Free Essays on Evolution Vs. Creation

03-03-02 Evolution vs. Creation. it has been a widely controversial issue widespread over the United States. We have a right as students and as parents to be taught creation and have creation be taught to our children if that is what we choose. Most of us did not have a choice in grade school to be taught creation in our Biology classes. We had to sit through being taught that evolution, (as a fact), was the way we came about, which could easily confuse a child because at home and at the church that some parents took their children to taught them creation. Shouldn’t we have the right for cirricullium to also include creation? I am now old enough to realize that I do not have to believe what my College Biology Professor teaches about evolution, but that does mean that I have to like it. I remember being in my high school biology class, and when we got to the chapter on evolution, I did not want to pay any attention to it because I did not believe in it. It is different being a child who is very impressionable, to be in an elementary Biology class and the teacher is teaching that we all came from monkeys, but offers no other explanation of how we got here when parents are teaching them at home something completely different. Parents have the right for their children to be taught creation if that is what they choose. It is the parents who agree with creation that also pay taxes that go toward school funding. According to David Greising of Business Week; nearly half of all Americans reject Darwins theory evolution, so that would be half of the tax payers also. Some states have already started a growing trend of teaching other theories. According to Michael Lemorick of New York TIMES, the school board of Hall County Georgia ruled that teachers must put forward a variety of theories on the origin of life, not just evolution. Started in fall of 1996, Alabamas text books must include a disclaimer inserted, stating that evolution is a ï ¿ ½... Free Essays on Evolution Vs. Creation Free Essays on Evolution Vs. Creation 03-03-02 Evolution vs. Creation. it has been a widely controversial issue widespread over the United States. We have a right as students and as parents to be taught creation and have creation be taught to our children if that is what we choose. Most of us did not have a choice in grade school to be taught creation in our Biology classes. We had to sit through being taught that evolution, (as a fact), was the way we came about, which could easily confuse a child because at home and at the church that some parents took their children to taught them creation. Shouldn’t we have the right for cirricullium to also include creation? I am now old enough to realize that I do not have to believe what my College Biology Professor teaches about evolution, but that does mean that I have to like it. I remember being in my high school biology class, and when we got to the chapter on evolution, I did not want to pay any attention to it because I did not believe in it. It is different being a child who is very impressionable, to be in an elementary Biology class and the teacher is teaching that we all came from monkeys, but offers no other explanation of how we got here when parents are teaching them at home something completely different. Parents have the right for their children to be taught creation if that is what they choose. It is the parents who agree with creation that also pay taxes that go toward school funding. According to David Greising of Business Week; nearly half of all Americans reject Darwins theory evolution, so that would be half of the tax payers also. Some states have already started a growing trend of teaching other theories. According to Michael Lemorick of New York TIMES, the school board of Hall County Georgia ruled that teachers must put forward a variety of theories on the origin of life, not just evolution. Started in fall of 1996, Alabamas text books must include a disclaimer inserted, stating that evolution is a ï ¿ ½...

THE PAYG SYSTEM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

THE PAYG SYSTEM - Essay Example The tax tables under PAYG system are structured to result in a refund when an Income tax return is processed. This refund culture encourages strong compliance with annual returns. PAYG also provides flexibility, ability to alter the taxation payments based on the current income received. PAYG has removed lack of equity in payment timing between individuals and companies. Henceforth, tax payers need to file only one form and make one payment for each quarter. PAYG allows the netting off Liabilities and credits. Tax payers like Individuals, Corporate, Trustees, Mutual insurance associates, etc having Business and Investment income are subjected to PAYG Installment system. A taxpayer is subjected to PAYG installment system if his most recent income tax assessment shows more than $2000 of gross investment or business income or if his recent income tax return resulted in a tax debt of over $500. PAYG installments are generally payable quarterly. The due dates by which quarterly installments are required to be paid are 28th July, 28th October, 28th February and 28th April. Certain tax payers like primary producers and Special professionals can pay two installments per year. These tax payers need to pay 75% of PAYG liability by 28th April and the balance by 28th July. A tax payer is eligible to opt for paying PAYG installment annually under the following circumstances: Payments made to tax payers having income other than business or Investment income like Salaries and wages, Pension Annuity, Dividend, Interest, Royalty are subjected to PAYG Withholding system. PAYG withholding is also applicable to payments to other businesses who do not quote Australian Business Number. Employers deduct tax according to the published tables from wages and the net amount is paid to employees. Employers send the amounts withheld to taxation office, hence this system is called Withholding system. Tax payer has to determine the status of the payees like

Educational Philosophy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Educational Philosophy - Research Paper Example In my opinion, this transformation requires a systematic and organized development of the individual’s cognitive abilities as reflected in the acquisition of knowledge and skills in a manner that is consistent with the needs of the individuals and the society. On this score, it might be argued that education provides the compass that determines the destiny of both man and society. According to some educational philosophers, the precise value of education could be seen in clearer light from the imagination of a life without it. A barbaric society that lacks any organized system of education will ultimately push itself on the precipice of extinction. I think this is because such a society will lack an organized system that supplies and controls the development of knowledge and skills necessary for its own survival. The knowledge and skills that are supplied, developed, and organized within the profession of education are resourceful in management of the economic, social, and pol itical systems of the society. In this sense, it might be emphasized that the entire welfare of the society hinges on the profession of education (Matthews, 2005). In my consideration, this point brings out the utilitarian aspect of education as understood within the framework of skills and knowledge development. It lies within the profession of education to harness, organize, and disseminate knowledge and skills that are necessary for the general survival and progress of the society. Education does not occur in a spontaneous manner. It grows in sequence and in a longitudinal order, which entails the aspect of progress. It is also important to consider the value of education in terms of the combined effects of its impacts on the various disciplines that form the block of knowledge. An important consideration of the value of the education profession lies in the training of teachers. Teachers are the backbones that determine the manner in which knowledge and skills are developed and d isseminated to the general society. My approach to my learners would be consistent with the philosophy that knowledge is a participatory process. In line with this philosophy, I would seek ways that would harmonize relationships between my learners and me. I would wish to be regarded more as a partner in the learning process rather than an authoritative instructor. The classroom should not be a space for the transfer of authority from the teacher to the student but rather a conducive atmosphere that allows for the free flow of information from various sources (Hille, 2011; Marca, 2010). I would adopt an easy and relaxed approach, which would encourage the students to participate freely in the learning process. My goal would be to develop confidence in my students. Only by gaining their confidence will it be easy to condition their minds into the freedom of thought that is necessary in the general process of knowledge development. Studies have established that the development of the cognitive abilities of the students is largely dependent on the kind of learning atmosphere. The studies have argued that the creation of an appropriate mental atmosphere lies with the teacher. In the course of learning, teachers should strive to create atmospheres that the kind of environment that fosters the flourishing of interpersonal communication. This kind of communication should take place between the learners and the teacher and amongst the students. Studies

AUDIT & ASSURANCE - SCENARIO - AUDIT OF SUNSHINE LIMITED Essay

AUDIT & ASSURANCE - SCENARIO - AUDIT OF SUNSHINE LIMITED - Essay Example This particular aim is of significant importance for the reason that we would want to arrive and formulate the suitable and appropriate audit opinion based on a financial statement that is actual and exact. Further more, with this particular approached we will not only be able to detect material misstatements in the previous financial statement. But, it will also show to us how some factors like adequacy of internal controls, the nature of transactions that company utilises, how the company monitors and oversees the production, how responsive is the management in addressing issues, how the company responds to human resources and human relations concerns, the possibility of senior management oversight and similar concerns within the company itself may contribute to risk and to financial statement that is materially misstated. And as a rule of the thumb in the business environment, a materially misstated financial statement may lead to an inappropriate audit opinion. And an inappropria te audit opinion may in effect lead to estimations that are detrimental to the company’s growth, profit, and solvency. Second, the market of the company is highly competitive and volatile. As such is the market environment of the company, risk-approached will help us center on divisions and facets of the company that are more susceptible to risks and problems like sales, auditing, and personnel hiring. This specific strategy in auditing will allow us to focus and zero-in on the more ‘problematic’ departments and divisions of the company while maintaining the supposition that good policies are in placed and are being observed. At the same time, this style of auditing will present to us the conditions that allow the less problematic departments to function in a manner that is aligned to the company’s goals and objectives. Thus, allowing room for the possibility of coming up with a more

Google and Search Essay Example for Free

Google and Search Essay Mission Statement â€Å"Google’s mission is to organize the world‘s information and make it universally accessible and useful.† While other companies were busy cramming the most ads possible on their homepages or squeezing every last hour of productivity out of employees, Google created an enjoyable experience for every party involved in the company including users, employees, and investors. Google’s success has come as a direct result of keeping people happy. History of Google Google was founded by two Stanford University computer science graduate students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin. When the two met in 1995, they argued about every topic they discussed except for the best approach to solving one of computing’s biggest challenges: retrieving relevant information from a massive set of data. By January of 1996 the two had begun collaborating on their first search engine. It was named BackRub for its unique ability to analyze â€Å"back links† pointing to a given website, and quickly earned a growing reputation among those who had seen it. By 1998, the two had bought a terabyte of disks to create their first data center and renamed their search engine â€Å"Google†; which was a play on the word â€Å"googol†, referring to the number 1 followed by one hundred zeros, a reference to their goal of organizing the immense amount of information available on the web. Initially, Page and Brin had unsuccessfully tried to find companies to license their technology, but ended up raising an initial investment of almost $1 million when they decided to build a business on their own. And, by the end of that year, Google was answering 10,000 search queries per day and began to receive public recognition. They appeared on USA Today and were named one of the Top 100 Web Sites and Search Engines by PC Magazine. By early 1999 Google was answering over 500,000 searches per day, and their meteoric rise began. By the end of 1999, Google had raised another $25 million from venture capitalists, moved to their current headquarters in Mountain View, California, grew to answering over 3 million searches per day, and received a slew of recognition, including being named on Time magazine’s Top Ten Best Cybertech list of 1999. They also went global with the introduction of versions in ten other languages for users to search in their native tongue, and still they were just getting started. Google continued to grow, developing strategic partnerships, developing new features, developing new services, and fulfilling over 34,000 search requests per second. Ultimately, Google became the technology powerhouse that we know today. They achieved the status of having over 72% of the search engine requests in the United States. They also added a multitude of other services, including video, email, mapping, images, an operating system, an internet browser, internet protocol phone service, and many, many others. Executive Summary Google is a global technology leader focused on improving the ways people find and use information. We maintain the world’s largest online index of websites and other content and, via our automated search technology, make this information freely available, nearly instantly, to anyone with the Internet connection. Google primarily generates revenue by delivering relevant, cost-effective online advertising. Businesses use our AdWords program to promote their products and services with targeted advertising. In addition, the thousands of third-party websites that comprise our Google network use our Google AdSense program to deliver relevant AdWords ads that generate revenue and enhance the user experience. Situation Google, currently headquartered in Mountain View California, is now a strong leader in the technology sector, specifically in the â€Å"Internet Information Provider† industry. With a market capitalization of $199.88 billion, Google is almost five times larger than its nearest competitor, Baidu Inc. They produce $10.29 billion in operating cash flow each year and have $33.38 billion in cash reserves. Clearly, they are a financially strong company with extensive resources. Their business, as originally founded, remains focused on search technology with the Google search engine available on more than 150 Google domains, presented in many different languages. They have also created a tool to enable users to translate search results between languages. Other search tools included the ability to search for stock quotes, sports scores, news headlines, local addresses, images, videos, patents, maps, and much more. And, for information that is not already available online, Google is working to digitize it with projects like Google Books and the Google News Archive. Google’s dominance in the search engine field allows the company to generate the majority of its revenue through advertising. Hundreds of thousands of advertisers use Google AdWords to target potential customers as they search for terms relevant to the products and services they offer. Advertisers do this by bidding to have ads appear with search results on a â€Å"pay-per-click† basis. They can even target a specific geographic area. Another product offered by Google in the advertising genre is GoogleAdSense, which allows blog and website owners to generate additional revenue by allowing Google to place relevant ads on their sites. In order to help advertisers, Google provides tools such as Google Analytics, Website Optimizer, Insights for Search, and Ad Planner which are tools to help advertisers measure results and be more efficient. Google also offers a variety of apps that are intended to make it simpler for people to share information and get things done together. Apps like Gmail, Google Calendar, and Google Docs, among others, allow users to have access to free programs and tools that are not accessed through individual computers, but are stored on internet servers. This is called â€Å"cloud computing† and it makes information portable, so that it is accessible anywhere and through any device that the user has internet access. Perhaps the most recent front of development, Google also has entered the mobile market. Through a variety of tools and partnerships, Google tries to make their products available on mobile devices so that users can access Google Maps, Youtube, and other services through any mobile phone. Taking this concept to the next level, Google has created and released the Android operating system. This is a free operating system that any developer can use and any hardware manufacturer can install on any device. This OS puts a comprehensive line up of Google products at the smart phone user’s fingertips, instantly. SWOT Analysis of Google: Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) Analysis Strengths: * Already number one search engine has established name, in which its users trust * Dependable, reliable, and fast * Needs very little end user marketing * Has a simple interface and it gives comprehensive results without confusing users * Many products and services (desktop, Mobile, web), allowing users to meet many of their technology needs through Google * Interface with 88 different languages Weaknesses: * Dependent on search based advertising for nearly all revenue * Weak in social networking presence * Search queries only answered with 50-60% accuracy * Rising cost for data center Opportunities: * Allow vendors to pay for advertising on localized search results * Develop social networking site or integrate products with existing sites * Develop feature to enable chat between Google users, especially those using Google products to collaborate on documents * Find entry into huge gaming market Threats: * Privacy issues regarding content ownership * Competition from Yahoo, MSN, Bing, Baidu, etc. * Imposed Censorship Porter’s Five Forces Model Rivalry Among Competing Firms: Low. There are certainly other search engines, but Google is clearly the dominant player in the field. Also, while other companies offer competing options for many of Google’s products, nobody offers nearly as complete a mix of products and services. This allows Google to keep consumers engaged across a wide range of products and inspires brand loyalty. For example, someone likes the Google search engine, so they decide to try Google Docs. After coming to see Google Docs in a positive light, they decide to use Google Group to collaborate on documents. Seeing the benefit of Google Groups, they decide to use Google Calendar for their scheduling, etc. Over time, Google comes to be associated with good quality and helpful tools, so when a new product offering comes out, consumers instantly assume it is a good product and want to use it. Also, in Google’s primary revenue stream, pay-per-click search based advertising, Google has no real competition, and as long as Google dominates the search engine field they have little chance of losing advertisers to a competitor. Potential Entry of New Competitors: Low. There are few technology companies that have the knowledge and resources to mount a serious challenge of Google’s dominance. Google has developed proprietary technology that is hugely successful. It would be extremely difficult for a competitor to enter the field and duplicate Google’s technology, so unless Google loses its position on the cutting edge and is surpassed by the next technological improvement, they are a difficult target for new competitors. Potential Development of Substitute Products: Low. Some of Google’s products face possible substitutes in the market. For example, consumers could use a GPS instead of Google Maps, but Google’s primary business is based around their powerhouse search engine which is difficult to substitute. It would be nearly impossible to effectively search the vast amount of information available through the internet and retrieve relevant information without the help of a search engine. As for Google’s primary revenue source, search based advertising; it is difficult to imagine a substitute product that would allow advertisers to pinpoint their marketing to potential customers who are actively demonstrating an interest in a related topic. Targeted advertising that the advertiser pays for only when it shows a measureable result will always be attractive to businesses as long as the pricing structure remains reasonable, and with Google’s auction style approach, it is virtually ensured that the price will not exceed what the market will bear. Bargaining Power of Suppliers: Low. Since Google’s products and services are primarily technology and information based, it has very limited exposure to suppliers. Google is not buying raw materials to produce or manufacture tangible goods. Unless a massive societal shift occurs that limits Google’s access to information, Google will not be at the mercy of suppliers for their primary resource. The only aspect of Google’s business in which suppliers might exercise bargaining power would be servers. However, several manufacturers produce hard disks for storage of information and Google’s size and massive use of storage servers gives them the bargaining power. Bargaining Power of Consumers: Low. Most of Google’s products and services are offered at no cost. Google’s paying customers, namely advertisers, have no equivalent service to divert their spending to. Other search engines simply don’t have the volume of use or the supporting tracking and planning tools that Google has. Problem definition Summary statement of the problem: The primary problem that Google faces can be summed up in one word, â€Å"SIZE†. The size of Google makes it extremely difficult to maintain its past innovation and growth performance. Due to the success that Google has enjoyed in its relatively short history, it will be increasingly difficult to identify and capitalize on opportunities that are sufficient to continue to grow and develop at such an astronomical pace. At the same time, Google’s position as a dominant industry player puts it in a position to be an attractive target for competitors to emulate and challenge for market share. Summary statement of the recommended solution: In order to best address this challenge, Google must do several things simultaneously. Google must recognize and remember that its success stems from being on the cutting edge. Google cannot afford to sit on the sidelines when new technologies come to market. They must always look for opportunities to capitalize early. Similarly, Google should not only continue to seek attractive acquisition targets, but also invest in RD in order to keep the technology pipeline active. Structurally, Google must avoid a centralized control structure that views new growth opportunities from the perspective of their current size and performance, because truly great growth opportunities are not always easily recognizable in the early stages. What better example of that than Google itself?

Longitude Essay -- essays research papers

Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time is written by Dava Sobel. The book is called Longitude because it is about a clock maker who was able to determine longitude. Determining longitude was the superlative scientific question in the eighteenth century that Galileo and Newton were not able to resolve.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The principal inspiration behind the invention completed in this book is that many sailors were lost at seas as a result of their ignorance regarding longitude. So, without the competence to determine longitude, many innocent lives were disintegrated at seas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  England’s Parliament was desperate for an answer to this problem. So, in 1714 England’s Parliament offered 20,000 pounds to anyone who invented a method or a device for measuring longitude and then proved successful.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As a result, a Frenchman, sieur de St. Pierre, frowned on the moons of Jupiter as means of determining longitude. He theorized that longitude could be found by the position of the moon and select stars. At the time, Dr. Edmond Halley proved this theory wrong. After many observations, Halley concluded that the moon’s rate of revolution around the earth was accelerating overtime.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  John Harrison was a simple clockmaker and a self-educated person who was accredited for finding longitude by means of a timeke...

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 21

There was really only one thing I could say. â€Å"You're here to kill me.† That would have been a great cue for him to say something like, â€Å"No, of course not† or â€Å"Why would you think that?† Any of those responses, or a variation, would have been immensely reassuring. Instead he said: â€Å"Not yet.† â€Å"Shit.† I took a couple steps back, knowing it wouldn't do any good. Even if I'd been in full succubus mode, there was no way I could fight against him. Roman was a nephilim, Jerome's half-human bastard son. Nephilim were a kind of odd mix between lesser and greater immortals. Nephilim hadn't been around since the universe's creation, but they had been born immortal and could potentially possess the same range of powers as a greater immortal. Roman was every bit as strong as Jerome, but unlike my boss or his equals, Roman didn't answer to any higher power. He was rogue, which made him dangerous when he was pissed off. And he had every right to be pissed off at me. Angry at the way Heaven and Hell hunted their kind down, Roman and his twin sister Helena had gone on a vigilante hunting spree to get back at other immortals. I hadn't known that when he and I were dating, and eventually, I'd been instrumental in stopping them-and getting his sister killed. â€Å"What are you doing here then?† I asked at last. Roman's posture was casual as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. He looked exactly as I remembered, enormously tall compared to me, with soft black hair and those gorgeous eyes. â€Å"You sound disappointed,† he said. â€Å"Do you want me to kill you?† â€Å"No! Of course not. But I can't really think of any other reason you'd be here. Somehow I doubt you're here for a social call.† Despite my fear, my sarcasm still managed to function. Carter had told me it was unlikely Roman would ever return to Seattle, knowing that he and Jerome would be on the lookout. Except, I realized uneasily, Jerome was no longer here to keep watch. â€Å"I'm here to help find my illustrious sire.† Roman's voice was smug as he spoke, and I was sure he was taking a great amount of pleasure in watching my reaction. I hoped he was satisfied because while my jaw didn't exactly hit the floor, it came pretty close. â€Å"Bullshit.† â€Å"Why don't you believe me?† â€Å"Because you have no reason to!† My fear was being overridden again, this time by incredulity. â€Å"You hate Jerome.† â€Å"Yeah, that's true.† â€Å"Stop playing with me then. You're not here to help.† â€Å"No? Then how come I helped you with the seal's notes?† â€Å"You didn't-† I froze for a moment. â€Å"Oh lord. That was you.† â€Å"Really,† said Roman amiably. â€Å"You should be a lot nicer, considering all the things I've done for you.† â€Å"Yeah? I don't recall you wasting your time wandering aimlessly along beaches.† â€Å"Nah. I've been too busy blowing up stoves and carrying injured damsels to bed.† I sank into a chair and closed my eyes. â€Å"It really wasn't Carter.† The angel had been telling the truth about noninterference. I opened my eyes again. â€Å"And you gave me the matches, didn't you? That's exactly the kind of fucked-up thing you'd do.† He put on an offended air. â€Å"That was pretty nice of me, considering how you looked like you were ready to have a withdrawal seizure then and there.† â€Å"This doesn't make sense. You can't be here to help find Jerome. What's really going on?† â€Å"Does the reason matter if I help find him?† â€Å"Yes! It matters if you want to find him, only so you can promptly destroy him.† â€Å"I don't want to destroy him.† â€Å"I have no reason to trust you.† His eyes narrowed a bit. â€Å"And I have no reason to trust you, if memory serves.† I shrugged, almost too weary to be afraid anymore. â€Å"Well, then, we're even, huh? Except, of course, that you can channel your mistrust into blowing me off the face of the earth.† â€Å"And you could tell the demon horde out there that there's a nephilim in the city.† Roman laughed. â€Å"Oh, they'd love that, wouldn't they? If one of them could hunt down and kill a nephilim, that'd pretty much cinch their position here.† â€Å"Yeah, like I'd get a chance to tell anyone.† I sighed. â€Å"Roman, if you're not going to destroy me, then what exactly do you want with me? Why did you save me all those times?† â€Å"Because you're the only one in this fucking town with any chance of finding Jerome. And you can move around a lot more freely than I can.† â€Å"Um, last time I checked, you're the one in the Junior Smiting League, not me. I don't have any pow-abilities right now to defend myself.† â€Å"Yeah, but if you're caught poking around, people aren't going to declare open season on you†¦I mean, aside from that bitch demoness.† I grimaced at the memory, and Roman pushed forward. â€Å"Look, Georgina, we can sit and argue whether I'm going to kill you or not, or we can try to figure this out and get your boss back. Then we can explore me killing you in more depth.† â€Å"God,† I groaned, standing up. I needed my cigarettes. Roman watched me light up. â€Å"New habit since I was last around.† â€Å"Old one, actually. And I'm not in the mood for lecturing.† I sat back down, feeling much more settled with my nicotine. Aubrey wandered out shortly thereafter, apparently not afraid of a sociopathic-yet still eerily sexy-immortal hanging out with us. â€Å"So, what's there to figure out? It was Grace. You said you saw the seal around her neck.† Roman eased himself into a chair from my kitchen table and scooted up. â€Å"I did. Makes sense that she'd keep it as close to her as possible, though that takes some balls to have it out in the open that much.† â€Å"So why won't you let me tell anyone, then?† He tsked. â€Å"Think, Georgina. Who are you going to tell? Which demon in this whole mess do you think you can trust? None of them like Jerome. None of them want him back.† â€Å"I was going to tell Hugh.† â€Å"You can't tell anybody . I was walking along with you today when Cedric popped in.† It figured. There was no telling how long Roman had been following me invisibly. â€Å"If he was telling the truth about not telling Nanette about your theories, then that means one of your friends tipped her off.† â€Å"No,† I said stubbornly. â€Å"It's more likely that Cedric was lying. None of them would have betrayed me.† To my complete and utter astonishment, Aubrey jumped on Roman's lap. He scratched her head absentmindedly. â€Å"Well, believe what you want, but I don't think it's safe to tell anyone yet. Except me, of course.† â€Å"Right. The guy who wants me dead.† â€Å"Eh, we can talk about that later. For now, let's go over what we know.† I wasn't really keen on the casual way we were tossing around my impending doom, nor did I like that I still didn't know why he was here. Keeping my mind on Jerome did help, though, and it was nice to finally have someone to truly brainstorm this stuff with. â€Å"We know Grace was the demon who helped with the summoning,† I said. â€Å"There could be more, you know.† â€Å"Yeah, but there's only one archdemon position.† â€Å"True. Just don't rule other possibilities out. She and that other demoness here are pretty tight.† I thought about Mei, whose poker face was as good as Grace's. â€Å"Yeah†¦although, they seem to be operating pretty independently now. But, for the sake of argument, we'll stick with Grace. So, we know she was part of the summoning and has half of the seal. What we don't know: where the other half of the seal is, who helped her, and where Jerome actually is.† â€Å"Kind of daunting,† he mused. A thought suddenly came to me. â€Å"Wait a minute†¦you might make this simpler. A greater immortal can break up Jerome's prison. With you, we don't need to actually find the whole seal to free him-or get the half we know about from Grace.† Roman turned sheepish. â€Å"Well†¦I don't know for sure that I can do that.† â€Å"Why not? You've got the same powers as Jerome.† â€Å"My strength is the same as his when it comes to fighting and whatnot, but I don't have exactly the same powers. I'm not truly a greater immortal. I don't know if I could break him out without the seal.† â€Å"Lovely. We're back to where we started.† â€Å"I don't know. We should just take this one step at a time. Let's keep trying to find him and figure out where the other half of the seal is.† â€Å"We're running out of time,† I murmured, stubbing out the cigarette. â€Å"So, why are you smoking again?† â€Å"That's not really important right now,† I snapped. â€Å"I don't know. If I had a mortal body, I'd be kind of worried about that.† â€Å"I'm not mortal. And I'll be back to my normal self in a few days at most. Probably much sooner.† â€Å"Is it because of Mortensen?† â€Å"We are not talking about that right now.† â€Å"Never thought you'd be one to take a break-up so hard, seeing how easily you deal them out. In fact†¦has anyone ever even broken up with you before?† I fixed him with a glare, so annoyed that I didn't care if he wanted to try to kill me. â€Å"We are not talking about that right now.† â€Å"Fine, fine. What other info do we have, then?† I racked my brain. â€Å"The cult†¦the Army of Darkness. I think there's a connection with Jerome's summoning and their activities. Whoever's controlling them-well, Grace, I guess-times their stunts to take attention away from other things.† I recapped what I knew of their stunts and what they lined up with. â€Å"Not all of their activities correspond exactly to some part of the summoning, though. At least not that I know about.† Roman was thoughtful. â€Å"Hmm†¦well, it's possible some may not line up with anything. A few may be red herrings, sort of to establish their presence. I didn't always follow you to Canada, so I don't know exactly what they're like.† â€Å"Wow. Your stalkerdom has limitations.† â€Å"Seemed like a big pain,† he said. â€Å"Aside from maybe going to Tim Hortons.† Nephilim couldn't teleport like greater immortals, so he was limited with normal transportation when following me around. Uneasily, thinking of my activities with Seth, I wondered just how much Roman had spied on me. It wouldn't have been the first time he'd taken a front-row seat to my intimate activities. If he wasn't going to mention it, I wasn't going to. â€Å"They've been quiet ever since the day of the summoning, when they were down here. I guess Grace has nothing left for them to do,† I said. â€Å"Likely†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His mind was still apparently spinning with suspicion. â€Å"But if I were you, I'd talk to them again.† I cringed. â€Å"No†¦I want to be done with them. You don't know these guys like I do. It's ridiculous.† â€Å"All I know is that you've got to turn over every rock you can find-no pun intended-if you're going to rescue Jerome.† â€Å"Oh, I've got to, huh?† I asked. I didn't really like the presumption in his voice. â€Å"I thought you were going to help find him too?† â€Å"I will. Tomorrow. When are you going to search again?† I thought about it. â€Å"Noon. After work.† There was a knock at the door, and I moved over to the eye hole. â€Å"It's Dante,† I murmured. To his credit, he usually knocked first before using his key. I rested my hand on the knob and gave Roman a questioning look. â€Å"I'll find you at noon,† he said. â€Å"Hold the door open a sec after you let him in.† Roman turned invisible, and I pulled the door open. Dante came in, and I stood there a few more moments until I felt the sweep of someone moving past me. Everything had happened so quickly today that I barely had time to realize that not only I had just made contact with the guy who wanted to kill me, but I'd also just made arrangements to spend time with him. Man. This was going to keep me up when I tried to sleep later. I shut the door and gave Dante a quick kiss on the cheek. He was carrying a bag, and I had to do a double-take. â€Å"Did you buy something from Macy's?† I exclaimed. â€Å"I somehow imagined you stepping into a department store would be like a vampire stepping into the sunlight-I mean, current situation aside.† Dante rolled his eyes and set the bag down. Crossings his arms, he leaned against the wall. â€Å"Well, maybe I'm in stasis too. Forget about this for a sec and tell me if you've gotten yourself on any demon's shit list today.† There it was again, the sweet concern in spite of his best efforts. â€Å"Not that I know of, but hey, the day's not over yet.† I glossed over the specifics of who I'd gone searching with, mainly emphasizing that my time at the beach hadn't turned up anything. I also mentioned Cedric's visit and his claims that he hadn't told Nanette about my suspicions. Dante seemed skeptical of that. Finally, I wrapped up with Grace's appearance, and at that point I faltered. I wanted to tell Dante about my amazing discovery, about how Grace had the seal. Yet Roman had urged me to keep it all to myself. Why? Was he really that mistrustful of everyone? Did he have his own ulterior motives? Against my better judgment, I bit my lip on telling Dante about my discovery. It killed me to do it, particularly since I had a feeling Dante could have some insight. Roman's warning was too strong, however, as was my fear that he might actually still be around invisibly. And of course, I could hardly tell Dante about Roman. Fortunately, Dante didn't pick up on any omission of information. â€Å"You had kind of a full day, succubus. Did the corporate demon ever come talk to you?† â€Å"Not yet. I haven't had a chance to talk with the gang to see if he's been making the rounds.† I eyed the Macy's bag, dying to know what was in it. Dante kicked it behind him. â€Å"What are you going to tell him?† I shrugged. â€Å"I don't know. I'll tell him what I know about Seattle, and as far as recommendations†¦well, I don't know.† I could no longer trust Grace, and Mei's role was still a mystery. Dante noted my change of feelings but not the reasons. â€Å"From what you'd said before, I thought you were a fan of Grace and that other demoness.† â€Å"Mei,† I supplied. â€Å"I don't know. It's all just wearying.† Eager to shift away from the subject, I pointed at the bag. â€Å"Are you going to tell me what's in that?† He gave me one of his mocking grins. â€Å"Why do you think it has anything to do with you?† â€Å"Because there's no way you'd shop at Macy's for yourself. You dress only marginally better than Carter.† Dante shook his head, wearing a long-suffering look. â€Å"Fine, fine. I'll keep it for myself.† He picked up the bag and headed off down the hall. After a few moments, I followed and tackled him in the doorway to my bedroom. â€Å"Come on! Give it up.† I snatched the bag away, but my victory was small since he didn't put up a fight. I opened it up and gasped at what I found. Folds and folds of shimmering purple fabric, silk the color of new spring crocuses. Hesitantly, I lifted it out of the bag, revealing a long, ankle-length robe. I looked up at him in astonishment. â€Å"What's this?† â€Å"You're the one with years and years of higher learning,† he pointed out, looking extremely pleased with himself. â€Å"You tell me.† I held it up, gauging its height. It looked just about perfect. â€Å"It's gorgeous. What's the occasion?† â€Å"I was tired of hearing you bitch about that ratty one you've got. And tired of seeing it, to be honest.† He ignored my glare. â€Å"Besides, you've had a, uh, difficult time lately. Even for you.† I thought back to other things, like the flowers and breakfast. All the attempts at dinners. â€Å"Dante-â€Å" He pressed a finger to my lips. â€Å"Look, be quiet a second. I'm not blind. I can tell how much all of this is stressing you out. And fuck, if I could get my hands on that bitch demon†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Anger glinted in his eyes, and he took a moment to shake it off. â€Å"Anyway, you can keep making your jokes or whatever and keep doggedly doing your best to sleuth away and find Jerome, but you're running yourself into the ground. You're depressed. You're distracted. When we talk, it's like your mind's somewhere else. Same with our sex life.† I opened my mouth to argue, but I wasn't sure what to say. He was right. I had been distracted, but a good part of that-particularly during intimate activities-hadn't had anything to do with Jerome. It had been Seth on my mind. Dante kept speaking before I could get a word out. â€Å"See, now, you're going to apologize. Because that's what you do-but there's no need, succubus. If anyone gets some selfish time right now, it's you. In another week or so, things'll be back to normal, and I'll be the selfish one.† Something in my heart twisted. Everyone said he was scum, but in the end, it turned out I was the untrustworthy one. I averted my eyes. â€Å"So where's the robe fit in?† â€Å"Something to cheer you up. Since your wardrobe's been trimmed.† â€Å"Dante, you've been getting me a lot of stuff lately. You don't have to throw money at me-money you don't have-to make me feel better.† â€Å"If I didn't have it, I wouldn't ‘throw' it,† he remarked dryly. â€Å"And anyway†¦I'm not really the kind of guy who does, like†¦the candles or the moonlit beaches or recites poetry.† I grimaced. â€Å"I don't mind staying away from beaches for a while.† â€Å"But,† he continued, â€Å"I know you well enough to know that mochas and silk make you smile, and that, at least, is something I can do.† My heart twisted further, and I reached out to catch hold of his hand. I understood what he was saying. It wasn't in his nature to do over-the-top romantic gestures, but material purchases were something he could handle, and it was the only way to show me he cared. My guilt redoubled because no matter what he said, I knew he was tight on cash. Yet, my actions and fixation with Seth were worrying Dante enough that he felt he had to do something. I was driving him to it. â€Å"You're sweet,† I said. â€Å"But don't worry. It'll be our secret.† He brushed his fingers through my hair. â€Å"Not that sweet. Look in the bag.† I did. Underneath the robe, unnoticed by me, was a bottle of bubble bath. I held it up questioningly. â€Å"I thought we could take a bath together.† I laughed. â€Å"That's almost romantic. You might be closer to moonlit beaches than you think. Although, my bathtub's kind of small.† â€Å"I know,† he said. â€Å"That's what I meant about it not being very sweet. Mostly I want to see what kind of interesting positions we can cram ourselves into while naked and in a small space.† â€Å"Well, thank God that in a world gone mad, some people never change.† It turned into a wet, soapy mess, but it was more fun than I expected. No matter what he claimed, the whole feat was semi-romantic. Conversation was easy and light, and we laughed and joked a lot. I almost forgot about Seth-almost. But when things started to get a little hot and heavy, I pulled back. No matter how sexy it was to be wet and naked with someone, it just didn't feel right if that person wasn't Seth. What made me feel worse was that Dante was accommodating about my mood. He figured my lack of desire was part of my stress, and so we eventually left the tub as chastely as we'd entered. We toweled each other off and then curled up on the couch and watched TV together while I tried not to feel too guilty about the purple robe wrapped around me. I decided the next day to finally add myself back to the bookstore's work schedule. I only put me down for part-time shifts until the demon business was settled, but at this point, it seemed unlikely I'd be recalled to Canada again. My limbo status couldn't last forever if I wanted to keep my job; Warren's leniency would only last so long. Roman and I had our plans to go to Edmonds at noon, so for my first official day back, I only worked a morning shift. Part of that shift involved coming in before the store was even open, and I welcomed the solitude. The store always soothed me, and if ever there was a time I needed soothing, it was right now. It was short-lived, however, since my other coworkers began trickling in not long after my arrival. Maddie was among them. â€Å"Hey,† she said brightly, popping into my office. â€Å"Is this another check-in or are you back for good?† â€Å"For good, I think. Not that it matters. It looks like everything's been fine without me.† She grinned and shut the door behind her. â€Å"Oh, we've missed you, believe me. No one's been here to referee my fights with Doug.† I laughed and watched her sit down. â€Å"Well then, I guess I got back just in time. Nice shoes.† Maddie extended her legs and admired her candy apple red pumps. â€Å"Thanks. Nordstrom's having a sale.† The brown leather Mia heels I currently wore were among my favorites, but after a week now with no shape-shifting, my wardrobe was starting to make me stir-crazy. It was kind of like my hair, I realized. I hadn't realized how dependent I was on shape-shifting to enhance my appearance. I'd lauded myself for living like a human when in truth, I'd been cheating the whole time. Seeing my wistful look, Maddie asked, â€Å"You want to go downtown for lunch and check it out?† I shook my head with regret. Looking at shoes sounded a lot better than looking at rocks. â€Å"Can't. I've got to meet someone.† â€Å"Ah, well, let me know when you get some time. You know I'm game.† Silence fell, and Maddie shifted uncomfortably. She bit her lip, like she wanted to say something. I started to prompt her, but she spoke first. â€Å"So, what did you think of the condo listings?† â€Å"Oh, they were†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Fuck. I'd never even read through them. Roman and Dante had spent more time looking at them than I had. Which one had Dante mentioned? â€Å"They were great. I really liked that new one-the one where you can still get in on the choices and stuff.† Her eyes lit up. â€Å"Ooh, yeah. I loved that one too. I actually looked them up on the builder's website. It doesn't look like there are many left, but there has to be at least one, or they wouldn't be listed. We should go down there and talk to them in person.† I smiled, feeling horrible about the lie. â€Å"Sure†¦but it may be awhile before I can get a break. We'll have to do it and the shoe trip at the same time.† Maddie nodded, face kind and sympathetic. â€Å"No problem. I understand.† More silence fell, and I realized it wasn't the condos that she wanted to talk to me about. That had been a distraction to build up her own courage. â€Å"Maddie, what's going on?† Her cheery look disintegrated into something much more glum. It was startling. I was so used to her always being in a good mood that the thought of something upsetting her was on par with the laws of physics breaking down. She met my eyes and immediately looked away. â€Å"Oh God. I can't believe I'm about to bring this up.† I was seriously worried now. â€Å"You can tell me. It's okay. What's up?† She sighed. â€Å"It's Seth.† Oh, fuck.