Modest Mussorgsky and His Sunless Song Cycle

Modest Mussorgsky and his Sunless Song Cycle Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky was one of the biggest innovators in Russian music during the Romantic Period. Constantly striving to achieve a distinctive Russian musical identity, he never once hesitated to defy the orthodox qualities and trends of western music. Born March 21, 1839, into a wealthy family living in Karevo, Russia, it was not long before Mussorgsky discovered his love for music. He began playing piano at the age of 6 and showed promising development. However, he was obliged to take on the family tradition of serving in the military, and was sent to cadet school when he was 13.After 4 years, he successfully graduated and was sent to serve at a military hospital in Saint Peterburg. Here, he became close with several other composers including Mily Balakirev, who heavily influenced Mussorgsky to learn more about music. The two worked together over the next few years developing his musical intelligence. After only several months, in 1858, Mussorgsky suffered from an emotional crisis, forcing him to resign from his commission, and devote his time entirely to music composition. He began to develop as a composer but was unfortunately preoccupied as his family’s fortune began to dwindle.He was forced to accept a low-level civil service position in order to help manage his family’s estate. In 1863, Mussorgsky returned to Saint Petersburg and began composing his first opera. During this time, he was exposed to a heavily creative and intellectual atmosphere where a variety of artistic and scientific ideas were brought to his attention. He soon came to embrace the ideal known as musical realism. With this mind set, Mussorgsky sought to depict life through music as it was truly lived. He rejected the repetition of symmetrical musical forms just as life itself is completely unpredictable.His style came to be known as erratic and exhibited a raw sense of individuality. Unfortunately, this concept of †˜real life’ hit him especially hard when his mother passed away in 1865. This was a profound moment in Mussorgsky’s life, one that may have pushed him into the downward spiral saturated with alcohol, depression, and hopelessness that would eventually follow. By the late 1860’s, his music had circulated well enough to earn him the right of being grouped with Balakirev, Cui, Rimsky-Korsavok, and Borodin as a part of Russia’s â€Å"Mighty Handful†.However, he had yet to compose a successful opera. In Autumn of 1868, after abandoning his two previous attempts at Salammbo and Marriage, Vladimir Nikosky suggested that he compose an opera for Alexander Pushkin’s drama, Boris Godunov. Mussorgsky gladly accepted the challenged and began almost immediately. Despite the opera being rejected by the State Censor (arguably not once but twice), nearly 6 years later, his masterpiece was ready to be shared with the world. The premier took place January 27, 1874, but to his dismay, it received a number of hostile and negative reactions.Even his good friend and fellow â€Å"Mighty Hand† member, Cesar Cui, was unimpressed and proceeded to minimize his accomplishment with a scathing review describing it as an â€Å"immature work†, and that it â€Å"trespassed against the conventional musical grammar of the time†. Mussorgsky was deeply impacted by the public reaction. It nearly destroyed his self-confidence, and summoned what I believe to be the dark and pessimistic force that inspired his song cycle entitled â€Å"Bez Solnsta†.Literally meaning â€Å"sunless†, or â€Å"without sun†, Bez Soinsta was a series of 6 songs Mussorgsky composed to accompany a variety of poems written by his close friend and part-time roommate, Arseni Golenishchev-Kutuzov. As the name implies, the overall mood of Sunless is rather bleak. Its music and lyrics especially evoke a continuous feeling of loneliness, hopelessnes s, insomnia, and boredom. From a psychological standpoint, one could say that this entire song cycle is a direct representation of the mental state associated with depression and its symptomatic effects.I believe Mussorgsky chose to compose these songs when he did to reflect his degrading mental state of mind, which ultimately led to his demise. The first song of the cycle, consisting of only 17 bars, is entitled â€Å"Within Four Walls†. With its sparing accompaniment, this musically subtle piece tends to center around pedal D (first in the bass, later in the mid range, and then returning back to the bass). The melody blends a combination of recitative and aria with arching lines of infinite yearning and at times fierce dissonances.These unexpected harmonies are inevitably brought back to the unyielding D, all the while saturated with irregular phrase length and fermatas to perhaps allude to the unpredictability of life. Deceptive cadences of endless misery, combined with so mber poetic lyrics such as â€Å"†¦an impenetrable darkness, irresponsive darkness†, this song seems to radiate a sense of profound pessimism that can only be explained by the mental condition of Mussorgsky at the time. Though only lasting a mere 11 bars, Mussorgsky’s second song of the cycle, â€Å"Thouh Didst Not Know Me In The Crowd†, goes further harmonically than any other composer would be capable of.Frequently ending in foreign, unresolved chords, this perfect blend of heightened recitatives and fervent melodies do justice to the associated lyrics provided by Kutuzof. The poetry seems to express and bewail the indifference of the world as personified in the disinterest of a former lover. The brief poetic phrasing is as follows: You have not recognized me in the crowd. Your glance did not say anything, but I felt wonder and fright when I caught it. It was only a moment, but believe me, within it I re-lived again, all the delights of past love, all the bitterness of oblivion and tears!Details regarding Mussorgsky’s love life are sparse, but one can only assume that such words drenched in hopeless bitterness and overwhelming sorrow pertained some relevance to his current love affairs at the time. Mussorgsky’s third song in the cycle is entitled â€Å"The Noisy Festival Day Is Ended†. At the time, he was working in the forestry department of The Russian Government as a clerk. Earning little income, and being constantly preoccupied with pointless tasks, his frustration grew, as he was increasingly distracted from his real life as a composer.One of the more expansive Sunless songs, this 40 bar piece exhibits a variety of textures and gestures. Opening with a recitative, Mussorgsky continues to a lyrical middle section, where falling modal sixths are introduced. Finishing with an aria like finale, the song seems to convey no other emotions than hopeless longing and passionate despair. He expresses yet another day wasted, â€Å"over is the idle and idle and clamorous day† and another night sleep deprived, â€Å"but sleep escapes from my eyes†. But what has brought about this dissatisfaction? Could it be his unfulfilling job that distracts him from his true passion of music composition?Or perhaps it is a woman who disturbs him so, â€Å"I am bored with this dead crowd†¦ Only one shadow, the only one of all, appeared to me, breathing with love†. â€Å"Boredom† is the fourth song in Mussorgsky’s Sunless song cycle. As the name suggests, throughout the 29 bars, he repeats the opening statement a total of three times (making it a strophic song). However, it would not be very stylistic of Mussorgsky to restate this initial melody without some sort of change or variation. For each repetition, he modifies the music slightly to appropriately reflect the changes in the text.During the third repetition, the music seems to take a more fierce and tragic approach tha n that of the first and second phrases. The lyrics here also seem to indicate a powerful sense hopelessness and despair as Kutuzov writes, â€Å"Be bored. From birth to the grave your path is written beforehand: Drop by drop you’ll waste your powers. Then you’ll die. † Talk about depressing. At this point in time, Mussorgsky was drinking heavily, and seemed to idealize his alcoholism, perhaps viewing it as an ethical or aesthetic habbit. This of course led to increased isolation and depression, which is undeniably presented through songs such as this one.His fifth song, â€Å"Elegy† appears to be related in some way to the negative reaction of the public in response to the recent premier of his opera, Boris Godunov. As discussed earlier, even his close friend and respected fellow member of Russia’s â€Å"Mighty Handful† betrayed Mussorgsky with a brutal review of the piece. â€Å"Elegy† begins nicely as the fluttering piano gently com pliments and symbolizes the â€Å"Silent star flickering, lonely, through the veil of clouds†. Arguably, this represents Mussorgsky’s opera at the time of its approval, waiting for the â€Å"veil of clouds† to be lifted in order to shine for all of the world to see.Later, the music changes drastically as a series of angry, dissonant and chromatic octaves relentlessly pound away as the poetry describes what I believe to be the public’s reaction to his take on Boris Godunov. â€Å"†¦And I hear in the distance life’s discordant noise, laughter of the soulless crowd, the muttering of treacherous feuding†. Mussorgsky’s anger and frustration in response to the premier of his opera are clearly and effectively depicted here through his music. The last song of his Sunless cycle is entitled â€Å"By The River†. Throughout the piece, a stationary bass line with its insistent half step supports a eries of extreme chromatic harmonies. There is a strange contradictive sense of stability and illusion to the piece, something which becomes even more prominent when compared to its poetry. Throughout the text, the line between sanity and madness and crossed, and you find yourself at the threshold of death. The poetry seems to essentially be a suicide note. The river acts as a means to an end, possessing â€Å"†¦magical secrets in them† (what happens after you die). â€Å"When it calls into the depths, I want to jump without hesitation† (suicide).The hopeless yearning and disheartening lyrics correspond with music nearly as dark and mysterious as the river portrays. In the years that followed, Mussorgsky’s mental and physical decline only worsened. The inability to resist drinking, combined with a series of deaths among his closes friends caused him great pain and sorrow. In 1880, he was terminated from the governmental service, and in 1881 he declared to a friend that there was, â€Å"nothing left but begging†. It seemed as though Mussorgsky had given up: on music, on himself, on life. Sure enough, not long after the fact, he suffered from a series of seizures and was hospitalized.An impoverished son of nobility, Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky died on March 28, 1881, just a week after his 42nd birthday. His unfortunate struggle with alcohol, and criticisms from the public eye, inspired a dark and despairing approach to music during his final years. Additionally, his interest and devotion to musical realism led to an unorthodox and controversial style, the critical reaction to which, he was unable to cope with. Sunless, with the help from Kutuzov, remains one of the bleakest works in the art song repertoire. Bibliography: Articles: http://www. recmusic. org/lieder/assemble_texts. tml? LanguageId=7&SongCycleId=60 http://www. allmusic. com http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Boris_Godunov_(opera) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Modest_Mussorgsky http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki /Sunless_(song_cycle) Songs: http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=CKZwPYhXbbA http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=8KOvp0ienUI http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=tUXZ59hs2l8 http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=YU481pqyo54 http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=ym367Z_XJ-k http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=Raqo8RQL9i0 Scores: http://www. musicaneo. com/sheetmusic/sm-4310_sunless_without_sun. html (^yes, I bought it†¦)

Important qualities of a good supervisor (boss) Essay

Everyone wants to be a boss but there are only a few people who can achieve this position and also get the title of a good boss. Frankly speaking, it is difficult to describe the most important qualities of being boss. Different people may have different reasons for their different criteria of an ideal boss. However, I will do my best, to describe an outstanding boss in the following paragraphs. One of the most important qualities of the best boss is leadership qualities. He/she can lead team work to right way, so he/she must organize the member of team and divide the work on them depending on their skills. A good boss must be responsible of every step and detail of the working process. And all this stuff can help to increase the productivity of the company. Other important quality of a perfect boss is patience. A boss has to be more patient for his/her employees. This quality is necessary for everyone who wants to be a good boss. Mankind is not perfect that is why it is impossible to avoid making mistakes. Because of this reason, supervisor has to be more patient in order to teach and train his/her employees the specifics of the job. In conclusion an outstanding boss it is a person who possesses many qualities. However, on the top of all qualities, a good supervisor must organize and manage all working process i.e. be leader. Then he/she has to take care about people who work under his/her supervision. For me a good boss must be honest, responsible and expert in working, and have good management skills.

Blood Promise Chapter Twenty

The days after that were like a dream. In fact, I honestly can't say how many days even passed. Maybe it was one. Maybe it was a hundred. I lost track of day and night too. My time was divided into Dimitri or not-Dimitri. He was my world. When he wasn't there, the moments were agony. I'd pass them as best I could, but they seemed to drag on forever. The TV was my best friend during those times. I'd lie on the couch for hours, only half following what was going on. In keeping with the rest of the suite's luxury, I had access to satellite television, which meant we were actually pulling in some American programming. Half the time, though, I wasn't sure that it really made a difference to me if the language was Russian or English. Inna continued her periodic checks on me. She brought my meals and did my laundry-I was wearing the dresses now-and waited around in that silent way of hers to see if I needed anything else. I never did-at least not from her. I only needed Dimitri. Each time she left, some distant part of me remembered I was supposed to do something†¦ follow her, that was it. I'd had some plan to check out the exit and use her as a way to escape, right? Now, that plan no longer held the appeal. It seemed like a lot of work. And then, finally, Dimitri would visit, and the monotony would be broken. We'd lie together on my bed, wrapped in each other's arms. We never had sex, but we'd kiss and touch and lose ourselves in the wonder of each other's bodies-sometimes with very little clothing. After a while, I found it hard to believe I'd once been afraid of his new appearance. Sure, the eyes were a bit shocking, but he was still gorgeous†¦ still unbelievably sexy. And after we'd talked and made out for a while-for hours, sometimes-I'd let him bite me. Then I'd get that rush†¦ that wonderful, exquisite flood of chemicals that lifted me from all my problems. Whatever doubts I'd had about God's existence vanished in those moments because surely, surely I was touching God when I lost myself in that bite. This was heaven. â€Å"Let me see your neck,† he said one day. We were lying together as usual. I was on my side, and he was snuggled up against my back, one arm draped around my waist. I rolled over and brushed my hair away from where it had fallen over my neck and cleavage. The dress I wore today was a navy halter sundress, made of some light, clingy material. â€Å"Already?† I asked. He usually didn't bite me until the end of his visits. While part of me longed for that and waited in anticipation to feel that high again, I did kind of enjoy these moments beforehand. It was when the endorphins in my system were at their lowest, so I was able to manage some sort of conversation. We would talk about fights we'd been in or the life he imagined for us when I was Strigoi. Nothing too sentimental-but nice nonetheless. I braced myself for the bite now, arching up in anticipation. To my surprise, he didn't lean down and sink his teeth into me. He reached into his pocket and produced a necklace. It was either white gold or platinum-I didn't have the skill to tell which-and had three dark blue sapphires the size of quarters. He'd brought me a lot of jewelry this week, and I swore each piece was more beautiful than the last. I stared in amazement at its beauty, at the way the blue stones glittered in the light. He placed the necklace against my skin and fastened it behind my neck. Running his fingers along the necklace's edges, he nodded in approval. â€Å"Beautiful.† His fingers drifted to one of the dress's straps. He slid his hand underneath it, sending a thrill through my skin. â€Å"It matches.† I smiled. In the old days, Dimitri had almost never gotten me gifts. He hadn't had the means, and I hadn't wanted them anyway. Now, I was continually dazzled by the presents he seemed to have at each visit. â€Å"Where'd you get it?† I asked. The metal was cool against my flushed skin but nowhere near as cold as his fingers. He smiled slyly. â€Å"I have my sources.† That chastising voice in my head that sometimes managed to penetrate through the haze I lived in noted that I was involved with some sort of vampire gangster. Its warnings were immediately squashed and sank back down into my dreamy cloud of existence. Ho w could I be upset when the necklace was so beautiful? Something suddenly struck me as funny. â€Å"You're just like Abe.† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"This guy I met. Abe Mazur. He's some kind of mob boss†¦ he kept following me.† Dimitri stiffened. â€Å"Abe Mazur was following you?† I didn't like the dark look that had suddenly fallen over his features. â€Å"Yeah. So?† â€Å"Why? What did he want with you?† â€Å"I don't know. He kept wanting to know why I was in Russia but finally gave up and just wanted me to leave. I think somebody from home hired him to find me.† â€Å"I don't want you near Abe Mazur. He's dangerous.† Dimitri was angry, and I hated that. A moment later, that fury faded, and he ran his fingers along my arm once more, pushing the strap down further. â€Å"Of course, people like that won't be an issue when you awaken.† Somewhere, in the back of my head, I wondered if Dimitri had the answers I wanted about Abe-about what Abe did. But talking about Abe had made Dimitri upset, and I cringed at that, hastily wanting to switch topics. â€Å"What have you been doing today?† I asked, impressed at my ability to make normal small talk. Between the endorphins and him touching me, coherence was difficult. â€Å"Errands for Galina. Dinner.† Dinner. A victim. I frowned. The feelings that inspired in me weren't of repulsion so much as†¦ jealousy. â€Å"Do you drink from them†¦ for fun?† He ran his lips along my neck, teeth taunting my skin but not biting. I gasped and pressed closer to him. â€Å"No, Roza. They're food; that's all. It's over quickly. You're the only one I take pleasure in.† I felt smug satisfaction in that, and that annoying mental voice pointed out that that was an incredibly sick and twisted view for me to have. I kind of hoped he would bite me soon. That usually shut the rational voice up. I reached up and touched his face, then ran my hand through that wonderful, silky hair that I'd always loved. â€Å"You keep wanting to awaken me†¦ but we won't be able to do this anymore. Strigoi don't drink from each other, do they?† â€Å"No,† he agreed. â€Å"But it'll be worth it. We can do so much more†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He left the â€Å"so much more† to my imagination, and a pleasant shiver ran through me. The kissing and blood taking were intoxicating, but there were some days that I did want, well†¦ more. The memories of the one time we'd made love haunted me when we were this close together, and I often longed to do it again. For whatever reason, he never pushed for sex, no matter how passionate things became. I wasn't sure if he was using that as a lure for me to turn or if there was some incompatibility between a Strigoi and a dhampir. Could the living and the dead do that? Once, I would have found the thought of sex with one of them absolutely repulsive. Now†¦ I just didn't think about the complications so much. But although he didn't attempt sex, he would often taunt me with his caresses, touching my thighs and sternum and other dangerous places. Plus, he would remind me of what it had been like that one time, how amazing it had been, how our bodies had felt†¦ His talk of such things was more taunting than affectionate, though. In my semi-clear moments, I honestly thought it was strange that I hadn't yet consented to becoming Strigoi. The endorphin fog made me agree to almost everything else he wanted. I'd fallen comfortably into dressing up for him, staying in my gilded prison, and accepting that he took a victim every couple days. Yet even in my most incoherent moments, even when I wanted him so badly, I couldn't agree to turning. There was some intrinsic part of me that refused to budge. Most of the time, he would shrug off my refusal, like it was a joke. But every once in a while when I declined, I'd see a spark of anger in his eyes. Those moments scared me. â€Å"Here it comes,† I teased. â€Å"The sales pitch. Eternal life. Invincible. Nothing to stand in our way.† â€Å"It's not a joke,† he said. Oops. My flippancy had brought that hardness back to him. The desire and fondness that I'd just seen now fractured into a million pieces and blew away. The hands that had just stroked me suddenly grabbed my wrists and held me in place as he leaned down. â€Å"We can't stay like this forever. You can't stay here forever.† Whoa, that voice said. Be careful. That doesn't sound good. His grip hurt, and I often wondered if that was his intent or if he just couldn't help his violence. When he finally released me, I wrapped my arm around his neck and tried to kiss him. â€Å"Can't we talk about that later?† Our lips met, fire blossoming between us and urgency coursing through my body. I could tell he had a matching desire, but a few seconds later, he broke away. The cold annoyance was still on his face. â€Å"Come on,† he said, pulling away from me. â€Å"Let's go.† He stood up, and I stared stupidly. â€Å"Where are we going?† â€Å"Outside.† I sat up on the bed, dumbfounded. â€Å"Out†¦ outside? But†¦ that's not allowed. We can't.† â€Å"We can do anything I want,† he snapped. He extended his hand and helped me up. I followed him to the door. He was as skilled as Inna at blocking me from the keypad, not that it mattered now. There was no way I could ever remember that long of a sequence anymore. The door clicked open, and he led me out. I stared in wonder, my dazed brain still trying to process this freedom. As I'd noticed that one day, the door led to a short corridor blocked by another door. It too was heavy and bore a keypad lock. Dimitri opened it, and I was willing to bet the two doors had different codes. Taking my arm, he guided me through that door and into another hallway. Despite his firm hold, I couldn't help but come to a standstill. Maybe I shouldn't have been surprised at the opulence I suddenly faced. After all, I was living in this place's penthouse suite. But the corridor leading out of my room had been stark and industrial-looking, and somehow I'd imagined the rest of the house to be equally institutional or prisonlike. It wasn't. Instead, I felt like I was in some old movie, the kind where people took tea in the parlor. The plush carpet was covered by a gold patterned runner that stretched off in both directions of the hall. Antique-looking paintings dotted the walls, showing people from ages ago in elaborate clothing that made my dresses look cheap and ordinary. The whole place was illuminated by tiny chandeliers that were spaced along the ceiling every six feet or so. The teardrop-shaped crystals caught the light with their facets, scattering small flecks of rainbows on the walls. I stared, enchanted by the glitter and the color, which is probably why I failed to notice one other fixture in the hall. â€Å"What are you doing?† The harsh sound of Nathan's voice jerked me from my crystal gazing. He'd been leaning against the wall opposite my door and straightened immediately upon seeing us. He had that same cruel expression on his face that was so characteristic of Strigoi, the one I occasionally saw on Dimitri, no matter how charming and kind he seemed sometimes. Dimitri's posture turned rigid and defensive. â€Å"I'm taking her for a walk.† He kind of sounded like he was talking about a dog, but my fear of Nathan trumped any offense I might take. â€Å"That's against the rules,† said Nathan. â€Å"Bad enough you've still got her here. Galina gave orders for you to keep her confined. We don't need some rogue dhampir running around.† Dimitri nodded toward me. â€Å"Does she look like she's a threat?† Nathan's eyes flicked over at me. I wasn't entirely sure what he saw. I didn't think I looked that different, but a small smirk crossed his lips that promptly disappeared when he turned back to Dimitri. â€Å"No, but I was ordered to babysit this door, and I'm not going to get in trouble for you taking a field trip.† â€Å"I'll deal with Galina. I'll tell her I overpowered you.† Dimitri gave a fang-filled grin. â€Å"It shouldn't be that hard for her to believe.† The look Nathan gave Dimitri made me unconsciously step back until I hit the wall. â€Å"You're so full of yourself. I didn't awaken you so that you could act like you're in charge around here. I did it so that we could use your strength and inside knowledge. You should be answering to me.† Dimitri shrugged. Taking my hand, he started to turn away. â€Å"Not my fault if you're not strong enough to make me do it.† That was when Nathan lunged at Dimitri. Dimitri responded so quickly to the attack that I think he knew it would happen. He instantly released my hand, turned to catch hold of Nathan, and tossed the other Strigoi against the wall. Nathan immediately got up-it took more than that kind of hit to faze someone like him-but Dimitri was ready. He punched Nathan in the nose-once, twice, and then a third time, all in rapid succession. Nathan fell down, blood covering his face. Dimitri kicked him hard in the stomach and loomed over him. â€Å"Don't try it,† said Dimitri. â€Å"You'll lose.† He wiped Nathan's blood off of his hand and then laced his fingers through mine again. â€Å"I told you, I'll deal with Galina. But thanks for your concern.† Dimitri turned away again, apparently feeling there'd be no more attacks. There weren't. But as I started to follow him, I cast a quick glance over my shoulder to where Nathan sat on the floor. His eyes shot daggers at Dimitri, and I was pretty sure I'd never seen a look of such pure hatred-at least until he turned his gaze on me. I felt cold all over and stumbled to keep up with Dimitri. Nathan's voice rang out behind us. â€Å"You're not safe! Neither of you is. She's lunch, Belikov. Lunch.† Dimitri's hand tightened on mine, and he picked up the pace. I could feel the fury radiating off of him and suddenly wasn't sure whom I should be more afraid of: Nathan or Dimitri. Dimitri was a badass, alive or undead. In the past, I'd seen him attack foes without fear or hesitation. He'd always been magnificent, behaving just as bravely as I'd told his family. But in all those times, he'd always had a legitimate reason for fighting usually self defense. His confrontation with Nathan just then had been about more, though. It had been an assertion of dominance and a chance to draw blood. Dimitri had seemed to enjoy it. What if he decided to turn on me like that? What if my constant refusal pushed him into torture, and he hurt me until I finally agreed? â€Å"Nathan scares me,† I said, not wanting Dimitri to know that I feared him too. I felt weak and utterly defenseless, something that didn't happen to me very often. Usually, I was ready to take on any challenge, no matter how desperate. â€Å"He won't touch you,† Dimitri said harshly. â€Å"You have nothing to worry about.† We reached a set of stairs. After a few steps, it became clear that I wasn't going to be able to handle four flights. Aside from the drugged stupor his bites kept me in, the frequent blood loss was weakening me and taking its toll. Without saying a word, Dimitri swept me up in his arms and carried me downstairs effortlessly, gently setting me down when we reached the staircase's bottom. The main floor of the estate had the same grand feel as the upstairs hall. The entryway had a huge vaulted ceiling with an elaborate chandelier that dwarfed the little ones I'd seen. Ornate double doors faced us, set with stained-glass windows. What also faced us was another Strigoi, a man sitting in a chair and apparently on guard duty. Near him was a panel set into the wall with buttons and flashing lights. A modern security system set amongst all this old-world charm. His posture stiffened as we approached, and at first, I thought it was a natural bodyguard instinct-until I saw his face. It was the Strigoi I'd tortured that first night in Novosibirsk, the one I'd dispatched to tell Dimitri I was looking for him. His lips curled back slightly as he met my eyes. â€Å"Rose Hathaway,† said the Strigoi. â€Å"I remember your name-just like you told me.† He said no more than that, but I tightened my grip on Dimitri's hand as we passed. The Strigoi's eyes never left me until we'd stepped outside and shut the door behind us. â€Å"He wants to kill me,† I told Dimitri. â€Å"All Strigoi want to kill you,† Dimitri returned. â€Å"He really does†¦ I tortured him.† â€Å"I know. He's been in disgrace ever since then and lost some of his status here.† â€Å"That doesn't make me feel any better.† Dimitri seemed unconcerned. â€Å"Marlen is no one you need to worry about. You fighting him only proved to Galina that you're a good addition around here. He's beneath you.† I didn't find that overly reassuring. I was making too many personal Strigoi enemies-but then, it wasn't like I could really expect to be making Strigoi friends. It was nighttime, of course. Dimitri wouldn't have taken me out otherwise. The foyer had made me think we were at the front of the house, but the extensive gardens that spread out around us made me wonder if we were in the back now. Or maybe the entire house was wrapped in this kind of greenery. We were surrounded in a hedge maze cut with beautiful detail. Within the maze were small courtyards, decorated with fountains or statues. And everywhere were flowers and more flowers. The air was heavy with their scent, and I realized that someone had gone to an awful lot of trouble to find night-blooming ones. The only type I immediately recognized was jasmine, its long, white-flowered vines climbing up trellises and statues in the maze. We walked in silence for a bit, and I found myself lost in the romance of it all. The whole time Dimitri and I had been together at school, I'd been consumed with the fears of how we would juggle our relationship and our duty. A moment like this, walking in a garden on a spring night lit with stars, had seemed like a fantasy too crazy to even start to consider. Even without the difficulty of stairs, too much walking grew exhausting in my state. I came to a halt and sighed. â€Å"I'm tired,† I said. Dimitri stopped too and helped me sit down. The grass was dry and tickly against my skin. I lay back against it, and a moment later, he joined me. I had an eerie moment of deja vu, recalling the afternoon we'd made snow angels. â€Å"This is amazing,† I said, staring up at the sky. It was clear, no clouds in sight. â€Å"What's it like for you?† â€Å"Hmm?† â€Å"There's enough light that I can see pretty clearly, but it's still dim compared to day. Your eyes are better than mine. What do you see?† â€Å"For me, it's as bright as day.† When I didn't respond, he added, â€Å"It could be like that for you, too.† I tried to picture that. Would the shadows seem as mysterious? Would the moon and stars shine so brightly? â€Å"I don't know. I kind of like the darkness.† â€Å"Only because you don't know any better.† I sighed. â€Å"So you keep telling me.† He turned toward me and pushed the hair away from my face. â€Å"Rose, this is driving me crazy. I'm tired of this waiting. I want us to be together. Don't you like this? What we have? It could be even better.† His words sounded romantic, but not the tone. I did like this. I loved the haze I lived in, the haze in which all worries disappeared. I loved being close to him, loved the way he kissed me and told me he wanted me†¦ â€Å"Why?† I asked. â€Å"Why what?† He sounded puzzled, something I hadn't heard yet in a Strigoi. â€Å"Why do you want me?† I had no idea why I even asked that. He apparently didn't know either. â€Å"Why wouldn't I want you?† He spoke in such an obvious way, like it was the stupidest question in the world. It probably was, I realized, and yet†¦ I'd somehow been expecting another answer. Just then, my stomach twisted. With all the time I'd spent with Dimitri, I really had managed to push the Strigoi nausea off my radar. The presence of other Strigoi increased it, though. I'd felt it around Nathan, and I felt it now. I sat up, and Dimitri did too, almost at the same time. He'd likely been alerted by his superior hearing. A dark shape loomed over us, blotting out the stars. It was a woman, and Dimitri shot up. I stayed where I was, on the ground. She was strikingly beautiful, in a hard and terrible way. Her build was similar to mine, indicating she hadn't been a Moroi when turned. Isaiah, the Strigoi who'd captured me, had been very old, and power had radiated from him. This woman hadn't been around nearly so long, but I could sense that she was older than Dimitri and much stronger. She said something in Russian to him, and her voice was as cold as her beauty. Dimitri answered back, his tone confident yet polite. I heard Nathan's name mentioned a couple of times as they spoke. Dimitri reached down and helped me up, and I felt embarrassed at how often I needed his assistance, when I used to almost be a match for him. â€Å"Rose,† he said, â€Å"this is Galina. She's the one who has been kind enough to let you stay.† Galina's face didn't look so kind. It was devoid of all emotion, and I felt like my entire soul was exposed to her. While I was uncertain of a lot of things around here, I'd picked up enough to realize that my continual residence here was a rare and fragile thing. I swallowed. â€Å"Spasibo,† I said. I didn't know how to tell her it was nice to meet her-and honestly, I wasn't sure if it was-but I figured a simple thank-you was good enough. If she'd been his former instructor and trained at a normal Academy, she probably knew English and was faking it like Yeva. I had no clue why she'd do that, but if you could snap a teen dhampir's neck, you were entitled to do whatever you wanted. Galina's expression-or lack thereof-didn't change with my thanks, and she turned her attention back to Dimitri. They conversed over me, and Dimitri gestured to me a couple of times. I recognized the word for strong. Finally, Galina issued something that sounded final and left us without any sort of goodbye. Neither Dimitri nor I moved until I felt the nausea dissipate. â€Å"Come on,† he said. â€Å"We should get back.† We walked back through the maze, though I had no idea how he knew where to go. It was funny. When I'd first arrived, my dream had been to get outside and escape. Now that I was here†¦ well, it didn't seem that important. Galina's anger did. â€Å"What did she say?† I asked. â€Å"She doesn't like that you're still here. She wants me to awaken you or kill you.† â€Å"Oh. Um, what are you going to do?† He stayed silent for a few seconds. â€Å"I'll wait a little longer and then†¦ I will make the choice for you.† He didn't specify which choice he'd be making, and I almost began my earlier pleas to die before becoming Strigoi. But suddenly, instead, I said, â€Å"How long?† â€Å"Not long, Roza. You need to choose. And make the right choice.† â€Å"Which is?† He held up his hands. â€Å"All of this. A life together.† We'd emerged from the maze. I stared at the house-which was crazy enormous when viewed from the outside-and at the beautiful gardens around us. It was like something from a dream. Beyond that, endless countryside rolled away, eventually becoming lost in the darkness and blending into the black sky-except for one tiny part that had a soft purple glow on the horizon. I frowned, studying it, then turned my attention back to Dimitri. â€Å"And what then? Then I work for Galina too?† â€Å"For a while.† â€Å"How long is a while?† We came to a stop outside the house. Dimitri looked down into my eyes, his face alight with a look that made me take a step back. â€Å"Until we kill her, Rose. Until we kill her and take all of this for ourselves.†

Human Resources - Labor Laws and Unions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Human Resources - Labor Laws and Unions - Essay Example It is vital to note that the company has its operations in more than 150 countries with 30 of the same as production bases. GM Company produces such vehicles as Cadillac, Chevrolet, Vauxhall, Opel, Holden and GMC (Cooke, 2003). It is vital to note that GM Company benefitted from chapter 11 Reorganization of 2009. This was a response by shareholders, in Asia and Europe, since they could not access their assets. The reorganization was possible through IPO shares. The government reduced its stake to 26 percent of the same. GM Company falls under the UAW union. This is a union that possesses the mandate of protecting workers from Puerto Rico and the USA. These workers are occupied in notable industries such as automobiles, health and educational sectors. Protecting civil rights and anti-communist movements has a long history. There are notable legal issues that this company may face in different scenarios. In this case, the company might face problems during bankruptcy. This may concern a court action by retired employees to demand payments. The belief in progress of such companies places the same in vulnerable financial situation of not paying their retired employees. In close relation to the same, the company faces legal issues in the case of laying off employees. In such cases, employees might demand reinstatement or better package for retrenchment. It is vital to note that the GM Company faces the legal obligation of awarding a pension plan to each of its employees. This depends on profits as the company progresses. In addition, GM Company faces legal challenges of paying health care obligation to each worker per every vehicle it produces. This does not allow for expansion of profits since the pay rises with sales. In case of breach, this law would break the federal law of PPACA that requires health care obligation to each individual. Avoidance of litigation pertains to having a well

The competitive structure of British airports with reference to BAA Essay

The competitive structure of British airports with reference to BAA - Essay Example More particularly, the Competition Commission has made are geared its findings towards making the BAA to be more competitive. Background BAA was privatized in 1980. This was in response to proposals by the Governments Review of Economic Regulations that sought to bring changes to operations of UK Civil Aviation Authority. Furthermore, the proposed amendments have been for the sake of widening the scope of competition at the airport as well as making the ground be more even. In the recent past, due to these proposals, the sector has seen major changes in terms of structure and becoming more flexible to respond to market demands and competition. Competition has also been necessitated by BAA’s disposal of Gatwick airport to Global Infrastructure Partners. Besides, there is a wider legal framework that is being applied in all other sectors to encourage free hand in business. For instance, the Competition Act 1998, Utilities Act of 2000 and the Communications Act of 2003 have creat ed a platform that promotes fair competition.. This has further gone a long way to diminish its share of passengers and airlines in the South East. To make the market perform optimally, there is more need for BAA to divest some of its holding in other air business corporations so as to completely free up the market. Nevertheless, the future of airports business is likely to be better due to the changing market environment (Doganis, 1992). The present competitive structure of British airports Since the process of liberalization of the air industry gained progress, the sector has witnessed tremendous rise in domestic flights as well as demand for flights for European and intercontinental routes. Despite this space of freedom, there still exists some of form of regulation. Therefore, it is of paramount importance to establish the level of competition that truly exists as well as explore the precise consequences to the current and future air market. Types of markets Theoretically, there are three types of market as far as competition is concerned. Firstly, there is monopoly. This is one of the oldest forms of market where there is only one seller or buyer who has power to control the prices of commodities. In this market, he is the price setter and shall invariably do that to his advantage. This market is characterized by a number of imperfections that typically result in to negative social costs to consumers. It is also a common feature for traders in this market to report abnormal profits. Due to liberalization, in UK there is a limited number of industries that have monopolistic tendencies. According to Competitions Commission, there is need for economic regulation in such conditions so as to reduce the economic excesses that result from monopoly. Secondly, there is an oligopolistic market, that is a market that is controlled by a few market players (sellers or buyers), who habitually, agree on the price to charge for their goods and services. Just like monopol y, this market system can be quite oppressive. The British airports market can aptly fall under this category. Scholars and policy formulators do converge to a verity that in this condition, there is need for regulator intervention to make the ground fairer. Finally, there is a perfect competition that, incidentally, has dominated the majority of UK

Nosferatu and Twilight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nosferatu and Twilight - Essay Example Gender roles have been discriminated in these films have been discriminated in the film. However, the contemporary vampire films also portray gender discrimination. Although female gender roles have evolved throughout vampire tales the contemporary vampire tales, Twilight, continues to reinforce the stereotypical representation of gender roles. In the nineteenth-century role of women have been challenged in the different literature, however, the similar concepts still continue to be a part of contemporary vampire films. The main focus of this paper is to analyze the reinforcement of stereotypical gender roles. In order to determine the gender roles in vampire films, the female characters of Nosferatu and Twilight are  analyzed. The role of female in the nineteenth century of the film Nosferatu (Mina Harker) has been compared with the contemporary female character of Twilight (Twilight). The character of Bella Swan of twilight does not portray stereotypes gender roles of man and women characters. Bella Swan is totally dependent on her boyfriend Edward Cullen. She can go to any extent to have Edward in her life, even to give away her life and become a vampire for Edward. The several feminist scholars have criticized Bella as it represents gender stereotype. Edward is mesmerized in love of Edward; she is a submissive woman who can sacrifice anything to have her vampire boyfriend, even without her werewolf admirer. Bell turns down everything in her life just to ensure that Edward is around her. She jumps off a cliff, disobeys her father and is extremely hopeless without Edward (Bella Not the Role Model). It reflects that the character of Bella Swan demonstrates the similar stereotype gender role of a woman in a society (Bella Not the Role Model). The character illustrates that a woman becomes hopeless in her life, as she is ready to make every extend in her life, Bella is stubborn and does not have control on her emotions due to which she is

U01d2 Cost Shifting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

U01d2 Cost Shifting - Essay Example There are a number of different treatments like the surgical, non – surgical cancer, organ transplants and other imaging like CT, MRI, PET scans and numerous other highly sophisticated tests which need to be considered and covered for. America’s health care system in the country is also structured in a manner which contributes to the rise on costs (Griffin, 2000). The concept of cost shifting is one of the major reasons that the costs have also gone up. Cost shifting simply implies at how the cost of care has shifted from one set of people to another group. The concept is such that if one group of people is unwilling to pay the bills, then the costs are redistributed to another set of people who can’t refuse to pay for the costs. One of the few reasons for the inclusion of cost shifting in the health care industry is the creation of Medicaid and Medicare. Shi and Singh explain that the cost shifting was included to offset costs when the charity received was used to make up for the difference. Feldstein explains that when there is a belief that cost shifting occurs, this could possibly be when the hospitals raise their prices to compensate for the patients that are lower charged (Morrisey, 1994). Feldstein also unveils that the costs have increased for two reasons, namely, an increase in the variable costs in terms of the wages and secondly, there are changes in the hospital payer mixes, i.e. an increase in the less price sensitive patients which allows the hospitals to increase the mark ups. This is viewed to be a profit for the hospital however this is a selfishly induced process and is controlled by the cost shifting. The knowledge that people have on the increase in the costs of the providers to make profits has led the industry to be impacted negatively and is also impacting the human charity as well. There is a clear sense of mis happenings within the industry where the rich are being given complete access to quality