Managing Waste Essays - Waste Management, Water Conservation

Managing Waste Managing Waste, To Save Our World Have you checked your garbage lately? Are you aware that you are throwing away many materials that could be saved? If we did simple things like reusing glass, we could reduce our municipal landfill sites by almost 10%. Waste cannot be simply thrown away anymore, now it must be managed. Managing our trash is the "in thing", yet it is hardly convenient. Lets face the facts, sealed toxins "won't affect us for a good twenty years". Although this may be true, there are still many advantages to waste management. Today, more people are in favour of companies who invest in "green products". As a result, companies have removed phosphates, bleaches, and have made their paper products out of recycled papers. At home, families, are saving things, like leftovers, and making sandwiches for the next day. Industries are also manufacturing most of their christmas cards out of recycled paper, since it takes 20 trees to make a ton of it. Finally, small businesses are d oing christmas tree pickups, and reuse them for preventing erosion in stream beds, and as fertilizer. Compared to several years ago, people have begun to see that there is a problem. We are beginning to deal with it, now we must solve it. Sarah White Andrew Likakis

6 Reasons to Read Before Class

6 Reasons to Read Before Class Everyones college and grad school experience is a little different, but the one thing all have in common is reading. You already know that college entails a lot of reading. Guess what? Grad school is way worse.  Expect your reading load to triple, at least, in graduate school. With such a huge set of reading assignments, you might be tempted to fall behind and not read before class. Here are six reasons why you should avoid temptation and read ahead of the class. Make the Most of the Class Time Class time is valuable. Be sure that you can follow along. When you read ahead of time, you are more likely to understand the organization of the lecture. Youll be better able to figure out whats important and what isnt (and thereby take effective notes). Understand the Topic and What You Don't Understand If everything that you hear in class is new, how will you determine what you understand and whether you have questions? If you have read beforehand you can focus your attention on filling gaps in your understanding by paying more attention during some parts of the lecture and by asking questions. Participate Most classes require at least some participation. Be ready to answer questions and to discuss the topic. Its easy to participate when you know the topic. Reading beforehand helps you to understand the material and gives you time to consider your perspective and opinions. Dont get caught unprepared. Professors opinions matter - do not get caught faking it. Show Off Reading before class lets you show that youve read, that you care, and that you are intelligent. Youll be able to ask good questions and participate in a way that demonstrates preparation, interest, and mastery of the material. These are all positive marks in profs views. Participate in Group Work Many classes require group work, often in class. If you have read, you are ready and likely will not mooch off of your classmates, or benefit from their hard work. In turn, if you have read you can tell when the group is taking a wrong turn. Contrary to some stereotypes, effective group work requires preparation. Show Respect Reading ahead of time shows respect for the instructor and interest in the class. While instructors feelings should not be the primary motivator of your behavior, relationships with faculty are important and this is one easy way to get your relationship with your professor off to a good start. Think ahead- faculty are often important resources for advice, recommendation letters, and opportunities. Many students find reading tiresome, a great deal of work. Try employing reading strategies such as the SQ3R method.

An Evaluation of Financial Accounting & Reporting Essay

An Evaluation of Financial Accounting & Reporting - Essay Example In 2005, 80% companies in Japan and 71% of UK companies have reported about CSR, which can be described as highest reporting in this area. Between 2002 and 2005, South Africa reported about 17% increase in reporting and this is considered to be a remarkable increase. KPMG research report published in 2005 also demonstrated a significant change in the nature of reporting, and it modified from chiefly environmental reporting until 1999 to sustainability (environmental, economic and social ) reporting of late. (Nehme& Wee 2008:135). CSR is not a new concept. It has been in existence in many parts of the world including Australia since from the nineteenth century. For instance, US Steel is continuously reporting on CSR issues regularly from the twentieth century onwards. Further, as early as 1850, Levi Strauss & Co has stated in its annual reports that it committed to offering a quality product, a best community service and good working atmosphere for its employees. (Nehme& Wee 2008:143). Socially responsible companies offers olive branch or positive signals to all of its stakeholders and distinguish themselves from their rivals , thereby augmenting both of their short and long-term gains; Philanthropic and ethical considerations- companies have general obligations to the societies they operate from. Under â€Å" noblesse oblige† which connotes the obligation of nobility , the notion that a company as an entity is far more vigorous than any single individual and hence assumes larger obligations toward society. (Nehme& Wee 2008:135). A company has to look into not only its financial bottom line but also to give due importance to their environmental and social performance. (Figge and Hahn 2001). The GRI states that ‘the triple bottom line of environmental, economic and social performance is to be dealt in a sustainability report. (Schaltegger, Bennett and Burritt 2006: 584). A research study namely â€Å"International Survey of Corporate Sustainability

MBA or Ms in Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MBA or Ms in Management - Essay Example I have also previously attended various speeches and seminars in the field of finance and economics. I have previously held the position of a human resource specialist in the group I was working with while undertaking my bachelor’s degree. The experience gave me the opportunity of understanding the real world and how it works while equipping me with clear visions concerning my future. Since graduating, I have worked in a financial group known as the Alrajhi Bank, Saudi Arabia as their recruitment officer. Five years after earning the degree, I anticipate that I will a human resource manager with a financial organization or a general manager at Alrajhi Bank. I would like to get another job at another, larger organization to increase my experience and expand my knowledge. 2. Give A Candid Appraisal Of Yourself. Include Some Discussion Of Your Strengths And Weaknesses While I was studying to obtain a bachelor’s degree in the field of business administration, I worked as a part time human resources specialist in a group consisting of 350 employees. I have also expanded my skills in the field by attending seminars and speeches concerning finance and economics. ... My strengths include the fact that I have a bachelor’s degree in business administration and vital working experiences as a specialist in human resources and recruitment of job applicants. I also have attained diverse forms of knowledge in the course of my studies that will make an asset for any organization I work for. However, I have a weakness – I do not have enough time to adequately satisfy my career desires and responsibilities. 3. Discuss Three Of Your Achievements Or Accomplishments. First of all, I have been able to successfully work part time as a specialist in human resources for an organization that was comprised of over 350 employees. I was able to achieve this while attending classes for my bachelor’s degree in business administration and completing the course successfully. This was very challenging for me, because I had to schedule the limited time that was available for the both tasks while ensuring I achieved success in both of them. Secondly, af ter graduating with my bachelor’s degree in business administration, I was able to secure a job with the Alrajhi Bank in Saudi Arabia, which is one of the country’s financial groupings. I worked in the company as a recruitment officer and have additionally developed competence in the interviewing and advertising for jobs among applicants in the process. Lastly, I have been able to remain competent by acquiring vast knowledge in the fields of business administration, finance, and economics through the process of attending classes, speeches, and seminars. All these events were located in places and were also addressed by different prominent people in the business world who had different ideas and vast experiences in the field. 4.

Organisational Behaviour Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Organisational Behaviour - Assignment Example pre-entry and post-entry individual-level criteria. This paper contains information collected from a series of published articles, presentations from different conferences, working papers and dissertation projects. Unpublished works and in-press research works are also a part of data collection for this paper. Strengths The meta-analysis is conducted after considering a large collection of resources and keeping aside certain aspects of the variables as exclusions. One can find noteworthy heterogeneity in the process of conceptualizing and measuring the fit. This comes from a thorough understanding of the fit’s impact on individual level outcomes. In the later part of this paper, an underlying principle, drawn from the existing theories, has been provided for the conceptual and methodological issues. It is expected that these issues would moderate the relationships between fit-outcome. The meta analyses, the criteria and moderator analyses for the four kinds of fit are represen ted in a well structured tabular form. This makes it easy to study the outcomes and make a comparison among the results. Weaknesses This paper is a qualitative review of literature existing on person-interaction fit. However, the relationships cannot be flawlessly captured by running polynomial regression. Besides, in metadata analysis measurement errors remain due to lack of reliability of measurement of fits. The paper does not contain any first hand data or primary research. Nor does it contain any raw data collected and analyzed. It is rather a survey of literatures and quantification of the information gathered. Above all methodological flaws do exist in the studies considered. For instance, the reliabilities for the variables were not reported and not corrected for measurement error. Again, polynomial regression does not support fit analysis at times. Practically no research has been conducted on validation of multidimensional approaches. Suggestions for improvement Criteria l eading to the results of the meta analysis are found to have been predicted by the different sorts of relationships in person-environment interaction. These relationships are subject to change with continuous flow of modernization. Thus these relationships would not adhere to the symmetrical notions of good fit. Hence this research can be revisited after exploring the individuals’ cognitive schemas. More attention could be focused on other dimensions of fit which are unexplored. This could include the different types of PG and PS fit along with the types of PO fit. The idea of taking fit as a dependent variable also needs to be reconsidered. Knowledge sharing, organizational climate, and innovative behavior: cross-level analysis of effects Yu, Yu and Yu (2013) have presented their paper titled â€Å"Knowledge sharing, organizational climate, and innovative behavior: cross-level analysis of effects† with the purpose of investigating behavior of employees, interaction am ong the employees and their level of knowledge and the climate of innovation in the organization. Primary research has been conducted for the methodology of research. Through the study, it has been discovered that there is a positive a positive relationship between the climate of organizational behavior and innovative behavior. There were two levels of instrument for the collection

Impact of e-commerce

Impact of e-commerce E-commerce is the process of managing online financial transactions by individuals and companies. This includes business-to-business (B2B), business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-government (B2G) transactions. The focus of e-commerce is on the systems and procedures whereby financial documents and information of all types are exchanged. This includes online credit card transactions, e-cash, e-billing, e-cheques, electronic invoices, purchase order and financial statements. E-commerce is particularly concerned with the technologies that enable EDI-type functionality on the Internet. To be done an internationally agreed working definition of e-commerce it was accepted the need for three dimensions to be spelt out as part of the definition process. These dimensions relate to the: Networks over which the relevant activities are carried out; Processes that ought to be included within the general domain of electronic commerce; and Actors involved in the transactions. Networks are specified through broad and narrow definitions. The broad definition considers an electronic transaction to be the sale or purchase of goods or services, whether between businesses, households, individuals, Governments, and other public or private organizations, conducted over computer mediated networks. The goods and services are ordered over those networks, but the payment and the ultimate delivery of the good or service may be conducted on- or offline. The narrow definition considers an Internet transaction to be the sale or purchase of goods or services, whether between businesses, households, individuals, Governments, and other public or private organizations, conducted over the Internet. The goods and services are ordered over the Internet, but the payment and the ultimate delivery of the good or service may be conducted on-or offline. Concerning the processes that ought to be included many countries want to restrict the definition to the purchasing and selling aspect incorporated in the above definitions, many others want to include other types of business processes, such as marketing and advertising. Developing countries will also favour a definition that includes business activities that go beyond purchasing and selling, given the restrictions that some of those countries face in conducting online payments. E-commerce is often described as being one of three varieties business-to-business (B2B), business-to-consumer (B2C) or business-to-government (B2G). Much of the interest and the literature has focused on B2B and B2C electronic commerce and most of the statistical indicators have also been in respect of these two forms. About 80 per cent of the total value of electronic commerce in the world today are accounted for by B2B e-commerce. It provides also the greatest potential benefits in terms of productivity gains. B2C e-commerce has the potential to substantially affect the way in which people live and interact with each other and is therefore a key aspect for statistical measurement. Only a small number of countries have so far undertaken much work with respect to the measurement of B2G e-commerce. E-commerce today is very much a business-to business affair. Enterprises in developing countries should not let themselves be fooled by the much higher visibility of the business-to-consumer dotcoms. Those enterprises in developing countries that make goods or deliver services that are necessary for the productive process of other enterprises are the ones that should first consider incorporating the Internet (which does not necessary mean the web) as an instrument to enhance their opportunities to complete and grow. Due to the lack of reliable and internationally comparable e-commerce statistics, numerous national statistical offices have started to collect data on e-commerce and, generally, the use of ICT and the Internet. They have the advantage of guaranteeing the confidentiality of the collected data, having a more neutral position when it comes to collecting and interpreting the data and being able to use their existing methodologies and infrastructure for data collection, processing and analysis. Some countries are already benefiting from the results: they are now in a position to benchmark their economies with competitors internationally; they are able to identify the number of qualified people needed to advance their countrys information economy or to calculate the amount of investments needed to provide business with access to the Internet. There are several important steps involved in collecting e-commerce-related data. First, a country needs to decide what kind of data it wants to measure, reflecting the level of its e-commerce activity. Most developing countries would be probably focus on collecting readiness indicators, such as the number of businesses with computers and access to the Internet, and intensity indicators, such as the number of businesses the receive orders over the Internet and the value of those orders. But how does one define these indicators? The member States of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have agreed on the above-mentioned working definition of e-commerce that could be used in the measuring process. The definition includes the network over which e-commerce is carried out (Internet or other), the specific business processes related to e-commerce and the different actors involved (business, households or Governments). On the basis of this definition, a set of priority indicators for e-commerce has been established by a number of internationa l and national bodies. Examining the e-commerce important question is what impact ICT and the Internet have had on the productivity growth. It reduces transaction costs; allocates recourses better; increases economies of scale; improves the competitiveness of business in general; increases efficiency; generates important changes in the management and production processes of business. Acceleration of the growth of productivity is notified but the reason for this is rather controversial. However the UNCTAD secretariat agrees that there are reasons to believe that much of the acceleration of productivity growth is structural and attributable to changes induced by ICT and the Internet, through improvements in all aspects of corporate organization, production, finance, marketing and logistics. Although the speed at which companies in several advanced countries invest in ICT has decreased in the past few months, in the medium term there are several reasons to expect that ICT will continue to support rapid productivity growth. First, the cost of computing power is predicted to keep falling at a steep rate for several years. Secondly, most enterprises are still learning how to reorganize themselves in order to benefit fully from the Internet. Finally, in many countries there is a lot of catching up to do in the application of ICT to business. As firms in other developed economies and, most importantly, in developing countries engage in e-business, global productivity growth should accelerate. We should have a look at the process of moving from traditional to online payment. Online versions of nearly all-existing payment methods are appearing rapidly. Conventional financial instruments with online analogues include cash, money orders, giro transfer, cheques, drafts, notes and bills of exchange. The existing modes of third-party protection against the risks of non-payment and non-performance, including documentary credit, credit insurance, bonding, factoring and forfeiting, are also rapidly developing their online equivalents. The same applies to wholesale payment systems, including so-called automated clearing house (ACH) networks, wire transfers for large-volume payments and interbank payments networks. Credit and debit cards are principal payments instrument in B2B and B2C e-commerce. The move from cards with magnetic strips to smart cards with multifunctional chips that include security features is the next Internet-centered stage in the development of the payments cards industry. In parallel, Internet technologies to provide security in online payments have been evolving. Still the most widely accepted standard, is the Secure Socket Layer (SSL), a set of built-in browser protocols designed initially by Netscape to protect card-based financial transactions on the Internet. A more secure and complex bank-centered Secure Electronic Transactions (SET) software is being used more and more by online payments providers. In the field of Internet banking ACH debits and credits, as well as domestic and international wire transfers became possible with systems such as the Bank Internet Payment System (BIPS). The Society for Worldwide Inter-Bank Financial Telecommunications (SWIFT) also started its move to the open Internet platform. Banks and financial services companies in the developing countries will need to adopt online payment systems and practices that will meet their clients new needs arising from a shift to e-commerce. They will need to adopt systems that address the key issue of concern to users, namely security, confidentiality, identification of sellers and buyers, verification of buyers solvency guarantee of delivery. To obtain e-trade finance and equity investment, companies from developing countries need to be registered in local, regional and global Internet-based commercial risk database. For that, company registries, public courts, accountancy and audit, and other business-related services should undergo substantial enhancements. Non-bank financial services such as credit information, credit insurance, factoring and leasing should develop. Local banks should adapt to e-banking and move online their customer credit risk databases, and their individual and corporate customer payment services and financing, including trade finance instruments. Tourism and its Internet incarnation, often called etourism, is regularly cited as one of the fastest growing e-commerce sectors. Considering the importance of the tourism economy for Bulgaria and many other developing countries, and in particular its role as an employer and earner of foreign currency, the need to maintain and increase competitiveness through adopting e-commerce best practice is acute. The main actors in the tourism industry include Governments, tour operators, distributors and wholesalers, hotels, airlines and other transport operators, and most important of all, the tourists themselves. Each of these actors has a stake in the development of the electronic market and will be affected in different ways by electronic commerce. Tourism is an interesting sector for appreciating the potential of electronic commerce for the economies of developing countries in several respects. Tourism is a sector in which a significant number of developing countries have established competitive advantages over the years and it has remained largely a traditional service activity in which, until recently, buyers, sellers and intermediaries were well defined. Tourism producers and destination organizations in developing countries that adopt the Internet and e-commerce best practice have a chance to improve their competitiveness by producing better products, with greater tailoring to clients, more efficiently, faster to market with less waste and fewer inputs, and at better prices. Infomediaries in developing countries should develop their e-business strategy having in mind the technical capacities of their national or regional tourism producers for using Internet technologies. Solutions must be appropriate for both consumers and producers. The fundamental challenge is to take the traditional tourism product, delineate its information from its physical components, and selectively manage them using Internet and e-commerce technologies. The winner in the competitive etourism game will be the company that inspires consumer confidence, through quality data and physical product performance, and is able to offer a comprehensive yet tailor-made product. While Internet and e-commerce technologies offer unprecedented possibilities for interactivity and dialogue, traditional surveying and gauging tools estimating customer preferences and satisfaction are still very relevant. Footwork and face-to-face interviewing may be a necessary starting point for building a B2B network or business web. Market research, whatever the technology or even without technology, is a hugely important activity. A fundamental factor for success is to speak the language of the prospective customers. A successful etourism strategy must assess the linguistic origins of its major client groups and replicate Internet content in their languages. Understanding their Internet habits and ways of learning, openness to on-line dialogue and attitudes towards privacy, as well as the underlying legal system. Online payment facilities for retail clients using credit cards are an absolutely fundamental business toll that must be made available to the national tourism sector. Destination marketing organizations (DMOs), be they government bodies or business associations, can favourably contribute to modernizing the tourism industries of developing countries. DMOs can provide a voice to the fragmented industry producers in promoting their requests to the financial authorities and banks to provide them with online payment. When online payment is in place DMOs may, on behalf of the entire tourism industry, negotiate with domestic banks better terms and conditions for online payment than particular tourism companies would manage on their own. DMOs may be instrumental in informing their tourism industry about secure transactions and risk management techniques. Most of the above actions cannot be implemented without empowering and enabling people to take advantage of new Internet and e-commerce technologies. E-commerce and Internet technology can improve communication and can make doing business easier. The ability of people at both ends of the message or transaction to use these technologies is a precondition for their wide adoption and impact. In conclusion, it is expected that in the few years the productivity gap between the European countries and the United States (leader in e-commerce activities) will close rapidly as European productivity growth increases faster than that of the United States. This process is known as convergence in productivity. Convergence in productivity takes place when the countries that lag behind the technological frontier grow more rapidly in productivity than the leading countries. The same could be true for developing countries, with a reasonable degree of readiness. The impact of e-commerce on developing countries could be even stronger than that on developed countries because the scope for reducing inefficiencies and increasing productivity is much larger in the developing countries. To summarize, by cutting costs, increasing efficiency and reducing time and distance, e-commerce could become an important tool for development. Impact of E-Commerce Impact of E-Commerce Jay Kybert   As the retail industry develops, more services are introduced to entice customers to use their shops. There are varieties of services that are being used by companies to attract attention and make it easier for customers to use their websites, in the hope of increased revenue. Services like Next-Day Delivery tempt customers to purchase their item sooner, since it will arrive the following day. This makes increased profits for the company by charging for the service. These services essentially persuade the customer to buy the product at a higher price but with (usually) a faster delivery, tracked item, etc. Since E-Commerce is becoming increasingly popular, traditional retail businesses are losing money since fewer customers shop in stores. Larger companies have the resources and money to create optimised websites that allow their customers to shop on the internet. This leads to a negative economic impact for smaller businesses but, as an entire society, a richer economy as there are new ways to shop. Also, socially, fewer people will be shopping in stores. This could lead to retail shops closing from a lack of revenue, especially in smaller businesses that cannot support themselves with a lack of funds. Bricks and Clicks is a new approach to commerce in its entirety. The name Bricks and Clicks refers to physical retail stores (Bricks) and online shopping (Clicks). As E-Commerce grew in popularity, businesses realised they can make a greater profit from online shopping; this is called Bricks and Clicks because they have both physical stores as well as an online store. There are benefits and drawbacks to both approaches (Physical vs Digital), but having both increases the range of the potential audience. This is because physical stores may attract people who are simply walking past the shop or people who are regular customers. Having a digital store on top of this targets (potentially) every person with an internet connection. Companies can increase traffic to their website by advertisements on popular websites, directly increasing awareness of the brand. One of the main benefits for customers using E-Commerce is the availability. Physically shopping requires going to the nearest shopping centre, looking for the specific shop and finding the wanted item within it. Online shopping provides an easy alternative available whenever. Being able to access the website whenever (unless it is down for maintenance) makes it easier for anyone wanting to buy a specific item, as they dont have to consider the closing time for the shop. In addition, people who have unusual work hours at their job may struggle with physical stores as they close in the evening. Therefore, having the option to buy from a store whenever using the internet provides an easier alternative. Online shopping isnt perfect; there are problems with the financial side, especially whether companies can be trusted. After a customer enters their information (Name, address, credit/debit card, etc.) the company has a responsibility to protect that information from unauthorised sources, the most common being hackers. There is always the possibility, and it has occurred, that major corporations have been hacked and their customers information has been released to the public or sold. However, as hacking becomes increasingly common, internet security is improved to prevent it. Internet shoppers shouldnt just worry about the website being untrustworthy, malware and other viruses could steal the information from the computer, the most common being a Keylogger. As the name suggests, it is either a physical hardware component installed into the computer or a program that logs all of the keystrokes on the computer. This is one way that information can be stolen not directly from the websit e. E-Commerce has, and will continue, to have an effect on employment. If people start to only shop online, store workers may lose their jobs because of financial difficulties. However, delivery services will have to hire more employees to keep up with the demand of online shopping. In addition, since companies require websites for online shopping, website developers, network administrators and a variety of server-related jobs are needed. Therefore, people working in retail stores may lose their jobs if people continue to isolate themselves from physical shopping and choose online shopping. However, more job opportunities open up relating to technology. The social divide is becoming more important as technology progresses. People with little income focus on essentials before purchasing luxuries. Therefore, it would be difficult for people with little income to purchase a computer or another electronic device capable of online shopping. However, since the majority of people can afford, and use their electronic devices for shopping, companies target these people since they make up the majority. This affects the companys decisions, for instance, they may begin to close down retail stores and instead focus on E-Commerce. This doesnt affect people who have enough disposable income to purchases these devices, but it does affect people with little income. This leads to these people struggling to shop, since they cant afford the platform needed for online shopping. Therefore, leading to a social divide between people with little disposable income and people with greater disposable income.

How to be a New York Police Officer? Essay

A State with low crime rate and has deliberately peaceful community shows the effectiveness of the law and policies that the State has provided. Police department together with other related agencies is the prime partner of the government in maintaining the peace and order in the communities. With the proper and legal implementation of the state policies, people will not be worried of any threats or crime hat might harm them. The New York Police Department (NYPD) is currently the largest in population amounting to about 37,838 in January 2007. The core responsibility lies in enforcing the law and investigation of the crimes committed within the five areas of New York City. Being the largest police department in the US, it has specialized into broad divisions which include, the tactical operations, harbor patrol, intelligence, counter-terrorism, bomb disposal, and narcotics. Public transportation and public housing are also part of the responsibility of the department. According to a various statistics, police force is apparently decreasing. In June 2005, the number of sworn officers dropped to 35,000 from 40,000 in June 2004. In an interview to a New York police officer upon taking his opinion of reasons why there is decreasing number of sworn officers in the last 5 years, he certainly said that this may be due to the salary of a police officer which is only amounting to about $35,000 to $40,000 per annum. This salary is hardly to support the needs of the family and this amount is much lesser compared to other neighboring police department. As a tactical operation officer, he deliberately said that giving his life for the community is what he wants but with what is going on with the administrative part of the department, he considered shifting to other departments like the Port Authority Police which gives more salary for their officers. Reference â€Å"Careers. † New York Police Department. Retrieved April 4, 2009 @ http://www. nyc. gov/html/nypd/html/careers/cadet_corps. shtml

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 11 CULT

EACH TIME THAT I OPENED MY EYES TO THE MORNING light and realized I'd lived through another night was a surprise to me. After the surprise wore off, my heart would start to race and my palms would sweat; I couldn't really breathe again until I'd gotten up and ascertained that Charlie had survived as well. I could tell he was worriedwatching me jump at any loud sound, or my face suddenly go white for no reason that he could see. From the questions he asked now and then, he seemed to blame the change on Jacob's continued absence. The terror that was always foremost in my thoughts usually distracted me from the fact that another week had passed, and Jacob still hadn't called me. But when I was able to concentrate on my normal lifeif my life was really ever normalthis upset me. I missed him horribly. It had been bad enough to be alone before I was scared silly. Now, more than ever, I yearned for his carefree laugh and his infectious grin. I needed the safe sanity of his homemade garage and his warm hand around my cold fingers. I'd half expected him to call on Monday. If there had been some progress with Embry, wouldn't he want to report it? I wanted to believe that it was worry for his friend that was occupying all his time, not that he was just giving up on me. I called him Tuesday, but no one answered. Were the phone lines still having problems? Or had Billy invested in caller I.D.? On Wednesday I called every half hour until after eleven at night, desperate to hear the warmth of Jacob's voice. Thursday I sat in my truck in front of my housewith the locks pushed downkeys in hand, for a solid hour. I was arguing with myself, trying to justify a quick trip to La Push, but I couldn't do it. I knew that Laurent had gone back to Victoria by now. If I went to La Push, I took the chance of leading one of them there. What if they caught up to me when Jake was nearby? As much as it hurt me, I knew it was better for Jacob that he was avoiding me. Safer for him. It was bad enough that I couldn't figure out a way to keep Charlie safe. Nighttime was the most likely time that they would come looking ior me, and what could I say to get Charlie out of the house? If I told him the truth, he'd have me locked up in a rubber room somewhere. I would have endured thatwelcomed it, evenif it could have kept him safe. But Victoria would still come to his house first, looking for me. Maybe, if she found me here, that would be enough for her. Maybe she would just leave when she was done with me. So I couldn't run away. Even if I could, where would I go? To Renee? I shuddered at the thought of dragging my lethal shadows into my mother's safe, sunny world. I would never endanger her that way. The worry was eating a hole in my stomach. Soon I would have matching punctures. That night, Charlie did me another favor and called Harry again to see if the Blacks were out of town. Harry reported that Billy had attended the council meeting Wednesday night, and never mentioned anything about leaving. Charlie warned me not to make a nuisance of myselfJacob would call when he got around to it. Friday afternoon, as I drove home from school, it hit me out of the blue. I wasn't paying attention to the familiar road, letting the sound of the engine deaden my brain and silence the worries, when my subconscious delivered a verdict it must have been working on for some time without my knowledge. As soon as I thought of it, I felt really stupid for not seeing it sooner. Sure. I'd had a lot on my mindrevenue-obsessed vampires, giant mutant wolves, a ragged hole in the center of my chestbut when I laid the evidence out, it was embarrassingly obvious. Jacob avoiding me. Charlie saying he looked strange, upset. . . . Billy's vague, unhelpful answers. Holy crow, I knew exactly what was going on with Jacob. It was Sam Uley. Even my nightmares had been trying to tell me that. Sam had gotten to Jacob. Whatever was happening to the other boys on the reservation had reached out and stolen my friend. He'd been sucked into Sam's cult. He hadn't given up on me at all, I realized with a rush of feeling. I let my truck idle in front of my house. What should I do? I weighed the dangers against each other. If I went looking for Jacob, I risked the chance of Victoria or Laurent finding me with him. If I didn't go after him, Sam would pull him deeper into his frightening, compulsory gang. Maybe it would be too late if I didn't act soon. It had been a week, and no vampires had come for me yet. A week was more than enough time for them to have returned, so I must not be a priority. Most likely, as I'd decided before, they would come for me at night. The chances of them following me to La Push were much lower than the chance of losing Jacob to Sam. It was worth the danger of the secluded forest road. This was no idle visit to see what was going on. I knew what was going on. This was a rescue mission. I was going to talk to Jacobkidnap him if I had to. I'd once seen a PBS show on deprogramming the brainwashed. There had to be some kind of cure. I decided I'd better call Charlie first. Maybe whatever was going on down in La Push was something the police should be involved in. I dashed inside, in a hurry to be on my way. Charlie answered the phone it the station himself. â€Å"Chief Swan.† â€Å"Dad, it's Bella.† â€Å"What's wrong?'† I couldn't argue with his doomsday assumption this time. My voice was shaking. â€Å"I'm worried about Jacob.† â€Å"Why?† he asked, surprised by the unexpected topic. â€Å"I think I think something weird is going on down at the reservation. Jacob told me about some strange stuff happening with the other boys his age. Now he's acting the same way and I'm scared.† â€Å"What kind of stuff?† He used his professional, police business voice. That was good; he was taking me seriously. â€Å"First he was scared, and then he was avoiding me, and now I'm afraid he's part of that bizarre gang down there, Sam's gang. Sam Uley's gang.† â€Å"Sam Uley?† Charlie repeated, surprised again. â€Å"Yes.† Charlie's voice was more relaxed when he answered. â€Å"I think you've got it wrong, Bells. Sam Uley is a great kid. Well, he's a man now. A good son. You should hear Billy talk about him. He's really doing wonders with the youth on the reservation. He's the one who† Charlie broke off mid-sentence, and I guessed that he had been about to make a reference to the night I'd gotten lost in the woods. I moved on quickly. â€Å"Dad, it's not like that. Jacob was scared ofhim.† â€Å"Did you talk to Billy about this?† He was trying to soothe me now. I'd lost him as soon as I'd mentioned Sam. â€Å"Billy's not concerned.† â€Å"Well, Bella, then I'm sure it's okay. Jacob's a kid; he was probably just messing around. I'm sure he's fine. He can't spend every waking minute with you, after all.† â€Å"This isn't about me,† I insisted, but the battle was lost. â€Å"I don't think you need to worry about this. Let Billy take care of Jacob.† â€Å"Charlie† My voice was starting to sound whiney. â€Å"Bells, I got a lot on my plate right now. Two tourists have gone missing off a trail outside crescent lake.† There was an anxious edge to his voice. â€Å"This wolf problem is getting out of hand.† I was momentarily distractedstunned, reallyby his news. There was no way the wolves could have survived a match-up with Laurent â€Å"Are you sure that's what happened to them?† I asked. â€Å"Afraid so, honey. There was† He hesitated. â€Å"There were tracks again, and some blood this time.† â€Å"Oh!† It must not have come to a confrontation, then. Laurent must have simply outrun the wolves, but why? What I'd seen in the meadow just got stranger and strangermore impossible to understand. â€Å"Look, I really have to go. Don't worry about Jake, Bella. I'm sure it's nothing.† â€Å"Fine,† I said curtly, frustrated as his words reminded me of the more urgent crisis at hand. â€Å"Bye.† I hang up. I stared at the phone for a long minute. What the hell, I decided. Billy answered after two rings. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Hey, Billy,† I almost growled. I tried to sound more friendly as I continued. â€Å"Can I talk to Jacob, please?† â€Å"Jake's not here.† What a shock. â€Å"Do you know where he is?† â€Å"He's out with his friends.† Billy's voice was careful. â€Å"Oh yeah? Anyone I know? Quil?† I could tell the words didn't come across as casually as I'd meant them to. â€Å"No,† Billy said slowly. â€Å"I don't think he's with Quil today.† I knew better than to mention Sam's name. â€Å"Embry?† I asked. Billy seemed happier to answer this one. â€Å"Yeah, he's with Embry.† That was enough for me. Embry was one of them. â€Å"Well, have him call me when he gets in, all right?† â€Å"Sure, sure. No problem.† Click. â€Å"See you soon, Billy,† I muttered into the dead phone. I drove to La Push determined to wait. I'd sit out front of his house all night if I had to. I'd miss school. The boy was going to have to come home sometime, and when he did, he was going to have to talk to me. My mind was so preoccupied that the trip I'd been terrified of making seemed to take only a few seconds. Before I was expecting it, the forest began to thin, and I knew I would soon be able to see the first little houses of the reservation. Walking away, along the left side of the road, was a tall boy with a baseball cap. My breath caught for just a moment in my throat, hopeful that luck was with me for once, and I'd srumbled across Jacob without hardly trying. But this boy was too wide, and the hair was short under the hat. Even from behind, I was sure it was Quil, though he looked bigger than the last time I'd seen him. What was with these Quileute boys? Were they feeding them experimental growth hormones? I crossed over to the wrong side of the road to stop next to him. He looked up when the roar of my truck approached. Quil's expression frightened me more than it surprised me. His face was bleak, brooding, his forehead creased with worry. â€Å"Oh, hey, Bella,† he greeted me dully. â€Å"Hi, Quil Are you okay?† He stared at me morosely. â€Å"Fine.† â€Å"Can I give you a ride somewhere?† I offered. â€Å"Sure, I guess,† he mumbled. He shuffled around the front of the truck and opened the passenger door to climbin. â€Å"Where to?† â€Å"My house is on the north side, back behind the store,† he told me. â€Å"Have you seen Jacob today.† The question burst from me almost before he'd finished speaking. I looked at Quil eagerly, waiting for his answer. He stared out the windshield for a second before he spoke. â€Å"From a distance,† he finally said. â€Å"A distance?† I echoed. â€Å"I tried to follow themhe was with Embry.† His voice was low, hard to hear over the engine. I leaned closer. â€Å"I know they saw me. But they turned and just disappeared into the trees. I don't think they were aloneI think Sam and his crew might have been with them. â€Å"I've been stumbling around in the forest for an hour, yelling for them. I just barely found the road again when you drove up.† â€Å"So Sam did get to him.† The words were a little distortedmy teeth were gritted together. Quil stared at me. â€Å"You know about that.?† I nodded. â€Å"Jake told me before.† â€Å"Before,† Quil repeated, and sighed. â€Å"Jacob's just as bad as the others now?† â€Å"Never leaves Sam's side.† Quil turned his head and spit out the open window. â€Å"And before thatdid he avoid everyone? Was he acting upset?† His voice was low and rough. â€Å"Not for as long as the others. Maybe one day. Then Sam caught up with him.† â€Å"What do you think it is? Drugs or something?† â€Å"I can't see Jacob or Embry getting into anything like that but what do I know? What else could it be? And why aren't the old people worried?† He shook his head, and the fear showed in his eyes now. â€Å"Jacob didn't want to be a part of this cult. I don't understand what could change him.† He stared at me, his face frightened. â€Å"I don't want to be next.† My eyes mirrored his fear. That was the second time I'd heard it described as a cult. I shivered. â€Å"Are your parents any help?† He grimaced. â€Å"Right. My grandfather's on the council with Jacob's dad. Sam Uley is the best thing that ever happened to this place, as far as he's concerned.† We stared at each other for a prolonged moment. We were in La Push now, and my truck was barely crawling along the empty road. I could see the village's only store not too far ahead. â€Å"I'll get out now,† Quil said. â€Å"My house is right over there.† He gestured toward the small wooden rectangle behind the store. I pulled over to the shoulder, and he jumped out. â€Å"I'm going to go wait for Jacob,† I told him in a hard voice. â€Å"Good luck.† He slammed the door and shuffled forward along the road, his head bent forward, his shoulders slumped. Quil's face haunted me as I made a wide U-turn and headed back toward the Blacks'. He was terrified of being next. What was happening here? I stopped in front of Jacob's house, killing the motor and rolling down the windows. It was stuffy today, no breeze. I put my feet up on the dashboard and settled in to wait. A movement flashed in my peripheral visionI turned and spotted Billy looking at me through the front window with a confused expression. I waved once and smiled a tight smile, but stayed where I was. His eyes narrowed; he let the curtain fall across the glass. I was prepared to stay as long as it took, but I wished I had something to do. I dug up a pen out of the bottom of my backpack, and an old test. I started to doodle on the back of the scrap. I'd only had time to scrawl one row of diamonds when there was a sharp tap against my door. I jumped, looking up, expecting Billy. â€Å"What are you doing here, Bella.'† Jacob growled. I stared at him in blank astonishment. Jacob had changed radically in the last weeks since I'd seen him. The first thing I noticed was his hairhis beautiful hair was all gone, cropped quite short, covering his head with an inky gloss like black satin. The planes of his face seemed to have hardened subtly, tightened aged. His neck and his shoulders were different, too, thicker somehow. His hands, where they gripped the window frame, looked enormous, with the tendons and veins more prominent under the russet skin. But the physical changes were insignificant. It was his expression that made him almost completely unrecognizable. The open, friendly smile was gone like the hair, the warmth in his dark eyes altered to a brooding resentment that was instantly disturbing. There was a darkness in Jacob now. Like my sun had imploded. â€Å"Jacob?† I whispered. He just stared at me, his eyes tense and angry. I realized we weren't alone. Behind him stood four others; all tall and russet-skinned, black hair chopped short just like Jacob's. They could have been brothersI couldn't even pick Embry out of the group. The resemblance was only intensified by the strikingly similar hostility in every pair of eyes. Every pair but one. The oldest by several years, Sam stood in the very back, his face serene and sure. I had to swallow back the bile that rose in my throat. I wanted to take a swing at him. No, I wanted to do more than that. More than anything, I wanted to be fierce and deadly, someone no one would dare mess with. Someone who would scare Sam Uley silly. I wanted to be a vampire. The violent desire caught me off guard and knocked the wind out of me. It was the most forbidden of all wisheseven when I only wished it for a malicious reason like this, to gain an advantage over an enemybecause it was the most painful. That future was lost to me forever, had never really been within my grasp. I scrambled to gain control of myself while the hole in my chest ached hollowly. â€Å"What do you want?† Jacob demanded, his expression growing more resentful as he watched the play of emotion across my face. â€Å"I want to talk to you,† I said in a weak voice. I tried to focus, but I was still reeling against the escape of my taboo dream. â€Å"Go ahead,† he hissed through his teeth. His glare was vicious. I'd never seen him look at anyone like that, least of all me. It hurt with a surprising intensitya physical pain, a stabbing in my head. â€Å"Alone!† I hissed, and my voice was stronger. He looked behind him, and I knew where his eyes would go. Every one of them was turned for Sam's reaction. Sam nodded once, his face unperturbed. He made a brief comment in an unfamiliar, liquid languageI could only be positive that it wasn't French or Spanish, but I guessed that it was Quileute. He turned and walked into Jacob's house. The others, Paul, Jared, and Embry, I assumed, followed him in. â€Å"Okay.† Jacob seemed a bit less furious when the others were gone. His face was a little calmer, but also more hopeless. His mouth seemed permanently pulled down at the corners. I took a deep breath. â€Å"You know what I want to know.† He didn't answer. He just stared at me bitterly. I stared back and the silence stretched on. The pain in his face unnerved me. I felt a lump beginning to build in my throat. â€Å"Can we walk?† I asked while I could still speak. He didn't respond in any way; his face didn't change. I got out of the car, feeling unseen eyes behind the windows on me, and started walking toward the trees to the north. My feet squished in the damp grass and mud beside the road, and, as that was the only sound, at first I thought he wasn't following me. But when I glanced around, he was right beside me, his feet having somehow found a less noisy path than mine. I felt better in the fringe of trees, where Sam couldn't possibly be watching. As we walked, I struggled for the right thing to say, but nothing came. I just got more and more angry that Jacob had gotten sucked in that Billy had allowed this that Sam was able to stand there so assured and calm Jacob suddenly picked up the pace, striding ahead of me easily with his long legs, and then swinging around to face me, planting himself in my path so I would have to stop too. I was distracted by the overt grace of his movement. Jacob had been nearly as klutzy as me with his never-ending growth spurt. When did that changed? But Jacob didn't give me time to think about it. â€Å"Let's get this over with,† he said in a hard, husky voice. I waited. He knew what I wanted. â€Å"It's not what you think.† His voice was abruptly weary. â€Å"It's not what I thoughtI was way off.† â€Å"So what is it, then?† He studied my face for a long moment, speculating. The anger never completely left his eyes. â€Å"I can't tell you,† he finally said. My jaw tightened, and I spoke through my teeth. â€Å"I thought we were friends.† â€Å"We were.† There was a slight emphasis on the past tense. â€Å"But you don't need friends anymore,† I said sourly. â€Å"You have Sam. Isn't that niceyou've always looked up to him so much.† â€Å"I didn't understand him before.† â€Å"And now you've seen the light. Hallelujah.† â€Å"It wasn't like I thought it was. This isn't Sam's fault. He's helping me as much as he can.† His voice turned brittle and he looked over my head, past me, rage burning out from his eyes. â€Å"He's helping you,† I repeated dubiously. â€Å"Naturally.† But Jacob didn't seem to be listening. He was taking deep, deliberate breaths, trying to calm himself. He was so mad that his hands were shaking. â€Å"Jacob, please,† I whispered â€Å"Won't you tell me what happened? Maybe I can help.† â€Å"No one can help me now.† The words were a low moan; his voice broke. â€Å"What did he do to you?† I demanded, tears collecting in my eyes. I reached out to him, as I had once before, stepping forward with my arms wide. This time he cringed away, holding his hands up defensively. â€Å"Don't touch me,† he whispered. â€Å"Is Sam catching?† I mumbled. The stupid tears had escaped the corners of my eyes. I wiped them away with the back of my hand, and folded my arms across my chest. â€Å"Stop blaming Sam.† The words came out fast, like a reflex. His hands reached up to twist around the hair that was no longer there, and then fell limply at his sides. â€Å"Then who should I blame?† I retorted. He halfway smiled; it was a bleak, twisted thing. â€Å"You don't want to hear that.† â€Å"The hell I don't!† I snapped. â€Å"I want to know, and I want to know now.† â€Å"You're wrong,† he snapped back. â€Å"Don't you dare tell me I'm wrongI'm not the one who got brainwashed! Tell me now whose fault this all is, if it's not your precious Sam!† â€Å"You asked for it,† he growled at me, eyes glinting hard. â€Å"If you want to blame someone, why don't you point your finger at those filthy, reeking bloodsuckers that you love so much?† My mouth fell open and my breath came out with a whooshing sound. I was frozen in place, stabbed through with his double-edged words. The pain twisted in familiar patterns through my body, the jagged hole ripping me open from the inside out, but it was second place, background music to the chaos of my thoughts. I couldn't believe that I'd heard him correctly. There was no trace of indecision in his face. Only fury. My mouth still hung wide. â€Å"I told you that you didn't want to hear it,† he said. â€Å"I don't understand who you mean,† I whispered. He raised one eyebrow in disbelief. â€Å"I think you understand exactly who I mean. You're not going to make me say it, are you? I don't like hurting you.† â€Å"I don't understand who you mean,† I repeated mechanically. â€Å"The Cullens,† he said slowly, drawing out the word, scrutinizing my face as he spoke it. â€Å"I saw thatI can see in your eyes what it does to you when I say their name.† I shook my head back and forth in denial, trying to clear it at the same time. How did he know this? And how did it have anything to do with Sam's cult? Was it a gang of vampire-haters? What was the point of forming such a society when no vampires lived in Forks anymore? Why would Jacob start believing the stories about the Cullens now, when the evidence of them was long gone, never to return? It took me too long to come up with the correct response. â€Å"Don't tell me you're listening to Billy's superstitious nonsense now,† I said with a feeble attempt at mockery. â€Å"He knows more than I gave him credit for.† â€Å"Be serious, Jacob.† He glared at me, his eyes critical. â€Å"Superstitions aside,† I said quickly. â€Å"I still don't see what you're accusing the†¦ Cullens†wince†of. They left more than half a year ago. How can you blame them for what Sam is doing now?† â€Å"Sam isn't doing anything, Bella. And I know they're gone. But sometimes things are set in motion, and then it's too late.† â€Å"What's set in motion? What's too late? What are you blaming them for?† He was suddenly right in my face, his fury glowing in his eyes. â€Å"For existing,† he hissed. I was surprised and distracted as the warning words came in Edward's voice again, when I wasn't even scared. â€Å"Quiet now, Bella. Don't push him,† Edward cautioned in my ear. Ever since Edward's name had broken through the careful walls I'd buried it behind, I'd been unable to lock it up again. It didn't hurt nownot during the precious seconds when I could hear his voice. Jacob was fuming in front of me, quivering with anger. I didn't understand why the Edward delusion was unexpectedly in my mind. Jacob was livid, but he was Jacob. There was no adrenaline, no danger. â€Å"Give him a chance to calm down,† Edward's voice insisted. I shook my head in confusion. â€Å"You're being ridiculous,† I told them both. â€Å"Fine,† Jacob answered, breathing deeply again. â€Å"I won't argue it with you. It doesn't matter anyway, the damage is done.† â€Å"What damage?† He didn't flinch as I shouted the words in his face. â€Å"Let's head back. There's nothing more to say.† I gaped. â€Å"There's everything more to say! You haven't said anything yet!† He walked past me, striding back toward the house. â€Å"I ran into Quil today,† I yelled after him. He paused midstep, but didn't turn. â€Å"You remember your friend, Quil? Yeah, he's terrified.† Jacob whirled to face me. His expression was pained. â€Å"Quil† was all he said. â€Å"He's worried about you, too. He's freaked out.† Jacob stared past me with desperate eyes. I goaded him further. â€Å"He's frightened that he's next.† Jacob clutched at a tree for support, his face turning a strange shade of green under the red-brown surface. â€Å"He won't be next,† Jacob muttered to himself. â€Å"He can't be. It's over now. This shouldn't still be happening. Why? Why?† His fist slammed against the tree. It wasn't a big tree, slender and only a few feet taller than Jacob. But it still surprised me when tht trunk gave way and snapped off loudly under his blows. Jacob stared at the sharp, broken point with shock that quickly turned to horror. â€Å"I have to get back.† He whirled and stalked away so swiftly that I had to jog to keep up. â€Å"Back to Sam!† â€Å"That's one way of looking at it,† it sounded like he said. He was mumbling and facing away. I chased him back to the truck. â€Å"Wait!† I called as he turned toward the house. He spun around to face me, and I saw that his hands were shaking again. â€Å"Go home, Bella. I can't hang out with you anymore.† The silly, inconsequential hurt was incredibly potent. The tears welled up again. â€Å"Are you breaking up with me?† The words were all wrong, but they were the best way I could think to phrase what I was asking. After all, what Jake and I had was more than any schoolyard romance. Stronger. He barked out a bitter laugh. â€Å"Hardly. If that were the case, I'd say ‘Let's stay friends.' I can't even say that.† â€Å"Jacob why? Sam won't let you have other friends? Please, Jake. You promised. I need you!† The blank emptiness of my life beforebefore Jacob brought some semblance of reason back into itreared up and confronted me. Loneliness choked in my throat. â€Å"I'm sorry, Bella,† Jacob said each word distinctly in a cold voice that didn't seem to belong to him. I didn't believe that this was really what Jacob wanted to say. It seemed like there was something else trying to be said through his angry eyes, but I couldn't understand the message. Maybe this wasn't about Sam at all. Maybe this had nothing to do with the Cullens. Maybe he was just trying to pull himself out of a hopeless situation. Maybe I should let him do that, if that's what was best for him. I should do that. It would be right. But I heard my voice escaping in a whisper. â€Å"I'm sorry that I couldn't before I wish I could change how I feel about you, Jacob.† I was desperate, reaching, stretching the truth so far that it curved nearly into the shape of a lie. â€Å"Maybe maybe I would change,† I whispered. â€Å"Maybe, if you gave me some time just don't quit on me now, Jake. I can't take it.† His face went from anger to agony in a second. One shaking hand reached out toward me. â€Å"No. Don't think like that, Bella, please. Don't blame yourself, don't think this is your fault. This one is all me. I swear, it's not about you.† â€Å"It's not you, it's me,† I whispered. â€Å"There's a new one.† â€Å"I mean it, Bella. I'm not† he struggled, his voice going even huskier as he fought to control his emotion. His eyes were tortured. â€Å"I'm not good enough to be your friend anymore, or anything else. I'm not what I was before. I'm not good.† â€Å"What?† I stared at him, confused and appalled. â€Å"What are you saying? You're much better than I am, Jake. You are good! Who told you that you aren't? Sam? It's a vicious lie, Jacob! Don't let him tell you that!† I was suddenly yelling again. Jacob's face went hard and flat. â€Å"No one had to tell me anything. I know what I am.† â€Å"You're my friend, that's what you are! Jakedon't!† He was backing away from me. â€Å"I'm sorry, Bella,† he said again; this time it was a broken mumble. He turned and almost ran into the house. I was unable to move from where I stood. I stared at the little house; it looked too small to hold four large boys and two larger men. There was no reaction inside. No flutter at the edge of the curtain, no sound of voices or movement. It faced me vacantly. The rain started to drizzle, stinging here and there against my skin. I couldn't take my eyes off the house. Jacob would come back. He had to. The rain picked up, and so did the wind. The drops were no longer falling from above; they slanted at an angle from the west. I could smell the brine from the ocean. My hair whipped in my face, sticking to the wet places and tangling in my lashes. I waited. Finally the door opened, and I took a step forward in relief. Billy rolled his chair into the door frame. I could see no one behind him. â€Å"Charlie just called, Bella. I told him you were on your way home.† His eyes were full of pity. The pity made it final somehow. I didn't comment. I just turned robotically and climbed in my truck. I'd left the windows open and the seats were slick and wet. It didn't matter. I was already soaked. Not as bad! Not as bad! my mind tried to comfort me. It was true. This wasn't as bad. This wasn't the end of the world, not again. This was just the end of what little peace there was left behind. That was all. Not as bad, I agreed, then added, but bad enough. I'd thought Jake had been healing the hole in meor at least plugging it up, keeping it from hurting me so much. I'd been wrong. He'd just been carving out his own hole, so that I was now riddled through like Swiss cheese. I wondered why I didn't crumble into pieces. Charlie was waiting on the porch. As I rolled to a stop, he walked out to meet me. â€Å"Billy called. He said you got in fight with Jakesaid you were pretty upset,† he explained as he opened my door for me. Then he looked at my face. A kind of horrified recognition registered in his expression. I tried to feel my face from the inside out, to know what he was seeing. My face felt empty and cold, and I realized what it would remind him of. â€Å"That's not exactly how it happened,† I muttered. Charlie put his arm around me and helped me out of the car. He didn't comment on my sodden clothes. â€Å"Then what did happen'† he asked when we were inside. He pulled the afghan off the back of the sofa as he spoke and wrapped it around my shoulders. I realized I was shivering still. My voice was lifeless. â€Å"Sam Uley says Jacob can't be my friend anymore.† Charlie shot me a strange look. â€Å"Who told you that?† â€Å"Jacob,† I stated, though that wasn't exactly what he'd said. It was still true. Charlie's eyebrows pulled together. â€Å"You really think there's something wrong with the Uley kid?† â€Å"I know there is. Jacob wouldn't tell me what, though.† I could hear the water from my clothes dripping to the floor and splashing on the linoleum. â€Å"I'm going to go change.† Charlie was lost in thought. â€Å"Okay,† he said absently. I decided to take a shower because I was so cold, but the hot water didn't seem to affect the temperature of my skin. I was still freezing when I gave up and shut the water off. In the sudden quiet, I could hear Charlie talking to someone downstairs. I wrapped a towel around me, and cracked the bathroom door. Charlie's voice was angry. â€Å"I'm not buying that. It doesn't make any sense.† It was quiet then, and I realized he was on the phone. A minute passed. â€Å"Don't you put this on Bella!† Charlie suddenly shouted. I jumped. When he spoke again, his voice was careful and lower. â€Å"Bella's made it very clear all along that she and Jacob were just friends Well, if that was it, then why didn't you say so at first? No, Billy, I think she's right about this Because I know my daughter, and if she says Jacob was scared before† He was cut off mid-sentence, and when he answered he was almost shouting again. â€Å"What do you mean I don't know my daughter as well as I think I do!† He listened for a brief second, and his response was almost too low for me to hear. â€Å"If you think I'm going to remind her about that, then you had better think again. She's only just starting to get over it, and mostly because of Jacob, I think. If whatever Jacob has going on with this Sam character sends her back into that depression, then Jacob is going to have to answer to me. You're my friend, Billy, but this is hurting my family.† There was another break for Billy to respond. â€Å"You got that rightthose boys set one toe out of line and I'm going to know about it. We'll be keeping an eye on the situation, you can be sure of that.† He was no longer Charlie; he was Chief Swan now. â€Å"Fine. Yeah. Goodbye.† The phone slammed into the cradle. I tiptoed quickly across the hall into my room. Charlie was muttering angrily in the kitchen. So Billy was going to blame me. I was leading Jacob on and he'd finally had enough. It was strange, for I'd feared that myself, but after the last thing Jacob had said this afternoon, I didn't believe it anymore. There was much more to this than an unrequited crush, and it surprised me that Billy would stoop to claiming that. It made me think that whatever secret they were keeping was bigger than I'd been imagining. At least Charlie was on my side now. I put my pajamas on and crawled into bed. Life seemed dark enough at the moment chat I let myself cheat. The holeholes nowwere already aching, so why not? I pulled out the memorynor a real memory that would hurt too much, but the false memory of Edward's voice in my mind this afternoonand played it over and over in my head until I fell asleep with the tears still streaming calmly down my empty face. It was a new dream tonight. Rain was falling and Jacob was walking soundlessly beside me, though beneath my feet the ground crunched like dry gravel. But he wasn't my Jacob; he was the new, bitter, graceful Jacob. The smooth suppleness of his walk reminded me of someone else, and, as I watched, his features started to change. The russet color of his skin leached away, leaving his face pale white like bone. His eyes turned gold, and then crimson, and then back to gold again. His shorn hair twisted in the breeze, turning bronze where the wind touched it. And his face became so beautiful that it shattered my heart. I reached for him, but he took a step away, raising his hands like a shield. And then Edward vanished. I wasn't sure, when I woke in the dark, if I'd just begun crying, or if my tears had run while I slept and simply continued now. I stared at my dark ceiling. I could feel that it was the middle of the nightI was still half-asleep, maybe more than half. I closed my eyes wearily and prayed for a dreamless sleep. That's when I heard the noise that must have wakened me in the first place. Something sharp scraped along the length of my window with a high-pitched squeal, like fingernails against the glass.

Free Essays on The Intersections Of Maria Rosa Hensons Life

Comfort Woman The intersections of Maria Rosa Henson’s life The purpose of this paper is to examine the intersections of Maria’s life and how they affected her life chances and choices. There were many interesting sides to Maria. There was a lot of just wife and mother, and some of her wartime ordeal within the character of Maria Rosa Henson. The relevance of early influences especially that of the Japanese military are discussed to prove how these factors affected the personality and actions of Maria Rosa Henson to a certain extent. Julia, Maria’s mother, is an important character discussed in this essay. She was the driving force behind Maria’s experiences. Maria Henson has long been seen as an amazingly strong woman who paved the way for other women to share the secrets as a comfort woman. Another interpretation of the controversy surrounding Maria Henson asserts that she was simply a loving daughter whose charisma and personal ideas were misconstrued as an illegitimate daughter of a wealthy landowner. Since everyone in the barrio of Pampang knew this ordeal, it quickly gave Maria a problem with the other students. Although Maria Henson had been offended by comments made to her, the real motive for her schooling was to become a doctor and get the education that her mother (Julia) did not receive. Maria strongly stated to her classmate, â€Å"Who are you? â€Å"I asked. â€Å"Are you a saint from above who has come down to judge me?† (15). Maria’s childhood was a definite factor in the development of an honest, courageous woman that she grew up to be. Maria Henson was born on December 5, 1927 in the village of Pasay. Maria’s father (Don Pepe) was a religious man who was respected greatly because he was a landowner. Because of his prestigious lifestyle, no one could know that Maria was his child. Maria’s father did give money to her grandmother to support Maria’s mother’s entire family and had the fami... Free Essays on The Intersections Of Maria Rosa Henson's Life Free Essays on The Intersections Of Maria Rosa Henson's Life Comfort Woman The intersections of Maria Rosa Henson’s life The purpose of this paper is to examine the intersections of Maria’s life and how they affected her life chances and choices. There were many interesting sides to Maria. There was a lot of just wife and mother, and some of her wartime ordeal within the character of Maria Rosa Henson. The relevance of early influences especially that of the Japanese military are discussed to prove how these factors affected the personality and actions of Maria Rosa Henson to a certain extent. Julia, Maria’s mother, is an important character discussed in this essay. She was the driving force behind Maria’s experiences. Maria Henson has long been seen as an amazingly strong woman who paved the way for other women to share the secrets as a comfort woman. Another interpretation of the controversy surrounding Maria Henson asserts that she was simply a loving daughter whose charisma and personal ideas were misconstrued as an illegitimate daughter of a wealthy landowner. Since everyone in the barrio of Pampang knew this ordeal, it quickly gave Maria a problem with the other students. Although Maria Henson had been offended by comments made to her, the real motive for her schooling was to become a doctor and get the education that her mother (Julia) did not receive. Maria strongly stated to her classmate, â€Å"Who are you? â€Å"I asked. â€Å"Are you a saint from above who has come down to judge me?† (15). Maria’s childhood was a definite factor in the development of an honest, courageous woman that she grew up to be. Maria Henson was born on December 5, 1927 in the village of Pasay. Maria’s father (Don Pepe) was a religious man who was respected greatly because he was a landowner. Because of his prestigious lifestyle, no one could know that Maria was his child. Maria’s father did give money to her grandmother to support Maria’s mother’s entire family and had the fami...

IGCSE English Paper 3 Model answers Essay Example

IGCSE English Paper 3 Model answers Essay Example IGCSE English Paper 3 Model answers Essay IGCSE English Paper 3 Model answers Essay IGCSE English Paper 3 Model answers BY Anusha291098 Description of a sunny day:- The freshly watered grass gleams as if it were dotted with sparkling diamonds in the late afternoon day. Beautiful, wild flowers grow untamed and uncultivated on one side of the field while on the other side trees covered the perimeter as far as the eyes could see. A silent stream trickles gently through the clean-cut rocks placed in middle of the field, divided the field into two. Not many knew where to find this sun-dappled, thereal beauty of Gods private chapel and those who did, did not dare to come here for the fear of getting lost from the clearly marked trail. As I lay down on the soft grass I cannot help but wonder how silly people can be, staying away from this beautiful gift provided by nature itself, but at the same time Im glad for the privacy. I place one hand in the stream and watch the water run thorough my fingers, shimmering magically in the fierce sun. Though it seems like Im not the only one njoying this paradise, a shadow looms over me blocking the radiant sun rays. I look up to see a family of four; two parents and their two children trekking in the woods. They mustVe been lost, from the look of their faces. Tear paths show clearly on their mud cover faces and they break out in big smiles when they see me. I stand up, and the mother starts talking, explaining how they got lost in the woods that morning after having wandered what they thought a few meters away from the trail. I quickly ive them my canister of orange Juice, which they quickly gulp down hungrily. After theyVe calmed down considerably I give them directions to the highway where theyVe left their car. They thank me profusely and leave with the extra map and compass I always keep with me. What an interesting day! , I think to myself. The sun retreats below the rim of the turning world, creating an aura of mystery and magic. Indigo hues deepen around the mesmerizing and occasionally surprising field that IVe come to love in the few years IVe known it.

SAM 340 UNIT 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

SAM 340 UNIT 6 - Essay Example There are sports like indoor and outdoor games. The indoor games don’t require any open place. But to play outdoor games there are certain criteria that we need to consider and have the playground. This forms an integral part. There are games such as football, baseball, tennis that needs the ground which is formed with certain measurements. This can be in regards to the school playground. It can be about the open place that we consider for playing. To make it function successfully we need the open place that can be useful for sporting event. The word stadium is arrived from the Greek term stade and it relates to the site or the place for Olympic style competition. It’s also called forum, live theater. There are tournaments that are arranged in the stadiums and there are spectators who come and watch the play with lots of enthusiasm. The facility management has to provide the spectators with safe and joyful experience. There are various factors that have to be taken care and worked upon. In the olden days the stadiums were constructed by the team owners with the intention to provide facilities to their own team members. Gradually, it couldn’t give them the profit and were not able to provide the amenities that are required. The annoyance of the fans is some of the critical issues that have to be dealt with proper facility. By 1960’s Arena construction came into existence which had modern facilities. They lease it with the team owners .There were intercollegiate competitions that were held. One of the games that has been given importance and has been included in the sporting competition status is the kickboxing. It is various forms of martial arts .It is a Japanese game with traditional styles, that originated in the year 1960’s.American Kickboxing came into existence by 1970’s.It involves punching and kicking .It is liked by most of them. There is no international governing body for this particular

Gene Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Gene - Essay Example will be joined with plasmids cut by the same restriction enzymes through their compatible and matching sticky ends, producing a recombinant DNA molecule, which will be inserted to an appropriate host cell. Plasmids can either be bacterial, viral, bacterial artificial chromosomes, yeast artificial chromosomes, or artificial cosmids, depending on the host organism of choice. Plasmids can also be classified based on its function, such that there is a certain set of vectors that can be used if the goal of the experiment is to only propagate the gene, as is the case for this particular study. However, vectors that allow expression of particular gene into the corresponding protein are also available as well. The growth in the population of host cells containing the recombinant DNA molecule will also result to the replication of the gene clone. As added optimizing measure, aside from the G6Pase sequence and restriction sites, the vector also contains resistance genes against antibiotics. Thus, those that do not have the recombinant DNA molecule will be killed by antibiotics, allowing the transformed cells to flourish better. When the clone is needed for further analysis, it can easily be extracted out of the cell (U.S. Department of Energy Genome Program, 2009). It is important to note that the mouse genetic material is very similar to that of humans. Thus, a known mouse G6Pase sequence can be used in hybridization as the heterologous probe in identifying the human G6Pase (McClean, 1997). How will this work? Briefly, human DNA sample will be treated with restriction enzymes to cut the long strands into smaller fragments. After doing so, the treated extract will be run through gel electrophoresis to separate the smaller fragments by weight. Then, using the mouse gene attached to a dye as heterologous probe, the strand which contains the human G6Pase will be detected and isolated. Copies of this isolated gene can be amplified through polymerase chain reaction (PCR).