Fate or free will Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Fate or free will - Essay Example As he told me, he was only forced by his circumstances. I myself believe in determinism – that all events are ultimately determined by causes that are external to human will. These events, or the things that happen, even include human action. That man was hungry that is why he stole. It is therefore preposterous to think that he wanted to steal out of free will. There was an explanatory cause, or a cause that ultimately explains his action of stealing. That explanatory cause was hunger. Had he not been hungry, he would not have stolen the money. I am sure you understand and agree with me, Socrates. Socrates: You are right, and no man can ever separate himself from the appetitive and spirited parts as long as he is alive. Moreover, one should know that â€Å"For when [the soul] tries to consider anything in company with the body, it is evidently deceived by it† (Plato, Phaedo, 64c). Therefore, the soul is not free as long as it is with the body, as long as one is alive. This is the part of the soul that conforms to determinism. Socrates: Indeed, it was. However, it was not purely free will on his part, because the fact that he has within him and working at the same time – the appetitive, spirited and rational desires – may have in fact deceived him. What is human choice then? Me: Human choice is the action that results from being governed by external determinism and possessing internal free will – both existing at the same time. So, in short, what are you trying to tell me about that man, Socrates? Socrates: That he did make a choice that he could otherwise have refused or that he had the power to cancel, but that he did make this choice only after his appetitive desires have deceived him, human as he was. However, we cannot conclude anything whether he was a good man or an evil man. We can only say he was not wise

Produce a table of four profitability ratios, four efficiency ratios Assignment

Produce a table of four profitability ratios, four efficiency ratios and two liquidity ratios for each enterprise below. Written Report - Assignment Example Daley has a current ratio of 1.3: 1 which is lower than Macey’s despite having both, more current assets and liabilities. It is however, still enough to meet its short term obligations. Both companies have a good liquidity position, which prevents them from having to sell off their inventory in order to pay their short term debts. Without liquidating their inventories, both companies can easily manage their short term obligations through their most liquid current assets. Daley has a better inventory turnover ratio which indicates that it takes less time to sell off its finished products. With less cash tied up in inventory and considerably lower cost of goods sold, Daley takes approximately 10 days less than Macey to convert its goods into sales. Customers of Daley are taking twice as long to repay the company which means that the receivable collection is not timely. Compared to Macey, Daley has a lot tied up in the form of receivables, more than 1.5 times as much as Macey. Its sales are also approximately $300 million less than Macey’s. Macey’s receivable collection seems to be within their average length of time taken to recover cash. These figures indicate that both the firms deal in some sort of fast moving consumer goods to able to recover cash within 2-3 days. Daley’s utilization of fixed assets is better than Macey’s with a ratio of 8.9 times. For every $1 invested in fixed assets, Daley is making $8.9 in sales. On the other hand, Macey is making only $5.5 in sales for every $1 invested in fixed assets. Macey has higher sales than Daley but it also has approximately twice the amount of fixed assets. This signifies that Macey has too much invested in fixed assets. Daley, despite having higher current assets and lower sales than Macey’s, has a better total asset turnover. Macey’s investment in fixed asset seems to be unnecessary and is affecting its ability to generate sufficient sales with regards to the amount of fixed assets

Role Of Endorsers In Advertising Cultural Studies Essay

Role Of Endorsers In Advertising Cultural Studies Essay Perhaps most important role, an endorser must match up well with the endorsed brands (Shimp, 2003). As images of the personalities become related with products through endorsement, the meanings they attach to the products are conveyed to consumers through purchase and consumption (McCracken, 1989). Therefore, the practice of celebrity endorsement should be very much associated to the cultural perspective in which the images of celebrities are created and individual celebrities are selected to be linked with particular products. Studies outlined by Till and Busler (2000) suggest that the celebrity or product fit, also known as the match-up hypothesis, refers to the harmony of the match connecting the product being endorsed and the personality endorser. In addition to that, Shimp (2003) further states that there are 2 types of match-up, which are audience match up, where it deals with the endorsed brands target market along with brand match up, where celebritys values and decorum must be compatible with the image desired for the advertised brand. Product fit is thought to function as a main determinant of endorsement success (Friedman Friedman 1979; Kahle and Homer 1985; Erdogan et al. 2001; Batra and Homer 2004) although celebrity effectiveness does vary across different product types. Friedman and Friedman (1979) concluded that the better the celebrity or product fit, as professed by consumers, the higher the level of endorsement value. Nevertheless, Till and Busler (2000) argue that celebrity or product fit was effective for only certain measures of effectiveness such as brand attitude, but not for other measures such as purchase intention. Despite of the impact celebrity/product fit has on effectiveness Till and Busler (2000) c onsidered this factor should play a significant role in celebrity endorser usefulness. 4.0 CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT AND ADVERTISING EFFECTIVENESS 4.1 Factors / reasons Pickton and Broderick (2005) and Kelman (1998) considered 3 type of source attributes that are source credibility, attractiveness and expertness, where he believe may influence the recipients attitude which may explain why celebrity endorsement can be used as an advert tool. Erdogan (1999) also agreed with the theory and its positive consequence on the audiences reception to the conveyed message. According to him, the source is the person who is conveying a message to an audience. The Source Credibility Model In the context of celebrity endorsement, O Mahony and Meenaghan (1998) claim that credibility relates to the target audiences perception of the celebrity having sufficient knowledge or experience to provide accurate. The model contends that the effectiveness of a message depends on the perceived level expertise and trustworthiness in an endorser (Hovland et al. 1953). Consequently, the more favorably consumers assess the expertise and trustworthiness of a celebrity endorser, the more likely the celebrity is to be regarded as a reliable source of information on the product and thus the better the brand he/she endorses is represented (Ohanian, 1990). According to Belch and Belch (1998) spokesperson are regularly chosen because of their knowledge, experience and expertise in a particular product or service area. The importance of using expert sources was also shown in a study by Ohanian (1991), who found that the perceived capability of celebrity endorsers was more essential in explaining purchase intentions. Ohanian further states, endorsers are most useful when they are experienced, knowledgeable and qualified to talk about the product. In addition to that, while expertise is important, the target audience must also find the endorsers believable. Trustworthiness as define by Tellis (2004) is the willingness of the source to make true claims. The research conducted by Miller and Baseheart (1969) established that consumer behavior is openly related to the confidence they put in expert endorsers. The Source Attractiveness Model Another equally important attribute of the source of celebrity endorsement is its attractiveness. Langmeyer and Shank (1994) maintain that the concept of source attractiveness is not limited to good looks only, but also encompasses such non-physical characteristics as, for example, abilities in sports, grace, tact, charisma or intelligence. The theory is agreed by Shimp (2001) where he also affirmed that attractiveness multifaceted and does not include just physical attractiveness. The Meaning Transfer Model Unlike the Source Models, this theory proposed by Grant McCracken in 1989 contends that credibility and attractiveness do not sufficiently explain why celebrity endorsement works. According to this model, endorser effectiveness depends on the culturally acquired meanings he or she brings which may includes status, career, gender as well as personality and lifestyle. For example, from the celebrity athlete perspective, Roger Federer is publicly recognized from his career in the sporting arena since this is where he became known to the public. Martin (1996) concludes in effect the athlete becomes synonymous with the sport and the meanings become a part of the celebrity athletes image. Next, for the second stage, McCracken suggests endorsers will bring their meanings into the ad and transfer them to the product they are endorsing. Thus people evaluations of the celebrity endorsement, the measure of interest in this research occur when the advertisement is viewed by consumer. In the final stage, the meanings has given to the product are transferred to the consumer. As stated by McCracken (1989), this stage positively shows the importance of the consumers role in the process of endorsing brands with celebrities although Belch and Belch (1998) arguably said that this stage is complicated and difficult to achieve. 4.2 The timing According to Tellis (2004), the source credibility theory is most relevant for explaining the role of experts, while the source attractiveness is applicable in the case of lay endorses like fictitious individuals or characters. Furthermore, both Tellis (2004) and McCracken (1989), indicates that the meaning transfer theory suits the use of celebrities as endorsers, as it provides an insightful framework for using the complexity of meanings associated with celebrities. Celebrity endorsement is best used during the maturity phase of a life cycle (Anon, 2004). Promotion and advertising transfers from the scope of having new customers, to the extent of product differentiation in terms of reliability and quality. During this phase new brands are launched even when they compete with competitors, thus this is when celebrity endorsement can take place. Although, the use of celebrity endorsers is prevalent in advertising, however it is not without risk (Shimp and Till, 1998). When a company decides to use a celebrity, they should consider major factors ( Shimp, 2001 and Belch and Belch, 1998) as the timing might be in appropriate for an endorsement: Overexposure If a celebrity is overexposed, that is endorsing too many brands, his or her credibility may suffer ( Tripp et al. 1994). David Beckham, for example, may be somewhat overexposed. Cost consideration How much to acquire a celebrity`s services is an important consideration and unfortunately, it is not a simple calculation as it is difficult to project the revenue stream ( Belch and Belch, 1998). The Trouble factor As noted by Shimp (2001) celebrity behavior may pose a risk to a company. For example Gatorade had to drop Tiger Woods as its endorser due to the recent incidents. Target audience receptivity A study by Horowitz ( 2002),found that college-age students were more prone to have a positive attitude towards a product endorsed by a celebrity than were older consumers. This is supported by Belch and Belch (2001) where they indicates that this is because older consumers are more knowledgeable and has strongly established attitudes. 5.0 CONCLUSION This literature review aims to provide the assessment on the use of celebrity spokespersons in advertising to endorse brands. Through the findings the purchase intentions of consumers are closely related to the credibility of a celebrity endorser used in an advertisement, their perceptions of expertise of a celebrity endorser, the attractiveness and popularity of the latter as well as celebrity-product mix-match. However, as several failures show, it is essential for advertisers to be aware of the complex processes underlying celebrity endorsement, by gaining an understanding of the described concepts of source attractiveness and credibility, match-up analysis, and meaning transfer model. Further research efforts must be taken into consideration to develop a consistent, extensive and user-friendly tool to avoid wrong decisions and enhance the strategic quality of endorser decisions. Figure 1: Meaning transfer in the endorsement process (Adapted from McCracken 1989) Figure 2: The Five Components in the TEARS Model of Endorser Attributes

Assessing the Neural Mechanisms of Anxiety :: Biology Essays Research Papers

A "Lesser Wrong" Model of Assessing the Neural Mechanisms of Anxiety The objective of our class and the neuroscientific community is to understand the complex neural pathways of the brain. The neural mechanisms of anxiety have long puzzled researchers. Thus far, the belief is that two structures of the limbic system known as the lateral septum and the amygdala regulate anxiety. The present paper will examine the role of the lateral septum and the amygdala in propagating anxiety (supporting the brain = behavior paradigm), discuss the neural connection that exist between the Am and LS, consider the effects that benzodiazepine anxiolytics have on this neural connection, as well as introduce findings from my current research that supports the "lesser wrong" model of anxiety. Amygdala and Anxiogenesis The amygdala (hereafter cited as Am) is a known anxiety producing or anxiogenic structure (1). Anxiety is assessed through a number of animal studies that examine fear and stress responses in the presence of aversive stimuli such as a shock. Fear and stress responses in animals are good measures of anxiety because they correlate well with the symptoms observed in people with generalized anxiety disorder. For instance, studies that assess anxiety in animal paradigms report increased stress induced ulceration, increased heart beat, and increased galvanic skin conductance. Similarly, individuals diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder show upset stomach, increased hear rate, and increased sweating. Hence, anxiety, fear, and stress responses are closely related. Fear responses are behavioral changes that occur in the presence of aversive stimuli. The most common behavioral response (in rats) to aversive stimuli is behavioral arrest also referred to as "freezing". Behavioral arrest occurs when the animal "freezes following a cue for the aversive stimulus. Davis (1992) describes the freezing behavior as the animal's apprehensive expectation that something bad is about to happen. Stress responses are physiological changes that occur in response to aversive stimuli. Stress responses in animal and human studies include pupil dilation, increased heart beat, decreased salivation (or dry mouth), increase galvanic skin conductance (or increased sweating) and frequent defecation (or diarrhea). Studies have shown that during the presentation of a tone that forewarns the animal of a shock, the animal show a multitude of stress responses including the ones listed above. Similarly, in a fMRI scan study, human subjects showed Am activation in instructed fear or anticipatory anxiety task. In this task, subjects are manipulated into believing that they will receive a shock when a threatening stimulus is presented.

American Civil Liberties Union vs. National Security Agency

Plaintiffs American Civil Liberties Union, et al. have alleged that the TSP violates their free speech and associational rights, as guaranteed by the First Amendment; their privacy rights, as guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment; that the principle of the Separation of Powers because the TSP has been authorized by the President in excess of his Executive Power under Article II of the Constitution; and that it is conducted without observation of any of the procedures required either by law or by the Constitution.Amici, members of Congress, elected by the citizens of the United States to enact legislations binding on all, including the President, support plaintiffs’ stance that the actions of the NSA are violative of duly enacted legislation as well as the Constitution of the United States, for the reasons below stated. First and Fourth Amendment Rights First and Fourth Amendment rights are of paramount consideration under the United States Constitution. These rights are intertwin ed, as the court wrote in Marcus v. Search Warrants, 367 U. S.717 (1961): â€Å"Historically the struggle for freedom of speech and press in England was bound up with the issue of the scope of the search and seizure. . . . This history was, of course, part of the intellectual matrix within which our own constitutional fabric was shaped. The Bill of Rights was fashioned against the background of knowledge that unrestricted power of search and seizure could also be an instrument for stifling liberty of expression. † A violation of Fourth Amendment rights results, therefore, as a necessary consequence, to a violation of First Amendment rights.It has been held that the warrant requirement under the Fourth Amendment is also applicable to electronic surveillances. In the case of Katz vs. United States, 389 U. S. 347 (1967), the Court declared that surveillances conducted for domestic security must undergo the process of procuring judicial warrant. In the absence of a judicial stamp of approval upon the intended act of domestic surveillance, such is per se unreasonable, subject only to a few well-defined exceptions.In the case of United States vs. United States District Court, 407 US 297 (1972), the court held that freedoms guaranteed under the Fourth Amendment would be wantonly and capriciously violated if the Executive branch is given unbridled access and discretion to conduct such warrantless domestic surveillances. The Fourth Amendment requires a finding of probable cause by a judicial magistrate and, absent such requisite, the search and seizure conducted becomes unconstitutional.This directive is imposed upon the executive branch whose duty is to ensure that the laws are faithfully executed. The court found therefore the need to strike a balance between the â€Å"the duty of Government to protect the domestic security, and the potential danger posed by unreasonable surveillance to individual privacy and free expression,† Justice Powell wrote that the inconvenience to the government is â€Å"justified in a free society to protect constitutional values. â€Å"That the warrant requirement is also applicable to electronic surveillances is only reasonable as First and Fourth Amendment rights were included in the United States Constitution to guard against executive abuses of power. Separation of Powers It was also argued that the chief executive has broad enough powers to conduct warrantless surveillances by virtue of the Commander-in-Chief powers granted to him by the Constitution. The argument is based upon court decisions such as United States vs.Truong Dinh Hung, 629 F. 2d 908 (4th Cir. 1980), United States vs. Butenko, 494 F. 2d 593 (3rd Cir. 1974) and United States vs. Brown, 484 F. 2d 418 (Fifth Cir. 1973), which recognize such authority as inherent and cannot be encroached by legislation. However, to sustain such argument would violate the principle of separation of powers. The concurring opinion of Justice Jackson in t he case Youngstown Sheet & Tube v. Sawyer, 343 U. S. 579 (1952) has become authoritative.It was stated that, â€Å"when the President takes measures incompatible with the expressed or implied will of Congress, his power is at its lowest ebb, for he can rely only upon his own Constitutional powers minus any Constitutional powers of Congress over the matter. † . Justice Taylor expounded on such pronouncement of Justice Jackson, stating that, â€Å"although the Constitution had diffused powers the better to secure liberty, the powers of the President are not fixed, but fluctuate, depending upon their junctures with the actions of Congress.Thus, if the President acted pursuant to an express or implied authorization by Congress, his power was at it maximum, or zenith. If he acted in absence of Congressional action, he was in a zone of twilight reliant upon only his own independent powers. † Moreover, assuming arguendo that the chief executive indeed has the inherent authori ty to conduct warrantless surveillances by virtue of his Commander-in-Chief powers, such power can be regulated by Congress through legislation.Such regulation consists in laying down of reasonable procedures which must be complied with before the exercise of the power becomes authorized. The inherent authority therefore is subject to acts of Congress since legislative power is plenary and cannot be subject â€Å"to presidential and military supervision and control. † This legislation is the FISA. Congress even provided that this statutory procedure laid down â€Å"shall be the exclusive means for conducting electronic surveillances,† which precludes the chief executive from exercising the power in a discretionary manner. The FISAThe FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act) was enacted by Congress in 1978 â€Å"to restore and preserve Americans’ confidence in their ability to engage in the ‘public activity’ and ‘dissent from official poli cy’ at the heart of civil rights advocacy and meaningful public debate† after the publication of reports by the Church Committee exposing United States intelligence agencies, their operations, and abuses of the law they had committed. Since the purpose of the legislation was precisely to regulate the collection of â€Å"foreign intelligence† information in furtherance of U. S.counterintelligence in order to curb violations and abuses of power, it established certain essential requirements that the executive has to comply with first before electronic surveillances maybe undertaken by its agencies. Judicial approval is a prerequisite, a finding of probable cause that the target of surveillance is a foreign power or an agent of such, without which the executive cannot extend its strong arm, supposedly in the interest of national security. Its justification that national security requires such operations must be subjected to judicial scrutiny first, and not merely as an afterthought or a backdoor.It is specifically stated in the FISA that electronic surveillance is prohibited, unless authorized by statute. The Administration uses this provision to justify the legality of its acts and declares that under the AUMF (Authorization for the Use of Military Force), it is authorized to conduct such surveillances in light of the September 11 attacks which necessitates it to â€Å"exercise its right to self-defense and to protect US citizens both home and abroad. † Such argument is directly antithetical to what Congress has designed as a necessary limitation to the national security power.It was never the intent of Congress to give the executive a wide, almost unbridled, latitude in conducting electronic surveillances because it recognized the inherent danger and propensity of such power to be abused. U. S. Senate Majority Floor Leader Tom Daschle affirms this for a fact. When the AUMF was enacted, the Administration requested a last-minute change to the legislation and to authorize it to exercise powers appropriate and necessary against those who committed or aided the September 11 attacks.However, such request was rejected because Congress recognized that such power can be directed even against citizens of the United States. Moreover, the AUMF can hardly be regarded as a statute, within the context of the FISA. Conclusion We fully support the efforts of the government to gather information regarding terrorist groups and to seek legitimate means to prevent their efforts to attack Americans. However, legislation was laid down in order that this information-gathering be conducted within the reasonable bounds of the law. We therefore submit that this Court grant plaintiffs’ motion for summary judgment.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 17 VISITOR

UNNATURALLY STILL AND WHITE, WITH LARGE BLACK EYES intent on my face, my visitor waited perfectly motionless in the center of the halt, beautiful beyond imagining. My knees trembled for a second, and I nearly fell. Then I hurled myself at her. â€Å"Alice, oh, Alice!† I cried, as I slammed into her. I'd forgotten how hard she was; it was like running headlong into a wall of cement. â€Å"Bella?† There was a strange mingling of relief and confusion in her voice. I locked my arms around her, gasping to inhale as much of the scent of her skin as possible. It wasn't like anything elsenot floral or spice, citrus or musk. No perfume in the world could compare. My memory hadn't done it justice. I didn't notice when the gasping turned into something elseI only realized I was sobbing when Alice dragged me to the living room couch and pulled me into her lap. It was like curling up into a cool stone, but a stone that was contoured comfortingly to the shape of my body. She rubbed my back in a gentle rhythm, waiting for me to get control of myself. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I blubbered. â€Å"I'm just so happy to see you!† â€Å"It's okay, Bella. Everything's okay.† â€Å"Yes,† I bawled. And, for once, it seemed that way. Alice sighed. â€Å"I'd forgotten how exuberant you are,† she said, and her tone was disapproving. I looked up at her through my streaming eyes. Alice's neck was tight, straining away from me, her lips pressed together firmly. Her eyes were black as pitch. â€Å"Oh,† I puffed, as I realized the problem. She was thirsty. And I smelled appetizing. It had been a while since I'd had to think about that kind of thing. â€Å"Sorry.† â€Å"It's my own fault. It's been too long since I hunted. I shouldn't let myself get so thirsty. But I was in a hurry today.† The look she directed at me then was a glare. â€Å"Speaking of which, would you like to explain to me how you're alive?† That brought me up short and stopped the sobs. I realized what must have happened immediately, and why Alice was here. I swallowed loudly. â€Å"You saw me fall.† â€Å"No,† she disagreed, her eyes narrowing. â€Å"I saw you jump.† I pursed my lips as I tried to think of an explanation that wouldn't sound nuts. Alice shook her head. â€Å"I told him this would happen, but he didn't believe me. ‘Bella promised,'† her voice imitated his so perfectly that I iroze in shock while the pain ripped through my torso. â€Å"‘Don't be looking for her future, either,'† she continued to quote him. ‘†We've done enough damage.† â€Å"But just because I'm not looking, doesn't mean I don't see† she went on. â€Å"I wasn't keeping tabs on you, I swear, Bella. It's just that I'm alreacy attuned to you when I saw you jumping, I didn't think, I just got on a plane. I knew I would be too late, but I couldn't do nothing. And then I get here, thinking maybe I could help Charlie somehow, and you drive up.† She shook her head, this time in confusion. Her voice was strained. â€Å"I saw you go into the water and I waited and waited for you to come up, but you didn't. What happened? And how could you do that to Charlie? Did you stop to think what this would do to him? And my brother? Do you have any idea what Edward† I cut her off then, as soon as she said his name. I'd let her go on, even after I realized the misunderstanding she was under, just to hear the perfect bell tone of her voice. But it was time to interrupt. â€Å"Alice, I wasn't committing suicide.† She eyed me dubiously. â€Å"Are you saying you didn't jump off a cliff?† â€Å"No, but† I grimaced. â€Å"It was for recreational purposes only.† Her expression hardened. â€Å"I'd seen some of Jacob's friends cliff diving,† I insisted. â€Å"It looked like fun, and I was bored† She waited. â€Å"I didn't think about how the storm would affect the currents. Actually, I didn't think about the water much at all.† Alice didn't buy it. I could see that she still thought I had been trying to kill myself. I decided to redirect. â€Å"So if you saw me go in, why didn't you see Jacob?† She cocked her head to the side, distracted. I continued. â€Å"It's true that I probably would have drowned if Jacob hadn't jumped in after me. Well, okay, there's no probably about it. But he did, and he pulled me out, and I guess he towed me back to shore, though I was kind of out for that part. It couldn't have been more than a minute that I was under before he grabbed me. How come you didn't see that?† She frowned in perplexity. â€Å"Someone pulled you out?† â€Å"Yes. Jacob saved me.† I watched curiously as an enigmatic range of emotions flitted across her face. Something was bothering herher imperfect vision? But I wasn't sure. Then she deliberately leaned in and sniffed my shoulder. I froze. â€Å"Don't be ridiculous,† she muttered, sniffing at me some more. â€Å"What are you doing?† She ignored my question. â€Å"Who was with you out there just now? It sounded like you were arguing.† â€Å"Jacob Black. He's sort of my best friend, I guess. At least, he was† I thought of Jacob's angry, betrayed face, and wondered what he was to me now. Alice nodded, seeming preoccupied. â€Å"What?† â€Å"I don't know,† she said. â€Å"I'm not sure what it means.† â€Å"Well, I'm not dead, at least.† She rolled her eyes. â€Å"He was a fool to think you could survive alone. I've never seen anyone so prone to life-threatening idiocy.† â€Å"I survived,† I pointed out. She was thinking of something else. â€Å"So, if the currents were too much for you, how did this Jacob manage?† â€Å"Jacob is strong.† She heard the reluctance in my voice, and her eyebrows rose. I gnawed on my lip for a second. Was this a secret, or not? And if it was, then who was my greatest allegiance to? Jacob, or Alice? It was too hard to keep secrets, I decided. Jacob knew everything, why not Alice, too? â€Å"See, well, he's sort of a werewolf,† I admitted in a rush. â€Å"The Quileutes turn into wolves when there are vampires around. They know Carlisle from a long time ago. Were you with Carlisle back then?† Alice gawked at me for a moment, and then recovered herself, blinking rapidly. â€Å"Well, I guess that explains the smell,† she muttered. â€Å"But does it explain what I didn't see?† She frowned, her porcelain forehead creasing. â€Å"The smell?† I repeated. â€Å"You smell awful,† she said absently, still frowning. â€Å"A werewolf? Are you sure about that?† â€Å"Very sure,† I promised, wincing as I remembered Paul and Jacob fighting in the road. â€Å"I guess you weren't with Carlisle the last time there were werewolves here in Forks?† â€Å"No. I hadn't found him yet.† Alice was still lost in thought. Suddenly, her eyes widened, and she turned to stare at me with a shocked expression. â€Å"Your best friend is a werewolf?† I nodded sheepishly. â€Å"How long has this been going on?† â€Å"Not long,† I said, my voice sounding defensive. â€Å"He's only been a werewolf for just a few weeks.† She glowered at me. â€Å"A young werewolf? Even worse! Edward was rightyou're a magnet for danger. Weren't you supposed to be staying out of trouble?† â€Å"There's nothing wrong with werewolves,† I grumbled, stung by her critical tone. â€Å"Until they lose their tempers.† She shook her head sharply from side to side. â€Å"Leave it to you, Bella. Anyone else would be better off when the vampires left town. But you have to start hanging out with the first monsters you can find.† I didn't want to argue with AliceI was still trembling with joy that she was really, truly here, that I could touch her marble skin and hear her wind-chime voicebut she had it all wrong. â€Å"No, Alice, the vampires didn't really leavenot all of them, anyway. That's the whole trouble. If it weren't for the werewolves, Victoria would have gotten me by now. Well, if it weren't for Jake and his friends, Laurent would have gotten me before she could, I guess, so† â€Å"Victoria?† she hissed. â€Å"Laurent?† I nodded, a teensy bit alarmed by the expression in her black eyes. I pointed at my chest. â€Å"Danger magnet, remember?† She shook her head again. â€Å"Tell me everythingstart at the beginning.† I glossed over the beginning, skipping the motorcycles and the voices, but telling her everything else right up to today's misadventure. Alice didn't like my thin explanation about boredom and the cliffs, so I hurried on to the strange flame I'd seen on the water and what I thought it meant. Her eyes narrowed almost to slits at that part. It was strange to see her look so so dangerouslike a vampire. I swallowed hard and went on with the rest about Harry. She listened to my story without interrupting. Occasionally, she would shake her head, and the crease in her forehead deepened until it looked like it was carved permanently into the marble of her skin. She didn't speak and, finally, I fell quiet, struck again by the borrowed grief at Harry's passing. I thought of Charlie; he would be home soon. What condition would he be in? â€Å"Our leaving didn't do you any good at all, did it?† Alice murmured. I laughed onceit was a slightly hysterical sound. â€Å"That was never the point, though, was it? It's not like you left for my benefit.† Alice scowled at the floor for a moment. â€Å"Well I guess I acted impulsively today. I probably shouldn't have intruded.† I could feel the blood draining from my face. My stomach dropped. â€Å"Don't go, Alice,† I whispered. My fingers locked around the collar of her white shirt and I began to hyperventilate. â€Å"Please don't leave me.† Her eyes opened wider. â€Å"All right,† she said, enunciating each word with slow precision. â€Å"I'm not going anywhere tonight. Take a deep breath.† I tried to obey, though I couldn't quite locate my lungs. She watched my face while I concentrated on my breathing. She waited till I was calmer to comment. â€Å"You look like hell, Bella.† â€Å"I drowned today,† I reminded her. â€Å"It goes deeper than that. You're a mess.† I flinched. â€Å"Look, I'm doing my best.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"It hasn't been easy. I'm working on it.† She frowned. â€Å"I told him,† she said to herself. â€Å"Alice,† I sighed. â€Å"What did you think you were going to find? I mean, besides me dead? Did you expect to find me skipping around and whistling show tunes? You know me better than that.† â€Å"I do. But I hoped.† â€Å"Then I guess I don't have the corner on the idiocy market.† The phone rang. â€Å"That has to be Charlie,† I said, staggering to my feet. I grabbed Alice's stone hand and dragged her with me to the kitchen. I wasn't about to let her out of my sight. â€Å"Charlie?† I answered the phone. â€Å"No, it's me,† Jacob said. â€Å"Jake!† Alice scrutinized my expression. â€Å"Just making sure you were still alive,† Jacob said sourly. â€Å"I'm fine. I told you that it wasn't† â€Å"Yeah. I got it. ‘Bye.† Jacob hung up on me. I sighed and let my head hang back, staring at the ceiling. â€Å"That's going to be a problem.† Alice squeezed my hand. â€Å"They aren't excited I'm here.† â€Å"Not especially. But it's none of their business anyway.† Alice put her arm around me. â€Å"So what do we do now?† she mused. She seemed to talk to herself for a moment. â€Å"Things to do. Loose ends to tie.† â€Å"What things to do?† Her face was suddenly careful. â€Å"I don't know for sure I need to see Carlisle.† Would she leave so soon? My stomach dropped. â€Å"Could you stay?† I begged. â€Å"Please? For just a little while. I've missed you so much.† My voice broke. â€Å"If you think that's a good idea.† Her eyes were unhappy. â€Å"I do. You can stay hereCharlie would love that.† â€Å"I have a house, Bella.† I nodded, disappointed but resigned. She hesitated, studying me. â€Å"Well, I need to go get a suitcase of clothes, at the very least.† I threw my arms around her. â€Å"Alice, you're the best!† â€Å"And I think I'll need to hunt. Immediately,† she added in a strained voice. â€Å"Oops.† I took a step back. â€Å"Can you stay out of trouble for one hour?† she asked skeptically. Then, before I could answer, she held up one finger and closed her eyes. Her face went smooth and blank for a few seconds. And then her eyes opened and she answered her own question. â€Å"Yes, you'll be fine. For tonight, anyway.† She grimaced. Even making faces, she looked like an angel. â€Å"You'll come back?† I asked in a small voice. â€Å"I promiseone hour.† I glanced at the clock over the kitchen table. She laughed and leaned in quickly to kiss me on the cheek. Then she was gone. I took a deep breath. Alice would be back. I suddenly felt so much better. I had plenty to do to keep myself busy while I waited. A shower was definitely first on the agenda. I sniffed my shoulders as I undressed, but I couldn't smell anything but the brine and seaweed scent of the ocean. I wondered what Alice had meant about me smelling bad. When I was cleaned up, I went back to the kitchen. I couldn't see any signs that Charlie ‘lad eaten recently, and he would probably be hungry when he got back. I hummed tunelessly to myself as I moved around the kitchen. While Thursday's casserole rotated in the microwave, I made up the couch with sheets and an old pillow. Alice wouldn't need it, but Charlie would need to see it. I was careful not to watch the clock. There was no reason to start myself panicking; Alice had promised. I hurried through my dinner, not tasting itjust feeling the ache as it slid down my raw throat. Mostly I was thirsty; I must have drunk a half gallon of water by the time I was finished. All the salt in my system had dehydrated me. I went to go try to watch TV while I waited. Alice was already there, sitting on her improvised bed. Her eyes were a liquid butterscotch. She smiled and patted the pillow. â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"You're early,† I said, elated. I sat down next to her and leaned my head on her shoulder. She put her cold arms around me and sighed. â€Å"Bella. What are we going to do with you?† â€Å"I don't know,† I admitted. â€Å"I really have been trying my hardest.† â€Å"I believe you.† It was silent. â€Å"Doesdoes he† I took a deep breath. It was harder to say his name out loud, even though I was able to think it now. â€Å"Does Edward know you're here?† I couldn't help asking. It was my pain, after all. I'd deal with it when she was gone, I promised myself, and felt sick at the thought. â€Å"No.† There was only one way that could be true. â€Å"He's not with Carlisle and Esme?† â€Å"He checks in every few months.† â€Å"Oh.† He must still be out enjoying his distractions. I focused my curiosity on a safer topic. â€Å"You said you flew here Where did you come from?† â€Å"I was in Denali. Visiting Tanya's family.† â€Å"Is Jasper here? Did he come with your'† She shook her head. â€Å"He didn't approve of my interfering. We promised† she trailed off, and then her tone changed. â€Å"And you think Charlie won't mind my being here?† she asked, sounding worried. â€Å"Charlie thinks you're wonderful, Alice.† â€Å"Well, we're about to find out.† Sure enough, a few seconds later I heard the cruiser pull into the driveway. I jumped up and hurried to open the door. Charlie trudged slowly up the walk, his eyes on the ground and his shoulders slumped. I walked forward to meet him; he didn't even see me until I hugged him around the waist. He embraced me back fiercely. â€Å"I'm so sorry about Harry, Dad.† â€Å"I'm really going to miss him,† Charlie mumbled. â€Å"How's Sue doing?† â€Å"She seems dazed, like she hasn't grasped it yet. Sam's staying with her† The volume of his voice faded in and out. â€Å"Those poor kids. Leah's just a year older than you, and Seth is only fourteen† He shook his head. He kept his arms tight around me as he started toward the door again. â€Å"Um, Dad?† I figured I'd better warn him. â€Å"You'll never guess who's here.† He looked at me blankly. His head swiveled around, and he spied the Mercedes across the street, the porch light reflecting off the glossy black paint. Before he could react, Alice was in the doorway. â€Å"Hi, Charlie,† she said in a subdued voice. â€Å"I'm sorry I came at such a bad time.† â€Å"Alice Cullen?† he peered at the slight figure in front of him as if he doubted what his eyes were telling him. â€Å"Alice, is that you?† â€Å"It's me,† she confirmed. â€Å"I was in the neighborhood.† â€Å"Is Carlisle† â€Å"No, I'm alone.† Both Alice and I knew he wasn't really asking about Carlisle. His arm tightened over my shoulder. â€Å"She can stay here, can't she?† I pleaded. â€Å"I already asked her.† â€Å"Of course,† Charlie said mechanically. â€Å"We'd love to have you, Alice.† â€Å"Thank you, Charlie. I know it's horrid timing.† â€Å"No, it's fine, really. I'm going to be really busy doing what I can for Harry's family; it will be nice for Bella to have some company.† â€Å"There's dinner for you on the table, Dad,† I told him. â€Å"Thanks, Bell.† He gave me one more squeeze before he shuffled toward the kitchen. Alice went back to the couch, and I followed her. This time, she was the one to pull me against her shoulder. â€Å"You look tired.† â€Å"Yeah,† I agreed, and shrugged. â€Å"Near-death experiences do that to me So, what does Carlisle think of you being here?† â€Å"He doesn't know. He and Esme were on a hunting trip. I'll hear from him in a few days, when he gets back.† â€Å"You won't tell him, though when he checks in again?† I asked. She knew I didn't mean Carlisle now. â€Å"No. He'd bite my head off,† Alice said grimly. I laughed once, and then sighed. I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to stay up all night talking to Alice. And it didn't make sense for me to be tired, what with crashing on Jacob's couch all day. But drowning really had taken a lot out of me, and my eyes wouldn't stay open. I rested my head on her stone shoulder, and drifted into a more peaceful oblivion than I had any hope of. I woke early, from a deep and dreamless sleep, feeling well-rested, but stiff. I was on the couch tucked under the blankets I'd laid out for Alice, and I could hear her and Charlie talking in the kitchen. It sounded like Charlie was fixing her breakfast. â€Å"How bad was it, Charlie?† Alice asked softly, and at first I thought they were talking about the Clearwaters. Charlie sighed. â€Å"Real bad.† â€Å"Tell me about it. I want to know exactly what happened when we left.† There was a pause while a cupboard door was closed and a dial on the stove was clicked off. I waited, cringing. â€Å"I've never felt so helpless,† Charlie began slowly. â€Å"I didn't know what to do. That first weekI thought I was going to have to hospitalize her. She wouldn't eat or drink, she wouldn't move. Dr. Gerandy was throwing around words like ‘catatonic,' but I didn't let him up to see her. I was afraid it would scare her.† â€Å"She snapped out of it though?† â€Å"I had Renee come to take her to Florida. I just didn't want to be the one if she had to go to a hospital or something. I hoped being with her mother would help. But when we started packing her clothes, she woke up with a vengeance. I've never seen Bella throw a fit like that. She was never one for the tantrums, but, boy, did she fly into a fury. She threw her clothes everywhere and screamed that we couldn't make her leaveand then she finally started crying. I thought that would be the turning point. I didn't argue when she insisted on staying here and she did seem to get better at first† Charlie trailed off. It was hard listening to this, knowing how much pain I'd caused him. â€Å"But?† Alice prompted. â€Å"She went back to school and work, she ate and slept and did her homework. She answered when someone asked her a direct question. But she was empty. Her eyes were blank. There were lots of little thingsshe wouldn't listen to music anymore; I found a bunch of CDs broken in the trash. She didn't read; she wouldn't be in the same room when the TV was on, not that she watched it so much before. I finally figured it outshe was avoiding everything that might remind her of him. â€Å"We could hardly talk; I was so worried about saying something that would upset herthe littlest things would make her flinchand she never volunteered anything. She would just answer if I asked her something. â€Å"She was alone all the time. She didn't call her friends back, and after a while, they stopped calling. â€Å"It was night of the living dead around here. I still hear her screaming in her sleep† I could almost see him shuddering. I shuddered, too, remembering. And then I sighed. I hadn't fooled him at all, not for one second. â€Å"I'm so sorry, Charlie,† Alice said, voice glum. â€Å"It's not your fault.† The way he said it made it perfectly clear that he was holding someone responsible. â€Å"You were always a good friend to her.† â€Å"She seems better now, though.† â€Å"Yeah. Ever since she started hanging out with Jacob Black, I've noticed a real improvement. She has some color in her cheeks when she comes home, some light in her eyes. She's happier.† He paused, and his voice was different when he spoke again. â€Å"He's a year or so younger than her, and I know she used to think of him as a friend, but I think maybe it's something more now, or headed that direction, anyway.† Charlie said this in a tone that was almost belligerent. It was a warning, not for Alice, but for her to pass along. â€Å"Jake's old for his years,† he continued, still sounding defensive. â€Å"He's taken care of his father physically the way Bella took care of her mother emotionally. It matured him. He's a good-looking kid, tootakes after his mom's side. He's good for Bella, you know,† Charlie insisted. â€Å"Then it's good she has him,† Alice agreed. Charlie sighed out a big gust of air, folding quickly to the lack of opposition. â€Å"Okay, so I guess that's overstating things. I don't know even with Jacob, now and then I see something in her eyes, and I wonder if I've ever grasped how much pain she's really in It's not normal, Alice, and it it frightens me. Not normal at all. Not like someone left her, but like someone died.† His voice cracked. It was like someone had diedlike I had died. Because it had been more than just losing the truest of true loves, as if that were not enough to kill anyone. It was also losing a whole future, a whole familythe whole life that I'd chosen Charlie went on in a hopeless tone. â€Å"I don't know if she's going to get over itI'm not sure if it's in her nature to heal from something like this. She's always been such a constant little thing. She doesn't get past things, change her mind.† â€Å"She's one of a kind,† Alice agreed in a dry voice. â€Å"And Alice† Charlie hesitated. â€Å"Now, you know how fond I am of you, and I can tell that she's happy to see you, but I'm a little worried about what your visit will do to her.† â€Å"So am I, Charlie, so am I. I wouldn't have come if I'd had any idea. I'm sorry.† â€Å"Don't apologize, honey. Who knows? Maybe it will be good for her.† â€Å"I hope you're right.† There was a long break while forks scraped plates and Charlie chewed. I wondered where Alice was hiding the food. â€Å"Alice, I have to ask you something,† Charlie said awkwardly. Alice was calm. â€Å"Go ahead.† â€Å"He's not coming back to visit, too, is he?† I could hear the suppressed anger in Charlie's voice. Alice answered in a soft, reassuring tone. â€Å"He doesn't even know I'm here. The last time I spoke with him, he was in South America.† I stiffened as I heard this new information, and listened harder. â€Å"That's something, at least.† Charlie snorted. â€Å"Well, I hope he's enjoying himself.† For the first time, Alice's voice had a bit of steel in it. â€Å"I wouldn't make assumptions, Charlie.† I knew how her eyes would flash when she used that tone. A chair scooted from the table, scraping loudly across the floor. I pictured Charlie getting up; there was no way Alice would make that kind of noise. The faucet ran, splashing against a dish. It didn't sound like they were going to say anything more about Edward, so I decided it was time to wake up. I turned over, bouncing against the springs to make them squeak. Then I yawned loudly. All was quiet in the kitchen. I stretched and groaned. â€Å"Alice?† I asked innocently; the soreness rasping in my throat added nicely to the charade. â€Å"I'm in the kitchen, Bella,† Alice called, no hint in her voice that she suspected my eavesdropping. But she was good at hiding things like that. Charlie had to leave thenhe was helping Sue Clearwater with the funeral arrangements. It would have been a very long day without Alice. She never spoke about leaving, and I didn't ask her. I knew it was inevitable, but I put it out of my mind. Instead, we talked about her familyall but one. Carlisle was working nights in Ithaca and teaching part time at Cornell. Esme was restoring a seventeenth century house, a historical monument, in the forest north of the city. Emmett and Rosalie had gone to Europe for a few months on another honeymoon, but they were back now. Jasper was at Cornell, too, studying philosophy this time. And Alice had been doing some personal research, concerning the information I'd accidentally uncovered for her last spring. She'd successfully tracked down the asylum where she'd spent the last years of her human life. The life she had no memory of. â€Å"My name was Mary Alice Brandon,† she told me quietly. â€Å"I had a little sister named Cynthia. Her daughtermy nieceis still alive in Biloxi.† â€Å"Did you find out why they put you in that place?† What would drive parents to that extreme? Even if their daughter saw visions of the future She just shook her head, her topaz eyes thoughtful. â€Å"I couldn't find much about them. I went through all the old newspapers on microfiche. My family wasn't mentioned often; they weren't part of the social circle that made the papers. My parents' engagement was there, and Cynthia's.† The name fell uncertainly from her tongue. â€Å"My birth was announced and my death. I found my grave. I also filched my admissions sheet from the old asylum archives. The date on the admission and the date on my tombstone are the same.† I didn't know what to say, and, after a short pause, Alice moved on to lighter topics. The Cullens were reassembled now, with the one exception, spending Cornell's spring break in Denali with Tanya and her family. I listened too eagerly to even the most trivial news. She never mentioned the one I was most interested in, and for that I was grateful. It was enough to listen to the stories of the family I'd once dreamed of belonging to. Charlie didn't get back until after dark, and he looked more worn than he had the night before. He would be headed back to the reservation first thing in the morning for Harry's funeral, so he turned in early. I stayed on the couch with Alice again. Charlie was almost a stranger when he came down the stairs before the sun was up, wearing an old suit I'd never seen him in before. The jacket hung open; I guessed it was too tight to fasten the buttons. His tie was a bit wide for the current style. He tiptoed to the door, trying not to wake us up. I let him go, pretending to sleep, as Alice did on the recliner. As soon as he was out the door, Alice sat up. Under the quilt, she was fully dressed. â€Å"So, what are we doing today?† she asked. â€Å"I don't knowdo you see anything interesting happening?† She smiled and shook her head. â€Å"But it's still early.† All the time I'd been spending in La Push meant a pile of things I'd been neglecting at home, and I decided to catch up on my chores. I wanted to do something, anything that might make life easier for Charliemaybe it would make him feel just a little better to come home to a clean, organized house. I started with the bathroomit showed the most signs of neglect. While I worked, Alice leaned against the doorjamb and asked nonchalant questions about my, well, our high school friends and what they been up to since she'd left. Her face stayed casual and emotionless, but I sensed her disapproval when she realized how little I could tell her. Or maybe I just had a guilty conscience after eavesdropping on her conversation with Charlie yesterday morning. I was literally up to my elbows in Comet, scrubbing the floor of the bathtub, when the doorbell rang. I looked to Alice at once, and her expression was perplexed, almost worried, which was strange; Alice was never taken by surprise. â€Å"Hold on!† I shouted in the general direction of the front door, getting up and hurrying to the sink to rinse my arms off. â€Å"Bella,† Alice said with a trace of frustration in her voice, â€Å"I have a fairly good guess who that might be, and I think I'd better step out.† â€Å"Guess?† I echoed. Since when did Alice have to guess anything? â€Å"If this is a repeat of my egregious lapse in foresight yesterday, then it's most likely Jacob Black or one of his friends.† I stared at her, putting it together. â€Å"You can't see werewolves?† She grimaced. â€Å"So it would seem.† She was obviously annoyed by this factvery annoyed. The doorbell rang againbuzzing twice quickly and impatiently. â€Å"You don't have go anywhere, Alice. You were here first.† She laughed her silvery little laughit had a dark edge. â€Å"Trust meit wouldn't be a good idea to have me and Jacob Black in a room together.† She kissed my cheek swiftly before she vanished through Charlie's doorand out his back window, no doubt. The doorbell rang again.