Business analysis of British Airways

Business analysis of British Airways British Airways is the airline company of the United Kingdom. It has its headquarter in Waterside which is nearby its main hub at London Heathrow Airport and as set up it is the biggest airline of UK on the basis of number of international flights and international destinations it has. It has its second hub which is London Gatwick Airport. As per the research it was found that The British Airways Group was shaped on 1 September 1974. British Airways was formed by the fusion of two large London-based airlines, British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and British European Airways Corporation (BEA), and two smaller airlines, Cambrian Airways Cardiff and Northeast Airlines Newcastle upon Tyne. BA according to the study was found as the only two airlines to operate the supersonic Aerospatiale-BAC Concorde inaugurating the worlds first supersonic passenger service in January 1976. BA became the worlds most commercial airline following its strategies under the slogan The Worlds Favorite Airline. The main activities of British Airways Plc and its subsidiary undertakings are the method of international and domestic planned air services for the deportment of passengers, freight and mail and the facility of ancillary amenities. (uk.reuters.com 2011) Franchisees  · Comair: based in South Africa, franchisee since 1996.  · Sun Air: based in Denmark, franchisee since 1 August 1996. (uk.reuters.com 2011) Virgin Atlantic Airways- Competitor Company Profile Virgin Atlantic Airways Limited is a British airline owned by Sir Richard Bransons Virgin Group (51%) and Singapore Airlines (49%). It is has its headquartered in Crawley, West Sussex, England, near London Gatwick Airport. It runs between the United Kingdom and North America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia from main bases at Gatwick and London Heathrow Airport, using a mixed fleet of Airbus and Boeing wide-body aircraft (innovationaleaders, 2011). Lufthanza Germanys air ambassador, Deutsche Lufthansa competitors the worlds largest airline companies. It functions more than 530 aircraft from centres in Frankfurt, Zurich and Munich. It soars passengers to about 250 destinations global, not including those attended by code-sharing partner. Lufthansas partners comprise of associated followers of the Star Alliance, like United Continentals United Airlines and Mainland. The companys Lufthansa Cargo component is a main global airfreight transporter; Lufthansa also has benefits in aircraft preservation, cuisine, and information technology productions. ( Biz, 2011) Factors Affecting Airline Industry: Emerging concerns As the carriers have strained to keep up with fast growing  oil  prices .The airlines have also raised some of their fees, executed summer peak-time surcharges and added hefty fuel surcharges on international flights. While as a result of the improbability in the oil markets, airline stocks protracted their losses the increasing ticket prices have matched the steady increase in fuel costs in contemporary time period. The rise in the fuel price has affected the smooth functioning of British Airways and its major competitors like virgin airlines and Lufthansa in several ways. Impact of Rise in Fuel Prices and Strike From the research it was founded that British Airways has a loss before tax of  £410m for the year to 31 march, after finding out its results which were hit by higher fuel costs .In the previous year, British Airways has made a revised profit of  £922m.Due to the rise in prices of fuel British Airways offered its staff members with the option of taking unpaid leave or ask them to work with part time. Even the finance director of British Airways had also forgo his pay for a month. As the impact was very much on British Airways it had to cut more than 2500 jobs since last summer. British Airways has been trailing  £7 every second since last year, which is pretty unattractive and affecting the company a lot. The Shares in the airline were down from 4.5% to 155 pence. However, British Airways believed that it had seen a significantly better effective performance, and that it had recognised customer fulfilment ratings. The total number of passengers conceded demolish from 4.3% to 33.1m.( BA, 2011) The impact of recession has been drastic on British Airways, it got revenue decreased by 11.1% to  £7994 million. As reported there was a loss in operating, which was of 3231 million including  £ 85 million for the business reconstruction. There was a decline in the revenue of passengers by  £856 million, which means a decline of 10.9% as compared to last year. British Airways added that it had to take substantial pricing actions to encourage non-premium sales, which were mostly unchanged on the previous year. British Airways stated that the point of outlook for the airline business was hard-hitting and it would not be recompensing a dividend this year as there has been a lot loss has faced by the industry. So British Airways strategic to decrease the capacity by 4% around winter by not flying up to 16 aircraft. British Airways was not the only airline distress in the global recession, as greater fuel prices and a fall in request for air travel have posh the whole airline industry .BAs upsurge means that economy passengers on long-haul flights of less than nine hours will see their surcharge going up from  £75 to  £85.The surcharge on economy flights of more than nine hours will rise from  £88 to  £98. The number of passengers carried by British Airways in May were demolish by 14.2% from a year ago, as the impact of strike caused by the cabin crew members which effect the airline drastic way.( BBC, 2011) External Analysis of British Airways Political and Legal Factors Air Passenger Tax Recent rise in air passenger tax by the government in November 2010 has led to hike in prices of air travel. This substantial rise in prices may discourage passengers opting for air travel, directly affecting the airline industry. ( Fulton.J, 2010) Fuel Policies As the sole most important cost, policies affecting both fuel supply and price greatly affect airline sustainability. These include supply decisions by oil suppliers, refinery expansion by oil companies and government, which leads in rise of fuel prices affecting the airline sector. .( Fulton.J, 2010) Global Aspects Some governments provide subsidies that provide an unfair advantage and prices lower than market conditions which affects the functioning of airline industries directly and Global  environmental  policies regarding emissions and international route deregulation may affect airline operations in present as well as in future.( Fulton.J, 2010) Economical Factors Airline Revenue Sources Airlines  make  money  by transporting people and goods from one place to another. All of the revenue generated by airlines is caused for transportation purposes. Airlines sell their services rather than a physical product.( Davis.J, 2011) Airline Expenses All airlines have expenditures that are associated with the industry. Expenses include the cost of airplanes and related equipment, member of staff salaries, hiring of business locations inside airports and insurance for both the passengers and goods that are conveyed. ( Davis.J, 2011) Internal Economic Factors Economic factors that affect airline profits comprises of internal features such as whether or not each flight is filled to size, how much passengers pay for their tickets and what services they are demanding such as complimentary food and  drinks, are provided.( Davis.J, 2011) External Economic Factors Economic events that occur outside the airline industry can affect airline profits. Rising fuel costs due to political or economic events reduce airline profit. Weather conditions, such as snowstorms, can negatively affect air  travel. Events such as airplane crashes can affect peoples willingness to travel by air. All these may cause a temporary loss of profits. ( Davis.J, 2011) Forecasting Airlines have to be able to accurately predict travel demand several years into the future in order to be able to provide enough routes and airplanes to handle the needs of passengers. The economic success of an airline will in part depend on its ability to accurately make such predictions and plan accordingly.( Davis.J, 2011) Social factors Obesity One controversy ambiances the issue of airline companies shrinking their seat restrictions for passengers who are overweight . Some firms have gone far-off to charge a passenger with overweight will cost of two seats because of their mass. This has formed a disturbance, as it raises the question of discernment .The airline businesses face that it basically costs more to fly those more overweight passengers.( Reilly.N.J, 2010) Security Airline industries have suffered an intense shift in the security measures. The increase in safety may, on some level, comfort the mind of the pilots, travellers and their families. As of the few successful obstacles in security that have happened over the past decade,  airlines  will certainly not have the frill of being so sloppy in terms of their security.( Reilly.N.J, 2010) Ethnicity Perception is a foremost factor in how we outlook the domain. It is also one of the eldest studies in psychology. How we observe society, as it transmits to  air  travel, has abundant to do with September 11, 2001. Subsequently then the judgments of the world have full-grown increasingly profound to the background of passengers traveling on planes. It has shaped something of a undesirable perception for particular competitions and beliefs which discourages people to travel with other passengers or airline which directly affects the airline industry.( Reilly.N.J, 2010) Technological factors A recent survey exposed that 34% of online customers plan to use price-comparison sites more in 2009 (NMA, 2009). Online booking services and check-in is becoming increasingly used by the airline industry. Technology is vital for modest advantage and is a main driver of globalisation. A key issue will be technological advancements which can offset upward stresses on prices and costs. Online sales are highly important to BA and they are placing substantial trust in its website occurrence to boost online-sales which will decrease customer traffic through BAs call centres but as there is rise in the fuel price now the Ba has increased the prices of online sales too. E-Tickets are now the standard ticket layout used by BA, building flight ticketing more, elastic and up-front. BA emphasis on refining its customer service online with new technology and has released its major drive-through which deals in Wireless LAN systems and communicate over modern SMS messaging. A considerable long-term risk is the outcome of video-conferencing on the demand for air transport.(OUP, 2007) Environmental Factors Sir Rod Eddington , previous Chief Executive of BA specified The whole aviation manufacturing must admit global warming as a truth, and electrify its efforts to maximum cohort of greenhouse gases. Global Warming also interrupts the request for airline tourism as stove UK summers may attract individuals spending their breaks in the UK. There is also a risk of a contamination tax being forced on airlines from the administration. This environment disturbs the organization directly. It includes of suppliers that deal straight or incidentally, clients and businesses and other native investors. (OUP, 2007)   Industry Analysis Michael Porters (1998) five forces analysis will permit an examination of the amount of power BA has in its immediate environment. Competitive Rivalry This not only discusses the degree of competition, but also the kind of competition occurring. BA runs in two diverse markets which are long-haul and short-haul flights and thus experiences in both oppositions. The race in long-haul marketplace comes from other huge airlines such as Lufthansa, who endeavour on routes, facility, comfort and overall quality that are required. In short-haul, competition is determined by low-prices from airlines comprising Virgin. An growing number of tour operatives (like Thomas Cook and TUI) are also now advertising air only used seats to compact prices.(Mindtools, 2011) Bargaining Power of Suppliers This states the degree to which firms who supply a trade can command prices, agreement terms or transfer times. For BA this condition can be difficult. As acknowledged from the macro study BAs prices depend on variations in oil prices that cannot governor. Deprived of flight fuel, planes do not soar and BA will not be able to make a profit. Although one may claim that BA has a high-quality as to which fuel dealer it uses, the petrol market is similar in terms of prices. In context of suppliers of the actual planes, the condition is different again. Airlines such as Airbus and Boeing with its Dream liner, are worried to safe long-term orders to improve expansion costs. (Mindtools, 2011) Bargaining Power of Customers As there is high grade of buyer control for BA. Consumers having capability to vote with their bases if they are not pleased with the product. Measures such as the check-in and luggage managers strike at Heathrow seriously affected BAs revenue as consumers had to find substitute airlines to use. Buyer power plays crucial role particularly in the low-cost segment, as there has been little diversity between market offers and hence consumers look about for the cheapest price, reinforced by the accessibility of online-sales. These low switching costs reflects that customer loyalty is crucial. Customers are also been provided with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on their side.(Mindtools, 2011) Threat of new entrants As British Airways being on prevailing place means that it would be hard for a firm to contest with the company on a comprehensive level. Nevertheless as obstacles of entry are flattering non-existent and new entrants are entering in the short-haul commerce and these low-cost operatives, such as virgin having steadily cut away at BA European supremacy. However, due to non-availability of tracks for take-off and landing makes it difficult for new airline to find suitable airports. Many investors have recommended that it is only a problem of time till a low-cost operator efforts a more severe move into long-haul market. Lufthansa has responded early to this conjecture by offering a high-cost high-quality service, comprising private limousine transfers to and from the airport, massages and champagne.(Mindtools, 2011) Threat of substitutes The threat of substitutes states the ability of buyers to switch to a substitute product, hence alternatives to air travel. However it is fair to recommend that there is no actual alternative to long haul air travel in terms of time and cost, but there is alternatives for short-haul destinations vary from coach to car to rail. The real threat of such substitutes mainly depends upon factors such as the efficiency and the price of the rail or coach service.(Mindtools, 2011) Benchmarking Virgin and British Airways British Airways carries a strong brand name and image. It is the biggest airline and flag carrier of the United Kingdom and for sure the extent and scale of British Airways sets it in a competitive gain over its competitors such as Virgin Atlantic Airlines which is the second leading long haul airline in the United Kingdom. Virgin Atlantic is a successful challenger and it also holds a well-known and highly-recognisable brand image and brand reputation. Still, BA is an older and a superior organisation than Virgin Atlantic and it is still leading ahead of Virgin Atlantic in the airline industry. The strong key messages which British Airways delivers are steadiness, quality and reliability. British Airways enjoys a good reputation and is prominent for the very high standards of customer facility and effectiveness.  Virgin Atlantic distinction is based on three strong features: service, value and price, and recently Virgin Atlantics was voted No 1 for having the best online reputation (Creative Match, Undated).  Even it was also nominated as the most child-friendly airline, where,as BA ranking in the 2nd place . British Airways  hosted its first fuel  price  in  May 2004 by adding £2.50  to the value of long haul and short haul fares. The charge sustained to rise as BA and other airlines battled to protect profit margins. BA raised its surcharges  twice in 2004,  three times in 2005  and  once last year for long haul. Airlines such as BA and  Virgin Atlantic  have disputed over the surcharges issue which show the passengers that how much  fuel  affects an airlines costs as well as the industry.  Low-cost airlines  reject to impose surcharges.( Milmo,D, 2007) With the new tiered scheme for calculating charges that imposed on those travelling in the carriers First Class, World Traveller Plus and Club World will be compensating up to  £24 more than people travelling in economy class. This is not an astonishing move as almost all the airlines of the world are growing fuel surcharge due to increased costs of fuel and it is also anticipated that further increase is also possible due to the fact that oil prices are projected to grow further in future.( ebookers, 2011) Financial Indicators Comparing British Airways with virgin, BA has faced a dark phase of recession for a long time which was followed by the rising fuel prices, which led BA to face a loss per share of 38.5 pence, whereas it was 32.6 pence per share in 2009. However, the pre-tax profit of virgin, which was  £68.4 million in last 12months and the revenues grew by 8.4 % to 2.5 billion and profit of 10% shared among 8500 company staff. The Total Capital Expenditure of BA was  £567m, which declined to  £145m in comparison of previous year. Followed over a total of 5.7 m passengers flew with virgin last year. This shows the development in the business of Virgin. There was a loss in operating of BA which was  £231 m whereas, Virgin operating profit fell from  £44.4 m to 25.9 m. This shows that Virgin holds a strong position in the market as compared to BA.( sundaytimes , 2009) Lufthansa and British airways Worldwide events such as the Gulf war, recession now followed by the rise in the fuel prices has put a burden on the airline industry such as British Airways and Lufthansa as a company. These type of events has caused major loss to British Airways as well as Lufthansa and lead a decrease in the amount of seats to be filled in the airline industry. As due to the fact of rise in oil prices, people start avoiding travelling in such situation, as of the fear of rise in prices of travelling fares too .British Airways had an decrease of passengers number by 11% where, as Lufthansa did not have suffered that much like BA , it had a decrease of only 5.4% .( Centreforaviation , 2011). Lufthansa also reported an increase in traffic in 2010 focused around key growth markets with growth of 17.9% year on year to 91.2 m passengers. The carrier added that it shows that Lufthansa holds strong position on long haul routes pay off in 2010 due to the increase in demand and yields for first and business class fares where, as British Airways was still in the dark phase of fare prices. BA was still facing the losses as it holds the strongest position on long haul routes but due the rise in the prices of fuel it has to increase its fares more as compared to Lufthansa , which affected BA directly and encourage passengers to travel through other airlines other than British Airways .( Centreforaviation , 2011). Financial indicators Both British Airways and Lufthansa faced lots of loss due the recession. The total revenue of BA was reduced by 11.1% to  £7994 million whereas, compared to Lufthansa group generated total revenue of 27.3 billion euros with an increase of 22.6%. This shows that British Airways is lacking behind Lufthansa in terms of revenue. BA should try to focus on its fare prices and more and more services should be provided to the passengers in order to remain in the competition.(Cision , 2011) The Total Capital Expenditure of BA was  £567m, which was declined to  £145m whereas, in case of Lufthansa its Total Capital Expenditure for the year was 2.3 billion euros. This reflects that the utilisation of capital in BA is more than its production. BA should use estimated capital in working in order for better production and gaining profits.(Cision , 2011) There is loss in BA operating income of  £231 million whereas, compared with Lufthansa its operating increased by 20.4% to 30.1% billion euros. This shows that there is positive development in the business of Lufthansa as compared to BA. British Airways should adopt such policies which are helpful in developing of its business.(Cision , 2011) Strategies Adopted British Airways raise its fuel price on long haul flights as the high price of oil crushes European consumers stressed with growing rise and wage restrictions .This brought financial development to British airways whereas compared to Virgin Atlantic was competent to reduce the effects of the continuous rising oil prices because of the hedging strategy which it adopted, which means buying the oil when it is cheap. Whereas, Lufthansa adopted the strategy of low cost all costs of flights and services are very carefully observed and condensed to its minimum value, this include such as single fleet type, better-quality flight crew productivity, basic network aiding secondary cities, and the outsourcing of others activities such as maintenance, catering, etc.(BBC , 2011). BA formed its new International Airlines Group (IAG) and it merged with Spains Iberia last year, which would add 10 pounds ($16.12) to the cost of an economy flight and 20 pounds to a first-class ticket. Whereas, To overcome the crunch Virgin Atlantic began with Group sales, which comprise of sales from tour worker Virgin Holidays, which was enlarged by 8.4% to  £2.579bn from  £2.38bn . Whereas, Lufthansa adopted policy of No Frills focused on the inflight service which is virtually non-existent, therefore, the number of flight entourages on board agrees to the minimum regulatory obligation.(BBC , 2011). British Airways executive had a personal talk with its cabin crew members and try to rebuild their trust and made them work together and avoid the strikes as soon as possible. British Airways solved this issue within the time period of a week. Whereas, to avoid the strike Virgin Atlantic agreed to the demands of the pilots and fulfilled them. In case of Lufthansa adopted this policy of low costs which enable the carrier to compromise with very low fares with a very simplified pricing arrangement.( reuters , 2011). British airways, IAG have enlarged the number of seats presented to passengers by 2.7% , which added lot of profit to accounts of British Airways. Revenues rose to 13.4% to à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬3.8bn. Within the period of that fares appear to have risen intensely, with profits from sales of ticket which is increased by more than 15%. (guardian, 2011). British Airways to overcome the losses due the rise in fuel prices, launched its Open skies subsidiary flying direct from Paris to New York ,anticipated that it will cut capacity of the passengers, taking the opportunity to ground some of its old aeroplane which are least fuel efficient. First-class traffic is where BA makes most of its profits. In the phase of oil prices many specialists have said that the record profits of  £883 million in 2007-08 could be wiped out but after launching this subsidiary there is improvement in the economy of British airways.( Jamseon,A, 2008). Recommendations It is essential for British Airways to have a good employee relations as to avoid industrial disputes and interrupted actions. BA need to develop upon its interaction with its passengers across all classes in order to perform better than its competitors. BA should have lower cost competition. BA as an employer should increase its barging power. There should be an opportunity for BA and its competitors to transport aircraft freely between the EU and USA. BA needs to improve its online services by providing extra services. BA should emphasis on the quality of its customer service delivery at all stages, which it has lacked in the past. Conclusion Airline industry in U.K is overwhelmed with several problems. This includes recession, high rise in fuel prices, rising labour cost, disputes between the employees of the industry. British Airways remains cautiously confident about its future visions. However, it is convinced that considerably more work lies ahead if British airways has to succeed. However, there were three most important external factor that has effected BA a lot that are recession, rise in price of fuel and disputes within the industry causing strike . Fuel prices are enduring to grow and this is likely to reduce profits and raise prices for BA. Rising prices and disputes within BA placed it in a disadvantageous position. To overcome these situations BA has adopted several strategies. Such as opening new subsidiaries to gain new position in market. BA also concentrate on business class passenger, offering them the best customer package and maintain good customer relations leading them to gain huge profit in return. BA always watch out for ways to minimize their expenditures and get a value for their money and stockholder money. This leads BA to cost savings, and in conclusion making them to stay on top in an increasingly competitive airline environment.

Does attachment theory provide a sound basis for advice on how to brin

Does the attachment theory provide a sound basis for advice on how to bring up children? To answer this question for advice to parents I will explore some of the details of the attachment theory showing, 1) earlier studies and more up to date criticisms, 2) how it proposes family members and day care can affect a child’s upbringing. Attachment is the bond that develops between caregiver and infant when it is about eight or nine months old, providing the child with emotional security. Meshing commences from when the child is being fed, onto taking part in pseudo-dialogue and then following on to the child taking part in a more active role of proto dialogue, illustrated by Kaye (1982), other concepts such as scaffolding and inter-subjectivity have also been explored by psychologists. As the infant grows older the attention escalates towards the direction of the caregiver. John Bowlby(1958, 1969, 1973, 1980) pioneer of the attachment theory was involved in research regarding the emotional connection between the adult and infant and he believed that the early relationships determined the behaviour and emotional development of a child. In an early Bowlby (1944) study he discovered children who had an unsettling upbringing where more likely to become juvenile delinquents. His work is constantly open to criticism and has been revisited with further research. Subsequent research has based measuring security and insecurity in a child from an early age using the Strange Situation Test. Other research has shown certain trends of difficult behaviour and how the child interacts with the caregiver actively. Bowlby’s theory was based on ideas from ethology and previous work, psychodynamic theory by Sigmund Freud, it was appropriate for the 1950’s after the 2nd World War when women were returning to household duties and motherhood as men returned to their employment after the war. He believed that a child should have interaction with one caregiver ‘monotropism’ and that separation from this person would trigger the ‘proximity promoting behaviours’ in the attachment structure. The caregiver arriving would cause the behaviours of, clinging, making noises and crying to discontinue. The protected foundations of the affectionate bonds occurring between parent and infant representation becomes part of the internal working model. Those become the foundations and the heart of a... ...how parents create persons, Brighton, Harvester Press. MAIN, M. and SOLOMON, J. (1990) ‘ Procedures for identifying infants as disorganised/ disoriented during the Ainsworth Strange Situation’ in GRENNBERG, M. T. CICCCHETTI, D. and CUMMINGS, E. M. (eds) Attachment in the Preschool Years, Chicago Ill., University of Chicago Press. VAN IJJZENDOORN, M. H. and KROONENBERG, P. M. (1988) ‘Cross-cultural patterns of attachment: a meta-analysis of the Strange Situation’, Child Development, 59, pp. 147-56 RICHMAN, N., STEVENSON, J. and Graham, P. J. (1982) Pre-School to School: a behavioural study, London, Academic Press. ROBERTSON, J. and ROBERTSON, J. (1952), A Two-Year-Old Goes To Hospital, ‘Attachment’, T. V. program, The Open University (2000), ED209 Child Development, Milton Keynes, The Open University SAMEROFF, A. J. (1991) ‘ The social context of development ‘ in WOODHEAD, M., CARR, R. and LIGHT, P. (eds) Becoming a Person, London, Routledge. STEWART, R. B. (1983) ‘ Siblings attachment relationships: child-infant interactions in the strange situation’, Development Psychology, 19, pp. 192-99.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Juveniles Should Be Tried as Adults Essay -- Persuasive Argumentative

"Don't do the crime, if you can't do the time." -- David Grusin and Morgan Ames Much controversy exists on the question of whether a juvenile criminal should be punished to the same extent as an adult. Those who commit capitol crimes, including adolescents, should be penalized according to the law. Age should not be a factor in the case of serious crimes. Many people claim that the child did not know any better, or that he was brought up with the conception that this behavior is acceptable. Although there is some truth to these allegations, the reality of this social issue is far more complex. Therefore we ask the question, "Should childhood offenders of capitols crimes be treated as adults?" To begin with, numerous reasons for why a child acts in the manner he exhibits and why he continues to exert such dangerous and even fatal schemes. Recent research shows that factors ranging from inherited personality traits to chemical imbalances and damages suffered in the womb can increase the odds that a child will become violent (Johnson 234). Experts argue that no one is predestined to a life of crime. They believe that influences such as repeated abuse, extreme neglect, poverty, media violence, and easy access to guns play the major role in molding children into criminals. The father of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer wonders, "If potential for evil is in the blood that some of us pass on to our children" (Seifert 23). In the quiet New York town of Savona, Eric Smith, age thirteen, intercepted four year old Derrick Robie on his way to a park recreation program and offered to show him a shortcut. Hesitatingly, Derrick set off with Eric. He never made it to the park. That same day the little boy's savagely beaten body was discovered outside the park area (Seifert 98). Jon Venables and Robert Thompson of Liverpool, England, made international headlines in November of 1994, when they were convicted of murdering James Bulger, age two. The two boys, both ten at the time of the slaying, lured James away from his mother in a shopping mall, took him to a nearby railroad track, beat him brutally and left him to be cut in half by a train (Seifert 56). Many experts do not accept that biology alone creates children who kill. They believe that violence is a learned behavior. Being abused or witnessing domestic violence is an environmental factor in ju... ... The future of Crime in America. Garden City, NY: Anchor, 1987 Bidwell, Allie. "Report: School Crime and Violence Rise" U.S News & World Report, June 10, 2014 http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/06/10/incidents-of-school-crime-and-violence-on-the-rise-for-students-and-teachers Carmenati, Marlene â€Å"Youth and Crime: Is the young offenders working?† Law Now June/July 21-26. Eldelfonso, Edward. Law Enforcement and the youthful offenders: Juvenile Procedures. New York: Wiley 1967. Hyde, Margaret O. â€Å"Juvenile justice and Injustice† New York, New York Margaret O. Hyde, 1977. Johnson, Jason B. â€Å" Slain Teen’s family: Cops eyeing 7-10 suspects.† Boston Herald. 7 ,April 1995 Olney, Ross R. Up Against The Law. New York, New York: NAL Penguin Inc. 1985. Robinson, Lori S, and Jimmie Briggs â€Å"Kids and Violence† Emerge November. 1993:44+ Seifert, Kathryn. "How Children Become Violent" Acanthus Publishing; 1 edition 2006 Wilson, James and Herrnstein, Richard. "Crime & Human Nature: The Definitive Study of the Causes of Crime" New York: Free Press, 1998. John P. Wright, Kà ¤ren M. Hess, Christine H. Orthmann. "Juvenile Justice." Cengage Learning; 6 edition, 2012

Gabon: An Example For All Of Africa :: essays research papers fc

Gabon: An Example For All of Africa   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The country of Gabon is praised as being one of the most successful countries in Africa. Gabon is a very diverse country in many ways. There are a variety of different tribes that call Gabon home. Also, the land differs through out the county.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gabon is one of the smaller countries of Africa with the area of 267,670 square miles. Comparatively, this is the almost the same size as Colorado. The terrain of this tiny country consists of narrow coastal plains; a hilly interior; and Savannah in the east and south. Much of the interior is rain forests and is not arable. Only 1% of the land is arable The remaining land is either meadows, permanent crops, or other land forms. (The World Fact Book 1995)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gabon is one of the most thinly populated countries in Africa. It has a population of approximately 1,155,000 (July 1995 est.) There are 11 people per square mile. The majority of the Gabonese are of ages 15-64 years. The average life expectancy is 55.14 years. Women live to be around 58, while men are usually around 52 when they die. This is why only 5% of the population is older than 65. The infant mortality is lower than many other African countries, 92.4 per 1,000 live births. (The World Fact Book 1995)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As in most African countries, there are many Bantu tribes make up the ethnicity of the country. There are four major tribal groups. The Fang, Eshira, Bapounou, and the Bateke. (The World Fact Book)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The largest of these tribes is the Fang. They live mainly in the northern area of Gabon. Many years ago they were considered the fiercest warriors of the area. Now, they dominate many of the countries governmental positions. (World Book Encyclopedia page )   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the earlier tribes that is since gone was the Omyene. They lived along the coast. The Omyene are important because they were the first of the natives to meet the European traders and missionaries. They played an important role of keeping peace with the Europeans. (World Book Encyclopedia, 1992 page 2)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Along with there being so many different ethnic backgrounds, there are many religions as well. The major religion is Christian,75 % of the population. About 1% of the population is Muslim. The remaining 24% are animists. These include all of the tribal practices. (The World Fact Book)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the reasons why Gabon has been so successful is that it has a stable government. It is a republic and has multiple political parties. The capitol, Libreville ( aprox. Gabon: An Example For All Of Africa :: essays research papers fc Gabon: An Example For All of Africa   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The country of Gabon is praised as being one of the most successful countries in Africa. Gabon is a very diverse country in many ways. There are a variety of different tribes that call Gabon home. Also, the land differs through out the county.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gabon is one of the smaller countries of Africa with the area of 267,670 square miles. Comparatively, this is the almost the same size as Colorado. The terrain of this tiny country consists of narrow coastal plains; a hilly interior; and Savannah in the east and south. Much of the interior is rain forests and is not arable. Only 1% of the land is arable The remaining land is either meadows, permanent crops, or other land forms. (The World Fact Book 1995)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gabon is one of the most thinly populated countries in Africa. It has a population of approximately 1,155,000 (July 1995 est.) There are 11 people per square mile. The majority of the Gabonese are of ages 15-64 years. The average life expectancy is 55.14 years. Women live to be around 58, while men are usually around 52 when they die. This is why only 5% of the population is older than 65. The infant mortality is lower than many other African countries, 92.4 per 1,000 live births. (The World Fact Book 1995)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As in most African countries, there are many Bantu tribes make up the ethnicity of the country. There are four major tribal groups. The Fang, Eshira, Bapounou, and the Bateke. (The World Fact Book)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The largest of these tribes is the Fang. They live mainly in the northern area of Gabon. Many years ago they were considered the fiercest warriors of the area. Now, they dominate many of the countries governmental positions. (World Book Encyclopedia page )   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the earlier tribes that is since gone was the Omyene. They lived along the coast. The Omyene are important because they were the first of the natives to meet the European traders and missionaries. They played an important role of keeping peace with the Europeans. (World Book Encyclopedia, 1992 page 2)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Along with there being so many different ethnic backgrounds, there are many religions as well. The major religion is Christian,75 % of the population. About 1% of the population is Muslim. The remaining 24% are animists. These include all of the tribal practices. (The World Fact Book)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the reasons why Gabon has been so successful is that it has a stable government. It is a republic and has multiple political parties. The capitol, Libreville ( aprox.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings Essay -- essays research papers

1) Summary of Character Traits a) School smart (Maya is smart. When she moves to San Francisco from Stamps, Arkansas, she is skipped a grade.) b) Caring sister (she always talks of her devotion to Baily) c) Determined (she wants to get a job with the streetcar company and she keeps bugging them until they finally give her a job) d) Proud (she lives with the junkyard kids instead of going back to her father’s; she slaps Dolores for calling her mother a whore) 2) Appearance a) African American, tall, skinny, small and squinty eyes, big feet, large gap between her front teeth, black hair 3) What The Character Wants a) Maya wants, ultimately, for her family to be happy. She wants the segregation of blacks to end (she is disgusted when young white girls call her grandmother by her first name). 4) How the Character Changes a) After being raped, Maya stops talking as much b) After spending time living in the junkyard, Maya learns tolerance, which will help her through out her life. She matures from a young girl to a mother, as well. c) Becomes more mature once she gets her job with the street cars 5) Key Statements About the Character a) â€Å"Ritie, don’t worry ‘cause you ain’t pretty. Plenty of pretty women I seen digging ditches or worse. You smart. I swear to God, I rather you have a good mind than a cute behind.† (p.56) b) â€Å"In those moments I decided that although Baily loved me he couldn’t help. †¦ I knew that because I loved him so much I could never hurt him† (p. 73) 6) Key Actions a) Father comes to Stamps and takes them to their mother b) Moves back to Stamps, then to SF c) Drives home from Mexico d) Slaps Dolores e) Stays with the junkyard people f) Gets pregnant 7) What Others Think Of the Character a) When they are younger, Baily really looks out for Maya. As they grow up, and after she spends time with her father, they drift apart. b) Her grandmother loves Maya very much, and knows that she is a very smart girl with a lot of potential. c) Her mother seems to care much more about her than her father did. Thesis Statement: Maya Angelou faces many hardships, yet manages to overcome them all, in her autobiography, â€Å"I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.† Maya Angelo... ...a car accident, and her father is woken up. After the horrendous trip to Mexico, Maya and her father return home to find his girlfriend enraged. In an outburst, the girlfriend calls Maya’s mother a whore. Maya slaps her, which provokes Dolores, the girlfriend, to attack her. After that situation, Maya goes and lives with children in a junkyard. After living in the junkyard, she returns home to her mother. Later on after that, she gets pregnant. Although Maya is younger than he is, Baily admires his sister for her academic abilities, among other things. Maya’s grandmother loves her very much. She instills in her strong beliefs and good morals. She knows Maya is a very smart girl and does the best she can to work Maya to her full potential. Maya’s mother spends more time with her than her father does. Although both parents love her, the love of her mother is more apparent. It is her hope that the segregation will end, and the black people will be equal to the white race. The way in which Angelou portrays her life makes the reader feel pity at times, for the way Maya and her family is treated, rage at other when Maya acts badly, and joy when good things happen for their family.

Four Problem That Farmers Face

How the Government help farmers in the Bahamas Today I am going to speak momentarily on how the Bahamian government help farmers in the Bahamas. They help by giving the farmers loan to buy supplies on a broad spread of product including building supplies ,processing materials and farm vehicles such as trucks, tractors plough and a harvest machine . Usually they hold lease and dispose of agricultural land, because some farmers don’t have a land to farm on and some farmers land are so small. The more the land the more the crops can increase.For example they give about 13,869 acres of land in Andros about 11,737 acres of land in Abaco and about 10,542 land in Grand Bahama . Also the government give money to some farmers because sometime the farmers cannot afford the supplies to maintain a proper farm . For example wheel barrels , Cattles ,Fruit trees and vegetable seed. Another thing they do is allow the farmers to sue, because these days some people go on farmers land and pick t heir crops without permission to do so .If they keep stealing the farmers crops there will not be non for the farmers . Also the Bahamian government help with training seminars and programmes on farming livestock information to help farmers and person that is interested in farming with initative as well as what proceses are required to increase yield of crops and how to raise health livestock . When new events arise they are posted in the events section of the (BAIC)website to sentsitise public. Filling out forms and submit the register form to the (BAIC) office.The time spent at these session are one day to sometime four weeks the most. They also help us with marketing our products in the Bahamas and international corporation (BAIC) also assist by placing farmers produce on it website to make the produce available to Bahamian and foreigns. Lastly but not lease they support us with fertilizer the soil , because some land areas don’t have very good soil so are and crops will n ot be unable to grow properly . They are un able to grow because the soil is hard , barren and don’t have enough nutrients for the crops to grow.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 5. ISLE ESME

â€Å"Houston?† I asked, raising my eyebrows when we reached the gate in Seattle. â€Å"Just a stop along the way,† Edward assured me with a grin. It felt like I'd barely fallen asleep when he woke me. I was groggy as he pulled me through the terminals, struggling to remember how to open my eyes after every blink. It took me a few minutes to catch up with what was going on when we stopped at the international counter to check in for our next flight. â€Å"Rio de Janeiro?† I asked with slightly more trepidation. â€Å"Another stop,† he told me. The flight to South America was long but comfortable in the wide first-class seat, with Edward's arms cradled around me. I slept myself out and awoke unusually alert as we circled toward the airport with the light of the setting sun slanting through the plane's windows. We didn't stay in the airport to connect with another flight as I'd expected. Instead we took a taxi through the dark, teeming, living streets of Rio. Unable to understand a word of Edward's Portuguese instructions to the driver, I guessed that we were off to find a hotel before the next leg of our journey. A sharp twinge of something very close to stage fright twisted in the pit of my stomach as I considered that. The taxi continued through the swarming crowds until they thinned somewhat, and we appeared to be nearing the extreme western edge of the city, heading into the ocean. We stopped at the docks. Edward led the way down the long line of white yachts moored in the night-blackened water. The boat he stopped at was smaller than the others, sleeker, obviously built for speed instead of space. Still luxurious, though, and more graceful than the rest. He leaped in lightly, despite the heavy bags he carried. He dropped those on the deck and turned to help me carefully over the edge. I watched in silence while he prepared the boat for departure, surprised at how skilled and comfortable he seemed, because he'd never mentioned an interest in boating before. But then again, he was good at just about everything. As we headed due east into the open ocean, I reviewed basic geography in my head. As far as I could remember, there wasn't much east of Brazil†¦ until you got to Africa. But Edward sped forward while the lights of Rio faded and ultimately disappeared behind us. On his face was a familiar exhilarated smile, the one produced by any form of speed. The boat plunged through the waves and I was showered with sea spray. Finally the curiosity I'd suppressed so long got the best of me. â€Å"Are we going much farther?† I asked. It wasn't like him to forget that I was human, but I wondered if he planned for us to live on this small craft for any length of time. â€Å"About another half hour.† His eyes took in my hands, clenched on the seat, and he grinned. Oh well, I thought to myself. He was a vampire, after all. Maybe we were going to Atlantis. Twenty minutes later, he called my name over the roar of the engine. â€Å"Bella, look there.† He pointed straight ahead. I saw only blackness at first, and the moon's white trail across the water. But I searched the space where he pointed until I found a low black shape breaking into the sheen of moonlight on the waves. As I squinted into the darkness, the silhouette became more detailed. The shape grew into a squat, irregular triangle, with one side trailing longer than the other before sinking into the waves. We drew closer, and I could see the outline was feathery, swaying to the light breeze. And then my eyes refocused and the pieces all made sense: a small island rose out of the water ahead of us, waving with palm fronds, a beach glowing pale in the light of the moon. â€Å"Where are we?† I murmured in wonder while he shifted course, heading around to the north end of the island. He heard me, despite the noise of the engine, and smiled a wide smile that gleamed in the moonlight. â€Å"This is Isle Esme.† The boat slowed dramatically, drawing with precision into position against a short dock constructed of wooden planks, bleached into whiteness by the moon. The engine cut off, and the silence that followed was profound. There was nothing but the waves, slapping lightly against the boat, and the rustle of the breeze in the palms. The air was warm, moist, and fragrant – like the steam left behind after a hot shower. â€Å"Isle Esme?† My voice was low, but it still sounded too loud as it broke into the quiet night. â€Å"A gift from Carlisle – Esme offered to let us borrow it.† A gift. Who gives an island as a gift? I frowned. I hadn't realized that Edward's extreme generosity was a learned behavior. He placed the suitcases on the dock and then turned back, smiling his perfect smile as he reached for me. Instead of taking my hand, he pulled me right up into his arms. â€Å"Aren't you supposed to wait for the threshold?'71 asked, breathless, as he sprung lightly out of the boat. He grinned. â€Å"I'm nothing if not thorough.† Gripping the handles of both huge steamer trunks in one hand and cradling me in the other arm, he carried me up the dock and onto a pale sand pathway through the dark vegetation. For a short while it was pitch black in the jungle-like growth, and then I could see a warm light ahead. It was about at the point when I realized the light was a house – the two bright, perfect squares were wide windows framing a front door – that the stage fright attacked again, more forcefully than before, worse than when I'd thought we were headed for a hotel. My heart thudded audibly against my ribs, and my breath seemed to get stuck in my throat. I felt Edward's eyes on my face, but I refused to meet his gaze. I stared straight ahead, seeing nothing. He didn't ask what I was thinking, which was out of character for him. I guessed that meant that he was just as nervous as I suddenly was. He set the suitcases on the deep porch to open the doors – they were unlocked. Edward looked down at me, waiting until I met his gaze before he stepped through the threshold. He carried me through the house, both of us very quiet, flipping on lights as he went. My vague impression of the house was that it was quite large for a tiny island, and oddly familiar. I'd gotten used to the pale-on-pale color scheme preferred by the Cullens; it felt like home. I couldn't focus on any specifics, though. The violent pulse beating behind my ears made everything a little blurry. Then Edward stopped and turned on the last light. The room was big and white, and the far wall was mostly glass – standard decor for my vampires. Outside, the moon was bright on white sand and, just a few yards away from the house, glistening waves. But I barely noted that part. I was more focused on the absolutely huge white bed in the center of the room, hung with billowy clouds of mosquito netting. Edward set me on my feet. â€Å"I'll†¦ go get the luggage.† The room was too warm, stuffier than the tropical night outside. A bead of sweat dewed up on the nape of my neck. I walked slowly forward until I could reach out and touch the foamy netting. For some reason I felt the need to make sure everything was real. I didn't hear Edward return. Suddenly, his wintry finger caressed the back of my neck, wiping away the drop of perspiration. â€Å"It's a little hot here,† he said apologetically. â€Å"I thought†¦ that would be best.† â€Å"Thorough,† I murmured under my breath, and he chuckled. It was a nervous sound, rare for Edward. â€Å"I tried to think of everything that would make this†¦ easier,† he admitted. I swallowed loudly, still facing away from him. Had there ever been a honeymoon like this before? I knew the answer to that. No. There had not. â€Å"I was wondering,'7Edward said slowly, â€Å"if†¦ first†¦ maybe you'd like to take a midnight swim with me?† He took a deep breath, and his voice was more at ease when he spoke again. â€Å"The water will be very warm. This is the kind of beach you approve of.† â€Å"Sounds nice.† My voice broke. â€Å"I'm sure you'd like a human minute or two†¦. It was a long journey.† I nodded woodenly. I felt barely human; maybe a few minutes alone would help. His lips brushed against my throat, just below my ear. He chuckled once and his cool breath tickled my overheated skin. â€Å"Don't take too long, Mrs. Cullen.† I jumped a little at the sound of my new name. His lips brushed down my neck to the tip of my shoulder. â€Å"I'll wait for you in the water.† He walked past me to the French door that opened right onto the beach sand. On the way, he shrugged out of his shirt, dropping it on the floor, and then slipped through the door into the moonlit night. The sultry, salty air swirled into the room behind him. Did my skin burst into flames? I had to look down to check. Nope, nothing was burning. At least, not visibly. I reminded myself to breathe, and then I stumbled toward the giant suitcase that Edward had opened on top of a low white dresser. It must be mine, because my familiar bag of toiletries was right on top, and there was a lot of pink in there, but I didn't recognize even one article of clothing. As I pawed through the neatly folded piles – looking for something familiar and comfortable, a pair of old sweats maybe – it came to my attention that there was an awful lot of sheer lace and skimpy satin in my hands. Lingerie. Very lingerie-ish lingerie, with French tags. I didn't know how or when, but someday, Alice was going to pay for this. Giving up, I went to the bathroom and peeked out through the long windows that opened to the same beach as the French doors. I couldn't see him; I guessed he was there in the water, not bothering to come up for air. In the sky above, the moon was lopsided, almost full, and the sand was bright white under its shine. A small movement caught my eye – draped over a bend in one of the palm trees that fringed the beach, the rest of his clothes were swaying in the light breeze. A rush of heat flashed across my skin again. I took a couple of deep breaths and then went to the mirrors above the long stretch of counters. I looked exactly like I'd been sleeping on a plane all day. I found my brush and yanked it harshly through the snarls on the back of my neck until they were smoothed out and the bristles were full of hair. I brushed my teeth meticulously, twice. Then I washed my face and splashed water on the back of my neck, which was feeling feverish. That felt so good that I washed my arms as well, and finally I decided to just give up and take the shower. I knew it was ridiculous to shower before swimming, but I needed to calm down, and hot water was one reliable way to do that. Also, shaving my legs again seemed like a pretty good idea. When I was done, I grabbed a huge white towel off the counter and wrapped it under my arms. Then I was faced with a dilemma I hadn't considered. What was I supposed to put on? Not a swimsuit, obviously. But it seemed silly to put my clothes back on, too. I didn't even want to think about the things Alice had packed for me. My breathing started to accelerate again and my hands trembled – so much for the calming effects of the shower. I started to feel a little dizzy, apparently a full-scale panic attack on the way. I sat down on the cool tile floor in my big towel and put my head between my knees. I prayed he wouldn't decide to come look for me before I could pull myself together. I could imagine what he would think if he saw me going to pieces this way. It wouldn't be hard for him to convince himself that we were making a mistake. And I wasn't freaking out because I thought we were making a mistake. Not atall. I was freaking out because I had no idea how to do this, and I was afraid to walk out of this room and face the unknown. Especially in French lingerie. I knew I wasn't ready for that yet This felt exactly like having to walk out in front of a theater full of thousands with no idea what my lines were. How did people do this – swallowall their fears and trust someone else so implicitly with every imperfection and fear they had – with less than the absolute commitment Edward had given me? if it weren't Edward out there, if I didn't know in every cell of my body that he loved me as much as I loved him – unconditionally and irrevocably and, to be honest, irrationally – I'd never be able to get up off this floor. But it was Edward out there, so I whispered the words â€Å"Don't be a coward† under my breath and scrambled to my feet. I hitched the towel tighter under my arms and marched determinedly from the bathroom. Past the suitcase full of lace and the big bed without looking at either. Out the open glass door onto the powder-fine sand. Everything was black-and-white, leached colorless by the moon. I walked slowly across the warm powder, pausing beside the curved tree where he had left his clothes. I laid my hand against the rough bark and checked my breathing to make sure it was even. Or even enough. I looked across the low ripples, black in the darkness, searching for him. He wasn't hard to find. He stood, his back to me, waist deep in the midnight water, staring up at the oval moon. The pallid light of the moon turned his skin a perfect white, like the sand, like the moon itself, and made his wet hair black as the ocean. He was motionless, his hands resting palms down against the water; the low waves broke around him as if he were a stone. I stared at the smooth lines of his back, his shoulders, his arms, his neck, theflawless shape of him†¦. The fire was no longer a flash burn across my skin – it was slow and deep now; it smoldered away all my awkwardness, my shy uncertainty. I slipped the towel off without hesitation, leaving it on the tree with his clothes, and walked out into the white light; it made me pale as the snowy sand, too. I couldn't hear the sound of my footsteps as I walked to the water's edge, but I guessed that he could. Edward did not turn. I let the gentle swells break over my toes, and found that he'd been right about the temperature – it was very warm, like bath water. I stepped in, walking carefully across the invisible ocean floor, but my care was unnecessary; the sand continued perfectly smooth, sloping gently toward Edward. I waded through the weightless current till I was at his side, and then I placed my hand lightly over his cool hand lying on the water. â€Å"Beautiful,† I said, looking up at the moon, too. â€Å"It's all right,† he answered, unimpressed. He turned slowly to face me; little waves rolled away from his movement and broke against my skin. His eyes looked silver in his ice-colored face. He twisted his hand up so that he could twine our fingers beneath the surface of the water. It was warm enough that his cool skin did not raise goose bumps on mine. â€Å"But I wouldn't use the word beautiful† he continued. â€Å"Not with you standing here in comparison.† I half-smiled, then raised my free hand – it didn't tremble now – and placed it over his heart. White on white; we matched, for once. He shuddered the tiniest bit at my warm touch. His breath came rougher now. â€Å"I promised we would try† he whispered, suddenly tense. â€Å"If†¦ if I do something wrong, if I hurt you, you must tell me at once.† I nodded solemnly, keeping my eyes on his. I took another step through the waves and leaned my head against his chest. â€Å"Don't be afraid,† I murmured. â€Å"We belong together.† I was abruptly overwhelmed by the truth of my own words. This moment was so perfect, so right, there was no way to doubt it. His arms wrapped around me, holding me against him, summer and winter. It felt like every nerve ending in my body was a live wire. â€Å"Forever,† he agreed, and then pulled us gently into deeper water. The sun, hot on the bare skin of my back, woke me in the morning. Late morning, maybe afternoon, I wasn't sure. Everything besides the time was clear, though; I knew exactly where I was – the bright room with the big white bed, brilliant sunlight streaming through the open doors. The clouds of netting would soften the shine. I didn't open my eyes. I was too happy to change anything, no matter how small. The only sounds were the waves outside, our breathing, my heartbeat†¦ I was comfortable, even with the baking sun. His cool skin was the perfect antidote to the heat. Lying across his wintry chest, his arms wound around me, felt very easy and natural. I wondered idly what I'd been so panicky about last night. My fears all seemed silly now. His fingers softly trailed down the contours of my spine, and I knew that he knew I was awake. I kept my eyes shut and tightened my arms around his neck, holding myself closer to him. He didn't speak; his fingers moved up and down my back, barely touching it as he lightly traced patterns on my skin. I would have been happy to lie here forever, to never disturb this moment, but my body had other ideas. I laughed at my impatient stomach. It seemed sort of prosaic to be hungry after all that had passed last night. Like being brought back down to earth from some great height. â€Å"What's funny?† he murmured, still stroking my back. The sound of his voice, serious and husky, brought with it a deluge of memories from the night, and I felt a blush color my face and neck. To answer his question, my stomach growled. I laughed again. â€Å"You just can't escape being human for very long.† I waited, but he did not laugh with me. Slowly, sinking through the many layers of bliss that clouded my head, came the realization of a different atmosphere outside my own glowing sphere of happiness. I opened my eyes; the first thing I saw was the pale, almost silvery skin of his throat, the arc of his chin above my face. His jaw was taut. I propped myself up on my elbow so I could see his face. He was staring at the frothy canopy above us, and he didn't look at me as I studied his grave features. His expression was a shock – it sent a physical jolt through my body. â€Å"Edward,† I said, a strange little catch in my throat, â€Å"what is it? What's wrong?† â€Å"You have to ask?† His voice was hard, cynical. My first instinct, the product of a lifetime of insecurities, was to wonder what I had done wrong. I thought through everything that had happened, but I couldn't find any sour note in the memory. It had all been simpler than I'd expected; we'd fit together like corresponding pieces, made to match up. This had given me a secret satisfaction – we were compatible physically, as well as all the other ways. Fire and ice, somehow existing together without destroying each other. More proof that I belonged with him. I couldn't think of any part that would make him look like this – so severe and cold. What had I missed? His finger smoothed the worried lines on my forehead. â€Å"What are you thinking?† he whispered. â€Å"You're upset. I don't understand. Did I†¦ ?† I couldn't finish. His eyes tightened. â€Å"How badly are you hurt, Bella? The truth – don't try to downplay it.† â€Å"Hurt?† I repeated; my voice came out higher than usual because the word took me so by surprise. He raised one eyebrow, his lips a tight line. I made a quick assessment, stretching my body automatically, tensing and flexing my muscles. There was stiffness, and a lot of soreness, too, it was true, but mostly there was the odd sensation that my bones all had become unhinged at the joints, and I had changed halfway into the consistency of a jellyfish. It was not an unpleasant feeling. And then I was a little angry, because he was darkening this most perfect of all mornings with his pessimistic assumptions. â€Å"Why would you jump to that conclusion? I've never been better than I am now.† His eyes closed. â€Å"Stop that.† â€Å"Stop what?† â€Å"Stop acting like I'm not a monster for having agreed to this.† â€Å"Edward!'7I whispered, really upset now. He was pulling my bright memory through the darkness, staining it. â€Å"Don't ever say that.† He didn't open his eyes; it was like he didn't want to see me. â€Å"Look at yourself, Bella. Then tell me I'm not a monster.† Wounded, shocked, I followed his instruction unthinkingly and then gasped. What had happened to me? I couldn't make sense of the fluffy white snow that clung to my skin. I shook my head, and a cascade of white drifted out of my hair. I pinched one soft white bit between my fingers. It was a piece of down. â€Å"Why am I covered in feathers?† I asked, confused. He exhaled impatiently. â€Å"I bit a pillow. Or two. That's not what I'm talking about.† â€Å"You†¦ bit a pillow? Why?† â€Å"Look, Bella!† he almost growled. He took my hand – very gingerly – and stretched my arm out. â€Å"Look at that† This time, I saw what he meant. Under the dusting of feathers, large purplish bruises were beginning to blossom across the pale skin of my arm. My eyes followed the trail they made up to my shoulder, and then down across my ribs. I pulled my hand free to poke at a discoloration on my left forearm, watching it fade where I touched and then reappear. It throbbed a little. So lightly that he was barely touching me, Edward placed his hand against the bruises on my arm, one at a time, matching his long fingers to the patterns. â€Å"Oh,† I said. I tried to remember this – to remember pain – but I couldn't. I couldn't recall a moment when his hold had been too tight, his hands too hard against me. I only remembered wanting him to hold me tighter, and being pleased when he did†¦. â€Å"I'm†¦ so sorry, Bella,† he whispered while I stared at the bruises. â€Å"I knew better than this. I should not have – † He made a low, revolted sound in the back of his throat. â€Å"I am more sorry than I can tell you.† He threw his arm over his face and became perfectly still. I sat for one long moment in total astonishment, trying to come to terms – now that I understood it – with his misery. It was so contrary to the way that I felt that it was difficult to process. Theshock wore off slowly, leaving nothing in its absence. Emptiness. My mind was blank. I couldn't think of what to say. How could I explain it to him in the right way? How could I make him as happy as I was – or as I had been, a moment ago? I touched his arm, and he didn't respond. I wrapped my fingers around his wrist and tried to pry his arm off his face, but I could have been yanking on a sculpture for all the good it did me. â€Å"Edward.† He didn't move. â€Å"Edward?† Nothing. So, this would be a monologue, then. â€Å"I'mnot sorry, Edward. I'm†¦ I can't even tell you. I'm so happy. That doesn't cover it. Don't be angry. Don't. I'm really f – â€Å" â€Å"Do not say the word fine.† His voice was ice cold. â€Å"If you value my sanity, do not say that you are fine.† â€Å"But I am: I whispered. â€Å"Bella,† he almost moaned. â€Å"Don't.† â€Å"No. You don't, Edward.† He moved his arm; his gold eyes watched me warily. â€Å"Don't ruin this,† I told him. â€Å"I. Am. Happy.† â€Å"I've already ruined this,† he whispered. â€Å"Cut it out,† I snapped. I heard his teeth grind together. â€Å"Ugh!† I groaned. â€Å"Why can't you just read my mind already? It's so inconvenient to be a mental mute!† His eyes widened a little bit, distracted in spite of himself. â€Å"That's a new one. You love that I can't read your mind.† â€Å"Not today.† He stared at me. â€Å"Why?† I threw my hands up in frustration, feeling an ache in my shoulder that I ignored. My palms fell back against his chest with a sharp smack. â€Å"Because all this angst would be completely unnecessary if you could see how I feel right now! Or five minutes ago, anyway. I was perfectly happy. Totally and completely blissed out. Now – well, I'm sort of pissed, actually.† â€Å"You should be angry at me.† â€Å"Well, I am. Does that make you feel better?† He sighed. â€Å"No. I don't think anything could make me feel better now.† â€Å"T/?af,† I snapped. â€Å"That right there is why I'm angry. You are killing my buzz, Edward.† He rolled his eyes and shook his head. I took a deep breath. I was feeling more of the soreness now, but it wasn't that bad. Sort of like the day after lifting weights. I'd done that with Renee during one of her fitness obsessions. Sixty-five lunges with ten pounds in each hand. I couldn't walk the next day. This was not as painful as that had been by half. I swallowed my irritation and tried to make my voice soothing. â€Å"We knew this was going to be tricky. I thought that was assumed. And then – well, it was a lot easier than I thought it would be. And this is really nothing.† I brushed my fingers along my arm. â€Å"I think for a first time, not knowing what to expect, we did amazing. With a little practice – â€Å" His expression was suddenly so livid that I broke off mid-sentence. â€Å"Assumed? Did you expect this, Bella? Were you anticipating that I would hurt you? Were you thinking it would be worse? Do you consider the experiment a success because you can walk away from it? No broken bones – that equals a victory?† I waited, letting him get it all out. Then I waited some more while his breathing went back to normal. When his eyes were calm, I answered, speaking with slow precision. â€Å"I didn't know what to expect – but I definitely did not expect how†¦ how†¦ just wonderful and perfect it was.† My voice dropped to a whisper, my eyes slipped from his face down to my hands. â€Å"I mean, I don't know how it was for you, but it was like that for me.† A cool finger pulled my chin back up. â€Å"Is that what you're worried about?† he said through his teeth. â€Å"That I didn't enjoy myself?† My eyes stayed down. â€Å"I know it's not the same. You're not human. I just was trying to explain that, for a human, well, I can't imagine that life gets any better than that.† He was quiet for so long that, finally, I had to look up. His face was softer now, thoughtful. â€Å"It seems that I have more to apologize for.† He frowned. â€Å"I didn't dream that you would construe the way I feel about what I did to you to mean that last night wasn't†¦ well, the best night of my existence. But I don't want to think of it that way, not when you were †¦Ã¢â‚¬  My lips curved up a little at the edges. â€Å"Really? The best ever?† I asked in a small voice. He took my face between his hands, still introspective. â€Å"I spoke to Carlisle after you and I made our bargain, hoping he could help me. Of course he warned me that this would be very dangerous for you.† A shadow crossed his expression. â€Å"He had faith in me, though – faith I didn't deserve.† I started to protest, and he put two fingers over my lips before I could comment. â€Å"I also asked him what should expect. I didn't know what it would be for me†¦ what with my being a vampire.† He smiled halfheartedly. â€Å"Carlisle told me it was a very powerful thing, like nothing else. He told me physical love was something I should not treat lightly. With our rarely changing temperaments, strong emotions can alter us in permanent ways. But he said I did not need to worry about that part – you had already altered me so completely.† This time his smile was more genuine. â€Å"I spoke to my brothers, too. They told me it was a very great pleasure. Second only to drinking human blood.† A line creased his brow. â€Å"But I've tasted your blood, and there could be no blood more potent than that†¦ I don't think they were wrong, really. Just that it was different for us. Something more.† â€Å"It was more. It was everything.† â€Å"That doesn't change the fact that it was wrong. Even if it were possible that you really did feel that way.† â€Å"What does that mean? Do you think I'm making this up? Why?† â€Å"To ease my guilt. I can't ignore the evidence, Bella. Or your history of trying to let me off the hook when I make mistakes.† I grabbed his chin and leaned forward so that our faces were inches apart. â€Å"You listen to me, Edward Cullen. I am not pretending anything for your sake, okay? I didn't even know there was a reason to make you feel better until you started being all miserable. I've never been so happy in all my life – I wasn't this happy when you decided that you loved me more than you wanted to kill me, or the first morning I woke up and you were there waiting for me†¦. Not when I heard your voice in the ballet studio† – he flinched at the old memory of my close call with a hunting vampire, but I didn't pause – â€Å"or when you said i do' and I realized that, somehow, I get to keep you forever. Those are the happiest memories I have, and this is better than any of it. So just deal with it.† He touched the frown line between my eyebrows. Tm making you unhappy now. I don't want to do that.† â€Å"Then don't you be unhappy. That's the only thing that's wrong here.† His eyes tightened, then he took a deep breath and nodded. â€Å"You're right. The past is past and I can't do anything to change it. There's no sense in letting my mood sour this time for you. HI do whatever I can to make you happy now.† I examined his face suspiciously, and he gave me a serene smile. â€Å"Whatever makes me happy?† My stomach growled at the same time that I asked. â€Å"You're hungry,† he said quickly. He was swiftly out of the bed, stirring up a cloud of feathers. Which reminded me. â€Å"So, why exactly did you decide to ruin Esme's pillows?† I asked, sitting up and shaking more down from my hair. He had already pulled on a pair of loose khaki pants, and he stood by the door, rumpling his hair, dislodging a few feathers of his own. â€Å"I don't know if I decided to do anything last night,† he muttered. â€Å"We're just lucky it was the pillows and not you.† He inhaled deeply and then shook his head, as if shaking off the dark thought. A very authentic-looking smile spread across his face, but I guessed it took a lot of work to put it there. I slid carefully off the high bed and stretched again, more aware, now, of the aches and sore spots. I heard him gasp. He turned away from me, and his hands balled up, knuckles white. â€Å"Do I look that hideous?† I asked, working to keep my tone light. His breath caught, but he didn't turn, probably to hide his expression from me. I walked to the bathroom to check for myself. I stared at my naked body in the full-length mirror behind the door. I'd definitely had worse. There was a faint shadow across one of my cheekbones, and my lips were a little swollen, but other than that, my face was fine. The rest of me was decorated with patches of blue and purple. I concentrated on the bruises that would be the hardest to hide – my arms and my shoulders. They weren't so bad. My skin marked up easily. By the time a bruise showed I'd usually forgotten how I'd come by it. Of course, these were just developing. I'd look even worse tomorrow. That would not make things any easier. I looked at my hair, then, and groaned. â€Å"Bella?† He was right there behind me as soon as I'd made a sound. â€Å"I'll never get this all out of my hair!† I pointed to my head, where it looked like a chicken was nesting. I started picking at the feathers. â€Å"You would be worried about your hair,† he mumbled, but he came to stand behind me, pulling out the feathers much more quickly. â€Å"How did you keep from laughing at this? I look ridiculous.† He didn't answer; he just kept plucking. And I knew the answer anyway – there was nothing that would be funny to him in this mood. ‘This isn't going to work,† I sighed after a minute. â€Å"It's all dried in. I'm going to have to try to wash it out.† I turned around, wrapping my arms around his cool waist. â€Å"Do you want to help me?† Td better find some food for you,† he said in a quiet voice, and he gently unwound my arms. I sighed as he disappeared, moving too fast. It looked like my honeymoon was over. The thought put a big lump in my throat. When I was mostly feather-free and dressed in an unfamiliar white cotton dress that concealed the worst of the violet blotches, I padded off barefoot to where the smell of eggs and bacon and Cheddar cheese was coming from. Edward stood in front of the stainless steel stove, sliding an omelet onto the light blue plate waiting on the counter. The scent of the food overwhelmed me. I felt like I could eat the plate and the frying pan, too; my stomach snarled. â€Å"Here,† he said. He turned with a smile on his face and set the plate on a small tiled table. I sat in one of the two metal chairs and started snarfing down the hot eggs. They burned my throat, but I didn't care. He sat down across from me. â€Å"I'm not feeding you often enough.† I swallowed and then reminded him, â€Å"I was asleep. This is really good, by the way. Impressive for someone who doesn't eat.† â€Å"Food Network,† he said, flashing my favorite crooked smile. I was happy to see it, happy that he seemed more like his normal self. â€Å"Where did the eggs come from?† â€Å"I asked the cleaning crew to stock the kitchen. A first, for this place. I'll have to ask them to deal with the feathers†¦. † He trailed off, his gaze fixed on a space above my head. I didn't respond, trying to avoid saying anything that would upset him again. I ate everything, though he'd made enough for two. â€Å"Thank you,† I told him. I leaned across the table to kiss him. He kissed me back automatically, and then suddenly stiffened and leaned away. I gritted my teeth, and the question I meant to ask came out sounding like an accusation. â€Å"You aren't going to touch me again while we're here, are you?† He hesitated, then half-smiled and raised his hand to stroke my cheek. His fingers lingered softly on my skin, and I couldn't help leaning my face into his palm. â€Å"You know that's not what I meant.† He sighed and dropped his hand. â€Å"I know. And you're right.† He paused, lifting his chin slightly. And then he spoke again with firm conviction. â€Å"I will not make love with you until you've been changed. I will never hurt you again.†