Urbanism and child mental health journal review essays

Urbanism and child mental health journal review essays How much of an effect does your environment have on your mental health? Plenty. Does it mean you're doomed if your environment is supposedly negative? Not necessarily. What can we attribute the high rate of social and psychological problems in cities to? And, are urban areas predestined to be a hub for high social and psychological problems. The latter two are questions David Quinton is attempting to answer in the annotation titled " Urbanism and Child Mental Health ". In this commentary, Quinton reviews other researchers' data and attempts to explain the phenomena. The research primarily includes subjects from London's boroughs, as well as, urban areas from Oslo, Beijing and Kampala. Quinton notes a similar review by Freeman (1984) is in circulation, but it failed to consider the process of city rise and decay, the qualities of urban life and the impacts of the physical environment. Quinton begins by commenting that there are few studies of early childhood disorders that compare children in urban and rural areas within the same culture using the same assessment measures. Instead, studies rely on ecological correlations in bureaucratically limited areas. This data produced an unsurprising casual connection between indicators such as housing features and deviance. However, the ecological fallacy - the inclination to draw conclusions from unrelated indicators - presents problems. Therefore, data related to area differences is deemed tainted because of certain influences. He reviewed Lavik's 1977 study of disorder rates in Oslo with a rural sample, and surprise, behavior problems were more common in the city. Basically, Quinton found the urban areas to have higher instances of negative actions in all the studies he reviewed. He reviewed studies based on the following sub-topics: Intra-urban differences, migration, features of the area, housing charact eristics, urban environment, urban malaise and social isolati...

Fresh Meat and Fish in the Middle Ages

Fresh Meat and Fish in the Middle Ages Depending on their status in society and where they lived, medieval people had a variety of meats to enjoy. But thanks to Fridays, Lent, and various days deemed meatless by the Catholic Church, even the wealthiest and most powerful people did not eat meat or poultry every day. Fresh fish was fairly common, not only in coastal regions, but inland, where rivers and streams were still teeming with fish in the Middle Ages, and where most castles and manors included well-stocked fish ponds. Those who could afford spices used them liberally to enhance the flavor of meat and fish. Those who could not afford spices used other flavorings like garlic, onion, vinegar and a variety of herbs grown throughout Europe. The use of spices and their importance has contributed to the misconception that it was common to use them to disguise the taste of rotten meat. However, this was an uncommon practice perpetrated by underhanded butchers and vendors who, if caught, would pay for their crime. Meat in Castles and Manor Homes A large portion of the foodstuffs served to the residents of castles and manor homes came from the land on which they lived. This included wild game from nearby forests and fields, meat and poultry from the livestock they raised in their pastureland and barnyards, and fish from stock ponds as well as from the rivers, streams and seas. Food was used swiftly usually within a few days, and sometimes on the same day and if there were leftovers, they were gathered up as alms for the poor and distributed daily. Occasionally, meat procured ahead of time for large feasts for the nobility would have to last a week or so before being eaten. Such meat was usually large wild game like deer or boar. Domesticated animals could be kept on the hoof until the feast day drew near, and smaller animals could be trapped and kept alive, but big game had to be hunted and butchered as the opportunity arose, sometimes from lands several days travel away from the big event. There was often concern from those overseeing such victuals that the meat might go off before it came time to serve it, and so measures were usually taken to salt the meat to prevent rapid deterioration. Instructions for removing outer layers of meat that had gone bad and making wholesome use of the remainder have come down to us in extant cooking manuals. Be it the most sumptuous of feasts or the more modest daily meal, it was the lord of the castle or manor, or the highest-ranking resident, his family, and his honored guests who would receive the most elaborate dishes and, consequently, the finest portions of meat. The lower the status of the other diners, the further away from the head of the table, and the less impressive their food. This could mean that those of low rank did not partake of the rarest type of meat, or the best cuts of meats, or the most fancily-prepared meats; but they ate meat nonetheless. Meat for Peasants and Village-Dwellers Peasants rarely had much fresh meat of any kind. It was illegal to hunt in the lords forest without permission, so, in most cases, if they had game it would have been poached, and they had every reason to cook it and dispose of the remains the very same day it was killed. Some domestic animals such as cows and sheep were too large for everyday fare and were reserved for the feasts of special occasions like weddings, baptisms, and harvest celebrations. Chickens were ubiquitous, and most peasant families (and some city families) had them; but people would enjoy their meat only after their egg-laying days (or hen-chasing days) were over. Pigs were very popular, and could forage just about anywhere, and most peasant families had them. Still, they werent numerous enough to slaughter every week, so the most was made of their meat by turning it into long-lasting ham and bacon. Pork, which was popular in all levels of society, would be an unusual meal for peasants. Fish could be had from the sea, rivers and streams, if there were any nearby, but, as with hunting the forests, the lord could claim the right to fish a body of water on his lands as part of his demesne. Fresh fish was not often on the menu for the average peasant. A peasant family would usually subsist on pottage and porridge, made from grain, beans, root vegetables and pretty much anything else they could find that might taste good and provide sustenance, sometimes enhanced with a little bacon or ham. Meat in Religious Houses Most rules followed by monastic orders limited the consumption of meat or forbade it altogether, but there were exceptions. Sick monks or nuns were allowed meat to aid their recovery. The elderly were allowed meat the younger members were not, or were given greater rations. The abbot or abbess would serve meats to guests and partake, as well. Often, the entire monastery or convent would enjoy meat on feast days. And some houses allowed meat every day but Wednesday and Friday. Of course, fish was an entirely different matter, being the common substitute for meat on meatless days. How fresh the fish would be depended on whether or not the monastery had access to, and fishing rights in, any streams, rivers or lakes. Because monasteries or convents were mostly self-sufficient, the meat available to the brothers and sisters was usually pretty much the same as that served in a manor or castle, although the more common foodstuffs like chicken, beef, pork and mutton would be more likely than swan, peacock, venison or wild boar. Continued on Page Two: Meat in Towns and Cities Meat in Towns and Cities In towns and small cities, many families had enough land to support a little livestock usually a pig or some chickens, and sometimes a cow. The more crowded the city was, however, the less land there was for even the most modest forms of agriculture, and the more foodstuffs had to be imported. Fresh fish would be readily available in coastal regions and in towns by rivers and streams, but inland towns could not always enjoy fresh seafood and might have to settle for preserved fish. City dwellers usually purchased their meat from a butcher, often from a stall in a marketplace but sometimes in a well-established shop. If a housewife bought a rabbit or duck to roast or use in a stew, it was for that mid-day dinner or that evenings meal; if a cook procured beef or mutton for his cookshop or street vending business, his product wouldnt be expected to keep for more than a day. Butchers were wise to offer the freshest meats possible for the simple reason that theyd go out of business if they didnt. Vendors of pre-cooked fast food, which a large portion of city dwellers would frequent due to their lack of private kitchens, were also wise to use fresh meat, because if any of their customers got sick it wouldnt take long for word to spread. This is not to say there werent cases of shady butchers attempting to pass off older meat as fresh or underhanded vendors selling reheated pasties with older meat. Both occupations developed a reputation for dishonesty that has characterized modern views of medieval life for centuries. However, the worst problems were in crowded cities such as London and Paris, where crooks could more easily avoid detection or apprehension, and where corruption among city officials (not inherent, but more common than in smaller towns) made their escapes easier. In most medieval towns and cities, the selling of bad food was neither common nor acceptable. Butchers who sold (or tried to sell) old meat would face severe penalties, including fines and time in the pillory, if their deception was discovered. A fairly substantial number of laws were enacted concerning guidelines for proper management of meat, and in at least one case the butchers themselves drew up regulations of their own. Available Meat, Fish and Poultry Though pork and beef, chicken and goose, and cod and herring were among the most common and abundant types of meat, fowl and fish eaten in the Middle Ages, they were only a fraction of what was available. To find out the variety of meats medieval cooks had in their kitchens, visit these resources: Types of MeatTypes of FowlTypes of FishMedieval Food Preservation

Effects of Alcohol on the Body Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Effects of Alcohol on the Body - Essay Example ut the adverse effects of alcohol, my desire to speak to you about your alcohol consumption has risen, especially so that I am very much aware of your symptoms. I have learned that alcohol is an irritant which explains the burning sensation as it goes down (Kinney, 2011). However, that is not the only thing that happens as you consume more and more alcohol. Imagine what happens to your skin if you scratch it a number of times. It gets irritated and turns red. If you continue scratching it, it could either inflame or bleed. Similarly, alcohol destroys the lining of the stomach and small intestines, making patients suffer stomach pains which I know you have been complaining about for months now. However, what makes me more concerned is not only your symptom but also my suspicion that what you are suffering from is not simply inflammation but perhaps an open sore in your stomach’s lining. I strongly suggest that you see your doctor very soon before your condition gets

Explain how motion is possible in light of Zeno's paradoxes against Research Paper

Explain how motion is possible in light of Zeno's paradoxes against them. (This is much harder than most people realize. Math - Research Paper Example The race set in a traditionally plural world provokes a reader to draw the conclusion of the race according to the rule of the singular reality ultimately to be confounded with the result that is contradictory to his expected traditional result. Indeed Achilles can move both in a singular and a plural world, but the motion in a singular world is not perceivable since such world does not have any object of references (Whitehead 45). Definitions of Singular and Plural Universe Before defining the proposed singular and plural world thesis, it is necessary to have a clear idea of Zeno’s paradoxes of plurality. In Zeno’s word, â€Å"the universe is singular, eternal, and unchanging. The all is one.† (Brown 34) But this singular universe has a lot to do with his paradoxes of motion. In this singular universe, if Achilles takes a step toward any direction from any from where is, he will find himself where he was. This statement essentially seems to fabulous, since it is quite contradictory to real life experience. But a deeper understanding makes sense. Indeed Zeno’s singular universe is such that it consists of the only One, not of two. As a result, it is as it is. Since it consists of one, it does not provide a viewer with any chance to compare it with other. Therefore it lacks diversity. Because of its lack of diversity and presence of the others, it does not have any objects of references by which distance can be measured and any event cannot take place in it. Again because of the lacks of distance and event, space and time collapse in such a world. In it .00000000001 meter is equal to infinity; but more accurately, the previous statement is simply meaningless. In such universe whether Achilles moves one hundred miles or so back or forth, he will be where he is now. Wherever Achilles goes at what distance, he will remain at the center since such singular universe evolves out of his singular existence. Indeed, there are no â€Å"earlyâ €  and â€Å"later†. Simply there exists the â€Å"now† since there is no other event in term of which the ‘early’ can assigned a meaning. In Zeno’s singular world, one is both existent and non-existent. One is existent is the sense that it perceives itself in a self-submerged merged way and again it is nonexistent in the sense that there is no other that can prove its existence. (Grunbaum 172-83) Indeed this singular universe is one and at the same time it is many, since such one contains infinite number of ones upon its division for infinite times. Therefore one is both finite and infinite, as Zeno says, â€Å"If there are many, they must be as many as they are and neither more nor less than that. But if they are as many as they are, they would be limited. If there are many, things that are are unlimited.† (Simplicius On Aristotle's Physics, 140.29) Indeed in Zeno’s universe, one is the one. Therefore it does not have the possibil ity to join with other to produce the bigger one. The only thing that the one can do is to divide itself and upon the division, the plurality begins. Since plurality begins, relativity can grow giving birth to the sense of distance and events. As a result time starts from here. But the simplest plural world is composed of three ones, since if the simplest plural world is composed of two, they will be mirror images for each others. For example, if

Web 2. 0 technologies Essay Example for Free

Web 2. 0 technologies Essay The next portion of the interview focuses on the perception of students of being aware of this aspect. According to the results of the survey, 24 out of 6 educators are aware of students doing this. In addition to what was mentioned above, 20 out of 30 educators believe that this should be encouraged and 10 educators believe that this kind of technology should be separated from educational learning tools and should be solely for non-academic purposes. For the 20 that had expressed interest in encouraging Web 2. 0 applications into education, ten out of the 20 believe that it should be mandatory to all aspects of education and should be inserted into the academic curriculum. Five (5) believe that the utilization of Web 2. 0 technologies should be naturally included into the curriculum meaning that these tools should neither be constricted nor be pushed into utilization, rather it should be left to be incorporated into the curriculum all by itself. The last 5 indicated a variety of methods in order to encourage the use of Web 2. 0 technologies. When asked with the question on whether or not academic content should be delivered using Web 2. 0 technologies, 23 or 77% of the total number of respondents indicated that Web 2. 0 technologies would be a useful tool in delivering academic content from educators towards students. On the other hand, 13% (7 respondents) believed that it would be better to utilize the older, more accustomed, tools for information dissemination in order to project the desired image to the students and the stakeholders of the business venture. When asked if there is an existing overlap with the VLE that you used in the institution they are in, fifteen (15) out of the 30 indicated no recognized overlap, eight (8) indicated that there is no overlap while seven (7) believed that there is a overlap between Web 2. 0 technologies and the kind of VLE used. Because of the seeming trend with respect to the enthusiasm and openness of educators in using Web 2. 0 technologies, the next focus of the interview was set on Web 2. 0 tools being integrated with VLEs. Out of the thirty respondents, twenty-five (25) had indicated that they wanted to integrate VLEs with Web 2. 0 tools and five (5) had disagreed with the proposed integration. Most of the five (5) educators were from the seven people that believed there is an overlap between the two tools. The third part of the study focused on how they had perceived Web 2. 0 technologies as being part of the assessment process. The first part of the interview focused on Web 2. 0 technologies as part of the assessment purpose, the interview solicited how the interviewees perceived Web 2. 0 tools as an assessment tool. Generally speaking, most of the respondents to the interview indicated that they believe that currently, Web 2. 0 technologies used as a means of being able to assess is still very young rather it is still in its infancy stage. Though they believe that it would be step forward for the educational setting, there is still a need for further verification for such a move and should be tested if the students can adapt to such a change. Wikis was cited as one potential for teachers to evaluate the effectiveness of students in being able to collaborate with their partners in group work. Most of the educators indicated that they would rather evaluate students using the old method of educational teaching however they would be amenable of such as a move as to include Web 2. 0 applications into the curriculum and use it for checking and teaching. On the other hand, they had noted that it would be useful to check items in Web 2. 0 applications that are actually their cornerstone or the reason for their being – pictures in photoblogs such as flickr and video assignments in Youtube. When given the opportunity to explain very briefly each Web 2. 0 technology, the opinions of each educator as to how they can use these tools were solicited. For the first part of this section, blogs was the first application to be tackled. Based on the discussion, the educators generally indicated that they can utilize blogs as a mean of generating discussions among the students. With blogs having the capacity to take in comments and views via posting on certain topics, educators can then start up discussion on a particular topic and solicit the opinion of the class. Educators can then assess the views of the students by being able to review the comments of the students on that particular topic because of the capacity of blogs to retain inputs from users. The second tool is Wikis. Educators that were interviewed viewed wikis can be used in assessing the capability of the members in being able to collaborate and create singular information or a single document. This can then be used as a means of being able to assess how the students can cope with team effort and the output of such collaborative efforts. Social networks on the other hand can be used both by students and educators as well as a means to identify connections and networks that within communities that can be used by the students in order to determine people that have the necessary information for the teachings imposed by the students. Lastly, focus was given on video and photo sharing sites. Although this is relatively a new technology that would be used in sharing video and photo information between students, it is believed all these sites can be used in order to support all the learning motives for students and educators as well. Essentially the element of being able to share information particularly videos and photos is necessary are inherent in all sites. In addition to this, educators that were part of the group interviewed had already seen a video sharing site and they believe that due to the existing trends, video sharing networks will be able to further thrive and the educators believe that this will entail a positive effect on the way students are able to learn and how educators are able to teach.

Mister Rogers Positive Influence on Children Essay -- Television Emot

Mister Rogers' Positive Influence on Children It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood, A beautiful day for a neighbor Would you be mine? Could you be mine? I’ve always wanted to have a neighbor just like you. I’ve always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you. The comforting words of this familiar childhood jingle bring memories flooding back and invite us to join the loving and patient man who once taught us that everyone is special and unique. Over several decades, strong morals and values have filled each 30-minute segment of the popular children’s television show. The skills of Fred Rogers as a loving creator and host, combined with the activities and educational settings of the show and the content of his messages -- are all evidence that â€Å"Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood† is a positive influence on children. â€Å"Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood† has been a success throughout its airing of over 45 years. In its long success, few contradictions surface when discussing the positive influences of the famous children’s television show. However, many spoofs have been created about â€Å"Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood† and general complaints about the show and Rogers’ personality have been created also. Some television critics have abused â€Å"Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.† Several statements declare he is a wimp because of his general caring approach on the show. Not only have television critics made negative remarks, but the children’s show has also been made fun of on late night television shows such as â€Å"The Tonight Show† with Johnny Carson as well as Eddie Murphy on Saturday Night Live (Bianculli 43). On a different level of criticism, the older siblings of those who watch the show develop negative opinions of â€Å"Mister ... ...te.com/tv/20001112rogers2.asp Rogers, Fred. You Are Special: Words of Wisdom from America’s Most Beloved Neighbor. New York: Penguin Books, 1994. Rowe, Claudia. â€Å"Some Things Never Change, and Thank Heavens Mister Rogers is One of Them.† Biography 4:3 (Mar 2000), 102-107. Academic Search Elite. Palni Site Search. Goshen Public Library. 6 November 2001. Trotter, Andrew. â€Å"Media.† Education Week 22 Nov. 2000: 5. Valkenburg, P.M. and S.C. Janssen. â€Å"What do Children Value in Entertainment Programs?: A Cross Cultural Investigation.† Journal of Communication 49:2 (Spr 1999), 4-25. Zoba, Wendy Murray. â€Å"Won’t You Be My Neighbor?† Christianity Today. 6 Mar 2000: 38-47. NOTE: Citations for Family Communication website are as follows: (â€Å"Mister† What Is) â€Å"Mister† = Reference source What Is = Link where information is found located on left bar of website.

The Return: Shadow Souls Chapter 15

Hurrying behind Damon, Elena tried not to look either to the left or the right. She could see too much of what to Meredith and Bonnie must have appeared to be featureless darkness. There were depots on either side, places where slaves were obviously brought to be bought or sold or transported later. Elena could hear the whimpers of children in the darkness and if she hadn't been so frightened herself, she would have rushed off looking for the crying kids. But I can't do that, because I'm a slave now, she thought, with a sense of shock that ran up from her fingertips. I'm not a real human being anymore. I'm a piece of property. She found herself once again staring at the back of Damon's head and wondering how on earth she had talked herself into this. She understood what being a slave meant – in fact she seemed to have an intuitive understanding of it that surprised her – and it was Not a Good Thing to Be. It meant that she could be†¦well, that anything could be done to her and it was no one's business but that of her owner. And her owner (how had he talked her into this again?) was Damon, of all people. He could sell all three girls – Elena, Meredith, and Bonnie – and be out of here in an hour with the profits. They hurried through this area of the docks, the girls with their eyes on their feet to prevent themselves from stumbling. And then they crested a hill. Below them, in a sort of crater-shaped formation, was a city. The slums were on the edges, and crowded almost up to where they were standing. But there was a chicken-wire fence in front of them, which kept them isolated even while allowing them a bird's-eye view of the city. If they had still been in the cave they had entered, this would have been the greatest underground cavern imaginable – but they weren't underground anymore. â€Å"It happened sometime during the ferry ride,† Damon said. â€Å"We made – well – a twist in space, say.† He tried to explain and Elena tried to understand. â€Å"You went in through the Demon Gate, and when you came out you were no longer in Earth's Dimension, but in another one entirely.† Elena only had to look up at the sky to believe him. The constellations were different; there was no Little or Big Dipper, no North Star. Then there was the sun. It was much larger, but much dimmer than Earth's, and it never left the horizon. At any moment about half of it showed, day and night – terms which, as Meredith pointed out, had lost their rational meaning here. As they approached a gate made of chicken wire that would finally let them out of the slave-holding area, they were stopped by what Elena would later learn was a Guardian. She would learn that in a way, the Guardians were the rulers of the Dark Dimension, although they themselves came from another place far away and it was almost as if they had permanently occupied this little slice of Hell, trying to impose order on the slum king and feudal lords who divided the city among themselves. This Guardian was a tall woman with hair the color of Elena's own – true gold – cut square at shoulder length, and she paid no attention at all to Damon but immediately asked Elena, who was first in line behind him, â€Å"Why are you here?† Elena was glad, very glad, that Damon had taught her to control her aura. She concentrated on that while her brain hummed at supersonic speed, wondering what the right response to this question was. The response that would leave them free and not get them sent home. Damon didn't train us for this, was her first thought. And her second was, no, because he's never been here before. He doesn't know how everything works here, only some things. And if it looked as if this woman was going to try to interfere with him, he might just go crazy and attack her, a helpful little voice added from somewhere in Elena's subconscious. Elena doubled the speed of her scheming. Creative lying had once been a sort of specialty of hers, and now she said the first thing that popped into her head and got a thumbs-up: â€Å"I gambled with him and lost.† Well, it sounded good. People lost all sorts of things when they gambled: plantations, talismans, horses, castles, bottles of genii. And if it turned out not to be enough of a reason, she could always say that that was just the start of her sad story. Best of all, it was in a way, true. Long ago she'd given her life for Damon as well as for Stefan, and Damon had not exactly turned over a new leaf as she'd requested. Half a leaf, maybe. A leaflet. The Guardian was staring at her with a puzzled look in her true blue eyes. People had stared at Elena all her life – being young and very beautiful meant that you fretted only when people didn't stare. But the puzzlement was a bit of a worry. Was the tall woman reading her mind? Elena tried to add another layer of white noise at the top. What came out was a few lines of a Britney Spears song. She turned the psychic volume up. The tall woman put two fingers to her head like someone with a sudden headache. Then she looked at Meredith. â€Å"Why†¦are you here?† Usually Meredith didn't lie at all, but when she did she treated it as an intellectual art. Fortunately, she also never tried to fix something that wasn't broken. â€Å"The same for me,† she said sadly. â€Å"And you?† The woman was looking at Bonnie, who was looking as if she were going to be sick again. Meredith gave Bonnie a little nudge. Then she stared at her hard. Elena stared at her harder, knowing that all Bonnie had to do was mumble â€Å"Me, too.† And Bonnie was a good â€Å"me, too-er† after Meredith had staked out a position. The problem was that Bonnie was also either in trance, or so close to it that it didn't matter. â€Å"Shadow Souls,† Bonnie said. The woman blinked, but not the way you blink when someone says something totally unresponsive. She blinked in astonishment. Oh, God, Elena thought. Bonnie's got their password or something. She's making predictions or prophesying or whatever. â€Å"Shadow†¦souls?† the Guardian said, watching Bonnie closely. â€Å"The city is full of them,† Bonnie said miserably. The Guardian's fingers danced over what looked like a palmtop computer. â€Å"We know that. This is the place they come.† â€Å"Then you should stop it.† â€Å"We have only limited jurisdiction. The Dark Dimension is ruled by a dozen factions of overlords, who have slumlords to carry out their orders.† Bonnie, Elena thought, trying to cut through Bonnie's mental haze even at the cost of the Guardian hearing her. These are the police. At the same moment, Damon took over. â€Å"She's the same as the others,† he said. â€Å"Except that she's psychic.† â€Å"No one asked your opinion,† the Guardian snapped at him, without even glancing in Damon's direction. â€Å"I don't care what kind of bigwig you are down there† – she jerked her head contemptuously at the city of lights – â€Å"you're on my turf behind this fence. And I'm asking the little red-haired girl: is what he is saying the truth?† Elena had a moment of panic. After all they'd been through, if Bonnie blew it now†¦ This time Bonnie blinked. Whatever else she was trying to communicate, it was true that she was the same as Meredith and Elena. And it was true that she was psychic. Bonnie was a terrible liar when she had too much time to think about things, but to this she could say without hesitation, â€Å"Yes, that's true.† The Guardian stared at Damon. Damon stared back as if he could do it all night. He was a champion out-starer. And the Guardian waved them away. â€Å"I suppose even a psychic can have a bad day,† she said, then added to Damon, â€Å"Take care of them. You realize that all psychics have to be licensed?† Damon, with his best grand seigneur manner, said, â€Å"Madam, these are not professional psychics. They are my private assistants.† â€Å"And I'm not a ‘Madam' I'm addressed as ‘Your Judgment.' By the way, people addicted to gambling usually come to horrible ends here.† Ha, ha, Elena thought. If she only knew what kind of gamble we all are taking†¦well, we'd probably be worse off than Stefan is right now. Outside the fence was a courtyard. There were litters here, as well as rickshaws and small goatcarts. No carriages, no horses. Damon got two litters, one for himself and Elena and one for Meredith and Bonnie. Bonnie, still looking confused, was staring at the sun. â€Å"You mean it never finishes rising?† â€Å"No,† Damon said patiently. â€Å"And it's setting here, not rising. Perpetual twilight in the City of Darkness itself. You'll see more as we move along. Don't touch that,† he added, as Meredith moved to untie the rope around Bonnie's wrists before either of them got on the litter. â€Å"You two can take the ropes off in the litter if you draw the curtains, but don't lose them. You're still slaves, and you have to wear something symbolic around your arms to show it – even if it's just matching bracelets. Otherwise I get in trouble. Oh, and you'll have to go veiled in the city.† â€Å"We – what?† Elena flashed a look of disbelief at him. Damon just flashed back a 250-kilowatt smile and before Elena could say another word, he was drawing gauzy sheer fabrics from his black bag and handing them out. The veils were of a size to cover an entire body. â€Å"But you only have to put it on your head or tie it on your hair or something,† Damon said dismissively. â€Å"What's it made of?† Meredith asked, feeling the light silky material, which was transparent and so thin that the wind threatened to whip it from her fingers. â€Å"How should I know?† â€Å"It's different colors on the other side!† Bonnie discovered, letting the wind transform her pale green veil into a shimmering silver. Meredith was shaking out a dramatic deep violet silk into a mysterious dark blue dotted with a myriad of stars. Elena, who had been expecting her own veil to be blue, found herself looking up at Damon. He was holding a tiny square of cloth in a clenched fist. â€Å"Let's see how good you've gotten,† he murmured, nodding her closer to him. â€Å"Guess what color.† Another girl might only have noticed the sloe black eyes and the pure, carven lines of Damon's face, or maybe the wild, wicked smile – somehow wilder and sweeter than ever here, like a rainbow in the middle of a hurricane. But Elena also made note of the stiffness in his neck and shoulders – places where tension built up. The Dark Dimension was already taking its toll on him, psychically, even as he mocked it. She wondered how many soundings of Power by the merely curious he was having to block each second. She was about to offer to help by opening herself up to the eldritch world, when he snapped, â€Å"Guess!† in a tone that didn't make it a suggestion. â€Å"Gold,† Elena said instantly, surprising herself. When she reached to take the golden square from his hand a powerful, pleasurable feeling of electric current shot from her palm up her arm and seemed to skewer her straight through the heart. Damon clung to her fingers briefly as she took the square and Elena found she could still feel electricity pulsing from his fingertips. The underside of her veil blew out white and sparkling as if set with diamonds. God, maybe they were diamonds, she thought. How could you tell with Damon? â€Å"Your wedding veil, perhaps?† Damon murmured, lips close to her ear. The rope around Elena's wrists had come very loose and she stroked the diaphanous fabric helplessly, feeling the tiny jewels on the white side cool to the touch of her fingers. â€Å"How did you know you'd need all this stuff?† Elena asked, with bruising practicality. â€Å"You didn't know everything, but you seemed to know enough.† â€Å"Oh, I did research in bars and other places. I found a few people who'd been here and had managed to get out again – or who had gotten kicked out.† Damon's wild grin grew even wilder. â€Å"At night while you were asleep. At a little hidden store, I got those.† He nodded at her veil, and added, â€Å"You don't have to wear that over your face or anything. Press it to your hair and it will cling to it.† Elena did so, wearing the gold side out. It fell to her heels. She fingered her veil, already able to see the flirtatious possibilities in it, as well as the dismissive ones. If only she could get this damned rope off her wrists†¦ After a moment, Damon retreated back into the persona of the imperturbable master and said, â€Å"For all our sakes, we ought to be strict about these things. The slum lords and nobility who run this abominable mess they call the Dark Dimension know that it's only two days away from revolution at any time, and if we add anything to the balance they're going to Make a Public Example of Us.† â€Å"All right,† Elena said. â€Å"Here, hold my string and I'll get on the litter.† But there wasn't much point in the rope, not once they were both sitting in the same litter. It was carried by four men – not big men, but wiry ones, and all of the same height, which made for a smooth ride. If Elena had been a free citizen, she would never have allowed herself to be carried by four people whom (she assumed) were slaves. In fact, she would have made a big noisy fuss over it. But that talk she'd had with herself at the docks had sunk in. She was a slave, even if Damon hadn't paid anyone to buy her. She didn't have the right to make a big noisy fuss about anything. In this crimson, evil-smelling place she could imagine that her fuss might even make problems for the litter bearers themselves – make their owner or whoever ran the litter-bearing business punish them, as if it were their fault. Best Plan A for now: Keep Mouth Shut. There was plenty to see anyway, now that they had passed on a bridge over bad-smelling slums and alleys full of tumbledown houses. Shops began to appear, at first heavily barred and made of unpainted stone, then more respectable buildings, and then suddenly they were winding their way through a bazaar. But even here the stamp of poverty and weariness appeared on too many faces. Elena had expected, if anything, a cold, black, antiseptic city with emotionless vampires and fire-eyed demons walking the streets. Instead, everyone she saw looked human, and they were selling things – from medicines to food and drink – that vampires didn't need. Well, maybe the kitsune and the demons need them, Elena reasoned, shuddering at the idea of what a demon might want to eat. On the street corners were hard-faced, scantily clad girls and boys, and tattered, haggard people holding pathetic signs: A MEMORY FOR A MEAL. â€Å"What do they mean?† Elena asked Damon, but he didn't answer her immediately. â€Å"This is how the free humans of the city spend most of their time,† he said. â€Å"So remember that, before you start going on one of your crusades – â€Å" Elena wasn't listening. She was staring at one of the holders of such a sign. The man was horribly thin, with a straggly beard and bad teeth, but worse was his look of vacant despair. Every so often he would hold out a trembling hand on which there was a small, clear ball, which he balanced on his palm, muttering, â€Å"A summer's day when I was young. A summer's day for a ten-geld piece.† As often as not there was no one near when he said this. Elena slipped off a lapis ring Stefan had given her and held it toward him. She didn't want to annoy Damon by getting out of the litter, and she had to say, â€Å"Come here, please,† while holding the ring toward the bearded man. He heard, and came to the litter quickly enough. Elena saw something move in his beard – lice, perhaps – and she forced herself to stare at the ring as she said, â€Å"Take it. Quickly, please.† The old man stared at the ring as if it were a banquet. â€Å"I don't have change,† he moaned, bringing up his hand and wiping his mouth with his sleeve. He seemed about to drop to the ground unconscious. â€Å"I don't have change!† â€Å"I don't want change!† Elena said through the huge swelling that had formed in her throat. â€Å"Take the ring. Hurry or I'll drop it.† He snatched it from her fingers as the litter bearers started forward again. â€Å"May the Guardians bless you, lady,† he said, trying to keep up with the litter bearer's trot. â€Å"Hear me who may! May They bless you!† â€Å"You really shouldn't,† Damon said to Elena when the voice had died away behind them. â€Å"He's not going to get a meal with that, you know.† â€Å"He was hungry,† Elena said softly. She couldn't explain that he reminded her of Stefan, not just now. â€Å"It was my ring,† she added defensively. â€Å"I suppose you're going to say he'll spend it on alcohol or drugs.† â€Å"No, but he won't get a meal with it, either. He'll get a banquet.† â€Å"Well, so much the – â€Å" â€Å"In his imagination. He'll get a dusty orb with some old vampire's memory of a Roman feast, or someone from the city's memory of a modern one. Then he'll play it over and over as he slowly starves to death.† Elena was appalled. â€Å"Damon! Quick! I have to go back and find him – â€Å" â€Å"You can't, I'm afraid.† Lazily, Damon held up a hand. He had a firm grip on her rope. â€Å"Besides, he's long gone.† â€Å"How can he do that? How could anyone do that?† â€Å"How can a lung cancer patient refuse to quit smoking? But I agree that those orbs can be the most addictive substances of all. Blame the kitsune for bringing their star balls here and making them the most popular form of obsession.† â€Å"Star balls? Hoshi no tama?† Elena gasped. Damon stared at her, looking equally surprised. â€Å"You know about them?† â€Å"All I know is what Meredith researched. She said that kitsune were often portrayed with either keys† – she raised her eyebrows at him – â€Å"or with star balls. And that myths say they can put some or all of their power in the ball, so that if you find it, you can control the kitsune. She and Bonnie want to find Misao's or Shinichi's star balls and have control over them.† â€Å"Be still, my unbeating heart,† Damon said dramatically, but the next second he was all business. â€Å"Remember what that old guy said? A summer's day for a meal? He was talking about this.† Damon picked up the little marble that the old man had dropped on the litter and held it to Elena's temple. The world disappeared. Damon was gone. The sights and sounds – yes, and the smells – of the bazaar were gone. She was sitting on green grass which rippled in a slight breeze and she was looking at a weeping willow that bent down to a stream that was copper and deep, deep green at once. There was some sweet scent in the air – honeysuckle, freesia? Something delicious that stirred Elena as she leaned back to gaze at picture-perfect white clouds rolling in a cerulean sky. She felt – she didn't know how to say it. She felt young, but somewhere in her mind she knew that she was actually younger than this alien personality that had taken hold of her. Still, she felt excited that it was springtime and every golden-green leaf, every springy little reed, every weightless white cloud seemed to be rejoicing with her. Then suddenly her heart was pounding. She had just caught the sound of a footfall behind her. In one, springing joyous moment she was on her feet, arms held out in the extremity of her love, the wild devotion she felt for this†¦ †¦this young girl? Something inside the sphere user's brain seemed to fall back in bewilderment. Most of it, though, was taken up with cataloguing the perfections of the girl who had crept up so lightly in the waving grass: the clustering dark curls at her neck, the flashing green eyes below arching brows, the smooth glowing skin of her cheeks as she laughed with her lover, pretending to run away on feet as light as any elf's†¦! Pursued and pursuer both fell down together on the soft carpet of long grass†¦and then things quickly got so steamy that Elena, the distant mind in the background, began wondering how on earth you made one of these things stop. Every time she put her hand to her temple, groping, she was caught and kissed breathless by†¦Allegra†¦that was the girl, Allegra. And Allegra was certainly beautiful, especially through this particular viewer's eyes. The creamy soft skin of her†¦ And then, with a shock just as great as she'd felt when the bazaar disappeared, it appeared again. She was Elena; she was riding on the litter with Damon; there was a cacophony of sounds around her – and a thousand different smells, too. But she was breathing hard and part of her was still resounding with John – that had been his name – with John's love for Allegra. â€Å"But I still don't understand,† she almost keened. â€Å"It's simple,† Damon said. â€Å"You put a blank star ball of the size you like to your temple and you think back to the time you want to record. The star ball does the rest.† He waved off her attempted interruption and leaned forward with mischief in those fathomless black eyes of his. â€Å"Perhaps you got an especially warm summer day?† he said, adding suggestively, â€Å"These litters do have curtains you can draw closed.† â€Å"Don't be silly, Damon,† Elena said, but John's feelings had sparked her own, like flint and tinder. She didn't want to kiss Damon, she told herself sternly. She wanted to kiss Stefan. But since a moment ago she had been kissing Allegra, it didn't seem as strong an argument as it could be. â€Å"I don't think,† she began, still breathless, as Damon reached for her, â€Å"that this is a very good†¦Ã¢â‚¬  With a smooth flick of the rope, Damon untied her hands completely. He would have pulled it off both wrists, but Elena immediately half-turned, supporting herself with that hand. She needed the support. In the circumstances, though, there was nothing more meaningful – or more†¦exciting†¦than what Damon had done. He hadn't drawn the curtains, but Bonnie and Meredith were behind them on their own litter, out of sight. Certainly out of Elena's mind. She felt warm arms around her, and instinctively nestled into them. She felt a surge of pure love and appreciation for Damon, for his understanding that she could never do this as a slave with a master. We're both of us unmastered, she heard in her head, and she remembered that when cooling down most of her psychic abilities she had forgotten to set the volume on low for this one. Oh, well, it might just come in handy†¦. But we both enjoy worship, she replied telepathically, and felt his laughter on her lips as he admitted the truth of it. There was nothing sweeter in her life these days than Damon's kisses. She could drift like this forever, forgetting the outside world. And that was a good thing, because she had the feeling that there was much depression in the outside and not too much happiness. But if she could always come back to this, this welcome, this sweetness, this ecstasy†¦ Elena jerked in the litter, throwing her weight back so fast that the men carrying it almost fell in a heap. â€Å"You bastard,† she whispered venomously. They were still psychically entangled, and she was glad to see that through Damon's eyes she was like a vengeful Aphrodite: her golden hair lifting and whipping behind her like a thunderstorm, her eyes shining violet in her elemental fury. And now, worst of all, this goddess turned her face away from him. â€Å"Not one day,† she said. â€Å"You couldn't even keep your promise for a single day!† â€Å"I didn't! I didn't Influence you, Elena!† â€Å"Don't call me that. We have a professional relationship now. I call you ‘Master.' You can call me ‘Slave' or ‘Dog' or whatever you want.† â€Å"If we have the professional relationship of master and slave,† Damon said, his eyes dangerous, â€Å"then I can just order you to – â€Å" â€Å"Try it!† Elena lifted her lips in what really wasn't a smile. â€Å"Why don't you do that, and see just what happens?†