Industrialization and Immigration Essay -- Industrial Immigrants Essay

An outburst in growth of America’s big city population, places of 100,000 people or more jumped from about 6 million to 14 million between 1880 and 1900, cities had become a world of newcomers (551). America evolved into a land of factories, corporate enterprise, and industrial worker and, the surge in immigration supplied their workers. In the latter half of the 19th century, continued industrialization and urbanization sparked an increasing demand for a larger and cheaper labor force. The country's transformation from a rural agricultural society into an urban industrial nation attracted immigrants worldwide. As free land and free labor disappeared and as capitalists dominated the economy, dramatic social, political, and economic tensions were created. Religion, labor, and race relations were questioned; populist and progressive thoughts were developed; social Darwinism and nativism movements were launched. The influx of immigrants created availability for cheap labor, which in turn led to corrupt business practices, urban political machines, and "white slavery". To curtail these "evils" present in society, progressivism was developed. The goals of progressivism were simple: to decrease poverty levels, to establish local charities, to fight for social justice, and to bring back good government practices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Between 1870 and 1890, in just 20 years, the population increased from 40 million to 60 million. Part of this increase was due to the high birth rate, but a significant portion of the increase was due to immigration. A handful of capitalists and entrepreneurs saw profit from heavy industrialization. However, the success of their companies resided in the availability of a working class. Immigrants to the United States, willing to do anything to set a foothold in the nation, accepted cheap labor as employment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Large corporations used this to their advantage. Profit oriented leaders did little to make suitable working conditions. With the aid of Muckrakers, journalists who exposed the underside of American life, the nation began to understand the "evils" of industrialization (599). More and more did Americans escalate their concern for reforms. The reformists promoting the ideals of Progressivism were moralists and championed the ideals of human rights. Progressivism embraced a widespread, many-sided effort after 1900 to build a better soc... ...strialists would continue as long as the industrial sector pervaded, in turn, the industry would continue to grow as long as their was a consistent supply of cheap labor, hence the influx of immigration by increasing industrial activity evoked Social Darwinism. With the startling growth of immigration, in what seemed like overnight, immigrants were met with hostility as they were the target of religious differences as well as labor unrest, the promoted sentiment was termed, nativism. As the continuation of industrialization and urbanization sparked an increasing demand for a larger and cheaper labor force; an influx in immigrants from all over Europe, migrated in pursuit of higher wages. As the industrial revolution progressed, the country evolved from a rural agricultural society into an urban industrial nation. Capitalists now dominated the economy, sparking dramatic social, political, and economic tensions for immigrants. Although, the progressivism movement assisted immigrants by alleviating work conditions, immigrants were still left to face social and economic tension as they became the new competition for low wage earners and were ostracized for religious differences.

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 22

Seth wasn't at the bookstore the next day, which I took as a bad sign. It was usually his passive-aggressive reaction to whenever we had a fight. I thought about him a lot while I worked, thinking of that awful blowout. We'd had a lot of uncomfortable talks in our time together, but we'd never had anything like that. I couldn't put my finger on exactly what about it bothered me – aside from the obvious – but I kept feeling like it was a pivotal moment, something that was going to have long-reaching effects. It scared me, and I wanted to fix things. And, of course, there was Nyx to worry about. I was going to find a victim after work, and then Vincent said the angels would come while I was asleep – when Nyx made her move. â€Å"You okay?† I looked up from the stack of checks I was signing in my office. Maddie stood there in a black pencil skirt and fitted white blouse that made her look super amazing. She'd worn her hair down too. â€Å"Wow,† I said. â€Å"What's the occasion?† â€Å"Nothing,† she said, with a shrug. â€Å"Wardrobe overhaul.† She lifted one foot, revealing three-inch black heels. â€Å"Holy shit,† I said. â€Å"You don't do anything in halves.† She beamed, and I noticed something about her that had nothing to do with the new clothes. There was joy in her eyes – a happiness that made her confident and even more radiant. She was a far cry from the bitter woman who'd shown up at the auction. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked, not fixating on myself for the first time today. Her grin widened, revealing her phantom dimple. A moment later, she turned more serious. â€Å"I'll tell you later. My news is good. But you†¦what's the matter? You look awful.† Yasmine had said the same thing last night. It really was a sad day when a succubus couldn't stay on top of her game. I shook my head. â€Å"It's†¦complicated.† I offered a weak smile. â€Å"I'll deal with it, don't worry. Now, come on. I'd rather hear something cheerful. Tell me what's going on.† â€Å"Can't. They need me out there. I just came to drop these off.† She set a stack of papers on my desk. They practically melted into the other stacks I already had. My office was so chaotic, it could have been a lair for Nyx in and of itself. â€Å"Come on, the suspense is going to drive me crazy,† I teased. â€Å"Well†¦you think you can give me a lift to the airport tomorrow? I'm going home for Christmas.† â€Å"You taking Doug with you?† â€Å"Nope. He's your holiday gift. But I'll give you the scoop then if you can give me a ride. I'd probably need to leave around five.† â€Å"Five o'clock traffic on the Friday before Christmas. We're going to have a lot of time to talk.† A bit of her normal nervousness reappeared. â€Å"If it's a problem†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Nope. We're closing early anyway. We'll go then.† Maddie left, and I found myself momentarily distracted by whatever her news could be. Whatever it was, it was a good thing. I liked the change it had brought about. That sort of happiness and confidence suited her. My thoughts were interrupted by the phone ringing. I answered and found Seth on the other end. â€Å"Hey,† I said, hoping I sounded cool and confident and not desperate and relieved. â€Å"Hey.† A long pause followed. â€Å"I†¦just†¦wanted to make sure we were on for Christmas.† My heart sank. No: â€Å"I've missed you.† No: â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"Sure. Wouldn't miss it.† Thinking about Christmas. I experienced a weird sense of d? ¦j? ¤ vu. We'd also been with his brother on Thanksgiving. And like now, we'd also been fighting. There it was again: my life, the endless loop. You aren't learning. You aren't changing. Of course, Seth and I had patched up the other fight. Maybe that kind of resolution would repeat itself too. After all, holidays were supposed to be magic, right? â€Å"Okay,† he told me. â€Å"I'll pick you up.† â€Å"Okay.† Another long pause. â€Å"I'd come by today, but†¦well. The book†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The book. Always the book. Then again, I was busy with chaos deities today. â€Å"Yeah, I know. It's fine.† â€Å"We'll talk on Christmas.† â€Å"Okay.† We hung up. A chill ran through me. There it was again. I had no gift for premonition, but an inner instinct – one that had nothing to do with Nyx's visions of the future – told me there was something big coming. After work, I drove over to Bellevue, Seattle's richest and most pretentious suburb. A city in its own right, Bellevue was pretty much the polar opposite of SeaTac. Hotels, restaurants, and shopping were continually being added to its downtown strip, and the influx of money from Boeing and Microsoft was steadily replacing older, plain buildings with sleeker and more stylish architecture. Bellevue was also home to a guy I knew named Kevin. I'd met him years ago in a bar. There was nothing overly extraordinary about Kevin. He was neither a sinner nor a saint, instead occupying some happy ground in the middle that yielded a decent amount of energy whenever I slept with him. His most notable trait was that he was perpetually available. He worked at home – some Web business, I believed – and never seemed to go out, despite being good-looking and sociable. I didn't question that too much, though, because it suited my purposes whenever I needed quick and easy sex with someone I didn't completely loathe. â€Å"Sandra,† he said happily, opening the door of his condo for me. He had dark brown hair and a closely trimmed, very new beard that I approved of. Dark brown eyes regarded me with amusement. â€Å"Been a while.† My â€Å"Sandra† form had a petite build similar to the one I usually wore. After that, the resemblance ended. My hair was now curly and black, my eyes a blue that looked violet sometimes. Underneath my long black coat, I wore a sleeveless navy blue dress that fit snugly and was far too skimpy for this kind of weather. â€Å"It has been,† I agreed. â€Å"Does that mean you aren't going to let me in?† He smiled and stepped back, grandly waving me inside. â€Å"What, do you think I'm crazy or something? Only an idiot would turn you away.† I followed Kevin down the hall and into his living room. He'd redecorated since the last time I was here, and the change was nice. The furniture and d? ¦cor were now all done in shades of a grayish blue that reminded me of winter twilights. A fireplace crackled on one side of the room, and a large bay window looked out to another set of condos. I draped my coat over a chair and smoothed miniscule wrinkles out of the dress. â€Å"You want something to drink?† he asked, hands in his pockets. I shook my head. â€Å"I don't have much time.† He gave me a rueful smile. â€Å"You never do. You know, sometimes I feel used.† â€Å"Is that a problem?† â€Å"Problem?† he asked with a snort. â€Å"A beautiful woman who wants to have sex with me and no commitments? Hardly a problem.† He took a few steps toward me. â€Å"Use me all you want.† He came closer still, and we met in a kiss. No delay, no preamble. I wrapped my arms around his neck and parted my lips, eager to feel him and taste him. His hands rested on my hips for a moment, then slid upward. He caught my dress's straps and pulled them down, baring my breasts and still kissing me the whole time. Pushing forward, he pressed me against the wall, near the fireplace. I felt its heat against the bare skin of my legs. His hands cupped my breasts, thumbs sliding to my nipples and squeezing them. He varied the intensity, sometimes hard and sometimes gentle. I broke the kiss long enough to incline my head toward the uncovered window behind him. â€Å"The window – â€Å" He crushed his mouth back against mine. Our tongues danced together briefly, and then he pulled back just long enough to say, â€Å"I know.† The tone of his voice told me that he not only knew – he also wanted it that way. I didn't question it. This apparently was the season for exhibitionism. Eventually, he moved his mouth away from mine and trailed kisses down my neck. I tilted my head back and arched the rest of my body toward his. One of his hands continued cupping a breast as he nibbled on its nipple, teeth and tongue stirring it to arousal. His other hand pushed up my skirt, eagerly seeking my panties and what lay within. The ache for his energy and his touch coursed through me. I moaned softly as he moved his lips down my body. Shifting to the floor, he settled on his knees while still keeping me standing against the wall. He pulled the panties down all the way, so they hung around my ankles. Sliding his hands between my thighs, he pulled them apart slightly and then buried his face between them, his stubble tickling me. I was burning and wet, more so than I'd realized, and when his tongue touched my aching clit, I moaned more loudly and felt my knees tremble slightly. I started to tell him that he didn't need to do this, that it was okay if he just wanted to get straight to the main event. But as his tongue gently moved back and forth, building the heat and ecstasy within me, I swallowed my words. The last three guys I'd slept with hadn't made me come, and although this visit was strictly utilitarian and part of the Nyx plan, I suddenly and selfishly wanted to get more than his life energy out of it. Back and forth his tongue moved, speed and intensity continually shifting. As his thoughts began to trickle into me, I could tell that he liked doing that not simply for the sake of novelty, but also because he liked seeing the way I reacted to each slight change. He was one of those men who truly enjoyed making a woman happy. The burning spot he'd brought to life between my legs grew and grew, expanding beyond where his tongue touched, beyond my thighs. Steadily, it spread into my whole body, all the way to my fingertips. I felt like fire in human – or rather, succubus – form and writhed against the wall, against him. My knees buckled as the searing pleasure reached a critical point inside me, and his hands moved down to steady my legs and keep me upright. At last the core within me exploded, the fire turning to pure light, pure bliss. I cried out at the way the orgasm consumed me, at the way his tongue still kept teasing me even in the throes of my climax. Finally, even he couldn't keep me upright. My legs had turned to jelly, and I sank to the floor in front of him. He smiled, genuinely pleased, and leaned forward to kiss me. I could taste me on his lips. â€Å"Come on,† he said, taking my hands and helping me up. He led me over to the window and peeled off the rest of my dress. He eased me onto a high window seat. Removing his own clothes, he murmured, â€Å"I should go find a condom.† My breathing was rapid, my heart pounding away. â€Å"No, I want to feel you – just you.† I took his hand and brought it between my legs, guiding his fingers into me. â€Å"I want you to feel me.† I'd been wet before starting all this and was now doubly so after what he'd just done. His fingers glided easily inside of me, and his eyes widened at what he felt. Indecision played on his face, and then he nodded. If counseling any of my human friends, I would certainly advocate safe sex. It didn't matter for me personally, however, since I couldn't catch anything or get pregnant. Often with victims, I'd talk them out of any sort of protection in order to increase their guilt. With Kevin tonight, I didn't want to bother with condoms simply because I didn't want to waste the time. My urgency and desire were too strong. I wanted him now. I slid my hands down his stomach and felt how hard he was. He wanted me too. I wrapped my fingers around him, stroking and massaging and loving the way he swelled within my hand. Pressing my back against the cold glass, I drew my knees up to me and then spread them wide, feeling rather like a butterfly. The window seat was exactly the perfect height, putting us hip to hip as I led him inside of me. We both gasped at the contact. He pushed in as far as possible, our hips pressed skin to skin. The way he filled me up was exquisite. Shape-shifting meant I could make myself as tight as possible, and I loved how he tested the limits of it. He paused a moment, simply savoring the way our bodies felt together, and then slowly began moving in and out of me, rocking me against the window with each thrust. And with that, his life began pouring into me in earnest. I nearly exhaled with relief. The sensation of that energy filling me up rivaled the feel of his body inside me. I had missed it so much, missed the wonder and joy of that pure, indescribable energy generated by the human soul. Nyx had been stealing a part of me, and I was glad to have it back, if only for this moment. The thoughts coming through with his energy were happy and content ones as he reveled in the pleasure of being with me. A secret, kinky part of him was turned on by hoping that his neighbors across the way might be watching. He hoped they were. He hoped they were jealous. His thrusts grew harder and harder, and he murmured over and over how wonderful I was, how beautiful. Still sensitive from him going down on me, I came twice more, my body melting as the orgasms' spasms shook me. At last, I felt his body tense and saw his expression signal he was about to lose control. I dug my nails into his arms and begged him to come in me. He did, shoving me so hard against the window that I hoped the glass would hold. The peak of his energy hit me with his climax, and as it faded, we both sighed happily. I didn't abandon him quite as quickly as I had Bryce, but I didn't spend time lounging in the afterglow either. I helped him get dressed and made sure he was situated comfortably on the couch before I left. I liked him, after all, and hoped I'd see him again in some other casual situation. His face was languid and content as we made our good-byes. â€Å"You are the most exhausting woman I've ever been with,† he told me, eyelids flickering with fatigue. I couldn't help a smile. Of course I was. Other lovers didn't steal his soul – at least not literally. â€Å"Does that mean you want me to stay away longer next time?† He smiled and yawned. â€Å"No. Absolutely not.† Still smiling, I left and headed back to the city. But as I drove closer to downtown, brimming with energy, my happy feelings faded. I remembered why I'd had to go see him in the first place and what would happen tonight. My body, so achingly hot an hour ago, grew cold. When I arrived back at my apartment, Vincent, Carter, and Yasmine were already waiting for me. None of them commented on my glow. Instead, they launched right into the plan. â€Å"Nyx will probably come trolling around tonight,† Carter explained. â€Å"And when she sees you've got energy again, she'll do her thing.† Yasmine nodded along. â€Å"We can't be here when it happens. Vincent will be around, out in the living room. She won't suspect him of anything; she'll figure he's an ordinary human. But when he senses her feeding off of you, he'll let us know. Then, we'll show up and bind her.† I didn't like the sound of any of that – neither the feeding nor the binding. â€Å"What's that mean?† â€Å"We'll pull her out and trap her,† said Carter. Presumably â€Å"out† meant out of me. Yikes. â€Å"Then we'll take her away, back to her prison,† added Yasmine. Their confidence inspired confidence in me, and I suspected I was being influenced by angelic charisma. But there was no way out of this, not if I wanted to shake my nighttime visitor. â€Å"All right,† I said. â€Å"Let's do this.† The angels left. It was still early evening, so I hung out with Vincent. We played a couple games of cards and watched bad movies. Hanging out with him in such a casual way made it easy to forget he was a nephilim. When midnight loomed, I stood up and stretched. â€Å"I don't think I can sleep,† I remarked. â€Å"It's like trying to go to bed on Christmas Eve. Too jittery to settle down. Except†¦it's not Santa I'm waiting for.† He smiled. â€Å"Well, try. If we need to, we can probably give you a sedative or something, but this whole thing will be more efficient without.† It took a long time – lying in bed for almost two hours – before I fell asleep. It wasn't easy to relax when you were inviting a creature of chaos to come feed off of you. And yet, as I drifted off, I couldn't help a small flicker of eagerness. I'd be dreaming the dream again. And I did. It started from the beginning, like always, running all the way to the part where the little girl fell and my dream-self comforted her. The girl's tears were drying when we both heard the faint sound of a car door closing. My dream-self straightened up. A smile blossomed on her face as she regarded her – my – daughter with the kind of over-exaggerated excitement adults often use with children. â€Å"You hear that?† my dream-self asked. â€Å"Daddy's home.† Mirrored excitement showed on the girl's face as my dream-self stood up, still holding the girl and balancing her on one hip. It was an act of some coordination, considering how small my dream-self was. They walked to the front door and stepped outside onto a porch. It was nighttime, all quiet darkness, save for a small light hanging on the porch. It shone onto a long stretch of unbroken white snow on the lawn and the driveway. All around, more snow fell in a steady stream. I didn't recognize the place, but it certainly wasn't Seattle. That much snow would have sent the city into a panic, putting everyone on Armageddon alert. My dream-self was perfectly at ease, barely noticing the snow. Wherever she was, it was a common occurrence. In the driveway, a car had just pulled up. I felt my dream-self's heart swell with happiness. A man stood behind it, a non-descript dark figure in the faint lighting. He took out a rolling suitcase and slammed the trunk shut. The little girl clasped her hands in excitement, and my dream-self waved a hand in greeting. The man returned the wave as he walked toward the house, and my waking self tried desperately to see his face. It was too dark. I needed him to get closer, just a little closer – I couldn't get any closer because just then, I felt my soul get ripped out of me. I sat up in bed, nearly screaming in agony at the pain coursing through me. All four angels, plus Vincent, ringed the room. The power pulsing around us felt like smoke. I could barely breathe. And there, beside my bed, was Nyx. She looked a lot like Erik's description: an old, emaciated woman. Her skin and hair were white, her dark eyes sunken and inhuman. A tattered, gossamer dress wrapped around her body. She had an almost translucent look, like she wasn't entirely solid, and a sparkling aura shone around her. I couldn't see the forces being wielded, but I felt them distinctly. The angels temporarily had her enclosed in walls of power, but she wasn't bound, not yet. She pushed back against their restraints with considerable power of her own, and I gaped. Any one of those angels dwarfed my own power – yet, their combined force was still an even match for hers. It was a staggering thought, and I couldn't understand why she'd need my energy since she had so much of her own. And actually, she did have some of mine. She'd taken about half before they'd pulled her out of me. Nyx shrieked in rage, still pushing back on them. Then, bit by bit, I could see the balance shift. Her power was fading the more she used it. The angels' was steady. They were weakening her. She realized this and panic showed on her face. Casting frantic eyes over all the angels, she finally rested her gaze on Yasmine. There was still enough of a faint connection between us that I realized what Nyx was going to do. She'd sought out the least powerful of the foursome. Mustering the last of her power, she blasted it toward Yasmine, hoping both to smash the angels' united front and hurt Yasmine enough to cause a distraction. A heartbeat before Nyx unleashed her attack, I saw Vincent's face. He too realized what she was going to do. He moved forward, and I felt his mask drop. The telltale nephilim signature washed over me, and his power filled the room as well. There was a lot of it. He'd held back in the alley. Invisible energy rushed from Nyx toward Yasmine, trying to destroy the angel. But Vincent was there, blocking the attack. It rebounded back on Nyx. She screamed again, her defenses shattering. The other angels seized the opportunity, and bands of light snapped into place around her. A moment later, the light faded, but the restraints were there, even if I could no longer see them. She clawed around her, like a twisted version of a mime in a box, but she was trapped. She couldn't get through the walls they'd locked her in. They'd done it. They'd recaptured Nyx. But none of the angels were paying attention to her. They were all looking at Vincent. â€Å"You,† gasped Joel. He didn't hesitate. He strode toward the nephilim, and I saw Joel's body start to shimmer with light. He was about to transform into his true form, a form of terrible beauty and power. But Yasmine was faster. The slim, dark-haired woman became pure light. She was all the colors of the rainbow and none of them. A sword of flame appeared in her hands. She stepped in front of Vincent – who was screaming at her to stop – and swung toward Joel. The blade hit him, and he screamed. An awful, burning sensation was starting to flood me. Hastily, I shielded my eyes and looked away, realizing what I'd almost done. An angel's true form was an indescribable thing, requiring senses a human – or a human-turned-succubus – didn't possess. Staring at her could cause me major damage. Even being in the same room with her hurt. But I'd seen what I'd needed to before looking away. I'd seen the sword fall. Yasmine had attacked Joel. Nyx had pegged her as the weakest of the four, but Yasmine and Joel must have been incredibly close in power. Catching him by surprise like that tipped the scales. The air in the room swirled, reaching hurricane levels. Power exploded around me, like a sun going supernova. Everything was fire and wind. And screaming. Twin screams: Yasmine's and Joel's. I wrapped my arms around me, burying my face, certain I was going to die. The energy exploding toward me reached a point in which it would surely blow up the building, blow up the world. Stronger and stronger it grew. Suddenly, it all reversed. Power rushed away from my side of the room, back toward the angels. It was like a black hole had formed, sucking everything toward it. Of course, it was only pulling energy, not physical objects, but I nonetheless felt like it was dragging me in too. I clutched the bed's comforter, using it like an anchor to hold me down. Time ceased to have meaning. Ten seconds or ten hours could have passed for all I knew. Finally, the rushing stopped, and everything went still. The atmosphere returned to normal. No more insane power levels. There was only what you would normally expect in a room with three angels, a nephilim, a succubus, and a primordial entity of chaos. The latter had suddenly moved to the backburner of everyone's attention. Yasmine had returned to her â€Å"human† form. It was safe for me. I looked up, expecting Carter and Whitney to swoop in and attack her. But they stood frozen. No trace of Joel remained. He was gone, destroyed. The typhoon of power had marked his death. Yasmine was on her knees, fingers digging into the sides of her face. She sobbed, murmuring words that sounded like frantic prayers. Vincent, like the angels, kept his distance from her. She had just killed Joel. I didn't understand why no one was acting. Why were they just standing there? Everyone seemed to be waiting for something. Suddenly, a voice hissed beside me, more in my mind than spoken aloud. â€Å"Succubus.† I looked into Nyx's cavernous eyes. Like Vincent and the angels, I'd forgotten about her. She extended her hand toward me, and I cringed. Fortunately, the invisible binds kept her from getting any closer. â€Å"Succubus,† she repeated. â€Å"Touch the walls. Use the last of your power to set me free.† â€Å"What? No!† I was dividing my attention between her and the others. The angelic group still stood motionless. â€Å"Free me, and I'll help you exact your revenge.† â€Å"Revenge? Who are you talking about?† â€Å"The one who sent me to you when I escaped,† she rasped. â€Å"The one who promised you to me.† I had no clue what she meant. â€Å"Like†¦who freed you?† She cast an uneasy look behind her. Time was ticking down on her distraction. â€Å"No, you were promised to me! But I can help you. Help you punish – â€Å" â€Å"No,† I said. She was too dangerous. Whatever insane revenge she was talking about wasn't worth what she could do to mortals if she was freed. Her desperation grew. The angels were eventually going to remember her, and we both knew it. â€Å"I will show you the end of the dream!† she cried. â€Å"I'll show you the man. The man in the dream.† My heart stopped. â€Å"He isn't real,† I whispered. â€Å"It was all a lie. You used it to trick me.† â€Å"No! Everything I show is true. Always true.† â€Å"It can't be†¦it's impossible.† I swallowed and felt tears starting to fill my eyes. I wanted it to be true. More than anything. â€Å"That can't ever happen to me.† Nyx beat her hands on her unseen prison walls. â€Å"It's real! It's the future! I've seen it. Touch the walls, and I will show you. I will show you the man in the dream!† I wanted to. I wanted to see him. I needed to see him. The man in the dream. The man who could maybe truly make this future happen†¦. My hand moved forward, like it was being controlled by an outside force. Nyx's eyes widened, eager and hungry. All of a sudden, a scream split the air. No, it was more than a scream. When Yasmine had destroyed Joel, that had involved screaming. This was more than that. It was the most horrible noise in the universe, a phenomenon that went beyond mere sound. Much as my eyes couldn't exactly perceive an angel's appearance, my ears couldn't fully comprehend this. My hand dropped from Nyx, and I jerked my gaze to the angels. Yasmine was still on her knees, and flames were starting to consume her. It was no ordinary fire, though. It reminded me of the light of her true form: all colors and none. Carter and Whitney watched, faces unreadable. Vincent also watched. He'd taken a few steps toward me, backing away from the fire. The look on his face was filled with a jumble of emotions, none of them good. I didn't understand what was happening to Yasmine yet, but I knew what would happen to him. â€Å"Get out,† I told him in a low voice. His face was pale, as pale as Nyx's. He looked like he'd aged a hundred years. â€Å"I can't†¦I can't leave her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You have to. They'll destroy you. Or if they don't, someone else will. Someone else in the city will have noticed this. You know I'm right.† His eyes were still on Yasmine. I could no longer see her, though. She was all flame – flame that had turned black. â€Å"Go!† I exclaimed. â€Å"It's what she'd want. She did this for you!† Vincent flinched at those words and finally looked at me. The full force of his grief made the held-back tears spill down my cheeks. â€Å"Go. Please,† I begged. Joel had been destroyed. Yasmine looked like she was about to be. I couldn't stand anymore death. He said nothing, but after several seconds, he turned invisible. I felt his aura go. Across the room, the flames were starting to fade. Yasmine was slowly reappearing, completely unscathed. She looked no different, but something about her signature had changed. I felt the same golden light, the impression of saffron and frankincense. But it was edged in something else. It no longer had the sharp, crystalline quality of angelic auras. That was gone, replaced by a dark and smoky feel – a smokiness that had nothing to do with the fire. The flames finally disappeared altogether, and Yasmine still knelt on the floor. Seconds later, another signature joined us, one I knew well. Jerome stood in the room, apparently back from whatever clandestine matters he'd needed to oversee. He looked from face to face, finally focusing on mine. â€Å"Jesus Christ. What have you done now?† I ignored him, unable to tear my gaze from Yasmine. She looked the same, exactly the same. And yet, she wasn't†¦ She'd noticed the change too. She held her arms out in front of her, studying them as though she'd never seen herself before. Horror flooded her features. â€Å"No,† she moaned. â€Å"No†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She began sobbing again. Carter finally looked away from her and met Jerome's eyes. â€Å"This is yours now, Charon.† Jerome nodded and stepped toward Yasmine. â€Å"Time to go.† She looked up at him, face glistening with tears. She said nothing, but she didn't need to. Her expression said everything. It was a plea, a plea that none of this was real, that maybe – just maybe – Jerome could make it all go away. He shook his head and touched her shoulder. They vanished. The room was quiet, an unnatural quiet that felt almost oppressive. My voice seemed strange and out of place. â€Å"Wh-what happened?† I asked Carter. I noticed now that Whitney was crying. â€Å"Yasmine has fallen,† he said softly. â€Å"She's a demon now.†

A Report on Progress on Building of Leisure Centre Proposal - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 8 Words: 2544 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Did you like this example? REPORT ON PROGRESS ON BUILDING OF LEISURE CENTRE PROPOSAL SHERBURY CONFIDENTIAL To: M. Smith, Head of Analysis of Proposals From: N. Rafie, Proposal AnalystDate: 1st May 2015 BACKGROUND There is dissent in the town of Sherbury, Wealdshre County which has been linked to the apparent lack of leisure amenities and facilities in the town itself. Several social issues have been identified such as an increasing crime rate as well as cases of gangs and alcoholism mostly pertaining to teens of Sherbury which has been blamed on the previously kentioned lack of amenities and activities to do in town. As a countermeasure to the social issues and the lack of facilities, Sherbury has decided to start to look at the possibility of building a Leisure Centre. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "A Report on Progress on Building of Leisure Centre Proposal" essay for you Create order FINDINGS There is a severe lack of leisure amenities and facilities, in particular those that cater to young people and this has been deemed the root cause to the social issues that are becoming apparent in Shersbury. According to police reports there have been an increase in the amount of criminal cases in Sherbury specifically cases involving vandalism and drunk and disorderly behaviour involving the teenage demographic. They have seen an increase of 32% and 24% respectively. It has to be noted that the increase for teen drunk and disorderly behaviour was seen within the last 12 months. There is growing concern with social workers regarding a surge in teenage alcoholism and roaming teenage gangs present at the town centre and housing estates. The social workers attribute these growing social issues to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“boredom derived from little or nothing to do in the evenings. There are only two youth clubs in the town, both of which are oversubscribed. Denial of entry has been met with attempts to disrupt the youth clubsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ activities by older teenagers. The local weekly newspaper, The Sherbury Chronicle has been campaigning for improvements in leisure facilities over these last 6 weeks. The paper has utilised their medium to campaign with scathing editorials with headlines such as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Council Fuddy-duddies forget their youth. Readers of the Sherbury Chronicle have changed their views regarding the issue have changed from sympathetic to condemnatory due to the correspondence the readers and the paper have which has been labelled as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Livelyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . Town Councillors of Sherbury have been actively canvassing for the building of a leisure centre in order to provide for they consider the town to be sorely lacking amenities. Sherbury Town Councillor James Hillingdon referred to the current situation as a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“shocking state of affairsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  pointing out that Sherbury has nothing t o offer its young people in the evenings but violent films in its local cinema and alcoholic beverages from its ten central public houses at a recent council meeting. There have been cases of local sports clubs and associations making representation to councillors and to County Hall officials. Some Sherbury sports enthusiasts are travelling thirty miles or more in order to find the amenities that they seek. There are existing sports facilities in Sherbury however they predominantly provide for outdoor sports. There are also sports facilities that are provided for indoor sports in the community hall however this is reportedly over crowded. There have been several activities that have been suggested for inclusion in any future Leisure Centre include table tennis, badminton, basketball, tennis, swimming, judo, karate, volleyball, ten-pin bowling, snooker and billiards, gymnastics and for older members yoga, relaxation classes and keep fit together with a club room for da rts dominoes and quieter activities. A rough projection for the building of the leisure centre has been estimated at  £1.8 million Two sites have been identified as suitable for the leisure centre the first at Charles Bowley Recreation Park in Northern Sherbury and the second in Central Sherbury. There are many options available for the funding of the project, increasing council tax in conjunction with securing government grants as well as funding from the Lottery Commission. There are local sports associations that have suggested possible fund raising activities. The Chief Executive of the Council has formed a working party that is made up of representatives from the Planning Department, Architectural Department, Community Liaison office and Spots Advisory Office due to mounting pressure. The working party is tasked with investigating the need for a leisure centre, make projections regarding building and maintenance costs, make suggestion with regard to loc ation and make proposals concerning the types of activities it should house and the layout of various halls and rooms as well as provide a set of recommendations to be submitted to the Council for debate. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS It is safe to say that the root cause of the social issues that are affecting Sherbury is centred on its young people and the lack of amenities and lack of activities which they can expand their energies on. There are facilities and youth clubs in the town that do provide activities for young people however due to their size and lack of facilities it is not enough to provide for all of them. This often leads to conflict between those who are already involved with the clubs and those who are not. This in turn may exacerbate the increasing crime rate as the disruption of club activities may lead to even less people being involved with the clubs. The only activities to do in town such as watching movies and partaking in the consumption of alcohol are contributing even more to the advent of the social issues in Sherbury such as vandalism, gangs and teenage alcoholism. The lack of facilities is not only facilitating the increase of social issues in Sherbury, it is also making i t highly inconvenient for many sports enthusiasts who have to travel a considerable distance in order to access facilities that allow them to partake in their sports. This inconvenience can also be considered a loss to the local economy for Sherbury as these potential consumers now bring their business to other towns as well as a loss of the potential to groom local talent in terms of competitive events. All in all I think that Sherbury should proceed with the building of the leisure centre as this would solve many of Sherburyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s current issues. It has to be noted that while it will help deter the effects of the social issues in Sherbury it has to be used in conjunction with other policies as well as understanding that the project will take time and its effects will take time to be seen. So patience will need to be exercised by the Sherbury council as well as its residents. Although the cost of building of the centre is quite high ( £1.8 million) it has to be understood that the social costs will be even higher with crime rates increasing as well as teens turning to alcoholism and gang behaviour, the social repercussions of not doing anything will be higher than the actual financial costs. The provision of activities will enable the youth to expand their energies on activities that are productive and will hopefully help the youth gain a sense of identity from something positive rather than having to end up in a gang or turning to alcohol. Sherbury needs to ensure that they are able to deal with their social issues directly rather than putting all their hopes on the leisure centre to make the issues go away. Sherbury needs to increase security as well as enforce new laws that make sure that the teens will not have access to alcohol too freely. Maybe something along the lines of increasing police patrols in areas that have been frequented by these gangs as well as restricting the public houses from selling alcoholic beverages p ast a certain time for those who are below the age of 20. The existing youth clubs need to be nurtured and aided further in order to help reduce the effects of social issues. Considering the fact that there are already established Youth Clubs in Sherbury, the council would not have to do any actual work other than maybe fund the clubs in order to increase their capacity to take in new members. By expanding the capacity of the clubs as well as providing them new operating quarters in the new Leisure Centre, the council would be killing two birds with one stone, providing activities for the youth as well as gaining occupants for the centre. Establishing the Leisure Centre will benefit the local sporting community greatly and they understand this with many local sports associations supporting the proposal as well as offering to help fund the project. The council would do well to remember this as the town will benefit greatly should the local sports associations flourish as this w ill allow the town to produce talent from youth who now have something productive to be involved with. It also has to be considered that the previous situation where Sherbury sports enthusiast were traveling far in order to access sports facilities, the building of the leisure centre may well attract enthusiast from other towns as well. This will help the not just strengthen the sporting community but aid the local economy as well. Out of the two locations, I would suggest the council build it in the Northern Suburbs as a central location, while good for businesses in the area may not have enough space to include all the possible activities that can be provided by the centre as well as not being able to provide enough parking space for users of the centre. (1587 words) 3. a) Opening The opening of an interview is what will set the tone for the rest of the interview, it is in the opening of an interview where the purpose of the interview is made clear therefore. Once the pu rpose of the interview is made clear the process is made much more easier as all parties will understand why they are there and what it is expected of them. The opening will establish the tone and atmosphere of the interview as well as indicate the level of formality or informality that the interview will take. By setting the tone of the interview, interviewees can be put at ease, or unease according to what the interviewer wants. It is in the opening where the flow of the interview is decided. Questions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" In an interview there are two simple rules of thumb, ask the right questions and listen to the answers. An interviewer should prepare the questions that should be asked in order to elicit information from the interviewee that is desirable and therefore making the interview productive. Pacing of the questions should be controlled carefully as important information may be glossed over or leading to the interviewee digressing. As previously mentioned It is p aramount for the interviewer to be able to ask the right questions, however it equally as important for the interviewer to ask at the right time. Closure à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Closing the interview is as important as opening it, for it is in the closure where all information should be summarised, leading to an easy confirmation of information and determining whether the objectives of the interview have been met. It has to be noted that the position of both parties are clarified at the closure of the interview. Whether a compromise or agreement has been made or not and clear communication of this from both parties will further enable whether further action should be taken and if so, in what form. It is in the closure that decisions should be made only if one or both parties have the authority and information to make it. Follow Up à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Once the interview is finished it is important for the interviewer to proceed to assimilate the information gleaned from the interv iew. The information should be recorded properly in order to build up a record of the interview and the interviewee thus making any future attempts to locate information regarding the interview or interviewee much easier. A decision needs to be made following the interview, and this is easier done once all in formation is assimilated thus any determination of any decision can be made as a result of the interview will be more concise and easily made. Also any actions that were agreed upon during the interview should be followed up on. b) 4.a) Polite à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" It is important for those working in customer service to be polite to the parties they are dealing with. Staff members need to be able to talk properly with good manners in order for the calling party to leave the conversation feeling as though they were dealt with in the proper manner. Even when a customer calls to complain it is important that the staff members maintain their composure and still be polite therefore diffusing a potentially explosive situation and having the complaining party leave the conversation without any resent and feeling better. Knowledgeable à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" Staff members need to have information that pertains to the subjects that calling parties will be inquiring about, whether this be young people, fitness, the facilities or the centre itself and other information that can be considered relevant to these subjects. Therefore being able to provide the right information to the inquiring parties and having answered their questions satisfactorily is exactly what they need to be able to do. Because a lot of inquirers will not have the information or even incomplete information therefore rendering them unable to make an informed decision as to whether or not they should or can utilise the facilities that the centre provides. Informative à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" As a lot of calling parties will be inquiring to many subjects as well as ask for advice, personnel nee d to be able to answer the calling parties to the best of their abilities. This would mean that the staff members have to know what they are talking about as well as be able to explain properly and clearly therefore understanding that having the calling parties leave with understanding how to utilise the information given by the staff member is just as important as having the inquiring party leave with the right information. Understanding à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" As a lot of parties calling in will be complaining it is important that the staff be able to listen and understand exactly what the party is calling to complain about. And although the staff themselves may not agree with what the customer is complaining about, that is beside the point, hey need to be able to make the complaining party feel better about the situation, and being understanding will ensure that the staff member be able to choose the right words in order to do so. However, it is also important for the staff member to follow up with these complaints and not just offer empty apologies should the complaints be valid. Loquacious à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å" As the job involves a lot of answering questions and in general talking, the staff members need to be able to talk well. Therefore being able to keep a conversation going while at the same time ensuring that they are answering the inquiries or listening to complaints is a core requirement for the job, this is because while a good listener will have all the right information, someone who is able to talk to the calling parties will help the calling party feel as though as they are being treated well. (503 words) b) 1