Married With Children Essays - Married... With Children, Al Bundy

Married With Children The television series Marriedwith Children started in late 1987 and had a schedule for thirteen shows. It came about from the minds of two directors named Amanda Bearse and Gerry Cohen. Their goal was to bring up a comedy series different than others in the recent past. The series was taped in Sony Studios and had brought up many controversial issues. For example, the third season of the show is the time when the show got increase fame. A woman by the name of Terry Rakolta, who lived in Michigan, had wrote to the studio that the show was out of line for public television and that it should indefinitely be taken off the air. As anyone can guess, this was the turning point of a slow improving show. The show drew attention from many aspects of life. Critics wrote in newspapers and the public spoke outloud. Finally, this was, with out question, the best thing that could have happened to the show. The ratings increased considerably and a comedy sitcom was born. Before all this happened, t he two directors had auditions where they selected the following characters: Ed ONeill as Al Bundy, Katey Sagal as Peggy Bundy, Amanda Bearse as Marcy Darcy, David Garrison as Steve Rhodes, Christina Applegate as Kelly Bundy, David Fastino as Bud Bundy, and Ted McGinley as Jefferson Darcy. There were a few other characters that were also involved that made the show more productive. The location of the setting is located at the Sony Studios. Its described as a normal looking house. For example on the set there is a couch in front of a television and a kitchen where not too much cooking goes on. The house is located on 9764 Jeopardy Lane and is where most of the show takes place. There are still other places where the show takes place. For example there is the shoestore where Al works and the garage where the NOMAAM meetings take place. Also Al and Pegs room is also featured to show how much the two are not intimate with eachother. In all sitcoms there is a basic unifying situation. This is a common theme that can be expected to be said or done. This can be seen on this show as follows: The Bundys are a stereotypical American family. Al Bundy is a shoe salesman who continually works on reliving his high school football fame and fortune. Peggy, a ditsy red head brings fear into Als eyes whenever she feels intimate with him or just when she spends all his money at the mall or at the salon. The daughter Kelly is a beautiful blonde who you can always count on bringing a guy home or going to a party. The son Bud is just a plain old loser. He has so much self-confidence but little evidence to prove it. Hes always looking to score but always finds a way to fail. As you go into more depth about these characters there is a clear mark that each has a specific description and play on important role in the sitcom. Ed ONeill stars as the working class hero Al Bundy. He is around 50 years old, he is going bald, he has a beer belly, and is a full-time shoe salesman. He uses much of his time trying to evade his wife, Peg, and trying to relive his high school football fame when he scored four touchdowns in one game. Al also plays a leader on the show when he co-founds a guy organization named NO MAAM which is a group of pathetic men that are against womens secrecy and power and for all mens rights and superiority. Katey Sagal plays Peggy Bundy on the show. She looks like she is in her late thirties, has red hair and is slim. She doesnt work but uses Als money to go to the mall and buy clothes. She plays a very ditsy wife that always seems to be getting on Als last nerve. Christina Applegate plays Kelly Bundy on the show. She is a blond stereotype. Also, an outgoing, good-looking teenager that tends to be seen with many guys. Kelly is the daughter of Al and Peggy

Censorship Issues in Music essays

Censorship Issues in Music essays Censorship in music is very controversial today. Many artists who feel they should be able to write and sing explicit lyrics for their fans. Rap artists are consistently being sued for writing the truth, mocking other artists or telling their life story. Rap artist Eminem, also known as Marshal Matters, sings about what he feels, doesn't care if he swears or says things that might offend some of the stars. For example his mother sued him for many lyrics where he talked about his mother. Such as "I just found out my mom does more dope than I do," " My fu**ing bitch mom's suing for ten million .She must want a dollar for every pill I've been stealing. $hit, where the f**k you think I picked up the habit? All I had to do was go in her room and lift up her mattress. Yes I know that if your son made millions and he was mocking you hard core, any mother would most likely sue their son especially for giving him a bad reputation. If an artist feels that he should write about the problems he had at home, he shouldn't be sued because he's telling the truth, yes sometimes the truth hurts but deal with it Mrs. Matters. Eminem likes to talk about doing your mom from the behind, gay songwriters, and pop artists whom he can't stand. People like Christina Agulara, Britney Spears, and N Sync get on his nerves. But dont they all. Maybe Britney Spears should be censored on the clothes she wears and the way she touches herself on stage, the point I am trying to make is just because Eminem swears and talks about profane things and gets sued. Britney gets liposuction, a breast enhancement, becomes a pornstar and gets cheered on? Personally I dont understand the facts of censorship within pop culture. You think that maybe parents would not let their little 11 year olds listening to Britney because they might become easy or sluts. But they honestly wont allow Eminem in the hou ...

Team Empowerment Through Effective Communication Case Study

Team Empowerment Through Effective Communication - Case Study Example With this type of set-up that allow creative and innovative juices to flow through the constant sharing of information, people could appropriate division of labor among the members of the team can lead to the more effective, more efficient and less stressful workplace. Their high levels of performance with regards to quantity, quality, and timeliness of work results can contribute to their sense of satisfaction, addressing a psychological and motivational need. With incessant exposure to each other, team members and their superiors could ascertain whether they have a team that can continue working together with synergy or their togetherness poses a detrimental effect on their output and interrelationships. This is why effective communication is very crucial in a group or a team. Lack of communication could sometimes produce unfavorable working environments. For example, Susan had worked in supply-chain management of a certain company for three years. She enjoyed her work in large part because her boss, Tim McGuire, was a great guy to work for. Then Tim got promoted six months ago and Chuck Benson took his place. Susan says her job is a lot more frustrating now. "Tim and I were on the same wavelength. It's not that way with Chuck. He tells me something and I do it. Then he tells me I did it wrong. I think he means one thing but says something else. It's been like this since the day he arrived.

In what way Antigone may inform us about the the war on terror, which Essay

In what way Antigone may inform us about the the war on terror, which the government of the United States is engaged in - Essay Example Antigone’s story could relate to the war on terrorism in multiple ways. In some way, Antigone and Polynices could be assumed the terrorists within the government of Thebes as presided over Creon. They chose to pursue some political goals that are not consistent with the wishes of the Creon. As such, they represented the enemy within. Creon had various options to handle the challenges brought about by the defiance of Antigone and the presumed disobedience of Polynices. However, his approach became inflexible as he was not willing to heed to the counsel of his own son and other people who had advised him to exercise some caution in handling the matter. It would be important to regard the various points of difference, which lead into the eventual tragedy of the kingdom of Thebes. Creon refused to heed to the counsel of the old seer who had warned him of the impeding tragedy. Some of the lessons about terrorism, which could be learnt from this tragedy relates to the approaches adopted. Usually, the method involved in handling terrorism determines the levels of success. It is important to consider some of the problems that relate to the matter of handling terrorism. In the context of the United States, it would be important to consider some of the issues that relate to the challenge of resolving terrorism. One of the problems of terrorism is that it operates within the system. The elements of terror in the society of Thebes were part and parcel of the establishment. Due to the insider element of terror, it is important to develop the most cautious approach that would settle the system. The tragedy in Thebes occurred because Creon refused could not reckon with his own vulnerability. It was essentially difficult to engage a system that was tied into his establishment. By destroying Antigone, Creon actually destroyed his own government. The events that followed the tragic demise of Antigone proved to be catastrophic

Major project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Major project - Essay Example nt, sexual abuse, neglect, and exploitation that results in actual or potential harm to the child’s health, development or dignity† (Child maltreatment. 2008). The statistics about the issue of child abuse is alarming and calls for effective campaign against the victimisation of children. â€Å"Each week, child protective services (CPS) agencies throughout the United States receive more than 50,000 reports of suspected child abuse or neglect† (Iannelli 2007). According to a study which inspected the differences in annual health care costs between women with and without histories of abuse, came to the conclusion that â€Å"childhood abuse and neglect histories were reported by 42.8% of the women in this HMO sample (sexual abuse: 18.4%; physical abuse: 14.2%; emotional abuse: 24.1%; emotional neglect: 21.1%; physical neglect: 12.2%), with about half of these women meeting severity criteria for more than one type of maltreatment† (Walkeret al 1999, p. 609-613). The project under consideration chiefly aims at the campaign against child abuse, by means of advertisement, through the effective media of Television which has a wider reach to the larger sections of the society. Let us remember the following facts. â€Å"98. 5 percent of U.S. households have at least one television set,† â€Å"90% of U.S. households have two or more TV sets,† â€Å"87% of U.S. households have at least one VCR or DVD player,† â€Å"The average U.S. home has the TV on more than 51 hours a week.† (Obviously, the TV is on many more hours a week than each family member spends watching it.) (The Social Impact of Television. 2007). Apart from the great social purpose, the project has a higher possibility of success and of expansion of the business among the cause-oriented groups and establishments due, mainly, to the social nature of the issue. The foremost requirement of the project is the establishment of an efficient project team comprising of a director, production assistant, scriptwriter,

Sexual Health Factors for Youth in Britain

Sexual Health Factors for Youth in Britain Sexual Health Ill Factors that contribute to the poor sexual health of Britain’s youth Introduction Problems with sexual health affect all sections of society including all age groups. Sexual ill health disproportionately affects vulnerable groups such as young people between the ages of 16 and 25, ethnic minority groups and those affected by poverty and social exclusion. (World Health Organization, 2004) Sexual health refers to the issues which impact on sexual function and reproduction. Such issues include a physical, mental and emotional factors which may have a varying amount of impact on the individual, leading to disorders affecting physical, mental or emotional wellbeing. (Dehne Riedner, 2005; World Health Organization, 2004) Sexual ill-health may thus be defined as the consequence of such issues in terms of their effect(s) on the wellbeing of an individual. Serious complications with sexual health particularly affect women and gay men and there are disproportionate geographical inequalities in the rate and degree of sexual ill health and inequalities in sexual health service provision in the UK. For example, the results of a study focusing on syphilis reported that there have been increasingly high rates of disease transmission over the last five years in Britain, as well as in several parts of Western Europe. The report also stated that the most alarmingly high rates of syphilis prevalence have been seen in the wealthiest cities of England such as London. (NHS, 2008) According to the Independent Advisory Group on Sexual Health and HIV, (2007) there are serious inequalities in sexual health service provision in the UK and the groups most likely to suffer because of this are identified as young people who are considering becoming sexually active, men who have sex with men and black and minority communities. The possible reasons for such inequalities are discussed further in detail, along with the importance of these issues being reprimanded and their effects reduced. The major causes of morbidity and mortality among young people are road traffic accidents, suicide, drug use (including cigarettes, cigars and alcohol) and sexual and reproductive ill health. (World Health Organization, 2004) The consequences of poor sexual health have important implications for all individuals as well as society as a whole. Unwanted pregnancies may have a long lasting impact on quality of both the mother’s and the child’s life. Since the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo in 1994, recognition of young people’s specific sexual and reproductive health needs has gradually increased. Attempts to date to promote the sexual health of young people have tended to focus on prevention, education and counseling for those who are not yet sexually active, while the provision of health services to those who have already engaged in unprotected sexual activity and faced the consequences, including pregnancy, STIs or sexual violence has lagged behind. (Dehne Riedner, 2005) The identification of this matter has lead to a shift in focus on sexual health and motivation towards the promotion of services available to people in the UK. In 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched an activity to promote sexual health and a positive view of sexuality for young women and men as issues to be addressed separately from the wider subject of reproductive health. In the past, but particularly since the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, sexual health was defined as an incorporation of the subject of reproductive health. The launch of this activity was the direct result of the emergence of the pandemic of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and an increasing awareness of the importance of gender-related violence and sexual dysfunction concerns. Such changes in sexual health have emphasized the need for more explicit focus on issues related to sexuality and the direc t implications for general health and wellbeing. (World Health Organization, 2004) Despite efforts made to strategize improvements to sexual health policies in recent years, data shows that numbers of STIs in Britain continue to grow at a problematic rate and cost the National Health Service dearly in prevention and treatment methods. Statistics regarding sexual health in Wales published in Better Health – Better Wales in 1998 (Welsh Office, 1998a) highlighted trepidation regarding the high rates of teenage pregnancies and STIs in the region. In response to these concerns, the Welsh Assembly’s publication Better Health – Better Wales Strategic Framework (Welsh Office, 1998b) included a commitment to the people for the betterment of sexual health and to take account of and successfully deal with the inequalities surrounding sexual health concerns. Strategies were also directed towards the improvement of emotional support for those involved in sexual relationships, as well as support for the education of sex in schools. In addition to the responsibility assumed by England and Wales to try to tackle sexual health concerns, Scotland also released a response to growing rates of abortions, unwanted pregnancies and ill health in the form of a Sexual Health and Relationships Strategy, (Scottish Executive, 2005) which aimed to challenge the government for better services by promoting a strategy based firmly on â€Å"self-respect, respect for others and strong relationships† (Scottish Executive, 2005). In short, action was directed towards the avoidance of contracting and spreading sexually transmitted infections and towards the avoidance of unwanted pregnancies by promoting the individual’s responsibility for themselves and others through specific educative measures. Despite the efforts made by the three governing bodies in the UK to act on sexual health concerns, there is evidence indicating that some years on, we are still seeing problematic levels of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections in young people and a systematic review of the literature seems to suggest limited knowledge of sexual health associated with young people. (Wellings et al., 2002; NHS 2007) A thorough study of the literature concerning sexual health in young people reveals that there are four main areas of consideration for this matter. These include the level of knowledge of sexual health to young people, consequences of sexual ill health, factors influencing the use and non-use of condoms and intervention(s) for the promotion of condom use. We therefore now take a closer look at the condition of sexual health in young people in the UK in detail to identify the specific areas where intervention can promote better sexual health in order to reduce the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections in this group of people and we also give further consideration to the consequences of STIs and the factors affecting the use of condoms. According to a study performed in 2001, when compared with several countries, Britain has a relatively low rate of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, which reflects the historical investment in establishing the Genito-urinary Medicine (GUM) clinic. However, data from 2001 showed evidence that there is heterogeneity in the population distribution of STIs which are diagnosed, and the wide distribution of undiagnosed Chlamydia showed that the strategy adopted in Britain in response to the International Conference on Population and Development in 1994 failed to relieve the problem of ill sexual health by 2001. (Fenton et al., 2001) Looking a little later on to over a decade since the international conference, we learn that the number of newly diagnosed sexually transmitted infections continued to rise in 2006 indicating that sexual health still required careful attention at this time. Furthermore, the same study showing that sexually transmitted infections were still on the r ise in 2006 also gave overwhelming evidence that the highest rate of STI diagnoses continued to be among young people between the age of 16 and 24 years and that genital herpes in particular sharply rose by 16% from 2005 to 2006 in teenage women. (Hughes et al., 2006) There is much further evidence in the literature to show that young people are most at risk from sexual health problems including notable statistics which show that Chlamydia affects one in ten sexually active young women and each year, numbers of cases rise by 9%. (Department of Health, 2003) There is thus, some significant evidence showing that sexual health in the UK continues to decline and any efforts being made to prevent such an increase in rate of infection are clearly neither sufficient nor effective. This effect on young women has changed little since 2003 and remains a cause for concern at the present time. (Department of Health, 2003; IAG, 2006/2007) Recognition of the problematic numbers of affected young people, particularly women lead to the implementation of a strategy designed to tackle  ways  of  reducing  teenage pregnancy  and  improving  sexual  health  among vulnerable  groups of young  people. This strategy ended in December 2006, yet there still remains concern regarding the health of young sexually active people supported by statistics documenting the behaviour of young people today. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among adolescents in particular, are of great concern to all those who work to improve the health status of human populations. Sexually transmitted infections are widely associated with stigmatization, denial and embarrassment among patients and health workers. Sexuality and associated health risks are still a major taboo in many societies and this may be especially true for young people between the ages of 16 and 25 years. While the young person’s rights and needs may be acknowledged in theory, the story is very different in practice and they are still confronted with many barriers when it comes to obtaining the practical support they need to avoid health concerns. According to Dehne and Riedner (2005) an indication of their â€Å"unmet needsâ €  is the worldwide scarcity of services available for young people, in particular, services related to the treatment of sexually transmitted infections. (Dehne Riedner, 2005) Significant data has shown that almost 30% of young men and nearly 26% of young women report having sexual intercourse before the age of 16 and by the age of 20, the majority of young people have had sex. (Brook, 2001) The high number of young people having sex at an early age means that this group has a high risk of transmitting sexually transmitted infections and indeed of becoming unintentionally pregnant. Evidence supporting this is found in a study by Marston and King (2006), who found that nearly 50% of new HIV infections worldwide are found in young people between the age of 15 and 24 years. Further evidence suggests that this figure is nearer 60%. (Dehne Riedner, 2001) Thus there is some significant room for attention towards this group to change sexual behaviour to deal with a pandemic such as this. (Marston King, 2006) The high risk of STI transmission, as well as the increased chance of encountering other sexual health problems in young people has led to the motivation for this study and we are persuaded that there are inextricable forces acting on young people, which are causing them to suffer unnecessarily. We offer a thorough investigation into the causes of various sexually transmitted infections and ill-health epidemics in the UK in the hope of identifying the main voids in bureaucratic procedure towards the paradox of sexual health in young people. Research on sexual health in young people seems to suggest that knowledge of the causes and consequences of sexually transmitted infections as well as the consequences of sex in general to young people maybe limited (Wellings et al., 2001; NHS, 2007) and it is likely that this lack of knowledge is a large contributing factor in the high prevalence of STIs in young people in the UK. The fact that ‘young’ signifies only very few years of experience as a sexually mature adult is also, albeit an obvious one, a reason for the high parameters of sexual health problems in this group of people and another why they might have unsafe sex. Although sexual education begins at a young age (usually 11 years old and lasts until 16 years), a report by Lester Coleman (2007) on the preferences towards sexual education by a multi-cultural group of individuals revealed that despite the different religions of children in schools in Britain today, there are a number of similarities across practising religious groups which include the preference for more information regarding STIs and how to increase sex satisfaction. Thus, there is evidence to suggest that there is at least some room here for improvement in the educational methods used for the prevention of sexual health problems through knowledge acquirement. (Coleman, 2007) Furthermore, according to Jackson and Plant (1997), despite the improvement in the knowledge of sexual health matters to young people shown in the early 1990s, young people lack knowledge about how to use sexual health services provided and they are also unsure about the issue confidentiality to their parent s and general practitioners if they were to attend a surgery or family planning clinic for advice and/or treatment. This revealing might help to explain not only the high numbers of STIs and unwanted pregnancies in young people, but also the lack of knowledge young people have of matters relating to sexual health. Also, the failure of most young people to recall the anonymity of sexual health services, as found by Jackson and Plant (1997), clearly shows the lack of communication between educators and students over these matters, or perhaps more accurately, the failures of sexual health educators to effectively inform young people of all of the important elements relating to advice and treatment of sexual health problems. If proper communication was involved between informer and ‘informee’ and feedback was necessitated, it should have been obvious that anonymity would be a major concern to young people requiring treatment or advise, especially those who are below the legal age to be having sex, or indeed those with cultural backgrounds who do not allow sexual activity at their current age. Campaigns over the recent years targeting young people have encouraged safe sex through promoting condom use and the avoidance of penetration. Efforts have included dispensing free condoms and providing information through schools. However, even in instances where condoms have been widely available and education of sexual health problems has been great, such campaigns have not been desirably successful. It has been demonstrated that there are powerful cultural and social forces in play, which appear to strongly influence sexual behaviour. This discovery might help to explain why free dispensation of condoms is not working as well as expected to reduce rates of sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies. It might also help to explain why some of the HIV programmes have also not been effective. (Coleman, 2007) Consequences of sexual ill health The physical symptoms of sexually transmitted infections are varied but there are a few generalizations which include itching, redness and soreness around male and female genital parts. The most common STI to date is Chlamydia, which is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. In women the infection often presents no symptoms which makes diagnosis without examination difficult in many cases and there may also be non-specific symptoms such as cystitis, an altered vaginal discharge or abdominal pain. If left untreated, the female reproductive organs can be irreparably damaged and can cause sterility. (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007) Men may experience pain whilst urinating, develop a discharge from their penis and have inflammation of the urethra or testes. (NHS, 2007) Other sexually transmitted diseases which are common effects of unprotected sex and which have various physical symptoms leading to damage of the reproductive tract if left untreated are: genital warts; genital herpes; gonorrhoea; syphilis; HIV; trichomoniasis; pubic lice; scabies; thrush; and non-specific urethritis. Emotionally, the occurrence of an STI can cause problems for the patient related to a feeling of shame and of being ‘dirty’, especially in the event that a patient must make contact with previous partners to inform them of their infection. (NHS, 2007) There has been an increase in the interest in the sexual behaviour of young people in the second half of the 20th century, which has been fuelled partly by a concern for their sexual wellbeing. In the 1960s and 1970s, nervousness surrounding the rates of contraception among young unmarried people provided the impetus to much research, but a decade later, the focus shifted to the risk of HIV transmission among young people. By the end of the 20th century, the UK had the highest rate of teenage births in Western Europe and an increasing rate of most sexually transmitted infections among young people. Attention has now focused on risk behaviour in the context of both sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies in young people. (Wellings et al., 2001) and it is estimated that the prevention of unintended pregnancies saves the NHS over  £2.5bn a year (Kinghorn, 2001; The Department of Health, 2006). The average cost of contraception failure is estimated at  £1500 per person, which is inclusive of the costs of abortion, miscarriage, ectopic and live births. (Department of Health, 2006) Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are associated with serious maternal and neonatal morbidity, infertility, anogenital cancer and transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The average lifetime treatment cost for each HIV positive individual was estimated to be between  £195,000 and  £200,000 (Bernard, 2006; Bartlett, 2007). At  £580 million a year, HIV imposes a significant burden on healthcare resources. As well as the high cost of care and treatment, HIV is associated with extreme morbidity, significant mortality and a significantly reduced life. It has been determined that preventing the onward infection of just one case of HIV saves the NHS around  £0.5 million in health care costs and individual health gains. Figures at the end of 2006 indicated that the direct costs of treating other STIs cost the health service approximately  £165 million a year and if the cost of treating sequelae were to be included, this would increase exponentially. Chlamydia, for example, often produces no symptoms, but if left untreated it can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease, infertility and ectopic pregnancy, which impose high costs on individuals and on the National Health Service. (The Department of Health, 2006) When fertility treatment such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) becomes necessary due to fertility problems associated with STIs, there is no funding available for patients and those people affected much shell out thousands of pounds for such procedures. The NHS offers no help for any person requiring fertility treatment, despite evidence seeming to point to the failure of government bodies responsible for the promotion of sexual health to effectively diagnose and treat people with sexual health issues. (NHS, 2007) Gender is an important issue in STI prevention and care and there are many scientists who believe that gender is the largest role being played in the prevailing increase in sexually transmitted infection rates. (Marston and King, 2006; Coleman, 2007) Gender-based inequalities put girls and young women at an increased risk of becoming infected with a sexually transmitted infection and these inequalities also affect these women’s access to prevention and care services. In addressing these inequalities, we must try to best consider the different requirements and also constraints of young women and young men when we are designing interventions to tackle sexual ill health. (Marston and King, 2006) According to a study by Marston and King (2006), sexual partners influence the behaviour of young individuals in many ways and young people are known to assess potential sexual partners as â€Å"clean† or â€Å"unclean†. Furthermore, there appears to be certain stigmas associated with condoms, such as a lack of trust, and societal norms prevent the lucid communication about sex. (Marston and King, 2006) From a biological perspective, hormonal changes in young men and women which are likely at various times between the age of 16 and 25 years will have a profound affect on the decision-making ability of the individual; especially in younger years and this is likely to be a plausible explanation for certain acts considered by individuals as ‘mistakes’. (Verhoeven, 2003) STIs such as chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhoea are passed from one individual to another through intimate sexual contact either during vaginal, anal or oral intercourse with an infected partner. (NHS, 2007) The timing and conditions of sexual initiation are of substantial interest in the context of public health. Early age at first intercourse is associated with subsequent sexual health status. Following the steep decrease of age at first intercourse among women up to and incuding the 1970s, in many countries there is evidence of subsequent stabilisation. In several European countries, this stabilisation occurred in the 1980s. In Britain however, heterosexual intercourse continued to occur at earlier stages throughout the 1980s. Factors associated with early age at first intercourse are well documented and include early school leaving age, early menarche, family disruption and a disadvantaged and poor education. A study by Wellings et al., reported a decline in age at first intercou rse in successive age-groups and significant increase in condom use among the youngest age cohort, born between 1971 and 1976. Several important trends have been identified in this data from the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal) in 2000. There seems to have been a stabilisation of the proportion of people having first heterosexual intercourse before the age of 16 years among women, as well as a continuation of the increase in condom use and in the decrease in the proportion not using contraceptive methods at first intercourse. There also has been identified an increase in the importance of school in the sexual education of the young, in particular men. Despite the strong trends identified in this data, the author is right to point out that the data is based on alleged behaviour and thus is susceptible to biases associated with recall and veracity. With time, it is pointed out, early experiences may be recast or forgotten although the ability to recall any event is dependent on the time passed since the event’s occurrence, and also on its salience. According to the results of experiments, less than 1% of respondents were unable to remember, with accuracy, their age at first intercourse. This result demonstrates that first intercourse is fairly non-memorable for individuals and there may be implications here into the general lack of responsibility taken with regards to contraception at this time. Further, if we look at the decade of the 1990s as a whole, a higher proportion of young women in Britain reported heterosexual intercourse before the age of 16 years when compared with the previous decade and the median age at first intercourse was also shown to be lower for men than women. Looking within the 1990s however, there are some tentative and possibly ambiguous signs in the data that the trend showing increasingly earlier heterosexual intercourse may have in fact stabilised for women. Furthermore, there is evidence of increasing adoption of risk reduction practices. For only a minority of young people is first intercourse unprotected against infection and conception. The data in the study shows a remarkable rise in condom use in Britain, despite the predictions that a weaker impact of AIDS-linked safer sex messages might have brought about complacency. 25% of young women in this study were already using oral contraception at first intercourse but with respect to the circumstances of first intercourse, the evidence is less positive. Despite the agreement in the behaviour of men and women at particular ages at which first intercourse occurs, there remain gender differences in the experience of the event such as those described above. The proportion of those young people who are sexually proficient according to the criteria which was used, has increased over time; particularly among men. Further evidence reveals that women are two times as likely as men to regret the ir first experience of intercourse and three times as likely to report being the less willing partner. These findings have also been supported by Wight et al., 2000 and Dickenson et al., 1998. 26% of women aged between 16 and 19 in this study were found to have had intercourse by 16 years, which is the legal age to have sex in the UK. (NHS, 2007) There is evidence to suggest that a focus on absolute age at first intercourse may not take into account variations in individual development and social norms. Although sexual competence decreases substantially with age at intercourse, more than 30% of young women for whom first intercourse occurred at age 15 years were sexually competent, and more than a 30% of those aged between18 and 24 years at the time were not. The report shows early age first intercourse to be significantly associated with early pregnancy but not experience of sexually transmitted infection. Although early menarche is independently associated with early age first intercourse and with early motherhood, importantly, in terms of the potential for enhancing sexual health, the risk behaviours and outcomes described are also associated with cultural and social factors. Of these, the association is stronger for education than for family background. Young people who leave school later, with qualifications, are less likely to have early intercourse, more likely to use contraception at first sex, be sexually competent and, for women, less likely to become pregnant if they have sex. Family disruption and lower parental socioeconomic status are also associated with early sexual experience and pregnancy when younger than 18 years, but the effect is weaker. (Wellings et al., 2001) The absence of a significant association between educational level and abortion, compared with the strong association with motherhood at younger than 18 years, supports the premise that educational prospects influence the outcome of pregnancy. We do not know to what extent poor educational aspirations themselves lead to early sexual experience and motherhood and the extent to which having a child early in life thwarts academic expectations. Nevertheless, this data identifies a vulnerable group of women in public health terms; 29% of sexually active young women in this study who left school at 16 years with no qualifications had a child at age 17 or younger. From the viewpoint of prevention, there is much that is positive in this data: the sustained increase in risk reduction at early sexual experience; the increasing prominence of the school in the sexual education of the young and the fact that the variables which emerge as most strongly associated with reducing risk are those which are amenable to intervention. Of interest too, with respect to the possible stabilisation of the trend towards intercourse is the evidence from the USA of a reduction in the teenage pregnancy rate following their earlier experience of a similar trend. The strong association between educational attainment and early motherhood also supports the British government’s strategy to marshal the efforts of ministries concerned not only with health but also with education and social services, in a bid to reduce the incidence and adverse outcomes of early teenage pregnancy. Marston and King, in their 2006 study found that there are penalties and rewards encountered for sex which may well affect the rate of STI transmission in the UK. According to these two authors, social rewards and penalties influence sexual behaviour. Adhering to gender expectations and formalities has been seen to raise social status. For women, complying with stereotypes can secure an exclusive relationship with a man, and for men, complying can lead to many partners. (Nyanzi et al., 2001) While pregnancy outside marriage can be stigmatising, for some women pregnancy can be a way out of the parental home. Young people may behave in particular ways through fear of being caught in the act. Sex can also be a way to obtain money and gifts from boyfriends:, which is particularly well described for sub-Saharan Africans, although this behaviour is not exclusive to this part of the world. (Nyanzu et al., 2001) It is believed that the relationship between individual enthusiasm and societal expectations is a complex one as some behaviour considered taboo can become desirable for that very reason. (Marston and King, 2006) Reputations are crucial for social control of sexual behaviour according to scientists. Marston and King, 2006; Stephenson et al., 1993) Reputations are linked to displays of chastity for women, or heterosexual activity for men. Social isolation can result from activity leading to being branded â€Å"queer† or a â€Å"slut†, and in some cases, such brands can result in worse cases such as gang rape and murder. (Wood et al., 1998) A woman’s reputation can be damaged by having â€Å"many†, or more than one partners according to Marston and King (2006) and even the mentioning of sex can risk implying sexual experience and lead to a damaged reputation. Although it has been found that communication across generations about sex is rare, family members may for instance prevent young people socialising with members of the opposite sex to protect the reputation o the family. (Hennick et al., 1992) Young men’s reputations can suffer if they are not seen to push for sexual access and numerous female partners according to some scientists, (Varga, 1997; Harrision et al., 2001) thus, the display of heterosexual activity can be important. It is common that some groups of men visit brothels together in Southeast Asia and young men proudly report sexual experiences to their peers. (Varga, 1997) Furthermore, there is often a stigma attached to not having penetrative sex, and indeed not being able to do so. Young men not having sex with their girlfriends may be accused of being â€Å"gay†. According to a study in Britain by Hughes et al., (2007) new STI diagnoses increased between 2005 and 2006 by an overall 2% whilst diagnoses of other STIs increased by 3% over the year. Looking further back, there has been an increase in new STI diagnoses of 63% between 1997 and 2006 and an 84% increase of existing STIs over the same time period. According to these figures, strategies in place between these times were not working effectively to reduce the incidence of STIs in young people. Between 2005 and 2006, services available to the public in the form of clinics and sexual health screening and HIV tests were increased by 6% thus making them more readily available. The number of HIV tests taken was said to have risen by 12% over that year and the number of sexual health screens rose by 9%. (Hughes et al., 2007) Thus, despite the increase in the services available to the public in the early 2000s, STI incidence continued to rise. There is therefore clearly a huge requirement for the betterment of these services to allow a significant reduction in new and existing STI diagnosis. Presently, services available to young people with sexual health concerns include genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics, which are usually situated in separate Primary Care Trust departments at hospitals around the country. The NHS also provides a numbe

The Importance of Censorship :: Television Media TV Censorship

The Importance of Censorship As new technologies evolve and become a part of our daily lives, so do television shows and what people are allowed to view on a regular basis. Censorship, a word that seems to be causing quite some controversy over certain people may not be such a bad idea. As America has seen, a countless amount of people have been known to complain about censorship on television. Although this seems to be a problem to some, maybe the real question to be asked is, is there enough censorship of television? Many families agree that certain rated R movies should not be shown to young children and only certain shows should be censored to an extent, yet they do not see the significant effect that regular television shows really have on their children.As a child grows, more and more statistics are proving that they are being exposed to too many shows that should be censored. Many studies have concluded that young children are most affected by what they see on television (Dritz, Russel 1996). For example, a child that watches a cartoon with a lot of violence or tunes into their parents favorite soap opera might find an increasingly amount of exposure to violent acts and sexual content. Children are very vulnerable to such influences and often do not know the difference between right and wrong and the difference between reality and fantasy (Dritz, Russel 1996). As the years go on and television seems to be too censored to most, studies have continued to prove the increasing numbers of children associated with violence and sexual behavior. Although a seemingly older statistic, the Neilson Index averaged American children to watch 18,000 television murders before he or she graduated from high school (Tucker, Larry A. 1988). Could this be a reason for an increasing amount of murders and violent acts among children today?

Compare and Contrast the Presentation of Love in the Relationships Between Edgar and Catherine and Catherine and Heathcliff

The two most significant relationships in Catherine's life are with Edgar and Heathcliff; however, they could not be more different. Her relationship with Heathcliff is one of raw, natural passion not social stamina, whereas her marriage to Edgar is one based on convention. Her two lovers come to represent the two conflicting parts of her identity and it is the internal struggle between these conflicting impulses that can be said to lead to her death. As the novel opens, Mr Lockwood says that Heathcliff is a ‘dark-skinned gypsy in aspect in dress and manners a gentleman†¦ He also observes that Heathcliff will ‘love and hate equally. ‘ His description of casual violence lack of manners or consideration for other people which characterizes Heathcliff is only a hint of the atmosphere of the whole novel, in which that violence is contrasted with more genteel and civilized ways of living represented by the Lintons. When Nelly Dean begins to narrate the story of Heathcliff's past, she describes him with discrimination. When Heathcliff is first introduced, Mr Earnshaw says ‘†¦ ut you must e'en take it as a gift of God, though it's as dark almost as if it came from the devil. ‘ Bronti implies early on that Heathcliff has gifts from both God and the Devil (good and bad characteristics). Nelly Dean describes him as a ‘dirty, ragged, black-haired child; big enough to walk and talk†¦ ‘ she also constantly refers to Heathcliff as ‘it'- ‘†¦ Mrs Earnshaw was ready to fling it out of doors†¦. [He's a] Gypsy brat', Heathcliff is constantly referred to as if he weren't human. Nelly talks of how he ‘repeated over and over again some gibberish that nobody could understand†¦ ‘ this portrays him as a wild animal/beast. Catherine and Hindley don't automatically get on with Heathcliff. Catherine ‘showed her humour by grinning and spitting at the stupid little thing†¦ ‘ However later on Mrs Dean describes the friends to be ‘very thick. ‘ Heathcliff's origins are obscure; he was ‘found' and ‘Not a soul knew to whom [he] belonged. ‘ Nelly says ‘†¦ they had christened him Heathcliff†¦.. nd it has served him ever since, both for Christian and surname'; this emphasizes the idea of how low Heathcliff's class is because in the 18th century, the absence of a persons surname exposed a lack of background. Hindley hates Heathcliff from the beginning and the writer comments on how he sees Heathcliff ‘as a usurper of his parents' affections†¦ ‘ This conveys how Heathcliff was favoured above the children. Bronti describes Heathcliff to be ‘as uncomplaining as a lamb†¦ ‘ which persuades the reader to think he is innocent. It is also a biblical phrase as in the bible; lambs were used to portray the innocence and purity of life. Hindley fiercely calls Heathcliff ‘an imp of Satan' in contrast to the original idea that he was innocent and corresponds to the idea that Heathcliff has gifts from both God and from the devil. In the next chapter, Catherine and Heathcliff become extremely close. ‘She was much too fond of Heathcliff. The greatest punishment we could invent for her was to keep her separate from him†¦ ‘ says Nelly showing that the two were inseparable. When Catherine's father dies, Nelly Dean comments on how ‘they both set up a heart breaking cry†¦ ‘ this shows that Heathcliff is the only person Catherine can now turn to and that they only have each other to get through the sorrow. In Chapter VI when Heathcliff describes Thrushcross Grange, he says ‘it was beautiful, – a splendid place carpeted with crimson and crimson-covered chairs and tables and a pure white ceiling bordered by gold†¦ ‘ This description creates a heavenly image of splendour especially to Heathcliff who has never seen anything like it before. Bronti uses the drawing room window to symbolize the boundary between the two classes since it divides the two sets of children. The window is the barrier motif shown throughout the novel. When Catherine is accepted into the house and Heathcliff is rejected, this is the end of their childhood innocence and the beginning of their awareness of the difference of class: ‘†¦ and I would have been there too, but they had not the manners to ask me to stay†¦ ‘ Earlier on in the novel, Mr Lockwood's describes Wuthering Heights; the house and its furniture are described as plain and ‘nothing extraordinary†¦ he floor was of smooth, white stone; the chairs high-backed†¦ ‘ This contrast with the description of the Grange and perhaps Bronti uses this as a metaphor to describe the social context of the inhabitants of both houses. The meeting of the two families begins the ‘tug of war' for Catherine between Edgar and Heathcliff. Heathcliff describes Catherine to be attracted to the Lintons and ‘full of stupid admiration' for them suggesting that Catherine's love for Edgar was built on admiration and for what he represents rather than his innate qualities. At the moment when Heathcliff and Catherine's intimacy is on the verge of blossoming into love, social class intrudes into the novel and their affection. As Heathcliff says- ‘†¦ I resumed my station as a spy; because, if Catherine had wished to return, I intended shattering their great glass panes to a million fragments, unless they let her out.. ‘ This conveys that his love for Catherine is protective and possessive. If the window through which Catherine and Heathcliff first view the Lintons is a metaphor for class division, then Heathcliff vows to smash both the literal and metaphorical boundary between him and Catherine. When Catherine comes back, it is evident that her stay at the Lintons' house was the beginning of the wilting of their relationship because although she is still extremely fond of him, she has realized ‘how very black and cross' and how ‘funny and grim†¦ ‘ he appeared, and she has also realized that he is ‘†¦ so dirty†¦ ‘ Heathcliff ‘did not stand to be laughed at' and ran away. Catherine has begun to think like the Lintons, and thus begins a thaw in their love. ‘Heathcliff was hard to discover at first- if he were careless and uncared for before Catherine's absence, he had been ten times more so, since†¦ says Nelly, emphasizing the fact that Catherine had defended and protected Heathcliff in their home. Heathcliff was only cared for if she was there. When Catherine returns home her behaviour is acquired; her attitude and appearance as a ‘very dignified person' show that she has moved into a different sphere; that of the ‘genteel' Lintons. Heathcliff cannot follow her. He tries to follow her, ‘†¦ Nelly make me decent†¦ ‘ and he wants to have the effect Edgar has on Catherine: ‘I wish I had light hair and fair skin, and was dressed and behaved as well, and had a chance of being as rich as he will be†¦ Although Cathy still cares for the things she did with him during their childhood, she is still under a lot of pressure to become a lady and she is vain enough to enjoy the admiration and approval she receives from Edgar, Hindley and his wife. Just as the window separated the Wuthering heights children from the Lintons in the last chapter, a material object separates Catherine from Heathcliff. The fine dress she wears is a very real boundary between the old friends: it must be sacrificed (smudged and crumpled) if she is to embrace Heathcliff. The dress is also a metaphor for the fact that id Catherine is to associate with Heathcliff, the wildness of her character will be exposed. As Catherine is wants to enjoy both Edgar's admiration and Heathcliff's love, this leads her to ‘adopt a double character without exactly intending to deceive anyone†¦ ‘ Edgar represents the side of Catherine that satisfies her vanity and her yearning for social consequence; Heathcliff represents her natural and real emotions. Catherine has to change in order to be loved by Edgar. During one of his visits, she shows her impulsive and impetuous side when she ‘snatche[s] the cloth from [Nelly's] hand, and pinche[s] [her]' to the great shock of Edgar who only knows her as ‘a very dignified person†¦ ‘ It seems as though Catherine's love for Edgar is based on external considerations ‘†¦ you love Mr Edgar because he is handsome and young and loves you†¦ ‘ says Nelly. Her love is based on his appearance, his wealth and how he feels towards her. Her love for Heathcliff however is internal; in her heart: she loves him ‘not because he's handsome, but because he is more myself than I am. This suggests that Heathcliff represents the person who Catherine actually is whereas Edgar is who Catherine wants to be in terms of social aspirations and consequence. When Catherine tries to explain why she feels she is wrong to marry Edgar, she says she feels it ‘Here! and Here! ‘ striking ‘one hand on her forehead and the other on her breast' as she does so. This creates another metaphorical boundary, between the external and internal: Catherine's love for Edgar is based on internal qualities but her love for Heathcliff is felt within her body. Cathy's description of her love for Heathcliff shows the contrast between Linton's softness and Heathcliff's wildness: ‘Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same and Linton's is as different as a moon beam from lightning or frost from fire. ‘ This is an interesting contrast as ‘moon beam' and ‘frost' are calm and beautiful images, however, they are completely opposite to ‘lightning' and ‘fire' which are both dangerous and wild things. gall, I never would have raised a hand against him†¦ I never would have banished him from her society, as long as she desired his. ‘ Correspondingly, he imagines Catherine's affection for Edgar in terms of property: ‘He is scarcely a degree dearer to her than her dog, or her horse. It is not in him to be loved like me. ‘ Material wealth has always been associated with the Lintons, so Heathcliff extends ideas of property and ownership to their emotions as well. Heathcliff's reunion with Catherine is presented as bittersweet: though passionately glad to be reunited, Catherine accuses Heathcliff of having killed her. Heathcliff warns her not to say such things when they ‘will be branded in [his] memory and eating deeper eternally' after her death. He also says that she had been at fault for abandoning him: ‘why did you betray you own heart Cathy? You deserve this†¦ ‘ This passionate scene between Catherine and Heathcliff in this chapter is probably the emotional climax of the novel though it only marks the middle of the book. It is as though they were members (who belong together) of a different species from other humans. Ellen says: ‘the two, to a cool spectator, made a strange and fearsome picture. ‘ Catherine tears Heathcliff's hair, and he leaves bruises on her arm. Later, ‘he foamed like a mad dog, and gathered her to him with greedy jealousy. ‘ ‘[Ellen] did not feel as though [she] were in the company of a member of [her] own species. ‘ What Ellen considers as bestial, the lovers would probably consider transcendent; their love sets them apart from others but in what way is open to interpretation. When Catherine dies, Bronti creates a contrast between the ways the two men react to her death. Edgar Linton had his head laid on a pillow and his eyes shut†¦ ‘ this shows that he is mourning silently and calmly but, Heathcliff ‘dashed his head against the knotted trunk, and lifting up his eyes howled not like a man but like a savage beast getting goaded to death with knives and spears†¦ ‘ This harsh diction portrays Heathcliff's pain, torment and anger at Catherine's death. Bronti uses this language to show that Catherine was Heathcliff's other half; without her (his beloved), half of his soul was missing. The comparison between Edgar's peaceful mourning and Heathcliff's declaration of love again refers to the difference of their emotions and their contrasting natures. The question of what happens after death is important in this chapter and throughout the novel; though no firm answer is given. Ellen is convinced that Catherine went to heaven, ‘where life is boundless in its duration, and love in its sympathy, joy in its fullness. ‘ Heathcliff however, cannot conceive of Catherine finding peace whilst they are still separated, or of his living without her. In the chapter before, Catherine said ‘I'm wearying to escape into that glorious world and to be always there; not seeing it dimly through tears and yearning for it through the walls of an aching heart, but really with it and in it. ‘ It is as though she had in mind a heaven that was like the moors in everyway but with the spirits of natural freedom. Eighteen years after her death, Heathcliff's continued love for Catherine's dead body paradoxically emphasizes the physical, yet non-physical nature of their relationship. This all-consuming love is revealed when he explains how he tried to dig up her body on the day she was buried. Heathcliff is pleased to see that Catherine still looks like herself after eighteen years but claims that if she had been ‘dissolved into earth or words,' he would have still been happy. His idea of heaven is to be completely united with Catherine in body, as well as in spirit and this could just as well mean to disintegrate into dust together as to be joined in the act of love. In the final two chapters, we are given an extraordinary window into Heathcliff's mind in the chapter. Whenever he looks at something, he sees Catherine in it; he hears her voice in every sound. This is Bronti's idea of true haunting, which seems to resemble madness rather than scary noises in the dark. If the ghost of Catherine is at work, she has found her home in Heathcliff's mind and her vocation is distorting his perception and his ability to communicate with the outside world. The presentation of love in the relationships between Catherine and Edgar and Catherine and Heathcliff are clearly profoundly contrasting. Heathcliff represents passion and nature, whereas Edgar represents culture. These two characteristics symbolize the duality in Cathy's own personality and it is her struggle between the two conflicting impulses that eventually consumes her. However, when Heathcliff and Edgar die and are both buried alongside Catherine, we can see how Bronti portrays that the two men will always have a place in her heart.

Spirit Bound Chapter Thirteen

â€Å"THE HELL YOU CAN,† I said aloud to no one. â€Å"No, you can't,† said Lissa, with an expression that matched my own incredulity. â€Å"I know you've been learning to fight with fire, but you haven't done any staking.† Christian's face was adamant. â€Å"I have–a little. And I can learn more. Mia's got some guardian friends here that have been teaching her physical combat, and I've learned some of it.† The mention of him and Mia working together didn't do much to improve Lissa's opinion. â€Å"You've barely been here a week! You make it sound like you've been training for years with some master.† â€Å"It's better than nothing,† he said. â€Å"And where else are you going to learn? Rose?† Lissa's outrage and disbelief dimmed a little. â€Å"No,† she admitted. â€Å"Never. In fact, Rose would drag me away if she caught me doing it.† Damn straight I would. In fact, despite the obstacles and staff that kept blocking me, I was tempted to march over there right now. â€Å"Then this is your chance,† he said. His voice turned wry. â€Å"Look, I know things aren't†¦ great with us, but that's irrelevant if you're going to learn this. Tell Tatiana you want to bring me to Lehigh. She won't like it, but she'll let you. I'll show you what I know in our free time. Then, when we get back, I'll take you to Mia and her friends.† Lissa frowned. â€Å"If Rose knew†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"That's why we'll start when you're away from Court. She'll be too far away from you to do anything.† Oh, for the love of God. I would give them some lessons about fighting–starting with a punch to Christian's face. â€Å"And when we get back?† asked Lissa. â€Å"She'll find out. It's inevitable with the bond.† He shrugged. â€Å"If she's still on landscape duty, we'll be able to get away with it. I mean, she'll know, but she won't be able to interfere. Much.† â€Å"It may not be enough,† Lissa said with a sigh. â€Å"Rose was right about that–I can't expect to learn in a few weeks what it took her years to do.† Weeks? That was her timeline on this? â€Å"You have to try,† he said, almost gentle. Almost. â€Å"Why are you so interested in this?† Lissa asked suspiciously. â€Å"Why do you care so much about bringing Dimitri back? I mean, I know you liked him, but you don't quite have the same motivation here that Rose does.† â€Å"He was a good guy,† said Christian. â€Å"And if there was a way to turn him back to a dhampir? Yeah, that'd be amazing. But it's more than that†¦ more than just him. If there was a way to save all Strigoi, that would change our world. I mean, not that setting them on fire isn't cool after they've gone on killing sprees, but if we could stop those killing sprees in the first place? That's the key to saving us. All of us.† Lissa was speechless for a moment. Christian had spoken passionately, and there was a hope radiating off of him that she just hadn't expected. It was†¦ moving. He took advantage of her silence. â€Å"Besides, there's no telling what you'd do without any guidance. And I'd like to reduce the odds of you getting yourself killed, because even if Rose wants to deny it, I know you're going to keep pushing this.† Lissa stayed quiet yet again, pondering the situation. I listened to her thoughts, not liking at all where they were going. â€Å"We're leaving at six,† she said at last. â€Å"Can you meet me downstairs at five thirty?† Tatiana wouldn't be thrilled when she heard about the new guest choice, but Lissa was pretty sure she could do some fast talking in the morning. He nodded. â€Å"I'll be there.† Back in my room, I was totally aghast. Lissa was going to attempt to learn to stake a Strigoi–behind my back–and she was going to get Christian to help her. Those two had been snarling at each other since the breakup. I should have felt flattered that sneaking around me was bringing them together, but I wasn't. I was pissed off. I considered my options. The buildings Lissa and I were staying in didn't have the kind of front-desk curfew security that our school dorms had had, but the staff here had been instructed to tip off someone in the guardians' office if I got too social. Hans had also told me to stay away from Lissa until further notice. I pondered it all for a moment, thinking it might be worth Hans dragging me from Lissa's room, and then finally thought of an alternate plan. It was late but not too late, and I left my room for the one next door to mine. Knocking on the door, I hoped my neighbor was still awake. She was a dhampir my age, a recent graduate from a different school. I didn't own a cell phone, but I'd seen her talking on one earlier today. She answered the door a few moments later and fortunately didn't appear to have been in bed. â€Å"Hey,† she said, understandably surprised. â€Å"Hey, can I send a text from your phone?† I didn't want to commandeer her phone with a conversation, and besides, Lissa might just hang up on me. My neighbor shrugged, stepped into the room, and returned with the phone. I had Lissa's number memorized and sent her the following note: I know what you're going to do, and it is a BAD idea. I'm going to kick both your asses when I find you. I handed the phone back to its owner. â€Å"Thanks. If anyone texts back, can you let me know?† She told me she would, but I didn't expect any return texts. I got my message another way. When I returned to the room and Lissa's mind, I got to be there when her phone chimed. Christian had left, and she read my text with a rueful smile. My answer came through the link. She knew I was watching. Sorry, Rose. It's a risk I'll have to take. I'm doing this. I tossed and turned that night, still angry at what Lissa and Christian were trying to do. I didn't think I'd ever fall asleep, but when Adrian came to me in a dream, it became clear that my body's exhaustion had defeated my mind's agitation. â€Å"Las Vegas?† I asked. Adrian's dreams always occurred in different places of his choosing. Tonight, we stood on the Strip, very near where Eddie and I had rendezvoused with Lissa and him at the MGM Grand. The bright lights and neon of the hotels and restaurants gleamed in the blackness, but the whole setting was eerily silent compared to the reality. Adrian had not brought the cars or people of the real Las Vegas here. It was like a ghost town. He smiled, leaning against a pole covered in paper ads for concerts and escort services. â€Å"Well, we didn't really get a chance to enjoy it while we were there.† â€Å"True.† I stood a few feet away, arms crossed over my chest. I had on jeans and a T-shirt, along with my nazar. Adrian had apparently decided not to dress me tonight, for which I was grateful. I could have ended up like one of those Moroi showgirls, in feathers and sequins. â€Å"I thought you were avoiding me.† I still wasn't entirely sure where our relationship stood, despite his flippant attitude back at the Witching Hour. He snorted. â€Å"It's not by my choice, little dhampir. Those guardians are doing their best to keep you in solitary. Well, kind of.† â€Å"Christian managed to sneak in and talk to me earlier,† I said, hoping to avoid the issue that had to be on Adrian's mind: that I'd risked lives to save my ex-boyfriend. â€Å"He's going to try to teach Lissa to stake a Strigoi.† I waited for Adrian to join in my outrage, but he appeared as lax and sardonic as usual. â€Å"Not surprised she's gonna try. What surprises me is that he'd actually be interested in helping with some crazy theory.† â€Å"Well, it's crazy enough to appeal to him†¦ and can apparently overpower them hating each other lately.† Adrian tilted his head, making some of the hair fall over his eyes. A building with blue neon palm trees cast an eerie glow upon his face as he gave me a knowing look. â€Å"Come on, we both know why he's doing it.† â€Å"Because he thinks his after-school group with Jill and Mia qualifies him to teach that stuff?† â€Å"Because it gives him an excuse to be around her–without making it look like he gave in first. That way, he can still seem manly.† I shifted slightly so that the lights of a giant sign advertising slot machines didn't shine in my eyes. â€Å"That's ridiculous.† Especially the part about Christian being manly. â€Å"Guys do ridiculous things for love.† Adrian reached into his pocket and held up a pack of cigarettes. â€Å"Do you know how badly I want one of these right now? Yet I suffer, Rose. All for you.† â€Å"Don't turn romantic on me,† I warned, trying to hide my smile. â€Å"We don't have time for that, not when my best friend wants to go monster hunting.† â€Å"Yeah, but how is she actually going to find him? That's kind of a problem.† Adrian didn't need to elaborate on the â€Å"him.† â€Å"True,† I admitted. â€Å"And she hasn't been able to charm the stake yet anyway, so until she does, all the kung-fu skills in the world won't matter.† â€Å"Guardians don't do kung-fu. And how did you know about the stake?† â€Å"She's asked for my help a couple of times,† he explained. â€Å"Huh. I didn't know that.† â€Å"Well, you've been kind of busy. Not that you've even spared a thought for your poor pining boyfriend.† With all my chores, I hadn't spent a huge amount of time in Lissa's head–just enough to check in with her. â€Å"Hey, I would have taken you over filing any day.† I'd been so afraid that Adrian would be furious with me after Vegas, yet here he was, light and playful. A little too light. I wanted him to focus on the problem at hand. â€Å"What's your take on Lissa and the charms? Is she close to doing it?† Adrian absentmindedly played with the cigarettes, and I was tempted to tell him to go ahead and have one. This was his dream, after all. â€Å"Unclear. I haven't taken to charms the way she has. It's weird having the other elements in there†¦ makes it hard to manipulate spirit.† â€Å"Are you helping her anyway?† I asked suspiciously. He shook his head in amusement. â€Å"What do you think?† I hesitated. â€Å"I†¦ I don't know. You help her with most spirit things, but helping her with this would mean†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"†¦ Helping Dimitri?† I nodded, not trusting myself to elaborate. â€Å"No,† Adrian said at last. â€Å"I'm not helping her, simply because I don't know how.† I exhaled with relief. â€Å"I really am sorry,† I told him. â€Å"For everything†¦ for lying about where I was and what I was doing. It was wrong. And I don't understand†¦ well, I don't get why you're being so nice to me.† â€Å"Should I be mean?† He winked. â€Å"Is that the kind of thing you're into?† â€Å"No! Of course not. But, I mean, you were so mad when you came to Vegas and found out what was going on. I just thought†¦ I don't know. I thought you hated me.† The amusement faded from his features. He came over to me and rested his hands on my shoulders, his dark green eyes dead serious. â€Å"Rose, nothing in this world could make me hate you.† â€Å"Not even trying to bring my ex-boyfriend back from the dead?† Adrian held onto me, and even in a dream, I could smell his skin and cologne. â€Å"Yeah, I'll be honest. If Belikov were walking around right now, alive like he used to be? There would be some problems. I don't want to think what would happen with us if†¦ well, it's not worth wasting time on. He's not here.† â€Å"I still†¦ I still want us to work,† I said meekly. â€Å"I would still try, even if he were back. I just have a hard time letting someone I care about go.† â€Å"I know. You did what you did out of love. I can't be mad at you over that. It was stupid, but that's how love is. Do you have any idea what I'd do for you? To keep you safe?† â€Å"Adrian†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I couldn't meet his eyes. I suddenly felt unworthy. He was so easy to underestimate. The only thing I could do was lean my head against his chest and let him wrap his arms around me. â€Å"I'm sorry.† â€Å"Be sorry you lied,† he said, pressing a kiss to my forehead. â€Å"Don't be sorry you loved him. That's part of you, part you have to let go, yeah, but still something that's made you who you are.† Part you have to let go†¦ Adrian was right, and that was a damned scary thing to admit. I'd had my shot. I'd made my gamble to save Dimitri, and it had failed. Lissa wouldn't get anywhere with the stake, meaning I really did have to treat Dimitri the way everyone else did: He was dead. I had to move on. â€Å"Damn it,† I muttered. â€Å"What?† asked Adrian. â€Å"I hate it when you're the sane one. That's my job.† â€Å"Rose,† he said, forcibly trying to keep a serious tone, â€Å"I can think of many words to describe you, sexy and hot being at the top of the list. You know what's not on the list? Sane.† I laughed. â€Å"Okay, well, then my job is to be the less crazy one.† He considered. â€Å"That I can accept.† I brought my lips up to his, and even if there were still some shaky things in our relationship, there was no uncertainty in how we kissed. Kissing in a dream felt exactly like real life. Heat blossomed between us, and I felt a thrill run through my whole body. He released my hands and wrapped his arms around my waist, bringing us closer. I realized that it was time to start believing what I kept saying. Life did go on. Dimitri might be gone, but I could have something with Adrian–at least until my job took me away. That was, of course, assuming I got one. Hell, if Hans kept me on desk duty here and Adrian continued his slothful ways, we could be together forever. Adrian and I kissed for a long time, pressing closer and closer. At last I broke things off. If you had sex in a dream, did that mean you'd really done it? I didn't know, and I certainly wasn't going to find out. I wasn't ready for that yet. I stepped back, and Adrian took the hint. â€Å"Find me when you get some freedom.† â€Å"Hopefully soon,† I said. â€Å"The guardians can't punish me forever.† Adrian looked skeptical, but he let the dream dissolve without further comment. I returned to my own bed and my own dreams. The only thing that stopped me from intercepting Lissa and Christian when they met up early in her lobby the next day was that Hans summoned me to work even earlier. He put me on paperwork duty–in the vaults, ironically enough–leaving me to file and stew over Lissa and Christian as I watched them through my bond. I took it as a sign of my multitasking skills that I was able to alphabetize and spy at the same time. Yet my observations were interrupted when a voice said, â€Å"Didn't expect to find you here again.† I blinked out of Lissa's head and looked up from my paperwork. Mikhail stood before me. In light of the complications that had ensued with the Victor incident, I'd nearly forgotten Mikhail's involvement in our â€Å"escape.† I set the files down and gave him a small smile. â€Å"Yeah, weird how fate works, huh? They actually want me here now.† â€Å"Indeed. You're in a fair amount of trouble, I hear.† My smile turned into a grimace. â€Å"Tell me about it.† I glanced around, even though I knew we were alone. â€Å"You didn't get in any trouble, did you?† He shook his head. â€Å"No one knows what I did.† â€Å"Good.† At least one person had escaped this debacle unscathed. My guilt couldn't have handled him getting caught too. Mikhail knelt so that he was eye level with me, resting his arms on the table I sat at. â€Å"Were you successful? Was it worth it?† â€Å"That's a hard question to answer.† He arched an eyebrow. â€Å"There were some†¦ not so successful things that happened. But we did find out what we wanted to know–or, well, we think we did.† His breath caught. â€Å"How to restore a Strigoi?† â€Å"I think so. If our informant was telling the truth, then yeah. Except, even if he was†¦ well, it's not that easy to do. It's nearly impossible, really.† â€Å"What is it?† I hesitated. Mikhail had helped us, but he wasn't in my circle of confidants. Yet even now, I saw that haunted look in his eyes, the one I'd seen before. The pain of losing his beloved still tormented him. It likely always would. Would I be doing more harm than good by telling him what I'd learned? Would this fleeting hope only hurt him more? I finally decided to tell him. Even if he told others–and I didn't think he would–most would laugh it off anyway. There would be no damage there. The real trouble would come if he told anyone about Victor and Robert–but I didn't actually have to mention their involvement to him. Unlike Christian, it had apparently not occurred to Mikhail that the prison break so big in Moroi news had been pulled off by the teens he helped smuggle out. Mikhail probably couldn't spare a thought for anything that didn't involve saving his Sonya. â€Å"It takes a spirit user,† I explained. â€Å"One with a spirit-charmed stake, and then he†¦ or she†¦ has to stake the Strigoi.† â€Å"Spirit†¦Ã¢â‚¬  That element was still foreign to most Moroi and dhampirs–but not to him. â€Å"Like Sonya. I know spirit's supposed to make them more alluring†¦ but I swear, she never needed it. She was beautiful on her own.† As always, Mikhail's face took on that same sad look it did whenever Ms. Karp was mentioned. I'd never really seen him truly happy since meeting him and thought he'd be pretty good-looking if he ever genuinely smiled. He suddenly seemed embarrassed at his romantic lapse and returned to business. â€Å"What spirit user could do a staking?† â€Å"None,† I said flatly. â€Å"Lissa Dragomir and Adrian Ivashkov are the only two spirit users I even know–well, aside from Avery Lazar.† I was leaving Oksana and Robert out of this. â€Å"Neither of them has the skill to do it–you know that as well as I do. And Adrian has no interest in it anyway.† Mikhail was sharp, picking up on what I didn't say. â€Å"But Lissa does?† â€Å"Yes,† I admitted. â€Å"But it would take her years to learn to do it. If not longer. And she's the last of her line. She can't be risked like that.† The truth of my words hit him, and I couldn't help but share his pain and disappointment. Like me, he'd put a lot of faith into this last-ditch effort to be reunited with his lost love. I had just affirmed that it was possible†¦ yet impossible. I think it would have been easier on both of us to learn it had all been a hoax. He sighed and stood up. â€Å"Well†¦ I appreciate you going after this. Sorry your punishment is for nothing.† I shrugged. â€Å"It's okay. It was worth it.† â€Å"I hope†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His face turned hesitant. â€Å"I hope it ends soon and doesn't affect anything.† â€Å"Affect what?† I asked sharply, catching the edge in his voice. â€Å"Just†¦ well, guardians who disobey orders sometimes face long punishments.† â€Å"Oh. This.† He was referring to my constant fear of being stuck with a desk job. I tried to play flippant and not to show how much that possibility scared me. â€Å"I'm sure Hans was bluffing. I mean, would he really make me do this forever just because I ran away and–â€Å" I stopped, my mouth hanging open when a knowing glint flashed in Mikhail's eyes. I'd heard long ago how he'd tried to track down Ms. Karp, but the logistics had never really hit me until now. No one would have condoned his search. He would have had to leave on his own, breaking protocol, and come skulking back when he finally gave up on locating her. He would have been in just as much trouble as me for going MIA. â€Å"Is that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I swallowed. â€Å"Is that why you†¦ why you work down here in the vaults now?† Mikhail didn't answer my question. Instead, he glanced down with a small smile and pointed at my stacks of paper. â€Å"F comes before L,† he said before turning and leaving. â€Å"Damn,† I muttered, looking down. He was right. Apparently I couldn't alphabetize so well while watching Lissa. Still, once I was alone, that didn't stop me from tuning back into her mind. I wanted to know what she was doing†¦ and I didn't want to think about how what I'd done would probably be considered worse than Mikhail's deeds in the eyes of the guardians. Or that a similar–or worse–punishment might be in store for me. Lissa and Christian were at a hotel near Lehigh's campus. The middle of the vampiric day meant evening for the human university. Lissa's tour wouldn't start until their morning the next day, which meant she had to bide her time at the hotel now and try to adjust to a human schedule. Lissa's â€Å"new† guardians, Serena and Grant, were with her, along with three extras that the queen had sent as well. Tatiana had allowed Christian to come along and hadn't been nearly as opposed as Lissa had feared–which again made me question if the queen really was as awful as I'd always believed. Priscilla Voda, a close advisor of the queen that both Lissa and I liked, was also accompanying Lissa as she looked around the school. Two of the additional guardians stayed with Priscilla; the third stayed with Christian. They ate dinner as a group and then retired to their rooms. Serena was actually staying with Lissa in hers while Grant stood guard outside the door. Watching all this triggered a pang in me. Pair guarding–it was what I'd been trained for. What I'd been expecting my whole life to do for Lissa. Serena was a picture-perfect example of guardian aloofness, being there but not there as Lissa hung up some of her clothes. A knock at the door immediately shot Serena into action. Her stake was in hand, and she strode to the door, looking out through its peephole. I couldn't help but admire her reaction time, though part of me would never believe anyone could guard Lissa as well as I could. â€Å"Get back,† Serena said to Lissa. A moment later, the tension in Serena faded a tiny bit, and she opened the door. Grant stood there with Christian beside him. â€Å"He's here to see you,† Grant said, like it wasn't obvious. Lissa nodded. â€Å"Um, yeah. Come on in.† Christian stepped inside when Grant backed away. Christian gave Lissa a meaningful look as he did, making a small head nod toward Serena. â€Å"Hey, um, would you mind giving us some privacy?† As soon as the words were out of Lissa's mouth, she turned bright pink. â€Å"I mean†¦ we just†¦ we just need to talk about some things, that's all.† Serena kept her face almost neutral, but it was clear she thought they were going to do more than talk. Average teen dating wasn't usually hot gossip in the Moroi world, but Lissa, with her notoriety, attracted a bit more attention with her romantic affairs. Serena would have known Christian and Lissa had gone out and broken up. For all she knew, they were back together now. Lissa inviting him on this trip certainly suggested it. Serena glanced around warily. The balance of protection and privacy was always difficult with Moroi and guardians, and hotel rooms like this made it even harder. If they were on a vampiric schedule, with everyone sleeping during daylight hours, I didn't doubt Serena would have stepped into the hall with Grant. But it was dark outside, and even a fifth-floor window could be a Strigoi liability. Serena wasn't keen on leaving her new charge alone. Lissa's hotel suite had an expansive living room and work area, with an adjacent bedroom accessible through frosted-glass French doors. Serena nodded toward them. â€Å"How about I just go in there?† A smart idea. Provided privacy but kept her close by. Then, Serena realized the implications, and she blushed. â€Å"I mean†¦ unless you guys want to go in there and I'll–â€Å" â€Å"No,† exclaimed Lissa, growing more and more embarrassed. â€Å"This is fine. We'll stay in here. We're just talking.† I wasn't sure whose benefit that was for, Serena's or Christian's. Serena nodded and disappeared into the bedroom with a book, which reminded me eerily of Dimitri. She shut the door. Lissa wasn't sure how well noise traveled, so she turned the TV on. â€Å"God, that was miserable,† she groaned. Christian seemed totally at ease as he leaned against the wall. He wasn't the formal type by any means, but he'd put on dress clothes for dinner earlier and still wore them. They looked good on him, no matter how much he always complained. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Because she thinks we're–she thinks we're–well, you know.† â€Å"So? What's the big deal?† Lissa rolled her eyes. â€Å"You're a guy. Of course it doesn't matter to you.† â€Å"Hey, it's not like we haven't. Besides, better for her to think that than to know the truth.† The reference to their past sex life inspired a mix of emotions–embarrassment, anger, and longing–but she refused to let that show. â€Å"Fine. Let's just get this over with. We've got a big day, and our sleep's going to be all screwy as it is. Where do we start? Do you want me to get the stake?† â€Å"No need yet. We should just practice some basic defensive moves.† He straightened up and moved toward the center of the room, dragging a table out of the way. I swear, if not for the context, watching the two of them attempt combat training on their own would have been hilarious. â€Å"Okay,† he said. â€Å"So you already know how to punch.† â€Å"What? I do not!† He frowned. â€Å"You knocked out Reed Lazar. Rose mentioned it, like, a hundred times. I've never heard her so proud about something.† â€Å"I punched one person once in my life,† she pointed out. â€Å"And Rose was coaching me. I don't know if I could do it again.† Christian nodded, looking disappointed–not in her skills but because he had an impatient nature and wanted to jump right into the really hard-core fighting stuff. Nonetheless, he proved a surprisingly patient teacher as he went over the fine art of punching and hitting. A lot of his moves were actually things he'd picked up from me. He'd been a decent student. Was he at guardian levels? No. Not by a long shot. And Lissa? She was smart and competent, but she wasn't wired for combat, no matter how badly she wanted to help with this. Punching Reed Lazar had been a beautiful thing, but it didn't appear to be anything that would ever become natural for her. Fortunately, Christian started with simple dodging and watching one's opponent. Lissa was just a beginner at it but showed a lot of promise. Christian seemed to chalk it up to his instructive skills, but I'd always thought spirit users had a kind of preternatural instinct about what others might do next. I doubted it would work on Strigoi, though. After a little of that, Christian finally returned to offense, and that's when things went bad. Lissa's gentle, healing nature didn't mesh with that, and she refused to really strike out with her full force, for fear of hurting him. When he realized what was happening, his snarky temper started to rise. â€Å"Come on! Don't hold back.† â€Å"I'm not,† she protested, delivering a punch to his chest that didn't come close to budging him. He raked a hand irritably through his hair. â€Å"You are too! I've seen you knock on a door harder than you're hitting me.† â€Å"That's a ridiculous metaphor.† â€Å"And,† he added, â€Å"you aren't aiming for my face.† â€Å"I don't want to leave a mark!† â€Å"Well, at the rate we're going, there's no danger of that,† he muttered. â€Å"Besides, you can heal it away.† I was amused at their bickering but didn't like his casual encouragement of spirit use. I still hadn't shaken my guilt over the long-term damage that the prison break could have caused. Reaching forward, Christian grabbed her by the wrist and jerked her toward him. He balled her fingers with his other hand and then slowly demonstrated how to swing a punch upward by pulling her fist toward his face. He was more interested in showing the technique and motion, so it only brushed against him. â€Å"See? Arc upward. Make the impact right there. Don't worry about hurting me.† â€Å"It's not that simple†¦.† Her protest died off, and suddenly, they both seemed to notice the situation they were in. There was barely any space between them, and his fingers were still wrapped around her wrist. They felt warm against Lissa's skin and were sending electricity through the rest of her body. The air between them seemed thick and heavy, like it might just wrap them up and pull them together. From the widening of Christian's eyes and sudden intake of breath, I was willing to bet he was having a similar reaction at being so close to her body. Coming to himself, he abruptly released her hand and stepped back. â€Å"Well,† he said roughly, though still clearly unnerved by the proximity, â€Å"I guess you aren't really serious about helping Rose.† That did it. Sexual tension notwithstanding, anger kindled up in Lissa at the comment. She balled her fist and totally caught Christian off guard when she swung out and socked him in the face. It didn't have the grace of her Reed punch, but it took Christian hard. Unfortunately, she lost her balance in the maneuver and stumbled forward into him. The two of them went down together, hitting the floor and knocking over a small table and lamp nearby. The lamp caught the table's corner and broke. Meanwhile, Lissa had landed on Christian. His arms instinctively went out around her, and if the space between them before had been small, it was nonexistent now. They stared into each other's eyes, and Lissa's heart was pounding fiercely in her chest. That tantalizing electric feeling crackled around them again, and all the world for her seemed to focus on his lips. Both she and I wondered later if they might have kissed, but just then, Serena came bursting out of the bedroom. She was on guardian high alert, body tense and ready to face an army of Strigoi with her stake in hand. She came screeching to a halt when she saw the scene before her: what appeared to be a romantic interlude. Admittedly, it was an odd one, what with the broken lamp and swelling red mark on Christian's face. It was pretty awkward for everyone, and Serena's attack mode faded to one of confusion. â€Å"Oh,† she said uncertainly. â€Å"Sorry.† Embarrassment flooded Lissa, as well as self-resentment at being affected so much by Christian. She was furious at him, after all. Hastily, she pulled away and sat up, and in her flustered state, she felt the need to make it clear that there was nothing romantic whatsoever going on. â€Å"It†¦ it's not what you think,† she stuttered, looking anywhere except at Christian, who was getting to his feet and seemed just as mortified as Lissa. â€Å"We were fighting. I mean, practicing fighting. I want to learn to defend against Strigoi. And attack them. And stake them. So Christian was kind of helping me, that's all.† There was something cute about her rambling, and it reminded me charmingly of Jill. Serena visibly relaxed, and while she'd mastered that blank face all guardians excelled at, it was clear she was amused. â€Å"Well,† she said, â€Å"it doesn't look like you're doing a very good job.† Christian turned indignant as he stroked his injured cheek. â€Å"Hey! We are too. I taught her this.† Serena still thought it was all funny, but a serious, considering glint was starting to form in her eyes. â€Å"That seems like it was more lucky than anything else.† She hesitated, like she was on the verge of a big decision. At last she said, â€Å"Look, if you guys are serious about this, then you need to learn to do it the right way. I'll show you how.† No. Way. I was seriously on the verge of escaping the Court and hitchhiking to Lehigh to really show them how to throw a punch–with Serena as my example–when something jolted me away from Lissa and back into my own reality. Hans. I had a sarcastic greeting on my lips, but he didn't give me a chance. â€Å"Forget the filing and follow me. You've been summoned.† â€Å"I–what?† Highly unexpected. â€Å"Summoned where?† His face was grim. â€Å"To see the queen.†

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