Marketing Concepts at the Starbucks Company

Marketing Concepts at the Starbucks Company EXECUTIVE SUMMARY It has been argued by some people that they think marketing contributes to evils appearing in the world caused by the criticism referring to the effects caused by advertising. None of the critics are true because marketing is about finding the best strategy for gathering information about how consumers behave in the market providing those products that could satisfy their needs and wants when they are needed at that particular time such goods should be of good quality. This report will give a clear understanding of what marketing is all about its elements, benefits and costs of a marketing approach in todays business. The Micro and Macro environment concept the factors that influence marketing decisions. Segmentation criteria used for product in different markets. Factors influencing the choice of targeting strategy and the concept of buyer behaviour affecting marketing activities. How product development helps to sustain competitive advantage also process of how distribution can be arranged to provide customer convenience. DEFINITION OF MARKETING Introduction Researchers such as Chartered Institute of marketing came out with the conclusion that marketing in United Kingdom has changed rapidly in the last 30 years which is due to the advanced technology. Customers are the centre heart of the marketing, where by marketing is not only about selling the products, organisations need to have a clear picture of marketing concept and the importance of it in meeting the organisation objectives. Different authors came out with their own definitions of marketing as follows; Marketing is a human activity directed at satisfying human wants and needs Phillip Kotler, He finalise that marketing involve the process of selling and buying the products or services which is conducted in a professional way such as through advertising, promotions, social networks etc that aims at meeting the customers satisfaction.  [1]   The American Marketing of Association came out also with the definition of marketing saying that is an activity which set institutions that is processed to create a message that could be delivered to the customers also exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. The American Marketing of Association  [2]  . They have viewed that marketing is about going beyond what organisation does encompassing the great extent of activities that marketers undertake making sure their message is about certain product or services reach the customers that is marketing. P. Kotler and G Armstrong defined marketing as the process were by companies tend to create products of value for customers and building strong customer relationships in order to capture the value from customers in return  [3]  . Principles of marketing page 3. Authors came out with this definition due to that fact that marketing is not only involving on selling and buying it includes social and managerial process too where individuals and organisation as well can obtain their needs and wants through the process of exchanging value with others. American Marketing Association 1985 came out again with another definition of marketing which they said that is a process of planning by executing the process of pricing, planning and distribution of ideas that goods and services could create exchange that satisfy individual and organisational objectives. They explained that marketing is a process which is performed within the organisation  [4]  . Marketing strategy and competitive positioning pg 7 CHARACTERISTICS OF A MARKETING ORIENTED ORGANISATION Kohli and Jaworski (1990) defined marketing orientation as one or more departments engaging in activities directed towards the process of developing an understanding of customers such as their buying behaviour which is current and future needs and the factors affecting them, sharing of this understanding across departments and the various departments engaging in activities designed to meet select customer needs.  [5]  Marketing strategy and competitive positioning pg 8 It is argued that social and economic justification of customer wants and needs while at the same time meeting organisational objectives which is based on understanding that a sale does not depend on aggressive sales force, but rather on a customer decision to purchase a product  [6]  Introduction to Marketing 9th Edition pg 8. Characteristics of a marketing oriented organisation are as follows. Concentrates on the products that meets the customer needs and wants which are different from their competitors. Integrating the activities conducted within the organisation such as production to satisfy such wants. Making sure long-term goals are being achieved within the organisation by satisfying customer wants and needs legally and in a response way. A market oriented organisation need to identify their competitive arena and competitors which by knowing their strength and weakness which is assessing what the competitors are intending to do in the future or tomorrow and what they are doing today that could help the organisation to come out with better strategy to win the market share. MARKETING CONCEPT Felton (1959) defined marketing concept as a corporate state of mind that exists on the integration and co-ordination of all the marketing functions which, in turn, are melded with all other corporate functions, for the basic objective of producing long-range profits. It is characterised by achieving organisational goals which depends on identifying he needs and wants of the target markets and making sure desired satisfaction of the customer are delivered in an effective and efficient way than what competitors do. Kotler ELEMENTS OF MARKETING CONCEPT IN STARBUCKS COMPANY Starbucks is a leading retail company selling different flavours of coffee, snacks, to its customers. It started in US in 1971 then opened more branches in across all over UK high streets having 650 stores in UK and Ireland in 1998. Starbucks is targeting all kind of group such as young age, middle age also old age. Starbucks as one of the example showing how they have described the elements of marketing concept in their organisation which are customer orientation, organisation integration and mutually profitable exchange. CUSTOMER ORIENTATION MARKETING ENVIRONMENT IN STARBUCKS. An organisation can be structured in the certain ways that implements the goal of the organisation such factors can be interfered externally which is termed as Macro environment and internally known by Micro environment. Environment can change due to certain circumstances where by the organisation such as Starbucks can manage such change by having marketing plans, proper promotion, well distribution manner and proper pricing method in advance in case changes happened. Macro environment analysis These are the forces that affect the organisation externally in a very large part such as political, economical, social and technological (PEST) Political Factor This is relating to the huge amount of tax imposed to the business by the government which tend to interfere the organisation activities when it wants to maximise its profit. Political factor from other branches in other countries where could be wars, dictatorial government, civil wars that may influence the marketing environment of the organisation. Also laws imposed to the organisation where by the government restricting shops from selling alcohol at certain time, ethics practice child labour, health and safety, fair trade etc which organisations need to practice them. Economical Factor Economic factors such as recession which hard a big impact to the different organisations also to the consumer ability to purchase their product due to been unemployed and having debts. As UK joined European Union introduced free movement of goods and services that result to the occurrence of competitions among the organisation. The way income is distributed among the individuals impact the marketing activities such as higher income earners, middle and low earners these are economic factor influence marketing segmentation and decisions. Social factor Social factors that influence marketing decisions are such as demographic factors which is relating to the population where when the population increases creates good opportunity for the marketing activities but if it decreases results to great impact in the market. Age, marketers tend to target their market according to the number of age available in an area. Behaviour also may influence the marketing decision where by some ethnics may not be able to purchase certain products due religion aspects also due to consumers different in taste, style and fashion some may like the products others may find them not attractive. Technological factor This is spread of advance technology which is changing the world in rapid state where now consumers can buy their products online; or decide to but coffee machines and make their own coffee at home organisation can market their products through various social networks such as Facebook, Twitter which are being used by the people regularly such factors does influence marketing decisions when they decide to plan their marketing activities. PORTERS FIVE FORCES Porters Five Forces Model can be used by the company to identify its opportunities and threats of their competitors. Starbucks can use such model to be able to enter new reach markets. Starbucks has few competitors such a Cafe Nero, Costa coffee, Coffee republic such find it hard to compete with Starbucks due to that Starbucks have got good opportunity in the volume of operations. Starbucks is the leading coffee retailer in the world having good brand. (Kembell). Threats that Starbucks faces are cities that have small number of population due to having low number of competitors that Starbucks find it hard to compete. Starbucks is well known in the coffee market for its innovation and strong product differentiation. Starbucks has introduced the prepaid debit card; Seattles Best launched its version. STAKEHOLDERS ANALYSIS Stakeholder is any person who has the direct or indirect interest in the company. Examples of stakeholders are customers, suppliers, government, employees, other agencies etc. Stakeholders are of the great importance to any organisation without them the organisation wont be able be able to survive, their needs need to be met by organisations such operating marketing activities in ethical way, abiding to the laws and regulations regarding to business, protecting the environment from any harm, they can manage to sustain the marketing activities etc If such needs are not fulfilled they have the power to cause destruction in the marketing plan and decisions.

The Fibonacci Sequence and the Golden Ratio

The Fibonacci Sequence and the Golden Ratio The Fibonacci Sequence was firstly introduced by Leonardo of Pisa, known as  Fibonacci, in the year 1202. He studied on the population of rabbits. Firstly he assumed that a newly-born pair of rabbits, one male, one female, are put in a field; one month later, rabbits become adult and are able to mate so that at the end of its second month a female rabbit can produce another pair of rabbits; he also assumed that rabbits never die and a mating pair always produces one male and one female rabbit every month from the second month on. The question that Fibonacci posed was: how many pairs will there be in one year? At the end of the first month, the pair mate, however they dont produce a pair, therefore there is still one only 1 pair. At the end of the second month the couple produces a new pair, so now there are 2 pairs of rabbits in the field. One of them is adolescent and the other is leverets. At the end of the third month, the original pair produces a second pair, the leverets become adolescents hence a total of 3 pairs in all in the field. For the next month, two adolescent pairs produce two new pairs and the newly-born pair become adult. Therefore, our field consits five pairs of rabbits. The terms of the sequence are given as, The Golden Ratio is a special type of ratio that can be seen on many structure of living organisms and many objects. It is not only observed in the part of a whole subjects, but also in arts and architecture for centuries. The Golden ratio gives the most compatible sizes of geometric figures. In nature, The Golden Ratio can be seen on the bodies of human beings, shells and branches of trees.  For Platon, the keys of the cosmical physics is this ratio. Also, this ratio is widely believed that it is the most aesthetic ratio for a rectangle. The Golden Ratio, is an irrational number just as pi or e and its approximate value is 1,618033988à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ To define the Golden Ratio, ÃŽÂ ¦ or PHI is used. The Golden Ratio has been used for many years for different purposes. Some studies of the  Acropolis, the approximate value of golden ratio can be seen on many of its proportions. Parthenon is a typical example of this. The Parthenons facade including elements of its facade and elsewhere are said to be circumscribed by golden rectangles.  For many classical buildings, either the building itself or the elements of the buildings have a proportion which is equal to the golden ratio. This information gives a result that their architects most probably knew the golden ratio and consciously employed it in their buildings. On the other hand, the architects may use their senses and found a good proportion for their desgins, and their proportions closely approximate the golden ratio. Beside this, some analyses can always be questioned on the ground that the investigator chooses the points from which measurements are made or where to superimpose golden rectangles, and the proportions that a re observed are affected by the choices of the points. Some scholars disagree with the idea that Greeks had an aesthetic association with golden ratio. For instance, Midhat J. Gazalà © says, It was not until Euclid, however, that the golden ratios mathematical properties were studied. In the  Elements  (308 BC) the Greek mathematician merely regarded that number as an interesting irrational number, in connection with the middle and extreme ratios. Its occurrence in regular pentagons and decagons was duly observed, as well as in the dodecahedron (a  regular polyhedron  whose twelve faces are regular pentagons). It is indeed exemplary that the great Euclid, contrary to generations of mystics who followed, would soberly treat that number for what it is, without attaching to it other than its factual properties.[1]  In Keith Devlins opinion,  the claim that measurements of Parthenon is not supported by actual measurements even though the golden raito is observed. In fact, the entire story about the Greeks and golden ratio seems to be without foundation. The one thing we surely know that Euclid showed how to calculate its value, in his famous textbook  Elements, that was written around 300 BC.  Near-contemporary sources like  Vitruvius  exclusively discuss proportions that can be expressed in whole numbers, i.e. commensurate as opposed to irrational proportions. A geometrical analysis of the  Great Mosque of Kairouan  reveals a consistent application of the golden ratio throughout the design, according to Boussora and Mazouz.[22]  It is found in the overall proportion of the plan and in the dimensioning of the prayer space, the court, and the  minaret. Boussora and Mazouz also examined earlier archaeological theories about the mosque, and demonstrate the geometric constructions based on the golden ratio by applying these constructions to the plan of the mosque to test their hypothesis. The Swiss  architect  Le Corbusier, famous for his contributions to the  modern  international style, centered his design philosophy on systems of harmony and proportion. Le Corbusiers faith in the mathematical order of the universe was closely bound to the golden ratio and the Fibonacci series, which he described as rhythms apparent to the eye and clear in their relations with one another. And these rhythms are at the very root of human activities. They resound in man by an organic inevitability, the same fine inevitability which causes the tracing out of the Golden Section by children, old men, savages and the learned.[23] Le Corbusier explicitly used the golden ratio in his  Modulor  system for the  scale  of  architectural proportion. He saw this system as a continuation of the long tradition of  Vitruvius, Leonardo da Vincis Vitruvian Man, the work of  Leon Battista Alberti, and others who used the proportions of the human body to improve the appearance and function of  architecture. In addition to the golden ratio, Le Corbusier based the system on  human measurements,  Fibonacci numbers, and the double unit. He took Leonardos suggestion of the golden ratio in human proportions to an extreme: he sectioned his model human bodys height at the navel with the two sections in golden ratio, then subdivided those sections in golden ratio at the knees and throat; he used these golden ratio proportions in the  Modulor  system. Le Corbusiers 1927 Villa Stein in  Garches  exemplified the Modulor systems application. The villas rectangular ground plan, elevation, and inner structure closely approximate golden rectangles.[24] Another Swiss architect,  Mario Botta, bases many of his designs on geometric figures. Several private houses he designed in Switzerland are composed of squares and circles, cubes and cylinders. In a house he designed in  Origlio, the golden ratio is the proportion between the central section and the side sections of the house.[25] In a recent book, author Jason Elliot speculated that the golden ratio was used by the designers of the  Naqsh-e Jahan Square  and the adjacent Lotfollah mosque.[26] [edit]Painting Illustration from Luca Paciolis  De Divina Proportione  applies geometric proportions to the human face. Leonardo da Vincis illustrations of  polyhedra  in  De Divina Proportione  (On the Divine Proportion) and his views that some bodily proportions exhibit the golden ratio have led some scholars to speculate that he incorporated the golden ratio in his paintings.[27]  But the suggestion that hisMona Lisa, for example, employs golden ratio proportions, is not supported by anything in Leonardos own writings.[28] Salvador Dalà ­Ã‚  explicitly used the golden ratio in his masterpiece,  The Sacrament of the Last Supper. The dimensions of the canvas are a golden rectangle. A huge dodecahedron, with edges in golden ratio to one another, is suspended above and behind Jesus and dominates the composition.[2]HYPERLINK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio#cite_note-28#cite_note-28[29] Mondrian  used the golden section extensively in his geometrical paintings.[30] A statistical study on 565 works of art of different great painters, performed in 1999, found that these artists had not used the golden ratio in the size of their canvases. The study concluded that the average ratio of the two sides of the paintings studied is 1.34, with averages for individual artists ranging from 1.04 (Goya) to 1.46 (Bellini).[31]  On the other hand, Pablo Tosto listed over 350 works by well-known artists, including more than 100 which have canvasses with golden rectangle and root-5 proportions, and others with proportions like root-2, 3, 4, and 6.[32] 3. Math in Arts: Carla Farsi  straddles two fields that many people believe are diametrically opposed: as well as being a professor of mathematics at the University of Colorado at Boulder, she is a working, exhibiting artist. After years of pursuing both interests separately she declared 2005 her Special Year for Art and Maths, and in an impressive effort put on various exhibitions, classes, movies, lectures, concerts, plays and an international conference all to deepen the understanding of the relationship between maths and art. Plus interviewed her to find out just what this relationship is about, and what it feels like to have a foot in both worlds. Painting by numbers? When you look at some of Carlas artwork, you might be forgiven not to recognise any maths in it. Some of her installations in particular appear impulsive, even disordered, and made from recycled objects belong very much to the realm of reality. There are no meticulously worked out geometrical patterns, intricate fractals or perfectly recreated perspectives, as you might expect from an artist-mathematician. So what makes the connection between maths and art? Is there more to it than the fact that maths underlies patterns and perspective? Visualisation is one of the main points, Carla says, especially in geometry you can prove things visually, and the pictures can say as much as the actual theorem. But you can even go beyond geometry. Something that is logical, that makes a mathematical theorem, also makes some kind of a visual statement about structure and composition. Its almost like a piece of art, it has its own structure, logic, meaning. In a mathematicians head, the mathematica l ideas, even if theyre very abstract, can appear to be almost visual, intuitive. Carla thinks that with the advance of computers, the visual and artistic aspects of maths will become more and more prominent: Computers are developing so fast and we dont really know yet what they could do for us in the future. Maybe one day it will be sufficient to think about the images involved in a mathematical idea or proof, and a computer will compute the underlying equations for us. Right now, just drawing a picture is often not enough a proper proof has to be more rigorous than that. But computers are already being used to prove theorems [seePlus  article  Welcome to the maths lab], and maybe one day a mathematician could simply present the computer with a picture, and the computer will be able to read off the maths in it. In this way, mathematicians could spend more time on the creative aspects of maths having the ideas and computers could do the boring, automatic parts. At that point maths may be closer to art than it appears now. So, what does it  feel  like, being an artist and a mathematician at the same time? Does proving a theorem feel very different from creating a piece of art? No, the two dont feel very different. Of course, when youre doing maths, youre bound by rules much more than when youre doing art. In art you can change the rules what you initially planned to do half-way through, and I do that a lot. In fact, even if Ive made up some rules at the beginning, I often find that Im unable to stick to them, the practicalities involved force me to seek other routes. Do Carlas motivation for doing maths and her inspiration to do art come from the same place? Yes, I certainly think so, Im absolutely positive about that. There is the same kind of fascination for me in both maths and art. Its all about expressing ideas, and sometimes maths works better and other times its art. Maths and art are just two different languages that can be used to express the same ideas. In some periods of my life Im more attracted by the rigour and formality of maths, and at other times I prefer art. I think maths and art are just different languages that can be used to express the same ideas. What are these ideas? Thats a very difficult question! I think its how I relate to the world, how I see and understand the world. I feel a relationship with certain objects, or objects of the mind, and I want to express that. For example, I may be touched by the idea of an explosion [Carla indeed painted a series of pictures on the subject of Hiroshima], and to express it, I may prefer to use art, bright colours. If I want to express or understand something more formal, maths may be better-suited. Numbers by painting But Carla didnt put on her Special Year just in order to contemplate those deep connections. First and foremost, she wants to open up the world of maths to those who are scared of it, or feel that it has nothing to do with real life. Emphasising the visual and creative aspects of maths might make people like it more. I created a course at my university, aimed at non-maths students, which teaches maths using the visual arts. I think this could also be of great benefit to maths students, and here we could teach the more formal mathematical ideas. Carla uses paintings and sculptures both to give an overall feel for the subject and to illustrate concrete maths objects and problems. An area that benefits most from the visual approach is topology. This branch of maths studies the nature of geometric objects by allowing them to distort and change. Think of a knot in an elastic band: its defining feature, the way the band winds around itself, remains the same even when you stretch the band. In this spirit, topologists regard any two objects that can be deformed into each other without tearing to be one and the same thing have a look at  Plusarticle  In space, do all roads lead home?  to see how a coffee cup can be turned into a doughnut. Carla teaches topological ideas and methods using the sculptures of North American artistHelaman Ferguson, and also the works of Catalan architect  Antoni Gaudà ­. I usually ask students to bring playdough to the maths class. Fergusons work in particular is good for illustrating the solutions to concrete mathematical problems, such as how to unknot a knot: I usually present first the puzzle and then give them some hints to see if we can work out the solution together. Usually I also ask students to bring playdough to this class, so that we can work hands on. After we have worked out the maths I show them a piece by Ferguson that beautifully illustrate the result. With Gaudà ­ I am a bit more loose. I introduce him when I talk about topological transformations of surfaces and also when I talk about spirals. Some of his work illustrates well the concept of topological deformation and I use it for that, as a general example. This is also useful when students ask (as they often do) how mathematics relates to things they see in the real world. Of course, no class on maths and the visual arts would be complete without fractals. Their often astonishing beauty comes from their infinite intricacy: no matter how closely you zoom in on a fractal, what you see is still extremely complicated and crinkly. Whats more, it often looks similar to the whole fractal, a phenomenon called self-similarity (see the box on the  Von Koch Snowflakebelow). There are various mathematical techniques to measure the crinkliness of a fractal, and Carla teaches them in her classes with the aid of fractals that occur in nature and art: I teach my students how to compute the fractal dimension of a fractal. First I show them some examples from art and other fields, especially nature. Then we study the technique formally, and then apply it to images of fractal art. We also work out the fractal dimension of some of the original examples I presented them with. As Carla points out, there are paintings containing fractals that were never consciously intended by the artist: mathematicians have shown that the drip paintings by abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock can be identified by their own particular fractal structures (see  Plus  article  Fractal expressionism). Symmetry is another concept that is as visual as it is mathematical. We can perceive it almost subconsciously and it has been argued that it plays a vital role in our perception of beauty yet it opens the door to a wealth of mathematical structure. A square, for example, has 8 symmetries: you can reflect it in the vertical, horizontal or diagonal axes, you can rotate it through 90, 180 or 270 degrees, or you can simply do nothing and leave it as it is. Each of these transformations is called a symmetry, because after youve done it, the square appears to be exactly as it was before. If you put all these 8 symmetries together, you get a self-contained system: whenever you combine two of them, by first doing one and then the other, you get one of the other symmetries in your set try it! Such a self-contained system of symmetries is called a  group, and symmetry groups are the gateway to abstract algebra. A simple visual consideration lands you in the thick of some quite advanced ma thematics!

Animal Farm: Strong Vs Weak :: Animal Farm Essays

The pigs had objectives other than the benefits and the good of the other animals. On the contrary, their objectives were to use, conquer, and capitalize on them. One of the conflicts in Animal Farm is the strong against the weak. The strong are the pigs and the weak are all the other animals. There are two main offenders of the weak: Napoleon and the pigs in general.Napoleon was a tyrant. It is very likely Napoleon and the other pigs were conspiring to take over Animal Farm so that they could take advantage of the situation of having many animals at their disposal. Although, Napoleon played a very important role in the assault on the weak. Napoleon most likely was the originator of all the decisions that go against the morals of the animal society. He is the one that initiated the violation of established resolutions, and concealed it by altering the resolutions. What satisfied his pleasure is what took precedence over everything-the animals, honesty, commandments, etc. He gave himself the credit for every good thing, without any recognition to the other animals, such as the building of the windmill, and the victory of the Battle of the Windmill. In addition, he is the one that completely transformed the farm into the same or worse way it was in the hands of Man. He made the pigs mimic Man: adopted all its bad habits which were against the animals, with the exception of the pigs. The other pigs were also involved in taking advantage of the weak.The other aspect that was against the weak is that the pigs in general clearly took advantage of their leadership to exploit the other animals. This could be proven multiple times, starting from nearly the beginning of the story. Even when Snowball, a good guy, was still in the picture, this (exploitation) was happening by the pigs deceiving the other animals to hog all the apple crop. The pigs gave the other animals little food, while they lived a lavish lifestyle. They lied to the animals by telling them lies about their memories, and giving them false information for their own benefits such as, for example, equality in rations would be contrary to the principles of Animalism. They overworked the animals while they did not work laboriously, and used them for money.

Another Ernest Hemingway :: essays research papers

Many of Ernest Hemingway's books have had different meaning and all could be interpreted in different way, but there has never been so much written about his other stories. Well the Old Man and the Sea had more written about it than any of his other novels and there have never been so many different types of interpretations about his other novels. The Old Man and the Sea is a book in which can be interpreted in many different ways. Here you will read what many critics have composed about the story of a great writer, Ernest Hemingway. Many of the critics have the same outlook on the works of Hemingway. Hemingway's work The Old man and the Sea can be looked at in many different perspectives. All the critics believed that his styling of writing was very defined. In 1944 Ernest Hemingway went to Havana, Cuba and it was there he wrote a letter to Maxwell Perkins which states he has a idea on a new novel called The Old Man and the Sea ( Nelson and Jones 139). Hemingway first got his idea for The Old Man and the Sea from the stories that he had heard in the small fish cities in Cuba by a man named Carlos Gutierrez. He had known of this man for about twenty years and the stories of the fighting marlins. It was then that he imagined that man under the two circumstances and came up with the idea. After about twenty years of pondering on the story , he decided that he would start on the novel of The Old Man and the Sea. The story The Old Man and the Sea is about a old man named Santiago who has to over come the great forces of nature. Things seem to always go wrong for him because originally he started out going to fish for some dinner, then he caught the biggest marlin ever and it pulled him out in the bay of Cuba even more then he was. After he was pulled out, he hurt his hands and couldn't risk going to sleep because of the risk of sharks. When the sharks finally attacked he lost the marlin which had become a great part of him because he knew that no one would believe him when he told them the size of the marlin. This has to be one of the most memorable fights in a novel that I have ever seen, but I think that the way he put the novel together was just as good as that of the fight. When he put them together it was then

Le Theme de lUnite et de lHarmonie de lHomme chez Friedrich Schiller :: French Philosophical Paper

Le Theme de l'Unite et de l'Harmonie de l'Homme chez Friedrich Schiller ABSTRACT: This study demonstrates that Schiller's philosophical work is not limited only to the explanation of the artistic phenomenon as such, and that, for him, art represents the premise of philosophizing, of elaborating an original conception of the world and of humanity. I emphasize the way in which the poet and playwright uses art as a philosophical method with a view to penetrating meaning in the world and in life and to identifying a solution to the crisis confronted by modernity. In this context, based on the conviction that the historical and rationalistic methods are the only ones valid for human understanding and achievement, Schiller, due to his artistic genius and his beginning from Kant's ideas concerning the compatibility of the theoretical and the ethical by means of the aesthetic, advances a way of raising nature (the sensible) to the level of morality with the help of the artistic creation interpreted as a game. What radically distinguishes and confers originality on Schiller's versus Kant's conception is the modality of solving the problems of the relation between necessity and liberty, sensibility and intelligibility, and individuality and liberty, thus offering the image of a person able to aspire to resonance with the exactingness of the Great Time, when evolution may become self-evolution, and history transhistory. Friedrich Schiller n'est pas seulement un sommet de la litterature allemande, il est en meme temps un philosophe d'une profondeur et d'une originalite impressionant. Il ne "poetise" pas la philosophie, mais suit les exigences d'une pensee d'une rare rigueur theorique et methodologique. Son oeuvre philosophique est l'une des plus remarquables contributions dans la philosophie de l'art. Il faut mentionner pourtant que les recherches philosophiques du grand ecrivain ne se limitent pas a l'explication du phenomene artistique comme tel: l'art represente pour lui une premisse de l'activite de penser philosophiquement, de l'elaboration d'une conception du monde et de l'homme. Schiller est le penseur qui considere l'art comme l'instrument indispensable pour la comprehension du sens du monde et de la vie. C'est pour cela que, en analysant sont oeuvre philosophique, nous n'y decouvrons pas seulement un systeme esthetique interessant, mais nous penetrons dans un univers philosophique complexe, fonde sur des considerations d'ordre esthetique. On peut dire que, pour ce genial poete et dramaturge, l'esthetique n'est pas seulement un branche de la philosophie mais une veritable methode de celle-ci.

A study of Influence in Online Shopping Essay

Research Question: How online shopping influence purchasers buying decision? Research Objective: To investigate how online shopping might influence purchasers’ decision. ___________________________________________________________________________ Online shopping is the procedure of purchasing products and services from vendors over the Internet. In view of the fact of the emergence of the World Wide Web, merchants have wanted to market their products to potential purchasers who occupy their time on online. Purchasers are able to visit website stores from the amenity of their residences as well as shop as they take a seat in front of their electronics via online. Purchasers are able to purchase a massive assortment of products from online stores, plus just about anything are able to be purchased from companies that provide their products or services online. Clothing, reading materials, hardware, household appliances, toys, software, and health insurance are just a number of the thousands of products or services purchasers are able to purchase from an online store. Individuals are getting more contented upon the concept of online shopping. This may perhaps be endorsed to a variety of factors, for example, hectic modern lives, longer working hours, ability to look through products from the amenity of one’s home, as well as a wide range of alternatives are available.(Quinn,2013) Adding on, online review influences purchaser’s buying decision. From the reviews, purchasers are educated with the quality of the product, the rate of shipping, the efficiency of refundable or exchangeable term, the past customer’s review, the variety of options, the incoming of new product and last but not least, which most people are facing, the special size matter. According to the recent survey carried out by Dimensional Research, an overpowering 90% of respondents stated that buying decisions are influenced by positive online reviews. Despite the fact that, 86 % said negative online reviews influenced buying decisions. (Gesenhues, 2013). â€Å"Customers are firmly in the driving seat in today’s  rapidly changing retail landscape; with more choice and information at their fingertips than ever before. As retailers, we have to change with them and ensure we’re offering a more personalized, inspirational shopping experience which fits in with their busy lifestyles†, Laura Wade-Gery, the Executive Director E-Commerce Multi-channel of Marks & Spencer quoted. Furthermore, according to the researcher of marketingcharts.com in the year of 2013, one of the strongest influences that determine the purchasers’ buying decision are deals and discounts. According to the researcher of RetailMeNot.com, a survey carried out by Ipsos, 56% of US respondents stated that promotions on the products they are purchasing influences their judgements or decisions, meanwhile 51% takes in reviews , ratings or opinions of customers who have bought the same product as an influence on their purchase into account. Respondents were asked their preferences to shop online rather than shopping in store for the identical product, 47% of US respondents stated that they prefer to be able to weigh against costs at different retailers effortlessly, and an equivalent percentage stated that it is because they are able access stores that are far from them. However, 16% stated that it is because they find online shopping a rather pleasurable process and experience. â€Å"It’s now very clear: consumers prefer to shop through bits and bytes, with the majority of shopping behaviours and expectations shaped by online sources. To shift shoppers into buyers, retailers need to merge online and physical services to meet the demands of today’s digital shoppers†, Dick Cantwell, the Vice President and Global Lead, Retail of Cisco Internet Business Solutions Group quoted. Purchaser personalities that are important in understanding why purchasers online shopping consist of demographic aspects and characteristics. Four related demographic aspects which are age, sex, income and education have a moderating result on the affiliation among the three essential determinants â€Å"usages†, â€Å"convenience†, and â€Å"pleasurable† and purchasers’ approach towards online shopping. The inï ¬â€šuence of age is obvious throughout the detail that compared to elder purchasers, younger adults are more fascinated in using latest technologies, to know new products, explore for product details, and judge and weigh up alternatives. While a large number of purchasers that shops online, the study on what makes purchasers to shop online has naturally been patchy. The review explains that the approach towards online shopping and purpose to shop online are not only influenced by ease of use, usefulness, and enjoyment, as well as by aspects like purchasers’ personality, situational aspects, product quality, online shopping experiences, promotions, and online reviews. Bibliography â€Å"Eight Out of 10 Consumers Shop Through Bits and Bytes, According to Cisco Study.† Network. (2013): n. page. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. . Gesenhues, Amy. â€Å"Survey: 90% Of Customers Say Buying Decisions Are Influenced By Online Reviews.†Marketing Land. (2013): n. page. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. . â€Å"HOW SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCES PURCHASE DECISION WHEN BUYING ONLINE.†Sovedo. (2013): n. page. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. . Jusoh, Zuroni Md, and Hai Ling Goh. â€Å"FACTORS INFLUENCING CONSUMERS’ ATTITUDE TOWARDS E-COMMERCE PURCHASES THROUGH ONLINE SHOPPING.†International Journal of Humanities and Social Science. Vol. 2 No. 4. (2012): n. page. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. . Katawetawaraks, Chayapa, and Lu Wang Cheng. â€Å"Online Shopper Behavior: Influences of Online Shopping Decision.† Asian Journal of Business Research. Volume 1.Number 2 (2011): n. page. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. . KIM, JONGEUN. â€Å"UNDERSTANDING CONSUMERS’ ONLINE SHOPPING AND PURCHASING BEHAVIORS.† (1996): n. page. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. . Ruyter, Ko de, and TonËÅ"ita Perea y Monsuwe ´, Benedict G.C Dellaert. â€Å"What drives consumers to shop online?.† International Journal of Service Industry Management. Vol. 15 No. 1. (2004): pp. 102-121. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. . â€Å"Top Influence on Online Purchase Decisions? Deals and Discounts.† Marketing Charts. (2013): n. page. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. . Quinn, K.J. â€Å"Consumer research: How social media influences purchasing decisions.† Floor Covering News. Volume 27/Number 7. (2013): n. page. Print. . Veronika, SvatoÃ… ¡ovà ¡. â€Å"Motivation of Online Buyer Behavior.† Journal of Competitiveness. Vol. 5.Issue 3 (2013): pp. 14 – 30. Web. 27 Jan. 2014. .

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 25. Favor

It was only a little while later that Edward reminded me of my priorities. It took him just one word. â€Å"Renesmee†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I sighed. She would be awake soon. It must be nearly seven in the morning. Would she be looking for me? Abruptly, something close to panic had my body freezing up. What would she look like today? Edward felt the total distraction of my stress. â€Å"It's all right, love. Get dressed, and we'll be back to the house in two seconds.† I probably looked like a cartoon, the way I sprung up, then looked back at him – his diamond body faintly glinting in the diffuse light – then away to the west, where Renesmee waited, then back at him again, then back toward her, my head whipping from side to side a half dozen times in a second. Edward smiled, but didn't laugh; he was a strong man. â€Å"It's all about balance, love. You're so good at all of this, I don't imagine it will take too long to put everything in perspective.† â€Å"And we have all night, right?† He smiled wider. â€Å"Do you think I could bear to let you get dressed now if that weren't the case?† That would have to be enough to get me through the daylight hours. I would balance this overwhelming, devastating desire so that I could be a good – It was hard to think the word. Though Renesmee was very real and vital in my life, it was still difficult to think of myself as a mother. I supposed anyone would feel the same, though, without nine months to get used to the idea. And with a child that changed by the hour. The thought of Renesmee's speeding life had me stressed-out again in an instant. I didn't even pause at the ornately carved double doors to catch my breath before finding out what Alice had done. I just burst through, intent on wearing the first things I touched. I should have known it wouldn't be that easy. â€Å"Which ones are mine?† I hissed. As promised, the room was bigger than our bedroom. It might have been bigger than the rest of the house put together, but I'd have to pace it off to be positive. I had a brief mental flash of Alice trying to persuade Esme to ignore classic proportions and allow this monstrosity. I wondered how Alice had won that one. Everything was wrapped in garment bags, pristine and white, row after row after row. â€Å"To the best of my knowledge, everything but this rack here† – he touched a bar that stretched along the half-wall to the left of the door – â€Å"is yours.† â€Å"All of this?† He shrugged. â€Å"Alice,† we said together. He said her name like an explanation; I said it like an expletive. â€Å"Fine,† I muttered, and I pulled down the zipper on the closest bag. I growled under my breath when I saw the floorlength silk gown inside – baby pink. Finding something normal to wear could take all day! â€Å"Let me help,† Edward offered. He sniffed carefully at the air and then followed some scent to the back of the long room. There was a built-in dresser there. He sniffed again, then opened a drawer. With a triumphant grin, he held out a pair of artfully faded blue jeans. I flitted to his side. â€Å"How did you do that?† â€Å"Denim has its own scent just like anything else. Now†¦ stretch cotton?† He followed his nose to a half-rack, unearthing a long-sleeved white t-shirt. He tossed it to me. â€Å"Thanks,† I said fervently. I inhaled each fabric, memorizing the scent for future searches through this madhouse. I remembered silk and satin; I would avoid those. It only took him seconds to find his own clothes – if I hadn't seen him undressed, I would have sworn there was nothing more beautiful than Edward in his khakis and pale beige pullover – and then he took my hand. We darted through the hidden garden, leaped lightly over the stone wall, and hit the forest at a dead sprint. I pulled my hand free so that we could race back. He beat me this time. Renesmee was awake; she was sitting up on the floor with Rose and Emmett hovering over her, playing with a little pile of twisted silverware. She had a mangled spoon in her right hand. As soon as she spied me through the glass, she chucked the spoon on the floor – where it left a divot in the wood – and pointed in my direction imperiously. Her audience laughed; Alice, Jasper, Esme, and Carlisle were sitting on the couch, watching her as if she were the most engrossing film. I was through the door before their laughter had barely begun, bounding across the room and scooping her up from the floor in the same second. We smiled widely at each other. She was different, but not so much. A little longer again, her proportions drifting from babyish to childlike. Her hair was longer by a quarter inch, the curls bouncing like springs with every movement. I'd let my imagination run wild on the trip back, and I'd imagined worse than this. Thanks to my overdone fears, these little changes were almost a relief. Even without Carlisle's measurements, I was sure the changes were slower than yesterday. Renesmee patted my cheek. I winced. She was hungry again. â€Å"How long has she been up?† I asked as Edward disappeared through the kitchen doorway. I was sure he was on his way to get her breakfast, having seen what she'd just thought as clearly as I had. I wondered if he would ever have noticed her little quirk, if he'd been the only one to know her. To him, it probably would have seemed like hearing anyone. â€Å"Just a few minutes,† Rose said. â€Å"We would have called you soon. She's been asking for you – demandingmight be a better description. Esme sacrificed her second-best silver service to keep the little monster entertained.† Rose smiled at Renesmee with so much gloating affection that the criticism was entirely weightless. â€Å"We didn't want to†¦ er, bother you.† Rosalie bit her lip and looked away, trying not to laugh. I could feel Emmett's silent laughter behind me, sending vibrations through the foundations of the house. I kept my chin high. â€Å"We'll get your room set up right away,† I said to Renesmee. â€Å"You'll like the cottage. It's magic.† I look up at Esme. â€Å"Thank you, Esme. So much. It's absolutely perfect.† Before Esme could respond, Emmett was laughing again – it wasn't silent this time. â€Å"So it's still standing?† he managed to get out between his snickers. â€Å"I would've thought you two had knocked it to rubble by now. What were you doing last night? Discussing the national debt?† He howled with laughter. I gritted my teeth and reminded myself of the negative consequences when I'd let my temper get away from me yesterday. Of course, Emmett wasn't as breakable as Seth___ Thinking of Seth made me wonder. â€Å"Where're the wolves today?† I glanced out the window wall, but there had been no sign of Leah on the way in. â€Å"Jacob took off this morning pretty early,† Rosalie told me, a little frown creasing her forehead. â€Å"Seth followed him out.† â€Å"What was he so upset about?† Edward asked as he came back into the room with Renesmee's cup. There must have been more in Rosalie's memory than I'd seen in her expression. Without breathing, I handed Renesmee off to Rosalie. Super-self-control, maybe, but there was no way I was going to be able to feed her. Not yet. â€Å"I don't know – or care,† Rosalie grumbled, but she answered Edward's question more fully. â€Å"He was watching Nessie sleep, his mouth hanging open like the moron he is, and then he just jumped to his feet without any kind of trigger – that I noticed, anyway – and stormed out. was glad to be rid of him. The more time he spends here, the less chance there is that we'll ever get the smell out.† â€Å"Rose,† Esme chided gently. Rosalie flipped her hair. â€Å"I suppose it doesn't matter. We won't be here that much longer.† â€Å"I still say we should go straight to New Hampshire and get things set up,† Emmett said, obviously continuing an earlier conversation. â€Å"Bella's already registered at Dartmouth. Doesn't look like it will take her all that long to be able to handle school.† He turned to look at me with a teasing grin. Tm sure you'll ace your classes†¦ apparently there's nothing interesting for you to do at night besides study.† Rosalie giggled. Do not lose your temper, do not lose your temper,I chanted to myself. And then I was proud of myself for keeping my head. So I was pretty surprised that Edward didn't. He growled – an abrupt, shocking rasp of sound – and the blackest fury rolled across his expression like storm clouds. Before any of us could respond, Alice was on her feet. â€Å"What is he doing? What is that dog doing that has erased my schedule for the entire day? I can't see anything] No!† She shot me a tortured glance. â€Å"Look at you! You neec/meto show you how to use your closet.† For one second I was grateful for whatever Jacob was up to. And then Edward's hands balled up into fists and he snarled, â€Å"He talked to Charlie. He thinks Charlie is following after him. Coming here. Today.† Alice said a word that sounded very odd in her trilling, ladylike voice, and then she blurred into motion, streaking out the backdoor. â€Å"He told Charlie?† I gasped. â€Å"But – doesn't he understand? How could he do that?† Charlie couldn't know about me! About vampires! That would put him on a hit list that even the Cullens couldn't save him from. â€Å"No!† Edward spoke through his teeth. â€Å"Jacob's on his way in now.† It must have started raining farther east. Jacob came through the door shaking his wet hair like a dog, flipping droplets on the carpet and the couch where they made little round gray spots on the white. His teeth glinted against his dark lips; his eyes were bright and excited. He walked with jerky movements, like he was all hyped-up about destroying my father's life. â€Å"Hey, guys,† he greeted us, grinning. It was perfectly silent. Leah and Seth slipped in behind him, in their human forms – for now; both of their hands were trembling with the tension in the room. â€Å"Rose,† I said, holding my arms out. Wordlessly, Rosalie handed me Renesmee. I pressed her close to my motionless heart, holding her like a talisman against rash behavior. I would keep her in my arms until I was sure my decision to kill Jacob was based entirely on rational judgment rather than fury. She was very still, watching and listening. How much did she understand? â€Å"Charlie'll be here soon,† Jacob said to me casually. â€Å"Just a heads-up. I assume Alice is getting you sunglasses or something?† â€Å"You assume way too much,† I spit through my teeth. â€Å"What. Have. You. Done?† Jacob's smile wavered, but he was still too wound up to answer seriously. â€Å"Biondie and Emmett woke me up this morning going on and on about you all moving cross-country. Like I could let you leave. Charlie was the biggest issue there, right? Well, problem solved.'7 â€Å"Do you even realize what you've done? The danger you've put him in?† He snorted. â€Å"I didn't put him in danger. Except from you. But you've got some kind of supernatural self-control, right? Not as good as mind reading, if you ask me. Much less exciting.† Edward moved then, darting across the room to get in Jacob's face. Though he was half a head shorter than Jacob, Jacob leaned away from his staggering anger as if Edward towered over him. â€Å"That's just a theory, mongrel,† he snarled. â€Å"You think we should test it out on Charlie? Did you consider the physical pain you're putting Bella through, even if she can resist? Or the emotional pain if she doesn't? I suppose what happens to Bella no longer concerns you!† He spit the last word. Renesmee pressed her fingers anxiously to my cheek, anxiety coloring the replay in her head. Edward's words finally cut through Jacob's strangely electric mood. His mouth dropped into a frown. â€Å"Bella will be in pain?† â€Å"Like you've shoved a white-hot branding iron down her throat!† I flinched, remembering the scent of pure human blood. â€Å"I didn't know that,† Jacob whispered. â€Å"Then perhaps you should have asked first,† Edward growled back through his teeth. â€Å"You would have stopped me.† â€Å"You should have been stopped – â€Å" â€Å"This isn't about me,† I interrupted. I stood very still, keeping my hold on Renesmee and sanity. â€Å"This is about Charlie, Jacob. How could you put him in danger this way? Do you realize it's death or vampire life for him now, too?† My voice trembled with the tears my eyes could no longer shed. Jacob was still troubled by Edward's accusations, but mine didn't seem to bother him. â€Å"Relax, Bella. I didn't tell him anything you weren't planning to tell him.† â€Å"But he's coming here!† â€Å"Yeah, that's the idea. Wasn't the whole let him make the wrong assumptions' thing your plan? I think I provided a very nice red herring, if I do say so myself.† My fingers flexed away from Renesmee. I curled them back in securely. â€Å"Say it straight, Jacob. I don't have the patience for this.† â€Å"I didn't tell him anything about you, Bella. Not really. I told him about me. Well, show is probably a better verb.† â€Å"He phased in front of Charlie,† Edward hissed. I whispered, â€Å"You what?† â€Å"He's brave. Brave as you are. Didn't pass out or throw up or anything. I gotta say, I was impressed. You should've seen his face when I started taking my clothes off, though. Priceless,† Jacob chortled. â€Å"You absolute moronl You could have given him a heart attack!† â€Å"Charlie's fine. He's tough. If you'd give this just a minute, you'll see that I did you a favor here.† â€Å"You have half of that, Jacob.† My voice was flat and steely. â€Å"You have thirty seconds to tell me every single word before I give Renesmee to Rosalie and rip your miserable head off. Seth won't be able to stop me this time.† â€Å"Jeez, Bells. You didn't used to be so melodramatic. Is that a vampire thing?† â€Å"Twenty-six seconds.† Jacob rolled his eyes and flopped into the nearest chair. His little pack moved to stand on his flanks, not at all relaxed the way he seemed to be; Leah's eyes were on me, her teeth slightly bared. â€Å"So I knocked on Charlie's door this morning and asked him to come for a walk with me. He was confused, but when I told him it was about you and that you were back in town, he followed me out to the woods. I told him you weren't sick anymore, and that things were a little weird, but good. He was about to take off to see you, but I told him I had to show him something first. And then I phased.† Jacob shrugged. My teeth felt like a vise was pushing them together. â€Å"I want every word, you monster.† â€Å"Well, you said I only had thirty seconds – okay, okay.† My expression must have convinced him that I wasn't in the mood for teasing. â€Å"Lemme see†¦ I phased back and got dressed, and then after he started breathing again, I said something like, ‘Charlie, you don't live in the world you thought you lived in. The good news is, nothing has changed – except that now you know. Life'll go on the same way it always has. You can go right back to pretending that you don't believe any of this.' â€Å"It took him a minute to get his head together, and then he wanted to know what was really going on with you, with the whole rare-disease thing. I told him that you had been sick, but you were fine now – it was just that you'd had to change a little bit in the process of getting better. He wanted to know what I meant by ‘change,' and I told him that you looked a lot more like Esme now than you looked like Renee.† Edward hissed while I stared in horror; this was headed in a dangerous direction. â€Å"After a few minutes, he asked, real quietly, if you turned into an animal, too. And I said, ‘She wishes she was that cool!'† Jacob chuckled. Rosalie made a noise of disgust. â€Å"I started to tell him more about werewolves, but I didn't even get the whole word out – Charlie cut me off and said he'd ‘rather not know the specifics.' Then he asked if you'd known what you were getting yourself into when you married Edward, and I said, ‘Sure, she's known all about this for years, since she first came to Forks.' He didn't like that very much. I let him rant till he got it out of his system. After he got calmed down, he just wanted two things. He wanted to see you, and I said it would be better if he gave me a head start to explain.† I inhaled deeply. â€Å"What was the other thing he wanted?† Jacob smiled. â€Å"You'll like this. His main request is that he be told as little as possible about all of this. If it's not absolutely essential for him to know something, then keep it to yourself. Need to know, only.† I felt relief for the first time since Jacob had walked in. â€Å"I can handle that part.† â€Å"Other than that, he'd just like to pretend things are normal.† Jacob's smile turned smug; he must suspect that I would be starting to feel the first faint stirrings of gratitude about now. â€Å"What did you tell him about Renesmee?† I struggled to maintain the razor edge in my voice, fighting the reluctant appreciation. It was premature. There was still so much wrong with this situation. Even if Jacob's intervention had brought out a better reaction in Charlie than I'd ever hoped for†¦ â€Å"Oh yeah. So I told him that you and Edward had inherited a new little mouth to feed.† He glanced at Edward. â€Å"She's your orphaned ward – like Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson.† Jacob snorted. â€Å"I didn't think you'd mind me lying. That's all part of the game, right?† Edward didn't respond in any way, so Jacob went on. â€Å"Charlie was way past being shocked at this point, but he did ask if you were adopting her. ‘Like a daughter? Like I'm sort of a grandfather?' were his exact words. I told him yes. ‘Congrats, Gramps, and all of that. He even smiled a little.† The stinging returned to my eyes, but not out of fear or anguish this time. Charlie was smiling at the idea of being a grandpa? Charlie would meet Renesmee? â€Å"But she's changing so fast,† I whispered. â€Å"I told him that she was more special than all of us put together,† Jacob said in a soft voice. He stood and walked right up to me, waving Leah and Seth off when they started to follow. Renesmee reached out to him, but I hugged her more tightly to me. â€Å"I told him, Trust me, you don't want to know about this. But if you can ignore all the strange parts, you're going to be amazed. She's the most wonderful person in the whole world.' And then I told him that if he could deal with that, you all would stick around for a while and he would have a chance to get to know her. But that if it was too much for him, you would leave. He said as long as no one forced too much information on him, he'd deal.† Jacob stared at me with half a smile, waiting. â€Å"I'm not going to say thank you,† I told him. â€Å"You're still putting Charlie at a huge risk.† â€Å"I am sorry about it hurting you. I didn't know it was like that. Bella, things are different with us now, but you'll always be my best friend, and I'll always love you. But I'll love you the right way now. There's finally a balance. We both have people we can't live without.† He smiled his very most Jacob-y smile. â€Å"Still friends?† Try as hard as I could to resist, I had to smile back. Just a tiny smile. He held out his hand: an offer. I took a deep breath and shifted Renesmee's weight to one arm. I put my left hand in his – he didn't even flinch at the feel of my cool skin. â€Å"If I don't kill Charlie tonight, I'll consider forgiving you for this.† â€Å"Whenyou don't kill Charlie tonight, you'll owe me huge.† I rolled my eyes. He held out his other hand toward Renesmee, a request this time. â€Å"Can I?† â€Å"I'm actually holding her so that my hands aren't free to kill you, Jacob. Maybe later.† He sighed but didn't push me on it. Wise of him. Alice raced back through the door then, her hands full and her expression promising violence. â€Å"You, you, and you,† she snapped, glaring at the werewolves. â€Å"If you must stay, get over in the corner and commit to being there for a while. I need to see. Bella, you'd better give him the baby, too. You'll need your arms free, anyway.† Jacob grinned in triumph. Undiluted fear ripped through my stomach as the enormity of what I was about to do hit me. I was going to gamble on my iffy self-control with my pure human father as the guinea pig. Edward's earlier words crashed in my ears again. Did you consider the physical pain you're putting Bella through, even if she can resist? Or the emotional pain if she doesn't? I couldn't imagine the pain of failure. My breathing turned to gasps. â€Å"Take her,† I whispered, sliding Renesmee into Jacob's arms. He nodded, concern wrinkling his forehead. He gestured to the others, and they all went to the far corner of the room. Seth and Jake slouched on the floor at once, but Leah shook her head and pursed her lips. â€Å"Am I allowed to leave?† she griped. She looked uncomfortable in her human body, wearing the same dirty t-shirt and cotton shorts she'd worn to shriek at me the other day, her short hair sticking up in irregular tufts. Her hands were still shaking. â€Å"Of course,† Jake said. â€Å"Stay east so you don't cross Charlie's path,† Alice added. Leah didn't look at Alice; she ducked out the back door and stomped into the bushes to phase. Edward was back at my side, stroking my face. â€Å"You can do this. I know you can. Ill help you; we all will.† I met Edward's eyes with panic screaming from my face. Was he strong enough to stop me if I made a wrong move? â€Å"If I didn't believe you could handle it, we'd disappear today. This very minute. But you can. And you'll be happier if you can have Charlie in your life.† I tried to slow my breathing. Alice held out her hand. There was a small white box on her palm. â€Å"These will irritate your eyes – they won't hurt, but they'll cloud your vision. It's annoying. They also won't match your old color, but it's still better than bright red, right?† She flipped the contact box into the air and I caught it. â€Å"When did you – â€Å" â€Å"Before you left on the honeymoon. I was prepared for several possible futures.† I nodded and opened the container. I'd never worn contacts before, but it couldn't be that hard. I took the little brown quarter-sphere and pressed it, concave side in, to my eye. I blinked, and a film interrupted my sight. I could see through it, of course, but I could also see the texture of the thin screen. My eye kept focusing on the microscopic scratches and warped sections. â€Å"I see what you mean,† I murmured as I stuck the other one in. I tried to not blink this time. My eye automatically wanted to dislodge the obstruction. â€Å"How do I look?† Edward smiled. â€Å"Gorgeous. Of course – â€Å" â€Å"Yes, yes, she always looks gorgeous,† Alice finished his thought impatiently. â€Å"It's better than red, but that's the highest commendation I can give. Muddy brown. Your brown was much prettier. Keep in mind that those won't last forever – the venom in your eyes will dissolve them in a few hours. So if Charlie stays longer than that, you'll have to excuse yourself to replace them. Which is a good idea anyway, because humans need bathroom breaks.† She shook her head. â€Å"Esme, give her a few pointers on acting human while I stock the powder room with contacts.† â€Å"How long do I have?† â€Å"Charlie will be here in five minutes. Keep it simple.† Esme nodded once and came to take my hand. â€Å"The main thing is not to sit too still or move too fast,† she told me. â€Å"Sit down if he does,† Emmett interjected. â€Å"Humans don't like to just stand there.† â€Å"Let your eyes wander every thirty seconds or so,† Jasper added. â€Å"Humans don't stare at one thing for too long.† â€Å"Cross your legs for about five minutes, then switch to crossing your ankles for the next five,† Rosalie said. I nodded once at each suggestion. I'd noticed them doing some of these things yesterday. I thought I could mimic their actions. â€Å"And blink at least three times a minute,† Emmett said. He frowned, then darted to where the television remote sat on the end table. He flipped the TV on to a college football game and nodded to himself. â€Å"Move your hands, too. Brush your hair back or pretend to scratch something,† Jasper said. â€Å"I said Esme† Alice complained as she returned. â€Å"You'll overwhelm her.† â€Å"No, I think I got it all,† I said. â€Å"Sit, look around, blink, fidget.† â€Å"Right,† Esme approved. She hugged my shoulders. Jasper frowned. â€Å"You'll be holding your breath as much as possible, but you need to move your shoulders a little to make it /oo/clike you're breathing.† I inhaled once and then nodded again. Edward hugged me on my free side. â€Å"You can do this,† he repeated, murmuring the encouragement in my ear. â€Å"Two minutes,† Alice said. â€Å"Maybe you should start out already on the couch. You've been sick, after all. That way he won't have to see you move right at first.† Alice pulled me to the sofa. I tried to move slowly, to make my limbs more clumsy. She rolled her eyes, so I must not have been doing a good job. â€Å"Jacob, I need Renesmee,† I said. Jacob frowned, unmoving. Alice shook her head. â€Å"Bella, that doesn't help me see.† â€Å"But I need her. She keeps me calm.'7The edge of panic in my voice was unmistakable. â€Å"Fine,† Alice groaned. â€Å"Hold her as still as you can and I'll try to see around her.† She sighed wearily, like she'd been asked to work overtime on a holiday. Jacob sighed, too, but brought Renesmee to me, and then retreated quickly from Alice's glare. Edward took a seat beside me and put his arms around Renesmee and me. He leaned forward and looked Renesmee very seriously in the eyes. â€Å"Renesmee, someone special is coming to see you and your mother,† he said in a solemn voice, as if he expected her to understand every word. Did she? She looked back at him with clear, grave eyes. â€Å"But he's not like us, or even like Jacob. We have to be very careful with him. You shouldn't tell him things the way you tell us.† Renesmee touched his face. â€Å"Exactly,† he said. â€Å"And he's going to make you thirsty. But you mustn't bite him. He won't heal like Jacob.† â€Å"Can she understand you?† I whispered. â€Å"She understands. You'll be careful, won't you, Renesmee? You'll help us?† Renesmee touched him again. â€Å"No, I don't care if you bite Jacob. That's fine.† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"Maybe you should leave, Jacob,† Edward said coldly, glaring in his direction. Edward hadn't forgiven Jacob, because he knew that no matter what happened now, I was going to be hurting. But I'd take the burn happily if that were the worst thing I'd face tonight. â€Å"I told Charlie I'd be here,† Jacob said. â€Å"He needs the moral support.† â€Å"Moral support,† Edward scoffed. â€Å"As far as Charlie knows, you're the most repulsive monster of us all.† â€Å"Repulsive?† Jake protested, and then he laughed quietly to himself. I heard the tires turn off the highway onto the quiet, damp earth of the Cullens' drive, and my breathing spiked again. My heart ought to have been hammering. It made me anxious that my body didn't have the right reactions. I concentrated on the steady thrumming of Renesmee's heart to calm myself. It worked pretty quickly. â€Å"Well done, Bella,† Jasper whispered in approval. Edward tightened his arm over my shoulders. â€Å"You're sure?† I asked him. â€Å"Positive. You can do anything† He smiled and kissed me. It wasn't precisely a peck on the lips, and my wild vampiric reactions took me off guard yet again. Edward's lips were like a shot of some addictive chemical straight into my nervous system. I was instantly craving more. It took all my concentration to remember the baby in my arms. Jasper felt my mood change. â€Å"Er, Edward, you might not want to distract her like that right now. She needs to be able to focus.† Edward pulled away. â€Å"Oops,† he said. I laughed. That had been my line from the very beginning, from the very first kiss. â€Å"Later,† I said, and anticipation curled my stomach into a ball. â€Å"Focus, Bella,† Jasper urged. â€Å"Right.† i pushed the trembly feelings away. Charlie, that was the main thing now. Keep Charlie safe today. We would have all night___ â€Å"Bella.† â€Å"Sorry, Jasper.† Emmett laughed. The sound of Charlie's cruiser got closer and closer. The second of levity passed, and everyone was still. I crossed my legs and practiced my blinks. The car pulled in front of the house and idled for a few seconds. I wondered if Charlie was as nervous as I was. Then the engine cut off, and a door slammed. Three steps across the grass, and then eight echoing thuds against the wooden stairs. Four more echoing footsteps across the porch. Then silence. Charlie took two deep breaths. Knock, knock, knock. I inhaled for what might be the last time. Renesmee nestled deeper into my arms, hiding her face in my hair. Carlisle answered the door. His stressed expression changed to one of welcome, like switching the channel on the TV. â€Å"Hello, Charlie,† he said, looking appropriately abashed. After all, we were supposed to be in Atlanta at the Center for Disease Control. Charlie knew he'd been lied to. â€Å"Carlisle,† Charlie greeted him stiffly. â€Å"Where's Bella?† â€Å"Right here, Dad.† Ugh! My voice was so wrong. Plus, I'd used up some of my air supply. I gulped in a quick refill, glad that Charlie's scent had not saturated the room yet. Charlie's blank expression told me how off my voice was. His eyes zeroed in on me and widened. I read the emotions as they scrolled across his face. Shock. Disbelief. Pain. Loss. Fear. Anger. Suspicion. More pain. I bit my lip. It felt funny. My new teeth were sharper against my granite skin than my human teeth had been against my soft human lips. â€Å"Is that you, Bella?† he whispered. â€Å"Yep.† I winced at my wind-chime voice. â€Å"Hi, Dad.† He took a deep breath to steady himself. â€Å"Hey, Charlie,† Jacob greeted him from the corner. â€Å"How're things?† Charlie glowered at Jacob once, shuddered at a memory, and then stared at me again. Slowly, Charlie walked across the room until he was a few feet away from me. He darted an accusing glare at Edward, and then his eyes flickered back to me. The warmth of his body heat beat against me with each pulse of his heart. â€Å"Bella?† heasked again. I spoke in a lower voice, trying to keep the ring out of it.†It's really me.† His jaw locked. â€Å"I'm sorry, Dad,† I said. â€Å"Are you okay?† he demanded. â€Å"Really and truly great,† I promised. â€Å"Healthy as a horse.† That was it for my oxygen. â€Å"Jake told me this was†¦ necessary. That you were dying.† He said the words like he didn't believe them one bit. I steeled myself, focused on Renesmee's warm weight, leaned into Edward for support, and took a deep breath. Charlie's scent was a fistful of flames, punching straight down my throat. But it was so much more than pain. It was a hot stabbing of desire, too. Charlie smelled more delicious than anything I'd ever imagined. As appealing as the anonymous hikers had been on the hunt, Charlie was doubly tempting. And he was just a few feet away, leaking mouthwatering heat and moisture into the dry air. But I wasn't hunting now. And this was my father. Edward squeezed my shoulders sympathetically, and Jacob shot an apologetic glance at me across the room. I tried to collect myself and ignore the pain and longing of the thirst. Charlie was waiting for my answer. â€Å"Jacob was telling you the truth.† â€Å"That makes one of you,† Charlie growled. I hoped Charlie could see past the changes in my new face to read the remorse there. Under my hair, Renesmee sniffed as Charlie's scent registered with her, too. I tightened my grip on her. Charlie saw my anxious glance down and followed it. â€Å"Oh,† he said, and all the anger fell off his face, leaving only shock behind. â€Å"This is her. The orphan Jacob said you're adopting.† â€Å"My niece,† Edward lied smoothly. He must have decided that the resemblance between Renesmee and him was too pronounced to be ignored. Best to claim they were related from the beginning. â€Å"I thought you'd lost your family,† Charlie said, accusation returning to his voice. â€Å"I lost my parents. My older brother was adopted, like me. I never saw him after that. But the courts located me when he and his wife died in a car accident, leaving their only child without any other family.† Edward was so good at this. His voice was even, with just the right amount of innocence. I needed practice so that I could do that. Renesmee peeked out from under my hair, sniffing again. She glanced shyly at Charlie from under her long lashes, then hid again. â€Å"She's†¦ she's,well, she's a beauty.† â€Å"Yes,† Edward agreed. â€Å"Kind of a big responsibility, though. You two are just getting started.† â€Å"What else could we do?† Edward brushed his fingers lightly over her cheek. I saw him touch her lips for just a moment – a reminder. â€Å"Would you have refused her?† â€Å"Hmph. Well.† Heshook his head absently. â€Å"Jake says you call her Nessie?† â€Å"No, we don't,† I said, my voice too sharp and piercing. â€Å"Her name is Renesmee.† Charlie refocused on me. â€Å"How do you feel about this? Maybe Carlisle and Esme could – â€Å" â€Å"She's mine,† I interrupted. â€Å"I want her.† Charlie frowned. â€Å"You gonna make me a grandpa so young?† Edward smiled. â€Å"Carlisle is a grandfather, too.† Charlie shot an incredulous glance at Carlisle, still standing by the front door; he looked like Zeus's younger, better-looking brother. Charlie snorted and then laughed. â€Å"I guess that does sort of make me feel better.†His eyes strayed back to Renesmee. â€Å"She sure is something to look at.† His warm breath blew lightly across the space between us. Renesmee leaned toward the smell, shaking off my hair and looking him full in the face for the first time. Charlie gasped. I knew what he was seeing. My eyes – his eyes – copied exactly into her perfect face. Charlie started hyperventilating. His lips trembled, and I could read the numbers he mouthed. He was counting backward, trying to fit nine months into one. Trying to put it together but not able to force the evidence right in front of him to make any sense. Jacob got up and came over to pat Charlie on the back. He leaned in to whisper something in Charlie's ear; only Charlie didn't know we could all hear. â€Å"Need to know, Charlie. It's okay. I promise.† Charlie swallowed and nodded. And then his eyes blazed as he took a step closer to Edward with his fists tightly clenched. â€Å"I don't want to know everything, but I'm done with the lies!† â€Å"I'm sorry,† Edward said calmly, â€Å"but you need to know the public story more than you need to know the truth. If you're going to be part of this secret, the public story is the one that counts. It's to protect Bella and Renesmee as well as the rest of us. Can you go along with the lies for them?† The room wasfull of statues. I crossed my ankles. Charlie huffed once and then turned his glare on me. â€Å"You might've given me some warning, kid.† â€Å"Would it really have made this any easier?† He frowned, and then he knelt on the floor in front of me. I could see the movement of the blood in his neck under his skin. I could feel the warm vibration of it. So could Renesmee. She smiled and reached one pink palm out to him. I held her back. She pushed her other hand against my neck, thirst, curiosity, and Charlie's face in her thoughts. There was a subtle edge to the message that made me think that she'd understood Edward's words perfectly; she acknowledged thirst, but overrode it in the same thought. â€Å"Whoa,† Charlie gasped, his eyes on her perfect teeth. â€Å"How old is she?† â€Å"Urn†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Three months,† Edward said, and then added slowly, â€Å"rather, she's the size of a three-month-old, more or less. She's younger in some ways, more mature in others.† Very deliberately, Renesmee waved at him. Charlie blinked spastically. Jacob elbowed him. â€Å"Told you she was special, didn't I?† Charlie cringed away from the contact. â€Å"Oh, c'mon, Charlie,† Jacob groaned. â€Å"I'm the same person I've always been. Just pretend this afternoon didn't happen.† The reminder made Charlie's lips go white, but he nodded once. â€Å"Just what is your part in all this, Jake?† he asked. â€Å"How much does Billy know? Why are you here?† He looked at Jacob's face, which was glowing as he stared at Renesmee. â€Å"Well, I could tell you all about it – Billy knows absolutely everything – but it involves a lot of stuff about werewo – â€Å" â€Å"Ungh!† Charlie protested, covering his ears. â€Å"Never mind.† Jacob grinned. â€Å"Everything's going to be great, Charlie. Just try to not believe anything you see.† My dad mumbled something unintelligible. â€Å"Woo!† Emmett suddenly boomed in his deep bass. â€Å"Go Gators!† Jacob and Charlie jumped. The rest of us froze. Charlie recovered, then looked at Emmett over his shoulder. â€Å"Florida winning?† â€Å"Just scored the first touchdown,† Emmett confirmed. He shot a look in my direction, wagging his eyebrows like a villain in vaudeville. â€Å"‘Bout time somebody scored around here.† I fought back a hiss. In front of Charlie? That was over the line. But Charlie was beyond noticing innuendos. He took yet another deep breath, sucking the air in like he was trying to pull it down to his toes. I envied him. He lurched to his feet, stepped around Jacob, and half-fell into an open chair. â€Å"Well,† he sighed, â€Å"I guess we should see if they can hold on to the lead.†