Tower of london Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Tower of london - Essay Example It has also served as a historic landmark in England because it was the venue of the execution of three of the past queens of the land. The Tower Bridge is a symbol of technological and economic superiority of the English civilization, besides being a historical landmark. The Tower Bridge stands strong today, and it is expected to continue being a symbolic structure in London. This paper reviews the technological and economic significance of the Tower Bridge of London. The technology used to develop the Tower Bridge of London surpasses many in the 19th Century. The Tower Bridge was constructed to ease traffic across the Thames because London was crowding owing to population increase. Unlike other constructions, the authorities in London took more than eight years to design the structure. Their goal was not only to develop a bridge that would solve the issues of traffic in crossing the Thames, but a structure that would stand the test of time. They wanted to develop a bridge that would be used for centuries. Horace Jones and John Wolfe Barry were the contracted architects for the bridge, and they completed the design in 1894. The framework of the Tower Bridge of London was made of 11,000 tons of steel. The bridge is 265 meters long, and it was designed in a Victorian gothic architecture. One of the most intriguing aspects of the Tower Bridge of London is the movable bridge. The bridge splits into two and is raised mechanically to accommodate the pa ssage of large boats heading to the harbor. The bridge was contracted very close to the harbor, and this brought the challenge of building it too high to accommodate the boats, but the designers came up with the moveable bridge technology. The technology remains viable to date because larger vessels have been developed and they cruise through the moveable bridge very safely. The movable bridge was initially powered by steam power. The steam was used to create sufficient pressure to pump

Communication In Nursing

Communication In Nursing To listen to another person is the most caring act of all. Listening and attending are by far the most important aspects of being a nurse (Burnard 1992). One of the basic elements of nursing is good communication skills with patients. Being unable to communicate well with a patient immediately can destroy the nurse/patient relationship and therefore the patient may not trust the nurse (Anon 2007). The purpose of this essay is to discuss the importance of communication in nursing. Without communication nurses would be unable to provide the correct care, but improving communication is a life-long developmental process (Ewles and Simnett 2005). I will draw upon my personal experience from the clinical area to show how well the theory relates to the practical side of nursing and use the process recording sheet for structure and guidance (Appendix i). In accordance with The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) Code of Conduct, nurses must respect peoples right to confidentiality. Therefore for the purpose of this essay I have used a pseudonym and the patient discussed is referred to as Carol Brown and any personal or identifiable information has also been altered so as to protect her privacy and dignity which are also enshrined in the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) Code of Conduct. I asked Carol for explicit permission to use our interpersonal relationship in my communications essay and advised her of my obligations on my professional conduct to which I am bound by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008), regarding professional, moral and safe practice. Carol was in agreement to be involved with my assignment and on no account was her physical care at risk during this interaction. I was nearing the end of my placement in a general medical ward within a large general hospital. The ward treat a variety of medical complaints including diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, stroke and alcohol liver disease. A young 36 year old female was admitted to the ward, now known as Carol Brown with an increased weight loss due to non-intentional self-neglect probably caused by her chronic condition although could be deep rooted to family relationships (Day and Leahy-Warren 2008). Carol was awaiting heart surgery, replacement hips and replacement knees at major surgical hospital in another area of the country. Her health status was poor as she suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and had a congenital heart defect. Carol was in need of pain management, and although it was currently being managed with a variety of powerful painkillers, these proved to have little relief. Carol spent the majority of time in bed due to her severe pain, and due to this she cried out a lo t. I thought that communication would be difficult with Carol as she was mostly in pain but I also believed that she would like someone to talk to but that person would need to be a good listener. It is important to remember that nurses have the duty to provide care holistically, for the whole person, not just for their physical needs but their mental and social needs too (Kenworthy et al. 2002). Carol liked to be washed in her bed every morning as movement for her was difficult. The bay that she was in was busy with little privacy and only the curtains for seclusion. I went into assist her to wash one morning and because of her psoriasis she needed special creams applied routinely. She spoke quietly about her illness and explained her difficulties to me. Her head was bowed and she had difficulty in making eye contact. She talked slowly and quietly and sometimes mumbled, she also appeared quite melancholy at times. Talking about her family, her illness and when she was younger made her sad and she was crying. I think this was cathartic for Carol and it could be that feelings beneath the surface may need uncovered in more detail to enable her to release her emotions (Bulman and Schutz 2008). I felt that Carols ability to communicate was linked to how she felt about herself. She was inclined to judge herself too severely and underestimated her abilities. This self-blame reflect ed her ability to communicate (Ewles and Simnett 2005). She was in so much pain, her head was bowed and she could not make eye contact. I was leaning in close to her bedside, touch was not good, her body was too sore. I tried to show empathy towards Carol by giving her time to talk, being patient and listening to her. This was an example of Egans (2007) Soler theory which is a non-verbal listening method that is used commonly in communication. Was she crying because she was in so much pain or was it because she was recalling happy memories from before she fell ill? I was keen in developing the therapeutic relationship. According to Arnold and Undermann-Boggs (2003), empathy is the ability to be sensitive to and communicate understanding of the patients feelings. Being compassionate is similar to being empathetic in a way that it is important to recognise that Carols feelings belong to her and not to me. I was interested in Carols illness, to learn more about her condition and hear about her difficulties. Getting to know your patient helps to promote dignified care (Nicholson et al. 2010). She was very independent and wanted to do as much as she could by herself. Help was minimal and she only asked when she was struggling to re-position her feet. I used active listening to allow to her speak without interrupting. Active listening is not only the act of hearing but of being able to interpretate any underlying meaning (Arnold and Undermann-Boggs (2003). I paid close attention to her facial expressions and body language and Argyle (1988 p.57) suggests facial expressions provide a running commentary on emotional states. I asked Carol open questions about her illness as I thought this would allow me to encourage her to talk and she responded to this well. Open ended questions are used to elicit the clients thoughts and perspectives without influencing the direction of an acceptable respon se (Arnold and Undermann-Boggs 2003 p.241). It also allowed Carol to describe her experiences, feelings and understandings and I felt this approach was appropriate. I wanted to try and distract her from her pain as I found it difficult to see her being so unhappy, so I commented on some magazines that were lying on her table and asked her about her taste in music. This was a good subject, her eyes lit up and she smiled. We finally made eye contact. Carol and myself were exchanging verbal and non-verbal communication in order to understand each others feelings. According to Kozier (2008) non-verbal communication can include the use of silence, facial expressions, touch and body posture. Carol was keen to talk about her taste in music and became very chatty, in fact, she became somewhat excited. I put some cds on for her to listen to and as I did this she asked me questions about my taste in music. There was now no barriers to our communication as we both shared the same taste in music. When the music was playing Carol was in a different world, she was more relaxed. Research has shown that the pain and tension of illnesses such as arthritis can be eased with music therapy (Murcott 2006). I took her hand and held it gently, her eyes were closed, she was smiling and she appeared more content. By holding her hand, I felt as though I was comforting and reassuring her. Touch is a form of non-verbal communication and can be a powerful way of communicating (le May 2004). This was an indication that I really did care and that I wanted to help her. Using touch skilfully and thoughtfully can convey that you are able to be with your patient (Benner 2001 p.57). Communication can be therapeutic and the music playing was not a barrier in communications, it was in fact beneficial. Music has the power to tap into our emotions and alleviate tension (Mallon 2000). Therefore, it is argued that effective communication is more than delivering high quality patient-centred care; but it also allows patients to feel involved in their care, which can make a significant difference to their outlook on their treatment (Collins 2009). Reflecting back I realised that I was really quite worried about the communication difficulties I was facing during my interaction. Carol was a very obstinate person who knew exactly what she needed and yet she desperately wanted to be as independent as possible. I wanted her to allow me in and for her to be comfortable with me. I am glad I eventually gained her trust and we both became more relaxed. Trust is an important element in the nurse/patient relationship and can in fact affect the patient care in practice (Bell and Duffy 2009). In fact, the impact that this interaction had on our relationship was that as the days went on we became very good friends and she was very special to me. Sully and Dallas (2005), suggests that to have an empathetic understanding of our patients needs we must recognise their need for comfort and we respond to this compassionately. It was important to be non-judgemental, I accepted Carol for who she was no matter what her circumstances were and my main concern was to care for her in a professional and beneficial way and in a manner that she preferred. The Royal College of Nursing (2003) suggests that the personal qualities of a nurse should include compassion, respect and a non-judgemental approach. Putting the interaction into perspective, I originally found Carol very demanding, always calling out and constantly pressing the call buzzer. Some staff were very reluctant to go to her because her personal care was very time consuming. It was time consuming but it was because she was in a lot of pain. Surely this was a barrier to communication as some staff did not take the time to listen to what Carol required and as health promoters, we need to develop skills of effective listening so that we can help people to talk and express their needs and feelings (Ewles and Simnett 2005). Rogers (2004) used the term unconditional positive regard, this meaning that people can be too judgemental and it is important to disregard how much of a b urden someone thinks a patient with complex needs might be and treat everyone equally. From recording and analysing my interactions I have learned to accept people for who they are as each of us have had different experiences throughout life and these experiences make us who we are. It was also important to acknowledge Carols point of view, her emotions and thoughts without judgement as being aware of these helped to appreciate her perspective and needs (Silverman et al. 2005). I have also learned to be a good listener and an active listener. Ewles and Simnett (2005) suggest that this means taking note of the non-verbal communication as well as the spoken words. It is important to maintain eye contact, observe the body language, listen properly and pick up on non-verbal signs as well as verbal signs. The environment is important too, along with being sensitive, honest and compassionate (Anon 2007). Collins (2007) argues that judgemental attitudes can stand in the way of getting to know your patient and that labels attached to individuals such as demented can act as a l anguage barrier. Effective nursing requires us to be assertive, responsible and to help our patients achieve the best possible health status (Balzer Riley 2008). In conclusion, the key points that have been discussed in this essay are that of the importance of communicating in nursing and how nurses can improve their communication skills and maintain their effectiveness. We must provide holistic care for our patients and the goal is to listen to the whole person and provide them with empathetic understanding. Another key point is that we must be non judgemental no matter what the patients circumstances are. Overall communication during this interaction was positive, therapeutic and helped to build a relationship. This essay has shown how personal experience from the clinical area relates the theory to the practical side of nursing and how it is imperative that communication is clear, understandable, appropriate and effective. 2059 words References ANON., 2007. Communication skills (essence of care benchmark). Nursing Times. http://www.nursingtimes.net/whats-new-in-nursing/communication-skills-essence-of-care-benchmark/361127.article (Accessed on 21.07.10). ARNOLD, E., and UNDERMANN-BOGGS, K., 2003. Interpersonal relationships: professional communication skills for nurses. 4th ed. Missouri: Saunders. BELL, E., and DUFFY, A., 2009. A concept analysis of nurse-patient trust. British Journal of Nursing. 18(1), pp. 46-51. BENNER, P., 2001. From novice to expert: excellence and power in clinical nursing practice. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. BLAZER-RILEY, J., 2008. Communication in nursing. 6th ed. Missouri: Elsevier. BULMAN, C., and SCHUTZ, S., 2008. Reflective practice in nursing. 4th ed. Sussex: Blackwell. BURNARD, P., 1992. Counselling: a guide to practice in nursing. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. COLLINS, S., 2009. Good communication helps to build a therapeutic relationship. Nursing Times. 105(24), pp.11-12. DAY, M.R., LEAHY-WARREN, P., (2008). Self-neglect 1: recognising features and risk factors. Nursing Times. 104(24), pp.26-27. EGAN, G., 2007. The skilled helper: a problem management and opportunity development approach to helping. 8th ed. California:Thomson. EWLES, L., and SIMNETT, I., 2005. Promoting health: a practical guide. 5th ed. Edinburgh: Bailliere Tindall. KENWORTHY, N., et al., 2002. Common foundation studies in nursing. 3rd ed. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. KOZIER, B., et al., 2008. Fundamentals of nursing: concepts, process and practice. Essex: Pearson Education. LE MAY, A., 2004. Building rapport through non-verbal communication. Nursing and Residental Care. 6(10), pp. 488-491. MALLON, M., 2000. Healing Sounds. The Scotsman. 12th May, p.9. MURCOTT, T., 2006. Music Therapy. The Times. 18th February, p. 17. NICHOLSON, C. et al., 2010. Everybody matters 1: how getting to know your patients helps to promote dignified care. Nursing Times. 106(20), pp. 12-14. NURSING AND MIDWIFERY COUNCIL, 2008. The NMC code of professional conduct: standards for conduct, performance and ethics. London: NMC. ROGERS, C., 2004. On becoming a person: a therapists view of psychotherapy. London: Constable. ROYAL COLLEGE OF NURSING, 2003. Defining nursing. RCN. http://www.rcn.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/78569/001998.pdf (Accessed on 29.07.10). SILVERMAN, J., et al., 2005. Skills for communicating with patients. 2nd ed. Oxon: Radcliffe publishing. SULLY, P., and DALLAS, J., 2005. Essential communication skills for nursing. Edinburgh: Elsevier. Communication in nursing Communication in nursing To listen to another person is the most caring act of all. Listening and attending are by far the most important aspect of being a nurse (Burnard 1992). One of the basics of good nursing is good communication skills with patients. Being unable to communicate well with a patient immediately can destroy the nurse/patient relationship and therefore the patient may not trust the nurse (Anon 2007). The purpose of this essay is the realise the importance of communication in nursing. Without communication nurses would be unable to provide the correct care, but improving communication is a life-long developmental process (Ewles and Simnett 2005). I will draw on my personal experience from the clinical area to show how well the theory relates to the practical side of nursing and use the process recording sheet for structure and guidance. In accordance with The Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) Code of Conduct, nurses must respect peoples right to confidentiality. Therefore for the purpose of this essay the patient discussed is referred to as Miss C., and any personal or identifiable information has also been altered so as to protect her privacy and dignity which are also enshrined in the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008) Code of Conduct.. I asked Miss C. for explicit permission to use our interpersonal relationship in my communications essay and advised her of my obligations on my professional conduct to which I am bound by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (2008), regarding professional, moral and safe practice. Miss C., was in agreement to be involved with my assignment and on no account was her physical care at risk during this interaction. I was nearing the end of my placement in a general medical ward within a large general hospital. The ward had a variety of medical complaints including diabetes, gastrointestinal disorders, stroke and alcohol liver disease. A young 21 year old female was admitted to the ward, now known as Miss C., with an increased weight loss and she was in need of pain management. Miss C., was awaiting heart surgery, replacement hips and replacement knees at major surgical hospital in another area of the country. Her health status was poor as she suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and had a congenital heart defect. Miss Cs., pain was managed with oramorph, ketamine and fentanyl patches, but these proved to have little relief. Miss C., spent the majority of time in bed due to her severe pain, and due to this she cried out a lot. Her head was bowed and she had difficulty in making eye contact. She talked slowly and quietly and sometimes mumbled, she was also a very sad person. I thought t hat communication would be difficult with Miss C., as she was mostly in pain but I also believed that she would like someone to talk to but that person would need to be a good listener. It is important to remember that nurses have the duty to provide care holistically, for the whole person, not just for their physical needs but their mental and social needs too (Kenworthy et al. 2002). Miss C., liked to be washed in her bed every morning as movement for her was difficult. The bay that she was in was busy with little privacy only the curtains for seclusion. I went into wash her one morning and because of her psoriasis she needed special creams applied religiously. She spoke quietly about her illness and explained her difficulties to me. Talking about her family, her illness and when she was younger made her sad and she was crying. I felt that Miss Cs ability to communicate was linked to how she felt about herself. She was over-critical about herself and underestimated her abilities. This lack of self-confidence reflected her ability to communicate (Ewles and Simnett 2005). She was in so much pain, her head was bowed and she could not make eye contact. I was leaning in close to her bedside, touch was not good, her body was too sore. I tried to show empathy towards Miss C., by giving her time to talk, being patient and listening to her. Was she crying because she was in so much pain or was it because she was recalling happy memories from before she fell ill? I was desperately trying to understand how she may be feeling. According to Arnold and Boggs (2003), empathy is the ability to be sensitive to and communicate understanding of the patients feelings. Being compassionate is similar to being empathetic in a way that it is important to recognise that Miss Cs feelings belong to her and not to me. I was interested in Miss Cs illness, to learn more about her condition and hear about her difficulties. She was very independent and wanted to do as much as she could by herself. Help was minimal and she only asked when she was struggling to re-position her feet. I used active listening to allow to her speak without interrupting but I paid close attention to her facial expressions and body language. Argyle (see Kenworthy et al. 2002) suggests facial expressions provide a running commentary on emotional states. I asked Miss C. open questions about her illness as I thought this would allow me to encourage her to talk. It also allowed Miss C to describe her experiences, feelings and understandings. Open ended questions are used to elicit the client s thoughts and perspectives without influencing the direction of an acceptable response (Arnold and Boggs 2003 p.241). I wanted to try and take her mind off her pain as it was upsetting to see her being so unhappy, so I commented on some magazines that were lying on her table and asked her about her taste in music. This was a good subject, her eyes lit up and she smiled. We finally made eye contact. Using the semiotic school of thought, Miss C and myself were exchanging verbal and non-verbal communication in order to understand each others feelings. According to Kozier (2008) non-verbal communication can include the use of silence, facial expressions, touch and body posture. Miss C was keen to talk about her taste in music and became very chatty, in fact, she became sort of excited. I put some cds on for her to listen to and as I did this she asked me questions about my taste in music. There was now no barriers to our communication as we both shared the same taste in music. When the music was playing Miss C was in a different world, she was more relaxed. I took her hand and held it gently, her eyes w ere closed, she was smiling and she appeared more content. By holding her hand, I felt as though I was comforting and reassuring her. This was an indication that I really did care and that I wanted to help her. Using touch skilfully and thoughtfully can convey that you are able to be with your patient (Benner 2001 p.57). Communication can be therapeutic and the music playing was not a barrier in communications, it was in fact beneficial. Therefore, it is argued that effective communication is more than delivering high quality patient-centred care; but it also allows patients to feel involved in their care, which can make a significant difference to their outlook on their treatment (Collins 2009). Reflecting back I realised that I was really quite worried about the communication difficulties I was facing during my interaction. Miss C., was a very strong willed person who knew exactly what she needed and yet she desperately wanted to be as independent as possible. I wanted her to allow me in and for her to be comfortable with me. I am glad I eventually gained her trust and we both became more relaxed. In fact, the impact that this interaction had on our relationship was that as the days went on we became very good friends and she was very special to me. Sully and Dallas (2005), suggests that to have an empathetic understanding of our patients needs we must recognise their need for comfort and we respond to this compassionately. It was important to be non-judgemental, I accepted Miss C., for who she was no matter what her circumstances were and my main concern was to care for her in a professional and beneficial way and in a manner that she preferred. Putting the interaction int o perspective, I originally found Miss C very demanding, always calling out and constantly pressing the call buzzer. Some staff were very reluctant to go to her because her personal care was very time consuming. It was time consuming but it was because she was in a lot of pain. Surely this was a barrier to communication as some staff did not take the time to listen to what Miss C required and as health promoters, we need to develop skills of effective listening so that we can help people to talk and express their needs and feelings (Ewles and Simnett 2005). From recording and analysing my interactions I have learned to accept people for who they are as each of us have had different experiences throughout life and these experiences make us who we are. It was also important to acknowledge Miss Cs point of view, her emotions and thoughts without judgement as being aware of these helped to appreciate her perspective and needs (Silverman et al. 2005). I have also learned to be a good listener and an active listener. Ewles and Simnett (2005) suggest that this means taking note of the non-verbal communication as well as the spoken words. It is important to maintain eye contact, observe the body language, listen properly and pick up on non-verbal signs as well as verbal signs. The environment is important too, along with being sensitive, honest and compassionate (Anon 2007). Collins (2007) argues that judgemental attitudes can stand in the way of getting to know your patient and that labels attached to individuals such as demented can act as a language barrier. Effective nursing requires us to be assertive, responsible and to help our patients achieve the best possible health status (Balzer Riley 2008). In conclusion, the key points that have been discussed in this essay are that of the importance of communicating in nursing and how nurses can improve their communication skills and maintain their effectiveness. We must provide holistic care for our patients and the goal is to listen to the whole person and provide them with empathetic understanding. Another key point is that we must be non judgemental no matter what the patients circumstances are. Overall communication during this interaction was positive, therapeutic and helped to build a relationship. This essay has shown how personal experience from the clinical area relates the theory to the practical side of nursing and how it is imperative that communication is clear, understandable, appropriate and effective. 1819 words

Adolf Hitler :: essays research papers

Adolf Hitler was a German political and government leader. And he is one of the 20th century’s most powerful dictators, when he ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945.He turned Germany into a powerful war machine and provoked World War II in 1939,when he invaded Poland. He built the Nazi party into a mass movement. For sometime he dominated most of Europe and North Africa. He caused the slaughter of millions of Jews and others whom he considered inferior. Adolf Hitler was born on April 20,1889 in Branau am Inn, Austria. Adolf’s father, Alois Hitler was a minor customs official. He died in 1903.Adolf’s mother, Klara Hitler was a peasant girl. She died in 1907.Hitler did not do well in school and he dropped out of high school. He was eager to become an artist, so he applied to the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna in 1907 and 1908 but he was rejected both times. During his spare time he read alot, developing anti-Jewish and antidemocratic views. When World War I started Hitler was rejected by the Austrian Army, but accepted by the German Army. He served as a messenger on the Western Front for most of the war, taking part in some of the bloodiest battles. He was wounded and received the Iron Cross for bravery. But he was never promoted higher than lance corporal. But after the war he found himself unable to find a job. After Germany’s defeat in 1918 he returned to Munich, remaining in the army until 1920.In September 1919 he joined the nationalist German Workers’ Party. In April 1920 he went to work full time for the party, now renamed the National Socialist German Workers’ Party or the Nazi party. In 1921 he was elected party chairman with dictatorial powers. He now became known as Der Fuhrer. The Nazis aim was to organize all Germans into one nation. And to rid the Jews of German citizenship and eliminate them completely. He organized meetings with his personal bodyguard force, the Storm Troopers. In November 1923,at a time of political and economic chaos, he led an uprising or Putsch in Munich against the postwar Weimar Republic, the German government. This was known as the Beer Hall Putsch. However the Putsch collapsed. Hitler was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison. He only spent nine months in prison. During this time he spent writing his autobiography, Mein Kampf which means My Struggle. In it was a plan to conquer Europe and much of the world. The failure of the Beer Hall Putsch taught Hitler that the Nazi Party must use legal means to assume power. Adolf Hitler :: essays research papers Adolf Hitler was a German political and government leader. And he is one of the 20th century’s most powerful dictators, when he ruled Germany from 1933 to 1945.He turned Germany into a powerful war machine and provoked World War II in 1939,when he invaded Poland. He built the Nazi party into a mass movement. For sometime he dominated most of Europe and North Africa. He caused the slaughter of millions of Jews and others whom he considered inferior. Adolf Hitler was born on April 20,1889 in Branau am Inn, Austria. Adolf’s father, Alois Hitler was a minor customs official. He died in 1903.Adolf’s mother, Klara Hitler was a peasant girl. She died in 1907.Hitler did not do well in school and he dropped out of high school. He was eager to become an artist, so he applied to the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna in 1907 and 1908 but he was rejected both times. During his spare time he read alot, developing anti-Jewish and antidemocratic views. When World War I started Hitler was rejected by the Austrian Army, but accepted by the German Army. He served as a messenger on the Western Front for most of the war, taking part in some of the bloodiest battles. He was wounded and received the Iron Cross for bravery. But he was never promoted higher than lance corporal. But after the war he found himself unable to find a job. After Germany’s defeat in 1918 he returned to Munich, remaining in the army until 1920.In September 1919 he joined the nationalist German Workers’ Party. In April 1920 he went to work full time for the party, now renamed the National Socialist German Workers’ Party or the Nazi party. In 1921 he was elected party chairman with dictatorial powers. He now became known as Der Fuhrer. The Nazis aim was to organize all Germans into one nation. And to rid the Jews of German citizenship and eliminate them completely. He organized meetings with his personal bodyguard force, the Storm Troopers. In November 1923,at a time of political and economic chaos, he led an uprising or Putsch in Munich against the postwar Weimar Republic, the German government. This was known as the Beer Hall Putsch. However the Putsch collapsed. Hitler was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison. He only spent nine months in prison. During this time he spent writing his autobiography, Mein Kampf which means My Struggle. In it was a plan to conquer Europe and much of the world. The failure of the Beer Hall Putsch taught Hitler that the Nazi Party must use legal means to assume power.

Berkeley, California and Terre Haute, Indiana:

Water is a very important resource to all living creatures on earth. It plays a very special role in the world’s climate cycle (The World Weather Project 2010, 1997). As such, studying the water cycle and researching how to keep it sustainable and always available is very essential in every society. For instance, it is relevant to know how the behavior of water cycle in certain location in order to grow crops and plants more efficiently.Water balance is the study which deals with the water cycles. Every place has a different water balance level, and as such, it is calculated differently for every location since soil composition, climate and sources of water is different in every location. Water balance has many components including precipitation, potential and actual precipitation, soil water storage, deficit and surplus (Ritter, 2006).These values are computed to create a water budget for a certain location. This paper considers the comparison of two locations for the underst anding the difference of water budget between the two places. For the purpose of this paper, hypothetical data had been provided for the two locations. These locations are Berkeley, California and Terre Haute, Indiana.

One Laptop Per Child Essay

1. Why are Microsoft, Intel, and other leading for profit companies interested in low-cost computers for the developing world? In 2005, Nicholas Negroponte, the founder of MIT’s Media Labs, announced the One Laptop per Child (OLPC) program at the World Economic Forum. The concept was simple and appealing. Innovate a $100 laptop and distribute it to children in the developing world’s governments. The vision was for bridging the digital divide between developed and developing nations. The OLPC was a nonprofit project for the developing nation’s school going students’ for their better education. The OLPC created buzz from its first day of announcement for its low cost and its non profit initiative for developing country’s children. Though the company like Microsoft and Intel is leading profit for organization they interested in OLPC project. Because the project was for the developing countries school going student who don’t have enough opportunity to learn like developed county’s children and don’t have ability to afford the technology device for higher price. So as the leading organization Microsoft and Intel have the social responsibility for the developing country’s children and they also see the opportunity to do social welfare with establishing branding in people minds. On the other hand the OLPC was started with their rivalry organization like Linux and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). So if the OLPC project succeeds the organization like Linux and AMD can create threat for their leading monopoly business. So from their social responsibility point of view and for the marketing of their own brand names into people minds they interested in low cost computes for the developing world. 2. Do you agree with Negroponte’s decision to partner with Microsoft? Yes I do agree with the Negroponte’s Partnership decision with company like Microsoft which is very much trusted and reliable name in this computer sector for their operating system and software. The OLPC project was an ambitious vision for Negroponte to educate the developing world’s school going children by providing low cost laptop computer. As he announced the lap top will be low cost and price will be the $ 100 dollar for each so he uses the Linux operating system which is non-proprietary and available for free to anyone who wants to use. But it didn’t work, In 2008 OLPC faced disappointing sales because the country’s like Libya and Nigeria who pledges to buy about one million for each country’s people both backed off those pledges and the cost increase $180 to $190 range. So the brand name like Linux was not reliable for the mass population of the world and they felt insecure with that operating system. On the other hand some potential buyers worried about the lack of Microsoft’s windows operating system. So as the OLPC didn’t succeed the way it was estimated so Negroponte needed to collaborate with the Microsoft to increase its sales and add more customer satisfaction by the Microsoft brand name. 3. Assess the thinking behind the â€Å"give one, get one† promotion. Do you think this is a good marketing tactic? In November 2007, in an effort to increase production, OLPC announced the promotion of† Give One, Get One†. The OLPC team started this promotion to grab the market attention of their nonprofit ambitious project. Because prior to the initiative’s launch, the OLPC had been a fascinating demonstration of hardware and software ingenuity, but actual unit sales and donations had been far smaller than originally predicted. The G1G1 program was designed to change that, offering individual consumers the chance to buy two laptops for $399. Though the tactic of â€Å"Give One, Get One† is aggressive marketing strategies in order to gain market share and capitalize on its competitive strengths. Though the aggressive marketing tactic like Give one, Get One always not good for the all types of products. But the OLPC project had strong competent like Intel Classmate. So to grab the attention of mass people and gain maximum market share and achieve the goal of developing country’s poor children education this marketing tactic was good for the project. Because OLPC announced two weeks give one get one promotion first but for its huge response to the markets they increased their promotional offer time.

The South Pole Expedition essays

The South Pole Expedition essays Almost one hundred years ago Ernest Shackelton was determined to do what no man had ever done before. He was in search of the South Pole, a place others warned him would be impossible to reach. He was a man who knew how dangerous an expedition to the south pole would be. With his strong determination and dedication to reach the South Pole, he put forth his best effort. In 1903, 28 year old Ernest Shackelton was a junior officer on an Antarctic expedition led by Royal Navy commander Robert Falcon Scott. That was Shackeltons first attempt to reach the South Pole under someone elses command. The first trip he took nearly killed Shackelton, but he did survive and eventually made it back home to England. Despite his ordeal, Shackelton was permanently hooked on the mysterious allure of the southern ice, and he immediately began the process of raising funds for his own Antarctic expedition, with the unabashed goal of being the first man to reach the South Pole. He had to go back, to prove to a skeptical world that he had what it takes. At the time, attempting the South Pole was like saying you wanted to go to the moon. No one had gotten closer than 532 miles, so no one knew what kind of terrain to expect. Shackelton meant to beat his old commander, and be the first to find out. He was looking for redemption, driven by the simple but overwhel ming desire to reestablish his manhood, to show that Scott should not have sent him home. And to achieve these goals Shackelton was prepared to put up with anything, even the prospect of death itself. Belying its official-sounding name, Shackeltons British Antarctic Expedition was a bare-bones affair, under the aegis of neither the government nor the Royal Navy. Shackelton raised his own funds. Shackelton consulted Norwegian Fridtjof Nansen, the sage of polar travel, taking Nansens advice about clothing, food, cooking equipm ...

ACT Advice Top 5 Tips on Preparing for the Test

ACT Advice Top 5 Tips on Preparing for the Test SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re looking for a concise, effective list of the bestACT advice, you’ve found it. Sometimes too much information can do more harm than good - in this post, I’ll lay out the five most importantthings you should do in order to do well on the ACT. Let's get to it! Tip #1:Figure Out Your Pain Points If you're gearing up to study for (and take) the ACT, you'll want to focus onimproving your weakest skills. So what are the biggest, most common problem areas that students have when preparing for the exam? 1. Content The ACT isn't a one-subject test - in order to do well, you'll have to prepare for the English, Math, Reading, and Science sections (not to mention the optional Writing section). If you're weak in a particular subject area in school, for example, you may see a weaker performance in the corresponding ACT section. 2. Timing The ACT isdivided into strictly timed sections, meaning you have less time to both complete questions and check your work. You may know everything you need to know, but still have issues with completing sections within the allottedtime limit. 3. Strategy Many standardized tests (the ACT included) list confusing or even misleading questions and/or answer choices. You may lose points (even if you know the relevant material) on tricky questions like this. To do well on the ACT, you'll, of course, need to think aboutall three major problem areas. You'll want to spend time thinking critically, though, about which of these areas are your major "pain points" - areas that are leading to the greatest loss of points. The best way to do this is to workthrough official ACT practicematerial. Once you've gone through a few practice sections (or, ideally, a whole ACT practice test) under realistic timing conditions, you can get a better idea of where you should focus your efforts. Get started by checking out our guide to reflecting on your ACT practice tests. Tip #2:Make a Study Plan Once you figure out what you need to practice most, your next step should be to lay out a time-sensitive and weakness-sensitive study plan. What I mean by this is you should set a study schedule based on 1) the amount of time you have to prepare for the ACT, and 2) your test content and strategy weaknesses. The amount of time you need to study depends on how much you want to improve from your baseline score. Here are some general guidelines for the amount of time you should prep depending on thesegoals: 0-1 Composite Score Improvement: 10 hours 1-2 Composite Score Improvement: 20 hours 2-4 Composite Score Improvement: 40 hours 4-6 Composite Score Improvement: 80 hours 6-9 Composite Score Improvement: 150+ hours Some students canfollow through on a plan with just independent study, whereas other students fare better with help from a tutoror an ACT prep course. If you’d like some more information on coming up with a study plan, check out our posts on how long you should study for the ACT and putting together a sample study schedule. Tip #3: Learn From Your Mistakes The most important part of studying effectively is critically analyzing how, why, and when you mess up. It’s also perhaps the least fun part of prepping for the ACT. Just keep in mind that if you’re not thinking about the problems, concepts, and strategies that you’re weak in, you’re missing out on valuable opportunities to improve your score. Mistakes and errors are only "bad" if you don't use them to improve. The big categories of errors and mistakes include: Careless errors - you should have known the right answer Content issues - you didn't have the information needed to answer the question Comprehension issues - you couldn't figure out what the question was asking Errors due to timing - these usually happen at the end of a section There are some simple, but important steps you should follow if you want to learn from your mistakes on ACT practice tests. Lucky for you, we have an awesome comprehensive guide on these strategies. You can also check out more detailed information on reflecting on ACT practice tests, ACT English, and ACT strategy mistakes. Tip #4: Work Efficiently You have to work efficiently if you want to do well on the ACT - this tip applies both when you’re studying for the test and when you’re actually taking the test. The bottom line is that if you’re not using your time wisely, you’re wasting time. To work efficiently as you study, it’s important that you do a few things: Stick to your study plan (Tip #2). It helps to set reasonable study goals, so you don't get distracted or side-tracked. Use the right study materials - don’t prepare with practice materials that won’t serve you well on the actual test. Focus on your pain points(Tip #1)first! To work effectively as you take the test,know that you'll be most effective if you've practiced developing time management skills through your prep. If you still need help with timing, though, you should read more about: How to stop running out of time on ACT reading How to stop running out of time on ACT math Time management for ACT science General ACT time management Tip #5:Take Care of Yourself Physically Mentally All of the previous ACT advicewon’t serve you well at all on test day if you’re stressed, hungry, or tired. No matter how much you may want to cram for the ACT the entire night before, keep in mind that your health and wellness is super important when it comes to your test performance. The ACT is a marathon, not a sprint, so prepare yourself the night before for a mental workout. This means getting a good night’s rest and a healthy breakfast (your brain needs fuel, you know)! There are even more things you can do to take care of yourself the night before and the morning of the ACT - following those strategies will help you optimize your score. Wrapping Up In short, here are the five most important things you should do to prepare for the ACT: Figure out your pain points Make a study plan Learn from your mistakes Work efficiently Take care of yourself physically mentally There's a lot more detail to get into when it comes to prepping for the test, but if you follow this ACT advice, you'll be on the right track. What's Next? Next comes the work of actually studying for the ACT! As it's best to focus first on your weaknesses, you may want to read up on the three core areas of ACT prep: content, timing, and strategy.Check out our guides to ACT reading, math, science, and writing. Read more about how to beat the clock when you're taking the test. Finally, read up on 12 last-minute strategies that will boost your score. Want to improve your ACT score by 4 points? Check out our best-in-class online ACT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your ACT score by 4 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes your prep program to your strengths and weaknesses. We also have expert instructors who can grade every one of your practice ACT essays, giving feedback on how to improve your score. Check out our 5-day free trial:

Whats the Deal with Improving Sentences and the Essay SAT Writing Guide and Advice

What's the Deal with Improving Sentences and the Essay SAT Writing Guide and Advice SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Have you ever wondered what the SAT is looking for when they ask questions that are confusing? Look no further! In this post, we reveal the goals of the SAT Essay and IdentifyingSentence Errors question types. What’s the Deal with The Essay? This one’s simple: writing requires a multitude of subtle skills, from logic to word choice. But the SAT can’t score them all, so it chose a few: organization, evidence, vocabulary, thesis, sentence structure, and grammar. That leaves out factual accuracy, creativity, and a number of other subtle factors that make writing good or not-so-good. Thus, the SAT Essay is a beast unto itself, because those left-out aspects of writing actually turn out to be kind of important. See, they’re not trying to find out if you’re a good writer;they’re trying to find out if you’re a competent writer, which means you can write on a specific topic with no preparation in a somewhat organized fashion. This means that things like vocabulary and complex sentence structure only get you points if you use them appropriately.For example, many students’ essays substitute the word â€Å"lucid† for â€Å"clear,† when â€Å"clear† can actually mean many more things than â€Å"lucid† can: â€Å"lucid† only means â€Å"easy to understand.† So when students write â€Å"it is lucid that people need good jobs,† they are misusing the word: clear can mean obvious, but lucid can’t. The takeaway here is this: the test only cares about staying on topic; using good, concrete examples; and organizing your thoughts in a logical way. Everything else is too much work for their graders to assess in one or two minutes, so they ignore all of it. This â€Å"everything else,† notably, includes the accuracy of facts: as one recent New York Times article explains, â€Å"you can tell them the war of 1812 started in 1945,† and it won’t hurt your score one bit. What’s the Deal with IdentifyingSentence Errors? These questions in the Writing section give you a sentence with four underlined parts and a â€Å"No error† option. Then they ask which underlined portion of the sentence contains an error, like so: The Florida sunset being(A) best viewed from(B) the West Coast on a clear day(C)in the summer(D). No error. (E) Again, the College Board has come up with a relatively clumsy waytotest writing skills without carefully reading millions of essays. Because they have specific errors they wantto test, and it’s sometimes hard to do that in a realistic way,IdentifyingSentence Errors questionsoftenlook like something nobody would ever write. In the example above, they’re trying to test verb forms (‘being’ should say ‘is’). This is a common high schoolers’ error, and someone in high school might make it in a sentence like this: The main problem with swimming being that I can’t text while I’m doing it. But that error would be too easy, so theyinclude other things that students think are errors (but are actually correct), and end up with weirdsentences about Florida. This is where SAT prep can come in handy: it helps you apply strategies like the one I’m about to explain. Here’s the key: don’t look at these like normal sentences; look at them like word equations, in which each underlined portion must be isolated and deciphered. The Florida sunset being(A) best viewed from(B) the West Coast on a clear day(C)in the summer(D). No error. (E) (A): This word is a verb: does it agree with its subject? Yes. Does it work as the only verb in the sentence? No. Mark it as a possible error until you’ve looked at all the choices. [B]: Is this the right word to use here? Can a sunset be â€Å"viewed from† somewhere? Yes it can. Moving on. [C] Does this makes sense? Are all the words correct, and do they fit together correctly? Yes they do. [D] Is this the right way to say during the summertime? Yes, it is. Now go back to the one(s) you think could be the answer(s). How sure are you that [A] is wrong? Since an â€Å"-ing† verb can never be the only verb in a sentence (it needs a helping verb, like â€Å"is doing† or â€Å"can be seeing†), you can be sure it’s wrong. Mark it! Other Posts You May Be Interested In: What is a good SAT score? A bad SAT score? SAT Writing Guide Part I: Improving Paragraphs: SAT Writing Guide Part III: Improving Sentences

Comparing Organization of Politics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Comparing Organization of Politics - Term Paper Example Pluralism can be defined as a kind of political theory which states that power statutorily resides with the central government, but non-governmental and independent organizations like lobbyists also exert significant influence on the final decision-making outcomes. Political pluralism is largely practiced in the United States where special-interest organizations hold some influence mainly on the members of Senate and House of Representatives whom they had financially helped during their campaign periods. In the same vein, hyper pluralism is a more dangerous situation whereby the special-interest 2 groups and lobbyists have become quite too powerful for the central government to handle or control. This can occur in a country where corruption is endemic and the executive arm of the government has been bought by the rich and mighty in the country. Hence, it has been discovered that both pluralism and hyper pluralism in political organization within a country also have a far-reaching eff ect on the citizen participation in the entire political processes of the country (Johnson 251). There are distinct differences in the regimes where pluralism and hyper pluralism political systems are in operation. However, the main similarity of these two forms of political organization is that citizens would be robbed of their rights to actually influence the governance of their country because the kind of politicians sent to the Congress (for example in America) are not the group of people that believe in their simple interests of the commoners, but they are there to satisfy the desires of their influential sponsors. Talking about a pluralistic regime, the central government’s control on the governance is still substantial. Take for instance, the current President of the United States, Barack Obama made the special-interest organizations and lobbyists the target of his presidential campaign, having realized that their interests in commerce and governmental affairs supersed e that of the public; and even though they are small in number, their interests appear to weigh in as burdens over that of ordinary Americans. These independent or non-government groups often use their money to campaign for Congress members of 3 their choice. They would do everything in their power to make sure that their candidates win the elections. And once these Congress members resume their legislative duties, the special-interest, non-governmental organizations rise up to demand for laws that would safeguard their business, ideology or political interests. Some of these lobbyists are multinational companies, non-government organizations, trade and commerce groups or associations. Since the special-interest organizations are responsible for dictating the kind of laws to be passed in the Congress, they inadvertently reduce the participation of the ordinary people in the governance process. This means that other citizens in the affected country are under their machinations, since the members of Congress or the legislative arm are only answerable to their demands, and not that of the ordinary people in the country (Johnson 163). As indicated above, the executive arm of the regime can still function properly, if the president is a person who thinks about the masses in the country—this means that the president is not aloof from people’s needs and relate with them on a personal level through his or her organized method of communication. Nowadays, presidents can chat with their citizens online or even receive comments on their online profiles.

Nestle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nestle - Essay Example Nestle’s Nescafe, the leading coffee brand, is drank in almost every country and the company owns scores of other household names, including confectionery such as Kit Kat, Smarties, Yorkie and Aero along with Perrier water, in the UK. Hot Pockets in the US, Baeren Marke in Germany, Mucilon in Brazil, Orion chocolate in Czechoslovakia and Slovakia and Maggi seasoning in Asia are among its well-known brand names. (Johnston) The past two years has seen Nestle’s Maggi ready-mix seasoning targeting Asian ethnic cuisine with mixes for sautees, broths and others. The new Cranberry Raisenets was launched in March last year as an addition to the Nestle Raisinets family. To take care of distribution Nestle has 406 subsidiaries and offices in 104 countries and joint ventures with Coca-Cola, General Mills, L'Oreal and Fonterra, not to include several other corporations not as large (â€Å"Nestle SA: Who, Where, How Much?†) Nestle aggressively promotes its products and is hig hly visible in energy drinks and supplements for athletes. In developing countries where it sources some of its raw materials, Nestle is highly visible in events which build up the goodwill and image it has established over the decades of doing its businesses. Nestle’s Milo in Asia has built a solid image as an energy drink indispensable in the growth of young aspiring athletes.

Scholarly paper Scholarship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Scholarly paper - Scholarship Essay Example Whether or not a law prohibiting smoking in cars containing minors could be passed in the US would ultimately depend on the law’s constitutionality under the Commerce Clause of the US constitution. The Commerce Clause allows congress â€Å"to regulate commerce with foreign nations and among the several states† and has long been an issue of political and social debate. The Supreme Court’s current standard for determining whether Congress has exceeded its commerce power can be subjective, making it difficult to predict constitutionality of proposed public health laws. However, the court has shown surprising willingness in recent cases to broaden the power of congress to regulate commerce in order to protect public health. Especially to innocent children confined to auto mobiles and who cannot protect themselves, as such a federal law prohibiting smoking in cars containing minors could be found constitutional. Furthermore, if congress were to refuse to take such a law into consideration, it could be possible for states, themselves, to regulate smoking in cars under the dormant commerce clause. This problem cannot be easily prevented by taking simple actions like opening of the car windows. This is because this action can change the direction of the air flow and as a result the smoke gets blown right back into the face of the child. What requires to be done is a law to be passed that prohibits smoking in motor vehicles. This can place stiff penalties to the offenders with the possibility that the parents can lose custody of their children if found engaging in the act. The level of exposure to secondary smoke by children is about 11% in the United States. This study was carried out among children aged below 6 years. It was also revealed that it was the parents who were the main source of exposure to their children, exposure by parents accounted for 90%. There was a new revelation in the research

Marketing plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Marketing plan - Essay Example Akin to olive oil in terms of function, tea seed oil is very effective for hair care. Not only does it strengthen hair and protect it from damage, it also provides moisture to the hair. Shiseido now intends to sell Tsubaki in Australia as it sees tremendous potential for that product in that market. Competitive Landscape in Australia Procter & Gamble Australia Pty Ltd, Unilever Australia Ltd, L'Oreal Australia Pty Ltd, Hans Schwarzkopf & Henkel GmbH & Co KG, Colgate-Palmolive Pty Ltd and Alberto-Culver Pty Ltd. In addition to these there are many other, domestic as well as international players, vying for a chunk of the shampoo market in the country. Demographic Environment The total population of Australia stood at 22 million in 2010. The gender-wise break-up of the Australian population is depicted in table below: Population (Gender Wise)    2010 2020    in '000 % in '000 % Male 10998 49.76 12591 49.86 Female 11102 50.24 12663 50.14 Total 22100 100 25254 100 Source: Euromonitor International The table shows that the male female population is almost equal and is likely to remain so by 2020. The ethnic composition of the country includes 92 percent Whites, 7 percent Asians and 1 percent Aboriginal and others (Euromonitor 2011). Thus females of Asian origin residing in Australia are approx .7 million. The Tsubaki shampoo would be targeted at this section of the society. It is imperative that the age-wise break up of the female population is considered while developing/modifying the product for the Australian market.    Female Population Age-Wise ('000) Age 2009 2010 2015 (E) 2020 (E) % Growth 0-14 2033 2052 2173 2326 13.3 15-64 7327 7415 7763 8095 9.2 65+ 1591 1635 1925 2242 37.1 Total 10951 11102 11861 12663 15.6 Source: Euromonitor International The above table clearly demonstrates that a drastic shift in Australia‘s demographic profile is imminent as a considerable chunk of the population is set to grow old in the coming future. This growth in the number of older consumers is likely to propel the demand for products that make people feel and look younger (Data Monitor 2011). The life expectancy in the country is 81.81 years for the total population. While it is 79.40 years for men, the life expectancy for the average Australian woman is 84.35 years. Economic Environment The Australian economy has registered a steady growth in the GDP in the last few years. The economy is estimated to grow by 3.7 percent this year. The inflation rate has also been below the 3 percent mark since 2010. The unemployment rate which has been steady at a shade above 5 percent is the brightest spot. Compare this to the unemployment rates in other developed countries where the joblessness has reached double digits. Key Economic Indicators    2009 2010 2011 2012 (E) GDP Growth (%) 1.3 3 3.5 3.7 Inflation 1.8 2.9 2.8 2.9 Unemployment Rate 5.6 5.3 5.2 5.1 Source: Data Monitor 2011 Australia is primarily a middle-class society. Close to 5 million, or 6 1 percent of the households in the country had an annual disposable income of more than US $45,000 in 2009. During the same time period, 36 percent of the Australian households had an annual disposable income of more than US $75,000. At the same time, more than 95 percent of the country is above the poverty line (Data Monitor 2011). The table below depicts that the average annual gross income has steadily risen across income brackets. The growth is considerably higher than

Business Economics for the World Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Economics for the World Market - Essay Example Based on this analysis the total costs of the project exceed the present value of future sales. It is true that the total costs of the project exceed the present value of future sales, but we have to consider the R&D costs were already incurred. If the company were to decide to reject the project the R&D expenses would become a sunk cost. A sunk cost can be defined as cost that has been incurred that cannot be reversed (Investopedia). If the firm decided to forfeit the project the accumulated sunk cost would lead to a project loss of $8 million. On the hand if the firm decided to invest an additional $4 million dollars the firm would end up with a final project loss of $2 million. It is better to lose $2 million than to lose $8 million. Another possibility of continuing the project is for the company to create extension products or other related product lines in the future. These products could help improve the total performance of the project in order to reach profitability. Another consideration for the company is that producing this product can help the firm improve its overall market share in the industry. The firm should have performed a better analysis of the potential returns of the project much earlier in the project life cycle. Since the firm already invested $8 in research and development the best decision is to continue with the project. I do not agree with the recommendation of canceling the project. The firm made bad decision in the past to undertake the project and invest $8 million in R&D without having a good estimate of the potential returns of the project. Right now rejecting the project at its current development stage would compound the original problem. 1b) The new information given that the marketing and overhead expenses associated with continuing the project amount to $4 million does not change my opinion about the best solution for the firm. Based on the new figures the company would lose $6 million if they continue with the project. If the firm decides to discontinue the project the overall loses for the project would be $8 million. The company should continue with the project in order to learn from their experiences. Based on the new information I would be more willing to reject the project if the financial conditions are not correct. For instances if the company does not have the $8 million dollars readily available I would recommend the company does not go out of their way to incurred in moves such as selling common stocks to finance this project. The firm should implement changes in its risk assessment protocols for new products or capital projects in order to incorporate the utilization of methods such NPV to assess the viability of a project prior to investing money in research and development initiatives. 2) The video rental store owner would have benefited a lot from having more knowledge about economic concepts. It is possible that the owner made a decision based on the law of demand and supply which sti pulates that by lowering the price of an item the volumes of sales will go up as a consequence. The error the video rental owner made is that he did not consider the implications of having a price of elasticity of -0.45. The price elasticity of demand is an economic variable that measures the responsiveness of the quantity demanded of a good or service to a change in its price (Absoluteastronomy). The price elasticity of the firm can be categorized as relative elastic since the value of -0.45 which is between cero and -1. This implies

Audit Committee Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Audit Committee - Essay Example It assists a business to achieve the aim through fetching methodical, closely controlled advance towards appraisal as well as develop efficiency of risk management, control, and governance processes. The Code of Ethics is essential as well as suitable in favour of the career of internal auditing, originated since it is resting on faith placed in its aim promise regarding governance, risk management, and control (Beattie & Fearnley, n.d.). The Codes of Ethics used by internal auditors is likely in the direction of affect as well as support the subsequent standards: These are the main objectives of ethics that are to be followed in every case for being in the area of code of ethics. Integrity Objectivity Confidentiality Competency Independence and External Part of Audit Committee The Audit Committee is answerable, used for making certain it analysis’s at least once a year the credentials, presentation and sovereignty of auditors. Also, the Audit Committee shall analysis a ceremo nial printed declaration clearing up every relation among The External Auditors as well as Parent Company as well as its subsidiary. The Audit Committee will sustain a dynamic discussion with the autonomous auditors, casing a few revealed relations or checks so as to might force their neutrality and sovereignty. The Audit Committee will evaluate every future take on by company or its subsidiary of administration point or senior persons previously working through the sovereign auditors who offered checks towards the corporation. The Audit Committee will get, or counsel The Board of Directors so as to it takes, suitable measures towards managing the sovereignty of company’s External Auditors. To have an efficient association among the Audit Committee and External Audit, here exists a system contained to assist a release as well as guileless trade of information among Committee Members as well as External Audit all the time. Audit Committee members must exist inside an arrangeme nt, talented to frankly talk about subjects of attention in a responsive way with External Auditors within several areas enclosed through the Committee’s function (Beattie & Fearnley, n.d.) External audit committee coverage The Audit Committee is supposed to be briefed on the projected External Audit reporting as well as completely believe on subsequent given terms by the company: the financial report regions of audit focus, appraisal of entity risks, as well as related fees; projected performance audit coverage; Some possible duplication among internal audit coverage. It can be predictable so as to the Audit Committee will evaluate every considerable association from External Audit about Intended Audit, Audit in development, accomplished audit, as well as widen a ranking incitement for the External Auditor to live there next to every committee summit meant for every schedule matter (by means of the omission of members-only gatherings so as to the Committee might grasp occasi onally). Present there on every summit as a witness permits the external auditor to get a improved perceptive of an organizations functions as well as dangers along with, between other belongings, allows external auditor to offer a standing information lying on Audit doings furthermore to present contribution in favor of the committee’s consideration (BPP, 2011). Question 2: Audit and

Business Economics for the World Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business Economics for the World Market - Essay Example Based on this analysis the total costs of the project exceed the present value of future sales. It is true that the total costs of the project exceed the present value of future sales, but we have to consider the R&D costs were already incurred. If the company were to decide to reject the project the R&D expenses would become a sunk cost. A sunk cost can be defined as cost that has been incurred that cannot be reversed (Investopedia). If the firm decided to forfeit the project the accumulated sunk cost would lead to a project loss of $8 million. On the hand if the firm decided to invest an additional $4 million dollars the firm would end up with a final project loss of $2 million. It is better to lose $2 million than to lose $8 million. Another possibility of continuing the project is for the company to create extension products or other related product lines in the future. These products could help improve the total performance of the project in order to reach profitability. Another consideration for the company is that producing this product can help the firm improve its overall market share in the industry. The firm should have performed a better analysis of the potential returns of the project much earlier in the project life cycle. Since the firm already invested $8 in research and development the best decision is to continue with the project. I do not agree with the recommendation of canceling the project. The firm made bad decision in the past to undertake the project and invest $8 million in R&D without having a good estimate of the potential returns of the project. Right now rejecting the project at its current development stage would compound the original problem. 1b) The new information given that the marketing and overhead expenses associated with continuing the project amount to $4 million does not change my opinion about the best solution for the firm. Based on the new figures the company would lose $6 million if they continue with the project. If the firm decides to discontinue the project the overall loses for the project would be $8 million. The company should continue with the project in order to learn from their experiences. Based on the new information I would be more willing to reject the project if the financial conditions are not correct. For instances if the company does not have the $8 million dollars readily available I would recommend the company does not go out of their way to incurred in moves such as selling common stocks to finance this project. The firm should implement changes in its risk assessment protocols for new products or capital projects in order to incorporate the utilization of methods such NPV to assess the viability of a project prior to investing money in research and development initiatives. 2) The video rental store owner would have benefited a lot from having more knowledge about economic concepts. It is possible that the owner made a decision based on the law of demand and supply which sti pulates that by lowering the price of an item the volumes of sales will go up as a consequence. The error the video rental owner made is that he did not consider the implications of having a price of elasticity of -0.45. The price elasticity of demand is an economic variable that measures the responsiveness of the quantity demanded of a good or service to a change in its price (Absoluteastronomy). The price elasticity of the firm can be categorized as relative elastic since the value of -0.45 which is between cero and -1. This implies

Mozart Effect in Childrens Toys Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mozart Effect in Childrens Toys - Case Study Example In 1993 Rauscher, Shaw and Ky published results of a study in which they measured the increase of spatial reasoning skills in 36 college students who listened to music composed by Mozart. The researchers reported increases of between 8 and 10 points on the IQ spatial reasoning task scale as opposed to those students who sat quietly for the 10 minute period or listened to relaxation tapes. The results of these findings were attributed to listening to the composer's sonata and resulted in coinage of the phrase 'The Mozart Effect.' Since these findings were first reported there has been a contentious debate as to the validity of the Mozart Effect. According to Caulfield (1999) the original study was performed on college students, not infants, and the results were temporary. Rauscher et al. (1997), however, conducted a two-year study where they found that preschool children who took piano lessons had increased spatial reasoning skills. This led them to conclude that music exposure to young children enhances the development of the brain, particularly in the area of spatial reasoning skills. These findings led Caulfield (1999) to question at what age music can be processed and remembered by young infants. According to LaFuente et al (1997 as quoted in Caulfield, 1999) infants during their last trimester care capable of hearing music. He and his associates conducted a study in which they had pregnant women in their final trimester (40 weeks) play tapes of basic chords and gradually moving up to more complex musical patterns. Each mother completed between 50 and 90 hours of musical listening prior to delivery. The researchers foun d that during the first six months the infants "exhibited significantly more rapid development of many behaviors, including visual tracking, eye-hand coordination, facial imitation and babbling" (Caulfield, 1999, p. 120) but Caulfield warns that the mother's knowledge of the study may have been a confounder. Nantais and Schellenberg (1999) explain that the Mozart effect is "similar to robust psychological phenomena such as transfer or priming" (p. 370) but the main difference is that the Mozart Effect, if in fact it exists, would be caused by passive listening as opposed to active doing. In an attempt to replicate the Mozart Effect the researchers selected 84 undergraduates, 56 for one experiment and 28 for a second. They used two different music pieces: the Mozart sonata and a piece composed by Schubert. Although their findings showed an improvement in spatial reasoning by both groups who listened to music as opposed to the control group who sat in silence, they concluded that the slight improvement was due to a positive stimulus versus a negative stimulus (music to

The Concept Of Starbucks Marketing Essay

The Concept Of Starbucks Marketing Essay Starbucks places the customer and the service delivered to the customer above everything else. Even though Starbucks is a retail coffee store, the value proposition is not about the coffee exclusively but about the coffee culture and the experience of drinking coffee. With its value proposition, Starbucks moves away from the tangible benefits that the coffee offers, such as taste, stimulation, alertness and concentrates on the quality of its coffee and the intangible benefits of the experience of drinking Starbucks coffee. Starbucks value proposition is not about coffee, it is about the experience of drinking coffee in a Starbucks store integrating the product with the emotional benefits. All these factors were strong enough to maintain Starbucks success after a slowdown when consumers seemed to draw inward after September 11; Starbucks is rocketing ahead once again. Sales in stores open at least 13 months grew by 6% in the 43 weeks through July 28, and the company predicts monthly same-store sales gains as high as 7% through the end of this fiscal year. That is below the 9% growth rate in 2000, but investors seem encouraged. Were going to see a lot more growth, says Jerome A. Castellini, president of Chicago-based CastleArk Management, which controls about 300,000 Starbucks shares. The stock is on a run.Moreover, the Starbucks name and image connect with millions of consumers around the world. Starbucks now commands so much disk space in consumers heads that its extremely difficult to compete against them, said Nancy Koehn, a professor of business administration at Harvard Business School.à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ It built its brand through its storefronts, and that is a very powerful word of mouth. It was one of the fastest-growing brands in a BusinessWeek survey of the top 100 global brands published Aug. 5, 2002. At a time when one corporate star after another has crashed to earth, brought down by revelations of earnings misstatements, executive greed, or worse, Starbucks has not faltered. The company confidently predicts up to 25% annual sales and earnings growth this year. On Wall Street, Starbucks is the last great growth story. Its stock, including four splits, has soared more than 2,200% over the past decade, surpassing Wal-Mart (WMT ), General Electric (GE ), PepsiCo (PEP ), Coca-Cola (KO ), Microsoft (MSFT ), and IBM (IBM ) in total return. Now at $21, it is hovering near its all-time high of $23 in July, before the overall market drop. From commodity to indulgent necessity Starbucks blasted open a new market by turning a basic commodity into an indulgent necessity for the 20-million customers it serves each week, creating an espresso bar culture nonexistent in this country only two decades ago. In 1992, right when the company became public, Starbucks had 140 stores located in the Northwest and Chicago. Ten years later, in 2002, Starbucks had over 4500 stores scattered throughout the U.S and internationally. During those ten years, Starbucks established itself as the à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"number oneà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚  coffee store in the U.S by following an expansion strategy. Starbucks had locations in 42 of the 50 states and was continuing this expansion strategy in order to capture new markets and cluster existing markets. Starbucks retail expansion strategy consisted of the company selecting locations based on whether the demographics of an area matched the profile of a typical Starbucks drinker, the level of coffee consumption and the nature and intensity of competition. An important component of this strategy was that Starbucks did not mind cannibalizing the sales of its stores as long as the incremental sales resulting from the opening of a new store were higher than before. Clustering stores increases total revenue and market share, Schultz argues, even when individual stores poach on each others sales. The strategy works, he says, because of Starbucks size. It is large enough to absorb losses at existing stores as new ones open up, and soon overall sales grow beyond what they would have with just one store. Meanwhile, it is cheaper to deliver to and manage stores located close together. In addition, by clustering, Starbucks can quickly dominate a local market. The lesson learned by both Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts is that a retailer can create demand where demand is latent, said Jim McKenna, president of McKenna Associates Corp., a retail real estate training company in Milton, Mass. They can increase the siz e of the pie. Progress or Regress The retail expansion has led the Starbucks customers to view it as more corporate and caring about making money. Indeed, the crowding of so many stores so close together has become a national joke, eliciting quips such as this headline in The Onion, a satirical publication: A New Starbucks Opens in Rest-room of Existing Starbucks. And even the company admits that while its practice of blanketing an area with stores helps achieve market dominance, it can cut sales at existing outlets. We probably self-cannibalize our stores at a rate of 30% a year, Schultz says. Adds Lehman Brothers Inc. analyst Mitchell Speiser: Starbucks is at a defining point in its growth. Its reaching a level that makes it harder and harder to grow, just due to the law of large numbers.

A Comparative Study of Evolution and Religion in Education in the United States and China :: Compare Contrast Religious Essays

A Comparative Study of Evolution and Religion in Education in the United States and China Buddhism does not believe in a creator god. It accepts modern ideas about the universe. Hinduism believes that the universe existed first, and then the divine spirit awoke within it and seeded itself and formed Brahma, who is the God. Hinduism, similar to Buddhism, has an evolutionary perspective of life. Both religions accept Darwin’s evolution theory. Islam, Christianity and Judaism all share the same Mesopotamian mythologies (http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/sosteacher/re/37690.shtml). Over half of the world’s population believes in these religions. They believe the world was created by God in six days, which was recorded in the first chapter of Genesis of the Bible. God created the heaven and earth in the beginning and He created day and night on the first day. Then He separated water from the sky on the second day. On the third day God created vegetation, and on the fourth day He created the Sun, the moon and stars to govern day and night. On the fifth day, God created living creatures that live in the water and fly in the sky. One the sixth day, God made the land to produce living creatures on land, and He said â€Å"let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and overall the creatures that move along the ground.† God created man in his own image, and He told man to be fruitful and multiply. On the seventh day, God rested from all the creation he had done. What is evolution? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary has many definition of the term â€Å"evolution† (http://www.m-w.com/). The one definition that this paper is mainly referring to is as follows: â€Å"a theory that the various types of animals and plants have their origin in other preexisting types and that the distinguishable differences are due to modifications in successive generations.† Evolution is tightly associated with Charles Darwin. The British naturalist was under the influence of Charles Lyell, who argued in his book Principles of Geology that the Earth was shaped by accumulative, gradual changes instead of great catastrophes. Darwin traveled with the Beagle around the world and collected specimen. He published his book Origin of species in 1859. The two major themes or Darwin’s theory are â€Å"Descent with Modification† and â€Å"Natural selection and adaptation. A Comparative Study of Evolution and Religion in Education in the United States and China :: Compare Contrast Religious Essays A Comparative Study of Evolution and Religion in Education in the United States and China Buddhism does not believe in a creator god. It accepts modern ideas about the universe. Hinduism believes that the universe existed first, and then the divine spirit awoke within it and seeded itself and formed Brahma, who is the God. Hinduism, similar to Buddhism, has an evolutionary perspective of life. Both religions accept Darwin’s evolution theory. Islam, Christianity and Judaism all share the same Mesopotamian mythologies (http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/sosteacher/re/37690.shtml). Over half of the world’s population believes in these religions. They believe the world was created by God in six days, which was recorded in the first chapter of Genesis of the Bible. God created the heaven and earth in the beginning and He created day and night on the first day. Then He separated water from the sky on the second day. On the third day God created vegetation, and on the fourth day He created the Sun, the moon and stars to govern day and night. On the fifth day, God created living creatures that live in the water and fly in the sky. One the sixth day, God made the land to produce living creatures on land, and He said â€Å"let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth and overall the creatures that move along the ground.† God created man in his own image, and He told man to be fruitful and multiply. On the seventh day, God rested from all the creation he had done. What is evolution? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary has many definition of the term â€Å"evolution† (http://www.m-w.com/). The one definition that this paper is mainly referring to is as follows: â€Å"a theory that the various types of animals and plants have their origin in other preexisting types and that the distinguishable differences are due to modifications in successive generations.† Evolution is tightly associated with Charles Darwin. The British naturalist was under the influence of Charles Lyell, who argued in his book Principles of Geology that the Earth was shaped by accumulative, gradual changes instead of great catastrophes. Darwin traveled with the Beagle around the world and collected specimen. He published his book Origin of species in 1859. The two major themes or Darwin’s theory are â€Å"Descent with Modification† and â€Å"Natural selection and adaptation.

north and south korea from (1953 to present) :: essays research papers

After the conclusion of Korean War in 1953 the North and the South became hostile to each other. During this period of confrontation which lasted till the seventies Beijing emerged as North Korea's closest ally. But, especially after the Sino-Soviet split Moscow competed for influence by providing arms to the Kim Il Sung regime. The United States felt concerned about the dangers of war damaging its key Asian ally Japan and encouraged South Korea to concentrate on economic development. With strong American support heavy Japanese investment and strong arm-military rule in Seoul, the South Korean economy began to boom. In the North the rule of Marshal Kim Il Sung continued uninterrupted through the seventies. However in South Korea General Park Chung Hee seized power in 1961 after Rhee's flight to Hawaii in 1960. Park was selected President in 1963, 1967 and 1971. By this time idea of reunification of North and South gained ground. As a result both the Koreas held talks in 1972 and 1979 on the peaceful unification of fatherland but no success could be achieved because South did not concede the withdrawal of foreign troops from its soil. Martial law was declared in the South in May 1980 when the students agitated for political reforms. The year 1984-85 witnessed resumption of talks for unification but these too did not go beyond a few dozen visits in either direction to see relatives. In 1988 the South Korea gained international prestige by hosting Olympic Games in Seoul. In September 1990 South Korea developed full diplomatic relations with Moscow and later on held Prime Ministerial Summit with North Korea. After the disintegration of USSR, North Korea could see it was under increasing pressure to capitulate to the South. Russian aid dried up and China wanted calm environment.

The Twilight Saga 5: Midnight Sun 5. Invitations

High school. Purgatory no longer, it was now purely hell. Torment and fire†¦yes, I had both. I was doing everything correctly now. Every â€Å"i† dotted, every â€Å"t† crossed. No one could complain that I was shirking my responsibilities. To please Esme and protect the others, I stayed in Forks. I returned to my old schedule. I hunted no more than the rest of them. Everyday, I attended high school and played human. Everyday, I listened carefully for anything new about the Cullens – there never was anything new. The girl did not speak one word of her suspicions. She just repeated the same story again and again – I'd been standing with her and then pulled her out of the way – till her eager listeners got bored and stopped looking for more details. There was no danger. My hasty action had hurt no one. No one but myself. I was determined to change the future. Not the easiest task to set for oneself, but there was no other choice that I could live with. Alice said that I would not be strong enough to stay away from the girl. I would prove her wrong. I'd thought the first day would be the hardest. By the end of it, I'd been sure that was the case. I'd been wrong, though. It had rankled, knowing that I would hurt the girl. I'd comforted myself with the fact that her pain would be nothing more than a pinprick – just a tiny sting of rejection – compared to mine. Bella was human, and she knew that I was something else, something wrong, something frightening. She would probably be more relieved than wounded when I turned my face away from her and pretended that she didn't exist. â€Å"Hello, Edward,† she'd greeted me, that first day back in biology. Her voice had been pleasant, friendly, one hundred and eighty degrees from the last time I'd spoken with her. Why? What did the change mean? Had she forgotten? Decided she had imagined the whole episode? Could she possibly have forgiven me for not following through on my promise? The questions had burned like the thirst that attacked me every time I breathed. Just one moment to look in her eyes. Just to see if I could read the answers there†¦ No. I could not allow myself even that. Not if I was going to change the future. I'd moved my chin an inch in her direction without looking away from the front of the room. I'd nodded once, and then turned my face straight forward. She did not speak to me again. That afternoon, as soon as school was finished, my role played, I ran to Seattle as I had the day before. It seemed that I could handle the aching just slightly better when I was flying over the ground, turning everything around me into a green blur. This run became my daily habit. Did I love her? I did not think so. Not yet. Alice's glimpses of that future had stuck with me, though, and I could see how easy it would be to fall into loving Bella. It would be exactly like falling: effortless. Not letting myself love her was the opposite of falling – it was pulling myself up a cliff-face, hand over hand, the task as grueling as if I had no more than mortal strength. More than a month passed, and every day it got harder. That made no sense to me – I kept waiting to get over it, to have it get easier. This must be what Alice had meant when she'd predicted that I would not be able to stay away from the girl. She had seen the escalation of the pain. But I could handle pain. I would not destroy Bella's future. If I was destined to love her, then wasn't avoiding her the very least I could do? Avoiding her was about the limit of what I could bear, though. I could pretend to ignore her, and never look her way. I could pretend that she was of no interest to me. But that was the extent, just pretense and not reality. I still hung on every breath she took, every word she said. I lumped my torments into four categories. The first two were familiar. Her scent and her silence. Or, rather – to take the responsibility on myself where it belonged – my thirst and my curiosity. The thirst was the most primal of my torments. It was my habit now to simply not breathe at all in Biology. Of course, there were always the exceptions – when I had to answer a question or something of the sort, and I would need my breath to speak. Each time I tasted the air around the girl, it was the same as the first day – fire and need and brutal violence desperate to break free. It was hard to cling even slightly to reason or restraint in those moments. And, just like that first day, the monster in me would roar, so close to the surface†¦ The curiosity was the most constant of my torments. The question was never out of my mind: What is she thinking now? When I heard her quietly sigh. When she twisted a lock of hair absently around her finger. When she threw her books down with more force than usual. When she rushed to class late. When she tapped her foot impatiently against the floor. Each movement caught in my peripheral vision was a maddening mystery. When she spoke to the other human students, I analyzed her every word and tone. Was she speaking her thoughts, or what she thought she should say? It often sounded to me like she was trying to say what her audience expected, and this reminded me of my family and our daily life of illusion – we were better at it than she was. Unless I wrong about that, just imagining things. Why would she have to play a role? She was one of them – a human teenager. Mike Newton was the most surprising of my torments. Who would have ever dreamed that such a generic, boring mortal could be so infuriating? To be fair, I should have felt some gratitude to the annoying boy; more than the others, he kept the girl talking. I learned so much about her through these conversations – I was still compiling my list – but, contrarily, Mike's assistance with this project only aggravated me more. I didn't want Mike to be the one that unlocked her secrets. I wanted to do that. It helped that he never noticed her small revelations, her little slips. He knew nothing about her. He'd created a Bella in his head that didn't exist – a girl just as generic as he was. He hadn't observed the unselfishness and bravery that set her apart from other humans, he didn't hear the abnormal maturity of her spoken thoughts. He didn't perceive that when she spoke of her mother, she sounded like a parent speaking of a child rather than the other way around – loving, indulgent, slightly amused, and fiercely protective. He didn't hear the patience in her voice when she feigned interest in his rambling stories, and didn't guess at the kindness behind that patience. Through her conversations with Mike, I was able to add the most important quality to my list, the most revealing of them all, as simple as it was rare. Bella was good. All the other things added up to that whole – kind and self-effacing and unselfish and loving and brave – she was good through and through. These helpful discoveries did not warm me to the boy, however. The possessive way he viewed Bella – as if she were an acquisition to be made – provoked me almost as much as his crude fantasies about her. He was becoming more confident of her, too, as the time passed, for she seemed to prefer him over those he considered his rivals – Tyler Crowley, Eric Yorkie, and even, sporadically, myself. He would routinely sit on her side of our table before class began, chattering at her, encouraged by her smiles. Just polite smiles, I told myself. All the same, I frequently amused myself by imagining backhanding him across the room and into the far wall†¦ It probably wouldn't injure him fatally†¦ Mike didn't often think of me as a rival. After the accident, he'd worried that Bella and I would bond from the shared experience, but obviously the opposite had resulted. Back then, he had still been bothered that I'd singled Bella out over her peers for attention. But now I ignored her just as thoroughly as the others, and he grew complacent. What was she thinking now? Did she welcome his attention? And, finally, the last of my torments, the most painful: Bella's indifference. As I ignored her, she ignored me. She never tried to speak to me again. For all I knew, she never thought about me at all. This might have driven me mad – or even broken my resolution to change the future – except that she sometimes stared at me like she had before. I didn't see it for myself, as I could not allow myself to look at her, but Alice always warned us when she was about to stare; the others were still wary of the girl's problematic knowledge. It eased some of the pain that she gazed at me from across a distance, every now and then. Of course, she could just be wondering what kind of a freak I was. â€Å"Bella's going to stare at Edward in a minute. Look normal,† Alice said one Tuesday in March, and the others were careful to fidget and shift their weight like humans; absolute stillness was a marker of our kind. I paid attention to how often she looked my direction. It pleased me, though it should not, that the frequency did not decline as the time passed. I didn't know what it meant, but it made me feel better. Alice sighed. I wish†¦ â€Å"Stay out of it, Alice,† I said under my breath. â€Å"It's not going to happen.† She pouted. Alice was anxious to form her envisioned friendship with Bella. In a strange way, she missed the girl she didn't know. I'll admit, you're better than I thought. You've got the future all snarled up and senseless again. I hope you're happy. â€Å"It makes plenty of sense to me.† She snorted delicately. I tried to shut her out, too impatient for conversation. I wasn't in a very good mood – tenser than I let any of them see. Only Jasper was aware of how tightly wound I was, feeling the stress emanate out of me with his unique ability to both sense and influence the moods of others. He didn't understand the reasons behind the moods, though, and – since I was constantly in a foul mood these days – he disregarded it. Today would be a hard one. Harder than the day before, as was the pattern. Mike Newton, the odious boy whom I could not allow myself to rival, was going to ask Bella on a date. A girl's choice dance was on the near horizon, and he'd been hoping very much that Bella would ask him. That she had not done so had rattled his confidence. Now he was in an uncomfortable bind – I enjoyed his discomfort more than I should – because Jessica Stanley had just asked him to the dance. He didn't want to say â€Å"yes,† still hopeful that Bella would choose him (and prove him the victor over his rivals), but he didn't want to say â€Å"no† and end up missing the dance altogether. Jessica, hurt by his hesitation and guessing the reason behind it, was thinking daggers at Bella. Again, I had the instinct to place myself between Jessica's angry thoughts and Bella. I understood the instinct better now, but that only made it more frustrating when I could not act on it. To think it had come to this! I was utterly fixated on the petty high school dramas that I'd once held so in contempt. Mike was working up his nerve as he walked Bella to biology. I listened to his struggles as I waited for them to arrive. The boy was weak. He had waited for this dance purposely, afraid to make his infatuation known before she had shown a marked preference for him. He didn't want to make himself vulnerable to rejection, preferring that she make that leap first. Coward. He sat down on our table again, comfortable with long familiarity, and I imagined the sound it would make if his body hit the opposite wall with enough force to break most of his bones. â€Å"So,† he said to the girl, his eyes on the floor. â€Å"Jessica asked me to the spring dance.† â€Å"That's great,† Bella answered immediately and with enthusiasm. It was hard not to smile as her tone sunk in to Mike's awareness. He'd been hoping for dismay. â€Å"You'll have a lot of fun with Jessica.† He scrambled for the right response. â€Å"Well†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he hesitated, and almost chickened out. Then he rallied. â€Å"I told her I had to think about it.† â€Å"Why would you do that?† she demanded. Her tone was one of disapproval, but there was the faintest hint of relief there as well. What did that mean? An unexpected, intense fury made my hands clench into fists. Mike did not hear the relief. His face was red with blood – fierce as I suddenly felt, this seemed like an invitation – and he looked at the floor again as he spoke. â€Å"I was wondering if†¦well, if you might be planning to ask me.† Bella hesitated. In that moment of her hesitation, I saw the future more clearly than Alice ever had. The girl might say yes to Mike's unspoken question now, and she might not, but either way, someday soon, she would say yes to someone. She was lovely and intriguing, and human males were not oblivious to this fact. Whether she would settle for someone in this lackluster crowd, or wait until she was free from Forks, the day would come that she would say yes. I saw her life as I had before – college, career†¦love, marriage. I saw her on her father's arm again, dressed in gauzy white, her face flushed with happiness as she moved to the sound of Wagner's march. The pain was more than anything I'd felt before. A human would have to be on the point of death to feel this pain – a human would not live through it. And not just pain, but outright rage. The fury ached for some kind of physical outlet. Though this insignificant, undeserving boy might not be the one that Bella would say yes to, I yearned to crush his skull in my hand, to let him stand as a representative for whoever it would be. I didn't understand this emotion – it was such a tangle of pain and rage and desire and despair. I had never felt it before; I couldn't put a name to it. â€Å"Mike, I think you should tell her yes,† Bella said in a gentle voice. Mike's hopes plummeted. I would have enjoyed that under other circumstances, but I was lost in the aftershock of the pain – and the remorse for what the pain and rage had done to me. Alice was right. I was not strong enough. Right now, Alice would be watching the future spin and twist, become mangled again. Would this please her? â€Å"Did you already ask someone?† Mike asked sullenly. He glanced at me, suspicious for the first time in many weeks. I realized I had betrayed my interest; my head was inclined in Bella's direction. The wild envy in his thoughts – envy for whoever this girl preferred to him – suddenly put a name to my unnamed emotion. I was jealous. â€Å"No,† the girl said with a trace of humor in her voice. â€Å"I'm not going to the dance at all.† Through all the remorse and anger, I felt relief at her words. Suddenly, I was considering my rivals. â€Å"Why not?† Mike asked, his tone almost rude. It offended me that he used this tone with her. I bit back a growl. â€Å"I'm going to Seattle that Saturday,† she answered. The curiosity was not as vicious as it would have been before – now that I was fully intending to find out the answers to everything. I would know the wheres and whys of this new revelation soon enough. Mike's tone turned unpleasantly wheedling. â€Å"Can't you go some other weekend?† â€Å"Sorry, no.† Bella was brusquer now. â€Å"So you shouldn't make Jess wait any longer – it's rude.† Her concern for Jessica's feelings fanned the flames of my jealousy. This Seattle trip was clearly an excuse to say no – did she refuse purely out of loyalty to her friend? She was more than selfless enough for that. Did she actually wish she could say yes? Or were both guesses wrong? Was she interested in someone else? â€Å"Yeah, you're right,† Mike mumbled, so demoralized that I almost felt pity for him. Almost. He dropped his eyes from the girl, cutting off my view of her face in his thoughts. I wasn't going to tolerate that. I turned to read her face myself, for the first time in more than a month. It was a sharp relief to allow myself this, like a gasp of air to long-submerged human lungs. Her eyes were closed, and her hands pressed against the sides of her face. Her shoulders curved inward defensively. She shook her head ever so slightly, as if she were trying to push some thought from her mind. Frustrating. Fascinating. Mr. Banner's voice pulled her from her reverie, and her eyes slowly opened. She looked at me immediately, perhaps sensing my gaze. She stared up into my eyes with the same bewildered expression that had haunted me for so long. I didn't feel the remorse or the guilt or the rage in that second. I knew they would come again, and come soon, but for this one moment I rode a strange, jittery high. As if I had triumphed, rather than lost. She didn't look away, though I stared with inappropriate intensity, trying vainly to read her thoughts through her liquid brown eyes. They were full of questions, rather than answers. I could see the reflection of my own eyes, and I saw that they were black with thirst. It had been nearly two weeks since my last hunting trip; this was not the safest day for my will to crumble. But the blackness did not seem to frighten her. She still did not look away, and a soft, devastatingly appealing pink began to color her skin. What was she thinking now? I almost asked the question aloud, but at that moment Mr. Banner called my name. I picked the correct answer out of his head while I glanced briefly in his direction. I sucked in a quick breath. â€Å"The Krebs Cycle.† Thirst scorched down my throat – tightening my muscles and filling my mouth with venom – and I closed my eyes, trying to concentrate through the desire for her blood that raged inside me. The monster was stronger than before. The monster was rejoicing. He embraced this dual future that gave him an even, fifty-fifty chance at what he craved so viciously. The third, shaky future I'd tried to construct through willpower alone had crumbled – destroyed by common jealously, of all things – and he was so much closer to his goal. The remorse and the guilt burned with the thirst, and, if I'd had the ability to produce tears, they would have filled my eyes now. What had I done? Knowing the battle was already lost, there seemed to be no reason to resist what I wanted; I turned to stare at the girl again. She had hidden in her hair, but I could see through a parting in the tresses that her cheek was deep crimson now. The monster liked that. She did not meet my gaze again, but she twisted a strand of her dark hair nervously between her fingers. Her delicate fingers, her fragile wrist – they were so breakable, looking for all the world like just my breath could snap them. No, no, no. I could not do this. She was too breakable, too good, too precious to deserve this fate. I couldn't allow my life to collide with hers, to destroy it. But I couldn't stay away from her either. Alice was right about that. The monster inside me hissed with frustration as I wavered, leaning first one way, then the other. My brief hour with her passed all too quickly, as I vacillated between the rock and the hard place. The bell rang, and she started collecting her things without looking at me. This disappointed me, but I could hardly expect otherwise. The way I had treated her since the accident was inexcusable. â€Å"Bella?† I said, unable to stop myself. My willpower already lay in shreds. She hesitated before looking at me; when she turned, her expression was guarded, distrustful. I reminded myself that she had every right to distrust me. That she should. She waited for me to continue, but I just stared at her, reading her face. I pulled in shallow mouthfuls of air at regular intervals, fighting my thirst. â€Å"What?† she finally said. â€Å"Are you speaking to me again?† There was an edge of resentment to her tone that was, like her anger, endearing. It made me want to smile. I wasn't sure how to answer her question. Was I speaking to her again, in the sense that she meant? No. Not if I could help it. I would try to help it. â€Å"No, not really,† I told her. She closed her eyes, which frustrated me. It cut off my best avenue of access to her feelings. She took a long, slow breath without opening her eyes. Her jaw was locked. Eyes still closed, she spoke. Surely this was not a normal human way to converse. Why did she do it? â€Å"Then what do you want, Edward?† The sound of my name on her lips did strange things to my body. If I'd had a heartbeat, it would have quickened. But how to answer her? With the truth, I decided. I would be as truthful as I could with her from now on. I didn't want to deserve her distrust, even if earning her trust was impossible. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I told her. That was truer than she would ever know. Unfortunately, I could only safely apologize for the trivial. â€Å"I'm being very rude, I know. But it's better this way, really.† I would be better for her if I could keep it up, continue to be rude. Could I? Her eyes opened, their expression still wary. â€Å"I don't know what you mean.† I tried to get as much of a warning through to her as was allowed. â€Å"It's better if we're not friends.† Surely, she could sense that much. She was a bright girl. â€Å"Trust me.† Her eyes tightened, and I remembered that I had said those words to her before – just before breaking a promise. I winced when her teeth clenched together – she clearly remembered, too. â€Å"It's too bad you didn't figure that out earlier,† she said angrily. â€Å"You could have saved yourself all this regret.† I stared at her in shock. What did she know of my regrets? â€Å"Regret? Regret for what?† I demanded. â€Å"For not just letting that stupid van squish me!† she snapped. I froze, stunned. How could she be thinking that? Saving her life was the one acceptable thing I'd done since I met her. The one thing that I was not ashamed of. The one and only thing that made me glad I existed at all. I'd been fighting to keep her alive since the first moment I'd caught her scent. How could she think this of me? How dare she question my one good deed in all this mess? â€Å"You think I regret saving your life?† â€Å"I know you do,† she retorted. Her estimation of my intentions left me seething. â€Å"You don't know anything.† How confusing and incomprehensible the workings of her mind were! She must not think in the same way as other humans at all. That must be the explanation behind her mental silence. She was entirely other. She jerked her face away, gritting her teeth again. Her cheeks were flushed, with anger this time. She slammed her books together in a pile, yanked them up into her arms, and marched toward the door without meeting my stare. Even irritated as I was, it was impossible not to find her anger a bit entertaining. She walked stiffly, without looking where she was going, and her foot caught on the lip of the doorway. She stumbled, and her things all crashed to the ground. Instead of bending to get them, she stood rigidly straight, not even looking down, as if she were not sure the books were worth retrieving. I managed not to laugh. No one was here to watch me; I flitted to her side, and had her books put in order before she looked down. She bent halfway, saw me, and then froze. I handed her books back to her, making sure that my icy skin never touched hers. â€Å"Thank you,† she said in a cold, severe voice. Her tone brought back my irritation. â€Å"You're welcome,† I said just as coldly. She wrenched herself upright and stomped away to her next class. I watched until I could no longer see her angry figure. Spanish passed in a blur. Mrs. Goff never questioned my abstraction – she knew my Spanish was superior to hers, and she gave me a great deal of latitude – leaving me free to think. So, I couldn't ignore the girl. That much was obvious. But did it mean I had no choice but to destroy her? That could not be the only available future. There had to be some other choice, some delicate balance. I tried to think of a way†¦ I didn't pay much attention to Emmett until the hour was nearly up. He was curious – Emmett was not overly intuitive about the shades in other's moods, but he could see the obvious change in me. He wondered what had happened to remove the unrelenting glower from my face. He struggled to define the change, and finally decided that I looked hopeful. Hopeful? Is that what it looked like from the outside? I pondered the idea of hope as we walked to the Volvo, wondering what exactly I should be hoping for. But I didn't have long to ponder. Sensitive as I always was to thoughts about the girl, the sound of Bella's name in the heads of†¦of my rivals, I suppose I had to admit, caught my attention. Eric and Tyler, having heard – with much satisfaction – of Mike's failure, were preparing to make their moves. Eric was already in place, positioned against her truck where she could not avoid him. Tyler's class was being held late to receive an assignment, and he was in a desperate hurry to catch her before she escaped. This I had to see. â€Å"Wait for the others here, all right?† I murmured to Emmett. He eyed me suspiciously, but then shrugged and nodded. Kid's lost his mind, he thought, amused by my odd request. I saw Bella on her way out of the gym, and I waited where she would not see me for her to pass. As she got closer to Eric's ambush, I strode forward, setting my pace so that I would walk by at the right moment. I watched her body stiffen when she caught sight of the boy waiting for her. She froze for a moment, then relaxed and moved forward. â€Å"Hi, Eric,† I heard her call in a friendly voice. I was abruptly and unexpectedly anxious. What if this gangly teen with his unhealthy skin was somehow pleasing to her? Eric swallowed loudly, his Adam's apple bobbing. â€Å"Hi, Bella.† She seemed unconscious of his nervousness. â€Å"What's up?† she asked, unlocking her truck without looking at his frightened expression. â€Å"Uh, I was just wondering†¦if you would go to the spring dance with me?† His voice broke. She finally looked up. Was she taken aback, or pleased? Eric couldn't meet her gaze, so I couldn't see her face in his mind. â€Å"I thought it was girl's choice,† she said, sounding flustered. â€Å"Well, yeah,† he agreed wretchedly. This pitiable boy did not irritate me as much as Mike Newton did, but I couldn't find it in myself to feel sympathy for his angst until after Bella had answered him in a gentle voice. â€Å"Thank you for asking me, but I'm going to be in Seattle that day.† He'd already heard this; still, it was a disappointment. â€Å"Oh,† he mumbled, barely daring to raise his eyes to the level of her nose. â€Å"Maybe next time.† â€Å"Sure,† she agreed. Then she bit down on her lip, as if she regretted leaving him a loophole. I liked that. Eric slumped forward and walked away, headed in the wrong direction from his car, his only thought escape. I passed her in that moment, and heard her sigh of relief. I laughed. She whirled at the sound, but I stared straight ahead, trying to keep my lips from twitching in amusement. Tyler was behind me, almost running in his hurry to catch her before she could drive away. He was bolder and more confident than the other two; he'd only waited to approach Bella this long because he'd respected Mike's prior claim. I wanted him to succeed in catching her for two reasons. If – as I was beginning to suspect – all this attention was annoying to Bella, I wanted to enjoy watching her reaction. But, if it was not – if Tyler's invitation was the one she'd been hoping for – then I wanted to know that, too. I measured Tyler Crowley as a rival, knowing it was wrong to do so. He seemed tediously average and unremarkable to me, but what did I know of Bella's preferences? Maybe she liked average boys†¦ I winced at that thought. I could never be an average boy. How foolish it was to set myself up as a rival for her affections. How could she ever care for someone who was, by any estimation, a monster? She was too good for a monster. I ought to have let her escape, but my inexcusable curiosity kept me from doing what was right. Again. But what if Tyler missed his chance now, only to contact her later when I would have no way of knowing the outcome? I pulled my Volvo out into the narrow lane, blocking her exit. Emmett and the others were on their way, but he'd described my strange behavior to them, and they were walking slowly, watching me, trying to decipher what I was doing. I watched the girl in my rearview mirror. She glowered toward the back of my car without meeting my gaze, looking as if she wished she were driving a tank rather than a rusted Chevy. Tyler hurried to his car and got in line behind her, grateful for my inexplicable behavior. He waved at her, trying to catch her attention, but she didn't notice. He waited a moment, and then left his car, sauntering up to her passenger side window. He tapped on the glass. She jumped, and then stared at him in confusion. After a second, she rolled the window down manually, seeming to have some trouble with it. â€Å"I'm sorry, Tyler,† she said, her voice irritated. â€Å"I'm stuck behind Cullen.† She said my surname in a hard voice – she was still angry with me. â€Å"Oh, I know,† Tyler said, undeterred by her mood. â€Å"I just wanted to ask you something while we're trapped here.† His grin was cocky. I was gratified by the way she blanched at his obvious intent. â€Å"Will you ask me to the spring dance?† he asked, no thought of defeat in his head. â€Å"I'm not going to be in town, Tyler,† she told him, irritation still plain in her voice. â€Å"Yeah, Mike said that.† â€Å"Then why – ?† she stared to ask. He shrugged. â€Å"I was hoping you were just letting him down easy.† Her eyes flashed, then cooled. â€Å"Sorry, Tyler,† she said, not sounding sorry at all. â€Å"I really am going to be out of town.† He accepted that excuse, his self-assurance untouched. â€Å"That's cool. We still have prom.† He strutted back to his car. I was right to have waited for this. The horrified expression on her face was priceless. It told me what I should not so desperately need to know – that she had no feelings for any of these human males who wished to court her. Also, her expression was possibly the funniest thing I'd ever seen. My family arrived then, confused by the fact that I was, for a change, rocking with laughter rather than scowling murderously at everything in sight. What's so funny? Emmett wanted to know. I just shook my head while I also shook with fresh laughter as Bella revved her noisy engine angrily. She looked like she was wishing for a tank again. â€Å"Let's go!† Rosalie hissed impatiently. â€Å"Stop being an idiot. If you can.† Her words didn't annoy me – I was too entertained. But I did as she asked. No one spoke to me on the way home. I continued to chuckle every now and again, thinking of Bella's face. As I turned on to the drive – speeding up now that there were no witnesses – Alice ruined my mood. â€Å"So do I get to talk to Bella now?† she asked suddenly, without considering the words first, thus giving me no warning. â€Å"No,† I snapped. â€Å"Not fair! What am I waiting for?† â€Å"I haven't decided anything, Alice.† â€Å"Whatever, Edward.† In her head, Bella's two destinies were clear again. â€Å"What's the point in getting to know her?† I mumbled, suddenly morose. â€Å"If I'm just going to kill her?† Alice hesitated for a second. â€Å"You have a point,† she admitted. I took the final hairpin turn at ninety miles an hour, and then screeched to a stop an inch from the back garage wall. â€Å"Enjoy your run,† Rosalie said smugly as I threw myself out of the car. But I didn't go running today. Instead, I went hunting. The others were scheduled to hunt tomorrow, but I couldn't afford to be thirsty now. I overdid it, drinking more than necessary, glutting myself again – a small grouping of elk and one black bear I was lucky to stumble across this early in the year. I was so full it was uncomfortable. Why couldn't that be enough? Why did her scent have to be so much stronger than anything else? I had hunted in preparation for the next day, but, when I could hunt no more and the sun was still hours and hours from rising, I knew that the next day was not soon enough. The jittery high swept through me again when I realized that I was going to go find the girl. I argued with myself all the way back to Forks, but my less noble side won the argument, and I went ahead with my indefensible plan. The monster was restless but well-fettered. I knew I would keep a safe distance from her. I only wanted to know where she was. I just wanted to see her face. It was past midnight, and Bella's house was dark and quiet. Her truck was parked against the curb, her father's police cruiser in the driveway. There were no conscious thoughts anywhere in the neighborhood. I watched the house for a moment from the blackness of the forest that bordered it on the east. The front door would probably be locked – not a problem, except that I didn't want to leave a broken door as evidence behind me. I decided to try the upstairs window first. Not many people would bother installing a lock there. I crossed the open yard and scaled the face of the house in half a second. Dangling from the eave above the window by one hand, I looked through the glass, and my breath stopped. It was her room. I could see her in the one small bed, her covers on the floor and her sheets twisted around her legs. As I watched, she twitched restlessly and threw one arm over her head. She did not sleep soundly, at least not this night. Did she sense the danger near her? I was repulsed by myself as I watched her toss again. How was I any better than some sick peeping tom? I wasn't any better. I was much, much worse. I relaxed my fingertips, about to let myself drop. But first I allowed myself one long look at her face. It was not peaceful. The little furrow was there between her eyebrows, the corners of her lips turned down. Her lips trembled, and then parted. â€Å"Okay, Mom,† she muttered. Bella talked in her sleep. Curiosity flared, overpowering self-disgust. The lure of those unprotected, unconsciously spoken thoughts was impossibly tempting. I tried the window, and it was not locked, though it stuck due to long disuse. I slid it slowly aside, cringing at each faint groan of the metal frame. I would have to find some oil for next time†¦ Next time? I shook my head, disgusted again. I eased myself silently through the half-opened window. Her room was small – disorganized but not unclean. There were books piled on the floor beside her bed, their spines facing away from me, and CDs scattered by her inexpensive CD player – the one on top was just a clear jewel case. Stacks of papers surrounded a computer that looked like it belonged in a museum dedicated to obsolete technologies. Shoes dotted the wooden floor. I wanted very much to go read the titles of her books and CDs, but I'd promised myself that I would keep my distance; instead, I went to sit the old rocking chair in the far corner of the room. Had I really once thought her average-looking? I thought of that first day, and my disgust for the boys who were so immediately intrigued with her. But when I remembered her face in their minds now, I could not understand why I had not found her beautiful immediately. It seemed an obvious thing. Right now – with her dark hair tangled and wild around her pale face, wearing a threadbare t-shirt full of holes with tatty sweatpants, her features relaxed in unconsciousness, her full lips slightly parted – she took my breath away. Or would have, I thought wryly, if I were breathing. She did not speak. Perhaps her dream had ended. I stared at her face and tried to think of some way to make the future bearable. Hurting her was not bearable. Did that mean my only choice was to try to leave again? The others could not argue with me now. My absence would not put anyone in danger. There would be no suspicion, nothing to link anyone's thoughts back to the accident. I wavered as I had this afternoon, and nothing seemed possible. I could not hope to rival the human boys, whether these specific boys appealed to her or not. I was a monster. How could she see me as anything else? If she knew the truth about me, it would frighten and repulse her. Like the intended victim in a horror movie, she would run away, shrieking in terror. I remembered her first day in biology†¦and knew that this was exactly the right reaction for her to have. It was foolishness to imagine that if had I been the one to ask her to the silly dance, she would have cancelled her hastily-made plans and agreed to go with me. I was not the one she was destined to say yes to. It was someone else, someone human and warm. And I could not even let myself – someday, when that yes was said – hunt him down and kill him, because she deserved him, whoever he was. She deserved happiness and love with whomever she chose. I owed it to her to do the right thing now; I could no longer pretend that I was only in danger of loving this girl. After all, it really didn't matter if I left, because Bella could never see me the way I wished she would. Never see me as someone worthy of love. Never. Could a dead, frozen heart break? It felt like mine would. â€Å"Edward,† Bella said. I froze, staring at her unopened eyes. Had she woken, caught me here? She looked asleep, yet her voice had been so clear†¦ She sighed a quiet sigh, and then moved restlessly again, rolling to her side – still fast asleep and dreaming. â€Å"Edward,† she mumbled softly. She was dreaming of me. Could a dead, frozen heart beat again? It felt like mine was about to. â€Å"Stay,† she sighed. â€Å"Don't go. Please†¦don't go.† She was dreaming of me, and it wasn't even a nightmare. She wanted me to stay with her, there in her dream. I struggled to find words to name the feelings that flooded through me, but I had no words strong enough to hold them. For a long moment, I drowned in them. When I surfaced, I was not the same man I had been. My life was an unending, unchanging midnight. It must, by necessity, always be midnight for me. So how was it possible that the sun was rising now, in the middle of my midnight? At the time that I had become a vampire, trading my soul and my mortality for immortality in the searing pain of transformation, I had truly been frozen. My body had turned into something more like rock than flesh, enduring and unchanging. My self, also, had frozen as it was – my personality, my likes and my dislikes, my moods and my desires; all were fixed in place. It was the same for the rest of them. We were all frozen. Living stone. When change came for one of us, it was a rare and permanent thing. I had seen it happen with Carlisle, and then a decade later with Rosalie. Love had changed them in an eternal way, a way that never faded. More than eighty years had passed since Carlisle had found Esme, and yet he still looked at her with the incredulous eyes of first love. It would always be that way for them. It would always be that way for me, too. I would always love this fragile human girl, for the rest of my limitless existence. I gazed at her unconscious face, feeling this love for her settle into every portion of my stone body. She slept more peacefully now, a slight smile on her lips. Always watching her, I began to plot. I loved her, and so I would try to be strong enough to leave her. I knew I wasn't that strong now. I would work on that one. But perhaps I was strong enough to circumvent the future in another way. Alice had seen only two futures for Bella, and now I understood them both. Loving her would not keep me from killing her, if I let myself make mistakes. Yet I could not feel the monster now, could not find him anywhere in me. Perhaps love had silenced him forever. If I killed her now, it would not be intentional, only a horrible accident. I would have to be inordinately careful. I would never, ever be able to let my guard down. I would have to control my every breath. I would have to keep an always cautious distance. I would not make mistakes. I finally understood that second future. I'd been baffled by that vision – what could possibly happen to result in Bella becoming a prisoner to this immortal half-life? Now – devastated by longing for the girl – I could understand how I might, in unforgivable selfishness, ask my father for that favor. Ask him to take away her life and her soul so that I could keep her forever. She deserved better. But I saw one more future, one thin wire that I might be able to walk, if I could keep my balance. Could I do it? Be with her and leave her human? Deliberately, I took a deep breath, and then another, letting her scent rip through me like wildfire. The room was thick with her perfume; her fragrance was layered on every surface. My head swam, but I fought the spinning. I would have to get used to this, if I were going to attempt any kind of relationship with her. I took another deep, burning breath. I watched her sleeping until the sun rose behind the eastern clouds, plotting and breathing. I got home just after the others had left for school. I changed quickly, avoiding Esme's questioning eyes. She saw the feverish light in my face, and she felt both worry and relief. My long melancholy had pained her, and she was glad it seemed to be over. I ran to school, arriving a few seconds after my siblings did. They did not turn, though Alice at least must have known that I stood here in the thick woods that bordered the pavement. I waited until no one was looking, and then I strolled casually from between the trees into the lot full of parked cars. I heard Bella's truck rumbling around the corner, and I paused behind a Suburban, where I could watch without being seen. She drove into the lot, glaring at my Volvo for a long moment before she parked in one of the most distant spaces, a frown on her face. It was strange to remember that she was probably still angry with me, and with good reason. I wanted to laugh at myself – or kick myself. All my plotting and planning was entirely moot if she didn't care for me, too, wasn't it? Her dream could have been about something completely random. I was such an arrogant fool. Well, it was so much the better for her if she didn't care for me. That wouldn't stop me from pursuing her, but I would give her fair warning as I pursued. I owed her that. I walked silently forward, wondering how best to approach her. She made it easy. Her truck key slipped through her fingers as she got out, and fell into a deep puddle. She reached down, but I got to it first, retrieving it before she had to put her fingers in the cold water. I leaned back against her truck as she started and then straightened up. â€Å"How do you do that?† she demanded. Yes, she was still angry. I offered her the key. â€Å"Do what?† She held her hand out, and I dropped the key in her palm. I took a deep breath, pulling in her scent. â€Å"Appear out of thin air,† she clarified. â€Å"Bella, it's not my fault if you are exceptionally unobservant.† The words were wry, almost a joke. Was there anything she didn't see? Did she hear how my voice wrapped around her name like a caress? She glared at me, not appreciating my humor. Her heartbeat sped – from anger? From fear? After a moment, she looked down. â€Å"Why the traffic jam last night?† she asked without meeting my eyes. â€Å"I thought you were supposed to be pretending I don't exist, not irritating me to death.† Still very angry. It was going to take some effort to make things right with her. I remembered my resolve to be truthful with her†¦ â€Å"That was for Tyler's sake, not mine. I had to give him his chance.† And then I laughed. I couldn't help it, thinking of her expression yesterday. â€Å"You – † she gasped, and then broke off, appearing to be too furious to finish. There it was – that same expression. I choked back another laugh. She was mad enough already. â€Å"And I'm not pretending you don't exist,† I finished. It was right to keep this casual, teasing. She would not understand if I let her see how I really felt. I would frighten her. I had to keep my feelings in check, keep things light†¦ â€Å"So you are trying to irritate me to death? Since Tyler's van didn't do the job?† A quick flash of anger pulsed through me. Could she honestly believe that? It was irrational for me to be so affronted – she didn't know of the transformation that had happened in the night. But I was angry all the same. â€Å"Bella, you are utterly absurd,† I snapped. Her face flushed, and she turned her back on me. She began to walk away. Remorse. I had no right to my anger. â€Å"Wait,† I pleaded. She did not stop, so I followed after her. â€Å"I'm sorry, that was rude. I'm not saying it isn't true† – it was absurd to imagine that I wanted her harmed in any way – â€Å"but it was rude to say it, anyway.† â€Å"Why won't you leave me alone?† Believe me, I wanted to say. I've tried. Oh, and also, I'm wretchedly in love with you. Keep it light. â€Å"I wanted to ask you something, but you sidetracked me.† A course of action had just occurred to me, and I laughed. â€Å"Do you have a multiple personality disorder?† she asked. It must seem that way. My mood was erratic, so many new emotions coursing through me. â€Å"You're doing it again,† I pointed out. She sighed. â€Å"Fine then. What do you want to ask?† â€Å"I was wondering if, a week from Saturday†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I watched the shock cross her face, and choked back another laugh. â€Å"You know, the day of the spring dance – â€Å" She cut me off, finally returning her eyes to mine. â€Å"Are you trying to be funny?† Yes. â€Å"Will you let me finish?† She waited in silence, her teeth pressing into her soft lower lip. That sight distracted me for a second. Strange, unfamiliar reactions stirred deep in my forgotten human core. I tried to shake them off so I could play my role. â€Å"I heard you say that you were going to Seattle that day, and I was wondering if you wanted a ride?† I offered. I'd realized that, better than just questioning her about her plans, I might share them. She stared at me blankly. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Do you want a ride to Seattle?† Alone in a car with her – my throat burned at the thought. I took a deep breath. Get used to it. â€Å"With who?† she asked, her eyes wide and bewildered again. â€Å"Myself, obviously,† I said slowly. â€Å"Why?† Was it really such as shock that I would want her company? She must have applied the worst possible meaning to my past behavior. â€Å"Well,† I said as casually as possible, â€Å"I was planning to go to Seattle in the next few weeks, and, to be honest, I'm not sure if your truck can make it.† It seemed safer to tease her than to allow myself to be serious. â€Å"My truck works just fine, thank you very much for your concern,† she said in the same surprised voice. She started walking again. I kept pace with her. She hadn't really said no, so I pressed that advantage. Would she say no? What would I do if she did? â€Å"But can your truck make it there on one tank of gas?† â€Å"I don't see how that is any of your business,† she grumbled. That still wasn't a no. And her heart was beating faster again, her breath coming more quickly. â€Å"The wasting of finite resources is everyone's business.† â€Å"Honestly, Edward, I can't keep up with you. I thought you didn't want to be my friend.† A thrill shot through me when she spoke my name. How to keep it light and yet be honest at the same time? Well, it was more important to be honest. Especially on this point. â€Å"I said it would be better if we weren't friends, not that I didn't want to be.† â€Å"Oh, thanks, now that's all cleared up,† she said sarcastically. She paused, under the edge of the cafeteria's roof, and met my gaze again. Her heartbeats stuttered. Was she afraid? I chose my words carefully. No, I could not leave her, but maybe she would be smart enough to leave me, before it was too late. â€Å"It would be more†¦prudent for you not to be my friend.† Staring into the melted chocolate depths of her eyes, I lost my hold on light. â€Å"But I'm tired of trying to stay away from you, Bella.† The words burned with much too much fervor. Her breathing stopped and, in the second it took for it to restart, that worried me. How much had I scared her? Well, I would find out. â€Å"Will you go to Seattle with me?† I demanded, point blank. She nodded, her heart drumming loudly. Yes. She'd said yes to me. And then my conscious smote me. What would this cost her? â€Å"You really should stay away from me,† I warned her. Did she hear me? Would she escape the future I was threatening her with? Couldn't I do anything to save her from me? Keep it light, I shouted at myself. â€Å"I'll see you in class.† I had to concentrate to stop myself from running as I fled.