A View from the Bridge †Plot Summary Essay

The main character in the story is Eddie Carbone, an Italian American longshoreman, who lives with his wife, Beatrice and his orphaned niece, Catherine. They live in an insular, self-ruled neighborhood known as a polis. As the play begins, Eddie is protective and kind toward Catherine, although his feelings grow into something more than avuncular as the play develops. His attachment to her is brought into perspective by the arrival from Italy of Beatrice’s two cousins, Marco and Rodolpho. They have entered the country illegally, hoping to leave behind hunger and unemployment for a better life in America. Whereas Marco is a physically strong man with a starving family back home, charming Rodolpho is young, good-looking, blonde, and single, and he sings and dances; Catherine instantly falls for him. After three weeks, the pair have been dating, and Eddie sets about pointing out all of Rodolpho’s flaws to Catherine and Beatrice. He persistently complains that Rodolpho is â€Å"not right,† referring to Rodolpho’s effeminate qualities, such as sewing, cooking and singing. He is embarrassed by Rodolpho’s reputation for singing during work. When Catherine decides to marry Rodolpho, Eddie becomes desperate and begs his lawyer, Alfieri (who is also the narrator), to help him. However, he is told that the only way the law is able to help him is if he informs the Immigration Bureau of the presence of the two illegal immigrants. Due to his earlier assertion that â€Å"it’s an honor† to give the men refuge, he refuses to betray them. At home he continues to passively insult Rodolpho, and ends up getting Rodolpho to fight in a boxing match. In retaliation, Marco challenges Eddie to lift a chair from the bottom of its leg, when Eddie fails to do this, Marco picks up the chair with one hand from the bottom of its leg and lifts it above his head. This demonstates Marco’s superior strength, mentally and physically to Eddie. In the second Act, Eddie catches Rodolpho making love to Catherine, he sees Alfieri a second time. Eddie ignores his lawyer’s advice to let events run their course, and calls the Immigration Bureau. This betrayal proves disastrous: he comes back to learn that Catherine and Rodolpho are engaged, and Beatrice informs him two more illegal immigrants have moved into the upstairs apartment. When the Immigration Officers arrive and arrest the four immigrants, Marco spits in Eddie’s face in front of a street full of people. His betrayal of the two men causes Eddie to lose the respect of his neighbors, friends, and his family. Rodolpho is allowed to stay in the country due to his marriage, but Marco faces imminent deportation. Reluctantly, he promises Alfieri not to take revenge on Eddie (as is the Sicilian custom) and is let out on bail. In the final scene of the play, Eddie is shown to be furious with his humiliation and refuses to attend the wedding. He rejects Rodolpho’s offer to reconcile and refuses to get out of the house when he learns Marco is arriving. The play ends with a fight between Eddie and Marco, in a street filled with his friends and family. Eddie brandishes a knife and attacks Marco, who turns the blade onto Eddie, killing him. It is not known whether Marco actually intended to stab Eddie, and his reaction is not described. Eddie dies as the curtain falls, calling out to Beatrice.

Bank of America Business Analysis

Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle sized market businesses and large corporations with a vast array of products and services. From multi-million dollar loans to thousands of ATM’s throughout the United States and overseas, Bank of America is among the world's leading wealth management companies’ and is a global leader in corporate business. Bank of America Business Capital provides asset-based credit facilities of $10 million or more throughout the United States, Canada and Europe for manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and service businesses. Bank of America is currently listed as number 5 on the Fortune Global 500 annual ranking of America’s largest corporations. However, they did not place within the top 100 of fortune 500 companies to work for in 2009 (CNN. com money magazine, 2009). Bank of America operates in more than 10 countries including regions in Europe, Asia, and Central and South America. With operations in such a wide range of selected countries Bank of America (BOA) has to deal with differing legal and cultural aspects which can relate to the amount of risk the management is willing to accept. This risk includes what is called systematic political risk. â€Å"As a rule, a country’s political processes do not treat foreign operations unfairly. If they did, few companies would hazard the investment† (Daniels et. al, p. 105, 2011). The differing market and legal systems, ranging from common law to theocratic law and a mixed system, etc could make room for trouble for BOA’s international business if the interpretation of the laws are not the same. Similarly, economic risk is the likelihood that certain events or changes in the economic status or a company or will cause drastic changes adversely affecting profits and other goals. The ability to measure and understand risk and determining which risk is acceptable is a key factor of success with any international business venture. This along with political risk will have to be managed forecasted effectively to judge the outcome of any changes to governmental, import, or export changes as they could affect the profits and or losses which could ultimately affect a company’s ability to repay a loan that was granted by BOA. Although the 2011 CFO Outlook reports that â€Å"U. S. companies overall are highly involved in foreign markets and are forecasting international sales growth in 2011† (2011 CFO Outlook), if I were a political consultant for BOA, I would highly caution them with respect to venturing into a country where they are not willing to accept our form of economic feasibility or where the GDP does not represent strength as it relates to longevity within the economy. It would be far too difficult to influence change within an entire culture just to add breadth to the organization. Furthermore, without the ability to measure and understand the end state of a cultural shift, the foreign business opportunity may be at risk of unacceptable losses especially where healthcare costs and costs of materials are concerned (2001 CFO Outlook). Bank of America is changing because its customers are changing. In the 2009 Financial Report Brian T. Moynihan, Chief Executive Officer and President of BOA said â€Å"There is nothing more important to our more than 280,000 Bank of America teammates and me than our belief that there’s a right way to do business — an approach that balances our responsibilities to all our stakeholders. This belief has guided our efforts as we’ve worked to help customers, clients and communities ride out the economic storm. † He also went on to say that the most pressing need is the overhaul of loan modifications. The pressing need for this is â€Å"to help families and businesses manage their monthly cash flow to get through the crisis. † However, BOA is making strides ahead of some of the other financial institutions. They repaid the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) in December of 2009 although they reported a net loss applicable to common shareholders of $2. 2 billion (BOA 2009 Financial Report). This has proved to work fine for common law states but it would prove to be much more difficult in civil law or a mixed system and just about impossible in theocratic law system. BOA has a code of conduct or ethics as they call it as a significant part of their processes used to manage risk. They train their associates to mitigate risk and set high standards for their associates. This provides a framework for the associates to conduct themselves with the highest integrity in delivering products or services to their customers. â€Å"We instill a risk-conscious culture through communications, training, policies, procedures, and organizational roles and responsibilities. Additionally, we continue to strengthen the linkage between the associate performance management process and individual compensation to encourage associates to work toward enterprise-wide risk goals. † (Brian T. Moynihan, BOA 2009 Financial Report). This is vitally important for the company to extend these ethics to the workforce overseas as the importation and adoption of the headquarters mindset will ensure that host nation workers will also adhere to the higher standards associated with conducting business with BOA. It is just a good business practice to ensure that wherever you operate, you share the same vision that will foster success and continued best practices. Although I did not find any social programs during my research on BOA, I did notice when I was in Panama that they have Panamanian and American workers employed. I would presume to say that, just as in any working environment the management would establish some sort of informal program amongst its workers. And seeing how BOA strives with its code of ethics this could be not far from the truth as bonds are made as the people work together daily. In conclusion, BOA has done quite well for themselves and that is directly attributed to the high standard set by the corporate office and CEO Brian T. Moynihan. As one of the world banking leaders it would do them well to continue to look toward the future of expanding and exploring other joint ventures locally and internationally. They would do well to guide their investment strategy and actions by monitoring the consumer deposits, credit card services, and investment management as an indicator of the overall economic status and potential growth of their joint ventures. References http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2009/full_list/index.html

Duc de Saint-Simon forum 14 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Duc de Saint-Simon forum 14 - Essay Example Saint-Simon describes the opulence of the royal life of the king while at Versailles. He begins by describing the large and infinite number of rooms at the place and the comfort the palace provided the king. He explains that the King’s life changed while in Versailles as he became increasingly sensitive. He developed interest on the operations of the palace and would always seek to note any cases of absenteeism. Additionally, whoever visited the palace needed reasons to see him. However, Louis XIV maintained his composure and demeanor magnificence and splendor. Versailles offered him the peace to maintain such a lifestyle. He therefore lived in Versailles to his death. The article is a reliable historical document. The author uses descriptive and simple sentences coupled with timeline record of events features that enhance the comprehension of the topical issue. Furthermore, the author uses appropriate intent citations that show the sources from where he borrows some of his major

Environment policy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Environment policy - Assignment Example Initiatives to better preserve this planet, adopting a â€Å"greener† perspective, and taking steps to research and beneficially slow the damage we contribute to the planet is a good thing. There are several things that tend to stand in the way of solid government policies and interventions on this issue. Firstly, many people do not take the concern seriously. They often disregard the topic’s discussions to the ramblings of paranoid conservationists and â€Å"tree huggers.† Others disregard the concerns, founded or not, because the potential, consequential, repercussions of environmental issues will, likely, not culminate into anything serious enough to affect day to day living for generations to come; which, overall, could be considered rather selfish and definitely short-sighted. Politically, it is harder to get full support on initiatives because different states have a differing level of economic loss and gain when it comes to environmental policies. Both, Democrats and Republicans, representing states that have heavier fossil fuel productions dispute any legislature and are far less likely to support environmental interventions.("New York Times") Sev eral states have taken upon themselves to implement their own policies and initiatives to encourage a more environmentally conscious and beneficial approaches. Environmental issues are very real, they do matter, and they are worthy of taking seriously in order to preserve this planet that we all live on. In the end, however, it is not an issue simply of states, or individual countries, it is a global issue. But America’s policies, often, set an example for others around the world, perhaps greater action on our part would result in greater responses worldwide. I respect your opinion and I have to say that I agree with you that not everything that leads to planetary damage can be laid solely on the actions of humankind. However, human beings readapt their environments to suit their

Stigmas of Mental Illness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stigmas of Mental Illness - Essay Example Thus, it will result in a lack of understanding of the mentally ill by the society. The mentally ill, shameful of being seen as psycho, lunatic, crazy, and as a black sheep, will often stay silent about their condition which, in turn, deprives them of essential services. Evidently, there is little that has been done to educate the public of the predicaments and stigmatization that mentally ill people face (Eric, 2010). Some of the stigmas faced by the mentally ill when they disclose their conditions include rejection and ridicule at schools or workplaces, discrimination in social relationships, housing, employment as well as the rejection and ridicule on their families (Eric, 2010).The media has also been observed to exacerbate this discrimination, by presenting this illness negatively (Eric, 2010). This paper shall seek to understand the effects of adverse representations of the mentally ill. It will also show how society creates a vicious cycle of effects that leads to the mentally ill not getting the facilities that they would require to lead a happy and productive life. Through research and interviews, it will be established that some of the stigmas of mental illness include rejection and ridicule at school or work. Family members of the mentally ill are also affected with these similar rejections. Media portrays mental illness in a negative light and, thus, does not promote awareness issues. First, this study will explore how people are treated at work and school when they disclose their mental illness. Second, it will explore the impact that disclosing a mental illness has on family members. Lastly, it will explore the treatment of the media towards mental illness. A mentally ill patient faces two kinds of stigma. The most prevalent is the public stigma. This is the reaction that that the public has on the mentally ill (Corrigan & Watson, 2002). Most people with mental illness face a higher level of discrimination in western countries than

Observers Paradox and Ways to minimize its Impact in Collection of Essay

Observers Paradox and Ways to minimize its Impact in Collection of Live Speech Data - Essay Example Therefore, the collection of live speech data is an indispensable data collection method that makes the overarching aims of sociolinguistic study attainable. For instance, speech data helps the researcher unravel elements of the social milieu and shared perspectives that define a community. However, the awareness that the participants are under observation impacts on the way they speak and what they speak about, an effect called the Observer’s Paradox. A famed sociolinguist, William Labov, was the first to discuss the paradox in detail. Labov observed that the use of systemized observation had an impact on the way respondents made use of their sociolinguistic abilities, in a way that could profoundly distort the nature of the data collected. This, he noted, could dent the validity of the research in question. This research seeks to discuss the Observer’s Paradox in the context of collecting speech data and explore some ways in which a researcher can roll back some of it s negative effects in sociolinguistic research. INTRODUCTION Observer’s Paradox is a term attributable to the linguistic researcher, William Labov. The term describes the situation whereby the observation of an event by a researcher in a controlled experimental situation fundamentally alters the natural way in which the event occurs. This transformation, especially in sociolinguistic behavior, impedes the collection of accurate data on the subject. Consequently, the effect arouses much concern in the linguistic research community. According to Labov (1), linguistic research should aim to reveal how people talk without the influence of systematic observation, even though data is unobtainable without systematic observation (Labov, 1). Hence, Observer’s Paradox poses a challenge to sociolinguistic researchers, and ways to circumvent the hurdle are necessary to maintain the validity of research with regard to accuracy and ethical codes that govern empirical research. One of the broad aims of sociolinguistic research is to observe lin guistic elements in a community. The elements under empirical scrutiny occur normally, although they are usually unnoticeable outside the confines of systematic controlled observations (Sheffield university, 1). This necessitates the introduction of statistical research methods such as data collection through recording of live speech data. By extension, this means the introduction of a third party to the social setup within which these linguistic factors occur. The disruptions of the natural conditions that define sociolinguistic elements in a community are not dismissible, and can influence the intimate understanding of a community’s sociolinguistic landscape. Sociolinguistic studies are rarely quantifiable, therefore qualitative data collection method remains the best option for many researchers. Speech data is one of the strongest methods through which sociolinguistic data is obtainable. Unfortunately, the method of data collection is one of the major in which the effect o f Observer’s Paradox happens. Since the effect's initial observation in Labov’s seminal work on qualitative sociolinguistic work, Observer’s Paradox has attracted considerable attention from the linguistic research community (Labov, 92). Presently, the issues pertaining to the paradox and the consequential ways in which the effects of the effect are eliminable in sociolinguistic research are plentiful. This research seeks to discuss the various issues that are attributable to Observer’s Paradox, and some of the ways in which the negative attributes of the

Art History Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Art History - Research Proposal Example But what may have encouraged Cleaver's request may have been Howard Bingham's largely apolitical nature. Bingham always kept quiet about any political feelings that he had, but instead focused on individuals, as is evident in his recent exhibition at the Californian African American Museum; A Moment in Time: Bingham's Black Panthers. The exhibition's introduction summarises Bingham's role as follows; "This exhibition and the accompanying publication, not only showcase recognisable snapshots taken during public displays, but also posed, private and unusual moments that the Panthers' leaders could have only granted to a well trusted soul whose artistry and openness to the cause would be honestly reflected through the lens of a camera. That is the access that they gave to photographer Howard Bingham, from which he created an extremely personal and priceless tribute."3 For me Bingham distanced himself, or tried to distance himself, from the politics of the movement in order to portray the human, everyday character of its members and what I believe he felt to be the essential matters, especially community. It is for this reason that I want to concentrate on one particular photo by Bingham, simply entitled 'Panthers' Headquarters, Oakland'. The photograph shows two young girls, one African America, the other Caucasian, cycling past the Panthers' Headquarter building. The immediate symbolism of the photo is quite clear, portraying the notions of equality and possibility, but what makes the image especially interesting is the apparent anxious expression on the face of an African American woman standing in the doorway of the building as she watches the two children. And when one looks closer at the image the face of a man becomes recognisable in the window of the Panthers' Headquarters, peering out at the children. The viewer immediately asks his or herself what is the reason for the seemingly shared anxious expressions of the African American man and woman, in complete contrast to the children. Another feature of the image that encourages questions from the viewer is the role played by shadow. Although the two children are side by side they are separated by shadow, the African American child within it, and the Caucasian child outside it. But what we must not forget when analysing the work of this exhibition is that these photos are journalism as art, and that it is impossible to know how much of the scene has been constructed by the author. It is very likely that these two children just happened to be riding together at a particular time of day but the image still poses questions. Is the artist attempting to suggest that there is a natural division between the children or is he in fact highlighting the idea that racial division is as superfluous as how the sun's rays reach the sidewalk at a certain time of day, and that the innocence of these children allows them to transcend the division. Is Bingham here suggesting the idea of an integrated future A number of different aspects of the image can be interpreted as a variety of symbols, that lead to more questions arising, and give us an interesting view into, or interpretation of, of the artists own personal feelings towards the Black Panthers, and in fact the entire Civil Rights Movement. It is impossible to tell if the woman at the threshold of the Headquarters is stationary or if she is leaving the building,

Literature review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Literature review - Essay Example Characteristic Expenditure in Australia average per night average per visitor Length of stay Main source market Age Martial status Travel party Repeat visitation On a travel package Share of accommodation nights Main courses studied Length of course Educational institution Formal $90 $16,000 170 nights 16% Chinese 9% Malaysians 8% Koreans 50% are 20-24 years 20% are 15-19 years 18% are 25-29 years 88% are single 86% traveled alone 59% were return visitors 7% package Rental accommodation (65%) Undergraduate degree (36%) English course ((20%) Post-graduate degree (19%) 58% studied a course with a duration of 1 year or more University (62%) Informal $65 $7000 95 nights 26% Malaysians 20% Indians 10% Koreans 31% are 20-24 years 20% are 35-44 years 19% are 25-29 years 68% are single 80% traveled alone 51% were return visitors 11% package Rental accommodation (42%) English course (36%) Work-related course (11%) On-the-job / Internal training (8%) 82% studied a course with a duration of less than 3 months English language institute (31%) Source: Tourism Research Australia International Visitor Survey 2007 (National Centre, 14) Surname 3 Importance of the Study Tourism Market Foreign education market is known as a significant and growing industry for Australian tourism. In 2006, around 350,000 foreign education visitors stayed for approximately 44 million nights in Australia. In 2007, it grew to almost 500,000 education visitors. Although consisting of just 6% of all international tourists, foreign education tourists contributed around 30% of visitor nights and almost 30% towards total spend in Australia (National Centre, 14). Over time, the international education industry has shown... Per survey results, approximately 500,000 foreign education visitors studied in Australia in 2007. Of these foreign education visitors, 75% were formal study toursits and 25% were informal study tourists. Altogether, foreign education tourists stayed in Australia for 86 million nights and were worth around $7B to the tourism industry in 2007. This sum has not included yet the spending of friends and relatives that visited these foreign education visitors (National Centre, 11-13). Within these previous studies, the characteristics of formal and non-formal foreign education tourists were quite diverse as was the nature of the studies they took. FIGURE 1: Summary of Formal and Informal Study Tourism Market 2007: Foreign education market is known as a significant and growing industry for Australian tourism. In 2006, around 350,000 foreign education visitors stayed for approximately 44 million nights in Australia. In 2007, it grew to almost 500,000 education visitors. Although consisting of just 6% of all international tourists, foreign education tourists contributed around 30% of visitor nights and almost 30% towards total spend in Australia (National Centre, 14). Over time, the international education industry has shown continuous progress. Between 2001 and 2007, the average rate of increase per year was 9%.

Going to a Foreign Country Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Going to a Foreign Country - Essay Example It is always difficult for one to go to a foreign land and spend time away from family and friends. But then again there are some decisions in life which require sacrifice of the highest order. If I ever go abroad to pursue higher education, I would face difficulty in the beginning coping up with the norms and behaviors of the society in which I have stepped into as well as dearly miss my friends and family members. However I realize that this is a short phase which would occur mostly in the starting and with things settling down, I will feel all at ease within the foreign country. In the pursuit of knowledge, I am ready to undertake such a visit to a foreign country but I know this beforehand that I would come back to serve my own motherland so that my country benefits from my education and related experience that I have gained in the foreign country. I have made it a point to dedicate myself whole-heartedly towards studies once I land in the foreign country. I would not indulge in acts which are unbecoming of a student and devote all my energies towards something constructive. I would find ways to interact with my peers and ask them for their help if ever I drop into some problem. I will proactively help my mates without their even asking for the same. I would make a schedule for myself so that I could study within my free time and also understand a little about the culture of the foreign country. I would communicate with people in their own language so that they feel I am a part of them.

The Importance of Measuring Enterprise Impact Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Measuring Enterprise Impact Essay One of the key assets of an enterprise is information. Huge amounts of raw data are produced during every operational transaction in the company. Processing raw data into valuable information allows an enterprise to take more accurate decisions into action. Information technologies give support in big business systems like (ERP) Enterprise Resource Planning, utilized in recognizing, extracting and analyzing business data, such as, sales revenue by product and/or department. Measuring data is difficult, and companies have to have complex systems for tracking ERP. Outsourcing Data With changing times, systems need to have data energy uses calculated into the core processes to retain more accurate data. Measuring impact is the recognized way in which you show the value your organization is delivering to its recipients and the general public as a whole. Often, companies feel the need to cut internal energy use; therefore, they outsource data processing duties. Businesses must be cautious when outsourcing data. This outsourcing can cause serious issues if the outsourced work is inaccurate or worse, manipulated to cause intentional damage to the company. It is difficult to have patience with outsourced companies that produce inaccurate work, as that is the main objective: they were hired to do the job proficiently and accurately. Having internal processes in place for data formulas can cut down significantly on misuse and incorrect data entry, as well as cut back on security breaches. Making sure that the data is properly reduced and not just passed on to another person. Data accuracy is essential, we must heed caution when reviewing others data, how do we know the information is accurate and correct. Unfortunately, there are unethical practices within data processing, and there are companies who are more into financial gain rather than upholding moral responsibilities. Conclusion In today’s competing business environment, companies should consider the competitive advantages of business information tools that provide more advanced analysis options for organizational data. Furthermore, organizations need to overcome the technical and organizational challenges of implementing more advanced information technologies in order to achieve  efficient utilization of it.

How Motivation Influences The Job Satisfaction Level Management Essay

How Motivation Influences The Job Satisfaction Level Management Essay 1.0 Introduction This study is carried out the important of motivation to influence job satisfaction in an organization, to understand the relationship between motivation and job satisfaction in an organization. In this chapter, will be focusing on research background, research objective, problem statement, and research question. 1.1 Research background The purpose of this study was to find out the impact of motivation on job satisfaction of employee in a organization. Motivation is a basic psychological process. A recent data-based comprehensive analysis concluded that competitiveness problems appear to be largely motivational in nature (Mine, Ebrahimi, and Wachtel, 1995). The management dilemma in many organizations and how they can improve the motivation of employees in the fast paced technological environment. Motives are expression of persons need. Hence they are personal and internal. They also can be incentive on the other hand are external to the person. Motivations are made part of work environment by management in order to satisfy the employees to accomplish task. Job satisfaction is positively affects individual performance. Job satisfaction positively affects individual performance (Petty et al. 1984; Judge et al. 2001; Kim 2005) and this make it highly relevant to investigate the cause of job satisfaction. According to Luthans (1998), motivation is the process of arouses, energizes, direct, and sustains behavior and performance. That is a process to influence people action and to achieve a desired task. There is also one of the way to influence people is to employ effective motivation which make the employee more satisfied and committed to their job. Money is a motivator but is not the only motivator. There is still having other incentives which can also serve as motivator. Employee attitudes relating to job satisfaction and organizational commitment are based on the field of organizational behavior and the practice of human resources management. Attitude has direct impact on job satisfaction. On the other hand, organizational commitment is focuses on their attitudes towards the entire organization. Although the relationship between satisfaction and commitment are strong, but there are more recent research shows that commitment cause satisfaction. 1.2 Problem statement There are many reasons why managers are keep facing the problem in organization. Resources, human and material, technology are a few issues confronting managers daily. The more important is the human aspect has question that has confused managers for a long time such as how can they make some employees perform better with satisfied in their job. According to Schofield (1998), an authoritative study conducted by the Sheffield Effectiveness Programme (a joint research project between the Centre for Economic Performance at the London Stock Exchange and the Institute for Work Psychology at the University of Sheffield) has shown that the way people are managed or motivated has a powerful impact on both productivity and profitability. The study which included measurement of levels of job satisfaction and organizational commitment of employees of 67 firms, found that 5% of the profitability variance, and 16% of the productivity variance between companies may be the different variance in job satisfaction levels between their employees. This study is demonstrated the important of job satisfaction, employees motivation and commitment in an organizational capability and effectiveness. According to Watson (1994) business has come to realize that motivated and satisfied workforces can deliver powerful to the bottom line. There are still many employees all over the world do not enjoy the level of job satisfaction and work motivation, because of that they keep seeking alternative employment to experience a higher degree of job satisfaction. Such action will influence an organizations ability to be profitable and successful over n extended period of time. According to Finck, Timmers and Mennes(1998) employees are excited and motivated by what they do will help business be achieve. 1.3 Research objective To find out the relationship between motivation and job satisfaction To determine the impact of motivation towards the employees job satisfaction. To analyze the way to improve the job satisfaction by using work motivation. 1.4 Research question What are the relationship between motivation and job satisfaction? What determine the impact of motivation towards the employees job satisfaction? How work motivation can improve job satisfaction? 2.0 Literature review 2.1 The relationship between motivation and job satisfaction 2.1.1 Motivation According to Pinder(1998 in Ambrose Kulik, 1999) work motivation may be regarded as a set of internal and external forces that initiate work-related behavior, and determine its form, direction, intensity and duration. The concept related to the work and influence on work behavior of both environmental forces. In workplace, work motivation are invisible, it is depends on personal behavior and responsibility of the job. Snell (1999) says that motivation is everything. Without motivation people will not deliver to their potential even the talented people. People that are motivated will perform well and improve the personal ability. He further asserts that company staff are very important in a business due to they are the image of the company that customer see. They have the potential to enhance the quality of service and have the power to influence or reduce the company profits. According to a model developed by Herzberg, motivation is influenced by maintenance and motivational factors. The important motivational factors are the work itself, achievement, growth, responsibility, advancement and recognition. There are basic internal motivators rather than external. The Maslow and Herzberg models are similar due to its focus on needs, but the difference can be seen from the point of views. Nel, Gerber, Van Dyk, Haasbroek, Schultz, Sono and Werner(2001) describe motivation as intentional and directional. Intentional is mean to personal choice and committed of action, and directional indicates being of a driving force aimed at achieving a specific goal. A people who get motivated will know they must achieve the specific goal even in the face of adversity. 2.1.2 Job satisfaction The concept of job satisfaction will be very important now a day. Managers feel that if they responsible for maintaining high levels of job satisfaction among their staff will helps to increase the productivity, absenteeism and staff turnover (Arnold Feldman, 1986). According to Locke (1976), job satisfaction was already significant since the first part of 20th century, for example, there are over 3000 related studies were published between 1935 and 1976 which an average of on publication every five days. Job satisfaction is regarded a s related to important employee and organizational outcomes, ranging from job performance to health and longevity (Spector, 2003). According to Gibson et al (2000) job satisfaction may be defined as an individuals expression of personal well-being associated with doing the job assigned. Job satisfaction depends on the level of internal and external and how the employees view those outcomes. The outcomes of job satisfaction have different values for different people. For some people, responsible and challenging work is negative value and depending on the education level and prior experience with work providing the internal outcomes. For other people, such work outcomes may have high positive values. Those differences would influence the level of jab satisfaction on the same job tasks. Bateman and Snell(1999) say if people feel fairly treated from the outcomes they receive, or the processes used, they will be satisfied. These authors mention that a satisfied worker is not necessarily more productive than a dissatisfied one due to sometimes people are happy with their jobs which dont have to work hard. 2.2 The impact of motivation towards the employees job satisfaction All employers want their workers to perform well of their abilities and they try to provide all the necessary resources and a good working environment in order to keep their employees motivated. However, motivation is a difficult factor to manage due to every employees wants or target does not always match with what the employers provide. Motivation and job satisfaction reinforce each other and work together, if the employee is satisfied on job performance he tend to be motivated. So that understand the employee needs can give better insight to managing human motivation. Frankl(1984) suggested that, motivation reflects peoples search for meaning and that job satisfaction may reflect the degree to which people have found meaning in their work. According to Sylvia and Hutchinson (1985), true job satisfaction is derived from the gratification of higher order needs such as social relations, esteem, and self actualization rather than lower- order needs 2.3 The way to improve the job satisfaction by using work motivation Motivation is very important in an organization nowadays, but not everyone satisfy when the motivation in processes. May be that is because the employers make the wrong way to motivate their employees. Because of that, there are few strategies helps to improve the job satisfaction such as salary, wages and conditions of service, money, staff training, information availability and communication. 2.3.1 Salary, Wages and Conditions of Service To use salaries as a motivator effectively, managers which are motivator must consider four major components of a salary structures such as job rate, payment, personal or special allowances, associated with factors and side benefit. Job rate is relates to the importance the organization attached to each job. Payment is to encourage workers or group by rewarding them according to their performance. Personal or special allowances, associated with factors are the scarcity of particular skills or certain categories of information professionals or with long service. Last but not least, side benefit represent holiday with pay, pensions, and so on. It is also important to ensure the salary structure of the organization will retained the same level of the market salary structure. 2.3.2 Money According to Akintoye(2000), money remains the most significant motivational strategy. Money is the major factor which able to motivate employee to increase the productivity of the company (Taylor, 1911). Incentive system will be able to improve job satisfaction, high performance, commitment. Katz, in Sinclair, et al. (2005) emphasizes the motivational power of money through the process of job choice. He explains that money has a very strong power to attract or motivate individually to achieve higher performance. For example, a employee will simple shift company for the greater financial reward of the job, if the differences of the workload of the job is similar with the current job. Banjoko(1996) mentions that many managers use money to reward or punish workers. 2.3.3 Staff Training No matter how computerized an organization, high productivity depends on the level of motivation and the effectiveness of the workforce. Staff training is an essential strategy for motivating workers. An organization must have good training programme. This will give the employee opportunities for self-improvement and development to meet the challenges and requirements of new equipment and new techniques of performing a task. 2.3.4 Information Availability and Communication One way managers can stimulate motivation is to give relevant information on the consequences of their actions on others (Olajide, 2000). According the researcher, there is no known organizations in which people do not usually feel there should be improvement in the way department communicate, cooperate, and collaborate with one another. Information availability brings a powerful pressure between the employees, where two or more people running together will run faster than when running alone. By sharing information, subordinates compete with one another. 2.4 Theoretical framework Motivation n Salary, Wages and Condition of Service Job Satisfaction Money Staff Training Information Availability and Communication Dependent variable Independent variable 2.4.1 Analysis path The framework shows that the two variables in the research proposal, motivation is the independent variable. From this research I have identify that salary, wages and condition of service, money, staff training, information availability and communication are the motivational factors that affect job satisfaction level. The dependent variable in this research would be job satisfaction. From the framework, we will understand the relationship between motivation and job satisfaction. Job satisfaction will be interrupt by the motivation method or strategies. On the other hand, motivation strategy is also able to enhance the job satisfaction level. 3.0 Methodology 3.1 Introduction In this section, we slightly describe the research methodology use in the study to know how motivation affects in job satisfaction and using the data collection to analysis the data for the study. To find out the relationship between motivation and job satisfaction, impacts and the strategy to improve job satisfaction level in a organization. 3.2 Data Resources According to Bell (1995), primary data are such data that does not yet include any interpretations and analysis from other people. Secondary data on the other hand is data that is analyzed and include someones interpretation of the data (Bell, 1995). Secondary data was chosen for this research due to the cost and time saving for collect data that needed for the research (Hair, Money, Samouel, and Page, 2007), According to Saunders et al (2007), primary data is expensive which compare to secondary data. In additional, Hair et al (2007) emphasizes that most of the secondary data are free of charge or either can be purchase in a cheaper price. 3.3 Data Analysis Procedure The secondary resources needed in order to be able to fulfill the purpose of this proposal are mainly journal articles and textbook. When searching for secondary data search engine such as Google Scholar, Emerald and others. KBU International College has provided student a huge variety of reference books. Google search engine is the advancement of technology which allowed us to get information conveniently and quickly to obtain various journals from the website which allowed us to understand the research objectives. Emerald website which can access through it using Anglia Ruskin University account is easy to obtain various journals which needed for the research. Less text book are used in this research as the source from the library about our research questions. 3.4 Hypothesis Null Hypothesis H0: There is no relationship between motivation and job satisfaction Alternative Hypothesis H1: There is a relationship between motivation and job satisfaction Null Hypothesis H0: Motivation cannot affect job satisfaction level Alternative Hypothesis H2: Motivation can affect job satisfaction Null Hypothesis H0: Motivation unable to improve job satisfaction Alternative Hypothesis H3: Motivation able to improve job satisfaction 4.0 Limitation The research could have done more accurately if more resources which could be obtain to support the research. There are limited resources provided in KBU International College library. However, KBU does provide student access to Emerald Insight website which contains many research journals and the college had already paid the fee, but student are still allowed to access to the website within the college premises. In additional, this research only used secondary data collection which easy to obtain. Most of the secondary data come from other authors opinion and their personal findings. Because of that, this research may be inaccuracy due to the opinion from the author might disagree with research and opinion done by other author around the world. 5.0 Ethical consideration The information of the people who provide information to the study would not show to the others when the study done to protect the human right of privacy. There is the action that should be taken. The information provider are willing to provide the information to finish the study and not being force. During the research, the information collected would not be modify as to maintain the accuracy of the information which been collected. 6.0 Executive Summary From the study done, we know that the motivation was so important in an organization which can affect the job satisfaction level. By the way, the relationship between the employee motivation and job satisfaction using the right way to motivate the employee; thus enhancing the job satisfaction level and the organization at the same time. When motivation and job satisfaction are reinforced together as one, motivation and job satisfaction can increase the working performance of employees. Besides that, there are several strategies used to enhance the working performance. The strategies used are such as; Salary, Wages and Conditions of Service strategy, Money strategy, Staff Training strategy, and lastly the Information Availability and Communication strategy. Using all this strategy will further develop the working condition to the highest level of job satisfaction. To sum it up as a whole, motivation and job satisfaction are co-related because when the motivation to work increases, emp loyee will have a higher job satisfaction, thus creating maximum output for the organization. 7.0 Gantt Chart Activity FEBRUARY MARCH APRIL MAY Week number 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 Read literature Finalize objectives Draft literature review Read methodology literature Devise research approach Draft research strategy and method Enter data into computer Draft findings chapter Update literature read Complete remaining chapters Submit to tutor and await feedback Revise draft, format for submission Print, bind Submit

Osi Model Essay -- Networks Telecommunications

UNDERSTANDING THE OSI MODEL AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH TCP/IP The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model is a reference tool for understanding data communications between any two networked systems. It divides the communications processes into seven layers. Each layer both performs specific functions to support the layers above it and offers services to the layers below it. The three lowest layers focus on passing traffic through the network to an end system. The top four layers come into play in the end system to complete the process. This presentation will provide you with an understanding of each of the seven layers, including their functions and their relationships to each other. This will provide you with an overview of the network process, which can then act as a framework for understanding the details of computer networking. Also this paper will explain how the 802 specifications expanded the OSI reference model by dividing the data link layer into two layers. Finally, this paper will draw comparisons between the theoretical OSI model and the functional TCP/IP model. Although TCP/IP has been used for network communications before the adoption of the OSI model, it supports the same functions and features in a differently layered arrangement. The history of the development of the OSI model is, for some reason, a little-known story. Much of the work on the design of OSI was actually done by a group at Honeywell Information Systems, headed by Mike Canepa, with Charlie Bachman as the principal technical member. This group was chartered, within Honeywell, with advanced product planning and with the design and development of prototype systems. In the early and middle '70s, the interest of Canepa's group was pr... ...mputer systems communicate with one another in the world wide web or in a corporate setting. Personally, I have found that the OSI model relates to just about everything that I have done as an IT consultant. During computer migrations and configuring desktops to be networked on the corporate land, enables the workstations to communicate via the OSI model and the TCP/IP model. Having to map network drives enables users to have extra disk space other than just their hard drive to store data. When a user retrieves data from a network drive, the total process is through the seven layers of the OSI model. Configuring email accounts enables users to communicate via email transactions, a process that uses the OSI model and the TCP/IP model. References 1. Network Plus Guide to Networks (2002) 2. Ethernet Tutorial (2001) 3. Microsoft's guide to the OSI model (2004)

Who The Hell Is Connie Chung? :: essays research papers fc

Who the Hell is Connie Chung? How does one go from being called â€Å"America’s sweetheart† to being labeled a â€Å"shameless tabloid whore† (Revah 10)? Connie Chung knows. Co-anchoring the CBS Evening News with Dan Rather and hosting her own Eye to Eye, she was once on top of the broadcast journalism world, yet all good things must come to an end. Connie Chung had a glorious rise and a dramatic fall. Connie Chung began her career as an assignment editor and on-the-air-reporter at a local Washington, D.C. television station WTTG. But her big break came in 1971, when the Federal Communications Commission began pressuring television networks to hire more minorities and women. Chung applied at CBS’s Washington bureau. She once told Daniel Paisner, â€Å"They had only one woman at CBS News at the time, and I think they wanted to hire more. So, they hired me, they hired Leslie Stahl, they hired Michelle Clark, and they hired Sylvia Chase.... In other words, a Chinese woman a black woman, a nice Jewish girl, and a blond shiska. And so they took care of years of discrimination.† (Moritz 107) Chung covered George McGovern’s presidential campaign in 1971 and accompanied Richard Nixon on trips to the Middle East and the Soviet Union in 1972. In 1976, she became a news anchor for KNXT, the local CBS television station in Los Angeles. There, her salary went from about $27,000 a year to an estimated $600,000, making Connie Chung one of the country’s highest-paid local news anchors in 1983. She received many honors, including an award for best television reporting from the Los Angeles Press Club in 1977 and Local Emmys in 1978 and 1980. (Moritz 108) In 1984, Chung, eager to return to reporting national politics, was asked to anchor NBC News at Sunrise. Of course, she did not let this opportunity pass her by. Chung’s â€Å"new job....also included serving as a political correspondent for the NBC Nightly News program, anchoring the network’s Saturday evening news, and doing three prime-time, ninety-second news casts a week† (Moritz 108). Chung’s â€Å"status as a rising network star was reaffirmed when, in November 1983, she made the first of many appearances on the Today show as a substitute for anchorwoman Jane Pauley† (Moroitz 108). Connie Chung announced in March 1989 that she would rejoin CBS after her NBC contract expired in May. She was to anchor a revamped West 57th Street and the CBS Sunday Night News, and to be one of the main substitute anchors for Dan Rather on the CBS Evening News. This agreement was worth nearly $1.

Hawaiian Goose :: essays research papers

Hawaiian Goose The Branta sandvicensis, or Hawaiian goose looks similar to the Canada Goose except only the face, cap, and hindneck are black; and Nene have buff- colored cheeks. The males and female have the same plumage. The feet of this goose are not completely webbed like the other geese. Lots of calls have been described but the most common call is very similar to that of the Canada Goose, a resonate "honk." The goose has very strong toes; long legs, decreased webbing. They are good swimmers but are not found much near water. The birds nest on the ground and the young can fly at 1012 weeks. The adult Goose cannot fly while in molt for 46 weeks. Wild Nene populations can be seen in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Mauna Loa, and Pu'u Wa'awa'a on the island of Hawaii; in Haleakala National Park on Maui; and at the Kilauea National Wildlife Refuge, along the Na Pali coast and outside Lihue on Kauai. Captive Nene can be seen at he Honolulu Zoo. Designated Hawaii's State Bird on May 7, 1957, the Nene has endured a long struggle against extinction. During the 1940s this species was almost wiped out by laws which allowed the birds to be hunted during their winter breeding seasons when the birds were most vulnerable. By 1957, when the Nene was named the State Bird, rescue efforts were underway. Conservationists began breeding the birds in captivity in hopes of preserving a remnant of the declining population and, someday, successfully re-establishing them in their native habitat. Other programs for returning captive birds to the wild life was difficult, but more efforts have been successful. Some other efforts used to help this bird have been to get donations for the bird and have schools help out

Graduate School and Early Modern Europe

STATEMENT OF PURPOSE The phenomenal growth in knowledge, which we are witnessing today in many areas of science and technology, is the result of the tireless efforts of a large number of teachers and students deeply committed to widening the horizons of human knowledge through painstaking research. Many of us of the younger generation are the beneficiaries, both intellectually and materially, of the outstanding work done in the field of computer engineering.As a student of information technology and computer science, it is my ambition to contribute my mite to the widening and deepening of knowledge in the area of information technology and computer science in general. My undergraduate education in Information technology has enabled me to grasp the fundamental concepts in this area of study. I have excelled in most of the courses that I have taken which include Computer networks, Operating Systems, Microprocessor & Interfacing and Database Management Systems among others; a pointer to my sound analytical and computational skills.My academic prowess can be gauged from the fact that I topped my department in the Microprocessors course and secured the 3rd rank in my fourth semester examinations in a highly competitive class. One of my unique achievements has been in pedagogy. It was during my fifth semester, when I was helping my peers with the computationally intensive courses we had to take up then, that I realized the efficacy of the statement â€Å"To learn better, teach†. The incessant queries of my friends’ made me brood deeper into the subject whilst they enhanced their understanding of it.My achievement was the substantial improvement in grades for both my peers and me. The numerous seminars, which I have conducted in my class in areas both within and out of the scope of my curriculum, have honed my communication skills and I am confident that I would be an effective teaching assistant. My team-playing ability and leadership qualities came to the fore during â€Å"Interrupt 2006†, a national level technical symposium conducted by the Department of Computer Science, wherein I coordinated a variety of technical and non-technical events that were widely appreciated.I am currently working in Egrove Systems Corporation as a Programmer and Analyst, a renowned multi-national firm involved in IT solutions. My first hand exposure to the industry’s working in designing and developing has helped in redefining my perspective and approach towards creating new ones myself. I have a dream to work in a place where latest technology is devised and where standards and protocols are dictated. Ultimately however, I do not want to follow oft beaten trails but blaze a new one for others to follow.It is to realize this that I want to work towards a Masters degree and later for a PhD. It is each person’s dream to graduate from a prestigious school that can provide the launching-pad for his/her career. Though there is a plet hora of options, the pride of place goes to the University that is reputed for its standard par excellence – an honor that goes to none other than to your university. I understand that this University offers exiting and unique opportunities for research and learning. As for my future, it is my desire to explore the realms of computer networks and programming design.I also want to build on the strong foundation that I have acquired during my undergraduate study with a Masters degree and follow it up with a Doctoral one. To achieve this and to attain my goals, I strongly believe that the Computer Science program at your university would place me at the fulcrum of today’s technology in computers. I look forward to being a part of your program in Advanced computer science and would consider myself fortunate to secure an admission into the Masters program at your University since it fits my interests exactly.It is with great optimism that I apply to your school and I sincer ely hope for an association that would be mutually beneficial. Ramji Prasad Myrtheunjayan Graduate study is not for slackers. It takes focus and determination to pursue an advanced degree. That's why admissions committees examine your statement of purpose very closely–they want to see whether you have the right stuff to succeed in graduate school. What are they really asking anyway? Different schools will give you different prompts for the statement of purpose.Nonetheless, they're all asking for the same four pieces of information: †¢ What you want to study at graduate school? †¢ Why you want to study it? †¢ What experience you have in your field? †¢ What you plan to do with your degree once you have it? Admissions committees look for candidates with clear, well-defined research interests that arise from experience . With that in mind, your statement should reveal that you care deeply about your chosen discipline and that you have the background to support your ideas and sentiments. It should also demonstrate that you're a diligent student who will remain committed for the long haul.However you approach these points, it's imperative that you answer the questions asked in the essay prompt. Being substantive and direct is much better than being creative or flashy. Avoid this mistake Grad school applicants commonly make the error of including a paragraph about how well–rounded they are: They're avid ultimate-frisbee players, they write short stories or they love to cook. Colleges are interested in this stuff; graduate schools are not. Grad schools are looking for great minds who will achieve mastery of a specific subject area.They don't care that you make a great chicken casserole or play intramural bocce ball. They do care about those activities that speak to your suitability for graduate work. As a graduate student, you'll be called upon to do difficult coursework and research. You may have to teach undergraduate classes within your field and conceivably even design a course. And you'll have to get along with a diverse group of colleagues who will sometimes work very closely with you. Any experience in school, work or your extracurricular life that speaks to those abilities is worth talking about.Make your statement of purpose unique While it's important to be focused, there's no need to be boring. To distinguish your essay, add unique (yet relevant) information. One of the best ways to do this is to discuss, briefly, an idea in your field that turns you on intellectually. It's an effective essay-opener, and it lets you write about something besides yourself for a bit. Remember, the idea you choose to talk about can tell an admissions committee a lot about you. And it demonstrates your interest in your field, rather than just describing it. Don't forgetBe sure to show your statement of purpose to someone you respect, preferably the professors who are writing your recommendations, and get some feedback on the content before you send it in. If you need to revise it, do so and then ask for more feedback. Have someone else proofread your essay for spelling and grammar. A fresh set of eyes often picks up something you missed. Better yet, if you have enough willing friends, have a couple of people proofread each statement. Finally, don't just reuse the same statement of purpose for each school to which you apply.You can recycle the same information, but make sure you change the presentation to fit each school's individual program. Sample Statement of Purpose Statement of Purpose: Please describe your aptitude and motivation fo r graduate study in your area of specialization, including your preparation for this field of study , your academic plans or research interests in your chosen area of study, and your future career goals. Please be specific about why UC Berkeley would be a good intellectual fit for you. The writer of the statement below was admitted into UC Berkeley's History Departm ent. With her permission, I reprint her essa parsed with my commentary about why it works as a winning essay. â€Å"Luscious fare is the jewe l of inordinate desires,† 1 cautions 2 the author of The Gentlewoman's Companion (1673), one of many early modern conduct books I surveyed this past year for an honors thesis entitled â€Å"‘Chaste, Silent, and Hungr y': The Problem of Female Appetite in Early Modern England, 1550-1700. † 3 As indicated by the title, this pr oject explores a provocative but as of yet scarcely studied facet of early m odern gender constructions: female food desire. 4 I use the word â€Å"desire† here rather deliberately, as ea rly modern definitions of ppetite extended well beyond the physiological drive to eat to encompa ss all those physical (and shameful) longings associated with the body. And, in a culture wh ere women were by defi nition immoderate and sensual, female food appetite, I argue, constituted an unruly 5 desire that de manded both social and moral discipline. In brief, my research con cerns the patriarchal cont rol of women's bodies in sixteenth and seventeenth-century England vi s–vis a cultural idea about food desire and satiation as sugges tive and immodest. 6 In lieu of a formal introduction of my research interests and aspirations I offer a summary of my enior thesis, which earned me the 2003 Chancel lor's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research at the University of California, Davis. 7 This first venture into serious historical scholarship has affirmed my passion for early m odern culture and histor y; and it has given me the confidence to assert and cont est my opinions regard ing the status of women in early modern Europe and the current state of early modern historiography. 8 Continuing along these avenues of research in graduate school, I would like to use my thesis as the basis for a future dissertation. Though I remain wary about committing myself premat rely to a specifi c t opic of research, I am also eager to elaborate, modify, and complicate 9 my original assertions about the nature of the â€Å"problem† of female appetite in early modern England. Indeed, many of the conclusions reached in the thesis, such as my claim that the cultural er oticization of feminine appetite in early modern England betrayed a deep-seated masculine mistrust of female sexuality and sexual power, serve as starting points 10 for future research and study. On a more basic level, writing a thesis gave me the chance to become better acquainted with the essentials of historical resear h. Suspecting that normative disc ourses in early modern England participated aggressively in the monitoring of women's appetites, I navigated the sea of early English printed sources in pursu it of the slightest mention of food and diet. Those sources I encountered during my research, wh ich ranged from the popular conduct book, The Education of a Christian Woman by Juan Luis Vives, to the anonymous sex manual, Aristotle's Masterpiece, challenged my basic understanding of history and the original prem ise of my thesis in ways not anticipated. From deciphering esot eric type-fonts to developing n awareness of the importance of time and funds, I experienced the mundane realities of research that inevitably stunt the historian's aspirations. Even more important wa s my gradual acceptance of the fact that early modern sources, no matter how we read them, do not always accommodate modern biases and expectations. 11 Though I cannot predict the course this project might take in graduate school, I expect that it will address the following themes and issues. First is the overarching issue of distinguishing the phenomena I observe from other forms of food re striction and obsession, namely the modern itual of dieting and its most extreme manife station, an eating disorder. Though not willing to evade those complicated (and controversial) para llels between modern and early modern usages of food and food symbolism to cont rol the lives of women, I also wish to offer as an historian a nuanced portrayal of how early modern conceptualiz ations of female appetite were infused with contemporary, historically contingent notions of sexuality and gender. Furthermore, the question of fema le agency in a project devote d almost exclusively to male prescriptions for diet and behavior demands further discussion.Admittedly, on more than one occasion, my own extensive use and analysis of conduct books and various obstetric manuals, works composed primarily by educated men, cause d me to pause and wonder whether it was best to relate a history abou t women's actions or the patriarchal apparatus under which those actions were oppressed. While I refuse to see women as simply passive receptacles of masculine command, I neither wish nor aspire to focus sole ly on their achievements; for, in my mind, the history of women and the history of patriarchy are inextricably rela ted. 12 My goal, then, will not be to detail just another example of how wome in history were dominated by men, but, rather, to interrogate the means, in this case food, or, better yet, the cultural meaning of appetite, by which women's desires were suppressed or denied. 13 Indeed I am proud of my thesis and, given extra time, could say much more. But I should also stress that that at the heart of my specific res earch concentration lies a more general interest in early modern European history, cultural and women's history to be more exact. 14 To date, my knowledge of the early modern period has been informed and my imagination sustained by an array of courses on early modern history and lite ature (I was a joint hist ory and English major), including a graduate seminar on Renaissance urban culture taught jointly by Professors Margaret Ferguson and Deborah Harkness. My personal pe nchant for cultural history stems largely, I believe, from my training in litera ture and literary crit icism, wh ere sensitivity to the importance of language and metaphor is a neces sary skill. Also of crucial importance to a professional career in history are my growing skills in Latin and French, and my fluency in Spanish. 15 This year I find myself in that difficult and fr ustrating transitional peri od between undergraduate nd graduate studies. Though I would have preferred to directly co ntinue graduate school after graduation, I opted to take a year off. A year aw ay from school, I reasoned, would afford me the time needed to recuperate from an exhaustive und ergraduate education, gain some perspective, and work on fulfilling the language requirement for a doctorate in European history. In fact, I am currently enrolled in a French course at a nearby university and plan to take a subsequent course during the upcoming spring semester. This academic hiatus, moreover, has imposed some much- needed distance between myself and my thesis, wh ch I can now reread from a more critical, less invested stance. And, finally, a break from school has given me sufficient time to search and research for graduate programs that best suit my needs. 16 UC Berkeley's history program looms large in my mind, largely because of its outstanding faculty and interdisciplinary approach to hist ory. In my own quest for a suitable graduate program, I was thrilled to learn that Professors Thomas Laqueur and Carla Hesse both taught at Berkeley. Professor Laqueur's book, Making Sex: Body and Gender from the Greeks to Freud , stands out among the many books I ead during my undergraduate education; and I credit his book with introducing me to the nascent but fascin ating field of the history of sexuality and the body. Together, Professor Laqueur's cutting edge research and Professor Hesse's knowledge of early modern women's history would make my experience at Berkeley a challenging and enjoyable one. 17 In addition, Berkeley provides an id eal climate for me to develop my cross-disciplinary interests. In particular, I am interested in pursuing a desi gnated emphasis in women, gender, and sexuality, a unique option that distinguishes Berkeley's hist ry program from that of other institutions. The cross-disciplinary nature of Berkeley's gra duate program would foster, I hope, fruitful discussions with other departme nts, notably the department of English and Women's Studies, thus broadening and enriching my research as well as my general understanding early modern culture and history. 18 †¢ 1 The writer begins with a vivid quote that grabs the reader's attention right away. †¢ 2 â€Å"Cautions† is an excellent verb choice. Carefu l word choice makes fo r lively writing. †¢ 3 Note how neatly in one well-packed sentence , the writer gets right to the point of her urrent research. †¢ 4 â€Å"Provocative† is an apt and colorful word c hoice. This sentence explains the nature of her study and situates her subject in historical and thematic c ontext. †¢ 5 â€Å"Unruly† is another aptly c hosen adjective. Adjectives can create â€Å"dead places† in writing if they add nothing significant to the noun that it is describing. †¢ 6 The summary sentence not only recaps the gist of the first paragraph, but also provides further nuance of the subject at hand. †¢ 7 This first sentence makes clear that research first and foremost will be central to her argument in the essay. Mentioning the â€Å"Cha cellor's Award† in the context of her research is a clever way of boasting without seeming to. †¢ 8 It is a very good idea to explicit ly state the chosen subfield within history: early modern Europe. You can't assume that your readers will make the inference from the research topic alone. To â€Å"assert and contest† opinions is, of c ourse, the marksmanship of historians; making reference to â€Å"the current state of early modern historiography† conveys familiarity with the subje ct on the one hand, and confidence and intellectual poise on the other. Notice how much more powerful is such a statement as compared to ne poorly written, such as â€Å"I am passionate and committed to my interest in early modern Europe. † †¢ 9 Again, to say that as a historian, she will â€Å"e laborate, modify, and complicate† the subject matter is to show that she really understands the work of historians. A less experienced candidate might have written that she wa nts to uncover the â€Å"truth† in history. †¢ 10 â€Å"Starting points† –referring to her research interests–is a very measured way of saying that she knows what tugs at her heart, has done enough research to have some hunches, but is open to surprise endings. A beautiful re ndition of a historian's sentiment.You may turn off your readers if you come off sounding overly confident. Maintaining a measured tone is very important. †¢ 11 This paragraph details furth er specific less ons and skills earned through this research project. Note the use of colorful verb s such as â€Å"navigated† and â€Å"stunt. † †¢ 12 Note the nuanced and carefully measured way of speaking about her subject. Clearly the writer is well-read in theory and show s strong ability in cri tically evaluating her subject. Moreover, she tries to be the â€Å"obj ective† scholar in that she does not champion any cause. That is, she does not champion the ause of women even as she conveys deep empathy. †¢ 13 The reference to a parallel example of female appetite in contemporary culture as holding interest for the writer is aptly placed here. Were she to have mentioned it any earlier, it would have clouded the primarily hist orical nature and focu s of her venture. †¢ 14 It is wise at this point to zoom out a bit and show that th e writer's interest lies more broadly in early modern Europe and the hist ory of women. Zooming in and out from th e narrow to the general shows th at you are capable of becomi ng a specialist without being overly narrow. †¢ 15Showing interdisciplinarity and your abilities in language are key to your academic biography. In this case, the reader learns that she is a historian with training in literary and critical theory. †¢ 16 This is a model paragraph for showing what you did in your â€Å"time off† from school. Note how nothing extraneous to her study is me ntioned in this paragraph. The paragraph shows that the time off was spent wisely in preparing herself for graduate school. †¢ 17 She demonstrates a thorough-going knowledge of UC Berkeley. She mentions not one but two key scholars with whom she could pur sue her studies. She mentions how their rea of specialty dovetails with her own resear ch interests. Note how she does not make empty, flattering remarks about the professors or the school. †¢ 18 She continues to list bounties beyond the department strengthening the argument that Berkeley is well-suited for her. The reader will be impressed with the research and the seriousness with which she has examined UC Be rkeley as an option for graduate school. A well-written essay unveils much information about the writer, not only in her intellectual capacity, but also about her character and core values. Through her writing, she makes a distinctive impression.

Musical Instruments Essay

1. Do you believe it is still possible that new musical instruments could be invented and widely distributed? Empirically, though the diversity of musical instruments has reached a quite high level, human has never stopped their exploration into music. So, I think it’s highly possible that several new musical instruments can be invented and widely distributed. The musical history has already proved this. Before 19th century, the majority of musical instruments are acoustic, and most people at that time held the opinion that we already have enough instruments. However, accompany with the development of electricity and latter computer technology, electronic music has grown rapidly. Musical instruments are no longer bonded within the acoustic. Maybe in the future, we can even use the photon to make some music. 2. Do you think that existing orchestral instruments will be drastically altered in the future? I think some fine turning may occur on existing orchestral instruments but drastically change may not happen. With hundred years of development and perfection, orchestra has already formed its own system and process. Its requirement to musical instruments is almost fixed. Already some fine turning may be applied in order to achieve better acoustic effect, but the outer shape and essential component of these musical instruments won’t be changed since they have already be a symbol of orchestra. 3. Will the computer and other electronic instruments eventually replace acoustical instruments? Which do you prefer? Definitely not. Diversity is an essential part of music, if all the music is generated by electronic devices, it can be quite boring and people will suffer aesthetic fatigue. Personally, I prefer acoustical instruments, why, just personal taste. 4. Please open YouTube and listen to composition Desintegrations for 17 instruments and computer tape (1983) created by French composer Tristan Murail (1947-). Can you separate sound materials created by the acoustic instruments from the tape material? Are they often fused? Are they created to resemble each other? For those parts in which only one instrument occurred I can figure out the type, while for those with more than two, I can not. Yes, they often fused together, especially in modern music. Yes, they do resemble to each other otherwise the music won’t achieve harmonic sound effect.

Logistics department Essay

1. What interactions and discussion need to take place among the marketing, manufacturing, logistics, and finance departments? Explain the logistics department`s role in the introduction of the new product. The functional areas of marketing, logistics, manufacturing and finance should hold weekly sales and operations planning (S&OP) meetings to address the following: Identify firm planned orders which may be delayed to the customer. Notify key account managers and focused operations planning team(s) to expedite orders in jeopardy Address any resource constraints to meet firm planned orders for the current month and planned orders for the following three months (manufacturing capacity, labor) The focused operations planning team(s) which consists of production, procurement, manufacturing and master production scheduling (logistics) must meet daily to ensure the requirements identified in the S&OP meeting are carried out. Logistics ensures the following: – ensure that raw material inputs to peanuts arrive on time without freight damage – ensure that finished goods inventory from the manufacturing facility to the warehouse, distribution center and eventually the customer arrive on time- in full without freight damage – minimize transportation costs by utilizing full truck load (FTL shipments) and in certain instances, intermodal (rail) shipments for cross country transport 2. Why is it necessary for the logistics department to be cognizant of all the details (quality, timing) of the new product introduction? Discuss the issues that might arise (e.g. the drop in demand after the Final Four) and what responsibilities the logistics department would have as a result of these changes. This necessity comes out of the need to have the right quantity at the right time in the right place to meet customer demand. Without this close  coordination between timing and quantity, deliveries would be delayed, inventory carrying costs would increase and as a result profits would be negatively impacted. In situations where the demand drops after the Final Four, the production planning and scheduling aspect comes into play. By utilizing a master production schedule which is closely aligned with S&OP meetings, the master production scheduler can adjust the production amounts to meet decreasing demand. This ensures that product produced is delivered to the customer and does not sit in the warehouse of Pete’s. To summarize, the logistics department is responsible for reacting to market/demand changes to maintain profit margins for the business.

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 21. TRAILS

I HATED TO WASTE ANY PART OF THE NIGHT IN SLEEP, but that was inevitable. The sun was bright outside the window-wall when I woke, with small clouds scuttling too quickly across the sky. The wind rocked the treetops till the whole forest looked as if it was going to shake apart. He left me alone to get dressed, and I appreciated the chance to think. Somehow, my plan for last night had gone horribly awry, and I needed come to grips with the consequences. Though I'd given back the hand- me-down ring as soon as I could do it without hurting his feelings, my left hand felt heavier, like it was still in place, just invisible. This shouldn't bother me, I reasoned. It was no big thing – a road trip to Vegas. I would go one better than old jeans – I would wear old sweats. The ceremony certainly couldn't take very long; no more than fifteen minutes at the most, right? So I could handle that. And then, when it was over, he'd have to fulfill his side of the bargain. I would concentrate on that, and forget the rest. He said I didn't have to tell anyone, and I was planning to hold him to that. Of course, it was very stupid of me not to think of Alice. The Cullens got home around noon. There was a new, businesslike feel to the atmosphere around them, and it pulled me back into the enormity of what was coming. Alice seemed to be in an unusually bad mood. I chalked it up to her frustration with feeling normal, because her first words to Edward were a complaint about working with the wolves. â€Å"I think† – she made a face as she used the uncertain word – â€Å"that you're going to want to pack for cold weather, Edward. I can't see where you are exactly, because you're taking off with that dog this afternoon. But the storm that's coming seems particularly bad in that general area.† Edward nodded. â€Å"It's going to snow on the mountains,† she warned him. â€Å"Ew, snow,† I muttered to myself. It was June, for crying out loud. â€Å"Wear a jacket,† Alice told me. Her voice was unfriendly, and that surprised me. I tried to read her face, but she turned away. I looked at Edward, and he was smiling; whatever was bugging Alice amused him. Edward had more than enough camping gear to choose from – props in the human charade; the Cullens were good customers at the Newton's store. He grabbed a down sleeping bag, a small tent, and several packets of dehydrated food – grinning when I made a face at them – and stuffed them all in a backpack. Alice wandered into the garage while we were there, watching Edward's preparations without a word. He ignored her. When he was done packing, Edward handed me his phone. â€Å"Why don't you call Jacob and tell him we'll be ready for him in an hour or so. He knows where to meet us.† Jacob wasn't home, but Billy promised to call around until he could find an available werewolf to pass the news to. â€Å"Don't you worry about Charlie, Bella,† Billy said. â€Å"I've got my part of this under control.† â€Å"Yeah, I know Charlie'll be fine.† I didn't feel so confident about his son's safety, but I didn't add that. â€Å"I wish I could be with the rest of them tomorrow.† Billy chuckled regretfully. â€Å"Being an old man is a hardship, Bella.† The urge to fight must be a defining characteristic of the Y chromosome. They were all the same. â€Å"Have fun with Charlie.† â€Å"Good luck, Bella,† he answered. â€Å"And . . . pass that along to the, er, Cullens for me.† â€Å"I will,† I promised, surprised by the gesture. As I gave the phone back to Edward, I saw that he and Alice were having some kind of silent discussion. She was staring at him, pleading in her eyes. He was frowning back, unhappy with whatever she wanted. â€Å"Billy said to tell you ‘good luck.'† â€Å"That was generous of him,† Edward said, breaking away from her. â€Å"Bella, could I please speak to you alone?† Alice asked swiftly. â€Å"You're about to make my life harder than it needs to be, Alice,† Edward warned her through his teeth. â€Å"I'd really rather you didn't.† â€Å"This isn't about you, Edward,† she shot back. He laughed. Something about her response was funny to him. â€Å"It's not,† Alice insisted. â€Å"This is a female thing.† He frowned. â€Å"Let her talk to me,† I told him. I was curious. â€Å"You asked for it,† he muttered. He laughed again – half angry, half amused – and strode out of the garage. I turned to Alice, worried now, but she didn't look at me. Her bad mood hadn't passed yet. She went to sit on the hood of her Porsche, her face dejected. I followed, and leaned against the bumper beside her. â€Å"Bella?† Alice asked in a sad voice, shifting over and curling up against my side. Her voice sounded so miserable that I wrapped my arms around her shoulders in comfort. â€Å"What's wrong, Alice?† â€Å"Don't you love me?† she asked in that same sad tone. â€Å"Of course I do. You know that.† â€Å"Then why do I see you sneaking off to Vegas to get married without inviting me?† â€Å"Oh,† I muttered, my cheeks turning pink. I could see that I had seriously hurt her feelings, and I hurried to defend myself. â€Å"You know how I hate to make a big deal out of things. It was Edward's idea, anyway.† â€Å"I don't care whose idea it was. How could you do this to me? I expect that kind of thing from Edward, but not from you. I love you like you were my own sister.† â€Å"To me, Alice, you are my sister.† â€Å"Words!† she growled. â€Å"Fine, you can come. There won't be much to see.† She was still grimacing. â€Å"What?† I demanded. â€Å"How much do you love me, Bella?† â€Å"Why?† She stared at me with pleading eyes, her long black eyebrows slanting up in the middle and pulling together, her lips trembling at the corners. It was a heart-breaking expression. â€Å"Please, please, please,† she whispered. â€Å"Please, Bella, please – if you really love me . . . Please let me do your wedding.† â€Å"Aw, Alice!† I groaned, pulling away and standing up. â€Å"No! Don't do this to me.† â€Å"If you really, truly love me, Bella.† I folded my arms across my chest. â€Å"That is so unfair. And Edward kind of already used that one on me.† â€Å"I'll bet Edward would like it better if you did this traditionally, though he'd never tell you that. And Esme – think what it would mean to her!† I groaned. â€Å"I'd rather face the newborns alone.† â€Å"I'll owe you for a decade.† â€Å"You'd owe me for a century!† Her eyes glowed. â€Å"Is that a yes?† â€Å"No! I don't want to do this!† â€Å"You won't have to do anything but walk a few yards and then repeat after the minister.† â€Å"Ugh! Ugh, ugh!† â€Å"Please?† She started bouncing in place. â€Å"Please, please, please, please, please?† â€Å"I'll never, never ever forgive you for this, Alice.† â€Å"Yay!† she squealed, clapping her hands together. â€Å"That's not a yes!† â€Å"But it will be,† she sang. â€Å"Edward!† I yelled, stalking out of the garage. â€Å"I know you're listening. Get over here.† Alice was right behind me, still clapping. â€Å"Thanks so much, Alice,† Edward said acidly, coming from behind me. I turned to let him have it, but his expression was so worried and upset that I couldn't speak my complaints. I threw my arms around him instead, hiding my face, just in case the angry moisture in my eyes made it look like I was crying. â€Å"Vegas,† Edward promised in my ear. â€Å"Not a chance,† Alice gloated. â€Å"Bella would never do that to me. You know, Edward, as a brother, you are sometimes a disappointment.† â€Å"Don't be mean,† I grumbled at her. â€Å"He's trying to make me happy, unlike you.† â€Å"I'm trying to make you happy, too, Bella. It's just that I know better what will make you happy . . . in the long run. You'll thank me for this. Maybe not for fifty years, but definitely someday.† â€Å"I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be willing to take a bet against you, Alice, but it has arrived.† She laughed her silvery laugh. â€Å"So, are you going to show me the ring?† I grimaced in horror as she grabbed my left hand and then dropped it just as quickly. â€Å"Huh. I saw him put it on you. . . . Did I miss something?† she asked. She concentrated for half a second, furrowing her brow, before she answered her own questions. â€Å"No. Wedding's still on.† â€Å"Bella has issues with jewelry,† Edward explained. â€Å"What's one more diamond? Well, I guess the ring has lots of diamonds, but my point is that he's already got one on -â€Å" â€Å"Enough, Alice!† Edward cut her off suddenly. The way he glared at her . . . he looked like a vampire again. â€Å"We're in a hurry.† â€Å"I don't understand. What's that about diamonds?† I asked. â€Å"We'll talk about it later,† Alice said. â€Å"Edward is right – you'd better get going. You've got to set a trap and make camp before the storm comes.† She frowned, and her expression was anxious, almost nervous. â€Å"Don't forget your coat, Bella. It seems . . . unseasonably cold.† â€Å"I've already got it,† Edward assured her. â€Å"Have a nice night,† she told us in farewell. It was twice as far to the clearing as usual; Edward took a long detour, making sure my scent would be nowhere near the trail Jacob would hide later. He carried me in his arms, the bulky backpack in my usual spot. He stopped at the farthest end of the clearing and set me on my feet. â€Å"All right. Just walk north for a ways, touching as much as you can. Alice gave me a clear picture of their path, and it won't take long for us to intersect it.† â€Å"North?† He smiled and pointed out the right direction. I wandered into the woods, leaving the clear yellow light of the strangely sunny day in the clearing behind me. Maybe Alice's blurred sight would be wrong about the snow. I hoped so. The sky was mostly clear, though the wind whipped furiously through the open spaces. In the trees it was calmer, but much too cold for June – even in a long-sleeved shirt with a thick sweater over the top, there were goose bumps on my arms. I walked slowly, trailingmy fingers over anything close enough: the rough tree bark, the wet ferns, the moss- covered rocks. Edward stayed with me, walking a parallel line about twenty yards away. â€Å"Am I doing this right?† I called. â€Å"Perfectly.† I had an idea. â€Å"Will this help?† I asked as I ran my fingers through my hair and caught a few loose strands. I draped them over the ferns. â€Å"Yes, that does make the trail stronger. But you don't need to pull your hair out, Bella. It will be fine.† â€Å"I've got a few extras I can spare.† It was gloomy under the trees, and I wished I could walk closer to Edward and hold his hand. I wedged another hair into a broken branch that cut through my path. â€Å"You don't need to let Alice have her way, you know,† Edward said. â€Å"Don't worry about it, Edward. I'm not going to leave you at the altar, regardless.† I had a sinking feeling that Alice was going to get her way, mostly because she was totally unscrupulous when there was something she wanted, and also because I was a sucker for guilt trips. â€Å"That's not what I'm worried about. I want this to be what you want it to be.† I repressed a sigh. It would hurt his feelings if I told the truth – that it didn't really matter, because it was all just varying degrees of awful anyway. â€Å"Well, even if she does get her way, we can keep it small. Just us. Emmett can get a clerical license off the Internet.† I giggled. â€Å"That does sound better.† It wouldn't feel very official if Emmett read the vows, which was a plus. But I'd have a hard time keeping a straight face. â€Å"See,† he said with a smile. â€Å"There's always a compromise.† It took a while for me to reach the spot where the newborn army would be certain to cross my trail, but Edward never got impatient with my pace. He had to lead a bit more on the way back, to keep me on the same path. It all looked alike to me. We were almost to the clearing when I fell. I could see the wide opening ahead, and that's probably why I got too eager and forgot to watch my feet. I caught myself before my head bashed into the nearest tree, but a small branch snapped off under my left hand and gouged into my palm. â€Å"Ouch! Oh, fabulous,† I muttered. â€Å"Are you all right?† â€Å"I'm fine. Stay where you are. I'm bleeding. It will stop in a minute.† He ignored me. He was right there before I could finish. â€Å"I've got a first aid kit,† he said, pulling off the backpack. â€Å"I had a feeling I might need it.† â€Å"It's not bad. I can take care of it – you don't have to make yourself uncomfortable.† â€Å"I'm not uncomfortable,† he said calmly. â€Å"Here – let me clean it.† â€Å"Wait a second, I just got another idea.† Without looking at the blood and breathing through my mouth, just in case my stomach might react, I pressed my hand against a rock within my reach. â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"Jasper will love this,† I muttered to myself. I started for the clearing again, pressing my palm against everything in my path. â€Å"I'll bet this really gets them going.† Edward sighed. â€Å"Hold your breath,† I told him. â€Å"I'm fine. I just think you're going overboard.† â€Å"This is all I get to do. I want to do a good job.† We broke through the last of the trees as I spoke. I let my injured hand graze across the ferns. â€Å"Well, you have,† Edward assured me. â€Å"The newborns will be frantic, and Jasper will be very impressed with your dedication. Now let me treat your hand – you've gotten the cut dirty.† â€Å"Let me do it, please.† He took my hand and smiled as he examined it. â€Å"This doesn't bother me anymore.† I watched him carefully as he cleaned the gash, looking for some sign of distress. He continued to breathe evenly in and out, the same small smile on his lips. â€Å"Why not?† I finally asked as he smoothed a bandage across my palm. He shrugged. â€Å"I got over it.† â€Å"You . . . got over it? When? How?† I tried to remember the last time he'd held his breath around me. All I could think of was my wretched birthday party last September. Edward pursed his lips, seeming to search for the words. â€Å"I lived through an entire twenty-four hours thinking that you were dead, Bella. That changed the way I look at a lot of things.† â€Å"Did it change the way I smell to you?† â€Å"Not at all. But . . . having experienced the way it feels to think I've lost you . . . my reactions have changed. My entire being shies away from any course that could inspire that kind of pain again.† I didn't know what to say to that. He smiled at my expression. â€Å"I guess that you could call it a very educational experience.† The wind tore through the clearing then, lashing my hair around my face and making me shiver. â€Å"All right,† he said, reaching into his pack again. â€Å"You've done your part.† He pulled out my heavy winter jacket and held it out for me to slide my arms in. â€Å"Now it's out of our hands. Let's go camping!† I laughed at the mock enthusiasm in his voice. He took my bandaged hand – the other was in worse shape, still in the brace – and started toward the other side of the clearing. â€Å"Where are we meeting Jacob?† I asked. â€Å"Right here.† He gestured to the trees in front of us just as Jacob stepped warily from their shadows. It shouldn't have surprised me to see him human. I wasn't sure why I'd been looking for the big red- brown wolf. Jacob seemed bigger again – no doubt a product of my expectations; I must have unconsciously been hoping to see the smaller Jacob from my memory, the easygoing friend who hadn't made everything so difficult. He had his arms folded across his bare chest, a jacket clutched in one fist. His face was expressionless as he watched us. Edward's lips pulled down at the corners. â€Å"There had to have been a better way to do this.† â€Å"Too late now,† I muttered glumly. He sighed. â€Å"Hey, Jake,† I greeted him when we got closer. â€Å"Hi, Bella.† â€Å"Hello, Jacob,† Edward said. Jacob ignored the pleasantry, all business. â€Å"Where do I take her?† Edward pulled a map from a side pocket on the pack and offered it to him. Jacob unfolded it. â€Å"We're here now,† Edward said, reaching over to touch the right spot. Jacob recoiled from his hand automatically, and then steadied himself. Edward pretended not to notice. â€Å"And you're taking her up here,† Edward continued, tracing a serpentine pattern around the elevation lines on the paper. â€Å"Roughly nine miles.† Jacob nodded once. â€Å"When you're about a mile away, you should cross my path. That will lead you in. Do you need the map?† â€Å"No, thanks. I know this area pretty well. I think I know where I'm going.† Jacob seemed to have to work harder than Edward to keep the tone polite. â€Å"I'll take a longer route,† Edward said. â€Å"And I'll see you in a few hours.† Edward stared at me unhappily. He didn't like this part of the plan. â€Å"See you,† I murmured. Edward faded into the trees, heading in the opposite direction. As soon as he was gone, Jacob turned cheerful. â€Å"What's up, Bella?† he asked with a big grin. I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Same old, same old.† â€Å"Yeah,† he agreed. â€Å"Bunch of vampires trying to kill you. The usual.† â€Å"The usual.† â€Å"Well,† he said as he shrugged into his jacket to free his arms. â€Å"Let's get going.† Making a face, I took a small step closer to him. He bent down and swept his arm behind my knees, knocking them out from under me. His other arm caught me before my head hit the ground. â€Å"Jerk,† I muttered. Jacob chuckled, already running through the trees. He kept a steady pace, a brisk jog that a fit human could keep up with . . . across a level plane . . . if they weren't burdened with a hundred-plus pounds as he was. â€Å"You don't have to run. You'll get tired.† â€Å"Running doesn't make me tired,† he said. His breathing was even – like the fixed tempo of a marathoner. â€Å"Besides, it will be colder soon. I hope he gets the camp set up before we get there.† I tapped my finger against the thick padding of his parka. â€Å"I thought you didn't get cold now.† â€Å"I don't. I brought this for you, just in case you weren't prepared.† He looked at my jacket, almost as if he were disappointed that I was. â€Å"I don't like the way the weather feels. It's making me edgy. Notice how we haven't seen any animals?† â€Å"Um, not really.† â€Å"I guess you wouldn't. Your senses are too dull.† I let that pass. â€Å"Alice was worried about the storm, too.† â€Å"It takes a lot to silence the forest this way. You picked a hell of a night for a camping trip.† â€Å"It wasn't entirely my idea.† The pathless way he took began to climb more and more steeply, but it didn't slow him down. He leapt easily from rock to rock, not seeming to need his hands at all. His perfect balance reminded me of a mountain goat. â€Å"What's with the addition to your bracelet?† he asked. I looked down, and realized that the crystal heart was facing up on my wrist. I shrugged guiltily. â€Å"Another graduation present.† He snorted. â€Å"A rock. Figures.† A rock? I was suddenly reminded of Alice's unfinished sentence outside the garage. I stared at the bright white crystal and tried to remember what Alice had been saying before . . . about diamonds. Could she have been trying to say he's already got one on you? As in, I was already wearing one diamond from Edward? No, that was impossible. The heart would have to be five carats or something crazy like that! Edward wouldn't – â€Å"So it's been a while since you came down to La Push,† Jacob said, interrupting my disturbing conjectures. â€Å"I've been busy,† I told him. â€Å"And . . . I probably wouldn't have visited, anyway.† He grimaced. â€Å"I thought you were supposed to be the forgiving one, and I was the grudge-holder.† I shrugged. â€Å"Been thinking about that last time a lot, have you?† â€Å"Nope.† He laughed. â€Å"Either you're lying, or you are the stubbornest person alive.† â€Å"I don't know about the second part, but I'm not lying.† I didn't like having this conversation under the present conditions – with his too-warm arms wrapped tightly around me and nothing at all I could do about it. His face was closer than I wanted it to be. I wished I could take a step back. â€Å"A smart person looks at all sides of a decision.† â€Å"I have,† I retorted. â€Å"If you haven't thought at all about our . . . er, conversation the last time you came over, then that's not true.† â€Å"That conversation isn't relevant to my decision.† â€Å"Some people will go to any lengths to delude themselves.† â€Å"I've noticed that werewolves in particular are prone to that mistake – do you think it's a genetic thing?† â€Å"Does that mean that he's a better kisser that I am?† Jacob asked, suddenly glum. â€Å"I really couldn't say, Jake. Edward is the only person I've ever kissed.† â€Å"Besides me.† â€Å"But I don't count that as a kiss, Jacob. I think of it more as an assault.† â€Å"Ouch! That's cold.† I shrugged. I wasn't going to take it back. â€Å"I did apologize about that,† he reminded me. â€Å"And I forgave you . . . mostly. It doesn't change the way I remember it.† He muttered something unintelligible. It was quiet then for a while; there was just the sound of his measured breathing and the wind roaring high above us in the treetops. A cliff face rose sheer beside us, bare, rough gray stone. We followed the base as it curved upward out of the forest. â€Å"I still think it's pretty irresponsible,† Jacob suddenly said. â€Å"Whatever you're talking about, you're wrong.† â€Å"Think about it, Bella. According to you, you've kissed just one person – who isn't even really a person – in your whole life, and you're calling it quits? How do you know that's what you want? Shouldn't you play the field a little?† I kept my voice cool. â€Å"I know exactly what I want.† â€Å"Then it couldn't hurt to double check. Maybe you should try kissing someone else – just for comparison's sake . . . since what happened the other day doesn't count. You could kiss me, for example. I don't mind if you want to use me to experiment.† He pulled me tighter against his chest, so that my face was closer to his. He was smiling at his joke, but I wasn't taking any chances. â€Å"Don't mess with me, Jake. I swear I won't stop him if he wants to break your jaw.† The panicky edge to my voice made him smile wider. â€Å"If you ask me to kiss you, he won't have any reason to get upset. He said that was fine.† â€Å"Don't hold your breath, Jake – no, wait, I changed my mind. Go right ahead. Just hold your breath until I ask you to kiss me.† â€Å"You're in a bad mood today.† â€Å"I wonder why?† â€Å"Sometimes I think you like me better as a wolf.† â€Å"Sometimes I do. It probably has something to do with the way you can't talk.† He pursed his broad lips thoughtfully. â€Å"No, I don't think that's it. I think it's easier for you to be near me when I'm not human, because you don't have to pretend that you're not attracted to me.† My mouth fell open with a little popping sound. I snapped it shut at once, grinding my teeth together. He heard that. His lips pulled tightly across his face in a triumphant smile. I took a slow breath before I spoke. â€Å"No. I'm pretty sure it's because you can't talk.† He sighed. â€Å"Do you ever get tired of lying to yourself? You have to know how aware you are of me. Physically, I mean.† â€Å"How could anyone not be aware of you physically, Jacob?† I demanded. â€Å"You're an enormous monster who refuses to respect anyone else's personal space.† â€Å"I make you nervous. But only when I'm human. When I'm a wolf, you're more comfortable around me.† â€Å"Nervousness and irritation are not the same thing.† He stared at me for a minute, slowing to a walk, the amusement draining from his face. His eyes narrowed, turned black in the shadow of his brows. His breathing, so regular as he ran, started to accelerate. Slowly, he leaned his face closer to mine. I stared him down, knowing exactly what he was trying to do. â€Å"It's your face,† I reminded him. He laughed loudly and started jogging again. â€Å"I don't really want to fight with your vampire tonight – I mean, any other night, sure. But we both have a job to do tomorrow, and I wouldn't want to leave the Cullens one short.† The sudden, unexpected swell of shame distorted my expression. â€Å"I know, I know,† he responded, not understanding. â€Å"You think he could take me.† I couldn't speak. I was leaving them one short. What if someone got hurt because I was so weak? But what if I was brave and Edward . . . I couldn't even think it. â€Å"What's the matter with you, Bella?† The joking bravado vanished from his face, revealing my Jacob underneath, like pulling a mask away. â€Å"If something I said upset you, you know I was only kidding. I didn't mean anything – hey, are you okay? Don't cry, Bella,† he pled. I tried to pull myself together. â€Å"I'm not going to cry.† â€Å"What did I say?† â€Å"It's nothing you said. It's just, well, it's me. I did something . . . bad.† He stared at me, his eyes wide with confusion. â€Å"Edward isn't going to fight tomorrow,† I whispered the explanation. â€Å"I'm making him stay with me. I am a huge coward.† He frowned. â€Å"You think this isn't going to work? That they'll find you here? Do you know something I don't know?† â€Å"No, no. I'm not afraid of that. I just . . . I can't let him go. If he didn't come back . . .† I shuddered, closing my eyes to escape the thought. Jacob was quiet. I kept whispering, my eyes shut. â€Å"If anyone gets hurt, it will always be my fault. And even if no one does . . . I was horrible. I had to be, to convince him to stay with me. He won't hold it against me, but I'll always know what I'm capable of.† I felt just a tiny bit better, getting this off my chest. Even if I could only confess it to Jacob. He snorted. My eyes opened slowly, and I was sad to see that the hard mask was back. â€Å"I can't believe he let you talk him out of going. I wouldn't miss this for anything.† I sighed. â€Å"I know.† â€Å"That doesn't mean anything, though.† He was suddenly backtracking. â€Å"That doesn't mean that he loves you more than I do.† â€Å"But you wouldn't stay with me, even if I begged.† He pursed his lips for a moment, and I wondered if he would try to deny it. We both knew the truth. â€Å"That's only because I know you better,† he said at last. â€Å"Everything's going to go without a hitch. Even if you'd asked and I'd said no, you wouldn't be mad at me afterwards.† â€Å"If everything does go without a hitch, you're probably right. I wouldn't be mad. But the whole time you're gone, I'll be sick with worry, Jake. Crazy with it.† â€Å"Why?† he asked gruffly. â€Å"Why does it matter to you if something happens to me?† â€Å"Don't say that. You know how much you mean to me. I'm sorry it's not in the way you want, but that's just how it is. You're my best friend. At least, you used to be. And still sometimes are . . . when you let your guard down.† He smiled the old smile that I loved. â€Å"I'm always that,† he promised. â€Å"Even when I don't . . . behave as well as I should. Underneath, I'm always in here.† â€Å"I know. Why else would I put up with all of your crap?† He laughed with me, and then his eyes were sad. â€Å"When are you finally going to figure out that you're in love with me, too?† â€Å"Leave it to you to ruin the moment.† â€Å"I'm not saying you don't love him. I'm not stupid. But it's possible to love more than one person at a time, Bella. I've seen it in action.† â€Å"I'm not some freaky werewolf, Jacob.† He wrinkled his nose, and I was about to apologize for that last jab, but he changed the subject. â€Å"We're not far now, I can smell him.† I sighed in relief. He misinterpreted my meaning. â€Å"I'd happily slow down, Bella, but you're going to want to be under shelter before that hits.† We both looked up at the sky. A solid wall of purple-black cloud was racing in from the west, blackening the forest beneath it as it came. â€Å"Wow,† I muttered. â€Å"You'd better hurry, Jake. You'll want to get home before it gets here.† â€Å"I'm not going home.† I glared at him, exasperated. â€Å"You're not camping with us.† â€Å"Not technically – as in, sharing your tent or anything. I prefer the storm to the smell. But I'm sure your bloodsucker will want to keep in touch with the pack for coordination purposes, and so I will graciously provide that service.† â€Å"I thought that was Seth's job.† â€Å"He'll take over tomorrow, during the fight.† The reminder silenced me for a second. I stared at him, worry springing up again with sudden fierceness. â€Å"I don't suppose there's any way you'd just stay since you're already here?† I suggested. â€Å"If I did beg? Or trade back the lifetime of servitude or something?† â€Å"Tempting, but no. Then again, the begging might be interesting to see. You can give it a go if you like.† â€Å"There's really nothing, nothing at all I can say?† â€Å"Nope. Not unless you can promise me a better fight. Anyway, Sam's calling the shots, not me.† That reminded me. â€Å"Edward told me something the other day . . . about you.† He bristled. â€Å"It's probably a lie.† â€Å"Oh, really? You aren't second in command of the pack, then?† He blinked, his face going blank with surprise. â€Å"Oh. That.† â€Å"How come you never told me that?† â€Å"Why would I? It's no big thing.† â€Å"I don't know. Why not? It's interesting. So, how does that work? How did Sam end up as the Alpha, and you as the . . . the Beta?† Jacob chuckled at my invented term. â€Å"Sam was the first, the oldest. It made sense for him to take charge.† I frowned. â€Å"But shouldn't Jared or Paul be second, then? They were the next to change.† â€Å"Well . . . it's hard to explain,† Jacob said evasively. â€Å"Try.† He sighed. â€Å"It's more about the lineage, you know? Sort of old-fashioned. Why should it matter who your grandpa was, right?† I remembered something Jacob had told me a long time ago, before either of us had known anything about werewolves. â€Å"Didn't you say that Ephraim Black was the last chief the Quileutes had?† â€Å"Yeah, that's right. Because he was the Alpha. Did you know that, technically, Sam's the chief of the whole tribe now?† He laughed. â€Å"Crazy traditions.† I thought about that for a second, trying to make all the pieces fit. â€Å"But you also said that people listened to your dad more than anyone else on the council, because he was Ephraim's grandson?† â€Å"What about it?† â€Å"Well, if it's about the lineage . . . shouldn't you be the chief, then?† Jacob didn't answer me. He stared into the darkening forest, as if he suddenly needed to concentrate on where he was going. â€Å"Jake?† â€Å"No. That's Sam's job.† He kept his eyes on our pathless course. â€Å"Why? His great-granddad was Levi Uley, right? Was Levi an Alpha, too?† â€Å"There's only one Alpha,† he answered automatically. â€Å"So what was Levi?† â€Å"Sort of a Beta, I guess.† He snorted at my term. â€Å"Like me.† â€Å"That doesn't make sense.† â€Å"It doesn't matter.† â€Å"I just want to understand.† Jacob finally met my confused gaze, and then sighed. â€Å"Yeah. I was supposed to be the Alpha.† My eyebrows pulled together. â€Å"Sam didn't want to step down?† â€Å"Hardly. I didn't want to step up.† â€Å"Why not?† He frowned, uncomfortable with my questions. Well, it was his turn to feel uncomfortable. â€Å"I didn't want any of it, Bella. I didn't want anything to change. I didn't want to be some legendary chief. I didn't want to be part of a pack of werewolves, let alone their leader. I wouldn't take it when Sam offered.† I thought about this for a long moment. Jacob didn't interrupt. He stared into the forest again. â€Å"But I thought you were happier. That you were okay with this,† I finally whispered. Jacob smiled down at me reassuringly. â€Å"Yeah. It's really not so bad. Exciting sometimes, like with this thing tomorrow. But at first it sort of felt like being drafted into a war you didn't know existed. There was no choice, you know? And it was so final.† He shrugged. â€Å"Anyway, I guess I'm glad now. It has to be done, and could I trust someone else to get it right? It's better to make sure myself.† I stared at him, feeling an unexpected kind of awe for my friend. He was more of a grown-up than I'd ever given him credit for. Like with Billy the other night at the bonfire, there was a majesty here that I'd never suspected. â€Å"Chief Jacob,† I whispered, smiling at the way the words sounded together. He rolled his eyes. Just then, the wind shook more fiercely through the trees around us, and it felt like it was blowing straight off a glacier. The sharp sound of wood cracking echoed off the mountain. Though the light was vanishing as the grisly cloud covered the sky, I could still see the little white specks that fluttered past us. Jacob stepped up the pace, keeping his eyes on the ground now as he flat out sprinted. I curled more willingly against his chest, recoiling from the unwelcome snow. It was only minutes later that he dashed around to the lee side of the stony peak and we could see the little tent nestled up against the sheltering face. More flurries were falling around us, but the wind was too fierce to let them settle anywhere. â€Å"Bella!† Edward called out in acute relief. We'd caught him in the middle of pacing back and forth across the little open space. He flashed to my side, sort of blurring as he moved so swiftly. Jacob cringed, and then set me on my feet. Edward ignored his reaction and caught me in a tight hug. â€Å"Thank you,† Edward said over my head. His tone was unmistakably sincere. â€Å"That was quicker than I expected, and I truly appreciate it.† I twisted to see Jacob's response. Jacob merely shrugged, all the friendliness wiped clean from his face. â€Å"Get her inside. This is going to be bad – my hair's standing up on my scalp. Is that tent secure?† â€Å"I all but welded it to the rock.† â€Å"Good.† Jacob looked up at the sky – now black with the storm, sprinkled with the swirling bits of snow. His nostrils flared. â€Å"I'm going to change,† he said. â€Å"I want to know what's going on back home.† He hung his jacket on a low, stubby branch, and walked into the murky forest without a backward glance.