now. When I dragged my eyes up from the cover, Seth regarded me with happy amusement. â€Å"I can't believe you're really that excited.† â€Å"Why wouldn't I be? And why are you surprised? Lots of people love your books.† He shook his head. â€Å"Yeah†¦but it's still surreal to think that I can write something-create something-that affects people so strongly that they get an emotional involvement with what I've pulled from my head. And to realize that someone I know personally†¦knowing it affects you like that†¦well, like I said, surreal.† The sweet, earnest look in his eyes was making butterflies dance in my stomach, so I hastily looked back at the cover. I almost wished we'd start fighting again. â€Å"Seth†¦why†¦why are you doing this?† â€Å"Giving you the book?† He was puzzled. â€Å"No, I mean†¦being nice. And worrying about me back there.† â€Å"You don't think I'm normally nice?† I looked back up and sighed. â€Å"You know what I mean. We've been avoiding each other since New Year's, and when we have been together, it's been disastrous. Yet, here you are bringing me this†¦I just don't understand it. Was it Maddie's idea?† He stared at me for a long time, or at least it felt like it. A chill ran down my spine, and for a second, I felt disoriented, like I was in this time and another, reliving the same moment over again. â€Å"No. I did it because hate shouldn't last forever,† he said finally, voice soft. â€Å"Because eventually, you have to forgive. You can't just stop caring or†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He didn't finish the phrase. â€Å"I think we'll always have a connection, no matter where we go or what we do. And if so, I'd like us to be friends.† For the second time that night, I was speechless. There were a hundred things that would have made good responses. Telling him I agreed. Telling him I forgave him. Telling him I wanted us to be friends too. Yet, I couldn't muster those words, and I never had a chance to ponder exactly why because Kayla suddenly jerked in my arms, coming awake with wide-eyed alacrity. â€Å"Hey,† a voice called to us. We turned. Dante was about half a block away and walking toward us. With each step, Kayla recoiled further and further from his approach. Dante's lifetime of power-seeking and wicked deeds had left a taint on him, one that Kayla could sense the way she could sense my aura. I didn't entirely know what it felt like for her, but it couldn't be good. â€Å"Here,† I said to Seth. â€Å"Trade me.† Kayla went to him eagerly, and he handed over the book just as Dante reached us. He put an arm around me and kissed my cheek. â€Å"Got your message and thought I'd come by. Hey,† he said, by way of greeting to Seth. Seth nodded back, and whatever fragile companionship he and I had been rebuilding disappeared. Eager to distract, I employed the conversational gift I allegedly had. â€Å"Seth was leaving and just had to get this book for me.† I held it up as explanation. â€Å"How was work?† Dante kept his arm around me in a way that was almost proprietary. He'd always regarded my past with Seth nonchalantly, but I think me being so deeply involved with someone bothered him sometimes. His eyes lighted on Kayla for a moment. She was trying so hard to keep away from him that she was practically crawling off Seth. Mortal magic and abilities varied considerably, but I imagined Dante must be able to sense her too. A ghost of a smile crossed his lips, and then he turned his attention back to me. â€Å"Slow, as usual. I did get a couple of high teens wanting Tarot.† â€Å"Oh, lord. Your favorite kind of teens.† â€Å"Yup. Never questioned the price. I don't even know if they comprehended the fortune, to be honest.† â€Å"You didn't tell them about tree frogs, did you?† â€Å"Tree frogs?† asked Seth. â€Å"Yeah, Dante had these kids on acid come in once, and as part of their reading, he told them to beware of tree frogs.† Grinning, Dante shook his head at the memory. â€Å"Shit, that freaked them out. You should have seen them when they left the store. They were practically crouching on the ground, looking up everywhere, peering at every window and telephone wire. That would have almost been compensation enough.† The image always made me laugh. â€Å"But not this time?† â€Å"Nah, this group was just sluggish and out of it. On the bright side, they paid me ten dollars for a bag of Doritos I had sitting around. Gotta love kids spending their allowance.† Dante and I were both amused by his clients' antics, but glancing over, I saw that Seth was not. Something cold clenched inside me, and I could suddenly see us through his eyes. He didn't really find taking advantage of teens under the influence of drugs funny, whether it was monetarily or psychologically. When I'd first met Dante, I'd actually been appalled by the charlatan side of his business. When had I come to accept it? When had I come to enjoy it? I felt ashamed all of a sudden and hated what Seth must think of me. Then, I became angry for feeling that way, for letting myself feel judged. He had no power over me anymore. It didn't matter what he thought. The last of the coziness between us shattered, and I felt my icy exterior slip into place. I moved closer to Dante, and Seth's body language told me he'd seen the transformation I'd just undergone. â€Å"Well, you guys probably need to go,† I said abruptly. â€Å"Yeah,† Seth said uncomfortably. â€Å"I guess we'll see you later.† â€Å"Thanks for the book.† He merely nodded and then turned to put Kayla into her car seat. Her eyes met mine and I waved a good-bye, but the look of horror on her face never faltered. I knew it was for Dante, not me, but it hurt nonetheless. Dante wanted to head home and had mostly come to give me a ride. By that point, I felt weary and emotionally disoriented. Home sounded good. We went back inside to drop off my glass and tell Doug I was leaving. Doug looked about as thrilled to see Dante as Seth had, but he said nothing that wasn't in his usual jovial style. On the drive home, I stared vacantly out the window and ran my hands over the book's cover. â€Å"You were kind of chummy back there,† noted Dante. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"With Mortensen. I felt like I was interrupting something.† â€Å"Oh. No. I just got kind of giddy over the book. You know how much I like them.† We came to a red light, and he glanced down at the cover. â€Å"Advanced copy? We could make a lot of money on eBay.† â€Å"Dante!† â€Å"Just a joke, succubus. Well, kind of. If you ever wanted to work your wiles on him and get more books, you could start a little side business.† â€Å"I don't need any extra cash. And my wiles are no good. Things are done. He and Maddie are happy.† â€Å"That doesn't mean anything. You don't think he still wants you? You don't think he'd sleep with you if he could?† â€Å"Why do you assume the worst about everyone?† â€Å"Because it's always true. I'm trying to break you of seeing the world through rose-colored glasses.† He paused while we merged onto the freeway and headed back toward the city. â€Å"And he can want you all he wants. I don't care, as long as you don't want him back.† â€Å"There you go again, acting jealous.† I tried to keep my voice teasing in order to deflect how close he'd hit to home. â€Å"I thought you didn't care who else I slept with.† â€Å"I don't. Just so long as you don't like them better than me.† I laughed and left that as my response, indicating how foolish a notion I thought it was. And yet, as we rode back in silence, I found myself hugging the book closer and closer.

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Inundating and Drowning

Inundating and Drowning Inundating and Drowning Inundating and Drowning By Maeve Maddox I heard a reporter on NPR refer to something that had been â€Å"inundated by water.† Looking online, I found this headline: Family of Five Inundated by Water No Assistance Provided- Belize News In each example, â€Å"by water† is redundant. As a transitive verb, inundate means â€Å"to overspread with a flood of water.† It does make sense to add a prepositional phrase if something other than water- or a specific kind of water- is doing the overflowing. For example, Potatoes and sweet potatoes- when harvested conventionally- are inundated with pesticides  at three levels. The Neuse was not only inundated with urine and feces, but the nutrient loading from the spill caused an algal bloom of toxic  Pfiesteria  that caused a massive fish kill.    Following Hurricane Ike (Sept. 2008), significant forage and row crop acreage was inundated by saltwater for 12 to 240 hours. For stylistic reasons, â€Å"by water† works in the following examples because the compound object of the preposition includes another substance: The subways leading to Brooklyn are all  inundated with water and  floating debris.   The streets and roads, which two days ago were  inundated with water and  mud, are now as dry as in summer. When inundated is used figuratively to mean flooded or â€Å"filled with abundance,† then whatever is doing the flooding is identified. For example, Houston Mayor Annise Parker’s office has been inundated with bibles following her decision to subpoena pastors’ sermons to check for anti-gay rhetoric. British PM inundated by flooding criticism from leaders to the north [The criticism relates to flooded conditions in the north of England.] Get ready to be inundated by tech ads Officers say they are inundated with complaints from internet users complaining about online abuse being directed at them. The following headline from Philly-dot-com combines the literal and figurative senses of inundate: Alls Not Well In Dublin Bucks Borough Inundated By Water And Money Problems Another word that usually incorporates water in its meaning is drown. To drown is â€Å"to suffer death by submersion in water.† It is, of course, possible to drown in a liquid other than water. I watched a television drama in which someone drowned in a vat of molten chocolate. In a literal sense, when a person drowns, death is understood to be the outcome. The use of â€Å"to death† in the following examples is redundant: A mother and her 7 children drowned to death in illegal immigration trip from Turkey to Greece on November 29 TV actor Mohsin Khan drowned to death The tiger star in Life Of Pi almost  drowned to death  during filming. A boy drowned to death  in the pool which lies in the basement of the school. The verb drown can also be used in the context of covering something with water: Some corn and soybean  plants were drowned. Drowned corn crops may hurt farmers, rest of nation The crops in many  fields  of the neighborhood  were drowned  by the continuous rains.    To slow the German army, Flanders  fields were drowned. When people drown, they die. When fields are drowned, they are filled with water. When fields or streets are inundated, it’s almost always with water. Note: The past form drowned is pronounced as one syllable (drownd). Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Words for Facial ExpressionsHomonyms, Homophones, Homographs and HeteronymsComma Before Too?

Consumer and the law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Consumer and the law - Essay Example n, MW billed them for roadside repairs claiming that an insurance note paid for by Seema and Robin contained an exclusion clause exempting liability for such repairs Under the law of contract misrepresentation refers to communication of false facts which induces the recipient to enter into a contract.1 In this regard, misrepresentations can be made either negligently, fraudulently or innocently and the resulting remedies largely depend on the type of misrepresentation made.2 In a typical misrepresentation case, the innocent party can rescind the contract and/or seek damages.3 On the facts of the case for discussion it is difficult to determine whether or not John’s representation that the vehicle was fit for its intended use was an innocent misrepresentation of false facts, negligent or indeed fraudulent. Seema and Robin discovered that the car had some mechanical difficulty after half an hour of driving. The problem was discovered by a garage in Oxford. Assuming that MW has their vehicles examined before offering them for hire, the problem with the steering and the gear should have been discovered by MW’s mechanics. In the event the vehicle’s problems had been discovered, John’s statement constitutes fraudulent misrepresentation. If no such examination was made, John’s statement that the car was fit for its intended purpose was, at the very least negligent. In any event, Robin and Seema will be required to prove that they relied on John’s misrepresentation or was at the very least, induced to enter into the contract for hire by John’s misrepresentation.4 If they did not rely on the misrepresentation and had relied on their own information and judgment then they cannot claim to have relied on the misrepresentation.5 There is no evidence that Robin or Seema exercised independent judgment. It therefore follows that they relied on John’s misrepresentation. In fact, even if John had offered the pair an opportunity to inspect the vehicle and

System anylsis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

System anylsis - Assignment Example Case study project Analysis The small businesses should plan and gather facts that will ensure that the business in operated and conducted in a profitable manner (Fertuck, 2009). The existing system is not effective to the business because it does not provide effective and efficient management information. The report being provided by the system is manually prepare and does not provide the owner of the business with reports that will enable the owner to aggregate the data. The information that can be generated can be easily get away and get lost or unauthorized person get it. New system should be developed which will easy the working and safeguard the information as well as safe time to retrieve the information. Business related upgrade The business should upgrade the system to strategies increase marketing, sales, quoting, billing and administration (Keng S., 2010). The system will help the business to prepare the work sheets of the employee and the company to prepare the payroll fo r the employee. System upgrades The business should develop new system to enable the business to operate more effectively and efficiently (Roger C., 2009). The computer system will help the business to achieve the predetermined objectives. ... This defines the management structure, specifies the formal communication structure and the chain of command. This will easy operation of the system since the system processes data required within a very short time and in an orderly manner. Feasibility study The aim of the business is to increase productivity and the performance of the business. This is enhanced by efficient and effective systems that might be employed by the business (Shelly, 2006). The systems should be able to provide effective way of communicating to customers. The system also must provide the payrolls and its less time consuming and the risk over the business is decreased. Recommendations for upgrading The alternative recommendation for upgrading the system is prototyping which is process of building a model of system. The prototypes are employed to help the designers build an information system that is easy to be used and manipulated by the user (Vinod K.G., 2004). This system is important since its reduction d evelopment time and cost, higher user satisfaction and also quantifiable user feedback. User requirement User requirements explain what users require from the system. User requirements specifications are written in the validation process. Functional requirements Functional requirements capture the intended characteristics of the system (Shelly, 2010). This characteristic can be expressed as service, task or functions the system is required to perform. In product development is useful to distinguish between the baseline functionality necessary for any system to compete in that product domain. Nonfunctional requirements Nonfunctional requirements describe system attributes such as maintainability, reliability, security and scalability (Roger