The Religion Of The Bible - 1537 Words

As I pastor Elements Church in one of the poorest communities in our country, I often find myself overlooking things like â€Å"explaining atonement† or â€Å"affirming the centrality of the Scripture† in order to do very real, down to earth ministry. I am so often faced with helping people to do things like find food and shelter, that I simply forget to concentrate on the teaching that I believe is essential in order to grow people in the faith. I mention this because one of the things that has helped us to teach in order to grow has been the Covenant Affirmations. One affirmation, the centrality of the Scripture, has been at the core of our ministry at Elements. We have always stood upon the belief that the Bible is the ultimate source on†¦show more content†¦It also humbles me somewhat as I fully believe and understand that it is through the Word of God that our faith is â€Å"enkindled.† We have to do a better job of making this a priority instead of allowing the work of the ministry to take up all of our time together. The Covenant’s affirmation of the centrality of the Scripture is grounded in the statement, â€Å"Where is it written?† (Covenant Affirmations: This We Believe, 4). This is a bold statement that lives in the very real tension of properly dividing the Word of God, something we, as a church, will always have to deal with. The Covenant’s approach in rightly dividing the Word of God works very well when applied to atonement. Any view on atonement is tied to how one views the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The work of Christ on the cross is linked to what happened at the fall of man in the garden. The events of the fall of man at the garden lead to the redemptive reconciliation story of man and God. Everything is linked together somehow. If everything is interwoven as was said in class, and I believe it is, then as I look at atonement it is plainly a matter of reconciliation. I’ve never really understood why, but somehow the question of who is reconciled to whom was a big issue, one which P. P. Waldenstrom felt a strong need to respond to.

Movies Influence on a Person’s Life Free Essays

Movies Influence on a Person’s Life Movies have always been used to instruct and entertain people. Throughout history movies have thought people about war, love, life and death. They have made people happy and sad, angry and remorseful. We will write a custom essay sample on Movies Influence on a Person’s Life or any similar topic only for you Order Now There is no doubt that movies have had some very important effects on people’s behavior. The movies influences affect in young children as they pass through different levels of growing up, and on people who often watch movies and incorporate them in their own real life activities. The primary reason is that movies have cultural and moral influences on people. For instance, Youngsters love to watch the dancing princesses or the evil ninjas, because of a lack of judgment and knowledge. They will copycat the actions and behaviors in everything whether it is playing, clothes or habits. Children do not have the sense to differentiate fact from vision. They think, what they see is real and can happen to them in the future. Furthermore, horror movies created from imaginary stories that show the dark sides of life have the primary aim of scaring and shocking the audience. This can lead to the development of fears and insecurities in the mind of a child. Young children like to use phrases from the movies, and experience the same style of living. Children believe that all those ideas, characterized in movies, are good and correct. Movies include various kinds of contents. In some, for example, scenes involving murders are broadcast, in which a person is killing or being killed by someone. This event in fiction may cause a person to justify bloodshed or murder psychologically. In addition, movies also persuade people to think about themselves, people imagine being placed in a movie instead of the original character. This thought can change a person’s behavior in the real life. It is not strange when a writer gives a solution for a problem in the movie; but people may think that this is the only option for facing the same issue in real life, which is not true. Violence and the use of drugs in the movies often put people in an uncomfortable situation, because people might have had personal experience with drugs or other illegal substances. These types of movies have a very bad impact on people. Instead individuals should watch movies where a person can learn something and through that can bring positive behavior in life. Also movies, in which drinking alcohol is illustrated in a positive way, can play a significant role in a person’s decision to begin drinking at an early age. Research proves that drinking alcohol before the age of 16 is a risk factoring which can prevent development later in life. Movies are tools to help people who want to develop culturally, in broader word, Movies have the power to educate people. Like books movies can teach ethics, make a person grateful, and show the different sides of human nature, in addition, to entertaining and keeping a person happy. Instructive movies are more effective for young children, as once they see it, children will never forget it. What a person can do is to propose the movies which he thinks are able to show the accurate conception. Violence shown through movies affects society and may cause criminal activity. Certain movies should be denied the right to be released on the market. A person needs to know that in everything there has to be control and an equal balance. Teachers should also encourage children to take up reading as a hobby or to watch knowledge related movies. Children should be allowed to watch only movies from which they can learn. People shouldn’t watch movies which bring negative thoughts into their personal lives. How to cite Movies Influence on a Person’s Life, Papers

The Arabian Nights; Its Influence on Western Society free essay sample

The Arabian Nights; Its Influence on Western Society There is no one particularly known the writer for The Arabian Nights. The story has made itself appeared since anyone can ever remember. Historian said that The Arabian Nights is a collection of stories from whole lot different countries. It was stated that originally the stories came from India and Persia, however then the story was translated into Arabic language. Ever since then, Arabs culture and their own stories were added to make stories In the Nights become an enjoyable, beneficial and culturally based folktales. The Nights Is a large frame containing many other Interesting stones in It. The character, Shaherezad Is the narrator and also the character who told endless stories for her king husband. She pleases her husband by storytelling, told creative stories that kept her husband from doing more cruelty which Is to kill all of his wonderful wives after the first night. We will write a custom essay sample on The Arabian Nights; Its Influence on Western Society or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Shaherezad, being a wise and brave woman came out with this undoubtedly extremely dangerous and risky idea yet brilliant. She gained her husbands attention, keeping each story in contact and giving the king his benefit and present of doubt. The stories in the Nights are so well known not Just in the Arabian world, but also ffected the world of the European. This paper will research on how the Arabian Nights influenced other texts in the world such as novels by western authors, culture and/or movie. Also will be discussed in this paper are the reasons why Nights influenced works of other prominent writers. Historically, Nights as was mentioned in above paragraph, was originally collected from India and Persia. But since it was added with Arab local tales and culture, the Nights became Arab. There is no exact date when the Nights started. Part of the Nights has story about the Caliph of Harun. He was a well-known, successful aliphate of Baghdad. His stories of success and moderation as a leader lead people to continuously pass on his greatness. Hence it became part of the Arabian Nights story. Story such as Ali Baba and Aladdin dated on the fourteenth century came later after Caliph Harun.. Arabian Nights has been translated countless times into many languages. Among the earliest translator is Antoine Galland which translated the Nights Into European version. His works were taken from collection of the Nights found In the fourteenth and fifteenth century which could be found In Syria. Later on, more work of ranslations began to arise such as Richard Francis Burton works In 1885. HIS hard effort paid off since it release, It Immediately became known to the public for Its extravagant language and some of the critiques touched on the storyline of a few stories which seems made up by Burton himself. However, since Nights were passed down from culture and oral transmission, no one could actually argue on Burtons translation language or the story of his version. Arab once was a powerful and feared government. It has systematic governing style which contributed to their success in handling issues and conflict. Alongside capability. Islam and the Arab spread to many countries, though now have fallen, but were able to feast it wings proudly back then. When these countries were conquered, like other conquerors, they bring their tradition and religion with them. Spreading the belief, their culture and of course as part of their identity, they told stories from their folktales. Words spread, story being remembered, added details to make it more or less interesting thus lead to the mix culture of Nights we read today. From these Nights stories, translations that were made by people who are interested in it, Charlotte Bronte were swayed by the Nights awe-inspiring story. In many of her novels, Bronte repeatedly kept on referring to the Nights from the perspective of her characters . Jane Eyre, published on 16 October 1847 is about a young girl who had lost her parents, as so she thought, and living with her aunt. She was treated badly and being sent to a school far away from home. There, she learnt the hardship of life, losing friends through diseases that strike them and facing poverty and hunger throughout her entire time growing up there. Jane fortunately endured the hardship at the school and she was appointed as one of the teacher there. Her entire life, she never went travelling, seeing the vast world with her own eyes. Because Janes character was made as a girl who has no challenges from the outside world, Bronte made Jane escape her dull life through books. Books has become close companion to Jane, from her time living with her vicious aunt until the time she went to that poor wrecked boarding school to learn to transform herself from a little mischievous devil, as what she was referred to by her aunt, to a gracious lady which capable of doing what typical lady at that era were to do from sewing, cooking, washing, painting and all delicate behaviour. There were a few occurrences where Jane mentioned about the Nights. She uses the Nights as her escape place which means stories from the Nights gave her incredible amount of imagination on magical, unrealistic but tremendously overwhelming thoughts. It was her only way to imagine the world outside of the wall she lives in. her only way to connect through peoples adventure and making it as her own. One of the similarities that can be found from Jane Eyre and The Arabian Nights is both Jane and Sheherazade used narrative to gain power over someone, more specifically, a man. Sheherazade deceive his husband, the king, with halfway stories n order to stay alive while Jane told story of her unfortunate event to Mr Rochester to gain sympathy and trust.. A lot of Bronte works were actually influenced by the Arabian Nights. Llewellyn (2012) recorded what Heather Glen said about the Nights inclination in Brontes works, maturing conception of adult power dynamic and female child trying to understand her provisionality in world not of her control. Culturally, the Arabian Nights has also influence some part of the western society. In German for instance, during late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, here were massive translation on the Arabian Nights from different sources. These include the original Arabic source of the Nights, Burtons English Arabian nights and many more. They were distributed in a lot of ways in German at time particular time. Because technologies were started to be introduced, images and colour illustrated that would attract not only Juvenile but all sorts of readers since those types of publications were new at that time. Readers were also turned into spectators in the early 1920s when cinema started to operate in German. Stories, settings and arratives taken from The Arabian Nights were huge at that time as it has influenced the society . Sicily in Italy was also included in the culture that was inclined towards the influence of the Arabian Nights.

Top 10 Essay Ideas For Students Essay Example

Top 10 Essay Ideas For Students Paper What is essay writing for you? Do you jump over the moon when you write it? According to the survey, we can divide all students into two groups: ardent fans of creating the content and haters of this process. Which groups do you belong to? Despite your answer, we invoke you to read this article, as it is the wand that helps make this process interesting and choose fascinating essay ideas. Are you ready to know more? We have prepared for you 10 winning essay ideas that can serve as a tutorial for writing academic and non-academic papers. Do not worry; we don’t have an intention to annoy you with the wordage material. So, deeds not words. Many students are sure that in order to have a qualitative piece, it is enough to write the introduction, main body, and conclusion. To some extent, they are right. Nevertheless, we have to reveal some mysteries that this process comprises. Below you can find priceless information about the key stages of essay writing. We aim to collect for you tips and essay topics that are suitable for different types of paper. Lets get this show on the road. Pick a topic We will write a custom essay sample on Top 10 Essay Ideas For Students specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Top 10 Essay Ideas For Students specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Top 10 Essay Ideas For Students specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Perhaps, you would like to skip this stage, but it is forbidden. This step is crucial as we cannot start the persuasive or argumentative essay without the central point of discussion. You have to pick the topic ideas for an essay that will meet your tastes. Try to choose one that applies to you as it is much more fascinating to investigate the theme that is interesting for you. Do not try to examine the essay ideas that are written to death as it will not attract the target audience. We highly recommend you to choose the debatable and controversial theme that can be interesting for people of different age and social status. Another key thing to know is that your topic depends on the purpose, whether it is to inform or persuade. Here are essay ideas that can be suitable for speech, argumentative paper, persuasive writing, and even debate. We want to highlight that these topics help you improve knowledge and develop skills. Should boys and girls study separately? How do you think, junk food and fizzy beverages can substitute candies? Should the government tax junk food? What is the main cause of global warming? Is the public speaking important for self-development? Should pupils wear a school uniform? What is the impact of cell phones? Should powerful companies contribute to the development of education? Are singers and actors paid too much? The video games and violence. What is the hidden context of alcohol advertisement? Should we recycle the trash? Religion versus war. Should the weapon be under control or free access? Despite the branch of science, you have to pick the essay ideas that attract the target audience. Do not try to be omniscient or funny; your task is to create content that will be informative and scientific. From the wide variety of topics choose the winning one that will bring you success. Write down everything that comes to your head Take a paper and write each idea that can be considered as reasonable for your piece. Do not be afraid of mistakes as it is just a primary draft of your future creation. Perhaps, such step seems to you messy, but it is an effective way to collect your ideas. After that, you narrow down the assumptions and single out the most effective. Moreover, such freedom makes your essay diverse as you will not force yourself to write. Be sure that inspiration will come to you. Organize everything Scholars have developed two brilliant methods that help collect and keep in order your thoughts and ideas. First is Venn Diagram; do not worry if you haven’t used it before. According to this diagram you have to draw two circles. Let’s imagine that your topic is about pros and cons of smoking. At first circle you need to name the possible positive aspects; at second – negative. In the middle where two figures intersect, you have to write â€Å"neutral arguments.† As a result, you will have three structured rows with the essential information. Spider Diagram. In the middle of the paper write your topic and draw branches with supporting ideas for it. You are going to create a type of web that illustrates the outline of the essay. With the help of such scheme, you will not miss the important idea. Group the thoughts After a time when you have chosen the ideas, you have to decide whether they fit each part of the writing: introduction, main body, and conclusion. It is a type of forbidden thing to duplicate the same information in two paragraphs. Work out the vocabulary Apparently, each academic and non-academic paper relates to some branch of science and essay topic. In order to make it professional and qualitative, you should make the vocabulary with accurate and advanced terms. It helps you express what you want scientifically. We highly recommend you to learn new word formative prefixes, suffixes and roots in order to make the language of the essay diverse. Do not forget to use the vocabulary properly. You have to feel the content and insert the world that fits the essence. Please, be careful with such experiments and avoid awkward situations. Elevator technique Such method is well-spread all over the world. Its main essence is based on the growth of readers’ attention to your paper. It means that each part has to be more interesting than previous one. Remember to insert different questions as it motivates readers to keep reading the paper and find the answer. Share with reader testimonials of scholars Here you should show the target audience what other scholars said about this topic. You can quote somebody with the correct citation. We highly recommend you not to cite too much as it is your investigation, so your thoughts should be mixed with the opinion of scientists. Be a reporter You can ask the members of your family to answer some questions related to your topic. For instance, you are writing about sport; so you may ask: â€Å"What is your favorite kind of sport?†, â€Å"How often do you practice it?† Such method helps you collect new information, vocabulary, and ideas. Moreover, the small talk with your interviewees will inspire you for new ideas and challenges. Hope it will be useful. Read the international masterpieces Before start the creation you should have the paper that can serve as the example that you can follow. It can be the works of Shakespeare or other prominent writers. ;

Transdental Meditation Essays - Meditation, Spirituality

Transdental Meditation Essays - Meditation, Spirituality Transdental Meditation The Meditation exercise that we performed in class was refreshing. It cleared my mind of all stress that day. As I lay on the mat, I had no idea I was that tensed. It was somewhat hard to imagine a flame below my navel. The music in the background was relaxing It was flicking with the flame in my mind. Several times throughout the exercise my mind wandered away, to future events that needed tending to after class. I tried to staya focused on the meditation The flame at one point seemed larger than a single flame, which prevented me from relaxing. I imagined the beautiful colors of orange, red, and yellow. At times my flame would turn blue and green. When the exercise was over I opened my eyes to a lighter head with less tension. All in all, I would say the meditation exercise help to get some of the stress off my mind. I found myself continuing the exercise throughout the holiday.

Cover Letter Tip from The Essay Expert What Color is Your Cover Letter

Cover Letter Tip from The Essay Expert What Color is Your Cover Letter The content of most cover letters that come across recruiters desks are bland and unexciting. They sound like everyone elses letters. I call them gray. And gray doesnt stand out. It just blends into the background. Get the hiring managers attention with this cover letter tip. Cover Letter Tip:  Add Some Color! Start with a Splash Even the first paragraph of your cover letter can make you stand out. Sure, you need to tell them what job youre applying for, and where you found out about it, but you dont have to end there. To get their attention, say something about what you understand about the companys needs, and why youre the person to meet those needs. Most people dont take the time to tailor cover letters, so any mention of specifics about the company youre applying to will distinguish you from your competitors. Time for a Paint Job The gray cover letters I tend to see include language like this: I believe my skills and qualifications are a perfect match for the available position. I have spent the last ten years gaining experience in X. At job A, I did B, where I gained experience in C. At job D, I did E, and gained experience doing F. At job G, I did H, and learned J. I therefore feel that I would be an asset to your company. I hope you agree with me that its time for a makeover! Painting Your Passion Stop blending into the background! Your cover letter is a valuable opportunity to paint yourself in bright, eye-catching descriptionsas someone who would bring personality and flair to a position, or true problem solving or negotiating skills, or, at the very least, some passion. How do you do that? Tell a story that shows them who you are. If I were writing a cover letter, for instance, I might talk about how I won the trust of a contract manager who had been ready to pull a contract from my organization. One of my clients wrote about how he successfully negotiated a conflict at work and obtained payment from a customer who was refusing to pay. Another wrote about his quest for the perfect problem to solve. These stories will catch an employers eye and paint a picture of a real person, with experience and attributes that reach beyond a list of resume bullets. Take My Advice! Id like to share with you the following letter, which I received from a student at the University of Wisconsin: I feel like a naive kid who was suddenly given a cover letter awakening. I took your advice and changed almost everything. I am ashamed to call the last documents I sent you cover letters. I wouldnt have wanted to interview me. Sad. In these new cover letters, every sentence gives information that cannot be gathered from my resume. I really tried to pour some personality and passion into these and keep the readers attention. I can actually be proud of these letters. This student says it well. Give them new information, NOT a regurgitation of your resume. Pour in some personality (purple?), passion (red?) Throw in some anecdotes (green?) And you too will be able to say you are proud of your cover letters. With this cover letter tip, youll be a lot more likely to get that interview, where you really get to show them who you are. Want help with your cover letters? Check out  The Essay Experts Resume and Cover Letter Services. 🙂 🙂 Log in to Reply Tracy Cooper says: February 1, 2018 at 12:42 pm Great advice. I absolutely love it. Talk about standing out in a sea of look-a-likes. I do some tailoring, but incorporating this into my Cover Letter Toolkit will bump things up exponentially. Thank you kindly. Love it! Log in to Reply

Food journal analysis week 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Food journal analysis week 1 - Essay Example If we are to analyze, it cannot be denied that the taste of coke is always craved by millions of people around the world due to its taste and this fact is also the reason why I have consumed such amount of soda in my daily intake. Also, the foods that I have taken do have little differences if we are to base with the prescribed amount of intake in the food pyramid. These differences include my intake in calories which has a difference of 957 calories which means that I have consumed more which may cause build-up of calories and a potential of additional 957 calories a day which would be classified as unused. In this particular incident alone, this would be a prime reason of calorie build up in my body. This consumption was caused by too much intake of soda and also intake of rice and wheat foods. This shows that I have consumed calories more than the recommended food intake of an individual. If there are foods that I have consumed more than the prescribed amount in the food pyramid, there are also foods which I have consumed less than the required amount in the food pyramid- example of this is the amount of fiber which is far beyond the acceptable amount of fiber intake in a day.

Switching point for work place - Fluid Power Lab Report

Switching point for work place - Fluid Power - Lab Report Example 1V2, 1V3,1V4 and 1V5 record multiple switching points when tested on mild steel, stainless steel, aluminum, brass and copper work pieces and no points are recorded on plastic, cardboard and rubber. No hysteresis is recorded on plastic, cardboard and rubber. When dealing with magnetic sensors, it is important understand that there is a possibility of several switching points being existent. This can eventually result into multiple counting when counters are used. This effect is dependent on the strength of the field of the magnet used and the distance between the magnet and the proximity of the sensor. Attaching the magnet with the correct orientation of the axis helps to prevent the ambiguity of the output signal. The selection of sensors is a major factor that must be taken into account when looking for industrial solutions. The choice of the sensor is very crucial when performing any installations in an

Impacts of two UD in World City Essay Example for Free

Impacts of two UD in World City Essay Sydney is a world city that currently has urban dynamics operating in it. Sydney is located on the coast in the South-East quadrant of Australia. Urban Decay and Renewal is clearly evident in Pyrmont – Ultimo, a suburb located with in a kilometre from the CBD. Rhodes , further to the north west of Pyrmont, is also under going Urban Decay and Renewal. The silicon corridor is an area of places where companies have decided to suburbanise some of their office blocks due to the cheaper land. The corridor originates in North Sydney and goes in a north westerly direction from there, passing through Chatswood and North Ryde The impacts of both these Urban dynamics are clear and evident in the area in which they are operating. Urban decay, the deterioration of the urban environment, and urban renewal, the redevelopment of these areas so that they better meet the needs of people, are clearly evident in the suburbs of Pyrmont-Ultimo and the Rhodes peninsula. The Pyrmont-Ultimo area was a place full of finger wharves and was used as the primary hub of docks. It experienced a huge growth in industry and port facilities before the introduction of larger ships made the area redundant. The blue collar workers who worked on the docks therefore lived in the area packed up and looked for more work. This in effect made the area old and abandoned. The buildings became useless, out of date and redundant. The 1970s and 80s was the prime time of decay in the area. Due to the proximity of the Pyrmont area to the Sydney CBD and its potential to better meet the needs of people and businesses, the New South Wales government decided to renew the area. 1994 – 2004 was the decade of renewal and saw the area gain much more interest. The difference was the renewal of the area brought very different people and companies to what where there previously. White collar mangers and professionals with either no spouse, or a small family decided to live here, mainly due to two things. The proximity to the CBD meant they could easily travel to and from their work in the CBD to home and the second reason was that the type of work that attracted them was now in the Pyrmont area. Crown Casino, Channel 7 and Google are a few companies that chose to relocate to the Pyrmont area. The  impacts of this renewal is it has lead to the area becoming a lot mote productive which was done by the population growth and growth in jobs. Another area currently going through urban decay and renewal is the Rhodes peninsula. The area had been associated with Sydneys industrial history since the 1900s when in 1928 Timbrol, a chemical making company, decided to relocate there. After then many more companies in a similar industry decided to move there as well. The chemical era in Rhodes had stopped by the 1980s but the land was unable to house residential apartments because of the contamination left by the chemical plants, it therefore went into decay. This left a large spot of 23ha unable to be used for any type of commercial, residential or industrial buildings. In the late 90s the area was recognised for its potential and was fully redeveloped, getting rid of any chemicals that may have been there from the factories. The result of the redevelopment has seen many more companies of a commercial type want to have offices there. This increased the interest to live in the area, which therefore made developers build many more high to mid density buildings in the area. Like Pyrmont-Ultimo the people who lived in the area are mainly single or have little families. However, due to the combination of land economics and the location of Rhodes from the CBD, the land is considerably cheaper for both commercial and residential use. What this means is the area is readily more available for other people.

Pursuit of the American Dream in Catch Me If You Can and Blow Essay

Pursuit of the American Dream in â€Å"Catch Me If You Can† and â€Å"Blow† â€Å"Catch Me If You Can† is a true story based on a man who cheated large corporations out of their money, after growing up in a small town in poverty. â€Å"Blow† is very similar in that it is based on the true events of a man who worked the drug cartel for millions of dollars, after growing up with his parents in the slums. The main characters in these films both use two different schemes to accomplish the same goal, which is the â€Å"American Dream,† after being far from it during childhood. Based on the true story of Frank Abagnale Jr, â€Å"Catch Me If You Can† tells of a successful con artist who managed to pass himself off as several identities for personal gain. During high school, Frank Abagnale Jr. idolized his father, who was constantly in trouble with the IRS. When his parents separate, he runs away to Manhattan with $25 in his pocket. Frank is determined to regain his dad's losses and get his parents back together. Just a few years later, the FBI tracks him down in France. He's extradited, tried, and jailed for passing more than $2,000,000 in bad checks. Along the way, he had successfully posed as a Pan Am pilot, a pediatrician, and an attorney. Also, from nearly the beginning of this life of crime, he's been continuously pursued by an FBI agent, Carl Hanratty. George Jung is the son of a struggling small business owner. Seeing his family struggle to make ends meet and failing, George promises himself never to share a similar fate. Moving to California, he starts his own pot pushing operation in which he finds himself at both success and downfall. In prison, he meets a cellmate who introduces him into a partnership to the new market of co... ...men cheated the system and gained large amounts of profit while at it. Along with their sudden rise to power, both characters have their own downfalls. Frank Abagnale Jr. doesn’t have it so bad, as instead of serving his sentence behind bars, he works with the man who caught him. To this day he helps find over 80% of the fraudulent checks being passed through the system. George Jung is in jail and is coming out in the near future. All in all, both characters have made large impacts on the American Society, as they are famous for their devious actions. These men both grew up in poor areas where their family constantly had struggles, and instead of getting passed it, both tell themselves never to be like that again. Both men had the right idea to make it in life, but went about it in different ways, which were very similar, and produced the same outcome; punishment.

Wal-Mart and Country Wide Poverty (Precis)

Wal Mart and Country Wide Poverty Ever since its existence, much controversy and debate have surrounded the benefits and downfalls of the Wal Mart corporation within society. The purpose of this precis is to summarize the article â€Å"Wal-Mart and Country-Wide Poverty† by Stephen J. Gotez and Hema Swaminathan. â€Å"Wal Mart† is the most successful â€Å"Big box† retailer in the world with 4750 stores worldwide and 3,600 in the United States. Much of its success arises from the fact that it offers lower prices to consumers. At face value this is a good thing because it makes consumer goods more easy to purchase, therefore encouraging people to spend money and stimulate the economy. This has been proven to reduce annual inflation rates, lower the absolute poverty threshold and contribute to economy-wide productivity gains. Unfortunatley, the price of this is destroying up and coming â€Å"mom and pop† small buisineses that find it difficult to compete with larger corporations such as wal mart. By doing this, they are taking away meaningful employment from many people. Some of these people include the wholesalers for these small companies, employees and of course the business owners themselves. All of whom have invested a lot of time, money and effort only to be put out of a job. The ironic part is that most of these unemployed individuals are turning to Wal Mart itself to replace their former jobs, as Wal Mart employs about 2% of the average countries workforce. Unfortunatley, these jobs often pay low wages, and offer part time work rather than full time work. This results in many people failing to earn enough money to make ends meet. As a result, the poor and unemployed are living from government income such as EI and Welfare for survival. This is a problem because these services are paid for indirectly by the taxpayers of the country. Furthermore, the government could be putting that tax money towards things that could advance themselves as a nation, such as education, healthcare and scientific developments. It seems that by failing to accommodate the public with available work, we are slowing down overall progress towards a brighter future and better society. In sum, while Wal Mart offers lower prices and increased convenience to the public, we must remember to read between the lines and realize that there is more to the story than this. We as a society must decide if the cost for convenience is too great to be paid, and if not, then what can we do about it? Reading articles such as this will provide consumers with valuble insight towards â€Å"Big box companies† and encourage thinking with a â€Å"sociological mind† when choosing where to shop.

Correlation between Oil and Gold Prices and the US Dollar

Correlation between Oil & Gold prices and US dollar The History The forex exchange market is one of the largest and most liquid securities exchanges in the world with over $3. 2 trillion in average daily turnover. This equates to 10 times the average daily turnover of global equity markets and 35 times the average daily turnover of the New York Stock Exchange. The forex market is open 24 hours a day, 6 days a week, with the EUR/USD accounting for 27% of total turnover. There is plenty of opportunity to make and lose money in currency exchange. The gold standard era in the U. S. officially began with the passing of the Gold Standard Act in 1900. But it was not until World War II that brought about the need for a worldwide standard for currency values and exchange rates. The Bretton Woods Agreement in 1944 established two very important international institutions: the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (now the World Bank). What came from this agreement was that all the world’s currencies would be pegged against the value of gold, and with the U. S. dollar on the gold standard, the U. S. dollar effectively became the world’s reserve currency. The value of gold was fixed at $35 per ounce until the gold standard was effectively withdrawn in 1971 as President Nixon ordered an end to the out-dated system and the price of gold was allowed to â€Å"float†. Now, every major currency is no longer on the gold standard but rather is referred to as â€Å"fiat† currency. This basically means that a country’s own currency is intrinsically worthless because it is not backed by any type of reserve, such as gold. The value each currency is therefore based citizen’s perception of their economy, supply and demand for money in general, and how their currency is compared to other country’s currency. Something to think about though is 40 years ago, the world’s currencies used to be pegged against the price of gold and ultimately the Dollar. Now it would not be a stretch to say that global currency is on an Oil Standard. From 1944 until 1971, US dollars were convertible into gold by central banks in order to adjust for any trade imbalances between countries. Up to that point, the price of gold was fixed at US$35 per ounce, and the price of oil was relatively stable at about US$3. 00 per barrel. Once the US ceased gold convertibility in 1971, OPEC producers were forced to convert their excess US dollars by purchasing gold in the marketplace. This resulted in price increases for both oil and gold, until eventually oil reached US$40 per barrel and gold reached US$850 per ounce. In 1975 when the U. S. Government made a deal with Saudi Arabia and OPEC to only trade oil in U. S. Dollars, their â€Å"partnership† effectively gave the USD a monopoly over all other currencies when it comes to oil trading. The US has enjoyed inexpensive oil-based energy for nearly a century, and this is one of the prime factors behind the unprecedented prosperity of its economy in the 20th century. While the US accounts for only 5 percent of the world's population, it consumes 25 percent of the world's fossil fuel-based energy. It imports about 75 percent of its oil, but owns only 2 percent of world reserves. Because of this dependency on both oil and foreign suppliers, any increases in price or supply disruptions will negatively impact the US economy to a greater degree than any other nation. The majority of oil reserves are located in politically unstable regions, with tensions in the Middle East, Venezuela and Nigeria likely to intensify rather than to abate. Because of frequent terrorist attacks, Iraqi oil production is subject to disruption, while the risk of political problems in Saudi Arabia grows. The timing for these risks is uncertain and hard to quantify, but the implications of Peak Oil are predictable and quantifiable, and the effects will be more far-reaching than simply a rising oil price. In the early 1950s, M. King Hubbert, one of the leading geophysicists of the time, developed a predictive model showing that all oil reserves follow a pattern called Hubbert's Curve, which runs from discovery through to depletion. In any given oil field, as more wells are drilled and as newer and better technology is installed, production initially increases. Eventually, however, regardless of new wells and new technology, a peak output is reached. After this peak is reached, oil production not only begins to decline, but also becomes less cost effective. In fact, at some point in this decline, the energy it takes to extract, transport and refine barrel of oil exceeds the energy contained in that barrel of oil. When that point is reached, extraction of oil is no longer feasible and the reserve is abandoned. In the early years of the 20th century, in the largest oil fields, it was possible to recover 50 barrels of oil for each barrel used in the extraction, transportation and refining process. Today that 50 -to-1 ratio has declined to 5-to-1 or less. And it continues to decline. The Correlation between Oil & Gold Is there a strong correlation between the prices of gold and oil? It depends on which data are  used to measure. Many price movement studies suggest that the correlation between the two commodity prices over time is quite strong. Typically, these studies rely on data covering extensive periods of time and show that when oil increases in price, gold will inevitably follow. On the other hand, there are correlations calculated from data that show a weak relationship between the two prices. The data in these cases usually cover periods as short as years or months. â€Å"From 1965 to 1994, the monthly correlation between gold and oil weighed in at a  very  impressive +0. 879. From 1995 to 2000, however, this correlation seemingly vanished with a negative 0. 133 reading,† according to a May 2004 article by Zeal LLC. â€Å"Since 2000 though, the historical oil and gold correlation has been restored, now again running positive at +0. 715. †Ã‚  It would seem that gold may be well correlated with oil in the long term, but it is not necessarily so in the short term. While oil prices have exploded and gold prices have shown marked appreciation, protagonists of a tight long-term correlation between the two evoke previous historical price movements such as those in last half of the 1970s. From the mid-1970s to 1980, oil prices rose from around $20 USD per barrel to  more than  $100 USD per barrel in 2008 dollars. Gold followed along and roughly quadrupled in price during that same time period. [pic] The long-term chart above is also very valuable to help visualize just how closely gold and oil prices tend to correlate over strategic time frames. If one looks at major secular trends measured in years, gold and oil pretty much move in lockstep. Yes, they deviate tactically over shorter periods of time as their respective supply-and-demand influences dictate, but over the long run they travel the same path. Their prices tend to oscillate around each other and periodically cross on this chart. Over the entire four-decade span of time charted on this graph, these monthly gold and oil prices have a correlation coefficient of 0. 835 and an R-Square value of 69. 7%. These are very impressive numbers over such a long period of time and really drive home just how closely gold and oil are intertwined. If one focuses his attention on the far right side of this graph, however, a glaring anomaly becomes instantly apparent. Since oil bottomed near $11 in December 1998 ($13 in 2004 dollars) it has surged up dramatically in several subsequent uplegs achieving a mammoth 312% bull-to-date gain. But over the same period of time gold has lagged dramatically, only rallying by 39% or so in nominal terms. So far the gold price has not been able to even attempt to retain parity with oil in recent years. Now the only other similar time in history when oil was strong and gold lagged was in the late 1970s. As this chart reveals, for years gold lagged oil but when it finally did decide to catch up it powered higher with a vengeance. Gold, Oil and Dollar Relationship The answer to this question begins with the historical desire of Arab producers to receive gold in exchange for their oil. This dates back to 1933 when King Ibn Saud demanded payment in gold for the original oil concession in Saudi Arabia. In addition, Islamic law forbids the use of a promise of payment, such as the US dollar, as a medium of exchange. There is growing dissention among religious fundamentalists in Saudi Arabia regarding the exchange of oil for US dollars. Oil, gold and commodities have all been priced in US dollars since 1975 when OPEC officially agreed to sell its oil exclusively for US dollars. Today, apart from geopolitical threats in oil-producing regions, supply/demand imbalances from Peak Oil and increasing demand from developing countries, the price of both gold and oil can be expected to increase as the US dollar declines. With an ever-increasing US money supply, growing triple deficits and mounting debt at all levels, the US dollar is likely to continue the decline that began in 2001. Long term trend analysis shows negative correlation between gold prices and the value of dollar but gold price does not increase proportionately to the diminishing dollar. Market is not so simple that every down-day for the dollar corresponds to an up-day for gold and every up-day for dollar correspond to down day for gold. The effect may not be immediate and the lagging can sometime be attributed to the information gap and time lag which an individual wastes in doldrums not being able how to react to the changes. Daily and weekly fluctuations are not important at all as they don’t give analyst any idea of clear cut trend and interrelationship between them. Inflationary 1970’s saw soaring of gold above $800 while dollar fell. Dollar bounced back in 1980 and rallied before peaking in 1985, while concurrently gold peaked in 1980 and dropped all the way down to $300 during the same 5 years that dollar rallied. The Future of Gold, Oil and Dollar The word â€Å"recession† has been hurled around the biggest financial capitals in the world from New York to London to Tokyo, and no one really wants to be the one to drop the bomb. While all the experts and economists around the world want to debate who is or is not in a recession right now, it is pointless and frankly useless information. The incessant chaos and obvious current state of the global economy is clear cut enough that the world is facing major hurdles in moving forward with our economies. The fact of the matter is, all the major economies are hurting badly and answers are becoming more infrequent and costly as time continues. Amongst a multitude of important topics to discuss in relation to a worldwide recession, the currency markets are a great source of risk and sometimes guaranteed investing opportunities no matter how unpredictable the world’s stock markets are trading. It’s quite clear that over the past six months, the Euro was the place to be if one wanted to lose a lot of money. Sure it was trading at all-time highs versus the Dollar back in May, but with the U. S. slashing interest rates, the Euro has given all of those wonderful gains back and then some, to the tune of 2 year lows. It seemed that an even one-to-one exchange rate was the next stop for the EUR/USD, until the past 10 days when bad went to worse. As bellwether, blue-chip companies continue to fold across the U. S. the only solution the world can come up with is to give them all the money they need to stay alive and skip out on the much publicized Chapter 11. The average U. S. consumer simply cannot handle reality in times of massive financial distress and force the government to hold their hand through this horror movie that is the year 2008. With government money flooding the economy and interest rates on their way to 0% and beyond in the U. S. , inflation is on the brink of exploding and no one is going to want to be anywhere close to a U. S. Dollar. [pic] Oil Relief Rising crude oil prices over the last two years and the general rush to commodities has been a major roadblock for the U. S. Dollar. As discussed above, there has generally been a negative relationship between crude oil prices and the value of the U. S. Dollar. It is no coincidence that as oil prices peaked in May, the Dollar was at all-time lows versus the Euro, and conversely as oil prices have shed over 60% in value since then, the Dollar has rallied against most major currencies. Something that has been a very debatable topic is how crude oil prices have fluctuated so wildly in the past 12 months and the role of speculators in the commodities market. With oil prices falling this year primarily on falling consumption and increasing reserves, how countries like the U. S. and China react to the recent economic turmoil will determine the fate of crude oil prices going through 2009. The recession affecting all the major economies will remain dire without substantial relief in sight in the near future. Provided speculators do not drive the prices up and the recent terrorist attacks in India fail to spread panic in the Middle East, crude prices will remain modest and will not have a major effect on the U. S. Dollar. Nonetheless, if there happens to be a large run-up in oil prices back towards the $100 mark, the Dollar will be back on the defensive. As far as gold is concerned, with such a huge demand for gold coming from around the world, it is no wonder that the price is projected to reach an almost unbelievable $1000 per ounce. One of the biggest importers of gold is China, constituting a large chunk of the price hike. Most of the gold usage is jewellery related. Supply is also a factor. With such a high demand, gold is becoming scarcer. Miners are searching for new sources to combat the possible shortage. The Federal Reserve has a lot of control over the value of the dollar. When it raises interest rates, usually the value of the dollar goes up. Now, with the Fed lowering interest rates in hopes of promoting trade between banks, the value of the dollar is going down and so, the value of gold is going up.

Essay on 6 MeasuresEssay Writing Service

Essay on 6 MeasuresEssay Writing Service Essay on 6 Measures Essay on 6 MeasuresThe measurement of awareness will involve the use f interviews and questionnaires of customers as well as employees of the company to find out the extent to which the proposed strategy has influenced them and to measure their current level of awareness.The measurement of the revenue of the company involves the analysis of the statistical information relevant to the financial performance of the company. The company can change its financial performance and the comparison of revenues of the company will show whether revenues of the company grow or decrease. The comparison of the revenues of the company before the introduction of the new strategy and after the introduction will show whether the revenues have increased or dropped.The increase of the awareness along with the growth of the revenues of the company will show that the implementation of the program is successful. In such a way, positive measurements will prove the positive impact of the program on the organiz ational performance. The company can reach a considerable progress, according to goals of the program. In such a way, the company can gain considerable benefits, if the program is implemented successfully that means the rise of awareness and revenues of the company.The costs of the project will include fifty thousand spends by the company per day. At the same time, the costs of the project can contribute to the consistent enhancement of the position of the company and its revenues. The enhancement of the position of the company will bring positive effects on its business development and contribute to the overall success of the business development. Hence, the implementation of the program can bring benefits that outweigh costs of the project.

House Quotations

House Quotations Buying a house? You must be plagued by a thousand questions and doubts. This could be one of the biggest decisions you have ever made in your life. So its no wonder that you want to get it right. But how do you trust your judgment? Read these house quotations. Some of the wisdom in these house quotations will teach you to trust your heart. Mother TeresaLove begins at home, and it is not how much we do but how much love we put in that action. Maya AngelouThe ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned. Henry Ward BeecherHome should be an oratorio of the memory, singing to all our after life melodies and harmonies of old-remembered joy. Ashleigh BrilliantUnless you move, the place where you are is the place where you will always be. Madison Julius Cawein, Old HomesOld homes! old hearts! Upon my soul foreverTheir peace and gladness lie like tears and laughter. Sir WilliamMy house is to me as my castle, since the law has not the art to destroy it. Lord Edward CokeThe home to everyone is to him his castle and fortress, as well for his defense against injury and violence, as for his repose. Edward YoungThe first sure symptom of a mind in health is rest of heart, and pleasure felt at home. John Clarke, ParoemiologiaHome is home, though it be never so homely. Jerome K. JeromeI want a house that has got over all its troubles; I dont want to spend the rest of my life bringing up a young and inexperienced house. Le CorbusierA house is a machine for living in. Sarah Ban BreathnachBe grateful for the home you have, knowing that at this moment, all you have is all you need. Herman MelvilleLifes a voyage thats homeward bound. Edwin Hubbell ChapinThere is no happiness in life, there is no misery, like that growing out of the dispositions which consecrate or desecrate a home. Lois McMaster BujoldMy home is not a place, it is people. BibleNo outward doors of a mans house can, in general, be broken open to execute any civil process; though in criminal cases the public safety supersedes the private. Thomas CarlyleMy whinstone house my castle is, I have my own four walls. Helen RowlandHome is any four walls that enclose the right person. Channing PollockHome is the most popular and will be the most enduring of all earthly establishments. George MooreA man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it. AristophanesA mans homeland is wherever he prospers. CiceroThere is no place more delightful than ones own fireside.

Entry of Mandarin Oriental the Russia Hotel Market Essay

Entry of Mandarin Oriental the Russia Hotel Market - Essay Example Synopsis This report begins by looking at the international hotel market with a historical and expansion outlook. It introduces the hotel in focus, i.e. the Mandarin Oriental hotels and looks at the various successes it has been through in its past and present operations. The Russian market is also further explored for a better position to relay the proposed entry of the hotel into the country’s market. The report then embarks on an analysis of the hotel by use of the eclectic theory and further uses the competitive matrix to propose a way forward to the hotel chain. Table of Contents The International Hotel Market†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.5 The Eclectic Theory†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...6 Ownership Advantages†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 Locational Advantage†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 Internalization†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.10 Analysis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 Conclusion†¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦12 Recommendation†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.13 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦14 Appendix†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 16 The International Hotel Market Hotels have historically f lourished because they provide the very basic necessities that are needed by people, i.e. food and shelter. With the dawn of the civilized nations, there has been an increased need for travel and leisure, and hence the requirement for somewhere to get some rest or simply accommodated (Lockyer, 2007). This need coupled with the effects of globalization and the information and technology revolution has further enhanced the rise of international hotel chains that are standardized to provide the environment of ‘a home away from home’ (Dunning and Gray, 2003). The international hotel industry has been categorized in the group of the service industry because it provides an intangible service of accommodation, even though sometimes the service may mean provision of material commodities. This paper looks at a popular international hotel chain, Mandarin Oriental, and examines how it can easily venture into the Russian hotel market. Mandarin Oriental is a popular hotel group foun ded in 1963 from an initial ownership of Mandarin in the Chinese city of Hong Kong.  Currently, it has a total of 11,000 bedrooms and additionally has restaurants, drinks spaces, luxury leisure clubs and ample onsite parking spaces. The hotel chain has a total of 44 hotels in different locations around the world that sum up to massive 28-country coverage. It offers a wide range of services to its clients, which are of a high standard. All these massive investments have been achieved all the years through rapid acquisition strategies of purchasing world class hotel enterprises (Mandarin Orientals, 2012). Against the backdrop of this

No Interruption Zone on Medication Safety in Intensive Care Units Research Paper

No Interruption Zone on Medication Safety in Intensive Care Units - Research Paper Example Furthermore, the review supports the needs of the   study which is mainly medicinal errors that occur in the intensive care unit due to interruptions among the nurses.   This is evident, in the illustrations provided in the review under objective one medication errors and incidence in the intensive care unit.    The   second objective provides reviews on the strategies that can be used to reduce medication errors in the intensive care unit. A research design is a strategy, a plan or road map for planning and conducting any study (Borg, 2003).   In this research, the study measured the various interruptions that affected the nurses during the preparation stage in the intensive care unit. This study used   quasi-experimental   design to observe   and to compare the number of interruptions in medication preparation process.  The variables were; the dependent variable a nurse preparation on   medication for administration at one of the medication preparation areas and independent variable were the Interruption that interrupts the nurse in the preparation process. The study mainly used the nurses within the intensive care unit and their patients as the study sample.   Quasi Experimental design   is the most appropriate design   for the study. In   this design, the researcher studies the effect of the treatment on the intact groups rather than being able to randomly assign participants to the experimental or control groups.   

Organizational chart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organizational chart - Essay Example Organizational Structure of Cambridge Memorial Hospital is basically the framework that easily defines the formal reporting relationships between the different levels of management of any organization. Cambridge Memorial Hospital's organization structure is the mechanism that also operationalizes the management more effectively and efficiently of the organization. In the context of the Cambridge Memorial Hospital, organizational structure also refers to the different levels of the management within the hospital. It also defines the hospital's chain of command. (William, Kondra, Vibert, 2004) The above figure demonstrates very well that how the Cambridge Memorial Hospital's organizational structure is working. As mentioned in the above figure, the top most are the important one who plays an important role in the hospital's (Cambridge Memorial Hospital) organizational structure. Decisions are no doubt taken by collaboration but the final decisions are taken by the heads. There is a string linkage between the heads and the supervisors. They collaborate with each other, work in groups and decide things and different issues. The organizational structure of hospital is no doubt important, because all the management based issues and decisions are taken with the help of the organizational structure. If the structure is strong then results would be beneficial for the corporation. (William, Kondra, Vibert, 2004) The list of CMH board of directors is as follow: Chairperson Mr. Robert Purdy. Vice Chair Mr. Michael Ritchie. Secretary Ms Linda LeBourdais. Treasurer Mr. dough Lee. Ms. Mary Adamson. Ms. Natalie Bodnar. Ms. Susan Brown. Hospital Board Rep Mr. Robert Cunningham. Hospital CEO Ms. Julia Dumanian. Mr. Heather Ferber. Mr. Fred gaskin. Hospital Chief of staff Mr. Cathy Morris. Ms. Milena Protich. METHODS OF DEPARTMENTALIZATION IN CMH Departmentalization basically refers to the process of grouping different activities into different departments. In CMH various activities are grouped according to the different functions. Various departments are sales department, HR department, marketing department, accounting department and management department. The departmentalization of the Cambridge memorial hospital began along with the establishment of the four major clinical departments, which are Obstetrics and Gynecology, medicine, Pediatrics and Surgery. Departmentalization by function is also an important part for this hospital because this is the way with the help of which this hospital can maintain all the functions properly. Departmentalization is also based on all the operating functions. Every single operating function of this hospital is responsible for the better departmentalization. (William, K

Impact of Cushioned and Ball Chair on Classroom Behaviour

Impact of Cushioned and Ball Chair on Classroom Behaviour The Impact of Air Sit Cushioned and Ball Chair on Classroom Behavior of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Nader Matin Sadr1, Hojjat Allah Haghgoo2, Sayyed Ali Samadi3, Mehdi Rassafiani2, Enayat Allah Bakhshi 2 1. Ph.D Candidate of Occupational therapy 2. PhD 3. Ph.D University of Ulster Introduction: Increasing number of children with autism spectrum disorder is 1 case per 110 Students is a great challenge for education system (1). Difficulty in engagement in class tasks, low attention span, and inappropriate behaviors are common in these students, which interfere with student’s ability to participate in the educational mainstream (2). One reason that children with ASD have limited success in educational improvement with some intervention strategies is that these strategies do not address the sensory issues that may underlie the disruptive behavior (Ayres, 1972; Dunn, 2000). In an extensive research on 200 children with autism, %95 had difficulties in sensory modulation. Physiological need for proper sensory stimulation leads to spending most of student time on stereotype and repetitive movements to adjust their sensory system. Therefore, their attention would not be concentrated on learning and assignments in class. Greenspan and Wieder argued that the decrease in sensory processing may resulted in social isolation and inattention to class tasks (2).Viola and Noddings stated that children with low sensory sensibility require additional sensory stimulation to accomplish the tasks which require attention and concentration (3). Therefore, one of the prominent approaches to address the behavioral problems in these chi ldren is sensory integration approach. Sensory integration approach includes integration of three essential sensory systems: the proprioceptive, the vestibular, and the tactile systems. These systems, regulate the awareness of the body in space, joint and limbs positions, control sensations of gravity and movement, and perceives the sense of touch (4). Sensory Integration theory is focused on these special key sensory systems which are useful in person’s interpretation and application of sensory information. Proper sensory integration is a gate to successful educational learning through successful application of sensory and perceptual systems which would lead to forming vital skills for doing on task behaviors (4). Occupational therapists who work in school often use sensory techniques to increase students’ levels of attending, on-task behavior, and performance in the classroom. Many clinicians perceive these approaches to be successful in promoting functional classroom behavior. According to previous findin gs, 99% of occupational therapists use sensory integration techniques (5). Smith and Miller had been in contact with 292 occupational therapists in 1992 and found that Sensory Integration based-therapy was the most common applied technique among all of them (6). The effects of proper sensory integration, improve students ability to educational achievements and success by goal directed use of sensory and perceptual systems. This method can lead to success in learning (Gilman). Furthermore, formal research conducted on sensory-based interventions has supported this belief (Schilling, 2004; Schilling Schwartz, 2004; Schilling, Washington, Billingsley, Deitz, 2003). Hemmingsson and Borel in their investigations emphasized on lack of environmental modification in the classroom that directly refers to the limitation of student’s engagement. So, lack of proper changes in environment can lead to restriction in learning. Furthermore, previous emphasis in pediatric occupational therapy has been on modifying the individual’s behavior with less emphasis placed on changing the environment, but focus is now shifting to ergonomic and sensory modifications to promote academic success (Asher, 2010). Various sensory-based strategies, including the use of alternative seating devices, have been examined by researchers and in many cases have been found to promote functional classroom behavior (Fertel-Daly, Bedell, Hinojosa, 2001; Schilling et al., 2003; Schilling Schwartz, 2004; Zissermann, 1992). Two of these functional methods are the using of balls and air cushions rather than common chairs. The use of therapeutic balls have been lead to marke d improvements in the in-seat behavior and legible word production, in school age children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; Schilling, 2004; Schilling et al., 2003) and to increase in engagement and in-seat behavior of preschoolers with ASD (Schilling Schwartz, 2004) (7). Clinicians have been using dynamic seating systems such as the Disc ‘O’ Sit cushion for many years to assist students to increase their attention span. While clinical evidence that these systems can lead to desired results, but very little research has been completed and published to support their use. Sitting on a ball allows the child to pay more attention to activities while receiving stimulation in a passive form, rather than seeking stimulation from disruptive activities. Gamache-Hulsmans (2007) stated that students said they feel better when sitting on ball chairs. Students also felt more comfortable and said their backs did not hurt when sitting. The ball chairs are soft compared to regular classroom seats and are more fun to sit on (3). To what extent, dynamic seating chairs will effect on attention to on task behaviors and in-seat behavior? Therefore, in this research, the effects of sitting on ball and air cushion were investigated. With regards to thousands of special students with difficulty in sitting and classroom performance, these devices may be optional selection for solving the mentioned class behavior problems. Materials and Method Research Design: A single subject multiple treatments withdrawal design A-B-A-C was used to investigate the effects of 3 seating options including common chairs, therapy balls, air cushions on the in-seat, on class task behavior, communication and social behavior of four students with ASD. During the 2 A phases students were sitting on common chairs, in B phase on air cushions, and during C phase they were sitting on therapeutic balls. Participants: This investigation performed in an especial school for ASD students. A convenience sample including four participants was recruited from the Preschool students in autism elementary school in Mashhad, Iran. Participants were diagnosed as ASD by specialists and taking their own medications regularly throughout the study. According to teachers’ report, all children were identified as having difficulty with in-seat behavior and on task behavior. Procedures: Informed consents were obtained prior to experiment and contents were comprehended and signed by students’ legal representative. Data collection: Gilliam Autism Rating Scale-Second Edition (GARS II) and Vineland testes were given and were used to examine social and communication skills of students in the first and final of research for all students of class. To assess the students’ class behavior, staff was instructed to give no additional feedback on students sitting behavior either positive or negative throughout the duration of the study. But, if a student exhibited behavior that could be potentially harmful to him, peers, or the staff must have been prevented by staff. To remove any novelty effects, students were introduced with stability balls and air cushion instead of their chairs for 2 full days, before baseline data collection. Video recording: Setting camera recorders in class, Students’ behaviors during class task (sitting period and attention performance related to class tasks) were recorded all the day-time. Students’ behaviors were quantified three times per week, one day after another, with an overall of 12 sessions. Two occupational therapists were trained as observer of videos. In-seat data were collected via momentary real time sampling (MTS); the observers coded the student’s behavior on the basis of several behavioral classifications. The mean score across raters was used to calculate weekly on-task and in seat behavior. Videos were regularly checked throughout the study to determine inter and intra rater reliability agreement. Observers individually, watched videos every 10-s intervals, stopped it and marked the observation on each child’s designated worksheet, thus resulting in 60 observations per session per participant. This MTS interval would serve to make the obs ervations more valid and representative of the child’s behavior throughout the baseline and interventions periods. Additionally, GARS II and Vineland testes were given and were used to examine social and communication skills of students in the first and final phases of research for all students of class. Students’ class behaviors during two intervention phases (each 1 week) were compared with class behavior during baseline and withdrawal phases (each one week). Teacher Social Validity Scale: Social validity questionnaire was used at the end of the study to evaluate teacher opinion regarding the intervention. The questionnaire consisted of 8 questions and assessed effects of intervention on sitting and activity participation as well as the extent of preference of stability balls or air cushion instead of chairs. Questions were answered on a 5-point Likert scale that ranged from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). On-Task Behavior:† Engagement was defined as â€Å"oriented towards appropriate classroom activity or teacher and either interacting with materials, responding to the speaker or looking at the speaker† (Schilling Schwartz, 2004, p. 427). This definition included reading, and writing as well. In-Seat Behavior: Data on in-seat behavior was defined according to Schilling and Schwartz (2004) and quantified during video review. â€Å"Any portion of the child’s buttocks in contact with the seat portion of the chair† (Schillling Schwartz, 2004, p. 427) and â€Å"the four legs of the chair in contact with the floor† (p. 427). For the intervention phase (B), any portion of the participant’s buttocks in contact with the air cushion, air cushion in contact with the chair and the four legs of the chair in contact with the floor. For the intervention phase (C), in-seat behavior was defined as â€Å"any portion of the participant’s buttocks in contact with the ball, the ball in contact with the floor, and at least one foot in contact with the floor† (Schilling Schwartz, 2004, p. 427). GARS-2: The GARS is a screening instrument used for the assessment of individuals’ ages 3–22 years old who exhibit behavioral characteristics that may be indicative of autism. This is a standardized instrument, which consists of 42 items divided into three subscales that describe specific, observable and measurable behaviors. The items included in this instrument are based on the definition of autism adopted by the Autism Society of America (2003) and on the diagnostic criteria for autistic disorder published in DSM-IV-TR. Vineland Materials: Therapy balls: The selected therapy balls to be used in classroom use, had 55-cm-diameter (n Sit ball by †¦) with five little feet to prevent it from moving or rolling when used as a sitting ball. Therapy balls were individually fitted with air pressure into the ball (at different degrees of inflation) that confirm the student could sit comfortably with his feet flat on the floor with knees and hips flexed at 90 degrees. Air cushion: The Disc ‘O’ Sit cushion is a round and widely available. The Disc ‘O’ Sit, are instability cushions, strong enough to sit. It is designed to fit on a classroom chair and provide movement while seated (7). Chair: A general wooden with iron frame classroom chair without armrests (height, 72 cm; depth, 34 cm; width, 39 cm; seat height, 36 cm). 1. Participant 1, speak with himself slowly and repeatedly with low attention and cannot tolerate sitting on chair. Participant 2 an 8-yr-old boy, he has low level endurance for performing occupation and sitting. He was hyperactive. Participant 3 an 8-yr-old boy, he has visual perceptual problem with low attention and endurance. Participant 4 a 11-yr-old boy, auditory problem, he likes, Results: During Phase A1 the number of times Hossin was on seat ranged from 11 to 18 (mean [M] = 14). During Phase B, the range was 30–36 (M = 34). During Phase A2, (chair) 15-38 (M = 23). During Phase C, (ball) the range was 2-10 (M = 6). The number of on seat for Hossin shows increase on air cushion and decrease in sitting on ball. During Phase A1 the number of times Hossin was on task ranged from 23 to 32 (mean [M] = 27.5). During Phase B, the range was 42-56 (M = 50). During Phase A2, (chair) 33-44 (M = 39). During Phase C, (ball) the range was 47-51 (M = 48). The number of on seat for Hossin shows increase on air cushion and decrease in sitting on ball. Each child’s data are presented in separate graphs in Figure (A) Total number of times that Hossin was on seat each phases. (B) Total number of times that Hassan was on seat and engaged each session. (C) Total number of times that Parsa was on seat and engaged each session. (D) Total number of times that Amir was on seat and engaged each session. Films was regularly checked throughout the study for determining inter and intra rater reliability agreement. Final inter rater agreement percentages ranged from 93% to 100% for in-seat behavior and from 80% to 90% for on-task behavior. They had a mean age of 8.75  ± 1.9 years, mean height 132.5  ± 9 cm, and mean weight 29.25  ± 8.5 kg. Each child demonstrated a unique response to the use of the therapy ball chair and air cushion. Discussion: Conclusions: This investigation suggests that dynamic seating in the classroom, increases in-seat behavior on task behavior for children with ASD. However no one type of seating was found appropriate for all children with ASD. For some forms of classroom behavior, the use of dynamic seating appears proactive, serving  as a positive behavior support strategy to assist in creating an opportunity for learning. References 1.Koegel L, Matos-Fredeen R, Lang R, Koegel R. Interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders in inclusive school settings. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice. 2011. 2.Schilling DL, Schwartz IS. Alternative seating for young children with autism spectrum disorder: Effects on classroom behavior. Journal of autism and developmental disorders. 2004;34(4):423-32. 3.Horgen KM, Kathryn M. Utilization of an Exercise Ball in the Classroom: Its Effect on Off-task Behavior of a Student with ADHD [thesis]: University of Wisconsin; 2009. 4.Wu W-L, Wang C-C, Chen C-h, Lai C-L. Influence of Therapy Ball Seats on Attentional Ability in Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. 2011. 5.Tunstall H.R. Effects of Alternative Seating on the Academic Engagement of Children With Autism 2010. 6.Lang R, O’Reilly M, Healy O, Rispoli M, Lydon H, Streusand W, et al. Sensory integration therapy for autism spectrum disorders: A systematic review. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. 2012;6(3):1004-18. 7.Schilling DL. Alternative seating devices for children with ADHD: Effects on classroom behavior. Pediatric Physical Therapy. 2006;18(1):81.

Marbury vs. Madison :: essays research papers

In the Supreme Court case of George Reynolds vs. United States, 1879, concerned an older Mormon living in the Utah Territory under federal laws, was charged with a violation of a federal law forbidding marriage in all federal territories. The practice of multiple marriage couples is a practice common among Mormons of that time period. The United States put into effect a law the restricted multiple marriage couples upon receiving word that Mormons were moving into the Utah Territory. Since the United States Government was founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs, they frowned heavily on the Mormon practice and used their power to restrict their ability to act on their beliefs. The principle of democracy that is directly applicable to this situation is Equality under the Law. George Reynolds took his case to the Supreme Court in objection that he could not fully pursue his religion. He argued that the first amendment guarantees that persons will be free from any law prohibiting the free exercise of religion. That no federal law could interfere with a person’s religious belief or with actions based on those beliefs. That the federal law was unconstitutional and his conviction should be overturned. In his eyes he was not being treated fairly by the government because of what his religion believed was acceptable. He felt that multiple partner relationships should be allowed and that the United States was out of line in restricting that. The Supreme Court ruled that the case presented an obvious and compelling need to regulate a question of behavior offensive to public will. The first amendment cannot be used as a shield to protect any person against criminal behavior. This ruling states that the first amendment cannot be used as an excuse to do whatever you want simply because your religion says that’s ok to do. Mr. Reynolds is allowed to believe that multiple partners are acceptable, but he is not allowed to practice that belief, according to the law of the United States. The Supreme Court ruling was quite inaccurate in that they think Mormon beliefs are wrong because they differ from their own beliefs. Because Mormon religion is a minority in this country, the rest of the United States feels that they have the right to regulate how the Mormon religion can and cannot be practiced. Mormons should be allowed to pursue their religion to the fullest extent without causing harm to himself or herself or any other individual.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 6 FRIENDS

THE MOTORCYCLES DIDN'T NEED TO BE HIDDEN ANY further than simply placing them in Jacob's shed. Billy's wheelchair couldn't maneuver the uneven ground separating it from the house. Jacob started pulling the first bikethe red one, which was destined for meto pieces immediately. He opened up the passenger door of the Rabbit so I could sit on the seat instead of the ground. While he worked, Jacob chattered happily, needing only the lightest of nudges from me to keep the conversation rolling. He updated me on the progress of his sophomore year of school, running on about his classes and his two best friends. â€Å"Quil and Embry?† I interrupted. â€Å"Those are unusual names.† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"Quil's is a hand-me-down, and I think Embry got named after a soap opera star. I can't say anything, though. They fight dirty if you start on their namesthey'll tag team you.† â€Å"Good friends.† I raised one eyebrow. â€Å"No, they are. Just don't mess with their names.† Just then a call echoed in the distance. â€Å"Jacob?† someone shouted. â€Å"Is that Billy?† I asked. â€Å"No.† Jacob ducked his head, and it looked like he was blushing under his brown skin. â€Å"Speak of the devil,† he mumbled, â€Å"and the devil shall appear.† â€Å"Jake? Are you out here?† The shouting voice was closer now. â€Å"Yeah!† Jacob shouted back, and sighed. We waited through the short silence until two tall, dark-skinned boys strolled around the corner into the shed. One was slender, and almost as tall as Jacob. His black hair was chin-length and parted down the middle, one side tucked behind his left ear while the right side swung free. The shorter boy was more burly. His white T-shirt strained over his well-developed chest, and he seemed gleefully conscious of that fact. His hair was so short it was almost a buzz. Both boys stopped short when they saw me. The thin boy glanced swiftly back and forth between Jacob and me, while the brawny boy kept his eyes on me, a slow smile spreading across his face. â€Å"Hey, guys,† Jacob greeted them halfheartedly. â€Å"Hey, Jake,† the short one said without looking away from me. I had to smile in response, his grin was so impish. When I did, he winked at me. â€Å"Hi, there.† â€Å"Quil, Embrythis is my friend, Bella.† Quil and Embry, I still didn't know which was which, exchanged a loaded look. â€Å"Charlie's kid, right?† the brawny boy asked me, holding out his hand. â€Å"That's right,† I confirmed, shaking hands with him. His grasp was firm; it looked like he was flexing his bicep. â€Å"I'm Quil Ateara,† he announced grandly before releasing my hand. â€Å"Nice to meet you, Quil.† â€Å"Hey, Bella. I'm Embry, Embry Callyou probably already figured that out, though.† Embry smiled a shy smile and waved with one hand, which he then shoved in the pocket of his jeans. I nodded. â€Å"Nice to meet you, too.† â€Å"So what are you guys doing?† Quil asked, still looking at me. â€Å"Bella and I are going to fix up these bikes,† Jacob explained inaccurately. But bikes seemed to be the magic word. Both boys went to examine Jacob's project, drilling him with educated questions. Many of the words they used were unfamiliar to me, and I figured I'd have to have a Y chromosome to really understand the excitement. They were still immersed in talk of parts and pieces when I decided that I needed to head back home before Charlie showed up here. With a sigh, I slid out of the Rabbit. Jacob looked up, apologetic. â€Å"We're boring you, aren't we?† â€Å"Naw.† And it wasn't a lie. I was enjoying myselfhow strange. â€Å"I just have to go cook dinner for Charlie.† â€Å"Oh well, I'll finish taking these apart tonight and figure out what more we'll need to get started rebuilding them. When do you want to work on them again?† â€Å"Could I come back tomorrow?† Sundays were the bane of my existence. There was never enough homework to keep me busy. Quil nudged Embry's arm and they exchanged grins. Jacob smiled in delight. â€Å"That would be great!† â€Å"If you make a list, we can go shop for parts,† I suggested. Jacob's face fell a little. â€Å"I'm still not sure I should let you pay for everything.† I shook my head. â€Å"No way. I'm bankrolling this party. You just have to supply the labor and expertise.† Embry rolled his eyes at Quil. â€Å"That doesn't seem right,† Jacob shook his head. â€Å"Jake, if I took these to a mechanic, how much would he charge me?† I pointed out. He smiled. â€Å"Okay, you're getting a deal.† â€Å"Not to mention the riding lessons,† I added. Quil grinned widely at Embry and whispered something I didn't catch. Jacob's hand flashed out to smack the back of Quil's head. â€Å"That's it, get out,† he muttered. â€Å"No, really, I have to go,† I protested, heading for the door. â€Å"I'll see you tomorrow, Jacob.† As soon as I was out of sight, I heard Quil and Embry chorus, â€Å"Wooooo!† The sound of a brief scuffle followed, interspersed with an â€Å"ouch† and a â€Å"hey!† â€Å"If either of you set so much as one toe on my land tomorrow† I heard Jacob threaten. His voice was lost as I walked through the trees. I giggled quietly. The sound made my eyes widen in wonder. I was laughing, actually laughing, and there wasn't even anyone watching. I felt so weightless that I laughed again, just make the feeling last longer. I beat Charlie home. When he walked in I was just taking the fried chicken out of the pan and laying it on a pile of paper towels. â€Å"Hey, Dad.† I flashed him a grin. Shock flitted across his face before he pulled his expression together. â€Å"Hey, honey,† he said, his voice uncertain. â€Å"Did you have fun with Jacob?† I started moving the food to the table. â€Å"Yeah, I did.† â€Å"Well, that's good.† He was still cautious. â€Å"What did you two do?† Now it was my turn to be cautious. â€Å"I hung out in his garage and watched him work. Did you know he's rebuilding a Volkswagen?† â€Å"Yeah, I think Billy mentioned that.† The interrogation had to stop when Charlie began chewing, but he continued to study my face as he ate. After dinner, I dithered around, cleaning the kitchen twice, and then did my homework slowly in the front room while Charlie watched a hockey game. I waited as long as I could, but finally Charlie mentioned the late hour. When I didn't respond, he got up, stretched, and then left, turning out the light behind him. Reluctantly, I followed. As I climbed the stairs, I felt the last of the afternoon's abnormal sense of well-being drain from my system, replaced by a dull fear at the thought of what I was going to have to live through now. I wasn't numb anymore. Tonight would, no doubt, be as horrific as last night. I lay down on my bed and curled into a ball in preparation for the onslaught. I squeezed my eyes shut and the next thing I next I knew, it was morning. I stared at the pale silver light coming through my window, stunned. For the first time in more than four months, I'd slept without dreaming. Dreaming or screaming. I couldn't tell which emotion was strongerthe relief or the shock. I lay still in my bed for a few minutes, waiting for it to come back. Because something must be coming. If not the pain, then the numbness. I waited, but nothing happened. I felt more rested than I had in a long time. I didn't trust this to last. It was a slippery, precarious edge that I balanced on, and it wouldn't take much to knock me back down. Just glancing around my room with these suddenly clear eyesnoticing how strange it looked, too tidy, like I didn't live here at allwas dangerous. I pushed that thought from my mind, and concentrated, as I got dressed, on the fact that I was going to see Jacob again today. The thought made me feel almost hopeful. Maybe it would be the same as yesterday. Maybe I wouldn't have to remind myself to look interested and to nod or smile at appropriate intervals, the way I had to with everyone else. Maybe but I wouldn't trust this to last, either. Wouldn't trust it to be the sameso easyas yesterday. I wasn't going to set myself up for disappointment like that. At breakfast, Charlie was being careful, too. He tried to hide his scrutiny, keeping his eyes on his eggs until he thought I wasn't looking. â€Å"What are you up to today?† he asked, eyeing a loose thread on the edge of his cuff like he wasn't paying much attention to my answer. â€Å"I'm going to hang out with Jacob again.† He nodded without looking up. â€Å"Oh,† he said. â€Å"Do you mind?† I pretended to worry. â€Å"I could stay† He glanced up quickly, a hint of panic in his eyes. â€Å"No, no! You go ahead. Harry was going to come up to watch the game with me anyway.† â€Å"Maybe Harry could give Billy a ride up,† I suggested. The fewer witnesses the better. â€Å"That's a great idea.† I wasn't sure if the game was just an excuse for kicking me out, but he looked excited enough now. He headed to the phone while I donned my rain jacket. I felt self-conscious with the checkbook shoved in my jacket pocket. It was something I never used. Outside, the rain came down like water slopped from a bucket. I had to drive more slowly than I wanted to; I could hardly see a car length in front of the truck. But I finally made it through the muddy lanes to Jacob's house. Before I'd killed the engine, the front door opened and Jacob came running out with a huge black umbrella. He held it over my door while I opened it. â€Å"Charlie calledsaid you were on your way,† Jacob explained with a grin. Effortlessly, without a conscious command to the muscles around my lips, my answering smile spread across my face. A strange feeling of warmth bubbled up in my throat, despite the icy rain splattering on my cheeks. â€Å"Hi, Jacob.† â€Å"Good call on inviting Billy up.† He held up his hand for a high five. I had to reach so high to slap his hand that he laughed. Harry showed up to get Billy just a few minutes later. Jacob took me on a brief tour of his tiny room while we waited to be unsupervised. â€Å"So where to, Mr. Goodwrench?† I asked as soon as the door closed behind Billy. Jacob pulled a folded paper out of his pocket and smoothed it out. â€Å"We'll start at the dump first, see if we can get lucky. This could get a little expensive,† he warned me. â€Å"Those bikes are going to need a lot of help before they'll run again.† My face didn't look worried enough, so he continued. â€Å"I'm talking about maybe more than a hundred dollars here.† I pulled my checkbook out, fanned myself with it, and rolled my eyes at his worries. â€Å"We're covered.† It was a very strange kind of day. I enjoyed myself. Even at the dump, in the slopping rain and ankle-deep mud. I wondered at first if it was just the aftershock of losing the numbness, but I didn't think that was enough of an explanation. I was beginning to think it was mostly Jacob. It wasn't just that he was always so happy to see me, or that he didn't watch me out of the corner of his eye, waiting for me to do something that would mark me as crazy or depressed. It was nothing that related to me at all. It was Jacob himself. Jacob was simply a perpetually happy person, and he carried that happiness with him like an aura, sharing it with whoever was near him. Like an earthbound sun, whenever someone was within his gravitational pull, Jacob warmed them. It was natural, a part of who he was. No wonder I was so eager to see him. Even when he commented on the gaping hole in my dashboard, it didn't send me into a panic like it should have. â€Å"Did the stereo break?† he wondered. â€Å"Yeah,† I lied. He poked around in the cavity. â€Å"Who took it out? There's a lot of damage† â€Å"I did,† I admitted. He laughed. â€Å"Maybe you shouldn't touch the motorcycles too much.† â€Å"No problem.† According to Jacob, we did get lucky at the dump. He was very excited about several grease-blackened pieces of twisted metal that he found; I was just impressed that he could tell what they were supposed to be. From there we went to the Checker Auto Parts down in Hoquiam. In my truck, it was more than a two hour drive south on the winding freeway, but the time passed easily with Jacob. He chattered about his friends and his school, and I found myself asking questions, not even pretending, truly curious to hear what he had to say. â€Å"I'm doing all the talking,† he complained after a long story about Quil and the trouble he'd stirred up by asking out a senior's steady girlfriend. â€Å"Why don't you take a turn? What's going on in Forks? It has to be more exciting than La Push.† â€Å"Wrong,† I sighed. â€Å"There's really nothing. Your friends are a lot more interesting than mine. I like your friends. Quil's funny.† He frowned. â€Å"I think Quil likes you, too.† I laughed. â€Å"He's a little young for me.† Jacob's frown deepened. â€Å"He's not that much younger than you. It's just a year and a few months.† I had a feeling we weren't talking about Quil anymore. I kept my voice light, teasing. â€Å"Sure, but, considering the difference in maturity between guys and girls, don't you have to count that in dog years? What does that make me, about twelve years older?† He laughed, rolling his eyes. â€Å"Okay, but if you're going to get picky like that, you have to average in size, too. You're so small, I'll have to knock ten years off your total.† â€Å"Five foot four is perfectly average.† I sniffed. â€Å"It's not my fault you're a freak.† We bantered like that till Hoquiam, still arguing over the correct formula to determine ageI lost two more years because I didn't know how to change a tire, but gained one back for being in charge of the bookkeeping at my houseuntil we were in Checker, and Jacob had to concentrate again. We found everything left on his list, and Jacob felt confident that he could make a lot of progress with our haul. By the time we got back to La Push, I was twenty-three and he was thirtyhe was definitely weighting skills in his favor. I hadn't forgotten the reason for what I was doing. And, even though I was enjoying myself more than I'd thought possible, there was no lessening of my original desire. I still wanted to cheat. It was senseless, and I really didn't care. I was going to be as reckless as I could possibly manage in Forks. I would not be the only keeper of an empty contract. Getting to spend time with Jacob was just a much bigger perk than I'd expected. Billy wasn't back yet, so we didn't have to be sneaky about unloading our day's spoils. As soon as we had everything laid out on the plastic floor next to Jacob's toolbox, he went right to work, still talking and laughing while his fingers combed expertly through the metal pieces in front of him. Jacob's skill with his hands was fascinating. They looked too big for the delicate tasks they performed with ease and precision. While he worked, he seemed almost graceful. Unlike when he was on his feet; there, his height and big feet made him nearly as dangerous as I was. Quil and Embry did not show up, so maybe his threat yesterday had been taken seriously. The day passed too quickly. It got dark outside the mouth of the garage before I was expecting it, and then we heard Billy calling for us. I jumped up to help Jacob put things away, hesitating because I wasn't sure what I should touch. â€Å"Just leave it,† he said. â€Å"I'll work on it later tonight.† â€Å"Don't forget your schoolwork or anything,† I said, feeling a little guilty. I didn't want him to get in trouble. That plan was just for me. â€Å"Bella?† Both our heads snapped up as Charlie's familiar voice wafted through the trees, sounding closer than the house. â€Å"Shoot,† I muttered. â€Å"Coming!† I yelled toward the house. â€Å"Let's go.† Jacob smiled, enjoying the cloak-and-dagger. He snapped the light off, and for a moment I was blind. Jacob grabbed my hand and towed me out of the garage and through the trees, his feet finding the familiar path easily. His hand was rough, and very warm. Despite the path, we were both tripping over our feet in the darkness. So we were also both laughing when the house came into view. The laughter did not go deep; it was light and superficial, but still nice. I was sure he wouldn't notice the faint hint of hysteria. I wasn't used to laughing, and it felt right and also very wrong at the same time. Charlie was standing under the little back porch, and Billy was sitting in the doorway behind them. â€Å"Hey, Dad,† we both said at the same time, and that started us laughing again. Charlie stared at me with wide eyes that flashed down to note Jacob's hand around mine. â€Å"Billy invited us for dinner,† Charlie said to us in an absentminded tone. â€Å"My super secret recipe for spaghetti. Handed down for generations,† Billy said gravely. Jacob snorted. â€Å"I don't think Ragu's actually been around that long.† The house was crowded. Harry Clearwater was there, too, with his familyhis wife, Sue, whom I knew vaguely from my childhood summers in Forks, and his two children. Leah was a senior like me, but a year older. She was beautiful in an exotic wayperfect copper skin, glistening black hair, eyelashes like feather dustersand preoccupied. She was on Billy's phone when we got in, and she never let it go. Seth was fourteen; he hung on Jacob's every word with idolizing eyes. There were too many of us for the kitchen table, so Charlie and Harry brought chairs out to the yard, and we ate spaghetti off plates on our laps in the dim light from Billy's open door. The men talked about the game, and Harry and Charlie made fishing plans. Sue teased her husband about his cholesterol and tried, unsuccessfully, to shame him into eating something green and leafy. Jacob talked mostly to me and Seth, who interrupted eagerly whenever Jacob seemed in danger of forgetting him. Charlie watched me, trying to be inconspicuous about it, with pleased but cautious eyes. It was loud and sometimes confusing as everyone talked over everyone else, and the laughter from one joke interrupted the telling of another. I didn't have to speak often, but I smiled a lot, and only because I felt like it. I didn't want to leave. This was Washington, though, and the inevitable rain eventually broke up the party; Billy's living room was much too small to provide an option for continuing the get-together. Harry had driven Charlie down, so we rode together in my truck on the way back home. He asked about my day, and I told mostly the truththat I'd gone with Jacob to look at parts and then watched him work in his garage. â€Å"You think you'll visit again anytime soon?† he wondered, trying to be casual about it. â€Å"Tomorrow after school,† I admitted. â€Å"I'll take homework, don't worry.† â€Å"You be sure to do that,† he ordered, trying to disguise his satisfaction. I was nervous when we got to the house. I didn't want to go upstairs. The warmth of Jacob's presence was fading and, in its absence, the anxiety grew stronger. I was sure I wouldn't get away with two peaceful nights of sleep in a row. To put bedtime off, I checked my e-mail; there was a new message from Renee. She wrote about her day, a new book club that rilled the time slot of the meditation classes she'd just quit, her week subbing in the second grade, missing her kindergarteners. She wrote that Phil was enjoying his new coaching job, and that they were planning a second honeymoon trip to Disney World. And I noticed that the whole thing read like a journal entry, rather than a letter to someone else. Remorse flooded through me, leaving an uncomfortable sting behind. Some daughter I was. I wrote back to her quickly, commenting on each part of her letter, volunteering information of my owndescribing the spaghetti party at Billy's and how I felt watching Jacob build useful things out of small pieces of metalawed and slightly envious. I made no reference to the change this letter would be from the ones she'd received in the last several months. I could barely remember what I'd written to her even as recently as last week, but I was sure it wasn't very responsive. The more I thought about it, the guiltier I felt; I really must have worried her. I stayed up extra late after that, finishing more homework than strictly necessary. But neither sleep deprivation nor the time spent with Jacobbeing almost happy in a shallow kind of waycould keep the dream away for two nights in a row. I woke shuddering, my scream muffled by the pillow. As the dim morning light filtered through the fog outside my window, I lay still in bed and tried to shake off the dream. There had been a small difference last night, and I concentrated on that. Last night I had not been alone in the woods. Sam Uleythe man who had pulled me from the forest floor that night I couldn't bear to think of consciouslywas there. It was an odd, unexpected alteration. The man's dark eyes had been surprisingly unfriendly, filled with some secret he didn't seem inclined to share. I'd stared at him as often as my frantic searching had allowed; it made me uncomfortable, under all the usual panic, to have him there. Maybe that was because, when I didn't look directly at him, his shape seemed to shiver and change in my peripheral vision. Yet he did nothing but stand and watch. Unlike the time when we had met in reality, he did not offer me his help. Charlie stared at me during breakfast, and I tried to ignore him. I supposed I deserved it. I couldn't expect him not to worry. It would probably be weeks before he stopped watching for the return of the zombie, and I would just have to try to not let it bother me. After all, I would be watching for the return of the zombie, too. Two days was hardly long enough to call me cured. School was the opposite. Now that I was paying attention, it was clear that no one was watching here. I remembered the first day I'd come to Forks High Schoolhow desperately I'd wished that I could turn gray, fade into the wet concrete of the sidewalk like an oversized chameleon. It seemed I was getting that wish answered, a year late. It was like I wasn't there. Even my teachers' eyes slid past my seat as if it were empty. I listened all through the morning, hearing once again the voices of the people around me. I tried to catch up on what was going on, but the conversations were so disjointed that I gave up. Jessica didn't look up when I sat down next to her in Calculus. â€Å"Hey, Jess,† I said with put-on nonchalance. â€Å"How was the rest of your weekend?† She looked at me with suspicious eyes. Could she still be angry? Or was she just too impatient to deal with a crazy person? â€Å"Super,† she said, turning back to her book. â€Å"That's good,† I mumbled. The figure of speech cold shoulder seemed to have some literal truth to it. I could feel the warm air blowing from the floor vents, but I was still too cold. I took the jacket off the back of my chair and put it on again. My fourth hour class got out late, and the lunch table I always sat at was full by the time I arrived. Mike was there, Jessica and Angela, Conner, Tyler, Eric and Lauren. Katie Marshall, the redheaded junior who lived around the corner from me, was sitting with Eric, and Austin Marksolder brother to the boy with the motorcycleswas next to her. I wondered how long they'd been sitting here, unable to remember if this was the first day or something that was a regular habit. I was beginning to get annoyed with myself. I might as well have been packed in Styrofoam peanuts through the last semester. No one looked up when I sat down next to Mike, even though the chair squealed stridently against the linoleum as I dragged it back. I tried to catch up with the conversation. Mike and Conner were talking sports, so I gave up on that one at once. â€Å"Where's Ben today?† Lauren was asking Angela. I perked up, interested. I wondered if that meant Angela and Ben were still together. I barely recognized Lauren. She'd cut off all her blond, corn-silk hairnow she had a pixie cut so short that the back was shaved like a boy. What an odd thing for her to do. I wished I knew the reason behind it. Did she get gum stuck in it? Did she sell it? Had all the people she was habitually nasty to caught her behind the gym and scalped her? I decided it wasn't fair for me to judge her now by my former opinion. For all I knew, she'd turned into a nice person. â€Å"Ben's got the stomach flu,† Angela said in her quiet, calm voice. â€Å"Hopefully it's just some twenty-four hour thing. He was really sick last night.† Angela had changed her hair, too. She'd grown out her layers. â€Å"What did you two do this weekend?† Jessica asked, not sounding as if she cared about the answer. I'd bet that this was just an opener so she could tell her own stories. I wondered if she would talk about Port Angeles with me sitting two seats away? Was I that invisible, that no one would feel uncomfortable discussing me while I was here? â€Å"We were going to have a picnic Saturday, actually, but we changed our minds,† Angela said. There was an edge to her voice that caught my interest. Jess, not so much. â€Å"That's too bad,† she said, about to launch into her story. But I wasn't the only one who was paying attention. â€Å"What happened?† Lauren asked curiously. â€Å"Well,† Angela said, seeming more hesitant than usual, though she was always reserved, â€Å"we drove up north, almost to the hot springsthere's a good spot just about a mile up the trail. But, when we were halfway there we saw something.† â€Å"Saw something? What?† Lauren's pale eyebrows pulled together. Even Jess seemed to be listening now. â€Å"I don't know,† Angela said. â€Å"We think it was a bear. It was black, anyway, but it seemed too big.† Lauren snorted. â€Å"Oh, not you, too!† Her eyes turned mocking, and I decided I didn't need to give her the benefit of the doubt. Obviously her personality had not changed as much as her hair. â€Å"Tyler tried to sell me that one last week.† â€Å"You're not going to see any bears that close to the resort,† Jessica said, siding with Lauren. â€Å"Really,† Angela protested in a low voice, looking down at the table. â€Å"We did see it.† Lauren snickered. Mike was still talking to Conner, not paying attention to the girls. â€Å"No, she's right,† I threw in impatiently. â€Å"We had a hiker in just Saturday who saw the bear, too, Angela. He said it was huge and black and just outside of town, didn't he, Mike?† There was a moment of silence. Every pair of eyes at the table turned to stare at me in shock. The new girl, Katie, had her mouth hanging open like she'd just witnessed an explosion. Nobody moved. â€Å"Mike?† I muttered, mortified. â€Å"Remember the guy with the bear story?† â€Å"S-sure,† Mike stuttered after a second. I didn't know why he was looking at me so strangely. I talked to him at work, didn't I? Did I? I thought so Mike recovered. â€Å"Yeah, there was a guy who said he saw a huge black bear right at the trailheadbigger than a grizzly,† he confirmed. â€Å"Hmph.† Lauren turned to Jessica, her shoulders stiff, and changed the subject. â€Å"Did you hear back from USC?† she asked. Everyone else looked away, too, except for Mike and Angela. Angela smiled at me tentatively, and I hurried to return the smile. â€Å"So, what did you do this weekend, Bella?† Mike asked, curious, but oddly wary. Everyone but Lauren looked back, waiting for my response. â€Å"Friday night, Jessica and I went to a movie in Port Angeles. And then I spent Saturday afternoon and most of Sunday down at La Push.† The eyes flickered to Jessica and back to me. Jess looked irritated. I wondered if she didn't want anyone to know she'd gone out with me, or whether she just wanted to be the one to tell the story. â€Å"What movie did you see?† Mike asked, starting to smile. â€Å"Dead Endthe one with the zombies.† I grinned in encouragement. Maybe some of the damage I'd done in these past zombie months was reparable. â€Å"I heard that was scary. Did you think so?† Mike was eager to continue the conversation. â€Å"Bella had to leave at the end, she was so freaked,† Jessica inserted with a sly smile. I nodded, trying to look embarrassed. â€Å"It was pretty scary.† Mike didn't stop asking me questions till lunch was over. Gradually, the others were able to start up their own conversations again, though they still looked at me a lot. Angela talked mostly to Mike and me, and, when I got up to dump my tray, she followed. â€Å"Thanks,† she said in a low voice when we were away from the table. â€Å"For what?† â€Å"Speaking up, sticking up for me.† â€Å"No problem.† She looked at me with concern, but not the offensive, maybe-she's-lost-it kind. â€Å"Are you okay?† This is why I'd picked Jessica over Angelathough I'd always liked Angela morefor the girls' night movie. Angela was too perceptive. â€Å"Not completely,† I admitted. â€Å"But I'm a little bit better.† â€Å"I'm glad,† she said. â€Å"I've missed you.† Lauren and Jessica strolled by us then, and I heard Lauren whisper loudly, â€Å"Oh, joy Bella's back.† Angela rolled her eyes at them, and smiled at me in encouragement. I sighed It was like I was starting all over again. â€Å"What's today's date?† I wondered suddenly. â€Å"It's January nineteenth.† â€Å"Hmm.† â€Å"What is it?† Angela asked. â€Å"It was a year ago yesterday that I had my first day here,† I mused. â€Å"Nothing's changed much,† Angela muttered, looking after Lauren and Jessica. â€Å"I know, I agreed I was just thinking the same thing.†