Model and Ideology of the Price System

Model and Ideology of the Price System 1. Introduction: Complexity has come from abundant subjects of thought, moreover, has reacted upon them, from mathematics to physics, from computer science to social sciences. Meanwhile, with the development of economics and the emergence of new way of trade, economics is no longer rife with linearity, continuity and a variety of phenomena that are easily predicted or understood. These phenomena have been labeled as complexity economics. The price system is a typical example of the application of complexity in economics. In this system, there are many similar and interacting parts (individual producers, agents), simple rules to obey (cost-benefit analysis) and aggregate patterns form from individual behavior (price). This report will first introduce the characteristics of neoclassical economics and come to illustrate the definition and ideas of complexity economics, which is helpful to comprehend the complexity in price system. And before moving to concrete examples, it will interpret a relative ideo logy —— the evolution of walrasian behavior. Then it will demonstrate several examples as concrete applications about price system which embody the operation principle of complexity in it. After these examples, an overview and a conclusion based on the illustration above will be stated. This report is aimed to introduce a new model and ideology of price system, and then a new ideology about economics, by illustrating and analyzing several representative examples. 2. From neoclassical economics to complexity economics i) Definition of complexity economics According to Richard H. Day (1994), the definition of complexity in economics in terms of dynamic outcomes is that â€Å"an economic system is dynamically complex if its deterministic endogenous processes do not lead it asymptotically to a fixed point, a limit cycle, or an explosion.†(as cited in Rosser, 1996). But this definition is in a broad sense so that some systems that others would argue should not be included are included. To define it in a narrow sense, we need more specific characteristics and they will be stated in next paragraph. ii) A comparison between the two types Complexity economics seems to be an inversion of neoclassical theory. Axel Leijonhufvud remarks that neoclassical economics â€Å"smart people in unbelievably simple situations,† whilst the real world involves â€Å"simple people with incredibly complex situations.†(as cited in Gintis,2006). According to Gintis (2006), there are five main aspects which the two types differ from each other. The first one is dynamics: the neoclassical economics is static, linear and thermodynamically closed so that it can be interpreted by algebraic geometry; while the complexity economics is dynamic, nonlinear and thermodynamically open, which lead itself to be far from equilibrium in general. The second one is agents: in the former, agents have â€Å"perfect information† and can optimize the information and surplus naturally; while in the latter, agents have â€Å"limited information† and face an obstacle of high price in information processing. This characteristics can be associated with the third one. The third one is networks: in neoclassical economics, agents face impersonal price system structure respectively without interaction; however, in complexity economics, agents have to participate in complex overlapping networks so that they can avoid the disadvantages of limited information and high costs in information processing as much as possible. In this way, under appropriate circumstance, agents in complexity economics can form non-optimal but high-efficient model for operating in complex environments. The forth one is emergence: in neoclassical economics, all the macro properties can be derived from its micro properties (for example, the fundamental theorems of welfare); but in complexity economics, macro patterns are emergent properties derived from micro interactions and behaviors, in the same sense that the chemical properties of a complex molecule, such as various carbon of simple substance, is an emergent property derived from its nuclear and electronic structure. In this case, we cannot analytically derive the macro-level properties from micro-level ones (its component parts), although there might be some undetected connections. Now we only can apply novel mathematical techniques to illustrate the emergent properties to some degree. The last one is evolution: there is no conditions or necessity for mechanism to create novelty or growth in complexity in neoclassical economics; while in the complexity economics, the evolution of differentiation, selection and amplification contributes to the novelty of system and the growth of complexity. 3. The Evolution of Walrasian Behavior In neoclassical economics, Walrasian equilibrium is the main concept in price system, which determines the price in markets according to linear supply-demand relationship. It is undeniable that walrasian theory still plays an irreplaceable part in nowadays economics. However, this theory builds upon a central hypothesis which excludes strategic behavior of manipulating prices directly or indirectly in agents’ own advantages. In Complexity and Artificial Markets (Schredelseker and Hauser, 2008), specific computations are made to illustrate the evolutionary model in price system. It shows the results of simulation experiments about an economy in which agents may have different behavioral rules on price determination. As we know, agents in our economy environment will compare the proà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ts gained in each iteration to those gained by other à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ rms in that iteration so that they can choose a better strategy in the long-run operation. Below is the terse and concise summary of the computations from Schredelseker and Hauser (2008). Assume a set of N firms by i = {1, 2,,N} competing in a market. For every output supplied to the market, this demand function has a clearing price P(Q(t)) for market at which it is sold. Assume all firms are â€Å"ex-ante symmetric† with typical cost function C(q)= c1q(i)c2, where q(i) is the production of each firm i={1,2,,N}, and the parameters c1 and c2 are positive. The evolutionary dynamics, which follows t = 0,1,2,.., proceed in discrete time. The principle that profits induced by current output is P(Q(t))qi −C(qi), i ={1,2, ,N}. When the profits are realized, firms can choose a better strategy in the long-run operation by comparison and it eration. In this way, the individual profit function can be presented: And the relative profit is: From the two functions, we can see the effect on prices that one firm changes its output (quantity) is completely offset by another firm as there is no externalities in the product. And the resulting equation, after maximization and without iteration, simply: P , which means that price is equal to marginal cost in the Walrasian allocation. So a conclusion can be drawn that only if agents maximize relative profits with no imitation, the Walrasian equilibrium can be reached. And the above equations shows that the relative to the average measure is equivalent to the absolute difference in the profits between any two identical firms. Hence, in the real markets, agents imitating the most successful firm from the past round performance so that those strategies that do not perform as well as the average firm will be eliminated before coming to next round. (Schredelseker and Hauser, 2008)

Business and Administration Unit5

Unit five: Principles of supporting business events Assessment Section 1 – Understand how to support the organisation of a business event 1. When organising a business event, describe the range of support activities that may be required.Types of events and main features (formal meetings including board meetings and annual general meetings, semiinformal including team meetings or sales meetings, exhibitions and trade fairs, receptions, conferences); agreeing role and responsibilities to provide support activities required (clarifying purpose, type and size of event, identifying target audience and confirming numbers, planning tasks and resources); confirming venue with others 1 Organising a venue The venues for business events may be on the organisation’s premises.In most cases these will have to be reserved to ensure they are available at the required times. Sometimes the venues will have to be sourced externally. These will have to be checked in terms of their faciliti es and their cost. The aim is to find cost-effective venues that will make it possible to deliver a high-quality event. 2 Getting the appropriate equipment The equipment required will be determined by the size and type of event. Some typical examples include: computers and screens for PowerPoint presentations, sound systems, stages and portable toilets. 3 Arranging for speakers to attendFor some events, such as conferences and seminars, the speakers are the central feature. Finding the required speakers, checking their availability and fees and arranging for them to attend are all important aspects of many business events. 4 Sorting out food and drink For many events it is important that appropriate refreshments are provided. This may be something simple such as providing tea / coffee / water for a management meeting through to three-course meals for large numbers of people. Often people will have special dietary requirements that should be identified and catered for. Preparing docu mentation The lifeblood of many business events will be the many forms of documentation. These will include things such as: promotional brochures, invitations, menus, conference packs, itineraries and minutes. 2. Complete the table below by identifying two ways of providing support before, during and after a business event. |Before |During |After | |1. Providing administrative support |1. Administrative support (accurate |1.Vacating event (leaving venue clean | |(organising printing |note-taking, ensuring delegates have the |and tidy, returning or securing equipment | |and supply of any publicity material, |resources they need, ensuring delegates are | | |supporting documents or files, relevant |aware of location of event rooms and | | |meeting papers, travel instructions, |facilities, recording attendance and | | |informing relevant people of any |cancellations) | | |alterationsand changes in arrangements | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |2. Organising appropriate venues (loca tion, |2. Health, safety and security support |2.Produce a record of the | |size, |(checking |meeting/event; circulating materials (meeting| |layout, time required for advance notice or |emergency procedures, housekeeping |minutes, evaluation forms, making sure these | |bookings, assessing facilities for parking, |arrangements, security of materials and |are within agreed timescales) | |catering; number and type of delegates, |equipment) | | |special requirements; venue checklist | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Section 2 – Understand the purpose of displaying professional and helpful behaviour whilst supporting a business event and how to do so 1. Explain the purpose of displaying professional and helpful behaviour when supporting a business event. Reasons for displaying professional and helpful behaviour to present a positive image of the organisation, to make visitors feel welcome,to ensure a successful event A more efficient and effective event Internal and external customers will be satisfied Resources are not wasted People will be more co-operativeLess conflict Greater likelihood of support for similar events in the future. 2. Describe ways of exhibiting professional and helpful behaviour whilst supporting a business event. Ways: greeting visitors, confirming names forregistration, making sure visitors have necessary materials, point out housekeeping arrangements, refer difficult queries to line manager In everyday life, people are observing the behaviour of others and forming theories and ideas about a person’s commitment, competence and character. They may experience the person face to face or experience the results of their efforts. These judgements will be made whether staff like it or not.The challenge for businesses and staff is to manage these judgements effectively and be as positive as possible, at all times. Some examples of positive qualities include: Appearance Clean Well groomed (eg hair, fingernails, hands) Clean clothes (in a style appropriate for the business) Polished shoes Perfume/aftershave not overpowering Non-verbal communication Smiling Making eye contact Looking attentive when an attendee is speaking Communication Speak clearly Speak at a sensible speed (not too quickly or too slowly) Listen carefully to answers Keep the attendee informed Behaviour Polite Friendly Attentive Professionalism and technical ability Deal with speakers and attendees promptlyEfficiently work through the event as appropriate, such as getting attendee details, completing paperwork, issuing badges and materials Effectively use technology such as telephone, computer and ticket systems Have a detailed knowledge of the event and being able to answer most people’s questions Section 3 – Understand how to deal with problems encountered when supporting a business event 1. What are the main types of problems that may occur when supporting a business event? You should include at least three different types of pr oblems in your answer. Late or absent attendees – If people turn up late then they may miss things such as registration or early parts of the event. Staff that are expected to move onto other roles are forced to wait for late attendees.If parts of an event are dependent on the participation of attendees these may be impossible to do or be less effective due to the smaller numbers. There are similar problems when people are absent and there may be further administrative costs of chasing up absent people after the event. Equipment problems Failure of audio visual equipment – For many events, such as conferences and concerts, a failure in the audio visual equipment will result in an inferior or failed event. Failure of computers / computer aided activities – Many events rely significantly upon computers. Activities such as ticketing and audio visual presentations are frequently dependent upon specialised hardware and software.Failure of kitchen equipment – I f the event requires catering then the failure of kitchen equipment may result in people not being properly refreshed and fed. Process problems The wrong people invited / the right people are not invited – If the wrong people are invited then it will be virtually impossible to achieve the objectives of an event. For example if the event aims to sell human resource management services then attendees should ideally be budget holders with control in human resource management areas of a business. If the attendees have other specialisms / do not hold relevant budgets then the event may have a reduced level of success. Special requirements overlooked – When organising an event it is important to ask about any special needs of the attendees.For example people may have limited mobility, be visually impaired or have dietary restrictions. Failure to acknowledge these needs may result in attendees having a very poor experience. Insufficient documentation / papers / delegate packs – Failure to get documents, paperwork and delegate packs right can undermine an event and deliver a poor service to delegates / attendees. This may be incorrect numbers, poor quality materials and incorrect delivery dates. 2. Identify possible solutions for each of the problems you have listed in Question 1 above. Prevention – from the outset, eliminate the chance of a problem occurring. Contingency plans – factor in a fallback plan to minimise disruption if things do go wrong.Flexible and calm response on the day – even if you're not calm on the inside, projecting a calm attitude can help keep other people's reactions in check The best way to deal with problems is to eliminate them from the beginning. If an event is well planned and organised then the scope for problems is significantly reduced. 1 Registrations Allowing people to register for events right there on your website can greatly boost attendance. The path a user has to take from discovering th e event to participating becomes that much shorter, which translates into a better user experience and more registrants. You will also need to be able to manage registrations through the back end. Registrants should be listed somewhere, with easy access to their details. Equipment problemsGood event management is about organising people to be in charge of individual areas of the event and that everyone knows what the plan is. This means making sure that things are kept to schedule and assisting or having backup plans if it falls behind. The best way to deal with problems is to eliminate them from the beginning. If an event is well planned and organised then the scope for problems is significantly reduced. There are some easy ways to reduce potential problems. Learn from previous events Get advice from experienced people Get advice from other sources Have colleagues review any plans Use proven and tested suppliers Use proven techniques for project planning Double-check things careful ly.

Children from Divorced Families Essay - 960 Words

Divorce rates in America are around 50 percent. More than half of these divorces involve children under 18. Therefore about 40 percent of children in the world will be affected by divorce. About one in three children will live in a household that involves a step parent. (SandfordM. Portnoy) Though its controversial, children that are affected by divorce will develop some kind of psycological condition. Academic,behavior and even health all play a factor in divorce. It is also controversial on how long these conditions will last in children. A study was done on children who still have an intact family compared to the children who have divorced parents. Hetherington said that 2 years after the divorce the children affected†¦show more content†¦They can become even more depressed due to these loses. They are less likely to go to college because the mother can not afford to send them or the child does not care to do well in their academics. Children are 2 to 3 times more likely to drop out of school. This could also effect them into adulthood because they have a low level of education therefore they can not get a good job. Children from divorced families are 2 to 3 times likely to get int trouble than those of children whjose parents are still married. They become abandoned from society and do not like to listen to authority. They tend to become involved with drugs and alcohol and that persists through adulthood. Usually the males are more than likely to have these behavior problems. Females from divorced families are more likely to have sexual intercourse younger than those of intact families.This seems to occur because the children tend to pull away from their parents at an early age. And the children are not thought self control. They are more likely to be persuaded into having sexual intercourse. According to Hetherington and Kelly’s research children are closer to their mothers than they are their fathers. Fathers seem t o disappear more after a divorce and ignor their children. AS these children grow intoShow MoreRelatedThe Effects Of Divorce On Children From Divorced Parents And Intact Families Essay1590 Words   |  7 Pageshigh divorce rate affecting the children from these divorced families, and if so how is it affecting the children? Or what if a married couple who is unhappy decides to stay together for the children? How does an intact but unhappy family affect the children? So to answer your questions Dr. Phil, I have put together a report from many different books, articles and studies on the effects on a child from a divorced family compared to an intact but an unhappy family. Then I will conclude with what IRead MoreHow Divorce Has Changed Changing Society1491 Words   |  6 Pagescausation, and effect. One topic that has benefited from the use of statistics to measure its effects is divorce. Divorce is defined as the legal process of dissolving a marriage, thus separating two individua ls (Merriam). From generation to generation, divorce has been on a steady increase. The annual rate of divorce more than doubled between the mid-1960s and the early 1980s (Croteau). As of recent, statistics show an increase in divorce rates from less than 20% to nearly 50% since 1960 (Croteau)Read MoreThe Effects Of Divorce On Children And Children1548 Words   |  7 Pages The Effects of Divorce on Children Mikele J. King Medaille College Abstract The current divorce rate suggests that one out of every two marriages will end in divorce. This paper is a critical literature review that explores the hypothesis that divorce has detrimental effects on children. Six different risks have been suggested to cause the differences in an increased need for help between divorced family children and two-parent family children: parental loss, economic loss, more lifeRead MoreThe Effects Of Divorce On Children And Teens1402 Words   |  6 PagesDivorce is one of the most common happenings in the world experienced by children. Most children go through different adjustments to become comfortable with the fact that their parents are not together anymore. Children of divorced parents are prone to lifelong effects. Seventy-five to eighty percent of children have divorced parents and twenty-five percent of those children have serious social, emotional, or psychological problems for the rest of their life. Most adults think that it is best forRead MoreThe Reality Of Television Programs960 Words   |  4 Pagesvery different from the television programs that were shown over fifty years ago. The shows in the past portrayed a modest conservative family. These families consist of a hardworking man and a stay at home woman, married raising their own biological children. As the years went by, television has started to portray a more liberal definition of what a family means in today’s world. Because of today’s TV shows, there are different ideas about what a family should look like. Families on TV are not alwaysRead MoreThe Effects Of Divorce On Children And The Association With Children s Self Esteem By Kim Bastaits1466 Words   |  6 Pagesdivorce. My parents got divorced when I was around five years old. I’m always very interested in the affects divorce has on children, since I am one. Our society has changed to mostly accept divorce. I think divorce is related to the course material because it’s happening a lot in our society; sociology is the study of social behavior, organization, and development. I’m interested in how divorced fathers affect their children’s future. In the research paper, Parenting of Divorced Fathers and the AssociationRead MoreDivorce is not an exception anymore. In fact, with the rate of marriage decreasing over the past1200 Words   |  5 Pagesremaining steady, we are likely to know more people who are divorced than those who are legally bound. During this semester we read four novels. Divorce was a common theme in all of them. Only a few generations ago, American culture rejected divorce as scandalous. Today, law, behavior, and culture embrace and even celebrate it. It got me to wondering about the children of divorced parents. It got me to wondering, what about the children? Being concerned about them, I decided to research the DisruptionRead MoreThe Correlation Of Children With Divorced Parents1629 Words   |  7 Pagescorrelation of children with divorced parents and their ability or inability to have intimate relationships in their futures. In most cases, it depends on the age of the child at the time of the divorce. Studies showed that marital problems, including but not limited to divorce, was associated with negative social, emotional, and physical affects in the children’s lives. Most articles included have different types of specific details, but all generally have the same outcome, being that children with divorcedRead MoreDivorce Where Children Are Involved Essay1561 Words   |  7 Pagessociety and affects many people every year. In some instances of divorce, families have been torn apart leaving children stuck in the middl e of conflict. This is where children start lashing out at their parents and everyone around them and it is because they are hurt and out of their comfort zone. One cannot forget about the children that divorce affects in a negative way. However, this is not always the case. There are children of divorce that get through it relatively calmly. However, one mustRead MoreModern Television And Modern Family858 Words   |  4 Pagesraising a family, values have been put into action. Throughout the centuries of family-making, more and more values have been added, some have been changed, and have even dissipated. Even though there are families that keep the same traditional values, television shows such as Modern Family and The New Normal show how modern television altered those family values which include traditional marriage, family makeup, and sexuality. Modern television is one of many examples of how family values of

Creative Writing A Short Story - 1204 Words

1 Year later. â€Å"WHAT?!† Alicia shouts. â€Å"Mamade, your card has been declined?† A middle age women politely says to Alicia. â€Å"That’s not possible! I demand that you check again!† Alicia barks at her. The middle age woman gives her forced smile and slides the black card again. â€Å"Sorry Mam. It seems the account has been close.† Alicia could not believe what she was hearing. She has been using the card for about a year and it was fine. Nervous, she quickly takes out the other cards and orders the lady to try them. After confirming that all of the cards have been closed, the lady frowns at her and looks at her suspiciously. Alicia saw the lady’s expression and quickly grabs the remaining card from her hand and rushes out of the high end store.†¦show more content†¦When the two men grabbed Alicia, Ayanna backed herself into a corner and started weeping in fear. After a few more minutes of waiting, a handsome, tall, fit blond man and a beautiful slender red headed man walked to the tiny house. The smaller red haired man scowls at the sight of the broken down home in disgust. Whereas the other man just emotionlessly made his way up to Alicia and sat in the chair opposite from her. ------------------------------------------------ Both Alicia and Ayanna was blown away by the blond man’s gorgeous face, but at the same time they did not dare move an inch because of the man’s threatening presence. -------------------------------------------------------------------- The handsome man looks directly at Alicia and calmly and emotionlessly says, â€Å"Ms. Vielon, I believed you have something that belongs to me. Don’t You?† Even though the man spoke with no emotion on his face, Alicia could feel the icy threat behind his tone and trembles in fear. â€Å"--sigh-- It seems you did not hear me. Tristen, give me your knife.† Aden causally orders. Aden’s comment jilted Alicia from her trance and she quickly whimpers out, â€Å"s...s..sir...Pl...ease don’t harm me! I...I..ha..ve...no.idea what you’re talking about.† As Aden opens the sharp pocket knife, he smirks at her and says, â€Å"Ms. Vielon, do you know what I do to people who steal from me?† With her frighten eyes focused on the sharp knife, Alicia quickly shakes her head and stutters out,Show MoreRelatedCreative Writing : A Short Story1020 Words   |  5 PagesThe girls sat seperated in two stark, cold rooms. Each of the girls was sat at a table with a clear plastic cup of water sitting at arm’s length from them, both cups untouched. How could they drink when their best friend was no where to be seen? They had been having an innocent night of fun at Mercedes’ house three weeks ago, the first of many planned for the spring break, watching movies on Netflix and eating a pizza they ordered. The night was full of rambling about how classes were, drama floatingRead MoreShort Story : Creative Writing1550 Words   |  7 PagesIn the woods when the sun was just starting to set, there was a van driving on a long-abandoned road, behind the wheel of said van was a tired looking girl who seemed to be about 19. She took a sip of the long cold coffee, and turned to th e turquoise haired girl sitting next to her. Hey uhhhh Cas, Cassie? Where are we? Noting the headphones, she stopped the car and turned around to inquire of the two boys in the back, Kenny, Timmy, do either of you have an idea where we are? It seems like weveRead MoreCreative Writing : A Short Story1281 Words   |  6 PagesSMACK! I was on my back, peering up at Josh as he laid on top me. â€Å"Gotc....† He begins to say but stopped. The look of victory slowly vanished from his face at the realization of how little space was between us. I could feel his heart hammering in his chest or maybe it was mine. Because, Josh was now searching my eyes as if he was looking for an answer to a question. His lips were only inches from mine and I could feel the heat coming off of them. Everything inside of me screamed to move awayRead MoreShort Story : Creative Writing865 Words   |  4 Pages Brrring! Brrring! Brrring! Brrring! â€Å"What is someone doing calling at 2am† whispers Dave groggily as he wipes his eyes and p icks up the phone. Yawning, somehow he manages to make something comprehendible come out of his mouth, â€Å"Hello? This is Dave speaking.† â€Å"Dave! This is Joe†¦ your old roommate from college. How are you doing?† â€Å"I am doing fine.† says Dave thinking and thinking about who Joe is when suddenly he remembers. At that moment he groans but manages to put out a polite response,Read MoreCreative Writing : A Short Story1037 Words   |  5 PagesThere she goes again. Mother can’t ever mind her own business, Seriously will it kill her to just leave her thoughts to herself. Little Mike came up tugging at her sleeve, his soft little fingers grasping at the cloth, a pull then another. â€Å"Yes sweetheart.† Mike looked at her, his finger pointed forwards, just at the edge of my vision. â€Å"It’s our turn now mommy.† She looked up; Mike quickly ran forward. â€Å"Woah slow down buddy, you can’t walk away by yourself.† Mike came to a sudden stop;he turned toRead MoreCreative Writing : A Short Story1102 Words   |  5 PagesWhen their parents entered their room, Charlie watched as Maggie walked to the window and kept her back to them. They could al l tell she was upset about something. Looking at Elliot, she pushed herself up further in the bed, as Callum grabbed Ian and took a seat on the chair next to her. Ben clasped his hands in front of him as he took a deep breath. â€Å"Ive been asked to stay here in order to help Rachel on her work supplying the Republic with power. I plan on asking Miles to let all of you andRead MoreCreative Writing : A Short Story1148 Words   |  5 Pagesbench nearby. And that’s what she was doing now. She sighed and stood up to go home. The next day she went to school and her best friend Sarina asked, â€Å"What’s wrong?† She then told her the whole story as she didn’t know what happened yesterday because she was absent. Hearing the story she said, â€Å" It’s a good thing that I upgraded my remote few days ago. You should go to the remote shop today after school.† Then they both went to class. When Maya entered her first class she saw Tasha andRead MoreCreative Writing : A Short Story1583 Words   |  7 Pagesforbid, if you don’t find it within two seconds, then youre most definitely an incompetent driver. Almost needless to say, Jason didn’t follow in the outlier’s footsteps, and he aced the questionnaire. Though he did take note that his examiner was creative with her questions. She was probably was deeply saddened that there wasn’t a convoluted touch screen to inquire about, Jason thought to himself. Finally all the formalities were complete, consequently, he took a second to get himself mentally, andRead MoreCreative Writing : A Short Story1440 Words   |  6 PagesPayday arrived for both me and Patsy, giving us the opportunity to attend the luxurious cinema and a wider variety of movies. As we stand before the array of movie posters, deciding between an action or comedy, somehow, how conversation shifts over to John. â€Å"He was so excited about the other night,† says Patsy. I abandon the posters and give her a questioning look. â€Å"About what?† â€Å"Well, first of all spending the evening with you, and then because you hugged him the way you did.† She taps her fingerRead MoreCreative Writing : A Short Story1615 Words   |  7 Pagestown to barter, we’ll ask around.† Shocked that her husband knows about Miles tattoo on her arm, Rachel clings to him in the silence, her mind racing at the possible implications. XXX Rachel sits stunned at the table, listening to Ben relay the story that he’s heard over and over in the village nearest to the house they’ve decided to ride out the winter in. â€Å"Soul Marks? How is that possible? These are just replicas of tattoos,† she replies with a disbelieving shake of her head. Ben shrugged