Feuerbach's theory of religion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Feuerbach's theory of religion - Essay Example According to Feuerbach, man is an entity that needs an objective to live for. In order to know that, it is essential for a man to know himself. Once he gets to know himself, he can understand his objective in life.The qualities of human beings that they are proud of the most are the power of thought, the power of will, and the power of heart i.e. love. The power of thought enables a man to differentiate between right and wrong. The power of will is the freedom to do anything and the power of love is what keeps the human beings from killing each other. If a man has these three powers to an absolute degree, he is thought to be perfect.The human mind is very limited and his ability to think and perceive is also limited. Therefore, every man has some ability that he perceives to be perfect and is contempt with it. His limited mind makes him unable to realize his limitations. The three qualities are, of course, intangible and they need to be objectified. These are the qualities that are p resent in human beings but in different quantities and magnitudes. Feuerbach argues that these qualities are attributed to a separate being and then it is placed at a distance. This perfect being is then called God and worshipped. Man wants to be like God and spends his life trying to attain His abilities. The objects of a man govern and direct his thought process and, ultimately, his nature. Religion objectifies the good attributes and makes it possible for human beings to follow a defined objective for their lives. The concept of God lies in a man’s heart. The mind perceives things and tries to make them meaningful by thinking rationally. The eye sees things as they are and sends the image to the mind. It is, therefore, only the heart that can bear the concept of God. Monotheism requires a man to put faith in God. If a man tries to think that what exactly is God, he would always find himself perplexed and confused. It is because God is superior and without limitations while a man has a limited mind. Monotheism links a man’s heart to God and governs his life. According to Feuerbach, a man’s God is his thoughts and his morals. What the concept of God does to a man is it governs and directs his life. Therefore, what a man does and what he prioritizes define his religion and his God. God is a man’s expressed nature that is visible to everyone. Wh at a man loves secretly and which is hidden from others is his religion. Feuerbach believes that if a man is conscious of God, he is conscious of himself. Therefore, the concept of God is generated just for the sake of understanding oneself and religion is a source of self-knowledge. God stands in supreme power and perfection in monotheism. A man needs to be presented with an imagery of a God. Monotheism requires a man to believe in God that is invisible. Religions mostly provide a man with an imagery of God which helps a man to mould his life and follow a virtuous path. Monotheism provides this in the shape of teachings of God. The curious nature of man drove him to create idols in early times because he was desperate to see what God might look like. According to Feuerbach, man followed and prayed to his own nature in those times. Idolatry is still seen in Hinduism. The divine attributes that are given to God in religion are, in fact, the attributes of humans themselves. According to Feuerbach, â€Å"You believe in love as a divine attribute because you yourself love; you believe that God is a wise, benevolent being because you know nothing better in yourself than benevolence and wisdom; and you believe that God exists and that he is therefore a subject†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The attributes that are perfect in the eyes of human are attributed to God. The limited human mind cannot think of other attributes that might be better than those that are in a man himself. God is no more than a synthesized entity of all the perfect qualities that are perceived by a man to be perfect.

Great man Theory-Leadership traits Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Great man Theory-Leadership traits - Term Paper Example ording to Carlyle, certain people are born with essential qualities that differentiate them from others allowing them to assume positions of power and authority (Tulsian 94). In the great man theory, leadership is something intrinsic, which implies that people are born leaders, but not natured to become leaders (Johnson 171). The theory regards a leader as a hero who is there to accomplish anything for his followers against all odds. The theory further postulates that persons in power deserve to be there due to their peculiar endowment. In addition, the theory argues that distinctive characteristics of leaders remain stable in different groups over a prolonged period. Thus, the theory is of the opinion that all outstanding leaders share similar characteristics regardless of where and when they exercised their leadership skills (David & Frank 173). Fredrick Adams Woods who was an American scholar supported Carlyle’s work further. Wood studied the historical impact of all the great rulers in Western Europe from the 12th century up to the French revolution in the late 18th century (Johnson & Pierce 177). The fact that early influential leaders were all men inspired the use of the term great man. In addition, majority of those who researched on leadership were male researchers, which further influenced the use of the term great man. Therefore, the evolution of the great man theory never took into consideration gender issues, which created a notion that only men had the traits of distinguished leaders. However, due to the continued emergence of many distinguished women leaders, the great man theory assumed a new name of the great person theory (Nance & Timothy 412). There have been several critics who have come forward to question the applicability of the great man theory in determining who is a great leader and vice Versa (Murugan 337). The main criticism arises as a result of the set traits used to determine a great leader terming them as masculine traits. In

The importance of socialization

The importance of socialization Socialization 1 Running Head:   The Importance of Socialization The Importance of Socialization Socialization is the process of learning how to become part of a culture.   Through socialization one learns the cultures language, their role in life, and what is expected from them.   Socialization is a very important process in the forming of personality.   Socialization occurs when one interacts with other people.   Socialization allows all individuals in a community to develop very similar values, norms, and beliefs (ONeil, 2009).   Socialization is a lifelong process, though the early stages of socialization are crucial (Shepard, 2009, p. 90).   Without Socialization a person will develop different physical and mental disabilities.   Socialization is a very important life process. The socialization of young children is very important. During the first few years of childrens live, children interacts only with a few different people, mostly family.   Everything children see and hear leaves an impression on them.   In this time children learn to walk, learn talk, develop the ability to have a relationship, and start developing personality.   A very important part of socialization is role taking.   The first step in role taking is the preparatory stage.   The Preparatory stage is also known as the imitation stage.   This stage begins shortly after the first year of life.   In this stage children imitate things happening around them, including sounds and physical movement, but do not understand what they are imitating. Around age three or four children begin the play stage.   In the play stage children start to take the role of one person at a time (Chapter 4: Socialization). Children pretend to be a mother, father, police officer, firefighter, teac her, doctor, or someone the children know or see; most likely someone the children look up to.   In this stage children imitate being someone else by doing things they think that person would do. The third and final stage of developing role taking is the game stage.   The game stage generally starts around age six.   In the game stage children imitate the roles of several others at the same time.   In the game stage the children learns to play sports and participate in group activities that require them to have some idea of what other people expect from them.   In this stage the children understands the roles of multiple people at the same time.   Role taking allows people to be part of a group (Shepard, 2009, p.96).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another part of the process of socialization is cognitive development.   Cognitive development refers to the development of thinking, knowing, perceiving, judging, and reasoning.   Children develop these abilities through things occurring around them.   According to Piagets theory Cognitive intelligence develops in stages. In Piagets theory there are four stages; the sensorimotor stage, the preoperational stage, the concrete operational stage, and the formal operational stage (Huitt and Hummel, 2003).   The sensorimotor stage begins at birth and ends around age two.   During this stage the children learns how to coordinate body movements with thoughts.   They learn that they are separate from other objects, and can cause things to happen.  Ã‚   The second stage is the preoperational stage.   This stage starts around age two and ends around age seven.   In this stage the children learns to associate symbols and lan guage with objects.   Children see everything through their own view point.   During this stage children are very self-centered.   The third stage, the stage of concrete operations, starts around age eight and ends around age twelve.   In this stage children learn to solve problems and reason using physical objects.   The fourth and final stage is the Formal operation stage.   This stage begins around age thirteen and continues into adulthood.   In this stage individuals begin to reason without using physical objects or symbols.   They learn to make a hypothesis to solve a problem.   All of these stages make up cognitive development (Shepard, 2009, p.95, 96).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are three major Sources of Socialization that affect Children; family, school, mass media.   The Family is one of the most important parts of socialization for children, because, their first contact is with family, and for the first few years of life children interact mostly with family.   Children learn their values, norms, and beliefs from their family.   Their family is a large factor in what other people think about individuals.   In School children are in the hands of adults other than parents.   In school children learn to be less dependent on their parents.   In school children learn discipline, order, cooperation, and conformity.   In schools children socialize with friends.   Mass media includes television, radio, newspapers, magazines, movies, books, and the internet.   This form of socialization can be positive or negative.   Children learn how different social statuses are expected to behave.   Sometimes mass media distorts reality, and makes things appear more exciting than it really is.   These things have a great influence on children and are a very important part of socialization (Shepard, 2009, p.102-106). Without socialization children will not develop skills necessary for living.   They are not able to learn to talk, walk, eat, use the bathroom, read, write, and many other things.   There are some documented observations of children who have been socially isolated.   Three of these are Anna, Isabelle, and Genie (shepard, 2009, p.91). Anna was the second child to her unmarried mother.   They lived with Annas grandfather.   Annas mother thought that if her father would see Anna he would be angered.   Because of this, Anna was forced to live in a room that was much like an attic.   She was never given food, she lived solely on milk.   When she was discovered at age five, she could not walk, talk, and she showed no sign of intelligence.   Shortly after she was discovered, she was placed in a country home for children.   Within a year and a half at the country home she learned to understand simple commands, eat, keep herself clean, and walk.   Her speech made some improvement, but her speech was still the equivalent of a one-year-old.   After the year and a half at the country home, she was transferred to a school for retarded children.   At the school she made some progress in her speech, it was equivalent to the speech of a two-year-old.   She learned to do lots of very basic things, such as bo unce and catch a ball, eat normally, use the bathroom, dress herself, build with blocks, identify a few colors, and brush her teeth.   She died at age ten (Shepard, 2009, p.91, 92). Isabelle was the daughter of a single mother.   Her mother was a deaf-mute.   Isabelle was kept in dark room with her mother.   She was found at age six.   Her legs were bowed, she could not talk, and she was scared of strangers.   She was put into an intensive program of rehabilitation, she had a slow start, but then she progressed very quickly.   In two years she acquired the skills of a six-year-old.   When she was eight, her education was equivalent to the children her own age.   Her progress may be linked to the presence of her mother when she was isolated (Shepard, 2009, p.92). Genie was locked in a room from the time she was two till she was discovered, at age thirteen.   She was completely silent, because her father punished her for making any vocal sounds.   She could not chew food, because she had never been given solid food.   She could not stand strait, or straiten her arms.   Genie was not successful in her four years of rehabilitation.   After her rehabilitation she could not read, could only speak in short phrases, and she just started to control her feelings and behavior (Shepard, 2009, p.92). Socialization among children is very important.   Children must learn to walk, talk, eat, and lots of other life skills.   Without socialization individuals can not develop intelligence, and never learn how to perform basic daily functions.   Children must know the values, beliefs, and norms of the surrounding culture, so that they will be able to know what is expected from them. The process of socialization and the sources of socialization are very important in the developing of children. Socialization is a very Important Process throughout life, but it the most important in young children.   Works Cited Chapter 4:   Socialization. (n.d.). Retrieved October 5, 2009, from http://www.latech.edu/tech/liberal-arts/sociology/white/3socialization.htm Huitt, W., Hummel, J. (n.d.). Piagets theory of cognitive development. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University, Retrieved October 5, 2009, from http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/piaget.html ONeil, D. (2009, January 3). socialization. Retrieved September 28, 2009, from anthro.palomar.edu/social/soc_1.htm Shepard, J. M. (2009). Sociology (Cengage Advantage Books). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company.

The Death Penalty As a Form of Justice Around the World Essay -- Death

The Death Penalty As a Form of Justice Around the World Introduction: The death penalty is a subject that has become very big in the 21st century. Many centuries ago the death penalty is something that was widely practiced in almost all cultures. This revenge sort of action was the only way some old civilizations felt could really prevent criminals from breaking the law. The USA today is almost left alone among nations when it comes to the death penalty and the U.S. government does not have a problem with that. Arguments for the death penalty: Capital punishment permanently removes the worst criminals from society and should prove much cheaper and safer for the rest of us than long term. It is self evident that dead criminals cannot commit any further crimes, either within prison or after escaping or being released from it. Another argument for the death penalty is the cost factor. The state may very well better spend our resources on the elderly, young and the sick rather than the long-term imprisonment of murderers. Execution is a very real punishment rather than some form of treatment. The criminal is made to suffer in proportion to the offence. Although whether there is a place in a modern society, is a matter of personal opinion. There are many arguments why abolishing the death penalty should be done. Some argue the costs are too high, others think it is simply inhumane. I personally could not discount the value of human life because it costs less to kill someone rather that to keep them in jail. I do agree that all human life should be valued equally but that has not happened ever and I don't think it is going to start now. Even in a communist society, people are not equal. It is just the natu... ..."normal" in a sense. In conclusion I would like to say that I don't exactly know how the U.S. Catholic bishops felt about this issue a hundred years ago, but in modern times, death is not always the best way to solve society's problems. I am glad to see that a major influence has spoken out to help abolish the death penalty and I think that is a huge step in the movement. Nothing will ever change unless an influential body urges and persists with teachings of peace and non-violent alternatives. If the death penalty was abolished, I think over time we would in fact see the murder rates decrease as generations of children are raised sensitive to death and violence. Bibliography: www.wikipedia.org [for examples around world] Resource website Ideas after watching Dead Man Walking Emotions after reading Newspaper opinion pieces RE Pink Resource Book Section F

Counterfactual Thinking Essay

The experience of regret arguably relies on a multifaceted, counterfactual analysis of two previously possible outcomes. An important question to consider is at what age these counterfactual emotions develop, and what enables these responses to occur. Previous research proposes that regret emerges at around 4 years old, marginally earlier than more recent studies conducted by Guttentag and Ferrell, who suggest that the experience of regret occurs relatively late in child development. The results of these studies argue that understanding, rather than simply experiencing counterfactual emotions relies heavily on a child’s ability to simultaneously conceive alternate realities, and that a recognition of differing outcomes is a necessary, rather than sufficient component of the development of regret. These findings accumulate and extend previous research, and demonstrate that the development of counterfactual thinking in children is positively correlated with a complex cognitive p rocessing of two alternate realities. The experience of regret and relief are counterfactual emotions based on a comparison of reality with a better, alternative situation. Counterfactual emotions are considered to perform important emotional regulatory functions, and require additional complex cognitive processing than more basic emotions such as anger, fear or happiness. They require us to consider ‘dual possibilities’ (Byrne, 2002) in which both outcomes were possible at some point in the past. The ability to experience emotions such as regret is  believed to play an important role in decision-making following the emergence into adulthood. Significant differences however, exist between when children are thought to first experience regret. It is arguable that children’s understanding of regret develops relatively late due to the complex nature of not only comprehending counterfactual thinking (Guttentag and Ferrell, 2004), which requires an identification and comparison of two equally possible, alternate actions. If children are unable to generate these comparisons, they are unable to experience the emotion of regret. Little research has been done on the cognitive processes behind the emergence of regret in young children, and thus many questions still exist as to why the experience of counterfactual thinking develops relatively late in childhood. Many inconsistencies exist in the theoretical understandings of regret, and subsequently further research is required in order to overcome these age-related discrepancies. Counterfactual thinking refers to an ability to think â€Å"about what could have been had an alternative decision been made or had the outcome been different† (Roese, 1991). It is within the intriguing paradigm that the ongoing research into the experience of regret takes place. Recent findings have shed further light into the development of regret during the early years of childhood. Beck et al (2006) proposed the theoretical perspective that counterfactual emotions develop relatively late because it requires more complex cognitive processing to conceive two possible outcomes, as opposed to recognizing basic emotions of happiness and sadness. This perspective is widely agreed upon, however theories differ in the age at which the emotion of regret actually emerges. Daniel Weisberg (2001) located the emergence of regret at about 4 years, however Guttentag and Ferrell (2004) speculated that it was not until children are 6 or 7 years old that they are able to simultaneously comp rehend counterfactual and actual situations. Further research however, has revealed that within the emergence of counterfactual thinking, is a distinction between experiencing and reasoning about regret. The latter involves a reflection on the reasoning behind the emotion, i.e. _why_ does the child feel bad that he/she picked box ‘A’ containing nothing, when he/she could have picked box ‘B’, containing the chocolate. Experiencing regret however, involves a comparison  of reality with a better, alternative outcome. Given that it is a difficult task to simultaneously comprehend two equally plausible realities, it must be even more difficult to understanding the reasoning behind _why_ this feels bad. Interestingly, although Guttentag and Ferrell (2004) located the experience of regret early in childhood, they argued that it wasn’t until later in life – around 7 years old – that a child was able to demonstrate _why_ an alternative reality might affect the emotional reaction to the actual outcome. Guttentag and Ferrell (2004) suggested that children less than 5 or 6 years old cannot generate a comparison between a real and counterfactual re ality. According to this perspective, the comparison between two previously possible outcomes is critical. In 2009, Beck and Crilly adapted this theory, and hypothesized that â€Å"an inability to compare the two worlds limits children’s thinking about regret.† (Beck, & Crilly 2009). Beck, Robinson, Carroll and Apperly (2006) proposed a similar perspective, arguing that it wasn’t until children were 5 or 6 years old that counterfactual and actual events were two equally plausible events. Studies conducted following this proposal revealed corresponding results. Children between the ages of 3 and 6 were asked an open and a closed question regarding the pathway chosen by a toy mouse. Children aged 3 found it difficult to correctly answer the question â€Å"what if he had gone the other way, where would he be?† as opposed to the simpler â€Å"could he have gone anywhere else?† Comparatively, children aged 6 and older performed significantly better, with 85% answering the open question correctly. Beck et al reasoned that regret could not be felt if the child had no understanding of the possibility of a counterfactual reality replacing the actual reality. In 2009, Beck and Crilly replicated these studies, but alternatively used an open question and a regret question to measure children’s ability to comprehend regret. The results indicated that, contrary to Beck et al, it is in fact not sufficient to simply distinguish two counterfactual possibilities in order for children to recognize regret. The study gave more weight to Guttentag and Ferrell’s 2004 claim that the comparison of two alternate realities is critical in the development of regret. Beck and Crilly (2009) went on to suggest that perhaps understanding two counterfactual realities was a necessary rather than sufficient developmental goal in the cognitive processing of regret. In 2003, German  and Nichols proposed that the experience of counterfactual thinking could occur as early as 4 years of age. In their study, a group of 3 year olds were given stories that involved two possible outcomes. When given the negative alternative, the children were asked whether the character in the story would feel happy or sad. German and Nichols reported that children answered more than two thirds of the simple counterfactual questions correctly . This data was used to theorize that children as young as 3 could comprehend basic counterfactual realities, and thus indicated the early emergence of regret. Although much discrepancy exists as the to the exact age at which regret begins to emerge, the view that counterfactual thinking develops much earlier than previously thought has become widely accepted amongst both cognitive and developmental psychologists. However, evidence exists that contradicts this perspective. Beck et al argue that the studies used by German and Nichols contain a number of false positives. Further research has suggested that the supposed counterfactual thinking demonstrated in the 3 year olds tested, could simply be use of the child’s general knowledge, and that the questions used were too simple to reliably indicate an experience of regret. Questions used in the experiment by German and Nichols arguably lead to answers that could be answered using the child’s general knowledge, such as recognizing that squashed flowers make people unhappy, and ‘unsquashed’ flowers make people happy (Beck, Robison, Carroll, & Apperly 2006). Where German and Nichols may have revealed an emergence of counterfactual thinking; may simply have been the child’s expression of past experience. The most widely agreed upon theory of regret in childhood appears to be ability to not only distinguish two previously possible realities, but to also compare them in order to come to an emotional understanding. Theorists including Guttentag and Ferrell (2004), and Beck and Crilly (2009) argue that a distinction must be made between simply experiencing a counterfactual emotion, and understanding _why_ someone may feel unhappy when comparing the actual reality with a counterfactual world. This theory is based on the premise that counterfactual thinking is a complex cognitive process, requiring a multifaceted understanding of two dual possibilities. Research on counterfactual thinking in childhood also suggests children may  experience regret as early as 4 years old, however this view has generated much criticism and requires further research in order to rule out experimental limitations, such as small research groups and over generalized questions. Future research may focus on overcoming these limitations in order to generate reliable data. Compiling the findings from these and future studies will enable researchers to form a much clearer of picture of exactly when children not only experience, but also understand the emotion of regret, and what cognitive processes underpin this development. In conclusion, research examining children’s regret has focused on the criticality of the moment children begin to comprehend two dual realities, and feel remorse after choosing one outcome over another. Current studies lend weight to the complex nature of the role of cognition in emotional experiences, and this data, taken in conj unction with earlier studies, suggests a number of age-related stepping stones are implicated in the development of counterfactual thinking. REFERENCE LIST Beck, R. S., & Crilly, M. (2009) Is understanding regret dependent on developments in counterfactual thinking? _British Journal of Developmental Psychology_. 27, 505-510. Beck, R. S., Riggs, J. K., & Burns, P. (2001) Multiple developments in counterfactual thinking. _Understanding Counterfactuals, Understanding Causation_. 2-21. Beck, S. R., Riggs, J. K., & Gorniak, L. S. (2009) The effect of casual length on counterfactual conditioning reasoning. _British Journal of Developmental Psychology_. Doi: 10.1348/026151009X450836. Beck, S. R., Robinson, E. J., Carroll, D. J., & Apperly, I. A. (2006) Children’s thinking about counterfactuals and future hypotheticals as possibilities. _Child Development._ 77, 413-426. Burns, P., Riggs, J. K., & Beck, R. S. (2012) Executive control and the experience of regret. _Journal of Experimental Child Psychology_. 111(3), 501-515. Doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2011.10.003. Brocki, K. C., & Bohlin, G. (2004) Executive functions in children aged 6-13: A dimensional and developmental study. _Developmental Neuropsychology_. 26, 571-593. Diamond, A. (2006) The early development of executive functions. _Lifespan Cognition: Mechanisms of Change_, Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK. 70-95. Ferrel, J. M., Guttentag, R. E., Gredlein, J. M. (2009) Children’s understanding of counterfactual emotions: Age differences, individual differences, and the effects of counterfactual-information salience. _British Journal of Developmental Psychology_. 27, 569-585. Guttentag, R. E., Ferrell, J. (2004) Reality compared with its alternatives: Age differences in judgments of regret and relief. _Developmental Psychology_. 40, 764-775. Mitchell, P., Riggs, K. J. (2000) Children’s reasoning and the mind. _Psychology Press_. 121-147. O’Connor, E. (2011) The emergence of regret in childhood. _Pediatrics for Parents_. 27, 11-12. O’Connor, E., McCormack, T., & Feeney, A. (2012). The development of regret. _Journal of Experimental Child Psychology,_ 111, 120-127. Doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2011.07.002. Roese, N. J. (1997) Counterfactaul thinking. _Psychological Bulletin_. 121, 133-148. Rafetseder, E., & Perner, J. (2011) When the alternative would have been better: Counterfactual reasoning and the emergence of regret. _Cognition and Emotion_, 26, 800-819. Rafetseder, E., Schwitalla, M., & Perner, J. (2012) Counterfactual reasoning: From childhood to adulthood. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology. 114(3), 389-404. Doi: 10.1016/j.jecp.2012.10.010. Weisberg, D. P. (2011) Children’s thinking about regret and relief. _University of Birmingham (thesis)_. 56-83. Weisberg, D. P., & Beck, S. R. (2010) Children’s thinking about their own and other’s regret and relief. _Journal of Experimental Child Psychology_. 106, 184-191. Weisberg, D. P., & Beck, S. R. (2011) The development of children’s regret and relief. _Cognition and Emotion._ 26, 820-835. Van Duijvenvoorder, K. C. A., Hulzenga, M. H., & Jansen, R. J. (2013) What is and what could have been: Experiencing regret and relief across childhood. _Cognition and Emotion_, 28, 926-935. Zeelenberg, M., Van Dkik, W. W., Manstead, A. S. R., & van der Pligt, J. (1998) The experience of regret and disappointment. _Cognition and Emotion_, 12, 221-230.

Cultural Differences in Turkey

Social studies Cultural differences between the youth in Turkey and the Netherlands. penn Cibii 012013001 Inhoudsopgave Introduction This project is made for the cultural studies class and will contain the differences between the younger people in Turkey and in the Netherlands. It's common that people go abroad and face with a lot of cultural problems. This is because there are a lot of cultures and they all differ from each other. Sometimes its very difficult for people to understand cultural things that are not normal fort hem but instead normal for the people of that culture.To understand why thats so difficult we have to look at the differences of 2 cultures. I chose Turkey and the Netherlands because i am from the Netherlands but i have a Turkish identity and i see a lot of differences between the Turkish and the Dutch people. For example i am here with a classmate who is dutch and from Holland. She is dealing with cultural differences and sometimes she really doesnt understand that some things are normal here because in Holland that things wouldn't accepted. The differences will be measured with the study of Hofstede. Gerard Hendrick hofstede is a dutch social psychologist.His most notable work has been in developing cultural dimensions theory. The tlve dimensions are : Individualism, masculinity power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and long term orientation. He write the books ‘Culture's conseuenses' and ‘cultures and organizations'. The five dimensions will be discussed in this project to define the differences between the youth in Turkey and the Netherlands. After the five dimensions the mwthodology of study will be explained that includes the participants, methodology and materials. After that the findings will be explained with charts and despriction of data.After the findings comes the discussion with the analysis of data and what it means. At the end there wille be a conclusion which will include implications, limitations and further research and a statement. You can find the reference list and the appendices at the end of the project. Background In this paragraph I am going to explain the study of Hofstede and what all the dimensions mean. There are five dimensions which are seen as criteria to see the differences per culture. These are : Power distance, Individualism versus collectivism, Masculinitu versus femininity, uncertainty avoidance and the Long term rientation degree.Power Distance This dimension expresses the degree to which the less powerful members of a society accept and expect that power is distributed unequally. The fundamental issue here is how a society handles inequalities among people. People in societies exhibiting a large degree of power distance accept a hierarchical order in which everybody has a place and which needs no further Justification. In societies with low power distance, people strive to equalise the distribution ot power and demand justification for inequalities of power. Indiv idualism versus collectivismThe high side of this dimension, called Individualism, can be defined as a preference for a loosely-knit social framework in which individuals are expected to take care of themselves and their immediate families only. Its opposite, Collectivism, represents a preference for a tightly-knit framework in society in which individuals can expect their relatives or members of a particular in-group to look after them in exchange for unquestioning loyalty. A society's position on this dimension is reflected in whether people's self-image is defined in terms of â€Å"l† or â€Å"we. Masculinity versus femininity The masculinity side of this dimension represents a preference in society for achievement, heroism, assertiveness and material reward for success. Society at large is more competitive. Its opposite, femininity, stands for a preference for cooperation, modesty, caring for the weak and quality of life. Society at large is more consensus-oriented. Unce rtainty avoidance The uncertainty avoidance dimension expresses the degree to which the members of a society feel uncomfortable with uncertainty and ambiguity.The fundamental issue here is how a society deals with the fact that the future can never be known: should e try to control the future or Just let it happen? Countries exhibiting strong UAI maintain rigid codes of belief and behaviour and are intolerant of unorthodox behaviour and ideas. Weak I-JAI societies maintain a more relaxed attitude in which practice counts more than principles. The long term orientation The long-term orientation dimension can be interpreted as dealing with societys search for virtue.Societies with a short-term orientation generally have a strong concern with establishing the absolute Truth. They are normative in their thinking. They exhibit great respect for traditions, a relatively small propensity to save for the uture, and a focus on achieving quick results. In societies with a long-term orientatio n, people believe that truth depends very much on situation, context and time. They show an ability to adapt traditions to changed conditions, a strong propensity to save and invest, thriftiness, and perseverance in achieving results.Methodology of study participants, place (preserve anonymity) The participants for this study are the younger people between the ages 18 and 25 in the Netherlands and Turkey. I choose this as the target group because the younger people travel a lot and have to face the most and sometimes at first with cultural ifferences. They go abroad to go on vacation, to study or to live in another country. Place Because its limited to 2 countries the places of course are in the Netherlands and Turkey.The place where the interview is held is on my school in Holland ; Fontys economische hogeschool Tilburg and my school in Turkey; Fatih university in Istanbul. I choose the school because I could find here the best participants who are speaking English and belong to th e right target group. methodology (qualitative/quantitative; case study, ethnographic etc) In this study there is made qualitative and quantitative research. Quantitative research is made hrough deskresearch and qualitative research are the questions that you can't answer with deskresearch so you need the fieldresearch for.For the fieldresearch I made questionnaires. I decided to hold the questionnairies with 10 persons in each country. So 10 questionnaires in The Netherlands as 10 questionnairies in Turkey. The people who were asked for the questionnaires are all in the age group 18 till 25 and all speak English. I made the questions with multiple choice answers so it will be easy to process the data and make a conclusion. materials; data collection instruments (observation, questionnaires) The data ollection instruments are : internet, literature and questionnaires.

Distinguishing Between Sein and Haben in German

Distinguishing Between 'Sein' and 'Haben' in German If you are like most German language learners, youve probably come across the following dilemma when it comes to verbs in the perfect tense: When do I use the verb haben (to have), when do I use sein (to be)?This is a tricky question. Even though the usual answer is that most verbs use the auxiliary verb haben in the perfect tense (however watch for common exceptions stated below), sometimes both are used - depending on  what part of Germany youre from. For instance, northern Germans say Ich habe gesessen, whereas in southern Germany and Austria, they say Ich bin gesessen. The same goes for other common verbs, such as liegen and stehen. Furthermore, the German grammar bible, Der Duden, mentions that there is a growing tendency to increasingly use the auxiliary verb sein with action verbs. However, rest assured. These are other uses of haben and sein to be aware of. In general, keep the following tips and guidelines in mind when deciding between these two auxiliary verbs and youll get it right. Haben Perfect Tense In the perfect tense,  use the verb haben: With transitive verbs, that is verbs that use the accusative. For example:Sie haben das Auto gekauft?  (You (formal) bought the car?)Sometimes with intransitive verbs, that is verbs that dont use the accusative. In these cases, it will be when the intransitive verb describes an action or event over a duration of time, as opposed to an action/event that occurs in one moment of time. For example, Mein Vater ist ​angekommen, or My father has arrived. Another example:  Die Blume hat geblà ¼ht. (The flower bloomed.)With reflexive verbs. For example:  Er hat sich geduscht. (He took a shower.)With reciprocal verbs. For example:  Die Verwandten haben sich gezankt. (The relatives argued with each other.)When modal verbs are used. For example:  Das Kind hat die Tafel Schokolade kaufen wollen. (The child had wanted to buy the chocolate bar.) Please note: You see sentences expressed in this way more in written language. Sein Perfect Tense In the perfect tense, you use the verb sein: With the common verbs sein, bleiben, gehen, reisen and werden. For example:Ich bin schon in Deutschland gewesen. (Ive already been in Germany.)Meine Mutter ist lange bei uns geblieben. (My mother stayed with us for a long time.)Ich bin heute gegangen. (I went today.)Du bist nach Italien gereist.  (You traveled to Italy.)Er ist mehr schà ¼chtern geworden. (He has become shier).With action verbs that denote a change of place and not necessarily just movement. For example, compare Wir sind durch den Saal getanzt  (we danced throughout the hall) with Wir haben die ganze Nacht im Saal getanzt  (we danced the whole night in the hall).With intransitive verbs that denote a change in condition or state. For example:  Die Blume ist erblà ¼ht. (The flower has begun to bloom.)

Free Camille Paglia On Date Rape Crytical Analysis Essay Example

Free Camille Paglia On Date Rape Crytical Analysis Essay Example Critical Analysis Example On Date Rape A critical analysis In this article, Camille Paglia talks about the growing risk of rapes as women demand more freedom without understanding the fact that it is their own responsibility to take care of themselves. The author starts her article by stating that in olden times, women had always been chaperoned and there had always been strict rules of propriety placed upon them. It was only in the 1960s that women starting breaking rules and demanding freedom, but even then, they always kept in mind that they were taking risks. The first paragraph takes a confused stance, with the author claiming that in the 60s, women were aware of the risks but still broke rules, with the author even going to live at a male friends apartment despite the pleas of her aunts. She claims that today, young women want freedom but do not acknowledge the risk that comes with it. She clarifies that each date is a risk, as the woman can be overpowered. However, the sentence You have to accept the fact that part of the sizzle of sex comes from the danger of sex is a little confusing. It seems unclear as to what she means? Do women intentionally take risks to make their sex life more interesting, or do men rape women because the thrill of danger turns them on? I agree with her when she says that it is a womans personal responsibility to be aware of the dangers of the world, and that, more often than not, it is women coming from secluded and sheltered families, who come out and demand freedom and equality, as they have been brought up to believe that the world is a very safe place. She equates a drunk girl going to a guys room believing nothing will go wrong to someone leaving his car keys on the hood of the car in New York City believing that the car won't get stolen. Yes, if the guy rapes her or if a thief steals the car, they commit a crime, but it was only the girls, or car owners stupidity that let them get away with it. I agree with the author that women need to be careful and should be fully aware of what people are capable of doing. Any illusions or blind faith in peoples intentions will only cause her harm. Camille states that there is an attraction between sexes that we are not fully in control of This I do not agree with. Does she imply that men cannot help raping women because they have no control on their hormones? She says that she herself has always been vigilant and careful, and tries to interpret the signals she receives from men. This is why she has never been raped, and if ever she is, that would imply that she misread the signals and made a mistake, but that would not mean that she would press charges. Her stance, in this paragraph seems to favor men and hold women guilty if they get raped, as they did not properly read the signals. This notion is further strengthened by the idea of not pressing charges and letting the man go scot-free after committing a heinous crime. There is no mention of womens rights or rape help-lines or what a woman should do in such a scenario. The entire article has a very ancient feel to it and it appears as if the author is incriminating women for dating and going out with men. On the other hand, it appears as if she believes that men, because they are men, will rape women and have their way with them and that they have every right to do so unless women can read their intentions and get away from them in time. If not, then it is the womans fault for being suitable bait for the hormonally controlled man and in such a case, she was asking for it. It appears as if the article has been written by an overprotective mother to scare her daughter into being a good girl so that bad things don't happen to her.

7 Tips for Using Suspensive Hyphenation

7 Tips for Using Suspensive Hyphenation 7 Tips for Using Suspensive Hyphenation 7 Tips for Using Suspensive Hyphenation By Mark Nichol Often, when both items in a pair of hyphenated phrases have a common element, the first instance of that element can be elided, or omitted, without erasing the connection; the incomplete phrase is implied to have the same form as the complete one. However, as shown in these examples, it’s essential to treat the phrases, especially their hyphens, correctly: 1. â€Å"The holding pond’s collapse sent more than a billion gallons of arsenic and mercury-laden sludge into the river.† The sludge was laden with a combination of arsenic and mercury; arsenic was not released separately from mercury-laden sludge. Because laden can serve to team up with both arsenic and mercury, it is omitted from where it might first appear; the phrase â€Å"arsenic-laden† is merely implied. A hyphen is attached to arsenic to express the elision: â€Å"The holding pond’s collapse sent more than a billion gallons of arsenic- and mercury-laden sludge into the river.† 2. â€Å"The company provides small- and medium-size businesses with service and support.† The hyphen following small implies that â€Å"small-size† is the intended construction, but size is not appropriate in association with small: â€Å"The company provides small and medium-size businesses with service and support.† 3. â€Å"The 1-2 year old wolf is still a baby.† The confusing adjective string before wolf is meant to express that the animal is either a 1-year-old or a 2-year-old. You can write that an animal is 1-2 years old, but here you must hyphenate the construction â€Å"(number)-year-old† to modify the noun that follows. The correct full form of the sentence would be â€Å"The 1-year-old to 2-year-old wolf is still a baby,† but the first instance of â€Å"year-old† can be elided: â€Å"The 1- to 2-year-old wolf is still a baby.† Note the letter space following 1 this element has no connection to to, so don’t connect them. 4. â€Å"Marc Antony was seen as Cleopatra’s drink-and-love besotted dupe.† The trainlike coupling of â€Å"drink-and-love† makes no grammatical sense. Observers thought of Marc Antony as separately besotted by drink and love, so he was a drink-besotted dope and a love-besotted dope, or, as follows: â€Å"Marc Antony was seen as Cleopatra’s drink- and love-besotted dupe.† 5. â€Å"The difference between pre- and post-Civil War attitudes was profound.† The elision of â€Å"Civil War† after pre- is correct, but when a prefix or suffix is attached (or implied to attach) to a proper noun or to more than one term, a sturdy en dash is called in to substitute for the little hyphen: â€Å"The difference between pre and postCivil War attitudes was profound.† 6. â€Å"She felt underpaid and -appreciated.† Though use of suspensive hyphenation in the case of words with otherwise closed prefixes (â€Å"The fund was alternately over- and underfunded†) is correct, avoid applying it with closed suffixes: â€Å"She felt underpaid and underappreciated.† 7. â€Å"The box contained a stack of 3- by 5-inch cards.† By signals that this sentence does not refer to 3-inch cards and 5-inch cards; this statement is in a separate class. When two dimensions refer to a single object, link the entire phrasal adjective together: â€Å"The box contained a stack of 3-by-5-inch cards.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Meaning of "To a T"80 Idioms with the Word TimeI wish I were...

FOOD SERVICE RESERCH PAPER Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

FOOD SERVICE RESERCH - Research Paper Example This includes a number of routines that should be followed to avoid potentially severe health hazards. Food safety policies and actions need to cover the entire food chain, from production to consumption. Food service research aims at analysing and evaluating the problem of food safety as related to food service systems and management. In some food service systems there is less control over food safety. The research on food safety helps to identify weaknesses in these systems. Once weaknesses are identified, modifications can be done such as quality control and implementation of â€Å"Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point† program. Vaclavik and Christian have argued that, there are several pathogenic causes of food borne diseases (52). They also reveal that through conducting research, several problems are identified and this helps to reduce food borne maladies that affect the public. Brief summary of the importance of subject and the need for the research a) Describe the gen eral area to be studied Food service research, aims at analysing and evaluating food safety problems in relation with food service systems and management. The study will be conducted on several restaurants and schools food service providers. The aim will be to analyse their service systems and how they manage them to ensure food safety. ... b) Explain why this topic or area is important to dietetics, FSSM, school nutrition, or the school district in general The research on food service will help to identify the kind of diet that consumers are engaged with and the important of food quality control in schools. The research is important in dietetics, FSSM and school nutrition because the data collected would help to reduce food related diseases and improve the health of consumers (John and Dennis 77).It will also help to improve the performance of students in school due to good health. Objective or purpose of the study The study in food services has a number of objectives. The first one is to identify challenges related to food safety in food service systems and how they affect consumer diet. The second one is to identify the measures taken by food service providers to ensure quality control. The last one is to find out what caution consumers take, to ensure provision of quality goods and services from food providers (Burk e and Turner 81). Hypothesis – what you expect to find or what you expect your results to be Lehmann and Ramao have defined a hypothesis as uncertain explanation for an observation, a scientific problem or experiment, or a phenomenon that can be tested by investigation (12). From the interviews being conducted, we expect less people to be negatively affected by the food they take in restaurants or from fast foods. For example, less cases of food poisoning would indicate that, there are better standards of quality food and more efficient food service systems.Most restaurants should have efficient food service systems that offer the best quality services to consumer. The restaurants must

Qatar Exchange Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Qatar Exchange - Term Paper Example This sector currently has a total of eighteen firms listed in the Qatari stock exchange thus presenting it as one of the most successful sectors in the Qatar market. The consistent growth of this sector has always been attributed to the higher lending associated with higher scale of infrastructural projects. The slated 2022 FIFA world cup in Qatar has also stimulated a high growth in the investment projects making the sector the best performing at the moment (Qatar, 2014). The Insurance sector: this sector has 12 firms listed on the stock exchange market and is rated as one of the best performing sectors in the Qatar’s economy. This sector has been receiving annual growth rate of at least 11.3% from the year 2008 outlining how well the sector is performing. Due to the weakening demands on major expensive claims such as personal accident claims and health insurance, the growth has maintained a steady rise making the sector among the very best performing (Qatar 2010 Phase 1). The services sector: this is another very well performing sector in the Qatar’s stock market with a total of 15 firms listed in the stock exchange market. The net profit realized by this sector grew to 21.0% in the first quarter of 2014. The single largest contributor to this was the Qatar fuel company posting a 12.3% rise in their own net profit. The industry and Hotel sector: this sector has 17 firms listed in the Qatar stock market. Even though the profits from this sector reduced by 7.3% in the first quarter of 2014, it is still able to contribute 27.2% of the of the Qatar’s total market profit. This drop is mainly attributed to the extended planned closing, the general increasing costs and the product price deflation (Qatar 2010 Phase 1). The individuals of firms that are interested in trading in the Qatar Exchange in form of buying and selling of the shares listed must first of all follow the laid down

Marks and speners Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marks and speners - Essay Example Michael’ brand. The company primarily focused on quality and had lucrative refund policy. It opted for international expansion in the seventh decade of the 20th century. Today, the company has almost 900 stores in more than 40 countries across the globe and is listed in the London Stock Exchange as it forms the integral part of the FTSE 100 (Marks and Spencer, n.d.). The Marks and Spencer initiated five year long planning in the January of 2007 to address the environmental and social issues. The company named it ‘Plan A’. It was so because the company wanted to make it stake holders believe that there is no such second plan. The plan primarily focuses upon five themes namely waste management, fair partnership, health of the employees, change in climate and sustainable raw materials (BBC, 2007). The primary ‘Plan A’ that was drawn in the year of 2007 aimed to make the company carbon neutral by the year of 2012. Also, Plan A said that the retail chain would not send any waste for filling the land and would use sustainable sourcing by the end of 2012. The second phase of Plan A was drawn in the year of 2010. The second phase predominantly aimed to make Marks and Spencer; the most sustainable retail chain by the end of 2015. Also, it expects that the company would have 3 million customers who could be getting involved within the periphery of Plan A by 2020 (Marks and Spencer, n.d.). The core business of the Marks and Spencer has been that of womenswear, menswear, lingerie, food and home. The total revenue of Marks and Spencer for the financial year of 2008 – 2009 and 2007 – 2008 has been almost same, the first one exceeding the later by  £ 40 million. But the profitability of the company has taken a major hit in the year of 2008- 2009. According to the latest annual report of Marks and Spencer, it can be observed that the profit in the financial year of 2008 – 2009 has been  £ 506.8 million while the same was  £ 821

First paper assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

First paper assignment - Essay Example The environment is affected by the individuals living within the society as well as the culture and tradition. Linguistic variation includes vocabulary, word choice, morphology, grammar/syntax, accent, dialects, pronunciation, and different languages. These variations reflect the differences in education, origin or social background and occupation. According to Maude, social networks link speech communities. The social network of a community is depicted in a social network diagram. This is a drawing that shows at a glance the social network. From the two types of social networks highlighted, that is, closed and open, this study focuses on a Closed Network with preference to Multiplexed opt. The reason for this option is by the fact that all the parties involved in the communication are in one environment (Taylor and Lindlof 77).Emotions play an important role in interpersonal development including the development of relationships. Emotional exchanges occur between individuals may affect the relationship and lead to negative perceptions between the two. Cultures affect how people relate especially if they originate from different continents (McCarty 78). Different cultures have different limitation or allowance of personal space leading to the differences witnessed on the personal space. It is evident that some cultures treat m arriage issues with higher level of confidentiality while others treat it with openness. The Chinese have always practiced a culture of secrecy in issues relating to marriage and relationship as witnessed by several engagements that are not declared public. In the western world, engagement is officially announced at some cases even parties are thrown to commemorate the engagement (McCarty 56). Such secrecy developed by culture shapes the emotions of the individuals. The African culture teaches toughness in relation to gender. Men re expected to be tough and should not cry even when there is loss of loved ones. For instance, if a man

Entry into Chinese Market Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Entry into Chinese Market - Case Study Example When they decide to enter newer countries, firms have to analyze both the opportunities as well as challenges, so that those challenges can be effectively managed. The first aspect they will have to analyze is the entry mode, so they can pick the best entry mode which has minimal risks, and this applicable to retail firms as well. In addition, they have to focus on the economic and legal aspects that could aid as well as impede them. China is one country, which has optimal opportunities for all firms including the retail firms like the fictional firm of Pesco. This paper will discuss the advantages as well as the disadvantages of entering China by the firm Pesco, focusing on the feasible entry modes, and how Pesco can or have to manage the economic and legal aspects. With the onset of globalization and the opening of the Chinese markets in 1990s, foreign firms particularly retail firms are more than eager to enter to tap the large prospective customer base. China being a country whic h runs on Communist principles, for most part of the 20th century, China raised an â€Å"Iron Curtain† and restricted the foreign firms’ entry, thereby protecting the indigenous firms. However, with globalization providing more opportunities to firms, and with its entry into WTO, Chinese government started to allow foreign firms into its territory. â€Å"Indeed, if we can identify a single moment when the  ­Western- ­dominated Globalization 2.0 gave way to Globalization 3.0, it may have been when China acceded to WTO membership on December 11, 2001† (Walker, n. d). Due to these developments, China particularly started lessening its trade restrictions particularly in the retail sector. The foreign firms for their part are enticed by the huge population of China and how they can be tapped as a huge customer base. â€Å"Most of the world’s major global retail firms are desperate to grab a slice of the world’s largest and most rapidly growing emer ging market† (Gamble, 2006). In addition, the sizable sections of this population have high purchasing power. As the Chinese economy as a whole, is improving optimally, it has resulted in the accentuation of its citizens’ purchasing power, and for the retail firms including Pesco, this can be huge advantage. Because of this favorable business environment in China, Pesco can open its retail outlets. When it comes to the entry mode, Pesco can enter in the form of wholly owned subsidiaries. This entry mode can provide many advantages for Pesco, including in the economic and legal sphere. However, there are risks as well, when this mode is adopted. The first advantage Pesco can garner if it uses the wholly owned subsidiary option and not the joint venture option is the benefits from the new tax regime. The main feature of this new tax regime is that foreign firms as well as foreign firms having joint ventures with Chinese entities have to pay land-use taxes, which is equal and even more than the indigenous Chinese companies and foreign firms’ subsidiaries. That is, in under the earlier favorable tax regimes, the foreign firms including joint ventures were given exemptions from the land-use tax, and were also given permission to construct infrastructures on non-taxed lands and function in them. However, in the new tax structure, foreign firms’ tax payments have been even tripled from the old rate. That is, â€Å"in large cities the annual property tax rate will range from 1.5

Business Law #5 Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Law #5 - Case Study Example The plaintiff asserts that the multiple corporate structure is a ruse, and constitutes an unlawful attempt to defraud the members of the public sustaining injuries. Therefore he contends he is entitled to hold the corporations' shareholders, personally liable for the damages sought by him. Carlton wanted the case to be dismissed as the plaintiff had failed to state a cause of action. The court at Special Term granted the motion but the Appellate Division reversed that decision. It held that cause of action had been sufficiently made out. Carlton then appealed against this to the Court of Appeals in New York by leave of the Appellate Division on a certified question. The court held that the complaint fell short of adequately stating a cause of action against Carlton in his individual capacity. It also held that the order of the Appellate Division should be reversed, with costs both in the Court of Appeals and in the Appellate Division. It further held that the certified question is answered in the negative, and that the order of the Supreme Court, Richmond County, be reinstated with leave to serve an amended complaint. [The case took a twist on the ground of inadequate cause of action. But as regards the liability of share holders, the Judge has stated that the liability will be there under certain circumstances, for example, if the corporation is a dummy.

Entry into Chinese Market Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Entry into Chinese Market - Case Study Example When they decide to enter newer countries, firms have to analyze both the opportunities as well as challenges, so that those challenges can be effectively managed. The first aspect they will have to analyze is the entry mode, so they can pick the best entry mode which has minimal risks, and this applicable to retail firms as well. In addition, they have to focus on the economic and legal aspects that could aid as well as impede them. China is one country, which has optimal opportunities for all firms including the retail firms like the fictional firm of Pesco. This paper will discuss the advantages as well as the disadvantages of entering China by the firm Pesco, focusing on the feasible entry modes, and how Pesco can or have to manage the economic and legal aspects. With the onset of globalization and the opening of the Chinese markets in 1990s, foreign firms particularly retail firms are more than eager to enter to tap the large prospective customer base. China being a country whic h runs on Communist principles, for most part of the 20th century, China raised an â€Å"Iron Curtain† and restricted the foreign firms’ entry, thereby protecting the indigenous firms. However, with globalization providing more opportunities to firms, and with its entry into WTO, Chinese government started to allow foreign firms into its territory. â€Å"Indeed, if we can identify a single moment when the  ­Western- ­dominated Globalization 2.0 gave way to Globalization 3.0, it may have been when China acceded to WTO membership on December 11, 2001† (Walker, n. d). Due to these developments, China particularly started lessening its trade restrictions particularly in the retail sector. The foreign firms for their part are enticed by the huge population of China and how they can be tapped as a huge customer base. â€Å"Most of the world’s major global retail firms are desperate to grab a slice of the world’s largest and most rapidly growing emer ging market† (Gamble, 2006). In addition, the sizable sections of this population have high purchasing power. As the Chinese economy as a whole, is improving optimally, it has resulted in the accentuation of its citizens’ purchasing power, and for the retail firms including Pesco, this can be huge advantage. Because of this favorable business environment in China, Pesco can open its retail outlets. When it comes to the entry mode, Pesco can enter in the form of wholly owned subsidiaries. This entry mode can provide many advantages for Pesco, including in the economic and legal sphere. However, there are risks as well, when this mode is adopted. The first advantage Pesco can garner if it uses the wholly owned subsidiary option and not the joint venture option is the benefits from the new tax regime. The main feature of this new tax regime is that foreign firms as well as foreign firms having joint ventures with Chinese entities have to pay land-use taxes, which is equal and even more than the indigenous Chinese companies and foreign firms’ subsidiaries. That is, in under the earlier favorable tax regimes, the foreign firms including joint ventures were given exemptions from the land-use tax, and were also given permission to construct infrastructures on non-taxed lands and function in them. However, in the new tax structure, foreign firms’ tax payments have been even tripled from the old rate. That is, â€Å"in large cities the annual property tax rate will range from 1.5

The Success of Treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder Essay Example for Free

The Success of Treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder Essay With the increased dependence on others because of the boom in societies’ populations, social skills are becoming more of a necessity in the normal functioning of individuals. Behaviors which obstruct the normal functioning of individuals in social situations are therefore a growing cause of concern. One such behavior is the psychological disorder, social anxiety disorder. Social anxiety disorder is a psychological disorder characterized by a persistent fear of negative evaluation from others in social situations to which the individual is exposed (Stein, 2006). Because of this increase in fear of experiencing humiliation, there is an observed pattern of irregular functioning as well as clinically diagnosed distress in the individual (Stein, 2006). This therefore stops the suffering individual from relating to others in regular social situations. Furthermore, the distress resulting from the fear incapacitates the individual from other day-to-day patterns of behavior. Social anxiety disorder manifests during early stages of human development and has been found to be one of the most prevalent mental disorders (Stein, 2006). Because of this, an increase in concern has been raised for the treatment of the disorder, especially because the nature of the disorder prevents individuals from seeking treatment of the same. This paper will deal with two therapies used in treating social anxiety disorder. The treatment procedures offered by cognitive-behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy, the use of medicine in treatments. This will be done by reviewing several articles written by experts studying methods of treating the symptoms of social anxiety disorder. Also the effectiveness of the different treatment procedures in helping clients will be discussed. By the end of this paper a clearer picture will have been made of the research methods utilized in studying social anxiety disorder, the treatments suggested, and the effectiveness of such treatments. The Importance of Working Alliance Hayes, Hopes, VanDyke, and Heimberg (2007) conducted a study regarding the effectiveness of cognitive-behavior therapy in addressing the concerns of patients suffering from social anxiety disorder. One of the processes of cognitive-behavior therapy involves the firm establishment of an interpersonal relationship between the client and therapist. This relationship is known as the working alliance. Working alliance goes beyond forming a bond and involves the foundation of an agreement between the client and therapist regarding the tasks and goals of the therapy proceedings (Hayes et al., 2007). In their research study, Hayes et al. (2007) studied the role that working alliance played in having treatments result in effective treatments. The research was conducted through first assessing that the patients were seeking treatment for social anxiety disorder and that no other therapist was being consulted (Hayes et al., 2007). Participants were then asked to rate the level of distress they felt before entering the therapy. After the session, participants and third-person observers rated the perceived level of working alliance as well as the degree of helpfulness of the session (Hayes et al., 2007). Only the first session was studied by the researchers as they believed this first session was important in knowing if the client would come back or not. This may have limited the results as the researchers couldn’t make sure if the long-term effectiveness of the treatment is because of working alliance or because of other reasons. The research ended with the finding that high levels of working alliance didn’t lower the reported level of depression of the clients (Hayes et al., 2007). However, the treatment did get positive reports as to helpfulness. Those participants who reported moderate levels of working alliance showed decreases in depression (Hayes et al., 2007). In fact, those who reported before the session the highest levels of depression and showed the greatest decrease in depression after the session were those who reported average working alliance levels (Hayes et al., 2007). The research raises the question whether or not an entirely open relationship with therapists would help change the non-helpful social behavior of participants. Also, the research does not clearly point out whether it is the process which clients say is helpful or if it’s working alliance. More than anything, this study points out the need to study more the processes of cognitive-behavior therapy so that it will be understood what particular process helps social anxiety disorder patients. The Efficacy of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy A research study conducted through the review of relevant past research was conducted by Zaider and Heimberg (2003). Past research was tapped through the use of literature searches, reference lists and research databases (Zaider Heimberg, 2003). This provided the researchers with a long list of research papers to review – more than 100 papers were found but only 80 were accepted based on relevance. This method serves to summarize research conducted over the last fifteen years, making clear the contribution of each individual research conducted. But the study is limited because of the method used. Data still needs to be collected by studying the conclusions and proposals of this review of past literature. The studies reviewed also reflected several treatment procedures used in cognitive-behavior therapy. To name some of these treatments: relaxation training, social skills training, exposure, cognitive-restructuring techniques, and combined exposure and cognitive restructuring (Zaider Heimberg, 2003). However, the general conclusion that could be made was that the treatments were most efficient when applied together. The exact combination of treatments that would give the best results was not made clear though. But the research did conclude that the use of cognitive-behavior therapy greatly improves social performance fears (Zaider Heimberg, 2003). Moreover, the therapy resulted in the improvement of social skills and feelings of depression associated with the disorder (Zaider Heimberg, 2003). The research reflects that cognitive-behavior therapy is quick to answer the needs of social anxiety disorder. But it doesn’t answer the question of which aspect of the therapy directly contributes to the improvement. With the many treatments that may be used in cognitive-behavior therapy it is vague which one results in the best stage of improvement. There is also no explanation regarding the concepts used in this theory which help patients overcome their disability. Comparison between Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Pharmacological Interventions A handout for clinical practice guidelines (Paris, 2006) further discussed the efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy in treating social anxiety disorder. The goal was to determine methods of improving the helpfulness of the therapy. This was done through a comparison of the data obtained from past researchers treating social anxiety disorder with three different treatments: cognitive-behavior therapy alone, cognitive-behavior therapy combined with prescribed medications, and pharmacology alone (Paris, 2006). However, this comparison method doesn’t control for certain conditions which might not be present in all studies. This would leave room for error in the data obtained and not make the conclusions objective and reliable. The research also enumerates the treatments applied in cognitive-behavior therapy. The list is similar to the list provided by Zaider and Heimberg (2003), as discussed earlier, except for the deletion of relaxation training and the addition of education and emotion-regulation approaches (Paris, 2006). When the researchers compared the effectiveness of the three above-mentioned conditions, no significant were noted. Therefore there were no added benefits to the use of the therapies in combination as compared to applying them separately. However, the findings did show that after stopping treatment, improvements made through cognitive-behavior therapy lasted longer than those in pharmacotherapy (Paris, 2006). Such findings raise the question as to why cognitive-behavior therapies are not the default treatment for social anxiety disorder. Combined Cognitive-Behavior Therapy and Pharmacotherapy As has been said in the previous study, there have been little to no proof showing the benefits of combining cognitive-behavior therapy with pharmocological treatments. However, medications have been found to lead to faster relief than cognitive-behavior therapy which takes a long and slow process (Rodebaugh Heimberg, 2005). On the other hand, medications have been associated with higher possibilities of relapse while cognitive-behavior therapy has shown low cases of relapse (Rodebaugh Heimberg, 2005). This accounts for the potential of exploring options for a combined treatments therapy. The possibility was studied through a review of current and recent research concerning combination treatments. But this review method fails to give a thorough control for factors which may affect the studied result along with the studied factors. There is no certainty of direct compatibility between studies. The review of the current state of knowledge served to show that some experiments had resulted in the growth of improvement effects through the combination of the two therapies (Rodebaugh Heimberg, 2005). However, this progress was observed only in the short-term effect of the therapy and no data is yet present as to the long-term benefits provided by combined treatments. It has further been found that clients who go through therapy may think that real-life practice situations as safe only when under medication. But when medication is stopped, the fear may return. This shows in truth, little improvement is made in the therapy sessions. This research brings about more questions for future research than it does provide answers. Of particular focus for future research would be the long-term rise in improvements through the early prescription of medication to a client and the delayed start of psychotherapy. Given that the effectiveness of therapy undergone while under medication may only be observed after the stop of such medication, therapy must extend after medication has been stopped. This picture gives a probable combination treatment set up. Pharmacological Treatments of Social Anxiety Disorder Stein (2006) presented his study considering the effect of clinical practices combined with advancements in medical research. This was done through the review of current clinical guidelines. The effects of known medications when applied to individuals suffering from social anxiety disorder were also considered. This method serves to provide a clear picture of the role of pharmacology in the clinical setting. It also identifies the most effective medicine to prescribe to a client asking for help for social anxiety disorder. Unlike other studies which only find basis on the helpfulness of particular pharmaceutical products in combating disorders, this method, evidence-based treatment, looks at clinical data in order to identify the best medication may be given to a client (Stein, 2006). The study reported that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors were the primary pharmacological treatments recommended for manifesting social anxiety disorder (Stein, 2006). It was explained that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors serve as effective short- and long-term treatments for social anxiety disorder. This treatment has been found to be superior to other medications available for social anxiety disorder. However, the occurrence of relapse was common in cases where treatments were not continued. It is therefore best to give long-term treatment for maximum improvement of the patient. Long- term treatment would also decrease the frequency of relapse. Instead of concluding that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors alone should be used for treatment, this research only encourages more research. Although the best possible medication has been identified, the contribution of other known medications has not been forgotten. Stein leaves open the possibility of creating new medicines for the treatment of social anxiety disorder with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as the main ingredient. Summary of Research Material Reviewed To summarize the research findings discussed above, the only successful psychotherapy so far applied to social anxiety disorder is cognitive-behavior therapy. This may be because of the close working alliance between the client and therapist as well as the real life experimentation which acts as practice for the client. This treatment has been found to have more long-lasting improvements than pharmacological treatments. However, on the basis of quality of improvements observed, no significant difference has been found between cognitive-behavioral and pharmacological treatments. It is theorized though that the best improvement environment might be achieved through the combination of the two treatments. However, there is little evidence collected to support such a theory. It should also be noted that the most effective medication, on the basis of evidence from clinical records, has been identified as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. But the combination of this medication with others has not been considered or studied yet. Even though the research findings have not pinpointed the specific predictors of improvement in clients’ conditions, it has been shown that indeed social anxiety disorder may be treated. In fact the challenge for researchers is to make treatment conditions better in order to maximize the improvements already offered by current therapies. Reflection on Research Findings The research has served to the existing state of research clear. From the conclusions of the researchers it can be seen that successful treatments of social anxiety disorder have been achieved. However, the reliability of medication as a treatment for this disorder remains uncertain. Medication gives quick relief of the symptoms of social anxiety disorder. However, when taking medicine is stopped, relapse is not only likely, it is sure to follow. On the other hand, cognitive-behavior therapy offers a more stable process of improvement with fewer chances of relapse. Although this therapy takes longer in showing improvement, the wide variety of treatments it offers allows for the specialization of client-therapy interactions based on the specific concerns and situation of individual clients. This allows for a stronger foundation of change. This would improve interaction even outside the clinical setting. This is quite different from the role of medication which is only to prevent the manifestation of symptoms without addressing the cause of the actual behavior being treated. Although a combination treatment is hoped for, it should be remembered that medication might only bring about a false sense of reliance. Medication should therefore not be regarded as the primary intervention mechanism. It’s psychotherapy which empowers the individual to face different social situations. Cognitive-behavioral therapy gives the patient the ability to develop coping mechanisms which he or she will learn to apply in many different social interactions that may come his or her way. References Hayes, S.A., Hope, D.A., VanDyke, M.M., and Heimberg, R.G. (2007). Working Alliance for Clients with Social Anxiety Disorder: Relationship with Session Helpfulness and Within-Session Habituation, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 36(1), 34-42. Paris, J. (2006). Social Anxiety Disorder. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 51(2), 35S-41S. Rodebaugh, T.L. and Heimberg, G.T. (2005). Combined Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly, 19(4), 331-345. Stein, D.J. (2006). Evidence-based treatment for social anxiety disorder. International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, 10(1), 16-21. Zaider, T.I. and Heimberg, R.G. (2003). Non-pharmacologic treatments for social anxiety disorder. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 108(417), 72-84.

Report to President on Gun Control Legislation

Report to President on Gun Control Legislation According to the second amendment of the U.S. Constitution, it has been guaranteed to the people, a right to keep and bear arms and such rights shall not be infringed. The result is that generally there is a heated debate regarding the gun-control legislation. While there are many who want to increase the regulation of firearms, many people oppose such regulation. For example, the article appearing in USA Today, titles as â€Å"Next, Comprehensive Reform of Gun Laws† the introduction of strict gun-control legislation by the Senate has been applauded and the benefits that can be derived by such reform legislation as well as the need for more such laws has been highlighted (USA Today 475). However, the detrimental effect of gun control legislation has also been equally highlighted in the media and also the way such legislation has an impact on the crime rate as well as the safety of the citizens (Gottlieb). In the present report, the arguments made by both sides have been evalua ted and an attempt has been made to provide a critical assessment of the need for gun-control legislation. As mentioned above, the persons who are in favor of the introduction of more gun-control laws claim that the laws that require waiting period as well as the background check of the persons who are willing to hold firearms can help in keeping these firearms away from the reach of criminals. The premise behind this argument shows that the laws that impose a ban on certain types of guns and ammunitions will result in keeping the streets safer because these weapons will not be available to easily. In this way, it is implied that such laws will prevent the criminals from accessing guns and it will also discourage the use of highly dangerous anti-personnel weapons. At the same time, this argument also believes that with the introduction of more such laws, the judicial system will also be in a better position to process the crimes related with guns and at the same time, it will ensure licensing and training for the owners of these guns. Therefore, it can be implied that more such laws shoul d be enacted because it will allow the legal system to work more efficiently and ensure the basic regulatory policies. However there are many who do not agree with this argument. According to these persons, it has been amply supported by statistics that in case of the States where gun control laws have been passed that require waiting period for purchasing guns, the rate of crime has in fact increased. This data is very significant because every time new gun-control legislation is introduced, the rate of violent crime increases instead of going down. Therefore, the opponents of gun control legislation argue that nobody wants an increase in violent crime. Moreover, it is also pointed out that as a result of the gun-control legislation, the streets have become safer for the criminals only while the danger for the victims increase because the victims are not in a position to protect themselves. It is also argued in this regard that it is the fundamental right of a person to protect himself and his family. Keeping in mind the significance of this right, it can be argued that more gun-control legislation should not be introduced in America. However, it needs to be noted in this regard that the introduction of more gun control legislation can be considered as the most significant step that can be taken in order to bring down firearm related crime. By imposing such laws that require waitlist, training, registration and a ban on dangerous weapons, it can be expected that the cities will become safer. The objections raised by the opponents of gun control legislation appeared to be insufficient due to the reason that they rely on the statistical evidence and there is always a chance that such evidence may not be accurate. At the same time, this argument is also based on the assertion that there is always a chance that the sale of guns in black market will increase. However the basis of the belief of the supporters of gun control legislation lies in disarming the criminals and making it difficult for the criminals to purchase guns. While the death of a victim is always unfortunate however the blame cannot be placed on gun-con trol legislation. The purpose of such legislation is to protect the victims. Although it is a way to protect oneself and the family to purchase a gun but it is not the only way. There are several other solutions available instead of using lethal force and the solutions are much more effective. Moreover, statistical data is often used by the opponents of gun control legislation in their support. However, it appears to be highly improbable that the increase in rates of crime is somehow related with firearms waitlist. If gun-control laws were not there, it will be very easy for everyone to have a gun, even if such person was a criminal record. However with the help of gun control legislation, the number of guns that are present on the streets can be reduced. If the number of guns present industries is reduced, the sale of guns in the black market will also decrease. It cannot be denied that it is the main responsibility of the government and protect the fundamental rights of the citizens but at the same time, it is also the responsibility of the government to introduce new laws so that the safety and well-being of the citizens can be ensured. The same is true in case of the area of gun control. The citizens are significantly impacted by the laws that are connected by the government in this regard and it is hoped that the laws will work in the best interests of the citizens. As a result, the citizens are at the core of the issue or the social side of this debate. As the laws in the country are enacted through the vote of the people, as a result, the society plays a significant role in the debate related with gun-control. The question that is generally asked in this debate is if owning the guns can be considered as a significant social reason behind the rate of homicide and suicide in America. This question lies at the base of the debate going on regarding gun control and at the same time, it also provides a significant reason behind the enactment of gun control legislation. Apart from taking the guns away from the common citizens, we reviewed to ensure their safety, there is another reason behind the enactment of gun control legislation. This reason is to prevent the guns from reaching the hands of criminals. But generally, the criminals do not face any barriers in acquiring deadly firearms although there are several laws that prevent the ownership of these weapons. There are certain laws that prohibit that any person was being accused or convicted of a deadly crime which carries a sentence of more than one year is prevented from possessing a gun. However, these laws have not proved to be very effective. It needs to be noted in this regard that the debate related with gun-control has three aspects, social, political and criminal. There is a significant relationship between the three. For example the criminal aspect of gun control has resulted in considerable social strife and as a result, political action has to be taken. The combined effect of these three aspects working jointly is to promote or prevent the introduction of gun control legislation as these laws significantly impact each and every person, regardless of the position taken by such a person (Cavett). Due to the fact that a large number of groups are involved in the issue of gun control, it is likely that the debate that is going on in this case is not going to fade very soon. However it is almost certain that significant changes have to be introduced in the present policy related with the possession of firearms. Some of the questions that can be asked in this regard is if the gun-control legislation is going to help or h urt the citizens to which they are trying to protect. Similarly another question that can be asked in this regard is if the enactment of these laws take away any of the fundamental rights enjoyed by the citizens. All these questions have to be considered carefully while dealing with this question. A much has been suffered by the nation at the hands of the dangerous people who have used terms in order to comment various acts of violence. Although most of the gun owners are law abiding and responsible and guns are used by them safely (Lund 127). However, the issue of gun control is a very complex issue. Therefore it becomes important that well founded, truthful statistics as well as scientific research is used to deal with the issue and find the basic causes behind the misuse of our arms and also crimes that are committed with the help of guns (Nocera). It will be very helpful for society if the general public as well as the main source of information of the public, media, adopts a critical skepticism and a responsible approach towards the claims made by the parties on both sides of this debate. In the end, it can be said that after considering the arguments forwarded by both sides regarding the issue of gun control, and examining the stands and weaknesses of the arguments from both sides in order to deeply analyze the competing views, it appears that the arguments in favor of the introduction of more gun-control legislation are in a better position as compared to the arguments that are given against the introduction of such legislation (Berzon). The arguments made by the supporters of gun control legislation have been significantly successful in explaining the benefits that can be provided by the introduction of more gun-control laws (Cullen). At the same time, the supporters of gun control legislation also provides solutions and the solutions are delivered clearly and concisely (Whitehead 13). On the other hand, the opponents of gun control legislation generally rely too heavily on unsupported statistics. In the absence of supportive evidence, it can be believed that the a rguments made by the opponents of gun control legislation do not hold much weight. At the same time, the assumption that is generally made by the opponents of such laws that the introduction of these laws will result in an increase in the sale of guns in black market is also not supported by facts. However, both the opponents as well as the supporters of gun control legislation want to protect the lives of innocent citizens and reduce the crime rate. However the solution lies in the introduction of more gun-control legislation.

Ressentiment and Rationality :: Philosophy Philosophical papers

Ressentiment and Rationality ABSTRACT: This paper is an investigation of the condition of ressentiment. It reviews the two most prominent philosophic accounts of ressentiment: Nietzsche's genealogy of ressentiment as the moral perversion resulting from the ancient Roman/Palestinian cultural conflict and giving birth to the ascetic ideal; and Scheler's phenomenology of ressentiment as a complex affective unit generative of its own affects and values. A single sketch of the typical elements of ressentiment is drawn from the review of these two accounts. One element in particular, the exigency of rationality, is highlighted. The rationality of ressentiment is found to be essential to the phenomenon as a whole and to its constitutive parts. Curiously, while their accounts imply and suggest the role of rationality, neither Nietzsche or Scheler make the centrality of rationality to ressentiment implicit. Ressentiment is a state of repressed feeling and desire which becomes generative of values. The condition of ressentiment is complex both in its internal structure and in its relations to various dimensions of human existence. While it infects the heart of the individual, it is rooted in our relatedness with others. On the one hand, ressentiment is a dark, personal secret, which most of us would never reveal to others even if we could acknowledge it ourselves. On the other hand, ressentiment has an undeniably public face. It can be creative of social practices, mores, and fashions; of scholarly attitudes, academic policies, educational initiatives; of political ideologies, institutions, and revolutions; of forms of religiosity and ascetic practices. The concept of ressentiment was first developed systematically by Nietzsche in his account of the historical emergence of what he terms 'slave morality' and in his critique of the ascetic ideal. While references to this condition can be found throughout his works, the chief sections in which he develops this notion are in his early work The Genealogy of Morals. Max Scheler provides an eidetic account of this complex affective phenomenon in his book entitled Ressentiment. The picture of ressentiment that emerges from these two thinkers is in part a function of their methodological approaches and their abiding philosophic interests. Nietzsche's historical approach to the development and the corruption of morality is empiricist and deterministic, but it does not have the marks of the narrow positivism that emerged later. His historical method is informed by his philological training in ancient Hellenic texts and by Enlightenment ideals. So, although Nietzsche writes of cultural conflict s in the ancient world as historical fact, he actually uses them as models with universal anthropological significance.

Becoming a Better Reader Essay -- Education Reading Academics

Reading is believed by some academia to be the most important activity that a student could do to go ahead in academic pursuit. Some research claimed that many people take reading for granted in their developmental stage. Due to this fact, few learners cannot read properly because they claim they do not enjoy reading. In my observation, not only is effective reading important but to read with comprehension (recall of read text) and for pleasure. The constant engagement with reading for pleasure might sensitize the desire to read. Controlled studies for people with specific learning disabilities recommend SQ4R reading strategy to support people to learn how to read. SQ4R could be considered as a versatile literacy strategy that engrosses students in the processing of information prior to reading, during reading and after reading. It could be used in all subject areas that consider content materials critically. This applies to all types of texts and cut across all sources of information. SQ4R might lead to flexible reading pattern. Flexibility in reading is extremely very important. It is crucial to examine flexible reading as, reading different types of materials. Materials like articles, novel, periodic, journals, and newspapers could build different strategies and approach that would be adapted to different reading styles. SQ4R method is accepted to have the propensity to improve comprehension and academic grades. It could also help student’s make meaning from text in the following ways. Using the SQ 4R strategies prior to reading – will helps to preview texts and establish the reading purpose. The more refine the purpose of investigation is the better the depth of research. SQ4R strategies while reading – help to monitor and ... ...lay the importance of SQ4R. They may either use it unconsciously and claimed they don’t use it. The good thing about the SQ4R reading method is that it gives a better understanding of academic material. It also helps to improve memory. A student is properly geared to focus on the specific area of research by using the Q-question strategy. The R which stand for reflect/relate helps to bridge the gap of old and new information in the memory. A student will always have an accurate fact and current in line with the given area of reasoning. In the end reading will encourage students to read material for both academic reason and for pleasure. Bibliography Forsyth, K. H. (2000). The Effect of self-Reference on learning and Retention. Teaching of psychology , p.269. Hulme, c., & Snowling, m. (1994). Reading Development and Dyslexia. London: Whurr publishers Ltd.

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 2. EVASION

I FELT ODDLY BUOYANT AS I WALKED FROM SPANISH toward the cafeteria, and it wasn't just because I was holding hands with the most perfect person on the planet, though that was certainly part of it. Maybe it was the knowledge that my sentence was served and I was a free woman again. Or maybe it wasn't anything to do with me specifically. Maybe it was the atmosphere of freedom that hung over the entire campus. School was winding down, and, for the senior class especially, there was a perceptible thrill in the air. Freedom was so close it was touchable, taste-able. Signs of it were everywhere. Posters crowded together on the cafeteria walls, and the trashcans wore a colorful skirt of spilled-over fliers: reminders to buy yearbooks, class rings, and announcements; deadlines to order graduation gowns, hats, and tassels; neon- bright sales pitches – the juniors campaigning for class office; ominous, rose-wreathed advertisements for this year's prom. The big dance was this coming weekend, but I had an ironclad promise from Edward that I would not be subjected to that again. After all, I'd already had that human experience. No, it must be my personal freedom that lightened me today. The ending of the school year did not give me the pleasure it seemed to give the other students. Actually, I felt nervous to the point of nausea whenever I thought of it. I tried to not think of it. But it was hard to escape such an omnipresent topic as graduation. â€Å"Have you sent your announcements, yet?† Angela asked when Edward and I sat down at our table. She had her light brown hair pulled back into a sloppy ponytail instead of her usual smooth hairdo, and there was a slightly frantic look about her eyes. Alice and Ben were already there, too, on either side of Angela. Ben was intent over a comic book, his glasses sliding down his narrow nose. Alice was scrutinizing my boring jeans-and-a-t-shirt outfit in a way that made me self-conscious. Probably plotting another makeover. I sighed. My indifferent attitude to fashion was a constant thorn in her side. If I'd allow it, she'd love to dress me every day – perhaps several times a day – like some oversized three-dimensional paper doll. â€Å"No,† I answered Angela. â€Å"There's no point, really. Rene knows when I'm graduating. Who else is there?† â€Å"How about you, Alice?† Alice smiled. â€Å"All done.† â€Å"Lucky you.† Angela sighed. â€Å"My mother has a thousand cousins and she expects me to hand-address one to everybody. I'm going to get carpal tunnel. I can't put it off any longer and I'm just dreading it.† â€Å"I'll help you,† I volunteered. â€Å"If you don't mind my awful handwriting.† Charlie would like that. From the corner of my eye, I saw Edward smile. He must like that, too – me fulfilling Charlie's conditions without involving werewolves. Angela looked relieved. â€Å"That's so nice of you. I'll come over any time you want.† â€Å"Actually, I'd rather go to your house if that's okay – I'm sick of mine. Charlie un-grounded me last night.† I grinned as I announced my good news. â€Å"Really?† Angela asked, mild excitement lighting her always-gentle brown eyes. â€Å"I thought you said you were in for life.† â€Å"I'm more surprised than you are. I was sure I would at least have finished high school before he set me free.† â€Å"Well, this is great, Bella! We'll have to go out to celebrate.† â€Å"You have no idea how good that sounds.† â€Å"What should we do?† Alice mused, her face lighting up at the possibilities. Alice's ideas were usually a little grandiose for me, and I could see it in her eyes now – the tendency to take things too far kicking into action. â€Å"Whatever you're thinking, Alice, I doubt I'm that free.† â€Å"Free is free, right?† she insisted. â€Å"I'm sure I still have boundaries – like the continental U.S., for example.† Angela and Ben laughed, but Alice grimaced in real disappointment. â€Å"So what are we doing tonight?† she persisted. â€Å"Nothing. Look, let's give it a couple of days to make sure he wasn't joking. It's a school night, anyway.† â€Å"We'll celebrate this weekend, then.† Alice's enthusiasm was impossible to repress. â€Å"Sure,† I said, hoping to placate her. I knew I wasn't going to do anything too outlandish; it would be safer to take it slow with Charlie. Give him a chance to appreciate how trustworthy and mature I was before I asked for any favors. Angela and Alice started talking about options; Ben joined the conversation, setting his comics aside. My attention drifted. I was surprised to find that the subject of my freedom was suddenly not as gratifying as it had been just a moment ago. While they discussed things to do in Port Angeles or maybe Hoquiam, I began to feel disgruntled. It didn't take long to determine where my restlessness stemmed from. Ever since I'd said goodbye to Jacob Black in the forest outside my home, I'd been plagued by a persistent, uncomfortable intrusion of a specific mental picture. It popped into my thoughts at regular intervals like some annoying alarm clock set to sound every half hour, filling my head with the image of Jacob's face crumpled in pain. This was the last memory I had of him. As the disturbing vision struck again, I knew exactly why I was dissatisfied with my liberty. Because it was incomplete. Sure, I was free to go to anywhere I wanted – except La Push; free to do anything I wanted – except see Jacob. I frowned at the table. There had to be some kind of middle ground. â€Å"Alice? Alice!† Angela's voice yanked me from my reverie. She was waving her hand back and forth in front of Alice's blank, staring face. Alice's expression was something I recognized – an expression that sent an automatic shock of panic through my body. The vacant look in her eyes told me that she was seeing something very different from the mundane lunchroom scene that surrounded us, but something that was every bit as real in its own way. Something that was coming, something that would happen soon. I felt the blood slither from my face. Then Edward laughed, a very natural, relaxed sound. Angela and Ben looked toward him, but my eyes were locked on Alice. She jumped suddenly, as if someone had kicked her under the table. â€Å"Is it naptime already, Alice?† Edward teased. Alice was herself again. â€Å"Sorry, I was daydreaming, I guess.† â€Å"Daydreaming's better than facing two more hours of school,† Ben said. Alice threw herself back into the conversation with more animation than before – just a little bit too much. Once I saw her eyes lock with Edward's, only for a moment, and then she looked back to Angela before anyone else noticed. Edward was quiet, playing absentmindedly with a strand of my hair. I waited anxiously for a chance to ask Edward what Alice had seen in her vision, but the afternoon passed without one minute of alone time. It felt odd to me, almost deliberate. After lunch, Edward slowed his pace to match Ben's, talking about some assignment I knew he'd already finished. Then there was always someone else there between classes, though we usually had a few minutes to ourselves. When the final bell rang, Edward struck up a conversation with Mike Newton of all people, falling into step beside him as Mike headed for the parking lot. I trailed behind, letting Edward tow me along. I listened, confused, while Mike answered Edward's unusually friendly queries. It seemed Mike was having car troubles. â€Å". . . but I just replaced the battery,† Mike was saying. His eyes darted ahead and then back to Edward warily. Mystified, just like I was. â€Å"Perhaps it's the cables?† Edward offered. â€Å"Maybe. I really don't know anything about cars,† Mike admitted. â€Å"I need to have someone look at it, but I can't afford to take it to Dowling's.† I opened my mouth to suggest my mechanic, and then snapped it shut again. My mechanic was busy these days – busy running around as a giant wolf. â€Å"I know a few things – I could take a look, if you like,† Edward offered. â€Å"Just let me drop Alice and Bella at home.† Mike and I both stared at Edward with our mouths hanging open. â€Å"Er . . . thanks,† Mike mumbled when he recovered. â€Å"But I have to get to work. Maybe some other time.† â€Å"Absolutely.† â€Å"See ya.† Mike climbed into his car, shaking his head in disbelief. Edward's Volvo, with Alice already inside, was just two cars away. â€Å"What was that about?† I muttered as Edward held the passenger door for me. â€Å"Just being helpful,† Edward answered. And then Alice, waiting in the backseat, was babbling at top speed. â€Å"You're really not that good a mechanic, Edward. Maybe you should have Rosalie take a look at it tonight, just so you look good if Mike decides to let you help, you know. Not that it wouldn't be fun to watch his face if Rosalie showed up to help. But since Rosalie is supposed to be across the country attending college, I guess that's not the best idea. Too bad. Though I suppose, for Mike's car, you'll do. It's only within the finer tunings of a good Italian sports car that you're out of your depth. And speaking of Italy and sports cars that I stole there, you still owe me a yellow Porsche. I don't know that I want to wait for Christmas. . . .† I stopped listening after a minute, letting her quick voice become just a hum in the background as I settled into my patient mode. It looked to me like Edward was trying to avoid my questions. Fine. He would have to be alone with me soon enough. It was only a matter of time. Edward seemed to realize that, too. He dropped Alice at the mouth of the Cullens' drive as usual, though by this point I half expected him to drive her to the door and walk her in. As she got out, Alice threw a sharp look at his face. Edward seemed completely at ease. â€Å"See you later,† he said. And then, ever so slightly, he nodded. Alice turned to disappear into the trees. He was quiet as he turned the car around and headed back to Forks. I waited, wondering if he would bring it up himself. He didn't, and this made me tense. What had Alice seen today at lunch? Something he didn't want to tell me, and I tried to think of a reason why he would keep secrets. Maybe it would be better to prepare myself before I asked. I didn't want to freak out and have him think I couldn't handle it, whatever it was. So we were both silent until we got to back to Charlie's house. â€Å"Light homework load tonight,† he commented. â€Å"Mmm,† I assented. â€Å"Do you suppose I'm allowed inside again?† â€Å"Charlie didn't throw a fit when you picked me up for school.† But I was sure Charlie was going to turn sulky fast when he got home and found Edward here. Maybe I should make something extra-special for dinner. Inside, I headed up the stairs, and Edward followed. He lounged on my bed and gazed out the window, seeming oblivious to my edginess. I stowed my bag and turned the computer on. There was an unanswered e-mail from my mom to attend to, and she got panicky when I took too long. I drummed my fingers as I waited for my decrepit computer to wheeze awake; they snapped against the desk, staccato and anxious. And then his fingers were on mine, holding them still. â€Å"Are we a little impatient today?† he murmured. I looked up, intending to make a sarcastic remark, but his face was closer than I'd expected. His golden eyes were smoldering, just inches away, and his breath was cool against my open lips. I could taste his scent on my tongue. I couldn't remember the witty response I'd been about to make. I couldn't remember my name. He didn't give me a chance to recover. If I had my way, I would spend the majority of my time kissing Edward. There wasn't anything I'd experienced in my life that compared to the feeling of his cool lips, marble hard but always so gentle, moving with mine. I didn't often get my way. So it surprised me a little when his fingers braided themselves into my hair, securing my face to his. My arms locked behind his neck, and I wished I was stronger – strong enough to keep him prisoner here. One hand slid down my back, pressing me tighter against his stone chest. Even through his sweater, his skin was cold enough to make me shiver – it was a shiver of pleasure, of happiness, but his hands began to loosen in response. I knew I had about three seconds before he would sigh and slide me deftly away, saying something about how we'd risked my life enough for one afternoon. Making the most of my last seconds, I crushed myself closer, molding myself to the shape of him. The tip of my tongue traced the curve of his lower lip; it was as flawlessly smooth as if it had been polished, and the taste – He pulled my face away from his, breaking my hold with ease – he probably didn't even realize that I was using all my strength. He chuckled once, a low, throaty sound. His eyes were bright with the excitement he so rigidly disciplined. â€Å"Ah, Bella.† He sighed. â€Å"I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not.† â€Å"And I should feel sorry that you're not sorry, but I don't. Maybe I should go sit on the bed.† I exhaled a little dizzily. â€Å"If you think that's necessary. . . .† He smiled crookedly and disentangled himself. I shook my head a few times, trying to clear it, and turned back to my computer. It was all warmed up and humming now. Well, not as much humming as groaning. â€Å"Tell Rene I said hello.† â€Å"Sure thing.† I scanned through Rene's e-mail, shaking my head now and then at some of the dippier things she'd done. I was just as entertained and horrified as the first time I'd read this. It was so like my mother to forget exactly how paralyzed she was by heights until she was already strapped to a parachute and a dive instructor. I felt a little frustrated with Phil, her husband of almost two years, for allowing that one. I would have taken better care of her. I knew her so much better. You have to let them go their own way eventually, I reminded myself. You have to let them have their own life. . . . I'd spent most of my life taking care of Rene, patiently guiding her away from her craziest plans, good- naturedly enduring the ones I couldn't talk her out of. I'd always been indulgent with my mom, amused by her, even a little condescending to her. I saw her cornucopia of mistakes and laughed privately to myself. Scatterbrained Rene. I was a very different person from my mother. Someone thoughtful and cautious. The responsible one, the grown-up. That's how I saw myself. That was the person I knew. With the blood still pounding inmy head from Edward's kiss, I couldn't help but think of my mother's most life-altering mistake. Silly and romantic, getting married fresh out of high school to a man she barely knew, then producing me a year later. She'd always promised me that she had no regrets, that I was the best gift her life had ever given her. And yet she'd drilled it into me over and over – smart people took marriage seriously. Mature people went to college and started careers before they got deeply involved in a relationship. She knew I would never be as thoughtless and goofy and small-town as she'd been. . . . I gritted my teeth and tried to concentrate as I answered her letter. Then I hit her parting line and remembered why I'd neglected to write sooner. You haven't said anything about Jacob in a long time, she'd written. What's he up to these days? Charlie was prompting her, I was sure. I sighed and typed quickly, tucking the answer to her question between two less sensitive paragraphs. Jacob is fine, I guess. I don't see him much; he spends most of his time with a pack of his friends down at La Push these days. Smiling wryly to myself, I added Edward's greeting and hit â€Å"send.† I didn't realize that Edward was standing silently behind me again until after I'd turned off the computer and shoved away from the desk. I was about to scold him for reading over my shoulder when I realized that he wasn't paying any attention to me. He was examining a flat black box with wires curling crookedly away from the main square in a way that didn't look healthy for whatever it was. After a second, I recognized the car stereo Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper had given me for my last birthday. I'd forgotten about the birthday presents hiding under a growing pile of dust on the floor of my closet. â€Å"What did you do to this?† he asked in a horrorstruck voice. â€Å"It didn't want to come out of the dashboard.† â€Å"So you felt the need to torture it?† â€Å"You know how I am with tools. No pain was inflicted intentionally.† He shook his head, his face a mask of faux tragedy. â€Å"You killed it.† I shrugged. â€Å"Oh, well.† â€Å"It would hurt their feelings if they saw this,† he said. â€Å"I guess it's a good thing that you've been on house arrest. I'll have to get another one in place before they notice.† â€Å"Thanks, but I don't need a fancy stereo.† â€Å"It's not for your sake that I'm going to replace it.† I sighed. â€Å"You didn't get much good out of your birthday presents last year,† he said in a disgruntled voice. Suddenly, he was fanning himself with a stiff rectangle of paper. I didn't answer, for fear my voice would shake. My disastrous eighteenth birthday – with all its far- reaching consequences – wasn't something I cared to remember, and I was surprised that he would bring it up. He was even more sensitive about it than I was. â€Å"Do you realize these are about to expire?† he asked, holding the paper out to me. It was another present – the voucher for airplane tickets that Esme and Carlisle had given me so that I could visit Rene in Florida. I took a deep breath and answered in a flat voice. â€Å"No. I'd forgotten all about them, actually.† His expression was carefully bright and positive; there was no trace of any deep emotion as he continued. â€Å"Well, we still have a little time. You've been liberated . . . and we have no plans this weekend, as you refuse to go to the prom with me.† He grinned. â€Å"Why not celebrate your freedom this way?† I gasped. â€Å"By going to Florida?† â€Å"You did say something about the continental U.S. being allowable.† I glared at him, suspicious, trying to understand where this had come from. â€Å"Well?† he demanded. â€Å"Are we going to see Rene or not?† â€Å"Charlie will never allow it.† â€Å"Charlie can't keep you from visiting your mother. She still has primary custody.† â€Å"Nobody has custody of me. I'm an adult.† He flashed a brilliant smile. â€Å"Exactly.† I thought it over for a short minute before deciding that it wasn't worth the fight. Charlie would be furious – not that I was going to see Rene, but that Edward was going with me. Charlie wouldn't speak to me for months, and I'd probably end up grounded again. It was definitely smarter not to even bring it up. Maybe in a few weeks, as a graduation favor or something. But the idea of seeing my mother now, not weeks from now, was hard to resist. It had been so long since I'd seen Rene. And even longer since I'd seen her under pleasant circumstances. The last time I'd been with her in Phoenix, I'd spent the whole time in a hospital bed. The last time she'd come here, I'd been more or less catatonic. Not exactly the best memories to leave her with. And maybe, if she saw how happy I was with Edward, she would tell Charlie to ease up. Edward scrutinized my face while I deliberated. I sighed. â€Å"Not this weekend.† â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"I don't want to fight with Charlie. Not so soon after he's forgiven me.† His eyebrows pulled together. â€Å"I think this weekend is perfect,† he muttered. I shook my head. â€Å"Another time.† â€Å"You aren't the only one who's been trapped in this house, you know.† He frowned at me. Suspicion returned. This kind of behavior was unlike him. He was always so impossibly selfless; I knew it was making me spoiled. â€Å"You can go anywhere you want,† I pointed out. â€Å"The outside world holds no interest for me without you.† I rolled my eyes at the hyperbole. â€Å"I'm serious,† he said. â€Å"Let's take the outside world slowly, all right? For example, we could start with a movie in Port Angeles. . . .† He groaned. â€Å"Never mind. We'll talk about it later.† â€Å"There's nothing left to talk about.† He shrugged. â€Å"Okay, then, new subject,† I said. I'd almost forgotten my worries about this afternoon – had that been his intention? â€Å"What did Alice see today at lunch?† My eyes were fixed on his face as I spoke, measuring his reaction. His expression was composed; there was only the slightest hardening of his topaz eyes. â€Å"She's been seeing Jasper in a strange place, somewhere in the southwest, she thinks, near his former . . . family. But he has no conscious intentions to go back.† He sighed. â€Å"It's got her worried.† â€Å"Oh.† That was nothing close to what I'd been expecting. But of course it made sense that Alice would be watching out for Jasper's future. He was her soul mate, her true other half, though they weren't as flamboyant about their relationship as Rosalie and Emmett were. â€Å"Why didn't you tell me before?† â€Å"I didn't realize you'd noticed,† he said. â€Å"It's probably nothing important, in any case.† My imagination was sadly out of control. I'd taken a perfectly normal afternoon and twisted it until it looked like Edward was going out of his way to keep things from me. I needed therapy. We went downstairs to work on our homework, just in case Charlie showed up early. Edward finished in minutes; I slogged laboriously through my calculus until I decided it was time to fix Charlie's dinner. Edward helped, making faces every so often at the raw ingredients – human food was mildly repulsive to him. I made stroganoff from Grandma Swan's recipe, because I was sucking up. It wasn't one of my favorites, but it would please Charlie. Charlie seemed to already be in a good mood when he got home. He didn't even go out of his way to be rude to Edward. Edward excused himself from eating with us, as usual. The sound of the nightly news drifted from the front room, but I doubted Edward was really watching. After forcing down three helpings, Charlie kicked his feet up on the spare chair and folded his hands contentedly across his distended stomach. â€Å"That was great, Bells.† â€Å"I'm glad you liked it. How was work?† He'd been eating with too much concentration for me to make conversation before. â€Å"Sort of slow. Well, dead slow really. Mark and I played cards for a good part of the afternoon,† he admitted with a grin. â€Å"I won, nineteen hands to seven. And then I was on the phone with Billy for a while.† I tried to keep my expression the same. â€Å"How is he?† â€Å"Good, good. His joints are bothering him a little.† â€Å"Oh. That's too bad.† â€Å"Yeah. He invited us down to visit this weekend. He was thinking of having the Clearwaters and the Uleys over too. Sort of a playoff party. . . .† â€Å"Huh,† was my genius response. But what could I say? I knew I wouldn't be allowed to hit a werewolf party, even with parental supervision. I wondered if Edward would have a problem with Charlie hanging out in La Push. Or would he suppose that, since Charlie was mostly spending time with Billy, who was only human, my father wouldn't be in danger? I got up and piled the dishes together without looking at Charlie. I dumped them into the sink and started the water. Edward appeared silently and grabbed a dishtowel. Charlie sighed and gave up for the moment, though I imagined he would revisit the subject when we were alone again. He heaved himself to his feet and headed for the TV, just like every other night. â€Å"Charlie,† Edward said in a conversational tone. Charlie stopped in the middle of his little kitchen. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Did Bella ever tell you that my parents gave her airplane tickets on her last birthday, so that she could visit Rene?† I dropped the plate I was scrubbing. It glanced off the counter and clattered noisily to the floor. It didn't break, but it spattered the room, and all three of us, with soapy water. Charlie didn't even seem to notice. â€Å"Bella?† he asked in a stunned voice. I kept my eyes on the plate as I retrieved it. â€Å"Yeah, they did.† Charlie swallowed loudly, and then his eyes narrowed as he turned back to Edward. â€Å"No, she never mentioned it.† â€Å"Hmm,† Edward murmured. â€Å"Was there a reason you brought it up?† Charlie asked in a hard voice. Edward shrugged. â€Å"They're about to expire. I think it might hurt Esme's feelings if Bella doesn't use her gift. Not that she'd say anything.† I stared at Edward in disbelief. Charlie thought for a minute. â€Å"It's probably a good idea for you to visit your mom, Bella. She'd love that. I'm surprised you didn't say anything about this, though.† â€Å"I forgot,† I admitted. He frowned. â€Å"You forgot that someone gave you plane tickets?† â€Å"Mmm,† I murmured vaguely, and turned back to the sink. â€Å"I noticed that you said they're about to expire, Edward,† Charlie went on. â€Å"How many tickets did your parents give her?† â€Å"Just one for her . . . and one for me.† The plate I dropped this time landed in the sink, so it didn't make as much noise. I could easily hear the sharp huff as my father exhaled. The blood rushed into my face, fueled by irritation and chagrin. Why was Edward doing this? I glared at the bubbles in the sink, panicking. â€Å"That's out of the question!† Charlie was abruptly in a rage, shouting the words. â€Å"Why?† Edward asked, his voice saturated with innocent surprise. â€Å"You just said it was a good idea for her to see her mother.† Charlie ignored him. â€Å"You're not going anywhere with him, young lady!† he yelled. I spun around and he was jabbing a finger at me. Anger pulsed through me automatically, an instinctive reaction to his tone. â€Å"I'm not a child, Dad. And I'm not grounded anymore, remember?† â€Å"Oh yes, you are. Starting now.† â€Å"For what?!† â€Å"Because I said so.† â€Å"Do I need to remind you that I'm a legal adult, Charlie?† â€Å"This is my house – you follow my rules!† My glare turned icy. â€Å"If that's how you want it. Do you want me to move out tonight? Or can I have a few days to pack?† Charlie's face went bright red. I instantly felt horrible for playing the move-out card. I took a deep breath and tried to make my tone more reasonable. â€Å"I'll do my time without complaining when I've done something wrong, Dad, but I'm not going to put up with your prejudices.† He sputtered, but managed nothing coherent. â€Å"Now, I know that you know that I have every right to see Mom for the weekend. You can't honestly tell me you'd object to the plan if I was going with Alice or Angela.† â€Å"Girls,† he grunted, with a nod. â€Å"Would it bother you if I took Jacob?† I'd only picked the name because I knew of my father's preference for Jacob, but I quickly wished I hadn't; Edward's teeth clenched together with an audible snap. My father struggled to compose himself before he answered. â€Å"Yes,† he said in an unconvincing voice. â€Å"That would bother me.† â€Å"You're a rotten liar, Dad.† â€Å"Bella -â€Å" â€Å"It's not like I'm headed off to Vegas to be a showgirl or anything. I'm going to see Mom,† I reminded him. â€Å"She's just as much my parental authority as you are.† He threw me a withering look. â€Å"Are you implying something about Mom's ability to look after me?† Charlie flinched at the threat implicit in my question. â€Å"You'd better hope I don't mention this to her,† I said. â€Å"You'd better not,† he warned. â€Å"I'm not happy about this, Bella.† â€Å"There's no reason for you to be upset.† He rolled his eyes, but I could tell the storm was over. I turned to pull the plug out of the sink. â€Å"So my homework is done, your dinner is done, the dishes are done, and I'm not grounded. I'm going out. I'll be back before ten-thirty.† â€Å"Where are you going?† His face, almost back to normal, flushed light red again. â€Å"I'm not sure,† I admitted. â€Å"I'll keep it within a ten-mile radius, though. Okay?† He grunted something that did not sound like approval, and stalked out of the room. Naturally, as soon as I'd won the fight, I began to feel guilty. â€Å"We're going out?† Edward asked, his voice low but enthusiastic. I turned to glower at him. â€Å"Yes. I think I'd like to speak to you alone.† He didn't look as apprehensive as I thought he should. I waited to begin until we were safely in his car. â€Å"What was that?† I demanded. â€Å"I know you want to see your mother, Bella – you've been talking about her in your sleep. Worrying actually.† â€Å"I have?† He nodded. â€Å"But, clearly, you were too much of a coward to deal with Charlie, so I interceded on your behalf.† â€Å"Interceded? You threw me to the sharks!† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"I don't think you were in any danger.† â€Å"I told you I didn't want to fight with Charlie.† â€Å"Nobody said that you had to.† I glowered at him. â€Å"I can't help myself when he gets all bossy like that – my natural teenage instincts overpower me.† He chuckled. â€Å"Well, that's not my fault.† I stared at him, speculating. He didn't seem to notice. His face was serene as he gazed out the windshield. Something was off, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Or maybe it was just my imagination again, running wild like it had this afternoon. â€Å"Does this sudden urge to see Florida have anything to do with the party at Billy's place?† His jaw flexed. â€Å"Nothing at all. It wouldn't matter if you were here or on the other side of the world, you still wouldn't be going.† It was just like with Charlie before – just like being treated as a misbehaving child. I gritted my teeth together so I wouldn't start shouting. I didn't want to fight with Edward, too. Edward sighed, and when he spoke his voice was warm and velvet again. â€Å"So what do you want to do tonight?† he asked. â€Å"Can we go to your house? I haven't seen Esme in so long.† He smiled. â€Å"She'll like that. Especially when she hears what we're doing this weekend.† I groaned in defeat. We didn't stay out late, as I'd promised. I was not surprised to see the lights still on when we pulled up in front of the house – I knew Charlie would be waiting to yell at me some more. â€Å"You'd better not come inside,† I said. â€Å"It will only make things worse.† â€Å"His thoughts are relatively calm,† Edward teased. His expression made me wonder if there was some additional joke I was missing. The corners of his mouth twitched, fighting a smile. â€Å"I'll see you later,† I muttered glumly. He laughed and kissed the top of my head. â€Å"I'll be back when Charlie's snoring.† The TV was loud when I got inside. I briefly considered trying to sneak past him. â€Å"Could you come in here, Bella?† Charlie called, sinking that plan. My feet dragged as I took the five necessary steps. â€Å"What's up, Dad?† â€Å"Did you have a nice time tonight?† he asked. He seemed ill at ease. I looked for hidden meanings in his words before I answered. â€Å"Yes,† I said hesitantly. â€Å"What did you do?† I shrugged. â€Å"Hung out with Alice and Jasper. Edward beat Alice at chess, and then I played Jasper. He buried me.† I smiled. Edward and Alice playing chess was one of the funniest things I'd ever seen. They'd sat there nearly motionless, staring at the board, while Alice foresaw the moves he would make and he picked the moves she would make in return out of her head. They played most of the game in their minds; I think they'd each moved two pawns when Alice suddenly flicked her king over and surrendered. It took all of three minutes. Charlie hit the mute button – an unusual action. â€Å"Look, there's something I need to say.† He frowned, looking very uncomfortable. I sat still, waiting. He met my gaze for a second before shifting his eyes to the floor. He didn't say anything more. â€Å"What is it, Dad?† He sighed. â€Å"I'm not good at this kind of thing. I don't know how to start. . . .† I waited again. â€Å"Okay, Bella. Here's the thing.† He got up from the couch and started pacing back and forth across the room, looking as his feet all the time. â€Å"You and Edward seem pretty serious, and there are some things that you need to be careful about. I know you're an adult now, but you're still young, Bella, and there are a lot of important things you need to know when you . . . well, when you're physically involved with -â€Å" â€Å"Oh, please, please no!† I begged, jumping to my feet. â€Å"Please tell me you are not trying to have a sex talk with me, Charlie.† He glared at the floor. â€Å"I am your father. I have responsibilities. Remember, I'm just as embarrassed as you are.† â€Å"I don't think that's humanly possible. Anyway, Mom beat you to the punch about ten years ago. You're off the hook.† â€Å"Ten years ago you didn't have a boyfriend,† he muttered unwillingly. I could tell he was battling with his desire to drop the subject. We were both standing up, looking at the floor, and facing away from each other. â€Å"I don't think the essentials have changed that much,† I mumbled, and my face had to be as red as his. This was beyond the seventh circle of Hades; even worse was realizing that Edward had known this was coming. No wonder he'd seemed so smug in the car. â€Å"Just tell me that you two are being responsible,† Charlie pled, obviously wishing a pit would open in the floor so that he could fall in. â€Å"Don't worry about it, Dad, it's not like that.† â€Å"Not that I don't trust you, Bella, but I know you don't want to tell me anything about this, and you know I don't really want to hear it. I will try to be open-minded, though. I know the times have changed.† I laughed awkwardly. â€Å"Maybe the times have, but Edward is very old-fashioned. You have nothing to worry about.† Charlie sighed. â€Å"Sure he is,† he muttered. â€Å"Ugh!† I groaned. â€Å"I really wish you were not forcing me to say this out loud, Dad. Really. But . . . I am a . . . virgin, and I have no immediate plans to change that status.† We both cringed, but then Charlie's face smoothed out. He seemed to believe me. â€Å"Can I go to bed, now? Please.† â€Å"In a minute,† he said. â€Å"Aw, please, Dad? I'm begging you.† â€Å"The embarrassing part's over, I promise,† he assured me. I shot a glance at him, and was grateful to see that he looked more relaxed, that his face was back to its regular color. He sank down onto the sofa, sighing with relief that he was past the sex speech. â€Å"What now?† â€Å"I just wanted to know how the balance thing is coming along.† â€Å"Oh. Good, I guess. I made plans with Angela today. I'm going to help her with her graduation announcements. Just us girls.† â€Å"That's nice. And what about Jake?† I sighed. â€Å"I haven't figured that one out yet, Dad.† â€Å"Keep trying, Bella. I know you'll do the right thing. You're a good person.† Nice. So if I didn't figure out some way to make things right with Jacob, then I was a bad person? That was below the belt. â€Å"Sure, sure,† I agreed. The automatic response almost made me smile – it was something I'd picked up from Jacob. I even said it in the same patronizing tone he used with his own father. Charlie grinned and turned the sound back on. He slumped lower into the cushions, pleased with his night's work. I could tell he would be up with the game for a while. â€Å"‘Night, Bells.† â€Å"See you in the morning!† I sprinted for the stairs. Edward was long gone and he wouldn't be back until Charlie was asleep – he was probably out hunting or something to pass the time – so I was in no hurry to undress for bed. I wasn't in the mood to be alone, but I certainly wasn't going to go back downstairs to hang out with my Dad, just in case he thought of some topic of sex education that he hadn't touched on before; I shuddered. So, thanks to Charlie, I was wound up and anxious. My homework was done and I didn't feel mellow enough for reading or just listening to music. I considered calling Rene with the news of my visit, but then I realized that it was three hours later in Florida, and she would be asleep. I could call Angela, I supposed. But suddenly I knew that it wasn't Angela that I wanted to talk to. That I needed to talk to. I stared at the blank black window, biting my lip. I don't know how long I stood there weighing the pros against the cons – doing the right thing by Jacob, seeing my closest friend again, being a good person, versus making Edward furious with me. Ten minutes maybe. Long enough to decide that the pros were valid while the cons were not. Edward was only concerned about my safety, and I knew that there was really no problem on that count. The phone wasn't any help; Jacob had refused to answer my phone calls since Edward's return. Besides, I needed to see him – see him smiling again the way he used to. I needed to replace that awful last memory of his face warped and twisted by pain if I was ever going to have any peace of mind. I had an hour probably. I could make a quick run down to La Push and be back before Edward realized I had gone. It was past my curfew, but would Charlie really care about that when Edward wasn't involved? One way to find out. I grabbed my jacket and shoved my arms through the sleeves as I ran down the stairs. Charlie looked up from the game, instantly suspicious. â€Å"You care if I go see Jake tonight?† I asked breathlessly. â€Å"I won't stay long.† As soon as I said Jake's name, Charlie's expression relaxed into a smug smile. He didn't seem surprised at all that his lecture had taken effect so quickly. â€Å"Sure, kid. No problem. Stay as long as you like.† â€Å"Thanks, Dad,† I said as I darted out the door. Like any fugitive, I couldn't help looking over my shoulder a few times while I jogged to my truck, but the night was so black that there really was no point. I had to feel my way along the side of the truck to the handle. My eyes were just beginning to adjust as I shoved my keys in the ignition. I twisted them hard to the left, but instead of roaring deafeningly to life, the engine just clicked. I tried it again with the same results. And then a small motion in my peripheral vision made me jump. â€Å"Gah!† I gasped in shock when I saw that I was not alone in the cab. Edward sat very still, a faint bright spot in the darkness, only his hands moving as he turned a mysterious black object around and around. He stared at the object as he spoke. â€Å"Alice called,† he murmured. Alice! Damn. I'd forgotten to account for her in my plans. He must have her watching me. â€Å"She got nervous when your future rather abruptly disappeared five minutes ago.† My eyes, already wide with surprise, popped wider. â€Å"Because she can't see the wolves, you know,† he explained in the same low murmur. â€Å"Had you forgotten that? When you decide to mingle your fate with theirs, you disappear, too. You couldn't know that part, I realize that. But can you understand why that might make me a little . . . anxious? Alice saw you disappear, and she couldn't even tell if you'd come home or not. Your future got lost, just like theirs. â€Å"We're not sure why this is. Some natural defense they're born with?† He spoke as if he were talking to himself now, still looking at the piece of my truck's engine as he twirled it in his hands. â€Å"That doesn't seem entirely likely, since I haven't had any trouble reading their thoughts. The Blacks' at least. Carlisle theorizes that it's because their lives are so ruled by their transformations. It's more an involuntary reaction than a decision. Utterly unpredictable, and it changes everything about them. In that instant when they shift from one form to the other, they don't really even exist. The future can't hold them. . . .† I listened to his musing in stony silence. â€Å"I'll put your car back together in time for school, in case you'd like to drive yourself,† he assured me after a minute. With my lips mashed together, I retrieved my keys and stiffly climbed out of the truck. â€Å"Shut your window if you want me to stay away tonight. I'll understand,† he whispered just before I slammed the door. I stomped into the house, slamming that door, too. â€Å"What's wrong?† Charlie demanded from the couch. â€Å"Truck won't start,† I growled. â€Å"Want me to look at it?† â€Å"No. I'll try it in the morning.† â€Å"Want to use my car?† I wasn't supposed to drive his police cruiser. Charlie must be really desperate to get me to La Push. Nearly as desperate as I was. â€Å"No. I'm tired,† I grumbled. â€Å"‘Night.† I stamped my way up the stairs, and went straight to my window. I shoved the metal frame roughly – it crashed shut and the glass trembled. I stared at the shivering black glass for a long moment, until it was still. Then I sighed, and opened the window as wide as it would go.