Gender Discrimination in the Workforce

Although there have been decades of hard won civil rights gains for women, we do not yet live in a gender blind society. Sexism perpetuates a cycle of unfulfilled aspirations among women. Public policies are being scrutinized under ever stricter legal microscopes, and an atmosphere of unease about the future pervades our national consciousness – â€Å"a future beset with economic challenges from abroad, technological innovation at home, a demographic revolution in our workforce, and a re-stratification of society. † Restrictions on women’s access to and participation in the workforce include the wage gap and the glass ceiling.We will discuss the following laws that have helped women make important strides in the workforce, cracking (but not breaking) the glass ceiling so they could climb up the corporate ladder: the 1963 Equal Pay Act, Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Executive Orders 11246/11375, the 1968 Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act. In addition, we will provide reasons for the continuing network discrimination against females, a recent case study of pervasive gender discrimination resulting in a 152. 5 million dollar ettlement by one well known employer who was sued, and steps women can take to continue making strides toward an equal opportunity workforce. Legislation requiring equal pay for women was first introduced in 1945 in acknowledgement of women’s war work. Business owners and labor organizations succeeded in thwarting the effort, in part because of the perceived need for women to leave the labor force to create vacancies for returning servicemen. By the end of the 1950’s, policymakers were becoming concerned about insufficient use of â€Å"womanpower†.In 1963, Congress passed the Equal Pay Act as an amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to require employers to pay equal wages to men and women doing â€Å"equal work on jobs†¦which [re quire] equal skill, effort, and responsibility, and are performed under similar working conditions†. The Equal Pay Act was the first federal effort to bar discrimination by private employers on the basis of gender. The Equal Pay Act has limitations in its enforcement of protecting women – for full-time, year- round workers, the 2009 American Community Survey median earnings for women were 78. 2 ercent of men’s earnings – $35,549 compared with $45,485. Furthermore, women’s earnings were lower than men’s in all of the 50 states. One year after passing the Equal Pay Act, Congress passed the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which made it unlawful to discriminate based on a person’s race, religion, color, or sex. Title VII attacks sex discrimination more broadly than the Equal Pay Act extending not only to wages but to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment.Thus with the Equal Pay Act and Title VII, an employer cannot deny women equal pay for equal work, deny women transfers, romotions, or wage increases, manipulate job evaluations to regulate women’s pay, or intentionally segregate men and women into jobs according to their gender. In 1971 Reed v. Reed became the first case that the Supreme Court would uphold Title VII to, thus protecting women from sex discrimination. One year following the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11246 as a directive as to how the act should be interpreted and followed. Executive Order 11246 prohibited public and government sector employers from iscriminating based on race, color, religion, or national origin, but not sex. Executive Order 11246 was amended by Executive Order 11375 on October 13, 1967 after sexual harassment became an issue. Sex would now be included as a category that could not be discriminated against by an employer. Executive Order 11375 meant to ensure that women would not be exploited sexuall y to advance their careers. Women were to now be protected in the workplace from supervisors and coworkers who did not take into consideration the concept of personal space or offensive language and conduct.Legal regulations now banned these behaviors and legal action could be taken if they did occur. Executive Order 11375 meant women should no longer have to worry about being discriminated against in the workplace in terms of being hired or released. Executive Order 11375 meant that Affirmative Action (of Executive Order 11246) now applied to women as well. Affirmative Action is an organization’s active effort to find opportunities to hire or promote people in a particular group (in this instance, women). Affirmative Action plans must consist of an equal opportunity policy statement, an analysis of he current work force, identification of underrepresented areas, the establishment of reasonable, flexible goals and timetables for increasing employment opportunities, specific a ction-oriented programs to address problem areas, support for community action programs, and the establishment of an internal audit and reporting system. Contractors receiving more than $10,000 from the federal government must take affirmative action, and those exceeding $50,000 must develop a written affirmative action plan for each of their establishments. The plan must be in place within 120 days of the beginning of the contract.Employers whose contracts meet minimum size requirements must engage in affirmative action to ensure against discrimination. Employers must consider all qualified individuals for employment, must choose without regard to gender (now a protected category), and must engage in outreach to encourage the broadest possible group of qualified individuals to enter the supply or applicant pool. In 1967 Congress passed the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. The ADEA branches from the debate on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimina tion on the asis of race, color, national origin, or sex, but not age. President Lyndon Johnson strongly believed that age was a growing issue among Americans. This law prohibits discrimination of men and women employees over the age of 40 and forbids companies to base employment decisions solely on an applicant’s age. The Equal Opportunity Commission enforces this act but there are still many complaints filed yearly from workers who are experiencing discrimination because of their age. For many years, elderly workers have felt that they are losing out to their younger coworkers.The Age Discrimination in Employment Act attempts to eliminate the gap between younger and older employees. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act applies to businesses with 15 or more employees working 20 or more weeks per year including employees in state and local government, federal government, employment agencies, and labor organizations. The ADEA helps protect unlawful discrimination of older individuals that can occur when applying or interviewing for jobs. The Age Discrimination Act protects employees by prohibiting employers to include age preferences or limitations in job applications and advertisements.Under the ADEA it is not expressly forbidden to ask an applicant’s age, but it is closely examined to make sure the query was made for a legitimate purpose. Despite the Age Discrimination Act, The Supreme Court recently changed what qualifies as successfully proven age discrimination. Companies come up with multiple reasons why an employee is terminated without mentioning age, when in actuality the employee’s age is the only factor. Seniors are a growing population and many are planning to work past their retirement age. Discrimination against age is not only affecting individual employees but ociety as a whole. An employee now has to prove that their age was the sole reason for their employer’s actions, therefore older workers can barely fight or prosecute age discrimination. In 2007, 60-year-old Oklahoma City Teacher Judy Jones filed an age discrimination suit against the superintendant who eliminated her teaching position and reassigned her to an office job as a principal. Judy’s salary decreased and benefits were affected during her second year as principal, while school directors and the superintendant himself frequently commented on Judy’s age and retirement plans.The district court rejected her claim because she â€Å"could not show sufficient evidence† that her age was the sole reason for her relocated position and reduced pay. There have been successful outcomes to Age Discrimination lawsuits as the U. S. Equal Opportunity Commission recently charged two companies with age discrimination. A 70-year- old pharmacist at the Honolulu Kmart was awarded $120,000 after higher management habitually commented on, and wrote about, her elderly age, causing her humiliation and compelling her to retire. In a nother case, a 75-year-old qualified receptionist was fired based on ge after her second day at work at Red Rock Western Jeep Tours Inc. She filed a lawsuit and it was settled in a $35,000 payout. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 defines discrimination on the basis of pregnancy and childbirth or any other form of illegal sex discrimination. This act is meant to ensure that no woman will be subject to non-hire by an employer due to pregnancy. She is to be treated the same as any other individual and is to be guaranteed benefits and accommodations based on the same policies and procedures as any other employee with a disability.Pregnancy discrimination occurs when expectant mothers are fired, not hired, or otherwise discriminated against due to their pregnancy or intention to become pregnant. Common forms of pregnancy discrimination include not being hired due to visible pregnancy or likelihood of becoming pregnant, being fired after informing an employer of one’s pregn ancy, being fired during maternity leave, and receiving a pay dock due to one’s pregnancy. In 1978, the U. S. Congress passed the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, an amendment to the sex discrimination section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Pregnancy DiscriminationAct states that discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions constitutes unlawful sex discrimination under Title VII. This clause covers employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments. Title VII also applies to employment agencies and to labor organizations, as well as to the federal government. Women who are pregnant or affected by pregnancy-related conditions must be treated in the same manner as other applicants or employees with similar abilities or limitations. An employer may not single out pregnancy related conditions to determine an mployee’s ability to work. However, if an employer requires its employees to submit a doctor’s statement concerning their inability to work before granting leave or paying sick benefits, the employer may require employees affected by pregnancy-related conditions to submit such statements. If an employee is temporarily unable to perform her job because of her pregnancy, the employer must treat her the same way as any other temporarily disabled employee. Pregnant employees must be permitted to work as long as they are able to perform their jobs.If an employee has been absent from work as a result of a pregnancy-related condition nd recovers, her employer may not require her to remain on leave until the baby’s birth. An employer also may not have a rule that prohibits an employee from returning to work for a predetermined length of time after childbirth. Employers must hold open a position for a woman who has been absent due to pregnancy-related issues for the same length of time jobs are held open for employees on sick or disability leave. Any health insurance provided by an employer must cover expenses for pregnancy- related conditions on the same basis as costs for other medical conditions. An employer need ot provide health insurance for expenses arising from abortion, except when the life of the mother is endangered. Pregnancy-related expenses should be reimbursed exactly as those incurred for other medical conditions, whether payment is on a fixed basis or a percentage of a specific amount. The amounts payable by the insurance provider can be limited only to the same extent of amounts payable for other conditions. No additional, increased, or larger deductible can be imposed. Employers must provide the same level of health benefits for spouses of female employees as they do for spouses of male employees.Pregnancy-related benefits cannot be limited to married employees. Benefits must be provided for pregnancy-related conditions to unmarried women if benefits are provided to employees for other medical conditions. If an employer provides any be nefits to workers on leave, the employer must provide the same benefits for those on leave for pregnancy-related conditions. Employees on leave because of pregnancy-related conditions must be treated the same as other temporarily disabled employees for accumulation and crediting of seniority, vacation calculation, pay increases, and temporary disability benefits.A case that was important to the creation of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act was Muller v. Oregon (1908). The Supreme Court upheld a decision limiting women to 10 hour workdays based on the idea that â€Å"performance of maternal functions† made women inherently incapable of the same work that men did. In the 1950s and 1960s, laws in several states prohibited women from working and others banned their hiring for some length of time before and after birth. Reasons for the continuing network discrimination against women include myths about female workers, conscious and unconscious stereotyping and biasing applied by ma ny white en who are desperate to keep their competitive edge over women, and inadequate reporting and dissemination of information pertaining to glass-ceiling issues. The following myths about female employees, despite being disproved, still exist: women executives refuse to work long hours or relocate, and many women executives take leave of absences (and that those who go on federally and state protected maternity leave have suddenly lost professional credibility upon becoming pregnant or taking temporary leave). Statistics show women executives work 56 hours per week on average – the same as their ale counterparts. Only 14 percent refused to relocate as compared to 20 percent of the men.Only one-third of female executives surveyed had ever taken a leave of absence and 82 percent of these were for maternity leave or other family reasons protected under FMLA. Finally, there can be a twisted perception that women executives lose their professional credibility upon becoming pr egnant or taking maternity leave – an â€Å"out of sight, out of mind† mantra held by their bosses. Furthermore, a pregnant woman obviously has priorities outside of work and a selfish mployer may have the unreasonable expectation of work being a sole priority. Research suggests that an underlying cause of the glass ceiling is the perception of many white males â€Å"that they as a group are losing – losing competitive advantage, losing control, and losing opportunity as a direct consequence of inclusion of women. † There is also a â€Å"difference† barrier â€Å"manifested through conscious and unconscious stereotyping and bias. † People who do hiring feel most comfortable hiring people who look like them. Recruiters for high-status jobs are predominately white males who then hire other white males from the same socio- conomic status, which helps perpetuate their over-representation in the best jobs. Governmental barriers include the collec tion and disaggregation of employment related data which make it difficult to ascertain the status of various groups at the managerial level. There also continues to be inadequate reporting and dissemination of information pertaining to glass ceiling issues. Most importantly, there needs to be consistent monitoring and enforcement of laws and policies already on the books. The following case demonstrates how costly illegal gender discrimination can be to employers:In May 2010, a jury in the U. S. District Court for the Southern District of New York awarded a record $250 million in punitive damages to 5,600 female sales employees in a sexual discrimination case after Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (â€Å"Novartis†) took the lawsuit filed against them to court – and lost. In July 2010, the parties reached a $152 million settlement agreement of the plaintiffs’ claims of gender discrimination in the terms and conditions of their employment, including compensat ion, promotion/promotional opportunities, reviews, and pregnancy leave. The terms of this greement allow for full compensation of former and current female employees dating from 2002-2010, ensuring that every woman who worked at Novartis over the past 8 years was compensated fairly.As part of the settlement, Novartis must also spend an additional $22. 5 million over the next three years on anti-discrimination policies, programs, and training, as well as on strengthening its employee complaint process. Novartis was ordered to increase its Human Resource and Employment Relations staff within nine months of the effective state of the settlement agreement – ensuring that there would be ne Employment Relations Investigator for every 1,000 Novartis employees. A Compliance Master would be appointed as an external specialist for the New York Federal Court to monitor Novartis’s compliance with the settlement agreement’s terms and conditions. Steps that women can take to continue making strides toward an equal opportunity workforce are to show themselves as decision makers, risk-takers, and players. Furthermore, a female manager should do her best to remove gender biases from her own business practices by not comparing her employees to men at the top.In Conclusion, women are just a few steps closer to being looked at as equal to men due to these legal acts. Women now have fewer restrictions and more rights within the workforce. The 1963 Equal Pay Act and 1964 Title VII brought women higher pay and more equal opportunity. Women are now seeing the benefits of Executive Order 11375 which included protection from any sexual harassment. In 1967 the Age Discrimination in Employment Act was put into place to include age from discrimination, and women benefited from the insistence that age should not prevent a capable and qualified person from working.In 1978 the Pregnancy Discrimination Act was implemented so that pregnancy did not determine a womanâ€℠¢s ability to work; it also ensured that she received the same benefits as anyone else with a disability. Furthermore, even today women are fighting to have fair rights within the workplace. Even with the legal clauses, women are faced with stereotypes and glass-ceiling barriers. In order for women to overcome the problems they are tackling, to truly be protected and to have the rights that they deserve, there must be constant reinforcement of the laws that are currently in place.

Nation under God Essay

The argument regarding the use of the word God in the Pledge of Allegiance is not a new one. In fact, this argument stems from the long standing principle of separation between the church and the state which is embodied in the First Amendment of the United States constitution. Under this principle, the government and the church are to be kept separate from each other. The government is prohibited from encouraging or advancing any of the interests of a single religion. This means that the government cannot promote a single religion or impose upon its people which religion to follow (Clark 1965). It is a blanket prohibition that prevents the government from intervening in the religious beliefs of people. The second aspect of this principle recognizes that the government will invariably have to deal with religious institutions one way or the other (Clark 1965). The doctrine on the separation of church and state therefore also regulates the dealings between the church and state such that there should only be a minimal and incidental interference from the government. This is also known as the rule on excessive entanglement between the church and the state. The problem with the use of the word God in the Pledge of Allegiance is considered as a violation of the doctrine on the separation of the church and state because many religious groups claim that the use of the term God favors the Christian religion which prominently uses the term God for the Supreme Being. Other groups on the other hand argue that the word God as used in the Pledge of Allegiance is not an advancement of the Christian religion but rather an acknowledgment of some higher being that is common to all religions. This short discourse will seek to shed more light on the issue of the use of the word God in the Pledge of Allegiance. The first part will cover the historical background of the insertion of the word God in an attempt to understand the original meaning of the word God as used in the Pledge of Allegiance. The next segments will cover the points of view from the perspective of the state as contrasted to the perspective of the church on the issue. Historical Background of the Insertion of the Word God: There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the use of the word God in the Pledge of Allegiance particularly with its mandatory recitation in the public school classrooms. Most of controversy revolves around the use of the phrase â€Å"under God. † It was not until June 14, 1954 however that this highly contested phrase was inserted (Whitsitt 1896). The original tenor of the pledge of allegiance which was created by Francis Bellamy on September 7, 1892 read as follows: I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Historical Changes of the Pledge of Allegiance 1892: â€Å"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. † 1892 to 1923: â€Å"I pledge allegiance to my Flag and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. † 1923 to 1954: â€Å"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. † 1954 to Present: â€Å"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all. † The original tenor of the Pledge of Allegiance did not contain any reference to any deity whatsoever. In response to this, the Knights of Columbus of New York City urged the assemblies to insert a reference to a deity since they felt that it was incomplete without one. The deity to which the Knights of Columbus referred to was the same one that was referred to in Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (Whitsitt 1896). The words â€Å"under God† as used in Lincoln’s address, according to the Knights of Columbus, was the most appropriate one to add to the Pledge of Allegiance. It is important to note however that the phrase â€Å"under God† was never contained in the original text of the Gettysburg Address. By April 22 of the year 1951, the Board of Directors of the Knights of Columbus formally adopted a resolution to amend the recitation of Pledge of Allegiance by the members of the Knights of Columbus at the opening of each of the meetings of the 800 Fourth Degree Assemblies of the Knights of Columbus by addition of the words â€Å"under God† after the words â€Å"one nation† (Whitsitt 1896). It was not long before the whole organization had adopted the same resolution as the idea spread throughout the other Knights of Columbus organizations nationwide. On August 21, 1952, the Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus adopted a resolution at its annual meeting recommending the that the change in the Pledge of Allegiance be made universal and soon petitions and copies of the resolution were sent to the Office of the President, the Vice President, who was the Presiding Officer of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. While the attempts of the Knights of Columbus were unsuccessful, they were able to convince a majority of the relevance of inserting such a phrase and soon the movement began to gain momentum (Whitsitt 1896). It was not until Senator Homer Ferguson who in his report to the United States Congress on March 10, 1954 that the movement had begun to make significant progress. In this privileged speech, Senator Ferguson said, â€Å"The introduction of this joint resolution was suggested to me by a sermon given recently by the Rev. George M. Docherty, of Washington, D. C. , who is pastor of the church at which Lincoln worshipped. † By this time Congress concurred with the Oakman-Ferguson resolution, and Eisenhower opted to sign the bill into law on Flag Day, June 14, 1954. The rationale for the approval and adoption of the phrase â€Å"under God† was clarified by President Eisenhower in a letter which he wrote in August of 1954 (Bradley 1996). These words [â€Å"under God†] will remind Americans that despite our great physical strength we must remain humble. They will help us to keep constantly in our minds and hearts the spiritual and moral principles which alone give dignity to man, and upon which our way of life is founded. This was actually taken from the sermon of Docherty to which President Eisenhower had taken a great interest in (Whitsitt 1896). It was eventually published by Harper & Bros. in New York in 1958 and President Eisenhower took the opportunity to write to Dr. Docherty with gratitude for the opportunity to once again read the fateful sermon. Finally, on Flag Day, June 14, 1954, Congress passed the legislation that add the phrase â€Å"under God† to the Pledge of Allegiance. At this point, it can be argued that the insertion of the word God into the Pledge of Allegiance was actually motivated by some religious influence, particularly the Christian religion. In order to have a better understanding of the issue at hand however it is important to briefly examine the import of the doctrine of the Separation of the Church and the State. Doctrine of the Separation of Church and State: The phrase, â€Å"separation of Church and State†, is actually from a letter that was written by one of the founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson, to a group that called themselves the Danbury Baptists. In the letter, Thomas Jefferson wrote that, â€Å"I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, thus building a wall of separation between Church and State. † This was of course in reference to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution (Whitsitt 1896). The basic precept of this doctrine is founded on a firm belief that religion and state should be separate. It covers a very wide spectrum, as mentioned in the previous sections of this discussion, ranging from the secularization or elimination of the church to theocracy wherein the state works in tandem with a religion in order to govern over the acts of people (Bradley 1996). The Secularist Perspective: The secularist perspective is that the state should be kept distant from religion and that, in the same vein, the religious institutions should also be free from any governmental interferences. This follows the second aspect of the Doctrine of the Separation of Church and State that dictates that there should be no entanglement between the Church and the State (Bradley 1996). In this perspective, the government is prohibited from citing the authority or influence of a specific religious institution for the justification of its authority (Bradley 1996). While there are some governments that claim religious justifications for their powers such as the Muslim states, the justification for such is based on the emphasis of the relationship for ceremonial and rhetorical purposes only. The acts done by the government are not meant to further the cause of any single religion but are actually for the general welfare and the benefit of the state. The state therefore does not conform to any particular religious doctrine but in fact caters to its own doctrine as mandated by the will of the people and of the Constitution (Clark 1965). Acts such as exemptions from taxation or providing funds for education and charities, though viewed as supporting religion, are in fact welfare based or â€Å"faith based† according to secularists. This reflects the view that temporal authority and spiritual authority should properly operate in complimentary spheres. The spheres where they overlap such as in moral values or property rights are areas where neither should take authority over the other but should instead offer a framework in which society can work these issues out without subjugating a religion to the state or vice versa (Bradley 1996).

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.

Arist Statement Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Arist Statement Paper - Essay Example I have endeavored to depict these moments since they progressively change as life goes on. My prints are an attempt to establish a connection between the viewer and the images. Art is the driving force of my etchings and is lies within the contemplative illustrations. The function of color in my prints is to generate a sentimental instinctive reaction to personal themes like scenes from my childhood and family legacy. I intend to evoke a sense of familiarity in the viewer as I correlate with a specific image. Printmaking acts as vehicle for infinite combinations of color juxtaposition. A variety of techniques and various combinations offer innumerable new opportunities. I am particularly enchanted by the forms, colors and shapes in printmaking. The art of printmaking is all about anticipation and moments of admiration or distress as the paper or screen is separated to expose the image. I especially focus on intricate compositions, in an attempt to transform my ideas into magnificent prints to put across profound sentimental content. Since the beginning, the process of etching seemed magical to me. Over the years, it has assisted me in presenting my inner vision to outer reality and thus led to a sense of achievement. Story-telling has always been an integral component of Slavic folklore. I have delved in my family history and culture at length, struggling to create profiles based upon renewed memories and recollections from old relatives. The supreme inspiration behind this collection is my Russian grandmother, Marina who used to narrate invigorating and inspirational stories to us in our childhood. With the passage of time and migration, the content of these conventional tales have been modified to some degree, now I relate the same stories to my daughter, Millicent. Therefore, my aim is to deconstruct these stories, lullabies and family heritage that play an imperative role not only in our childhood but in our adult life too. Our perception and connection wit h subject matter evolves and assumes new significance as we pass through time. The conceived fabricated reflection of embroidered memories is the foundation of my figurative connection between past and present established on my lineage. Memories comprise of only selective chapters of our past, frequently concealing imperative features, revealing only fractured bits and pieces of the entire picture. Some are crystal clear while others are blurred and altered, making it difficult to discern reality from illusions. I aspire to rediscover our self identity by accessing and repossessing our memories. I have tried to direct the attention of the observers to rediscover their own memories by building up relationships with the prints presented and analyze the pliability of their memories. My work is targeted at recreating, deforming, exposing and obscuring memories. My prints encompass various patterns and denote personal associations and an aesthetic appeal which I feel for each object. Our minds formulate memories according to a specific configuration and then recognize segments of our inner emotional nature. My goal is to illustrate the various surfaces of memory by discovering the bond between physical remembrance and the subtle temporary sentiments that activate as well as summon our memories. Experience, sentiment and perception are reflected by the

Imperial Tobacco- International Management Report Essay

Imperial Tobacco- International Management Report - Essay Example Imperial predominantly deals in manufacturing, marketing, distribution and sales of a diversified portfolio of cigarettes, tobaccos, cigars, rolling papers and filter tubes. It holds world leader position in premium, high-end cigar and fine-cut tobacco market. The corporation also delivers logistics and distribution services for tobacco and other associated products. In terms of size, it is one of the top four tobacco companies in the world earning operating revenues of ?29,223m in 2011 (Imperial Annual Report, 2011). The four principal tobacco companies: Philip Morris International, British American Tobacco, Japan Tobacco and Imperial Tobacco constitute about 45% of the overall global market or 74% of the total, excluding China (Ash, 2011). Its strong market position, a diversified brand and product portfolio allow Imperial to grow sustainably. However, growing health consciousness, strict government regulations and restrictions on the industry, high excise duties and illicit trade of tobacco products are key threats to Imperial. Overview of Imperial’s Internationalization Owing to increased globalization and competition, volatile environment within nations, Internationalization strategies by corporations have become more and more relevant for their sustainability. With lowering barriers to trade, access to capital and technological innovation, progressively more organizations are exploring options for higher profit and growth by going international. Imperial became public, by listing in London Stock Exchange, in 1996. At that time, Imperial main source of revenues was UK with only 20% of its revenues coming from other parts of the globe (ScanSafe, 2007). Since 1996, the company has accelerated its global expansion plans, acquiring businesses across the world. As of today, the corporation functions in more than 160 markets with 60% of its products sold in the ‘emerging markets’ of Africa, Middle East and Eastern Europe, and 40% in the †˜mature markets’ of Western Europe and USA. Imperial boasts of a strong global footprint with around 50 factories across 160 countries and employing 38,000 people across the globe. The company divides its operations into EU and non-EU countries. Key markets in EU include France, Spain, Germany and UK while key non-EU markets for Imperial are USA, Australia, Morocco, Taiwan, Russia and Ukraine. Since past two decades, the key drivers of internationalization for the company have been declining growth rate in mature markets such as Europe and US, increase in excise duties on tobacco products, overall slump in economy and rise of anti-smoking culture in advanced countries. Non-EU and emerging markets such as North Africa and Asia have indicated favorable macro dynamics such as GDP growth, population growth and female smoking as well as other growth drivers such as consistent market growth in Asia, Africa and Middle East and margin potential in Eastern Europe. Modes of Internatio nalization Like most other companies, Imperial Tobacco Corporation has adopted Internationalization as a key strategy for sustainable growth and maximizing shareholder value. As learnt in the course, there are several modes by which a company enters an international market. These modes include exporting, licensing, international agents and distributors,

Community Policing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Community Policing - Research Paper Example Over time this relationship eroded away and the policing strategy moved over to a reformation era which further gave rise to a community problem solving era after the 1960s (Kelling & Moore, 2015) However the role of politics in policing is still undefined in times of uncertainty. This role has changed over time but the affiliation of political powers to that of policing powers can never be negated. This policing power can be easily misused by the politicians if they are given the opportunity. A political era marks the history of the policing department and this should always be kept in mind when implementing new strategies for the police department. This essay would revolve around the issue of political involvement in the policing of the United States. In order to gain an understanding on the topic of politics and police, it becomes necessary to review the order of policing and political affiliations at first. Currently, three systems dominated in the United States namely Legislative, Executive and Judicial. These systems work in a symbiotic environment to help each other and the Police belong to the Executive system. Police however is under constant scrutiny by the judicial system which works as an auditor for the policing powers. The police agencies working under the United States are usually seen at a local level and the head of the police at this local level needs to understand the political background of the place that he is operating in. It is necessary for the policing staff to understand this political background and act in a manner that does not violate the rules set down by the system of the country. The city is mainly under the power of some stakeholders that represent the whole region and this includes the mayor, the c ity manager and the police commissioner. The complex tasks of politics set in when the police has to be answerable to all of them in accordance to

Research paper in argumentative style. Dress codes in public schools- Essay

Research paper in argumentative style. Dress codes in public schools- do they promote a safer environment - Essay Example In recent years, many school and district officials have claimed that there is an increase in improper activities within the school environment, such as violence, gang activity, theft of clothing and conflicts against discipline (Madrid, et al). This led to the introduction of dress codes or uniforms by officials in school districts across the country. Dress codes lay down ‘what must not be worn,’ while uniform policies decree ‘what must be worn’ (Anderson). Private schools were the first to adopt dress codes or uniform policies. Public schools soon started emulating their example (Education Commission of the States). The education officials protested that a state of continuous confrontation had been created between school authorities trying to do their duty by producing an environment conducive to learning, and students rebelling against the restraints of acceptable, protected behavior (Pedzich). They propagated dress codes and uniforms as the way to achieve a safe, secure and orderly school environment. In this context, the school dress code or uniform policy is meant to be a deterrent to violence, gang activity, theft and misbehavior while promoting academic excellence and social development. Cherry Hill Elementary school (Baltimore, Maryland) has the distinction of being the first U.S. public school to implement a uniform policy in the year 1987. Long Beach California Unified School District (LBUSD) became the first school district to adopt a public school uniform policy in 1994. The biggest boost was received when President Bill Clinton catapulted the issue to national prominence in January 1996 when he officially permitted it during his State of the Union Address. Clinton emphasized his support for the matter by ordering the U.S. Department of Education to deliver a brochure called â€Å"A Manual of School Uniforms† to all the country’s 16,000 school

Can Blockbuster Stand up to Netflix Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Can Blockbuster Stand up to Netflix - Article Example These forces have mostly come from the competition provided by illegal downloads of movies in local markets and the pirated copies of films available in foreign markets but most importantly Blockbuster faces competition from a company called Netflix. Instead of using local distribution channels, Netflix uses an online storefront which means that they have reduced their distribution costs to a great extent. Netflix has used a technological solution to give itself the first mover advantage forcing Blockbuster to play the catch-up game (Epstein, 2006). Â  As the latest information available from Blockbuster, the company is venturing into online rentals for films and allowing the distribution of media material from online sources such as websites and even in-store kiosks to locate older films (Blockbuster, 2006). However, this may be a case of too little too late since Netflix is already offering their clients the same services. Blockbuster tried to compete with Netflix on price but the running costs of having stores across America and the human resource cost of maintaining those stores means that Blockbuster will always find it difficult to compete solely on the price model. Â  It does not seem that Blockbuster has a good future since analysts from both the business world and the Hollywood entertainment industry consider it to be little more than a zombie about to be killed by modern distribution methods (Epstein, 2006). However, Blockbuster does have an established name in the rental business and it is still a place where individuals can see the choices they have rather than to scroll through the choices.

Marketing SLP 1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing SLP 1 - Essay Example Location and its current market strength: Best Buy Co., Inc. (BBY) is a company with its stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and is also listed in the Fortune 100. It is the largest specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the USA and Canada. Its total market share stands at 21% of the market. Its Headquarters are located in Richfield, Minnesota, USA. The company has a few subsidiaries such as Pacific Sales, Magnolia Audio and Geek Squad. The Best Buy Canada subsidiary does not operate its original name. In fact, it operates under the Future Shop label, which has a quite large market share in Canada (Hill, June 2008, retrieved July 2, 2008). Products : BBY sells all categories of consumer electronics – television sets, computers, i-phones, i-pods, mobile phones, digital and video cameras, Blu-ray discs, computer software, video games, DVD players, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, music and so on. Each store also has a separate department for audio and video equipment. Global operations: Its global network spans Canada, China, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Turkey. The company has plans afoot for further expansion. For example its current network of stores amounting to 1150 in the USA will expand up to 1400 by the end of the current year. It’s planning string of acquisitions in the UK in 2009. For instance it will buy up rivals like Kesa Electricals and DSG International to position itself with a strategic advantage over other competitors. Chinese market: In June 2006, the company negotiated a deal with Feidiao Electrics Co. Ltd., in Shanghai to buy space on one of its buildings at a cost of $31.25 million. This figure includes the cost of decoration and outsourcing. Electronics retailers in China responded to this news with their own marketing tactics. Right now, despite Best Buy’s international presence Chinese electronics retailers have not fallen far behind in competition and sales revenue. Yongle which has nearly 50% of

Critical Evaluation of Bureaucracy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Critical Evaluation of Bureaucracy - Essay Example The most recent developments to affect British Airways include the financial crisis that began in 2008. The reduced global business activity adversely affected the airlines industry. As a result, British Airways had to take steps to control its expenses while revenues were not expected to grow in the near future. In pursuit of such measures, British Airways announced 1700 job cuts for its UK cabin crew of 14,000. This measure was intended to reduce labour costs and increase profitability. However, the measure backfired and resulted in an industrial dispute with the cabin crew labour union Unite for almost two years. Most recently, the airlines has merged with Iberia Airlines and now operates under the parent company of International Airlines Group. This illustrates the increasing trend towards privatization in the airlines industry. Critical issues in the environment have increased the challenges for British Airways. The terrorist attacks of September 2001 created a fear of air travel worldwide and airlines suffered as a result. British Airways being the national carrier of the United Kingdom also suffered. In addition, since 2008, the costs of jet fuel has been volatile, increasing the cost of operations for British Airways. Smaller, smaller budget airlines entered the industry and exploited the needs of the budget travelers. By offering more flexible no-frills services, they catered to the need of the consumers for prompt and flexible service as opposed to the bureaucratic procedures.

Information Technology for Managers Essay Example for Free

Information Technology for Managers Essay Introduction In a fast rising popularity of technology, companies will use this to gain a competitive advantage. IT works in helping businesses reach their strategic goals. In the case for Sophia the goal would be to drive up her sales to meet with the standards that stiff competition has set up. Not knowing much about technology, Sophia would require help from an outside source in order to have the technology portion running smoothly. Website One of the best ways to improve the IT component is to open up a website with the help from the website onepageapp. com. This vendor is perfect for small companies to start up a website to your liking. One page app would assist in the purchase of a domain name for the site people go to visit. With a drag and drop interface the site being designed to Sophia’s preferred theme and the main content she would prefer on the site. One page app offers a few monthly plans starting from eight dollars all the way to two hundred. In Sophia case, the best plan would be the twenty nine dollars a month that includes up to twenty additional users, forty newsletters a month and even priority support if having any issues within the website. One of the best incentives here is that when launching with one page app it also creates a website version for mobile phone and tablets. With the increased use of smartphones and the emergence of ipads, people who use these devices on the often can view your website in read able and simple form. Another excellent feature one page app offers is engine optimization. The high use of search engines a good way to have website noticed is through the search results. With proper formatted HTML, Meta tags, meta descriptions, and sitemaps the results on search engines would attract more people viewing the website (OnePager, 2013). Sophia would be given useful analytics with one page app as the traffic the site receives would be documented along with the keywords used to gain the hits. The knowing of the keywords is valuable as we can use this information on seeing what foods people are searching on the web and what products are getting them redirected to Green Peppers website. Trying to further promote the interested item menu would only draw more interest from customers. Onepager allows for a great two stay connected  with customers. Having customers sign up for newsletters can have Sophia sending mass emails to subscribers for upcoming events and new menu items they may have. It’s a great way to keep good relation by also sending coupons for deals and such. If Sophia has trouble understanding these new online concepts she can elect to hire a part time employee or increase the duties of a current employees to keep the website updated. Constantly updating the site is crucial to stay competitive with any other restaurants. Twitter Social Media is a great way for small companies to get some easy exposure. As of September of 2013 there are 200 million twitter users (Canadian Press, 2013). With so many users using one application, generating awareness of a company proves to be beneficial. Having a company twitter account is a great way in getting Sophia’s restaurant known. Twitter can help generate feedback on previous customer experience and ways they could make some improvements. This has worked well with some bigger companies where a customer would tag the business in their tweet expressing some displeasure and the company comes up with a reply to compensate the experience with apologies or even future deals. Customers have already had issues with Green Peppers ordering techniques and this would be a good way for Sophia to gather some feedback. Green Pepper could also seek suggestions on different types of recipes customers would like to see being served. It would allow for them to add menu items that have potential on gaining popularity. Green Pepper would also be able to see what customers are saying about the local competition when it comes to service they provide and quality of food they tend to serve. This benchmark is probably the best when measuring the success of your current business. Opening a twitter account is completely free and very easy to use. Tweets could be sent from any smartphone making it convenient to access for all users. Tweeting out special promotions going on would bring in more customers and consumers are always finding ways to eat for less money. Hash tags are a great way to research what most of the world is talking about. For example, if a celebrity tweets about how much they love Indian or Chinese food, it would provide Green Pepper with a great opportunity to  tweet something to its followers referencing that comment to keep Green Pepper relevant. Facebook Like twitter, having a Facebook account is free. With a positive word of mouth rating of a restaurant being most valuable to a company, Facebook is a good tool to enforce that. Facebook allows for Green Pepper to post restaurant’s menu and updates for its followers to see. Green Pepper can take pictures of their most visually appealing menu items and post the pictures for display in order to entice more customers. They can show videos on the process they take into making the Indian fused Chinese dishes. Fusion food being seemed risky for some consumers, they can showcase the dish on the flavors added and how it is prepped. Listing the benefits of the human body that certain spices can offer, appeals to many health conscious customers. Keeping the account active is the most important as the regular customers who eat at Green Pepper would want to know what deals are occurring. It’s a great way to engage with the customers and making their personal experience at Green Pepper the best it could possibly be. Major fast food chains take great advantage of this by offering coupons online for their followers and always encouraging them to follow them on social media sites like Facebook and twitter. (Brandon, 2011) Replying to a post that a customer had at Green Pepper makes it feel more personal and the customer feels more satisfied as their questions and concerns are being noted by Sophia. Since Green Pepper is a small restaurant every negative comment about the service is a big issue on the company’s image. Having a negative word of mouth comments spread can cause customers to decline fast. Getting customers to partake in polls and quizzes is a free research base as companies can get a lot of info based on the poll results (Eldon, 2009). Offering the meals that customers prefer is an important way in staying relevant. Having someone over-look the operation of Facebook could be great by hiring a part time employee or even increasing the responsibilities of a current employee working at Green Pepper. Group on Groupon is website offering deals that many businesses are taking part in. Restaurants can offer deals on menu items for a fraction of cost if bought on Groupon. This is a great way into bringing customers into the restaurant and having them try other items on the menu and if they are satisfied with the service they could become returning customers. Another incentive is when a voucher is purchased not every customer goes and actually uses it. Many vouchers do have an expiry date and if the customer waits to long the voucher would no longer be valid and Green Pepper would still get half the purchase cost of the voucher. Since Groupon is running their site the only costs occur when the voucher is actually bought from a customer as Groupon takes half that money. They work as a great middleman between Green Pepper and future customers. The downside of this route is that Groupon takes half the proceeds from the voucher. An example is having an 80 dollar menu voucher sold on Groupon for 40 dollars. Groupon then keeps 20 dollars of that and gives the remaining 20 to Green Pepper. Other flaws being seen in their business model in an article in Forbes magazine â€Å"Groupon’s biggest victims are the small businesses that get suckered in to accepting Groupons. Restaurants lose money on them because consumers flood the restaurants, order very low priced meals, strain waiters and cooks, get lousy service, and never return.† (Cohan, 2012). Sophia must know the capacity restrictions well and if offering a Groupon deal then must be fully staffed for that day. Allowing customers to leave the restaurant on a negative really affects the company image especially being a small restaurant. Recommendation The way for Green Pepper to optimize its profits would be to hire a part time employee to run the social media aspects in Facebook and twitter along with working with one page app and keeping the website updated. Many young adults have some experience in social networks and finding a University student who could work part time wouldn’t be difficult. They would oversee the twitter updates and tweeting on the regular. They could update the Facebook Photo album with menu dishes as well as keeping in contact with the customers leaving feedback on the social sites. One page app makes the design of the website so simple just would need the employee to making sure site is  running smoothly and keeping in contact with the developers if any problem occurs. They would work with Sophia and teach her a little about the technology components as one page app allows many users having access to the website. The switch to technology focus should not be a hard one but instead a smart one.

Time Travel Essay Example for Free

Time Travel Essay Throughout history, the plausibility of time traveling has remained at the pinnacle of scientific research. Imagine traveling into the future to see how one’s own life turns out. Surely the human brain could not comprehend how such a feat could be possible. One could determine whether or not he or she has reached their goals in life. One could look into their own future and realize that it is not what they truly desire. He or she could then certainly prevent an unwanted future. To some, it may sound thoroughly unattainable, however, scientists have conveyed years of research supporting the achievability. Time travel has possessed a label of being insurmountable. It is an aspect of science that has forever challenged brilliant scientists to prove its existence. Scientists such as Albert Einstein and Stephen Faulkner have developed theories and proofs that support it without breaking the laws of physics. The phenomenon known as time travel is theoretically possible and will subsist in virtue of everyday time travel, through Albert Einstein’s infamous theory of relativity, and utilizing a topological feature of space time. Time travel is all around the world today, occurring left and right. When most think of time travel, they automatically think of cutting-edge time machines and other in depth theories possessing ways to transport humans into the future and the past. However, time travel is very much existent in society, the majority of the population just does not realize it. Every human alive today travels in time. Each year that a person lives, she or he has moved forward one year (Dr. Marc). Dr Marc reasons that â€Å"Another way to say that is that we travel in time at the rate of 1 hour per hour. † The rate of course, is experienced by every living thing on earth. A simple way to understand how every being time travels is to picture time as a river. A river is constantly flowing and moving, as is time (Bonsor 1). Time also moves at different speeds in contrasting settings, similar to that of a river. Kevin Bonsor claims that, â€Å"In other words, time is relative† (1). The idea that time is like a river was first put forward by Albert Einstein back in the early 1900s. Therefore, there is a strict connection between time and space. The relationship between space and time is more simple than most people think. Most people would find it surprising to learn that time travel takes places everyday. Everything in the world is made up of matter, and matter takes up space. Therefore, anything that dominates space has a relationship with time. That relationship refers to time as a river in that people are constantly moving in time. Every living thing in the world not only moves with time but ages with it as well. Each aches the effects of time, the growing pains, the getting sick, and the dying. Not only does one experience the growing of time, but everyday, living matter is exposed to the movement of it. Speed is vital to how time travel occurs. Without it, movement through time would not be possible. The rate and tempo of how something moves plays a chief role in how humans experience time (Lamb 1). Lamb explains that â€Å"Time will pass more slowly the closer one approaches the unbreakable cosmic speed limit we call the speed of light† (1). For example, the hands of a clock on a speeding vehicle will move more slowly than those of a motionless clock (Bonsor 1). The main idea is that the clock on the speeding vehicle would have been slowed by billionths of a second compared to that of the clock at standstill. Even though a traveler onboard the hurried vehicle wouldn’t notice the slight disparity, time dilation has ensured. Time dilation is a major backbone of the possibility of time travel and adheres to Einstein’s theory of relativity. According to Webster’s Dictionary, time dilation is â€Å"an observed difference of elapsed time between two observers which are moving relative to each other, or being differently situated from nearby gravitational masses. † However, Einstein displays that the theory of time dilation can be simplified into a concept easier to grasp. According to Nostradamus, â€Å"To measure the speed of time you need at least two objects that travel at different speeds. When they reunite, time has past differently for each object. † This theory supports how time is directly related to speed, which also associates with Relativity. The Einstein Theory of Relativity was a breakthrough in the laws of physics. To this day, the theory is a staple in the research of physicists across the globe. Relativity is simple, yet vital to supporting time travel. Nostradamus defines the theory as â€Å"According to this theory, time passes differently for celestial bodies that move at different velocities we ourselves are physical beings that inhabit a planet that moves with a fixed speed† (1). In other words, if any physical object strays close to the speed of light, then that object will pass through time slower compared to an object that lingers motionless (Notradamus 1). The central idea behind this law is that time is relative, not linear. Time is relative because there is no universal time. Time is constantly depending on other aspects. Time not only relates but depends on the speed and movement of the matter. Philosopher of science Pili Unofre explains how Relativity relates to time travel by reasoning that â€Å"His [Einstein] Theory of Relativity published in 1905, theoretically speculated that traveling close to the speed of light (300,000,000 meters per second) would physically alter time by dilating it† (1). Traveling at such an extreme rate of speed consequently expands and somewhat widens time. Hence â€Å"time dilation. † Einsteins theories perfectly abide by the laws of physics and are theoretically quite possible. For instance, there is a simple to explain how relativity and time dilation would allow one to travel into the future without contravening the laws of physics. Say there were two 25 year old men. One left earth on the year 2050 speeding into space at a velocity close to the speed of light. The other man, stayed on earth and lived through stationary time. The man speeding into space orbiting the earth does so for 5 years. However, how would one travel at such a speed? Surely some critical engineering and advanced scientific construction would be needed to build a machine capable of attaining speeds close to the speed of light. In order to â€Å"time travel† into the future, humans would need to produce an apparatus competent of reaching an almost impossible speed.

Impacts of Workplace Violence in Nursing

Impacts of Workplace Violence in Nursing Introduction (1/2 page) In this paper, I will explore the concept of the Workplace Violence with three following issues of sense of powerlessness, job satisfaction and psychological and physiological effects on the victim’s well-being. An example of the clinical situation detailing an environment, facts and events leading to the development of the clinical situation will be provided, followed by the short discussion of relevance of this topic to myself both clinically and personally. The evidence from existing literature will be incorporated into the detailed identification, discussion and analysis of each of the three issues. A special section with a discussion on how my further practice as a registered nurse influenced by the lessons learned from these events will follow. Conclusive remarks with some key elements in the paper will be elaborated at the end. Description of the Clinical Situation (1 page) While working as a newly recruited registered nurse (RN) in the short stay unit at our local hospital I was providing care for a 25 years old woman. She was 13 weeks pregnant and a missed abortion. The patient was in the process of passing products of conception, experiencing a severe pain, constantly screaming and demanding me to provide her with much stronger pain medication. I have explained that I have already administered painkillers, as prescribed, and it would take time for them to kick in. Yet, patient was not listening and continuously demanded to see the physician. After numerous unsuccessful attempts, I contacted the physician, explained the situation and was immediately yelled at, instantly being labeled as â€Å"unworthy, not knowing anything, unable to do my job† with many other degrading and demeaning remarks at each phone call. Shocked, I contacted my supervisor and asked for an advice, but got the reply that â€Å"these things happen†¦ welcome to the rea l RN life, calm down and try to contact him again†. I did it again and got exactly same treatment. I have documented and reported these incidents on the same day. I learned that, apparently, the yelling, and name-calling was an acceptable pattern of behavior from this physician directed at all new RNs and I was told to accept the â€Å"facts of life â€Å" that, hierarchically, nurses are at the bottom of the â€Å"feeder† (Christie Johnes, 2009) and should not go against the physicians, advise them or even ask for help. This news really threw me off. The following day I called in sick. I felt emotionally distressed, powerless, unprotected and could not convince myself for making a right decision by choosing RN as my profession in Canada. I have never encountered these kind of physician-nurse relationships before. Discussion of Relevance of Clinical Situation/ Topic Both Personally and Professionally (1/2page) The situation of the workplace violence speaks to me directly as it affects not only my personal wellbeing, but also impacts the quality of care I provide. Unsafe workplace environment allowing for re-occurring violence outbreaks in any form ultimately leads to deteriorating outcomes in emotional and mental health of the nurse, personal well-being and patient safety. As a nurse and a human being, I have a full right to work in a safe workplace environment, protected from any form of physical and emotional abuse from either my clients (patients, visitors) or my co-workers and supervisors. The fact that doctor continuously treated me as having less knowledge and his ongoing demeaning remarks as well as forcing me by staff nurse to accept such oppressing behaviour I consider as acts horizontal violence. (Johnson, 2009). (2) Review of literature(1/2 page) I have reviewed the available literature on the topic†¦ and †¦found†¦.list here statistical information of the prevalence of the horizontal violence, resulting powerlessness, nurse dissatisfaction, effects on the physical and mental state of nurses. The frequency with which hospital violence occurs is rather shocking. The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA, 2010) has conducted a study that found that 8%–13% of emergency department nurses are victims of violence every week. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 46% of all violent acts in the workplace that necessitated time off were against RNs. (1) - Identification, Discussion and Analysis of 3 Issues of the Concept Within the Clinical Situation (6-9) Issue 1: Powerlessness (2 pages) Hincherberger (2009) identified that one of the symptoms of the dynamics surrounding oppression that creates a sense of powerlessness in its victims is a horizontal violence. In order for the horizontal violence to occur a formalized working relationship, where individuals are mutually working to achieve a certain goal, must be present. (Ventura-Madangeng Wilson, 2009,p.40). Evidently, in my situation, we had a formalized working relationship between physician and myself as a nurse, working together to achieve a common goal of helping our patient to overcome severe pain followed by the procedure. An understanding how to deal with nurses’ experiences of powerlessness within the workplace resulting from the acts of horizontal violence is essential for nursing practice and ultimately effective delivery of patient care (Coursey, Dieckmann, Austin Rodriguez, 2013). While horizontal or lateral violence is generally defined as any type of unwanted abuse or hostility within the workp lace it is considered as an act of aggression among healthcare professionals (Becker Visovsky, 2012). Experiencing an aggression makes a nurse feel powerless. Some of the characteristic circumstances leading to the experience of the powerlessness involve evidence of the exercising physician control or dominance in incidents involving fundamental human situations triggering strong emotions in all involved (Coursey et all, 2013). Pain and miserable condition exhibited by my patient has stimulated strong emotions and desire to provide better patient care. Another defining attribute of horizontal violence is the use, misuse and abuse of power in an attempt to disempower the individual, to elicit favourable response and that is used within formal relationships to achieve goals and objectives through an interpersonal process (Ventura-Madangeng Wilson, 2009, p.40). Doctors have traditionally dominated those groups lower in the hierarchy, most notably nursing (Dykema, 1985). Diminishing of nursing care and disregard for nursing decisions are often manifested through power plays (Dwyer, 2011). Newly recruited nurses, myself not exception, frequently see themselves as having little or no power while in the role. Physician’s continuous degrading statements about my practice quality and methods in an attempt to force me to act independently or convince the patient clearly demonstrated physician’s power control and push for dominance. Subsequent supervisor’s comments about the general acceptance of the existing unhealthy hierarchical relationship created frustration, unwanted feelings of being out of control, understanding of non-existent collegial support, pressured, isolated, hopeless, demoralized and invalidated. A detailed analysis of the impact of powerlessness arising from incidents involving horizontal violence has helped to identify its numerous effects. Being constantly subjected to the effects of horizontal violence nurses, in general, feel o ppressed (King-Johnes, 2011). The oppression of nurses is perpetuated by both the hierarchical structure of health care organization they work in, and by nurses internalized oppression. The greatest impact is on the nurse as victim, professional practice, and the implications for patient care. Zerabvel Wright (2012) believed that being exposed to harmful effects of horizontal violence made nurses less empathetic to the wounds of others. And what is more alarming is that coping with feelings of powerlessness members of the oppressed group contributed to displacing all aggressiveness and negative emotions onto each other rather than onto actual perpetrators or members of the dominant group (King-Johnes, 2011). Issue 2: effects on physical and psychological well being (2 pages) Boykova (2011) indicated that based on hospital power hierarchies, nurses as a group, are always subject to various types of oppressions. She also, suggested that nursing continues being perceived inferior to the medical profession. Oppressors are always clearly identified, but are not frequently reprimanded. Various researchers have identified members of medical team and nursing management as a valid oppressor of other nurses in an attempt to absorb lower status nurses into existing hospital power hierarchies (Roberts, Demarco, Griffin, 2009). Being repeatedly told that all new nurses with this doctor â€Å"have gone through similar events† and indirect indication that these events were not to be taken personally, but to be accepted â€Å"as is† created an unwanted psychological effect of viewing myself as a weak and unable to provide good care nurse. Hutchinson, Vickers, Wilkes Jackson (2010) found that horizontal violence exercised by the members of medical team and management can ultimately affect nurse wellà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ being. Effects of exposure to horizontal violence include psychological and physiological impacts on victim’s well-being often results in health and mental problems. Many psychological unintended consequences occurring sometime after an event affect the victim with such outcomes as increased fatigue, frequent mood swings, negative changes in personal life and values and frequent ranting to partner. Faced with organizational resistance to support me, I emotionally reacted manifesting not one but several symptoms at once including sadness, frustration, irritability, hurt, anger and most importantly stress. An analysis of several studies confirmed that approximately 80% of health care employees experienced at least one adverse symptom in response to work-related violence, while 25% of victims of nonphysical violence experienced five or more troublesome symptoms (Kitaneh Hamdan, 2012; Findorff, McGovern, Sinclair, 2005; APNA, 2008). Additionally, Thomas and Burke (2009) examining narratives of nurses experiencing horizontal violence stated that the greatest impact of horizontal violence is stress. Stress-related health and workplace problems include increased blood pressure, avoidance of professional relationships, depression, anxiety, lowered work performance, toxic work environment, and an emotionally oppressive environment (Broome, 2008). Physical and psychological maladies deriving form exposure to stress include weight loss/gain, hypertension, cardiac problems, gastro-intestinal disorders, headache, insomnia, chronic fatigue, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and feelings of isolation, insecurity, low self-esteem, post traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal and homicidal thoughts (Bigony et al. 2009). One of the emotions shared by the bullied and bystanders is fear. Fear is a very real and powerful emotion that can result in negative consequences. Exposure to horizontal violence can result in anxiety, weight changes and exacerbation of previously controlled conditions such as hypertension or irritable bowel syndrome (Faminu, 2011). Randall (2001) studied the effects of bullying in adulthood and states that targets of bullying may develop autonomic reactions (e.g., feeling out of breath, blood pressure changes) muscle manifestations (e.g., backache, neck pain), cognitive reactions (e.g., inability to concentrate, irritability, sensitivity) up to and including post-traumatic stress disorder. Intimidation and fear of retaliation prevents reporting of bullying behavior by both the target and the witnesses allowing the negative behavior to continue (Lally, 2009). The greatest danger of fear in healthcare is the fear of conflict that can result in medical errors if those intimidated by aggressive behavior fail to speak up (Langlois, 2009). Adult targets often do not have the capability of productively handling a bullying situation. Their attempts to manage the situation frequently escalate the conflict, particularly if the bully has greater authority. The negative behavioral effects on the target progress from anxiety to loss of motivation and to outbursts of emotion. Loss of emotional control can result in the target displaying aggression and escalating the conflict and bullying behavior (Lee Brotheridge, 2006). Must ADD some line of how all of the above linked back to my clinical situation Issue 3: decreased job satisfaction/motivation (1.5page) Work-related violence in the health care system is a complex and dangerous occupational hazard and impacts the job satisfaction and motivation as well as the quality of the care provided (Arnetz Arnetz, 2001; Needham et al., 2005). Research identified multiple situations in which nurses felt unheard, unappreciated and disrespected by their medical colleagues that ultimately led to nurses’ re-examination of their stand on patient-organization loyalty. (Aytac Dursun 2012; Rodwell Demir 2012). As in my clinical situation, this manifested in moral distress and dilemma, as I felt my loyalty should be primarily to the patient. It is obvious, that the greatest negative effects of workplace violence are felt by the victim (Kvas, 2011). Budin et al. (2013) confirmed that it not only affects the victim’s health, satisfaction with work and life, confidence, but also causes emotional exhaustion and burnout. Being subjected to this situation I was depressed, anxious and basically encountered a work-related stress (Aytac Dursun 2012; Rodwell Demir 2012).(kvas) Many psychological unintended consequences arising from experiencing acts of non-physical horizontal violence have a strong impact on the victims with such outcomes as decreased job satisfaction, performance and absenteeism (Merecz, Drabek Moscicka, 2009; Schat Frone, 2011). The following day I felt tired, upset, unhappy and did not come to work reporting being sick. I believed that my knowledge and my skills deserved better recognition either from physician on call or from the nurse manager. When I finally went back to work I noticed my decreased job performance especially in the daily routine activities. Gerberich et al. (2004) observed that workers exposed to nonphysical violence had high rates of quitting or job transfer. Continuous exposure to the disrespectful remarks and unwillingness of management to deal with situation as it arose I immediately started to research other departments at our hospital where I could transfer to work with physicians known to be more respectful of nurse’s skills. An analysis of the issue clearly sheds a light to the fact that perceptions of violence affects job satisfaction and motivation. (Roche). Generally, nurses experiencing horizontal violence felt less happy at work, had greater work stress, lower morale, less respect for staff compared to unexposed nurses and perceived less supervisory support. The number of violent exposures is inversely correlated with feelings of job safety and satisfaction (Ienacco et al, 2013). Violence is not a constituent part of the profession and nurses deserve to work in a safe working environment. To achieve this goal, all members of the nursing profession must, jointly with other stakeholders (doctors, patients, relatives), actively contribute to changes.(kvas). Discussion of How My Future Practice May be Influenced (1-1.5 pages) Nurses must acknowledge the existence of horizontal violence, confront horizontal violence, and take appropriate actions to mitigate it (Vessey et al., 2010). A policy of zero tolerance for any sort of horizontal violence in the workplace is the goal (Center for American Nurses, 2008). Nursing staff must take a role in combating horizontal violence. Nurses must know the policies that govern professional conduct in the workplace (Maxfield et al., 2005), and feel empowered to take actions against HV. Strategies for empowerment consist of confronting and teambuilding (Kupperschmidt, 2006), mentorship programs (Latham, Hogan, Ringl, 2008), and cognitive rehearsal (Stagg et al., 2011). Maxfield and colleagues (2005) found only 5%- 15% of nurses would confront a colleague concerning unprofessional behaviors. Only 10% of nurses felt comfortable enough to confront a coworker displaying HV (Wilson et al., 2011). Based on the impact horizontal violence had on the me as a nurse, especially effects of psychological and physical on well being, sense of powerlessness and dramatic reduction in job satisfaction I learned important lessons from it. First lesson was that I wanted to continue working as a nurse I have to stop thinking of myself as a member of the oppressed group, start being proactive, disallow any attempts on diminishing my efforts or stop any occurences of any demaning remarks directed at me from any member of medical team being so physician, supervisor or colleage. Second lessond I should maintain a healthy view of self, so as not to personalize attacks of HV (Kerfoot, 2007). avoid unnecessary emotional turmoil, learn to be assertive (Exhibiting assertive behavior at the time of the event is considered an acceptable response to HV behaviors. If possible, actions that constitute bullying should be confronted during or immediately following the incident. Conversation must remain both empathic and factual (Randle et al., 2007).) in situations of horizontal violence. Journaling, another strategy to address HV, can serve dual purposes. First, keeping a detailed journal will help the victim maintain a timeline of events (Cleary et al., 2009). Second, journaling may provide an emotional outlet for the psychological distress associated with HV. Good documentation requires a list of witnesses to the accounts and all notes, texts, or emails from the perpetrator also be kept as part of the journal (Cleary et al., 2009; Edwards OConnell, 2007). Final lesson, that influenced my further practice was job satisfaction†¦ Summary/Conclusion (1/2 page) Text here Kitaneh, M., Hamdan, M., (2012) Workplace violence against physicians and nurses in Palestinian public hospitals: a cross-sectional study, BMC Health Services Research 2012, 12:469 retrieved from http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/12/469