Applying strategic management in state of Qatar Essay

Applying strategic management in state of Qatar - Essay Example Cancer has been a disease that has been on the rise all over the world. The national cancer strategy is working hard to make sure that the Qatari population gets the best healthcare at home. The national cancer program holds public events so as to educate people about cancer (Manfred, 45). With more awareness, the people are able to take good care of themselves. If the ministry puts aside cash for this organization, it can help in cost that they incur while holding their events. The most important factor when it comes to any sector, whether public or private, is ensuring that all members of staff are equipped with enough skills to do their job. The Qatar foundation has opened a health care center to give services to its employees. If more of such facilities can be invested into, it would mean that the medical sector would be armed with qualified staff that is able to deal with any situation that they may face (Bodenheimer, & Brian,460) . These strategies should not lie only in the health sector, the government should work on making sure that all public sectors are better

Oil, Islam and Authoritarianism Critical Review Paper Essay

Oil, Islam and Authoritarianism Critical Review Paper - Essay Example Kathleen Collins shows in her report how the current state of affairs has come about by reviewing some of the history behind not only the Afghan and Iraqi nations, but how Russia’s (formerly the U.S.S.R.) former domination and its subsequent downfall has shaped how we operate with the Middle Eastern nations. Starting with Russia and its five republics of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan, we can see the changes that occurred when the U.S.S. R. lost power and its domination over much of its territories. While it was thought that Democracy might perhaps take a front place to the new government establishments, there was a turn instead for the majority to a renewal of authoritarianism and a strong Islamic clan influence through clans. Only Kyrgyzstan seemed able to move to a Democratic structure, especially through 1991 to 1995. However, by 2000, democracy was only a former shadow of itself and would finally revert back to a government of authoritari anism. What remained throughout was the clan structure in many of these countries and this would be something of a thorn in the government’s side because loyalties and subsequent benefits of sticking together, sometimes clashed with what the government had in mind in terms of governance of the people (Collins, 2009). We can see these same issues in the Islamic countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and others in the area who also happen to have a handle on the oil supply of the world. It is difficult to work effectively with countries when there are so many factions with different ideas, mainly because they are made up of clans. That, combined with the Islamic religion, has created many problems and wars, large and small. Brzezinski, in his book, The Grand Chessboard, does not address the clans so much as Collins does, yet he makes many of the same observations she does in terms of the authoritarianism of Middle Eastern nations and the effect of Russia’s loss of dominance over Eurasia and its own republics. In the midst of perceived chaos and lack of government stability for many nations in the Middle East after Russia’s downfall, what we see most often now is the surge of Islamic solidarity. We are seeing this in Egypt’s effort to build a new government right now. The Islamic Brotherhood has gained a majority in power, and while Western nations had originally thought Democracy would take hold, just the opposite has happened. Collins’ observations are relatively accurate but as we can also realize, events happen very quickly these days and while she looks at the hope that Afghanistan will settle down and find a certain peace, even today we are witnessing disturbance and chaos erupting once more, this time against the Americans and the West (Collins, 2009). Most events in the Middle East today, are shaped mainly by two factors, which work hand in hand to affect what happens everywhere else. Oil is one of the main prizes and the nations, who are the biggest producers, are also Islamic. All but one percent of crude oil is based in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The breakdown, as of the year 2000, is: Saudi Arabia with 26 percent, Iraq with 10 percent, Kuwait with 9 percent, UAE with 7 percent, and Iran with 6 percent. Russia and Venezuela have 6 percent, Mexico has 5 percent and the United States only has 2 percent (Salter, et al. 2000).

Strategic flexibility in interpersonal relationships.

Strategic flexibility in interpersonal relationships. REFLECTIVE PAPER How many times have you heard someone say something like this: â€Å"he just doesnt understand me† or â€Å"there has been a breakdown in communications between us†? Lack of good communication between people is a constant problem. As the author, Richard, points out in the first chapter, â€Å"The Communication Process†, communication skills are crucial to both getting the best out of people and extricating oneself from difficult situations. Nowhere is this more evident than in the personal relationships we form with family and friends. The author introduces the idea of â€Å"Strategic Flexibility† (SF), which means that a person uses every communication tool he has in order to effectively get his point across in a given situation. SF is not limited to words but expands into a whole â€Å"communication repertoire† that can include gestures, expressions, body language and tone of voice. SF is characteristic of people who are successful not only in their professions but in their personal relationships as well. The authors description of SF has six steps: anticipate circumstances; assess the factors and conditions you find yourself in; evaluate the current situation in relation to your own abilities; select the most relevant communication skills you possess; apply the first 4 steps carefully; and reassess your communication after receiving feedback. Finally, creativity is also key to communicating effectively as it allows the speaker flexibility and adaptability. In applying this model to my own life, I began to consider some of my friendships and how they have either been strengthened or weakened because of a certain style of communication between us. Some years ago I had a friend I became quite close with very quickly called Julia. She was exuberant, funny and full of drama. We not only worked together but also went to bars together, out dancing, to comedy clubs and generally palled around. Hanging out with her was full of extreme ups and downs. At one point, Julia was having a great deal of trouble getting what she needed from her immediate supervisor, Rob. Rob and I were also friends. Julias frustration with Rob and Robs frustration with Julia was beginning to affect everyone else who worked with them. I offered to speak to Rob alone on Julias behalf, thinking that hearing some of her complaints and concerns from a third party might make Rob more receptive after all, he and I got along smoothly. I took Rob out for a drink and noticed immediately how uncomfortable he was. His body language said it all he found it hard to make eye contact, was hunched over in a corner of the table and smiled nervously from time to time. He really did not want to hear any of what I had to say. I had an idea in my head of the role I wanted to play with Rob. I planned to be firm and reasonable and to avoid raising my voice or showing anything but understanding that the dynamic between him and Julia was problematic. But I thought that I could help fix it if only I could get Rob to agree to have more regular and business-like meeting with Julia where they could discuss their issues and, with luck, sort them out effectively. But what wound up happening is that although I kept my voice even, all I did was put Rob on the defensive. I never really asked him for his side of the story and just assumed that everything Julia told me was the way things really were. I had arrived with this assumption because I knew others had occasionally found Rob difficult to communicate with. He could be a bit dry and sarcastic. But he was also very driven and good at his job, which was quite demanding in a number of ways. It did not occur to me to ask him how the pressures of his job and his frustra tions with Julias work style might be affecting the outcome of the department he headed. Needless to say, nothing came out of this meeting with Rob. As I spent more time around Julia, it became obvious to me that her way of dealing with problems was to give way to emotional outbursts rather than find a clam and thought-out way of telling people including Rob and, by then me what was troubling her. I myself made the mistake of confiding in Julia at a time when I was feeling very vulnerable and she wound up throwing back what I had told her in my face. I started to learn at that moment that being more careful about how and with whom I communicated with would have a direct effect on my happiness in both my work and personal life. The way to communicate with someone who tends towards being emotional is not to meet it with the same level of emotion but rather to step back and try to diffuse the situation by giving the person a chance to vent and then thinking before responding. This way, there is a better chance that ideas can flow peacefully between the parties. I am also much more receptive to body language now. If I was trying to speak to someone who was hunched over and not meeting my eyes, I would know immediately that the style of communication I was using was making the other person uncomfortable. Using the SF tools, I would try to be more mindful of the sender-receiver mode the author writes about. I did not receive messages properly or chose to ignore them, acting only as a sender. This one-sided communication style was probably the reason my attempt at peacemaker failed. My nonverbal communication was equally lacking. I could have made Rob more at ease by leaning back in my seat instead of leaning forward as if ready to attack. I could also have given him a reassuring tap on the arm or shoulder to indicate friendship and empathy. I did not listen to the indirect feedback Rob was giving me. I did not respond to his obvious discomfort nor did I really give him a fair hearing. I think choosing a bar was not a bad idea as it was a neutr al zone for both of us, but selecting a quieter bar than the one we went to also would have been a better choice, as it is hard to stay focused when people are playing pinball next to you! By ignoring Robs side of the situation and not doing much to make him feel he was not under attack, I also did not apply the ethical standards the author outlines, such as treating opposing views with respect. I do make a concerted effort to apply many of the standards of ethical communication in my relationships now. 2. Perception Self-perception, as well as perceiving the needs of others, plays a vital role in effective communication, an idea that is discussed at length in the second chapter, â€Å"Self, Perception and Communication.† The relationship between self-image and perception of both self and of others is immensely complicated. Low self-esteem can feed into other peoples perceptions of a person through signals in their body language, tone of voice and facial expressions. These in turn, can reinforce negative self-image when other people respond to the negative signals they are receiving and send them back again to the initial communicant. Stepping outside ones comfort zone by engaging in â€Å"risk-taking† can create a fundamental threat to self-identity. As the author points out, â€Å"to take that action, or have that experience, would so violate who you are that, should you do it, you would no longer be the same person. You would be forced to see yourself as someone different.† Yet this very act of questioning identity can be enormously empowering. I grew up a fairly withdrawn child. I did not relate well to my peer group and was always more comfortable around adults or animals. I was afraid of judgment, or being teased. My grandmother had me outfitted at an expensive department store twice a year, which just created a further separation between my peers, whose parents tended to shop at Sears and local shops on an as-needed basis and me. My clothing communicated that I thought I was better than everyone else even though that image could not have been further from the truth. The author points out that â€Å"Social comparisons are pivotal to self-evaluations. They depend less on objective circumstances than on how you judge yourself in relation to others on particular attributes.† This was certainly true of my school days. Because of my distance from and fear of my classmates, I retreated into the library during most recess periods. My bookish behavior again reinforced that I was different. The fact that I did not voluntarily engage with my classmates on the playground even though a big part of me wanted to made me even more of a target for teasing. In short, every method of communication I was using, from my clothing, haircut, behavior and choice of pastimes communicated that I was a snob, even though my self-esteem was shaky and all I really wanted was to fit in. As I grew up and realized the value of a certain level of conformity, my fortunes shifted. I started to dress in the same brand jeans as the cool girls, wore the same style of shoes and makeup and made sure my hair was cut in one of the latest fashion trends. These changes told my peers that I was becoming like them. They started to treat me as a friend. Even so, I always felt a need to stand apart from the pack, to be noticed. The solution turned out to be through acting. I took up theater classes, dance and singing and performed in school plays. By pretending to be someone else on stage, I could feed that need for to be someone different while still being one of the gang. I could take risks as another persona that I could not take in my real life. After many years, I am still learning how to read people better instead of assuming they think the worst of me automatically. I have found that it is important to try to read people, to try to understand their own self-perceptions and the way they view their environment. These observations act as the feedback mentioned in the SF description. In this way, I can better react to what people are actually saying to me (rather than acting out of irrational fears) and adjust my own body language, word choice, even my dress in order to establish a rapport. This becomes very important in interviews and work situations. I have had jobs where my employer was excellent at communication and somewhere the communication was lacking. In the case of the former, I once worked for a professor who was very good at giving me work that matched my level of competence but that also helped stretch my skills set. When he gave criticism, it was also in a gentle tone of voice. He used words that were not judgmental but instead focused on showing me how I could improve my work with a few adjustments or a change of direction. An important quality Jeff had was that he was also always willing to listen to my ideas, help me develop them and would give me credit for work that was uniquely mine. Jeff was a great example of someone who had the SF concepts down pat and used them every day in his dealings with staff. Jeffs method of communication was a pivotal experience in my work life. It helped build my sense of ability and encouraged me to think for myself. Because Jeff was such a supportive boss, I also worked harder to please him and took greater pride in producing quality work. I began to learn how to argue a point effectively, and without becoming emotional. I did this by consciously separating my ideas for the project at hand from things I had been told as a child. I forced myself to listen to criticism because it was given in a gentle and well-intentioned way. Jeffs style was one of the stepping-stones in transforming not only my perceptions about my own abilities but my ability to learn and grow in a job. 3. Listening Listening is also a skill upon which I have improved, even though this has required a good deal of effort. True listening means often having to force yourself not to react, at least not immediately. Listening requires more than simply hearing what another person is saying. It involves paying attention to the use of words, body language and expressions, and also trying to put yourself in the shoes of the person speaking. The more you make an effort to understand the perspective from which they are communicating, the more I feel you are truly listening. I have found this to be especially true with family. Often, there is a lot of emotional baggage we carry around from the things our parents and siblings said to us when we were very young, a point the author makes repeatedly. The author likens our self-perception to a map: â€Å"What this means for you is simply that your perception of reality is not reality itself, but it is your own version of it—your â€Å"maps.† But these maps are not necessarily complete pictures of who we are, or of who we are capable of becoming, just like a road map does not necessarily show every tree, brook and signpost on a route. You can always use a different map or a different route to get to the same, or even a different, place. Again, the idea of flexibility in the SF concepts applies, since taking a different road can make for a pleasanter journey. This also means, however, that no two people are working from exactly the same map. Listening is therefore crucial to being able to find your way along another persons route. Keeping in mind that the way one sees the world or a particular problem may not be the same as the person you are conversing with. Preconceived notions or â€Å"perceptual filters†, as the author refers to them, can keep people from actually listening to each other. It is therefore important to try to keep both the mind as well as the ears open in order to foster communication. Conversely, shared experiences, where they arise, can also cement relationships. My siblings and I share many of the same experiences but have very different perspectives about them. I have learned a good deal about who they are as people by listening to them expand their views, and it has also influenced how I now see myself in relationship to them and our parents. Only by taking the time to listen can you find those synergies wi th other people and develop healthy and productive communication.

whip poor will Essay -- essays research papers

Whip-poor-will explanation The poem, â€Å"Whip-poor-will† by Donald Hall is written beautifully with a sense of nature and family. Throughout this poem, Hall illustrates these natural occurrences, such as the â€Å"sandy ground†, â€Å"the last light of June†, and â€Å"a brown bird in the near—night, soaring over shed and woodshed to far dark fields†. The bird in this instance is a whippoorwill, defined as a nocturnal nightjar of Eastern North America that uses loud, repetitive calls suggestive of its name. The whippoorwill is an imaginary representation of the poets long lost grandfather. The whippoorwill is active at night, when the subject of the poem is asleep, indicating that the memory of his grandfather is not needed at that time. When he hears the call â€Å"Wes-ley-Wells† each morning, he understands...

The Twilight Saga 5: Midnight Sun 12. Complications

â€Å"Complications,† Jacob read. â€Å"I don't like the sound of that.† â€Å"I'm sure it's not as bad as it sounds,† Bella shrugged. Bella and I walked silently to biology. I was trying to focus myself on the moment, on the girl beside me, on what was real and solid, on anything that would keep Alice's deceitful, meaningless visions out of my head. â€Å"It's not meaningless,† Jacob muttered, â€Å"don't underestimate it.† We passed Angela Weber, lingering on the sidewalk, discussing an assignment with a boy from her Trigonometry class. I scanned her thoughts perfunctorily, expecting more disappointment, only to be surprised by their wistful tenor. Ah, so there was something Angela wanted. Unfortunately, it wasn't something that could be easily gift-wrapped. â€Å"She must like the guy,† Bella said. â€Å"This should be interesting,† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"It will only work if the guy likes her back though,† Bella said. â€Å"But Angela is cool†¦ who wouldn't like her,† Jacob said. I felt strangely comforted for a moment, hearing Angela's hopeless yearning. A sense of kinship that Angela would never know about passed through me, and I was, in that second, at one with the kind human girl. â€Å"What does he mean by that†¦ your yearning isn't hopeless, Edward!† Bella huffed. It was oddly consoling to know that I wasn't the only one living out a tragic love story. Heartbreak was everywhere. â€Å"Argh,† Bella groaned. â€Å"Only if you keep thinking that way.† In the next second, I was abruptly and thoroughly irritated. Because Angela's story didn't have to be tragic. She was human and he was human and the difference that seemed so insurmountable in her head was ridiculous, truly ridiculous compared to my own situation. There was no point in her broken heart. What a wasteful sadness, when there was no valid reason for her not to be with the one she wanted. â€Å"Yeah, wasteful,† Bella muttered, thinking that Edward's was wasteful too, though he did have more of a reason to be so cautious. Why shouldn't she have what she wanted? Why shouldn't this one story have a happy ending? I wanted to give her a gift Well, I would give her what she wanted. Knowing what I did of human nature, it probably wouldn't even be very difficult. I sifted through the consciousness of the boy beside her, the object of her affections, and he did not seem unwilling, he was just stymied by the same difficulty she was. Hopeless and resigned, the way she was. â€Å"Come on, people, have faith in yourselves,† Jacob said. Bella, however, was thoughtful. She wondered if this was a mirror of how she and Edward felt†¦ both of them not fully realizing what they other felt. She was sure that her book self couldn't have known how much he loved her†¦ there was no possible way for her to know that. And she could see clearly that Edward didn't understand how much she lo†¦ er†¦ however she felt about him. She stopped that train of thought as something else seemed to go through her. She was wondering how strongly did she feel about this guy that she had yet to meet†¦ and she longed for that meeting to happen already. Jacob started reading then, drawing her concentration back to the book. All I would have to do was plant the suggestion The plan formed easily, the script wrote itself without effort on my part. I would need Emmett's helpgetting him to go along with this was the only real difficulty. Human nature was so much easier to manipulate than vampire nature. â€Å"You've got to watch out for this guy, Bells, he's definitely a speciesist,† Jacob said. â€Å"Whatever,† Bella rolled her eyes. I was pleased with my solution, with my gift for Angela. It was a nice diversion from my own problems. Would that mine were as easily fixed. My mood was slightly improved as Bella and I took our seats. Maybe I should be more positive. Maybe there was some solution out there for us that was escaping me, the way Angela's obvious solution was so invisible to her. Not likely But why waste time with hopelessness? I didn't have time to waste when it came to Bella. Each second mattered. Mr. Banner entered pulling an ancient TV and VCR. He was skipping through a section he wasn't particularly interested ingenetic disordersby showing a movie for the next three days. Lorenzo's Oil was not a very cheerful piece, but that didn't stop the excitement in the room. No notes, no test-able material. Three free days. The humans exulted. â€Å"It sounds kind of boring to me,† Bella mumbled and Jacob looked at her oddly. It didn't matter to me, either way. I hadn't been planning on paying any attention to anything but Bella. I did not pull my chair away from hers today, to give myself space to breathe. Instead, I sat close beside her like any normal human would. Closer than we sat inside my car, close enough that the left side of my body felt submerged in the heat from her skin. â€Å"I get it! She's hot!† Jacob said and laughed when Bella blushed and glared at him. It was a strange experience, both enjoyable and nerve-racking, but I preferred this to sitting across the table from her. It was more than I was used to, and yet I quickly realized that it was not enough. I was not satisfied. Being this close to her only made me want to be closer still. The pull was stronger the closer I got. I had accused her of being a magnet for danger. Right now, it felt like that was the literal truth. Bella rolled her eyes but chuckled at this. I was danger, and, with every inch I allowed myself nearer to her, her attraction grew in force. And then Mr. Banner turned the lights out. It was odd how much of a difference this made, considering that the lack of light meant little to my eyes. I could still see just as perfectly as before. Every detail of the room was clear. â€Å"That's cool,† Jacob said. â€Å"I wish I could see in the dark like that.† So why the sudden shock of electricity in the air, in this dark that was not dark to me? â€Å"Shock of electricity?† Bella raised an eyebrow. What was he talking about and why did that make her think of the first time he touched her in the second chapter (the first time he talked to her in the books)? Was it because I knew that I was the only one who could see clearly? That both Bella and I were invisible to the others? Like we were alone, just the two of us, hidden in the dark room, sitting so close beside one another My hand moved toward her without my permission. Just to touch her hand, to hold it in the darkness. Would that be such a horrific mistake? If my skin bothered her, she only had to pull away I yanked my hand back, folded my arms tightly across my chest and clenched my hands closed. No mistakes. I'd promised myself that I would make no mistakes, no matter how minimal they seemed. If I held her hand, I would only want moreanother insignificant touch, another move closer to her. I could feel that. A new kind of desire was growing in me, working to override my self-control. Jacob and Bella were thinking the complete opposite thing here. No mistakes. Bella folded her arms securely across her own chest, and her hands balled up into fists, just like mine. â€Å"You feeling this too, aren't you?† Jacob questioned, â€Å"and I know it didn't happen†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yeah, I think I am feeling this,† Bella answer before he could say any more. â€Å"I wonder what it means.† â€Å"It seems like you're calling to each other somehow,† Jacob said, and then he bit his lip. It seemed like some kind of instinctual reaction that went way beyond human†¦ whatever that means. What are you thinking? I was dying to whisper the words to her, but the room was too quiet to get away with even a whispered conversation. The movie began, lightening the darkness just a bit. Bella glanced up at me. She noted the rigid way I held my bodyjust like hersand smiled. Her lips parted slightly, and her eyes seemed full of warm invitations. Or perhaps I was seeing what I wanted to see. I smiled back; her breathing caught with a low gasp and she looked quickly away. That made it worse. I didn't know her thoughts, but I was suddenly positive that I had been right before, and that she wanted me to touch her. She felt this dangerous desire just as I did. Between her body and mine, the electricity hummed. Bella blushed, still not sure what this all meant, but had a good idea. She was also wondering what would happen if he did touch her. She didn't move all through the hour, holding her stiff, controlled pose as I held mine. Occasionally she would peek at me again, and the humming current would jolt through me with a sudden shock. â€Å"Um†¦ stop looking at him,† Jacob said. â€Å"I doubt I can help it,† Bella said. â€Å"Besides, he's looking at me nonstop†¦ I should be allowed to look too.† The hour passedslowly, and yet not slowly enough. This was so new, I could have sat like this with her for days, just to experience the feeling fully. â€Å"So the electricity was pleasant,† Jacob said. â€Å"Apparently,† Bella said evenly, but she was still blushing. I had a dozen different arguments with myself while the minutes passed, rationality struggling with desire as I tried to justify touching her. Finally, Mr. Banner turned the lights on again. In the bright fluorescent light, the atmosphere of the room returned to normal. Bella sighed and stretched, flexing her fingers in front of her. It must have been uncomfortable for her to hold that position for so long. It was easier for mestillness came naturally. â€Å"So now you're trying to mimic the vampires,† Jacob said shaking his head, trying to laugh. â€Å"Well, they are the coolest thing around,† Bella smiled when he made a face at that. I chuckled at the relieved expression on her face. â€Å"Well, that was interesting.† â€Å"Umm,† she murmured, clearly understanding what I referred to, but making no comment. What I wouldn't give to hear what she was thinking right now. â€Å"I would like to know that too,† Bella said. â€Å"I wouldn't have guessed that by your smug expression,† Jacob chuckled. I sighed. No amount of wishing was going to help with that. Both Bella and Jacob were chuckling at that. â€Å"Shall we?† I asked, standing. She made a face and got unsteadily to her feet, her hands splayed out as if she were afraid she was going to fall. I could offer her my hand. Or I could place that hand underneath her elbowjust lightlyand steady her. Surely that wouldn't be such a horrible infraction No mistakes. â€Å"How would that be a mistake?† Bella questioned. â€Å"Even with hearing his thoughts, I can't really understand most of his thinking,† Jacob shrugged. â€Å"Though it's clear that he's afraid of touching you.† She was very quiet as we walked toward the gym. The crease was in evidence between her eyes, a sign that she was deep in thought. I, too, was thinking deeply. One touch of her skin wouldn't hurt her, my selfish side contended. I could easily moderate the pressure of my hand. It wasn't exactly difficult, as long as I was firmly in control of myself. My tactile sense was better developed than a human's; I could juggle a dozen crystal goblets without breaking any of them; I could stroke a soap bubble without popping it. As long as I was firmly in control â€Å"And you're always in control, so it will be fine,† Bella said. â€Å"He's not always in control†¦ we've seen him out of control,† Jacob said anxiously. Bella just frowned at that and Jacob read on. Bella was like a soap bubblefragile and ephemeral. Temporary. How long would I be able to justify my presence in her life? How much time did I have? Would I have another chance like this chance, like this moment, like this second? She would not always be within my arm's reach Bella turned to face me at the gym's door, and her eyes widened at the expression on my face. She didn't speak. I looked at myself in the reflection of her eyes and saw the conflict raging in my own. I watched my face change as my better side lost the argument. â€Å"Who's to say what the better said is, Edward?† Bella mumbled to herself but Jacob heard. My hand lifted without a conscious command for it to do so. As gently as if she were made of the thinnest glass, as if she were fragile as a bubble, my fingers stroked the warm skin that covered her cheekbone. It heated under my touch, and I could feel the pulse of blood speed beneath her transparent skin. Enough, I ordered, though my hand was aching to shape itself to the side of her face. Enough. â€Å"He doesn't sound too controlled now,† Jacob muttered. â€Å"He's touch is gentle†¦ it's not hurting me,† Bella said. â€Å"But his mind doesn't seem to have control over his actions,† Jacob countered. â€Å"His instincts do.† â€Å"And what instinct is he following now?† Bella raised her eyebrows. â€Å"It's not to hurt me.† â€Å"Right,† Jacob mumbled, â€Å"but there still is an instinct in him that wants to hurt you†¦ don't forget that.† â€Å"I won't,† Bella sighed. â€Å"But that isn't the only instinct he has towards me now.† It was difficult to pull my hand back, to stop myself from moving closer to her than I already was. A thousand different possibilities ran through my mind in an instanta thousand different ways to touch her. The tip of my finger tracing the shape of her lips. My palm cupping under her chin. Pulling the clip from her hair and letting it spill out across my hand. My arms winding around her waist, holding her against the length of my body. Enough. I forced myself to turn, to move away from her. My body moved stiffly unwilling. I let my mind linger behind to watch her as I walked swiftly away, almost running from the temptation. I caught Mike Newton's thoughtsthey were the loudestwhile he watched Bella walk past him in oblivion, her eyes unfocused and her cheeks red. He glowered and suddenly my name was mingled with curses in his head; I couldn't help grinning slightly in response. â€Å"Too bad Mikey,† Jacob said, trying to chuckle again. My hand was tingling. I flexed it and then curled it into a fist, but it continued to sting painlessly. No, I hadn't hurt herbut touching her had still been a mistake. It felt like firelike the thirsting burn of my throat had spread throughout my entire body. The next time I was close to her, would I be able to stop myself from touching her again? And if I touched her once, would I be able to stop at that? â€Å"Yes,† Bella answered, there was no doubt in her, though Jacob wasn't totally convinced. No more mistakes. That was it. Savor the memory, Edward, I told myself grimly, and keep your hands to yourself. That, or I would have to force myself to leavesomehow. Because I couldn't allow myself near her if I insisted on making errors. I took a deep breath and tried to steady my thoughts. Emmett caught up to me outside the English building. â€Å"Hey, Edward.† He's looking better. Weird, but better. Happy. â€Å"Ah†¦ and him being happy is weird,† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"Hey, Em.† Did I look happy? I supposed, despite the chaos in my head, I felt that way. Way to keep your mouth shut, kid. Rosalie wants to rip your tongue out. â€Å"I like to see her try†¦ and then get beaten down,† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"That's not very nice,† Bella glared at him and he shrugged. I sighed. â€Å"Sorry I left you to deal with that. Are you angry with me?† â€Å"Naw. Rose'll get over it. It was bound to happen anyway.† With what Alice sees coming â€Å"Don't mention that,† Jacob flinched. Alice's visions were not what I wanted to think about right now. I stared forward, my teeth locking together. As I searched for a distraction, I caught sight of Ben Cheney entering the Spanish room ahead of us. Ahhere was my chance to give Angela Weber her gift. â€Å"Ben Cheney,† Bella mumbled and got out her year book to look at him. He was cute enough, though not her type at all. Still she studied the picture, if Angela and Ben liked each other she wanted them to be together in this reality, too. She thought that things might be different now that she knew what Edward was thinking about her, so she might have to be the one to help Ben and Angela out†¦ argh†¦ that wasn't really her strong point. Oh well, it will have to happen someway. I stopped walking and caught Emmett's arm. â€Å"Hold on a second.† What's up? â€Å"I know I don't deserve it, but would you do me a favor anyway?† â€Å"What is it?† he asked, curious. Under my breathand at a speed that would have made the words incomprehensible to a human no matter how loud they'd been spokenI explained to him what I wanted. He stared at me blankly when I was done, his thoughts as blank as his face. â€Å"That sound interesting,† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"So?† I prompted. â€Å"Will you help me do it?† It took him a minute to respond. â€Å"But, why?† â€Å"C'mon, Emmett. Why not?† Who are you and what have you done with my brother? Bella and Jacob both chuckled at this. â€Å"Aren't you the one who complains that school is always the same? This is something a little different, isn't it? Consider it an experimentan experiment in human nature.† He stared at me for another moment before he caved. â€Å"Well, it is different, I'll give you that Okay, fine.† Emmett snorted and then shrugged. â€Å"I'll help you.† I grinned at him, feeling more enthusiastic about my plan now that he was on board. Rosalie was a pain, but I would always owe her one for choosing Emmett; no one had a better brother than mine. â€Å"Aw,† Jacob said in teasing voice but Bella smiled at what Edward had just said. Emmett didn't need to practice. I whispered his lines to him once under my breath as we walked into the classroom. Ben was already in his seat behind mine, assembling his homework to hand in. Emmett and I both sat and did the same thing. The classroom was not quiet yet; the murmur of subdued conversation would continue until Mrs. Goff called for attention. She was in no hurry, appraising the quizzes from the last class. â€Å"So,† Emmett said, his voice louder than necessaryif he were really speaking only to me. â€Å"Did you ask Angela Weber out yet?† â€Å"Oh†¦ I get it,† Jacob said laughing. â€Å"This should work.† The sound of papers rustling behind me came to an abrupt stop as Ben froze, his attention suddenly riveted on our conversation. Angela? They're talking about Angela? â€Å"Hm†¦ it definitely makes it easy that Edward knows what he's thinking,† Bella muttered. Good. I had his interest. â€Å"No,† I said, shaking my head slowly to appear regretful. â€Å"Why not?† Emmett improvised. â€Å"Are you chicken?† I grimaced at him. â€Å"No. I heard that she was interested in someone else.† Edward Cullen was going to ask Angela out? But No. I don't like that. I don't want him near her. He'snot right for her. Notsafe. â€Å"You got that right,† Jacob chuckled and Bella glared at him. â€Å"What? You want him to go out with Angela?† â€Å"Don't be ridiculous,† Bella rolled her eyes and Jacob laughed louder. I hadn't anticipated the chivalry, the protective instinct. I'd been working for jealousy. But whatever worked. â€Å"You're going to let that stop you?† Emmett asked scornfully, improvising again. Jacob laughed even more at that. â€Å"Not up for the competition?† I glared at him, but made use of what he gave me. â€Å"Look, I guess she really likes this Ben person. I'm not going to try to convince her otherwise. There are other girls.† The reaction in the chair behind me was electric. â€Å"Who?† Emmett asked, back to the script. â€Å"My lab partner said it was some kid named Cheney. I'm not sure I know who he is.† â€Å"That's rude†¦ the guy's right behind you,† Jacob muttered. â€Å"Um†¦ Jake, that's the point,† Bella said. â€Å"I know,† Jacob rolled his eyes. â€Å"I'm just saying it makes him sound like a stuck up†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Whatever,† Bella rolled her eyes. I bit back my smile. Only the haughty Cullens could get away with pretending not to know every student at this tiny school. Ben's head was whirling with shock. Me? Over Edward Cullen? But why would she like me? â€Å"Edward,† Emmett muttered in a lower tone, rolling his eyes toward the boy. â€Å"He's right behind you,† he mouthed, so obviously that the human could easily read the words. â€Å"Oh,† I muttered back. Jacob and Bella were laughing at this again. I turned in my seat and glanced once at the boy behind me. For a second, the black eyes behind the glasses were frightened, but then he stiffened and squared his narrow shoulders, affronted by my clearly disparaging evaluation. His chin shot out and an angry flush darkened his golden-brown skin. â€Å"Huh,† I said arrogantly as I turned back to Emmett. He thinks he's better than me. But Angela doesn't. I'll show him â€Å"Well, there's that problem solved,† Jacob chuckled. Perfect. â€Å"Didn't you say she was taking Yorkie to the dance, though?† Emmett asked, snorting as he said the name of the boy that many scorned for his awkwardness. â€Å"That was a group decision apparently.† I wanted to be sure that Ben was clear on this. â€Å"Angela's shy. If Bwell, if a guy doesn't have the nerve to ask her out, she'd never ask him.† â€Å"You like shy girls,† Emmett said, back to improvisation. Quiet girls. Girls likehmm, I don't know. Maybe Bella Swan? Jacob laughed at this line of teasing as Bella blushed. I grinned at him. â€Å"Exactly.† Then I returned to the performance. â€Å"Maybe Angela will get tired of waiting. Maybe I'll ask her to the prom.† No, you won't, Ben thought, straightening up in his chair. So what if she's so much taller than me? â€Å"Oh†¦ it's because he's short†¦ poor guy,† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"I suppose that's not a problem you have to deal with,† Bella said, Jacob seemed pretty tall for his age. â€Å"Not at all,† Jacob said. â€Å"I think I might even have grown an inch since yesterday.† â€Å"Sure you did, Jake,† Bella rolled her eyes. If she doesn't care, then neither do I. She's the nicest, smartest, prettiest girl in this school and she wants me. I liked this Ben. He seemed bright and well-meaning. Maybe even worthy of a girl like Angela. â€Å"Well, it looks like there're three humans that he might think highly of,† Jacob chuckled. I gave Emmett a thumbs up under the desk as Mrs. Goff stood and greeted the class. Okay, I'll admit itthat was sort of fun, Emmett thought. I smiled to myself, pleased that I'd been able to shape one love story's happy ending. I was positive that Ben would follow through, and Angela would receive my anonymous gift. My debt was repaid. How silly humans were, to let a six inch height differential confound their happiness. â€Å"That is a pretty big difference,† Jacob said. â€Å"That guy must be a midget.† â€Å"Jake!† Bella reprimanded him. â€Å"Sorry,† Jacob sighed. My success put me in a good mood. I smiled again as I settled into my chair and prepared to be entertained. After all, as Bella had pointed out at lunch, I'd never seen her in action in her gym class before. â€Å"No,† Bella groaned and Jacob laughed in anticipation. Mike's thoughts were the easiest to pinpoint in the babble of voices that swarmed through the gym. His mind had gotten far too familiar over the last few weeks. With a sigh, I resigned myself to listening through him. At least I could be sure that he would be paying attention to Bella. I was just in time to hear him offer to be her badminton partner; as he made the suggestion, other partnerings ran through his mind. My smile faded, my teeth clenched together, and I had to remind myself that murdering Mike Newton was not a permissible option. â€Å"Hm†¦ I'm not so sure about that,† Jacob laughed. â€Å"It's not,† Bella said firmly. â€Å"Thanks, Mikeyou don't have to do this, you know.† â€Å"Don't worry, I'll keep out of your way.† They grinned at each other, and flashes of numerous accidentsalways in some way connected to Bellaflashed through Mike's head. Jacob started chuckling and Bella groaned. Mike played alone at first, while Bella hesitated on the back half of the court, holding her racket gingerly, as if it was some kind of weapon. Then Coach Clapp ambled by and ordered Mike to let Bella play. â€Å"Why?† Bella moaned, didn't the coach understand yet? Uh oh, Mike thought as Bella moved forward with a sigh, holding her racquet at an awkward angle. Jennifer Ford served the birdie directly toward Bella with a smug twist to her thoughts. Mike saw Bella lurch toward it, swinging the racket yards wide of her target, and he rushed in to try to save the volley. I watched the trajectory of Bella's racquet with alarm. Sure enough, it hit the taut net and sprung back at her, clipping her forehead before it spun out to strike Mike's arm with a resounding thwack. Jacob was howling with laughed and Bella turned bright red and held her head in her hands. That was a new all time low for her. â€Å"You really are awful,† Jacob choked out some time later. â€Å"Yeah, yeah, now can you continue reading,† Bella tried to sound as if this wasn't bothering her, but she was still red and her voice was too weak to pull that off. Ow. Ow. Ungh. That's going to leave a bruise. â€Å"Good,† Jacob said, his dying laughter starting again. Bella was kneading her forehead. It was hard to stay in my seat where I belonged, knowing she was hurt. But what could I do, if I were there? And it didn't seem to be serious I hesitated, watching. If she intended to continue to try to play, I was going to have to manufacture an excuse to pull her out of class. â€Å"Overreaction,† Bella rolled her eyes. The coach laughed. â€Å"Sorry, Newton.† That girl's the worst jinx I've ever seen. Shouldn't inflict her on the others More laughter for Jacob, but Bella was pleased that the coach seemed to get it better now. He turned his back deliberately and moved to watch another game so that Bella could return to her former spectator's role. Ow, Mike thought again, massaging his arm. He turned to Bella. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"Yeah, are you?† she asked sheepishly, blushing. â€Å"I think I'll make it.† Don't want to sound like a crybaby. But, man, that hurts! â€Å"Crybaby,† Jacob laughed. Mike swung his arm in a circle, wincing. â€Å"I'll just stay back here,† Bella said, embarrassment and chagrin on her face rather than pain. Maybe Mike had got the worst of it. I certainly hoped that was the case. At least she wasn't playing anymore. She held her racquet so carefully behind her back, her eyes wide with remorse I had to disguise my laugh as coughing. What's funny? Emmett wanted to know. â€Å"You know†¦ if you were in Emmett's Gym class, I bet he would have liked you from the first day,† Jacob teased. â€Å"Shut up,† Bella hissed at him. â€Å"Tell you later,† I muttered. Bella didn't venture into the game again. The coach ignored her and let Mike play alone. I breezed through the quiz at the end of the hour, and Mrs. Goff let me go early. I was listening intently to Mike as I walked across the campus. He'd decided to confront Bella about me. Jessica swears they're dating. Why? Why did he have to pick her? He didn't recognize the real phenomenonthat she'd picked me. â€Å"Don't go overboard with that,† Bella rolled her eyes, it was more of a phenomenon that he had picked her after a hundred years after all. â€Å"So.† â€Å"So what?† she wondered. â€Å"You and Cullen, huh?† You and the freak. I guess, if a rich guy is that important to you†¦ Bella was glaring at the book, she didn't like this assumption at all, but what was really getting to her was how very wrong Mike was†¦ Edward was so much more than just a rich guy. I gritted my teeth at his degrading assumption. â€Å"That's none of your business, Mike.† Defensive. So it's true. Crap. â€Å"I don't like it.† â€Å"You don't have to,† she snapped. Why can't she see what a circus sideshow he is? Like they all are. Bella was glaring more at the book than before, not liking his way of thinking at all. The way he stares at her. It gives me chills to watch. â€Å"He looks at you likelike you're something to eat.† Bella and Jacob both tensed a little at that†¦ it wasn't good that Mike was able to notice that. I cringed, waiting for her response. Her face turned bright red, and her lips pressed together like she was holding her breath. Then, suddenly, a giggle burst through her lips. â€Å"You laughed?† Jacob looked at her incredulously. â€Å"Um†¦ the irony of that must have gotten to me,† Bella said. â€Å"I'm sure it was a nervous laugh if that makes you feel any better.† â€Å"It doesn't,† Jacob said and then started reading again. Now she's laughing at me. Great. Mike turned, thoughts sullen, and wandered off to change. I leaned against the gym wall and tried to compose myself. How could she have laughed at Mike's accusationso entirely on target that I began to worry that Forks was becoming too aware Why would she laugh at the suggestion that I could kill her, when she knew that it was entirely true? Where was the humor in that? What was wrong with her? â€Å"Nothing's wrong with me,† Bella huffed. â€Å"I beg to differ,† Jacob chuckled, though he was giving her an odd look, too. Did she have morbid sense of humor? That didn't fit with my idea of her character, but how could I be sure? Or maybe my daydream of the giddy angel was true in the one respect, in that she had no sense of fear at all. Bravethat was one word for it. â€Å"I'm not brave,† Bella mumbled. Others might say stupid, â€Å"So I guess you're stupid then,† Jacob chuckled and Bella glared at him. but I knew how bright she was. No matter what the reason, though, this lack of fear or twisted sense of humor wasn't good for her. Was it this strange lack that put her in danger so constantly? Maybe she would always need me here Just like that, my mood was soaring. If I could just discipline myself, make myself safe, then perhaps it would be right for me to stay with her. When she walked through the gym doors, her shoulders were stiff and her lower lip was between her teeth againa sign of anxiety. But as soon as her eyes met mine, her rigid shoulders relaxed and a wide smile spread across her face. It was an oddly peaceful expression. She walked right to my side without hesitation, only stopping when she was so close that her body heat crashed over me like a tidal wave. â€Å"Hi,† she whispered. The happiness I felt in this moment was, again, without precedent. â€Å"Hello,† I said, and thenbecause with my mood suddenly so light I couldn't resist teasing herI added, â€Å"How was gym?† â€Å"Argh†¦ did he have to mention that?† Bella groaned. â€Å"Yep,† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"Besides, isn't it better that you know he's watching you†¦ not as creepy that way at least.† â€Å"Whatever,† Bella shrugged. Her smile wavered. â€Å"Fine.† She was a poor liar. â€Å"True,† Jacob and Bella both said. â€Å"Really?† I asked, about to press the issueI was still concerned about her head; was she in painbut then Mike Newton's thoughts we so loud they broke my concentration. I hate him. I wish he would die. I hope he drives that shiny car right off a cliff. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Stick to his own kindto the freaks. â€Å"What does he mean, his own kind?† Jacob asked. â€Å"He doesn't know that Edward is a vampire.† â€Å"I suppose he means rich?† Bella said slowly, not sure of the answer herself. â€Å"That or he instinctively knows that Edward is different.† â€Å"What?† Bella demanded. My eyes refocused on her face. She looked at Mike's retreating back, and then at me again. â€Å"Newton's getting on my nerves,† I admitted. Her mouth fell open, and her smile disappeared. She must have forgotten that I'd had the power to watch through her calamitous last hour, or hoped that I hadn't utilized it. â€Å"More likely the latter,† Bella said, after all he had demonstrated that gift quite well during their last few encounters. â€Å"You weren't listening again?† â€Å"How's your head?† â€Å"You're unbelievable!† she said through her teeth, and then she turned away from me and stalked furiously toward the parking lot. Her skin flushed dark redshe was embarrassed. â€Å"You got that right,† Jacob said. â€Å"Well, no one asked him to watch me in Gym,† Bella grumbled, her clumsiness was always a sore spot for her. I kept pace with her, hoping that her anger would pass soon. She was usually quick to forgive me. â€Å"You were the one who mentioned how I'd never seen you in Gym,† I explained. â€Å"It made me curious.† She didn't answer; her eyebrows pulled together. She came to a sudden halt in the parking lot when she realized that the way to my car was blocked by a crowd of male students. I wonder how fast they've gone in this thing Look at the SMG shift paddles. I've never seen those outside of a magazine Nice side grills Sure wish I had sixty thousand dollars laying around â€Å"Um†¦ Jacob do you want me to leave,† Bella chuckled as Jacob was practically drooling at the description of the car. â€Å"No, but I want you to get me into the Cullen garage sometime in the future,† Jacob said. â€Å"You do realize that's Rosalie's car†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bella said smirking. â€Å"Argh,† Jacob groaned. â€Å"Why did you have to remind me of that?† This was exactly why it was better for Rosalie to only use her car out of town. I wound through the throng of lustful boys to my car; after a second of hesitation, Bella followed suit. â€Å"Ostentatious,† I muttered as she climbed in. â€Å"What kind of car is that?† she wondered. â€Å"An M3.† She frowned. â€Å"I don't speak Car and Driver.† â€Å"Come on, Bella!† Jacob groaned. â€Å"You should know that at least.† â€Å"Sorry,† Bella shrugged, chuckling at his behavior. â€Å"It's a BMW.† I rolled my eyes and then focused on backing out without running anyone down. I had to lock eyes with a few boys that didn't seem willing to move out of my way. A half-second meeting my gaze seemed to be enough to convince them. â€Å"Is that car really that special?† Bella rolled her eyes. Jacob just stared at her incredulously. â€Å"I guess it is,† Bella mumbled. â€Å"Are you still angry?† I asked her. Her frown had relaxed. â€Å"Definitely,† she answered curtly. I sighed. Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up. Oh well. I could try to make amends, I supposed. â€Å"Will you forgive me if I apologize?† She thought about that for a moment. â€Å"Maybeif you mean it,† she decided. â€Å"And if you promise not to do it again.† â€Å"Don't hold your breath,† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"I know†¦ that's never going to happen,† Bella chuckled too. I wasn't going to lie to her, and there was no way I was agreeing to that. Perhaps if I offered her a different exchange. â€Å"How about if I mean it, and I agree to let you drive this Saturday?† I cringed internally at the thought. â€Å"Oh†¦ that works,† Bella said. The furrow popped into existence between her eyes as she considered the new bargain. â€Å"Deal,† she said after a moment of thought. Now for my apology I'd never tried to dazzle Bella on purpose before, but now seemed like a good time. â€Å"Oh great,† Bella mumbled, blushing already. The thought of him actually trying to dazzle her was too much for her. I stared deep into her eyes as I drove away from the school, wondering if I was doing it right. I used my most persuasive tone. â€Å"Then I'm very sorry I upset you.† Her heartbeat thudded louder than before, and the rhythm was abruptly staccato. Her eyes widened, looking a little stunned. I half-smiled. It seemed like I'd gotten it right. Of course, I was having a bit of difficulty looking away from her eyes, too. Equally dazzled. It was a good thing I had this road memorized. â€Å"What?† Bella said, snapping out of her daze†¦ she liked thinking of them both being dazzled by each other†¦ but still, â€Å"He's not even looking at the road!† â€Å"But he has it memorized†¦ that's just as good,† Jacob laughed at her expression. â€Å"That is not good at all!† Bella snapped, note to self, no dazzling in the car†¦ um†¦ while it's moving at least. â€Å"And I'll be on your doorstep bright and early Saturday morning,† I added, finishing the agreement. She blinked swiftly, shaking her head as if to clear it. â€Å"Um,† she said, â€Å"it doesn't help with the Charlie situation if an unexplained Volvo is left in the driveway.† â€Å"He's not going to take his car,† Bella said, how little she understood him in this book. Ah, how little she still knew me. â€Å"I wasn't intending to bring a car.† Bella blinked at that and then smiled, it was nice knowing they could think alike. â€Å"How† she started to ask. I interrupted her. The answer would be hard to explain without a demonstration, and now was hardly the time. â€Å"Don't worry about it. I'll be there, no car.† She put her head on one side, and looked for a second like she was going to press for more, but then she seemed to change her mind. â€Å"Is it later yet?† she asked, reminding me of our unfinished conversation in the cafeteria today; she'd let go of one difficult question just to return another that was more unappealing. â€Å"Yeah, isn't that nice of her,† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"I suppose it is later,† I agreed unwillingly. I parked in front of her house, tensing as I tried to think of how to explainwithout making my monstrous nature too evident, without frightening her again. Or was that wrong? To minimalize my darkness? She waited with the same politely interested mask she'd worn at lunch. If I'd been less anxious, her preposterous calm would have made me laugh. â€Å"And you still want to know why you can't see me hunt?† I asked. â€Å"Well, mostly I was wondering about your reaction,† she said. â€Å"Did I frighten you?† I asked, positive that she would deny it. â€Å"No.† I tried not to smile, and failed. â€Å"I apologize for scaring you.† And then my smile vanished with the momentary humor. â€Å"It was just the very thought of you being therewhile we hunted.† Jacob shivered at that. â€Å"That would be bad?† The mental picture was too muchBella, so vulnerable in the empty darkness; myself, out of control I tried to banish it from my head. â€Å"Well, you don't have to send it our way,† Jacob snapped. â€Å"Extremely.† â€Å"Because† I took a deep breath, concentrating for one moment on the burning thirst. Feeling it, managing it, proving my dominion over it. It would never control me againI willed that to be true. I would be safe for her. I stared at the welcome clouds without seeing them, wishing I could believe that my determination would make any difference if I were hunting when I crossed her scent. â€Å"When we huntwe give ourselves over to our senses,† I told her, thinking through each word before I spoke it. â€Å"Govern less with our minds. Especially our sense of smell. If you were anywhere near me when I lost control that way† Jacob and Bella both shivered at that. No, she could definitely never see him hunt. I shook my head in agony at the thought of what wouldnot what could, but what wouldsurely happen then. I listened to the spike in her heartbeat, and then turned, restless, to read her eyes. Bella's face was composed, her eyes grave. Her mouth was pursed just slightly in what I guessed was concern. But concern for what? Her own safety? Or my anguish? I continued to stare at her, trying to translate her ambiguous expression into sure fact. â€Å"Your anguish, I'm sure,† Jacob mumbled. â€Å"She puts others before herself.† â€Å"You don't have to make it sound like a bad thing,† Bella sighed. She gazed back. Her eyes grew wider after a moment, and her pupils dilated, though the light had not changed. My breathing accelerated, and suddenly the quiet in the car seemed to be humming, just like in the darkened biology room this afternoon. The pulsing current raced between us again, and my desire to touch her was, briefly, stronger even than the demands of my thirst. â€Å"Um†¦ this really is pretty freaky,† Jacob muttered and Bella rolled her eyes, curious to know what this really meant. The throbbing electricity made it feel like I had a pulse again. My body sang with it. Like I was human. More than anything in the world, I wanted to feel the heat of her lips against mine. For one second, I struggled desperately to find the strength, the control, to able to put my mouth so close to her skin Bella froze in place†¦ waiting in anticipation†¦ heart hammering. Jacob shifted uncomfortably and was wary about how dangerous that would be. She sucked in a ragged breath, and only then did I realize that when I had started breathing faster, she had stopped breathing altogether. I closed my eyes, trying to break the connection between us. No more mistakes. Bella sighed sadly. Bella's existence was tied to a thousand delicately balanced chemical processes, all so easily disrupted. The rhythmic expansion of her lungs, the flow of oxygen, was life or death to her. The fluttering cadence of her fragile heart could be stopped by so many stupid accidents or illnesses orby me. I did not believe that any member of my family would hesitate if he or she were offered a chance backif he or she could trade immortality for mortality again. Any one of us would stand in fire for it. Burn for as many days or centuries as were necessary. â€Å"But you can't go back,† Bella said sadly, which meant that if they were ever going to be equal she would have to change†¦ Most of our kind prized immortality above anything else. There were even humans who craved this, who searched in dark places for those who could give them the blackest of gifts Not us. Not my family. We would trade anything to be human. â€Å"Right,† Jacob said, and he believed what Edward was saying, it really did explain why they did what they did. But none of us had ever been as desperate for a way back as I was now. I stared at the microscopic pits and flaws in the windshield, like there was some solution hidden in the glass. The electricity had not faded, and I had to concentrate to keep my hands on the wheel. My right hand began to sting without pain again, from when I'd touched her before. â€Å"Bella, I think you should go inside now.† She obeyed at once, without comment, getting out of the car and shutting the door behind herself. Did she feel the potential for disaster as clearly as I did? â€Å"Um†¦ I'm sure I felt the electricity†¦ and noticed that you don't want to touch me,† Bella sighed, â€Å"I'm probably just following your lead.† Did it hurt her to leave, as it hurt me to let her go? The only solace was that I would see her soon. Sooner than she would see me. I smiled at that, then rolled the window down and leaned across to speak to her one more timeit was safer now, with the heat of her body outside the car. She turned to see what I wanted, curious. Still curious, though she'd asked me so many questions today. â€Å"Oh there're so many more questions I have for you,† Bella said. My own curiosity was entirely unsatisfied; answering her questions today had only revealed my secrets â€Å"It looks like he's thinking the same thing,† Jacob chuckled. I'd gotten little from her but my own conjectures. That wasn't fair. â€Å"Oh, Bella?† â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Tomorrow it's my turn.† Her forehead puckered. â€Å"Your turn to what?† â€Å"Ask the questions.† Tomorrow, when we were in a safer place, surrounded by witnesses, I would get my own answers. I grinned at the thought, and then I turned away because she made no move to leave. Even with her outside of the car, the echo of the electricity zinged in the air. I wanted to get out, too, to walk her to her door as an excuse to stay beside her No more mistakes. I hit the gas, and then sighed as she disappeared behind me. It seemed like I was always running toward Bella or running away from her, never staying in place. I would have to find some way to hold my ground if we were ever going to have any peace. â€Å"Well, that's most definitely true,† Bella said. â€Å"I wonder what he's going to ask me.† â€Å"Well, it looks like you're going to have to wait a long time to figure out,† Jacob said putting the book down. â€Å"Why?† Bella said looking at the clock, it was nine. â€Å"We still have some time.† â€Å"That's not why,† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"It's because that was the end of the book.† â€Å"What?† Bella said. â€Å"That can't be the end†¦ there so much more†¦ I don't know what happens!† â€Å"Sorry, Bells, that's it,† Jacob shrugged. â€Å"Is there at note or anything like that?† Bella asked, picking up the book and noticing a small note and read: I'm sorry that this was all that I could give you, but this was all I could write before you got to school. But there is no need to worry; your story goes on for a long time after this. Bella frowned as she read this, how could this person end the book here but promise that there is a lot more for her to find out? â€Å"Who is this SM person?† â€Å"Um†¦ I'm not sure, but it's the person that left me the note in the first place,† Jacob said. â€Å"Yeah, I figured,† Bella rolled her eyes. â€Å"So†¦ um†¦ what do we do now?† Jacob asked. â€Å"I'm not sure,† Bella said. â€Å"But you're planning on meeting this Edward guy for real, aren't you,† Jacob said. â€Å"Of course,† Bella looked at him suspiciously. He had promised at one time that he wouldn't let that happen. She hoped he had changed his mind because there was no way she would allow that. â€Å"And how do you plan on meeting him at first?† Jacob questioned. â€Å"Um†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Bella said, she didn't think of that but he was right†¦ the first meeting really was something that she had to think about†¦ Edward was, after all going to be deathly attracted to her. â€Å"I suppose we'll just have to think of something.†

The presentation of individuals and society in the novel, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Choose two extracts from the novel and use them as a basis for your discussion of one of the following topics: 1. The ways in which places and settings are used in the novel; 2. The presentation of individuals and society in the novel; 3. Stevenson's methods of developing tension and a sense of horror in the novel. For the purposes of my analysis, I have chosen option two: The presentation of individuals and society in the novel. The two extracts that I have chosen for the analysis are: Utterson's first meeting with Mr. Hyde and his subsequent description of him (in the chapter The Search for Mr. Hyde) and an excerpt from the last chapter Henry Jekyll's full statement of the case. In this essay, I am going to discuss how Stevenson presents the individuals and the society in the novel. In order to make a clear interpretation, I am going to be using the novel as well as my background knowledge of the time and context in which the novel was set. I will also review Stevenson's experiences, which might have led to the creation of the story. Firstly, I will examine the society presented by Stevenson in this novel. The entire story revolves around the upper/middle class. There are only hints of other social classes in the form of workers and servants, employed by the rich people. The four main characters of the play have much in common; they are all rich, well-educated and professional men: Utterson is a lawyer; Enfield is a well known man around the town, showing his popularity. Lanyon and Jekyll are both doctors, which shows their high professional status. Another trait that all these men have in common is, they are all cold and distant yet likable. Also, they are all un-married. Below is an extract from the book, outlining Mr. Utterson's personality: Mr. Utterson the lawyer was a man of rugged countenance, that was never lighted by a smile; cold†¦backward in sentiment†¦ and yet somehow lovable. Another interesting fact regarding the novel is, not one of the main characters is a woman, this shows the nature of the society. The society at the time was a male-dominated one. Some have argued that this gives the novel an empty feel. Readers agree that, the severe lack of women from the settings creates unease in the novel, which can be felt slightly. This particular writing trait that Stevenson employs can be linked back to his own childhood, Stevenson had a strong father figure and thus, the imbalance in sexes is noticeable in the writing. In the novel itself, each of the characters face a varying dilemma. Utterson seems at peace with the world and doesn't want a wife whereas, Jekyll seems to change into Hyde because he is sexually frustrated. Jekyll is one character who would be content with a wife. Here, another flaw in the society seems visible; Stevenson's subtle language sets up the male-only society in order to push Jekyll into becoming Hyde. Stevenson exasperates Jekyll and through his tactical writing, he also thoroughly entertains the readers. The main character of the novel seems to be Mr. Utterson. Stevenson writes the novel from Utterson's perspective, events of the novel and the story-line itself is viewed through Utterson's eyes. For example, when the reader first learns about Hyde, it is from Utterson's detailed description. Automatically, the reader then perceives Hyde as Utterson does. The readers are also inclined to feel the same emotions Utterson feels regarding Hyde: †¦the hitherto unknown disgust, loathing and fear in which Mr. Utterson regarded him (Hyde). The interesting factor is that Utterson is never the narrator of the proceedings in the novel. However, he is always involved in some way, even in the scenes where he has no direct role. Another interesting factor is that even though Stevenson doesn't employ Utterson as the narrator, he tailors him with narrator like features: he is calm, considerate and usually emotionless. Stevenson uses him to great effect towards the end, he surprises the readers by turning the passive character of Utterson, suddenly into an active member of the novel. The author reveals the other side of Utterson's character as being decisive and strong, and this allows the reader to be further interested in the novel: I must and shall see you†¦ if not by fair means than by foul – if not of your consent, then by brute force! Another key character in the novel is Dr. Lanyon. He is only thrust into action when Hyde goes to visit him. Stevenson heightens the drama of the story by not allowing Lanyon to confide his experiences to Utterson and the readers. The reader is made desperate to know what Lanyon refers to as: it could kill a man by its mere presence. The reader later gathers that he is referring to Hyde. After Lanyon watches Hyde transform to Jekyll, Lanyon's whole demeanour changes to a dying man, but he never reveals the cause for his sudden ill-health: I have had a shock and I shall never recover. It is a question of weeks†¦ There could be two possible reasons why Lanyon doesn't reveal the truth; he may believe that by divulging the details he may tarnish the old friendship between himself and Dr. Jekyll. However, this reason doesn't seem very likely because the friendship between the two was long lost. Below is a perfect example, showing that the friendship is long gone (Jekyll's thoughts about Lanyon): †¦that hide-bound pedant, Lanyon, at what he called my scientific heresies. The second simpler reason could be that, Lanyon believes even if he did divulge any details, people would not believe his claims. He is worried that he may be labelled a lunatic, and obviously wants to avoid that predicament. Stevenson has used masterly language in order to construct the characters of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. His language clearly conveys them as two separate people yet it also outlines the gigantic difference between them. Early on in the story, Jekyll informs the readers about his theory regarding Hyde: Man is not truly one but truly two. Throughout the novel, Stevenson conveys Hyde as the lower instinct and id form of Jekyll. The author wants the readers to believe that Hyde is a selfish, animal side of Jekyll. This strange phenomenon could be linked back to Stevenson's childhood. In that circumstance Stevenson being the mischievous child representing Hyde and Stevenson's father being upstanding and respected, representing Jekyll. Hyde also seems to rebel with Jekyll like Stevenson did with his father. Stevenson wanted to be an author, but his father was against such a career but Stevenson became one anyway: Jekyll had more than a father's interest; Hyde had more than a son's indifference. To make the novel a success, the foundations must be strong; this relies on the fact that the reader perceives Jekyll and Hyde, as Stevenson wants him to. The author wants the characters to be completely different, yet be the same person, and to convey this Stevenson uses descriptive language: (Jekyll) Every mark of capacity and kindness†¦ AND A large, well-made, smooth-faced man of fifty†¦ On the other hand, there is a stark appearance between Jekyll's description and Hyde's: (Hyde) He had borne himself with a murderous mixture of timidity and boldness AND There was something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable. Now as we can understand from the above quotations, Stevenson uses alliteration to convey the descriptions of both the characters. Some examples are- downright detestable; murderous mixture. This vivid language leads the reader to believe in Jekyll and Hyde. The author conveys Hyde as being completely opposite of Jekyll, even through the name. Hyde is a monster hidden within Jekyll. The more dramatic interpretation would be conveyed as a struggle between good and evil. It seems clear that Hyde is always present in Jekyll: at the start of the novel he just hasn't been released and thus, Jekyll had complete control of the situation. The problem arises when Jekyll starts taking the metamorphic potion; at this point Hyde emerges and begins to take control. It's clear that Hyde gains strength from the actions of Jekyll; this point is further enhanced if the reader concentrates on Hyde's appearance. Hyde doesn't seem to be a tall person, and thus his character is not strong enough to challenge Jekyll. However, Hyde's continued nourishment through Jekyll's weaknesses means that eventually Hyde becomes increasingly potent: The balance of my nature might be permanently overthrown†¦ and the character of Edward Hyde become irrevocably mine. This revelation proves that, the metamorphic potion is truly a changing potion, it reverts Jekyll to a weaker character of Hyde. Once Jekyll starts taking the potion, the characters of Jekyll and Hyde become vague and unclear: it even seems that both the characters want to be separate. An example of that is when Jekyll refers to Hyde as him not I. From Jekyll's language it seems that Hyde is no longer a part of Jekyll but someone else. Finally, Jekyll explains that the character of Hyde is completely different; in a sense Jekyll lets Hyde do whatever he pleases, without the fear of consequences or society: †¦ the liberty, the comparative youth, the light step, leaping pulses and secret pleasures that I had enjoyed in the disguises of Edward Hyde. Thus, the position of Hyde in the novel is grotesque and mysterious. He stands apart from the rest of the society; he is ugly, disturbing and unlovable. So, Jekyll is able to enjoy two positions in the society, one being in the centre and the other being on the extreme edge. In conclusion, Stevenson conveys both his own rebelling and then escaping aspects in the novel. Stevenson rebelled by roaming the streets of Edinburgh at night and then escaped to Samoa. Stevenson also constructs the society to an odd proportion, by placing no women in it; this seems to reflect a classical hypocritical Victorian society. However, throughout the novel the atmosphere seems to be perfect for the Jekyll/Hyde situation and thus, makes the novel a fantastic read.

Theories of Communication, Advertising Persuasion

Theories of Communication, Advertising Persuasion Increased market competition, high levels of customer expectations, and the need to attract new customers have compelled organizations to invest large amounts of capital in advertising. In the modern capitalist markets, advertising plays an integral role in creating product awareness. In other words, advertising acts as an informative and persuasive marketing tool.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Theories of Communication, Advertising Persuasion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Drawing from its definition, advertising can be defined as a promotional tool which enhances communication between the producer and the buyer. Through a communication channel, an advertiser can relay a message to the targeted end receiver. Advertising has the capacity to motivate consumers to buy a particular product or service. There are different ways through which an advertiser can pass a message to the consumers. Some of the media outlets used in advertising include social media networks like twitter and Facebook, TV adverts, print media (newspapers, magazines, journals and catalogs), radio, billboards and sideshows, and commercial displays. Depending on the message being communicated, advertising can attract or push customers away. The objective of the essay is to critically evaluate the role of advertising in the creation of markets, communities and social identities. Moreover, the essay endevours to determine whether advertisements reflect consumer demand for products or whether they aid in the creation of specific subject positions which attract consumers to the products. To analyse these objectives, the Apple brand been adopted. This particular choice is necessary in order to emphasize the role played by advertising. Role of advertising in the creation of markets, communities and social identities Advertising can be described as a form of communication aimed at persuading the targeted audience to purchase a par ticular product or service (Moriarty, Mitchell Wells, 2009a). The major objective of advertising is to inform, persuade and convince a consumer on the benefits of a particular service or product. Advertising enables marketers to realize brand awareness, gain market share and attract potential customers. Based on the above description of advertising, it is important to note that advertising plays an important role in the creation of markets. For instance, advertisements bring about product differentiation which acts as a competitive advantage relative to competitor products (Moriarty et al. 2009). With reference to Apple, the company has managed to create a strong brand through advertising.Advertising Looking for essay on advertising? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Through the â€Å"Think Different† campaign carried out in 1990s as well as the â€Å"iPod People† campaign conducted in the 2000s, the com pany has managed to differentiate itself from its competitors. This has been achieved through advertising which has helped to create brand awareness and brand recognition (Armstrong Porter, 2007). Since then, Apple has remained as a strong brand with an established market. Over the years, customers have continued to associate themselves with Apple because they were persuaded by the company’s initial adverts. The adverts helped the company to create brand awareness, and brand recognition. Above all, it led to market differentiation. According to Tellis (2005), past research show that advertising is a powerful promotional tool applied by marketers to create market share. In addition, it is used to target a particular consumer segment in the market. Through advertising, the targeted segment is communicated, persuaded and informed about a given brand and the benefits associated with that particular brand. As a promotional tool, advertising is used as â€Å"an important source o f information that promotes competition† (Armstrong Porter, 2007, p. 1718). As such, organizations use advertising as a way of providing information to potential consumers in a given market segment. Informative content is communicated to the consumer. The communicated message entails the price, the function, or the existence of the product in the market (Armstrong Porter, 2007). Consequently, this stimulates the desire by a consumer to purchase a particular brand such as. For instance, the words â€Å"Think Different† as used by Apple have a strong message towards the consumer as they compel him/her to start thinking differently when contemplating on purchasing Apple products. In addition, since Apple is a strong brand, consumers can associate themselves with that particular brand because of the benefits associated with the use of the product. Organizations use advertising as a way of creating social identities. By social identity, we mean that advertisements have an impact on particular group(s) in the market which shares similar beliefs, values and norms (Zeng, Huang Dou, 2009). Primarily, consumers can identify with a specific group.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Theories of Communication, Advertising Persuasion specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Morairty et al (2009a), the main goal of an advertising campaign is to reach a large group of individuals interested in a particular product. In addition, the targeted people share the same beliefs, norms and values. With respect to Apple brand, the company used the words â€Å"I’m a Mac, I’m a PC† in the â€Å"Get a Mac† campaign. Through the use of such advertising characters, Apple was able to persuade consumers to purchase their Mac product. The campaign which lasted for four years was able to create social identity. For instance, it made likeminded consumers start believing in Mac inste ad of the ordinary PC. Due to its unique qualities and features, consumers were able to associate with the product. The Mac, which was part of the computer revolution in terms of software and hardware, emerged as a strong brand. This enabled Apple to sell millions of Mac pieces to consumers who shared social identities. For example, Mac Campaign portrayed its products as modern and effective. This helped to differentiate the product from PCs that tend to be time bound. Advertising influences and shapes the beliefs, behaviour and attitudes of consumers towards a particular brand (Morairty et al., 2009a). In addition, adverts motivate, persuade and convinced consumers. Consequently, a consumer is able to develop brand preference and taste. Preferences compel consumers to buy a particular brand. For instances, companies make use of celebrities as part of their promotional campaigns in order change the beliefs, behaviour and attitude of consumers towards a particular brand (Morairty et al., 2009). The celebrities or endorsed personalities have a respected opinion and are highly ranked and respected in the society. In addition, followers of these celebrities and highly respected opinion leaders have an attachment with their fans and followers. For example, the iPod advertising conducted by Apple used dark silhouettes dancing to music. The silhouettes had iPods and were believed to listen to iTunes. The advert featured music celebrities such as Eminem, U2, CSS, and Bob Dylan, among others. In this case, the celebrities shared similar beliefs with the targeted consumers (the value for music). In addition, the celebrities were used to influence the behavior and attitude on consumers towards the iPod. This enabled the company to attract the fans that associate themselves with the celebrities to purchase iPod and belong to the same community or group.Advertising Looking for essay on advertising? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As mentioned in the paragraph above, advertising plays an important role in creating communities. In the context of marketing, a community can be described as a group of persons (consumers) who associate themselves with a particular brand. This kind of grouping shares different beliefs and ideas. According to O’Shaughnessy and Stadler (2008), the media is able to develop ideologies towards the targeted audience or viewer. An ideology is a set of feelings, beliefs, ideas, and social values which represent the way of life of a certain group of people (O’Shaughnessy Stadler, 2008). Advertising acts as a unifying factor which brings people together because they believe in that particular brand (Morairty et al., 2009a). A well promoted brand is able to communicate to the targeted consumers thus creating social identities which hold communities together. With respect to Apple, the â€Å"Switch campaign† was carried in 2002 to create a community of consumers with the same social identities. This was aimed at attracting Microsoft windows users so that they could switch to Mac. The Apple Switch advert managed to create a community that shared the same social identity. Creation of community has been achieved in the current adverts featuring iPhones which target consumer who like innovative and stylish products. Advertisements enable organizations to use commodified celebrities in a bid to attract consumers and influence them in joining some sort of a â€Å"tribe† (Ilmonen, 2004). This makes the associated goods part of our internal social world. According to (Ilmonen, 2004), consumers have the tendency to get attached to products after getting an instant endowment effect. The aim of advertisers is to create a specific meaning for a brand. However, consumers interpret the communicated message in diverse and varied ways (Elliot Wattanasuwan, 1998). Based on personal perceptions, a consumer can create meaning which influences his/her purchasin g patterns and trends. According to the social theory, human beings associate themselves with a particular group, society or culture. Eventually, this becomes a way of life (Wattanasuwan, 2005). In this context, consumers tend to identify themselves with a social group or identity in which they belong. In other words, they develop symbolic consumption which is based on preferences realized through advertising. Therefore, advertising helps to create imagined communities. As noted by Wattanasuwan (2005) we tend to consume different products â€Å"that contribute to the symbolic means of self-identification, through which we align ourselves emotionally with those, sharing our lifestyles† (p.182). This implies that as consumers we tend to identify ourselves with particular produces thus creating self-identification and communities. For example, through the consumption of brand Apple, consumers are able to identify themselves with elite group and gain a sense of belonging. The adv ertisements carried on Mac Campaign to promote Macintosh computers influences and motivates consumers to purchase the products and belong to Macintosh tribe. Therefore, common consumption create a group self (Wattanasuwan, 2005). Advertisements, consumers demand and subject positioning Advertising helps in the development, sustenance and promotion of consumer demand towards the products of an organization. However, advertisement does not reflect consumer demand. This observation has been expounded by Armstrong and Porter (2007), who opines that advertising usually result in shifted consumer demand in preference for the advertised product. In this case, advertising distorts the consumer’s decision making process instead of reflecting the true preferences of the consumer captured in the demand prior advertising. Advertisements are used to persuade consumers to purchase a particular commodity not because they like it but because they have been convinced otherwise. Based on this explanation, it can be noted that advertisements create subject positions through which consumers are invited to purchase a product. For example, Apple used the advertisement â€Å"Why You’ll Love Mac† to differentiate itself from other PC computer brands but not to consumer demand for this particular product. Advertisements enabled Apple to position its Macintosh computers in the market. In addition, advertisements acted as a way of inviting potential consumers to purchase the product. Powell, Hardy, Hawkin and MacRury (2009) add that advertisements are carried out with a view to reaching out to new market segments. This is aimed at attracting customers. This means that instead of reflecting the demand of customers, advertisements are designed to invite new customers. For example, iTunes and iPods advertisements were intended to attract the young urban population. Advertising is used to create brand awareness and develop a reputation for a particular brand in a given pool of consumers. According to Morairty et al. (2009), advertisements are used to influence consumer behaviour and attitude. In addition, they assist in positioning an organization, idea, service or a product with the objective of building a strong brand. In other words, advertising is a mode of communication used in marketing to reach consumers and influence their purchasing behaviours and make informed choices needed for decision making. For example, Apple uses its advertisements while launching products with the aim of influencing consumers’ purchasing patterns and behaviours. This motivates customers to change their preferences and purchase iPhones instead of buying competitor products like the Samsung Galaxy. By creating brand awareness and brand equity, advertisements help to position a product in the market and invite the targeted groups. Armstrong and Porter (2007) note that advertisements are persuasive and informative in nature and influence the decision making of a buyer towards the purchase of a product. For instance, when advertisements provide information on the price and quality of a product, this is an opportunity for the customer to compare different brands and make the ultimate choice to purchase a certain product. Conclusion Based on the analysis, advertising is a promotional tool used in marketing to create markets, communities, and social identities. Advertising is also used to create brand awareness and persuade consumers to purchase a product or service. Consequently, this creates a market for a specific brand. Through brand differentiation, advertising assist in creating a market share, communities and social identities. Brand awareness and brand recognitions drive consumers to develop the need to be associated with a particular group or community. People with similar beliefs and norms are persuaded through advertising to buy a given product or service. This helps to mould brand preferences. By endorsing celebrities or personali ties companies develop consumer attachment to a given brand, thereby creating a community or group with shared beliefs. Advertising is a unifying factor which brings like-minded people together through product purchase. For example, the Apple brand has over the years been used to develop the Mac tribe or society. Owing to advertisements, consumers tend to identify themselves with a certain brand, thus creating a group or community. Advertisements do not reflect consumer demand but are indicative of the positioning of a product in the market. They are used to persuade and influence consumers’ purchasing behaviour, patterns and decision making process. They are used to develop brand reputation which changes the demands and preferences of customers. Reference List Armstrong, M., Porter, R. (2007). Handbook of industrial organization: Amsterdam: Elsevier. Elliot, R., Wattanasuwan, K. (1998). Brands as symbolic resources for the construction of identity. International Journal of Advertising, 17(2), 1-8. Ilmonen, K. (2004). The use of and commitment to goods. Journal of Consumer Culture, 4(1): 27–50. Moriarty, S. E., Mitchell, N., Wells, W. (2009). Brands and advertising contribution. In Moriarty, S. E et al, Advertising: Principles practice (102-113). New Jersey, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall. Moriarty, S. E., Mitchell, N., Wells, W. (2009a). Introduction to advertising. In Moriarty, S. E et al, Advertising: Principles practice (2-13). New Jersey, N.J: Pearson Prentice Hall. O’Shaughnessy, M., Stadler, J. (2008). Media and the society: Defining discourse and ideology. Australia and New Zealand, NZ: Oxford University Press. Powell, H., Hardy, J., Hawkin, S., MacRury, I. (2009). The advertising handbook. New York, NY: Routledge. Tellis, G. J. (2005). Advertising’s role in capitalist markets: What do we know and where do we go from here?. Journal of Advertising Research, 45(2), 1-9. Wattanasuwan, K. (2005). The self and symbolic consum ption. The Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge. 179-184. Zeng, F., Huang, L., Dou, W. (2009). Social factors in user perceptions and responses to advertising in online social networking communities. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 10(1), 121-130.

My Personal Work Experience essays

My Personal Work Experience essays I am writing this paper according to my own work experience. I started working when I was 13 years old. I worked at a kids clothing store in the mall after school and on the weekends. I started working at an early age because my family needed the money. My mother raised five children on her own by holding two jobs, so we all had to help. I would go to school full time and work part-time. I feel that I know the value of money due to my work experiences. Once I start working, it was really hard to stop or cut back on the income that I was earning. I've always wanted to go back to college to get my degree, but I was not able to because I didn't want to make less money. I tried going to school part-time and working full time, but I was not able to do both. I think that if I had the opportunity to get an education first, I would do so before trying to earn a living, but in my situation, I had to work. On the other hand, I think it was good to have had the experience because it made me mor e discipline. I started working due to necessity, but I think along the way luxury became my necessity. I feel that no matter how much I make, it was not enough because there is always something else I need to have. I believe it is about the lifestyle I chose to live which is influenced by the society we live in. I work hard now because it is for my children. I want to provide them with what I did not have growing up. I want to make sure that they have nothing to worry about except to finish school and get a good job. I did not have the same opportunity so I feel that it is very important for me to provide them with the education they need. Most jobs require a degree in order to move up in the company. All the work experience that I had did not get me what I wanted at my company because of politics and other reasons. This is the other reason why I am back in school. Education and experience are what most companies are seeking for anyone they hire. I ...

Difference Between a Chemical Reaction and the Equation

Difference Between a Chemical Reaction and the Equation What is the difference between a chemical reaction and the chemical equation? The terms are often used interchangeably, but they are technically different terms. A chemical reaction is a process that occurs when one or more substances are changed into one or more new substances. For example: Hydrogen and oxygen gas combine to produce water.Sodium chloride (table salt) dissociates in water to form sodium and chlorine ions.Methane combusts in oxygen to form carbon dioxide, heat, and water. A chemical equation is a symbolic representation of a chemical reaction. Atomic symbols are used to represent the elements that take part in a reaction. Numbers are used to represent the ratios of reactants and products to produce the reaction and arrows point the direction a reaction occurs where the arrow points from reactants to products. For example, using for the above chemical reactions: 2 H2(g) O2(g) → 2 H2O(ℓ)This chemical equation reads: Two hydrogen gas molecules and one oxygen gas molecule produce two molecules of water.NaCl(s) H2O → Na(aq) Cl-(aq)One molecule of sodium chloride dissociates in water into one sodium ion and one chlorine ion.CH4 2 O2 → CO2 2 H2O (DeltaH -891 kJ/mol)This equation shows one methane molecule and two oxygen gas molecules form a carbon dioxide molecule, two water molecules and release 891 kilojoules of heat. To review:Chemical reactions are processes where reactants become new products.Chemical equations are a symbolic representation of chemical reactions.

Developing Positive Assertiveness Research Paper

Developing Positive Assertiveness - Research Paper Example It has been seen that usually the behavior of the people fits within one of the four models that are considered the very basic. These comprise of the passive, the aggressive, the indirectly aggressive and the assertive behaviors. This paper will take a deep look at the explanations and proper examples of both assertive and aggressive behaviors. Since assertive behavior is one of the clearest forms of communication, anger is usually portrayed within it. It communicates the interaction in very clear cut terms. Strong feelings are usually represented through this form of behavior. It takes into perspective the feelings and emotions of others undoubtedly (Wild, 2011). It has been known that acting in an assertive manner indeed builds upon the premise of one’s self esteem as well as the self esteem of other individuals. What it does best is to allow people to take charge of their own lives and be more responsible about what they do and what they say. It is like making life work for one’s own self, which indeed is an essential ideology that comes attached with assertive behavior. It does not dig deep into being a victim of one’s circumstances and situations that is always the case rather it focuses more on taking charge of one’s own entirety. ... It just comes naturally with the advent of time, however much training is indeed required. Merely being assertive does not really manifest in essence. What is needed is how well one overcomes the blocks that are present within the realms of the assertive behavior. This is apparent through the numerous blocks that are there within the lives of the people and which are learned through practice (Lloyd, 2002). An example could be quoted here of the nuances which create problems in the wake of learning how to demonstrate assertive behavior. One such block which hinders the smooth flow of assertive behavior is lack of self confidence, which can create serious problems for the people at large. At times, it is usually very difficult to change such patterns which have existed with an individual for so long, and hence it becomes a norm that is difficult to get rid of. If such blocks are removed, learning is all the same and hence success would be achieved within the ranks of showing assertive behavior. Moving on to aggressive behavior, it is indeed one of the most violent behaviors that mankind has ever known. It can often lead to physical behavior which is the most heinous form of aggressive behavior. Aggressive behavior takes into perspective yelling, abuses, physical violence and extreme levels of anger (Emmett, 2011). It could mean to hurt the other person as well as the one who commits to such a behavior in the first place. People usually see aggressive behavior as the one that restrains contact with the individual who is getting into its act for a certain period of time. In other words, the aggressive individual who is showing such a streak would be left high and dry for some time so that