Blood Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Blood - Assignment Example He also proved that some people’s red blood cells agglutinated. Landsteiner also came up with 3 new ways of thinking and identified existence 3 kinds of cells A, B, as well as C (Daniels, 2013). Thus, the determinant gene of ABO blood type for instance is found on chromosome 9 and is referred to as glycosyltransferase .In addition, the ABO locus is made of 3 key allelic kinds: A, B and O as discussed above and every one of them was responsible for the production of its glycoprotein better known as antigens which are always found in the blood cells of an individual and thus their ABO blood group. Therefore the A as well as B blood types are due to various antigens (they provoke immune responses) on the red blood cells’ surface. The production of antigens is usually under the DNA. Thus antigens emanate from a red blood cell surface precursor known as H substance-common to A,B as well as O. Placement of N-acetylgalactosesamine results in type A enzyme which is transferase on the H kind of substance. The attachment of galactose to H by group B transferase resulted in the formation of group B (Daniels, 2013). On the other hand, type O comes about from a basic joint mutation that adversely destroyed or reduced the potential of Type A transferase to attach the mandatory N-acetylgalactosesamine to H substance. As studies have shown on monkeys, human blood types are very archaic genetic indicators which have been evolving for several million years ago. On the basis of primary races thesis hypothesis. In addition, it has always been held that the 3 main races of man, Europe blood group A, Asian blood type B and eventually blood group O in South America. These 3 groups have been emerging gradually because of the mixing and migration of the races leading to the current situation (Daniels, 2013). Another postulation about the origin of blood types is that emergence of every blood group A and b as well as their subgroups was as a result of successive

Aproaches to learning - Theories of learning styles and learning strategies Essay Example for Free

Aproaches to learning Theories of learning styles and learning strategies Essay Kolb (1984), in introducing the idea of the experiential learning cycle and of learning styles, defines learning as the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of expertise. He suggests that ideas are not fixed but are formed and modified through current and past experiences. His learning cycle consists of four stages; completing each stage is important to improve learning in the next stage : Active Experimentation (The learner actively uses the theories formed and also tries them in new situations. The latter takes him back to the start of the cycle. ) Concrete Experience (The learner is encouraged to become involved in new experiences. ) Reflective Observation (The learner reflect on his experience from different perspective. Enough time and supportive feedback is helpful in this stage. ) Abstract Conceptualisation (The learner forms ideas and logical theories. ) Of course, not everyone acts in the same way, some prefer considering all possible alternatives whilst others like trying out as much as possible. Hence, Kolb associated four learning styles with his learning cycle: the Converger, who applies ideas in a practical way, the Accommodator, who carries out plans and tasks involving him in new experiences, the Diverger, who has good imagination and ideas, and finally the Assimilator, who creates theoretical models. Kolb also points out that learning styles are not fixed personality traits but relatively stable patterns of behaviour. Based on Kolbs model Honey and Mumford (1992) developed a similar model with new terms for Kolbs learning preferences (Honey and Mumford terms in brackets): Active Experimentation (Activist) Concrete Experience (Pragmatist) Reflective Observation (Reflector) Abstract Conceptualisation (Theorist) According to Honey and Mumford four learning styles can be distinguished: the Activist, the Pragmatist, the Reflector, and the Theorist: Activists strengths: Acting quickly; interested in actually doing things Putting ideas into action Activists weaknesses Lack of planning and attention to detail Unlikely to consider many alternatives Pragmatists strengths Integrating theory and practice. Testing things out to get correct solutions Pragmatists weaknesses Lack of imagination Impatient Not interested in concepts and theories Reflectors strengths: Collecting data from variety of sources Reflecting on experiences Reflectors weaknesses: Needs a lot of time before he is able to start Dislike precise instructions Theorists strengths Creating theoretical models Paying attention to detail and systematic analysis Theorists weaknesses Overcautious Relies on logic and usually does not trust feelings Needs a stated purpose. Honey and Mumford developed a Learning Styles Questionnaire to be used as a checklist to identify ones learning preference. Kolb states the combination of all four learning forms produces the highest level of learning by allowing more powerful and adaptive forms of learning to emerge. But still, there is the danger of labelling people as theorists or pragmatists although most people exhibit more than one strong preference. To overcome this problem other theorists, e. g. Schmeck (1988) and Entwistle (1998), use the expression learning strategy which also includes personal traits. According to them people can not be labelled because they usually react flexibly on learning, depending on the expected outcome: A student may read a book about the British history because he is actually interested in or because he needs to read it to pass an exam. Either way involves learning, but in the second case the student is unlikely to take notes about facts he is interested in but those the tutor may ask. Bibliography: Bendrey, M. et al (1996), Accounting and Finance in Business. London: Continuum. Cottrell, S. (2003) The Study Skills Handbook. New York: Palgrave Macmillian. Entwistle, N. (1998) Styles of Learning and Teaching. London: David Fulton Publishers. Brown, R. and Hawksley, B. (1996) Learning skills, studying styles and profiling. Dinton: Mark Allen Publishing. Honey, P. and Mumford, A. (1992) The manual of learning styles, Maidenhead: Peter Honey Publications Ltd. Honey, P. and Mumford, A. (2000) The learning styles helpers guide. Maidenhead: Peter Honey Publications Ltd. Kolb, D. A. (1984) Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.

Grays framework is an extension of Hofstedes societal values

Grays framework is an extension of Hofstedes societal values Culture is said to be an identifying mark of any group of persons. The impact of this identifying mark is felt in everything that is done in that environment such that it is reflected in their daily and operational activities. In explaining the impact of culture on activities, Hofstede (1980: 26) defined culture as the collective programming of mind that distinguishes the members of one group from another. This distinguishing factor belies characteristics that are distinct to that particular group and can be found in all aspects of life. One aspect that is not left out is the field of accounting, the impact of culture is felt such it is reflected in the accounting practices of particular environments and it defines the systems that guide the practices done in that environment. This results in huge differences in international accounting practices even though the definition of accounting has one aim- to provide decision useful information to users and to give evidence of stewardship. Outside the culture factor, other reasons have been put forth to explain the differences in accounting systems where they include legal, tax, financing system (Nobes, 2006), political ideology ( Ezzamel et al, 2007). However, Gray argues that cultural values can better explain the differences in accounting system and he bases his argument on Hofstedes theory. Going by his argument, if cultural values as posited by Hofstede are reflected in societal activities, then there should be an existing relationship such that a close pattern that between these societal values and the accounting systems practiced in those environments can be identified. He puts forward four significant accounting concepts/values (professionalism, uniformity, conservatism and secrecy) that he links with Hofstedes societal value constructs (individualism, power distance, uncertainty avoidance and masculinity/femininity). In other words, the accounting values as given by Gray can be seen as a connective point betwe en Hofstedes societal values and accounting practices. In explaining these links, he put forward four hypotheses. This paper seeks to assess the validity of the accounting concepts as put forward by Gray, seeking to establish their relationships with Hofstedes societal constructs. Grays Theoretical Reasoning. It is a well known fact that the strength of a building lies in its foundation, where the foundation is faulty, then the building itself cannot be said to be strong. Applying this fact to Grays hypotheses means that the strength of his hypotheses lays on its basis which is the Hofstedian societal value constructs. Though Hofstede collected his data over the period of 1967 to 1973, giving him enough time to incorporate changes in what he terms societal values, it has undergone criticisms in research papers. These criticisms weaken in turn weaken Grays accounting values. Some of these criticisms include the fact that the Hofstedian value framework is outdated and a weak basis on which to base the accounting values framework (Jones, 2007). In addition to this, there is the issue of measurability of the societal value constructs, the equation of national states with cultures, status of the observer, cultural homogeneity and political influences ( Baskervillle, 2003; Jones, 2007) Based on the fact that Grays framework is an extension of Hofstedes societal values, it can be said that the above criticisms apply to his accounting value theory as well, weakening the validity of his theory. Patterned after Hofstedes two dimensional societal value constructs, Gray put forward two dimensional accounting concepts as both ends of a continuum. He argues that a link exists between these concepts and each of Hofstedes societal values, where Hofstedes values are -Individualism vs Collectivism, Large power distance vs Small power distance, Strong vs Weak uncertainty avoidance and Masculinity vs femininity. The fundamental issues as regards these constructs are the degree of interdependence maintained in a society, human inequalities and relationships with authority, reaction to uncertainties and role differentiation of gender respectively. As an extension of these values, Gray puts forward these accounting values-Professionalism vs statutory control, Uniformity vs Flexibil ity, Conservatism vs Optimism and Secrecy vs Transparency where the fundamental issues in these concepts are individual judgements as opposed to statutory judgements, consistency in reporting standards as opposed to optioned standards, cautious measurements as opposed to optimistic measurements and a cautious approach to disclosure respectively. Critique of Grays Hypotheses All of Grays hypotheses imply that accounting values have a stationary nature as is also implied by Hofstedes societal values and just as Hofstede used nations to equate culture, Gray used countries as a basis for comparison, thereby generalizing as country based on accounting values that can be subject to change. Baskerville (2003) notes that the use of nation states as units for comparison is wrong, stating that this has been the case in international accounting research. A further analysis of Grays hypotheses is given below to assess its validity. Hypothesis One Gray hypothesized that the higher a country ranked in terms of individualism and the lower it ranked in terms of uncertainty avoidance and power distance then the more likely it is to rank highly in terms of professionalism. Though empirical studies carried out on this hypothesis have found support for it (Salter and Niswander, 1995 and Sudarwan and Fogarty, 1996), it can be argued that this hypothesis does not hold fully, especially when cognizance is given to the constant changes that occur even in these environments with distinguishable cultural values. In addition to this, empirical studies focused on the relationship that exist between the value construct picked out by Gray, but considering that the values given by Hofstede are two dimensional, it is also possible that the relationship posited by Gray to exist between professionalism and weak uncertainty avoidance can also exist between professionalism and strong uncertainty avoidance. This argument is based on the fact that the fundamental concept of uncertainty avoidance as given by Hofstede to be reaction to uncertainties and ambiguities. Strong uncertainty avoidance societys deal with uncertainties through the established and rigid rules and it can be argued that high levels of professionalism can be found in such societies. An example is Indonesia. Though the country is among the group classed as collectivist, strong uncertainty avoidant and large power distanced, Askary (2006) finds that Indonesia tops the list for professionalism in his study of developing countries. In the case of Germany, Heidhues and Patel (2011) finds that the Grays proposed relationship between low uncertainty avoidance and high professionalism does not hold. This is because Germany is seen a medium uncertainty avoidant country but it scores high on professionalism. This means that Grays accounting values and Hofstedes societal values can hold on some countries but not in some and this limits the generalizability of hypothesis one. In addition, going by the definition of professionalism which means independent judgement, the findings of Braun and Rodriguez (2008) does not support this hypothesis. Earnings management which requires independent judgement is meant to be related to professionalism but in their study, it is related to statutory control. Hypothesis Two The higher a country ranks in terms of uncertainty avoidance and power distance and the lower it ranks in terms of individualism then the more likely it is to rank highly in terms of uniformity. Empirical studies on Grays argument for this hypothesis are mixed in that not all the purported values given by Gray can be linked to uniformity. The issue of applicability limits this hypothesis. Gray defined uniformity as a preference for uniform accounting practices and countries in the western world are said to have a preference for flexible standards according to their perceived needs. However, the strength of this hypothesis is invalidated when the accounting standards used in the developed countries are considered. Though they are classed as countries that prefer flexible standards, the countries tend to use uniform standards in the name of enhancing their comparability. In addition to this, there is the issue of global reporting standards, which the UK and the US are founding members. The desire by both countries for a uniform accounting standards via global reporting standards reflects the weakness of the Hofstede-Gray framework. In line with this argument, Roberts and Salter (1999) test the relationships on the big 6 at that time and find that uncertainty avoidance (reaction to ambiguities) is not positively related to uniformity. The strength of any given hypothesis is in the positive relationships of all variables used in forming the hypothesis. Given that one of the relationships for this hypothesis does not hold, it can be argued that there are other values which result in uniformity of accounting practices. This means that not all of the relationships as hypothesized by Gray hold. Gray states that both hypotheses are most relevant to the authority and enforcement, however, the definition of the terms limits the extent of relevance that can be established. Gray defines the accounting values as a preference and not an exact activity carried out by accountants (Baydoun and Willett, 1995; Heidhues and Patel, 2011). For example, professionalism is defined as a preference for individual professional judgement and how this preference relates to the exercise of authority is not clear. Who exercises the authority? How many authoritative sources are there? Given the fact that professionalism belies opinionated judgement, this could refer to a number of individuals. Hypothesis Three The higher a country ranks in terms of uncertainty avoidance and the lower it ranks in terms of individualism and masculinity then the more likely it is to rank highly in terms of conservatism. Empirical studies support Grays reasoning on this hypothesis (Salter and Niswander, 1995; Sudarwan and Fogarty, 1996, Doupnik and Ritcher, 2004) especially for the strong link but I would argue that the fact that a country dislikes ambiguous situations does not mean that it would be highly conservative, this is based on the fact that situations change and changing situations bring about a change in accounting methods used. This is a fact that the Grays framework does not take into consideration. In line with this argument, Arnold et al (2001) finds that an increase in uncertainty avoidance leads to an increase in materiality estimates. This supports the fact that changes in situations are incorporated into accounting activities and that a country that is highly conservative today would not nec essarily be conservative the next day. Regarding the relationship between conservatism and individualism, masculinity and uncertainty avoidance, it can be argued that these relationships are also subject to change. Going by the definition of masculinity, a high desire for quality of life can also lead to flexibility in accounting standard. Along this line of thought, Sudarwan and Fogarty (1996) found no relationship between masculinity and conservatism. This means that the accounting value of conservatism as defined by Gray limits the extent of connection that can be made between the relationships. For example, the word cautious approach can be seen to be a little muddy. Is it possible for the level of cautiousness taken by accountants to be placed on a continuum such that the varying levels can be used to seek for a matching relationship between the variables? Hypothesis Four The higher a country ranks in terms of uncertainty avoidance and power distance and the lower it ranks in terms of individualism and masculinity then the more likely it is to rank in terms of secrecy. Empirical support for this hypothesis is inconclusive; Sudarwan and Fogarty (1996) find that the relationship between uncertainty avoidance and secrecy is negative and a non significant relationship between power distance and secrecy (Salter and Niwander, 1995). This can be viewed as rendering the practicability of Grays argument as quite unfit and therefore invalidates the hypothesis. The relationships as argued by Gray is vague and can be argued to have a different meaning. Gray states that hypotheses three and four relate to measurement and disclosure. As noted in the first two hypotheses, the relationship between the conservatism and measurement or secrecy and disclosure remains unclear. Baydoun and Willett (1995) argue that the interpretation of this relationship is tenable owing to the fact that secrecy can be seen as a social characteristic and that its importance in determining accounting values is not evident. Other problems with Grays theory include measuring the terms used in the hypotheses, the fact that it applicable in some countries and not in others as well as the implied presence of other values in determining accounting practices (Baydoun and Willett, 1995; Doupnik and Tsakumis, 2004; Heidhues and Patel, 2011). Applicability of Grays Theory in the Use of IFRS Grays theory can be seen as a contribution to the literature on the harmonization of accounting and the essence of most literature in that line of research aim to help the easy adoption and increasing use of the international financial reporting standards. Furthermore, a lot of countries are adopting the international financial reporting standards (herein after referred to as IFRS) despite the differences in culture. The successful adoption and implementation of the IFRS in countries means that Grays theory of cultural influences is outdated in that culture is no longer deemed to be a barrier to international accounting systems. However, to assess the usefulness of Grays theory in assisting with the increasing use of IFRS, Spain will be used to check the applicability of Grays theory. Spain is a country whose accounting system is defined as that of a Continental European standard, this is as a result of the fact that its legal system is Roman law and that its accounting laws are embe dded in its legislation. Going by Hofstedes classification, Spain has a medium individualist culture, medium power distance, low masculinity and high uncertainty avoidance. Using Grays framework to classify their accounting systems places them as a country with more emphasis on uniformity, more emphasis on conservatism, less emphasis on professionalism and less emphasis on secrecy. Going by Grays framework, one major problem with Spains accounting systems is the preference for conservative measurements and reporting as opposed to the true and fair value methods of the IFRS. Moreover, the adoption of IFRS is meant to improve the quality of financial information, enhance comparability, and strengthen the integration and competitiveness of capital markets (Zeghal and Mhedhbi, 2006). Though the country has adopted IFRS, it has come across a few problems. Callao et al (2007) notes that the adoption of IFRS in Spain has not improved comparability of accounts, it has worsened it. They also find out relevance of financial information has not improved. This invalidates Grays theory in that the cultural differences in accounting systems as identified by his framework, though logical, it seems to have been ignored by the International Accounting Standards Board. An application of Grays hypotheses is tabulated for Spain to check its overall validity and practicability. Societal/ Accounting Values Medium Individualism Medium Power Distance Low Masculinity High Uncertainty Avoidance Strength of the Hypotheses Professionalism ns ns Pos. Weak Uniformity ns ns Pos. Weak Conservatism ns Pos Pos Semi- strong Secrecy ns ns Pos Pos Semi-strong Where ns: no relationship and pos. : positive relationship From this table, the practicability of Grays theory is not strong. Hofstedes values make room for moderating along the continuum as can be seen from Spain been a medium individualist culture. Gray did make provision for countries like Spain who fall in the middle of the continuum. Splitting Grays hypotheses into bits shows the weaknesses of his framework and implies an impracticability of the framework. This also implies that Grays theory is country specific and as noted by Heidhues and Patel (2011), the values were constructed using the US and the UK as a base. Conclusion The practicability of Grays hypotheses has been argued above; the problems have been highlighted alongside the impact of the framework for the applicability of IFRS. As noted above, there is room for improvement if the theory is to be valid. In addition to this, Heidhues and Patel (2011) note that Grays framework was accepted in the academic world without criticism and they point to the fact that this might be as a result of his being seen as one of the leading international accounting researchers. The impact of changes was not incorporated into the framework and this is very important considering that societal dynamism is constant. This alone reduces the reasonability behind Grays framework.

Suicide of Vietnam Veterans :: Vietnam War Essays

Suicide of Vietnam Veterans The deaths that were experienced in Vietnam due to Agent Orange and other jungle diseases have become well known by the general public. However, it is suicide that has resulted in the deaths of over 150,000 Vietnam soldiers during and after the war. An enormous amount of suicides resulted from what most people call â€Å"protecting our country†. The Vietnam War brought more than fifty-eight thousand deaths and is to some one of the darkest battles in United States history. If not killed during the war, many believe any Vietnam veteran would return home great and proud. But this is not the case. Many Vietnam veterans have committed suicide before, during, and after the war. Not only have these men and woman risked their lives for our country, but now, return different people and can not comprehend whether or not to continue their lives. Many people believe we win wars, when in actuality, no one does, especially those who serve in the armed forces (Suicide Wall, 11-10-2000). The Vietnam and other wars have mentally and sometimes physically dismembered many veterans. Another factor that plays a role in a war-related suicide is the addition of many on-site diseases such as defoliants, Agent Orange in particular. Made up of equal parts N-Butyl Ester 2,4,-D and N-Butyl Ester 2,4,5,-T, Agent Orange made many Vietnam soldiers go insane (Vietnam Veterans, 11-10-2000). This atrocious chemical lead and still today leads to death, deformation, and diabetes. Dr. Joel E. Michalek, who deals with statistics for the air force, was the first to notice a link between Agent Orange and diabetes. But the federal government was not willing â€Å"...to spend millions of dollars on such studies†. Dr. Michael Gough, a retired biologist was quoted as saying â€Å"the conclusion I’ve come to is that there is no evidence whatsoever to support any connection between low-level dioxin exposure and any human disease†. Some say they will not do research b ecause it is another thing â€Å"...that will be linked to the health complaints of Vietnam veterans† (Kolata, A16). There is hope still. In 1996, Clinton ordered disability benefits for Vietnam veterans suffering from prostate cancer and nerve disease associated with Agent Orange. Eventually, the government will fund more and more diseases for those who served in the war and were exposed to the substances.

Discuss Shakespeare’s presentation of Cleopatra Essay

‘A woman of infinite variety’. This may be a very accurate portrayal of Cleopatra in my opinion. Cleopatra is a very interesting character in Shakespeare’s ‘Antony and Cleopatra’. She is presented in many ways; she is a great lover yet childish within her actions. Her actions are a reflection of her personality and shows how her character develops throughout the play. She goes from childish to suffering her consequences of this. The presentation of Cleopatra contributes to the play’s audiences and the things she does are a reflection of her love for Antony. Shakespeare’s presentation of Cleopatra helps to make her a credible character and helps audience to relate to her actions taken. An aspect of Cleopatra’s presentation is when she is with and without Antony. It is noticeable how her actions change, with the juxtaposition of scenes where she is in Egypt without Antony. Without him, we see her as a woman in love. She spends hours wondering where her beloved Antony is and what is he doing. She often ponders if he is thinking of her. She is infatuated with him. She can’t bear to be apart from him. This is shown in act 1 scene 5 when Cleopatra asks to drink ‘mandragora’. This is a type of sleeping drug. She is effectively saying that she can’t bear to be parted from her lover so she might as well sleep the time away. This is in contrast to her behaviour towards him when he returns to her. It as if when he’s around her he can never please her or at least she will never show her pleasure with him. She is hesitant as if she doesn’t want him to see her true love for him. This makes me think that because of her past with men, which never seems to work out she may realise that he is the ‘one’ for her but she is afraid that she may lose him. This can be seen by her anger when Charmian praises Caesar Cleopatra demands they say ‘ the brave Antony’ by Shakespeare using the word brave this shows Cleopatra see’s him as strong and noble. Her actions also show she is hard to please for example she tells Charmian that if she finds Antony sad then ‘say I’m dancing.’ This shows how perverse she can be, especially towards Antony; it shows her childlike actions towards him. Shakespeare has presented Cleopatra as a very alluring character, who seems to be able to charm and enchant any man or woman. Her ladies seem to be under a spell. They love her so much and are so loyal towards her. She has a great sex appeal and is able to use it to her advantage, although some characters see her as a ‘strumpet’, they believe she has used her enchantment to control Antony. This can be seen by the way he is so in love with her he leaves wives just to be with her. Some may argue he is not truly in love with her, that it is lust, but it doesn’t explain the consequences he suffers to be with her. Maybe Shakespeare is trying to show how one person can have such an impact on a person’s life through love. This would be valid as the play is a great love story. Shakespeare presents Cleopatra as a very controlling and overpowering woman. This can be seen as even the cynical Enobarbus admits to the power of Cleopatra’s appearance. He describing her as ‘beggared all description’ shows that to describe the barge exhausts the power of language. She is of course a queen and all queens have a very regal presence, this is seen in the famous barge speech by Enobarbus, where he describes this wonderful barge with ‘purple sails’, purple is associated as very regal colour and he talks of the gold on the barge which represent her wealth. These images are used to show her status and importance. Enobarbus also describes a scent surrounding her ‘a strange invisible perfume hits the sense’. This sensual imagery for her presence as perfume is associated with a sweet smell. The movement of the oars of the barge are described in a powerful image ‘ tunes of flutes kept stroke,’ This means that the music kept the oars at a rhythmic pace. He also says she ‘o’erpicturing that Venus’ this is saying how she is almost better than Venus, the goddess of love. By comparing her to a Goddess this shows her influence upon people. Shakespeare’s barge speech gives the impression of her charm and attraction, to enhance her enticement and sex appeal towards men. In the last scene where Cleopatra kills herself she want to die wearing all her jewels and fine cloths and crown. This is to show how proud she is of herself and for people to remember her as a queen. Even when she is dead Charmian straightens up her crown. This shows the loyalty of Cleopatra’s woman and their love for her such that they want Cleopatra to look her best even in death.

Succubus Revealed Chapter 8

It was hard to believe that in only a couple of days I'd gone from doubting my transfer was real to suddenly signing on to be in a Las Vegas stage production. Things happened so fast that it was easy to get swept along, and Bastien and Phoebe's gleeful encouragement just made things happen that much more quickly. Shape-shifting took care of my clothing problem, and Bastien soon left us, allegedly to go get a drink and try his hand at the blackjack table. Once he left the theatre, though, Phoebe leaned over to me conspiratorially and whispered, â€Å"Here's a wager for you. How much do you want to bet he comes back with a glow?† I laughed and whispered back, â€Å"I won't take that bet. Are you sure you haven't worked with him before?† Admittedly, an incubus looking to get laid wasn't that far of a stretch, but I liked how adeptly Phoebe was able to pick up on my old friend's personality quirks. â€Å"Nah,† she said with a smile. â€Å"I've just known his type.† Other dancers began trickling in. Phoebe introduced us as they arrived, and most were friendly and excited to have someone new in the group. They weren't yet at their full number needed for the show, so everyone was anxious for that to happen. I brought them one step closer, though it surprised me they were still short. From my experiences, there were always groups of girls lined up to try to make it in show business. Phoebe confirmed as much. â€Å"Oh, yeah, tons have tried out. And you should have seen them at the beginning, when they first did the open casting. Matthias is just really selective, that's all. Cornelia – the head choreographer – is just as bad.† â€Å"And yet he took me on a five-minute audition,† I pointed out. Phoebe grinned. â€Å"Sweetie, he just knows talent when he sees it. Besides, he's in charge of this gig. If he says you're in, you're in.† Matthias wasn't the only one running the show, of course. Along with the dancers came other management and staff, like the aforementioned Cornelia. Everyone had a part to play. The rehearsal was fast-paced and aggressive – but also lots of fun. Phoebe hadn't been joking. The other dancers were good – really good. It had been a very long time since I'd danced with any sort of group, even longer since I was with one of such caliber. I was used to being the standout at anything dance related, and it was a surprise – a good one – to find myself surrounded by so many equals. I had to work to keep up with them on the first day, and even if I didn't walk out as an instant star, I left confident that I'd held my own. Before I could go, one of the show's costumers asked to take my measurements backstage. Phoebe told me she'd go hunt down Bastien and meet me at the casino's central bar. The seamstress appeared with her tape measure, and I made a mental note of my height for future shape-shifting. Matthias came by, carrying his notes, and paused when he saw us. â€Å"You did really well today,† he told me. â€Å"It's like you've been with us from the first day.† â€Å"Hardly,† I said. â€Å"I've still got a lot to learn. Especially in the fourth song. The steps are deceptively simple . . . but there's a certain attitude you've got to hold to pull them off. No, maybe not attitude. Grace? Vibe? I can't explain it, but the simplicity's what makes it so genius. It seems like such a basic pattern, but how it's executed is what truly brings out the beauty.† I was thinking aloud, just sort of rambling, and realized that I sounded kind of ridiculous. â€Å"Sorry. That probably doesn't make any sense.† â€Å"No, no.† Matthias stared at me wonderingly. â€Å"That's exactly it. That's how I intended it. I was inspired by watching classical ballet, how all the moves are amplified by the emotion put into the routines. Cornelia said it was crazy to try to think that deep for a show like this, but it just felt right.† â€Å"It's beautiful,† I said honestly. â€Å"I can absolutely see where you were going with it. Reminds me of something from La Bayadre.† â€Å"You know La Bayadre?† he asked, wide-eyed. â€Å"Of course,† I said. â€Å"It's a classic. Who doesn't?† â€Å"You'd be surprised.† I realized then that the seamstress had left, having achieved her goal. Matthias was still regarding me in amazement. Now that they weren't focused on the clipboard, I was able to see how blue his eyes were. They were like the sky on a clear, crisp day. â€Å"Are you busy tonight?† he asked a few moments later. â€Å"Would you . . . would you like to go get dinner? Or even just a drink? I'd love to talk dance more with you.† For a succubus, I could be surprisingly na?ve sometimes. Because for half an instant, I almost accepted. I was so keyed up after the rehearsal and so excited to talk more about the show that I actually briefly thought that was all he wanted to go out for. Now, I don't mean to imply that his motives were totally base either. He wasn't using this as a ruse to simply get me into bed. But he also wasn't treating this as a meeting of colleagues. Bottom line: he liked me. I'd peaked his interest, and he wanted to go out on a date. Normally, that wouldn't have been a problem . . . except, there was something I sincerely liked about him. He was cute, and I found his passion for his work endearing. I loved how he kept getting wrapped up in it, totally consumed and distracted like – Seth. And there was the problem. This guy was the choreographer version of Seth. A one-night fling with some sleazy guy who meant nothing wasn't cheating in the eyes of our relationship. But for me to go out with a guy I liked, that I found intriguing and attractive in the same way I found Seth . . . well. That was wrong, especially since Matthias was obviously interested in me. It was a strange situation to be in, one I hadn't expected. â€Å"Oh, that would be great, but my friends and I already have plans,† I told him. â€Å"We're trying to make the most of my trip since it's so short.† â€Å"Oh.† His face fell a little, then brightened. â€Å"But you'll be back for tomorrow's rehearsal, right? It'd be great if you were able to get in the steps one more time before you left town. You know, give you something to practice.† â€Å"Sure,† I said. â€Å"That'd be great.† The rest of the evening went by in a blur of activity. Phoebe joined Bastien and me in a whirlwind tour of Vegas highlights, which included a lot of casino and club hopping. Phoebe and I both donned skimpy, glamorous dresses, playing up our succubus sex appeal to its maximum. We draped ourselves on Bastien's arms, and he swaggered around even more than usual, smug with the envy he got over showing us off. After hours of this, I was ready for some downtime. Phoebe and Bastien had a quick consultation and decided that if we hurried we could make the late performance of a magic show they knew. â€Å"Magic?† I asked, more than a little tipsy from vodka gimlets. â€Å"Don't we live a magic show?† â€Å"Damn near,† said Bastien. He was ostensibly still being gallant in offering me his arm, but it was unclear who was really holding whom up. â€Å"There's something special about this show, I've heard.† There was a mischievous glint in his eyes. The three of us made our way to a modest, off-Strip hotel I'd never heard of. It still had alcohol and slot machines in its casino, which was probably all that mattered to most of its customers. Bastien bought us tickets to see The Great Jambini, and we hurried into the small theater – which was about half-full – just as the lights went down. A mediocre comedian did the warm-up act, and soon the star attraction himself came out. He had graying hair and a bright purple silk turban, along with a sequined cape that could have come straight from the wardrobe department at Sparkles. He kept tripping over its hem, which led to my first observation: he was totally drunk. A second observation soon followed, once I realized there were more immortal signatures in here than just mine, Phoebe's, and Bastien's. The Great Jambini was an imp. He started off with some standard card tricks, receiving half-hearted applause from the audience. These were followed by juggling, which I found remarkable simply because of the concentration it required from someone so obviously intoxicated. He didn't miss a move. I think the other members of the audience shared my opinion because their applause warmed up. Inspired by this, Jambini then made a great show of setting his juggling pins on fire. This brought the applause to a standstill, and some of the people in the front rows shifted uneasily. â€Å"Is that a good idea?† I murmured to my friends. â€Å"It never is,† remarked Phoebe. â€Å"What do you mean nev – â€Å" Within thirty seconds after lighting the pins, Jambini had begun juggling . . . and promptly set his cape on fire. People gasped and screamed as he flung it off him onto the stage. Considering its cheap material, I was kind of surprised the cape hadn't ignited faster. He stomped on it until the flames were out, and I saw a few stagehands on the periphery ready with fire extinguishers, just in case. Once the cape was a black, smoldering mess, he lifted it up. A dove emerged from underneath it, flying up into the air, much to the awe and delight of the spectators. â€Å"It was part of the show,† I breathed, equally impressed. â€Å"Yup,† said Phoebe. Jambini reached for the dove, which just barely slipped past him. It circled around the room, then swooped low into the audience. Along the way, it sideswiped a woman whose hair was elaborately French braided. The dove's foot got tangled in her hair, and it soon became trapped, beating its wings frantically to escape as she leaped up and began screaming. â€Å"Was that part of the show?† I asked. â€Å"No,† said Phoebe in awe. â€Å"But it really should be.† Within seconds, the stagehands were out in the audience, where they were able to remove and confine the dove. They escorted the woman off as well, heads bent low as they murmured apologies. The Great Jambini made a flourish-filled bow, much to the delight of the crowd. Everyone loves a wacky mishap. He performed a few scarf tricks, most of which went off without a hitch, and then came to stand in the center of the stage, face grave. â€Å"For my next trick, I need a volunteer.† His eyes fell on our corner. â€Å"A lovely volunteer.† â€Å"Oh, he noticed us,† said Phoebe, with a sigh. She raised her hand, along with others in the audience. When I did nothing, she elbowed me until I raised my hand as well. After a great show of examining all the volunteers, Jambini strode up to our table and extended his hand to me. Bastien and Phoebe whistled and cheered, urging me up. I was a little nervous about being set on fire or attacked by birds, but it was hard for me to refuse an audience. I accepted Jambini's hand and let him lead me up to the stage, while thunderous applause rang out around us. â€Å"Just shape-shift into any outfit that comes to mind,† he muttered in my ear, his breath heavy with the scent of gin. Once we were on center stage, he took the microphone and kicked into showman mode. â€Å"Now, my lovely assistant here . . . what is your name, lovely assistant?† I leaned toward the microphone. â€Å"Georgina.† â€Å"Georgina. What a lovely name. And so, lovely Georgina, all you have to do is allow yourself to be receptive to the awe-inspiring, truly mystical powers of my magic. If you do, wondrous transformations will occur.† I nodded in agreement, and more cheering ensued. Jambini walked over to his prop table and returned with a curtain attached to a hoop and a handle. When he held it up by the handle, the curtain hung down in a way that created an enclosed cylinder, completely concealing the person inside. I obligingly stepped forward, letting the folds of fabric hide me while Jambini gave a â€Å"magical countdown.† In those brief seconds, I shape-shifted my sparkly cocktail dress to the first thing that came to mind: my green foil elf dress. Jambini whipped the curtain away dramatically, revealing me in my new attire. People gasped and clapped with delight, and I gave a bow almost as showy as his. Encouraged by the response, Jambini declared, â€Å"One more time.† I stepped back into the curtained enclosure and changed this time into black jeans, a silver-sequined top, and a woman's tuxedo jacket. When he pulled back the curtain, the applause faltered a little bit before increasing to a frenzy. I'd seen these types of tricks performed before among those not gifted with shape-shifting, and usually performers simply shifted between loose dresses, items easy to get on and off. My choice of clothing kind of defied the logic of those familiar with how the trick worked. But, hey. This was magic, right? â€Å"Show-off,† Bastien told me when I returned to my seat. â€Å"Hey,† I whispered back, watching Jambini attempt to swallow a knife. He'd gotten about a third of the way there before he started coughing. With a shrug, he finally gave up and simply bowed to delayed applause. â€Å"These people deserve something for their money.† Jambini – or Jamie, as I later learned he was really named – was much more appreciative of my performance. My group met up with him in the hotel's drab bar after the show. â€Å"Switching to pants was genius,† he told me, knocking back a glass of gin. I had a sneaking suspicion that the show's actual performance was the longest he went without a drink on a given day. â€Å"People are going to be scratching their heads over that one for days.† â€Å"Maybe too much,† warned Bastien. â€Å"You'll make mortals suspicious.† I shrugged, unconcerned. â€Å"This is Vegas, baby. No one'll question it. Besides, weirder things happen all the time.† Jamie was nodding along eagerly. â€Å"And that tacky holiday dress too? That was great. Really god-awful. You know, if you're moving here, I could totally hook you up with a job as my assistant.† He chuckled. â€Å"People would probably get more out of seeing you than my tricks.† â€Å"That wouldn't surprise me in the least,† said Bastien, straight-faced. â€Å"Well, thanks,† I said, â€Å"but I think I've got more jobs than I need. Phoebe already set me up with something.† â€Å"Poacher,† said Jamie. The other succubus laughed as she stirred cherries around in her cocktail. â€Å"Hey, I can't help it if I – â€Å" A familiar aura spread through the room, and Phoebe fell silent. We all turned as one, watching as Luis entered the bar. Even mortals, who couldn't feel him like we could, paused and watched him stride through the room. There was just something that powerful and compelling about his dark presence. â€Å"Boss man,† said Jamie, holding up his glass in a mock toast. â€Å"You just missed my amazing performance.† â€Å"I've seen your shows before,† said Luis, sitting down and beckoning the bartender over. â€Å"I don't think I really missed anything.† â€Å"Georgina was his ‘lovely assistant,' † teased Phoebe. â€Å"Oh?† Luis paused to place his order and then turned toward me. â€Å"Pray tell, what did you do to wow them? Set some scarves on fire?† â€Å"Just some run-of-the-mill shape-shifting,† I said modestly. Jamie started in on his second gin glass. He'd ordered two when we sat down. I guess he didn't want to risk waiting the extra few minutes it would take to pour another. â€Å"That trick is always best with succubi. Even with a plant and a prepped costume, it never goes off quite as well. I used to have this girl who worked with me when I lived in Raleigh, and she did okay, but you could tell people knew how the whole get-up worked.† Alcohol was buzzing through me pleasantly, and I'd slowed down my consumption so as not to lose my head. Somewhere in that warm haze, Jamie's words tickled a memory. â€Å"Raleigh . . . when were you in Raleigh?† â€Å"I moved from there a few years ago. I was there about . . . oh, I don't know.† He took a sip of gin, perhaps to help his math skills. â€Å"Not that long. Twenty years. I did some good soul brokering, but really, my talents were better appreciated here, you know?† â€Å"When you were there, did you know a vampire named Milton?† I asked. Remembering my conversation with Hugh while I was in the middle of a cheap Vegas bar was weird – but no weirder than hearing Raleigh mentioned twice this week. â€Å"Milton?† Jamie's eyebrows rose, and some of his good humor dimmed. â€Å"Yeah, I know him. Scary son of a bitch. Looks like – â€Å" â€Å"Nosferatu?† I suggested. Jamie nodded solemnly. â€Å"How anyone as blatantly vampire as him got by as a covert operative is beyond me.† Phoebe frowned. â€Å"Did you say ‘covert operative'?† The waiter appeared then with Luis's drink. Luis motioned for him to stay and glanced around at the rest of us. â€Å"Refills? Another gimlet or cosmo? Jamie? You're drinking Tanqueray, right?† Jamie looked offended. â€Å"Beefeater.† Luis rolled his eyes. â€Å"That's ridiculous and disgusting. Bring him some Tanqueray.† â€Å"No!† exclaimed Jamie. â€Å"Beefeater. I'm a purist.† â€Å"You have no discrimination,† countered Luis. He looked back at the confused waiter. â€Å"Bring one of each. We'll have a taste test.† The waiter looked relieved and hurried off before someone else contradicted the orders. â€Å"It's a waste of time,† said Jamie. â€Å"No offense, boss man. You'll see.† Luis was unmoved. â€Å"Beefeater's for peasants.† â€Å"Jamie,† I tried, â€Å"about Milton – â€Å" â€Å"Peasants!† I don't think Luis could've insulted Jamie more if he'd called his mother names. â€Å"Beefeater is a refined drink, for a refined palate. You know I have infinite respect for you, but clearly, despite your years of worldly experience . . . well . . .† Jamie drunkenly groped for an eloquent way to finish his speech. â€Å"You're wrong.† Luis laughed, something I couldn't help but think Jerome most definitely wouldn't have done if one of his subordinates said he was wrong. â€Å"We'll see, my friend. It's a complex matter really, coming down to an analysis of both base ingredients and the distillation process.† â€Å"Jamie – † I attempted again. â€Å"That,† declared Jamie, â€Å"we can both agree on. And Beefeater is vastly superior in both.† â€Å"Give it up, Fleur,† Bastien told me in a low voice, eyes twinkling. â€Å"You can't compete with gin. Better luck tomorrow.† I started to protest, but further listening to Luis and Jamie's debate told me Bastien was right. Jamie was so fixated on defending his gin's honor that I doubt he would've even remembered me asking about Milton. â€Å"Will he be sober tomorrow?† I asked skeptically. â€Å"No,† said Phoebe. â€Å"But he's usually a little less drunk during the first half of the day.† The gin arrived, and Luis and Jamie became totally consumed with conducting â€Å"scientific† examinations on it, involving scent and surface tension. I didn't really see how the latter made that much of a difference in a taste test, but they seemed to think it was a pretty serious matter. â€Å"Dear God,† I murmured, amazed. Bastien finished off his cocktail. â€Å"When things turn serious, it's time for me to leave. What do you say, ladies? Would you like to go search out the clubs for some companionship ?† â€Å"I've got an early day tomorrow,† Phoebe said with regret. â€Å"I should probably just go home now. But you'll be at practice tomorrow, right?† â€Å"I guess so,† I said. â€Å"I told Matthias I would.† Despite ostensibly being involved in liquor analysis, Luis glanced over at the sound of the company manager's name. â€Å"Oh? Did you arrange the introduction?† I nodded. â€Å"Phoebe got me signed on.† Luis looked pleased. â€Å"Excellent. Are you happy with it?† The question surprised me, but then I remembered his earlier comment upon my arrival, about how he wanted happy employees. â€Å"I think so. I think it'll be a lot of fun.† â€Å"Good. And what did you think of Matthias?† That one was really a surprise. â€Å"I thought he was nice. Do you know him?† â€Å"Only by reputation,† said Luis. I was about to use the interruption to ask Jamie about Milton again, but before I could, Luis effortlessly slipped back to gin science, effectively blocking me from the imp's attention. Tomorrow, I decided. â€Å"You know,† said Phoebe slyly. â€Å"I could help you find Matthias if you wanted to see him tonight.† Even afloat on vodka gimlets, I still knew the right and wrong surrounding any sort of casual romance with Matthias. If I was going to hook up with anyone while I was here, it wasn't going to be anybody I would ever consider seriously. I flashed her and Bastien my best saucy succubus smile. â€Å"Nah, too tame. I'm not here to settle down yet. Let's find something wilder and do this Vegas weekend right.† Bastien whooped with joy and caught hold of my hand. As he led me away, telling me about â€Å"this perfect dance club,† I caught sight of Luis's face. He was nodding at Jamie, still seemingly interested in their debate . . . but there was something about the satisfied, knowing smile on Luis's lips that made me think it wasn't just the gin he was so happy about.