Black Female Identity In Black Female Rap Hits Cultural Studies Essay

Black Female Identity In Black Female Rap Hits Cultural Studies Essay Rap is considered a type of music which serves as a means of expression for those who feel alienated and outraged in American society for certain reasons. According to Tricia Rose, (or you need to provide the names of the many scholars that you have in mind in the footnote) hip hop in America originated from disadvantaged neighborhoods and served as a voice for people who lacked post secondary education and had difficulties in finding a job in the new post-industrial service sector economy. In the early beginning rap artists rapped about poverty, racism and injustice. As the genre was developing, rappers would look for inspiration in other aspects of their every life. Male/female relationships would appear as a common motif in their songs. As discussed in the first chapter, misogynistic messages could be found in a great share of male rap hits. Although rap has been associated mainly as domain of men, female contribution to this genre is also significant. Hence it is worth examining how their legacy contributed to the black female image in the United States. It is also important to note how the messages in their songs differed from those of male rap artists. In this chapter I am going to focus on the motifs of black female identity which permeated the lyrics of female rap hits starting from the late eighties through the beginning of the twenty first century. I will support my analysis by referring to the works of literary black hip hop culture critics such as Tricia Rose, bell hooks, Gwendolyn D. Pough or Cheryl L. Keyes. The findings presented in this study will be based on the existing researches on the subject as well as my lyric interpretation of Billboards Hot Rap Year End Charts. One of the recognized social theorists, Patricia Hill Collins, claims that much of the contemporary social phenomena is understood and analyzed from the European, white male standpoint. Moreover, by this approach black women in particular have been perceived as non-human, commodified and objectified. Needless to say, it is important to counterbalance this approach by interpreting black womens lives from their perspective. I find artistic works of female rappers, as well as their interviews to a be a great source for such a counter analysis. Female rap artists would oftentimes identify themselves as belonging to a certain crew or would use the words as fly, attitude, queen, diva while describing or referring to one another. Based on those self imposed labels, Cheryl L. Keyes distinguishes four prevailing types of female rappers: Queen Mother, Fly Girl, Sista with Attitude and Lesbian. These categories reflect certain images, voices and ages of African American women. Interestingly eno ugh, rappers assigned to these groups marked their presence on the hip hop scene in this particular order but, as Keyes noted, they can swing between these teams or belong to a few concurrently. According to Keyes, the first group Queen Mothers consists mainly of early female rap pioneers of the 1980s such as: Queen Latifah, Roxanne Shante or MC Lyte. They express strong connection to their African heritage by calling themselves Nubian queens, and wearing ethnic clothes and jewelry. The symbol of queen mother may be supposedly rooted in African court tradition. Mothers of kings in many African kingdoms used to be cult objects and granted special privileges. Queen Mothers in hip hop culture also consider themselves as strong, intelligent black women responsible of spreading the word among the community. They discuss issues similar to their male counterparts marginalization, subjugation, and hardship of an urban life. A theme of their concern would be also heterosexual advances of men toward women, as well as domestic violence, and male sexism. These female rappers tended to present black women in their songs as self assured and independent . Similarly to male rappers, they would aim to challenge racist white supremacy by their music. Whilst black males in order to empower themselves oftentimes resort to sexist notions addressed towards their female counterparts, Queen Mothers do not apply the same strategy of subordination. As the excerpts from the songs presented in the first chapter show, many male hip hop artists depict women merely as sexual objects and generally cast derogatory light on them. Some black culture critics, as bell hooks, claim that male gangsta rappers engage in this behavior because women supposedly emasculate black men, negating their manhood and reducing the respect received from others. The critic also states that most black males lack strong male (father) models to look up to. They are being convinced throughout their childhood that they are not destined to grow up as successful, strong, virtuous males. Instead they receive education how to become emotionless thugs. hooks blames the mass media for perpetuating the image of a strong, angry black woman as opposed to black castrated male who is not able to provide for his family. Other reason for that may be the fear of female sexuality, thus women must be controlled. Queen Mothers demand respect not only for black community in general but for black women in particular. This causes a huge inner identity conflict among black women, whether to be loyal to their ethnicity and race or gender. Extending the theory of black feminism to rap, black female rappers provide back lashing voices against male sexism and misogyny. However, being a black feminist should not mean rejection of the African heritage. The African legacy may be utilized as an additional source of strength and power in this struggle. Tricia Rose in the her book Black Noise argues that in the late 1980s and early 1990s pioneer female rappers although refraining from calling themselves feminist, expressed three feminist standpoints: female empowerment, agency, and independence. They would rather call themselves womanists as they did not feel much connection with the predominantly white second wave feminism movement. Moreover, they felt as having been overlooked or even purposely excluded by white feminists in their struggle for female empowerment. These artists rejected and challenged representations of women as simply sexual objects. Rose states that they use rap music as a platform of dispute between other female and male artists, and their audience in general. The most noticeable Queen Mother on the hip hop scene is Dana Queen Latifah Owens. Although latifah in Arabic means feminine, delicate and kind she proved to be also a strong and influential rap artist. At the young age of twenty one, she became well acclaimed artist. Despite her young age, her maternal behavior and mature approach to life made her to be perceived as a Queen Mother. Although she would find such comparison flattering, she tried to distance herself from being labeled. She would call herself a queen because every black female is a queen to her. The reason why Queen Latifah and other rappers have been allocated to the group of Queen Mothers may be linked to the othermothers phenomenon in black African community. Patricia Hill Collins elaborates on this notion in Black Feminist Thought. She claims that black women take a significant part in fostering of the black society in the United States. They have developed an image of a strong black woman who contributes to the whol e black community well-being. The notion of motherhood in general, whether invoked by bloodmothers or othermothers, has powerful connotation. It seems that African American community seeks for strong mother figures not only in real life but also on the hip hop scene. Queen Latifah reflects the image of othermother by taking up serious political-economic issues of the black community in her lyrics, as in The Evil that Men Do where she raps about struggle of women on welfare. Another example of a strong political commentary is Queen Latifahs song Ladies First. She focuses here on promoting womens importance and clamors for their equal treatment. She raps about the need for sisterhood which prompts women to support each other. The notion of sisterhood is emphasized here by the fact that the artist collaborates with another black European female rapper, Monie Love. They feel connected with each other by the bonds of the same gender and race. This is a typical approach of women of color engaged in the Third Wave Feminist Movement in America. The concept of global sisterhood coined by the Second Wave feminists is questioned and challenged here. Black feminists manifest more connection with other women of color from different countries or countries of their origin than with white middle class women from the United States. The video to Ladies First is also a tribute to African American womens history featuring images of activists and abolitionists as Rosa Parks , Angela Davis, Harriet Tubman, or entrepreneurs as Madame C.J. Walker. The video also features the image of Winnie Mandela which may serve as a commemoration of the struggle against segregation in South Africa as well as emphasis on the concept of global black sisterhood. The rappers bring back these images into the light in order to re-inspire all women of color and prove they are capable of achieving the highest goals as breaking the racism and sexism. Queen Latifah in her Grammy Award-winning song U.N.I.T.Y, as one of the first female artists does not only prove her rapping skills but also takes up the issues which divide black community. She focuses here on perpetuated hatred directed by black males toward black females. She answers back to males who use the insult bitch in reference to women. She does so by using similar forms that are used by many of their male counterparts to denigrate women. By the use of vulgar language she reclaims those forms for women. Another pioneer rapper, MC Lyte in her song Paper Thin also makes a black female a subject. She brings her to the center of discussion by rapping about the constrains of her (own?) intimacy and setting the rules by which she will date a man. According to Rose, the above mentioned artists messages are both emancipating and liberating for women. They rebel against the restrain of black female voices, offering counter hegemonic perspectives. Female gangsta rappers in particula r, have created and imposed their own definitions of womanhood through their use of vulgarity, voice intonations, and sexuality. Although most female rappers identify themselves by belonging to specific rap crews, some of them would fall from one category to another or exist in many simultaneously. As an example of such a swinging artist may serve Yo Yo. The rapper and activist when perceived through the prism of her artistic and social work would be allocated to the group of Queen Mothers. Her songs are devoted to her view on the political issues and black feminism. She is the founder of the group Intelligent Black Women Coalition (I.BW.C.) which aimed to fight against racism and sexism. Yet, Keyes claims that her style and attire would suggest she also fits the category of so called Fly Girls who gained recognition on hip hop scene mainly in the nineties. The origin of the new meaning of the word fly dates back to the sixties and seventies and describes someone wearing fancy clothes. The style has been presented in the blaxploitation movies like The Superfly (1972), Shaft (1971), The Mack (1973) or Foxy Bro wn (1974) and then adopted by the black youth in the eighties and nineties. Indeed, what distinguished Fly Girls from Queen Mothers at first sight was their sense of fashion. Queen Mothers tried to affirm their eroticism that refrains from the nakedness and exposure of Western styles by rejection of miniskirts or high heels. Fly Girls did not fear to wear tight clothes which accentuated their sexuality. They tried to counterbalance Western European beauty canon by showing the beauty of black female body, accompanied by eye catching hairstyles, shiny jewelry and suggestive dancing. By doing so they made a statement against the white supremacist stereotype of the black round female body being undesirable. It was their fashion style that made them not only heard but also visible. The male hip hop group the Boogie Boys describe a fly girl as: [Woman] who wants to see her name, her game or her ability. . . she sports a lot of gold, wears tight jeans, leather miniskirts, a made up face, h as voluptuous curves, but speaks her mind. The most prolific and well pronounced Fly Girls of hip hop scene is undoubtedly the trio Salt- N- Pepa. They aspired to be acknowledged as models of real independent and successful black women of the nineties. They reached the peak of their popularity in the early nineties by releasing controversial hits like Lets Talk About Sex (1991), What a Man (1993), or Shoop(1993). While the first mentioned hit raised awareness about safe sex, the other songs can be interpreted as manifestation on female sexuality and appraisal of men in terms of friendship, love and intimate heterosexual relations. Lyrics from their popular song Aint Nuthin But a She Thing, again typify messages of their powerful womanhood: Im a female, and I got it goin on /Dont be fooled by my s-e-x/It aint that simple, Im more complex/Lets keep moving forward, girls, never look back. In this song artists are exchanging ideas with women and men in general, warning men not to rely on clichà ©d notions of gender roles when in teracting with women. They refuse to be considered as a weaker sex. They prove of their ability to work as hard as men, yet their intention is not to empower, or emasculate men. Similarly, they are passing on the same message to women while concurrently urging these women to progress, not regress, in their thinking and behavior. Such messages permeate most of the Salt N- Pepa top hits. Many examples of the Fly Girls songs take focus on female agency in male/female relationships perceived from the womens point of view. In the chorus of her song, Whats Up Star, Suga initiates the interaction with males: Whats up star, Id like to get to know who you are/Lets have drinks at the bar/And if I like what I see then the drinks is on me. While men are usually considered to be the initiators in heterosexual relationships, here the artist takes it over and demonstrates her empowerment on this field. By doing so she violates an unwritten procedure of male-female courtship. She breaches the gendered norm of conduct. Instead of waiting for a man to approach her with an offer to buy her a drink, she would rather sit in judgment and contemplate over possible suitors. Upon positive evaluation of a potential mate she offers to buy him a drink. Another example of assuming power comes from a rapper and bass dancer, MC Luscious, who in her song Boom! I Got Your Boyfriend seizes another hypothetical womens partner: Ill take him, shake him, ring him out/ Ill show your man what its all about./ So when he tells you its the end./Thats when you know I got your boyfriend. Her use of the verbs take, shake, and ring in reference to her male lover illustrates the control that she maintains over him. She outdoes her female competitor by articulating her ability to sexually expose what the girlfriend cannot to the boyfriend, leading to the termination of the relationship. Thus, she demonstrates her control and manipulation of the lover and eventually her supremacy over the female opponent by stealing her boyfriend. Although deceitful and potentially unethical, MC Lusciouss desires, and behaviors are at the core of attention in her song. Another significant group of Fly Girls worth noticing is TLC ( Tione T-Boze Watkins, Lisa Left-Eye Lopez and Rozonda Chilli Thomas). Their popularity had been quickly developing since their debut in 1991 and reached its maximum in the second half of the nineties. They spread similar messages to the other Fly Girls like rising awareness about safe sex (Waterfalls) or fighting with women insecurity (Unpretty). They also introduced more diverse fashion sense. Instead of accentuating their fit bodies with tight clothes, they would wear baggy pants as a symbol of solidarity with women of less flattering shapes. Similar approach was taken by another Fly Girl Missy Misdemeanor Elliot. Being a successful writer and producer paved her way to the enormous success in the music industry. In no time she was offered a possibility to launch her clothing line and appeared in GAP and Adidas commercials. The fact that full-figured Missy became a model of the established clothing brand could be perceiv ed as groundbreaking in the sphere of perception of black female bodies. She serves as a role model to many black women who doubt in their attractiveness. As during the late nineties rap became commercialized, gained greater audience and shifted to mainstream it is worth examining what were the messages conveyed by the female rappers. During this time some female artists were as popular and selling as many records as men; for example, Lil Kim and Foxy Brown both had albums that sold one million copies. Contemporary female rappers of the late nineties and the beginning of the twenty first century also endeavor in empowering and subversive mission against male domination, but the lyrical content of their songs show surprising and alarming similarities between them and male rappers. This may be one of the reasons why these female rappers gained more commercial recognition than the pioneers. As means of empowerment they apply the strategy of giving the attitude and answering back in a rude manner to their male counterparts. This group of female rappers fall into the category of Sistas with Attitude which includes such popular rappers as Fo xy Brown, Lil Kim, and Da Brat, or Sis, or Eve. The characteristic of their style is the employment of the same symbolic speech and behaviors as their male fellow rappers. It may seem that by doing so they show (try? unclear) to be equal to men on every level. The lyrics of their songs included motives of indulging in hedonistic activities as partying and smoking marijuana with their men, seducing, harassing, and sexually emasculating male characters; as well as disrespecting (dissin) their male and female counterparts. Although so called dissing in female rappers songs is mainly directed at male sexism, an analysis of contemporary female rap songs reveals that there are instances the same strategy is aimed at women. It is well visible here that Sistas with Attitude seek for their self empowerment by all means. The content of songs with attitude is abundant in vulgarity. The use of derogatory terms may be interpreted in a positive way. I trace some similarities between Sistas with Attitude and some of the Third Wave of feminism representatives. Similarly to them, female rappers reversed the pejorative meaning of vulgar words addressed to women.Sistas may be considered a coarser, clad version of Third Wave of feminism Girlies or Riot Grrls. These were usually members of underground punk bands who addressed issues as rape, female sexuality, domestic abuse, and female empowerment. Same as Sistas they also adopted derogatory, insulting words as cunt bitch slut in their vernacular. By writing these words on their skins or t-shirts they ridiculed and nullified their derogatory meaning. On the one hand, reclamation of the frequently used word bitch may be perceived as a positive way of self empowerment or as providing healing liberation. Other critics claim that this may bring worse returns as the message of female empowerment seem to be diminished and eradicated by female self-objectification. One of the most reoccurring motives found in female rap lyrics is their swaggering feminine self assurance. This characteristic of rap has its roots in part of African-American oral tradition of toasting , where the toast-teller employs in verbal self- enhancement, and presents himself or herself as the dreams of his [or her] Black audience and symbolize for them triumph and accomplishment against the odds. For instance, in Sittin on Top of the World, Da Brat writes: Im on top of the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/Girlfriend offender cuz they mans think Im all that/ One of the baddest bitches on the planet. She highlights how she is so bad, meaning great to such extent that she aggravates other women because their men find her beautiful. Another fitting example of braggadocio can be found in Eves song What Ya Want, writing Popular since I started my lifeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/ Every thugs dream wife, see the love in they eyes/My time to shine, whole package make her a dime. In these lyrics, the rappe r is presenting herself as popular, and good-looking to every male and a perfectly shaped physically ( a dime in hip hop vernacular). Many rappers enhance their sense of attractiveness by emphasizing their possession of precious objects that others cannot afford. Foxy Brown, who adopted her moniker from the seventies blaxploitation movie protagonist of the same title, in Ill Na Na raps: Uhh, rollin for Lana, dripped in Gabbanaà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/And yall gon see by these mils I possess/Never settle for less, Im in excess. Foxy highlights here the fact that she wears expensive womens designer clothing that working class and middle-class individuals could not afford. Furthermore, the audience gets the message that Foxy earns millions of dollars from her rapping. She also admits she is not willing to settle down and start a family but would rather live in abundance of material goods on her own. A vast majority of the female artists mentioned owning luxurious products of mass consumption. Obviously, possession of extravagant material goods are crucial for many contemporary female artists. Material success, fame, and sexual satisfaction is their achieved American Dream. Similarly to male rap artists who glamorize life a of a pimp, these female artists present themselves as physically attractive to possible mates as well as in possession of goods that regular people do not and cannot acquire. This type and degree of overconfidence permeates throughout rap music and is common to both sexes of rappers. It illustrates artists abilities, or their dreams, to overcome obstacles (unattractiveness, lack of money) and eventually achieve (sexual and material) success. The partying, alcohol and drugs abuse is a frequent theme also in Sistas with Attitude rap music. In the overall sample of a sociologist and anthropologist Matthew Owares study of 44 female hip hop songs of the nineties, in each song there was an average of one-and a-half references made to alcohol or drugs. For instance, in her song Deeper, rapper called Boss refers to both alcohol and drug use. In these lyrics, Boss is indulging in a popular malt liquor, and also smokes chronic, a strong form of marijuana mixed cocaine. Another song by Queen Pen, Party Aint a Party, presents: Im tipsy from the cab, down the whole bottle of Henney/ Is you dealing with the cat thats blunted. Queen Pens alcohol is Seagrams Hennessy and blunted means being under the influence of marijuana. These female rappers refute the stereotype that women refrain from hard alcoholic drinks and illegal drugs. These women depict themselves as being equal to men by engaging in similar potentially harmful behaviors. Another feature of rap music that is often taken up by female rappers is disrespecting or dissin, which is the act of verbally insulting an opponent. Dissin allegedly has its origins in West Africa, among tribes such as the Efik in Nigeria and later could be found in early African-American oral traditions. Geneva Smitherman writes women rule when it comes to signifyingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦female rappers use this age-old rhetorical strategy to launch critical offensivesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Traces of such style can be found in the verse rapped by Heather B.: Fuck how much you sell cause, I read your album cover/You couldnt write a jam if your last name was Smucker. As jam may also mean a hit song she ridicules here the amount of records sold by her opponent while dissing his writing skills contrasting them with a popular food product brand Smuckers Jam. Most disrespecting attitudes were pointed at males who attempted to pursue women with pretentious tales of sexual gratification. While some rappers resorted to warning of the potential suitor who must approach them in a courteous manner or gets rejected, other rappers would openly ridicule males sex skills and their fear of womens sexuality. Considered to be one of the most overt and explicit rappers, Lil Kim in Hardcore rhymes: The sex was wack, a four stroke creepà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/(later he asked) Could he come over right fast and fuck my pretty ass?/Ill pass, nigga dick was trash. The rapper sets here her own conditions for a sexual intercourse. She keeps men under control and reserves the right to choose her partner by assessing his sex skills. She also implies what is surely feared by most of the heterosexual males to be ridiculed by a woman for poor sex performance. Black males, in particular the ones who have been trying to conceal the image of an emasculated black man, may fee l highly sensitive about it. As many instances of male rap hits presented in the first chapter show that they tried to apply many strategies to regain their control over women. Boasting about their sexual hyper skills was a frequent topic. Gangsta Boo, a successful Sista with Attitude of the late nineties and early twenty first century, touches upon similar themes in her lyrics: Ha-ha, hey, Ladies check this out/ Well, let me tell this story about this nigga/ With a little dick but when its hard, hes swearin it (is) bigger/ Im not to be the one guess you aint got much to offer. Here, Gangsta Boo speaks directly to women about false male machismo. Boo, similarly to her counterpart Lil Kim sets the norms here and evaluates whether her possible mate lives up to her expectations. When finds out that the man is poorly endowed, she ridicules him in front of other women. Hence, as Tricia Rose writes we have women speaking to men, engaging in critiques of supposed male sexual prowess; in addition, they are speaking to other women about the failed attempts of these men to satisfy them sexually. These disses provide a female response to male rappers chauvinism, misogyny and bragging about their sexual potency. Similarly empowering themes also permeate throughout the songs and lyrics that present female sexuality. Several popular female rap artists depicted themselves as explicitly sexualized. Lil Kim in one of her songs vulgarly demonstrates her acting upon a partner and presents herself as not submissive in sexual relationship. She clearly rejects here the romantic archetype of a pure virgin who is overtaken by more experienced lover. Yet, Kim is not a ho, in hip hop vernacular, because her sexuality is not being exploited by her mate, she does not submit to his wants or desires for his satisfaction; rather she gains sexual gratification from this encounter. In hegemonic discourses surrounding womens sexuality, women are silenced or are not allowed to derive pleasure from sexual intercourse with males. Kim articulates her pleasure. Oware in his study notes also another explicitly sexual song of Lil Kims fellow sista Trina, where she raps: G-string make his dick stand/Make it quick then slow head by the night stand/See I fuck him in the living room/I make him eat it while my period on. Similarly to Lil Kim, Trina controls the sexual relationship with her male partners. Also, in her narrative, she makes her male partners perform oral sex while she is menstruating, a level of vulgarity that many heterosexual males would find mortifying. Although this new level of vulgarity was introduced mainly by Sistas with Attitude, similar motifs can be seen in the songs of before mentioned Fly Girls such as Salt-N-Pepa. Even though they characteristically had lyrics that empowered women, they also had lyrics where they sexualized themselves: I throw it like a pitcher, let my sex appeal hit ya/ Game so sharp that it split ya. The quoted single Gitty Up was released in 1998 which may imply that some Fly Girls opted to adjust to the common explicit, raunchy style of the late nineties and first decade of the twentieth century. Similar path was chosen by some representatives of Queen Mothers who also shared similar coarse style in some of their late nineties songs. MC Lyte in one of her Grammy-awarded songs raps about a ruffneck but she does not condemn his involvement in criminal activities there. Instead she assures her listeners what is her main interest: But he dont gotta be large to be in charge/Pumpin in and out and out and in and here we go/Hes got smack it, lick it, swallow it up style. As we can see in aforementioned examples, sexually explicit lyrics exist in second wave 1990s female rappers songs. Furthermore, some female pioneers who are known for songs espousing the positives of womanhood also employ overtly sexual lyrics in some of their songs during this time. They risked their well established, positive image by collaboration with the controversial, coarse style of rap which gained prominence recently. This contradiction potentially undermines any empowering messages that these rappers used to convey. Sistas With Attitude did not only present themselves in overly sexualized ways, but as stated before they also used language that would be considered derogatory and demeaning to women. The majority of the female artists in my sample referred to themselves or other women as bitches. Reclamation of bitch by female rappers may be perceived not only as a tool for self empowerment as Queen Mothers and Fly Girls would argue. The word metaphorically translates as a de meaning and derogatory word usually targeted towards women. However, the word holds multiple meanings in rap music, particularly in songs by female rappers. Whilst Fly Girls would explain the word denotes a positive and strong woman, Sistas with Attitude extend the definition to an assertive female who subverts patriarchal supremacy. In her song She is a Bitch, Missy Elliott uses the word bitch to describe a person with lyrical skills, who can motivate and excite an audience. Self-evident from the title, Da Baddest Bitch rapper, Trina, metaphorically speaking, expresses how she is the best at rhyming and sexual activities. Following in the tradition of the bad nigger tales of the late nineteenth century, these bad girls of hip hop present themselves as the best at their craft, although employing non-normative and masculine language. According to Rose in cases where females music departs from males there are more instances of empowering lyrics about women. Although these female rappers lyrics consist a lot of references to indulging in low entertainment as consumption of alcohol and drug, as well as engaging in disrespecting acts of verbal abuse, several songs found in the Billboard charts deal with more serious issues. There are songs that take into consideration domestic violence, female self-determination and power, and sexuality from the perspective of women. For instance, in her song, Eve casts a bright light on the matter that is seldom discussed in rap music and in the African American community domestic violence: How would you feel if she held you down and raped you?/What kind of love from a nigga would black your eye?/Smacked you down cause he said you was too tall for him, huh? Female rappers while talking about various issues also shared other similarities with male rappers, such as excessive use of v iolent lyrics. How could you beat the mother of your kids? In this song Eve argues from the standpoint of the victim. Her female friend is beaten, raped, and eventually killed by her abuser. In the song she asks the victim about why she stays with the oppressor and later she confronts him about his actions. In the end, Eve kills the abuser. Her song reverberates as a warning, alarming all women against becoming

Succubus on Top CHAPTER 12

â€Å"Thetis,† he said after several more moments of silence, â€Å"talk to me here.† I looked up sharply. â€Å"What do you want me to say? You already know the answer. They wouldn't lie. Well, actually, they lie all the time but not about something like that.† He nodded and set the bowl and spoon on the coffee table. Slouching back on the couch, he didn't look at me, instead staring off across the room in thought. I could guess what was going through his mind. He knew what I was and what I did. But it was one thing to have a superficial knowledge of it and another to suddenly know there was tangible evidence each time I had sex. He would recognize the glow now and know that I had just come from someone else's bed, that not so long ago I'd been in someone else's arms doing the most intimate things two people could do. Things I couldn't do with him. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I said, not knowing what else I could say. â€Å"For what?† â€Å"For†¦this. For doing what I do.† â€Å"Why? It is what you do. It's what you have to do, right? There's no need to apologize for your own†¦uh, nature.† â€Å"So†¦what? You're okay with that? Knowing what I'm doing with other guys? Or rather, when I'm doing it?† â€Å"‘Okay' is a funny word, but yeah, I guess. What I'm not okay with is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He paused, as always considering his words before speaking. â€Å"What I'm not okay with is you being afraid to tell me about this. You must have seen how†¦entranced†¦I was. But you never brought it up or explained it to me.† â€Å"What was I supposed to say? ‘Thanks for noticing how pretty I am. It's because I just went down on some stranger in a sleazy club.'† Seth flinched, and I immediately regretted my example. â€Å"Maybe†¦maybe it could be phrased a bit more, uh, tactfully than that, but yeah. I guess essentially that's what you could tell me.† I poked at the melted remains of my ice cream. â€Å"It's not that easy, and you know it. It's got to be hard enough for you to accept that I'm sleeping around on you, so to speak, without real evidence to confirm each time it happens.† â€Å"Why don't you let me decide what I can or can't accept.† He didn't sound angry exactly, but I'd never heard him so sharp and assertive. The arrogant part of me didn't like being spoken to like that, but I knew he was justified in the comment. And, I had to admit, that confidence was kind of a turn-on. Alpha males. Yum. â€Å"I know what you are,† he continued, â€Å"and I know what you do. I had to acknowledge that from the beginning of the relationship. It bothers me, yeah, but that doesn't mean I can't go on with the knowledge.† He laid his hand over mine, his fingertips absentmindedly stroking my skin. â€Å"But you can't be afraid to tell me the truth. Not ever. Even if it's ugly. What we have isn't about sex – like that wasn't already perfectly obvious. But if we don't have honesty either, then there's nothing left.† I forced my eyes up to him and smiled. â€Å"How can you be so young and so wise at the same time?† â€Å"I'm not that wise,† he said, pulling me to him so I leaned against his shoulder. He didn't challenge the â€Å"young† comment. Looking at our ages objectively, one could practically accuse me of cradle robbing. I sighed and snuggled into him. â€Å"It means nothing, you know. All that stuff I do. I don't even remember their names.† â€Å"I know. You've told me. Although†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"What?† â€Å"Sometimes that's not exactly comforting. Sex isn't supposed to be about ‘nothing.' I don't really like the idea of you being with guys you don't want to be with. Even if you're technically my girlfriend†¦I'd rather you at least liked what was going on. â€Å" â€Å"Well†¦in the ultimate heat of it, I sort of do like it. The energy I get from sex†¦well, you can't really understand it. But it†¦it's literally what I live for. So even if I don't want to be with someone before and after the deed, there's still that one moment, no matter how brief, when I want them.† I tried to give him a reassuring smile. â€Å"Besides, don't feel too bad for me. Things are a lot better than they used to be. I have more of a choice about who I'm with now, which makes a big difference. It's not like I just take whoever comes along.† â€Å"What do you mean you have a choice now} Haven't you always?† I laughed uneasily. â€Å"Oh, come on, Seth. You know women didn't start getting any real rights until about a century ago. Men haven't always been kind or considerate in their relations with the fair sex – especially those in the lower classes.† He stared at me, shocked, and pulled back a little. I loved how expressive those eyes were, even if their current emotion wasn't exactly positive. â€Å"You're talking about†¦it†¦it sounds an awful lot like rape.† I shrugged, immediately realizing we needed to steer out of these waters. â€Å"It's hard to rape a succubus. In the ultimate climax, the succubus is the conqueror – especially if the guy ends up blacking out.† â€Å"You aren't really answering my question.† â€Å"And you aren't really asking it.† We lapsed into silence. A moment later Seth took me back into a tight embrace, burying his face in my shoulder this time. â€Å"Hey, now. Don't let it bother you. Don't judge the past by the standards of today. It won't work. They're incompatible.† â€Å"I don't like the idea of you doing things you don't want to do,† he said gruffly. â€Å"I wish I could do something†¦wish I could, I don't know, protect you.† â€Å"You can't,† I whispered, kissing the crown of his head. â€Å"You can't, and you have to accept that.† We went to bed together after that, the first time since the kissing incident. Seth held me tightly all night, even in his sleep, clinging as though I might slip away if he let go. Again, I marveled at his understanding. And again, I questioned whether I was in love yet. How would I know? What was love anyway? I ticked off a list as my hands held tightly to his back. Affection. Connection. Understanding. Acceptance. All these things he gave me. Those were parts of love. All these things he offered freely, no matter how terrible each new discovery about me was. I wondered whether I returned as much as I received. Did I have any right to be in this relationship? Somehow I doubted it, yet it made me want him all the more. When we drove to the bookstore the next morning, he held my hand with a thrilling possessiveness. He didn't let go until we actually cleared the bookstore's door. â€Å"Did Doug come in today?† I asked Beth after I'd made a sweep of the store. â€Å"Yeah. He was here earlier. I think he's in your office.† I walked to the back. The office was dark. When I turned on the light, I found him hunched in a corner, his body curled up in a tight ball. I immediately dropped down beside him. â€Å"What's wrong?† After several seconds, he lifted his eyes up to mine. They were dark and troubled. â€Å"Nothing.† To contradict him seemed both obvious and pointless. â€Å"What can I do to help?† He laughed bitterly, a terrible sound. â€Å"Don't you get it, Kincaid? Nothing helps, that's the problem. There's no point to any of this. You know that as well as I do.† â€Å"Do I?† He gave me a cynical smile. â€Å"You're one of the most depressed people I know. Even when you're smiling and flirting and all of that. I know you hate this life. This world. I know you think it's all stupid. â€Å" â€Å"Not true. There's good in the bad. There's always hope. What's gotten into you?† â€Å"Just reality, that's all. Just woke up and realized how stupid it all is. Dunno why I even bother.† I touched his arm. â€Å"Hey, you're kind of freaking me out here. Did you get any sleep? Do you need something to eat?† He leaned back against the wall, face still bleak and full of snide humor. â€Å"Kincaid, I need so many fucking things, it's not even funny. But you know what? We don't get them. That's how it is. What's that saying? Life is brutish and short?† â€Å"Er†¦close enough.† I sat there with him for a long time, listening to him go on. His words were an outpouring of bitter anger and black despair. A frightening combination. I'd never heard him like this. Not upbeat Doug, always ready with a joke. Doug, the guy who never took anything seriously. His bleak face reminded me of Casey's when I'd found her in the caf? ¦, but she hadn't been this down. As the clock ticked, I wondered what I should do. He certainly couldn't work today, yet I feared sending him home. Who knew what he might do in this mood? Previously, I would never have worried about him hurting himself, but all bets seemed to be off now. â€Å"I want you to stay here,† I finally said, standing up and straightening the kinks out of my legs. â€Å"I've got to get back out there, but I'm going to check on you later, okay? Promise you'll find me if you need me. We'll eat lunch later on. I'll get us some falafels from that place you like.† He only gave me a twisted half-smile, face stormy and mocking. I left, taking the letter opener with me. His mood didn't change as the day wore on; even the falafels did no good. Once more, I wondered desperately what I should do. He had no family in the city I could call. I knew the hospitals had psych emergency services; should I contact one of them? Shortly after lunch, Alec showed up. He avoided Casey's pleading eyes and gave me a smile that tried too hard. â€Å"Hey Georgina, is Doug around?† I hesitated. I didn't like Alec, but he was sort of Doug's friend. Maybe that would help. I led the drummer to the back. When Doug saw him, he leapt up with an astounding burst of energy, his face both desperate and rapt. â€Å"Jesus Christ, man! Where have you been?† â€Å"Sorry,† said Alec. â€Å"I got held up.† They huddled together, then looked uneasily over at me. Sensing I was unwanted, I backed out of the office but not before I saw Alec reaching into his coat and Doug looking very eager. It was Alec, I realized. Alec was feeding Doug whatever drug he was addicted to. The realization made me want to go in there and throttle him, wipe that stupid grin off his face. Yet, when the two emerged a half hour later, the change in Doug was so marked that I couldn't bring myself to act. A swagger had returned to his step, the normal cheery grin back on his face. Janice passed by, and he made some playful remark that caused her to laugh. Seeing me, he pranced up and saluted. â€Å"Ready for duty, boss. What do you have for me?† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stared stupidly, which only made him smile more. â€Å"Rein it in, Kincaid,† he said with mock severity. â€Å"I know that as a good groupie, you're ready to take me anytime, anywhere. But, as literary professionals, we've got to control our passion until after hours.† I was still staring. â€Å"Um†¦why don't you, uh, grab a register?† He saluted again and clicked his heels together, military style. â€Å"Can do.† He turned to Alec. â€Å"I'll see you at the rehearsal tonight?† â€Å"Yup.† Doug flashed both of us a grin, then sauntered off. I stood there alone with Alec. He waited expectantly, like I was supposed to say something. The words â€Å"fuck off† seemed appropriate, but I changed my mind. I smiled at him. It was a slow, sweeping smile that started with my lips and then shone in my eyes, the kind of smile that said I'd just noticed something I'd never seen before. Something I suddenly liked – and wanted. Alec's own smile faltered. I think hitting on me had become so automatic, he didn't expect a response anymore. He swallowed and then turned his own grin back on. â€Å"A rehearsal, huh?† I said. â€Å"You guys got another show coming up?† â€Å"Next weekend. You going to come?† â€Å"I'll try. Are you going to have another party after?† â€Å"Probably. Wyatt's having one tomorrow if you wanna go to that.† â€Å"Are you going to be there?† I asked silkily, catching his eye meaningfully. â€Å"You bet.† â€Å"Then I'll be there.† I turned to go, still giving him the hypnotic smile. â€Å"See you then.† As soon I was out of his sight, my smile lapsed into a grimace. Ack. I hadn't thought it was possible to loathe that guy anymore, but I'd been proven wrong once again. Still, flirting with him, I'd realized, might be the best way to figure out what was going on with Doug. I felt pretty sure Alec had tried to push whatever he had on Casey. If I appeared to fall prey to his so-called charm too, he might let me share in the goods. Doug, as I soon discovered, certainly wasn't going to provide any help in the matter. â€Å"You've got something,† I teased later when he and I ran into each other in the fantasy books. I gave him the lethal smile. He returned it. â€Å"Magnetism? Sex appeal? Intelligence? Babe, I've got it all.† I stepped forward and pulled playfully on his shirt, looking up into his face. â€Å"That's not what I mean. You've got something good, something you aren't sharing.† He stayed close to me and tugged on a lock of my hair in return. â€Å"Don't know what you're talking about.† â€Å"The hell you don't. Do you know how many hours I've been working for you and Paige lately? Good lord. It's driving me crazy. Grey Goose only goes so far. If you've got some stash, you need to spread the love.† â€Å"Hey, I'll spread as much love as you want. Name the time and place.† â€Å"I thought we were friends.† I pushed lightly on his chest and stepped back with a pout. â€Å"You're holding out on me. No way could you have perked up so quickly. Not after how you were this morning. You took something. â€Å" â€Å"Bah, mood swing. You're a woman; you understand. Just woke up grumpy, that's all. A little falafel and some Kincaid charm, and now I'm good to go. Great even.† He took a step back toward me, apparently hoping I'd renew the flirtation. Heat burned in his eyes, something a little darker and more intense than our typical bantering called for. â€Å"In fact, I'm downright unstoppable now. A god, babe. Come on back to the office, and I'll show you.† I walked away, giving him a taunting look over my shoulder, still playing it light. â€Å"Not my religion, babe.† He laughed as I left him. We'd been flirting for years, and I knew he'd probably take no offense at my teasing or baiting. I, on the other hand, was pissed. Bad enough this shit of Alec's could push Doug into over-the-top exuberance and inappropriate behavior at work. Dragging him into the pits of despair, however, was an entirely different matter. I was going to find out what was going on and put an end to it – even if it meant cozying up to that sleaze, Alec. Remembering one of the other complications in my life right now, I called Bastien later that night for a status check. â€Å"Don't even ask, Fleur .The clouds of failure are gathering.† â€Å"What the hell is it with you depressed guys today? Why do I have to be everyone's goddamned cheering-up committee?† I ordered him to drive to Queen Anne immediately. When he arrived, he was still whining. â€Å"Dana's being really nice to me,† he conceded, â€Å"but nothing intimate. She can't ever come over alone either. She's always got Jody with her or some other CPFV freak. My odds are probably better at getting her sidekicks into bed as a group than ever nailing her. They're all trying to get me to join their cult. I suppose making the gesture can't hurt, but I think I'll see more of her if I pretend to be a hesitant convert. You know, she also asks about you a lot.† â€Å"Like what?† â€Å"Random stuff. Last time she wanted to know how the clothes you bought were working out. What's that about?† â€Å"Not a clue,† I lied. It was ironic, really, because just then Bastien noticed the Victoria's Secret bag still sitting on my counter. My privacy apparently not a concern, he emptied it out and looked through the lingerie with approval. â€Å"You want to try something on?† I asked wryly, noting his scrutiny. â€Å"You always did have good taste.† He held up the black mesh bra and peered at me through it, as though imagining how it would look on. â€Å"Although I still don't know why you buy this stuff. Just shape-shift it.† â€Å"I have a respect for ‘intellectual property.' Whoever designed this deserves their pay.† â€Å"Even if it was constructed by third-world labor?† I made a face. â€Å"Come on, let's get out of here.† â€Å"Where to?† â€Å"A piano bar.† Surprise put his malaise on hold. â€Å"Are those still around?† â€Å"Yup. There's actually a couple of them in Seattle.† In fact, one was even nearby, less than a fifteen-minute walk away. As we went, however, Bastien wouldn't stop worrying about the Dana thing. It drove me crazy. I hated her too, believe me, but I couldn't figure out what was making this such a maniacal obsession for him. Fortunately, the piano bar was just wacky enough to distract him – as I'd hoped it would be. We ate yummy bar food and drank froofy drinks like Midori martinis and Sex on the Beach. Meanwhile, dueling pianists sang everything from Eminem to Barry Manilow. As the evening passed, getting a request played cost more and more money. However, the patrons grew drunker and drunker, so they didn't mind putting the cash down. Knowing this in advance, I had brought a stack of bills, and Bastien and I took great amusement in seeing just how well the piano players could keep up with our increasingly older and more obscure requests. Bastien and I sang along beautifully. Shape-shifting, in addition to so many other benefits, could modify one's voice and vocal cords. The piano players had an astounding knowledge of our requests, and we were so impressed – and drunk – by the end of the night that we gave them a hefty tip. Before we could leave, however, Bastien made me wait to hear one more request. â€Å"I slapped a fifty down with it,† he said. â€Å"They've got to play it soon. I picked it just for you.† â€Å"If it's ‘Superfreak,' I walk,† I warned. He laughed. â€Å"You'll know it when you hear it. It reminded me of you and your writer. â€Å" Sure enough, I immediately knew which song his silly sense of humor had led him to. The smile cracking his face was sort of a giveaway too. Pulling half of me onto his lap, he sang along loudly with Fiona Apple's lyrics: â€Å"I've been a bad, bad girl I've been careless With a delicate man And it's a sad, sad world When a girl will break a boy Just because she can. â€Å" â€Å"You're truly a creature of hell,† I told him, trying to wiggle away. â€Å"You know that, don't you?† â€Å"I just tell it like it is.† He held onto me and kept singing. â€Å"Heaven help me For the way I am Save me from These evil deeds Before I get them done†¦Ã¢â‚¬  When we finally left the bar, both of us laughing and humming, we passed a group of girls even more drunk than us. A few of them gave Bastien open looks of invitation, and I glanced at him expectantly. He shook his head. â€Å"Too easy. Besides, I'd rather go home with you. So to speak.† He walked me back toward my apartment, holding my arm as he had once done when social mores dictated it for anyone of good breeding. The pavement was slick from earlier rain, and a moist chill hung in the air. Not far away, the Space Needle gleamed watchfully above the nearby buildings; it would have Christmas lights on it soon. Bastien tightened his hold on my arm and turned his gaze absentmindedly toward the cloudy sky for a while before looking over at me. † Fleur ,do you want to know why I'm so gung-ho about this Dana business?† I willed myself to sober up, suspecting something big was about to come. â€Å"You mean other than your righteous fury at her?† He smiled gently and looked down at the pavement, watching our feet. â€Å"I'm in trouble. Big trouble.† He sighed. â€Å"You ever heard of a demon named Barton?† â€Å"No. Should I have?† â€Å"Maybe. He works in Chicago. Very high up. Very powerful. He's one of those who expects ‘favors' from his staff.† I nodded in understanding. It was one of the occupational hazards succubi and incubi faced, and probably something else Seth would be happier not knowing about. As workers in the sex industry, so to speak, our demonic supervisors often thought we wouldn't mind one more â€Å"customer.† Many saw it as our duty. Whatever his other failings, Jerome at least had never demanded anything of that nature from me. â€Å"So†¦anyway, Barton has this succubus named Alessandra. Relatively new. You know, a century or so. Beautiful. She has as good an eye for exquisite physical detail as you. And she's bright. Wicked sense of humor. Outgoing.† I stared at him in astonishment. â€Å"Are you in love, Bastien?† â€Å"No, but I was – am – very attracted to her. Hard not to be. We got to know each other, and well, one thing sort of led to another†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"As it often does with you.† â€Å"Yes,† he admitted ruefully. â€Å"But let me tell you, it was amazing. That woman†¦wow.† â€Å"So how are you in trouble?† â€Å"Well, the thing is, Barton's kind of possessive about his people. He expected Alessandra's body to be exclusively for his use – mortal business aside, of course.† â€Å"And he found out?† â€Å"Yes. He turned unbelievably jealous.† Contempt filled Bastien's voice. â€Å"Stupid emotion for our kind. Of course, demon or no, I suppose he might have had reason to feel insecure knowing his girlfriend had been with a sex-master like myself. I mean, once you go Bastien†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Keep telling the story, ego-master. What happened?† â€Å"Well†¦to say he was pissed off would be an understatement. Honestly, I don't think I'd be enjoying your lovely company today if Janelle hadn't done some serious intervening.† Janelle was Bastien's archdemoness in Detroit. â€Å"But mostly she just protected me from physical torture. Everything else is a mess. My career is in shambles. Barton has powerful friends, and Janelle's made it clear she's not going to cover my ass anymore.† We had reached my building and stood outside it now. He ran a hand through his dark curls, face suddenly weary. â€Å"I'm on everyone's shit list all of a sudden. Plans are already in motion to transfer me somewhere else, and I know it's going to be horrific. Like Guam. Or Omaha. That's why I need this Dana thing. A big hit like this – a public humiliation for the other side. It'll put me on top again. They won't be able to punish me, not if I've got a takedown like that on my record.† I started to understand his obsession with the radio host. â€Å"But the takedown isn't exactly taking.† â€Å"I don't know what else to do. I've tried all the old tricks, all the textbook moves plus a few exclusive Bastien moves. None of it's working.† I reached out to him. â€Å"You might have to accept that she's got a strong will,Bas.It happens.† â€Å"I know.† He sounded so miserable, it broke my heart. â€Å"Hey, come on. Don't give up the fight yet. I taught you everything you know, remember? We'll find a way out of this. We'll get that wench wet yet.† He laughed and brushed a finger against my cheek. â€Å"You always make me feel better when I'm around you, you know that? It's one of the wonderful things about you. That and – if the rumors are true – your mouth. â€Å" â€Å"The rumors are true, and I'm going to help you with this, you'll see. Besides, nothing else works on her, there's always hard liquor, right?† â€Å"Ah yes, the old standby.† He hugged me tightly and kissed each cheek. â€Å"Good night, my sweet. Thanks for a lovely evening.† I kissed him back. â€Å"Anytime.† I had my hand on the door handle when I thought of something. â€Å"Hey, Bastien?† He turned from where he'd been walking away down the sidewalk. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Why'd you do it?† â€Å"Do what?† â€Å"Alessandra. You must have known how Barton felt about her, right?† â€Å"I did.† â€Å"So why risk it?† He looked at me like he could scarcely believe I had to ask. â€Å"Because I could. Because she was beautiful and wonderful and I wanted her.† I knew better than to argue with that. It was textbook incubus logic. Smiling, I went inside.

Classic Airlines and Marketing Essay

Classic Airlines in an airline company that has been in business for over 25 years and has gained great success within the airline industry. In the 25 years since its creation the company has grown to over 32,000 employees and has generated 10 billion dollars worth of business. Although the company has seen great success, it also is subjected to the many challenges that other airlines companies face in today’s market. Classic airlines must be able to market its product so that customers will pick there product over competitors within the industry (University of Phoenix, 2012). There are several marketing concepts that Classic airlines have applied and are using in their business. The first marketing concept that Classic airlines use is the needs, wants, and demands concept. This concept is applied by understanding the needs, wants, and demands of the customer. The way Classic airlines have done this is create a rewards program for the customer. This feels the need for a customer to get something for a reduced price. If the customer has enough miles they can upgrade to first class or stay at a Classic airlines hotel partner for a free night (Kotler & Keller, 2006). The second concept that Classic airlines have applied to their business strategy is offering and brands. This concept is applied by a firm by offering benefits to a customer that fills needs and using brands that are a known commodity. The Classic airlines rewards program is a perfect example of this marketing concept. The airline offers if a customer signs up for the rewards program they will gain points which can be redeemed for free or reduced items. Although in the reading it does not state what hotel companies are partners of Classic airlines they should make sure that these hotels are name brand hotels such as Marriott or the Hilton so customers feel they are getting a premium brand (Kotler & Keller, 2006). The third marketing concept that Classic airlines applies is value and satisfaction. The concept is successful if it delivers value and satisfaction to the customer. The customer must be able to choose between different options to determine what the best value is for them. Classic does this with the rewards program. It gives customers options on what value they use once they earn a certain number of miles. This is a great marketing ploy for Classic airlines because it allows the customer to feel as they have the power in the situation and they are able to pick what option is best for their situation. All three of the above marketing concepts are used by Classic in some way through the rewards program. They are very smart because they use a combination of these concepts to create the rewards program. Classic knows that they are successful as long as the customers are happy. The rewards program allows the customer to receive benefits for staying loyal to Classic airlines(Kotler & Kelle r, 2006).

North Carolina Colleges and Universities 2019

Working professionals in North Carolina are heading back to school in search of career advancement. North Carolina colleges and universities are now offering flexible programs that suit the educational and financial needs of students from all life situations. Whether looking for an associate degree, bachelor degree, or advanced degree, students are now able to maintain personal and professional responsibilities while shaping a career in North Carolina. Graduates of North Carolina Colleges and Universities Find Employment in a Diverse Local Labor Market Students in search of career advancement find challenging opportunities in the job market of North Carolina. Colleges are training professionals to work in the banking center of Charlotte and the state-wide information and biotechnology industries. Some of the major employers of North Carolina university students include: Aero Contractors headquartered in North Carolina. Bank of America headquartered in North Carolina. Goodrich Corporation headquartered in North Carolina. Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute headquartered in North Carolina. Progress Energy, Inc. headquartered in North Carolina. Source Technologies headquartered in North Carolina. Wachovia headquartered in North Carolina. .u2a30bd2e4c0fd281ffa9c336ba1551ef { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -o-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); text-decoration:none; } .u2a30bd2e4c0fd281ffa9c336ba1551ef:active, .u2a30bd2e4c0fd281ffa9c336ba1551ef:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .u2a30bd2e4c0fd281ffa9c336ba1551ef { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .u2a30bd2e4c0fd281ffa9c336ba1551ef .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:inherit; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .u2a30bd2e4c0fd281ffa9c336ba1551ef .post Title { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .u2a30bd2e4c0fd281ffa9c336ba1551ef:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } READ Psychology Graduate Schools Specialize in Experimental and Research Psychology North Carolina College Graduates have a Competitive Edge in a Growing Economy Working professionals with one of the most rapidly increasing salaries live in the state of North Carolina. College degree programs are giving North Carolina workers a competitive advantage in an economy that boasts: The 2004 2005 North Carolina median household income was $41,820, a 3.2% increase from the previous year. The 2004 North Carolina gross state product was $336 billion. The September, 2006 North Carolina unemployment rate was 4.5%, just above the national average of 4. 4%. 4,249,200 people are employed in North Carolina. Campus-based and Online Education Now Available at North Carolina Universities and Colleges Thanks to advanced technology, North Carolina colleges and universities are now offering unique combinations of campus based and online degree programs. Working professionals are getting ahead with the help of North Carolina schools, such as: Kaplan University: North Carolina Online Degree Programs. University of Phoenix: Charlotte University Campus, Raleigh College Campus, and Online Degree Programs. ITT Technical Institute: Charlotte College Campus and Online Degree Programs. .u8dac9b3d96c4fed2097a9d7bcbbe3d4e { padding:0px; margin: 0; padding-top:1em!important; padding-bottom:1em!important; width:100%; display: block; font-weight:bold; background-color:#eaeaea; border:0!important; border-left:4px solid #34495E!important; box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -moz-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -o-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); -webkit-box-shadow: 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17); text-decoration:none; } .u8dac9b3d96c4fed2097a9d7bcbbe3d4e:active, .u8dac9b3d96c4fed2097a9d7bcbbe3d4e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; text-decoration:none; } .u8dac9b3d96c4fed2097a9d7bcbbe3d4e { transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; } .u8dac9b3d96c4fed2097a9d7bcbbe3d4e .ctaText { font-weight:bold; color:inherit; text-decoration:none; font-size: 16px; } .u8dac9b3d96c4fed2097a9d7bcbbe3d4e .post Title { color:#000000; text-decoration: underline!important; font-size: 16px; } .u8dac9b3d96c4fed2097a9d7bcbbe3d4e:hover .postTitle { text-decoration: underline!important; } READ Bachelor Degree Nursing Specialties Forensic Nurse Investigators Apply Medical Knowledge to Crime ScenesFor an extensive list of North Carolina colleges and universities, students are encouraged to visit College-Pages.com, the leading education and career resource website. Prospective students will also find access to informative articles on making education and career decisions in the state of North Carolina. Related ArticlesBachelor Degree in Business Focus Business Career Options with an Emphasis in FinanceRN to BSN Program Nursing Students Discuss Financial Payoffs of Higher EducationIncrease your income with an Online Psychology DegreeFinding a Business Administration CareerNew York Colleges and Universities Pursuing Online and Campus Based Education in New York, the Empire StateSouth Carolina Colleges and Universities Pursuing Online and Campus Based Education in South Carolina, the Palmetto State