Great Works of Western PhilosophyDiscuss Thomas Aquinas's criticisms Essay

Great Works of Western PhilosophyDiscuss Thomas Aquinas's criticisms of the view that God's existence is selfevident - Essay Example There is no denying the fact that though both of them were believers, yet in their theological and philosophical confabulations, they seem to be more concerned about establishing the relevance of their approach rather then proving the existence of God. Anselm, an Italian philosopher tends to rely on pure logical catechism. Aquinas, hailing from an aristocratic background, being the son of Count of Aquino, tends to extend a more refined version of the Averroists' view of 'double truth, which believed that the Catholic faith has two dimensions, one based on reason that emanates from philosophy and the other based of revelation, ensuing from theology. However, Aquinas while refuting the ontological argument seems to divest religion of its inherent need for faith and mysticism. In doing so, both the luminaries reduce God to a concept, much unlike the alive and awesome God of the scriptures. Yet, the interesting thing is that this approach of Aquinas towards faith evolved into a living in fluence that cleared the way for the proliferation and sustenance of a scientific temperament in the West amidst the surrounding theological constraints. Anselm was a theologian who commanded a considerable influence in the 11th century. In 1078, he propounded his famous ontological argument for the existence of God in his well-known book 'Proslogium'. Anselm was both repudiated and acclaimed by some of the most noteworthy philosophers and theologians. Thomas Aquinas and Immanuel Kant challenged this ontological argument for the existence of God, while it was acclaimed and built upon by Leibniz, Descartes and Spinoza. Anselm's ontological argument for the existence of God proceeds somewhat like this: 1. God stands to be the greatest entity that can be conceived by human mind. (Axiom) 2. If God is not the greatest entity, then definitely something greater then God ought to exist. (Axiom) 3. Yet, it is impossible to conceive an entity greater then God. (Axiom 1, repeated). 4. As axiom 2 is in contradiction with axiom 1, thus 2 is certainly false. 5. Hence, God Exists. To put the argument of Anselm in simple words: 1. Even if an individual doubts the existence of God, still one knows that God is the greatest entity that can be conceived by human mind. 2. There is no denying the fact that the capacity to exist in the mind and outside the mind stands to be greater then the capacity to exist merely in the mind. 3. Thus, the individual who denies the existence of God, in a way declares that it is possible to conceive something that is greater than God is. 4. This premise stands to contradict the definition of God and hence cannot be true. 5. Thus, God exists. In a personal perspective, Anselm intends to validate a synthetic argument by pretending that it is in fact an analytic argument. He is trying to prove the existence of something without trying to correlate its existence with the real world. Grave doubts tend to mar the assumption that concludes that it is possible to validate or deny the existence of something by merely resorting to its definition. As per Encarta, it is next to impossible to valida

Victim Within The Criminal Justice System Criminology Essay

Victim Within The Criminal Justice System Criminology Essay An offender is an accused defendant who is convicted of a serious crime and who is set to appear before the criminal court. There are 37.2 offenders in total in Ireland. 38.1 of them are male and 32 of them are female. There are 53.6% of people aged under 18 who commit crimes. 33.5% of offenders get community service and 39.3% are out on a type of probation order. The most impressive statistic was that 63% of offenders did not re-offend within two years.  [2]   A victim is someone who has been harmed or affected by an offence caused by another person. Victims of violent crime may suffer financial stress as well as suffering from their injuries and emotional trauma. Recovering from violence or abuse can have effect on them for the rest of their lives as they could live in fear and suffer anxiety. Lots of people are shocked after a crime and how they feel emotionally. Theses emotions can have many effects and can leave you feeling unhappy and confused. And this can also affect family and friends around you, your emotions can have an impact on them as they will be concerned for you. Although many people feel that they have to be able to cope with this emotional burden and are expected to live out their daily lives as if nothing has happened, most victims will need counselling to come to terms with what has happened.  [3]   For this essay we have chosen to talk about the victim as we think the victim suffers the most physically and emotionally. The victim of a crime can need counselling to help them come to terms with their emotions and fears. Discussion There are many different ways a person can be a victim. Someone can be a victim for anything from a minor crime up to a major crime. Examples of where someone can be a victim are from theft, robbery, burglary, assault, dangerous driving, sexual offences, murder and manslaughter and human trafficking.  [4]  In many cases of crime it is not just the victim that can be affected, their family can also be affected, more so in the major crime cases of dangerous driving, sexual offences, murder and manslaughter. As we previously mentioned, there are many types of victims when it comes to crime, and usually the persons role within, and there perspective of the criminal justice system will change depending of the circumstances of each case. For example somebody pressing charges for something minor such as vandalism is going to expect far less drastic results than say somebody who has been the victim of rape. Also we noted that there was a staggering amount of rape crime actually reported in this country, The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre recorded 11,839 calls to their helplines, with over 9,000 of them being genuine, so when we realised the problem that exists with rape in this country we decided we would use rape cases as the main focal point of our group paper.  [5]   Rape cases can differ a lot from another type of case .For example while trials in general take place in public in our state, rape cases will be held in camera, so as to protect the victims anonymity. In some serious cases as well such as rape, arrangements may be made so that the accused does not have to appear in court along with the accused, and may instead be allowed to give evidence via a video link from another area of the courts.  [6]   In rape cases this would be of particular benefit to the victim, who due to the sensitive nature of the crime and the traumatic experience they have already been through may find the prospect of having to come face to face with their attackers in the courtroom too daunting and not be able for it. Report the crime The victim should report the crime to the police as soon as the crime has occurred. When a victim reports a crime quite quickly after the crime has occurred it allows the police to gather any evidence that may fade over time. Prompt reporting will support the victims account of what happened. Many victims of sexual assault are unsure whether they want a case to be prosecuted. Victims who are unsure about prosecution are advised to seek information about guidance to make an informed decision. For example, even if the victim is not ready to prosecute immediately after the crime, prosecutors have at least six years or more to file sexual assault charges. It is important to note that even if a crime is not immediately reported, that prosecution may still be possible. A delay in reporting is typical for safety reasons.  [7]  The role of a victim is extremely important in the Criminal justice system. They must go through a number of stages in the criminal trial process in order to feel justice was served. The first stage is actually reporting the crime. This can be difficult for many as there are a number of doubts in their minds. Such as trust in the gardai, recount the details etc. It estimated in 2007 that about 30 per cent of burglaries were unreported, as were nearly four in 10 incidents of theft with violence. Offences of a sexual nature and domestic violence are grossly under-recorded  [8]  This is astonishing and very worrying for our criminal justice system. Preserve of evidence If a crime is reported, the police will gather and keep all of the evidence from the crime, which includes: bloodstained clothing, bedding, weapons and damage to property. The police will also take photographs of injuries, damage to property and also photographs of where the crime occurred. Photographs should also be taken of the victims injuries after the crime to show the stages of healing. Testify If the case proceeds to trial, victims should expect to testify. Adult victims: Testimony is less formal before the grand jury than in a courtroom setting. The grand Jury proceedings are private. Theyre one on one with the prosecutor and the victim. The Prosecutor asks the victim questions in order to get an understanding of the case. This testimony only lasts about an hour. Testifying at trial is more formal. The victim has to wait outside the court room until it is her time to testify. The prosecutor will ask the victim questions first. Then the defence attorney scrutinizes the victim. The judges role is to also make sure that the questions asked by the attorneys are appropriate according to legal rules. There is no set time on the length of a trial testimony. The prosecutor will help the victim on preparing them for the types of questions that may be asked. The victim witness advocate will help the victim on ensuring the feelings that she may evoke on testifying and helps to provide the victim with all the support that she may need in making it a less scary situation. Sometimes criminal prosecutions go in the favour of the victim as the offender may admit to everything. This means that the victim doesnt have to testify in court. Child Victims: Young children are usually asked questions by the Judge. The judge has to be content that the child understands the legal rules of a courtroom and the oath in which it is vital that he/she must tell the truth. The courtroom can be a very scary place for a child this is why the judge ensures that the child can handle testifying.  [9]   Pressing charges Some victims may personally know the suspect that committed the crime against them. Some may be related such as a mother and son relationship. In this case it is hard for the victims to choice between seeking justice and doing what is best for both the criminal and themselves. Going to court The next stage the victim goes through is the court case. This is undoubtedly the most daunting experience for the victim. Particularly for child abuse cases and rape cases. In the case of Frances Andrade, she subsequently killed herself after giving evidence in court. She said it felt like getting raped all over again. She was sexually abused by her music teacher when she was in school. When it came around to giving evidence she felt that recounting the details in a court atmosphere was worse for her than the rape itself. Andrade killed herself the day after she heard her abuser giving his side of the story. However, some may say that by allowing the victim giving evidence they feel that they are participating in seeking justice for themselves. Conclusion We have discussed in detail the role and perspective of the victim in the criminal justice system in order to seek justice. We as a group unanimously feel that the role of the victim in the criminal justice system is crucial for receiving the justice they deserve. From summary and indictable to serious offences, justice must be served in every case and the role and perspective of the victim is important in delivering justice.

Confucianism Essay -- essays research papers

Confucianism Confucianism is an East Asian philosophy built up by a Chinese philosopher, Confucius (K'ung Fu-tzu), in the 6th - 5th century BCE. It’s a philosophy based on human morals and relationships. To really understand Confucianism, how it originated and what parts of history contributed towards its development, you have to look into: who is Confucius, the history of Confucianism and what happened to Confucianism after the death of Confucius? Who is Confucius? Confucius was of noble descent in the state of Lu (modern Shantung). No records show him attending school even though Confucius was a well educated man. He had to make his own living at an early age. He started a political career at a young age, rising in the ranks, but fell faster than what he rose. His main goal in politics was to restore humanity and to convince various nobles to follow a certain guideline, but after he was dismissed from government, he never returned to public life. By the age of 20, Confucius decided to become a teacher, to try to change the world through what he teachers. He had a pattern of thinking that inspired many people, no matter what religion they were, most of East Asia and their way of thinking had Confucian elements in them. His policy was "accept anyone as a disciple provided that the student is willing to learn." But the violent leaders at the time, paid no attention to any of his philosophies. Confucius was one of the first and few philo sophers to leave a collection of writings behind as a source for all people (like the Bible for Catholics). History of Confucianism Confucius lived from 551BCE to 479BCE, during the Chou Dynasty, where in fact imperial rule was breaking down. High principled men originally founded then ran the Chou Dynasty, but by Confucius' time, China was going through a very difficult period where conflicts and attacks had controlled the dynasty, while usurpers took over land, this dynasty was corrupt. This period of political turmoil (770BCE-221BCE) started a new era of a "hundred schools" where teachers, such as Confucius, would move from state to state teaching their other people about their ideas and morals. This was also the time though, where prisoners were put to death in mass executions, soldiers were paid when they presented the severed heads of the enemy, whole populations that were captured were beheaded a... ... as if his life was a disappointment and a failure, but this is proven to not be true because his disciples thought he was great enough to create the book Mencius which is like the Analects. Neo-Confucianism In the East Asian countries, Confucianism was in a competition with Buddhism and Taoism. After the death of Mencius, Confucianism reemerged into a new form now called Neo-Confucianism, which is an interpretation of Confucian thought (mainly that of Mencius) that also addressed the issues of Buddhism and Taoism. So until the early 20th Century, this new philosophical force in Chinese life remained. Confucianism started off as a one man show, trying to make a difference in politics and in general, teaching people about morals and good human conduct. As history progressed, through changes of dynasties and different emperors, many new and different feelings about Confucianism emerged. But Confucius never changed what he believed in, no matter how many times his beliefs were rejected. He fought for what he new was right, and in the end didn’t achieve what he wanted to. But to everyone else, he was a brave man, a man who never gave up and a man whose legend is worth remembering.

Analysis of Endgame

Modernism is not mere representation to a period of time but it also represents a life style, way of thinking, different perspective to things, and rebel creation of art against previous schools. Therefore we will try to define this movement and present its characteristics especially in literature. Through wandering at Modernism we will take Endgame as an example of the absurd theater that written by Samuel Beckett and we will explain how it embodies the characteristics of Modernism, language, style, and so forth. Modernism is cultural movement that reflects certain changes not only in the arts (literature, drama, painting, music, sculpture, dance, architecture) but in sciences such as physics, chemistry, and so forth. Modernist production rose after World War to break tradition, beliefs, principles, and rules, â€Å"this break includes a strong reaction against established religious, political, and social views†. Therefore Modernism refuses a single way of looking at world and obvious separation between â€Å"right and wrong, good and bad, and hero and villain†. Modernists rebelled against Victorian ideals†. They emphasized humanism over nationalism and how humans were part and responsible to nature, plus â€Å"they challenged the idea that God played an active role in the world†. So this leads them to the concept or notion that â€Å"no person or thing born to specific use† thus they challenged any assumption that point to presence meaning and purpose behind world events. The term â€Å"modernism† includes significantly â€Å"experimental arts† in addition to its rejection for any â€Å"traditional style and conventions†. Its technique is characterized by â€Å"the disruption of chronological linear plot in fiction , the use of fragmentary images and dense allusions in poetry, and the abandonment of realist or naturalist characterization and dialogue in drama†. All these features will be useful in analysis Endgame as an absurdist theater. Endgame â€Å"tends to support the superficial view that people and things are meaningless, without significance†. In comparison between Modernism and conventional drama such as Realism and Naturalism we will find extreme differences between them. Realism in literature was part of a wider movement in the arts to focus on ordinary people and events. Realists tries to portray real life at the period of time (French revolution). It uses technique that represents real speech, action, events and clear emotions. Realist works are characterized by traditional narrative and real story that has real characters, events and conflict. Naturalism is a literary movement which â€Å"characterized by the application of scientific determinism to literature†. It depends on assumption that is real exists in nature. â€Å"Realism and Naturalism are often linked due to its emphasis on realistic people in realistic settings, featuring ordinary people struggling against unseen forces over which they have no control. Realism and Naturalism differs insomuch that Realism focuses on literary technique whereas Naturalism focuses on a specific philosophy†. Through our presentation for the characteristics of Modernism, we will give an example from Endgame that is written by Samuel Beckett. This play belongs to the absurdist theater â€Å"Absurd is that which is devoid of purpose †¦ Cut off from his religious, metaphysical, and transcendental roots, man is lost; all his actions become senseless, absurd, useless. † Eugene Ionesco. Modernism as style of writing refers to new techniques to communicate the ideas or notions that are presented. One of its features is static, stripped action and dialogue and periods of silence. So it rejects any traditional styles and convention by â€Å"its adoption of radically innovative and often complex, difficult forms†. This is embodied through Endgame. Endgame as the title describes an ending already known in the last part of a chess game, when there are very few pieces left and its masters always study how they guaranty themselves victory through maneuver their enemy into certain position. The play begins with ambiguous Clov's words that stresses on ending â€Å"Finished, it's finished, nearly finished, it must be nearly finished†. The traditional development of events that involve a beginning and end of a story rejected through absurd theater. Therefore â€Å"The play is not divided into acts or scenes, there is no interval†, thus there is a sense of repetition, some words and phrases return but they are never the same, e. g. â€Å"pain killer†, â€Å"there's no more pain killer†. The repetition of words, the static movement and the general atmosphere point to that nothing will be changed, â€Å"the implication is that the characters live in an unchanging, static state. Each day contains the actions and reactions of the day before, until each event takes on an almost itualistic quality†. Endgame is one-act ply with four characters that divided into two pairs, Hamm and Clov who placed the major roles, Nagg and Nell who not appear at first but throughout the play we will discover that they are Hamm's parents. The sitting for End game is a bare room with two small windows situated high up on the back wall. Hamm seated in wheelchair and he is covered with a sheet. There are two dustbins that Nagg and Nell's lodging. There is along ladder which Clov needs it to look at through windows that high and narrow, the right one looks out over the earth and the left one looks out over the sea. HAMM (wearily): Quiet, quiet, you're keeping me awake. (Pause. ) Talk softer. (Pause. ) If I could sleep I might make love. I'd go into the woods. My eyes would see†¦ the sky, the earth. I'd run, run, they wouldn't catch me. (Pause. ) Nature! (Pause. ) There's something dripping in my head. (Pause. ) A heart, a heart in my head. (Pause. NAGG: Do you hear him? A heart in his head! (He chuckles cautiously. ) NELL: One mustn't laugh at those things, Nagg. Why must you always laugh at them? NAGG: Not so loud! NELL (without lowering her voice): Nothing is funnier than unhappiness, I grant you that. But— This part of the dialogue presents some features of Modernism. Nagg and Nell live in static place (two dustbins) from the beginning to end. They make superficial dialogue between each other that represents unconventional situation and action. As for Hamm, cannot leave his wheelchair nevertheless he is the master and Clove with his mechanical movement is the servant, P. S Clove is the only character who moves on his legs. It also presents the relationships between Hamm and Clov, Nagg and Nell, and the four among each other. The first relationship that embodied by Hamm and Clov represents master/slave and father/son needs, Hamm cannot live without Clov's help because of his inability (blind and disabled), in other hand, Clov needs survival that Hamm provides him. Nagg and Nell's presence in two separated dustbins make them unable to contact with each other but comfort each other, they ‘popping up their heads to call for food† that become ‘a dog biscuit'. The absurd theater also characterized by use of gestures and mime that mixed with quite silence â€Å"pregnant pauses†. Beckett focuses on using mime and gesture to portray the unspoken desires of his characters, and the ways of death dominates our thoughts. Hamm's disability to move from his chair and see by his blind eyes point to that he already died because he cannot do anything to himself only through Clove.

The Twilight Saga 5: Midnight Sun Epilogue: Dream

The month after Bella's accident flew by. After Charlie had cooled down and quit blaming me for her ‘accident' ?C which he had every right to do since it was my fault ?C things had been comparatively free of danger†¦besides the obvious danger that I always presented. Regardless of our now quiet and semi-uneventful life, I was quite content. It had only become habit for me to stay in her room every night and each day absorb every word that came out of her mouth ?C sarcastic or not. Looking into the mirror I could see my dark eyes and deep blue circles under my eyes from where I hadn't hunted in a while. It was hard to take myself away from Bella for any period of time, so my hunting habits had become less gluttonous than usual. Before the prom, though I would hunt. In the corner of my eye I caught the black bag with a post-it note with my name written on it. Alice had purchased for me a new tuxedo. Unzipping the bag, I grabbed the coat to examine it. It was made by some famous and outrageously expensive designer. But clothes, no matter what kind of an occasion, were her specialty and you just learned to not argue with her. Putting the black coat back into the closet and making sure all my accessories were there, I decided to give Charlie a call. The phone rang a few times before I heard Charlie's gruff voice on the other end. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Good evening, Charlie. It's Edward,† I said politely, using my smooth voice. â€Å"Ah. Yes.† He coughed and cleared his throat before whispering into the phone. â€Å"She's upstairs right now.† He laughed lightly. â€Å"She has no clue.† I returned his laugh. She sure seemed a little slow about something so obvious. What could she possibly be thinking we were doing tonight? Surely she had noticed all the posters around school with today's date and the words PROM plastered all over every inch of the school building. â€Å"Thanks, Charlie. I will be there in a few minutes.† â€Å"I'll make sure she's downstairs and ready,† he chuckled under his breath, still whispering. When I arrived outside of her house I could hear her complaining to Charlie. â€Å"So, Bells, what do you have planned for the evening? Alice showed me the dress you are wearing tonight.† â€Å"I don't know, dad. Alice wouldn't tell me, and Edward wouldn't budge either. For all I know they could be taking me to the Grammy's,† her voice was clearly irritated at the lack of information we had given her. Honestly, I was probably enjoying this much more than I should be. Usually, she is the one unlocking my secrets and me giving her all the answers. But the past two weeks have been kind of fun, especially every time she gave me her pouty face, which was absolutely adorable and almost impossible to resist. I decided before hand that if she gave me that irresistible face, I would just kiss her pouty bottom lip. â€Å"I don't know about that. I told him to keep it in a fifteen mile radius.† â€Å"Ugh!† Bella groaned. â€Å"Did he tell you?† During their banter I had made it quickly up the sidewalk and was standing outside the door, thoroughly enjoying their conversation. â€Å"Nope. Not even a hint,† I heard him chuckle. â€Å"This is so annoying,† she huffed. I knocked lightly on the door, which was quickly yanked open to a smiling Charlie. Bella was sitting on the couch, her head placed on top of her hands – which were intertwined like she was praying – with a look of pure devastation on her face. I laughed. â€Å"Are you going to tell me now?† Her chin jutted out. I shook my head, chuckling. She folded her arms. â€Å"Fine.† Stepping around Charlie, I brought Bella into a deep embracing hug, like I hadn't seen her in months. Her tiny arms wrapped around me fiercely and she smiled reluctantly. â€Å"Alice is waiting for you,† I kissed her forehead and let her fragrance tingle my throat pleasantly. Alice had become the best friend to Bella that she always envisioned, minus the scarlet red eyes ?C which I continually refused to give her, regardless of Bella and Alice's pleas. Though it pained me to see Bella's delicate leg casted on a daily basis, I knew that my sister was taking care of her during hours I wasn't allowed into the Swan house. I shook my head to try and dispel thoughts of Alice, now, who is planning on entrapping Bella in her gym sized closet for hours today while I go out hunting with Jasper and Emmett. Her not-so-sneaky-way of telling Bella about the transformation process of how to become a vampire was her way of taking the strain of that kind of conversation off of myself by having Bella ask me. What she seemed to not be able to comprehend is that I didn't want to have that conversation, not just because I didn't want to bring it up, but because I never wanted to have that conversation in the first place. â€Å"You take care of my girl,† Charlie commanded. â€Å"Have fun at prom,† he whispered so low Bella couldn't hear. â€Å"Yes, sir.† Charlie shut the door behind us as I let Bella brace all of her weight on me and then helped her into the car. After I dropped a scowling Bella off at my house, Emmett, Jasper and I went hunting. The trip was short lived and desperately needed. It had been almost two weeks, and I was thirstier than I thought. The warm blood of the elk soothed the ache, though it would never fully rid me of it. â€Å"It's prom night†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Emmett chuckled on the way back home. â€Å"You know what that means?† Oh, haha. Funny. Jasper laughed along with Emmett. I frowned at them. â€Å"Oh come on, Edward!† Emmett raised his hands in faux exasperation. â€Å"Did you get a hotel room or were you planning on doing it in the car?† Emmett guffawed stupidly for several minutes at his own joke. â€Å"I'm not going to†¦have sex with her, Emmett.† I said through clenched teeth. â€Å"Well what do you do with her all those nights in her room?† Jasper and Emmett were doubled over in laughter now. â€Å"That's it!† I snapped. My foot slammed on the break and Emmett's head hit the roll bar on the jeep, putting a deep dent in it. This time, I laughed. â€Å"Dammit, Edward!† He screamed at me while Jasper continued to laugh insanely loud. I looked in the rear view mirror. â€Å"You're next!† I warned Jasper. He put his lips together in an attempt to stop his laughter, but couldn't hold it in any longer and his breath came whooshing out along with more cackling. Instead of getting even, I couldn't help myself and I joined in on the laughter while Emmett glared at me. Rose is going to kick my ass for this. â€Å"Yup,† I replied and Emmett mock punched me in the arm. The rest of the drive continued like this†¦Emmett making a sex joke, Jasper nodding in agreement and grinning widely at me in the rear view mirror while I swerved once making Jasper's head break through the hard top on the Jeep. When we finally arrived back home, we found Rosalie scowling in the garage in her scarlet dress that fell flawlessly over her body. Emmett jumped out of the Jeep and whistled. He tried to give her a hug but she backed away. â€Å"Ew! Take a shower and get changed. Bella is already ready,† she sneered her name. I frowned at her but she just turned and got into her M3, her dress not covering an inch of her back. â€Å"I'll be waiting!† She shouted at Emmett who was already running up the stairs to their room. When I finally walked inside and up to Alice's closet, I saw Bella. She was leaning against the wall behind Alice, her hair in intricate curls, her silk blue dress clinging just right onto her extravagant body and her free foot in delicate high heels with lace wrapping around her lower ankle. I literally had to put my tongue back in my mouth. She was stunning, though her facial expression was clearly not in league with her appearance. She had a deep scowl on her face and there was a tiny pucker between her eyebrows. â€Å"Get dressed!† Alice demanded, though she was still wearing pants. Kissing Bella lightly on the forehead I shot upstairs to the third floor to quickly take a shower and put on my tuxedo. â€Å"By the way, you're late!† Alice yelled up the stairs. I'll take Bella downstairs. I'm going to get dressed and Jasper and I will meet you there. By the time I was done, Alice and Jasper were gone and Bella was sitting on the couch downstairs talking with Esme. Rushing towards her, I pulled her up into my arms and brushed my hands lightly through her intricate curls. â€Å"This is for you,† I showed her a white lily which Alice had left on my dresser. Blood rushed up her face, coloring it a delicious pink. The scent was spectacular. â€Å"Thanks,† she whispered. â€Å"Here,† I said while pinning it into her hair. â€Å"Now you're perfect.† Her blush turned an even darker shade of pink. â€Å"You're not so bad yourself,† her lips twitched up into a smile. Wrapping my arm around her waist we proceeded to the door. â€Å"Are you going to tell me where we are going now?† She looked sideways at me, anticipation obvious in her eyes. â€Å"Not a chance,† I grinned. Her lips turned down as I helped her into my car. Carefully, I made sure that she was secure, including her dress, before I shut the door. Alice would kill me if I got her dress dirty before we even arrived at the school. â€Å"At what point exactly are you going to tell me what's going on?† She asked tersely. Really? Had she seriously not figure it out yet? I threw her a derisive smile. â€Å"I'm shocked that you haven't figured it out yet.† She took in a deep breath and held it for several seconds before she spoke. â€Å"I did mention that you looked very nice, didn't I?† She double-checked. â€Å"Yes.† My smile deepened. Her musical heart began to pick up in pace. In anticipation or nervousness, I wasn't sure. She looked down at her attire and frowned. â€Å"I'm not coming over anymore if Alice is going to treat me like Guinea Pig Barbie when I do,† she complained. My phone vibrated lightly before it rang. If it's Alice, I'm not answering. I put my hand into my inside jacket pocket, pulled out my phone and looked at the number. It was Bella's number. It was easy to tell who was calling me since Bella was sitting next to me. Curious as to what he was calling for, I answered. â€Å"Hello, Charlie.† â€Å"Charlie?† Bella's frown became more prominent on her face. â€Å"Um. Yeah.† Charlie paused, obviously unsure of how to continue. â€Å"Tyler is here to pick Bella up for prom.† He said the words slowly, delicately. I could feel my eyes widen in disbelief. â€Å"He says that Bella told him ‘yes' when he asked her to go to prom.† A grin slowly crept up my face. It was about time that Tyler get the point that Bella is taken. That she is mine! I laughed. â€Å"You're kidding!† â€Å"No†¦definitely not,† I could hear Charlie's voice cracking. He was trying not to laugh. â€Å"What is it?† Bella demanded at the same time Tyler asked, â€Å"Who are you talking to?† This was like a dream come true. It was bad enough that I had to hear every guys fantasy at school. It was time for payback. â€Å"Why don't you let me talk to him?† I offered. â€Å"Um. Okay, if you think that's best.† Charlie handed the phone over to Tyler. â€Å"Who is it?† Tyler asked curiously. â€Å"Just answer the phone, Tyler,† Charlie demanded. â€Å"Er†¦Hello?† â€Å"Hello, Tyler, this is Edward Cullen.† I used my friendly voice, but it had an undercurrent of threat. â€Å"I'm sorry if there's been some kind of miscommunication, but Bella is unavailable tonight.† â€Å"But†¦prom,† he spluttered. The undercurrent in my voice became prominent as I continued. â€Å"To be perfectly honest, she'll be unavailable every night, as far as anyone besides myself is concerned. No offense. And I'm sorry about your evening.† â€Å"But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he began, but I snapped my phone shut while I smiled widely at the thought of him standing there, dumbfounded. When I took in a deep breath I caught a concentrated scent of Bella's blood and looked over at her immediately. Her face and neck were the same color as Rosalie's dress. Her eyes were beginning to water slightly in anger. Oops, I hope I didn't upset her, that was not my intention. Of course, she would have handled it with more finesse than me. â€Å"Was that last part a bit too much? I didn't mean to offend you.† She gritted her teeth before staring at me in absolute and utter belligerence. â€Å"You're taking me to the prom!† She shouted. She caught me completely off guard. So it wasn't because of my threatening voice towards Tyler, it was because of prom! Once I took in her angry expression I tried not to laugh at her vicious kitten-y face. My lips pressed together tightly and my eyes narrowed slightly in an effort not to show my humor. â€Å"Don't be difficult, Bella.† She jerked her head to look out of the window as it sunk in. â€Å"Why are you doing this to me?† Her voice acerbic. I raised an eyebrow at her and pointed towards my James Bond tuxedo. â€Å"Honestly, Bella, what did you think we were doing?† The color in her cheeks only turned a darker shade of red as water spilled over her eye lashes and down her cheeks. She quickly wiped under her eyes and looked at her tear stained hand. After watching her reaction I couldn't figure out how the prom – of all the things for tears to be spilt over ?C was bothering her so much. Prom, of course, wasn't on my list of tear worthy subjects. She didn't even have this reaction when she met up with James in Phoenix. Her reactions now were just completely absurd! â€Å"This is completely ridiculous. Why are you crying?† I demanded in frustration. â€Å"Because I'm mad!† She shouted. â€Å"Bella,† I sighed, turning my gaze on her. â€Å"What?† she muttered, folding her arms irritably. Okay, it was time to try the dazzling trick. â€Å"Humor me,† I requested while gazing deeply into her eyes. Her shoulders hunched forward in defeat after a few seconds. â€Å"Fine,† her lower lip jutted out while staring back at me, possibly trying to glare, but the tears were making it hard to read them. â€Å"I'll go quietly. But you'll see. I'm way overdue for more bad luck. I'll probably break my other leg. Look at this shoe! It's a death trap!† She lifted her dress and pointed at her leg in horror. â€Å"Hmmm.† Her soft delicate skin was porcelain white and looked soft, warm and silky. â€Å"Remind me to thank Alice for that tonight,† I teased. â€Å"Alice is going to be there?† Didn't Alice tell her? Didn't Bella see her? â€Å"With Jasper, and Emmett†¦ and Rosalie,† I added. Her eyebrows pulled together before she shook her head. I suppressed a sigh, longing to know what was going on in that head of hers. Then, her lips pursed. â€Å"Is Charlie in on this?† She asked suspiciously. â€Å"Of course.† I grinned, and then chuckled. â€Å"Apparently Tyler wasn't, though.† Her teeth came together with an audible snap. It pleased me that his appearance at her house had a negative effect on her. Finally, we pulled into the school parking lot, parking next to Rosalie's M3. The sun was starting to set and the sky was turning a coppery color as the thin layer of clouds casted shadows down on the ground in odd angles turning the white fluff into red and orange. To the east the sky was showing some stars while turning purplish due to the setting sun. The sunset was beautiful, but when I got out to offer my help to Bella, the sunset was suddenly insignificant in comparison. I held out of hand and she tightened her folded arms and humpfed stubbornly. Her chin was jutting out with a superior smugness in her expression. I would have just picked her up but there were too many people in the parking lot. I sighed. â€Å"When someone wants to kill you, you're brave as a lion — and then when someone mentions dancing†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I muttered while shaking my head. Her expression changed to fear instantly and she gulped. â€Å"Bella, I won't let anything hurt you,† I paused, â€Å"– not even yourself. I won't let go of you once, I promise.† The fear washed away as quickly as it had placed itself on her glorious face. I was relieved at once. â€Å"There, now,† I said gently, â€Å"it won't be so bad.† Without effort I reached out pulled her to my chest, wrapping my arm around her waist and holding her hand in the other. Her warmth wrapped around my body as we walked towards the school. I held her firmly in my grasp, letting her place all her weight on me if necessary. Our progress was slow, but tonight there were no expectations and we were in no hurry. Fork's High School prom was in their gym and as we entered Bella fully took in the decorations of balloon arches, pastel crepe paper and twisted garlands that were covering every inch of the walls. Her whimsical giggle shocked me. After all her anger, fear and constant pouting and shouting she was†¦smiling. â€Å"This looks like a horror movie waiting to happen,† she snickered. Relief washed over me and I joined in with her humor. â€Å"Well,† I whispered as we approached the ticket table, â€Å"there are more than enough vampires present.† She looked over the ladies shoulder at the ticket area. On the dance floor, Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Alice were floating fluidly around the enclosed circle of admirers as they danced gracefully around in their evening gowns. That family makes me sick, look at how perfect they move. My date probably thinks I'm ugly compared to these women. Man I'd like to†¦ I shoved everyone's thoughts from my mind so I could focus on Bella. Looking down at her, she looked up at me with a look of conspiracy in her thoughts. â€Å"Do you want me to bolt the doors so you can massacre the unsuspecting townsfolk?† She whispered. My brow raised. â€Å"And where do you fit into that scheme?† â€Å"Oh, I'm with the vampires, of course,† she collaborated. Though I was happy she was in better spirits, I was afraid that this conversation would turn into a ‘let's turn Bella into a vampire' argument. Trying to read her face, I smiled reluctantly. â€Å"Anything to get out of dancing,† I assumed. â€Å"Anything.† She smiled. After purchasing the tickets I began pulling her to the dance floor. She literally dragged her feet. Pursing my lips, I stared down at her. â€Å"I've got all night,† I informed her, not in the least bit worried that she wouldn't fold. Finally, her stubbornness subsided and we moved onto the dance floor next to my family. This was my first time going to the prom, though my siblings went every chance they got. Alice loved to dress up and so did Rosalie, mainly because of the stares and compliments she received. Bella stiffened at my side and I looked down at her. â€Å"Edward.† She croaked. â€Å"I honestly can't dance!† Panic was obvious in her tone. I sighed in exasperation. â€Å"Don't worry, silly,† I whispered in her ear. â€Å"I can.† Gently, I pulled her close to my chest, her feet leaving the ground before I placed them over mine, and wrapped her arms around my neck. Without effort we twirled around the dance floor with my family and even though I tried to dispel all thoughts, the boys in the audience were also crooning over Bella. I felt smug with pride. â€Å"I feel like I'm five years old,† she giggled after several minutes of us waltzing. Her hair was blowing around lightly with the slight breeze we were making with our dancing and her cheeks were flushed the perfect pink. â€Å"You don't look five,† I breathed in her ear, hugging her closer to my body. I'm a genius! I mean, just look at that dress on her. Alice thought as she watched us twirl around. Bella caught her eye and smiled back at Alice's grin. I think she might actually be enjoying herself†¦ Before Alice finished her thought another thought burst into my head. He was arguing with himself. As I twirled around to see who it was, I realized it was Jacob Black. I can't believe I'm about to do this. Seriously ?C he's here with her, what does my dad expect me to do? Go up to her and tell her to leave him right here on the dance floor†¦ but my car, I really want my car up and running. Stupid master cylinder. â€Å"Okay, this isn't half bad,† Bella admitted to me, but I was too busy glaring towards the doors where Jacob was leaning. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. Jacob chanted over and over in his head. Why did she have to be here? Argh! He hesitated on the dance floor. Master cylinder, he reminded himself. †¦just remember driving around in your car, his lips twitched up. †¦maybe Bella in the passenger seat. The mental image was enough to make him move closer to our dancing forms. Bella and I continued to spin without effort on the dance floor, but my eyes never left Jacob for more than a fraction of a second. My possessive side started to creep up as I watched him walked towards us. Bella noticed my distraction. â€Å"What is it?† she looked at me curiously. I didn't answer. She looked over her shoulder and then continued to try and focus her eyes through our continuous gyrate. Jacob continued to move towards us. His face displayed his thoughts of distress and discomfort. Come on, Jacob. Pull yourself together! He frantically tried to calm himself. He's not actually a vampire. He was wrong about that. Just do it. Ask if you can cut in. I can just relay the message from dad. Jacob looked at Bella. Wow! She is positively the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. He blinked to clear his eyes, trying to get a better visual on her. Man, this is going to suck. I'm sorry, oh man I am so sorry, Bella. A snarl came burning up my throat, but I was able to stifle most of the noise. â€Å"Behave!† Bella hissed at me in reproach. Behave? I wanted to argue but he was only two feet away. Just cut in and get it over with. This is so embarrassing. Jacob's eyebrows pulled together in concentration. ‘Hey, Bella. Just break up with your boyfriend†¦please.' He shook his head. This isn't going to be good. Anger boiled under my cold skin. â€Å"He wants to chat with you.† The severity of my thoughts was obvious in my voice. You made it this far. Just ask. Jacob was now standing next to us. I stopped our dancing, trying to†¦behave. â€Å"Hey, Bella,† Jacob addressed her, completely ignoring me. â€Å"I was hoping you would be here.† Jacob lied as he smiled brightly at Bella. â€Å"Hi, Jacob.† Bella beamed back. â€Å"What's up?† Why did she have to return his smile? She never greeted other males so warmly. What was so special about this†¦Jacob Black? She was just being polite. That was all. â€Å"Can I cut in?† he asked hesitantly, swiveling towards me. I gritted my teeth. Behave†¦behave†¦behave, I chanted over and over in my head in Bella's delicate voice. This planned conversation was angering me and now he was asking me to break my promise to Bella. Refusing to let Jacob see my growing irritation, I kept my face absent of emotion. I knew if I were to open my mouth words not appropriate to say in front of a lady would spill out. So, instead, I just carefully placed her back on her feet and took a step backwards, my teeth still clenched tight enough to crush diamonds. â€Å"Thanks,† Jacob said pleasantly. That was easier than I imagined. Taking a steadying breath, I nodded once and turned to walk away. Moving through the crowd I positioned myself so I could see and hear their exchange. Venom filled my mouth when Jacob put his hands on her waist. Jealousy ripped at me when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Without thinking, I was pushing my way back through the crowd. I was irate. â€Å"Emmett,† Alice nodded towards me. â€Å"Stop him.† He's just a kid, Edward, she reminded me. Before I reached them, strong arms were binding me to the spot. Emmett chuckled. â€Å"Tisk tisk, bro. Here? In this crowd? Can't you pick another time to rip his arms off?† He let go when I froze. â€Å"I'd like to do that now,† I glanced quickly towards Alice's twirling form. You were about to do something really stupid. Trust me on that. Alice explained. A hard laugh came from my left. â€Å"Not a chance.† Emmett smirked. â€Å"Now calm down. What would Bella think?† He looked at me in mock horror. I looked away. It was so odd to feel this infuriated over something as small as a dance. His hands were gripping her on her waist. I wanted to grip him around his throat. I wanted him so far away from her that the wish was a strong flavor on my tongue. I was automatically sorting through the range of tortures I would bring upon him. â€Å"Jeez, Edward. Calm down,† Emmett muttered, his hand on my shoulder ?C restraining me. My face in his mind was showing nothing but a murderous glare. I settled on eavesdropping. Emmett leaned against the wall beside me. â€Å"Wow, Jake, how tall are you now?† Bella looked up at Jacobs towering frame. I growled and Emmett patted my shoulder in understanding. I deal with this kind of stuff all the time, he thought to himself. What's the big deal? â€Å"Six-two.† Jacob's thoughts were smug. In the past months he had grown several inches in height, something he was very proud of. I watched as they swayed on the spot, not really dancing due to Bella's casted foot. â€Å"So, how did you end up here tonight?† she questioned, but her tone was absent of curiosity, like she already knew. Just tell her, just get it over with. He swallowed hard. If I blame it on my dad, she can't really get mad at me, can she? He frowned.†Can you believe my dad paid me twenty bucks to come to your prom?† He confessed. That was easy enough, now the hard part. â€Å"Yes, I can,† Bella muttered. â€Å"Well, I hope you're enjoying yourself, at least. Seen anything you like?† she nodded to a group of girls lined up against the wall, waiting and willing for their knight and shining armor. Her hint to him sent me a little bit of relief. He was just a friend. Nothing more. â€Å"Yeah,† he sighed. You! â€Å"But she's taken.† He glanced down at Bella's face. Bella looked away, blush rising in her porcelain cheeks. Dammit! She knows I meant her. You idiot! â€Å"You look really pretty, by the way,† he added apprehensively. Oh crap! Did that just come out of my mouth? How embarrassing. He hung his head slightly. Pretty? She is much more than that! Angelic, maybe. Exquisite, yes. But pretty? Idiot. â€Å"Um, thanks.† Bella's forehead creased. â€Å"So why did Billy pay you to come here?† It didn't go without notice, her lack of compliments back to him. Jacob noticed, I noticed†¦ â€Å"Burn!† Emmett bellowed. Emmett noticed. I had almost forgotten he was standing beside me; I was so intent on listening into their conversation. Forget it. I can't do this. Jacob argued in his mind. Master cylinder†¦master cylinder, he chanted over and over. The look of discomfort on his face pleased me. Get it over with†¦ he grimaced. â€Å"He said it was a ‘safe' place to talk to you. I swear the old man is losing his mind.† His humorless chuckle was joined with a weak laugh from Bella. â€Å"Is he going to say what I think he's going to say?† Emmett guffawed loudly. I nodded. â€Å"No way!† he continued to chuckle. â€Å"Human's are so hilarious! You sure know how to pick the good ones,† Emmett chuckled in amusement. â€Å"Anyway,† Jacob continued. â€Å"He said that if I told you something, he would get me that master cylinder I need,† he confessed with a sheepish grin. Master cylinder†¦you can do this. Master cylinder. â€Å"Tell me, then. I want you to get your car finished.† Bella grinned back. There was a faint irritation close by. A young girl, only fifteen, screaming her fantasies at me through her thoughts, my name and face intertwined with them. Only if she knew what it would mean for my lips to be that close to her skin. It wouldn't be a kiss she would receive. I pushed her thoughts from me. I had no time to deal with it. Here goes nothing. Jacob exhaled heavily. Just set it up so you are in the clear. This isn't your fault†¦you were sent by your insane father. She'll understand. †¦right? â€Å"Don't get mad, okay?† Jacob stared down at Bella intently. â€Å"There's no way I'll be mad at you, Jacob,† she encouraged him. â€Å"I won't even be mad at Billy. Just say what you have to.† I didn't deserve to have someone like Bella. She was forgiving, sweet and kind. She had even forgiven me for nearly taking her life. Danger magnet. â€Å"Well — this is so stupid, I'm sorry, Bella –† just spit it out â€Å"– he wants you to break up with your boyfriend. He asked me to tell you ‘please.'† Jacob shook his head back and forth. I can't believe I just said that. A burst of laughter came from Emmett. â€Å"He said it. I can't believe he actually said it.† â€Å"Pay up!† Jasper held out his hand. †¦and I wasn't even here when the wolves were around. He grinned. I hadn't even noticed that he was there until right now, let alone hear them making bet's over the conversation. I tuned out Jasper and Emmett's exchange. â€Å"He's still superstitious, eh?† Bella pulled me back into the conversation. Her brush off was surely just pity. She was kind. That was all. That's it? She's not going to get mad†¦or hit me? What a relief! â€Å"Yeah. He was†¦ kind of over the top when you got hurt down in Phoenix. He didn't believe†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He believed you were attacked by Edward, he finished in thought. Finally, I saw the first signs of Bella's irritation as her eyes narrowed. â€Å"I fell,† she infused with a little bit of steel in her voice. She's mad. Oh crap. â€Å"I know that,† Jacob said quickly. â€Å"He thinks Edward had something to do with me getting hurt,† Bella said tersely, stating it as a fact, not a question. Bad idea†¦really, really bad idea. Master cylinder? What? They stopped swaying; Jacob's eyes looking away, Bella's eyes alight with fury. It was surprisingly strange to see her be protective over me. It was†¦nice, even though her anger was quite comical. â€Å"Look, Jacob,† Bella began. â€Å"I know Billy probably won't believe this, but just so you know† — Jacob looked up, his thoughts scattering wildly trying to find a way to patch up their little tiff — â€Å"Edward really did save my life. If it weren't for Edward and his father, I'd be dead.† She forgot to add that if it weren't for us, we wouldn't have had to save her in the first place. â€Å"I know,† Jacob claimed. I tried to tell him†¦I'm an idiot for letting him convince me to do this. â€Å"Hey, I'm sorry you had to come do this, Jacob,† Bella apologized. â€Å"At any rate, you get your parts, right?† Forgiveness was her virtue. There was no other meaning behind her words. I don't even think she knows how to hold a grudge. â€Å"Yeah,† he muttered. Maybe you could just leave off the last part, he thought. I mean, she got the gist of what he wanted her to know. †¦right? He frowned. â€Å"There's more?† Bella asked in disbelief, reading his face. Jacob's mouth twisted down further. Why did she have to be so perceptive? â€Å"Forget it,† he mumbled, â€Å"I'll get a job and save the money myself.† †¦bye, bye, master cylinder, his thoughts were chagrined. Bella's cheeks turned red again, but this time in pure anger and not embarrassment. â€Å"Just spit it out, Jacob,† she hissed. â€Å"It's so bad.† He grimaced. â€Å"I don't care. Tell me,† she insisted. I can't believe she is going to make me say this. â€Å"Okay†¦ but, geez, this sounds bad.† He shook his head. â€Å"He said to tell you, no, to warn you, that — and this is his plural, not mine† — he lifted one hand and made little quotations marks in the air — ‘†We'll be watching.'† Please don't scream. He cringed in anticipation. I growled at Billy's words. Bella's response took us both off guard. She stared at him for a second and then laughed loudly. â€Å"Sorry you had to do this, Jake.† she continued to snicker. â€Å"I don't mind that much.† Shew. He breathed a sigh of relief. Now that that is over with†¦ He grinned. †¦maybe I could enjoy a dance with her. His eyes roamed over her body appreciatively. I really like how her dress falls just right on her body. She has amazing curves. Emmett grabbed my arm when he saw Jacob's eyes undressing Bella. I leaned against the wall again, angry I had to stand through this torture. â€Å"So,† Jacob smiled. â€Å"Should I tell him you said to butt the hell out?† he asked hopefully. It would serve him right, mad old man! â€Å"No,† she exhaled. â€Å"Tell him I said thanks. I know he means well.† Gradually the song dissipated and morphed into another song. Bella instantly dropped her arms. It pleased me to see that she didn't want to continue their awkward dance. Jacob, on the other hand, was thoroughly displeased. I made my way through the crowd. But†¦I†¦ His hands hesitated on her waist and his gaze turned toward her casted leg. Well, I can't just leave her here like this, he told himself. â€Å"Do you want to dance again? Or can I help you get somewhere?† he asked uncertainly. â€Å"That's all right, Jacob. I'll take it from here.† I glared at him. Gah! Jacob jumped slightly, and stared wide-eyed at me in surprise. â€Å"Hey, I didn't see you there,† he mumbled. â€Å"I guess I'll see you around, Bella.† He stepped back, waving halfheartedly. †¦bad timing. Bella grinned at him. â€Å"Yeah, I'll see you later.† She was just being courteous. It was only in her nature. â€Å"Sorry,† he said again before he turned for the door. †¦what a freak. As the next song's melody began weaving its way through the crowd I pulled Bella back into my arms. She instantly warmed my body. The music was awful, so I played my own tune in my head, dancing to it instead. Bella's eyes roamed over my face happily before she leaned her head against my chest. I tightened my arms around her and she sighed, content. â€Å"Feeling better?† she teased. â€Å"Not really,† I said through my teeth. â€Å"Don't be mad at Billy,† she sighed, her hot breath seeping through my clothes, down to my skin. â€Å"He just worries about me for Charlie's sake. It's nothing personal.† She had it all wrong. â€Å"I'm not mad at Billy,† I revised in a curt voice. â€Å"But his son is irritating me.† Her head left my chest then. Our eyes met and the intensity of her gaze gave me the impression she was trying to read my mind. â€Å"Why?† Her eyes grew tight in suspicion. â€Å"First of all, he made me break my promise.† Her eyebrows crunched up in confusion. The look of perplexity made my lips twitch up. â€Å"I promised I wouldn't let go of you tonight.† I explained. â€Å"Oh. Well, I forgive you.† â€Å"Thanks. But there's something else.† I frowned. â€Å"He called you pretty,† my previous anger began bubbling to the surface. â€Å"That's practically an insult, the way you look right now. You're much more than beautiful.† She giggled. â€Å"You might be a little biased.† â€Å"I don't think that's it. Besides, I have excellent eyesight.† I lifted her up, bringing her close to my chest. We continued our dancing. Her hair moved slightly with our breeze. Waves of freesia floated in the air around us. â€Å"So are you going to explain the reason for all of this?† What did she mean by that? Her eyes lifted to the crepe paper and her lips pursed. I understood. I decided it was time to move our conversation to a less populated place. Twirling the opposite direction we spun gracefully through the crowd toward the back door. I wish Mike could dance like that†¦ Jessica waved at Bella as we flew by, her eyes green with jealousy. Where are they going? Bella smiled at her. Angela was in Ben Cheney's arms, enjoying my gift to her. She deserved happiness. Finally, we were away from all the stares and eavesdroppers. The sun was beginning to dissipate below the horizon, the sky a brilliant color of pink and orange. Her elegant features were glowing in the coppery color of the sun. Without effort I swept her off her feet. There was a bench under two madrone trees and I walked over and sat down, Bella's delicate arms wrapped around my neck. I held her closer, never wanting this moment to end. It doesn't have to end. We could have each other for eternity. I banished that thought immediately. The moon was already up, visible through the gauzy clouds. I looked up, wishing the sun wouldn't fade to night. â€Å"The point?† Bella prompted softly. â€Å"Twilight, again,† I whispered. â€Å"Another ending. No matter how perfect the day is, it always has to end.† â€Å"Some things don't have to end,† she muttered through her teeth. I sighed. I knew what she was thinking†¦what she wanted. But I couldn't give it to her. It was best to just ignore her train of thought. â€Å"I brought you to the prom,† I said slowly, â€Å"because I don't want you to miss anything. I don't want my presence to take anything away from you, if I can help it. I want you to be human. I want your life to continue as it would have if I'd died in nineteen-eighteen like I should have.† She trembled slightly before she shook her head angrily. â€Å"In what strange parallel dimension would I ever have gone to prom of my own free will? If you weren't a thousand times stronger than me, I would never have let you get away with this.† My lips curved into a half-smile at her kittenish anger. â€Å"It wasn't so bad, you said so yourself.† â€Å"That's because I was with you.† I gazed absently back up at the moon. Prom†¦it was the only formal occasion that I could think of this evening. Did she think we were leaving the city? I was curious now. â€Å"Will you tell me something?† I asked, glancing down at her in amusement. â€Å"Don't I always?† â€Å"Just promise you'll tell me,† I insisted, grinning. â€Å"Fine.† She was suspicious. â€Å"You seemed honestly surprised when you figured out that I was taking you here,† I began. â€Å"I was,† she interjected. â€Å"Exactly,† I agreed. â€Å"But you must have had some other theory†¦ I'm curious — what did you think I was dressing you up for?† Her lips pursed, a slight pucker forming between her brows. â€Å"I don't want to tell you.† â€Å"You promised,† I reminded her. â€Å"I know.† â€Å"What's the problem?† This should be good. Her cheeks were red, the blush filling the air with her silky aroma. â€Å"I think it will make you mad — or sad.† Her words held some meaning, yet I couldn't grasp it. My eyebrows pulled together as I speculated the subtlety of her words. It was moments like these I wished I could read her mind. â€Å"I still want to know. Please?† She sighed. I waited expectantly for her answer. â€Å"Well†¦ I assumed it was some kind of†¦ occasion. But I didn't think it would be some trite human thing†¦ prom!† she sneered. The meaning was slowly surfacing. â€Å"Human?† I asked flatly. Suddenly, her blush deepened to a scarlet red and she looked down, her fingers lightly tugging a piece of chiffon. I waited in silence. She would tell me, I just had to be patient. â€Å"Okay,† her shoulders slumped as her breath rushed out. â€Å"So I was hoping that you might have changed your mind†¦ that you were going to change me, after all.† The mingled fury and alarm was present on my face. We had this conversation already. I wasn't going to change her. I refused. First, I was furious. Absolutely irate that she would even think I would take her soul. What did she think me capable of? Second, her blood, beyond delicious, would never be a strong enough siren call to make me†¦change her. What if I tried and I wasn't able to stop? What if I did change her and she forever hated me? Isabella Swan, forever stalking the night for all time, never aging, never changing†¦ soulless. Many emotions filled my head and ran down my veins. Her words replayed in my mind. I assumed it would be some kind of†¦occasion. Was she joking? She had to be, she couldn't be serious. â€Å"You thought that would be a black tie occasion, did you?† I teased, touching the lapel of my James Bond tux in amusement. She frowned. â€Å"I don't know how these things work. To me, at least, it seems more rational than prom does.† Yes. I wanted to say. Because what you wear will really matter when you're burning. I continued to grin at her, despite the image in my head. â€Å"It's not funny,† her frown deepened. â€Å"No, you're right, it's not,† I agreed, my smile fading. â€Å"I'd rather treat it like a joke, though, than believe you're serious.† â€Å"But I am serious.† I didn't realize I was holding my breath until I let out a deep sigh. Could this really be what she wanted? â€Å"I know. And you're really that willing?† She bit her delicate lip and nodded. â€Å"So ready for this to be the end,† I muttered to myself, â€Å"for this to be the twilight of your life, though your life has barely started. You're ready to give up everything.† â€Å"It's not the end, it's the beginning,† she disagreed in a whisper of her warm breath. â€Å"I'm not worth it,† I said sadly. â€Å"Do you remember when you told me that I didn't see myself very clearly?† she asked, raising her eyebrows. â€Å"You obviously have the same blindness.† â€Å"I know what I am.† I stated. A monster. She sighed. A course of action had just occurred to me. â€Å"You're ready now, then?† I asked, my eyes probing hers. â€Å"Um.† she gulped. â€Å"Yes?† It was a question. I smiled at my plan before moving my lips over her soft skin. I breathed softly at the corner of her jaw, letting the flavor burn down my throat. â€Å"Right now?† I whispered, moving my lips down her neck. She trembled under my touch. I wanted to bring our lips together fiercely, but I resisted. â€Å"Yes,† she whispered. Her breathing began to pick up, her heart pounding out a jagged rhythm. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed her hands balled up into tight fists. She showed all the signs of distress, yet she didn't move. I chuckled darkly, and leaned away. I was disappointed by her actions. She didn't take any action for self preservation. I was her guardian vampire, though. My protection included keeping her human. â€Å"You can't really believe that I would give in so easily,† I said with a sour edge to my mocking tone. It was with great effort that I didn't yell at her for making it so easy. â€Å"A girl can dream.† What! I screamed in my head. My eyebrows rose. â€Å"Is that what you dream about? Being a monster?† â€Å"Not exactly,† her lips turned down. â€Å"Mostly I dream about being with you forever.† There was a sad ache in her voice. Instantly I understood. Our dreams, per say, were the same. All I wanted was to be with her forever, but for her to wish for this soulless existence to be with me was absurd. It shouldn't be allowed. In that moment I was decided. Leaving wasn't an option. I needed her, and she needed me, too. All previous thoughts of leaving her to her human life, her future, disappeared, like someone popped a balloon. â€Å"Bella.† My fingers lightly traced the shape of her lips. â€Å"I will stay with you — isn't that enough?† She smiled gently under my fingertips. â€Å"Enough for now.† I frowned. For now, I scoffed. She was determined, but I wasn't going to concede to her wishes. I exhaled a low thundery growl. She touched my face. â€Å"Look,† she breathed. â€Å"I love you more than everything else in the world combined. Isn't that enough?† Me, too. â€Å"Yes, it is enough,† I answered, smiling. â€Å"Enough for forever.† I leaned down to press my cold lips once more to her throat. The End.

The eNotes Blog Light in February Plantation Diary Find Sheds New Light on FaulknerNovels

Light in February Plantation Diary Find Sheds New Light on FaulknerNovels For scholars, there is no bigger coup than finding new information that offers insight to a writers processes, character construction, or plot development.  Ã‚  Even if one is working with a lesser known writer, there is joy in discovery.   To  find previously  unknown information for an author as popular and extensively researched as William Faulkner is akin to  finding a  gem in a junkyard. Sally Wolff-King is  a professor and Southern literature scholar at Emory University. She appears to have found the ledger  that Faulkner used as a model for the famous scene in Go Down, Moses in which  the character Isaac McClassin opens his grandfathers farm ledgers and discovers his familys slave-owning past.   Many of the character names, used in this and other works, seem to have come from this ledger as well. The diary/ledger belonged to Frances Terry Leak, a plantation owner. Leaks great-grandson, Edgar Wiggin Francisco Jr. was a childhood friend of Faulkners, and the two men remained friendly throughout their lives.   Mr. Franciscos son, now 79,  recalls that Faulkner was a frequent guest in their home and had a keen interest in the ledgers. Character names that appear in both the ledgers and Faulkners novels include Moses, Isaac, and Toney in Go Down, Moses, Caddy/Candace (Candis) and Ben in The Sound and the Fury and Old Rose, Henry,   Milly, and Ellen in Absalom, Absalom!. Of particular interest to scholars is that Faulkner has given many of his white characters the names of slaves listed in the ledgers. Why did Faulkner do this?   Professor Wolff-King believes Faulkner is trying to give the slaves a voice.

Development of the Colonies essays

Development of the Colonies essays With the Middle Ages in its prime years, Europe remained a fairly unadventurous civilization from 500-1500 A.D. With subsistence farming prevailing and commerce being limited, merchants keep their affairs fairly domestic, failing to consider their international capabilities. But as Europe gradually became more mercantilistic and religious discontent raged, Europeans were motivated to migrate to America and colonize lands in the New World. Despite the fact that the regions of New England and Chesapeake were both colonized by settlers of English origin, by 1700 these lands had developed into two very idiosyncratic civilizations, each one having characteristics unique unto itself. The Chesapeake region, comprised of Jamestown and Maryland, was settled mainly by poor people who needed jobs and were in search of a better life. From the start, problems arose in the Chesapeake region settlements, such as land that was not easy to cultivate- a formidable challenge. Because of their experience in Ireland, the English kept the societies of the natives and that of the settlers separated. The settlements of the Chesapeake region were business enterprises, which were financed by private companies that expected to make a profit off of them. These factors just mentioned would be the backbone of life in the Chesapeake region, forming the basis around which the settlement would develop. The majority of the people bound for Jamestown were young men, some of which were in search of money; others were simply looking for a better life (Doc. C). With money being one of the major goals of the settlers of Jamestown, John Smith observed that many of the settlers of Jamestow n were so obsessed with getting rich off of the voyage that all they could do was think about, talk about, and work for gold. He himself called it disgustful (Doc. F). Along with these men came Captain John Smith, who founded the settlement of Jamestown in 1607....

How Christmas Trees Became Popular in the 1800s

How Christmas Trees Became Popular in the 1800s The husband of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, gets the credit for making Christmas trees fashionable, as he famously set one up in Windsor Castle in the late 1840s. Yet there are reports of Christmas trees appearing in the United States years before the royal Christmas tree made a splash in American magazines. One classic yarn is that Hessian soldiers had been celebrating around a Christmas tree when George Washington caught them by surprise at the battle of Trenton. The Continental Army did cross the Delaware River to surprise the Hessians on Christmas night 1776, but there is no documentation of a Christmas tree having been present. Another story is that a Hessian soldier who happened to be in Connecticut set up Americas first Christmas tree in 1777. While thats accepted local lore in Connecticut, there also doesnt seem to be any documentation of the story. A German Immigrant and His Ohio Christmas Tree In the late 1800s a story circulated that a German immigrant, August Imgard, had set up the first American Christmas tree in Wooster, Ohio, in 1847. The story of Imgard appeared often in newspapers as a holiday feature. The basic version of the tale was that Imgard, after arriving in America, was homesick at Christmas. So he cut down the top of a spruce tree, brought it indoors, and decorated it with handmade paper ornaments and small candles. In some versions of the Imgard story he had a local tinsmith fashion a star for the top of the tree, and sometimes he was said to have decorated his tree with candy canes. There actually was a man named August Imgard who lived in Wooster, Ohio, and his descendants kept the story of his Christmas tree alive well into the 20th century. And there is no reason to doubt that he decorated a Christmas tree in the late 1840s. But there is a documented account of an earlier Christmas tree in America. First Documented Christmas Tree in America A professor at Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Charles Follen is known to have set up a Christmas tree in his home in the mid-1830s, more than a decade before August Imgard would have arrived in Ohio. Follen, a political exile from Germany, became known as a member of the abolitionist movement. The British writer Harriet Martineau visited Follen and his family at Christmas 1835 and later described the scene. Follen had decorated the top of a spruce tree with small candles and presents for his son Charlie, who was three years old. The first printed image of a Christmas tree in America seems to have occurred a year later, in 1836. A Christmas gift book titled A Strangers Gift, written by Herman Bokum, a German immigrant who, like Charles Follen, was teaching at Harvard, contained an illustration of a mother and several small children standing around a tree illuminated with candles. Earliest Newspaper Reports of Christmas Trees The Christmas tree of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert became known in America in the late 1840s, and in the 1850s reports of Christmas trees began appearing in American newspapers. A newspaper report described an interesting festival, a Christmas tree, which was viewed in Concord, Massachusetts on Christmas Eve 1853. According to the account in the Springfield Republican, all the children of the town participated and someone dressed as St. Nicholas distributed presents. Two years later, in 1855, the Times-Picayune in New Orleans published an article noting that St. Pauls Episcopal Church would be setting up a Christmas tree. This is a German custom, the newspaper explained, and one that has been of late years imported into this country, to the great delight of the young folks, who are its especial beneficiaries. The article in the New Orleans newspaper offers details indicating that many readers would be unfamiliar with the concept: A tree of evergreen, in size adapted to the dimensions of the room in which it is displayed, is selected, the trunk and branches of which are to be hung with brilliant lights, and laden from the lowest bought to the topmost branch, with Christmas gifts, delicacies, ornaments, etc., of every imaginable variety, forming a perfect storehouse of rare presents from old Santa Claus.What indeed can be more gratifying to children than to take them where their eyes will grow big and bright, feasting on such a sight on the eve of Christmas. A Philadelphia newspaper, The Press, published an article on Christmas Day 1857 which detailed how various ethnic groups had brought their own Christmas customs to America. It said: From Germany, in particular, comes the Christmas tree, hung all round with gifts of all sorts, interspersed with crowds of small tapers, which illuminate the tree and excite general admiration. The 1857 article from Philadelphia whimsically described Christmas trees as immigrants who had become citizens, stating, We are naturalizing the Christmas tree. And by the time, an employee of Thomas Edison created the first electric Christmas tree in the 1880s, the Christmas tree custom, whatever its origins, was permanently established. There are a number of unverified stories about Christmas trees in the White House in the mid-1800s. But it seems the first documented appearance of a Christmas tree wasnt until 1889. President Benjamin Harrison, who always had the reputation of being one of the less interesting presidents, was nonetheless very interested in Christmas celebrations. Harrison had a decorated tree placed in an upstairs bedroom of the White House, perhaps mostly for the entertainment of his grandchildren. Newspaper reporters were invited to see the tree and wrote fairly detailed reports about it. By the end of the 19th century, Christmas trees had become a widespread tradition throughout America.

Organization and transformation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Organization and transformation - Essay Example It is evident that the world keeps changing at an extremely rapid rate. It is rare that a single day passes without the news of another discovery or a boundary pushing inventions. Globalisation seems to have dominated much of the corporate and political scenario lately. It has compelled organisations to reallocate resources completely. Major impacts have been more visible in case of the SMEs while the airlines industry has demonstrated significant changes among the large enterprises (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 1997, p.286). On the other hand, the dark side of globalisation has given rise to exploitation, terrorism, refugees and the like. The rate with which the changes have been taking place has been outpacing peoples’ abilities to catch up with the change. Organisations people rely on, for meeting their regular needs and wants have been demonstrating rapid and dramatic changes. Such changes are being incorporated in terms of the organisation strat egies, structures, systems, boundaries and also organisational expectations from their managers and staff. The concept of change management gains relevance in the context of an organisational setting. Mangers and leaders must understand the reasons why change takes place, the way changes happen, and the things that are required to be done for making the change more acceptable and welcoming (Cameron & Green, 2004, p.2). The Case Canada’s Bombardier was established in the year 1942 and was initially involved in the making of snowmobiles and various other similar equipments. However, the focus has now shifted towards the manufacturing of airplanes and trains. In fact the company has evolved as the leader in the manufacturer of trains and takes the number three position in the manufacturing of civil aircrafts (Simpson, 2011). Even amidst the economic downturn the company’s stock prices and revenues have remained at a high level. This demonstrates the success the company ha s been able to achieve which has acted as a shield against the external shocks in the economy and helped it to stands high when most other companies were incurring losses. Over the recent past, it has also been able to boost its level of investments which reflects through its designing a completely new airplane, which is called the CSeries. The special benefit that this design provides is that it is characterised by lower emissions and incurs lesser costs in comparison to the remaining airplanes. Pierre Beaudoin, who has been the CEO and President of the company since the year 2008, has attributed resilience of the company significantly towards its present culture. Beaudoin is known for taking the initiative of completely changing the culture of the organisation and making a complete transformation of the way the company operated and functioned in the industry. He had done this being the president of Bombardier Aerospace. The transformation was primarily in the form of changing the company which was driven by engineering and manufacturing goals and also has in depth cultural divisions to that which was

Research part 2 Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Part 2 - Research Paper Example On the other hand, wireless communication involves conversion of data into electromagnetic waves for transmission and it is converted back to its original form as it gets to the receiver. There has been a debate on the most superior communication medium between fiber optic cable and wireless communication. Various technological gadgets such as Blackberries and Smart phones are designed to connect to wireless mode of data transfer. This mode has also enabled stores, business enterprises and other organizations to provide free access to the internet without hooking wire to every computer or laptop. However, as Wright and Reynders, (42) explains, some wireless services do not work in some cities. This leads to the preference for the fiber optic cables which are also believed to higher maximum speeds especially when networks become congested. In most parts of the world, communication systems are increasingly adopting the use of both wireless and fiber optic cable transmissions. This rese arch paper will examine the similarities and differences between these modes of data transmission in order to determine how well or not each suits specific situations. In wireless communications, a radio channel may be used; however, it is susceptible to noise interference (Varaiya 315). These interferences include blockage and multi paths which change over time due to user movements. This affects the range, data rate and reliability of wireless links. Hence, the biggest challenge with wireless communication is that an environment is a factor in transmission. For instance, an indoor user may experience higher data rates which is reliable than an outside user who is exposed to certain environmental conditions like water vapor and oxygen. Tall building and other atmospheric absorption between the transmitting and receiving antennas may also affect wireless transmission. Wireless systems use atmosphere as their transmission medium which is enabled through radio signals. The received si gnal may also experience interference from other users in the same frequency band. Other components like path loss determine how the average received signal power decreases with distance between transmitter and receiver. Wireless medium is also prone to signal attenuation resulting from obstruction from trees and other tall objects. Wide area wireless data services provide low to high data rate services. This depends on the coverage of a few base stations mounted on towers, rooftops which are transmitting at high power to enable signal transmission and delivery from the sender to the intended receiver (Subramanian, Timothy and Rani 81). This is enabled by a link that carries data between two physical systems. Wireless transmission purely relies on transmitters, receivers, base stations or any medium depending on the technology that relays the IP data across the network. Currently, wireless networks can handle limited speed due to various factors involved in during transmission. Radi o signals running on frequencies up to 2 GHz other wireless networks can support 70 Mbps data speed. In addition, in wireless networks, transmission is via three or more routes, one of it being a line of sight transmission. Transmission is impaired by free space loss where wireless communication signal disperses with distance. Wireless networks utilize code division multiple access where several

Do you know who Paul Robeson is Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Do you know who Paul Robeson is - Assignment Example Robeson’s mother, Maria Louisa Bustill came from a well known family of mixed ancestry consisting of Anglo-American, American and Lenape. She died from a house fire when Robeson was just 6 years of age. Robeson’s other siblings were: William Drew Robeson II, Rev. Benjamin C. Robeson, Reeve Robeson and Marian Robeson (Boyle and Bunie 13). Education and Early Life Robeson’s father held a strong belief that African Americans were as good as their whit counterparts. He instilled in his children this notion and made sure that they attended the same schools as white children. Robeson attended Somerville High School in New Jersey where he graduated with honors in 1915. While at the school, he participated in various activities such as acting, singing and athletics (Dorinson and Pencak 23). His academic excellence and activities in school earned him a full academic scholarship at Rutgers University. Being accepted on scholarship at Rutgers was a great feat for the young Robeson since there were only two other African Americans who had achieved the same. He was the only African American student in the university or the whole duration that he was at Rutgers. While in his third year, he became one of the only three classmates to be accepted into the Phi Beta Kappa fraternity. In 1919, he was one of the four students who were selected in the Cap and Skull honor society (28). Robeson continued to be involved in school activities while in Rutgers where he participated in debate and oratorical contests. He was the recipient of the statewide debate contest prize for four straight years (Foner 33). Robeson was also an avid singer and he was part of the campus Glee Club. However, because of the racist environment at the time, he was not allowed to travel with the group for social events and performances. Another hindrance he faced as a result of the racist climate during his studies was being denied the chance to enjoy the festivities of the universityâ€⠄¢s Philoclean Society, even though he was a duly elected member of the literary society (Boyle and Bunie 100). Just like when he was in high school, Robeson was also an all-rounder in campus. He was an excellent sportsman at Rutgers where he took part in American football, basketball, baseball and athletics. His participation in these sports earned him some 15 varsity letters. In football, he played the end position and he was so good at it that he earned himself a name in the first team All-America in 1917 and 1918. He became the first student and player from Rutgers to reach that feat (Duberman and Bauml 20). Despite his prowess in the game of football, Robeson faced numerous racial episodes, for instance when some Southern teams declined to play with a team that had an African American in the lineup. However, this did not deter him and he is considered by many to be one of the greatest football players of his time (22). Robeson was the valedictorian in his 1919 graduation class. Historians have always praised his academic and athletic excellence that few others can measure up to (Larsen 35). After graduating from Rutgers, Robeson enrolled in the Columbia Law School. To pay for his education at Columbia, Robeson worked as an athlete and a performer. He played for the Akron Pros and the Milwaukee Badgers, teams that were part of the American Professional Football Association, which later cam to be known as the National Football League. He also played

Sustainability in construction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sustainability in construction - Essay Example For example, the UK national Grid has planned to cut domestic emissions by 45% by 2029, while the European Union countries are in agreement to harness more than 20% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020; U.K’s target is15% (Huang & Infield, 2002). In addition, Scotland and UK have plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by 2050, and a proposed reduction of about 42% by 2020 to curb the climate change threat (Tecs Home Energy Survey Report, 2010). Therefore, as the two articles indicate, energy usage in both domestic and in industrial applications has led to an environmental threat that has been caused by increasing global warming, as a result of carbon emissions from fossil fuels. Jones in the article Reducing emissions through energy efficiency correctly articulates that energy usage in buildings contribute to almost half of carbon emissions in U.K. This is in line with the figures indicated by Tecs Home Energy Survey Report (2010). As Jones illustrates, the UK government has come up with different measures in trying to reduce carbon emissions in line with 2010 proposed emission reductions. ... tial stages of industrialization results from the increasing greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere; this has resulted in the continued climate change, with temperatures in the U.K expected to increase by between 2 to 3.5 degrees centigrade this century. Therefore the intergovernmental panel set up to address this issue according to this report suggested building codes and designs that would eliminate any need for mechanical cooling in homes, which has been attributed to considerable portion of global warming gases in the atmosphere. The report suggests a new perspective in building and construction on how buildings might have special features, which might be responsive to climate changes, and which anticipate and are in accordance with future climate trends. Likewise, Jones in Reducing emissions through energy efficiency concurs with this argument and asserts that energy demand has to be maintained to a minimum by adopting more responsible designs, and adopting the use of renewa ble energy sources. This would include minimizing uncontrolled air infiltration through effective designs, and adopting natural ventilations. Generally according to Jones, this may be only achieved through an integrated design team to ensure harmonization, and good interactions between the various disciplines involved in building designs. This is an effective approach in reducing domestic energy usage, noting that more than 46 % of energy usage in U.K is through air conditioning, heating, cooling, and other general usage that may be controlled through proper designs (TECs Home Energy Survey Report, 2010). However, the article thermal comfort in a 21st century Climate puts much emphasizes on the need to control energy through responsible use of energy by tenants. The article suggests the use

Adam Smith Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Adam Smith - Essay Example Advantages of division of labor can be seen in large organizations that have various branches and finally the branches incorporate into one bigger organization. Each branch has its own set of activities that it works on and has perfected. For instance, in a manufacturing organization there could be branches such as finance, production, sales, and marketing among others. Combination of all these branches makes one large organization and bringing together activities from the various branches gives better performance than if these tasks were to be conducted by one body. In his example about pin making, Smith argues that division of labor yields better results that non specialization (Smith, 2007, p. 3). This implies that division of labor is certainly an important aspect in increasing production levels in an organization. Actually, division of labor yields multiples than what would have been produced without division of labor. Combinations of the results presented from division of labor are seemingly unachievable if each person carried out the entire process alone. Borrowing from Smith’s example of pin making, it is evident that sometimes production of one person may not even yield one complete production of a pin per day. The efficiency and change brought about by division of labor is amazing. Increasing number of branches within an organization raises the chances of more production. This implies that breaking down a large organization into various stand-alone branches adds efficiency and consequently increased production. Evidently, countries that have adopted division of labor are more productive. Each person in the society has specific tasks and upon bringing the various different tasks together, the total production of the country is great. For instance, areas with huge chunks of land are used specifically for farming and the people around those areas only dwell in

How Does Nikes Questionable Manufacturing Practices in Asia Affect Dissertation

How Does Nikes Questionable Manufacturing Practices in Asia Affect Their Brand Image - Dissertation Example Critics accuse Nike for malpractices and gaining fame and success without any Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in its own manufacturing plants. Instead of improving the working conditions in its manufacturing plants the company spends more on marketing by using faces of high profile celebrities such as Michael Jordan to popularize its brand and attract customers (Mujtaba et al. pg. 1, 2005). With Jordan, the company’s sales went through the roof. After him a number of celebrities were heavily paid to endorse the brand. These included Tiger Woods, Ken Griffey Jr., Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi (Sporting Goods Companies: Nike, n.d.). The issue of malpractices by Nike was disclosed in the 90s decade. The issue of low paid foreign factory workers first became prominent when the world renowned celebrity, Kathy Lee Gifford, was accused for endorsing garments that were manufactured by low wages workers in the developing countries. Gifford promised to participate in improving the condi tion of the workers. The famous brand, Nike, also became a subject of similar controversy. Nike was accused of having sweatshops in the developing countries where workers were paid even below the minimum wages standard (Mujtaba et al. pg. 1, 2005). ... The social activists criticized the unethical practices of the firm in public and exerted pressure on the firm to take a look at their corporate responsibility. Nike customers all over the world criticized the malpractice by the firm. Social activists called on the customers to boycott Nike products until necessary actions were taken by the firm to improve the working conditions of the workers all over the world, especially in Asia (Mesarosch, pg. 1. 2008). While these charges might be true or simple perceptions, the accusations did affect the brand image of Nike in a negative way as not being a socially responsible firm. Since then Nike has been battling with such charges and trying to improve its image as a socially responsible firm (Mujtaba et al. pg. 1, 2005). The aim of this paper is to highlight how Nike has suffered due to its malpractices in Asia. I shall also discuss in brief the history of the brand and the malpractices for which it received criticism. For that matter relev ant literature and peer reviewed articles will be explored to evaluate the situation. Towards the end a conclusion shall be made which will be based on the research. Nike and Its Brand Image: Nike is a massive billion dollar firm that produces sports products. It factories are situated all over the world and likewise its products are sold all over the world. Since 1990’s Nike has expanded its product range and has started producing clothes, watches, bags and golf gear. It has also gained partnership with an electronic company to produce Nike electronics. Nike has achieved tremendous success which is evident from the fact that it has taken over ALL STAR CONVERSE which was one of the biggest rivals of the firm (Hossain, pg. viii, 2010). For the past four decades,

Adam Smith Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Adam Smith - Essay Example Advantages of division of labor can be seen in large organizations that have various branches and finally the branches incorporate into one bigger organization. Each branch has its own set of activities that it works on and has perfected. For instance, in a manufacturing organization there could be branches such as finance, production, sales, and marketing among others. Combination of all these branches makes one large organization and bringing together activities from the various branches gives better performance than if these tasks were to be conducted by one body. In his example about pin making, Smith argues that division of labor yields better results that non specialization (Smith, 2007, p. 3). This implies that division of labor is certainly an important aspect in increasing production levels in an organization. Actually, division of labor yields multiples than what would have been produced without division of labor. Combinations of the results presented from division of labor are seemingly unachievable if each person carried out the entire process alone. Borrowing from Smith’s example of pin making, it is evident that sometimes production of one person may not even yield one complete production of a pin per day. The efficiency and change brought about by division of labor is amazing. Increasing number of branches within an organization raises the chances of more production. This implies that breaking down a large organization into various stand-alone branches adds efficiency and consequently increased production. Evidently, countries that have adopted division of labor are more productive. Each person in the society has specific tasks and upon bringing the various different tasks together, the total production of the country is great. For instance, areas with huge chunks of land are used specifically for farming and the people around those areas only dwell in

Abuse of Legal & Ilegal drugs Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Abuse of Legal & Ilegal drugs - Coursework Example It is a reflection of the importance attached to the prevention of drug abuse by the authorities (Columbia Univ., New York, NY. National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. No Place To Hide: Substance Abuse in Mid-Size Cities and Rural America, 2001). This article contains the results of a drug abuse survey, which had been conducted by the Partnership for a Drug Free America. It deals with the effect that communication between parents and their children, has on the abuse of prescription drugs. It is an authoritative work on the effect of communication with one’s children, in drastically reducing addiction to drugs (Fathers need to talk more to kids about drugs 6/27/2005, Vol. 17 Issue 25, June, 2005). In order to take on the menace of teenage drug abuse, the Gallup High School in New Mexico, adopted a number of novel and innovative measures. Some of these are imparting knowledge of the problems resulting from abuse and the explicit and implicit effects of such abuse. A number of contributing factors like peer pressure, domestic environment and addiction were considered. The author, as the substance counselor of that school, has thoroughly studied the problem and has adopted an addict centered approach to the problem (Mulroy, 2007). Office of National Drug Control Policy, Washington, DC. (February, 2007). Teens and Prescription Drugs: An Analysis of Recent Trends on the Emerging Drug Threat. 1. Retrieved February 7, 2008, from ECSCO HOST Research Databases. (Document ID: ED495769). There is a proclivity, amongst teenagers, towards prescription drugs, in order to become euphoric. The use of prescription drugs is second to only that of the use of marijuana. Their use is enhanced by the common fallacy that they can be imbibed safely. OxyContin and Vicodin are the favorites of the teenage drug addict. Moreover, girls abuse prescription drugs more than boys. The