Workplace Violence. Demonstrations of temper that impact work Research Paper

Workplace Violence. Demonstrations of temper that impact work performance and general well-being within the hospital workplace - Research Paper Example Other members of the surgical team, primarily the scrub tech, was observably upset by the actions and lack of restraint shown by Dr. X in regard to his emotional state. Upon approaching the Director in regard to this behavior, it was revealed that this form of violence was common for Dr. X and the hospital has been allowing the behavior to continue without intervention. The Director made the comment â€Å"Oh, that is common behavior for Dr. X. We just ignore it and Dr. X will forget all about it by tomorrow†, which indicates that the issue is centered on how Dr. X feels about the event rather than on how the rest of the staff is affected by his actions. Purpose The purpose of this report is to explore the ways in which this type of incident can be avoided in the future, both in direct relation to Dr. X and in relation to the behaviors and reactions of the entire staff. Guidelines about what is and what is not permitted where behavior and emotions are concerned will help to out line how this type of incident can be avoided in the future.... The staff is affected by the impact of that unpredictability and has no stable ground on which to determine the appropriate procedures from which to continue working. As well, the intended target of the anger is left emotionally affected, thus their work can be undermined. The care of the patient is then compromised due to the shift in focus from the medical situation to self-protection in an environment that has become hostile. This puts the patient in harms way as their care is compromised and the outcome of their care is put into jeopardy. Additionally, the event of a medical instrument being thrown across a room has the potential of creating damage or injury, thus creating the potential for legal liability. The potential costs of a hostile work environment are relevant on many levels. The first potential cost can be financially crippling as litigation from an employee who has experienced an inappropriate event or series of events can sue the hospital for having had no prevention, response, or intercession between the employee and the doctor who has behaved in this manner. A hostile workplace can be defined as â€Å"Conduct that has the effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment† (Colaprete, 2007, p. 182). From the result of Harris v. Forklift Systems Inc, the decision that was made by the Supreme Court extended responsibility for actions that do not necessarily create psychological injury, but also to those events that are â€Å"severe or pervasive (enough) to alter the conditions of the victims employment and create an abusive work environment† (Colaprete, 2007, p. 182). It would be reasonable to assess the event in question as having the potential for

Discussing Database Management Systems E Business Information Technology Essay

Discussing Database Management Systems E Business Information Technology Essay Software systems or computer software which is used to create, modify, maintain, provide controlled access to user database. According to Mullins, 2002 It enables end users 7 application programmes to share data, it enables data to be shared among multiple applications rather than propagated stored in new files for every new applications. For e.g. Online banking systems uses database management systems, Big hospitals uses database management systems to keep the track record of their patients details, their history etc. Database management systems based on the variety of models of distribution architectures such as the widely used Client/Server architecture and centralized architecture among others as also the database models such as Relational Model and the XML Model etc. First DBMS systems were used for primary for large complex ventures such as Apollo moon landing projects. Such operations were too expensive to contemplate anyway, as in that era most data was stored on magnetic tape 1970s Relational DBMS During this decade DBMS became a commercial reality. The hierarchical network database systems were developed they are generally regarded as first generation DBMS. They are still widely used. But have limitation, like difficulty in accessing to data, very limited data independence, not widely accepted. 1980s E.F.Codd others developed the relational data model during the 1970. This was second generation DBMS. With relational model all data were represented in form of tables. This has widespread commercial acceptance diffused throughout the business world in 1980s. SQL is the fourth generation language which is used for data retrieval. 1990s Object oriented database. This decade was the new era of computing, first with client/server, data warehousing internet application which became increasingly important. Largely structured, multimedia data became increasingly common during the 1990s. Both relational object oriented database are still of great importance. 2000 Beyond. The ability to manage increasingly complex data. Multidimensional data considerably importance in data warehouse application. Development of universal servers based on object relational DBMS. Especially important to internet application. Fully distributed database became a reality, centralization of database will continue. The lower cost of high performance computing also encourages centralization. Content-addressable storage will become more popular. User can retrieve data by specifying the data they desire. For e.g. a user can query any detail in Google site can have the computer search for the closest match to that photo. Working on developing data mining algorithms that scale to handle very large data sets which help to analyze data efficiently. Improving abilities to discern patterns, trends, correlation about customers, employees, products suppliers will influence strategic decision making by organisation. The proliferation of the PDAS will lead to improved synchronization of small databases improvement of wireless transmission. The use of web services will become more widespread as reliable XML web services more available. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Database_management_system#Overview Function of Database management systems. There are several functions that a DBMS performs to ensure data integrity and consistency of data in the database. Data dictionary management: Data Dictionary is where the DBMS stores definitions of the data elements and their relationships (metadata). The DBMS uses this function to look up the required data component structures and relationships Data storage management: This particular function is used for the storage of data and any related data entry forms or screen definitions, report definitions, data validation rules, procedural code, and structures that can handle video and picture formats Security management: This is one of the most important functions in the DBMS. Security management sets rules that determine specific users that are allowed to access the database Multiuser access control, Multiuser access control is a very useful tool in a DBMS, it enables multiple users to access the database simultaneously without affecting the integrity of the database. Backup and recovery management: Backup and recovery is brought to mind whenever there is potential outside threats to a database. Backup management refers to the data safety and integrity; for example backing up all your mp3 files on a disk. Data integrity management, The DBMS enforces these rules to reduce things such as data redundancy, which is when data is stored in more than one place unnecessarily, and maximizing data consistency, making sure database is returning correct/same answer each time for same question asked. Database access languages application programming interfaces: A query language is a nonprocedural language. An example of this is SQL (structured query language). SQL is the most common query language supported by the majority of DBMS vendors. The use of this language makes it easy for user to specify what they want done without the headache of explaining how to specifically do it Database communication interfaces: This refers to how a DBMS can accept different end user requests through different network environments. An example of this Can be easily related to the internet. A DBMS can provide access to the database using the Internet through Web Browsers (Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Netscape). http://databasemanagement.wikia.com/wiki/DBMS_Functions Types of Database Management Systems: Database management has become important part of every company that has got data to be managed handled. There are two types of database. Server database. Desktop database. Advantages of Database management systems: Controls Data redundancy Consistency Improved data integrity Easy to access data and maintain it Provides backup recover services Increase in productivity concurrency Disadvantages of database management systems: Maintain data are Complex Maintaining the database systems are very costly, for e.g. the server database is mainly connected with multiuser application have greater reliability data consistency. It is costlier than desk top database operates on high performance servers. There is high risk of failure. CHAPTER-2 E-Business: According to IBM (www.ibm.com/e-business) e-business (ebizNis) the transformation of key business processes through the use of Internet technologies. The key business processes referred to in the IBM definitions are the organizational processes. They include research and development, marketing, manufacturing and inbound and outbound logistics. Louis Gerstner, the former CEO of IBM, in his book, Who Says Elephants Cant Dance? Attributes the term e-Business to IBMs marketing and Internet teams in 1996. Stiller A (2003) related that Sussis (2000) an e-commerce consultant, stated that as businesses move into significant e-businesses, good planning strategies, design and implementation becomes more and more essential. E-business (electronic business), derived from such terms as e-mail and e-commerce, is the conduct of business on the Internet, not only buying and selling but also servicing customers and collaborating with business partners. Today, major corporations are rethinking their businesses in terms of the Internet and its new culture and capabilities. Companies are using the Web to buy parts and supplies from other companies, to collaborate on sales promotions, and to do joint research. E-business can be conducted using the Web, the Internet, intranets, extranets, or some combination of these. E-Business will impact business process, technology and organizational structure E-Business opportunities exist in: Sales Marketing Product Development Supply Chain Management Procurement Support Processes People Enablement For example Amazon (www.amazon.com) and eBay (www.ebay.com) are the worlds two biggest e-businesses. Types of e-business or e-commerce: B2B (business to business) business communications with other businesses like the direct placement of purchase orders. B2C (business to consumer) business communications with consumers through sales completed from a business website (e-commerce) or a regular newsletter. B2G (business to government) business communications with government like online taxation lodgements. P2P technology enables internet users to share files computer resources. Music file sharing services such as Gnutella are the prime examples of this type of e-commerce. M-commerce involves the use of wireless digital devices to enable the transaction on the web. http://www.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au/run/it/pages/ebiz.aspx Benefits/Advantages of E-Business: Business whether small or big are using the internet in their own ways. To work with partners and suppliers, for procurement, for internal activities such as knowledge sharing and new product development, and much more. Companies such as United Technologies, J. Sainsbury, General Electric and many others are reporting benefits from the use of the Internet. These benefits include: improved speed of response; cost savings; improved communications, information and knowledge sharing; reductions in inventory; improved efficiency and productivity; harmonisation and standardisation of procedures; better transfer of best practices; acquisition of new customers and increased sales; improved customer service Removes Location and Availability Restrictions Reduces Time and Money Spent http://www.ecommerceeducation.com/benefits-of-ecommerce.asp http://www.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au/run/it/pages/benefits.aspx Barriers to E-business: Security encryption; Trust risk; Lack of qualified personal; Lack of business models; Culture; Legal Issues; Fraud risk of loss; Internet/web is too slow not dependable. Constantly change in technology, which is always costly. {Source by: Veljko MilutinoviĆ¡, Frà ©dà ©ric Patricelli (2002) E-business and e-challenges; IOS PRESS; page 10} CHAPTER-3 ROLE OF DBMs IN e-BUSINESS: Every big or small organization is now trying their hands on DBMs to remain competitive in their respective fields. Every organisation which is big or at its starting stage wants to have their own DBMs as they dont want themselves to be left behind. To function in an e-business environment, an organization has to have a good command of knowledge on its markets, customers, products and services, methods and processes, competitors, employee skills and its regulatory environment. The term E-business is used in two main ways within organizations. The first is as a concept which can be applied to strategy and operations. Secondly E-business is used as an adjective to describe businesses that mainly operate online, i.e. they have no physical presence on the high-streets and seek to minimize customer-service and support through enabling web self-service. Educational institution, public government organisation, private enterprises which require large databases to store informations are using DBMs in their business. Every day some or the other organisation is building database application or re-constructing the older version, for making these application there are two ways; Microsoft products such as .net platform or Visual BASIC with an Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) driver connected to SQL Server the other is JSP/Java Server with a JDBC driver in DBMSs such as Oracle or IBM DB2 on the Unix, Linux and Windows platforms. Sabre airline reservation system was introduced in 1964 which was the first large scale DMBs for airline industry. Both airline travelling agents depends on sabre other reservation systems like Apollo. These database contain information about flight seats of most commercial airlines, permitting co-ordination of reservation. Now days every airline company has their own database where they do lot of work. Database helps their customers to book their itineraries fares. It has became lot easy for the customers to sit in the comfort of home enjoy the services. These databases help the airline industry to grow doubling their profits. DBMS is important to the operations of e-Business because it provides the organisation with the tools to make relevant and concrete decisions concerning the business. With a touch of button, hundreds of data stored in its database about a transaction, product or customer can be extracted, viewed, or amended The DBMS enables the e-Business to reduce waste in that majority of the traditional approach of doing business in the file-based era has been reduced. For e.g. in customer service industry the DBMs helps them to maintain the records information about the customers. For instance all banks have online telephone banking services provided for their customers as they keep track every record every minute details of the customers. Database management systems are widely used by the information technology in computer manufacturing business, the DBMs help them in understanding their customers need like in some website of a computer manufacturing companies we can virtually customize or make changes in laptops we can purchase make payments online get our laptops within couple of days. Conclusion In todays world e-business is extremely important for many reasons. Some of which is due to the fact it can speed the whole process of ordering etc. up. This then means that the lead time can be decreased because the ordering of products can be done much more quickly, particularly because the Internet is a fast running wide area network. The Internet has completely reshaped customer relationships. The transformation began with the dot-com boom, which spawned a new type of company whose entire business model was predicated on Web acceptance and usage. These companies Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO), Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN), eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY) and Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) took advantage of the Web in all aspects of their business. Soon, traditional brick-and-mortar enterprises realized that to survive, they too had to satisfy customer expectations to procure goods and services over the Internet. e-business has been benefited by DBMs a lot. But a lot work has to be done in developing more database application which are more user friendly, analytical practical. Lot of work has to be done in security issues of this e-business organisation as they have lot of personal information regarding their customers, to eliminate the fraud which is easily done by the hackers as they have access to these databases or can break the access codes use the valuable information. Up gradation of the databases websites should be always done so that these e-businesses would attract lot of customers. E-business is the future of all the organisation, as the world is get closer so does the business, to stay in the competition companies must adapt to new technologies.

Karl Marxs Life and Work Essay -- Karl Marx Biography Biographies Ess

Karl Marx's Life and Work As a German philosopher, a politician, and an important figure within the Communist League, Karl Heinrich Marx birthed a new way of looking at things through his beliefs, ideas, and writings. Karl Marx was considered to be â€Å"†¦certainly one of the most important minds of modern times†(1). He wanted to know more about philosophy, so that he might understand the political and social system better. http://csf.colorado.edu/mirrors/marxists.org/archive/marx/photo/index.htm On May 5th, 1818, in Trier, Karl Marx was born of Heinrich and Henrietta Marx in the German Rhineland. Studies say that Karl’s family was of a large size, consisting of about four children: Karl, Sophie, Emilie, and Luise. His mother, whom belonged to a family of Hungarian Jews, died in 1863,yet was always considered to be a lovely wife and mother. The Jewish blood that ran through the family ultimately impacted Karl’s fate. When Karl was six years old, he adopted Christianity because at the time it was considered as an act of civilized progress. His father, a highly educated lawyer whom admired eighteenth century literature (of the French Enlightenment), was a â€Å"Prussian patriot† and a Jewish believer. Karl and his father held a personal relationship, to which they enjoyed a close friendship. His father did indeed influence him greatly, but Karl â€Å"did not believe in the power of rational argument to influence action,† (2) as did his father . In high school, Marx was a good student, whom often expressed interest in the peasant community. He also evolved into a reader of new romantic literature. In 1835, he was a student at the University of Bonn and had ... ...death influence the lives of many. Notes: 1. Robert C. Tucker, Philosophy and Myth in Karl Marx (New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers, 2001), 233. 2. Isaiah Berlin, Karl Marx: His Life and Environment, 4th ed. (Oxford [Eng.]; New York: Oxford University Press, 1978), 22. 3. Franz Mehring, â€Å"Karl Marx: The Story of His Life†, Chapter One: Early Years, October 2000 http://www.marxists.org/archieve/mehring/works/marx/ch01.htm (10-29-01) 4. Mehring, 3 5. Mehring, 6 6. David Riazanov, â€Å"Karl Marx and Frederick Engels†, An Introduction to Their Lives and Work, 1927, . 7. Riazanov, ch 2 8. Riazanov,ch 4 9. David Mclellan, Karl Marx: His Life and Thought (New York, Evanston, San Francisco, London, 1973), 451.

Harcourt Brace & Company Essay

The essence of the female self in Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse is one that encapsulates unity above a disparaging patriarchy. The second part of the book Time Passes emphasizes this point with the symbolism prevalent in the war. That is to say, that while men seek out self-pity as Mr. Ramsey does, as men seek to conquer and control through force or coercion as Mr. Ramsey does by trying to get his wife to tell him she loves him, women are the counterpart to this chaos. Virginia Woolf presents women in her novel as quite capable of being power figures while retaining a distinct feminine side. The following essay will present the argument that To the Lighthouse is a novel primarily observant of the differences of the traditional versus the modern female role. Both of these roles are presented accurately in Mrs. Ramsey’s personality. It is her dichotomy of the role of female that this paper will argue is the balance between modern and traditional woman. In Mrs. Ramsey’s character is found the conglomeration of both modern and traditional roles for women. She at once prioritizes herself to fit the needs and fulfill the needs of the men around her. For example, she offers her husband loving support whenever he reveals himself to be self-pitying. She does not chastise him but encourages hope in all of her relations with her husband. This means that even though as a modern woman she cannot bring herself to say the words I love you, she does in fact love him, and she shows it through analogy by agreeing with his mandates. One such mandate is that the trip to the lighthouse that their son James wants so fervently to go on cannot be accomplished because the weather the next day will be too rough of a voyage. Although Mrs. Ramsay does not tell her husband she loves him, her acquiesce to his command says as much. She is willing to allow her husband to know her feelings only through metaphor and symbols, not through actual words. This is very much a modern woman because a traditional woman would not have enough personality to oppose the wants of her husband by still giving him what he wants in a fashion. In addition, Mrs. Ramsay acquiesces with most of the men who are guests at the house. This shows the more traditional side of her as a woman. Her attention is more centered on the male guests needs than it is for the women who are also staying at the house. This focused attention proves that Mrs. Ramsey is being presented by Woolf in a more structured outline of the traditional woman. Mrs. Ramsey caters to the men’s needs in whatever capacity possible. However, she only caters to them because she believes they are not strong enough to support themselves or do too much of anything independently. She lavishes the men in the house will support in their direction and opinions because she believes they need constant attention because a they have fragile self-esteem. This self-esteem is emphasized with the portrayal Woolf delivers of Mr. Ramsey. Although Mrs. Ramsey supports and loves her husband, she too finds it difficult to constantly give him affirmation. Another capacity by which Mrs. Ramsey plays the traditional female role is through her motherhood. It is James that most of her attention is devoted. Even though James holds great resentment towards his father for denying him his wish to visit the lighthouse, Mrs. Ramsey persists in giving James hope that it may be possible. She does this not to promise something false but to keep alive in her son the sense of wonderment in life. This does not fit the description of a modern woman. The idea of tradition being enveloped inside of motherhood is one that Woolf delivers with exact replication with Mrs. Ramsey. With Augustus Carmichael, she behaves in the same fashion as she does with her son James and her husband. Mrs. Ramsey is not very fond of Augustus but when she makes a trip into town, she asks him if there is anything, he is in need of. She does this simple act of kindness because she believes in the good in people and is not a cynic. In the dichotomy of the traditional and modern female role the catering to the needs of men, even men for which a woman cares nothing for, it is in Mrs. Ramsey’s traditional female nature, her motherhood, to give to men their desires. According to Woolf in her novel, To the Lighthouse men are more like children than like adults. It is with men that wars are started (as is evident in the second part of the book). Men are centered on their ego; therefore, their world exists around them and everything is focused on their needs. Children are the same way. Children exist in their own world, and in this world, their desires are fulfilled indefinitely and unconditionally. By this statement, it is evident that the traditional role that Mrs. Ramsey fulfills in the novel is by the above definition a role she fulfills as a mother. Therefore, contingently, Mrs. Ramsey is not only at once fulfilling a traditional role, by also a modern female role. This is accomplished by Woolf through Mrs. Ramsay by presenting to the reader Mrs. Ramsey as a mother and by extension her role as a mother as it pertains to men. Mrs. Ramsey treats men the way she treats men (as children) because she is a mother. She is not subservient to men as a traditional female role would declare but instead as a mother she transcends the traditional role into the modern female role because she believes that men need her help because they are incapable of helping themselves. Mrs. Ramsey’s traditional role in the novel morphs into a modern role as the book progresses. In this progression, the reader can witness how Mrs. Ramsey changes her roles by small revelations that the character herself gives the reader. It is not therefore necessary to say that there exists a breadth of difference for Mrs. Ramsey between being a traditional woman to being a modern woman, but it is prevalent to state that by these small revelations to the audience into the depth of Mrs. Ramsey’s character that she was always intended to be portrayed as a modern woman. The transition between traditional to modern woman can more aptly be seen in Lily Briscoe’s character. At the beginning of the book, she is a traditional woman because she lacks self-confidence. She allows the opinion of the men in the house to undermine her work as a painter and by succumbing to their ideas; she is not a dominant character and therefore a modern woman. The traditional woman is seen as submissive and without threat to men’s opinions; Lily fulfills this in the first part of Woolf’s novel. Before the end of the first part of the book however, Lily is being presented with more of a modern woman personality. This is seen in her rejection of Mrs. Ramsey’s life. Mrs. Ramsey is representational of the traditional woman because she is married and she has children. With Lily’s character, Woolf designs a less likely candidate for motherhood. Lily cannot see herself fulfilling the role of a mother and so as the novel progresses her docile nature is surpassed by her stronger self; that is the self which denies tradition, foregoes motherhood and focuses on the self and its needs. The real transition of traditional to modern female roles can best be witnessed in the portrait Lily paints of Mrs. Ramsey. At the beginning of the novel, Lily attempts to bring to life the spirit of Mrs. Ramsey in a portrait. The men of the house give their stalwart opinions about its composition, its line, color, and size. Lily, in her traditional female role, tries to listen to each man and do what they believe would make a better painting. The painting is subsequently abandoned by Lily who signifies her unloading the opinions of others to try to find out what it is she wants to do. At the end of the novel, Lily once again picks up the painting in hopes of trying to finish it. With the second attempt at the painting, Lily realizes her own artistic vision. She is no longer plagued by following anyone else’s guidelines to her own art and begins painting with only her opinions in mind. Lily is dedicated to finishing the painting and does so with only her own voice to guide her. This revelation signifies the transition for Lily in Woolf’s novel from tradition female who panders to the male audience to a Lily who bears witness to her thoughts only. This means that Lily is strong enough as a woman to deny the right of anyone telling her how to attempt her own vision and to paint according to her own unique style. The painting is representational of how Lily was once burdened by the patriarch and egotistical opinions of the men in the house and at the close of the novel she is finally able to see the fruition of not only her painting but the audience can also see how Woolf lead the audience through Lily’s struggles and finally at the end she becomes her own woman. The accomplishment of the painting also represents how Lily feels on equal grounds with Mr. Ramsey. Mr. Ramsey being a symbol of all men and their facade of superiority is it significant that Lily finally feels on equal grounds with Mr. Ramsey because this means she has found self worth. This can best be seen in the fact that Lily is painting Mrs. Ramsey’s portrait in order to prove to Charles Tansley that women can paint and write. By finishing this painting Lily if proving not only to herself but also to men that women are more than capable of great artistic accomplishments. Self-worth is a primary attribute of the modern woman in Woolf novels, and To the Lighthouse is no exception. The pairing of these two women exemplifies how traditional roles and modern roles for women were enforced through patriarchy. The purpose of the novel and the emphasis on the roles of women and the fulfilling of these roles through Woolf’s characters portrays a significant divergence from typical feminist literature. Mrs. Ramsey affirms herself through her motherhood and the way in which this affects her view of all men; that they are more like children who need a guiding hand. Mr. Ramsey fulfills this role of ego and so the novel is complete with the victory of matriarchy over patriarchy even with the involvement of motherhood which is seen more as a traditional female role. It is with Lily however that a more complete vision of the modern woman may be seen. It is also, with her finishing the painting that the unity which Mrs. Ramsey sought at the beginning of the novel is accomplished. This unity is found in Lily realizing herself to be equal to the ego of man; in particular Mr. Ramsey. It is Mr. Ramsey, who, at the end of the novel becomes less significant because of his constant need for affirmation. Due to Lily not being able to give him this only proves that she has become a modern woman because Mrs. Ramsey as a traditional woman pandered to her husband’s needs but Lily has broken the tie between Mr. Ramsey’s wants herself. In closing it must be re-emphasized that while Mrs. Ramsey does portray a more traditional women she also transcends these lines by her own view of the world and her interaction with it. She gives men what they want because she feels as though they are in need of her guidance; the motherhood role. For Lily however who denies this role, she is a modern woman because she finally unfetters herself from the overwhelming voices of egoism and maleness in the house and by doing this she is finally able to finish her painting. It is with the painting that the true role of the modern woman is best expressed by Woolf. The modern woman, or Lily in the novel is a woman who is not in need of affirmation as the men were portrayed to be (i. e. Mr. Ramsey) but she is independent and follows through with her own artistic vision and voice. Bibliography Woolf, Virginia. (1981). To the Lighthouse. Harcourt Brace & Company. New York.

Exercise Promotes Healthy Lifestyle Essay

A good diet and sufficient rest are important to sustain a healthy lifestyle but are not the only things to consider. When performed properly, exercising provides countless benefits that can further improve your quality of life. Regular exercise is an essential part of efficient weight loss and weight management. Exercising can also help thwart several diseases and improve a person’s overall well being. Whether it is a sport activity, a workout regimen, chores around the house, or yard work, all these types of physical activity are beneficial. Adapting an active lifestyle through exercising can be enjoyable and rewarding. Physical activity requires an individual to increase their level of exercising. According to Mayo Clinic staff, adults seeking a healthy lifestyle should include aerobic exercise and strength training in their fitness plans, specifically (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2013): * At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity — or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity — a week * Strength training exercises at least twice a week Every person’s level, whether new to exercising or a seasoned trainer, will be different therefore tailoring a workout program is an open venue for each person to explore. Different stages of exercise intensity can be researched to identify which stage a person can start. For beginners who are unsure about overexerting themselves, a moderate intensity, aerobic activity such as brisk walking is generally safe for most people. Some critics mention that physical activity may lead to a number of injuries. Exercising that involves moderate to high impact puts stress on the body. Even though this helps to build bone density, an individual who already has frail bones can damage a bone under the smallest amount of stress or impact (Tesch, 2011). This may hold true, however when performed correctly as well as starting at the appropriate intensity, these injuries are greatly minimized. That’s why it’s key to start slowly and to gradually increase the progression of intensity. Undesirable circumstances, such as a heart attack, are likely not to occur during exercise sessions. Daily exercising should be implemented in the everyday routine, no matter the age or fitness level. Physical activity tones the body, increases muscle strength, maintains strong bones, and promotes healthier skin. Other benefits of exercising result in better sleep and increased relaxation, a more positive mental state, and an enhanced immune system. Numerous researches show that incorporating an active lifestyle, through the use of an established workout program, have positive outcomes for all areas of health, including mental, emotional, intellectual, and even social well-being, not just for physical health. Exercise also increases concentrations of norepinephrine, a chemical that can moderate the brain’s response to stress. Exercise releases endorphins, which create feelings of happiness and euphoria. (Breene, 2013). Physical activity has been known to enhance mental clarity and efficiency. It is also linked with better thinking, learning, and judgment. Inquiries have revealed that exercise improves symptoms amid the clinically depressed. This is why physicians suggest, individuals suffering from melancholy or apprehension, should employ exercise in their daily lives. It has been proven, in a number of cases that proper exercise is as helpful as anti-depressant medication. The enhancement of a general mood can be achieved; by just working out for thirty minutes per session, a couple times a week. If time does not permit the utilization of the gym, a workout video can be very helpful. These videos are fun, easy to follow, and they are accompanied with great music. Because of the vast amount of videos, there are options of category and stage of health. If planning to develop a workout regimen in the near future; here are some examples of the type of videos that are available. Selections such as beginning aerobics, weight lifting, running; and even exercise for parents in the company of their kids. Options to participate in physical activity are infinite. Decide on the one that is most interesting to you, regardless if it is jogging, swimming, walking, and roller skating, or jumping rope. The most important point is to be physically active. In a brief amount of time, positive results will be achieved.

Free Essays on Beyond the Cult of Fatherhood

Critical Paper David Osborne wrote â€Å"Beyond the Cult of Fatherhood†. It reflects on the hardships and difficulties of being a full-time parent and having a full-time job. The story recreates a day in the life of a household father. While the storyline follows David Osborne’s day, the message or theme in â€Å"Beyond the Cult of Fatherhood† is to outline the responsibilities of working parents in today’s society. The theme of David Osborne’s responsibilities is framed around being a household father. I feel that when Rose, who is at work all day in the hospital, is able to stay with their son; David has a harsh tone towards what she does. He is the one who actually does most of the caring for Nick. When his wife’s maternal instincts kick in, she undermines David for Rose thinks she knows what to do, but this is what he does everyday. It is kind of ironic that she is an OBG/YN, which has to deal with babies everyday, but she does not really know a thing about raising a child of her own. I find this somewhat ignorant. David knows better on how to deal with Nick. I think they should sit down and have a good talk on their feelings. David Osborne’s attitude towards being a father is that â€Å"Part of the reason I love my role as a father is that I am secure in my role as a writer. Without that, I would not feel good enough about myself to be the kind of father that I am.† Even though there are difficulties and time constraints on his schedules, he draws strengths from what he does. I find it admirable that he takes on this much responsibility, but today a lot of people do the same. I find it interesting that he says in the story that he has no real time to write because of Nick, but then how was he able to write this story down. David’s style of writing is very realistic. When you read â€Å"Beyond the Cult of Fatherhood†, the text is very easy to relate to, and I find this kind of reading very enjoyable bec... Free Essays on Beyond the Cult of Fatherhood Free Essays on Beyond the Cult of Fatherhood Critical Paper David Osborne wrote â€Å"Beyond the Cult of Fatherhood†. It reflects on the hardships and difficulties of being a full-time parent and having a full-time job. The story recreates a day in the life of a household father. While the storyline follows David Osborne’s day, the message or theme in â€Å"Beyond the Cult of Fatherhood† is to outline the responsibilities of working parents in today’s society. The theme of David Osborne’s responsibilities is framed around being a household father. I feel that when Rose, who is at work all day in the hospital, is able to stay with their son; David has a harsh tone towards what she does. He is the one who actually does most of the caring for Nick. When his wife’s maternal instincts kick in, she undermines David for Rose thinks she knows what to do, but this is what he does everyday. It is kind of ironic that she is an OBG/YN, which has to deal with babies everyday, but she does not really know a thing about raising a child of her own. I find this somewhat ignorant. David knows better on how to deal with Nick. I think they should sit down and have a good talk on their feelings. David Osborne’s attitude towards being a father is that â€Å"Part of the reason I love my role as a father is that I am secure in my role as a writer. Without that, I would not feel good enough about myself to be the kind of father that I am.† Even though there are difficulties and time constraints on his schedules, he draws strengths from what he does. I find it admirable that he takes on this much responsibility, but today a lot of people do the same. I find it interesting that he says in the story that he has no real time to write because of Nick, but then how was he able to write this story down. David’s style of writing is very realistic. When you read â€Å"Beyond the Cult of Fatherhood†, the text is very easy to relate to, and I find this kind of reading very enjoyable bec...

The Double Helix essays

The Double Helix essays Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained. Madam Curie There has always been a gender bias in society. In the past women were not allowed to go to school or any place that would benefit them educationally. They were the caretakers and homemakers of society and this remained so for a very long period of time. Then there was the Womens Rights movement and women began to fight for an equal right to do anything that men were allowed to do. The hardest part of this fight was actually going against the odds and doing the opposite of what men felt that they should do no matter what was said. A great example of this is the gender issues between Rosalind Franklin and the men of Cambridge during the time when the structure of DNA was still In James Watsons publication of The Double Helix Watson tells the story of the issues that were present during the race for DNA. There were a total of five main players when it came down to who was the closest to discovering the double helix. Of these five players, there was only one woman, Rosalind Franklin. Franklin was a woman playing in a mans world. She was an excellent crystallographer and was not easily bended when it came to her work. While studying at Cambridge she was asked by a fellow scientist, Maurice Wilkins, to teach him the techniques of crystallography, but she refused. Thus she was known as a troublemaker for refusing to help him. In the book it is said that she did not exhibit her feminine qualities, Though her features were strong she was not unattractive and might have been quite stunning had she taken even a mild interest in her clothes. This she did not. (p23) this is to say that perhaps ...

The Past Perfect (Pluperfect) Definition and Examples

The Past Perfect (Pluperfect) Definition and Examples In grammar, the past perfect is an aspect of the verb that designates an action that has been completed before another past action. Formed with the auxiliary had and the past participle of a verb, its used to indicate a time further back in the past than the present perfect or the simple past tense. The tense is also known as the past perfective, the pluperfect, and the past-in-the-past. The Latin plus quam per fectum means more than perfect, and the French pronunciation of plus is close to ploo, which is where the term pluperfect came from. Past Perfect Examples From Literature Past perfect tense is everywhere, so just about any literature will have examples. Here are a few. Far worst of all, the fever  had settled  in Marys eyes, and Mary was blind.(Laura Ingalls Wilder, On the Banks of Plum Creek, 1937) On the Banks of Plum Creek is one of the books in the Little House on the Prairie series, which was turned into a long-running TV show. Walnut Grove, Minnesota, a town of fewer than 1,000 people, hosts throngs of people every summer at festivals related to the history and the books.   He camped that night on the broad Animas Plain and the wind blew in the grass and he slept on the ground wrapped in the serape  and in the wool blanket the old man  had given  him.(Cormac McCarthy, The Crossing, 1994) Coming-of-age novel The Crossing, set on the border of the Southwestern United States and Mexico during World War II, is noted for its spare dialogue and laconic characters. With his new, heightened feelings, he was overwhelmed by sadness at the way the others  had laughed  and  shouted, playing at war.(Lois Lowry, The Giver, 1993) The Giver, inspired by the memory loss of authors father, became a movie in 2014 starring  Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges. One great source of pleasure to me was that my wife was delighted with the home I  had given  her amid the prairies of the far west.(William Frederick Buffalo Bill Cody, The Life of Hon. William F. Cody, 1889) Buffalo Bill Cody wrote his autobiography at age 33 and in it recounts his familys move to Kansas when he was a boy and his subsequent life on the frontier as a trapper, buffalo hunter, Army scout, and fighter. At fifteen life  had taught  me undeniably that surrender, in its place, was as honorable as resistance, especially if one had no choice.(Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, 1969) In I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou depicts her tumultuous childhood spent between her mothers and grandmothers households, racism, her rape, and her journey to discover her identity and inner strength.  Ã‚   Functions of the Past Perfect With If Clauses As in other past tenses, the past perfect in a subordinate clause, called a  conditional clause,  may signify hypothesis, or something contrary to fact. A past perfect  modal, usually  would or could have, appears in the  main clause. In Sylvia Chalker and Edmund Weiners Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar, the authors give these examples: If you had told me before now, I could have helped. [But I didnt help.]If you had been coming tomorrow, you would have met my mother. [But you didnt meet my mother.] In Sidney Greenbaum and Gerald Nelsons An Introduction to English Grammar, the authors give these examples: If we had been there yesterday, we would have seen them. (But we were not there yesterday.)If he had been given a good mark, he would have told me. (But it seems that he was not given a good mark.) Using the Tense to Show Completion You may also use the past perfect to show completion. For example, She stood outside until he had gone.

Summary Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Summary Report - Essay Example Although we designed this plan carefully, it is clear that, overall, the entire change simulation plan provided poor results, way below our expectation. A number of change tactics helped us in the implementation process. First, our efforts to conduct a research from the stakeholder and the work groups helped a lot in problem identification. It also gave the workers the motivation to work towards achieving the designed changes. The workers remained loyal during the implementations stage. Secondly, the ability to mobilize the employees by designing an urgency plan was crucial as it attracted their attention of the entire organization to shift their focus on the change plan and reduce their reluctance to change. Since the teams were ready for change, it became easy to work along with them. Monitoring was crucial during this process, as it helped to ensure that the change plan was in due course, hence assisting us to complete the implementation process within the critical time. One of the tactics that lead limited the results of our action plan is the design of vision and the strategy. The vision and strategy developed were not clear, which made it complex to communicate the vision to not only the managers but also the employees. Understanding the company vision and strategy is very important as this gives the organization a direction that they should follow while implementing changes. Even after repetitive meetings, the managers and the work teams failed to understand the vision of the stage process and this made it quite difficult to implement this change. In this change simulation plan, we applied the Kotter’s concepts of a smooth change in organization setting. The idea of Kotter that it is crucial to create a sense of urgency worked quite well for this simulation. In creating the sense of urgency, we informed the employees of the changes and helped

Teacher Professional Competencies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Teacher Professional Competencies - Essay Example Moreover, a cooperative staff could also help each other in reducing their weaknesses and improving their competencies by providing each other with constructive criticism. In this regard, effective communication is very important. The artifact shows a regular bi-monthly round table staff meeting where all the staff members meet to discuss ongoing problems, progress, and future plans. The artifact shows that the whole staff is cooperative and communicates effectively. A bi-monthly staff meeting gives all the team members an opportunity to provide constructive criticism, feedback, and discuss future plan of action. Moreover, teachers with the same students with particular weaknesses can form a single strategy to help each other and the student. The meeting provides a platform to discuss ideas, apprehensions, and suggestions. Communication helps close gaps between team members and clears any misunderstandings that may arise in the absence of it. A regular staff meeting provides a platform for friendly communication. None of the teachers would feel threatened or insulted which they would feel if the meeting was called specifically for a particular

Profile of an Organisation (Hilton Hotels - Conrad Hilton) Lab Report

Profile of an Organisation (Hilton Hotels - Conrad Hilton) - Lab Report Example 1). In 2010, Hilton WorldWide earned well over $13 billion from it various activities (Hilton Management Services, par. 1). This paper discusses the Hilton Hotels brand with an aim of establishing a clear profile of the business. Conrad Hilton as an Entrepreneur An entrepreneur is a person who innovates or introduces new things with an aim of making a profit. Many analysts agree that many entrepreneurs share certain common characteristics. For one, entrepreneurs are disciplined. In this respect, they make strategies and define ways through which to achieve their goals. Yet again, entrepreneurs are open minded and see business opportunities where others see hurdles. This trait is seen in Hilton’s life when he buys his first hotel after realising that the hotel has great potential going by his experience; he had tried to book a room in the Mobley Hotel in vain for the high demand at the time (woopidoo n.d., par. 6). They are also ready to take risks as they focus on the goals th at they have set. One important characteristic of successful entrepreneurs is that they are self starters. In connection to this characteristic, the entrepreneurs believe in the fact that if something ought to be done, it is they that must initiate action. In other words, they are proactive and will go at great length to ensure that they succeed without seeking the approval of other people. Hilton is seen to be a self starter in many occasions. Without seeking anyone’s approval, he established a bank and bought his first hotel and worked his way to success. Hilton as an entrepreneur was keen to analyse the business environment before making important decisions. Before the First World War, Hilton had raised 3,000 USD of which he established a bank (woopidoo n.d., par. 8). When the country entered the war, he decided to sell the bank considering the possible negative impacts of the war on the business. Hilton, an American entrepreneur, was a hard working person going by his acc omplishments. During his younger days, Conrad helped his father in his business endeavours. At the tender age of 21, Hilton was already confidently managing his father’s store and enjoying a share of the profits (woopidoo n.d., par. 4). In spite of the fact that he was earning a lot of cash for himself, he felt that he needed to be autonomous. Later, he established and managed his own businesses before venturing into the hotel industry. Many of the hotels and resorts that form Hilton Worldwide’s portfolio were bought by Hilton in his lifetime. Some of the hotels that he bought include the Mobley Hotel and the Statler Hotel chain (Hilton, 1957, p. 17) Marketing Strategies Used By the Organisation The success of Hilton Hotels brand is a product of several factors. For one, the company’s marketing strategy is unique in many ways and has seen the organization expand and reach greater heights. In 2005, the Hilton Hotel Corporation emerged winner of the Best Customer Focus award - an award given by the UK National Business Award. From this achievement, it is worth noting the amount of focus that the brand puts on customer satisfaction. According to Mike Ashton, a senior Officer of the company, the philosophy of equilibrium greatly impacts how the organization operates and how it relates with customers. In a bid to improve its offerings to customers and for

Racial Profiling Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Racial Profiling - Research Paper Example This kind of behavior originates from fear of apprehension in response to minute crimes as expatriates belonging to above-mentioned nations, are well aware of the fact that they will be interrogated first with relation to any legal disturbance (Dauglas, Ressler and Burgess 421). In short, expatriates are much more fearful and careful in following the laws in order to invade the possibility of an arrest and prostitution. Based on the above argument, the enforcement agencies are suggested to follow evidence to win a conviction rather than considering racial profiling as the only beacon. The existing literature will be analyzed in the coming section. Literature Review Racial Profiling is a concept that is based on categorizing several ethnic groups against their ability and tendency to commit a certain type of crime for instance the whites are considered as top candidates of white collar crimes such as money laundering (Weitzer and Tuch 435). But, forensic investigators are motivated to follow evidence instead of profiling because; classifying races with respect to their ability to involve in a crime is self-alluding at times. Therefore, evidence is the only mean that could partially counteract the biasness caused by profiling. Furthermore, profiling causes law enforcers to suffer from tunnel vision, which pushes them to identify an innocent person as a suspect in a murder investigation, based on the fact that he or she belongs to a race that is famous for killing people. However, this kind of investigations and interrogations can lead to legal disasters. Profiling on the other hand, could be used as a mechanism of narrowing down the suspect list but, evidence based thinking must be supported in Police, so that innocent people could be protected from false conviction and imprisonment. It is also worth mentioning that long term profiling is identified as breach of privacy but, it can be practiced to foster national security and it is sanctioned by Patriot Act that explicitly allow law enforcement agencies to take any person (who can pose a threat to national security) under surveillance. In case of local crimes, the Police department must follow the triangle made up of motive, ability and opportunity as a mean of apprehending criminals. Moreover, the nature of local crimes differs from those of international ones because, in the case of former type, few radical groups are found to be engaged in certain criminal activities. But, in case of international crimes, global terrorist organizations are notorious for using new faces to achieve their goals. In the light of above argument, profiling could be applied in solving local crimes because, the people belonging to various criminal groups, could be sorted out, with respect to their ability to commit a certain type of crime, while prior convictions and allegations also help in this regard. Nevertheless, the application of profiling becomes limited in counteracting threat to national security there fore; more intensive and detailed investigational methods should be used when fighting international crimes. The agencies that are working against international terrorism, must keep a close watch on people with violent attitudes and thoughts, whereas they are also suggested to conduct detailed interrogations of people with

Aquaculture Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Aquaculture - Assignment Example Secondly, an investigation of the probiotics is ongoing. Management of the food webs is being done closely, as well as monitoring the quality of water so as to maintain a sustainable aquaculture (Kipp 5). The video by Thornton focuses on the growing shrimp farming in Belize. She explains that there is need to preserve nature by advocating for sustainable practices in shrimp farming though economic gain is a major aim of the business (Seeking Sustainability, One Shrimp at a Time). She advocates for sustainable shrimp farming. In her opinion, a proper understanding of the factors that allow for environmental sustainability is the only option towards preserving the aquaculture (Seeking Sustainability, One Shrimp at a Time). With the setting of the video giving real examples in the society, one can easily relates to what Thornton aims at conveying as well as the passion she has to ensuring that the aquaculture is preserves at all

Comment of article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Comment of article - Essay Example Knowing that the master received a lot of money for his skill and the drug he illegally sells, the writer expected a man well-dressed in some fancy clothes, well fed and has respectable looks. However, when the author finally met the master, he observed that he was skinny and very poorly dressed. He did not seem to be rich at all, with his house in a similarly poor state. When he witnessed how the master indulged in opium like a hungry pig, the writer noted that in such a situation, the one who probably suffers more of the consequences of the opium production and use of the master is his wife who looked skinnier. Indeed, there is nothing good that opium brings. Even the rich opium master has been stripped of his wealth and pride, the luxuries money can bring him as well as the family that became victims themselves. This is the reason why it is not legal and leaders around the globe have been wise enough not to make the drug easily available. Nevertheless, much has yet to be done in o rder to minimize or even eradicate the production and use of the said

Aquaculture Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Aquaculture - Assignment Example Secondly, an investigation of the probiotics is ongoing. Management of the food webs is being done closely, as well as monitoring the quality of water so as to maintain a sustainable aquaculture (Kipp 5). The video by Thornton focuses on the growing shrimp farming in Belize. She explains that there is need to preserve nature by advocating for sustainable practices in shrimp farming though economic gain is a major aim of the business (Seeking Sustainability, One Shrimp at a Time). She advocates for sustainable shrimp farming. In her opinion, a proper understanding of the factors that allow for environmental sustainability is the only option towards preserving the aquaculture (Seeking Sustainability, One Shrimp at a Time). With the setting of the video giving real examples in the society, one can easily relates to what Thornton aims at conveying as well as the passion she has to ensuring that the aquaculture is preserves at all

Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 8

Literature - Essay Example However, reader’s expectations are not confirmed. Chaucer merely uses the features of the genres to communicate the messages of his own, to establish the themes and motives he is going to elaborate in his tales. The general prologue introduces the range of the thematic and stylistic elements developed in the collection. The reader can misunderstand the author’s message, misled by the generic forms represented in the prologue. At first, a reader is likely to concentrate on the gallery of portraits, perceiving them as a satirical representation of different social classes contemporary to Chaucer. Ian Johnston (1998) suggests that it is necessary to distinguish between character and thematic analysis. As a rule, critics focused on the character analysis of the prologue, ignoring the thematic approach, which is the consideration of ideas and leitmotivs and the way how they are ‘presented, modified, challenged and resolved by the end of the work’. From thematic perspective characterization plays a primary role in the presentation of coordinating ideas. However, one is to bear in mind, that, unlike philosophical works, works of fiction do not offer rational arguments (though may contain them to some degree). Thus, it is not right to reduce a work of fiction to some simple ‘moral ’. By this Johnston must mean that interpreting the general prologue as purely a work of satire we are likely to miss an opportunity to understand the real message of the author. First of all, it is necessary to focus on the famous opening lines (1-18). These lines imitate the opening of the thirteenth-century French Romance of the Rose, an allegorical dream vision and love romance which was the ‘best-seller’ of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. All the educated readers were familiar with that work, partially translated into English by Chaucer himself. Imitating the opening of the Romance, Chaucer plays with the reader’s expectations, suggests Debora B. Schwartz

Brand Building And Positioning For Cadburys Marketing Essay

Brand Building And Positioning For Cadburys Marketing Essay The history behind marketing efforts of most modern businesses is that the company should recognise the needs of their customers and produce products and services to gratify those needs. Like this, the customer is in the middle of the business and the decision-making process. A business which monitors this viewpoint is a market-orientated. In this unit Im going to be focusing on Cadburys and House of Fraser and how they operate. Im also going to talking about the marketing techniques and relationship marketing. The production concept this is where a business concentrates on producing economies of scale in production and distribution of product or service. This undertakes that customers will purchase items that are lower priced; this is so that the demand is driven by availability. Examples of this can be found in construction suppliers, where construction firms will purchase cheaper building materials to increase their profit margins. Cadburys and House of Fraser do not come under the product concept. For example, a builder selling bricks to someone comes under this section, whereas the two other organisations dont. The sales concept this is mainly known as the hard sell this is because the product or service is produced and personal selling and other high pressure selling skills are used to convince customers to part with their money. Example of this could be in a place where double glazing is sold. The marketing concept unlike all the others above, the marketing concept puts all t heir customers first, they want to put their customers in the centre of all decisions before the product or service is developed. By doing this the business is likely going to be more efficient and doing this will benefit the company and/or market. Focusing investment on products that customers are going to need and use instead of investing in products that customers may not like which means they wont purchase it. Cadburys uses a good strategy to connect with people, the way they achieve this is by sponsoring and promoting their products or even TV programmes. Cadburys In 1824, John Cadbury opened a grocers shop at 93 Bull Street, Birmingham in the 1830s. Among other things, he sold cocoa and drinking chocolate, which he prepared himself using a pestle and mortar. Johns wares werent just inspired by his tastes; they were driven by his beliefs. Tea, coffee, cocoa and drinking chocolate were seen as healthy, delicious alternatives to alcohol, which Quakers deemed bad for society. House of Fraser House of Fraser is a British premium department store group with over 60 stores across the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established in Glasgow, Scotland in 1849 as Arthur and Fraser. Although established in Glasgow House of Frasers largest store is located in Birmingham. By 1891 it was known as Fraser Sons. Marketing Techniques (Growth Strategies) The business analyst Igor Ansoff outlined some important strategies for business growth. He identified four key approaches to growing a business in 1957. Market penetration is a group of customers who may buy a product, so if someone was to produce a video game for the PS3 to be sold in the UK, your market would likely to be people in the UK who own PS3s. A business could grow by increasing the number of people in the market who purchase your product. Market development is when a company markets an existing product to a new market. For example, the PS3 game, you might want to sell your game to different countries. Nothing about the product changes it just gets sold to another market. Product development is when a business develops a new product to sell to the existing customers. So once a customer has bought your product you could sell them something else such as, an expansion pack that may include more content. Diversification here is where a business markets new products to new customers. This works two different ways, the business could produce a new product in that area that it understands or it could go into a completely different area that is an unrelated area. House of Fraser uses the flexible incentive by allowing these things: Ease of ordering Online services Free, fast and a secure delivery Fulfilment House of Fraser Business Incentive vouchers are available in denominations of  £1,  £5,  £10,  £25,  £50 and  £100. You can order by post with a cheque or credit card using the enclosed order form, or by phone with a credit card. Credit account customers may order via email. All vouchers can now be redeemed online. Your House of Fraser vouchers will be despatched next day if the order is received by 11.00am. The Business Incentives team will be happy to arrange delivery direct to multiple addresses, on request. A small handling fee is levied for this service. n order to increase sales Cadburys needs to undertake a range of marketing activities before deciding upon the best way to encourage the purchase of its product. When identifying the basic principals which Cadburys must apply to its marketing will be its basic objectives because all business must have objectives it allows them to increase sales and make profit. Corporate aims are the long term intentions of a business, whereas corporate objectives are the specific targets required to achieve the aims. The common aim and objectives of the corporation such as Cadbury includes the following: Survival Profit maximisation- which is often taken to be the reason why firms exists and to be the primary objectives in practices most firms have a hierarchy of objectives when a firms survival is threaten it may profit maximise in order to restore its financial health. Growth- which includes Cadbury selling new products or expanding overseas. Diversification- which is the spreading of business risks by reducing dependence on one product. Sales maximisation- which is the increasing of sales Improving the product image-which includes creating a new logo or launching a new brand of product and creating more attractive packaging. For example, Cadbury set out two objectives for the development of their chocolate, Fuse. These were: 1. To grow the market for chocolate confectionery 2. To increase Cadburys share of the snacking sector Cadbury promotes its products in various ways such as the use of above the line promotion, which is where a product is advertised through consumer media such as television, magazines, newspapers and radio. Relationship marketing (Cadburys House of Fraser) Relationship marketing is where a business concentrates on the long term value of a customer. This means knowing who the valuable customers are, starting relationships, maintaining enhancing and terminating them in order to produce a sustainable profit. Cadbury Schweppes is a marketing focused company. Its success depends on on satisfying the needs of its consumers. It is able to do this by frequently listening to consumers and learning about their changing necessities. In response to these requirements, Cadbury Schweppes strives to create new products, build on existing core brands and find new ways to add value to existing products. By gaining the visibility, profitability and volume in the global market, a business is best placed to provide its consumers with quality products and the best value for money. House of Fraser are responsible for all central marketing communications sent directly to customers this includes all email newsletters, messages in their Recognition Card member statements, local targeted mailings on behalf of stores or suppliers and national mailings/emails about events and offers for example, sales, launch of new season. Brand awareness A common marketing objective is to raise customers brand awareness. This could relate to a businesss overall brand for example, BMW or to a product brand within the company for example, Mini. Effective raising of brand awareness can raise sales; this is because customers will subconsciously or consciously try to find a brand when buying an item or service. A high level of brand exists where consumers start to use the brand name in place of the product type. The House of Fraser brand is differentiated from other department store groups in the UK by our 160 year history in the UK retail market, their wide geographic reach (across the UK and on-line), broad range of high quality premium branded merchandise offered at competitive prices, our increasing exclusive House Brand offering and our commitment to providing an imaginative, exciting and relevant shopping experience to their customers. The Cadbury brand has a profound impact on individual product brands. Brands have individual personalities aimed at specific target markets for specific needs e.g.TimeOut, for example, is an ideal snack to have with a cup of tea. These brands derive benefit from the Cadbury parentage, including quality and taste credentials. To ensure the success of product brands every aspect of the parent brand is focused on. A Flake, Crunchie or TimeOut are clearly different and are manufactured to appeal to a variety of consumer segments. House of Fraser have a voucher discount scheme their vouchers carry exceptional discounts as shown below. The discount may be deducted from the invoice or taken as additional vouchers. As a finishing touch we can supply complimentary wallets and envelopes in which to present the vouchers. These can also be personalised with your companys logo, if required (there is a print cost associated with personalisation, please ask the Business Incentives team for details). Brand building and positioning It takes time, patience, effort and investment for brand building and maintenance. It is essential for a business to first recognise its brand values. The central messages that it wants is its customers to understand when they think of the brand. For example, the car Mercedes- Benz, this car is high performance, safety and prestige. Brand building and positioning for Cadburys Cadburys has identified these brand values and adjusts its advertising strategies to reflect these values in different markets. Its strategy can vary from increasing brand awareness, educating potential customers about a new product, increasing seasonal purchases, or as is currently the case in the Choose Cadbury campaign to highlight the positive emotional value of the brand. In Ireland, Cadbury has identified three key consumer segments of impulse, take home and gift. These segments reflect consumers decision-making processes. Since its inception, Cadbury in India has stayed ahead thanks to their constant marketing initiatives, that have at all points in time understood the needs of and opportunities in a changing nation but Nestle had stood firm in second position resulting from their responsibilities and providing quality products. Amul an Indian company has been able to create brand quality and thus selling their product through their name. Brand building and positioning for House of Fraser One of the most valuable aspects of the House of Fraser brand is the equity built up over many years as an endorser of the prestigious brands they have as part of our portfolio. Their ability to have a uniform and clear brand identity across all our channels is therefore of paramount importance,à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¨as so that they look to leverage this heritage in the exciting development of our brand. The House of Fraser Business Incentives team is available to advise you on how to maximise the effectiveness of our vouchers. Well be happy to discuss your objectives, make recommendations and, if required, create an individually tailored package. Our experience in the field can help you develop promotional ideas and we can suggest ways of adding value for example, through use of the House of Fraser Personal Shopping service. OBJECTIVE OF ADVERTISING To educate the Market Building brand awareness To encourage seasonal purchases To increase consumption

Origins of the English Civil War Essay -- european history, british hi

The English Civil War of 1642-1651 can be considered as a feud between the King and the English Parliament. Long before the onset of the civil war, Parliament and king Charles I had distrusted each other. As a result, Parliament often refused to finance the king’s wars. Unable to gain enough support from Parliament, Charles I challenged local control of nobles and landowners, who composed of the majority of Parliament, by â€Å"levying new tariffs and duties, attempting to collect discontinued taxes, and subjecting English property owners to†¦forced loan and then imprisoning those who refused to pay†¦as well as quartering troops in private homes† (Craig et al. 560). Parliament attempted to control the king’s power when it presented to Charles the Petition of Right in 1628. This petition required that there would be no loans or taxation without the consent of Parliament, that Charles would not be able to imprison any free man without due cause, and that no troops would be quartered in private homes. Although Charles initially agreed to the petition, he dissolved Parliament in 1629 and did not recall it again until 1640. Parliament’s resentment of the king’s tyrannical actions combined with its resistance to control the king refused to grant Charles financial support for the war with Ireland in 1640. Charles retaliated and made inevitable a civil war when he dissolved Parliament once more and arrested five of its members (Taylor vii). The resulting tension between Charles and Parliament eventually erupted in a Civil War in 1642 and lasted until 1651. Many scholars have been associating the phenomenon of the English Civil War to a variety of causes and motives. Among Parliament’s support... .... Furthermore, Charles I had attempted to make himself the first despot by reducing Parliament to a nullity (Macaulay 64). It should be noted that during the time of Charles I, the king had no standing army, and that the king could not legally raise money without the consent of Parliament (Taylor 3, 4). However, because Charles had always been in favor of the notion of absolute monarchy (Taylor viii), he had dared to make extraparliamentary actions without the consent of Parliament. These included the trespass onto the constitutional rights of the English people, levying taxes without the consent of Parliament, imprisoning civilians and court nobles alike without due cause, and quartering troops in private homes during times of war (Macaulay 63-64). All these actions challenged local control of nobles and landowners (Craig et al. 560).

Schizophrenia Essay -- Schizophrenia Essays

Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects about one percent of the population. Generally if you have schizophrenia you cut out of contact with real world reality. The word Schizophrenia is Greek for â€Å"split mind†. It is common belief that a person with schizophrenia or a â€Å"schizo† has a split personality, but actually the person’s thinking, feelings, and behavior are so far from normal that they get to the point where they interfere with their ability to function in everyday life. People who are suffering from schizophrenia think and act in their own world, which sets them apart from the society around them. About one hundred year ago schizophrenia was first recognized as a mental disorder that scientists have been researching sense, hoping to some day find a cure. The exact cause for schizophrenia is still unknown; scientists believe there is more than one cause for the disease. Most people that have this disease accept the fact but are not willin g to receive the necessary treatment, or follow professional advice. To observers, schizophrenia seems like a disease or â€Å"madness† because people who have this disorder behave differently to the people that are considered â€Å"normal.† It impairs a person from doing work, going to school, taking care of themselves or having a social relationship with others. By looking at the symptoms, it is sometimes hard to classify schizophrenia as a disease because it enables those inflicted with it to develop new ways of expressing themselves, such as communication, and creativity. A disease is usually some kind of sickness that leads to death or heavy medication. Scientists believe that schizophrenia may be caused from genetics; this is also under discussion because kids from a parent with schizophrenia don’t always get it. Because of this theory scientists have been studying identical twins, due to the fact that they have the exact same genetic make up. However, evi dence seems to break this theory. This is because in some of the cases both twins have developed schizophrenia, and in others only one twin developed the disorder. Both men and women are just as likely to develop the disorder; generally the males have had more severe symptoms than the females. About ten percent of the people with schizophrenia end their life by committing suicide. Usually schizophrenia develops between the ages of fifteen to thirty. Earlier sympt... ...but it cannot treat other symptoms such as social withdrawal and apathy. Also, there are some side effects to these medications, including dry mouth, blurred vision, muscle spasms or cramps, and tremors. One of the major side affects is tardive dyskinesia, a permanent condition when the lips, mouth, and tongue move without any control. Besides medications and therapies, family intervention programs exist which focus on the families of the schizophrenics instead of the patients themselves. This is particularly useful since family members can learn and understand how to cope with the patient and provide for them a low-stress environment and aiding them as much as possible. Works Cited Eisendrath, Stuart J. "Psychiatric Disorders." In Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment 1998, edited by Lawrence M. Tierney Jr., et al. Stamford, CT: Appleton & Lange, 1997. Mental Disorders. Videocassette. Winerip, Michael. "Schizophrenia's Most Zealous Foe." The New York Times Magazine 22 Jan. 1998: 26-29. "Schizophrenia." June 2001. Gale Encyclopedia of Science. 17 Mar. 2004 . "Schizophrenia." Psychiatric Dictionary. Oxford: Oxford UP, 1989.

Eight Stages of Development

This paper will present an overview of the developmental tasks involved in the social and emotional development of children and teenagers which continues into adulthood. The presentation is based on the Eight Stages of Development developed by psychiatrist, Erik Erikson in 1956. According to Erickson, humans move through eight stages of psychosocial development during our lives. Each stage centers around a specific crisis or conflict between competing tendencies.Erikson's theory consists of eight stages of development. Each stage is characterized by a different conflict that must be resolved by the individual. When the environment makes new demands on people, the conflicts arise. â€Å"The person is faced with a choice between two ways of coping with each crisis, an adaptive or maladaptive way. Only when each crisis is resolved, which involves change in the personality; does the person have sufficient strength to deal with the next stages of development†(Schultz and Schultz, 1 987).If a person is unable to resolve a conflict at a particular stage, they will confront and struggle with it later in life. Learning Basic Trust Versus Basic Mistrust (Hope) Chronologically, this is the period of infancy through the first one or two years of life. The child, well – handled, nurtured, and loved, develops trust and security and a basic optimism (Stevens, 1983). Badly handled, a child becomes insecure and mistrustful. Learning Autonomy Versus Shame (Will) The second psychosocial crisis, Erikson believes, occurs during early childhood, probably between about 18 months or 2 years and 3? o 4 years of age. According to Erikson, self control and self confidence begin to develop at this stage (Stevens, 1983). Children can do more on their own. Toilet training is the most important event at this stage. They also begin to feed and dress themselves. This is how the toddler strives for autonomy. It is essential for parents not to be overprotective at this stage (Steven s, 1983). A parent's level of protectiveness will influence the child's ability to achieve autonomy. If a parent is not reinforcing, the child will feel shameful and will learn to doubt his or her abilities. Erikson believes that children who experience too much doubt at this stage will lack confidence in their powers later in life†(Woolfolk, 1987). Learning Initiative Versus Guilt (Purpose) Erikson believes that this third psychosocial crisis occurs during what he calls the â€Å"play age,† or the later preschool years (from about 3? to, in the United States culture, entry into formal school). The development of courage and independence are what set preschoolers, ages three to six years of age, apart from other age groups.Young children in this category face the challenge of initiative versus guilt. As described in Bee and Boyd (2004), the child during this stage faces the complexities of planning and developing a sense of judgment. During this stage, the child learns to take initiative and prepare for leadership and goal achievement roles. Activities sought out by a child in this stage may include risk-taking behaviors, such as crossing a street alone or riding a bike without a helmet; both these examples involve self-limits.These behaviors are a result of the child developing a sense of frustration for not being able to achieve a goal as planned and may engage in behaviors that seem aggressive, ruthless, and overly assertive to parents (Marcia, 1966). Aggressive behaviors, such as throwing objects, hitting, or yelling, are examples of observable behaviors during this stage. Industry Versus Inferiority (Competence) Erikson believes that the fourth psychosocial crisis is handled, for better or worse, during what he calls the â€Å"school age,† most likely up to and possibly including some of junior high school (Erickson, 1950). Children at this age are becoming more aware of themselves as individuals. † They work hard at â€Å"being responsible, being good and doing it right. † They are now more reasonable to share and cooperate. † (Gross, 1987). Allen and Marotz (2003) also list some cognitive developmental traits specific for this age group: Children understand the concepts of space and time, gain better understanding of cause and effect and understand calendar time. At this stage, children are eager to learn and accomplish more complex skills: reading, writing, telling time.They also get to form moral values, recognize cultural and individual differences and are able to manage most of their personal needs and grooming with minimal assistance (Allen and Marotz, 2003). At this stage, children might express their independence by being disobedient, using back talk and being rebellious. Learning Identity Versus Identity Diffusion (Fidelity) During the fifth psychosocial crisis (adolescence, from about 13 or 14 to about 20) the child, now an adolescent, learns how to answer satisfactorily and happily the question of â€Å"Who am I? But even the most adjusted of adolescent’s experiences some role identity diffusion: most boys and probably most girls experiment with minor delinquency, rebellion, self – doubts flood the adolescent (Kail and Cavanaugh, 2004). Erikson is credited with coining the term â€Å"Identity Crisis†(Gross, 1987). Each stage that came before and that follows has its own ‘crisis', but even more so now, for this marks the transition from childhood to adulthood. This passage is necessary because â€Å"Throughout infancy and childhood, a person forms many identifications.But the need for identity in youth is not met by these (Wright, 1982). This turning point in human development seems to be the reconciliation between ‘the person one has come to be' and ‘the person society expects one to become'. This emerging sense of self will be established by merging past experiences with expectation of the future. In relation to the ei ght life stages as a whole, the fifth stage corresponds to the crossroads: Adolescents â€Å"are confronted by the need to re-establish [boundaries] for themselves and to do this in the face of an often potentially hostile world (Gross, 1987). This is often challenging since commitments are being asked for before particular identity roles have formed. At this point, one is in a state of ‘identity confusion', but society normally makes allowances for youth to â€Å"find themselves,† and this state is called ‘the moratorium': As in other stages, bio-psycho-social forces are at work. No matter how one has been raised, one’s personal ideologies are now chosen for oneself (Wright, 1982). Oftentimes, this leads to conflict with adults over religious and political orientations.Another area where teenagers are deciding for themselves is their career choice, and oftentimes parents want to have a decisive say in that role. If society is too insistent, the teenager w ill agree to external wishes, forcing him or her to stop experimentation and finding true self-discovery. Once someone settles on a worldview and vocation, will he or she be able to incorporate this aspect of self-definition into a diverse society? According to Erikson, when an adolescent has balanced both perspectives of â€Å"What have I got? † and â€Å"What am I going to do with it? he or she has established their identity (Gross, 1987) Learning Intimacy Versus Isolation (Love) The Intimacy vs. Isolation conflict is emphasized around the ages of 20 to 34. At the start of this stage, identity vs. role confusion is coming to an end, and it still lingers at the foundation of the stage (Erikson, 1950). Young adults are still eager to blend their identities with friends. They want to fit in. Erikson believes we are sometimes isolated due to intimacy. We are afraid of rejections such as being turned down or our partners breaking up with us.We are familiar with pain, and to som e of us, rejection is painful; our egos cannot bear the pain. Erikson also argues that â€Å"Intimacy has a counterpart: Distantiation: the readiness to isolate and if necessary, to destroy those forces and people whose essence seems dangerous to our own, and whose territory seems to encroach on the extent of one's intimate relations† (Erickson, 1950). Once people have established their identities, they are ready to make long-term commitments to others. They become capable of forming intimate, mutual relationships and willingly make the sacrifices and compromises that such relationships require.If people cannot form these intimate relationships – perhaps because of their own needs – a sense of isolation may result. Learning Generativity Versus Self-Absorption (Care) In adulthood, the psychosocial crisis demands generativity, both in the sense of marriage and parenthood, and in the sense of working productively and creatively. Integrity Versus Despair (Wisdom) If the other seven psychosocial crisis have been successfully resolved, the mature adult develops the peak of adjustment; integrity (Marcia, 1966). He trusts, he is independent and dares the new.He works hard, has found a well – defined role in life, and has developed a self-concept with which he is happy. He can be intimate without strain, guilt, regret, or lack of realism; and he is proud of what he creates; his children, his work, or his hobbies (Marcia, 1966). If one or more of the earlier psychosocial crises have not been resolved, he may view himself and his life with disgust and despair. Conclusion These eight stages of man, or the psychosocial crises, are likely and insightful descriptions of how personality develops but at present they are descriptions only.We possess at best simple and tentative knowledge of just what sort of environment will result, for example, in traits of trust versus distrust, or clear personal identity versus diffusion. Socialization, then is a learning – teaching process that, when successful, results in the human organism's moving from its infant state of helpless but total self-absorption to its ideal adult state of sensible conformity coupled with independent creativity.References Bee, Helen and Boyd, Denise. (2004). The Developing Child. (10th ed. ). Boston: Pearson Erikson, E. H. (1950). Childhood and society. New York: Norton (1950); Triad/Paladin (1977), Erikson, E. , (1956), The Problem of Ego Identity, Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association 4 Gross, F. L. (1987). Introducing Erik Erikson: An invitation to his thinking. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. Kail, R. V. , ;amp; Cavanaugh, J. C. (2004). Human development: A life-span view. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth. Marcia, J. E. , (1966), Development and validation of ego identity status, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 3 PSY 345 Lecture Notes – Ego Psychologists, Erik Erikson, http://www. psychology. sunysb. du/ewater s/345/2007_erikson/2006_erikson. pdf, retrieved 2010-11-11   Stevens, Richard. (1983). Erik Erikson, An Introduction. New York: St. Martin's Press. Schultz D. P. & Schultz S. E. (1987). A History of Modern Psychology. Orlando, FL: Harcourt-Brace. The Theoretical Basis for the Life Model-Research And Resources On Human Development, http://www. lifemodel. org/download/ModelBuildingAppendix. pdf, retrieved 2010-11-11   Woolfolk, A. E. (1987). Educational Psychology, (3rded. ). New Jersey: Simon and Schuster. Wright, J. Eugene (1982). Erikson: Identity & Religion. New York; The Seabury Press

Different Types of Business

1. Sole trader – the oldest form of trading there is, it’s also the simplest and the most common type of business you’ll find. The clue is in the name – meaning that you are solely responsible for everything the business does and you’re often known as the proprietor. This is the usual form for small shops and businesses that provide services such as beauticians, hairdressers, photographers, gardeners and so on. When you start out in business, most often you use your own money to fund the venture. However, as you start to grow, you may need to find funding elsewhere. When this happens you may want or need to enter into another kind of business model: 2. Partnership – these are made up of two or more people and any profits, debts and decisions related to the business are a shared responsibility. These are common for practices that offer services such as accountants, dentists, doctors, solicitors and so on. 3. Company – the correct name for this is a joint stock company and it’s made up of a number of people who put their money together to form a ‘joint stock’ of capital. These people are more commonly known as shareholders and, as the name suggests, they each own a share of the business and each expect a share of the profits too. Each shareholder puts money into the company and receives a portion of the company – shares – equivalent to what they put in. Despite each shareholder owning a piece of the company, in law it is seen as a legal entity – the same as an individual – that is entirely separate from the shareholders or members, as they are sometimes known. It can be sued, make a profit or loss, be held responsible for its employees’ actions and go into liquidation – the term used for companies that go bankrupt. Private Limited Companies Most small businesses are private limited companies with the shares only available privately, for example, to family members. The shares are not available to buy publically so they cannot be traded on the stock market. Public Limited Companies Being a Public Limited Company (PLC) is much more complex and is usually reserved for larger companies. To be called a PLC a company must have, amongst other things, more than one director and a trading certificate from Companies House. PLCs can sell their shares on the stock market so anyone can buy them. Whilst it is easier to raise money using this method it also means that the company accounts are in the public domain. The company must also be audited and make certain information available to Companies House. Plus, PLCs can be bought out by other shareholders. 4. Franchises A franchise involves you using another company’s successful business model to create your own shop, restaurant etc. Essentially, you buy the franchise and trade off the good name of the company you’ve bought into. For example Subway – you’d find a suitable location, Subway would provide you with their livery, food products and use of trademark. You make money because customers are already familiar with Subway; so you have an instant customer base. Franchises are for a fixed period of time – from five to 35 years – and cover a certain location known as a ‘territory’. You’ll have to pay fees to the franchisor: royalties for using the trademark ees for the training and advice received There are specific and complex laws relating to franchise contracts so entering into one is something that needs to be thought about very carefully. 5. Workers Co-operatives This is a truly egalitarian form of business that is formed to meet the mutual needs of the workers. Each person – from the managing director to the shop floor assistant – is equal ly important. All decisions are taken democratically and any profits are shared equally or ploughed back into the business. Co-operatives follow seven guiding principles: Voluntary and open membership Democratic control Member economic participation (financial interest) Autonomy and independence Education, training and information Co-operation among co-operatives Concern for the community http://www. ica. coop/coop/principles. html This should give you a pretty good idea of the ethical and moral stance of a co-operative. 6. Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) LLPs are a relatively new form of business as they’ve only been around since 2001. They are intended to benefit professional partnerships such as lawyers, accountants and the like, who are restricted from forming limited companies due to restrictions from their professional bodies. LLPs operate in much the same way as limited partnerships and allow the members to limit their personal liability if something goes wrong with the business. So, as you can see, businesses can be simple or complex but, once you know what all the terminology means, you should find it quite easy to decide which kind of business structure will best suit your needs.

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 23. MONSTER

WHEN I WOKE UP IN THE MORNING, IT WAS VERY bright – even inside the tent, the sunlight hurt my eyes. And I was sweating, as Jacob had predicted. Jacob was snoring lightly in my ear, his arms still wrapped around me. I pulled my head away from his feverishly warm chest and felt the sting of the cold morning on my clammy cheek. Jacob sighed in his sleep; his arms tightened unconsciously. I squirmed, unable to loosen his hold, struggling to lift my head enough to see. . . . Edward met my gaze evenly. His expression was calm, but the pain in his eyes was unconcealed. â€Å"Is it any warmer out there?† I whispered. â€Å"Yes. I don't think the space heater will be necessary today.† I tried to get to the zipper, but I couldn't free my arms. I strained, fighting against Jacob's inert strength. Jacob muttered, still fast asleep, his arms constricting again. â€Å"Some help?† I asked quietly. Edward smiled. â€Å"Did you want me to take his arms all the way off?† â€Å"No, thank you. Just get me free. I'm going to get heat stroke.† Edward unzipped the sleeping bag in a swift, abrupt movement. Jacob fell out, his bare back hitting the icy floor of the tent. â€Å"Hey!† he complained, his eyes flying open. Instinctively, he flinched away from the cold, rolling onto me. I gasped as his weight knocked the breath out of me. And then his weight was gone. I felt the impact as Jacob flew into one of the tent poles and the tent shuddered. The growling erupted from all around. Edward was crouching in front of me, and I couldn't see his face, but the snarls were ripping angrily out of his chest. Jacob was half-crouched, too, his whole body quivering, while growls rumbled through his clenched teeth. Outside the tent, Seth Clearwater's vicious snarls echoed off the rocks. â€Å"Stop it, stop it!† I yelled, scrambling awkwardly to put myself between them. The space was so small that I didn't have to stretch far to put one hand on each of their chests. Edward wrapped his hand around my waist, ready to yank me out of the way. â€Å"Stop it, now,† I warned him. Under my touch, Jacob began to calm himself. The shaking slowed, but his teeth were still bared, his eyes furiously focused on Edward. Seth continued to growl, a long unbroken sound, a violent background to the sudden silence in the tent. â€Å"Jacob?† I asked, waiting until he finally dropped his glare to look at me. â€Å"Are you hurt?† â€Å"Of course not!† he hissed. I turned to Edward. He was looking at me, his expression hard and angry. â€Å"That wasn't nice. You should say sorry.† His eyes widened in disgust. â€Å"You must be joking – he was crushing you!† â€Å"Because you dumped him on the floor! He didn't do it on purpose, and he didn't hurt me.† Edward groaned, revolted. Slowly, he looked up to glare at Jacob with hostile eyes. â€Å"My apologies, dog.† â€Å"No harm done,† Jacob said, a taunting edge to his voice. It was still cold, though not as cold as it had been. I curled my arms around my chest. â€Å"Here,† Edward said, calm again. He took the parka off the floor and wrapped it over the top of my coat. â€Å"That's Jacob's,† I objected. â€Å"Jacob has a fur coat,† Edward hinted. â€Å"I'll just use the sleeping bag again, if you don't mind.† Jacob ignored him, climbing around us and sliding into the down bag. â€Å"I wasn't quite ready to wake up. That wasn't the best night's sleep I ever had.† â€Å"It was your idea,† Edward said impassively. Jacob was curled up, his eyes already closed. He yawned. â€Å"I didn't say it wasn't the best night I've ever spent. Just that I didn't get a lot of sleep. I thought Bella was never going to shut up.† I winced, wondering what might have come out of my mouth in my sleep. The possibilities were horrifying. â€Å"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself,† Edward murmured. Jacob's dark eyes fluttered open. â€Å"Didn't you have a nice night, then?† he asked, smug. â€Å"It wasn't the worst night of my life.† â€Å"Did it make the top ten?† Jacob asked with perverse enjoyment. â€Å"Possibly.† Jacob smiled and closed his eyes. â€Å"But,† Edward went on, â€Å"if I had been able to take your place last night, it would not have made the top ten of the best nights of my life. Dream about that.† Jacob's eyes opened into a glare. He sat up stiffly, his shoulders tense. â€Å"You know what? I think it's too crowded in here.† â€Å"I couldn't agree more.† I elbowed Edward in the ribs – probably giving myself a bruise. â€Å"Guess I'll catch up on my sleep later, then.† Jacob made a face. â€Å"I need to talk to Sam anyway.† He rolled to his knees and grabbed the door's zipper. Pain crackled down my spine and lodged in my stomach as I abruptly realized that this could be the last time I would see him. He was going back to Sam, back to fight the horde of bloodthirsty newborn vampires. â€Å"Jake, wait -† I reached after him, my hand sliding down his arm. He jerked his arm away before my fingers could find purchase. â€Å"Please, Jake? Won't you stay?† â€Å"No.† The word was hard and cold. I knew my face gave away my pain, because he exhaled and half a smile softened his expression. â€Å"Don't worry about me, Bells. I'll be fine, just like I always am.† He forced a laugh. â€Å"‘Sides, you think I'm going to let Seth go in my place – have all the fun and steal all the glory? Right.† He snorted. â€Å"Be careful -â€Å" He shoved out of the tent before I could finish. â€Å"Give it a rest, Bella,† I heard him mutter as he re-zipped the door. I listened for the sound of his retreating footsteps, but it was perfectly still. No more wind. I could hear morning birdsong far away on the mountain, and nothing else. Jacob moved in silence now. I huddled in my coats, and leaned against Edward's shoulder. We were quiet for a long time. â€Å"How much longer?† I asked. â€Å"Alice told Sam it should be an hour or so,† Edward said, soft and bleak. â€Å"We stay together. No matter what.† â€Å"No matter what,† he agreed, his eyes tight. â€Å"I know,† I said. â€Å"I'm terrified for them, too.† â€Å"They know how to handle themselves,† Edward assured me, purposely making his voice light. â€Å"I just hate missing the fun.† Again with the fun. My nostrils flared. He put his arm around my shoulder. â€Å"Don't worry,† he urged, and then he kissed my forehead. As if there was any way to avoid that. â€Å"Sure, sure.† â€Å"Do you want me to distract you?† He breathed, running his cold fingers along my cheekbone. I shivered involuntarily; the morning was still frosty. â€Å"Maybe not right now,† he answered himself, pulling his hand away. â€Å"There are other ways to distract me.† â€Å"What would you like?† â€Å"You could tell me about your ten best nights,† I suggested. â€Å"I'm curious.† He laughed. â€Å"Try to guess.† I shook my head. â€Å"There're too many nights I don't know about. A century of them.† â€Å"I'll narrow it down for you. All of my best nights have happened since I met you.† â€Å"Really?† â€Å"Yes, really – and by quite a wide margin, too.† I thought for a minute. â€Å"I can only think of mine,† I admitted. â€Å"They might be the same,† he encouraged. â€Å"Well, there was the first night. The night you stayed.† â€Å"Yes, that's one of mine, too. Of course, you were unconscious for my favorite part.† â€Å"That's right,† I remembered. â€Å"I was talking that night, too.† â€Å"Yes,† he agreed. My face got hot as I wondered again what I might have said while sleeping in Jacob's arms. I couldn't remember what I'd dreamed about, or if I'd dreamed at all, so that was no help. â€Å"What did I say last night?† I whispered more quietly than before. He shrugged instead of answering, and I winced. â€Å"That bad?† â€Å"Nothing too horrible,† he sighed. â€Å"Please tell me.† â€Å"Mostly you said my name, the same as usual.† â€Å"That's not bad,† I agreed cautiously. â€Å"Near the end, though, you started mumbling some nonsense about ‘Jacob, my Jacob.'† I could hear the pain, even in the whisper. â€Å"Your Jacob enjoyed that quite a lot.† I stretched my neck up, straining to reach my lips to the edge of his jaw. I couldn't see into his eyes. He was staring up at the ceiling of the tent. â€Å"Sorry,† I murmured. â€Å"That's just the way I differentiate.† â€Å"Differentiate?† â€Å"Between Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Between the Jacob I like and the one who annoys the hell out of me,† I explained. â€Å"That makes sense.† He sounded slightly mollified. â€Å"Tell me another favorite night.† â€Å"Flying home from Italy.† He frowned. â€Å"Is that not one of yours?† I wondered. â€Å"No, it is one of mine, actually, but I'm surprised it's on your list. Weren't you under the ludicrous impression I was just acting from a guilty conscience, and I was going to bolt as soon as the plane doors opened?† â€Å"Yes.† I smiled. â€Å"But, still, you were there.† He kissed my hair. â€Å"You love me more than I deserve.† I laughed at the impossibility of that idea. â€Å"Next would be the night after Italy,† I continued. â€Å"Yes, that's on the list. You were so funny.† â€Å"Funny?† I objected. â€Å"I had no idea your dreams were so vivid. It took me forever to convince you that you were awake.† â€Å"I'm still not sure,† I muttered. â€Å"You've always seemed more like a dream than reality. Tell me one of yours, now. Did I guess your first place?† â€Å"No – that would be two nights ago, when you finally agreed to marry me.† I made a face. â€Å"That doesn't make your list?† I thought about the way he'd kissed me, the concession I'd gained, and changed my mind. â€Å"Yes . . . it does. But with reservations. I don't understand why it's so important to you. You already had me forever.† â€Å"A hundred years from now, when you've gained enough perspective to really appreciate the answer, I will explain it to you.† â€Å"I'll remind you to explain – in a hundred years.† â€Å"Are you warm enough?† he asked suddenly. â€Å"I'm fine,† I assured him. â€Å"Why?† Before he could answer, the silence outside the tent was ripped apart by an earsplitting howl of pain. The sound ricocheted off the bare rock face of the mountain and filled the air so that it seared from every direction. The howl tore through my mind like a tornado, both strange and familiar. Strange because I'd never heard such a tortured cry before. Familiar because I knew the voice at once – I recognized the sound and understood the meaning as perfectly as if I'd uttered it myself. It made no difference that Jacob was not human when he cried out. I needed no translation. Jacob was close. Jacob had heard every word we'd said. Jacob was in agony. The howl choked off into a peculiar gurgled sob, and then it was quiet again. I did not hear his silent escape, but I could feel it – I could feel the absence I had wrongly assumed before, the empty space he left behind. â€Å"Because your space heater has reached his limit,† Edward answered quietly. â€Å"Truce over,† he added, so low I couldn't be sure that was really what he'd said. â€Å"Jacob was listening,† I whispered. It wasn't a question. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"You knew.† â€Å"Yes.† I stared at nothing, seeing nothing. â€Å"I never promised to fight fair,† he reminded me quietly. â€Å"And he deserves to know.† My head fell into my hands. â€Å"Are you angry with me?† he asked. â€Å"Not you,† I whispered. â€Å"I'm horrified at me.† â€Å"Don't torment yourself,† he pleaded. â€Å"Yes,† I agreed bitterly. â€Å"I should save my energy to torment Jacob some more. I wouldn't want to leave any part of him unharmed.† â€Å"He knew what he was doing.† â€Å"Do you think that matters?† I was blinking back tears, and this was easy to hear in my voice. â€Å"Do you think I care whether it's fair or whether he was adequately warned? I'm hurting him. Every time I turn around, I'm hurting him again.† My voice was getting louder, more hysterical. â€Å"I'm a hideous person.† He wrapped his arms tightly around me. â€Å"No, you're not.† â€Å"I am! What's wrong with me?† I struggled against his arms, and he let them drop. â€Å"I have to go find him.† â€Å"Bella, he's already miles away, and it's cold.† â€Å"I don't care. I can't just sit here.† I shrugged off Jacob's parka, shoved my feet into my boots, and crawled stiffly to the door; my legs felt numb. â€Å"I have to – I have to . . .† I didn't know how to finishthe sentence, didn't know what there was to do, but I unzipped the door anyway, and climbed out into the bright, icy morning. There was less snow than I would have thought after the fury of last night's storm. Probably it had blown away rather than melted in the sun that now shone low in the southeast, glancing off the snow that lingered and stabbing at my unadjusted eyes. The air still had a bite to it, but it was dead calm and slowly becoming more seasonable as the sun rose higher. Seth Clearwater was curled up on a patch of dry pine needles in the shadow of a thick spruce, his head on his paws. His sand-colored fur was almost invisible against the dead needles, but I could see the bright snow reflect off his open eyes. He was staring at me with what I imagined was an accusation. I knew Edward was following me as I stumbled toward the trees. I couldn't hear him, but the sun reflected off his skin in glittering rainbows that danced ahead of me. He didn't reach out to stop me until I was several paces into the forest shadows. His hand caught my left wrist. He ignored it when I tried to yank myself free. â€Å"You can't go after him. Not today. It's almost time. And getting yourself lost wouldn't help anyone, regardless.† I twisted my wrist, pulling uselessly. â€Å"I'm sorry, Bella,† he whispered. â€Å"I'm sorry I did that.† â€Å"You didn't do anything. It's my fault. I did this. I did everything wrong. I could have . . . When he . . . I shouldn't have . . . I . . . I . . .† I was sobbing. â€Å"Bella, Bella.† His arms folded around me, and my tears soaked into his shirt. â€Å"I should have – told him – I should – have said -† What? What could have made this right? â€Å"He shouldn't have – found out like this.† â€Å"Do you want me to see if I can bring him back, so that you can talk to him? There's still a little time,† Edward murmured, hushed agony in his voice. I nodded into his chest, afraid to see his face. â€Å"Stay by the tent. I'll be back soon.† His arms disappeared. He left so quickly that, in the second it took me to look up, he was already gone. I was alone. A new sob broke from my chest. I was hurting everyone today. Was there anything I touched that didn't get spoiled? I didn't know why it was hitting me so hard now. It wasn't like I hadn't known this was coming all along. But Jacob had never reacted so strongly – lost his bold overconfidence and shown the intensity of his pain. The sound of his agony still cut at me, somewhere deep in my chest. Right beside it was the other pain. Pain for feeling pain over Jacob. Pain for hurting Edward, too. For not being able to watch Jacob go with composure, knowing that it was the right thing, the only way. I was selfish, I was hurtful. I tortured the ones I loved. I was like Cathy, like Wuthering Heights, only my options were so much better than hers, neither one evil, neither one weak. And here I sat, crying about it, not doing anything productive to make it right. Just like Cathy. I couldn't allow what hurt me to influence my decisions anymore. It was too little, much too late, but I had to do what was right now. Maybe it was already done for me. Maybe Edward would not be able to bring him back. And then I would accept that and get on with my life. Edward would never see me shed another tear for Jacob Black. There would be no more tears. I wiped the last of them away with cold fingers now. But if Edward did return with Jacob, that was it. I had to tell him to go away and never come back. Why was that so hard? So very much more difficult than saying goodbye to my other friends, to Angela, to Mike? Why did that hurt? It wasn't right. That shouldn't be able to hurt me. I had what I wanted. I couldn't have them both, because Jacob could not be just my friend. It was time to give up wishing for that. How ridiculously greedy could any one person be? I had to get over this irrational feeling that Jacob belonged in my life. He couldn't belong with me, could not be my Jacob, when I belonged to someone else. I walked slowly back to the little clearing, my feet dragging. When I broke into the open space, blinking against the sharp light, I threw one quick glance toward Seth – he hadn't moved from his bed of pine needles – and then looked away, avoiding his eyes. I could feel that my hair was wild, twisted into clumps like Medusa's snakes. I yanked through it with my fingers, and then gave up quickly. Who cared what I looked like, anyway? I grabbed the canteen hanging beside the tent door and shook it. It sloshed wetly, so I unscrewed the lid and took a swig to rinse my mouth with the ice water. There was food somewhere nearby, but I didn't feel hungry enough to look for it. I started pacing across the bright little space, feeling Seth's eyes on me the whole time. Because I wouldn't look at him, in my head he became the boy again, rather than the gigantic wolf. So much like a younger Jacob. I wanted to ask Seth to bark or give some other sign if Jacob was coming back, but I stopped myself. It didn't matter if Jacob came back. It might be easier if he didn't. I wished I had some way to call Edward. Seth whined at that moment, and got to his feet. â€Å"What is it?† I asked him stupidly. He ignored me, trotting to the edge of the trees, and pointing his nose toward the west. He began whimpering. â€Å"Is it the others, Seth?† I demanded. â€Å"In the clearing?† He looked at me and yelped softly once, and then turned his nose alertly back to the west. His ears laid back and he whined again. Why was I such a fool? What was I thinking, sending Edward away? How was I supposed to know what was going on? I didn't speak wolf. A cold trickle of fear began to ooze down my spine. What if the time had run out? What if Jacob and Edward got too close? What if Edward decided to join in the fight? The icy fear pooled inmy stomach. What if Seth's distress had nothing to do with the clearing, and his yelp had been a denial? What if Jacob and Edward were fighting with each other, far away somewhere in the forest? They wouldn't do that, would they? With sudden, chilling certainty I realized that they would – if the wrong words were said. I thought of the tense standoff in the tent this morning, and I wondered if I'd underestimated how close it had come to a fight. It would be no more than I deserved if I somehow lost them both. The ice locked around my heart. Before I could collapse with fear, Seth grumbled slightly, deep in his chest, and then turned away from his watch and sauntered back toward his resting place. It calmed me, but irritated me. Couldn't he scratch a message in the dirt or something? The pacing was starting to make me sweat under all my layers. I threw my jacket into the tent, and then I went back to wearing a path across the center of the tiny break in the trees. Seth jumped to his feet again suddenly, the hackles on the back of his neck standing up stiffly. I looked around, but saw nothing. If Seth didn't cut it out, I was going to throw a pinecone at him. He growled, a low warning sound, slinking back toward the western rim, and I rethought my impatience. â€Å"It's just us, Seth,† Jacob called from a distance. I tried to explain to myself why my heart kicked into fourth gear when I heard him. It was just fear of what I was going to have to do now, that was all. I could not allow myself to be relieved that he'd come back. That would be the opposite of helpful. Edward walked into view first, his face blank and smooth. When he stepped out from the shadows, the sun shimmered on his skin like it did on the snow. Seth went to greet him, looking intently into his eyes. Edward nodded slowly, and worry creased his forehead. â€Å"Yes, that's all we need,† he muttered to himself before addressing the big wolf. â€Å"I suppose we shouldn't be surprised. But the timing is going to be very close. Please have Sam ask Alice to try to nail the schedule down better.† Seth dipped his head once, and I wished I was able to growl. Sure, he could nod now. I turned my head, annoyed, and realized that Jacob was there. He had his back to me, facing the way he'd come. I waited warily for him to turn around. â€Å"Bella,† Edward murmured, suddenly right beside me. He stared down at me with nothing but concern showing in his eyes. There was no end to his generosity. I deserved him now less than I ever had. â€Å"There's a bit of a complication,† he told me, his voice carefully unworried. â€Å"I'm going to take Seth a little ways away and try to straighten it out. I won't go far, but I won't listen, either. I know you don't want an audience, no matter which way you decide to go.† Only at the very end did the pain break into his voice. I had to never hurt him again. That would be my mission in life. Never again would I be the reason for this look to come into his eyes. I was too upset to even ask him what the new problem was. I didn't need anything else right now. â€Å"Hurry back,† I whispered. He kissed me lightly on the lips, and then disappeared into the forest with Seth at his side. Jacob was still in the shadow of the trees; I couldn't see his expression clearly. â€Å"I'm in a hurry, Bella,† he said in a dull voice. â€Å"Why don't you get it over with?† I swallowed, my throat suddenly so dry I wasn't sure if I could make sound come out. â€Å"Just say the words, and be done with it.† I took a deep breath. â€Å"I'm sorry I'm such a rotten person,† I whispered. â€Å"I'm sorry I've been so selfish. I wish I'd never met you, so I couldn't hurt you the way I have. I won't do it anymore, I promise. I'll stay far away from you. I'll move out of the state. You won't have to look at me ever again.† â€Å"That's not much of an apology,† he said bitterly. I couldn't make my voice louder than a whisper. â€Å"Tell me how to do it right.† â€Å"What if I don't want you to go away? What if I'd rather you stayed, selfish or not? Don't I get any say, if you're trying to make things up to me?† â€Å"That won't help anything, Jake. It was wrong to stay with you when we wanted such different things. It's not going to get better. I'll just keep hurting you. I don't want to hurt you anymore. I hate it.† My voice broke. He sighed. â€Å"Stop. You don't have to say anything else. I understand.† I wanted to tell him how much I would miss him, but I bit my tongue. That would not help anything, either. He stood quietly for a moment, staring at the ground, and I fought against the urge to go and put my arms around him. To comfort him. And then his head snapped up. â€Å"Well, you're not the only one capable of self-sacrifice,† he said, his voice stronger. â€Å"Two can play at that game.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"I've behaved pretty badly myself. I've made this much harder for you than I needed to. I could have given up with good grace in the beginning. But I hurt you, too.† â€Å"This is my fault.† â€Å"I won't let you claim all the blame here, Bella. Or all the glory either. I know how to redeem myself.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† I demanded. The sudden, frenzied light in his eyes frightened me. He glanced up at the sun and then smiled at me. â€Å"There's a pretty serious fight brewing down there. I don't think it will be that difficult to take myself out of the picture.† His words sank into my brain, slowly, one by one, and I couldn't breathe. Despite all my intentions to cut Jacob out of mylife completely, I didn't realize until that precise second exactly how deep the knife would have to go to do it. â€Å"Oh, no, Jake! No, no no no,† I choked out in horror. â€Å"No, Jake, no. Please, no.† My knees began to tremble. â€Å"What's the difference, Bella? This will only make it more convenient for everyone. You won't even have to move.† â€Å"No!† My voice got louder. â€Å"No, Jacob! I won't let you!† â€Å"How will you stop me?† he taunted lightly, smiling to take the sting out of his tone. â€Å"Jacob, I'm begging you. Stay with me.† I would have fallen to my knees, if I could have moved at all. â€Å"For fifteen minutes while I miss a good brawl? So that you can run away from me as soon as you think I'm safe again? You've got to be kidding.† â€Å"I won't run away. I've changed my mind. We'll work something out, Jacob. There's always a compromise. Don't go!† â€Å"You're lying.† â€Å"I'm not. You know what a terrible liar I am. Look in my eyes. I'll stay if you do.† His face hardened. â€Å"And I can be your best man at the wedding?† It was a moment before I could speak, and still the only answer I could give him was, â€Å"Please.† â€Å"That's what I thought,† he said, his face going calm again, but for the turbulent light in his eyes. â€Å"I love you, Bella,† he murmured. â€Å"I love you, Jacob,† I whispered brokenly. He smiled. â€Å"I know that better than you do.† He turned to walk away. â€Å"Anything,† I called after him in a strangled voice. â€Å"Anything you want, Jacob. Just don't do this!† He paused, turning slowly. â€Å"I don't really think you mean that.† â€Å"Stay,† I begged. He shook his head. â€Å"No, I'm going.† He paused, as if deciding something. â€Å"But I could leave it to fate.† â€Å"What do you mean?† I choked out. â€Å"I don't have to do anything deliberate – I could just do my best for my pack and let what happens happen.† He shrugged. â€Å"If you could convince me you really did want me to come back – more than you wanted to do the selfless thing.† â€Å"How?† I asked. â€Å"You could ask me,† he suggested. â€Å"Come back,† I whispered. How could he doubt that I meant it? He shook his head, smiling again. â€Å"That's not what I'm talking about.† It took me a second to grasp what he was saying, and all the while he was looking at me with this superior expression – so sure of my reaction. As soon as the realization hit, though, I blurted out the words without stopping to count the cost. â€Å"Will you kiss me, Jacob?† His eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed suspiciously. â€Å"You're bluffing.† â€Å"Kiss me, Jacob. Kiss me, and then come back.† He hesitated in the shadow, warring with himself. He half-turned again to the west, his torso twisting away from me while his feet stayed planted where they were. Still looking away, he took one uncertain step in my direction, and then another. He swung his face around to look at me, his eyes doubtful. I stared back. I had no idea what expression was on my face. Jacob rocked back on his heels, and then lurched forward, closing the distance between us in three long strides. I knew he would take advantage of the situation. I expected it. I held very still – my eyes closed, my fingers curled into fists at my sides – as his hands caught my face and his lips found mine with an eagerness that was not far from violence. I could feel his anger as his mouth discovered my passive resistance. One hand moved to the nape of my neck, twisting into a fist around the roots of my hair. The other hand grabbed roughly at my shoulder, shaking me, then dragging me to him. His hand continued down my arm, finding my wrist and pulling my arm up around his neck. I left it there, my hand still tightly balled up, unsure how far I could go in my desperation to keep him alive. All the while his lips, disconcertingly soft and warm, tried to force a response out of mine. As soon as he was sure I wouldn't drop my arm, he freed my wrist, his hand feeling its way down to my waist. His burning hand found the skin at the small of my back, and he yanked me forward, bowing my body against his. His lips gave up on mine for a moment, but I knew he was nowhere close to finished. His mouth followed the line of my jaw, and then explored the length of my neck. He freed my hair, reaching for my other arm to draw it around his neck like the first. Then both of his arms were constricted around my waist, and his lips found my ear. â€Å"You can do better than this, Bella,† he whispered huskily. â€Å"You're overthinking it.† I shivered as I felt his teeth graze my earlobe. â€Å"That's right,† he murmured. â€Å"For once, just let yourself feel what you feel.† I shook my head mechanically until one of his hands wound back into my hair and stopped me. His voice turned acidic. â€Å"Are you sure you want me to come back? Or did you really want me to die?† Anger rocked through me like the whiplash after a heavy punch. That was too much – he wasn't fighting fair. My arms were already around his neck, so I grabbed two fistfuls of his hair – ignoring the stabbing pain in my right hand – and fought back, struggling to pull my face away from his. And Jacob misunderstood. He was too strong to recognize that my hands, trying to yank his hair out by the roots, meant to cause him pain. Instead of anger, he imagined passion. He thought I was finally responding to him. With a wild gasp, he brought his mouth back to mine, his fingers clutching frantically against the skin at my waist. The jolt of anger unbalanced my tenuous hold on self-control; his unexpected, ecstatic response overthrew it entirely. If there had been only triumph, I might have been able to resist him. But the utter defenselessness of his sudden joy cracked my determination, disabled it. My brain disconnected from my body, and I was kissing him back. Against all reason, my lips were movingwith his in strange, confusing ways they'd never moved before – because I didn't have to be careful with Jacob, and he certainly wasn't being careful with me. My fingers tightened in his hair, but I was pulling him closer now. He was everywhere. The piercing sunlight turned my eyelids red, and the color fit, matched the heat. The heat was everywhere. I couldn't see or hear or feel anything that wasn't Jacob. The tiny piece of my brain that retained sanity screamed questions at me. Why wasn't I stopping this? Worse than that, why couldn't I find inmyself even the desire to want to stop? What did it mean that I didn't want him to stop? That my hands clung to his shoulders, and liked that they were wide and strong? That his hands pulled me too tight against his body, and yet it was not tight enough for me? The questions were stupid, because I knew the answer: I'd been lying to myself. Jacob was right. He'd been right all along. He was more than just my friend. That's why it was so impossible to tell him goodbye – because I was in love with him. Too. I loved him, much more than I should, and yet, still nowhere near enough. I was in love with him, but it was not enough to change anything; it was only enough to hurt us both more. To hurt him worse than I ever had. I didn't care about more than that – than his pain. I more than deserved whatever pain this caused me. I hoped it was bad. I hoped I would really suffer. In this moment, it felt as though we were the same person. His pain had always been and would always be my pain – now his joy was my joy. I felt joy, too, and yet his happiness was somehow also pain. Almost tangible – it burned against my skin like acid, a slow torture. For one brief, never-ending second, an entirely different path expanded behind the lids of my tear-wet eyes. As if I were looking through the filter of Jacob's thoughts, I could see exactly what I was going to give up, exactly what this new self-knowledge would not save me from losing. I could see Charlie and Rene mixed into a strange collage with Billy and Sam and La Push. I could see years passing, and meaning something as they passed, changing me. I could see the enormous red-brown wolf that I loved, always standing as protector if I needed him. For the tiniest fragment of that second, I saw the bobbing heads of two small, black-haired children, running away from me into the familiar forest. When they disappeared, they took the rest of the vision with them. And then, quite distinctly, I felt the splintering along the fissure line in my heart as the smaller part wrenched itself away from the whole. Jacob's lips were still before mine were. I opened my eyes and he was staring at me with wonder and elation. â€Å"I have to leave,† he whispered. â€Å"No.† He smiled, pleased by my response. â€Å"I won't be long,† he promised. â€Å"But one thing first . . .† He bent to kiss me again, and there was no reason to resist. What would be the point? This time was different. His hands were soft on my face and his warm lips were gentle, unexpectedly hesitant. It was brief, and very, very sweet. His arms curled around me, and he hugged me securely while he whispered in my ear. â€Å"That should have been our first kiss. Better late than never.† Against his chest, where he couldn't see, the tears welled up and spilled over.