Essay On Science Science Essay Topics Science Essay Topic Computer Science Essay
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
War On Terror Vs. Health Insurance - 1867 Words
War on Terror vs. Health Insurance Paul Framer said, ââ¬Å"The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world.â⬠Judging by what has happening in the world, between the war on terror and corrupt health care system, Framer statement has never been more right. Since when did it become executable to determine which lives matter more based on how they die and how they live. The emphasize has been placed on the lives that were taken from us due to the 9/11 attacks, yet since them over half-million Americans have died due to too little or no access to health insurance and we have yet to start a war on health insurance. On September 11th, 2001, the United States became a state of terror. The country would be forever changed. Over 3,000 people died that day, but how many have died since then due to lack of access to health care. The number of death is over ten times that amount. Do their lives matter more because they died from something they have control over? Brave men and women gave their lives to save the victims of 9/11 and other innocent people died, yet we give our attention to the cruel people who took their lives. We give more attention to the ââ¬Ëbad guysââ¬â¢ than we do the ââ¬Ëgood guysââ¬â¢ and we do not give any attention to people who are suffering because they have little or no access to health care. It is evident that we are fighting a war on terror. Since 9/11, our nation has taken precautions to insure our safety. We have sent thousands ofShow MoreRelatedBarack Obama s Presidential Election981 Words à |à 4 Pagesof creating equality, prioritizing diplomacy over war, challenging corporate greed, generating jobs for rising unemployed, and reforming healthcare to provide coverage for all citizens. (creating equality) The presidential election of Barack Obama is easily one of the most momentous events in the history of U.S. racial relations. It was certainly a progressive milestone added to the history books along with the Emancipation Proclamation, Brown vs. Board of Education, the Civil Rights Act of 1964Read More Research Paper: Elections 2008 - Barack Obama2125 Words à |à 9 Pagesis facing various hardships such as struggling economy, poor health care, two wars, pollution, excessive relying on exported oil and illegal immigration. Both Barack Obama and John McCain expressed in the campaigns their points of views and possible solutions for these problems. Obama, the candidate from the Democratic Party, proposed answers on improvements on situation in the United States. One of the major issues nowadays is the health care. There are many reasons why it is so controversial andRead MoreThe World Trade Center Building1375 Words à |à 6 PagesSurvivorââ¬â¢s Story). Stories like these are a dime a dozen, although many were not as lucky as Roz. The attack on September 11th, 2001 forever changed the lives of many and the consequences had a radical effect on all aspects of life including politics, health, and discrimination acts. The September 11th incident itself consisted of the hijacking of four flights. American Airlines flight 11 was set to depart from Boston to Los Angeles at 8:00 a.m. The hijackers used knives to stab some of the flight attendantsRead MoreIndividual Privacy vs National Security5833 Words à |à 24 PagesIndividual Privacy VS National Security John Williams ENG 122: GSE 1244A Instructor: Ebony Gibson November 1, 2012 Individual Privacy VS National Security Introduction Since the terrorist attack of 9/11, America has been in a high level conflict with terrorist around the world, particularly the group known as Al Qaeda. There has been many discussions within the U.S. Congress about the measures of how to effectively combat this organization and their members, here and abroad. ConsequentlyRead MoreLegacy Of The Great Society : The National Endowment For The Arts2643 Words à |à 11 PagesAmerican majorityâ⬠(p. 27). Some saw support for new styles of art as a form of censorship against more traditional styles. Others questioned the need for government support of the arts at all. One Representative reminded his colleagues that the Vietnam War was on, and ââ¬Å"We cannot have guns and butter. And this is guns with strawberry shortcake covered with whipped cream and a cherry on topâ⬠(p. 28). Nevertheless, appropriations were granted. As LBJââ¬â¢s presidency came to an end it highlighted the need forRead MoreCaterpillar Company Analysis Essay4206 Words à |à 17 PagesCaterpillar engines and remanufacturing services for other companies. The third business segment is Financial Products. This segment contains two major subsidiaries called CAT Financial Services, which sells financial products, and CAT Insurance Holdings, which provides insurance on Caterpillarââ¬â¢s machines and engines (CAT 10K, 2011). Competitive Environment Caterpillar faces different types of competition from various companies in each of their three major lines of business. The competitive environmentRead MoreHuman Nature And Human Diversity2568 Words à |à 11 Pagesâ⬠(Harris 45) In a visit to the Holy Land, Dawkins had first hand experience in seeing the religious divide between Islam and Judaism. (The Root of All Evil- The God Delusion) Hitchens agrees that as a product of faith, religious hatred has waged a war between otherwise good people. ââ¬Å"But faith is still the mother of hatred here, as it is wherever people define their moral identities in religious terms.â⬠(Hitchens 30) Dawkins also speaks on Jerusalemââ¬â¢s Old City where he witnessed the role of faithRead MoreIb History Rise of the Single State Parties6245 Words à |à 25 Pageslist and connect each source to the question, also include own knowledge Question 4 - Mini Essay Timeline -Paris Peace Conference 01/25/1919 ââ" Wilsonââ¬â¢s 14 points 01/08/1918 ââ"â¹ self determination ââ" Germany accepted 14 points on 10/23/1918 ââ" World War I armistice 11/11/1918 ââ" Delegations ââ"â¹ Woodrow Wilson (US) - neutral, wanted to make peace, reductions of arms, no secret diplomacy ââ"â¹ Georges Clemenceau (France) - hated Germany ââ"â¹ David Lloyd George (GB) - allow Germany to recover the trade route ââ"â¹Read MoreMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words à |à 702 Pagesinsights, we can also learn from successes and find nuggets by comparing the unsuccessful with the successful. With the addition of Google and Starbucks, we have moved Entrepreneurial Adventures up to the front of the book. We have continued Marketing Wars, which many of you recommended, and reinstated Comebacks of firms iii iv â⬠¢ Preface rising from adversity. I have also brought back Ethical Mistakes, because I believe that organizations more than ever need to be responsive to societyââ¬â¢s best Read MorePeculiarities of Euphemisms in English and Difficulties in Their Translation19488 Words à |à 78 PagesCHAPTER III. TRANSLATION OF EUPHEMISMS 34 III.1. Grammatical Difficulties in Translation 34 III.2. Lexical Difficulties in Translation of Euphemisms 36 III.3. Stylistic difficulties in translation of euphemisms 41 III.4. Terrorism and war articles in translation of euphemisms 44 CONCLUSION 54 BIBLIOGRAPHY 57 ANNEX 60 INTRODUCTION This Diploma thesis is devoted to the problem of euphemisms in the English language. Euphemism (from Greek word
Monday, December 23, 2019
Why Was the Roman Legion so Powerful - 1306 Words
Throughout the years the armies of ancient Rome have invaded and conquered most of Europe. For quite a long time other civilizations feared them because of their massive, well trained legions of soldiers. Some people might have read about their feats in battle elsewhere. Often research focuses solely on the strategies and technology employed by Rome in times of battle, but what about the soldiers themselves? People usually think of the Roman military as a well oiled machine that acted precisely and consistently, but there have been multiple documented mutinies throughout the Roman army over time. What kind of training did they go through after they were drafted into the Roman military? Was their training both physical and mental to try toâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦All of this training happened out under the scorching sun just as it would in battle. They had to master leaping over trenches and climbing up embankments, however they had to be very careful how and where they practice d, as climbing over the walls of their camp was punishable by death (Stout 428). Aside from various movement related training, they practiced accurately hurling spears, as this was a part of their main battle tactics. All practice with weapons was done under the supervision of a campidoctor (drill sergeant). Stakes the height of a man were set up and used as targets for soldiers to practice their hand eye coordination. The dummy wooden weapons that recruits trained with were reportedly about two times as heavy as their real equipment would be. This was so their muscles would grow accustomed to attacking with something heavy, thus making it even easier to use their lighter weight weapons. During their weaponry training, after hurling their javelins at the target, they would draw a club and run towards the target as if they were a real enemy, taking leaps to either side while approaching. After approaching, they would proceed to practice dodging, feinting, and attacking in close proxi mity, with a campidoctor alerting the recruit of any weaknesses in his defenses. All of this intensive training gave them the confidence to march into battle effortlessly and fearlessly, but whoShow MoreRelatedRoman Empire : The Greatest Empire Of That Time1131 Words à |à 5 Pages Roman Army Ancient Rome was an empire that stretched over two million square miles, at its height. It reached the shores of the Rhine River to the Caspian Sea, and along the outskirts of Africa to Spain (Eyewitness to History, 2007). The empire was an advancement for humankind, combining multiple cultures for trading, and the collaboration of different peoples for science. Overall, it was an empire so large, that during that time, one in every four people on the planet were under Roman rule (PBSRead MoreA Roman Tribune And What Are Their Role Society? Why Are Marullus And Flavius Worried?1081 Words à |à 5 PagesWhat is a Roman Tribune, and what is their role society? Why are Marullus and Flavius worried about Caesar? During the 100 B.C (the year Julius Caesar was born), one of the most successful empires was the Roman Empire. Emperor after emperor, it kept being successful and conquering the land it needs by inventions and different contributions the known world today. The reason for this empireââ¬â¢s success is that it was very organized in everything it conducted. The Roman Empire was very wellRead MoreThe Powerful Roman Empire On Ancient Times1118 Words à |à 5 PagesJayan Joshi History 9 Mrs. Santosuosso 2/10/16 The Powerful Roman Empire The Roman Empire was one of the most well known empires in history. It was the most powerful of all of the empires and covered at least a part of over fifty present-day countries. It covered the most area out of all of the empires in history. Other than the Spartans, the Roman Empire had the most powerful army of the ancient world and contained over 20% of the world population back then. The Romanââ¬â¢s ingenuity created many inventionsRead MoreAncient Rome And Its Effects On The World1553 Words à |à 7 PagesAncient Rome was built on hills, the people living on the top of the hills, and farming closer to the bottom. The climate of Ancient Rome was humid and cool and ranged from 55 to 95 Fahrenheit year round. The Alps to the far north of Rome protected them from threats coming from North Europe, while not isolating them on the peninsula. Being on the Italian peninsula was useful for trading and sailing to other areas in the Mediterranean to conquer land. Rome did not trade as much as some other civilizationsRead MoreAfter The Fall Of Tarquinius Superbusââ¬â¢ Reign Of Rome, The1318 Words à |à 6 Pagesnew era in Roman history: the republic. The early republic is mostly a patrician favoring institute and created it in order ââ¬Å"to restore power and privileges that popular royal tyrants had usurped from themâ⬠and to make it ââ¬Å"difficult for any one aristocrat to acquire too much power at the expense of the restâ⬠(Ward 59). Greek historian, Polybius, in his book, Histories, talks about the greatness of this Roman republic and its constitution by claiming: ââ¬Å"Now the elements by which the Roman constitutionRead MoreWhy the Boudica Fought the Romans Essay1370 Words à |à 6 PagesWhy the Boudica Fought the Romans The History of the Celtic People The Iceni were a Celtic tribe which resided in Norfolk and Suffolk in the east of Britain. Boadicea was part of this noble and warlike people, the Keltoi or in Latin, Celtae. The Celts of the first century appear to be farmers, traders and crafts people. Frank Delaney 1989 quotes from Strabo writing in the first century saying ââ¬Å"They wear ornaments of gold, torcs on their necks and bracelets onRead MoreThe Decline Of The Roman Empire1463 Words à |à 6 Pagesthe decline of the Roman Empire? Why? The fall of the Western Roman Empire is a very broad topic because there were a multitude of continuous events that led to the disappearance of one of the most legendary empires of the world. The seemingly unstoppable Roman Empire would fall due to the fact that many aspects that made Rome such a dominant empire began to fade. Rome was the center of the world and the thought that such a power in the world could decrease was outstanding. It was not built in a day;Read MoreThe Fall Of Rome s Collapse1199 Words à |à 5 Pagesempire which included much of modern day Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Although many historians and professors claim the fall of the Roman empire was because of excess and corruption, invasions by barbarian tribes, military overspending, economic problems, Christianity and the loss of traditional values and the weakening of the Roman legions created a situation that made the fall of such a large empire inevitable. One of the biggest main causes for Romeââ¬â¢s collapse is due to a numberRead MoreThe During The Middle Ages2108 Words à |à 9 Pages The way that Rome accomplished this was by defeating the peoples that ruled the land they wanted and incorporating them into their ever expanding empire. The reason the Romans were so successful at doing this is because of their technological advances, logistical capabilities, and ability to implement strategy efficiently and safely. These when put together allow an army during the Middle ages to deploy consistently with high moral and low mortality. Romans dominated the battlefield in almost everyRead MoreEvolution Of The Purpose And Power Of Roman Military1701 Words à |à 7 PagesPower of the Roman Military In the lifetime of Rome, from a monarchy to a republic, and also its final days as a empire, it has shown to be one of the world s most powerful military forces against almost any enemy it faced, despite the losses that followed. Also that in the history of Rome has show to use the military as an instrument of power to gain leverage in the political status and standing of Rome. Throughout its history and different tactics it used, the Roman Army was shown to be a
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Different situations Free Essays
There are different situations in the workplace that creates different responses in the way we view things. These events give us various reactions that either can create a positive or negative impact in how our superiors perceive us. Seeing this, it may be a result of a responsive behavior at one point in time each where each of us experienced being unprofessional or exhibited an unlikely behavior. We will write a custom essay sample on Different situations or any similar topic only for you Order Now In the end, as we consider these things and ponder on its relative results, we decipher lessons and ideas that will make us better professionals in our respective fields. One thing that I had observed in our workplace is signs of relationships among the opposite sex. Though the department does not really prohibit romantic association between colleagues, it is highly discouraged. However, there are still couples who hide behind these parameters and try to sneak their affairs within office hours and boundaries. I remember seeing one scene at an early hour wherein two officemates were caught by the camera being intimate with each other. The sad thing about this is that the two persons are well connected with upper management that is why they are not reprimanded that much. This came to my attention and bothered me because it should be given appropriate action such as memorandum or an amendment of rules so as not to create patronage among other people. I filed a personal complaint of what happened but management gave a shrug and said that they were doing this before office hours and therefore was not their scope or priority. Though there was no apparent effect in the overall workplace, it instilled into many workers that such actions can be deemed acceptable provided that you have enough connections in upper management. Seeing this, it is in here that the overall mission and rules have been compromised. It became a standard for those who are willing to follow it and can be bent if you know the right persons. This primary example can be a catalyst for future violations not only related to intimacy within the workplace but also on other areas such as attitudes and behaviors. This is why this issue should not have been handled this way. Upper management must realize that no one must be above the rules and standards. Though it is true that it was not yet office time that the incident happened; the act was still initiated in company property which makes the suspects liable. Moreover, their actions can be considered unprofessional in nature because the time and location where the act was initiated was not appropriate and fit to their given or assigned responsibilities. Due to this, it is only right for them to be given a memo or severe penalties for their actions. If this initiative were enacted, workers and co-employees can see that the company is committed towards the strict implementation of its rules and regulations. It will garner confidence among individuals that management is fair and transparent and does not hold favoritism between individuals. Likewise, it can increase accountability among each one by creating an environment that makes them responsible with their decisions and foster cooperation and harmony. To conclude, blunders and mistakes normally occur within the workplace. Despite this, managers and management must take an active stand in promoting what is supposed to be done and ensure that all employees follow the necessary rules and regulations to maintain the level of professionalism and foster equality pursuant to the vision and mission of the company/ organization. How to cite Different situations, Papers
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Information Security Social Engineering
Question: Describe about Information Security, Social Engineering and Problems occur with social engineering? Answer: Introduction: Security is mainly concerned about the fact whom to trust. It is important to know about when to keep trust and to ignore. It often happens that someone told his personal information to someone else while communicating, though keeping trust on the websites or social media is not safe due to the intruders, who hack the website form the middle of the conversation or some time it may happen that the device is being used for the communication is not legitimate. Generally the user with less knowledge of online scams and also the users, who newly stepped into the social sites, may face the problem caused by the hackers, intruders. Users, who have the less knowledge about the security tools, which are most applicable for their device even can easily keep their faith over the online friends and the online media to reach friends and family can become the victim of the social engineering. Introduction to Information Security Information security is nothing but the method of securing data, giving protection to datas confidentiality, availability and the integrity of information. There are few key information security concepts which are involved in the process of securing data, Such as- Access: Access ca referred as a objects capacity to use, modify, manipulate or can affect another object. A legitimate user can have the authorized access to the system, where the illegal user do not have authorized access to the system and its data. Assets: Assets can be referred as the resources that have gained the focus to get protection. Assets can be the physical devices in use or the information about the websites, it can be the person with expertise and it may be the computer system or other physical object. Attack: Attack can be referred as the intentional or unintentional act of damaging physical system or the confidential data. Exploit: This technique is use to take advantage of a system. The threat agents may cause the unethical access of the data for their personal gain. Exposure: It is a condition of the system or the system component, when the system is vulnerable enough to welcome the hacker. Loss: A single event of damage caused by the unauthorized discloser or the modification. Security profile: The total set of security measures and the control including awareness, training, policy and technology that need to be implemented in order to give protection. Threat: Threat can be the person, object, or those entities that can cause danger to the assets. Threat agent: Threat agent can be identified as the component of threat. E.g. a hacker is a threat agent (Axelrod, Bayuk and Schutzer, 2009). Vulnerability: Vulnerability can be referred as the weakness in system. 1. Social Engineering: Social Engineering is a attractive method to manipulate people, so that they can give their confidential data, such as, their user name, password, bank details. The information types, which are mainly concern of these kinds of hackers, can vary. When an individual is targeted, the criminals usually try to tick a person to access his computer secretly by motivating him to download some malicious software into their system. All these information give privilege to the hackers to access personal data as well as control over victims computer. Criminals keep using tactics on social engineering, as it is easiest one to exploit someones natural tendency to trust then it makes the way to hack the software or the whole system (Katsikas and Gritzalis, 2006). Security is mainly concerned about the fact whom to trust. It is important to know about when to keep trust and to ignore. It often happens that someone told his personal information to someone else while communicating, though keeping trust on the websites or social media is not safe due to the intruders, who hack the website form the middle of the conversation or some time it may happen that the device is being used for the communication is not legitimate. As a common social engineering attack it may appear as message or as a mail form a legitimate user, where a criminal manages to socially engineer one persons email id and password and have access to his personal contact list in mailing account. In this the hackers have control over the email account and send messages to all of his friends social pages (Cheswick and Bellovin, 1994). 2. Findings: When a hacker does social engineering and sends message to other persons account, then that person may be asked for some verification by clicking on the link. After clicking on the link, it may ask for the personal information. The link location may seem very legitimate with the contents, logo. Some time all content the link is containing may be copied from some legitimate site, so it also looks legitimate. If someone trusts this link, they are asked to provide information (Zelkowitz, 2004). While phishing is concerned, there are several types of phishing, such as- Baiting: Baiting happens when an attacker intentionally leaves his physical device totally malware-affected at such a place, where it sure to be found. When finder picks up that device and loads these devices onto his computer, the user keep installing the malware in absence of its awareness. Phishing: Phishing take place when a malicious third party sends a fraudulent message or mail cloaked as a legitimate message or email. It often act as a coming from trusted source. This message is intended to trap the recipient to install the malware on his system or device or ask some financial information (Katsikas and Gritzalis, 2006). Pretexting: Pretexting takes place, when one party gives false information about them to another party in order to take the original information about the recipient. Quid pro quo: A quid pro quo happens when attacker ask for the personal information in exchange of credentials. For example, attackers may ask for the exchange of credentials with some attractive gifts. Spam: Spam is generally an unwanted junk message or mail. Spear Phishing: In this method of phishing, a modified approach is used for an organization or individual. In these kinds of cases attacker tries to revel personal information to a specific organization, so that they can obtain the trade secrets or the financial data (Kirkby, 2001). Tailgating: When an unauthorized party keeps following another legitimate party into an secured and verified location, usually for stealing the confidential information and the valuable property. 3. Problems occur with social engineering: Those people who take bait may become the victim with wicked software that is able to generate numbers of exploits against their contact and their personal information. It may cause to lose money without receiving the purchased items (Lai, 2012). It sometime happens that there are such proposals online to fasten the speed of the operating or to fix the bugs of the operating system for free. The moment someone gives response to these trap, become victim of exploitation. There are several of social engineering attacks. In a single attack may hacker can give someone experience of exploits in multiple forms. Then the criminal sell the information to others, so that other person can use the information to exploit that person, even friends and friends of friends of that person can be affected to (Merkow and Breithaupt, 2000). 4. Way to carry out the problems: To be aware of these attacks, an online user may flow some basic advices, to not to become victim of these kinds of attacks (Oriyano, 2013). User must slow down himself while there is a suggestion to take steps in urgent. Spammers try to trap someone to act before think. If there is a message of urgency to choose some option, it is then advised not to go with the flow and keep the careful review not influenced. Before acting upon any kind of malicious information user must have some researches upon that giver information. User must delete all those requests which generally ask for the a/c information or financial information. User must reject help offers. As any legitimate company never offer help personally contacting someone over mail or messages. User must be aware about any kind of download when someone is not sure about the content of the file or about the sender. In this scenario downloading can be a mistake. Some time receiving offers of foreign lottery are not legitimate. They may request to transfer money from a foreign country, which are easily recognizable as a scam. User must set the spam filters to high. User must secure its computer devices by automatically or manually updating the operating system of his device. He can also use anti-phishing tools to get alert about the risks (Wright, 2014). 5. Who are the victims? Generally the user with less knowledge of online scams and also the users, who newly stepped into the social sites, may face the problem caused by the hackers, intruders. Users, who have the less knowledge about the security tools, which are most applicable for their device even can easily keep their faith over the online friends and the online media to reach friends and family can become the victim of the social engineering (Peltier, Peltier and Blackley, 2005). 6. Recent trend: Attackers are increasing these days along with their increasing threats of social engineering, which is going beyond the targeted employees and trying to trap the employees to give up their information (Vacca, 2007). Cryptography 1. Significance and Functionality of different stages of cryptographic system: Cryptography system has much significance with predetermined functionality. Cryptography is mainly use to convert the plain text into cipher text (Phoha, 2002). Different stages of cryptography system is- There three stages of cryptography given in an order- Plain text Cipher text Plan text Functionality at different stage: Sender sends data as plain text, which is readable and can be modified by the sender, receiver and everyone else. When data passes through the encryption algorithm, there will be an application of encryption key. At the sender end, senders public key and receivers private will be used to encrypt the data. After this process the data become cipher text. When the cipher text arrives to the intended user, the receiver uses senders public key to decrypt the text. Senders public key will be known to everyone (Preetham, 2002). Numbers of cryptographic standards are there. There are standard protocols and algorithm to build popular application, which attracts a huge amount of cryptanalysis. Specific standards for Encryption: Triple-DES CipherSaber The original algorithm for public key encryption, RSA. OpenPGP Advanced Encryption standard. Data Encryption Standard. Hash standards: SHA-1, which is 160 bits MD5, which is 128 bit SHA2, it is available in different bit variance of 224, 256, 384,512, 616 and 680 PBKDF2, it is a key derivation function. Digital Signature Standards: RSA Digital Signature Standard, which is applied on Digital Signature Algorithm Elliptic Curve DSA PKI (Public-Key infrastructure) standards: 509 public key certificates. Wireless Standards: Wi-Fi protected Access, which known as WAP and better than WEP. It is a pre-standard and partial version of 802.11i. MD5 standard: MD5 is method of encryption, where the plain text is converted in cipher text. The security of MD5 hash function is compromised severely. MD5 algorithm takes message as input. Messages are of different length (as per requirement) and generate an output of 128 bit messages digest or finger print of the input (Reddy and Padmavathamma, 2007). The intention behind the application of this security algorithm is to compress a large file in a secure manner before the encryption with a private key under a public key cryptosystem (PGP). Network Security fundamentals a) Reason behind limiting rate to reduce the damaged caused due to DDoS attacks: A DNS amplification attack is the popular form of DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack. In this case attackers use open DNS servers, which is publicly accessible by the attackers to flood a under fire system with DNS response traffic. The primary method in this attack is to send an open DNS server a lot of DNS lookup request. Where server gives IP address to the client assuming it a legitimate user but in the middle way, the fraud one get all the response and the legitimate one keeps starving for its turn. Lastly the DNS pool is empty enough to give response to the requests (Shim et al., 2000). The attacking method is closely related to open recursive resolvers, but it seems to be more difficult to mitigate. In this it is the reason why delay should focus on using the Response Rate Limiting to give restriction on the amount of traffic. b) Opinion and reason behind limiting rates can limit effectiveness too: Rate limiting is mostly used on the ISPs router, which is used to connect the home network to the WWW (World Wide Web). If someone is experiencing a flood attack, which is saturating the internet link may not that scenario where rate limiting will work for the improvement of the scenario. Rate limiting restricts the huge amount of outbound traffic. For example, if someone is victim of Smurf attack, he or she can use the rate limiting as a solution for short span of time to limit the traffic flood that he is sending to the attackers network (St. Denis and Johnson, 2007). c) Causes behind giving protection to the community problem due to the DDoS attack: As far as the DDoS attacks are concerned, attackers can easily achieve control of the infected bots to initiate the attack. They even amplify the attacks by exploiting the vulnerable areas in public services. This public services use the UDP (user datagram protocol) such as Network time protocol or the Domain name system services. Due to all these reason DDoS attacks are difficult to manage, due to its high capital costs of building infrastructure of attack mitigation and also the lack of proficiency in operating protected network. These are the reason why it is not only confined within the individual victims firms, but a community problem to deal (Stewart, 2011). d) Justification behind holding an effective defense by black against DDoS attack: Yes, Black hole routing has an effective impact against DDoS attacks. Black hole routing is known as the range of IP address or the IP address, which results the coming packets rather than being discarded, it protect the system resource for the wicked effects of DDoS. It also causes the packets to discard with malicious traffic attack (The Basics of Information Security, 2014). Firewalls Firewall is known as a security system in computing where it uses some protocols and packet filtering mechanism to give protection to the system, where the firewall is installed. It keeps users notified about malicious act going on behind the scene. Many hardware based firewall is also there which provide functionality to internal network, such as DHCP server for a network (Tipton and Krause, 2005). 1. Comparison between the different filtering mechanisms and information on the protocol used in firewall: Stateful packet inspection filtering Static packet filtering Application Proxy filtering Network Address Translation Static packet filtering is replace by the stateful packet inspection filtering It filtering technique has come prior to the stateful packet filtering It stands between two parties and requires the client to initiate the session with the proxy, then the proxy creates a session with the destination In firewall NAT functionality is used in order to hide the original address of the protected hosts. Analysis of the packets are done in the application layer Only packet headers are checked Proxy server checks from layer 4 to layer 7 for the valid connection Its functionality is used in order to address the limited number of routable IPv4 address Stateful packet inspection is able to monitor the communication of the packets over the time span. Static packet filtering only operates as per the administrator defined rules As the client set the session with proxy, which in turn authenticate the other side connection (destination) before the creation of the session Routable IPv4 addresses are assigned to the organization or to the individuals for providing enough public address space with a reduced cost. Conclusion: During early few years, Information security is directly a straight forward process of securing the physical components and the simple document checking scheme. The primary information security threat comes by physical theft of the devices or spying the data from the middle and damaging it. Information security is nothing but the method of securing data, giving protection to datas confidentiality, availability and the integrity of information. Security of information is needed at every phase of processing, storage and transmission. All these can be achieved by the technology, education, policy, training and awareness. References Axelrod, C., Bayuk, J. and Schutzer, D. (2009). Enterprise information security and privacy. Boston: Artech House. Carlet, C. (2009). Editorial: Cryptography and Communications, Volume 1, Issue 1. Cryptogr. Commun., 1(1), pp.1-2. Cheswick, W. and Bellovin, S. (1994). Firewalls and Internet security. Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley. Katsikas, S. and Gritzalis, S. (2006). Security issues of IT outsourcing. Bradford, England: Emerald Group Pub. Kirkby, A. (2001). Internet Trust And Security. Network Security, 2001(9), p.6. Lai, C. (2012). Security Issues on Machine to Machine Communications. KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems. Merkow, M. and Breithaupt, J. (2000). The complete guide to Internet security. New York: AMACOM. Oriyano, S. (2013). Cryptography. New York: McGraw-Hill Education. Peltier, T., Peltier, J. and Blackley, J. (2005). Information security fundamentals. Boca Raton, Fla.: Auerbach Publications. Phoha, V. (2002). Internet security dictionary. New York: Springer. Preetham, V. (2002). Internet security and firewalls. Cincinnati, Ohio: Premier Press. Reddy, P. and Padmavathamma, M. (2007). An authenticated key exchange protocol in elliptic curve cryptography. Journal of Discrete Mathematical Sciences and Cryptography, 10(5), pp.697-705. Shim, J., Shim, J., Qureshi, A. and Siegel, J. (2000). The international handbook of computer security. Chicago, Ill.: Glenlake Pub. St. Denis, T. and Johnson, S. (2007). Cryptography for developers. Rockland, MA: Syngress Pub. Stewart, J. (2011). Network security, firewalls, and VPNs. Sudbury, Mass.: Jones Bartlett Learning. The Basics of Information Security. (2014). Network Security, 2014(9), p.4. Tipton, H. and Krause, M. (2005). Information security management handbook. [London]: Taylor Francis e-Library. Vacca, J. (2007). Practical Internet security. New York, NY: Springer. Wright, O. (2014). Social Engineering. Engineering Technology Reference. Zelkowitz, M. (2004). Information security. Amsterdam: Elsevier Academic Press.
Friday, November 29, 2019
The Boidiversity Crisis And Human Accountability Essay Sample free essay sample
Introduction The whole eco-system is an extraordinary gift that we have received as natural heritage and it is making a enormous sum of good for all world: making dirt. ablutionary H2O. making the really air we breathe. all free! We live in extraordinary times and we know how great the diverseness on Earth is. we are surrounded by more species of animate beings and workss. Furthermore. it is noticeable that one species. our ain. has developed techno-scientific society and expounded the alone ability of so changing its environment that it can destruct whole species. so whole environments. It is a known fact that the enlargement of techno-scientific society was aimed to accomplish a comfy life and avoid hungriness. However. it is doing such harm to the bio-diversity every bit good as catastrophically resulted into pollution. Islandisation. debut of foreign species. over-harvesting of natural resources and devastation of home grounds. Conversation of bio-diversity will depend on how we scale down ou r surpluss in ingestion. We will write a custom essay sample on The Boidiversity Crisis And Human Accountability Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page because if it continues. so our planet will be left as a inhospitable domain ( Attenborough. Sir D ) . BIODIVERSITY AND ITS IMPORTANCE The different naturalist and environmentalists groups have come up with several definitions of biodiversity but these can all be summed up with merely one idea: Biodiversity is ââ¬Å"the variableness among populating beings from all beginnings including and the ecological composites of which they are portion ; this includes diverseness within species. between species. and of ecosystemsâ⬠( UNEP. 1992 ) . In laymanââ¬â¢s footings. biodiversity is the mutuality of the different signifiers of life and their natural places. For non-scientists and for people whose cognition is limited with the economic value of other signifiers of life. particularly workss and animate beings as nutrient beginning. the issue on biodiversity crisis may non be appealing. If merely all people will be intelligent. or at least may be able to understand how biodiversity works. so possibly the human coinage will hold no alibi for taking his portion in its protection. No affair how one puts it. the importance of biodiversity is critical as ââ¬Å"It is a cardinal status of life itselfâ⬠( Lovelock. James. 1988 ) . This is fundamentally because all signifiers of life depend on each other ( Mc Neely. Jeffrey et. Al ) . Every specie support each other and such support ââ¬Å"requires that marauders and quarry. fire and H2O. nutrient and shelter. clean air and unfastened infinite remain in balance with each other and with the environment around themâ⬠( Environmental Protection Agency ) . Although the links between species are complex. there are few simple grounds to safely hold that ââ¬Å"species do non be in isolationâ⬠( Attenborough. David ) . Worlds for illustration demand workss and animate beings including marine resources for nutrient. Worlds need trees and tall grass signifiers for shelter. There are animate beings which fundamentally feed on workss or marine life. There are besides certain Marine species which depend on workss for shelter such as species which thrive and reproduce in Rhizophora mangles. These are simple life relationships based on nutrient and shelter. However. life signifiers do non merely necessitate nutrient and shelter in order to last ; instead there are major participants in the biodiversity construction which are critical for all species to last. Populating beings besides need air. H2O and land as critical participants in their natural home grounds. These things are somewhat or partially overlooked over the half-century arguments on biological diverseness preservation. REASONS FOR BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION The importance of biodiversity preservation can be divided into two classs: the intrinsic value and the anthropocentric value of biological diverseness. The intrinsic value considers biodiversity as worthy of preservation regardless of its importance to the human coinage. This means that all signifiers of life are innately valuable and that human existences are necessarily portion of the natural diverseness so human existences are held responsible for maintaining the natural environment the manner it should. This statement excludes the economic benefits ( nutrient and shelter ) of human existences in its answerability for continuing the natural system out of which it came from and go on to last. On the other manus. anthropocentric value of biodiversity holds that worlds are ââ¬Å"inextricably and entirely dependent on this diverseness of life things for survivalâ⬠( Erlich. P. R. and H. A. Erlich 1992 ) . Humans need nutrient and shelter and other benefits that can be valued such as medical specialty and vesture. We besides depend on biodiversity for non-economic ecosystem services such as clime. air and H2O. wet and other natural rhythms that supports human being ( Tackacs. Nicholas 1996 ) . Evidences SUPPORTING THE LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY If all relevant figures turn outing the rapid loss of biodiversity are to be listed. I believe that most will hold that there truly is a crisis and that the human race should be alarmed. be encouraged and be responsible plenty to get down making his portion in the preservation of whatever is left to salvage. The Center for International Environmental Law ( CIEL ) estimated that two of every three bird species are in decline worldwide. one in every eight works species is endangered or threatened. and one-fourth of mammals. one-fourth of amphibious vehicles and fifth part of reptilians are endangered or vulnerable. Peoples need to be informed and be educated on the nature of biodiversity and its present status. This is particularly of import because ââ¬Å"people must convey themselves into conformance with nature if they want to be as portion of natureââ¬â¢s integrity. and they must suit their demands to natureââ¬â¢s availabilitiesâ⬠( Mc Neely. et. Al ) . Peoples need to c ognize that although extinction is a natural phenomenon. human intercession is rushing the clip span which this phenomenon is expected to go on. This paper besides recognizes the fact that extinction of certain species is needed in order to give manner to other species. For illustration. dinosaur extinction happened due to natural climactic alteration and without such it may be barely possible for human coinage to populate with them. However it is critical that worlds be able to recognize how they have contributed to the change and the loss of biodiversity whether or non such human activities are knowing. HUMAN ACCOUNTABILITY TO DAMAGE IN BIODIVERSITY As human population grows. the demand for the usage of natural resources besides increases. More people will necessitate air and H2O. workss and animate beings for nutrient. land usage for shelter and industry of its other demands. As population grows. more forestlands need to be converted to agricultural and industrial usage. ââ¬Å"The human activities have raised the rate of extinction to 1. 000 times its usual rateâ⬠( Center for International Environmental Law ) . This is really supported by the thought of IPAT ( Impact equals Population times Affluence times Technology ) . an environmental impact expression developed by the physicist John Holdren which straight holds worlds accountable for the loss of biodiversity the universe is presently confronting ( Meadows. Donella ) . IPAT expression computes the environmental impact of human activities as: Impact ( I ) = Population ( P ) x Affluence ( A ) x Technology ( T ) . The writer of this expression explained that the pollutio n that each human being contributes to the environment is determined and measured by ââ¬Å"counting what is countableâ⬠( M. Meadows ) . This is particularly true because the expression evidently ignores the factors of economic system and political power which merely suggests that the impact is measured irrespective of his position. The keyword for indicating to the human coinage as chiefly responsible for the loss of biodiversity is pick. Man has the pick of which. how and how much of the natural resources and the engineering he will utilize and devour. Therefore adult male has ever the pick and the sense of reason to see the effects of his action. In the latest stock list of biodiversity done by the United Nations. a undertaking entitled ââ¬Å"The Millennium Ecosystem Assessmentâ⬠worlds were found to hold depleted 60 % of the worldââ¬â¢s grasslands. woods. farming areas. rivers and lakes ( Associated Press. April 01. 2005 ) . The study besides revealed that fifth part of the worldââ¬â¢s coral reefs and on-third of its Rhizophora mangles have already been destroyed. The said survey was a joint attempt of 1. 360 scientists stand foring 90 five states. As human population grows. the demand for the natural resources needfully additions and so overharvesting of the earthââ¬â¢s green goods has been one of the major grounds for the loss of biodiversity. A study made by the World Wide Fund ( WWF ) revealed that the fishing industry has harvested more than 250 % of what the ocean can bring forth. ââ¬Å"Deforestation had non merely rendered the land waste and waterless. but had besides led to the depletion of the land H2O levelâ⬠( Blua. Antoine 2005 ) . The demand for lumber. for nutrient and constitution of fabrication workss led worlds to degrade the wood and to strip all the beings that depend on it of their natural home grounds. Soil debasement has dramatically reduced harvest productiveness which challenges nutrient production and its ability to feed 1. 5 billion people in the following 20 old ages harmonizing to the International Food Policy Research Institute ( IFPRI ) and the World Resources Institute ( WRI ) . Pollution due to the debut and development of engineering and industries played an of import function in the devastation of biodiversity. Tourism is merely one of the newest industries which contributed a huge sum of pollutants through air emanations. solid waste. litter. noise. oil and chemical and sewerage. World Wide Fund reported that touristry now accounts for more than 60 % of air travel. Coalmines release dozenss and dozenss of C dioxide doing planetary heating and S dioxide which causes acerb rain. Coal combustion has been reported to hold increased eight times from 1971 to 1995 brought about by electricity coevals in Asia entirely ( WWF. October 19. 2006 ) . Excessive usage of fertilisers. flame-retardants. plasticisers and phenols posed a major concern in the for air pollution ( Portal for Plastic Industry. 2004 ) . Human intercession in the N rhythm has besides caused well huge harm of the earthââ¬â¢s biodiversity. The glut of N is caused by industrial procedures that produce nitrogen fertilisers. the burning of fossil fuels. and the cultivation of soya beans. peas. and other harvests that host symbiotic nitrogen-fixing bacteriums ( Vituosek. Peter M et. al. ) Such nitrogen overrun has besides been analyzed by scientists to be the cause of the dramatic displacement in the dominant species. As population besides increases. more and more people are traveling to utilize vehicles and industrial engineerings which in bend will increase the emanation of C dioxide and other nursery gases more the ambiance can incorporate. Human existences are although cognizant that Worlds have all the capacity and the ability to destruct the natural environment. Deforestation and debasement have been the major homo activities which contributed to the devastation of natural home grounds. In crisis are woods and piscaries which accommodate huge assortment of species. The World Resources Institute ( WRI ) reported that there are about fifth part of the earthââ¬â¢s original wood screen which remains integral. What is endangering is that worlds continue to degrade such countries to give manner with the demands of globalisation. There are already about 180 million hectares deforested in developing states between 1980 and 1995 ( WRI. February 14. 2001 ) . Deforestation caused diverse species to fly as woods are home to 50-90 % of tellurian species. Human existences are besides affected as woods provide services to human existences in signifiers of C storage and inundation bar. Autochthonal people besides were deprived of their natural places by forest transition and devastation. Reports by the Food and Agriculture Organization revealed that overfishing. destructive fishing techniques have destroyed the marine ecosystem. The said UN flying estimated that about two-thirds of ocean piscaries are exploited at our beyond capacity. impacting over one billion people. largely in developing states. depend on fish as their primary beginning of animate being protein ( IPCC. 2001 ) . The debut of invasive new species into a certain home ground has caused the loss of biodiversity. Such human activities are ab initio intended to increase local biodiversity but besides caused important obliteration of other species. Experts estimate that an norm of three new species per twelvemonth should be produced with the consideration of biological factors including clime alteration. ââ¬Å"Changes in the biological systems such as start and terminal of engendering season. displacements in migration forms. displacements in animate being and works distributions to higher lifts and towards the poles. and alterations in organic structure size and population Numberss are but proved effects of planetary heating caused by human activitiesâ⬠( IPCC. 2001 ) . Sing that there are specie extinctions caused by nature as with the instance of the extinction of dinosaurs. it is still made clear by surveies and research workers that worlds have played a major function in the change of the natural procedure in the ecosystem. Decision Human existences co-exist with the rich diverseness of other signifiers of life. Nature provide all of populating beings with their demands for nutrient. shelter. air. H2O and other procedures that make life possible on Earth. Human existences being created with the capacity to believe and experience and particularly manââ¬â¢s reason are expected to rule nature with love and concern for the Earth as a whole. It is nevertheless with the increasing demand of human existences for its basic demands that these natural resources continue to be exploited. Besides with the demand for globalisation and industrialisation. human existences need to compromise nature in order to give manner for the constitution such progress undertakings including touristry and technological progresss. Whether human existences deliberately damaged the so rich biological diverseness or non. it is of import that the human coinages take the duty to do attempt in conserving what was left to salvage. Further intens ification of instruction and information airing is still needed in order to do all people cognizant and be encouraged to take part in the planetary attempt of salvaging mother Earth. Mentions Attenborough. Sir D ( 2004 ) State of the planet. BBC DVD. United kingdom Blua. Antoine. World: Human Damage to Earth Reportedly Increasing. RadioFree Europe. 30 March 2005. Viewed 21 August 2007. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. rferl. org/featuresarticle/2005/3/CA0366A6-5312-4CB2-9E16-C468256192F7. hypertext markup language gt ; Doyle. Alister. Human Damage to Earth Worsening Fast. Planet Ark. 30 March 2005. Viewed 21 August 2007 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. planetark. com/dailynewsstory. cfm/newsid/30136/story. htm gt ; Environmental Protection Agency. Ecosystems and Biodiversity. Viewed 21 August 2007 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. Environmental Protection Agency. gov/climatechange/effects/eco. hypertext markup language gt ; Erlich. P. R. A ; Erlich. A. H. ( 1992 ) . The Value of Biodiversity.Ambio21 ( 3 ) : 219-226 Global Heating: Global Warming solutions. The Union of Concerned Scientists. Viewed 29 July 2007. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. ucsusa. org/global_warming/solutions gt ; IPCC. 2001. Climate Change 2001: Impacts. Adaptation. and Vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Third Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [ McCarthy. James J. . Canziani. Osvaldo F. . Leary. Neil A. . Dokken. David J. . and White. Kasey S. ( explosive detection systems. ) ] . Cambridge University Press. Cambridge. United Kingdom and New York. NY. USA. 1032pp. Jacquot. Jeremy Elton. New Poll Identifies Global Warming as Top Environmental Problem. Treehugger. 9 July 1997. Viewed 21 August 2007. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. treehugger. com/files/2007/07/new_poll. php gt ; Kraus. F ( Division of Forestry and Wildlife ) . Alien Species. Department of Land A ; Natural Resources ââ¬â State of Hawaiââ¬â¢i. viewed 29 July 2007. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. Hawaii. gov/dlnr/Alien_Species. hypertext markup language gt ; McNeely. Jeffrey A. A ; Gayl Ness. Peoples. Parks and Biodiversity: Issues in Population-Environment Dynamics. viewed 19 August 2007 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. abdominal aortic aneurysm. org/international/ehn/biod/ness1. htm gt ; Meadows. Donella. Who Causes Environmental Problems? The Donella Meadows Archive. Viewed 21 August 2007. hypertext transfer protocol: //www. sustainabilityinstitute. org/dhm_archive/index. php? display_article=vn575ipated gt ; Noss. R. ( 1995 ) . Keeping Ecological Integrity in Representative Reserve Networks.A WWF-Canada/ WWF-US Discussion Paper. Toronto. ON Over Harvesting. Groundwork Leicester A ; Leicestershire. viewed 29 July 2007. hypertext transfer protocol: //environ. org. uk/Nature/Over_Harvesting Portal for Plastic Industry. A World Wildlife Fund Report Says Certain Flame-retardants Damage Human Health and the Environment. 30 January 2004. Viewed 21 August 2007. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. plastinfo. net/information/news/page6/549_30. 01. 2004/ gt ; Takacs. D. ( 1996 ) . The Idea of Biodiversity: Doctrines of Paradise. The Johns Hopkins University Press: Baltimore. MD. 393 pp. The Center for International Environmental Law. What is Biodiversity and Why is it Important? Viewed 19 August 2007 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. ciel. org/Biodiversity/WhatIsBiodiversity. hypertext markup language gt ; UN Study Cites Growing Human Damage to Ecology. Associated Press. 1 April 2005. Viewed 21 August 2007. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. woods. org/articles/reader. asp? linkid=40471 gt ; Vitousek. Peter M. et. Al. Human Alteration of the Global Nitrogen Cycle: Causes and Consequences. Viewed 21 August 2007. lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. usyd. edu. au/su/envsci/newsevents/articles/web4. htm gt ; WWF ( 1998 ) . Endangered Spaces Progress Report 1997-98. WWF Canada. Toronto. Ontario. World Wide Fund. Major Causes of Environmental Problems. Published 19 October 2001. Viewed 21 August 2007 lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //www. coon bear. org/news_facts/education/middle_school/homework_help/webfield_trips/enviro_problems/index. cfm gt ;
Monday, November 25, 2019
Essay on Roaring 20s
Essay on Roaring 20s Essay on Roaring 20s Essays 1. There were 5 main reasons as to why Germany wanted to break the chains of the Versailles treaty. The 1st was that the allied troops occupied the Rhineland. This was the Western part of Germany that was occupied by the allies for 15 years and Germany couldnââ¬â¢t have military in this area. The 2nd reason was that Germany had to give Alsace Lorane back to France. The 3rd reason was that Germany had a small army. They were no longer allowed to have offensive weapons like tanks, planes, and ships. The 4th reason was that the Germans lost Sarr which was a state in Western Germany with coal mines, and raw materials. The 5th reason was the Germans lost Silesia which was given to Poland. The 6th reason was that Germany couldnââ¬â¢t unite with Austria, which was a place with a lot of German background. If this treaty was different a war would not have started. Germany was irritated and the treaty completely took advantage of them. 2. Adolf Hitler was an Austrian born child, and was the 4th of 6 children in his family. At the age of 16, Hitler dropped out of school, and moved to Vienna to become an artist. He went to an art academy and failed to succeed. He slowly turned into a bum. Joined in the army during WWI and was a runner for the Western front. Hitler was awarded an Iron Cross for his bravery. After WWI, Hitler became a spy for the German government. During this period Hitler joined a rationalist group (Nazis) and would become the leader of this 6,000 person group in 1921. This group would become stronger, and would later attempt to overthrow the government and fail. Hitler was thrown in jail and during this period he wrote a novel called Mein Kamf or ââ¬Å"My Struggleâ⬠. He wrote about space and race. If Hitler had died during the war, there
Friday, November 22, 2019
Written Assignment - Displaying Leadership Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Written - Displaying Leadership - Assignment Example Because the behaviour was left to go too far, Paul found it normal to be loud with customers and even bully them into agreement. He went on to boast that he could win with any customer until the day he yelled at the mother to the head of Paediatrics. Consumers of healthcare include employer groups, patients, and agencies of government, family members and third party payers. Todayââ¬â¢s consumer is sufficiently informed and empowered hence Paulââ¬â¢s behaviour couldnââ¬â¢t go far. Being left to continue would mean even new employees learns the same and clients continue suffering. The ultimate impact is a negative publicity of the hospital as one that does not have customer service standards. As a leader it is my responsibility to model good customer service not only in Paul but also the new employees. I would do so by making sure everyone understands the importance of organisational values; empower them with skills to offer quality customer service and emphasis on education and training. I will also stress the importance of accountability and transparency as well as adherence to set standards and procedures. Another important element of customer service is communication, feedback and measurement of compliance (Rabert, 2012). The goal is for every employee to understand the value of customer satisfaction. 1. Anne S. Rabert. (2012). Making the Transformation to a Customer-Service Orientation. American Nurse Today, 7(1). Available at:
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
EIA Case 1, EIA SLP 1, EIA Case 2, EIA Case 3, EIA SLP 3, EIA Case 4, Essay
EIA Case 1, EIA SLP 1, EIA Case 2, EIA Case 3, EIA SLP 3, EIA Case 4, EIA SLP 4 - Essay Example Generally, more industrialized and economically developed societies have lower fertility than agricultural, less developed societies. Also, within countries, generally, more educated groups with higher incomes have lower fertility than less educated groups with lower incomes. Historically, as groups within countries have improved their living standards, and nations have become more economically developed, health conditions have improved, morbidity and mortality have declined, and fertility has declined due to the adoption of fertility-constraining behaviors, such as the limitation of sexual relations or marriage, practice of contraception, and resort to induced abortion." The biggest gap between those women who are in need of infertility treatment and those who actually receive it exists because, in addition to the aforementioned issues, some women just never take the steps to seek it. This can occur for a variety of reasons. According to Ramsey (2000, pg. 1), "A lot of times, when to seek the fertility treatments depends upon a woman's age and upon her doctor. But, if a woman will seriously take control of the situation - by first seeing a doctor, preferably an obstetrician (a doctor who specializes in the care of pregnant women), before she even starts trying to conceive, to make sure she is in optimum health - is an excellent starting point. This, of course, does not guarantee success right away. This simply acts as the springboard for the road to conception." Three causes of female infertility are functional causes, anatomic causes, and psychosocial problems. Functional problems can occur within a woman's highly complex hormonal system and cause infertility. Anatomic problems can occur within a woman's ovaries, uterus, tubes, cervix, or thyroid gland and cause infertility. The presence, either present or past, of sexually transmitted diseases in a woman's anatomy can cause infertility. Psychosocial problems can cause infertility because of stress, but more often than not, they actually occur as a result of infertility (World Health Organization, 2008). There are a number of factors that can cause or contribute to male infertility, which as previously mentioned, makes up 30-40% of all cases of infertility. These include disorders attributed to his varicocele, disorders of his semen, abnormal or immature sperm being produced, systemic disease, sexually transmitted or other genital diseases, testicular disorders, genetic disorders, immunologic disorders, endocrine disorders, the presence of drugs or chemicals in his system, erectile dysfunction, libido problems, ejaculatory problems, age, injury, and occupation (World Health Organization, 2008). EIA SLP 1: Policy and Advocacy This SLP will focus on infertility in the state of Texas. This state was chosen primarily because of its size and the belief that many options would be available to a wide range of women in the state. Therefore, choosing Texas might provide a wider standpoint from which to determine exactly what options are out there on the state level for women seeking infertility treatment. Of course, this is not known to be true as of this point, but will be determined at a later
Monday, November 18, 2019
Personal Statement for Masters Degree of Computational Finance Essay
Personal Statement for Masters Degree of Computational Finance - Essay Example As I walk down the crowded streets of downtown Chicago, I am always left wonderstruck at the high rising skyscrapers. I imagine the elegant office interiors and debonair lives of CEOs and Presidents of various affluent companies nested in these massive buildings. And then I stand there feeling totally elated because I know it is the wonderful field of Finance that has resulted in these modern wonders. From a singleton in a society to the society itself and consequently the world at large; everyone is affected by the variables of finance. And it is this very power and reaches that the field of finance possesses, inspires me every minute to master its various nuances. Whenever I retrospect my own life, I distinctly see the roller coaster ride that I have been through. I have faced innumerable challenges, including certain events so critical and stressful, that it could have ended my career in a miserable state, had I not managed them effectively. But I have carved my way out of every problem I faced, and today I strongly believe that I possess all the skills necessary to take up any challenge and surface to the solution successfully. Quite interestingly, on observation, it is evident that the most important causes for my success in all the challenges I have faced are my alacrity for finance, management, and mathematics. My decision to take up finance as my major for my under-graduation was not by chance, but rather by choice. Since the very beginning of my school days, I have been proficient in mathematics. I have always remained to be a topper of my class in all mathematics-related subjects. I have always wanted to enter and consolidate in a field that blends both mathematics and finance. At the outset, I must confess that my GPA does not fall in the very top percentage of my class. However, I strongly feel that my GPA does not truly reflect my knowledge in the domain. I have taken advanced courses during my under-graduation which justifies the fall in my final GPA.
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Properties of Graphene Essay
Properties of Graphene Essay Recently, graphene has much attention for researchers due to its interesting properties and advantanges to industries moreover in nanomaterials. Graphene is a polymer structure made of fused six membered sp2 hybridized carbon atoms. Graphene is pure carbon in the form of very thin, nearly transparent sheet, basically one atom thick. Graphene is the building block of graphite. Graphene sheets are composed of carbon atoms linked in hexagonal shapes which each of the carbon atom covalently bonded to three other carbon atoms. It is remarkably as a strong for its very low weight, and it conducts heat and electricity with great efficiency. In facts, graphene is a crystalline allotrope of carbon with 2-dimensional sheet of carbon atoms arrayed in hexagonal honeycomb lattice. Graphene can be described as a one-thick layer of graphite. It is basic structural element of other allotropes including graphite, charcoal, carbon nanotubes and fullerenes. Graphene considered as an indefinately large aromatic molecule. The atomic structure of isolated for single layer of graphene was studied by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) on sheets of graphene suspended between bars of a metallic grid. Electron diffaction patterns showed the expected honeycomb lattice. Graphene sheets in solid form usually show evidence in diffraction for graphiteââ¬â¢s layering. this is true of some single-walled nanostructures. Generally there are two common properties for each of compound that studied. For chemical properties, graphene is the only form of carbon in which each single atom is in exposure for chemical reaction from two sides due to its 2-dimensional structure. It is known that carbon atoms at the edge of graphene sheets have special chemical reactivity. In fact, graphene has the highest ratio of edge carbons in comparison with similar materials such as carbon nanotubes. The onset temperature of reaction between the basal plane of single-layer graphene and oxygen gas was said to be below 260 oC while graphene burns at temperature usually 350 oC. Graphene is chemically the most reactive form of carbon because of the lateral availability of carbon atoms. Commonly, graphene is modified with oxygen- and nitrogen-containing functional groups and then analyzed by infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. From the point of review, the carbon-carbon bond length in graphene is about 0.142 nanometers. As the nanoscale allotrope of carbon, electrons can only move between carbon atoms in the 2-dimensional lattice. It has shown many intriguing properties including high mobility of charge carriers, unique transport perfomance, high mechanical strength and extremely high thermal conductivity. The carrier moves ballistically over the graphene surface, enabling graphene sheets to conduct electricity very well. The unique properties where electrons obey a linear dispersion relation and behave like massless relativistics particles, resulting in the observation of a number of very peculiar electronic properties such as the quantum Hall effect and transport via relativistic Diracfermions. Other complex interactions between electrons and the hexagonal lattice make graphene transparent, flexible and strong. These properties and others have compelled many researchers over the half-decade to study grap hene for a diverse array of uses. Nowadays, graphene has received much attention recently in the scientific community because of its distinct properties and potentials in nanoelectronic applications. Apart from high electrical conductivity at room temperature, graphene also much potential use as transistor, nano-sensors, transparent electrodes and many other applications. In conclusion, special properties of graphene do not stop with weird physics. As a conductive, electrons are the particles that make up electricity. When graphene allows electrons to move quickly, it is allowing electricity to move quickly. In facts, graphene provide to move electrons 200 times faster than silicon bacause they travel with such little interruption. Graphene is an excellent heat conductor which works normally at room temperature. A sheet of graphene is very strong due to its unbroken pattern and the strong bonds between the carbon atoms. Those strong bonds make graphene very flexible, where it can be twisted, pulled and curved to a ce rtain extent without breaking. Graphene absorb 2.3 percent of the visible light that hits it, which means we can see through it without to deal with any glare. Synthesis of graphene much more benefit in nanomaterials. Nanomaterials and nanotechnology are new à ¯Ã ¬Ã elds of science and technology. Fundamentally, nanotech-nology is about manipulating and making materials at the atomic and molecular levels. It is expected that nanotechnology will change solid-state gas sensing dramatically and will probably gain importance in all à ¯Ã ¬Ã elds of sensor application over the years. Nanotechnology is still in its infancy, but the à ¯Ã ¬Ã eld has been a hot area of research globally since a few years ago. It has been found that with reduction in size, novel electrical, mechanical, chemical, catalytic, and optical properties can be introduced. As a result, it has been concluded that one-dimensional structures will be of beneà ¯Ã ¬Ã t for developing new generation chemical sensors that can achieve high performance. Therefore, in the last decade, the study of nanomaterials has become a primary focus in the à ¯Ã ¬Ã eld of chemical sensor design (Das Prusty, 2013). In addition, graphene is the thinnest sheet-shaped molecules with an ultrasurface area. It have great uses in application in electronic devices, sensors, electrodes and other graphene composite materials. (Yang, Ratinac, Ringer, Thordason, Gooding Braet, 2010). As we know, graphene have lot of potential, large scale production of graphene with the best quality giving chances to synthesis the graphene for industrialization. There are many methods in order to get the graphene sheet such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of hydrocarbons on transition-metal substrates and epitaxial growth via high temperature treatment of silicon carbide, micromechanical exfoliation and cleavage. Although it can be provided graphene in large quantities, but that methods are difficult to scale up and need high level of knowledge and understanding about it equipment. In addition, these methods need high energy requirement and limitation of instrument. Herein are some of application and important of graphene to bioengineering, composite materials, energy technology and nanotechnology. Bioengineering will certainly be a field in which graphene will become a vital part of in the future although some obstacles need to be overcome before it can be used. However, the properties that it displays suggest that it could revolutionize this area in a number of ways.With graphene offering a large surface area, high electrical conductivity, thinness and strength, it would make a good candidate for the development of fast and efficient bioelectric sensory devices, with the ability to monitor such things as glucose levels, haemoglobin levels, cholesterol and even DNA sequencing. Eventually we may even see engineered ââ¬Ëtoxicââ¬â¢ graphene that is able to be used as an antibiotic or even anticancer treatment. In addition, due to its molecular make-up and potential biocompatibility, it could be utilised in the process of tissue regeneration. In optical electronics, graphene used on a commercial scale is that in optoelectronics, specifically touchscreens, liquid crystal displays (LCD) and organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). It is also highly conductive, as we have previously mentioned and so it would work very well in optoelectronic applications such as LCD touchscreens for smartphones, tablet and desktop computers and televisions. Graphene is strong, stiff and very light. Currently, aerospace engineers are incorporating carbon fibre into the production of aircraft as it is also very strong and light. However, graphene is much stronger whilst being also much lighter. Ultimately it is expected that graphene is utilized probably integrated into plastics such as epoxy to create a material that can replace steel in the structure of aircraft, improving fuel efficiency, range and reducing weight.Due to its electrical conductivity, it could even be used to coat aircraft surface material to prevent electrical damage resulting from lightning strikes. In this example, the same graphene coating could also be used to measure strain rate, notifying the pilot of any changes in the stress levels that the aircraft wings are under.These characteristics can also help in the development of high strength requirement applications such as body armour for military personnel and vehicles. Furthermore, graphene can uses as a sensor to diagnose some diseases. These sensors are based upon graphene where it have large surface area and the fact that molecules that are sensitive to particular diseases can attach to the carbon atoms in graphene. For example, researchers have found that graphene with strands of DNA and fluorescent molecules can be combined to diagnose diseases. A sensor is formed by attaching fluorescent molecules to single strand DNA and then attaching the DNA to graphene. When an identical single strand DNA combines with the strand on the graphene, a double strand DNA is formed that floats off from the graphene, increasing the fluorescence level. This method results in a sensor that can detect the same DNA for a particular disease in a sample. It also use as membranes for more efficient separation of gases. These membranes are made from sheets of graphene in which nanoscale pores have been created beecause graphene is only one atom thick where gas separatio n will require less energy than thicker membranes.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Essay --
In the world of pop culture, people look up to a myriad of interesting, talented, and inspiring peoples who influence the world. Singers, actors, athletes, celebrities, they all are relevant contributors to pop culture. People look up to them, discuss them, and read articles about them. The media showers these peoples with questions, compliments, and criticism. No other story is as inspiring as the story of a shy girl, born under the name of Diana Spencer, who became a symbol of generosity, wisdom, peace, and love for the world. Princess Diana, who married into the Royal Family, was one of the most influential and popular people in this world. Born on July 1, 1961, in Sandringham England, a small village in the county of Norfolk known only for the Sandringham House, ââ¬Å"a favorite holiday home to Queen Elizabeth II and several of her predecessorsâ⬠,(Sandringham, p.1) Diana went to an all girlsââ¬â¢ school, and then later transferred to a public school. She failed her O- levels twice and was not considered academically strong. However, Diana was considered close to royalty, for she and her family had interacted frequently with them. Diana grew up playing with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward, the younger siblings of Prince Charles. Interested in music and dancing, and a girl with a dream ââ¬Å"to become a professional ballerinaâ⬠(Diana, Princess of Whales p.1) Diana was extremely sorrowed when her parents separated. Placed in the custody of her father, who earned the acclaimed title of ââ¬Å"Earl Spencerâ⬠in 1975, Diana earned a new title as he did, and became known as ââ¬Å"Lady Diana Spencerâ⠬ in her youth. Lady Diana Spencer attended Riddlesworth Hall before boarding at West Health School, and went to the Swiss finishing school, the Institute Aplin ... ...ring came to Diana, who kept her title ââ¬Å"Princessâ⬠, even after the divorce, on the night of August 30th, 1997. She died in a tragic car crash with current boyfriend Dodi Al- Fayed. The driver of the car was under the influence of alcohol, and was being pursued by photographers that night. Al Fayed and the driver died upon impact. Diana died a few hours later. Even after her death, her generosity and works were continued. A tribute to Dianaââ¬â¢s contributions was paid through the Landmine bill of 1998 and the Ottawa Treaty in 1997. Both of these documents were about landmines and followed Dianaââ¬â¢s views on them. After her death, Dianaââ¬â¢s legacy was continued by the Diana, Princess of Whales Memorial Fund which ââ¬Å"supports the sick in Africa, helps refugees, and stops landmines.â⬠(Biography Online, p.2) Diana, the Peopleââ¬â¢s Princess, will live on in peopleââ¬â¢s hearts forever.
Monday, November 11, 2019
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. ââ¬Å"Renesmeeâ⬠¦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. ââ¬Å"It's all right, love. Get dressed, and we'll be back to the house in two seconds.â⬠I probably looked like a cartoon, the way I sprung up, then looked back at him ââ¬â his diamond body faintly glinting in the diffuse light ââ¬â 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. ââ¬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⬠ââ¬Å"And we have all night, right?â⬠He smiled wider. ââ¬Å"Do you think I could bear to let you get dressed now if that weren't the case?â⬠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 ââ¬â 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. ââ¬Å"Which ones are mine?â⬠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. ââ¬Å"To the best of my knowledge, everything but this rack hereâ⬠ââ¬â he touched a bar that stretched along the half-wall to the left of the door ââ¬â ââ¬Å"is yours.â⬠ââ¬Å"All of this?â⬠He shrugged. ââ¬Å"Alice,â⬠we said together. He said her name like an explanation; I said it like an expletive. ââ¬Å"Fine,â⬠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 ââ¬â baby pink. Finding something normal to wear could take all day! ââ¬Å"Let me help,â⬠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. ââ¬Å"How did you do that?â⬠ââ¬Å"Denim has its own scent just like anything else. Nowâ⬠¦ stretch cotton?â⬠He followed his nose to a half-rack, unearthing a long-sleeved white t-shirt. He tossed it to me. ââ¬Å"Thanks,â⬠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 ââ¬â 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 ââ¬â 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 ââ¬â where it left a divot in the wood ââ¬â 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. ââ¬Å"How long has she been up?â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Just a few minutes,â⬠Rose said. ââ¬Å"We would have called you soon. She's been asking for you ââ¬â demandingmight be a better description. Esme sacrificed her second-best silver service to keep the little monster entertained.â⬠Rose smiled at Renesmee with so much gloating affection that the criticism was entirely weightless. ââ¬Å"We didn't want toâ⬠¦ er, bother you.â⬠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. ââ¬Å"We'll get your room set up right away,â⬠I said to Renesmee. ââ¬Å"You'll like the cottage. It's magic.â⬠I look up at Esme. ââ¬Å"Thank you, Esme. So much. It's absolutely perfect.â⬠Before Esme could respond, Emmett was laughing again ââ¬â it wasn't silent this time. ââ¬Å"So it's still standing?â⬠he managed to get out between his snickers. ââ¬Å"I would've thought you two had knocked it to rubble by now. What were you doing last night? Discussing the national debt?â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Where're the wolves today?â⬠I glanced out the window wall, but there had been no sign of Leah on the way in. ââ¬Å"Jacob took off this morning pretty early,â⬠Rosalie told me, a little frown creasing her forehead. ââ¬Å"Seth followed him out.â⬠ââ¬Å"What was he so upset about?â⬠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. ââ¬Å"I don't know ââ¬â or care,â⬠Rosalie grumbled, but she answered Edward's question more fully. ââ¬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 ââ¬â that I noticed, anyway ââ¬â 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⬠ââ¬Å"Rose,â⬠Esme chided gently. Rosalie flipped her hair. ââ¬Å"I suppose it doesn't matter. We won't be here that much longer.â⬠ââ¬Å"I still say we should go straight to New Hampshire and get things set up,â⬠Emmett said, obviously continuing an earlier conversation. ââ¬Å"Bella's already registered at Dartmouth. Doesn't look like it will take her all that long to be able to handle school.â⬠He turned to look at me with a teasing grin. Tm sure you'll ace your classesâ⬠¦ apparently there's nothing interesting for you to do at night besides study.â⬠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 ââ¬â an abrupt, shocking rasp of sound ââ¬â and the blackest fury rolled across his expression like storm clouds. Before any of us could respond, Alice was on her feet. ââ¬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!â⬠She shot me a tortured glance. ââ¬Å"Look at you! You neec/meto show you how to use your closet.â⬠For one second I was grateful for whatever Jacob was up to. And then Edward's hands balled up into fists and he snarled, ââ¬Å"He talked to Charlie. He thinks Charlie is following after him. Coming here. Today.â⬠Alice said a word that sounded very odd in her trilling, ladylike voice, and then she blurred into motion, streaking out the backdoor. ââ¬Å"He told Charlie?â⬠I gasped. ââ¬Å"But ââ¬â doesn't he understand? How could he do that?â⬠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. ââ¬Å"No!â⬠Edward spoke through his teeth. ââ¬Å"Jacob's on his way in now.â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Hey, guys,â⬠he greeted us, grinning. It was perfectly silent. Leah and Seth slipped in behind him, in their human forms ââ¬â for now; both of their hands were trembling with the tension in the room. ââ¬Å"Rose,â⬠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? ââ¬Å"Charlie'll be here soon,â⬠Jacob said to me casually. ââ¬Å"Just a heads-up. I assume Alice is getting you sunglasses or something?â⬠ââ¬Å"You assume way too much,â⬠I spit through my teeth. ââ¬Å"What. Have. You. Done?â⬠Jacob's smile wavered, but he was still too wound up to answer seriously. ââ¬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 ââ¬Å"Do you even realize what you've done? The danger you've put him in?â⬠He snorted. ââ¬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.â⬠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. ââ¬Å"That's just a theory, mongrel,â⬠he snarled. ââ¬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!â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Bella will be in pain?â⬠ââ¬Å"Like you've shoved a white-hot branding iron down her throat!â⬠I flinched, remembering the scent of pure human blood. ââ¬Å"I didn't know that,â⬠Jacob whispered. ââ¬Å"Then perhaps you should have asked first,â⬠Edward growled back through his teeth. ââ¬Å"You would have stopped me.â⬠ââ¬Å"You should have been stopped ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"This isn't about me,â⬠I interrupted. I stood very still, keeping my hold on Renesmee and sanity. ââ¬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?â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Relax, Bella. I didn't tell him anything you weren't planning to tell him.â⬠ââ¬Å"But he's coming here!â⬠ââ¬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.â⬠My fingers flexed away from Renesmee. I curled them back in securely. ââ¬Å"Say it straight, Jacob. I don't have the patience for this.â⬠ââ¬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⬠ââ¬Å"He phased in front of Charlie,â⬠Edward hissed. I whispered, ââ¬Å"You what?â⬠ââ¬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,â⬠Jacob chortled. ââ¬Å"You absolute moronl You could have given him a heart attack!â⬠ââ¬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⬠ââ¬Å"You have half of that, Jacob.â⬠My voice was flat and steely. ââ¬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⬠ââ¬Å"Jeez, Bells. You didn't used to be so melodramatic. Is that a vampire thing?â⬠ââ¬Å"Twenty-six seconds.â⬠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. ââ¬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.â⬠Jacob shrugged. My teeth felt like a vise was pushing them together. ââ¬Å"I want every word, you monster.â⬠ââ¬Å"Well, you said I only had thirty seconds ââ¬â okay, okay.â⬠My expression must have convinced him that I wasn't in the mood for teasing. ââ¬Å"Lemme seeâ⬠¦ I phased back and got dressed, and then after he started breathing again, I said something like, ââ¬ËCharlie, you don't live in the world you thought you lived in. The good news is, nothing has changed ââ¬â 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.' ââ¬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 ââ¬â 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 ââ¬Ëchange,' and I told him that you looked a lot more like Esme now than you looked like Renee.â⬠Edward hissed while I stared in horror; this was headed in a dangerous direction. ââ¬Å"After a few minutes, he asked, real quietly, if you turned into an animal, too. And I said, ââ¬ËShe wishes she was that cool!'â⬠Jacob chuckled. Rosalie made a noise of disgust. ââ¬Å"I started to tell him more about werewolves, but I didn't even get the whole word out ââ¬â Charlie cut me off and said he'd ââ¬Ërather not know the specifics.' Then he asked if you'd known what you were getting yourself into when you married Edward, and I said, ââ¬ËSure, 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.â⬠I inhaled deeply. ââ¬Å"What was the other thing he wanted?â⬠Jacob smiled. ââ¬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.â⬠I felt relief for the first time since Jacob had walked in. ââ¬Å"I can handle that part.â⬠ââ¬Å"Other than that, he'd just like to pretend things are normal.â⬠Jacob's smile turned smug; he must suspect that I would be starting to feel the first faint stirrings of gratitude about now. ââ¬Å"What did you tell him about Renesmee?â⬠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 forâ⬠¦ ââ¬Å"Oh yeah. So I told him that you and Edward had inherited a new little mouth to feed.â⬠He glanced at Edward. ââ¬Å"She's your orphaned ward ââ¬â like Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson.â⬠Jacob snorted. ââ¬Å"I didn't think you'd mind me lying. That's all part of the game, right?â⬠Edward didn't respond in any way, so Jacob went on. ââ¬Å"Charlie was way past being shocked at this point, but he did ask if you were adopting her. ââ¬ËLike a daughter? Like I'm sort of a grandfather?' were his exact words. I told him yes. ââ¬ËCongrats, Gramps, and all of that. He even smiled a little.â⬠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? ââ¬Å"But she's changing so fast,â⬠I whispered. ââ¬Å"I told him that she was more special than all of us put together,â⬠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. ââ¬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.â⬠Jacob stared at me with half a smile, waiting. ââ¬Å"I'm not going to say thank you,â⬠I told him. ââ¬Å"You're still putting Charlie at a huge risk.â⬠ââ¬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.â⬠He smiled his very most Jacob-y smile. ââ¬Å"Still friends?â⬠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 ââ¬â he didn't even flinch at the feel of my cool skin. ââ¬Å"If I don't kill Charlie tonight, I'll consider forgiving you for this.â⬠ââ¬Å"Whenyou don't kill Charlie tonight, you'll owe me huge.â⬠I rolled my eyes. He held out his other hand toward Renesmee, a request this time. ââ¬Å"Can I?â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm actually holding her so that my hands aren't free to kill you, Jacob. Maybe later.â⬠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. ââ¬Å"You, you, and you,â⬠she snapped, glaring at the werewolves. ââ¬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.â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Take her,â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Am I allowed to leave?â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Of course,â⬠Jake said. ââ¬Å"Stay east so you don't cross Charlie's path,â⬠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. ââ¬Å"You can do this. I know you can. Ill help you; we all will.â⬠I met Edward's eyes with panic screaming from my face. Was he strong enough to stop me if I made a wrong move? ââ¬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.â⬠I tried to slow my breathing. Alice held out her hand. There was a small white box on her palm. ââ¬Å"These will irritate your eyes ââ¬â 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?â⬠She flipped the contact box into the air and I caught it. ââ¬Å"When did you ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Before you left on the honeymoon. I was prepared for several possible futures.â⬠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. ââ¬Å"I see what you mean,â⬠I murmured as I stuck the other one in. I tried to not blink this time. My eye automatically wanted to dislodge the obstruction. ââ¬Å"How do I look?â⬠Edward smiled. ââ¬Å"Gorgeous. Of course ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Yes, yes, she always looks gorgeous,â⬠Alice finished his thought impatiently. ââ¬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 ââ¬â 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.â⬠She shook her head. ââ¬Å"Esme, give her a few pointers on acting human while I stock the powder room with contacts.â⬠ââ¬Å"How long do I have?â⬠ââ¬Å"Charlie will be here in five minutes. Keep it simple.â⬠Esme nodded once and came to take my hand. ââ¬Å"The main thing is not to sit too still or move too fast,â⬠she told me. ââ¬Å"Sit down if he does,â⬠Emmett interjected. ââ¬Å"Humans don't like to just stand there.â⬠ââ¬Å"Let your eyes wander every thirty seconds or so,â⬠Jasper added. ââ¬Å"Humans don't stare at one thing for too long.â⬠ââ¬Å"Cross your legs for about five minutes, then switch to crossing your ankles for the next five,â⬠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. ââ¬Å"And blink at least three times a minute,â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Move your hands, too. Brush your hair back or pretend to scratch something,â⬠Jasper said. ââ¬Å"I said Esmeâ⬠Alice complained as she returned. ââ¬Å"You'll overwhelm her.â⬠ââ¬Å"No, I think I got it all,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Sit, look around, blink, fidget.â⬠ââ¬Å"Right,â⬠Esme approved. She hugged my shoulders. Jasper frowned. ââ¬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.â⬠I inhaled once and then nodded again. Edward hugged me on my free side. ââ¬Å"You can do this,â⬠he repeated, murmuring the encouragement in my ear. ââ¬Å"Two minutes,â⬠Alice said. ââ¬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.â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Jacob, I need Renesmee,â⬠I said. Jacob frowned, unmoving. Alice shook her head. ââ¬Å"Bella, that doesn't help me see.â⬠ââ¬Å"But I need her. She keeps me calm.'7The edge of panic in my voice was unmistakable. ââ¬Å"Fine,â⬠Alice groaned. ââ¬Å"Hold her as still as you can and I'll try to see around her.â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Renesmee, someone special is coming to see you and your mother,â⬠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. ââ¬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.â⬠Renesmee touched his face. ââ¬Å"Exactly,â⬠he said. ââ¬Å"And he's going to make you thirsty. But you mustn't bite him. He won't heal like Jacob.â⬠ââ¬Å"Can she understand you?â⬠I whispered. ââ¬Å"She understands. You'll be careful, won't you, Renesmee? You'll help us?â⬠Renesmee touched him again. ââ¬Å"No, I don't care if you bite Jacob. That's fine.â⬠Jacob chuckled. ââ¬Å"Maybe you should leave, Jacob,â⬠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. ââ¬Å"I told Charlie I'd be here,â⬠Jacob said. ââ¬Å"He needs the moral support.â⬠ââ¬Å"Moral support,â⬠Edward scoffed. ââ¬Å"As far as Charlie knows, you're the most repulsive monster of us all.â⬠ââ¬Å"Repulsive?â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Well done, Bella,â⬠Jasper whispered in approval. Edward tightened his arm over my shoulders. ââ¬Å"You're sure?â⬠I asked him. ââ¬Å"Positive. You can do anythingâ⬠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. ââ¬Å"Er, Edward, you might not want to distract her like that right now. She needs to be able to focus.â⬠Edward pulled away. ââ¬Å"Oops,â⬠he said. I laughed. That had been my line from the very beginning, from the very first kiss. ââ¬Å"Later,â⬠I said, and anticipation curled my stomach into a ball. ââ¬Å"Focus, Bella,â⬠Jasper urged. ââ¬Å"Right.â⬠i pushed the trembly feelings away. Charlie, that was the main thing now. Keep Charlie safe today. We would have all night___ ââ¬Å"Bella.â⬠ââ¬Å"Sorry, Jasper.â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Hello, Charlie,â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Carlisle,â⬠Charlie greeted him stiffly. ââ¬Å"Where's Bella?â⬠ââ¬Å"Right here, Dad.â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Is that you, Bella?â⬠he whispered. ââ¬Å"Yep.â⬠I winced at my wind-chime voice. ââ¬Å"Hi, Dad.â⬠He took a deep breath to steady himself. ââ¬Å"Hey, Charlie,â⬠Jacob greeted him from the corner. ââ¬Å"How're things?â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Bella?â⬠heasked again. I spoke in a lower voice, trying to keep the ring out of it.â⬠It's really me.â⬠His jaw locked. ââ¬Å"I'm sorry, Dad,â⬠I said. ââ¬Å"Are you okay?â⬠he demanded. ââ¬Å"Really and truly great,â⬠I promised. ââ¬Å"Healthy as a horse.â⬠That was it for my oxygen. ââ¬Å"Jake told me this wasâ⬠¦ necessary. That you were dying.â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Jacob was telling you the truth.â⬠ââ¬Å"That makes one of you,â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Oh,â⬠he said, and all the anger fell off his face, leaving only shock behind. ââ¬Å"This is her. The orphan Jacob said you're adopting.â⬠ââ¬Å"My niece,â⬠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. ââ¬Å"I thought you'd lost your family,â⬠Charlie said, accusation returning to his voice. ââ¬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.â⬠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. ââ¬Å"She'sâ⬠¦ she's,well, she's a beauty.â⬠ââ¬Å"Yes,â⬠Edward agreed. ââ¬Å"Kind of a big responsibility, though. You two are just getting started.â⬠ââ¬Å"What else could we do?â⬠Edward brushed his fingers lightly over her cheek. I saw him touch her lips for just a moment ââ¬â a reminder. ââ¬Å"Would you have refused her?â⬠ââ¬Å"Hmph. Well.â⬠Heshook his head absently. ââ¬Å"Jake says you call her Nessie?â⬠ââ¬Å"No, we don't,â⬠I said, my voice too sharp and piercing. ââ¬Å"Her name is Renesmee.â⬠Charlie refocused on me. ââ¬Å"How do you feel about this? Maybe Carlisle and Esme could ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"She's mine,â⬠I interrupted. ââ¬Å"I want her.â⬠Charlie frowned. ââ¬Å"You gonna make me a grandpa so young?â⬠Edward smiled. ââ¬Å"Carlisle is a grandfather, too.â⬠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. ââ¬Å"I guess that does sort of make me feel better.â⬠His eyes strayed back to Renesmee. ââ¬Å"She sure is something to look at.â⬠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 ââ¬â his eyes ââ¬â 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. ââ¬Å"Need to know, Charlie. It's okay. I promise.â⬠Charlie swallowed and nodded. And then his eyes blazed as he took a step closer to Edward with his fists tightly clenched. ââ¬Å"I don't want to know everything, but I'm done with the lies!â⬠ââ¬Å"I'm sorry,â⬠Edward said calmly, ââ¬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?â⬠The room wasfull of statues. I crossed my ankles. Charlie huffed once and then turned his glare on me. ââ¬Å"You might've given me some warning, kid.â⬠ââ¬Å"Would it really have made this any easier?â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Whoa,â⬠Charlie gasped, his eyes on her perfect teeth. ââ¬Å"How old is she?â⬠ââ¬Å"Urnâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ ââ¬Å"Three months,â⬠Edward said, and then added slowly, ââ¬Å"rather, she's the size of a three-month-old, more or less. She's younger in some ways, more mature in others.â⬠Very deliberately, Renesmee waved at him. Charlie blinked spastically. Jacob elbowed him. ââ¬Å"Told you she was special, didn't I?â⬠Charlie cringed away from the contact. ââ¬Å"Oh, c'mon, Charlie,â⬠Jacob groaned. ââ¬Å"I'm the same person I've always been. Just pretend this afternoon didn't happen.â⬠The reminder made Charlie's lips go white, but he nodded once. ââ¬Å"Just what is your part in all this, Jake?â⬠he asked. ââ¬Å"How much does Billy know? Why are you here?â⬠He looked at Jacob's face, which was glowing as he stared at Renesmee. ââ¬Å"Well, I could tell you all about it ââ¬â Billy knows absolutely everything ââ¬â but it involves a lot of stuff about werewo ââ¬â ââ¬Å" ââ¬Å"Ungh!â⬠Charlie protested, covering his ears. ââ¬Å"Never mind.â⬠Jacob grinned. ââ¬Å"Everything's going to be great, Charlie. Just try to not believe anything you see.â⬠My dad mumbled something unintelligible. ââ¬Å"Woo!â⬠Emmett suddenly boomed in his deep bass. ââ¬Å"Go Gators!â⬠Jacob and Charlie jumped. The rest of us froze. Charlie recovered, then looked at Emmett over his shoulder. ââ¬Å"Florida winning?â⬠ââ¬Å"Just scored the first touchdown,â⬠Emmett confirmed. He shot a look in my direction, wagging his eyebrows like a villain in vaudeville. ââ¬Å"ââ¬ËBout time somebody scored around here.â⬠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. ââ¬Å"Well,â⬠he sighed, ââ¬Å"I guess we should see if they can hold on to the lead.ââ¬
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