Monday, September 30, 2019

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 26. ETHICS

THE COUNTER IN ALICE'S BATHROOM WAS COVERED WITH a thousand different products, all claiming to beautify a person's surface. Since everyone in this house was both perfect and impermeable, I could only assume that she'd bought most of these things with me in mind. I read the labels numbly, struck by the waste. I was careful never to look in the long mirror. Alice combed through my hair with a slow, rhythmic motion. â€Å"That's enough, Alice,† I said tonelessly. â€Å"I want to go back to La Push.† How many hours had I waited for Charlie to finally leave Billy's house so that I could see Jacob? Each minute, not knowing if Jacob was still breathing or not, had seemed like ten lifetimes. And then, when at last I'd been allowed to go, to see for myself that Jacob was alive, the time had gone so quickly. I felt like I'd barely caught my breath before Alice was calling Edward, insisting that I keep up this ridiculous sleepover faade. It seemed so insignificant. . . . â€Å"Jacob's still unconscious,† Alice answered. â€Å"Carlisle or Edward will call when he's awake. Anyway, you need to go see Charlie. He was there at Billy's house, he saw that Carlisle and Edward are back in from their trip, and he's bound to be suspicious when you get home.† I already had my story memorized and corroborated. â€Å"I don't care. I want to be there when Jacob wakes up.† â€Å"You need to think of Charlie now. You've had a long day – sorry, I know that doesn't begin to cover it – but that doesn't mean that you can shirk your responsibilities.† Her voice was serious, almost chiding. â€Å"It's more important now than ever that Charlie stays safely in the dark. Play your role first, Bella, and then you can do what you want second. Part of being a Cullen is being meticulously responsible.† Of course she was right. And if not for this same reason – a reason that was more powerful than all my fear and pain and guilt – Carlisle would never have been able to talk me into leaving Jacob's side, unconscious or not. â€Å"Go home,† Alice ordered. â€Å"Talk to Charlie. Flesh out your alibi. Keep him safe.† I stood, and the blood flowed down to my feet, stinging like the pricks of a thousand needles. I'd been sitting still for a long time. â€Å"That dress is adorable on you,† Alice cooed. â€Å"Huh? Oh. Er – thanks again for the clothes,† I mumbled out of courtesy rather than real gratitude. â€Å"You need the evidence,† Alice said, her eyes innocent and wide. â€Å"What's a shopping trip without a new outfit? It's very flattering, if I do say so myself.† I blinked, unable to remember what she'd dressed me in. I couldn't keep my thoughts from skittering away every few seconds, insects running from the light. . . . â€Å"Jacob is fine, Bella,† Alice said, easily interpreting my preoccupation. â€Å"There's no hurry. If you realized how much extra morphine Carlisle had to give him – what with his temperature burning it off so quickly – you would know that he's going to be out for a while.† At least he wasn't in any pain. Not yet. â€Å"Is there anything you want to talk about before you leave?† Alice asked sympathetically. â€Å"You must be more than a little traumatized.† I knew what she was curious about. But I had other questions. â€Å"Will I be like that?† I asked her, my voice subdued. â€Å"Like that girl Bree in the meadow?† There were many things I needed to think of, but I couldn't seem to get her out of my head, the newborn whose other life was now – abruptly – over. Her face, twisted with desire for my blood, lingered behind my eyelids. Alice stroked my arm. â€Å"Everyone is different. But something like that, yes.† I was very still, trying to imagine. â€Å"It passes,† she promised. â€Å"How soon?† She shrugged. â€Å"A few years, maybe less. It might be different for you. I've never seen anyone go through this who's chosen it beforehand. It should be interesting to see how that affects you.† â€Å"Interesting,† I repeated. â€Å"We'll keep you out of trouble.† â€Å"I know that. I trust you.† My voice was monotone, dead. Alice's forehead puckered. â€Å"If you're worried about Carlisle and Edward, I'm sure they'll be fine. I believe Sam is beginning to trust us . . . well, to trust Carlisle, at least. It's a good thing, too. I imagine the atmosphere got a little tense when Carlisle had to rebreak the fractures -â€Å" â€Å"Please, Alice.† â€Å"Sorry.† I took a deep breath to steady myself. Jacob had begun healing too quickly, and some of his bones had set wrong. He'd been out cold for the process, but it was still hard to think about. â€Å"Alice, can I ask you a question? About the future?† She was suddenly wary. â€Å"You know I don't see everything.† â€Å"It's not that, exactly. But you do see my future, sometimes. Why is that, do you think, when nothing else works on me? Not what Jane can do, or Edward or Aro . . .† My sentence trailed off with my interest level. My curiosity on this point was fleeting, heavily overshadowed by more pressing emotions. Alice, however, found the question very interesting. â€Å"Jasper, too, Bella – his talent works on your body just as well as it does on anyone else's. That's the difference, do you see it? Jasper's abilities affect the body physically. He really does calm your system down, or excite it. It's not an illusion. And I see visions of outcomes, not the reasons and thoughts behind the decisions that create them. It's outside the mind, not an illusion, either; reality, or at least one version of it. But Jane and Edward and Aro and Demetri – they work inside the mind. Jane only creates an illusion of pain. She doesn't really hurt your body, you only think you feel it. You see, Bella? You are safe inside your mind. No one can reach you there. It's no wonder that Aro was so curious about your future abilities.† She watched my face to see if I was following her logic. In truth, her words had all started to run together, the syllables and sounds losing their meaning. I couldn't concentrate on them. Still, I nodded. Trying to look like I got it. She wasn't fooled. She stroked my cheek and murmured, â€Å"He's going to be okay, Bella. I don't need a vision to know that. Are you ready to go?† â€Å"One more thing. Can I ask you another question about the future? I don't want specifics, just an overview.† â€Å"I'll do my best,† she said, doubtful again. â€Å"Can you still see me becoming a vampire?† â€Å"Oh, that's easy. Sure, I do.† I nodded slowly. She examined my face, her eyes unfathomable. â€Å"Don't you know your own mind, Bella?† â€Å"I do. I just wanted to be sure.† â€Å"I'm only as sure as you are, Bella. You know that. If you were to change your mind, what I see would change . . . or disappear, in your case.† I sighed. â€Å"That isn't going to happen, though.† She put her arms around me. â€Å"I'm sorry. I can't really empathize. My first memory is of seeing Jasper's face in my future; I always knew that he was where my life was headed. But I can sympathize. I'm so sorry you have to choose between two good things.† I shook off her arms. â€Å"Don't feel sorry for me.† There were people who deserved sympathy. I wasn't one of them. And there wasn't any choice to make – there was just breaking a good heart to attend to now. â€Å"I'll go deal with Charlie.† I drove my truck home, where Charlie was waiting just as suspiciously as Alice had expected. â€Å"Hey, Bella. How was your shopping trip?† he greeted me when I walked into the kitchen. He had his arms folded over his chest, his eyes on my face. â€Å"Long,† I said dully. â€Å"We just got back.† Charlie assessed my mood. â€Å"I guess you already heard about Jake, then?† â€Å"Yes. The rest of the Cullens beat us home. Esme told us where Carlisle and Edward were.† â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"Worried about Jake. As soon as I make dinner, I'm going down to La Push.† â€Å"I told you those motorcycles were dangerous. I hope this makes you realize that I wasn't kidding around.† I nodded as I started pulling things out of the fridge. Charlie settled himself in at the table. He seemed to be in a more talkative mood than usual. â€Å"I don't think you need to worry about Jake too much. Anyone who can cuss with that kind of energy is going to recover.† â€Å"Jake was awake when you saw him?† I asked, spinning to look at him. â€Å"Oh, yeah, he was awake. You should have heard him – actually, it's better you didn't. I don't think there was anyone in La Push who couldn't hear him. I don't know where he picked up that vocabulary, but I hope he hasn't been using that kind of language around you.† â€Å"He had a pretty good excuse today. How did he look?† â€Å"Messed up. His friends carried him in. Good thing they're big boys, 'cause that kid's an armful. Carlisle said his right leg is broken, and his right arm. Pretty much the whole right side of his body got crushed when he wrecked that damn bike.† Charlie shook his head. â€Å"If I ever hear of you riding again, Bella -â€Å" â€Å"No problem there, Dad. You won't. Do you really think Jake's okay?† â€Å"Sure, Bella, don't worry. He was himself enough to tease me.† â€Å"Tease you?† I echoed in shock. â€Å"Yeah – in between insulting somebody's mother and taking the Lord's name in vain, he said, ‘Bet you're glad she loves Cullen instead of me today, huh, Charlie?'† I turned back to the fridge so that he couldn't see my face. â€Å"And I couldn't argue. Edward's more mature than Jacob when it comes to your safety, I'll give him that much.† â€Å"Jacob's plenty mature,† I muttered defensively. â€Å"I'm sure this wasn't his fault.† â€Å"Weird day today,† Charlie mused after a minute. â€Å"You know, I don't put much stock in that superstitious crap, but it was odd. . . . It was like Billy knew something bad was going to happen to Jake. He was nervous as a turkey on Thanksgiving all morning. I don't think he heard anything I said to him. â€Å"And then, weirder than that – remember back in February and March when we had all that trouble with the wolves?† I bent down to get a frying pan out of the cupboard, and hid there an extra second or two. â€Å"Yeah,† I mumbled. â€Å"I hope we're not going to have a problem with that again. This morning, we were out in the boat, and Billy wasn't paying any attention to me or the fish, when all of a sudden, you could hear wolves yowling in the woods. More than one, and, boy, was it loud. Sounded like they were right there in the village. Weirdest part was, Billy turned the boat around and headed straight back to the harbor like they were calling to him personally. Didn't even hear me ask what he was doing. â€Å"The noise stopped before we got the boat docked. But all of a sudden Billy was in the biggest hurry not to miss the game, though we had hours still. He was mumbling some nonsense about an earlier showing . . . of a live game? I tell you, Bella, it was odd. â€Å"Well, he found some game he said he wanted to watch, but then he just ignored it. He was on the phone the whole time, calling Sue, and Emily, and your friend Quil's grandpa. Couldn't quite make out what he was looking for – he just chatted real casual with them. â€Å"Then the howling started again right outside the house. I've never heard anything like it – I had goose bumps on my arms. I asked Billy – had to shout over the noise – if he'd been setting traps in his yard. It sounded like the animal was in serious pain.† I winced, but Charlie was so caught up in his story that he didn't notice. â€Å"‘Course I forgot all about that till just this minute, 'cause that's when Jake made it home. One minute it was that wolf yowling, and then you couldn't hear it anymore – Jake's cussing drowned it right out. Got a set of lungs on him, that boy does.† Charlie paused for a minute, his face thoughtful. â€Å"Funny that some good should come out of this mess. I didn't think they were ever going to get over that fool prejudice they have against the Cullens down there. But somebody called Carlisle, and Billy was real grateful when he showed up. I thought we should get Jake up to the hospital, but Billy wanted to keep him home, and Carlisle agreed. I guess Carlisle knows what's best. Generous of him to sign up for such a long stretch of house calls.† â€Å"And . . .† he paused, as if unwilling to say something. He sighed, and then continued. â€Å"And Edward was really . . . nice. He seemed as worried about Jacob as you are – like that was his brother lying there. The look in his eyes . . .† Charlie shook his head. â€Å"He's a decent guy, Bella. I'll try to remember that. No promises, though.† He grinned at me. â€Å"I won't hold you to it,† I mumbled. Charlie stretched his legs and groaned. â€Å"It's nice to be home. You wouldn't believe how crowded Billy's little place gets. Seven of Jake's friends all squished themselves into that little front room – I could hardly breathe. Have you ever noticed how big those Quileute kids all are?† â€Å"Yeah, I have.† Charlie stared at me, his eyes abruptly more focused. â€Å"Really, Bella, Carlisle said Jake will be up and around in no time. Said it looked a lot worse than it was. He's going to be fine.† I just nodded. Jacob had looked so . . . strangely fragile when I'd hurried down to see him as soon as Charlie had left. He'd had braces everywhere – Carlisle said there was no point in plaster, as fast as he was healing. His face had been pale and drawn, deeply unconscious though he was at the time. Breakable. Huge as he was, he'd looked very breakable. Maybe that had just been my imagination, coupled with the knowledge that I was going to have to break him. If only I could be struck by lightning and be split in two. Preferably painfully. For the first time, giving up being human felt like a true sacrifice. Like it might be too much to lose. I put Charlie's dinner on the table next to his elbow and headed for the door. â€Å"Er, Bella? Could you wait just a second?† â€Å"Did I forget something?† I asked, eyeing his plate. â€Å"No, no. I just . . . want to ask a favor.† Charlie frowned and looked at the floor. â€Å"Have a seat – this won't take long.† I sat across from him, a little confused. I tried to focus. â€Å"What do you need, Dad?† â€Å"Here's the gist of it, Bella.† Charlie flushed. â€Å"Maybe I'm just feeling . . . superstitious after hanging out with Billy while he was being so strange all day. But I have this . . . hunch. I feel like . . . I'm going to lose you soon.† â€Å"Don't be silly, Dad,† I mumbled guiltily. â€Å"You want me to go to school, don't you?† â€Å"Just promise me one thing.† I was hesitant, ready to rescind. â€Å"Okay . . .† â€Å"Will you tell me before you do anything major? Before you run off with him or something?† â€Å"Dad . . . ,† I moaned. â€Å"I'm serious. I won't kick up a fuss. Just give me some advance notice. Give me a chance to hug you goodbye.† Cringing mentally, I held up my hand. â€Å"This is silly. But, if it makes you happy, . . . I promise.† â€Å"Thanks, Bella,† he said. â€Å"I love you, kid.† â€Å"I love you, too, Dad.† I touched his shoulder, and then shoved away from the table. â€Å"If you need anything, I'll be at Billy's.† I didn't look back as I ran out. This was just perfect, just what I needed right now. I grumbled to myself all the way to La Push. Carlisle's black Mercedes was not in front of Billy's house. That was both good and bad. Obviously, I needed to talk to Jacob alone. Yet I still wished I could somehow hold Edward's hand, like I had before, when Jacob was unconscious. Impossible. But I missed Edward – it had seemed like a very long afternoon alone with Alice. I supposed that made my answer quite obvious. I already knew that I couldn't live without Edward. That fact wasn't going to make this any less painful. I tapped quietly on the front door. â€Å"Come in, Bella,† Billy said. The roar of my truck was easy to recognize. I let myself in. â€Å"Hey, Billy. Is he awake?† I asked. â€Å"He woke up about a half hour ago, just before the doctor left. Go on in. I think he's been waiting for you.† I flinched, and then took a deep breath. â€Å"Thanks.† I hesitated at the door to Jacob's room, not sure whether to knock. I decided to peek first, hoping – coward that I was – that maybe he'd gone back to sleep. I felt like I could use just a few more minutes. I opened the door a crack and leaned hesitantly in. Jacob was waiting for me, his face calm and smooth. The haggard, gaunt look was gone, but only a careful blankness took its place. There was no animation in his dark eyes. It was hard to look at his face, knowing that I loved him. It made more of a difference than I would have thought. I wondered if it had always been this hard for him, all this time. Thankfully, someone had covered him with a quilt. It was a relief not to have to see the extent of the damage. I stepped in and shut the door quietly behind me. â€Å"Hi, Jake,† I murmured. He didn't answer at first. He looked at my face for a long moment. Then, with some effort, he rearranged his expression into a slightly mocking smile. â€Å"Yeah, I sort of thought it might be like that.† He sighed. â€Å"Today has definitely taken a turn for the worse. First I pick the wrong place, miss the best fight, and Seth gets all the glory. Then Leah has to be an idiot trying to prove she's as tough as the rest of us and I have to be the idiot who saves her. And now this.† He waved his left hand toward me where I hesitated by the door. â€Å"How are you feeling?† I mumbled. What a stupid question. â€Å"A little stoned. Dr. Fang isn't sure how much pain medication I need, so he's going with trial and error. Think he overdid it.† â€Å"But you're not in pain.† â€Å"No. At least, I can't feel my injuries,† he said, smiling mockingly again. I bit my lip. I was never going to get through this. Why didn't anyone ever try to kill me when I wanted to die? The wry humor left his face, and his eyes warmed up. His forehead creased, like he was worried. â€Å"How about you?† he asked, sounding really concerned. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"Me?† I stared at him. Maybe he had taken too many drugs. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Well, I mean, I was pretty sure that he wouldn't actually hurt you, but I wasn't sure how bad it was going to be. I've been going a little crazy with worrying about you ever since I woke up. I didn't know if you were going to be allowed to visit or anything. The suspense was terrible. How did it go? Was he mean to you? I'm sorry if it was bad. I didn't mean for you to have to go through that alone. I was thinking I'd be there. . . .† It took me a minute to even understand. He babbled on, looking more and more awkward, until I got what he was saying. Then I hurried to reassure him. â€Å"No, no, Jake! I'm fine. Too fine, really. Of course he wasn't mean. I wish!† His eyes widened in what looked like horror. â€Å"What?† â€Å"He wasn't even mad at me – he wasn't even mad at you! He's so unselfish it makes me feel even worse. I wish he would have yelled at me or something. It's not like I don't deserve . . . well, much worse that getting yelled at. But he doesn't care. He just wants me to be happy.† â€Å"He wasn't mad?† Jacob asked, incredulous. â€Å"No. He was . . . much too kind.† Jacob stared for another minute, and then he suddenly frowned. â€Å"Well, damn!† he growled. â€Å"What's wrong, Jake? Does it hurt?† My hands fluttered uselessly as I looked around for his medication. â€Å"No,† he grumbled in a disgusted tone. â€Å"I can't believe this! He didn't give you an ultimatum or anything?† â€Å"Not even close – what's wrong with you?† He scowled and shook his head. â€Å"I was sort of counting on his reaction. Damn it all. He's better than I thought.† The way he said it, though angrier, reminded me of Edward's tribute to Jacob's lack of ethics in the tent this morning. Which meant that Jake was still hoping, still fighting. I winced as that stabbed deep. â€Å"He's not playing any game, Jake,† I said quietly. â€Å"You bet he is. He's playing every bit as hard as I am, only he knows what he's doing and I don't. Don't blame me because he's a better manipulator than I am – I haven't been around long enough to learn all his tricks.† â€Å"He isn't manipulating me!† â€Å"Yes, he is! When are you going to wake up and realize that he's not a perfect as you think he is?† â€Å"At least he didn't threaten to kill himself to make me kiss him,† I snapped. As soon as the words were out, I flushed with chagrin. â€Å"Wait. Pretend that didn't slip out. I swore to myself that I wasn't going to say anything about that.† He took a deep breath. When he spoke, he was calmer. â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Because I didn't come here to blame you for anything.† â€Å"It's true, though,† he said evenly. â€Å"I did do that.† â€Å"I don't care, Jake. I'm not mad.† He smiled. â€Å"I don't care, either. I knew you'd forgive me, and I'm glad I did it. I'd do it again. At least I have that much. At least I made you see that you do love me. That's worth something.† â€Å"Is it? Is it really better than if I was still in the dark?† â€Å"Don't you think you ought to know how you feel – just so that it doesn't take you by surprise someday when it's too late and you're a married vampire?† I shook my head. â€Å"No – I didn't mean better for me. I meant better for you. Does it make things better or worse for you, having me know that I'm in love with you? When it doesn't make a difference either way. Would it have been better, easier for you, if I never clued in?† He took my question as seriously as I'd meant it, thinking carefully before he answered. â€Å"Yes, it's better to have you know,† hefinally decided. â€Å"If you hadn't figured it out . . . I'd have always wondered if your decision would have been different if you had. Now I know. I did everything I could.† He dragged in an unsteady breath, and closed his eyes. This time I did not – could not – resist the urge to comfort him. I crossed the small room and kneeled by his head, afraid to sit on the bed in case I jostled it and hurt him, and leaned in to touch my forehead to his cheek. Jacob sighed, and put his hand on my hair, holding me there. â€Å"I'm so sorry, Jake.† â€Å"I always knew this was a long shot. It's not your fault, Bella.† â€Å"Not you, too,† I moaned. â€Å"Please.† He pulled away to look at me. â€Å"What?† â€Å"It is my fault. And I'm so sick of being told it's not.† He grinned. It didn't touch his eyes. â€Å"You want me to haul you over the coals?† â€Å"Actually . . . I think I do.† He pursed his lips as he measured how much I meant it. A smile flashed across his face briefly, and then he twisted his expression into a fierce scowl. â€Å"Kissing me back like that was inexcusable.† He spit the words at me. â€Å"If you knew you were just going to take it back, maybe you shouldn't have been quite so convincing about it.† I winced and nodded. â€Å"I'm so sorry.† â€Å"Sorry doesn't make anything better, Bella. What were you thinking?† â€Å"I wasn't,† I whispered. â€Å"You should have told me to go die. That's what you want.† â€Å"No, Jacob,† I whimpered, fighting against the budding tears. â€Å"No! Never.† â€Å"You're not crying?† he demanded, his voice suddenly back to its normal tone. He twitched impatiently on the bed. â€Å"Yeah,† I muttered, laughing weakly at myself through the tears that were suddenly sobs. He shifted his weight, throwing his good leg off the bed as if he were going to try to stand. â€Å"What are you doing?† I demanded through the tears. â€Å"Lie down, you idiot, you'll hurt yourself!† I jumped to my feet and pushed his good shoulder down with two hands. He surrendered, leaning back with a gasp of pain, but he grabbed me around my waist and pulled me down on the bed, against his good side. I curled up there, trying to stifle the silly sobs against his hot skin. â€Å"I can't believe you're crying,† he mumbled. â€Å"You know I just said those things because you wanted me to. I didn't mean them.† His hand rubbed against my shoulders. â€Å"I know.† I took a deep, ragged breath, trying to control myself. How did I end up being the one crying while he did the comforting? â€Å"It's all still true, though. Thanks for saying it out loud.† â€Å"Do I get points for making you cry?† â€Å"Sure, Jake.† I tried to smile. â€Å"As many as you want.† â€Å"Don't worry, Bella, honey. It's all going to work out.† â€Å"I don't see how,† I muttered. He patted the top of my head. â€Å"I'm going to give in and be good.† â€Å"More games?† I wondered, tilting my chin so that I could see his face. â€Å"Maybe.† He laughed with a bit of effort, and then winced. â€Å"But I'm going to try.† I frowned. â€Å"Don't be so pessimistic,† he complained. â€Å"Give me a little credit.† â€Å"What do you mean by ‘be good'?† â€Å"I'll be your friend, Bella,† he said quietly. â€Å"I won't ask for more than that.† â€Å"I think it's too late for that, Jake. How can we be friends, when we love each other like this?† He looked at the ceiling, his stare intent, as if he were reading something that was written there. â€Å"Maybe . . . it will have to be a long-distance friendship.† I clenched my teeth together, glad he wasn't looking at my face, fighting against the sobs that threatened to overtake me again. I needed to be strong, and I had no idea how. . . . â€Å"You know that story in the Bible?† Jacob asked suddenly, still reading the blank ceiling. â€Å"The one with the king and the two women fighting over the baby?† â€Å"Sure. King Solomon.† â€Å"That's right. King Solomon,† he repeated. â€Å"And he said, cut the kid in half . . . but it was only a test. Just to see who would give up their share to protect it.† â€Å"Yeah, I remember.† He looked back at my face. â€Å"I'm not going to cut you in half anymore, Bella.† I understood what he was saying. He was telling me that he loved me the most, that his surrender proved it. I wanted to defend Edward, to tell Jacob how Edward would do the same thing if I wanted, if I would let him. I was the one who wouldn't renounce my claim there. But there was no point in starting an argument that would only hurt him more. I closed my eyes, willing myself to control the pain. I couldn't impose that on him. We were quiet for a moment. He seemed to be waiting for me to say something; I was trying to think of something to say. â€Å"Can I tell you what the worst part is?† he asked hesitantly when I said nothing. â€Å"Do you mind? I am going to be good.† â€Å"Will it help?† I whispered. â€Å"It might. It couldn't hurt.† â€Å"What's the worst part, then?† â€Å"The worse part is knowing what would have been.† â€Å"What might have been.† I sighed. â€Å"No.† Jacob shook his head. â€Å"I'm exactly right for you, Bella. It would have been effortless for us – comfortable, easy as breathing. I was the natural path your life would have taken. . . .† He stared into space for a moment, and I waited. â€Å"If the world was the way it was supposed to be, if there were no monsters and no magic . . .† I could see what he saw, and I knew that he was right. If the world was the sane place it was supposed to be, Jacob and I would have been together. And we would have been happy. He was my soul mate in that world – would have been my soul mate still if his claim had not been overshadowed by something stronger, something so strong that it could not exist in a rational world. Was it out there for Jacob, too? Something that would trump a soul mate? I had to believe that it was. Two futures, two soul mates . . . too much for any one person. And so unfair that I wouldn't be the only one to pay for it. Jacob's pain seemed too high a price. Cringing at the thought of that price, I wondered if I would have wavered, if I hadn't lost Edward once. If I didn't know what it was like to live without him. I wasn't sure. That knowledge was so deep a part of me, I couldn't imagine how I would feel without it. â€Å"He's like a drug for you, Bella.† His voice was still gentle, not at all critical. â€Å"I see that you can't live without him now. It's too late. But I would have been healthier for you. Not a drug; I would have been the air, the sun.† The corner of my mouth turned up in a wistful half-smile. â€Å"I used to think of you that way, you know. Like the sun. My personal sun. You balanced out the clouds nicely for me.† He sighed. â€Å"The clouds I can handle. But I can't fight with an eclipse.† I touched his face, laying my hand against his cheek. He exhaled at my touch and closed his eyes. It was very quiet. For a minute I could hear the beating of his heart, slow and even. â€Å"Tell me the worst part for you,† he whispered. â€Å"I think that might be a bad idea.† â€Å"Please.† â€Å"I think it will hurt.† â€Å"Please.† How could I deny him anything at this point? â€Å"The worst part . . .† I hesitated, and then let words spill out in a flood of truth. â€Å"The worst part is that I saw the whole thing – our whole life. And I want it bad, Jake, I want it all. I want to stay right here and never move. I want to love you and make you happy. And I can't, and it's killing me. It's like Sam and Emily, Jake – I never had a choice. I always knew nothing would change. Maybe that's why I was fighting against you so hard.† He seemed to be concentrating on breathing evenly. â€Å"I knew I shouldn't have told you that.† He shook his head slowly. â€Å"No. I'm glad you did. Thank you.† He kissed the top of my head, and then he sighed. â€Å"I'll be good now.† I looked up, and he was smiling. â€Å"So you're going to get married, huh?† â€Å"We don't have to talk about that.† â€Å"I'd like to know some of the details. I don't know when I'll talk to you again.† I had to wait for a minute before I could speak. When I was pretty sure that my voice wouldn't break, I answered his question. â€Å"It's not really my idea . . . but, yes. It means a lot to him. I figure, why not?† Jake nodded. â€Å"That's true. It's not such a big thing – in comparison.† His voice was very calm, very practical. I stared at him, curious about how he was managing, and that ruined it. He met my eyes for a second, and then twisted his head away. I waited to speak until his breathing was under control. â€Å"Yes. In comparison,† I agreed. â€Å"How long do you have left?† â€Å"That depends on how long it takes Alice to pull a wedding together.† I suppressed a groan, imagining what Alice would do. â€Å"Before or after?† he asked quietly. I knew what he meant. â€Å"After.† He nodded. This was a relief to him. I wondered how many sleepless nights the thought of my graduation had given him. â€Å"Are you scared?† he whispered. â€Å"Yes,† I whispered back. â€Å"What are you afraid of?† I could barely hear his voice now. He stared down at my hands. â€Å"Lots of things.† I worked to make my voice lighter, but I stayed honest. â€Å"I've never been much of a masochist, so I'm not looking forward to the pain. And I wish there was some way to keep him away – I don't want him to suffer with me, but I don't think there's any way around it. There's dealing with Charlie, too, and Rene. . . . And then afterward, I hope I'll be able to control myself soon. Maybe I'll be such a menace that the pack will have to take me out.† He looked up with a disapproving expression. â€Å"I'd hamstring any one of my brothers who tried.† â€Å"Thanks.† He smiled halfheartedly. Then he frowned. â€Å"But isn't it more dangerous than that? In all of the stories, they say it's too hard . . . they lose control . . . people die. . . .† He gulped. â€Å"No, I'm not afraid of that. Silly Jacob – don't you know better than to believe vampire stories?† He obviously didn't appreciate my attempt at humor. â€Å"Well, anyway, lots to worry about. But worth it, in the end.† He nodded unwillingly, and I knew that he in no way agreed with me. I stretched my neck up to whisper in his ear, laying my cheek against his warm skin. â€Å"You know I love you.† â€Å"I know,† he breathed, his arm tightening automatically around my waist. â€Å"You know how much I wish it was enough.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"I'll always be waiting in the wings, Bella,† he promised, lightening his tone and loosening his arm. I pulled away with a dull, dragging sense of loss, feeling the tearing separation as I left a part of me behind, there on the bed next to him. â€Å"You'll always have that spare option if you want it.† I made an effort to smile. â€Å"Until my heart stops beating.† He grinned back. â€Å"You know, I think maybe I'd still take you – maybe. I guess that depends on how much you stink.† â€Å"Should I come back to see you? Or would you rather I didn't?† â€Å"I'll think it through and get back to you,† he said. â€Å"I might need the company to keep from going crazy. The vampire surgeon extraordinaire says I can't phase until he gives the okay – it might mess up the way the bones are set.† Jacob made a face. â€Å"Be good and do what Carlisle tells you to do. You'll get well faster.† â€Å"Sure, sure.† â€Å"I wonder when it will happen,† I said. â€Å"When the right girl is going to catch your eye.† â€Å"Don't get your hopes up, Bella.† Jacob's voice was abruptly sour. â€Å"Though I'm sure it would be a relief for you.† â€Å"Maybe, maybe not. I probably won't think she's good enough for you. I wonder how jealous I'll be.† â€Å"That part might be kind of fun,† he admitted. â€Å"Let me know if you want me to come back, and I'll be here,† I promised. With a sigh, he turned his cheek toward me. I leaned in and kissed his face softly. â€Å"Love you, Jacob.† He laughed lightly. â€Å"Love you more.† He watched me walk out of his room with an unfathomable expression in his black eyes.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Wild Beasts

A general life in demons as ambivalent spirits or aspects of God was an original part of Israel's theology which in later periods became separated into -?good spirits (angels) and evil spirits (demons). † (Anchor Bible Dictionary, Demons, p. 1) As history went on, the stories about these ambivalent spirits were embellished and evolved into tales of angels and demons. The language used to describe the demons is incredibly poetic and uses references to natural phenomenon. This context raises the issue of how poetic references to natural phenomena should be interpreted-?as literal references to the physical phenomena, as poetic humiliations or personifications, or as references to actual demons or deities. Translation in general of terms dealing with demons is problematic. Translations are influenced by many factors: philological evidence and trends, theology, and previous decisions regarding understandings of the term demon and proper ways to interpret each particular text.Identi fications and understandings of demons in the Old Testament are strongly influenced by the wider context within which demons are discussed; past contexts have included magic and witchcraft, popular religion, official patriotic rituals, poetic symbolism, and religious psychology. † (Anchor Bible Dictionary, Demons, p. 2) Since the words surrounding these spirits have so many references to nature, they were often associated with destruction and blamed for natural disaster. The most generally accepted understanding Is of demons as evil spirits who live In ruins and the desert and are responsible for Illness and natural disasters. † (Anchor Bible When I think of ruins, I think of destruction and decay. When I look at Gonzales demons, they look as If they themselves are crumbling and decomposing. He very destruction they are known to cause Is represented through their gruesome appearance.I feel that the aspect of nature Is represented In his organic use of the animal bones, t eeth, and horns. There are a few specific, annalistic demons that nave Eden place together tongue various texts Dye Interpreters: â€Å"wool Deadest, howling creatures, ostriches, hyenas, Jackals. (Longboat 1949: 41-43)† (Anchor Bible Dictionary, Demons, p. 2) The term â€Å"wild beasts† reminds me of those snarling devil heads, and I can't help but think Gonzalez was inspired by these annalistic demons himself.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Socio-technical leading to IT failure in Terminal 5 Essay

Socio-technical leading to IT failure in Terminal 5 - Essay Example Before merger of these two characteristics, socio and technical, the strategic planning for developing information systems was poor. The information systems were developed according to technological needs and the experts had formed systems on technical framework (Flichy, 2003). In this world of competitions, the organizations need perfection and reasons to be major contestant in the relevant field. Choppy and Sokolsky (2008) express that the efficiency, quality of services QoS, work load, accuracy and management are possible only by the help of socio-technical involvement. For the achievement of strategy of planning and development, the organizations implement and evaluate the state-of-the-art technologies with the flair of socio-technical system. On the other hand, as Godinez et al (2010) articulate, the dependency on technologies and hiring untrained staff are the factors which create lots of hindrances. And socio-technical system has also the limitations, so that the possibilities of design of faulty systems still persist in the world. Today, the concept of data management is incomplete, almost impossible, without information management systems. Information systems supply a complete and wide-range of solutions for organizations, either public or private. Curtis and Cobham (2008) express that the information system applications, based on software and hardware, are developed for different purposes and for different organisations. Airports, railway stations, hospitals, universities, accounts and audit bureaus and almost all the public organizations use these applications for ease in management. Information systems also help in decision making and timely completion of projects (Ulrich and Newcomb, 2010). In this paper, the relationship between information systems and socio-technical system is widely discussed. Moreover, the

Friday, September 27, 2019

Microeconomic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Microeconomic - Essay Example This academic paper will be focused on the logic behind warranties as signal of quality as well as what limits the attractiveness of warranties as signals for high-quality firms. Grossman (1981) argued that indicating enhanced efficient functioning of a perfectly competitive market in a situation where there is information deficiency. Warranties offered by most production companies are considered common types of signal sent by high-quality production companies. This is at reducing consumer’s quality doubt and information gaps in the product’s quality. Quality has been used to refer to observable and unobserved product characteristics in terms of product performance and durability. The common assumption is that firms producing low-quality products find it very expensive to offer a warranty. This product assumption makes offering of product warranty a credible signal of unobservable product performance and durability among many other features. In the production industry, product failures are highly linked with product quality and workmanship hence the cost of offering the warrant will be higher for poor quality products. As a result of innovation and technological advancements, the information asymmetry between consumer and manufacturer is great. This comes about due to an increase product modifications and releases on an annual basis. In the situation of new products, consumers have very little information on product information and quality due to the unavailability of past experiences and third party reviews. The injection of costly warranties in asymmetric information implies that warranties serve as pertinent projections of product quality in the production sector. The primary objective of all businesses remains profit-making through cost minimization and revenue maximization. In case the producers manufactured goods with high chances of product failures, they will be forced to incur high costs through repair and repl acement which will

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Company Closing Process Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Company Closing Process - Essay Example Basically there are three procedures completed under month-end process: adjustments, calculations and reporting. Adjustment is the first step where necessary amendments are done on the financial data or information already recorded. During the month, the organization earns revenue and incurs expenses and matches the two. This practice, result in differences between the estimated amount and the actual amount of an item (Bosua & Beer, 2009). For example, interest expense incurred on the prevailing firm’s loans increase the amount to be paid (principal and interest). The original amount to be paid was the principal, while the actual amount paid at month end is the principal plus interest. Therefore, adjustment has to be made to reconcile the two amounts. Calculations After the above adjustments are made, the affected individual accounts have to be updated. The amounts for adjustment are calculated and appropriate entries made to the appropriate ledger accounts. For example, in ba nk accounts adjustment calculations, it is started with the opening balance, add on the deposits made and then subtract the debits for that month. The final figure got, reflect the actual cash balance on the bank account as opposed to the opening balance figure. Reporting After ascertaining the actual amounts of each ledger account, the figures are entered into the organizations database. The personnel responsible for the month-end procedures avails several reports reflecting the organization’s financial position in different ways, such as profit and loss statement, to the management. Year end close process The year end process refers to a set of activities the company performs to close financial books, make adjustments, correct errors and produce financial statements such as balance sheet in correspondence with existing rule and regulations such as international financial reporting standards (IFRS) and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). These activities involve several personnel such as accountants, bookkeepers and financial manager working under guidance of senior staff (Warfield, Weygandt & Kieso, 2008). There are four basic activities completed: adjustment entries posting, error correcting, trial balance preparation and financial statement preparation. Under adjusting entries, postings are made to reflect exactly what the company made and spent of the period under review. The adjustments concern prepaid expenses and unearned revenues. Prepaid expenses refer to cash paid by the business in advance understanding that specific tasks will be performed in its favor in the future, whereas unearned revenue refers to the cash money the company accepted promising to provide services or goods at a future date. In correcting errors, the company’s management is able to remove the mathematical imprecision from the book closing mechanism. The errors are a result of regulations changes, numerical incorrectness and poor accounting rules applica tion. This is a vital activity as it is integral to the closing process of the company’s financial statements. Trial balance preparation comes after error corrections and adjustment postings. The trial balance preparation helps managers verify the accuracy of the already completed and closed accounts. The trial balance checks the total debits and credits of all the involved accounts. If the two, total debits and total credits, are equal most likely the accounts are accurate. However, it should be noted

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Health Maintenance Organizations Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Health Maintenance Organizations - Assignment Example The assignment "Health Maintenance Organizations" overviews the Health Maintenance Organization and discusses how it differs from the Preferred Provider Organization. A Preferred Provider Organization combines managed care with the traditional insurance. This plan, unlike HMO, allows for the patients to go outside their health care plan. It also utilizes a network of health care specialists who are paid on a fee-for-service basis rather than prepaid. The insurer pays a small amount on doctor’s visit while the insurance pays the rest of the fee. HMOs only cover their patients if they visit HMO designated doctors while PPO patients have freedom of movement with partial payment covered by insurance while they pay the rest. PPOs also have a wider network of physicians and specialists than HMO as most of these physicians prefer it due to the prompt fee for service pay. On the other hand, HMOs are much cheaper than PPOs and their plans are rated more favorably by their subscribers e ven though nowadays PPO has more people. BlueCross Blue shield Michigan’s mission is to improve the healthcare of residents of Michigan and the vision is to make significant contributions to the health care in that state. The mission of Zinn Insurance Agency is to meet the health needs of individuals and seniors. Its vision is to continue growing the needs of the family. Williams Insurance Agency Inc. has the vision of meeting the needs of the customers through quality care while its mission is to make a difference in the community.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Conciseness homework Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Conciseness homework - Assignment Example The samples were then stored in coolers on site for transportation to the chemical analytical laboratory. c. Based on the geotechnical data obtained from the sub- surface exploration program, the results of the percolation testing, and the planned plumbing fixtures, the feasibility of installing a leachfield-type on-site sewage- disposal system was evaluated. Answer: The feasibility of installing a leachfield-type on-site sewage- disposal system was based on data obtained from several reports. The data considered include the sub- surface exploration program, the results of the percolation testing, and the planned plumbing fixtures. Revise the following sentences by applying all the guidelines mentioned in this chapter. When you change passive verbs to active, it may be necessary to make some assumptions about the agent of the action, because the sentences are taken out of context. a. Based on our review of the available records, conversations with the various agencies involved, including the Fire Department and the Police Department, and a thorough survey of the site where the spill occurred, it was determined that the site contained chemicals that were hazardous to human health. Based on review of reports and inputs from different agencies like the Fire Department and the Police Department, it was determined that the oil spill has left the site chemically contaminated and was hazardous to human health. b. After seven hours at the negotiation table, the union representatives and management decided that the issues they were discussing could not be resolved that evening, so they met the next day at the hotel complex, at which point they agreed on a new contract that would increase job security and

Monday, September 23, 2019

Southern Blacks in North America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Southern Blacks in North America - Essay Example This trend of industrialization threw up a complementary demand for hard workers. The Blacks have always been known for their hard working capacity as well as sheer physical strength. They began migrating towards North America, which had abolished slavery since the 19th century. (Palmer, 2005)This migration also gave them a chance to do what they really excelled at and earn a decent living while doing so. The industrial cities and their dwellers found a new sense of sympathy for and affinity towards these Blacks. There was a slow and steady movement towards respect in the attitudes that revolved around the way these people were subsequently treated. (Palmer, 2005) The industrial cities of North America needed due to the urbanization and its fast growing consequences. As a result of this urbanization, a number of new industries were set up with a growing demand for new kinds of products and services. Meanwhile, the traditional industries enjoyed a facelift by way of expansion and modernization of operations. This urbanization led to an influx of Blacks into the North. This led to a more even distribution as far demographics and population categories were concerned. Further, the corporate - capitalist trends helped the southern Blacks deviate from the traditional income generating activities like agriculture. (Palmer, 2005) In doing so, the Southern Blacks found a new lease of life. They learnt new things everyday and became the throbbing center of the industrial output of these Northern cities. The positioning of these Blacks at the very center of production activities helped them command terms that would appeal to them and elevate their lifestyles. The Black children received education and their parents, better training to further their prospects. In this, there was a sense of pride that awakened in their hearts. They were suddenly at par with their white counterparts and what was more; they were being offered the chance to build their lives. (Palmer, 2005)Through this integration of personal goals with the ones set by the organizations where they served, the Blacks endeavored to build the industries and form cities that became synonymous with modern urban centers the world over. There was also a new breed of Southern that came to hold white collar positions and occupy positions of power and respect. These factors helped the Southern Blacks in taking pride in the Northern industrial cities that had literally given them a new lease of life. They began to symbolize the growing face of American multi culturalism and freedom. (Parrillo, 2002) These sentiments were comparable only with the aggressively nationalist Mexicans. The Mexican love for the homeland is almost legendry. Having acquired a whole new state for themselves in the form of Mexico, these people guard their traditions fiercely irrespective of any part of the world they may be in. Further, they take immense pride in their language and culture as well as food habits. (Meier, 1994) The Mexicans have managed to fill the gap that was created during the first and second world wars, with unskilled labor in the American industrial market, yet their core has remained essentially Mexican. (Parrillo, 2002) The Southern Black experience shows that these people have great pride in where they come from and even

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Meaning of life - Anthropology Essay Example for Free

Meaning of life Anthropology Essay The Meaning of Life and Cultural Relativism What is the meaning of life? â€Å"What’s the meaning of life? † is today a question generally meant as a joke. This apparently wasn’t true in the past. Religious teachers, from Jesus to Buddha to Mohammed, offered a clear meaning of life. Philosophers from Plato to Augustine to Voltaire to Nietzsche to William James also offered such a meaning, although in progressively less certain ways. Today, however, philosophers have mostly turned away from questions of the meaning of life (or when they discuss it, they may proclaim life’s meaninglessness, as does Nagel in this week’s reading). A big reason for this is that there are so many different beliefs in the world today: they relativize all beliefs, and make certainty problematic. A key principle of anthropology is â€Å"cultural relativism†: this has become a central principle in today’s world at large. How can you know that your sense of â€Å"the meaning of life† is truer than someone else’s sense of â€Å"the meaning of life†? This is why it may be difficult to be both a Christian and an anthropologist. And this is why this course cannot offer much advice as to â€Å"the meaning of life. † Meanings of Life in Anthropology Anthropologists thus can’t discuss â€Å"the meaning of life†; but they can analyze people’s personal meanings of life, as a way of better understanding how people are culturally and socially shaped. There is a fundamental difference between â€Å"the meaning of life† and â€Å"meanings of life,† and only the latter can be fully explored by anthropologists. Anthropologists explore culture: the ways of thinking by which people live. Anthropologists study a range of different culturally-shaped fields, from economics to politics to religion to gender in different societies. However, few anthropologists have directly studied â€Å"meanings of life† (maybe none, except for me! ) This is because in most societies that anthropologists study, there is no ordinary word that people use to describe what’s most important to them in their lives. However, the Japanese language has such a term: ikigai. Ikigai means â€Å"that which makes your life worth living,† or, more practically speaking, â€Å"what’s most important to you in your life. † Common ikigai are work, family, religious belief, creative endeavor, or personal dream. 1 Why does only Japanese have the term ikigai? Why don’t other languages have ikigai? In any case, even if other languages don’t have the term ikigai, people everywhere can understand what ikigai means. It is â€Å"what’s most important to you in life,† â€Å"what makes your life worth living. † What is your ikigai? This is difficult for students, because you haven’t yet made the life choices of work and family that you probably will make over the next few years. But you can get some idea: Is it pleasing your parents? Finding a boyfriend/girlfriend? Gaining knowledge? Getting good grades and a good future job? Helping the world become better? Pursuing creativity? Being close to God? The Sociocultural Analysis of Ikigai . Most Japanese books about ikigai talk about it in a psychological sense: how individuals seek and find and lose ikigai. However, ikigai is also social: all ikigai involve us in the world of other people: whether you live for family, for your personal dream, for God, or for alcohol, all of these are social. Ikigai in this sense I define as â€Å"that which most deeply links the self to the social world†: ikigai is what ties you to the world around you. This can take two broad forms: ikigai as self-realization, and ikigai as commitment to one’s group: both are fundamentally social. Here is a one-sentence cross-cultural theory of ikigai: â€Å"On the basis of culturally and personally-shaped fate, individuals strategically formulate and interpret their ikigai from an array of cultural conceptions, negotiate these ikigai within their circles of immediate others, and pursue their ikigai as channeled by their society’s institutional structures so as to attain and maintain a sense of the personal significance of their lives. † We have ikigai because ikigai gives us a sense of the purpose and significance and worth of our lives; but we necessarily hold these ikigai within the context of the society around us, with which we constantly interact in forming and maintaining ikigai.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Wal-Mart Is Bad for America Essay Example for Free

Wal-Mart Is Bad for America Essay Starting out with a single store in Bentonville, Arkansas, Wal-Mart has not stopped expanding. The First Wal-Mart store was opened in 1962 by a Mr. Sam Walton. He opened the store with one intention: sell products people need at the lowest price available. Wal-Mart has since blown up into a globally known and used corporation. Currently, more than fifty percent of all Americans live within five miles of a Wal-Mart store, which is less than a ten mile drive away. Ninety percent of Americans live within fifteen miles of a Wal-Mart. (Fishman, 2006). Wal-Mart is bordering on 9000 locations worldwide including operations in Mexico, United Kingdom, Japan, and India. Wal-Mart is undoubtedly a global powerhouse. This powerhouse is impacting its home country. Wal-Mart affects American businesses and employees. This massive corporation affects the health of the United States. It has many affects as it spreads around the world. â€Å"A century ago, the companies that dominated the global food trade were wholesalers. Today these giants are dwarfed by the supermarkets that govern the global food system from farm to fork† (Patel, 2011). In other words, supermarkets or â€Å"superstores† have dominated and taken over the food system. Wal-Mart would be the leader and most profitable giant in this group. With the company’s rampant globalization and its negative impact on American businesses, employees, and overall health, Wal-Mart has proven time and time again that it is no good for America. To begin with, Wal-Mart’s rapid growth has led to great success for the company, but at the expense of small businesses around the nation. â€Å"Supermarkets rule the food chain† (Patel, 2011). Smaller shops and businesses have been taking huge hits in recent years. Small â€Å"mom and pop† stores have been the backbone of American society and a symbol of the American dream since the founding of the country. That being said, Wal-Mart has been in constant competition with these stores, and many say Wal-Mart is doing a great job of destroying all its competition, even some larger manufactures’. â€Å"Not since the days of the British East India Company as the cornerstone of the British imperial system has one single corporate entity been responsible for so much misery† (Freeman Ticknor, 2003). There have been many efforts to combat these â€Å"big box† stores from taking over small communities, while other communities have welcomed stores like Wal-Mart with open arms simply because their community is struggling to survive and they expect such a large business to bring in jobs. It is true that Wal-Mart does bring in jobs. However, as people are applying and taking jobs at Wal-Mart stores, what they do not know is that, they are slowly selling their souls, giving up their pocket books, and becoming slaves of this corporation. â€Å"An exchange of goods at a low price benefits everyone-quoting Adam Smith† (Van Riper, 2008). At what lengths are customers willing to go through to have low prices? Although Wal-Mart offers these low prices, communities still do not want their businesses being forced out and have been fighting the big box store takeover. Americans have not all become accustomed to supermarkets and malls. There are Americans who still enjoy the small â€Å"mom and pop† markets on the corner and like the rich culture that comes from individual shops and town markets. Sometimes, these individuals make a stand against Wal-Mart and other large companies. Take, for example, the success of the citizens of Eureka, California, who were not thrilled with the idea of Wal-Mart coming to town and setting up shop. â€Å"Activists built a well-oiled machine of organized resistance† (Halebsky, 2010). Most towns and communities are not this lucky. The activists had help in this case from Al Norman, the founder of Sprawl-Busters, consultants who help local community campaigns against megastores and other undesirable large-scale developments. This is a reminder that under the right conditions, the small town â€Å"David† can topple a big business â€Å"Goliath† (Halebsky, 2010). When all of these viewpoints are considered, it is clear that Wal-Mart’s rapid growth at the expense of small businesses is bad for the American economy. Wal-Mart is crushing all competitors with no remorse. Wal-Mart forces its way into small communities and forces itself upon the citizens making them into employees and also making it so small business does not stand a chance. Small business in small communities, especially low-income communities, simply cannot compete with a large corporation like Wal-Mart. Though some, like the citizens of Eureka, may be able to fight a Wal-Mart invasion, most are not this lucky nor do they know enough to fight Wal-Mart on their own. Simply put, Wal-Mart is a disease; it infects one community then moves on to the next. In addition to these effects on small businesses around the country, Wal-Mart’s promises of low prices are also impacting its own workforce. These low prices often come at the expense of fair wages and sufficient healthcare plans, leaving Wal-Mart employees to work in poor conditions for little reward. Wal-Mart’s treatment of its employees has long been in question. â€Å"The sad truth is that people earning Wal-Mart level wages tend to favor fashions available at the Salvation Army† (Ehrenreich, 2007). In less sarcastic terms, Wal-Mart employees cannot even afford to buy the clothes they sell and have to end up shopping at places like Goodwill and the Salvation Army to clothe themselves and their family. â€Å"You have to keep wages completely down; you have to keep staff down† (Fishman, 2006). This is part of Wal-Mart’s business strategy for higher profit. Wal-Mart offers some of the lowest possible wages for its employees. Wal-Mart also keeps the available staff down so the employees on the clock are constantly swamped with business making them extremely overworked. So Wal-Mart has discovered the secret to maximum profits: keep the wages and amount of employees down, which means paying less people less money while still raking in profit. This sounds dangerously close to a sweatshop. â€Å"Wal-Mart has lately come under fire for its meanness over employees’ health-care benefits† (Economist, 2006). In the movie Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price, there were several interviews with actual Wal-Mart employees who discuss the low wages and poor health care. In an anonymous interview, an employee states that â€Å"you should never have to choose between medicine for your sick child and feeding your family† (Greenwald, 2005). Wal-Mart offers big discounts and low prices, but the employees end up paying for it with low wages and poor health care. â€Å"The biggest single problem was health care costs which were rising 19 percent a year, mainly because Wal-Mart employees are sicker than the average American† (Bianco, 2007). Wal-Mart’s healthcare is a joke. The rates and premiums are through the roof with doctors’ visits costing one hundred dollars or more. The basic healthcare plan is a 25 dollar premium for an individual, 37 dollars for a single parent, and 65 dollars for a family. This plan included 3 total doctor visits per year before the 1000 dollar deductible kicks in (Bianco, 2007). So the key to Wal-Mart’s broken system is that they pay their employees low wages and overwork them, but if an employee falls ill, Wal-Mart’s own healthcare plan does not even provide enough to help their employees back to work. In addition to the low wages and poor healthcare plans that the company offers its employees, there have been an ever-increasing number of sexual harassment cases levied against Wal-Mart. One such case involved a male employee who made an explicit comment to a female employee who was bending over to pick up a package. One Peggy Kimzey, shipping clerk from Warsaw, Missouri, bent over a package when she heard a male store manager laughing with another male employee. When Peggy asked what they were doing, he replied with a sexual comment about her backside. He then continued even after she asked him to stop. Peggy filed a law suit against Wal-Mart. According to her attorney, Peggy, endured many other situations like this in her four years of employment. Peggy also reported that many of the other female employees went through daily degrading remarks from male managers, as well (Glazer, 1996). This was the beginning of many lawsuits against Wal-Mart and certainly not the end. Wal-Mart is also strictly and famously non-union. â€Å"Wal-Mart has been successful in keeping Unions out of its American stores, partly because it has the resources to fight organizers in the stores and in court† (Preface to â€Å"Should Wal-Mart Unionize, 2008). In order to keep goods at discount and keep wages down, Wal-Mart has tried extremely hard to keep any whisper of unionizing out of its stores. There have been countless attempts by Wal-Mart employees to petition and unionize, but even at the suggestion of a union being formed, Wal-Mart managers start the threats and spread rumors of jobs being lost if employees vote yes. One case came out of Jacksonville, Texas, where butchers voted 7 to 3 to unionize. After two weeks, Wal-Mart eliminated the butchers’ jobs by switching to prepackaged meat and scattered the workers to different departments, which effectively abolished the union. The federal Labor judge ruled this act illegal three years later and ordered Wal-Mart to reverse all its actions. However, by that time, the original butchers had left the company. (Pre-face to â€Å"Should Wal-Mart Unionize, 2008). This shows that no matter what, Wal-Mart wins. The corporation will do almost anything to keep unions out of the workforce. With all viewpoints considered, it is clear Wal-Mart does not take care of its employees. Wal-Mart employees struggle to make ends meet and there are employees that have to choose between the whole family eating and provide medicine for a sick child or family member. This is a ridiculous and disturbing way to live. Employees have no choice in most cases because it is the only job they can find in small towns where Wal-Mart has forced out all other small business. Wal-Mart’s treatment of its employees is ludicrous and barbaric, and it borders on slave labor. Wal-Mart plans every move it makes. It knows they are the only choice for most Americans in terms of employment, so they are able to set their own conditions. Wal-Mart sells goods at the lowest possible prices to keep their prices to consumers low. The problem is that they do not care how or from where those cheap goods are obtained. Recently, in the movie Food Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner (2008) broke down the supermarket walls and showed the public where and how their food transforms from raw material to the food sold in stores. â€Å"I think it’s one of the most important battles for consumers to fight, and that is the right to know what’s in their food and how it was grown† (Kenner, 2008). There has been a big push in recent years for more accurate labeling in the food sold in supermarkets. Many producers and supermarkets are fighting to not have labels on their food showing where the food comes from or even what ingredients are in the food. â€Å"Not only do they not want you to know what’s in it, they have managed to make it against the law to criticize their products† (Kenner, 2008). There are laws protecting the meat and produce companies from people openly criticizing their product. Oprah was even sued by the cattle companies for saying â€Å"it makes me not want to ever pick up another Meat patty again† on her show (Kenner, 2008). The meat packers unsuccessfully sued Oprah for bashing their product and loss of profit. Again, Wal-Mart has no regard for how they make money. It does not matter where or how Wal-Mart’s food is obtained, just so it brings in the maximum amount of profit for them. Red meat and poultry is literally packed into houses and not able to move, in order to gain more meat in less space. These extreme conditions, piled onto extensive hormones and steroids administered to boost the size of animals, make many farm animals extremely unhealthy to consume. There has been an extensive amount of E. Coli poisoning breakouts over the past ten years because of these chemicals growing in the intestines and stomachs of the animals. Yet agai n, Wal-Mart does not care how this meat is obtained just so they get it as cheap as possible and they can resale it marked up and make their profit. Americans have forever been informed of the horrible experiences going on overseas in sweatshops that are run by American corporations trying to maximize profit by paying workers in other countries massively low wages to make and produce goods such as clothing. Wal-Mart has also has been accused of running sweatshops and outsourcing its manufacturing jobs overseas to places where it costs less to make goods because they can pay employees less than American workers. â€Å"Americans may not know it, but many of the name-brand products they purchase were made under appalling circumstances† (Clark, 1996). Many companies, such as Sears and Bloomingdale’s, choose to outsource their work in order to maximize profit. Both companies are huge retailers and make a large profit every year, but this profit is largely based on their ability to produce clothing and other goods through sweatshops and cheap child labor in other countries. Wal-Mart is no different. Although Wal-Mart does not directly contract these sweatshops, they do go around the world finding the cheapest made jeans, clothing, toys, etc., and buy all of them up to turn around and sell them for a huge profit. So, no, Wal-Mart does not directly contract these sweatshops, but they do support this ghastly system. Wal-Mart has come into the Chinese economy in the same way it has in America, by putting a big blue store on every corner. In the most recent study, Chinese Wal-Mart stores are employing almost 150,000 people and drawing in more than 1.2 million people a month with more than 100 stores across the nation (Matusitz Leanza, 2009). This is leading to the same kind of shift to low wages and poor working conditions that is happening in the United States. Aware of these many issues surrounding its global presence, Wal-Mart has been growing involved in fair-trading. â€Å"Recently Wal-Mart has quadrupled its purchases of fair trade bananas, thus elim inating non fair trade bananas from its shelves† (Chu, 2009). However, this engagement in the fair trade market is not compatible with Wal-Mart’s current business model. Simply put, even as the economy is in ruins, Wal-Mart is managing to continue to bring in more profit every year at the expense of its workers and the health of its shoppers around the world. â€Å"Wal-Mart is a penny pinchers paradise† (Gross, 2008). So Wal-Mart finds another way to maximize their profit at the expense of others. Wal-Mart chooses to utilize sweatshops and child labor to increase their overall profit. Instead of using American distributors or buying locally, merchandise travels the world in the pursuit of greater profit margins for the company. Wal-Mart also chooses to expand its business overseas to China. This action also takes advantage of Chinese workers who, like America workers, need money and Wal-Mart is their only option. In conclusion, Wal-Mart is a huge corporation with many resources. Wal-Mart employs over 1.3 million people and over 5000 stores nationwide (Freeman Ticknor). It has been under fire a lot for several of its business practices. Wal-Mart offers horrible wages and meager healthcare to its workers. Additionally, there are many examples of rampant sexual harassment issues among the Wal-Mart work force. With these claims not ceasing, it is clear that Wal-Mart does not care enough about its employees to change. Wal-Mart obtains its food and goods from the cheapest provider and has no problem sacrificing quality or nutrition for the bottom line. There is also the controversy over its economic effect on American businesses. Wal-Mart destroys communities and small business. Piece by piece and store by store, Wal-Mart is taking over the United States. It wrecks communities and treats its employees like slaves. Simply put, Wal-Mart is bad for America. â€Å"Americans have stopped trading up and started trading down† (Gross, 2006). References Bianco, A. (2007, February 20). Wal-Mart: The bully of Bentonville: How the high cost of everyday low prices is hurting America. New York: Crown Business. Chu, J. (2009, April 1). The interest of large companies in fair trade is a sign of growing ethical consumption. In D. A. Miller (Ed.), Opposing viewpoints: Fair trade. Greenhaven Press. Clark, C. S. (1996, August 16). Child labor and sweatshops. CQ Researcher 6, 721-744. Ehrenreich, B. (2007, August 20). Unregulated capitalism exploits the poor. In J. Norman (Ed.), Opposing viewpoints: How can the poor be helped. Greenhaven Press. Fishman, C. (2006). The Wal-Mart effect. London, England: The Penguin Group. Freeman, R., Ticknor, A. (2003, November, 14). Wal-Mart is not a business, its an economic disease. Executive Intelligence Review, Retrieved July 7th, 2011, from http://www.larouchepub.com/other/2003/3044wal-mart.html Glazer, S. (1996, July 19). Crackdown on sexual harassment. CQ Researcher 6, 625-648. Greenwald, R. (Director). (2005). Wal-Mart: The high cost of low price [DVD]. Available from www.walmartmovie.com Gross, D. (2008). As economy tanks, Wal-Mart thrives. Slate.com, Retrieved July, 7 2011, from http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/AsEconomyTanksWalMartThr

Friday, September 20, 2019

SPRING, A Poem By Edna St. Vincent Millay

SPRING, A Poem By Edna St. Vincent Millay SPRINGBy: Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950) To what purpose, April, do you return again?Beauty is not enough.You can no longer quiet me with the rednessOf little leaves opening stickily. I know what I know.The sun is hot on my neck as I observeThe spikes of the crocus.The smell of the earth is good. It is apparent that there is no death.But what does that signify?Not only under ground are the brains of menEaten by maggots. Life in itselfIs nothing,An empty cup, a flight of uncarpeted stairs.It is not enough that yearly, down this hill, AprilComes like an idiot, babbling and strewing flowers. Spring â€Å"Spring† is a powerful free verse poem written by Edna St. Vincent Millay, in 1921 . At first glance, this poem does not seem extremely meaningful. However, the time during which it was written, explains the poems true importance because it is after World War. It contains figurative language, specifically describing post war trauma. The tone and mood enforce the element of war to a greater extent. The atmosphere created by the author is vague, but looking deeply into the metaphorical language, allows you to truly understand the casualties. In the poem â€Å"Spring† written by Edna St. Vincent Millay, war is cruel and indescribable. In quatrain three, line three, Millay writes, â€Å"Not only under ground are the brains of men.† This depicts the battlefield. The author explains that as spring arrives, the reality of the war is forgotten. Citizens continue with their lives, forgetting about the casualties. The nice weather comes, but it should have never cover ed up the war. The author is also upset. She is angry regarding the month of April. Millay is trying to ask what the point of Spring is, after the death of so many. The bright flowers, the warm sun and the nice breeze are useless when there is no one to admire them.On another note, the written part of the poem consists of four quatrains and one couplet. Three lines of each quatrain are end-stopped, while the remaining one is enjambed. In the couplet, one line is enjamed and the other is end-stopped. In the first two quatrains, the author is unsatisfied. Millay could be indecisive about the month of April. However, the remainder of the poem identifies that she is frustrated with society. The last two lines of the fourth quatrain explain this theory. She is identifying life as pointless and useless. Millay may not believe in war and is angered by it. The couplet enforces this prediction even more. The tone of the last line indicates her frustration, anger and irritation. The rhythm is irregular with no specific rhyme scene. However, this free verse poem has a pattern similar to Shakespearean poems; the first eight lines are talking about a subject, which builds up to contradict against the rest of the poem. In this case, for the first eight lines, the poet discusses the climate and nature during April, and then contrasts it to war for the rest of the poem. There are some lines in this poem, which are metaphors and have symbolism. For example, the last two lines of the fourth quatrain. The â€Å"empty cup, † symbolizes the future. It explains our future to be nothing. This is also a metaphor because it compares life to an empty cup. Fighting will lead to nothing. This is the hidden message in this line. The atmosphere of the poem always relates back to war. There is a lot of imagery in the poem. For example, line four of the first quatrain. The reader can imagine the tiny leaves opening slowly, as the day goes by. This makes it a form of imagery. In the th ird line of the third quatrain, the author is referring to a place known as ‘No Mans Land. This is the land between two trenches that all soldiers feared, because of death, due to exploding shells. Cacophonic The entire poem is cacophonic. â€Å"The sun is hot /the spikes of the crocus /eaten by maggots ,† are all unpleasant phrases. These expressions helped create the tone, which is war and casualties. This poem is unique in another sense as well. The author is speaking to the season, which is quite preposterous. The last line of this poem is another unique phrase. The author personifies April. He remarks on April as knowing nothing. It just comes and brings some useless flowers, thinking that all will become well; these shall not be accepted because of the war. The poem was an understatement because truly looking at just the text, line eleven was the only sentence, which talked about the victims. Millay has chosen her words extremely carefully when writing this poem. She vaguely describes the true meaning and theme of this literature. What I mean by this is that, without a biography, it would be difficult to infer the true theme of this poem. War is embedded in the specific langu age and the result is a truly unique poem. The precise symbolism has true meaning when deeply investigated. An illusion has been created by the title of â€Å"Spring† giving this poem an even greater twist. â€Å"Spring† by Edna St. Vincent Millay is about war and the results; an inhospitable environment with casualties and no future.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Religious Discrimination Essay -- Religion Discrimination Discriminati

Religious Discrimination Table of Contents 1. Introduction  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  1 2. Definitions  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2 2.1 Religious Belief  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2 2.2 Religious Discrimination  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3 3. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3 3.1 Prohibitions  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3 3.2 Accommodations and Undue Hardship  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  4 3.3 Who is Subject to the Provisions under Title VII?  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  5 4. How to Handle Religious Discrimination in the Workplace  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6 4.1 Preventive Measures  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6 4.2 Filing a Charge  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  8 5. Cloutier v. Costco Wholesale  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  9 6. Religious Discrimination after September 11, 2001  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  12 7. Summary and Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13 7.1 Summary  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13 7.2 Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  15 1. Introduction Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from discriminating against applicants and employees because of their race, color, religion, sex or national origin. Religious Discrimination as part of the Civil Rights Act is the subject of this term paper. Initially, I will give a brief definition of â€Å"religious belief† and â€Å"religious discrimination† and write afterwards about prohibitions regarding religious discrimination, reasonably accommodation of religious beliefs and practices, undue hardship, and about the question â€Å"Who is subject to the provisions under Title VII?†. Furthermore, I will enter into the question how employers and employees should handle religious discrimination in the workplace. Since discrimination in the workplace cannot only cause costly lawsuits, but also has an impact on the moral of the employees, I will name some preventive measures. After that, I will switch to the employee’s view and give the reader an idea of what an employee should consider when filing a charge because of religious discrimination. Then, I will present the case Cloutier v. Costco Wholesale, which shall illustrate how everything fits together – from the broad definition of religion to the handling of a filed charge. According to statistics of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and state and local fair employment practices agencies, the number of charges alleging workplace discrimination based on religion or national origin has been significantly increased after September 11, 2001. Therefore, I will deal in this term paper with the influence of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on religious discrimination in the workplace. Finally, I... ...pportunity Commission. (2002, June). Facts About Religious Discrimination. Retrieved from: http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/fs-relig.html The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (1997, June). Filing a Charge. Retrieved from: http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/howtofil.html The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2002, May). QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE WORKPLACE RIGHTS OF MUSLIMS, ARABS, SOUTH ASIANS, AND SIKHS UNDER THE EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY LAWS. Retrieved from: http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/backlash-employee.html The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2004, November). Religious Discrimination. Retrieved from: http://www.eeoc.gov/types/religion.html The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (1997, January). Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Retrieved from: http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/vii.html Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP. (2002, October). Religious discrimination – Accommodating differences in the workplace. Retrieved from: http://www.vssp.com/CM/Articles/articles871.asp workindex. (2004, November). Ten Tips For Avoiding Religious Discrimination. Retrieved from: http://www.workindex.com/editorial/hre/hre0411-05.asp

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Parental Involvement in Adolescents Peer Relationships :: essays research papers

PARENTS' DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN ADOLESCENTS' PEER RELATIONSHIPS One of the ways in which parents play a critical role in their sons' and daughters' social development is by encouraging their interactions with other youth; in this way parents provide opportunities for girls and boys to develop social cognitive and relationship formation skills (Ladd, Profilet, & Hart, 1992). According to the model of parenting processes proposed by Parke and colleagues, parental influences on girls' and boys' peer relationships operate through two pathways: indirect socialization and direct involvement (Parke & Buriel, 1998). Models of indirect socialization, such as attachment and social learning perspectives, suggest that parents influence their children's peer interactions indirectly, through the more general influence of parent-child relationship experiences on children's social development and peer competence (e.g., Elicker, Englund, & Sroufe, 1992; MacDonald & Parke, 1984). Parents who are characterized as warm and accepting parents, for example, tend to hav e children who are more socially competent with peers (MacDonald & Parke, 1984). The focus of recent research, and of this investigation, is the second pathway, parents' direct efforts to guide their offspring's peer relationships, such as when they supervise peer interactions, engineer opportunities for their children to spend time with peers, and generally manage children's social lives (Ladd et al., 1992; Parke & Buriel, 1998). Studies of young children's peer relationships indicate that children benefit from more frequent and more positive interactions with peers and higher levels of social acceptance when parents are involved in those relationships (Bhavnagri & Parke, 1991; Ladd & Goiter, 1988; Lollis, Ross, & Tate, 1992). Considerably less is known about parents' direct involvement in adolescents' peer relationships. The nature of parents' involvement in their children's social relationships may differ dramatically across developmental periods. For example, during early childhood parents directly intervene in and supervise children's peer interactions, whereas in middle childhood, parents may use a less intrusive approach such as encouraging friendships and monitoring social activities (Rubin & Sloman, 1984). With the exception of the literature on the connections between parental monitoring and deviant peer influences (e.g., Patterson, DeBaryshe, & Ramsey, 1989; Steinberg, 1986), we know little about parents' direct role in adolescents' friendship and peer relationships (for exceptions, see recent conference proceedings, McCoy, 1996; Mounts & McCoy, 1999). The first goal of this investigation was to describe and compare mothers' versus fathers' direct involvement in adolescents' peer relationships. Our choice of measures was guided by Parke and colleagues' model of parenting (Parke & Buriel, 1998), which describes parents' direct involvement as encompassing a variety of roles including instructional activities (e. Parental Involvement in Adolescents' Peer Relationships :: essays research papers PARENTS' DIRECT INVOLVEMENT IN ADOLESCENTS' PEER RELATIONSHIPS One of the ways in which parents play a critical role in their sons' and daughters' social development is by encouraging their interactions with other youth; in this way parents provide opportunities for girls and boys to develop social cognitive and relationship formation skills (Ladd, Profilet, & Hart, 1992). According to the model of parenting processes proposed by Parke and colleagues, parental influences on girls' and boys' peer relationships operate through two pathways: indirect socialization and direct involvement (Parke & Buriel, 1998). Models of indirect socialization, such as attachment and social learning perspectives, suggest that parents influence their children's peer interactions indirectly, through the more general influence of parent-child relationship experiences on children's social development and peer competence (e.g., Elicker, Englund, & Sroufe, 1992; MacDonald & Parke, 1984). Parents who are characterized as warm and accepting parents, for example, tend to hav e children who are more socially competent with peers (MacDonald & Parke, 1984). The focus of recent research, and of this investigation, is the second pathway, parents' direct efforts to guide their offspring's peer relationships, such as when they supervise peer interactions, engineer opportunities for their children to spend time with peers, and generally manage children's social lives (Ladd et al., 1992; Parke & Buriel, 1998). Studies of young children's peer relationships indicate that children benefit from more frequent and more positive interactions with peers and higher levels of social acceptance when parents are involved in those relationships (Bhavnagri & Parke, 1991; Ladd & Goiter, 1988; Lollis, Ross, & Tate, 1992). Considerably less is known about parents' direct involvement in adolescents' peer relationships. The nature of parents' involvement in their children's social relationships may differ dramatically across developmental periods. For example, during early childhood parents directly intervene in and supervise children's peer interactions, whereas in middle childhood, parents may use a less intrusive approach such as encouraging friendships and monitoring social activities (Rubin & Sloman, 1984). With the exception of the literature on the connections between parental monitoring and deviant peer influences (e.g., Patterson, DeBaryshe, & Ramsey, 1989; Steinberg, 1986), we know little about parents' direct role in adolescents' friendship and peer relationships (for exceptions, see recent conference proceedings, McCoy, 1996; Mounts & McCoy, 1999). The first goal of this investigation was to describe and compare mothers' versus fathers' direct involvement in adolescents' peer relationships. Our choice of measures was guided by Parke and colleagues' model of parenting (Parke & Buriel, 1998), which describes parents' direct involvement as encompassing a variety of roles including instructional activities (e.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Flash bulb memory

Critically evaluate the claim that flashbulb' memories are qualitatively different to other memories Memory In psychology is the physical series of events within the brain that encode, store and retrieve information within the human body. When information is encoded within our memory it reaches our primary five senses and is converted into chemical and physical stimuli. This stimuli is stored in the next stage of the memory process where information if retained for potentially decades of time within us. We can retrieve this information by locating it within our subconscious.This can be effortless or difficult but this is based around the type of memory concerned. Memory itself can be broken down into three areas as shown by this image (The Human Memory 2013) Long-term memory is the area of concern as this is where the topic of Flashbulb memory and the memories that it can be qualitatively analysed with are found. Long term memory is exactly what you would expect it to be and that is the storage of information within the brain over vast periods of time which is a seemingly never ending storage system.Information decays over time as people grow old but it is in ome debate whether humans ever really forget information or it simply becomes too strenuous on the brain to recall the information in question. (The Human Memory 2013) Flashbulb memory is the main topic and is within the category of long-term memory and in its most simple form it is the memories a person forms when they witness a shocking or very significant event within the world.An example of a ‘significant event' in the world may be the assassination of a world leader or the day you won the lottery for instance as an example of what both a shocking and a significant event may be for someone in the world. An individual after having witnessed or experienced a life altering event may experience the effects of flash bulb memory and astonishingly be able to remember an event at a very high level of det ail at the moment the event took place.For example an individual may have the ability to recall where they were at the time and who they were with, perhaps what they were wearing or what emotions they were feeling throughout the event when it took place. A quick example of an event that many said to have retained a precise and accurate account of in the United States what the assassination of President John F. Kennedy even decades after it has taken place. [1] It is the first type of memory that showed the potential interaction between emotion and the cognitive process of memory itself and how they can actually be linked together.However it is still being debated whether the flash bulb memory is simply a unique or special type of memory or is it the same and Just as unreliable as other types of memory. Brown ; Kulik created and experiment in 1977 from which they became the first ambassadors of notion that that flash bulb memory was triggered by important events in an individual's li fe. It was the first type of memory that showed the potential interaction between emotion and the cognitive process of memory itself and how they can actually be linked together.Brown and Kulik describe flash bulb memory as the remembrance ot extremely detailed and vivid memories which are significant to the individual concerned. They also are memories that are extremely resistant to being forgotten over large quantities of time. In the Study Brown & Kulik originally carried out in 1977 the way in which many viewed how they saw light bulb memory and in essence redefined it. The aim of this study was to find out if dramatic or ndividually momentous events would cause these so called flash bulb memories'.They initially asked forty white and black American citizens if they could remember vivid imagery when they heard that a major event in the past had happened in a questionnaire format. Examples given were the assassination of John F. Kennedy or the death of Princess Diana as well as o thers. They then tested their initial prediction (that these influential events would have caused and now cause recollection of light bulb memory) against non-consequential more monotonous events in a person's life. Overall it was found that flash bulb memory was more likely to be remembered of a shocking, disturbing or momentous event in a person's life.Issues personally relevant were also likely to be remembered with flash bulb memory. (1B Psychology (Diana) 2011) It is believed by many that a flash bulb memory can be more accurate and longer lasting than alternative memory types such as Brown ; Kulik who believed flash bulb memories were long term aspects of a person's inherent memory in which they could remember specific instances and aspects they otherwise could not, while hey did believe these memories were not always accessible by the person as they deteriorate with age. They also believed that an event remembered with flashbulb memory would depend heavily on different factor s.The proximity firstly between the person impacted and the event itself would affect the memory as the closer a person was to an event the more involved and immersed they would become in the scenario. The emotion the individual felt when the scenario played out is another key factor as this emotion may be so strong it triggers a light bulb memory. The distinctiveness of he scenario is very important. Was it common place and very much familiar and the person feels like they can simply discard the event or is it so unfamiliar it is almost disturbing or creates a burning curiosity and amazement which consequently leads to a flash bulb memory.So from this information Brown & Kulik clearly feel that flash bulb memories are unique themselves and have special properties which set them apart from ordinary types of memory. (Wikipedia flash bulb memory 2013) Counter arguments created by Michael McCloskey were made in which he and his fellow olleagues analysed Brown & Kuliks hypothesis and re sults to form their own findings on the subject of flash bulb memory. Their aim was to find out whether there was really a difference between ordinary trivial memories and distinctive ‘important' ones and whether there really is a special mechanism used for a person's flash bulb memory.The notion that flash bulb memories are simply memories of important events in an individual's life that are completely viable and explicable in terms of the ordinary memory and do not show the existence of a new specific and special mechanism. Michael McCloskey also writes that an event may be seen by the person as more distinctive, influential and consequentially memorable but there is not a way a ‘qualitative distinction' can potentially be shown between memories for learning about these shocking and important instances and memories for simply learning about monotonous trivial scenarios.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Ib Biology Hl Notes

Genes and Genetics 1. 2. each chromosome exists as two genetically identical chromatids attached to their centromere. Each chromosome appears as two chromatids attached to a centromere. In the first meiotic division chromosomes align in homologous pairs. Points of contact form between members of the same homologous pair. The points of contact or crossing over between members of a homologous pair are the chiasmata. 3. The homologous pairs move to the equator of the cell. Equal lengths of the chromatids of the same homologous pair have broken off and crossed over. The chromosomes align at random and independantly.Only one possible arrangement is shown. 4. Homologous pairs align at random at the equator of the cell. This shows the early separation of the chromosomes of each of the homologous pairs. 5. Homologous pairs are separated. This shows the cell at an early stage of meiotic division. The cell membrane is starting to pinch inwards. 6. The cell divides to form two cells each with a haploid set of chromosomes. Cell division is complete and two cells containing a haploid set of chromosomes are formed. 7. In the second meiotic division the chromosomes in each cell align independently and randomly at the equator of the cell. . The chromatids in each cell are separated. The chromatids are pulled towards the opposite poles of the cell. 9. The cells divide. The cell membrane is starting to pinch inwards. 10. Cell division is complete, resulting in the formation of four cells each with the haploid number. 11. Meiosis – Functions ? ? Halving the chromosome number – meiosis consists of two nuclear divisions (meiosis I and meiosis II) but the chromosomes replicate once. Producing four daughter cells. Each are haploid Producing Genetic Variety – through prophase I and through random assortment during metaphase I.In addition, random fertilisation also produces variety since any gamete has an equal chance on combining. Crossing Over – during pro phase one, homologous chromosomes combine to form bivalent so maternal and paternal chromosomes are adjacent. Homologous pairs contain same genes but different alleles. They line up and non-sister chromatids break then they rejoin in corresponding position on other chromatid. Region this occurs is called the chiasma (chiasmata). Point where this is in random but not all chromatids form a chiasma and some dont happen at all. Therefore, chromatids keep alleles.Monohybrid and Dihybrid Inheritance0 There Codominance – both alleles have an effect on a phenotype neither allele is recessive multiple allels – 3 alleles in blood typed these are Ia , Ib and ‘i' (Io) these 3 alleles make up the phenotype and genotypes in the blood gene. Sex Link Genes Autosome (normal chromosome) pairs are said to be linked. Meaning they contain the same locus on a gene. HOMEWORK 2 b) Genotypes Gametes F1 Genotypes Phenotypes – AB BO A B B O AB AO BB BO AB, A, -B, B 4 b) Bw Tl Male G ametes- B,w T,l ww ll Female Gametes – w,w,l,l B w w Bw Bw w ww ww ) Polygenic inheritance of skin colour – Depends on the amount of pigment that is produced in the skin. Melanin synthesis is controlled by genes. The degree of pigmentation can range from very dark to very pale. Several genes are involved in skin colour determination and these produce continuous variation. Each gene has two alleles so there are numerous outcomes for example when three genes are involved there are seven outcomes. One allele M contributes to melanin. 7. 4. 6 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Ribosomes are made of two subunits, large and small Small subunits binds to the first codon on the mRNA.This is the initiation part of translation. The first codon is usually AUG and codes for the amino acid methionine. Large Sub-units will now bind and two binding sites for tRNA sit over the first two codons Transfer RNA with the correct with the correct anticodon will lock into the first tRNA binding site and f orm hydrodgen bonds to the first codon. The second tRNA will now enter into the second binding site as it has the correct anti-codon Each tRNA has its own specific amino acid, and now a peptide bond forms between these amino acids.This is the beginning of elongation ( joining amino acids to make a polypeptide) the first tRNA now breaks away and moves into the exit site and now the next codon has to be read. the small subunit shifts down the mRNA in a 5†² 3†² direction followed by the large subunit the second tRNA now moves down into the neighbouring binding site and the third tRNA can now move onto the mRNA and locks them to the exposed binding site another peptide bond is formed this process of the ribosome moving along the mRNA is called translocation eventually the ribosome reaches the last codon and it has no corresponding anti-codon so no tRNA will bind. This is a biological full-stop and this is termination.The ribosome sub units break apart, releasing the polypeptid e chain, which will now coil into its secondary and tertiary structures to form a protein. CroCrossing Over (p237) ? ? ? ? Crossing over occurs during prophase one. Chromosomes shorten and coil and homologous pairs of chromosomes come together form a bivalent Chromosomes ontain the same genes but have different alleles. Two segments then rejoin from broken chromatids at corresponding positions. Mendel's law of Independent assortment When gametes are formed, the separation of one pair of alleles into the new cells is independent of the separation of any other pairs. or; either pair of alleles is equally likely to be inherited with either of another pair. production but m does not making MMMMMM the darkest and mmmmmmm the palest. Polymerase chain reaction is used to copy and amplify minute quantities of DNA.It can be useful when only a small amount of DNA is available but a large amount is required to undergo testing. We can use DNA from blood, semen, tissues and so on from crime scen es for example. The PCR requires high temperature and a DNA polymerase enzyme from Thermus aquaticus (a bacterium that lives in hot springs). Sample is heated which denatures DNA and separates into two strands. Thermophlils Aquaticus is a bacterium which Polymerase increases rate of base pair creation. Replication in a few hours 4. 4. In gel electrophoresis, fragments of DNA move in an electrical field and are separated according to their size. Electric charge separatees DNA and allows to see natural variation in DNA Restriction Enzymes cut to produce varying fragment sizes. magnetic field so all DNA (-ve charged) move different distances and then are stained. this leaves a DNA profile Chamber, power supply, gel it doesn't mater 4. 4. 4 Organisms have short sequences of bases which are repeated many times. These are called satellite DNA. These repeated sequences vary in length from person to person.The DNA is copied using PCRand then cut up into small fragments using restriction enz ymes. Gel electrophoresis separates fragmented pieces of DNA according to their size and charge. This gives a pattern of bands on a gel which is unlikely to be the same for two individuals. This is called DNA profiling. DNA profiling can be used to determine paternity and also in forensic investigations to get evidence to be used in a court case for example. Human Genome ? It is now easier to study how genes influence human development. ? It helps identify genetic iseases. ? It allows the production of new drugs based on DNA base sequences of genes or the structure of proteins coded for by these genes. ? It will give us more information on the origins, evolution and migration of humans. ? 20,000 – 25,000 ? Carried out in 1990 to map entire DNA base sequence the whole genome. 3 billion pairs in 2003. ? Spots added to a solid surface. Can determine levels of thousands of genes by measuring mRNA spots on microarray. Generating profile of expression on a cell Pharmacogenomics â⠂¬â€œ drugs which target specific genomes.