Egypt and Mesopotamia Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Egypt and Mesopotamia - Research Paper Example Not only this but the rulers of both societies− pharos, kings were considered as gods because of their power and wealth. Instead of being very similar in different religious points Egyptians and Mesopotamians however shared a different and pretty distinct culture in numerous ways. Language and development of alphabet was very different. Mesopotamian’s language was way too complex as compared to Egyptians also their studies and researches in the field of astronomy and other subjects were advance from the latter ones. Political comparison is actually very interesting. Politics and government formation in Egypt was very stable comparatively to Mesopotamia where shifting of power and states was very frequent. This was majorly because of the difference in geography, invasions and exposure to the outside world. The great tombs and pyramids which are now considered as the wonders are actually not because of the Egyptians religious beliefs in fact its geography has also played a significant role in those earthly wonders. According to geographers Egyptians were blessed with a good supply of great stones which they use very brilliantly in pyramids formation. Not only this, both civilizations were heavily dependent on rivers for the agriculture and irrigation purposes. Egyptians on River Nile and Mesopotamian’s on Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Comparatively speaking, agricultural production of Egyptians was greater than Mesopotamians due to their effective planning and also political stability which resulted in increase in their population bringing prosperity. Due to broad exposure Mesopotamians technological improvements were wide spread comparatively to Egyptians. They were accustomed to give more importance to trade, business and their merchant class which resulted in their economic stability. Also in everyday life Egyptians showed great deal of respect and affection towards their families particular their females (Bulliet 25). As for

Management, Leadership and Change assignment 2 Essay

Management, Leadership and Change assignment 2 - Essay Example According to Aluya (2009), successful transformation would require 70 – 80 percent leadership and only 10 – 30 percent management. Failure to plan is planning to fail. The foremost reasons following the botched change process is the opposition to change (Bean, 2014). A triumphant change principal will engage the members in the change process, and with this participation, the change will be probable. The purpose of the report was comprehensively to scrutinize the transformational leadership that permitted Nokia Corporation to remain a market leader for decades. Another mystifying issue that inspired the research was the fact that Nokia products were facing stiff competition from their close competitors like Samsung yet it was many older than them. It should be settled that Nokia, having been established earlier, should have conquered the market due to customer constancy and high excellence merchandise that are customer-tailored, but this was not the case. There has been the change of leadership from transformational to Democratic leadership style. The research tried to demystify the impact that different leadership styles in organisations in terms of morale of employees, the relationship in the group and the consequent effects of changing from one leadership style to another. The research had a purpose of indicating how beneficial transformation leadership was to the company and showed why the change of direction to Democratic led to market failure of a once giant company. Collectively, the report exemplified that failure to cope with change leads to enormous letdown. 6 Transformational leadership has pragmatically been the preference for extenuating change in a managerial space. An organisation’s survival in the current economic landscape entirely depends on how suitably and adequately it assumes its strategies. The zenith of managers should be well informed of the changes that occur in the industry and rapidly conforms

The Use Of Microsoft Excel Computer Science Essay

The Use Of Microsoft Excel Computer Science Essay Microsoft Excel, popularly called as Excel is a versatile software application and is a part of the Microsoft Office Suite applications. It is a full-featured spreadsheet program that allows the user to perform a specific work related to decision making in the areas of business and economic applications. The specific work may be related to organizing statistical data, performing statistical and mathematical calculations, drawing inferences related to statistical applications, drawing graphs and charts based on the data availability, and also help in developing professional looking of reports. For better understanding, excel can be divided in three major heads: Parts Function Worksheets It allows the user to enter, calculate, manipulate and analyze data of both numerical and textual Charts and graphs Charts and Graphs are the pictorial representation of data series. Excel helps the users to represent the data to draw two-dimensional and three-dimensional column charts, pie-charts and many other types of charts and graphs. Databases The third important function of Excel is of managing data. For instance, once the user entered a set of data in the excel worksheet, it is having the facility to sort the data, if required, can search specific data, and can select that specific data that is needed by the user. STARTING EXCEL? There are a number of ways to start in Excel. The one possibility is to click on the START button, then select PROGRAMS from the start menu and finally, click on Microsoft Excel. The second possibility is to create a shortcut of the MicrosoftExcel icon on the desktop. When excel needs to open, double click on the icon directly. The third possibility is that if the user is already developed a spreadsheet file by assigning a name to that file, then the procedure is to double click on that file. For example, there is an excel file which is saved by a user in the file name namita.xls. Double clicking on the icon of this file will directly open this file. All the above three operations will display white grid in the screen with rows of menus and icons at the top of the screen. EXPLORING THE WINDOWS: When Excel is opened, mostly two types of windows appears on the screen namely the application window and the document window. The identification of the application windows is one that contains running program and they have menu bars. Where as, the document window appears inside the application window without the menu bars. FIGURE-FA1 Following are the brief descriptions on various uses of different bars. a. Title bar: It shows the name of the application, document, group, directory, or file. If more than one window is open at a time, the title bar for the active window (that window where the user is working at present) has a color or intensity different from the other title bars. b. Menu bar: This bar contains the available menus from which the user can choose command based on his/her need. c. Tool bar: The tool bar(s) provides the user with a quick method of working with various parts of the worksheet. Tool bars can be displayed on the screen based on the use of the user. They can be customized and also multiple tool bars can be displayed at the same time. d. Scroll bar: The scroll bar(s) enable the user while moving the spreadsheet when the entire spreadsheet is not coming within the display area in the computer screen. Here the user has to click the scroll arrows with the mouse to move through the spreadsheet or to see one line at a time. e. Window border: The window border is the outside edge of a window. The user can change the window size by lengthening or shortening the border on each side of the window. f. Commands: Commands are accessed through the menu bar of the file. The user has to select the menu item and then the commands associated with that menu will be displayed. The user has to click on that command which he/she required. g. Formula bar: It displays any formulas, address, or variables used to get the information in the cell. The pictorial description of an Excel workbook is derived in Figure-FA2 below. FIGURE-FA2: AN EXCEL WORKBOOK WORKING IN THE SPREADSHEET: A spreadsheet is a tabular form of values arranged in rows and columns. When an Excel file is clicked, a workbook is opened. The normal file type in Excel is referred as a workbook. Hence, spreadsheets are created on the worksheets. The first blank workbook displayed in the monitor of the computer is called Book1. Each workbook contains sheets which are called as worksheets when they contain in spreadsheet. But when include a graph is called as chartsheet. Workbooks are rectangular grid containing columns (vertical marked A, B, Cà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.Z, AA, AB,AC,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦AZ..) and rows (horizontal marked numeric values 1,2,3,4,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.). Thus, a letter above each column identifies each column and a number on the left side of the grid identifies each row. Each worksheet in a workbook has 256 columns and 65,536 rows. Cells are the building blocks of plants and animals à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and spreadsheets too! Just like living cells do inside the living organisms, spreadsheet cells similarly can perform many functions. The cell is the basic unit of the worksheet and the data is entered in a cell. Each cell can be identified by a unique cell address otherwise called as cell references, which is the interaction of a column and a row. In order to identify a cell the column letter is specified first followed by the row number. For example, in the above figure-FA2 the highlighted single cell reference is B4 (as B stands for column and 4 stands for row). Similarly, multiple cells can also be identified by the user. In such a case, the user has to identify an active cell first, then hold the left mouse button, then drag to down and have to move the mouse right based on the desired numbers of cells. This facilitates all cells within that range will be highlighted. Data has to be entered in the active cell. The active cell in the workbook can be identified by a heavy border surrounding the cell. In addition, the active cell is listed in the reference area immediately above column A and row 1 referred as A1. NATURE OF DATA: Three types of data are generally entered in a workbook. They are: Nature of data Description Text To identify a set of work, some identification is needed. These identifications are expressed in qualitative descriptions. For example, titles of work like A regression analysis, Household budget analysis, etc. and for identifying the columns it also requires the textual variables like sales, productions, income, expenditure, profit, interest, etc. Numbers Numbers is the second items that can be entered in a workbook. Numbers consists of the digits zero through nine (i.e., 0, 1, 2, 3, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, 9) and some special characteristics like +, -, ( ), /, . , $, %, #, etc. Formulas One of the greatest advantage of Excel application is the usefulness of formulas. A formula is a sequence of the values and the cells reference in a cell that produces a new value by using the existing values which is available with the user. Formula can be entered in uppercase or lowercase, and space can be added between the arithmetic operations to make the formulas easier to read. The detailed use with formulas is carried out in below derived sections. CREATING A WORKSHEET: A sample worksheet is created in Figure-FA3 below for the better understanding of the readers. First of all the user has to is to enter correct values in the required cells. Once the required information are entered in the cell the user can make the whole worksheet attractive by using some formatting options like bold text, different alignment and adding multiple colors to various texts to make the matter easily distinguishable and so on. Few easy steps of entering data are derived below. Click with mouse on the desired cell (in our example it is A2) Press the ENTER key from the key board to switch to next cell (or use Arrow key) or click on the next cell through mouse Type the column title to identify your variable (like A3 for the data of GDP, in B3 data on Agricultural sector, C3 Industrial sector etc.) By using step-2, enter the entire data in columns A, B, C, and D Then click in B2 to enter the next title of the data and enter data in each cell till it completed. Enter the data in other columns based on the availability of data. After entering the data, the entire spreadsheet will looks like as. FIGURE-FA3: A Sample Worksheet If the user has noticed any mistake while entering a data in a cell, then by using the back space key that value can be corrected. On the other hand, in case of mistakes in any cell where the data is already entered, make that cell as active cell. When the user clicks on a cell, the value entered in that cell is displayed in the formula bar of the worksheet. By using the backspace at the formula bar the mistake needs to be corrected. HOW FORMULAS WORK: The basic concern of this book is to narrate the detailed use of calculations by using the formulas and its execution procedure. Each formula has to be entered with the formula operator which is the equal sign i.e., =. When an equation sign is entered in a cell, Excel understands that whatever will be followed will be either a numeric value or may be an address of the cells which must contains a numeric value. For example, =C6 implies put in the value that is in the cell with the address of column C and row 6. For the better understanding of the readers, the process of working with formulas is discussed in three different heads below: Simple mathematical calculations Data analysis and Drawing charts 1. Simple Mathematical calculations: Data are the raw materials for spreadsheets. They generally are of constant values or simple values. Mathematical calculation by using the available data can be done by using formula (s). Hence, formulas are the command that instructs Excel to carry out a calculation. There are four independent basic mathematical operations and group operations of these four types can be easily carried out in Excel. The operators used for mathematical calculations are: Operator Pronunciation Task Operator Pronunciation Task + Plus sign Addition * Asterisk Multiplication - Minus sign Subtraction / Forward slash Division % Percent Per cent ^ Hat Exponentiation Absciant and Text Joining Addition: Any two or more values entered in separate cells can be added by using formulas. The first step is to start with =SUM(beginning cell address:ending cell address) and then press the ENTER key. In figure-FA4 below, a user wants to sum two values entered in cell A2 and cell B2 and wants to get the value at column F3. The formula has to be entered as written in the figure in F3 column and by pressing the ENTER key the value will be displayed as 28.66. In the second process the user can add different values entered in different cells by using the + sign. For example, =first cell address+second cell address+à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦, then press ENTER key. Let suppose that the user wants to add only three values viz., A2, B3 and A4 and wants the result to be displayed in cell G3. The formula will be as displayed in the G3 column and after pressing ENTER the value will be displayed in that cell as 42.47. Excel makes it easy to quickly add a column or row of numbers. To illustrate the AutoSum feature, consider the above Figure-FA4. Let that the user wants to sum value entered in B column. Click on cell B6 which is the active cell, then click on the AutoSum botton displayed in the tool bar with a sum symbol like à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ and click on ENTER key for the value. In such a case, the sum function automatically selects the values of the entire column. Here the user is not required to enter the address of all the cells manually. The AutoSum value of the data entered in column B as displayed in B6 cell is 60.21. ii. Subtraction: Two or more values can be subtracted by using the - operator. The formula can be used as = first cell address-second cell address then press ENTER key. For example, one wants to subtract two values entered in cell B3 to A4 by using the values of above Figure-FA4 and wants to get the value in F5 cell. The formula will be as displayed in the F5 column and after pressing ENTER the value will be displayed in that cell as 5.26. FIGURE-FA4: VARIOUS MATHEMATICAL CALCULATIONS Multiplication: two or more values can be multiplied by using the multiply operator *. The formula can be used as =first cell address*second cell address*à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ and then press ENTER key. Let for example, one wants to multiply three values as entered in cell A1, B2 and A4 by using the values of above derived Figure-FA4 and wants to display the multiplication value in cell G4. The formula will be as displayed in the G4 column and after pressing ENTER the value will be displayed in G4 cell as 2533.073. Division: For the use of division in Excel, the / operator is used. The formula will be =first cell address/second cell address and then press ENTER key. For example, one wants to divide two values entered in cell B4 to A2 by using the values of above Figure-FA4 and wants to get the value in G5 cell. The formula will be as displayed in the G5 column and after pressing ENTER the value will be displayed in that cell as 1.378. Group expressions: In many calculations the situation demands for a grouped calculation. In such calculations parentheses (or brackets) are used to combine two independent functions into a group. The rule is that any part of the formulas expressed within the brackets is done first and the next operation is carried out then after. For example, the expression 8+3/2 will be 9.5 where as (8+3)/2 will be 5.5. Similarly, the value of 7+3/2 is 8.5 (not 5) where as (7+3)/2 is 5. Group calculations in Excel can be done as: =(first cell address then the operator(let it be +)second cell address, so on)the next operator (let it be *) by the constant value 2 (or if the value is entered in any cell then the cell address of that cell). By using the above Figure-FA4, some other possibilities are illustrated for the better understanding of the reader. Table-TA1: MATHEMATICAL FORMULA MODELS By using Formula in Excel Value Multiplication and Addition =(E2+E4)*2 then ENTER key =(E2+E4)*C3 then ENTER key 52 330.2 Multiplication and subtraction =(B3-E3)*5 then ENTER key 16.05 Multiplication and Division =(E4*A4)/3 then ENTER key 61.65 Addition and subtraction =(A3+A4+E3)-B4 then ENTER key 20.64 There are many other such possibilities of calculating values by using the group function. To illustrate the concept more clearly, an attempt has been made to calculate the PAY ROLL in Excel of few employees in the Box-A1 derived below. Box-A1: CALCULATION OF PAY ROLL OF M/S. DIKSHYA INDUSTRIES PVT LTD Mr. J.P.Voga, since his joining as the Managing Director of M/S. Dikshya Industries last month had passed various resolutions in his industry. One such resolution is that the salary of its 385 employees should transform to their accounts positively on the 1st day of each month. Mr. P.K. Jha, the Head, Accounts Department of that industry, is a retired government auditor who is well habituated with manual calculations. But after joining this industry, he is learning the use of Excel since last few months casually as he managed himself with this industry with his earlier expertise. But, Mr. Vogas order pressurized him a lot and he at the end finalized to develop the pay roll of each departments of the industry in Excel. For this he approached Mr. Vinay Jalota, his sub-ordinate at office who is at the post of Assistant Finance Officer at his industry. They decided to formulate separate pay roll for each department separately. Since, Mr. Jha is formulating the pay roll for the first time , they decided to start with the IT-Department of the company which is having 16 employees starting from the top management to the bottom employee. The steps followed are as follows: Step-1: In the first place it has been decided to divide the pay calculation in two separate heads like Basic and Allowances and the second phase is the deductions. The basic and allowances section consists all the gains to the employees i.e., credit amounts and the deduction section consists of debit amounts or looses to employ. Step-2: From the model pay roll attached in Figure-FA5 one can find that column A and Column B are the serial numbers of the employees and the name of the employees along with designation and basic pay respectively. Step-3: Column C is the number of days in that month that the employee had worked. The entry 31 in this column indicates that this month is having 31 days (this calculation is on May 2010). One can see that against each employees 31 is entered which implies all have worked in this month without any without pay. Step-4: Then in column D salary is calculated in respect of the basic of each employee separately. The formula =ROUND(VALUE(21400/B3*C6),0) is entered. In this formula, ROUND(VALUE is entered to round the fractions to nearest 0. The entry 21400 is the basic of the employee and it is first divided by B3 column i.e., to get per day salary of that month and then multiplies by C6 which is the number of days the employee worked. That is out of the 31 days in May how many days that particular employee worked. Once this formula is entered then copy the formula and paste it in the D7 column to get the salary of the next employee. But the basic of each employee differs. Hence, new basic needs to be edited in the copied formula in the formula bar. In this way in column D salary for each employee has been calculated. Step-5: Column E is the addition of the 50per cent of employees. The formula entered as =ROUND(VALUE(D6/50%),0). As one can see D6 column estimates the basic salary based on the number of days that employee worked on that month. A 50% of this amount has been calculated. Then copy this formula and paste it against each employee in column E. Since this formula is fixed for all, hence, there will be no change in the formula. But this formula doesnt fit for that employee who is in consolidated pay salary. Step-6: Column F is the added value of column D and column E. This amount will be the basic salary amount of the employees. The formula entered for calculation is =ROUND(VALUE(D6+E6),0). This formula is remained unchanged against all employees who are in the regular pay scale, of course except those who are in consolidated pay scale. Step-7: Based on the total amount calculated in column F, 64% is to be added as DA allowances. The formula is =ROUND(VALUE(F6*64%),0). This is applicable for all the employees except consolidated pay packagers. Step-8: Special amount per month has been fixed by the employer based on the basic of each employee. This amount as applicable has been added against each employees. The formula is = ROUND(VALUE(4600/B3*C6),0). This formula implies that per month special amount is Rs. 4600. this amount is first divided by total days in that month (B3) to get per day amount and then multiplied by numbers of days the employee worked in that month (C6). Step-9: HRA is at the 5% of the total salary calculated at column F. Hence, the formula is = ROUND(VALUE(F6*5%),0). But those employees who are residing in the quarters provided by the Industry are not entitled to get this amount. Hence, these columns for some employees are left vacant without any calculation. Step-10: Similarly Transportation, Traveling and other allowances, Medical, extra special allowances, Personal Pay and Telephone allowance as per applicable has been separately calculated by using the same logic i.e., at first divided by numbers of days in that month and then multiplies by numbers of days the employee worked. For example, the formula for Transportation is = ROUND(VALUE(400/B3*C6),0) i.e., Rs. 400 is the medical allowances. Similarly, Traveling is calculated by the formula = ROUND(VALUE(6000/B3*C6),0) and so on. Step-11: The Gross salary of each employee will be the addition of total amount of the above allowances. In column P row 6 i.e., in P6 to calculate the gross salary of the first employee the formula is = (F6+G6+H6+I6+J6+K6+L6+M6+N6+O6). This formula then copied and past in against all the employees in P column. The format in Excel sheet is shown in figure-FA5 below. Step-12: Then deductions are to be deducted from the gross salary of each employee. The items include TDS, EPF, License Fees, Maintenance, Electricity, and Advance. Among these items, the items like TDS and EPF are applicable for all the employees but the amount differs based on the gross salary. There fore, these amounts as per applicability have been simply entered in the respective column of each employee. License fee is applicable to those who are the residents of industry provided quarters. The formula is = ROUND(VALUE(F7+G7*10%),0). This implies that, license fee is the 10% of total column plus DA i.e., F7+G7. The readers should not be confused with the entry of row 7 in the formula because employee entered in the model pay roll is not a resident of industry provided quarter. Similarly, the residents of industry quarters have to pay Maintenance and Electricity. Electricity bill is not fixed for each employee rather depends on their consumption, thus fluctuates from employ to em ploy. Hence, are entered directly against the employee. Where as maintenance is the 10% of the license fee calculated in column S. The formula is = ROUND(VALUE(S7*10%),0). FIGURE-FA5: PAY ROLL FORMAT Step-13: The net payable or net salary of each employee is calculated as the total gross salary (column P) minus the deductions. The formula for the first employee is =P6-Q6-R6-S6-T6-U6-V6. Simply copy the formula and pasted it against each employee. The deduction portion of the model pay roll is shown in the Figure-FA6 below. Step-14:.Then by setting the pay roll worksheet by using the page setup options, the page can be printed by using the print option. FIGURE-FA6: PAY ROLL FORMAT (DECUCTIONS) This process when over surprised Mr. Jha. He could not believe him self that a person who is not touched the key board since last more than 30 years successfully developing a complete format of pay roll in Excel. This task of Mr. Jha increased his self confidence. Data analysis: Excel can perform a very large number of functions, which are formulas that perform a specific calculation beyond simple mathematical calculations. When the FUNCTION option in the INSERT menu is selected, it will display a large number menu of functions. This task of the Excel is more useful by the researchers for the simple statistical and econometric analysis of data. Excels FUNCTION option is very simple and hence, user friendly than other available statistical packages like SPSS, LIMDEP, STATA, STASTICA, GRITL, E-VIEWS, etc. But one think that the users should keep in mind that Excels data analysis wizard is not helpful for advanced data analysis purposes. Rather it is best suit for the beginners, particularly for the students and entry level researchers. Following are the steps of using the FUNCTION button in Excel worksheet for the purpose of drawing some statistical inferences. The first step is to create a data base in the worksheet containing the data series to be calculated. Then, click on INSERT button on menu bar and choose FUNCTION button. A small Excel window will appear showing the dialogue box. The user has to select the type of analysis it requires. The window is sheen as displayed in Fgure-FA7 below. The best option is to go for All type which will display all the options available under this function. FIGURE-FA7: INSERT FUNCTION USE Then specify the function (i.e., whether analysis is a standard deviation or correlation analysis, and so on.) Input the required cell address as per the need of the function and click OK. The final result will be displayed by the Excel application. The above steps can be well understood with a step wise calculation of CORRELATION between two variables as derived in Box-A2 below. Readers who are interested on the subject of correlation are advised to refer chapter-14 for a detailed analysis. Box-A2: Indian Textile Industry: Domestic Purchase is the Key The Indian textile industry faces many challenges in its efforts to become a major player in the global arena. Though it has many positive factors such as a multi-fibre raw material base, low cost labour base and big domestic market, it has been severely affected by insufficient power supply, steep increase in minimum support price for cotton and announcement of minimum wages on one side and stiff competition from other textile producing countries like China, Pakistan and Bangladesh. However, among the variables that positively influence the growth of the industry, the share of domestic purchase plays a very crucial role. For this we are having around eight years data on the total production of Indian textile sector and total domestic purchase by the Indian households. The detailed data set is shown in the Table-TA2 below. TABLE-TA2: TRENDS IN DOMESTIC PURCHASE (Quantity measured in million meters) Year Total Production Domestic Purchase 2000-01 40333 17969 2001-02 41390 19154 2002-03 41311 19860 2003-04 41721 20957 2004-05 44685 21784 2005-06 48808 22859 2006-07 52665 24030 2008-09 55023 25493 Source: Compiled from industry data base. In order to know whether there really exists strong relationship between the two variable i.e., between the total production of textile and domestic purchase, the correlation between the two variables are calculated with the help of Excel software and the steps followed in the process of calculation are outlined below: Step-1: The above data set is entered in the Excel spreadsheet and the file is saved as Correlation Analysis.xls. Step-2: The FUNCTION button from INSERT menu has been selected. Step-3: The window is now asking to specify the required function. In the Data type option All has been selected. Then CORREL option for correlation analysis is to be selected. The window appears as: FIGURE-FA8: INSERT FUNCTION WITH CORRELATION OPTION Step-4: When OK button is clicked, the next window will flash by asking for specifying the data range. In Excels language it is referred as Array1 and Array 2. Array 1 asks for first data series and Array 2 asks for second data series. In our above data set, year is only for the purpose of interpretation. Hence, while calculating the correlation value the column containing the Year data is not considered. After specifying the two data cell range, the window will looks like as FIGURE-FA9: FUNCTION ARGUMENTS IN CORRELATION ANALYSIS Step-5: By a click on OK button shows the value of correlation between the two variables which is measured by coefficient of correlation as 0.9559. The simple interpretation of the value says that both the variables considered under study are related with each other by up to 95 per cent. In other wards, there are other 5 per cent of variables, except domestic purchase contributes to total production of textile in India. Hence, the policy makers are to be serious enough with this result and they should pave necessary step to strength the domestic market for further growth of textile industry. Using Analysis tool pack Beside the FUNCTION option, data can also be analyzed by using the Analysis Toolpack and Analysis toolpack-VBA options. In some computers, these packs are not loaded automatically. To load this option in the computer click on TOOLS in menu bar and click on Add-ins. A small window asking the addition will display in the screen. Tick on the two options i.e., on Analysis Toolpack and Analysis toolpack-VBA with mouse and then click OK. The window will be as: FIGURE-FA10: INITIALIZATION OF ANALYSIS OF TOOL PACK For using the analysis tool pack, in the first place enter data in the Excel sheet and save the sheet by assigning a name. Then click on TOOLS and select DATA ANALYSIS option. A small window will appear showing numbers of statistical options. Specify on the desired one based on the need through mouse. From the below derived Excel window one can see that the regression option has been selected. FIGURE-FA11: DATA ANALYSIS OPTION FOR REGRESSION An OK click in the above process opens another window asking for specifying the cell address of the data series based on the desired statistical analysis. The user has to specify the cell address where as some functions need adjustments on basis of statistical properties and nature of the study. In order to explain the above steps more clear a Box-A3 has been developed below where by taking the sectoral growth rate, a multiple regression result has been calculated in Excel sheet. Box-A3: Contributions of regional sources in growth acceleration A nation is an aggregation of its regions. Thus, if we add the incomes of all states (regions), we should get the national income. This premise does not strictly hold in India given the problems in measurement and the data availability issues for more states and union territories. However, such problems are not considered serious in terms of magnitude and are, therefore, ignored in India [Dholakia, 2009]. In order to derive the contribution of states in the national growth acceleration the growth rate of the states during 1991-92 to 2003-04 for all the three sectors and the growth rate of the economy as a whole has been considered. The relevant concept of income is the gross state domestic product (GSDP) originating within the geographical boundary of the state and is measured at constant (1993-94) prices. The raw data is then converted into natural logarithms by taking ln value to make the data smooth one. A multiple regression model has been developed by considering the lnGSDP as dependent variable (Y) and other three variables i.e., contribution of primary sector (referred as lnPRI), contribution of secondary sector (referred as lnSECO) and the contribution of Tertiary sector (referred as lnTER) are considered as the dependent variable. Step-1: Enter the data in Excel sheet. Step-2: Click on TOOLS and select DATA ANALYSIS option Step-3: Select Regression option and click on OK. Step-4: The regression is now asking to specify the cell address of Y value and the cell add

Huckleberry Finn :: Mark Twain

Journey Adventure or Other In the novel Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain two unlikely people end up sharing fond memories. A runaway juvenile named Huckleberry Finn and a runaway slave named Jim go on an adventure that will give them everlasting memories. Traveling down the river was more than an exciting and amusing adventure for both Huck and Jim. A perfect example of Huck and Jim’s relationship is. â€Å"When we was ten foot off Tom whispered to me, and wanted to tie Jim to the tree for fun. But I said no. (Chap2 twain)† Early in the book you can see the respect Huck gives Jim though he is a runaway slave. This sign of respect no matter how minor builds for their relationship in the book. â€Å"†¦ Why ain’t this nigger put up at auction and sold?†(Chap6 twain) From early on Huck heard his father curse about and denounce slaves and surprisingly Huck did not take on the same attitude. â€Å"Jim wont ever forgit you, Huck, you’s de bes’ fren’ Jim’s ever had, en you’s de only fren’ ole Jims got now.†(Chap16 twain) At this point Jim has put his guard down and allowed him self to trust a white man and actually call him a friend. This is dramatic because Huck is plotting to turn Jim in to â€Å"bounty hunters†. â€Å"†¦ I’m a-trying to steal out of slavery†¦ Jim†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Chap33 twain) At this point in the story Jim and Huck have developed a deep friendship and have proven how much both didn’t and how much they thought they knew about each other. Huck and Jim both have a lot to lose. Jim has his and his family’s future on the line while Huck will lose a great friend and have to go back to his abusive father. â€Å"Before night they judged it was done by a runaway nigger named Jim.†(Chap11 twain) Jim has been accused of murder and the fact that he is a runaway slave will make his punishment worst if it is not death. If Jim is caught he will lose his chance to be free and see his family. â€Å"So he said courts mustn’t interfere and separate families if they couldn’t help it, said he’d druther not take a child away from its father.

Bill of Rights and Amendments Paper Essay

The United States Constitution was ratified and made law September 17, 1789. For Americas yet-to-be history the Framers knew the Constitution had to have a way to grow and change with the people, and their needs. This paper will cover the amendment process, the need for the Bill of Rights, how the Bill of Rights has affected America, what the Bill of Rights have granted American’s, discuss the later amendments, and what effect the later amendments have had. Amendments In order for America to continue to grow and change with the needs of the people, the Constitution was created with an amendment process in Article V. Article V gives two ways in which the Constitution can be amended; first is by a two-thirds vote from both the House or Representatives and the Senate, it must be ratified by 38 of the50 states. To date this is the only method that has been used. Second method is to hold a Convention called for the sole purpose of amending and two-thirds of the state legislatures must attend. Then it must be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures. The Constitution The Framers of the Constitution were specifically concerned with creating a charter for a working government, of the people, for the people, but the Constitution covered very few rights for the American citizen. During the secret convention of 1787,there was some opposition to the Constitution because it was viewed as not  having enough protections for Americas’ rights. â€Å"A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth† Jefferson, T (1787). Including an agreement to add immediately the Bill of Rights, gave way for the Constitution to be ratified. James Madison argued that a declaration of rights for the American people would help the judiciary branch protect individual rights. â€Å"They have given the right of man and fair discussion, and explained them in so clear and forcible manner as cannot fail to make a lasting impression† Washington, G. (1791). The Bill of Rights The Bill of Rights has affected countless court cases on individual rights. Communities and states can become involved to push moral or financial standards on others, and the Bill of Rights stops neighbors, states, and the federal government from infringing on the rights of an individual. The Bill of Rights protects the civil liberties that Americans are granted with citizenship, but it also gives America something to strive to be. The Bill of Rights is an ideal, a powerful statement of what America is trying to be. Amendments beyond the Bill of Rights The Bill of Rights accounts for amendments one through ten. Each of the additional 17 amendments has come about because of clarification needed for the original mechanics of the first three articles or to ensure civil rights. Amendments 11,16, and 24 are for clarifications of Article III. Amendments 12, 17, 20, 22, 25, 26, and 27are for further clarification of Articles I and II. Amendment 23 is further clarification of Article I. Only six amendments are to provide or clarify civil rights, those are13, 14, 15, 18, 19, and 21. Amendment 18 is the only one ever repealed. As we take a deeper look at amendments 13,14, and 15 they were also known as the Reconstruction Amendments. After the Civil War in early 1865 amendment 13 to abolish slavery, was found to be lacking in clarification of what happened to the freed slaves, and the 14th amendment was proposed in 1866, to allow all slaves citizenship. After this the rights for freed Black men came into question, the 15th amendment was created, that race would not bar anyone from the right to vote. Effects of the Constitutional Amendments The amendments beyond the Bill of Rights have each come when needed for the political and changing human rights that America has faced in the past 224 years. Rights have been granted; laws passed and recalled when they were no longer applicable for the climate of what Americans wanted for themselves. Clarifications for the running of the United States government, what should happen in case of emergencies and representation of all citizens have come from a government for the people, by the people. Conclusion Article V of the United States Constitution provides for America to change. The Framers knew that a simple document that was black and white could not govern a people for all time. Our Constitution is alive; it grows with America, and allows changes to be made allowing it stay relevant

Succubus Blues CHAPTER 15

Sometimes you wake up from a dream. And sometimes, every once in a while, you wake up in a dream. That's what happened to me. I opened my eyes, head throbbing, vaguely aware of something warm and fuzzy in my arms. Bright sunlight made me squint at first, but when I could finally focus, I realized I was looking straight into the faces of Cady and O'Neill. I shot upright, a motion my head did not approve of at all. Surely I was mistaken. Surely, no†¦ there they were. Before me, next to the bed I sat in, was a large oak desk surrounded by bulletin boards and white boards. Pinned to the bulletin boards were magazine cutouts, faces and faces of people who reflected every nuance of the characters described in Seth's books. One section was even labeled NINAcady, displaying at least twenty different cutouts of slim blondes with cropped, curly hair, while another section – marked BRYANT O'NEILL – displayed brooding, thirty-something men with dark hair. Some of the cutouts were from major ads I recognized, though I'd never before connected the resemblance to Seth's characters. Other minor characters from the books also had places on the display, though less noticeably so than the leads. Scrawls of notes and words filled the white boards, most done in a bizarre shorthand type of flow chart that made no sense to me. Working Title: Azure Hopes – fix later; Add Jonah Chap. 7; Clean up 3-5; C&O in Tampa or Naples? Check stats; Don Markosin 8†¦On and on the scrawls went. I stared and stared at them, realizing I was seeing the skeleton foundation of Seth's next novel. Part of me whispered I should look away, that I was ruining something, but the rest of me was too fascinated at glimpsing the way a novel and its world came to life. Finally, the smell of frying bacon made me turn from Seth's desk, forcing me to piece together how I'd arrived here. I cringed, recalling what an idiot I'd been around Doug, Roman, and even Seth, but my hunger won out in temporarily allaying my remorse. It seemed odd that I should feel hungry after what I'd put my stomach through last night, but like Hugh's beating, I could bounce back quickly. Disentangling myself from the covers and the teddy bear I'd unknowingly been holding, I made my way to the bathroom to rinse my mouth and study my appearance: wild-haired and downright adolescent looking in the T-shirt. I didn't want to waste the energy to shape-shift, however, and trotted out of the bathroom, following the sounds of sizzling against a background of â€Å"Radar Love† by Golden Earring. Seth stood in a modern, well-lit kitchen, tending a skillet on a stove. The color scheme was bright and cheery, maple wood cupboards and beams accented with cornflower blue paint on the walls. Seeing me, he turned down the music and gave me a solicitous look. His shirt today displayed Tom and Jerry. â€Å"Good morning. How are you feeling?† â€Å"Surprisingly well.† I made my way to a small, two-person table and sat down, tugging the shirt to cover my thighs. â€Å"My head seems to be the only casualty thus far.† â€Å"You want something for it?† â€Å"No. It'll clear up.† I hesitated, detecting something through the smell of salty, greasy meat. â€Å"Is that†¦ coffee?† â€Å"Yup. Want some?† â€Å"Regular?† â€Å"Yup.† He walked over to a pot, poured a mug of steaming coffee, and brought it to me, along with a cute sugar and creamer set. â€Å"I thought you didn't drink this stuff.† â€Å"I don't. I just keep it on hand in case caffeine-crazed women wake up in my bed.† â€Å"That happen a lot?† Seth smiled mysteriously and returned to the stove. â€Å"Are you hungry?† â€Å"Famished.† â€Å"How do you like your eggs?† â€Å"Over hard.† â€Å"Nice choice. You want bacon too? You're not a vegetarian or anything?† â€Å"I'm an honest carnivore. I want the works†¦ if that's not asking too much.† I felt kind of sheepish about him waiting on me, considering everything else he'd already done. He didn't appear to mind. The works turned out to be more than I'd imagined: eggs, bacon, toast, two kinds of jam, coffee cake, and orange juice. I ate it all, thinking about how jealous Peter would be, still confined to his low- carbdiet. â€Å"I'm in a food coma,† I told Seth afterward, helping with the dishes. â€Å"I'll need to go back to bed and sleep it off. Do you eat like this every day?† â€Å"Nah. Just when aforementioned women are hanging out. It ensures they don't leave too quickly.† â€Å"Not a problem, considering this is all I have to wear.† â€Å"Not true,† he told me, pointing toward his living room. Looking up, I saw my dress – clean – hanging on a hanger. The sheer, bikini-cut panties I'd worn under it had been looped around the hanger's head. â€Å"It said dry-clean, but I took a chance on putting it on extra-gentle cycle in the wash. It came out okay. So did the, uh, other thing.† â€Å"Thanks,† I replied, unsure as to how I felt about him washing my underwear. â€Å"Thanks for everything. I really appreciate what you did for me last night – you must think I'm a total freak – â€Å" He shrugged. â€Å"It's no problem. But† – he glanced at a nearby clock – â€Å"I may need to run out on you soon. Remember that one party? It starts at noon. You can still hang out here.† I turned to the same clock. Eleven forty-seven. â€Å"Noon! Why didn't you wake me up sooner? You'll be late!† He shrugged again, infinitely unconcerned. â€Å"I figured you needed the sleep.† Setting down the towel I'd been holding, I darted to the living room and grabbed my dress. â€Å"I'll call a cab. You go. Don't worry about me.† â€Å"Seriously, it's no problem,† he argued. â€Å"I can give you a ride home even, or†¦ well, if you wanted, you could come with me.† We both froze awkwardly. I didn't really feel up to going to some strange party. What I needed to do was get home and do damage control with Roman and Doug. Yet†¦ Seth had been terribly nice to me, and he had wanted me to go to this thing before. Didn't I owe him? Surely I could do this for him. An afternoon party probably wouldn't even last that long. â€Å"Would we need to pick up anything?† I asked at last. â€Å"Wine? Brie?† He shook his head. â€Å"Probably not. It's for my eight-year-old niece.† â€Å"Oh. So no wine then?† â€Å"Yeah. And I think she's more into Gouda anyway.† I looked at the dress. â€Å"I'll be overdressed. You got anything I can put on over this?† Seven minutes later, I sat in Seth's car, driving toward Lake Forest Park. I had the georgette dress back on, along with a man's plaid flannel shirt in shades of white, gray, and navy. The shirt was open save for a couple buttons. I had French-braided my hair in lieu of shape-shifting it into place and now frantically applied cosmetics from my purse as I rode. I suspected I had a sort of Ginger-Rogers-Joins-Nirvana look going. We arrived at the suburban house I'd dropped Seth off at a few weeks ago. Pink balloons fluttered from the mailbox, and a mother in jeans and a sweatshirt waved goodbye as a small girl disappeared into the house. Said mother then returned to the massive, soccer team-carrying vehicle running in the driveway. â€Å"Whoa,† I said, taking it all in. â€Å"I've never been to anything like this before.† â€Å"You must have when you were little,† Seth amended, parking across the street. â€Å"Well, yeah,† I lied. â€Å"But it's a different experience at this age.† We approached the front door, and he entered without knocking. Immediately, four small, blond female forms slammed into him, grappling onto his limbs, nearly knocking him over. â€Å"Uncle Seth! Uncle Seth!† â€Å"Uncle Seth's here!† â€Å"Is that for me? Is that for me?† â€Å"Desist, before I have to break out the tear gas,† Seth told them mildly, unclasping one who threatened to rip his left arm off. One of them, all blond curls and giant blue eyes like the others, caught sight of me. â€Å"Hi,† she said boldly, â€Å"who are you?† Before I could answer, she tore out of the foyer, yelling, â€Å"Uncle Seth brought a girl!† Seth made a face. â€Å"That's Morgan. She's six.† He pointed to a clone of her. â€Å"This is McKenna, her twin. Over here's Kayla, four. This one† – he paused to lift up the tallest of the four, a motion that made her cackle gleefully – â€Å"is Kendall, the birthday girl. And I imagine Brandy's here somewhere, but she's too civilized to assault me like the rest.† A living room extended beyond the foyer, and another blond girl, a few years older than Kendall, watched us over the back of a couch. Other assorted children – the party guests, I presumed – ran and screamed beyond her. â€Å"I'm here, Uncle Seth.† Seth set Kendall down and tousled Brandy's hair, much to her chagrin. She wore the affronted dignity only one on the edge of adolescence could have. Morgan returned shortly thereafter with a tall, blond woman in tow. â€Å"See? See?† exclaimed the little girl. â€Å"I told you.† â€Å"Do you always create such a scene?† the woman asked, giving Seth a quick hug. She looked happy but exhausted. I could understand why. â€Å"I should be so lucky. My fans aren't half this ravenous. Andrea, this is Georgina. Georgina, Andrea.† I shook her hand as a slightly shorter, younger version of Seth entered the room. â€Å"And that's my brother, Terry.† â€Å"Welcome to our chaos, Georgina,† Terry told me after I'd been introduced. He glanced at all of the children, his own and others, running around the house. â€Å"I'm not sure I fully understand Seth's wisdom in bringing you here. You'll never come back.† â€Å"Hey,† exclaimed Kendall to me, â€Å"isn't that the shirt we got Uncle Seth for Christmas?† An awkward silence fell among us adults as we all tried to look somewhere else. Finally, Andrea cleared her throat and said, â€Å"All right, guys, let's fall into line and get some games going.† I had expected a child's birthday party to be wild, but what proceeded to pass that afternoon surpassed even my imaginings. Equally impressive was the way in which Seth's brother and sister-in-law managed to control the herd of screaming, jumping creatures that somehow seemed to be everywhere in the house at once. Terry and Andrea handled them all with efficient good nature while Seth and I did little more than watch, occasionally fielding random questions tossed our way. The entire experience stunned me as a bystander; I could hardly imagine coping with it on a regular basis. It was fascinating. At one point, catching his breath, Terry saw me alone and struck up a conversation. â€Å"I'm glad you could come,† he said. â€Å"I didn't know Seth was seeing anyone.† â€Å"We're just friends,† I clarified. â€Å"Still. It's nice to see him with someone flesh and blood. Someone he didn't make up.† â€Å"Is it true he nearly missed your wedding?† Terry grimaced by way of confirmation. â€Å"My best man, if you can believe that. Showing up two minutes before the ceremony began. We were on the verge of starting without him.† I could only laugh. He shook his head. â€Å"If you continue hanging out with him, make sure you keep him in line. My brother may be brilliant, but by God, he needs a keeper sometimes.† After party games came cake, and after cake came presents. Kendall lifted Seth's up expertly and shook it. â€Å"Books,† she declared. Brandy, older and therefore quietest of the group, glanced at me and explained, â€Å"Uncle Seth always gets us books.† This did not seem to faze Kendall any. She tore open the package and crowed delightedly over three books of pirate stories contained within. â€Å"Pirates, huh?† I asked Seth. â€Å"Is that politically correct?† His eyes danced. â€Å"She wants to be one.† As the party wound down and guests were retrieved by parents, Kendall beseeched Seth to read stories, and I followed him, the nieces, and other stragglers into the living room while the girls' parents attempted to clean up in the kitchen. Seth read in the same compelling way he had at his signing, and I curled up in an armchair, content to just listen and watch. I was therefore startled when Kayla's small form scrambled up and sat on my lap. Youngest of the girls, she could shriek with the best but tended to speak very little. She studied me with her globes of eyes, touched my French braid with interest, and then snuggled into me to listen to Seth. I wondered if she understood any of what he was saying. Regardless, she was soft and warm and smelled like little girl. Unconsciously, I ran my fingers through the fine, corn silk strands of hair and soon began weaving it into a braid similar to mine. When Seth finished a story, McKenna noticed what I was doing. â€Å"Me next.† â€Å"No, me,† ordered Kendall eagerly. â€Å"It's my birthday.† I ended up braiding for all four of the younger girls. Brandy shyly demurred. Not wanting four copies of me, I elected other styles for the girls, herringbones and plaits that delighted them. Seth continued to read, occasionally glancing up at me and my handiwork. By the time we were ready to leave, I felt drained physically and emotionally. Children always made me feel a little wistful; being in close contact like this made me downright sad in a way I couldn't explain. Seth said goodbye to his brother while I lingered near the door. As I did, I noticed a small bookcase beside me. Studying the titles, I picked out Burberry's New Annotated Bible: Old and New Testaments. Remembering what Roman had said about the King James Version being a bad translation, I opened this one up to Genesis 6. The wording was nearly identical, a little cleaner and more modern sounding here and there, but mostly unchanged. With one exception. In verse 4, the King James Version had read: â€Å"There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This version, however, said: â€Å"The Nephilim were on the earth in those days and also afterwards, when the sons of God went to the daughters of men†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Nephilim? A superscript number appeared by the word, and I followed it to the appropriate footnote. The word † nephilim† is sometimes translated as â€Å"giants † or â€Å"fallen ones.† Sources vary in accounts of these angelic offspring, citing them sometimes simply as neighbors to the Canaanites and other times as Titan-like creatures reminiscent of Greek heroes (Harrington, 2001). Frustrated, I looked up the Harrington reference in the book's bibliography, finding it linked to Biblical Arcanaand Myth by Robert Harrington. I memorized the title and author, slipping the Bible back into its place just as Seth turned to go. We drove in silence, the sky graying early as Seattle's winter loomed nearer. I might normally have interpreted the quiet in the car as awkward or weird, but I found it comfortable as my mind pondered the nephilim reference. I needed to get a hold of the Harrington book, I decided. â€Å"They didn't have ice cream,† Seth suddenly noted, interrupting my thoughts. â€Å"Huh?† â€Å"Terry and Andrea. They had cake with no ice cream. You want to get some ice cream?† â€Å"Not enough sugar for you already?† â€Å"They just go together, that's all.† â€Å"It's only about fifty out,† I warned as he pulled up next to an ice cream parlor. Ice cream in inclement weather seemed odd to me. â€Å"And it's windy.† â€Å"Are you kidding? In Chicago, a place like this wouldn't even be open this time of year. This is balmy.† We went inside. Seth ordered a double cone of mint chocolate chip. I ordered a more adventurous double of blueberry cheesecake and mocha almond swirl. Sitting at a table by the windows, we ate our sugary confections in more silence. Finally, he said, â€Å"You're quiet today.† I turned on him in wonder, pausing in my mental dissection of nephilim. â€Å"That's a switch.† â€Å"What is?† â€Å"Usually I think you're too quiet. I have to talk and talk to keep things going.† â€Å"I've noticed. Er, I didn't mean that like it came out. That sounded bad. You talking is a good thing. You always know what to say. Exactly the right thing at exactly the right time.† â€Å"Not last night. I said horrible things last night. To Doug and Roman both. They'll never forgive me,† I lamented. â€Å"Sure they will. Doug's a good guy. I don't really know Roman, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"But what?† Seth suddenly looked embarrassed. â€Å"I imagine you're easy to forgive.† We looked at each other for a moment, and warmth flushed my cheeks. Not blood boiling, get naked and jump someone warm, but just cozily warm. Like being wrapped in a blanket. â€Å"That looks terrible, you know.† â€Å"What does?† He pointed at my cone. â€Å"That combination.† â€Å"Hey, don't knock it until you try it. They actually go pretty well together.† He looked doubtful. I slid my chair over by him and offered him a bite. â€Å"Make sure you get both flavors.† He leaned in for the bite and managed both the blueberry cheesecake and mocha almond swirl. Unfortunately, a piece of the blueberry cheesecake scoop fell off onto his chin in the process. I instinctively reached out to stop it, sliding it back to his mouth. He just as automatically nabbed the wayward piece with his tongue, licking it off my fingers. A blast of eroticism coursed through me, and looking into his eyes, I knew he'd shared it too. â€Å"Here,† I said hastily, reaching for a napkin, ignoring the desire to return my fingers to his mouth. Seth wiped his chin with it, but for once, he didn't let his self-consciousness get the better of him. He stayed where he was, leaning close to me. â€Å"You smell amazing. Like†¦ gardenias.† â€Å"Tuberose,† I corrected automatically, dazed by how close he was to me. â€Å"Tuberose,† he repeated. â€Å"And incense, I think. I've never smelled anything like it.† He leaned a hair closer. â€Å"It's Michael by Michael Kors. You can get it at any high-end department store.† I nearly groaned as the words left my flustered lips. What an idiotic thing to say. My nervousness made me flippant. â€Å"Maybe Cady could start wearing it.† Seth was all seriousness. â€Å"No. This is you. Only you. It would never smell exactly the same on anyone else.† I shivered. I wore this perfume because it was reminiscent of what other immortals sensed in my unique signature, my aura. This is you. With just a few casual words, I felt as though Seth had uncovered some secret part of me, looked into my soul. We sat there then, chemistry burning between us like crazy, neither of us acting. I knew he would not try to kiss me as Roman had. Seth was content simply to look at me, to make love to me with his eyes. Suddenly the wind caught the door to the tiny restaurant, forcing it open as a huge gust swept in. Wisps of hair blew into my face, and I slammed my hands down on the napkins that flew up from our table. Other items in the parlor had less success as more napkins and scraps of paper drifted around, and a cup of plastic spoons fell off the counter, spilling its contents on the floor. The clerk behind the counter ran to the door, fighting against the wind to make the latch catch. When he'd finally done so, he glared at the door resentfully. With the moment – whatever it was – shattered, Seth and I picked up our things and left shortly thereafter. I asked him to drop me off at the bookstore. I hoped Doug would be there to apologize to, plus I wanted to get ahold of that Harrington book. â€Å"You want to come in and hang out? Say hi to anybody?† I somehow felt reluctant to leave Seth now, in spite of all the things I needed to do. He shook his head. â€Å"Sorry. I've got to go. I'm meeting someone.† â€Å"Oh.† I felt kind of foolish. He could have a date now for all I knew. And why shouldn't he? It wasn't like I was his only social connection, especially after my no-dating spiel. I was foolish to be reading so much into the ice cream encounter, especially since I was supposedly crazy about Roman. â€Å"Well. Thanks again for everything. I'll make it up to you.† He waved his hand dismissively. â€Å"It wasn't anything. Besides, you paid me back by going to the party.† Now I shook my head. â€Å"I didn't really do anything there.† Seth only smiled. â€Å"See you around.† I stepped out of the car and suddenly stuck my head back in. â€Å"Hey, I should have asked you this earlier. Do you have my book signed yet? The Glasgow Pact ? â€Å" â€Å"Oh†¦ man. No. I can't believe I forgot about that. It's still at my place. I'll sign it and bring it soon. I'm sorry.† He looked sincerely contrite. â€Å"Okay. It's no problem.† I should have ransacked his condo for it. We said goodbye again, and I turned into the bookstore. If I remembered my schedule right, Paige should have opened and Doug should be here now as the late manager. Sure enough, he stood at the information desk, looking on while Tammi helped a customer. â€Å"Hey,† I said, walking up to him, uneasiness filling me as I recalled my harsh words. â€Å"Can I talk to you for a minute?† â€Å"No.† Whoa. I'd expected him to be upset†¦ but this? â€Å"You need to call your friend first.† â€Å"I – what?† â€Å"That one guy,† Doug explained. â€Å"That plastic surgeon that hangs out with you and Cody.† â€Å"Hugh?† â€Å"Yeah, that's the one. He's called, like, a hundred times, leaving messages. He's been worried about you.† His expression turned both soft and wry as he took in my dress and flannel ensemble. â€Å"So have I.† I frowned, wondering at Hugh's urgency. â€Å"Okay. I'll call him now. Come talk to me later?† Doug nodded, and I started to pull out my cell phone until I remembered I'd broken it last night. Retreating to the back office instead, I sat on the desk's edge and called Hugh. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Hugh?† â€Å"Jesus Christ, Georgina. Where the hell have you been?† â€Å"I, er, nowhere†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"We've been trying to get ahold of you all last night and today.† â€Å"I wasn't at home,† I explained. â€Å"And my cell phone broke. Why? What's going on? Tell me there hasn't been another one.† â€Å"Afraid so. Another murder this time, no more friendly beatings. When we couldn't reach you, the vampires and I thought he'd got you too, even though Jerome said he could feel that you were fine.† I swallowed. â€Å"Who†¦ who was it?† â€Å"Are you sitting down?† â€Å"Sort of.† I braced myself, ready for anything. Demon. Imp. Vampire. Succubus. â€Å"Lucinda.† I blinked. â€Å"What?† All my theories of an avenger of evil shattered. â€Å"But that's impossible. She's – she's – â€Å" † – an angel,† Hugh finished for me.