An Alternative to Incarceration for Nonviolent Offenders Essay

Community corrections is a range of alternative punishments for nonviolent offenders. There are two basic community corrections models in the United States. In the first model, integrated community corrections programs combine sentencing guidelines and judicial discretion with a variety of alternative sanctions and parole and probation options. In the second model, some states have instituted programs in which correctional officials may direct already sentenced offenders into alternative sanction programs and parole and probation options. Both models are designed to help reduce prison overcrowding and are less expensive alternatives to prison. Widespread development of community correction programs in the United States began in the late 1970’s as a way to offer offenders, especially those leaving jail or prison, residential services in halfway houses. The first state community correction programs began in Oregon, Colorado, and Minnesota as pilot projects with very little government-funded support. They diverted nonviolent offenders in selected pilot project areas from jails and state prisons into local alternative punishment programs. These programs allowed judges to sentence offenders to a community-based punishment rather than jail or prison. Rehabilitation programs were the preferred punishment option. In the late 1980’s, prison systems across the country began experiencing serious overcrowding of facilities. The overcrowding served as a catalyst for lawmakers to develop new options for sentencing criminal offenders. Nineteen states have now enacted various community correction programs. Community correction programs provide many communities with local punishment options as an alternative to prison or jail. These sanction programs are lower cost alternatives to increased prison and jail construction, based on the cost per offender. They provide local courts, state departments of corrections, and state parole boards with a broad range of correctional options for offenders under their jurisdiction. The goal is to match the appropriate punishment with the crime. Community corrections programs are integrated sanctioning strategies which seek to achieve the following goals: †¢The offender is punished and held accountable. †¢Public safety is protected. †¢Victims and local communities receive restitution from felons who work in their present jobs and/or in restitution programs. †¢Community service work increases. †¢Collection of court costs and fees increases due to contractual agreements with offenders who remain in their present jobs. Eight states have adopted comprehensive Community Correction Acts which create a network of correctional programs for specific types of offenders. The acts create mechanisms by which state funds are granted to local governments and community agencies to encourage local sanctions in lieu of prison or jail. While no two state programs are alike, a comprehensive community corrections program generally includes the following elements: †¢A locally integrated criminal justice system which supports a network of decentralized or centralized correctional programs for specific types of offenders. For instance, in Minnesota, local community corrections advisory boards composed of county sheriffs, chiefs of police, prosecutors, judges, defense lawyers, probation agents, and other local officials create comprehensive correction plans to improve the administration of justice at the local level. The plans detail the various options of punishment in the community which are available to judges and other criminal justice officials when sentencing offenders. †¢These integrated systems generally include restitution programs for nonviolent offenders. Offenders’ wages are applied directly to restitution, court-ordered fines and fees, and room and board. Placement in the work programs usually lasts from three to six months. †¢Programs are administered by local governmental or nonprofit agencies at the county or regional level, and are funded by the state under a single system which provides for local punishment options. Funds are provided contractually or directly depending on the involvement of nonprofit agencies. †¢Sentencing guidelines for local, district, or regional judges prescribe a uniform sentencing structure with a variety of punishment options for offenders. They differ from determinate sentencing by targeting alternative punishments for the non-violent offender population. †¢The punishment authorized under sentencing guidelines is generally tailored for the crime and applies to all similarly-situated felony offenders. For example, judges must follow a rating system based on the severity of the offender’s crime, the frequency of violations, and the nature of the crime. Rating scales are adjusted periodically by sentencing commissions to reflect statewide sentencing patterns. Non-violent crimes have the lowest criminal rating, allowing judges the broadest range of sentencing options. In contrast, judges must impose very specific sentences for violent or serious crimes. Serious or violent felons sentenced to prison receive very little if any good time credit, and must serve a specified term while in prison. †¢Responsibility for community correctional service is delegated to local units of government. This joins sentencing and punishment in one administrative level, with incentives for the most efficient use of local and state correctional resources. †¢A post-prison release program, operated through a parole or probation system, is an integral component of a local community corrections treatment system. Community corrections sanctions may include: †¢24-hour residential programs which provide a structured living environment for offenders who require supervision when not working or looking for employment; †¢Non-residential drug and alcohol treatment programs; †¢Electronic monitoring of offenders placed on home detention (offenders must wear bracelets that allow parole officials to monitor their movement); †¢Diagnostic evaluation and counseling ordered by the court as part of a pre-sentence process; †¢Pre-trial intervention which provides close supervision and support services to selected offenders prior to trial; †¢Community service programs; †¢Day reporting centers where offenders are required to discuss the progress of their job search and daily activities with parole officials; and †¢Mandatory education programs. There are several key elements to an integrated community-based correctional program: †¢Collaborative long range planning by local and state law enforcement officials to reduce the use of prisons for felony sentencing; †¢Coordinated use of local and state correctional resources; †¢A state funding mechanism to ensure a local level of correctional services; and †¢Ensuring public safety in community correction facilities. One of the goals of sentencing guidelines is to match the community sanction with the offender. The types of offenders which are considered for community sanctions include the following: †¢Offenders who might benefit from prevention services, and are of criminal activity in the future: school drop-outs, urban youth gang members, and juvenile offenders with learning disabilities. Prevention services could include mid-night basketball leagues, big brother programs, special education programs, and other activities. †¢Offenders who might benefit from early intervention services. This group is generally composed of first time offenders. Early intervention may reduce their chances for committing future crimes. They generally require services related to education, work-skill development, and substance abuse and alcohol counseling. †¢Offenders who might be eligible for diversion programs. This group is basically those people in jail or prison who may safely be diverted to alternative programs and services. They generally are second or third time offenders who have failed on probation and have been convicted of a number of non-violent offenses. Under California’s â€Å"three strike’s law†, they could face life imprisonment if their first two felonies are violent and/or if the third felony is violent. The goal of sentencing guidelines is to match target offender groups with the appropriate community sanction. While there are some variations among state sentencing guidelines, most establish punishment by the severity, frequency, and nature of the crime committed. For example, in Michigan, if an offender is arrested for burglary and has a previous drug arrest, state sentencing guideline ratings provide a range of sentencing options from alternative community corrections to up to a 24 month prison sentence. The community correction option allows the judge to sentence the offender to a secured community-based substance abuse treatment program for six months, followed by a short probation period. The judge has the discretion to choose from an array of options. On the other hand, if an offender is convicted of a serious felony and has previous non-violent felony convictions, sentencing guidelines provide that alternative community corrections is not an option, and require a minimum 24 month prison sentence. While offenders sometimes violate the terms of a community correction sentence, so far there is no evidence that the offenders currently entering these programs are a danger to communities. Evaluation studies are currently randomly tracking offenders who participate in community correction programs to determine the success or failure of the programs. The eight states which have enacted comprehensive community correction laws require a well-defined local implementation strategy that targets specific offender populations, and seeks to match their needs with the correct community sanction and service, before state funds are dispersed. Several states have also enacted on-going performance evaluation reviews to identify problem areas and fine-tune sentencing options. The other four states do not offer financial incentives or disincentives, although local implementation strategies are closely monitored by state legislatures. Four of the 8 states also offer formula-based incentives which require community agencies to develop comprehensive, integrated long-range community correctional plans. The greater local resources and services available under the plan, the higher the state funding. Most local plans are coordinated at the county level and identify all available community treatment programs, including prevention and intervention programs, training programs, and diversion programs. Local plans must include data detailing how the community correction programs are expected to reduce commitments to prison. The formula grants include a disincentive for sending certain kinds of felons to state prison, in the form of a per-diem fee which is deducted from the local grant. Grantees are also required to monitor offenders for possible parole violations after they complete the community corrections program. Louisiana has the oldest state boot camp program in the country. The Intensive Motivational Program of Alternative Correctional Treatment (IMPACT) has as its goals: †¢Provide an alternative to long-term incarceration for youthful first- and second-time offenders. †¢Reduce costs without undue risk to public safety. †¢Develop participants’ self-discipline, self-confidence, self-respect, individual responsibility, and respect for others. In order to participate, an offender must meet the following eligibility criteria: †¢Male and female offenders under the age of 40 serving sentences in state prison. †¢First time felony offenders committed to state custody for 7 years or less for an offense with parole eligibility. †¢Second-time felony offenders who have not previously spent time in state prison and who have been committed to state custody for 7 years or less for an offense carrying parole eligibility. †¢No offenders with outstanding felony charges, numerous outstanding misdemeanor charges, outstanding immigration detainers, mental or physical health problems, history of assaulting behavior or escape, overt homosexuality, sex offense against a child or any violent sexual offense, or absence of post-release plan. In 1987, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections began operating a 136-bed military-style boot camp program at the medium-security Hunt Correctional Center (Up to 20 female slots are also available at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women; these inmates are bused to the boot camp daily). The 90- to 180-day program uses a three-phase approach to promote its philosophy of discipline and treatment. Regular program activities include military drill and ceremony training, physical training and organized recreational activities. Treatment programs include a re-education therapy class that requires participants to evaluate their beliefs and values, substance abuse education classes and activities, and prerelease (life skills) preparation. Extra duty or incentive physical training are required for minor disciplinary infractions. More serious infractions may result in reduction in rank, additional duties, or, in some cases, dismissal from the program. About 55 percent of participants graduate from the program. On release, all IMPACT parolees are assigned to 3 months of intensive parole supervision where, in addition to the regular conditions mandated for all parolees (maintain employment or full-time educational training), they must satisfy the following requirements: a minimum of 4 face-to-face contacts with a supervision officer each week, adherence to a curfew, 100 hours of unpaid community service work and random drug and alcohol screenings. After 3 months, supervision standards are gradually relaxed. Depending on individual performance, at the conclusion of this period, the parolee will continue receiving intensive supervision or is placed in regular parole supervision. According to the Multi-State Evaluation of Shock Incarceration report to the National Institute of Justice, Louisiana is one of three states who’s program results in lower recidivism rates relative to comparison groups. Failures are more often for technical violations of parole than for new crime violations. It is estimated that each 100 inmates completing the program result in a cost savings of $750,000 to the state (Nieto, Marcus: Feb. 1996). REFERENCES Travis Hirschi, and David Rudisill, An Evaluation of California Probation Subsidy Program, Vol. 1: Commitment Reduction and Probation Subsidy: A Summary of Available Data, Center on Administration of Criminal Justice, University of California at Davis, (Davis), 1977. Probation/Parole Survey, Corrections Compendium, The National Journal for Corrections, August, 1994. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. A Survey of Intermediate Sanctions, Washington, D.C. September, 1990, and Nieto, Marcus, California Research Bureau, The Changing Role Probation In California’s Criminal Justice System, April, 1996. Peters, G.T., Intermediate Sanctions: A Discussion of Illustrative Programs. Office of National Drug Control Policy. Washington D.C. 1990. Stone, Susan and Fulton, Betsy, Achieving Public Safety Through Rehabilitation and Reintegration: The Promise of a New ISP, Presented at the Academy of Criminal Justice Science Conference. Kansas City, Missouri. 1995. Nidorf, Barry, Chief Probation Officer, Los Angeles County, â€Å"Los Angeles County, Varied Uses of Electronic Monitoring: The Los Angeles Experience†, Edited by John Ortiz and William Selke. Intermediate Sanctions: Sentencing in the 1990’s. Anderson Publishing Company, 1995. Bourque, Blair, Han, B, Hill, Mei, and Sarah, M,. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. An Inventory of Aftercare Provisions for 52 Boot Camp Programs. NCJ 157104. Washington, DC. January, 1996. Nieto, Marcus, California Research Bureau, Community Correction Punishments: An Alternative to Incarceration for Nonviolent Offenders, Sacramento, CA., February, 1996.

East Coast Yachts key Essay

1. Calculate all of the ratios listed in the industry table for East Coast Yachts Current ratio=CA/CL= 14,651,000/19,539,000=0.75 Quick Ratio=(CA-Inventory)/CL=(14651000-6136000)/19539000=0.44 Total assert turnover=Sales / Total Assets=167310000/108615000=1.54 Inventory turnover=Cost of Goods Sold / Inventory=117910000/6136000=19.22 Receivable turnover=Sales / Accounts Receivable=167310000/5473000=30.57 Debt ratio(TA-TE)/TA=(108615000-55341000)/108615000=0.49 Debt-equity ratio=TD/TE=33735000/55341000=0.61 Equity multiplier=TA/TE=108615000/55341000=1.96 Interest coverage=23496000/300900=7.96 Profit margin=Net Income / Sales=12562200/167310000=0.07 Return on asserts=Net Income / Total Assets=12562200/108615000=0.12 Return on equity=Net Income / Total Equity=12562200/55341000=0.23 2. Compare the performance of East Coast Yachts to the industry as a whole. For each ratio, comment on why it might be viewed as positive or negative relative to the industry. Suppose you create an inventory ratio calculated as inventory divided by current liabilities. How do you interpret this ratio? How does East Coast Yachts compare to the industry average? Current ratio is negative because CA smaller than CL Quick Ratio is positive because the ratio is bigger than the industry upper quartile ratio. Total assert turnover is positive the ratio because the ratio is bigger than the industry upper quartile ratio. Inventory turnover is positive because it is higher than the industry average. It represents that the company has a high sales based on its inventory. Receivable turnover is positive because it shows that the company can collect the sales faster. Debt ratio is positive because it shows that the company has a lower debt risk than the industry average. Debt-equity ratio is positive because it shows that the company is less aggressive using debt which means the company has relatively lower debt risk. Equity multiplier is negative because it shows that the company has a lower accounting return. Interest coverage= Profit margin is about the same with the industry average. Return on assets is positive because the profit per dollar of assets is higher than the industry average. Return on equity is positive because it shows that the company has better shareholder’s fare. Inventory Ratio= CL /Inventory =19539000/6136000=3.18 Inventory is negative It is still smaller than industry lower quartile It represents that the company has a low sales based on its inventory. 3. Calculate the sustainable growth rate of East Coast Yachts. Calculate external funds needed (EFN) and prepare pro forma income statements and balance sheets assuming growth at precisely this rate. Recalculate the ratios in the previous question. What do you observe? ROE=ni/te=125622000/55341000=0.23 B=re/ni=5024800/12562200=0.4 Sustainable Growth rate=ROE*b/1-roe*b=0.23*0.4/1-0.23*0.40=0.099 EFN= TA-(TL+E)=108615000*1.099-ï ¼Ë†19539000*1.099+3373500+55341000*1.1099ï ¼â€°=3166002 All Current ratio=CA/CL= 14,651,000*1.09/19,539,000*1.09=0.75 QuickRatio=(CA-Inventory)/CL=(14651000*1.09-6136000*1.09)/19539000*1.09=0.44 Total assert turnover=Sales / Total Assets=167310000*1.09/108615000*1.09=1.54 Inventory turnover=Cost of Goods Sold / Inventory=117910000*1.09/6136000*1.09=19.22 Receivable turnover=Sales / Accounts Receivable=167310000*1.09/5473000*1.09=30.57 Debt ratio(TA-TE)/TA=(108615000-55341000*1.09)/108615000*1.09=0.49 Debt-equity ratio=TD/TE=33735000*1.09/55341000*1.09=0.61 Equity multiplier=TA/TE=108615000*1.09/55341000*1.09=1.96 Interest coverage=23496000*1.09/300900*1.09=8.93 Profit margin=Net Income / Sales=12562200*1.09/167310000*1.09=0.07 Return on asserts=Net Income / Total Assets=12562200*1.09/108615000*1.09=0.12 Return on equity=Net Income / Total Equity=12562200*1.09/55341000*1.09=0.23 Only interest coverage changed. 4As a practical matter, East Coast Yachts is unlikely to be willing to raise external equity capital, in part because the owners don’t want to dilute their existing ownership and control positions. However, East Coast Yachts is planning for a growth rate of 20 percent next year. What are your conclusions and recommendations about the feasibility of East Coast’s expansion plans? EFN= TA-(TL+E)=108615000*1.2-ï ¼Ë†19539000*1.2+3373500+55341000*1.2ï ¼â€°=8753040 5. Most assets can be increased as a percentage of sales. For instance, cash can be increased by any amount. However, fixed assets often must be increased in specific amounts because it is impossible, as a practical matter, to buy part of a new plant or machine. In this case a company has a â€Å"staircase† or â€Å"lumpy† fixed cost structure. Assume that East Coast Yachts is currently producing at 100 percent Of capacity. As a result, to expand production, the company must set up an entirely new line at a cost of $30 million. Calculate the new EFN with this assumption. What does this imply about capacity utilization for East Coast Yachts next year? Depreciation percentage= $5,460,000 / $93,964,000= .0581 Pro forma depreciation=0.581*123964000=7203221 EFN= TA-(TL+E)=108615000*1.2+3000000 -ï ¼Ë†19539000*1.2+3373500+55341000*1.2=23004405 The fixed assets have increased faster than sales, so the capacity utilization for next year will decrease.

Complicating the situation further

The proposed solution will be useful to agricultural enterprises because it will enhance the level of efficiency in cost control. The organization presented in the case study produces two commodities: corn and soybeans.Additionally, the equipment used is shared between two parties. Complicating the situation further is that the ownership of the farm is distributed among several parties. Therefore the establishment of cost and profit centers is a must for correctly assessing the level of costs and earnings.Currently the management focus is on production. However the management intent is to shift greater focus to implementing a managerial accounting system that will correctly allocate costs and assign the level of profits proportionally.In this respect, implementation of activity based costing is the best solution inasmuch as it facilitates the identification of allocation criteria based upon which costs and profits can be assigned.The advantage of using the managerial accounting syste m mentioned above is that the management can exercise its own discretion about how to allocate costs between different processes and commodities.Unlike the financial statements prepared under the strict scrutiny of the GAAP, internal reports generated by the managerial accounting system mentioned above do not have to follow any hard and fast rules. As a result the management can customize the system to the specific characteristics of its own business.This customizability is one of the most important features in favor of implementing an activity based costing system. The customizability enables the management not only to assign costs to different processes and commodities based upon resources consumed but also to enhance the level of process efficiency.For example, the proposed solution for the organization in the case study enables John and Mary Farmer to allocate costs to the equipment based upon their level of usage in producing different commodities. As a result, the cost driver is this case is identified as the two commodities. The cost of production for each of the commodities is calculated accordingly.The advantage from using this system is that the overhead is allocated in proportion to the level of resources expended in producing each commodity. This strengthens the quality of the cost structure. The result is that the management is in a much better position to measure performance and formulate strategies accordingly.As illustrated in the case, John and Mary Farmer are going to have to collect a considerable level of information in order to implement an activity based costing system.Therefore in conducting a cost benefit analysis of implementing the managerial accounting system, the cost of collecting the information will have to be taken into account. Additional costs will be incurred by the maintenance of the information system which will have to be supported by expensive hardware and software requirements.These are some of the drawbacks that agricul tural enterprises can run up against when implementing the proposed solution. However these drawbacks must be the weighed against the benefits of more cost-efficient strategy formulation.Question 2If the Farm Council Case did not use activity based costing, then it would not be in a position to correctly assess the cost of producing each commodity. As a result some costs would be overstated and some understated. This would distort profit comparisons between the two commodities. Consequently, any future investment decisions would be distorted as well.The traditional cost allocation method would be particularly harmful in the Farm Council case because the resources being used belong to several different parties. For this reason it is particularly important for the management to use the activity based costing method in order to allocate costs based on the level of consumption.Although the costs of implementing an advanced managerial accounting system would be high, the long term benefi ts of more effective strategy formulation outweigh the costs. Such would not be the case when implementing the traditional cost allocation method.According to the traditional cost allocation method, product costs are calculated according to the number of units produced. As a result, this method does not take into account the level of resources expended in producing these units.This cost distortion is particularly pronounced in the Farm Council Case because the same level of production for two different commodities necessitates different levels of resource consumption.If John and Mary were to use the traditional cost allocation method, then these differences would not be taken into account and the unit costs that would be calculated would be incorrect. As a result, they would not be in a position to make decisions about which product line to invest in more.Currently the focus at the farm was on production rather than on cost control. Therefore, the traditional cost allocation method seemed to satisfy the requirements. However there were massive pools of overhead that were being improperly assigned. These errors in the costing system would be perpetuated under the traditional cost allocation system.The problem with the alternative solution was that the identification of resource drivers for support and production cost centers would be difficult. This would complicate the process of assigning costs.The support cost centers in terms of equipment, shop & maintenance, and general farm would have to be defined in terms of the activities involved. Otherwise it would not be possible to assess the level of resources consumed by each of the cost centers. Therefore the unit costs for different commodities would not reflect the true expenditures and the management would be stuck with a costing system that would be misleading.Commodities which consumed a lower level of resources would have unit costs overstated and vice versa. The reason why this would happen under the alte rnative solution is that the costs would be divided equally between different cost centers based on production volume. As a result, the alternative solution is not recommended.ReferencesAtkinson, Anthony A., et al. (2006) Management Accounting. McGraw Hill/Irwin.

Concept paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Concept paper - Assignment Example The need for able leadership in the retail sector was upheld in the ‘Retail Davos’- the Retail Leadership Forum held on the 13th and14th of September 2011. This event hosted by the global business advisory giants like Goldman Sachs, Korn/Ferry International and OC&C Strategy Consultants, discussed the role of leadership in the modern era of retailing. According to the speakers at the forum, the retail leaders in future will require â€Å"a new set of leadership skills in order to adapt to the changing dynamics in the fact paced industry.† (Harrison, 2011) This has become a pressing issue on the regional as well as global level. And this is what makes this research problem a matter of substantial business interest. In the present business era marked by fierce competition, many global and local retailers are awakening to realize their most critical survival challenge in the forthcoming years. Already caught in the cobweb of competition, pricing, consumer preferences and global extension, the new challenge that has baffled the retail industry is the need for competent leaders. (Florida, 2006; Higgs, 2001; Stalk, 1992) The retail heads across the world have understood that in order to achieve successful organizational growth, it is vital to find and engage the right leadership. (Lengnick-Hall, 2003; Shim, 2002) Studies in retail leadership conducted by Korn/Ferry in collaboration with the World Retail Congress have shown that the lack of right leadership talent can severely affect the development and expansion of retailers, thereby hampering their business growth. (Morel-Curran, 2008) My study looks forward to critical evaluating the need for restructuring of leadership training in retail managem ent. The research methodology to be used is a quantitative study with a quasi-experimental design and the method to collect data will be through surveys. The purpose of the study is to critically evaluate the need for restructuring of leadership training in retail

Identifying and Managing Project Risk Assignment

Identifying and Managing Project Risk - Assignment Example This is implemented using a project plan. The project I was tasked to manage was to create a stock management system for a proprietor who sells computers and other accessories. The appreciation of risk management assists in getting the knowledge of the occurrence and probabilities of certain risks, planning for them and mitigation techniques to counter them. Risk management takes the step towards managing risks through selection, implementation, and control measures. This creates assurance and confidence in the project team in the event of any uncertain events occurring. Risk management has enabled the creation of control measures in the project that was being created for the proprietor. Knowledge of risk enabled the creation of proper feedback mechanisms for the user of the system such that any problems encountered are directly communicated to the project team through the provided means. The project implementation encountered several surprise events that I will mention. This being an I.T system being built on an I.T environment, the users of the system is always bound to change requirements or the scope of the project. In this case, the proprietor had asked for a system that manages the data he uses, later he noticed that he needs some analytical tools that he did not mention. That had to be accommodated by the project team in the allocated time for a change in requirements. As we discussed the project requirements, there were no provisions for the security of the system by the user, which the project team identified. This prompted consultations with the proprietor about the importance of a secure system and this was handled effectively. This actually enhanced the user and developer communication for the effectiveness of the system.  

Better Acquisition Planning and Contracts Term Paper

Better Acquisition Planning and Contracts - Term Paper Example DHS, HHS and NASA preferred proper implementation of policies to ease their work. Moreover, the three departments adopted the need to establish a proper time frame. The three agencies: HHS, DHS and NASA, as well as, USAID developed policies, which formulated various different necessities and levels of supervision for the acquisition planning that was aimed at providing a balance between oversight and time and organizational load. Together, HHS, DHS and NASA opted for a written acquisition plans that were closely related to the fundamentals contained and defined in the federal acquisition regulation. All the departments and agencies were required to have all their cost approximation and obligations ready during acquisition planning; its aim was to ensure that time consumption and operational costs were minimized. However, NASA and DHS guidance considered the inclusion of essential lessons learned and new skills acquired from the past contracts they have been involved in the acquisitio n planning. In contrast, the three agencies have established differing conditions on the acquisition planning, for example, the individuals to carry out reviews of the documents (Compton, 2010). Implementation of the policies established under the acquisition planning took varying approaches. ... DHS, on the other hand, stated that the acquisition plans did not provide for acquisitions, for example, urgent situations, acts that had been integrated in an earlier plan already approved or procurements carried out within the mandate of Small Business Research Program (SBRP). NASA, just like HHS stated that acquisition plans did not provide room for un-sourced for proposals. NASA also confirmed their wish that architect-engineering services and research from nongovernmental organizations should not be included in the acquisition plans. Basing on the dollar awards, DHS, HHS and NASA had different requirements for different levels of grant. DHS viewed that it was essential to have vital information stored in an advanced Acquisition database for all rewards valued below $10 million. DHS proposed that failure to include the information in a database, a written acquisition plan had to be prepared. NASA opted for meetings on procurement strategy, which was aimed at establishing the way forward for awards below $10 million. The main agenda of the meeting was to look for approval of their proposal (Compton, 2010). HHS and NASA required that written acquisitions be provided for contracts that were way higher than the expectation of the agency; HHS demanded written documents for contracts above $500,000, while NASA opted for documents for any value of $10 million and above. Several elements are essential in an acquisition planning that includes cost, time, need and lessons learned from past contracts. It is very crucial to ensure that proper cost estimations are made so that the awards can cover the proposed use. The organization requesting for grants should work in collaboration with other stakeholders so that they can coordinate the process. The

Short Story A short story about somebody who visits their friends Essay

Short Story A short story about somebody who visits their friends house and uses their computer. When their computer breaks down he blames his friend, before realising their was a fault with their computer - Essay Example He repeats this ritual five times. Although he is not a drinker, an insidious hangover would torture him the next morning reminding him of his wasted time after long nights of Internet bingeing. Like most addictions, the rationale for such behavior did not make any sense. Online high school behavior is just as bad as or even worse than high school itself. Online or not, gossip has no face time. Joe barges in with his IPod plugged into his ears and loud as it could be. He is wearing black jeans, a punk-studded belt tilted to the side, and a cap that says KORN. Joe has that hyperactive, ADHD intensity of waiting to entertain. â€Å"Alright look, I swear this is worth it. It’s unlike anything on the Web that is out there. It’s not some lame maze game where the Exorcist girl comes screeching at your screen. It’s no pop up windows full of false-hope million dollar jobs or anything like that.† Joe wears the posterity of a salesman, only he doesn’t have the matching outfit to compliment it. Just as Oscar was about to utter his first response to Joe’s obvious bogus Science Fiction field trip, the monitor shines a bright white that permeates the screen like a soft mist. Then the screen slowly zooms into black. Feeling spooked, Oscar felt an odd inclination to get out of there. Joe nonchalantly follows behind him. The parents weren’t home, so he couldn’t get their help. Oscar opens the door, but it is walled in with bricks. â€Å"Server Error† is chalked on the brick wall. However, they are able to escape through a window. The neighbourhood is not the same. The apartment building looks fragile like cardboard. The street tight ropes into a singularity that Joe or Oscar can’t quite make out. Joe and Oscar walk further down and notice the sides of everything have diminished. It’s a two-dimensional world. Oscar, in disbelief, continues to walk

Why was Andrew Johnson impeached Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Why was Andrew Johnson impeached - Essay Example Study of history suggests that the act of impeachment of the Political parties is carried out for seeking political gain. Parties use the powers to enforce their cause and it leads to disturbance and conflict between each other. The two party systems in the United States make the process of impeachment a symbolic power struggle between that of the Congress and the President of the United States. The overall nature of the political impeachment may not yield well for the benefit of the nation. Generally in case of impeachment criminal charges are held against the convict, but the case with Andrew Johnson was different .The Congress did not charged any particular sort of criminal offences against the ruling president of America. However it was mentioned in the section 4, of the Article 11 that the crimes of impeachment were based on the treason, bribery or association with other high crimes or transgression. However they alleged the president as a person being criminal and committing a lot of misconduct. Thus the presence of intense partisan politics cannot be ignored in the case of Andrew Johnson. The motives of the Congress were instrumental in deciding the impeachment of Andrew Jonson. It was because of the stubbornness of Johnson which made him unpopular among the radical Congress. Congress had the aim of being popular all over the country and wanted the suffrage of the American which was highly opposed by Johnson which led to his downfall (Political parties and impeachment, n. d). Johnson never tried to enter into an agreement with the Congress and was strict on his decisions which strengthened the opposition of the Congress against him. Lot before the impeachment of Johnson took place, Congress decided to remove Johnson from his position as they were of the view that the reconstruction policy of America undertaken by them will receive severe opposition under Johnson. After the civil war was over, Congress wanted to transform the south in a massive manner. Th ey wanted to revive the economic condition over there and wanted a permanent solution to the class system which was prevalent over there. The Congress was also of the view of providing the freed slaves of the south with a full citizenship of America

Distinctive Characteristics of American Culture and Character Acquired Essay - 1

Distinctive Characteristics of American Culture and Character Acquired Throughout History - Essay Example Trends in household appliances and fashion started to pick up. They also started to fill their leisure time by participating in sports and other various activities like going to amusement parks. These changes then had an impact in the literature of that time and it targeted the middle class that was gradually growing. After 1910, the American culture experienced very little change (Fischer 23). Between 1870 and 1900, public-school enrollment doubled. This had a ripple effect that increased the number of high school and college students in the same period. The effect of this was that the level of illiteracy was very much reduced. There was also a growth in elementary schools, which went hand in hand with the growth of immigrants, and most parents saw this as a venue for acculturation. Martial arts, sciences, and American history were classes that were added into the curriculum around this period. It supplemented the basic curriculum of arithmetic, reading, and writing. Higher education expanded as universities and colleges, by 1900, had around 250,000 students. This was four times the number the universities and colleges had thirty years before. Act of The way Americans dressed and ate was changed by mass production. Hand-made clothing became less and less popular after the civil war. People became rather accustomed to wearing clothes that were ready made and were on sale in retail outlets. These retail outlets were however found mostly in large cities. However, Aaron Montgomery in 1872 started a mail-order business and thus the Americans did not have to visit these retail stores to buy clothes. This turned out to be quite a successful business for Montgomery and he dealt with a variety of commodities from agricultural products to clothes. In 1896, the Rural Free Delivery service made mail-order more accessible. With due time, increased accessibility to a wide variety of foods by people all over the country was experienced.

For Now, Fed Succeeding by Doing Nothing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

For Now, Fed Succeeding by Doing Nothing - Essay Example The decreasing gross domestic product and the increasing bond rate is an indication the stagflation may be the next condition of the economy. In a report released by the commerce department showed that GDP has decreased to 2.2 percent, from its original 5.6 percent (Schoen, 2006). Following the speculations of various Fed watchers, Schoen has come up with the conclusion that the economy at this moment can move in any direction given the corporate landscape where companies are paying good dividends and at the same time the stock prices need to be improved. In order for us to understand Schoen’s direction of thinking, we have to understand how interest rates impact the economy in general and how the Feds have been able to control inflation and initiate economic growth. However, we can question the fact that the stable interest rates can also lead to stagflation given the condition of the economy. The stable interest rate may not have the desired effect as inflation continues to increase. If we take this line of reasoning seriously, we will realize that this is a time where the corporate world can come to help by developing strategies to improve stock prices. If we fail to take this line of reasoning seriously, we may go speculating the direction of the economy and grow pessimistic at the forecasts being released. The author, in this article, is presenting his own conclusion of the speculation of the Fed

Changes to womens lifes in inter-war Britain Essay

Changes to womens lifes in inter-war Britain - Essay Example These changes contributed immensely to the attainment of equal rights with men. The purpose of this paper is to explore the changes in women’s lives during the interwar period in Britain. More specifically, the paper will examine the changes in women’s lives with regard to health, work, and politics. In the interwar period, women’s lives in Britain improved, especially in the realms of work, health, and politics. Women suffrage movements gained momentum, and their popularity gained widespread recognition throughout Britain. Consequently, women oppression declined considerably as women sought equal representation in the various aspects of their daily life (Laybourn 1999, p.114). One of the areas in which women made remarkable progress was in the field of employment. Unlike the years before the war, the interwar period saw women work issues addressed with numerous efforts being put in place to ensure that employment rights of women in Britain were looked into with a lot of keenness (Constantine 1983, p.33). From 1918 to 1939, the number of British working in industries rose significantly. In 1914, the number of women employed in British industries and other casual occupations was only 2000; by 1920, the number stood at 247, 000. The increase in the number of working women in Britain led to an increment in the real wages; this had an impact on household incomes, which increased considerably. Consequently, the status of women improved as they had the ability to provide for themselves and not necessarily depend on their husbands. The industrial position of women experienced some revolution as a result of the war. Women got an opportunity to work in the paid labour market, where they could be fairly remunerated for the work they did. British women gained profound freedom during the interwar period. They formed trade unions and lobby groups, which advocated for their rights at the workplace and their recognition as crucial players in economic deve lopment (Eichengreen 1988, p. 149). The formation of trade unions was mostly precipitated by the efforts of the League and Guild women. Some of the most influential trade unions formed during this period included the National Federation of Women Workers (NFWW), the Railway Women’s Guild (RWG) and Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL). The number of women working in the civil service also increased significantly. In 1911, the number of British women in the workplace used to be 33, 000, but this number had increased to 102, 000 in 1921. British women had an opportunity to advocate for their rights in the workplace through the introduction of "Sex Disqualification Removal Act, in 1919. This act gave women a chance to enter certain professions, which were previously preserved for men. In addition, about two million British women replaced men in employment positions. From July 1914 to December 1918, the total number of employed women in Britain increased from 24 percent to 37 p ercent. Working conditions of women in Britain also improved considerably during the interwar period (Constantine 1983, p.34). The enactment of the Industrial Courts Act of 1919 also heightened trade union activities during the interwar period (Eichengreen 1988, p.151). Between 1918 and 1930, Britain witnessed the passing of about 23 legislations, which aimed at according women equal rights with men. The influx of women in

Slaughter and the Speckled Band Essay Example for Free

Slaughter and the Speckled Band Essay The Two works that I am comparing for this essay are Lamb to the slaughter by Roald Dahl and the Speckled Band by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The Speckled band is a stereotypical Sherlock Holmes murder mystery written in 1892 and Lamb to the Slaughter was written some 60 years later by Rhoald Dahl in 1954. We can therefore safely expect their to be many differences in plot and language and some themes, but both share the common themes of murder. Both texts are murder mysteries but there is a single important difference. In TSB we are encouraged to find the solution to the murder by assembling our evidence from the text and drawing conclusions as we see fit. There is, though, a red herring clue included to throw the reader, the most obvious example being the presence and the close association of the Gypsies with Dr Roylott. In LTTS we know who has committed the murder and the details, but the fun is in seeing if she will get caught. Both pieces of text have unusual murder weapons but this is a norm with murder mysteries which continues to this day; the Jonathon Creek series being a popular notable example. The characters in both texts are well worth a mention. In TSB the characters are predictable. The strong, brutal male, Dr Roylott is the murderer and the emphasis is less on who and more on how. I dont think that Sir Arthur Doyle would be allowed to get away with this in either the present day climate or the climate of 1954. Just as Dr Roylott is an obvious murder suspect Helen Stoner is the obvious damsel in distress. The dragged out description of her and her features describe a woman with a figure of thirty but starting to sprout premature grey hair. In TSB the characters are subject to a much longer introduction and time of description. Rhoald Dahl does not do this and hardly describes Mary Maloneys physical appearance at all leaving each individual reader to draw his or her image. The reader though cannot disagree on the mindset of Mary Maloney; she is obsessed with her husband and routines. Even though TSB is written in the first person I think we can still tell more about Mary Maloneys character. Sir Arthur Doyle has not delved too deeply into Dr Watsons thoughts and this is deliberate. The only think that Sir Arthur Doyle concentrates on in Dr Watsons subconscious mind is his admiration of Sherlock Holmes, after all they are the Sherlock Holmes series of books and Dr Watson is only a clever literary narrative tool. In LTTS the characters are less predictable. We know that Sir Arthur Doyle did once try to make his characters actions unpredictable to the extreme by killing off Sherlock Holmes but the pressure of public opinion forced him to resurrect his most famous character. The murderer this time is not the brutal male but the supposedly timid housewife. Notice also that the sex of the murderer has changed. It would be fair to say that this would mirror a change in the opinion of the role of women, there gaining of the vote and there rise to equals of the male sex. The feelings and sympathies we have with the murderers is also worthy of attention. We feel sorry for Mary Maloney up to a point in LTTS because she is six months pregnant and we sympathise with her shock and we recognise that her murder was more of a spur of a moment murder rather than a carefully constructed and well executed murder plot as is the case with DR Roylott. The point where I no longer feel sympathetic was when she laughed at the very end of the text. This displayed a deeper evil that had gone unnoticed before in the text. The feelings we feel for the victims are very different. In TSB we feel sorry for the victim in the text, Helen Stoners sister, who is in the prime of her life and is about to get married. This increases our hatred of Dr Roylott. The victim in LTTS is a man who is leaving his wife who is six months pregnant. His conduct up to the point of his death is rude and arrogant. He uses monosyllabic answers to firmly control his wife. Also when he leaves his wife he is more worried about the effect it may have on his job. We are not too sorry to see him go. The two pieces do have a number of similarities. They both have unusual murder weapons and they both remind us that even respectable, or in the case of Dr Roylott once respectable members of the community can kill, whether that is because of financial or personal reasons. They share common themes such as murder, murder mystery and deceit.

Doping Behaviors and Prevention in Amateur Sport

Doping Behaviors and Prevention in Amateur Sport Abstract Based on previous research, the purpose of this paper is to give an overview on doping behaviors in amateur sport, actual prevention actions, and to propose a new perspective in doping prevention. Doping is not limited to elite athletes and is increasingly important among amateur athletes. To reduce doping in sport, it seems important to influence young athletes in primary prevention. To date, traditional doping prevention campaigns are ineffective. In recent years, a new model of prevention campaigns based on fear, coming from the Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian countries, has been used notably in France (e.g., prevention campaigns for road safety, tobacco, alcohol, cancer). This â€Å"fear model† has scientific support and has shown a relatively small but still solid effect on attitudes, intentions and behaviors. The fight against doping would benefit from trying the â€Å"fear model† in prevention campaigns. Keywords: doping behaviors, doping prevention, fear appeals Based on previous research, the purpose of this paper is to give an overview of doping behaviors in amateur sport as well as actual prevention actions, and to propose a new perspective on doping prevention. Widespread Doping Behaviors among Amateur Athletes Doping is not limited to elite athletes but is widespread in society and is increasingly important among amateur athletes (Calfee Fadale, 2006; Laure, 1997; Lentillon-Kaestner Carstairs, 2010; Lentillon-Kaestner Ohl, 2011; Sagoe, Molde, Andreassen, 2014; Yesalis, Barsukiewicz, Kopstein, Bahrke, 1997). It is difficult to assess the extent of doping in amateur sport, nevertheless it exists. In his review on 44 studies, Laure (1997) estimated the prevalence of doping in children and adolescents participating in sport at 3 to 5% and in adults participating in amateur sports at 5 to 15%. In France, 6.7% of 8-18 year-olds approved doping in sport (Laure, 2000). Lentillon-Kaestner and Carstairs (2010) showed that young amateur cyclists (Under-23 category) were tempted by doping. The meta-analysis of Sagoe, Molde and Andreassen (2014) on 187 studies showed a global lifetime prevalence rate of anabolic-androgenic steroid use of 3.3 %. Doping varies according to various demographic parameters. It increases with age and can start before the age of 15 years (Laure, 1997; Sagoe et al., 2014). Doping is more widespread among boys than girls (Dunn Thomas, 2012; Laure, 2000); however, the gender gap is decreasing from 10 years old (Yesalis et al., 1997). Doping is more widespread among competitors, and it increases with the level of competition (Laure, 2000). Inefficiency of Current Doping Prevention Programs For several years, the fight against doping has mainly focused on the improvement of detection measures (drug tests), leaving aside measures of doping prevention (Backhouse, 2012; Ntoumanis, Ng, Barkoukis, Backhouse, 2014). To date, tested measures of doping prevention are rare, and doping prevention programs lack solid scientific background (Backhouse, 2012; Johnson, 2012; Ntoumanis et al., 2014). Traditional doping prevention campaigns are often ineffective. They describe substances’ side effects, try to persuade users of the ineffectiveness of performance enhancing substances or promote sports ethics (Barkoukis, 2014; Schaps, Bartolo, Moskowitz, al., 1981). The recent meta-analysis of Ntoumakis, Ng, Barkoukis and Backhouse (2014) showed that implemented anti-doping interventions lead to small changes in individuals’ attitudes towards and intention to engage in doping and had no effect on actual doping behaviors. It seems important to build innovative prevention int erventions that are based on solid scientific theory (Backhouse, 2012 ;Johnson, 2012). The Fear Model in Prevention Campaigns In recent years, a new model of prevention campaign based on fear and coming from the Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian countries has been used notably in France (e.g., prevention campaigns for road safety, smoking, alcohol, cancer). Fear is conceptualized as a negative emotional reaction to a perceived threat. The purpose of the fear model is to show the consequences of an undesirable event (illness, accident, etc.) or to give more or less directly a glimpse of the following unhappiness aiming to bring an attitude change. The fear motivates actions to reduce negative emotion (Gallopel, 2006). In contrast to current measures of doping prevention, prevention strategies based on fear have scientific support (Moscato et al., 2001; Tay Watson, 2002; Witte Allen, 2000). Psychologists and researchers in marketing have tried to understand why a prevention campaign based on phobic emotion resulted sometimes in success (action) and sometimes in failure (defensive reactions). Various theories hav e been developed. The latest and most advanced theory about fear from a theoretical and empirical point of view (Witte Allen, 2000) is the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) of Witte (1992) (Witte, 1992). In this model, individuals first assess the threat contained in the message. Perceived threat is a cognitive construct with two dimensions: perceived severity of the threat and one’s perceived susceptibility to the threat (Popova, 2011). In accordance with other meta-analyses, the meta-analysis of Witte and Allen (2000) suggested that the higher the fear level, the higher the persuasive impact of the message. If the threat is perceived as irrelevant or insignificant, the person is no longer motivated to process the message and simply ignores the fear. In contrast, when a threat is described as significant and relevant, people are frightened. The more people believe themselves vulnerable to a serious threat, the more they are motivated to start the second evaluation of t he recommendations’ effectiveness. The fear motivates the change in attitudes, intentions and behaviors, especially fear accompanied with highly effective messages. Perceived effectiveness comprises two dimensions: perceived response effectiveness (beliefs of how effective a response is in averting a threat) and perceived self-effectiveness (beliefs about one’s ability to carry out the recommended response) (Popova, 2011). Effective messages generating a strong fear encourage behavior change (i.e., danger control), while less effective messages generating a strong fear lead to defensive reactions (i.e., fear control) (Popova, 2011). According to Witte (1992), fear in health campaigns is far more useful to promote prevention behavior than to modify an existing behavior. Witte and Allen (2000) concluded, from their meta-analysis on 98 studies on prevention campaigns based on fear (e.g., sexuality, alcohol, road safety, tobacco), that fear would have a relatively small bu t constant effect on attitudes, intentions and behaviors. They also offered a series of recommendations for the implementation of prevention measures (Witte Allen, 2000). In addition, psychology studies on persuasion showed that a simple message was more persuasive in video than in written or audio forms (Girandola, 2003). The theory of self-affirmation (Steele, 1988) appears as a way to increase the effectiveness of prevention campaigns through a re-evaluation of the self-image, which reduces the defensive reactions and increases the acceptance of preventive message’s recommendations. The manipulation of self-affirmation may be achieved in different ways (e.g., values to rank in importance order, to write an essay on their most important value, to describe a very important thing in their lives) (Barkoukis, 2014). Research has shown that to secure the self through self-affirmation manipulation reduced defensive reactions to threatening health information (Sherman, Nelson, Steele, 2000) and positively influenced healthier behaviors (Harris, 2011). Through the self-affirmation process, prevention campaigns do not threaten the self-image of the person, but only the behavior is threatened (Sherman et al., 2000; Steele, 1988). New Perspectives in Doping Prevention Adolescence is a high-risk period for the development of doping behaviors. Performance enhancing drugs have adverse effects on health (Calfee Fadale, 2006; Maravelias, 2005), but young athletes are tempted by doping and are not afraid on the impact on their health (Lentillon-Kaestner, Hagger, Hardcastle, 2012). Young athletes are priority target as their doping attitudes are in formation and primary prevention seems to be a good solution to avoid the appearance of doping behaviors. To date, there do not exist any doping prevention videos based on fear induction. The fight against doping would benefit from trying fear in prevention campaigns for two main reasons. Firstly, although in recent years doping tests have progressed, preventive measures remain lacunar and should be improved. Secondly, doping prevention lacks standardized, effective and easy tools to use in the sport and academic domains. A doping prevention video could be used during sport events and competitions. Doping prevention is also a topic addressed in some school and university courses, particularly among young students following additional sport modules, or in sport universities. Teachers, often not specialists in doping, need help to address this difficult issue. The creation of a video based on fear could be a good preventive tool in the fight against doping in sport.

Transport Company Marketing Plan

Transport Company Marketing Plan We all make use of the services provided by transportation companies. Now we are going to discuss a) transport for London, and b) First transforming travel. Both Companies are U.Ks Transportation companies. First is the largest UK rail operator carrying 270m passenger every year. It operates rail passenger services and Britains largest bus operator services. In North America First is the largest provider of student transportation carrying 3 million students every day. London underground ltd. Carry over 3 million passenger a day run 500 trains in the peak hours own 253 stations with over 12,000 staff. London bus network is largest and most comprehensive urban transport systems in the world. Each weekday over 6500 scheduled buses carry around 6 million passengers over 700 different routes, total of 1.7 billion passengers a year. Now discussing to our two companies Strategy Planning is the managerial process of creating a business strategy to obtain a fit between the organisations resources and objectives and evolving market opportunities. First is the leader in providing reliable, safe, innovative and sustainable transport services. Although First is a global business, it aims to be in its approach. This means that local issues are dealt with by the people live in local area. While in tfl a) Supporting economic development and population growth, b) Enhancing the quality of life for all Londoners, c) Improving the safety and security of all Londoners, d) improving transport opportunities for all Londoners, e) reducing transports contribution to climate change and improving its resilience, and lastly f) delivering for the London 2012 Games and securing a lasting legacy. Before discussing the process of developing sound Business Strategy Plan, it might be pertinent to ask what a business strategy is in the first place. Business strategy, alternatively referred to as competitive strategy or just strategy, refers to taking decisions on the six key areas The product markets in which the business is to compete. The level of investment. Functional strategies required to compete in the selected product market. Functional strategies required to compete in the selected product Markets. Developing suitable and sustainable competitive advantages. Allocating resources over several business units. Developing synergies between the different business units. Now we will discuss the objective of studying the both of Travel Organisation And will try to point out favouring /unfavouring with implementing PESTEL and Porters 5 forces. But before that we would try to focus on implementation of SWOT analysis of both the Organisation. (S)trengths:- In UK to run a business would be simple if the director and the managers had to think about what went on inside the business. First travel employs over 1, 35,000 staff throughout in UK North America and moves more than 2.5 billion passenger a year. For TFL strength already we have discussed. It has a vast experience to the people of UK, in their day to day life. (W)eaknesses:- As we know First Travel deals with only some of the local part of UK. In the same way TFL is also dealing only some of the part of UK. Both of the companies cant deal with globally which leads to weak global control over operations. (O)pportunities:- Now a days people are more prices spending conscious so if both of travel companies think globally there are more chances for growing in international Market. In world market both companies can expand their operations and can make good profit resulting in healthy stands in todays competitive market. (T)hreats:- TFL nowadays is so success that is why other local competitor are criticising the efficiency of company and they are trying to pull the leg behind. Almost same is the situation with First Travel. We know both of companies are UK base so the key issue are same and SWOT analysis will be similar. However business planners have also to understand what goes on outside the business. Businesses are able to identify external changes that may affect it by carrying out a PESTLE analysis. This is a business tools in which each of the letters in PESTLE describes a type of change that takes place in the external business environment. Many of these external changes may be outside the control of the, like new government legislation. Some changes may present a threat to the business like competitor using new improved technology. Social changes may bring opportunities for example worker from outside country will bring new skills to the employment market. Environmental impacts such as emissions of smoke causing carbon dioxide. A business must assess what external changes are likely and which it needs to react to or take advantage of. Business planners can then create strategies to help the business respond effectively. We use the term Business Strategy to refer to a plan for a group of related products. First Travel TFL Strategy relates to its transportation plans and takes into account the entire PESTLE factors in its environment. PESTL Analysis (P)olitical Factors:- Transport services are the heart of the UK economy which moves to people to school, colleges, job place and basic requirement at home, and businesses. In the year 1980s, the government started to private base bus services in the UK. It believed that allowing private firms to compete to run bus services would keep prices low and ensure companies would try harder to give customers what they wanted. The result has been more efficient, innovative and sustainable bus services. Government operates at two levels -National level and Local level. First Travel believes in providing local solutions, therefore it concentrates on working closely with local government. Same way TFL is operates National level covering whole London trying to cover UK also. A key government policy affecting all transport services relates to the reduction of CO2 emissions, therefor the UK government has signed on an international treaty-the Kyoto Protocol. Countries which sign the agreement intend to the reduce the emission of harmful gases. This can succeed only through partnership with business. A good example of this is the government initiative to encourage more children to use Bus or Rail services rather than travelling to school by car or other means. First as well as TFL both have produced a Climate Change Strategy which shapes every action the company takes. This is a part of vision to Transform Travel It wants to change how people feel about public transport by delivering the highest levels of services and customer satisfaction. This involves recognising its responsibility to reduce CO2 emissions to as low as possible. Tram, bus and rail travel create less pollution than other forms of transport, but there is still room to improve. Key element of Climate Change include: Improving the fuel efficiency of its vehicles Purchasing vehicles with greater fuel efficiency Using alternative fuels, such as biodiesel Operational improvements through driver training and new technology to monitor driver performance. (E)conomic Factors:- Businesses need to make money to continue to exist. They do this by listening to customers to ensure they keep their customers and new ones with good services that customers want and need. First Travel changes in demand from customers, for example First responded to increased demand in the Neath valley in Wales working closely with the Neath Port Council to run improved services .Another good example for First travel designed to start special pilot services with the student in mind. Londoners want more economical improvement s such as the new London Over ground rail service, further reductions in the numbers of people killed and seriously injured on Londons road as well as the better air quality that the low omission zone will deliver. With more than 10 million journeys made each day on tube and bus alone, TFLs challenge remains improving the level of passenger services while delivering the projects of its 10 bn. Pound Investment Programme. Another economic factor affecting business is taxation. High tax on fuel encourages customers to switch from using cars to more economical nbus and rail transport. Congestion charges in cities like London also encourage drivers to switch to other forms of transport. (S)ocial Factors:- Social changes may have a major impact on business:- The number of older people in the UK is rising. There are more people with bus passes in this country than ever before. The local authority pays for providing service. Many elderly people prefer to travel by bus because it is convenient and safe. Societys habits and tastes are changing. People are more aware of the importance of the environment and becoming green consumers. Green consumer prefer goods and services that are environmentally-friendly and which have less impact on the environment. The green consumer, for example prefers to travel by bus or train than by air or in a large car. People are now more mobile and travel more. Following are some Statistics record produced by the Department of Transport pick out some major trends. National Rail use increased, with 1.2 billion passenger journeys made-a rise of 8% on the previous year. Passenger journeys on local buses in UK rose by 4% in the year. Passenger journeys on light rail systems in UK increased by 9%. In London, bus and light rail passenger journey grew by 6% in the year. The average age of the national bus fleet fell from 8.4% to 8.1% years. The market is growing and more people are realising the benefits of a more environmentally-friendly form of transport. (T)echnological Factors: Businesses are continually developing new technologies to provide the best solutions for the market place. Intelligent companies find out what the most appropriate technologies are for their businesses and use them. This is particularly true in transport. A good example of this is in the provision of buses that lower the floor for the easy entry. These provide better accessibility for disabled and elderly people. TFL has Docklands Light Railways (DLR) which uses an automatic train control system, which is monitored by the permanently staffed control centre located at Poplar. Signalling is based on the Seltrac system, developed by Alcatel (Canada), which uses the latest moving block technology. In other words we can say if the businesses adopt better technology results in a smooth running and making more profit. (L)egal Factors: Legal changes that affect business are closely tied up with political ones. Many changes in the law stem government policy. Many of these laws are Europe-wide for example, the standards for transport vehicle emissions. Another requirement is like companies need to buy Carbon Credits. These credits will permit companies to generate specific quantities of carbon emissions. A new front facing cameras to halt speeding motorists. The brakes are set up on speeding drivers who attempt to avoid penalty points. Now from the above discussion it is possible to see PESTEL factors as threats. However First Travel and TFL both prefer to see them as opportunities. Social trends are creating increasing numbers of passengers seeking comfortable easy to access all types of transport means. Government pressure is encouraging more and more individuals to use public transport. Many people are seeking a greener form of transport. A detailed PESTEL analysis helps both the companies to make appropriate plans to rise to the changing environment. Both the businesses are able to move forward with confidence and grow its business. Porters Five Forces:- As Porters 5 Forces analysis deals with factors outside an industry that influence the nature of competition within it, the forces inside the industries (microenvironment) that influence the way in which firms compete, and so the industrys likely profitability is conducted in Porters 5 forces model. Understanding the nature of each of these forces gives organisations the necessary insight to enable them to formulate the appropriate strategies to be successful in their market (Thurby, 1998) This analysis can be applied with the SWOT analysis of the firms. From the following Diagram of Porter 5 Forces we can get transparency of the analysis. Diagram of Porters 5 Forces SUPPLIER POWER Supplier concentration Importance of volume to supplier Differentiation of inputs Impact of inputs on cost or differentiation Switching costs of firms in the industry Presence of substitute inputs Threat of forward integration Cost relative to total purchases in industry BARRIERS TO ENTRY Absolute cost advantages Proprietary learning curve Access to inputs Government policy Economies of scale Capital requirements Brand identity Switching costs Access to distribution Expected retaliation Proprietary products THREAT OF  SUBSTITUTES Switching costs Buyer inclination to  substitute Price-performance trade-off of substitutes BUYER POWER Bargaining leverage Buyer volume Buyer information Brand identity Price sensitivity Threat of backward integration Product differentiation Buyer concentration vs. industry Substitutes available Buyers incentives DEGREE OF RIVALRY Exit barriers Industry concentration Fixed costs/Value added Industry growth Intermittent overcapacity Product differences Switching costs Brand identity Diversity of rivals Corporate stakes (Source: gstatic.com) Threat of New Entrants: The UK Transport is primary dominated by few competitors. In our case study both of i.e. First Travel TFL Both dominate the market though to survive in the market and if they are not better off to the passenger another private company may attack. Barriers to Entrants: Both the companies have made a very high barrier for new Entrants so it will be very much difficult for new companies Bargaining Power of customer: There are more chances of customer to have an alternative mode of transportation. Bargaining power of supplier: There are less chances of alternate of transportation but the customer are more price convenience conscious. The marketing Mix: The selected target markets are targeted with a marketing mix which is a unique blend of product, pricing, distribution and communication strategies, created to produce mutually satisfying exchanges with a target market. Distribution is referred to as place and communication as promotion, thus giving us the four Ps of marketing of the marketing mix: Product, Place, Price, and Promotion. Over the years several more Ps have got added to the marketing mix such as Positioning, Packaging, People and Process. The strategies for each of components cannot be decided upon independently. The strategies must complement each other and blend together very well for the marketing plan to be successful. The best promotion strategy and lowest price cannot save a bad product. So also the best product will not sell unless there is an appropriate distribution and communication strategy in place. If we apply the above marketing mix strategy in our both of our companies we can say that it will be very fruitful result. Market Segmentation and Targeting: A market segment is a group of individuals or organisations that primarily share homogeneous need as well as other common characteristics such as age, gender, income lifestyles or values. These common variables can run into hundreds and because of shared needs and characteristics, it likely that such individuals will have relatively similar product needs. A marketing plan begins by identifying the various market segments in a given market. The next step is to conduct a segment attractiveness analysis depending on the size, sales potential and competitive factors. The firm now decides selects one or more segments that it chooses to target with its marketing strategy. A fundamental rule of marketing is that If you are not thinking of your marketing in terms of target markets, you are thinking nothing. Conclusion: In a nutshell we can say Business strategies are the basis of all marketing decisions and strategies of the firms. The goal of all business strategy is to achieve long term profitability and Sustainable Growth for the organisation.

Free Billy Budd Essays: Billy Budd as Christ :: Billy Budd Essays

Billy Budd as Christ In this novel, Billy Budd, Melville acts as a "Creator", in that he gives Billy Budd certain superhuman qualities, which allows him to posses the traits of a servant of God. Billy Budd appears Christ-like, because of his peace-making abilities. Although, he is a peacemaker whom will fight for what he believes in and to keep peace. In the beginning of the novel, when Red Whiskers gives Billy Budd problems, he strikes him with a powerful blow and does not have any more problems with him or the crew again. Melville then foreshadows how Billy will use the same tactics the next time he runs into a bully like Red Whiskers. It seems ironic of the names of the ships as we go along in the story. Billy Budd goes from the Rights-of-Man to Bellipotent, it seems then he makes a change like a minister being ordained to a Bishop. Bellipotent signifies a good ship, in that belli- means kind, and -potent means strong and powerful. Melville seems to want his audience to think of the ships as Christ-like symbols also. As in another story, Young Goodman Brown by Hawthorne, a young man is too eager to meet his destiny. Billy Budd is not at the least hesitant, when Lieutenant Ratcliffe wants him for service to King George Ill. Billy Budd goes from a peaceful merchant ship, to a ship at war, full of guns and military discipline. Me lville is suggesting here that Billy will most like endure many problems and hardships entering this service. Billy Budd acts as the foretopman on this ship, which leads the audience to wonder is he doing it out of the grace of God, to make a change on the ship, or is he toying with fate. At the time this novel took place, wars were going on, which was later called the Great Mutiny (a time when sailors rebelled against their own). That explains most of the story Melville is attempting to display. Melville introduces Captain Vere as a dedicated officer who only permits obedience to duty and is very strict with discipline. The author has already foreshadowed many things for the audience. He lets us see how Billy is bound to run into a confrontation with at least one shipmate, and may possibly be accused of mutiny, since the thoughts are already on many officers' minds.

In a Modest Proposal, by Jonathan Swift, the main objective was to draw :: English Literature

In a Modest Proposal, by Jonathan Swift, the main objective was to draw attention to the plight of the Irish people and motiva In a Modest Proposal, by Jonathan Swift, the main objective was to draw attention to the downfall of the Irish people and motivate readers to find a workable solution. Unlike most essays, this is written for the reader to see through what the narrator is expressing. Swift shows the readers his proposal mainly through irony. Irony can be defined as expressing the opposite of what is meant. This is a great technique of the sense of humor and sarcasm used in the proposal and in Swift. One of the voices that are present throughout the story is that of irony. The story itself is ironic since no one can take Swift’s proposal seriously. This irony is clearly demonstrated at the end of the story; Swift makes it clear that this proposal would not affect him since his children were grown and his wife unable to have any more children. It is a great contradiction and absurdity that a husband and father propose the idea of cannibalism. The narrator does not want the reader to agree that the solution to overpopulation and poverty in Ireland is to eat babies; he wants the reader to see there needs to be a practical solution. Although something seems one way to the narrator, Jonathan Swift wants the reader to see it in an opposite light. Swift's opposition is indirectly presented. The author uses satire to accomplish his objective not only because he is able to conceal his true identity but also because it is the most effective way to awake the people of Ireland into seeing their own deprivation. Firstly, the narrative voice begins the essay by describing the horrible conditions in which the Irish peasants are living. He demonstrates there is a serious problem with a great need for a solution. He then suggests a solution and then lists a whole list of advantages. His proposal of eating the Irish babies is followed by advantages such as "by the sale of their children, [the parents would] be rid of the charge of maintaining them after the first year". To a poverty stricken person this would take a huge load off of their shoulders by not having to raise a child, while at the same time making money off of them to better support themselves and lifestyle. â€Å"I grant this food will be somewhat dear, and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the kitchen† is a quote that shows a

Crime and Punishment Thought Piece

â€Å"Power is given only to him who dares to stoop and take it †¦ one must have the courage to dare. † According to the quote, does it mean that whoever wants the power and steps up and do something to get the power that they want, will get it? It seems like the quote is saying that courage is needed in order to get the power. In other words, power is the authority or strength that one can have. So my next question is, can EVERYONE have the power that they want if they just have the courage to be bold?I don’t think the answer is yes. If the world is made that way, it will be way more chaotic than it is right now. That way, the beggars will be able to have the power of authority that they wish to have just by stepping up and be courageous to â€Å"rebel†. â€Å"What do you think, would not one tiny crime be wiped out by thousands of good deeds? † This quote is so true. Even though you have been good the whole time, your one bad crime will wash away al l the good deeds that you were doing the whole time, even if that was over 10 years.In Korean phrases, there is a phrase saying that â€Å"the tower that you were investing in falls†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It is the phrase that people use when something that they were investing in or trying to do just falls and becomes nothing. I think part of the reason that people only remember one bad crime instead of thousands of good deeds is because people are potential to remember what’s different from others. Just like the college application, if you are different then you will be remembered longer than being all identical.

Promote good practice in the support of individuals Essay

1. Understand how the different and evolving theories about autism reflect the complexity of autistic spectrum conditions Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. It also affects how they make sense of the world around them. It is a spectrum condition, which means that, while all people with autism share certain difficulties, their condition will affect them in different ways. Some people with autism are able to live relatively independent lives but others may have accompanying learning disabilities and need a lifetime of specialist support. People with autism may also experience over- or under-sensitivity to sounds, touch, tastes, smells, light or colours. Asperger syndrome is a form of autism. People with Asperger syndrome are often of average or above average intelligence. They have fewer problems with speech but may still have difficulties with understanding and processing language. Some people live with autism for their entire life without ever getting a formal diagnosis. Often this is simply because autism wasn’t widely known or understood when they were growing up. For adults, a diagnosis of autism can help to explain why they have always found certain things difficult. For children, it can mean that the right support is put in place from an early age. Autism has been described as a ‘hidden’ or ‘invisible’ disability. Although historically associated with intellectual disability, it is now thought that most people with ASC will be within the normal range of IQ. Whatever the label used, the complexity of the autistic spectrum often renders it easier to misunderstand than it is to recognise. These difficulties, which can make access to services problematic, are further complicated by the generic nature of many service s and the fragmented way they view and respond to ASC. As a setting we deal with many CYP with ASC, we accommodate these CYP as due to the high level of violence and behaviour difficulties they display ASC units or Schools for CYP with Specific Learning Difficulties cannot or will not accommodate them. We support our CYP on the ASD spectrum and Asperger’s syndrome to help them achieve their full potential. This is because we have a very highly experienced and motivated team. As a staff team we have  outside agencies such as the National Autistic Society and NEAS. We also have involvement from the local authority learning support staff that has worked closely with the CYP with autistic spectrum condition prior to them coming to us, these then come into our setting to give us the big picture on these CYP coming to our setting. These support staff are able to give us a clear picture of the needs and the history of these CYP before they reach our setting. This enables us the meet there needs, and make the transition from others schools and settings run smoothly. We also visit the CYP in their own environment as this gives them an opportunity to meet us in a setting in which they know and feel comfortable in. One of the most important points to understand about autistic spectru m conditions is that each CYP on the autism spectrum is an individual with their own unique characteristics. CYP with autistic spectrum conditions vary enormously in their abilities, needs, strengths, gifts, preferences and interests. No two individuals with a diagnosis of an autistic spectrum condition are the same, so it is essential not to make any assumptions about them. Autistic assignment causes and theories. Many causes of autism have been proposed, but understanding of the theory of causation of autism and the other autism spectrum disorders is incomplete. The heritability of autism is complex and it is typically unclear which genes are responsible. In rare cases, autism is strongly associated with agents that cause birth defects. Many other causes have been proposed, such as childhood immunizations, but numerous clinical studies have shown no scientific evidence supporting any link between vaccinations and autism. Autism spectrum conditions are present from birth or very early in life. They include childhood autism, Asperger’s syndrome, a typical autism and PDD unspecified. In practice many of these conditions may overlap with other disorders such as ADHD and affecting more boys than girls. Within my setting most CYP on the ASC spectrum have other conditions many quite complex. Other conditions are such as ADHD, ODD, conduct disorder, speech and language difficulties and Tourette’s syndrome. In practice although the prevalence in girls is said to be underestimated, these conditions are characterised by significant impairments in instinctive social behaviour, communication and a  restricted or repetitive repertoire of behaviours and interests. These ‘core’ features will affect the person’s ability to anticipate the thoughts and actions of others and predict day-to-day outcomes on the basis of normally occurring social cues. This lack of ability to anticipate and predict leads to high levels of stress within our CYP and they have difficulties in relating to others. Such difficulties may be accompanied by other neurological or psychiatric conditions that impact on behaviour and functioning and also on access to services and support. Such conditions include, disorders affecting sensory processing, anxiety, depression and mood, seizures and other medical problems. Autism has a range of diagnostic criteria. This was described by Wing and Gould (1979) as the Triad of Impairments. The triad consists of: Problems with social interactions Difficulties understanding and using non-verbal communications Stands to close to people Unaware of different ways to interact with people Difficulties initiating and maintaining conversations Inappropriate touching Problems with communication Asks repetitive questions. Absence of a desire to communicate. Communicates for own needs, rather than social engagement Own interest based. May be non-verbal, or delayed speech. Problems with imagination Does not understand other people’s thoughts or feelings – lack of Theory of Mind Does not like change in routines. Special or focussed interests. Literal thinking. In additional to the three areas of the triad there are also associated difficulties. These include: Sensory difficulties This may include hypersensitivities (over-sensitive) or hypersensitivities (under-sensitive). Mood disturbances – linked to the triad: Anxiety Aggression Depression As there is an array of criteria within the impairments and associated difficulties the disorder is considered a spectrum condition. For individuals considered on the â€Å"higher† end of the spectrum the individual may have better, learnt social communication and interaction skills, whereas those on the â€Å"lower† end of the spectrum may have significantly delayed communication skills, including a lack of language. As discussed above, sensory and perceptual difficulties are highly common amongst individuals with ASC. These include both hyper- and hypo-sensitivities. See table 1.1 2 .Be able to promote to others positive communication strategies for individuals with an autistic spectrum condition. Autism is a varied and complex disorder which can affect individuals in a number of ways. ASC affects not only the individual with the diagnosis, but their whole family – parents, siblings and others close to them. Below are examples of how ASC can affect different people: Individual diagnosed with ASC. Individuals with Autism Spectrum Condition’s lives are affected by a wide range of factors including: difficulties with communication, social interactions, sensory difficulties, flexibility. This impacts significantly on everyday functioning, whereby an individual may not be able to communicate their needs effectively, may have difficulty in social situations, may find everyday sensory input distressing , and changes in everyday life difficult to deal with, which then increases there anxiety level. As a setting we set out an action plan directed to every CYP’s individual needs, both in the school setting and residential setting. Each class/staff team have a copy of the plan and this helps us to deal with the individual needs of each CYP. This enables us to prevent the CYP getting too anxious or distressed in situations. In the case of one of our CYP with communication difficulties, and also has autistic spectrum condition the action plan is a key concept in the day to day education and understanding for the young person involved, and also professionals and peers . If the CYP  is not understood because of language barriers he becomes extremely frustrated and this has a detrimental effect on his behaviour. He will then display very disruptive and dangerous behaviour. We also use things like feelings cards so that the individual can express how they feel, rather than them get frustrated or get to a point and then become anxious. When looking at how an individual on the autism spectrum are impacted within their lives it is important to look at the impact of factors such as gender, ethnicity, social, cultural and religious influences. For example, those from an Indian culture are very nurturing with family members with disabilities and autism. This means that the individuals’ need are met however there is not necessarily any progression or development. In another example, those from an Orthodox Jewish religious background can feel that having a person with autism in the family is shameful and as a result the individual is â€Å"hidden† from the wider community, this results in a lack of development with the individual with ASC. What further compounds difficulties for those with ASC are stereotyped views, discrimination and lack of understanding about the autism spectrum condition. The media play a major role in promoting these misunderstandings. For example: There is a misunderstanding around the challenging behaviour associated with autism due to the communication and sensory difficulties in autism. In younger children it is often just seen as â€Å"bad behaviour† which should be â€Å"controlled† by the parents and the underlying causes are not fully understood. Due to the Film ‘Rain Man’ featuring Dustin Hoffman as an autistic man, many people who have seen the film have the perception that he is a typical person on the autism spectrum and that this is a true reflection. Although Dustin Hoffman’s character does have autism he also has savant syndrome which does not necessarily come hand-in-hand with autism (although 50% of savants also have ASC). Parents of individuals on the autism spectrum have their lives highly impacted upon due to their CYP’s condition, to ensure that a high level of observation is maintained to ensure their child’s safety, which can put huge strain and demand on them. Siblings of those with ASC can also be affected in their everyday lives due to the need of their siblings. Due to parents having to â€Å"focus† on the sibling with ASC, siblings can often feel jealous or â€Å"left out† due to not having much attention. They may also feel  restricted due to the changes required to meet the needs of their ASC sibling. Others close to those on the autism spectrum can have their everyday lives affected due to the changes required for the individual with ASC. This may be aunts and uncles or grandparents, whom try to give parents a break by looking after the CYP with autism or giving time and attention to siblings of the affected CYP. * Focus on children – there is an over emphasis on children on the autism spectrum leading to a belief that the condition is child orientated and not a life-long disorder. This disadvantages those adults on the spectrum due to a lack of general understanding or awareness of the condition in adults on the autism spectrum. In supporting understanding about the condition, it is important to ensure that all involved are aware and understand the autism spectrum condition. It is important to assess the level of comprehension and cognition of the individual with ASC and then focus the information sharing about ASC at individuals’ level of understanding. It is important to ensure that parents, carers and siblings are well informed about their children’s/sibling’s condition. After any review meeting or 6 weekly reviews we inform parents and carers of any progress made or any extra support that needs to be put in to place for our CYP. This is in order to ensure that they are aware of the support needs and intervention strategies to help develop an ASC individual. Further, it is very important to ensure that if an individual with ASC is within a care setting to keep parents and family informed of development so they can support this. Without the ongoing knowledge of the CYP’s progression they will still view their child as being at the same stage of development as they were when they went into the residential setting and as such not be able to support the ongoing development. 654 ~/

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 15. WAGER

I STARED AT HIM FOR A LONG MINUTE, SPEECHLESS. I could not think of one thing to say to him. As he watched my dumbfounded expression, the seriousness left his face. â€Å"Okay,† he said, grinning. â€Å"That's all.† â€Å"Jake -† It felt like there was something big sticking in my throat. I tried to clear the obstruction. â€Å"I can't – I mean I don't . . . I have to go.† I turned, but he grabbed my shoulders and spun me around. â€Å"No, wait. I know that, Bella. But, look, answer me this, all right? Do you want me to go away and never see you again? Be honest.† It was hard to concentrate on his question, so it took a minute to answer. â€Å"No, I don't want that,† I finally admitted. Jacob grinned again. â€Å"See.† â€Å"But I don't want you around for the same reason that you want me around,† I objected. â€Å"Tell me exactly why you want me around, then.† I thought carefully. â€Å"I miss you when you're not there. When you're happy,† I qualified carefully, â€Å"it makes me happy. But I could say the same thing about Charlie, Jacob. You're family. I love you, but I'm not in love with you.† He nodded, unruffled. â€Å"But you do want me around.† â€Å"Yes.† I sighed. He was impossible to discourage. â€Å"Then I'll stick around.† â€Å"You're a glutton for punishment,† I grumbled. â€Å"Yep.† He stroked the tips of his fingers across my right cheek. I slapped his hand away. â€Å"Do you think you could behave yourself a little better, at least?† I asked, irritated. â€Å"No, I don't. You decide, Bella. You can have me the way I am – bad behavior included – or not at all.† I stared at him, frustrated. â€Å"That's mean.† â€Å"So are you.† That pulled me up short, and I took an involuntary step back. He was right. If I wasn't mean – and greedy, too – I would tell him I didn't want to be friends and walk away. It was wrong to try to keep my friend when that would hurt him. I didn't know what I was doing here, but I was suddenly sure that it wasn't good. â€Å"You're right,† I whispered. He laughed. â€Å"I forgive you. Just try not to get too mad at me. Because I recently decided that I'm not giving up. There really is something irresistible about a lost cause.† â€Å"Jacob.† I stared into his dark eyes, trying to make him take me seriously. â€Å"I love him, Jacob. He's my whole life.† â€Å"You love me, too,† he reminded me. He held up his hand when I started to protest. â€Å"Not the same way, I know. But he's not your whole life, either. Not anymore. Maybe he was once, but he left. And now he's just going to have to deal with the consequence of that choice – me.† I shook my head. â€Å"You're impossible.† Suddenly, he was serious. He took my chin in his hand, holding it firmly so that I couldn't look away from his intent gaze. â€Å"Until your heart stops beating, Bella,† he said. â€Å"I'll be here – fighting. Don't forget that you have options.† â€Å"I don't want options,† I disagreed, trying to yank my chin free unsuccessfully. â€Å"And my heartbeats are numbered, Jacob. The time is almost gone.† His eyes narrowed. â€Å"All the more reason to fight – fight harder now, while I can,† he whispered. He still had my chin – his fingers holding too tight, till it hurt – and I saw the resolve form abruptly in his eyes. â€Å"N -† I started to object, but it was too late. His lips crushed mine, stopping my protest. He kissed me angrily, roughly, his other hand gripping tight around the back of my neck, making escape impossible. I shoved against his chest with all my strength, but he didn't even seem to notice. His mouth was soft, despite the anger, his lips molding to mine in a warm, unfamiliar way. I grabbed at his face, trying to push it away, failing again. He seemed to notice this time, though, and it aggravated him. His lips forced mine open, and I could feel his hot breath in my mouth. Acting on instinct, I let my hands drop to my side, and shut down. I opened my eyes and didn't fight, didn't feel . . . just waited for him to stop. It worked. The anger seemed to evaporate, and he pulled back to look at me. He pressed his lips softly to mine again, once, twice . . . a third time. I pretended I was a statue and waited. Finally, he let go of my face and leaned away. â€Å"Are you done now?† I asked in an expressionless voice. â€Å"Yes,† he sighed. He started to smile, closing his eyes. I pulled my arm back and then let it snap forward, punching him in the mouth with as much power as I could force out of my body. There was a crunching sound. â€Å"Ow! OW!† I screamed, frantically hopping up and down in agony while I clutched my hand to my chest. It was broken, I could feel it. Jacob stared at me in shock. â€Å"Are you all right?† â€Å"No, dammit! You broke my hand!† â€Å"Bella, you broke your hand. Now stop dancing around and let me look at it.† â€Å"Don't touch me! I'm going home right now!† â€Å"I'll get my car,† he said calmly. He wasn't even rubbing his jaw like they did in the movies. How pathetic. â€Å"No, thanks,† I hissed. â€Å"I'd rather walk.† I turned toward the road. It was only a few miles to the border. As soon as I got away from him, Alice would see me. She'd send somebody to pick me up. â€Å"Just let me drive you home,† Jacob insisted. Unbelievably, he had the nerve to wrap his arm around my waist. I jerked away from him. â€Å"Fine!† I growled. â€Å"Do! I can't wait to see what Edward does to you! I hope he snaps your neck, you pushy, obnoxious, moronic DOG!† Jacob rolled his eyes. He walked me to the passenger side of his car and helped me in. When he got in the driver's side, he was whistling. â€Å"Didn't I hurt you at all?† I asked, furious and annoyed. â€Å"Are you kidding? If you hadn't started screaming, I might not have figured out that you were trying to punch me. I may not be made out of stone, but I'm not that soft.† â€Å"I hate you, Jacob Black.† â€Å"That's good. Hate is a passionate emotion.† â€Å"I'll give you passionate,† I muttered under my breath. â€Å"Murder, the ultimate crime of passion.† â€Å"Oh, c'mon,† he said, all cheery and looking like he was about to start whistling again. â€Å"That had to be better than kissing a rock.† â€Å"Not even remotely close,† I told him coldly. He pursed his lips. â€Å"You could just be saying that.† â€Å"But I'm not.† That seemed to bother him for a second, but then he perked up. â€Å"You're just mad. I don't have any experience with this kind of thing, but I thought it was pretty incredible myself.† â€Å"Ugh,† I groaned. â€Å"You're going to think about it tonight. When he thinks you're asleep, you'll be thinking about your options.† â€Å"If I think about you tonight, it will be because I'm having a nightmare.† He slowed the car to a crawl, turning to stare at me with his dark eyes wide and earnest. â€Å"Just think about how it could be, Bella,† he urged in a soft, eager voice. â€Å"You wouldn't have to change anything for me. You know Charlie would be happy if you picked me. I could protect you just as well as your vampire can – maybe better. And I would make you happy, Bella. There's so much I could give you that he can't. I'll bet he couldn't even kiss you like that – because he would hurt you. I would never, never hurt you, Bella.† I held up my injured hand. He sighed. â€Å"That wasn't my fault. You should have known better.† â€Å"Jacob, I can't be happy without him.† â€Å"You've never tried,† he disagreed. â€Å"When he left, you spent all your energy holding on to him. You could be happy if you let go. You could be happy with me.† â€Å"I don't want to be happy with anyone but him,† I insisted. â€Å"You'll never be able to be as sure of him as you are of me. He left you once, he could do it again.† â€Å"No, he will not,† I said through my teeth. The pain of the memory bit into me like the lash of a whip. It made me want to hurt him back. â€Å"You left me once,† I reminded him in a cold voice, thinking of the weeks he'd hidden from me, the words he'd said to me in the woods beside his home. . . . â€Å"I never did,† he argued hotly. â€Å"They told me I couldn't tell you – that it wasn't safe for you if we were together. But I never left, never! I used to run around your house at night – like I do now. Just making sure you were okay.† I wasn't about to let him make me feel bad for him now. â€Å"Take me home. My hand hurts.† He sighed, and started driving at a normal speed, watching the road. â€Å"Just think about it, Bella.† â€Å"No,† I said stubbornly. â€Å"You will. Tonight. And I'll be thinking about you while you're thinking about me.† â€Å"Like I said, a nightmare.† He grinned over at me. â€Å"You kissed me back.† I gasped, unthinkingly balling my hands up into fists again, hissing when my broken hand reacted. â€Å"Are you okay?† he asked. â€Å"I did not.† â€Å"I think I can tell the difference.† â€Å"Obviously you can't – that was not kissing back, that was trying to get you the hell off of me, you idiot.† He laughed a low, throaty laugh. â€Å"Touchy. Almost overly defensive, I would say.† I took a deep breath. There was no point in arguing with him; he would twist anything I said. I concentrated on my hand, trying to stretch out my fingers, to ascertain where the broken parts were. Sharp pains stabbed along my knuckles. I groaned. â€Å"I'm really sorry about your hand,† Jacob said, sounding almost sincere. â€Å"Next time you want to hit me, use a baseball bat or a crowbar, okay?† â€Å"Don't think I'll forget that,† I muttered. I didn't realize where we were going until we were on my road. â€Å"Why are you taking me here?† I demanded. He looked at me blankly. â€Å"I thought you said you were going home?† â€Å"Ugh. I guess you can't take me to Edward's house, can you?† I ground my teeth in frustration. Pain twisted across his face, and I could see that this affected him more than anything else I'd said. â€Å"This is your home, Bella,† he said quietly. â€Å"Yes, but do any doctors live here?† I asked, holding up my hand again. â€Å"Oh.† He thought about that for a minute. â€Å"I'll take you to the hospital. Or Charlie can.† â€Å"I don't want to go to the hospital. It's embarrassing and unnecessary.† He let the Rabbit idle in front of the house, deliberating with an unsure expression. Charlie's cruiser was in the driveway. I sighed. â€Å"Go home, Jacob.† I climbed out of the car awkwardly, heading for the house. The engine cut off behind me, and I was less surprised than annoyed to find Jacob beside me again. â€Å"What are you going to do?† he asked. â€Å"I am going to get some ice on my hand, and then I am going to call Edward and tell him to come and get me and take me to Carlisle so that he can fix my hand. Then, if you're still here, I am going to go hunt up a crowbar.† He didn't answer. He opened the front door and held it for me. We walked silently past the front room where Charlie was lying on the sofa. â€Å"Hey, kids,† he said, sitting forward. â€Å"Nice to see you here, Jake.† â€Å"Hey, Charlie,† Jacob answered casually, pausing. I stalked on to the kitchen. â€Å"What's wrong with her?† Charlie wondered. â€Å"She thinks she broke her hand,† I heard Jacob tell him. I went to the freezer and pulled out a tray of ice cubes. â€Å"How did she do that?† As my father, I thought Charlie ought to sound a bit less amused and a bit more concerned. Jacob laughed. â€Å"She hit me.† Charlie laughed, too, and I scowled while I beat the tray against the edge of the sink. The ice scattered inside the basin, and I grabbed a handful with my good hand and wrapped the cubes in the dishcloth on the counter. â€Å"Why did she hit you?† â€Å"Because I kissed her,† Jacob said, unashamed. â€Å"Good for you, kid,† Charlie congratulated him. I ground my teeth and went for the phone. I dialed Edward's cell. â€Å"Bella?† he answered on the first ring. He sounded more than relieved – he was delighted. I could hear the Volvo's engine in the background; he was already in the car – that was good. â€Å"You left the phone . . . I'm sorry, did Jacob drive you home?† â€Å"Yes,† I grumbled. â€Å"Will you come and get me, please?† â€Å"I'm on my way,† he said at once. â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"I want Carlisle to look at my hand. I think it's broken.† It had gone quiet in the front room, and I wondered when Jacob would bolt. I smiled a grim smile, imagining his discomfort. â€Å"What happened?† Edward demanded, his voice going flat. â€Å"I punched Jacob,† I admitted. â€Å"Good,† Edward said bleakly. â€Å"Though I'm sorry you're hurt.† I laughed once, because he sounded as pleased as Charlie had. â€Å"I wish I'd hurt him.† I sighed in frustration. â€Å"I didn't do any damage at all.† â€Å"I can fix that,† he offered. â€Å"I was hoping you would say that.† There was a slight pause. â€Å"That doesn't sound like you,† he said, wary now. â€Å"What did he do?† â€Å"He kissed me,† I growled. All I heard on the other end of the line was the sound of an engine accelerating. In the other room, Charlie spoke again. â€Å"Maybe you ought to take off, Jake,† he suggested. â€Å"I think I'll hang out here, if you don't mind.† â€Å"Your funeral,† Charlie muttered. â€Å"Is the dog still there?† Edward finally spoke again. â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"I'm around the corner,† he said darkly, and the line disconnected. As I hung up the phone, smiling, I heard the sound of his car racing down the street. The brakes protested loudly as he slammed to a stop out front. I went to get the door. â€Å"How's your hand?† Charlie asked as I walked by. Charlie looked uncomfortable. Jacob lolled next to him on the sofa, perfectly at ease. I lifted the ice pack to show it off. â€Å"It's swelling.† â€Å"Maybe you should pick on people your own size,† Charlie suggested. â€Å"Maybe,† I agreed. I walked on to open the door. Edward was waiting. â€Å"Let me see,† he murmured. He examined my hand gently, so carefully that it caused me no pain at all. His hands were almost as cold as the ice, and they felt good against my skin. â€Å"I think you're right about the break,† he said. â€Å"I'm proud of you. You must have put some force behind this.† â€Å"As much as I have.† I sighed. â€Å"Not enough, apparently.† He kissed my hand softly. â€Å"I'll take care of it,† he promised. And then he called, â€Å"Jacob,† his voice still quiet and even. â€Å"Now, now,† Charlie cautioned. I heard Charlie heave himself off of the sofa. Jacob got to the hall first, and much more quietly, but Charlie was not far behind him. Jacob's expression was alert and eager. â€Å"I don't want any fighting, do you understand?† Charlie looked only at Edward when he spoke. â€Å"I can go put my badge on if that makes my request more official.† â€Å"That won't be necessary,† Edward said in a restrained tone. â€Å"Why don't you arrest me, Dad?† I suggested. â€Å"I'm the one throwing punches.† Charlie raised an eyebrow. â€Å"Do you want to press charges, Jake?† â€Å"No.† Jacob grinned, incorrigible. â€Å"I'll take the trade any day.† Edward grimaced. â€Å"Dad, don't you have a baseball bat somewhere in your room? I want to borrow it for a minute.† Charlie looked at me evenly. â€Å"Enough, Bella.† â€Å"Let's go have Carlisle look at your hand before you wind up in a jail cell,† Edward said. He put his arm around me and pulled me toward the door. â€Å"Fine,† I said, leaning against him. I wasn't so angry anymore, now that Edward was with me. I felt comforted, and my hand didn't bother me as much. We were walking down the sidewalk when I heard Charlie whispering anxiously behind me. â€Å"What are you doing? Are you crazy?† â€Å"Give me a minute, Charlie,† Jacob answered. â€Å"Don't worry, I'll be right back.† I looked back and Jacob was following us, stopping to close the door in Charlie's surprised and uneasy face. Edward ignored him at first, leading me to the car. He helped me inside, shut the door, and then turned to face Jacob on the sidewalk. I leaned anxiously through the open window. Charlie was visible in the house, peeking through the drapes in the front room. Jacob's stance was casual, his arms folded across his chest, but the muscles in his jaw were tight. Edward spoke in a voice so peaceful and gentle that it made the words strangely more threatening. â€Å"I'm not going to kill you now, because it would upset Bella.† â€Å"Hmph,† I grumbled. Edward turned slightly to throw me a quick smile. His face was still calm. â€Å"It would bother you in the morning,† he said, brushing his fingers across my cheek. Then he turned back to Jacob. â€Å"But if you ever bring her back damaged again – and I don't care whose fault it is; I don't care if she merely trips, or if a meteor falls out of the sky and hits her in the head – if you return her to me in less than the perfect condition that I left her in, you will be running with three legs. Do you understand that, mongrel?† Jacob rolled his eyes. â€Å"Who's going back?† I muttered. Edward continued as if he hadn't heard me. â€Å"And if you ever kiss her again, I will break your jaw for her,† he promised, his voice still gentle and velvet and deadly. â€Å"What if she wants me to?† Jacob drawled, arrogant. â€Å"Hah!† I snorted. â€Å"If that's what she wants, then I won't object.† Edward shrugged, untroubled. â€Å"You might want to wait for her to say it, rather than trust your interpretation of body language – but it's your face.† Jacob grinned. â€Å"You wish,† I grumbled. â€Å"Yes, he does,† Edward murmured. â€Å"Well, if you're done rummaging through my head,† Jacob said with a thick edge of annoyance, â€Å"why don't you go take care of her hand?† â€Å"One more thing,† Edward said slowly. â€Å"I'll be fighting for her, too. You should know that. I'm not taking anything for granted, and I'll be fighting twice as hard as you will.† â€Å"Good,† Jacob growled. â€Å"It's no fun beating someone who forfeits.† â€Å"She is mine.† Edward's low voice was suddenly dark, not as composed as before. â€Å"I didn't say I would fightfair.† â€Å"Neither did I.† â€Å"Best of luck.† Jacob nodded. â€Å"Yes, may the best man win.† â€Å"That sounds about right . . . pup.† Jacob grimaced briefly, then he composed his face and leaned around Edward to smile at me. I glowered back. â€Å"I hope your hand feels better soon. I'm really sorry you're hurt.† Childishly, I turned my face away from him. I didn't look up again as Edward walked around the car and climbed into the driver's side, so I didn't know if Jacob went back into the house or continued to stand there, watching me. â€Å"How do you feel?† Edward asked as we drove away. â€Å"Irritated.† He chuckled. â€Å"I meant your hand.† I shrugged. â€Å"I've had worse.† â€Å"True,† he agreed, and frowned. Edward drove around the house to the garage. Emmett and Rosalie were there, Rosalie's perfect legs, recognizable even sheathed in jeans, were sticking out from under the bottom of Emmett's huge Jeep. Emmett was sitting beside her, one hand reached under the Jeep toward her. It took me a moment to realize that he was acting as the jack. Emmett watched curiously as Edward helped me carefully out of the car. His eyes zeroed in on the hand I cradled against my chest. Emmett grinned. â€Å"Fall down again, Bella?† I glared at him fiercely. â€Å"No, Emmett. I punched a werewolf in the face.† Emmett blinked, and then burst into a roar of laughter. As Edward led me past them, Rosalie spoke from under the car. â€Å"Jasper's going to win the bet,† she said smugly. Emmett's laughter stopped at once, and he studied me with appraising eyes. â€Å"What bet?† I demanded, pausing. â€Å"Let's get you to Carlisle,† Edward urged. He was staring at Emmett. His head shook infinitesimally. â€Å"What bet?† I insisted as I turned on him. â€Å"Thanks, Rosalie,† he muttered as he tightened his arm around my waist and pulled me toward the house. â€Å"Edward . . . ,† I grumbled. â€Å"It's infantile,† he shrugged. â€Å"Emmett and Jasper like to gamble.† â€Å"Emmett will tell me.† I tried to turn, but his arm was like iron around me. He sighed. â€Å"They're betting on how many times you . . . slip up in the first year.† â€Å"Oh.† I grimaced, trying to hide my sudden horror as I realized what he meant. â€Å"They have a bet about how many people I'll kill?† â€Å"Yes,† he admitted unwillingly. â€Å"Rosalie thinks your temper will turn the odds in Jasper's favor.† I felt a little high. â€Å"Jasper's betting high.† â€Å"It will make him feel better if you have a hard time adjusting. He's tired of being the weakest link.† â€Å"Sure. Of course it will. I guess I could throw in a few extra homicides, if it makes Jasper happy. Why not?† I was babbling, my voice a blank monotone. In my head, I was seeing newspaper headlines, lists of names. . . . He squeezed me. â€Å"You don't need to worry about it now. In fact, you don't have to worry about it ever, if you don't want to.† I groaned, and Edward, thinking it was the pain in my hand that bothered me, pulled me faster toward the house. My hand was broken, but there wasn't any serious damage, just a tiny fissure in one knuckle. I didn't want a cast, and Carlisle said I'd be fine in a brace if I promised to keep it on. I promised. Edward could tell I was out of it as Carlisle worked to fit a brace carefully to my hand. He worried aloud a few times that I was in pain, but I assured him that that wasn't it. As if I needed – or even had room for – one more thing to worry about. All of Jasper's stories about newly created vampires had been percolating in my head since he'd explained his past. Now those stories jumped into sharp focus with the news of his and Emmett's wager. I wondered randomly what they were betting. What was a motivating prize when you had everything? I'd always known that I would be different. I hoped that I would be as strong as Edward said I would be. Strong and fast and, most of all, beautiful. Someone who could stand next to Edward and feel like she belonged there. I'd been trying not to think too much about the other things that I would be. Wild. Bloodthirsty. Maybe I would not be able to stop myself from killing people. Strangers, people who had never harmed me. People like the growing number of victims in Seattle, who'd had families and friends and futures. People who'd had lives. And I could be the monster who took that away from them. But, in truth, I could handle that part – because I trusted Edward, trusted him absolutely, to keep me from doing anything I would regret. I knew he'd take me to Antarctica and hunt penguins if I asked him to. And I would do whatever it took to be a good person. A good vampire. That thought would have made me giggle, if not for this new worry. Because, if I really were somehow like that – like the nightmarish images of newborns that Jasper had painted in my head – could I possibly be me? And if all I wanted was to kill people, what would happen to the things I wanted now? Edward was so obsessed with me not missing anything while I was human. Usually, it seemed kind of silly. There weren't many human experiences that I worried about missing. As long as I got to be with Edward, what else could I ask for? I stared at his face while he watched Carlisle fix my hand. There was nothing in this world that I wanted more than him. Would that, could that, change? Was there a human experience that I was not willing to give up?