Your Career Essay Example For Students

Your Career Essay Business CommunicationTerm Paper â€Å"Your Career†July 20, 1999I do not know that anyone chooses a career in life. It seems that fate or certain outside forces influences the decisions you make in life. These forces change your life from one career to the next until you end up in your retirement years looking back on your life thinking of the â€Å"what ifs. I guess I have to open the topic of my paper â€Å"My Career† with me in my teens because my life has turned direction several times since then. Originally I had my heart set on a football career. I was fairly good at it playing both offensive and defensive positions. Unfortunately the outside sources that changed my budding career involved a tractor on my Uncle’s farm one summer in my junior year. The tractor won and I lost some movement in my knee for about three years. Needless to say my career was over. A few years later I entered college and found a desire to become an oceanographer. I have always lived near the water and interested in the ocean, the life under it, and the secrets it holds. If I remember correctly the outside force that ended this career was my own failure in following some strict study habits. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute informed me that they accepted only 3.0 grade point average and above. Another outside force at this time was the draft a nd the Viet Nam War. I ended up entering the Navy and was sure that I had found the career of my lifetime. We will write a custom essay on Your Career specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now I had finally found a career where I excelled. I was happy, enjoyed the professionalism, the freedom and authority that I possessed. This new career fit well with my character and what I wanted to do with my life. I trained people, helped them, watched them succeed and grow. What more could I ask for, the military had a certain form of excitement not shared by any other profession in the world. The places I traveled if duplicated would take a lifetime of trying, the experience, the honor of serving my country, all with an adequate wage scale. The outside forces that ended this career path in the Navy would fill a volume. To keep this long story in perspective and within the confines of this assignment, it is easier to conclude that the Navy became a job and not an adventure. Three crashes, a divorce, and plethora of other smaller forces led to the decision to retire prematurely from the military and return to my home in Syracuse, New York where my family was. My family, the knowledge of the area, the need for some family psychological support led me back to Syracuse. After a few months of needed rest, I ventured into the job market, interviewed at a few places that either said I was over qualified or not qualified enough. I finally fell back on my electronics background and selected a position with a local Security Company repairing their systems, and installing them. During my interview process the interviewer indicated that my abilities would fit better with as a customer service representative or manager. They also held the carrot in front of me and said that when the positions became available they would call on me to fill one of them. A year passed with no advancement, no benefits, and no calls from the front office for these better jobs. I found myself looking for a better position in life. Still within the industry I selected a larger firm with benefits, higher rate of pay, and with the still promised positions of customer service or management. With this company they kept their word and called on me to fill a customer service position with in the first year there. My career in Security was starting in fashion and with a renewed sense of worth I excelled. I met their challenge and exceeded their expectations finishing what they had asked me to do in a record time frame but what where they going to do with me. The only logical solution they saw was to offer me a position as a sales representative. About five years later and with scores of achievements, I was called on to advance and offered a challenge with the position of Commercial Sales Manager. For five additional years with this organization I exceeded their requirements and Corporate goals. I trained my sales teams, teaching them the ways of selling, the products and the secrets of success. They met their goals bo th professionally and financially. My goals it seems for a time were beginning to falter with this organization. The outside forces were again at work in my life. The company looking at downsizing, the pay cuts and organizational changes had taken their toll. So eventually to satisfy my basic needs I looked for a position that offered more financial rewards to fulfill my obligation to my family. My fifth career began and ended in a blink of an eye compared to the cosmic evolution that had led me to this time and space. I left the Security industry to find my fame and fortune in the emerging telecommunications industry. The challenges of a new career, industry and position offered an exciting beginning at first. I found myself excelling despite the lingering feeling of being trapped in a no win situation. After six months of dealing with the feelings with a job that paid well but lacked the personal challenges that I needed, I went back to the Security and Fire Alarm Industry. Those amazing forces were at work again. They were not from outside this time, but from within. .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c , .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c .postImageUrl , .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c , .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c:hover , .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c:visited , .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c:active { border:0!important; } .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c:active , .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc3ba8040bc845b2b46c5510519c7620c:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Man"s fundamental bewilderment and confusion, stems from the fact that man has no answers to the basic existential questions EssayI presently am in the second year of my sixth career. Employed at Simplex Time Recorder Co, Inc. I am responsible for the procurement, design and final presentation of fire and security systems to medium to large industrial type accounts. I also design for and develop Electrical Engineers to increase our market share in new construction applications. In addition to the product lines of Fire and Security I am responsible to provide design and selling of Access Control Systems, CCTV systems, Time Clock, Intercom, Phone and Integrated Systems Appli cations. Overall my position as I see it, is to help people to protect the property and personnel. I enjoy the thrill of seeking a client, designing a system that meets their needs both physically and financially and finally selling them on the idea. The opportunities within my profession are endless. Every business needs one form or another of what I have to offer. For Example, School systems need Fire alarms, Security, Intercom, Time Clocks. We provide other products to the School Systems because of the current affairs regarding the changing teen scene. CCTV, to watch perimeter grounds and building management systems with Access Control Systems to know who is in the building. To get to this level of selling, education and training contribute in a large part to my success factor. The education involves a lot of time and effort. Technical data on the various product lines consumes a large portion of your day to day job. Federal, State and Local Municipality construction codes need m ust be adhered to even put the pieces together correctly. My training in sales has involved hundreds of hours. Classes, seminars and self improvement tapes, along with many years of on the job training to get to the level of expertise that I now have. Then, once you have the clients interest in the project, and sold it, then you have paperwork so that the equipment can be ordered. Then you have the responsibility of project managing the job. This function of my career is very time consuming. I need to ensure that the proper equipment is ordered and in a time efficient manner delivered to the job site for the contractor to install. The contractor needs some technical assistance to ensure they know how to wire it, that they run the correct cable to meet our needs and that they are professional. Why would I need this for a customer that I just sold already? References for future projects and additional sales are the answer. Currently, I am tracking twenty jobs in progress and about thr ee million in presented quotations that are in one phase or another in their progression to become sales. Which of course means, money in my pocket. I have a salary of around $50K in addition to commissions that range between 4% to 12% of the equipment sold. The company offers health, dental and life insurance at a reduced rate. Simplex offers tuition assistance, expenses, car allowance, EAP, 401K, retirement programs, and a good working environment. I again find myself in the position of being promised with the carrot of a management position. This career I can see lasting between an additional 6-8 months waiting for their promise to fulfill itself. If not, I am sure that I will again look for another career. For another company within my industry or one outside that will utilize my leadership, training and organizational skills to help increase their market share and bottom line. Of course, my only requirement from them is a good compensation package. The Readers Digest version of my careers in only a few pages. The final chapter is not written yet and is still to come. Check for it in your grocery stores. I enjoy helping people, training them to realize their dreams and successes. However, there is a price for this knowledge. Paid to support my family in a life style that they feel is comfortable. I guess that as I have gotten older, my need for speed, excitement, and adventure as a driving force within my career has been replaced. My outside driving force is my family, my need to help them survive. My career rewards themselves spent on my family’s education, marriages, and for my own retirement with my spouse. Am I happy with my own life and with the career paths I have been fortunate to see and succeed with? Yes! Would I do anything differently? Yes! If I did, would I be blessed with the wife and children that I presently have? I do not know. I do know that my career has been my life, the people I have helped along the w ay. My payment has been small, with the survival of my family. This fact I would not change for anything. Fate has been a mystical force in my life, and I thank it. .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663 , .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663 .postImageUrl , .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663 , .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663:hover , .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663:visited , .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663:active { border:0!important; } .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663:active , .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663 .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf757b7500d11aecdabb65081bc40a663:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Teen Suicide EssayBusiness Reports

Guidelines Alternative Medicine Essay

Guidelines Alternative Medicine Essay Guidelines: Alternative Medicine Essay alzheimers.org.uk Complementary and alternative therapies and dementia There are high levels of public interest in the various complementary and alternative therapies available today. Many people with dementia, and those who care for them, are interested in using these therapies as alternatives or additions to their conventional treatments, often due to the perceived benefits that they may bring and the image of being ‘safe’ and ‘natural’. This factsheet explains what complementary and alternative therapies are, outlines several therapies for which there is some evidence of their effectiveness and describes how to access these treatments. This factsheet only addresses therapies that have an evidence base and does not cover treatments for which there is no clinical evidence of effectiveness in dementia, even if they are widely used (such as homeopathy). What are complementary and alternative therapies? The term ‘complementary and alternative therapy’ covers many diverse forms of treatment. Complementary and alternative therapies are a broad range of treatments that are outside of conventional medicine and are used to treat or prevent illness and promote health and well-being. Practitioners of complementary therapies are not trained to diagnose disease. 1 The area of complementary and alternative medicine is controversial and changes regularly. Therapies that are considered ‘complementary’ or ‘alternative’ in one country may be considered conventional in another. Therapies that are currently considered alternative may become more mainstream over time, as researchers discover their effectiveness and they become integrated into mainstream health care practice. Some complementary and alternative therapies are now available on the NHS, although this varies from region to region. Using complementary and alternative therapy versus conventional medicine Complementary and alternative therapy should only be used in addition to, not instead of, conventional medicine. If you decide to use complementary and alternative therapy it is important that you continue to see your doctor and keep them informed of the treatments you are having. Although most complementary and alternative treatments have a good safety profile they are not 100 per cent safe and there are serious safety concerns about some therapies. For example, some herbal preparations may interact harmfully with conventional drugs. It is therefore very important that your doctor knows exactly what you are taking. Don’t be nervous about telling your doctor what you are using – awareness of complementary and alternative therapy is increasing among the medical profession, and most doctors are sympathetic to its use. How widespread is complementary and alternative therapy? At least one in four people in England are thought to have used complementary or alternative therapy in the past year. In recent surveys, 85 per cent of medical students, 76 per cent of GPs and 69 2 per cent of hospital doctors have said they feel that complementary therapies should be made available on the NHS. This widespread interest helps to encourage research in the area. One common concern is the difficulty in regulating such a varied range of treatments. Most forms of complementary and alternative therapy have one or more governing bodies, which set standards for the training and services provided and codes of conduct for practitioners. However, these are often self-regulated and membership tends to be voluntary. A report by the House of Lords in 2000 called for more regulation, and research to investigate effectiveness and safety. However, current regulation is still patchy. In 2008 the Department of Health funded the Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health to set up the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council to regulate 12 alternative therapies, such as aromatherapy, reflexology and homeopathy (see ‘Useful

Starbucks in Mihaylo Hall Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Starbucks in Mihaylo Hall - Essay Example The Starbucks proximity to the student study lounge gives the students a number of options while studying for those stressful exams and reports. Unlike other Starbucks franchises which are located in business districts, this particular branch is located inside the Mihaylo Hall College of Economics and Business Building at CSUF. Thus it does not have the same look or feel as the run of the mill Starbucks branches located off campus. However, this particular Starbucks branch does not cater exclusively to the student body of CSUF. The coffee shop has a public entrance facing the street as well. Starbucks benefits from being located inside the the newest building on campus, Mihaylo Hall, which also boasts of a newly opened study lounge area located a stones throw away from the cafe. ( â€Å"Spotlight: Mihalylo Hall† )Students in particular, benefit from having this particular Starbucks branch on campus as they are assured of physical security and protection since they do not have to leave the secured area of the college campus to get an Espresso anymore. Contrary to public opinion, students do not go to Starbucks just because it is the latest fad on campus. Nor do they just want to flash around their cash by showing off their designer coffee drinks. Thanks to the quiet and relaxing interior design of Starbucks, it has actually become one of the great places to go if you want to seriously study but cannot do so because of all the activities going on in the dorm rooms. At Starbucks, one can kick back and relax and and enjoy the quiet surroundings being enjoyed by the other students as well. Although the student study lounge also offers the same type of learning friendly environment, there is just something about studying at Starbucks that makes it a more conducive area to read the study materials in. Which is probably why there is regular traffic between the two areas during the time when the coffee shop is open. Unlike the study lounge,

Company Law Issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Company Law Issues - Essay Example The question of majority rule and minority protection arises in the van purchase, mismanagement of Resort Ltd by Samson and Delilah and the sale of shares to prevent a take over bid. Another significant issue raised by this case scenario is the liquidation of â€Å"Crystal Ltd† which increases the level of scrutiny of director activity. 1. The relevant issue that arises here is the pre incorporation of the contract for the purchase of the van. Per Section 36 (c ) of the Companies Act of 1985, any contract made prior to the incorporation of a Company by a person will make the person himself/herself liable for said contract. Muddle has signed the sale document on behalf of resort Ltd, in February, when the Company was not formed. Moreover, Muddle is a minority shareholder with only 20% of the shares, he can only table resolutions, he cannot push them through. If the Articles of association of Resort Ltd do not provide him authority to make the van purchase, it should have been ratified at a Board meeting with requisite majority, otherwise it will not stand. The rule established in Foss v Harbottle1 provides minority protection in that a corporation can sue where a wrong arises that is ratifiable. However, since Samson and Delilah oppose the purchase, hence Muddle may be personally liable for payment on the van. 2. Mr. Muddle may be found guilty of a serious breach of fiduciary duty that is expected of a Director of Resort Ltd. He has used his influence as Director in order to derive personal benefit through the sale of the building in Mislington to Restore Ltd, to the tune of 250,000 pounds2. Section 317 of the Companies Act of 1985 also places on directors a statutory duty to reveal any interest, profit or financial advantage accruing to them by virtue of their position. Therefore, by using his position to influence the purchase of the building in Mislington which he owns, he has breached his fiduciary duty and

Friction Lab Essay Example for Free

Friction Lab Essay Discussion and Review Whenever a body slides along another body a resisting force is called into play that is known as friction. This is a very important force and serves many useful purposes. A person could not walk without friction, nor could a car propel itself along a highway without the friction between the tires and the road surface. On the other hand, friction is very wasteful. It reduces the efficiency of machines because work must be done to overcome it and this energy is wasted as heat. The purpose of this experiment is to study the laws of friction and to determine the coefficient of friction between two surfaces. THEORY Friction is the resisting force encountered when one surface slides over another. This force acts along the tangent to the surfaces in contact. The force necessary to overcome friction depends on the nature of the materials in contact, on their roughness or smoothness, and on the normal force but not on the area of contact or on the speed of the motion. We find experimentally that the force of friction is directly proportional to the normal force. When an object is sitting on a horizontal surface the normal force is just the weight of the object. However, if the object is on an incline then it is not equal to the weight but is calculated by N= mg cos ÃŽ ¸. The constant of proportionality is called the coefficient of friction,  µ. When the contacting surfaces are actually sliding one over the other the force of friction is given by Equation 1: Ffr =  µk FN where Ffr is the force of friction and is directed parallel to the surfaces and opposite to the direction of motion. FN is the normal force and  µk is the coefficient of kinetic friction. The subscript k stands for kinetic, meaning that  µk is the coefficient that applies when the surfaces are moving  one with respect to the other.  µk is therefore more precisely called the coefficient of kinetic or sliding friction. Note carefully that Ffris always directed opposite to the direction of motion. This means that if you reverse the direction of sliding, the frictional force reverses too. In short, friction is always against you. Friction is called a non-conservative force because energy must be used to overcome it no matter which way you go. This is in contrast to what is called a conservative force such as gravity, which is against you on the way up but with you on the way down. Thus, the energy expended in lifting an object may be regained when the object descends. Yet, the energy used to overcome friction is dissipated, which means it is lost or made unavailable as heat. As you will see in your later study of  physics the distinction between conservative and non-conservative forces is a very important one that is fundamental to our concepts of heat and energy.  A method of checking the proportionality of Ffr, and FNand of determining the proportionality constant  µk is to have one of the surfaces in the form of a plane placed horizontally with a pulley fastened at one end. The other surface is the bottom face of a block that rests on the plane and to which is attached a weighted cord that passes over the pulley. The weights are varied until the block moves at constant speed after having been started with a slight push. Since there is no acceleration, the net force on the block is zero, which means that the frictional force is equal to the tension in the cord. This tension, in turn, is equal to the total weight attached to the cords end. The normal force between the two surfaces is equal to the weight of the block and can be increased by placing weights on top of the block. Thus, corresponding values of Ffr,and FN can be found, and plotting them will show whether Ffrand FN are indeed proportional. The slope of this graph gives  µk. When a body lies at rest on a surface and an attempt is made to push it, the pushing force is opposed by a frictional force. As long as the pushing force is not strong enough to start the body moving, the body remains in equilibrium. This means that the frictional force automatically adjusts itself to be equal to the pushing force and thus to just be enough to balance it. However, there is a threshold value of the pushing force beyond which larger values will cause the body to break away and slide. We  conclude that in the static case where a body is at rest the frictional force automatically adjusts itself to keep the body at rest up to a certain maximum. But if static equilibrium demands a frictional force larger than this maximum, static equilibrium conditions will cease to exist because this force is not available and the body will start to move. This situation may be expressed in equation form as: Equation 2: Ffr ≠¤  µsFN or Ffr max =  µsFN Where Ffris the frictional force in the static case, Ffr max is the maximum value this force can assume and  µsis the coefficient of static friction. We find that  µsis slightly larger than  µk. This means that a somewhat larger force is needed to break a body away and start it sliding than is needed to keep it sliding at constant speed once it is in motion. This is why a slight push is necessary to get the block started for the measurement of  µk. One way of investigating the case of static friction is to observe the so-called limiting angle of repose. This is defined as the maximum angle to which an inclined plane may be tipped before a block placed on the plane just starts to slide. The arrangement is illustrated in Figure 1 above. The block has weight W whose component WcosÃŽ ¸ (where ÃŽ ¸ is the plane angle) is perpendicular to the plane and is thus equal to the normal force, FN. The component Wsin ÃŽ ¸is parallel to the plane and constitutes the force urging the block to slide down the plane. It is opposed by the frictional force Ffr, As long as the block remains at rest, Ffr must be equal to W sin ÃŽ ¸. If the plane is tipped up until at some value ÃŽ ¸max the block just starts to slide, we have: Equation 3: But: Hence: Or: Thus, if the plane is gradually tipped up until the block just breaks away and the plane angle is then measured, the coefficient of static friction is equal to the tangent of this angle, which is called the limiting angle of repose. It is interesting to note that W cancelled out in the derivation of Equation 3 so that the weight of the block doesnt matter. PROCEDURE This experiment requires you to record measurements in Newtons. Remember that in SI units the unit of force is called the Newton (N). One Newton is the force required to impart an acceleration of 1m/s2 to a mass of 1 kg. Thus 1 N = 1 kg.m/s2. You can convert any kg-mass to Newtons by multiplying the kg-weight by 9.8 m/s2, i.e., 100 g = 0.1 kg = 0.1 x 9.8 = .98 N. 1. Determining force of kinetic or sliding friction and static friction a. The wooden blocks provided in the LabPaq are too light to give good readings so you need to put some weight on  them, such as a full soft drink can. Weigh the plain wood block and the object used on top of the block. Record the combined weight in grams and Newtons. b. Place the ramp board you provided horizontally on a table. If necessary tape it down at the ends with masking tape to keep if from sliding. c. Begin the experiment by setting the block and its weight on the board with its largest surface in contact with the surface of the board. Connect the blocks hook to the 500-g spring scale. d. Using the spring scale, slowly pull the block lengthwise along the horizontal board. When the block is moving with constant speed, note the force indicated on the scale and record. This is the approximate kinetic or sliding frictional force. Repeat two more times. e. While carefully watching the spring scale, start the block from rest. When the block just starts to move, note the force indicated on the scale and record. You should notice that this requires more force. This force is  approximately equal to the static frictional force. Repeat two more times. Determining coefficient of static friction using an inclined surface a. Place the plain block with its largest surface in contact on the board while the board is lying flat. b. Slowly raise one end of the board until the block just breaks away and starts to slide down. Be very careful to move the plane slowly and smoothly so as to get a precise value of the angle with the horizontal at which the block just breaks away. This is the limiting angle of repose ÃŽ ¸ max. Measure it with a protractor (see photo that follows for an alternate way of measuring the angle) and record the result. You may also want to measure the base and the height of the triangle formed by the board, the support, and the floor or table. The height divided by the length of the base equals the coefficient of static friction. Remember: c. Perform two more trials. These trials should be independent. This means that in each case the plane should be returned to the horizontal, the block placed on it, and the plane carefully moved up until the limiting angle of repose is reached. DATA TABLE 6 Height Base Length ÃŽ ¸ max  µs Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Average Calculations 1. Using the mass of the block and the average force of kinetic friction from Data Table 1, calculate the coefficient of kinetic friction from Equation 1: 2. Using the mass of the block and the average force of kinetic friction from Data Table 2, calculate the coefficient of kinetic friction for the wood block sliding on its side. Record your result and see how it compares with the value of  µkobtained from Data Table 1. 3. From the data in Data Table 3, 4 5 compute the coefficient of static friction,  µsfor, the glass surface on wood, the sandpapered surface on wood, and wood on carpet, etc from each of your three trials. Calculate an average value of  µs.Record your results in your own data sheets. 4.  From the data obtained in Data Table 6 calculate  µsfor wood on wood from each of your three trials. 5.  Calculate an average value of  µs. Record your result on the data sheet. Questions A. How does the coefficient of static friction compare with the coefficient of kinetic friction for the same surfaces and areas? B. Why is it important to reduce friction during the operation of machinery? C. How does grease or oil affect the coefficient of friction?

Alexander Graham Bell Essay -- Biography Biographies Bell Essays

Alexander Graham Bell Works Cited Missing The importance of Alexander Graham Bell on today’s society is visible, or rather audible, every day and everywhere. First and foremost, Alexander Graham Bell was a prolific teacher of the deaf. This is what he considered to be his true life’s work, but only one of the many important things he did. Through his research of speech and sound, and his creative mind, he would become one of the most influential inventors in modern history. His own definition of an inventor, â€Å"A man who looks upon the world and is not contented with things as they are. He wants to improve whatever he sees, he wants to benefit the world.† suits him well. Every thing that he did had an impact on someone.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alexander Graham Bell was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, to a family of speech educators. His father, Melville Bell, had invented Visible Speech, a code of symbols for all spoken sounds that was used in teaching deaf people to speak (Clarke 15). His mother was deaf, this lead Melville and Alexander to exploration in the subject. Alexander Bell studied at Edinburgh University in 1864 and assisted his father at University College, London, from 1868-70. During these years he became deeply interested in the study of sound and the mechanics of speech, inspired in part by the acoustic experiments of German physicist Hermann Von Helmholtz, which gave Bell the idea of telegraphing speech (Paschoff 18).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When young Bell’s two brothers died of tuberculosis, Melville Bell took his remaining family to the healthier climate of Canada in 1870. From there, Aleck Bell journeyed to Boston, Massachusetts, in 1871 and joined the staff of the Boston School for the Deaf. The following year, Bell opened his own school in Boston for training teachers of the deaf. In 1873 he became a professor of vocal physiology at Boston University, and he also tutored private pupils as a side job (Clarke 15, 16).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Bell’s interest in speech and communication led him to investigate the transmission of sound over wires. In particular, he experimented with development of the harmonic telegraph a device that could send multiple messages at the same time over a single wire. Bell also worked with the possibility of transmitting the human voice, experimenting with vibrating membranes and an actual human ear. Bell even manipulated his dogs vocal cords so that wh... ...ng beeps and sounds through telephone lines to other computers that decode the beeps and sounds into data. This would not be possible if Bell hadn’t figured out how to transmit these sounds. The same thing goes for radios and cell-phones and televisions. The speakers in these devices are all made possible by the understanding that Bell acquired of sounds and transmitting them through electrical devices.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alexander Graham Bell was a man of warmth and human frailty, loved by his wife, children, and grandchildren. His life did seem to demonstrate the oneness of the world. He was cheered at exhibitions, applauded at scientific meetings, and sought out by reporters. He and his wife united two numerous and close-knit families. Children, especially those of his own extended family, loved him. His marriage was a model of devotion throughout its forty-five years. He was nominally a member of more clubs and other organizations than he could recall at any given time, and he was active in a number of them (Allen 70,71). He was much more than one of the most influential inventors of modern history, he was a great Husband, a mentor for youth, a model citizen, and an excellent teacher.

Succubus Revealed Chapter 16

The next week was one of the longest in my life. Every moment that passed was a moment without Seth and another reminder that I'd lost my one great love. Even if I hadn't quit as Santa's helper, that job would've been done now anyway, so my days were made even longer by their emptiness. Hugh was over a lot that week, and sometimes he and Roman tried to cheer me up or at least distract me. Mostly, they were holed up together, working on my appeal to Hell. They occasionally consulted me on it, but Hugh had most of the info he needed and simply had to put it all together in the appropriate manner. The two of them discussed other things too, mostly having to do with Hell's legal system in general. I didn't entirely understand why, but Roman was very adamant about learning every detail of it. It was like he was trying to pass the bar exam or something. I tried to preoccupy myself with packing for Las Vegas. Even with my appeal, I couldn't count on anything changing with my current Hellish status. So, I had to go forward with life as though Vegas were definitely in my future. Packing was mindless enough, however, that it didn't distract me so much as just provide more time for me to ruminate and agonize over being apart from Seth. Packing also had its own pitfalls because I kept running into things that reminded me of him. The worst was when I unearthed a box of keepsakes collected from over the centuries. The most recent addition was a ring Seth had given me last Christmas, just before we broke up. It was a modern twist on a Byzantine wedding ring, decorated with dolphins and sapphires. Even when we'd gotten back together, I'd left it in the box. Little did he know that I also had – in the same box – my actual wedding ring from the fifth century. It was worn with age but hadn't entirely lost its gleam. Looking at them both gave me a weird moment of disorientation as I tried to grasp the idea that they'd technically been given to me by the same person. During that week, I also received a fair amount of e-mail from the Las Vegas crew. Phoebe, Bastien, Luis, and even Matthias had stayed in touch since my visit, and all seemed to have increased their excitement over my pending move. Messages I would have found so witty and touching a week ago now left a bad taste in my mouth, now that I knew the truth about the transfer. Luis was simply helping to orchestrate Hell's grand plan to keep me and Seth apart, and I didn't trust a single word he said. Still, he was a demon, and one could expect a certain amount of insincerity from him. Phoebe and especially Bastien hurt more because they were operating under the pretense of friendship. I didn't doubt Bastien was still my friend, but everything he sent me seemed forced, since it was coming from the orders of those above him. Matthias was kind of a mystery. I didn't know what role he played here, if he was just a convenient mortal they'd found to take me on or if he was in league with Hell. Many humans knowingly were, in the hopes of grandiose rewards someday. For all I knew, he could be an innocent in all this, just an ordinary guy who thought he'd lucked out in finding a dancer. Without being able to say for sure, I took no joy in his e-mails either. Notably missing from the Las Vegas gang's correspondence was Jamie. I'd received no friendly â€Å"Can't wait to see you!† messages at all from him, something I suspected was also a direct result of Hell's orders. They wouldn't want to risk the topic of Milton again. When I mentioned this to Roman and Hugh, they told me it would be surprising if Jamie was even still in Las Vegas. If Hell saw him as a liability that might inadvertently expose the double-contract snafu, Hugh felt the odds were good they'd simply removed him to prevent me from finding him. If so, I hoped it was simply a matter of a transfer and that the imp hadn't been punished for drunkenly revealing information he didn't realize was dangerous. On New Year's Eve, Hugh and Roman told me my petition was finished. They presented it to me, a staggeringly huge stack of paper filled with legalese, and showed me where to sign. There was an air of both gravity and pride around them, like they'd just created a painstakingly crafted work of art. Considering how rare this type of event was, perhaps that wasn't such a bad assessment. I gave the ream back to Hugh, once I'd signed it about fifteen times. â€Å"Now what?† I asked. â€Å"Now I take it to Mei and say you gave it to me to submit to Hell. I also claim ignorance about what this is in regard to, but the fact that it went through me tips her off that there's a witness to it all. Not that she'd probably ‘lose it' or anything, but . . . well, with demons, it's best to be cautious.† â€Å"Are they really going to believe you're a hapless messenger ?† I asked. Hugh crooked me a smile and gestured to the paperwork. â€Å"Well, they certainly aren't going to believe you did this on your own. But there's no real way to prove my involvement, and anyway, I haven't technically done anything wrong. I'm an imp. I conduct business for Hell. That's what this is.† Too many days of pent-up emotion took hold of me, and I flung my arms around Hugh. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. â€Å"Thank you so much.† It was all kind of awkward since he was trying to juggle the papers, but he still managed to pat me on the back. â€Å"It's nothing, sweetie,† he said, seeming a bit flustered. â€Å"I just hope it actually accomplishes something.† I stepped back and attempted to get myself under control. â€Å"How will we know if it does?† â€Å"When you're summoned to Hell,† he said. â€Å"Oh.† My heart lurched with fear. â€Å"I actually . . . actually have to go there?† Roman leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. â€Å"How else do you think this is going to get resolved?† â€Å"I'd kind of just hoped they'd send me a letter,† I said. â€Å"You know, like a college acceptance.† Hugh snorted. â€Å"Afraid not. If they respond to it, they'll summon you to Hell and hold a hearing to examine the contract, your complaints, and whatever evidence either side can muster.† I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to picture what that hearing would be like. â€Å"I've never been to Hell. Have either of you?† They shook their heads, which wasn't a surprise. Lesser immortals were recruited on Earth, where they then served. We had no reason to visit the realm of our employers, not even an imp like Hugh. Roman, as a nephilim, was on Heaven and Hell's hit list. Walking into Hell would be like showing up in a lion's den and presenting yourself on a platter. â€Å"I always kind of pictured Hell as a cross between waiting in line at the DMV and watching a marathon of Perfect Strangers,† remarked Hugh. Roman shot him a sharp look. â€Å"What's wrong with that show?† Overcome, I hugged Hugh again and then Roman. â€Å"Thanks, you guys. I mean it. I owe you . . . more than I can ever pay back.† â€Å"Just win,† said Roman fiercely. â€Å"That's all the payback I need.† Hugh put the papers into his briefcase and slipped on his coat. â€Å"I'm going to get these over to Mei now, then head off to a party and drink away the memories of wading through all that legalese.† â€Å"You're going to Peter's?† I asked. Unsurprisingly, our vampire friend was holding a shindig to ring in the New Year. â€Å"Nah,† said Hugh. â€Å"Not much chance of getting laid there. I'm going to a party one of my nurses is hosting.† We wished him a happy new year and bid him farewell. As soon as he was gone, Roman turned to me. â€Å"What about you?† he asked. â€Å"Are you going to Peter's?† I knew Peter was counting on it, but it was hard to make myself feel like celebrating. â€Å"No. I'm not in the mood. Besides, I'm not sure I want to risk running into Jerome since I'm sure Mei's going to tell him about the appeal. I'll just keep packing.† â€Å"Come on,† Roman said. â€Å"You can't just sit around tonight. It's a new year . . . new opportunities. Maybe even the chance to break free of Hell.† I nodded, though it was still hard for me to imagine what â€Å"breaking free† would even look like. It was something we kept talking about, but I really couldn't feel it yet. And even though I'd talked a good talk to Seth about how the integrity of the soul and eternity were so much more important than any earthly concerns, it all seemed lackluster without him in my life. â€Å"I know,† I told Roman. â€Å"But any celebrating I do is going to be forced. If I'm going to be unhappy, I'd rather do it in a place where I feel comfortable.† He glanced at the clock. â€Å"Let's at least go out to dinner. Dress up and get a good meal. Then we'll come back and watch all the New Year's shows.† I didn't have much of an appetite but suspected if I said no, Roman would consign himself to the same self-imprisonment as me. I didn't want his night ruined because of me, especially after everything he'd done this week. One problem presented itself. â€Å"It's almost five,† I said. â€Å"We'll never get in anywhere on such short notice. Unless we want to dress up for Taco Bell. Which I'm actually not averse to.† Roman was already reaching for his cell phone. â€Å"I know someone who's a chef at this Italian place in Green Lake. We'll get a table.† Sure enough. One mysterious phone call, and we were on our way an hour later. I hadn't been up for elaborate styling and simply shape-shifted myself into New Year's finery, with an off-the-shoulder satin dress and my hair cascading in perfect waves. Roman had warned me â€Å"no black,† so the dress was dark purple, which still seemed appropriate for my mood. I paired it with a glittering necklace of white gold and amethysts that had been my Secret Santa gift to myself. I had great taste. â€Å"Have you made any moves to put your condo on the market?† asked Roman as he drove us through the city. â€Å"Contacted a real estate agent?† I gazed out at the bright lights of the downtown skyline. This time of year, darkness came early. â€Å"No. I need to. Unless . . .† I glanced over at him. â€Å"Do you want to keep staying there? I'll keep it and rent if you want.† He shook his head, a wry smile playing over his lips. â€Å"No. It wouldn't be the same without you and those furballs. I'll get another place. Sell it or rent it to someone else.† â€Å"Easier to sell,† I mused. â€Å"Well, in theory. But I'm not concerned with profit, and it saves the hassle of screening and dealing with – † I stopped as a startling thought suddenly came to me. â€Å"Hey. Do we have time for a, oh, fifteen-minute stop? Will your friend get rid of our table?† â€Å"Not if I call. Where do you need to go?† â€Å"The U District. Seth's place. Don't worry,† I added, seeing his look of alarm. â€Å"I'm not going to do anything crazy or lovestruck. I'm not even going to see Seth. Please? Just a quick stop?† Roman concurred, though his expression said this was against his better judgment. I almost told him his fears were unfounded because I was only going to actually stop if Margaret was home and Seth wasn't. The odds against that possibility seemed slim, particularly with the way my luck tended to run. The universe apparently owed me a favor because when we reached Seth's condo, I saw her car there but not his. A light inside gave me hope that they hadn't just all carpooled off together. â€Å"Do you need me to come in?† asked Roman, as he pulled into my parking spot. â€Å"No, but thanks. I'll be right back.† I left the car and walked up to the door, hoping some wacky happenstance wouldn't actually put me face to face with Seth. Not that I wouldn't have loved to see him. God, I missed him so, so much. But I knew no good could come of an encounter between us. I rang the bell and waited anxiously. A few moments later, Margaret answered. â€Å"Georgina,† she said, clearly surprised. â€Å"What are you doing here?† She took in my appearance. â€Å"Are you supposed to meet Seth?† â€Å"No . . . can I come in for a minute? I'll be fast, I promise.† She had on a coat, making me think she'd been about to leave. Either that or she was trying to save Seth money on his heating bills. She gestured me inside and shut the door. â€Å"I was about to go to Terry's. Seth's already there.† I didn't bother asking where Ian was. He probably celebrated New Year's on January third or something, just to be contrary. â€Å"You haven't been around in a while.† I wondered what Seth had told his family about us, if he'd even told them anything at all. Maybe he was just going to say nothing until one of them noticed my absence. â€Å"Ah, well,† I said. â€Å"Seth and I are having a disagreement.† She clucked her tongue disapprovingly. â€Å"You two need to sit down and fix it then.† How I wished it was that easy. I forced a neutral smile. â€Å"We'll see,† I said. â€Å"But the thing is . . . I may be moving. No, I am moving. I have a new job . . . and I was wondering if you'd like to stay in my condo when I leave. I remember you saying you didn't want to impose on Seth's space but that you wished you could stick around more to help. Well, now you can. You can have your own place. Mine.† â€Å"I can't afford to keep my place in Chicago and pay rent somewhere here, though,† she said sadly. â€Å"That's been the problem.† â€Å"You don't have to pay rent,† I said. â€Å"You can stay there for free.† She eyed me curiously. â€Å"How will you afford your mortgage?† Yes, how indeed would a poor retail-bound girl like me be able to swing that? â€Å"The condo's paid off,† I explained. Let her think it was passed down through the family or something. â€Å"And my new job pays well. Look, I really don't mind you staying. It'd be worth it to me to know that the girls have you close by to help. I mean, they're going to need a strong woman around, right?† Margaret took a few moments to answer. â€Å"Right. I just thought you'd be that woman.† â€Å"Fate has other plans,† I said. Wasn't that the damned truth. â€Å"Is that why you and Seth aren't getting along? Because you're moving? I'm surprised he doesn't just go with you. . . .† â€Å"No, no, it's not that at all,† I assured her. â€Å"It's . . . complicated. If it was as simple as moving, he would when he was able to . . . you know, when Andrea's better.† I hesitated, afraid of the answer to the next question, but it was one I had to know. With no contact from Seth, the status of the Mortensens had been a mystery. â€Å"How is Andrea? Is she still doing well?† â€Å"Yes, she's doing great. We won't know the details for sure until she sees the doctor in a couple weeks, but on the outside, things look wonderful. We're all praying.† I found myself smiling, unable to help my joy and relief. Andrea had looked good at Christmas, but I'd worried ever since then that whatever demon had made her sick before would return one of these days. Again, a doctor would have the ultimate answer, but I took Margaret's own observation as a good sign. â€Å"Thank you,† I said. â€Å"You have no idea how much that makes my night. I've needed some good news.† â€Å"Well, thank you for the housing offer. Can I let you know my answer later?† â€Å"Of course,† I said. I wished her a happy new year and told her good night. Then, I hurried off before I cracked and asked her to deliver some sentimental message to Seth. I liked Roman's company, but I still couldn't shake the wrongness of being out with him instead of Seth tonight. After last year's miserable New Year's Eve, I'd hoped this one would be better. â€Å"That was nice of you,† Roman said, when I explained what I discussed with Margaret. â€Å"It's an easy thing for me to do that can help a lot of people,† I said. â€Å"No reason not to.† He shook his head, incredulous. â€Å"You shouldn't even need a technicality to escape Hell's reach. They should fire you out of principle.† The restaurant was tiny but elegant – and packed. I seriously doubted any connections Roman had would get us in, but through some magic, the hostess beckoned us through the crowd and led us back to a cozy candlelit corner. In it was a table covered with an old-fashioned lace cloth, as well as crystal and china place settings – for three. I looked at her in surprise. â€Å"But there's only – â€Å" â€Å"Hey, hope I'm not late.† Carter suddenly emerged from the crowd, wearing his usual grunge wear. The hostess didn't even blink an eye. Seeing us about to sit down, he smiled. â€Å"I guess not.† â€Å"What are you doing here?† I asked. I looked to Roman, who appeared just as perplexed as I was. â€Å"I didn't tell him any details. He called while you were inside Seth's to see if we were going to Peter's, and I told him we were going to dinner instead. That's it.† Carter waved it off. â€Å"That's as good as a homing beacon. I love this place. You're getting wine, right?† It wasn't that I was unhappy to see Carter. It was just that when Carter appeared, there was usually a reason. â€Å"So you heard?† I said, once we'd placed our orders and dispensed with small talk. Carter swirled the wine in his glass. We'd ordered a nice vintage that would probably be wasted on him at the rate he drank. â€Å"That you're skipping Peter's party? Yeah, I did. Man, he's going to be pissed.† I rolled my eyes. â€Å"That's not what I mean. Are you here about the appeal we filed?† â€Å"I'm here to have dinner with friends,† said Carter demurely. â€Å"But now that you mention it . . .† â€Å"Word gets around fast, huh?† I asked. It had been a couple hours since we'd seen Hugh, more than enough time for him to deliver the paperwork to Mei and enough for her to have told Jerome. â€Å"Oh, I found out from him,† said Carter, nodding toward Roman. â€Å"He asked when he called me earlier,† explained Roman. â€Å"He knew we'd been working on it.† â€Å"How?† I asked, startled. â€Å"Hugh and I have had to consult him on a couple of things this week,† said Roman. â€Å"Nothing that breaks any rules, of course.† Carter gave him a mock toast to that. â€Å"But enough to clarify a couple points about Hell's fucked-up legal system.† I wondered what they had needed to consult Carter on but doubted they'd tell me. I was also kind of amazed that I'd been so out of it this week that I hadn't even known my legal team had been in touch with the angel. No, on second thought, I wasn't that surprised. My misery had been pretty all-consuming. â€Å"So what do you think our odds are?† I asked. Carter shook his head. â€Å"I can't answer that.† â€Å"Because it breaks a rule?† â€Å"Because it's too tempting for me to answer with a joke about a snowball's chance in Hell.† I sighed. â€Å"That's not very comforting.† â€Å"You're awfully grim about this,† said Carter. â€Å"I figured there'd be a little more excitement from someone trying to win back their soul.† â€Å"It doesn't mean much without Seth,† I said. â€Å"Oh, for God's sake,† said Roman. He reached for the wine bottle. â€Å"You're on the verge of getting your soul and your life back . . . and he's still what determines your happiness ? You don't need a relationship to be happy, Georgina.† â€Å"No,† I agreed. â€Å"But Seth's not just any relationship. He's tied to my soul. He found me in the world of dreams. We've come together, life after life. I'm not just some girl who needs a guy around. Seth and I are connected. We both have done terrible things to each other . . . but also made great sacrifices for each other. It just seems like only half a victory to get my soul back but not be with the person who's affected it so much.† Roman surprised me by acknowledging the point. â€Å"Okay. I can see where you're coming from there.† â€Å"And,† added Carter gently, â€Å"you need to replay your own words there. You and Seth have come back together, life after life. What makes you think you won't again?† â€Å"Well, his recent actions for one,† I remarked bitterly. â€Å"That and . . . I don't know. Just the look in his eyes.† â€Å"Seth had a lot thrown at him all at once. Whose idea was the hypnosis anyway?† â€Å"Mine,† said Roman. â€Å"And get that accusing tone out of your voice. It was the fastest and easiest way we had to get the information we needed.† â€Å"Perhaps,† said Carter. â€Å"But there's a reason reborn mortals forget their past lives. It's a lot to process, and that kind of regression brings on too much, too fast.† â€Å"Hugh kind of said something like that too,† I said. Carter nodded, gray eyes kind. â€Å"Don't give up on Seth yet. I think he might surprise you once he's settled down. He loved you enough to always come back to you. He loved you enough to remember you, even when Hell tried to erase you from his mind. That's powerful stuff, Daughter of Lilith.† It was, and I suddenly questioned how fairly I'd been approaching this situation. My old fears had held me back from truly fighting for Seth. I also hadn't really tried to imagine what it must be like for him to have ten people in one mind. â€Å"It could take a while,† I said, unable to meet Carter's eyes. â€Å"For him to come around, I mean. And it could take a while for Hell to respond to my appeal too, right?† Both men nodded. â€Å"What do I do then? What do I do with all that time?† â€Å"You live,† said Carter. â€Å"You go on with the life you have, with the opportunities you have. You want your soul. You want Seth. If it's within your power to achieve those things, do it. If it's not, accept it and figure out what else you want.† I muddled over his words. â€Å"Part of my immediate life is dictated for me. I have to go to Las Vegas.† â€Å"What do you want to do there?† prompted Carter. â€Å"Be happy . . . if it's possible.† I knew I was being melodramatic but couldn't help it. â€Å"If I have to be there, I'd like some sort of chance at a happy life that I created. Not a fake one Hell fashioned for me.† I thought about it some more. â€Å"I'd like to find out if Bastien is my friend first and Hell's servant second.† â€Å"There you go,† said Carter. â€Å"Start there. Focus on what you can control.† â€Å"I'd like to help Seth's family too,† I added, kind of on a roll now. â€Å"I'm already trying to do something for his mom, but before I leave them, I want to do whatever I can. Even if Hell leaves Andrea alone, we don't know how things will turn out. Even if Seth decides he never wants to see me again, I still care about them. And there are still things they need.† â€Å"Indeed. That pony collection isn't nearly complete,† Carter mused. When I dared a look back at him, I saw that the angel was smiling at me. â€Å"You see? You aren't lost. No matter what happens to you, you have a plan. There's still hope.† â€Å"You told me that once . . . that no matter what happens, there's always hope. Do you really still believe that?† I asked. Carter topped off all of our wineglasses. â€Å"I'm an angel, Georgina. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't.† â€Å"And even though you're counseling contingency plans, you still think I can pull it all off, don't you?† I pushed. â€Å"What do you know that I don't?† â€Å"At this point?† he admitted. â€Å"Nothing more than you do. The only difference is that I think I have more faith in you than you do.† â€Å"You're an angel,† I pointed out, throwing his words back at him. â€Å"Don't you have to have faith in everyone?† â€Å"You'd be surprised.† He chuckled. â€Å"I have faith in some more than others. And you? I've always been one of your biggest fans. If you believe nothing else, believe that.† â€Å"Here, here,† said Roman, raising his glass. â€Å"To faith and a new year.† I clinked glasses with them and caught Carter's eye. He winked. Was it enough? His faith? I'd noted before that having him pull for the Mortensens was a powerful thing. Having an angel say he believed in you was equally monumental. But I wasn't fighting an ordinary adversary. I was fighting Hell, the only force that could stand against Heaven. I've always been one of your biggest fans. I would find out soon if it was enough. For now, I drank up and tried to have hope.