Homoeroticism in Bram Stoker’s Dracula

The evolution of time and the changes in socio-cultural faculties directly reflect on the type and the mainstream of culture within the literary and visual arts genre. Following the parade and proliferation of ‘feminism’ and ‘women empowerment’ in literature and popular media, a new type of theme evolved or branched out—homoeroticism—which had invaded the literary categories. Homoeroticism generally pertains to ‘homo’ or same-sex depiction of love and desire (Murray and Roscoe, 1997). Perhaps one of the most famous and horrifying stories of the twentieth and the contemporary century is the Bram Stoker’s Dracula.While the narrative is typically horrendous and strangely lulling to the reader, there is probably a deeper implication on the psychological responses, which hinges on ‘deviant behavior’ of the story’s main character Count Dracula. Strangely, the character Dracula is an atypical archetype of the â €Å"third† genre. In the subsequent paper, an analysis on the psychological behavior [and his erstwhile characteristics] of Bram Stoker’s Dracula will be conducted and correlate it to the possibility of ‘homoerotic’ inundations that normally defines ‘gay’ literature.Additionally, the paper aims to define the ‘psychological state/conditioning/behavior of the author Bram Stoker by investigating given and known literatures/readings on his biography. Such undertaking can also possibly suggest the presence/absence of homoerotic front of the author.II. The Third Gender and Queer Theory Modernity in the late 1960’s to the contemporary period explores the fundamentals and the notion and ideologies of heterosexuality which extends to thematic concepts in literature.The tenets of gender is questioned and hereto put forth as social equity, an underlying idea of democratization, contests the precepts of gender and sexuality. What is biologica lly ‘straight’ is devolved with identity reconstruction and partiality towards sexual orientation. Accordingly, the new gender—the third gender—a referral to gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and closets play ‘minority’ in the modern society. Homosexuals, in its simplest sense, are the non-heterosexuals. They have distinct preference for the same biological sexual orientation.They are the basket term for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and closets. Faculties of psychosocial behavior explore the deviance and the non-normative sexual practice of homosexuals. It is acknowledged that gays are ‘psychosocial’ deviance, not a sickness but a social reality. The queer society, bearing some forms of behavior and principles, and language materializes in several literatures as some queer theorist claim. Thus there is manifestation and imposition of ‘third gender’ structures and labels from an external mainstream culture of the ‘homosex ual’ minors into literature.Here we explore the unconscious inclusion of pronounced homosexuality of the author Bram Stoker through the vampire Dracula. Bram Stoker’s vampiric Dracula is thus scrutinized using queer theory—process of discovering and exposing underlying meanings, distinctions, and relations of power in larger culture that others oversimplify. The capitalization of overt heterosexuality of the vampiric Dracula is examined overlaying the bounds of the character as simply being a ‘blood-sucking’ un-dead organism.A major proponent of the queer theorist Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick and the Psychosocial Principle of Sigmund Freud will be utilized as a tool for understanding [the literature and] Dracula and explicate the vampire’s [methods] of homoeroticism.III. A Background on Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Eroticism Dracula is an epistolary novel—-consisting of a series of diary entries, telegrams, and letters from the characters , as well as fictional clippings from the Whitby and London newspapers and phonograph cylinders—originally published in 1897 and authored by Bram Stoker.Its’ literary classification [/ genre] is extensive covering that of ‘vampire literature’, ‘horror fiction’, ‘gothic’ and ‘invasion literature’. The novel enjoyed the peak of its literary success in the twentieth century with the proliferation of television and media; several adaptations of the novel’s ‘vampire’ found in theater and film interpretations [Dracula (1931); The Horror of Dracula (1958); Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992); Nosferatu (1922)].Modern accounts always of Dracula always universally agree that it exudes and distorts strong sexual energy: What has become clearer and clearer, particularly in the fin de siecle years of the twentieth century, is that the novel's power has its source in the sexual implications of the blood exchange betwe en the vampire and his victims†¦ Dracula has embedded in it a very disturbing psychosexual allegory whose meaning I am not sure Stoker entirely understood: that there is a demonic force at work in the world whose intent is to eroticize women.In Dracula we see how that force transforms Lucy Westenra, a beautiful nineteen-year-old virgin, into a shameless slut (Wolf 1992). Strong ‘dammed’ sexual energy either repressed or expressed, agitation, fear, anxiety, and excitement are inundated in the Dracula. The ‘demonic’ and ‘psychosexual’ allegories of the Dracula suggest inversion, a repression behind the monstrosity, a Freudian analogy of desires and hetero/homosexuality.III. Homoerotism and Dracula Homoerotism refers to the illustration of homosexual love and desire manifested through visual arts and literature.Although, it is more of a modern concept, Sedgwick acknowledged the pre-existence of such ‘process’ in the Victorian Era that hinges on pathological explanation of the ‘homosexuals’ veering on the predisposition towards both depravity and paederasty (Kaylor 2006). Dracula contains several obvious and not-so-obvious hints on the homoerotism that probably characterizes the restrained movement of the homosexuals of the Late Victorian Era. A. Parodies of Sexual Excesses of Dracula The narrative of the story contains heavy sexual undertones and indulgences that encompass even that of the human characters of the story.Jonathan Harker exhibits sybaritic tendencies towards the dark and desirous evil passions during his encounter with the Brides of Dracula: All three had brilliant white teeth, that shone like pearls against the ruby of their voluptuous lips. There was something about them that made me uneasy, some longing and at the same time deadly fear. I felt in my heart a wicked and burning desire that they would kiss me with those red lips. Stokes brings insight to the darker passions that a re discretely enjoyed in the Late Victorian Era. Sex is not a sacred act but an indulgence of the senses and brain.The conscious aim is to explore sexuality in its most banal and radical sense. Through the Brides of Dracula, Stokes suggests the exploration of multiple sex partners. There is no limit to sexual freedom; it exceeds gender and number, even. Such decadence or feast is patterned from the Greek paedaristic tradition and is patterned throughout the cascade of the story. The excitement of the underlying sexual tones is unmistakable and obviously intentional given the pariah treatment for the ‘unconventional’ during the Victorian Period. The homoerotic desires will continually persist throughout the entirety of the gothic novel.The eroticism for the narrative is strangely luring and animalistic. Dracula bades Harker into the world of secrecy, indulgence and delight, saying â€Å"Welcome to my house! Enter freely. Go safely, and leave something of the happiness y ou bring! †¦ I am Dracula; and I bid you welcome. † Control is mocked; Desire, satisfaction and all that suggests [sexual] indulgence are offered by Dracula. Beneath the civilized veneer of the aristocrat Dracula lay a perverted nature which implies the status of the homosexuals and the repressed sexuality of the stuffy Victorian Period.Sexual harem, incestuous relationships, and men-to-men relations are discretely portrayed in the Bram Stoke’s Dracula albeit in a hyperbolic manner. The Brides of Dracula are not ‘legal’ brides but in actuality, family relations of Dracula who bear a striking and similar morphological features with him which suggests, on the long run, a degree of incestuous relationship enjoyed by them. Aside from sexual harem and a hint of incest, men-to-men relation has played an important element in the development of the sexual undertones of the Gothic novel.Ambiguity in sexual preference and the flexibility of Dracula for sexual pr edisposition is implicit when he admonishes his Brides who want to ravish Harker, â€Å"This man belongs to me! † Such possession and temperamental display of possessive attitude differs from his statement on—â€Å"Yes, I too can love. You yourselves can tell it from the past. Is it not so? Well, now I promise you that when I am done with him you shall kiss him at your will. † Dracula psychosexual conditioning is not clear.However, it is asserted that the ambiguity and the his sexual inversions may have been an indicator for the confusion and the psychological meanderings of a homosexuals presented in a strict and stuffy society. B. Effeminate Dracula Perhaps the most striking quality of Dracula is his striking and handsome appearance which deviates from the ‘ugly’ vampires of Eastern European folklore: [Dracula's] face was a strong – a very strong – aquiline, with high bridge of the thin nose and peculiarly arched nostrils; with lofty domed forehead, and hair growing scantily round the temples, but profusely elsewhere.His eyebrows were very massive, almost meeting over the nose, and with bushy hair that seemed to curl in its own profusion. The mouth, so far as I could see it under the heavy moustache, was fixed and rather cruel looking, with peculiarly sharp white teeth; these protruded over the lips, whose remarkable ruddiness showed astonishing vitality in a man of his years. For the rest, his ears were pale and at the tops extremely pointed; the chin was broad and strong, and the cheeks firm though thin. The general effect was one of extraordinary pallor. The general effect of Dracula is a Byronic ideology of ‘handsome’ man.Beauty is not just a female concept but for the male Dracula as well with the perfection of his features which are highly popular during the Victorian times. The allusion of having ‘red’ lips and ‘long’ pointed nails are physical attributes or endowme nts of female genre. Additionally, Dracula’s innate effeminate characteristics extends to his housekeeping capacities—maintaining Jonathan Harker’s bed and readying of his meals. Dracula is representation of the ‘beautiful ‘morphological male, not necessarily masculine but neither does it approach the feminine standards.C. Unmasking the Monstrosity of Dracula through Queer Theory As Sedwick puts it, to gain a better understanding of the third gender, it is necessary that a thorough study must be conducted that transcends the barriers the standard binary oppositions that limit understanding on sexuality. A careful examination of the psychological constructs of Dracula reveals the ‘heteroerotic’ chasm behinds his monstrosity and vampiric qualities. One of the major proponents behind a true understanding of individuality and motivation is Sigmund Freud.Freud posits that unconscious portion of the mind, the submerged ‘thoughts’ as one puts it, is the major motivating force behind an individual’s actions and thoughts. What is essential is not the actual conscious thoughts but the unconscious thoughts. Could it be that behind the monstrosity of Dracula lay a barrage of confused emotions on gender position and preference, which, is poured into his ‘vampiric tendencies? Dracula is portrayed as an infernal monster by Dr. Van Helsing: The Nosferatu do not die like the bee when he sting once. He is only stronger, and being stronger, have yet more power to work evil.This vampire which is amongst us is of himself so strong in person as twenty men, he is of cunning more than mortal, for his cunning be the growth of ages, he have still the aids of necromancy, which is, as his etymology imply, the divination by the dead, and all the dead that he can come nigh to are for him at command, he is brute, and more than brute, he is devil in callous, and the heart of him is not, he can, within his range, direct t he elements, the storm, the fog, the thunder, he can command all the meaner things, the rat, and the owl, and the bat, the moth, and the fox, and the wolf, he can grow and become small, and he can at times vanish and come unknown. The hyperbolic portrayal of the monstrous proportions of Dracula’s supernatural capacities denotes a deeper meaning behind the literaty texts.An important venue to consider is the role of speech acts which is use as labels for the gay ‘lingo. ’ Beyond morphology and monstrous appearance and punctuated by speech acts and behavior, covers an ambiguity, a sexual inversion that characterizes the hidden and anonymous desires of the third gender minority in the Victorian Period. The dissolution of the boundaries of the self and the thorough subversion of the conventional Victorian gender codes, constrains the mobility of sexual desire of Dracula. Dracula exhibits erratic behavior and sexual excesses that denotes the male activity or supremacy of the old times. Dracula secretely covets Jonathan Harker during his address to his brides—He is mine!Such statement defies the normative concept of heterosexual relations; Dracula, in this single statement of truth exposes once his secrets and his homosexual side. The repeating element of the story—Dracula is a highly sexed creature which spews the wickedness and vagaries on sexual enjoyment. The annotation of the Vampiric mouth is corollary to an orifice that denotes the hidden soul of the count: â€Å"There was a deliberate voluptuousness which was both thrilling and repulsive†¦I could see in the moonlight the moisture shining on the red tongue as it lapped the white sharp teeth†. The eroticism of the vampiric mouth presents the dis-ambiguity between males and females. Dracula constantly victimizes local individual with no ‘gender preferences’ sinking his sharp teeth into an erogenous spot on the neck.On the whole scale, such vampiric qual ities reveal lurid representations on the binary subversion of gender. Woman is not just ‘receptors’ or ‘vessels’ [sunk with Dracula fangs] and neither are men simply the ‘penetrator’. The role of Draconian mouth extends beyond hyperbole into an equivocation of gender roles. Such is the power of the mouth! The Brides of Dracula have the equal capacity to ‘sink’ their sharp teeth, an allusion to females’ position in ‘sexual’ proclivities. The transfusion of blood and any bloodily fluids across humans is not just about sucking the life force but on the whole this pertains to the unity and social equity beyond gender categorization.Dracula being a homosexual extremist ‘transfers’ blood when sucking; an equivocation of gender roles and a unwitting question of the association of the gay minority into the bilaterally determined society. Blood ties and acceptance. Blood. This is what ties humans together a nd the rejection of Dracula’s blood coupled with the fear and anxiety that characterizes the society during vampire hunts presents a parallelization of the misunderstood and an unaccepted presence of gay roles. The Dracula is a ‘monster’, and ‘a new order’ of humanity that is not understood by the old Victorian society. The monster presents un-comfort, distention, and somewhat weird and curiously entrancing but otherwise shunned away because it is not normal.Heterosexual association of Dracula with ‘women’, his imminent victimization of them presents Dracula as not simply just the ‘un-choosey’ attacker; within the psychological premise, the deliberate choice of Dracula for women is a ‘displacement method’ for his unfulfilled sexual ambition with Jonathan Harker. Dracula’s desire with a male Harker and his victimization is always postponed by a series of events. In the end, to alleviate his sexual frustrat ion for the male species, Dracula poured his frustrations in extreme proportions in the female genre. Dracula’s homoerotic desires is gratified by his three Brides; Dracula’s daughters offer masculine version for penetration with Harker as the recipient:Lower and lower went her head as the lips went below the range of my mouth and the chin and seemed to fasten on my throat†¦I could feel the soft, shivering touch of the lips on the supersensitive skin of my throat, and the hard dents of the two sharp teeth, just touching and pausing there. I closed my eyes in a languorous ecstasy and waited—waited with a beating heart. This is the final and most pronounced text wherein there is a direct representation of male ‘penetration’ vis-a-vis the female anatomy (from the mouth down anyway) and the referral to languor state ‘ecstasy’ prior to penetration. Harker anticipated the penetrated ‘waited—waited with a beating heart but th e act was not bound to happen since Dracula barges in and shouts, â€Å"How dare you touch him, any of you?How dare you cast eyes on him when I had forbidden it? Back I tell you! This man belongs to me. † The interruption suggests, more so the line, ‘This man belongs to me’, denotes homoeroticism on the part of Dracula, but such libidinous desires will never be realized its focal recipient Harker but instead will be displaced with other women. There are actually no male-to-male aggressions on the narrative but rather suggestive implications covered under sexual undertones and motivation inset under the Draco’s language. IV. Homoeroticism and Bram Stoker The publication of Dracula and the homoerotic themes scandalized under the narrative, created a question on the motivation of the author Bram Stoker.It has been noted above that the horror story is a social commentary on the misunderstanding and the treatment of homosexuals as well as exploration on the â⠂¬Ëœhomoerotism’ of Dracula. Perhaps Dracula is merely an extension of the true author. We contend that the vividness of the character Dracula is either a representation of the closet Bram Stoker or if not his close friend and correspondent, the multi-sex oriented (bisexual, paederastic and homosexual [even metrosexual with current standards] Oscar Wilde. It must be realized that Stokes began writing the story one month after Oscar Wilde was legally cross-examined for sodomy. The ignorance of connection between the two was due to the absence of literature that would connote Wilde’s name.Yet what is not apparently there may exist there by using using deliberate names to fulfill the gaps in communication. It is very possible that Dracula is Wilde; a horror allegory for a gay closet ‘trapped’ and ‘afraid’ during the trial. The Oscar Wilde trial is one of the most scandalous and expository nature of the Victorian underground in the nineteenth cent ury. The trial commences the legal prosecution of the gays under the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1885 which states the condemnation of homosexual acts not amounting to buggery. The crisis of the closet is untenable; whereas Stokes wanted to embraced the ideology of homosexuality, common fear for persecution of gays forced him to be discrete and displaced his ideas on Dracula.Stoker has been many times associated with Withman and his open correspondent with him. His admires Whitman for ‘function[ing] as badges in homosexual recognition in England fin-de-siecle. ’ Stoker writes an insidious letter to Whitman: I would like to call you Comrade and to talk to you as men who are not poets do not often talk. I think that at first a man would be ashamed, for a man cannot in a moment break the habit of comparative reticence that has become a second nature to him, but I know I would not be long ashamed to be natural before you†¦. You have shaken off the shackles and your w ings are free. I have the shackles on my soldiers and still—but I have no wings.If you are going to read this letter any further I should tell you that I am not prepared to give up all else so far as words go. The ‘love letter’ address to Whitman suggests the fight for gay freedom of movement vis-a-vis his literary writings. The metaphysical connection between the two men is demonstrated in the letters. Gays are not simply gays because of their sexual quirks or fancies but more on their emotional predisposition. As Stokes further asserted, â€Å"How sweet a thing it is for a strong healthy man with a woman’s eye and a child’s wishes to feel that he can speak so to a man who can be if he wishes a father, and brother and wife to his soul. †Stokes believed that he is different from the normative ‘kind’ of human species. It is not known if Stoker’s presumed gayness resulted from the classical Oedipus imbalance or is a genetica lly determined trait. However it is clear that he identifies himself to be a different kind, those who practiced sodomy and has distinct preference for young males. While it is true that he is a proud member of the third class, tradition and fear of experiencing societal pariah urges him towards complacency and discretion. Stoker cannot openly write his intellectual positions on the assertion of third gender roles in the Victorian society and their so-called coming out.Stokes later became a member of the organization of gays with Whitman as a ‘special’ comrade. Oscar Wilde’s trial prove to be the turning point of decisions for his literary career. The infusion of homoeroticism within Dracula is so discretely hidden that, for a common reader, Dracula is nothing but bat-like demon. Within the realms of persecution, Dracula is perhaps the safest route for gay literary ideology and at the same time, avoiding inspection from the anti-homosexual Victorian law enforcers . Wilde’s trial forces the author Bram Stoker to secrecy. Irving also enjoys a strong emotional discourse with Irving, a gay poet: In those moments of our mutual emotion he too had found a friend. Soul had looked into soul!From that hour began the friendship as profound, as close, as lasting can be between two men†¦And the sight of his picture before me, with those loving words, the record of a time of deep emotion and full understanding of us both, each for a time of deep emotion and full understanding of us both, each for the other, unmans me once again as I write. The souls of the two distinguished individuals commune; it borders beyond physical adoration. They understand each other’s needs and ambitions depicting mutuality among men—a mirror of homosexuality that is very misleading and the parameters rather abstract. Stoker’s love for Irving is open, honest and metaphysical; there were no records to the consummation of their love but Stoker, many times, admitted to the alluding most profound male relationship of all time. Note that in Dracula, there is no consummation between the vampire Dracula and the human Jonathan Harker.Perhaps Stoker wants to project the essential element of third gender relations which hinges on emotional and intellectual connections. That is perhaps, why, Stoker condemns the vulgar representation of the third gender of Oscar Wilde. Oscar Wilde, during his trial, exposing the darker sides of the third sex legion. He commented, â€Å"Vices so flaggitous, so opposed to nature, even in its lowest and crudest forms that the poignancy of moral disgust is lost in the horror. † Stoker argues that some gay literature are censorious and exploits and denigrates the essentials of gayhood. Stoker always asserts discretion even in his letters and literary works.Such discretion fed under rigidity of censorship allowed him to explore the subtextual tools in implicating homoeroticism within his Dracula story. Wilde was Stoker’s primary rival but whether he sympathizes with his enemy’s crimes is another story. One thing is certain: the Oscar Wilde trial forced Bram Stoker to methodically used discretion in several of his correspondence. V. Conclusion The paper discussed the homoeroticism in Dracula and the psycho social ideologies that lay basic foundation to the horrorific nature of the epistolary literature. Beyond horror, the Freudian theory of subconscious explained the motives of the antagonist Dracula. Sedwick’s principle on exceeding structured binary opposition to categorized the atypical Dracula.In understanding Dracula and its’ author Bram Stoker, subtextual language and discrete elements embedded within the horror story and the correspondence of Stoker to some of his friends reveal insights in the subversive gay literature. Homoeroticism of Dracula reveals the culture of third gender during the late Victorian period. Dracula, a homosexual closet bey ond the hyperbolic monster demonstrates effeminate morphology and behavior. More so his strange attraction to Jonathan Harker. Displacement behavior explained his opinion on sexual gratification. Dracula, is perhaps, Wilde, a representation of the archenemy of Bram Stokes during his collegiate years.It is the literary by-product of the censorious laws of old England which was heightened during Wilde’s trial.Works CitedDalby, R. and Hughes, W.. Bram Stoker: A Bibliography. Westcliff-on-Sea: Desert Island Books, 2005.Freedman, Alfred M. and Harold I. Kaplan. Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry . Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins Company, 1967.Hughes, William. Beyond Dracula: Bram Stoker's Fiction and its Cultural Contexts Basingstoke: Macmillan, 2000.McKenna, N. The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde. Random House, 2004. Sedgwick, E. K. Epistemology of the Closet. California: UP, 1990.Wolf, L. . Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Signet Classic Edition. USA: Penguin, 1990.

Declaration of Principles and Policies Essay

Some of us here in Congress may have heard of the cancellation of CLOAs in Hacienda Looc, Batangas, Sumilao, Bukidnon and Hacienda Maria, Agusan del Sur. These are only some of the 2,555 cases involving cancellation of EPs and CLOAs which covers 29,682 hectares of land. To be specific, the case of Hacienda Maria in Agusan del Sur involves ninety-four (94) farmers that were already in possession of the land with titles issued more than ten years ago. These titles are now facing cancellation, apparently on the ground that the former Ministry of Agrarian Reform has erroneously covered that piece of land under Presidential Decree No. 27. One of the grounds for cancellation under DAR Administrative Order No. 2, series of 1994 is when â€Å"the land is found to be exempted/excluded from P.D. No. 27/E.O. No. 266 or CARP coverage or to be part of the landowner’s retained areas as determined by the Secretary or his authorized representative.† Or the lands voluntarily offered under section 19 of Republic Act No. 6657 but which are found to be outside the coverage of CARP. While the grounds for cancellation of EPs and CLOAs under DAR AO No. 2, series of 1994 are generally valid, setting a prescriptive period for the cancellation of EPs and CLOAs is in order. Truly, it is the height of callousness to cancel EPs or CLOAs of farmer beneficiaries who have been, for years, diligently amortizing payments to their lands. With regard to DAR AO No. 3, series of 1996, it would also be unjust that farmer beneficiaries be made to suffer in a fault they did not have any part of. In awarding parcels of land to farmer beneficiaries, it is the DAR that negotiates with the landowners and farmer beneficiaries. The latter two parties do not have direct negotiation with each other except if the land will be under the direct payment scheme. In addition, it is the government and not the farmer beneficiaries that determines which lands would be c overed by land reform. The farmer’s participation only starts after the DAR has finished negotiations with the landowners and EPs or CLOAs are awarded to them. As such, the farmer beneficiaries should be regarded as â€Å"innocent purchasers for value.† This bill has six objectives. First, this legislation reaffirms that EPs and CLOAs are land titles under Presidential Decree No. 1529; second, it provides for prescriptive periods for the filing of petitions for the cancellation of EPs and CLOAs; third, it provides for compensation to landowners, whose lands were erroneously covered by land reform programs; fourth, it ensures that the farmer beneficiaries do not bear the consequences of the DAR’s errors in distributing lands that should have been exempted from coverage of our agrarian laws; Fifth, this legislation limits the effect of the Department of Justice Opinion No. 44, series of 1990 that excludes lands that have been reclassified or even without the concurrence of the Department of Agrarian Reform. The DOJ Opinion, though not a law, has been continuously cited as a ground for cancellation of EPs and CLOAs. Finally, it prevents the cancellation of EPs and CLOAs through the enactment of laws that further exempt lands from the coverage of agrarian reform laws. An example of this is the cancellation of EPs and CLOAs on the ground that the landowners were not paid just compensation. Truly, farmer beneficiaries should not be deprived of the lands awarded to them if the government is unable to fulfill its duties under the laws. Passage of this bill is, earnestly sought.

Doctrine of Estoppel in Australian Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Doctrine of Estoppel in Australian Law - Essay Example But then, if the plaintiff has said or done something that induced/caused the defendant to change his or her behavior and that reliance was reasonable, the courts hold the discretion to deny the remedy to the plaintiff. Estoppel is not a remedy "at law" in the jurisdictions of common law, but is based on the principles of equity. In most cases, it is only a defense used by the defendant to prevent the plaintiff from enforcing established legal rights, or from relying on a set of facts that would give rise to enforceable rights this can be in the form of words uttered or actions performed, if that enforcement or reliance can be seen as unfair to the defendant. Because its effect is to defeat generally enforceable legal rights, the scope of the remedy is often very limited. In the case of a debt, for instance, an estoppel could be claimed if the creditor tells the debtor that he has been forgiven of his debt, but then there has not been a formal termination of the debt. If later the creditor demands that the debt should be paid back, but the debtor, reling on the earlier information that the debt has been forgiven him, has innocently spent the money on something else, the creditor may be estopped from relying on the usual contractual right to repayment because it would be unfair to allow the creditor to change his mind. Estoppel provides a way in which promises can be legally binding, even when there is no consideration. Estoppel is reliance based and, and you should note that reliance was never sufficient to constitute a consideration. In strict terms, Estoppel has nothing to do with contract, which means it is not part of contract law in the traditional sense. It is something that exists as a separate body of law - just like negligence or trespass. Its importance is that it has impacted on the law of contract by making it possible to argue for legal obligations which are contract-like but which do not satisfy the traditional requirements of consideration. Estoppel has therefore had an important impact on contract, but, it should be kept in mind that estoppel is a general doctrine which operates in all sorts of other areas as well. A lot of learned commentators of great influence have argued that there should be, if there never was, but one doctrine of estoppel by conduct in Australian law. Their argument captured by Mr. Spence in his book as the desirability of the unification of common law and equitable estoppel, and he advocates for a model of unification in which equitable estoppel would be extended to cover assumptions of fact, thereby swallowing up the common law doctrine. This method of unification was advocated and explained by MasonCJ in his judgment in CommonwealthvVerwayen 2. Their major worry in relation to equitable estoppel is whether it is fundamentally concerned with preventing unconscionable conduct or with protecting reasonable reliance. They are wont to ask if equitable estoppel is essentially concerned with the representor's misconduct, or with the representee's plight This is basically what the learned authors, Meagher, Heydon and Leeming, mean when they said in their book3 that "there are influential proponents of the view that there now should be, if there has not always been, but one doctrine of estoppel by conduct". What it seems to me that they are saying is that there should

Importance of Effective Communication To Elementary Teaching Essay

Importance of Effective Communication To Elementary Teaching profession - Essay Example If the teacher truly does want to create multivoiced classrooms, she/he needs to provide ways for all of the students to participate. One among is the effective communication of the teacher with the students. Communication apprehension (CA) has been defined as an "individual level of fear or anxiety associated with either real or anticipated communication with another person or persons" (McCroskey, 1977). The school environment can play a vital role in the prevention of CA and make the students feel as part of the team. Fisher (1995) describes a school classroom that encourages a sense of community: "For me, community in the classroom is the amalgamation of rigorous learning and caring about one another. Community is built through routines, procedures, and attitudes that evolve over time as the teacher and children develop trust in one another. The teacher can create community feeling in the students by creating a warm, easygoing climate in the classroom --helping students get to know one another at the beginning of the year --using drama and role-playing situations --having students speak to the class in groups or panels rather than individually --allowing students to work with classmates with whom they feel most comfortable --having students speak from their seats rather than from the front of the room --presenting students with oral activi

The Slowdown of Economic Development in China Essay

The Slowdown of Economic Development in China - Essay Example China for the past decade has seen a specular rise in economic growth. But it has faced many crises like democratic economic bubbles, astronomical debt, and overspending. It is a classic case of history repeating itself. What rises comes down and eventually levels out as the countries progress from crafts, agriculture to manufacturing and finally to service and knowledge economy. As a result, the countryside empties out and it no longer serves as the source of cheap labor. With a rise in fixed investment, the marginal return decline and thus each unit of capital generates less output than the previous ones. This is known as the law of diminishing marginal returns. During the Cultural Revolution in China, the growth dived down from as high as of 19% to below zero. Recent Chinese history reflects the role of the exogenous shocks which is far worse as compared to those of cyclical downturn. Such domestic turmoil is a severe attack on growth. Due to the Cultural Revolution, the growth de clined by eight, followed by seven percentage points. The same case happened during the Tiananmen Square massacre, where the growth dropped to 2.5 percent for two consecutive years (Joffe 1). The two revolutions is a fitting example that the more the state tries to grip, the more vulnerable the economy is to political shocks. Hence the Chinese authorities look at every civic disturbance from the point of view of Tiananmen revolt. They fear that their days are numbered. They have seen that the communist party collapsed overnight in the same year which saw protest at Tiananmen Square. Today everyone may be mesmerized by the awesome growth of China. But they cannot defy their verdict of economic history. No country has escaped from this history. The Western intellectuals have concluded that power may breed growth initially, but in the long run, it fails. The same thing is revealed by the affairs of the nation in the 20th century. A supreme leader of a nation may whip his people to brin g about frenzied industrialization which would normally take decades for democracy to achieve. But it is short lived. Top-down economies may succeed at first but it eventually fails as seen in Soviet case. Any Authoritarian government plants the seeds of their own demise. The system may move mountains through its use of power but eventually, the system is itself hardened like a mountain range becoming stony, immovable and impenetrable. The system tries to empower the vested interest so that they can get privileged access and then resists change since it will pose a mortal threat to their income and status. In such a society, the elites try to acquire as much riches a possible, more than what a free market would grant them. The government favors the organized interest and industries which seek more power so that they can gain subsidies, monopolies, protection, and tax subsidies more than the competitive system would grant them. If a state instead of the market determines the economic outcomes then politics will beat profitability. Building permits, Licenses, anticompetitive regulations, import barriers go to those players which are favored by the state. Such a system is not easily repaired. This is what China is facing now. Today China’s export sector contributes to its maximum earning. Once this ends, the countryside of China will not be able to feed the industrial machine with cheap labor.  

Why do we do school Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Why do we do school - Essay Example Moreover, the increased and reoccurring homework, which follows each student, may increase a student’s hatred towards the school. In many ways, school may be frustrating and annoying having lots of energies going to the attainment of what is considered as good grades. Besides the many negative attributes of school, we still go to school. The main question that is evoked is why do we do school. In my own opinion, school is a vital tool. This is the reason why different parents pressurize their children to go to school and work hard. When a child misses school, he or she would miss out a crucial stage in his life. Therefore, besides the negative effects that are experienced whenever a child goes to school, a school has unquestionably increased benefits, as well. In attempts to gain insight concerning the relevance of a school, this paper explores the reason why we do school. It has been widely known that knowledge is considered as power. A school is a prime basis of knowledge be ing inserted to a child. School provides an opportunity for children to get knowledge on the different education fields, like people history, literature, politics, mathematics, among other fields. In getting this knowledge, an individual is in strong grounds of helping other individuals and society. For instance, I can calculate my taxes speedily and easily with the knowledge that I have gained from mathematics. Having better information, it would be easy for me to attract attention in a gathering through assuming an active pain in the discussion. School would pave a way to disillusionment. In this case, the schools gives me a chance to erase all beliefs that are wrong within my mind. It enables me to come up with a clear picture concerning the things around me thus making me be out of confusion concerning the aspects that I do learn. Therefore, school enhances cultural capital. In this respect, whatever one learns subconsciously, and things that are part of one’s everyday li fe are whatever matter in one’s life. The dominant culture would dominate different decisions of an individual. For example, one would decide his ways of dressing, talking, skills passed on from generation to generation. We go to school because a school is a ladder that for climbing to another level. Unless I finish my school education, I would not be able to secure an enrollment into a post secondary institution such as a university or college. A post secondary institution is normally significant in the attainment of one’s dreams. Having high education, I can get myself a well paying job thus be able to lead a better life. With no academic career, I would have a difficult time in making a living for myself. This is so because, with no career and education I may only be able to get low paying jobs or the black collar jobs that may fail to finance all my basic needs (Nakosteen 32). Apart from this, schools serve as elements of socialization. They enable an individual to socialize. When I attend a school, I will get an opportunity to come across new children of my age. Even as some of them may remain to be my classmates, some of them will certainly get close to me and become friends for a number of years in other instances for a lifetime. If I decide to waste a whole day at home doing nothing, I may fail to meet different people of my age thus leading to a lonely life. Socialization and meeting of other new persons would broaden my knowledge parameter. For one to lead a life considered socially good, it is prudent for such an individual to attend school. In this regard, a school enables a child to develop social constructions. This is a school of thought regarding the manner social phenomena is established, institutionalized, and made into different tradition. It

Mentoring Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Mentoring - Assignment Example Mentors help people to solve their problems at work and out of the office as well. Being capable to manage their life, people feel empowered to do more than they usually do. As a result, they show greater performance and experience fewer difficulties while copying with new tasks or carrying greater responsibility than they used to have. Mentors use their personal example to show that their interventions work perfectly well for them in their life. For instance, if a friend gives a piece of advice, it does not mean that this friend acts the way she or she advices in real life. Everything is different with mentors because they believe in what they say and act accordingly. Usually, such examples are very inspiring because if someone can handle everything, other people can also life effectively. Climate of trust is very important for mentor-mentee relationships because only in this way mentors can effectively help their clients to succeed. In order to create relationships of trust, mentors should be understanding and show positive attitude to the mentee. Also, mentors need to share information with their mentees; they need to provide their personal information as well in exchange for their same information about their mentee. In order to work effectively together, mentor and mentee need to facilitate agenda and define long-term and short-term goals they need to set during their sessions. This agenda is necessary because it directs work and makes it clear why certain things need to be done. Set goals and solve problems is possible only when people share information about their past and present. Some problems appeared to have place in the past and their consequences can negatively influence mentees life. On the other hand, mentor can understand mentee better if she or she knows the background of this person. Obviously from the title, traditional one-to-one mentoring is the most frequently met mentoring model. It is

Person focused clinical inquiry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Person focused clinical inquiry - Essay Example tube", he pointed at the catheter. I promised him, his identity would remain confidential; he replied, "I don't care!" I inquired about his impression about his illness. Davy said, he is an architect, and he loves creating models, and he does this in the attic of his house. Meg added, "It was October 20, afternoon." Davy continued in a garbled speech, " I was creating a model of a building, suddenly I felt fainted, and I was not able to control my fingers, I tried to call Meg, she was in the lawn, I could not voice. Rest I don't know." Meg added, "When I heard something heavy falling, I ran to the attic only to find that Davy was slumped in the bathroom." "When I woke up in the hospital bed, I didn't know what was the day, and they told me I had a stroke." I understood he had an internal bleed in his brain, and with history of diabetes and history of dyslipidemia and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and hypertension, he was pretty much at risk of this kind of cerebrovascular accident. Pathophysiology: I was able to reconstruct the accident he suffered from. A bleeding inside the brain happens when a blood vessels ruptures within the brain. Davy was already a patient of hypertension on antihypertensive medication. He had diabetes mellitus and hypercholesterolemia. He was perhaps diagnosed to be having coronary artery disease (Ariesen, M.J. et al, 2003). He was on aspirin, which was held on this admission (Coller B.S., 1990). On further inquiry and with Meg's help, I could recover Davy is now dysarthric, he can understand clearly the conversation, but his expression is not clear enough to communicate in the early phases of this...1223 - 1227. Schroeder, E.B., Rosamond, W.D., Morris, D.L., Evenson, K.R., and Hinn, A.R. (2000). Determinants of Use of Emergency Medical Services in a Population With Stroke Symptoms : The Second Delay in Accessing Stroke Healthcare (DASH II) Study, Stroke; 31: p. 2591. Thrift, G.A., McNeil, J.J., Forbes, A., and Donnan, G.A. (1999), Risk Of Primary Intracerebral Haemorrhage Associated With Aspirin And Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs: Case-Control Study, British Medical Journal; 318: pp. 759 - 764. UK Prospective Diabetes Study Group (1998). Efficacy Of Atenolol And Captopril In Reducing Risk Of Macrovascular And Microvascular Complications In Type 2Diabetes: UKPDS 39, British Medical Journal; 317: pp.713 - 720.

Journal Assignment Observation of a Presentation Essay

Journal Assignment Observation of a Presentation - Essay Example Each person hired had to have restaurant experience in the area of their work. For an example, a person in the kitchen had to have kitchen and food preparation experience. There were 14 new people hired for this day time shift. Each person wore a name tag, and they were told that they needed to wear the name tag every time they came to work. One lady started to laugh. She was rather young, and Mr. Marcus asked her what was funny. She said that she was glad she didn't have to wear them like the ones that retail stores have their employees do because they aren't able to be read! As the people introduced themselves, it was easy to see who were outgoing and who were quieter. The outgoing people smiled and made eye contact with others, while the more reserved were polite in their behavior, participated, but appeared uncomfortable in the group setting. Mr. Marcus smiled frequently, then said that he wanted all of them to understand correct table service because when working in an elite restaurant, it is necessary to know the procedures. He asked if anyone had ever known or practiced right-handed table service. One male, Jon, raised his hand and said that he did. Mr. Marcus asked him to come help him demonstrate. He had two of the other people sit as though they were guests in the restaurant. Jon set the table for right-handed service, then Mr. ... He had Jon take the dishes from the table from the right, then serve dessert to the guests. The others watched and Mr. Marcus asked if they had any questions. Geoff, another male, raised his hand and asked if left-handed service was ever used instead of the right handed method. Mr. Marcus explained how and when that could be used and the need to observe the guests as to which hand is used in eating. Mr. Marcus handled questions very well. Julia asked about having an accident and dropping something. Mr. Marcus' answer was pleasant. "Well, Julia, I hope that doesn't happen, but if it does, the staff will help clean it up and then we'll fire you!" He laughed, admitting he was teasing, but that the staff would help in a crisis. His personal mannerisms, his smile, eye contact, and interaction, made the trainees feel comfortable. His non-verbal behavior was impressive and quite natural. It was obvious that Mr. Marcus was quite comfortable with his position. His mannerisms showed a person who was comfortable with himself and what he was doing. He made eye contact with every person he was training and had a way of getting each to participate without causing him or her to feel uncomfortable. He did this by a slight motion of his hand. His dress was a shirt and tie with a business suit, the jacket was removed while he was training. The language that was notable was his use of "guest" instead of "customer" and "service" instead of "waiting on the table." This was definitely an upper class eating establishment! Also, when a question was asked, he repeated the question in the form of a statement, then proceeded to answer the question. This is an excellent technique for anyone in communications or the teaching field. The trainees were dressed in the type of uniforms

San miguel background Essay Example for Free

San miguel background Essay INTRODUTION Eduardo Cojuanco, a CEO of San Miguel Corporation is having a hard time in making his decision about the risk he will take for his product know as the San Miguel Beer. He is currently re-assessing his marketing strategies to known if he can expand his plans and make it a success. His current flagship product is well known as the ‘San Miguel Beer’, is taking its slow growth rate because of its large market share. Because of this he then decided to engage in business not in line with his profession. These businesses are energy, mining and infrastructure. There’s more but these are what he chose to look real close. But we all known that San Miguel Beer is a long time-time product that was already familiar and be loved by the Filipinos. So, what would be the best decision for Mr. Conjuangco’s Company? History of the company La Fabrica de Cerveza de San Miguel, the Philippines’ first brewery – establish in 1890 with 70 employees – produced and bottled what would eventually become the country’s best selling beer. Within a span of generation, San Miguel in its familiar amber Steinie bottle would become a Filipino icon and a quintessential part of Filipino life. By 1914 San Miguel Beer was being exported to shanghai, Hong Kong and Guam. Hong Kong would later become a site of san Miguel’s first offshore operation in 1948 While brewing beer is San Miguel’s heritage and the focus of much of its expertise, the company subsequently branched out into soft beverages, food and packaging. Diversification characterized the 1920’s, with the company expanding its product line to include soft drinks and ice cream. In 1938, San Miguel began producing its own bottles. By the 1950’s, the company expanded into poultry and livestock feeds processing. From the original Cerveza that first rolled of the bottling line, San Miguel Corporation has gone to produce a wide range of popular beverage, food and packaging products which have catered to generations of consumers’ diverse and changing tastes. San Miguel Beer, the company’s flagship product is one of the world’s largest selling beers. San Miguel is the Philippine largest food, beverage and packaging company and packaging company and the one of the country’s biggest private employers. The company’s manufacturing operations extends to Hong Kong, China, Indonesia, Vietnam and Australia and its products are exported to over 40 countries around the world. San Miguel partnerships with major international companies have given the company access to the latest technologies and expertise. Partners include the Coca-Cola Company, Hormal Foods Corporation, Hormel Foods Corporation, Kirin Brewery, Yamamura Glass and Fuso Machine and Mold Manufacturing of Japan. Industry Definition COMPANY PROFILE San Miguel Corporation is the largest food, beverage and packaging company in the Philippines, employing more than 26,000 employees in over 100 facilities in the Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia and Australia. Our enduring brand, quality products, unparalleled distribution, responsiveness and innovation have enables us to become among the best company in Asia. Our company has been in the business of building brands for years. Our name is among the most recognized and trusted in the Philippines, appearing on more than 300 products. MISSION San Miguel Foundation, Inc. is committed to the empowerment of San Miguel host communities and various take holders by harnessing corporate social responsibility among the various San Miguel business in pursuing mutually beneficial programs that lead to self-reliance and sustainability. VISSION Vision SMC’s fundamental and historical philosophy — Profit with Honor. The following are SMC’s objectives: To provide an environment which is conducive to the development of the individual and which encourages employees to realize their full capabilities. To generate a return on funds employed sufficient to ensure an adequate rate of growth for the Corporation, and to provide satisfactory returns to stockholders. To seek and develop export markets for new products as well as for those already being produced by the Corporation. To diversify into fields which will ensure optimum utilization of management resources and a substantial contribution to corporate profits? To manufacture, distribute and sell throughout the Philippines food products, beverages, packaging products and animal feeds, being ready at all times to add, modify or discontinue products in accordance with changes in the market. To be constantly aware of the aspirations of the people and of the nation, and to ensure that San Miguel continues to make a major contribution towards the achievement of these aspirations. VALUES San Miguel is Strongly oriented towards achieving results but firmly believes that these results be achieved in a manner that uphold the highest standards of integrity and ethical practice. These are exemplified in our core value, which each and every San Miguel employee should strive to uphold: Passion for Success We will constantly strive for excellence. We will be the best we can be and create value in everything we do. We will be proactive and entrepreneurial, propelled by a sense of urgency, competitiveness and total dedication to results. Teamwork With trust and respect for each other and with unity in purpose, we will work toward our shared aspirations, transcending boundaries along functional and organizational lines. Respect for Our People   We recognize our employees as individuals and are committed to nurturing their individual capabilities. We will uplift the dignity of labor by encouraging our people to be the best in their fields. We believe their growth and the growth of the organization go hand in hand. We are committed to creating a work environment that encourages open communication, camaraderie and professional growth. Customer Focus We will be our customers’ preferred choice. They will choose our products and services above others because we provide them with products and services that exceed their expectations. Innovativeness We will encourage creativity and ingenuity in our processes and systems, products and services. We will be forever looking for ways to outdo ourselves, always striving to be the first to anticipate consumer needs and deliver something better. Integrity In the conduct of our business, we will be guided by what is ethical, fair and right. We believe in profit with honor and are committed to good governance and the highest moral standards. Social Responsibility We believe social responsibility and corporate citizenship are integral parts of our business. We are committed to improving lives of people in the communities in which we live and work. AWARDS 2012 San Miguel Community Clinics Anvil Award of Merit, 47th Anvil Awards SMPF Handog Lusog Para sa Nutrisyon ng Nasyon Finalist, IABC Philippine Quill Awards 2012 San Miguel Community Clinics Award of Excellence, IABC Philippine Quill Awards 2011 Anvil Award of Merit, 46th Anvil Awards Tulong-tulong para sa Tullahan Project II Anvil Award of Merit, 46th Anvil Awards Tulong-tulong sa Tullahan 2002 Anvil Award of Excellence (Public Relations Society of the Philippines) Coca-Cola’s Mission P.E.T. 2002 Anvil Award of Excellence (Public Relations Society of the Philippines) Coca-Cola’s Mission P.E.T. 2002 Gold Quill Award (International Assn. of Business Communicators) Distileria Bago, Inc. 2002 Anvil Award of Merit (Public Relations Society of the Philippines) Distileria Bago, Inc. 2002-2003 Certifi cate of Recognition as Healthy Workplace Regional Winner (Provincial Category) San Fernando Brewery 2001 Healthy Workplace (Department of Health-National and Regional Level) Davao Brewery’s EMS and Adopt-a-River Project 2000 Mother Nature Award (Pollution Control Assn. of the Philippines, Inc.) San Fernando Brewery 1999 Employer of the Year Award (Social Security System) Polo Brewery/Bacolod Brewery/Davao Brewery/CTS-EMG 1997-2000 Ten Outstanding Pollution Control Officers (Pollution Control Assn. of the Philippines, Inc.) WARRANTY OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY Established in 1890 as a single-product brewery, San Miguel Corporation (San Miguel) is the Philippines’ largest beverage, food and packaging company. Today, the company has over 100 facilities in the Philippines, Southeast Asia, and China. One of the country’s premier business conglomerates, San Miguel’s extensive product portfolio includes over 400 products ranging from beer, hard liquor, juices, basic and processed meats, poultry, dairy products, condiments, coffee, flour, animal feeds and various packaging products. For generations, the Company has generated strong consumer loyalty through brands that are among the most formidable in the Philippine food and beverage industry – San Miguel Pale Pilsen, Ginebra, Monterey, Magnolia, and Purefoods. Flagship product, San Miguel Beer, holds an over 95% share of the Philippine beer market. In addition to its leadership in the Philippine food and beverage industry, San Miguel has established a significant presence overseas. The Company’s operations extend beyond its home base of the Philippines to China (including Hong Kong), Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia. Through strategic partnerships it has forged with major international companies, San Miguel has gained access to managerial expertise, international practices and advanced technology, thereby enhancing its performance and establishing itself as a world-class company.

Environmental factors that influence Sony Corporation

Environmental factors that influence Sony Corporation Sony Corp. History and introduction Sony was founded in 1946 by Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita. With a mix of a inimitable blend of product innovation and marketing savvy, both of them form a company that eventually grow into more than $60 billion global organization. (Sony, 2010) With branches all over the world and with an annual revenue about 68.39 billion US dollars, it can be considered as a huge company. The companys headquarters are situated in Shinagawa, Tokyo. It is one of the leaders in the field of electronic equipment, communication and information technology (IWALOM LIMITED, 2010). In this assignment, we will discuss about the macro and micro environmental factors that might influence Sonys company. Macro environmental factors Political factor Political factors could have a direct impact on the ways Sony operates. Government often makes new decisions involving policy or legislation and it affect daily business In the directive of businesses, the political factors have a huge influence. An example of political factors that affects Sony which includes government laws is minimum wage law. This would affect Sony as the minimum wage law keeps changing every year. As in the same time product cost also keeps on changing, this will make Sony facing losses. Due to various governmental regulations in the different countries, Sony has to adapt different strategies in the countries it operates. Sony had passed a Global Policy On Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in 1998. It deals with group standard and shows Sonys cares about the health and safety of its employees. It also requires fullfilment with all the laws regarding ooccupational health and safety. (Sony Corporation, 2009). To manage the chemicals which the use of it is controlled by goverment ennvironmental legislation use at sites, a group-wide common approach is developed by Sony. Sony not only manage the chemicals used but also the amount released into the air, water and soil in order to not affect the environment. Sony sites apply internal standards based on Japans Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) (Sony Corporation, 2009). Among Class 1 substances, Sony used 412 kilograms of mercury as an additive in button batteries and 30 kilograms of lead solder, which is used in certain exceptional cases, including automotive applications. Sony used perfluorooctane sulfonate(PFOS) that is Class 2 substances in semiconductor fabrication in fiscal year 2009, but eliminated this substance in March 2010. Class 3 chemical substances are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and greenhouse gases. The Sony Groups target in terms of the atmospheric release of VOCs is to achieve an absolute reduction of 40% or more from the fiscal year 2000 level by fiscal year 2010. In fiscal year 2009, Sony released approximately 1,190 tons of Class 3 chemical substances, which is 204 tons less than in fiscal year 2008 and 35% less than in fiscal year 2000. The principal factor behind this decline was the implementation of production adjustments in response to the global economic downturn. With new semiconductor fabrication facilities expected to come on line, Sony expects emissions of Class 3 substances to increase and will take steps to counteract these increases, including installing gas scrubbing equipment and amending production processes. (Sony Corporation, 2009) This is how Sony Corporation manage all the harmful chemicals used by them. Lastly, political factors could have a direct impact on the ways Sony operates. The impact that could impact Sony Corporation is an international company and in all countries the leadership style is different. Sony utilsed a Global Policy On Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in 1998. It shows Sonys cares about the health and safety of its employees. Sony not only manage the chemicals used but also the amount released into the air, water and soil in order to not affect the environment.Although Sony use three class of chemical substances which are quite harmful for their products, but Sony have taken a full measures to make sure not harming the environment This shows Sony Corporation cares about the environment and also obey goverment rules that is do not harm the environment. Lastly, Sony Corporation is an international company that does business in the whole world. It is important for Sony to follow all the rules implied by the goverment. Social factors Demographic and cultural aspects includes in the social factors of the external environment. Sony has also been affected by social issues from time to time. This is mainly because Sony has so widely expanded into different cultures and different markets that it tends to become hard to deal with all the diversity. The social factors which influences Sony varies in each country. These show the customers needs and the size of the potential markets in every country. Social factors such as health consciousness of customers and consumer health rates might affect Sony. Usually the older population may not be interested in the latest Sony Products which includes more advance technology despite the better income they may receive, they are more interested in the simplicity of the products they buy. Countries such as third world countries, for example some Asian and African countries may not be able to afford to buy Sony products which are quite expensive products. Instead these consumers will on the other hand buy a cheaper brand. Home life changes have a big influence on attitudes and expectations of consumer. Nowadays, telephone and catalogue sales are increasingly popular. Lately many youths demand better features such as better access to entertainments in their electronic products. This creates a demand for Sonys products such as Play Station Portable (PSP) and Sony MP3 Player. Research shows that by 2005 Japans population will be over age of 65. Thus, Sony home-care robots for elders will soon be a social necessity (Kunii, I. M. and Port, O., 2001). Lastly, social factor is one of the factors that affect Sonys business. The social factors which influences Sony varies in each country. These show the customers needs and the size of the potential markets in every country. Social factor involve customers income, attitude, behaviour and other factors of a customer. It is important for Sony to fully understand and know well about customer. So that, they can target their specific product to which type of consumer they want to sell. Ecological Environment Climate change is something unpredictable and unchangeable. It might become a threat to Sony corporate activities and also society. Generally, it is also give a chance to Sony an opportunity to become one of the solutions. Sony tackle climate change is an important commitment for them. this is to ensure their business continuity. Sony strongly believes that there is a need for protect the environment. Moreover, responses and eco conscious actions must be taken before it gives impact to Sony Company. For instance, rising sea levels and abnormal weather which cause by climate change could predict the underlying physical risks. Furthermore, the markets might change a flow, as their perceptions change to another purchasing trend. Sony has realized this problem where it could be social and financial ramifications, so to deal with legal and regulatory developments; the Company is evaluating the risks and also be alert to solve this problem anytime. For example, the Company started to collect information on laws and regulation in force in different countries to make sure that activities and products are match with the existing requirements. Moreover, climate change might influence Sony existing opportunities. An obvious example is the highly use of products boasting improved energy efficiency ratings to help minimize the factors that spur climate change (Sony, 2011). Sonys electronics products mainly contain few hundred or thousand parts that made from chemical substances. If these parts are not handed well, it may harm the environment. To prevent such environmental harm, Sony has set up necessary procedures according with the EUs Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulations requirement. So, Sony follows the JIB initiative (Joint Industry Guide) to collect data on certain chemical substances that buy from suppliers. At last, Sony follows the survey response tool by JGPSSI (Japanese Green Procurement Survey Standardization Initiative) for materials declaration that contains information on the parts, purpose of use and so on (Sony, 2011). Sony should obey the rules and laws to continue their business and also to preserve the environment. Additionally, Sony has to think more solution to face the climate change and ways to protect the environment. Environment technology Sony is working hard on their products to reduce the effect towards the environment. It is to decrease the total energy that used and also reduce the resource in their product, such as BRAVIA and VAIO. Moreover, Sony has an effective supply chain management of controlling, reducing, and eliminating the use of chemical substances on their products. For instance, recycled plastic in product and the development of vegetables based product. All these are to preserve the environment being polluted (Sony, 2011). Sony has compliance lab at Stuttgart, Germany which specialize in efficient and accurate of chemical compounds and materials that can match with their electronic products. Among their initiatives, they are using more and more recycled materials, and renewable energy in factories and offices which use around 32 sites in Europe alone itself. However, starting 2010, Sonys objective is to maintain sustainable consumer electronic brand. Moreover, they are also wish to continue their success work in 2009. The main purpose of the eco activity is to show that technology can overcome the climate change and how they can help with the change. So, Sony office, warehouses and manufacturing around Europe have cut down CO2 emissions drastically, but they are still aiming to cut down more 10% emission for UK specific sites. Sony has established green teams in the UK businesses where people coordinate activity and the communication at different sites. This includes cutting general power consumption i n facilities and offices, employee travel especially flights. Additionally, some of the effort and new ways can bring former costs down and help reconstruct business models in a different economical ways. Nowadays, people are more concern companies environment standpoint. Companies which are environmentally friendly, practices, products, and services are being seen by the buyers and also stakeholders (GreenPacks.org, 2011). Sony Europe is applying their eco thinking so that they can maximize the use of the renewable energy. Sony uses renewable energy is to reduce carbon dioxide emission. In year 2008, a record shown that a reduction of 55,216 tons of CO2 emissions in Europe, itself (92,000 tons globally). Sony uses shipping more efficiently by reducing the packaging and the size towards less CO2 intensive forms of transport such as barge transport (Sony, 2011). Next is about dye sensitized solar cell. It can produce electricity by converting energy from light. This type of cell is produced by low cost materials so manufacturing expenditures will be lower. Moreover, vegetable based plastic can last long and fire resistant which is suitable use for durable consumer goods. Sony has decided use this material in year 2002 for walkman cases use. After that, it has been widely used in different products including DVD players, VAIO devices and so on (Sony, 2011). It is undeniable that technologies can help to protect the environment, so Sony should take this advantage to maximize the use of technology and contribute it to the environment. The uses of technology can reduce carbon dioxide; apparently can avoid green house effect. Customer No customer there is no business. Customer satisfaction will be a target of company. SONY business can improve customer satisfaction. (David Eaves, 2010) If we make the customer feel that they are special, customer will be appreciate us and help in increase our dividends in business with support our product. (Adhijik Naik, 2011) For example, SONY camera gives a high quality services to customers and meet their needs. Sonys promoter will give more details and information to customers when they have question or problem with buying SONY camera. Information about SONY camera will attract their interested in SONY camera and needs. They will feel more satisfy when using SONY camera. Then their satisfaction will be achieved through SONY camera. So, customers are very important in our business because they can easily influence our level of business. Then, with customer it will increase sales by up selling and cross selling other products. (David Eaves, 2010) Up selling means promote the product to attractive customer to buy it while cross selling means sell the product in another branch. SONY will have an excellent profit and their sales will increased with loyal customer to support it. For example, SONYs promoter describes the function and advantages of SONY camera to customer and compared with another product. They use their technique to persuade customer such as cheaper prices or special package of SONY camera. Besides, customer can satisfy and increasing requires of business on the need to efficiently route and apply fresh idea. Customer can also help in increasing business revenue. (Gaynor Borade, non-year) For example, customer will purchase the SONY camera and SONY Company will earn profit from them and their business will achieve a high target. SONY Company also always creates some new fresh function of SONY camera to attractive customer to purchase in order to earn profit and their loyalty to SONY camera. So, SONY Company will have a stable commerce with emergence of the customer. In addition, customer can become addition of the businesss behavior. Thats mean customer enable the entrepreneur to observe the growth of business into dream mission planned. (Gaynor Borade, non-year) To success in a business, entrepreneur always observe customers needs, wants, and demands in order to make a strong strategy to attain achievement. For example, they create the SONY camera according to customers favourite for instance different colour of camera and it will attract them to purchase it even improve business environment to better. From the analysis above, it is obviously that customer is very important to SONY Company because customers needs, wants, and demands even their response will influence the SONY camera will be purchased or not. More customers there will higher market value of SONY camera while fewer customers there will lowest market value of SONY camera. Supplier Suppliers always work as equal partner and building relationships according to mutual trust (Sony Corporation, 2011). A supplier can satisfy a market function when he creates a new relationship with customer and partners. (Walter A., 2003) For example, suppliers promote and transmit the SONY camera to partners and have a good communication with them when they are selling SONY camera to customer. When partners satisfy with supplier and SONY camera then they will continue have a business with them in order to satisfy a market function. After that, Sony strengthens relationship with suppliers in make stronger technological capability, guarantee and advancing the quality of parts and sustaining competitive prices. Besides that, Sony manage and observing Sony Group Environmental Vision together with supplier in order to protect the global environment and realize a sustainable culture. (Sony Corporation, 2011) So, suppliers have strong bargaining power in SONY Company. Suppliers are very important in developing new technology of SONY camera in SONY Company. Sony Company always creates and supply camera to customers in order to fulfil their needs, wants and demands. So, suppliers are important to become Sony partners to provide the product to customers and create a value in SONY Company. When supplier provides different prices and materials of SONY camera then it will affect competitive among SONY. Then SONY Companys business will reduced and less profit will be gained. So, SONY Company are always expects supplier to provide items at greatly reasonable prices and make a concentrated effort to decrease cost. (Sony Corporation, 2011) Lastly, it shows that supplier is vital in SONY companies. It plays a role in building relationship and strengthens it among customer and SONY product. Suppliers service will bring good outcomes for SONY companies and get a well performance in the market. Intermediaries Retailer and wholesaler are included in intermediaries. Regarding to SONYs website analysis, without intermediaries there is a difficult to get SONY product. (Sony electronics Inc, 2011) For example, intermediaries need to purchase SONY camera from SONY Company and set an acceptable prices even a quality package of SONY camera in order to fulfil customer and let them easy to purchase SONY camera. These processes are vital in a business. Through research of SONYs website, retailer is also helps customer to prevent from buying low quality product. When customer purchase SONY camera from retailer, they can be assured that they are purchasing a high quality product. Retailer can confirm quality of SONY camera and provide warranty for customers. If retailer fulfil customer satisfaction there will achieve a high level of business because of high responses from SONY customer. So, retailer can assure customers to have greatest experience when buying a SONY camera from reseller. (Sony electronics Inc, 2011) With SONYs analysis, SONY retailers can produce assistance in setting up customers products and provide a good customer service to them. They can provide a good customer experience that can helps the customers to make a right decision. SONYs retailer also can assist in sending the value products and service to customers when they buy a SONY camera. (Sony electronics Inc, 2011) For example, retailer can help them and explain the whole SONY cameras function and uses to them and introduce them a good quality product that suitable them and satisfy their needs when they want buy camera. A good service such as talk politely to customer will persuade and influence customer to purchase it. So, retailer is important for customer. From the analysis above, retailer is strongly to help in SONY companies to get a high value in the market. They try to give a good performance to customer and try to meet customers needs. Retailers also fulfil customers requirement. So, retailer is quite vital and their service will be appreciated by customers. Competitors It is crucial for Sony Corporation to watch attentively to its competitor so that they can maintain its position in the market. Sony Corporation has two types of competitor, that is, direct competitor and indirect competitor. Direct competitors are organisations that produce similar products and services (wiseGEEK, 2011). Nokia, Motorola, Canon, Fuji Photo are all examples of direct competitors to Sony (Upvery.com, 2010). Indirect competitors are firms producing different types of products but satisfy the same needs (Rich Harshaw, 2011) of customers. The indirect competitor of Sony is video iPod. In which Sony PSP and iPod produced similar striking feature (Frank Hedley, 2008). Other competitors, especially in the software industry are Microsoft. To maintain its competitive edge, Sony keeps updating the products with latest technologies that make it stable and sustainable over its competitors. The use of advanced technology in products has raised the quality and uniqueness, and has resulted in a mark demand increase. Though other competitors may seemed to be a threat to Sony Corporation, however with the fast paced advance in technology and the unstable global economy, Sony has embarked on collaboration and strategic alliance with its main competitors. Sony is in joint venture with Sony Ericsson which itself is a threat for new market entrants (Butod, 2010). Advanced use of technology in Sony products such as Game Consoles, Video Equipment and Mobile, and continuous production, switching costs and product differentiation has made Sony rather unbeatable in the electronic industry. Apart from forming strategic alliances with its competitors, Sony has reviewed its manufacturing priorities and streamlined its resources to produce electronic products that are in greater demand and has continued producing differentiated products which could ensure its competitive advantage. As reiterated above, Sonys ongoing process and product innovation has made it almost impossible for any current competitors and new entrant to compete them successfully, and this will be the core factor that will ensure Sonys dominance in electronic products consumer market. Thus, despite threats of current competitors and new entrants to the market, Sony Corporation is one of the worlds leading producers of electronic products. Approximately eighty (80) percent of hand-held computers in the United States operate on a Sony operating system while Microsoft which is a major competitor has only sixteen (16) percent of market share. Sony Corporation has hardware market share of sixty (60) % (2002), and other major competitors, Handspring is using Sonys operating system, and hold about 7% and 14% market shares respectively. (Butod, 2009). Government The government imposed regulations to ensure business transactions are conducted in a fair and just manner. Legislations that are passed often influences the productions possibilities of a company and hence the type of goods and services that can be offered to the consumers. Apart from the above, the government also enforce taxation to collect revenue that will maintain itself and supply public services that may be needed by companies such as Sony. For example, Sonys income taxes benefit amounts to $19billion resulting in an effective rate of 10% in Oct 30, 2009 (wikinvest, 2009). In addition to the governments role in regulating companies and taxation, the government also plays a major role in ensuring companies observe corporate social responsibility. An example of Sony taking over public responsibilities is the attitude of how Sony enthusiastically engages themselves in activities related to environment and climate changes. Sony plans to cut down 7% or more of CO2 gas emission comparing to the fiscal year of 2000 levels (Sony Corporation, 2009). In July 2006, Sony joined the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) with companies that plan and also carry out efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. By participating in this program, Sony is committed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and lower the product annual energy consumption. In short, Sony maintain corporate social responsibility, and though it incurs cost, but in the long run it ensures business sustainability. The Financial Community Shareholders are very important for Sony Company because they support the organizations future expansion. There are two types of shareholders, that is private and institutional. As seen in the chart below, a major portion of Sonys shareholders are the corporation itself (60.18%), followed by foreign investors (27.27%) and subsequently financial institutions (8.74%) (Sony Financial Holdings, 2010). Figure 1: Ownership and distribution of share Resource: http://www.sonyfh.co.jp/en/financial_info_e/shareholder_e/shareholder.html Sony cooperation has to consider the needs and hope of possible investors. The shareholder share represents a certain small percentage of ownership in the company therefore, stockholders has the right to obtain certain percentage of the companys profits in the form of dividends (Farlex, 2009). As in Sony, one of its important management task is to increase in returns to its shareholders, as well as return on equity. Its basic policy on returning profits to its shareholders is to maintain the trust of current shareholders and attract new ones, as well as securing enough retained earnings for future business expansion. In the fiscal year ended March 31, 2010, Sony provided the year-end cash dividend of  ¥3,000 per share of Sony Financial Holdings totaling to  ¥6,525 million as approved at the Ordinary General Meeting of Shareholders on June 25, 2010. With regards to its retained earnings, Sony has planned to utilize it in exploring new business, including the establishment of an individual annuities subsidiary, investing in information technology systems accompanied by business expansions (Sony Financial Holdings, 2010). Thus, with Sonys dominance in the electronic company, and its high returns to shareholders and retained earnings, Sony is not only able to generate high profits with its current business ventures, but has also sufficient funds to ensure its future expansion in the competitive industry. In conclusion, Sony must not be harming the environment and human being as they are using a lot of chemical substances in their product. Next, they must proper dispose their chemical waste. Furthermore, Sony should cooperate with supplier, government to continue their business and also to compete with their competitors. Sony also has to change their strategy in every country to boost their sales.

Internet - A Blessing or a Curse? :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Internet - A Blessing or a Curse? I saw something shocking painted on the roof of a barn as I was driving through the heart of Yolo County’s farmland. It was an advertisement for the upcoming Dixon May Fair. What caught my attention was the last line of copy, painted in thin red letters, down by the edge of the roof: http://www.dixonmayfair.com. It’s finally everywhere, I thought, as I continued down the deserted, dusty road. No place is safe. Not even the country. Over the last couple of years, those tiny, mysterious clusters of letters have snuck up on us, like a sneaky race of aliens preparing a world takeover. First they crawled from a computer and found their way onto the bottoms of billboards and magazine ads, cleverly hidden away from the casual glance, amidst the small print. Once you had to have sharp eyes to notice them. But the little things grew and multiplied and now you have to be blind to miss them. They’re on our books, our newspapers, our cereal boxes, our CDs, our clothing, our dairy products, our garden supplies, and our movies. It’s hard to go anywhere or do anything without bumping into our new friends â€Å"http† and â€Å"www.† But do they come in peace? Or do they have something else up their cyber-sleeves? Are they a blessing or a curse? For anyone with a strong computer phobia, like my father, or even with a mild techno-aversion, like the one I’ve inherited from him, it’s easy to read conspiracies and invasion plots into every new computer advancement. It’s also easy to feel that we’re caught in a dangerous tug-of-war, and that the machines are winning. My father, Vernon, is the head of the chemistry department at West Virginia State College, and he refuses to use computers any more than the bare minimum his job requires. While the rest of his department (and the rest of the world) fire off quick e-mail notes and memos to one another, he still writes with pencil and paper and licks just as many stamps and envelopes as he ever did. Except for the letters I send to my dad, most of my outgoing mail these days is electronic.

Feminist Performance and the Silence of Isabella in Measure for Measure

Feminist Performance and the Silence of Isabella in Measure for Measure      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a chapter entitled â€Å"When Is a Character Not a Character?† Alan Sinfield presents the argument that the female figures in Shakespeare’s plays are not really â€Å"characters† at all, since they do not possess continuous and psychologically consistent interior lives. Although such roles as that of Desdemona, Olivia, and Lady Macbeth are written so as to suggest the presence of uninterrupted interior consciousness, this impression collapses under the pressure of the plot’s movement toward closure, which reveals the figures to represent nothing more than a â€Å"disjointed sequence of positions that women are conventionally supposed to occupy†(53). In order to preserve a textual organization that sustains a particular gender hierarchy, female characters abruptly shift from one stereotypical version of femininity to another without coherent linkages between them. For instance, despite their volubi lity throughout the early acts, at the conclusions of the plays, as Sinfield notes, Shakespeare’s women often â€Å"fall silent at moments when their speech could only undermine the play’s attempt at ideological coherence† (73). Thus, â€Å"the point at which the text falls silent is the point at which its ideological project is disclosed† (74). One of the most prominent of such silences appears at the end of Measure for Measure, where Isabella, â€Å"the bold woman silenced most spectacularly when marriage is proposed† (74), fails to react verbally to the Duke’s two offers of wedlock. According to Sinfield, this lack of response occurs because Isabella is suspended between two conventional female roles, and the disjunction between them makes manifest the agenda of the text’... ... The Stratford Season, 1992.† Shakespeare Quarterly 44 (1993): 477-83. Riefer, Marcia. â€Å"‘Instruments of Some More Mightier Member’: The Constriction of Female Power in Measure for Measure.† Shakespeare Quarterly 35 (1984): 157-69. Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Ed. David Bevington. 4th ed. New York: Harper Collins, 1992. -----. Measure for Measure. The Arden Shakespeare. Ed. J.W. Lever. London: Routledge, 1965. Sinfield, Alan. Faultlines: Cultural Materialism and the Politics of Dissident Reading. Berkeley: U of California P, 1992. Sundelson, David. â€Å"Misogyny and Rule in Measure for Measure.† Women’s Studies 9 (1981): 83-91. Weil, Herbert S., Jr. â€Å"Stratford Festival Canada.† Shakespeare Quarterly 37 (1986): 245-50. Williamson, Marilyn L. The Patriarchy of Shakespeare’s Comedies. Detroit: Wayne State UP, 1986.    Feminist Performance and the Silence of Isabella in Measure for Measure Feminist Performance and the Silence of Isabella in Measure for Measure      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In a chapter entitled â€Å"When Is a Character Not a Character?† Alan Sinfield presents the argument that the female figures in Shakespeare’s plays are not really â€Å"characters† at all, since they do not possess continuous and psychologically consistent interior lives. Although such roles as that of Desdemona, Olivia, and Lady Macbeth are written so as to suggest the presence of uninterrupted interior consciousness, this impression collapses under the pressure of the plot’s movement toward closure, which reveals the figures to represent nothing more than a â€Å"disjointed sequence of positions that women are conventionally supposed to occupy†(53). In order to preserve a textual organization that sustains a particular gender hierarchy, female characters abruptly shift from one stereotypical version of femininity to another without coherent linkages between them. For instance, despite their volubi lity throughout the early acts, at the conclusions of the plays, as Sinfield notes, Shakespeare’s women often â€Å"fall silent at moments when their speech could only undermine the play’s attempt at ideological coherence† (73). Thus, â€Å"the point at which the text falls silent is the point at which its ideological project is disclosed† (74). One of the most prominent of such silences appears at the end of Measure for Measure, where Isabella, â€Å"the bold woman silenced most spectacularly when marriage is proposed† (74), fails to react verbally to the Duke’s two offers of wedlock. According to Sinfield, this lack of response occurs because Isabella is suspended between two conventional female roles, and the disjunction between them makes manifest the agenda of the text’... ... The Stratford Season, 1992.† Shakespeare Quarterly 44 (1993): 477-83. Riefer, Marcia. â€Å"‘Instruments of Some More Mightier Member’: The Constriction of Female Power in Measure for Measure.† Shakespeare Quarterly 35 (1984): 157-69. Shakespeare, William. The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Ed. David Bevington. 4th ed. New York: Harper Collins, 1992. -----. Measure for Measure. The Arden Shakespeare. Ed. J.W. Lever. London: Routledge, 1965. Sinfield, Alan. Faultlines: Cultural Materialism and the Politics of Dissident Reading. Berkeley: U of California P, 1992. Sundelson, David. â€Å"Misogyny and Rule in Measure for Measure.† Women’s Studies 9 (1981): 83-91. Weil, Herbert S., Jr. â€Å"Stratford Festival Canada.† Shakespeare Quarterly 37 (1986): 245-50. Williamson, Marilyn L. The Patriarchy of Shakespeare’s Comedies. Detroit: Wayne State UP, 1986.   

Unfair Drug Laws in America Essay -- Argumentative Drugs Marijuana Ess

The existing drug laws are very inefficient. This paper will focus on the people and the specific elements that are affected by the inefficiency of the drug laws. When looking at the drug laws at a glance a person might be lead to think that they would be very effective and they seem reasonable. While drug laws in themselves are necessarily wrong, some of the discrepancies in the laws make them unfair and take from the category of handing down justice and puts them into the category of cruel and unusual. First there will be an analysis of prohibition throughout American history, then an analysis of what the actual crimes and punishments are for a few of the drugs in the United States. Next there will be a look into who is affected by the laws and how. Finally, this paper will try to provide some kinds of solutions to the problems that are being caused with the drug laws. First the definition of a drug is any substance that has an effect on the mind and body except food, and the definition of a crime is an act or omission that is punishable or goes against a law. When crime is looked at in this sense it can be said that government is the cause of all crime because every crime that is committed has to go against a law that is passed by the government. In looking at the problems with the drug laws, a history of where the drug laws come from is necessary. In the first 140 years of the United States all drugs were legal. This means that if a person wanted to do any drug at any time that the person could do it without having to worry about any penalties. The actual first federal law that was passed was the Pure Food and Drug act of 1906. This law was did not even put a restriction on the drugs that were available. This ... ...s to be some other way to deal with the problem of drugs so why not try something new? There can be no guarantees that the something new will be the right thing but there has to be something that can be done that will affect the drug situation in a more positive way. Works Cited (http://www.dpft.org/history.html). (http://www.famm.org/si_crack_powder_sentencing_fact_sheet.htm) (http://www.hrw.org/reports/2000/usa/Rcedrg00-03.htm http://dpft.org/alcohol.htm). http://www.cedro-uva.org/lib/reinarman.dutch.html). http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/publications/factsht/heroin/). http://www.dpft.org/history.html#back04). http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=588601). http://www.phrusa.org/research/rockefeller_laws/tenmyths.html). (http://www.horizonmag.com/6/racial-profiling.asp http://www.commondreams.org/views/112600-105.htm).

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 6. SWITZERLAND

AS I DROVE HOME, I WASN'T PAYING MUCH ATTENTION TO the road that shimmered wetly in the sun. I was thinking about the flood of information Jacob had shared with me, trying to sort it out, to force it all to make sense. Despite the overload, I felt lighter. Seeing Jacob smile, having all the secrets thrashed out . . . it didn't make things perfect, but it made them better. I was right to have gone. Jacob needed me. And obviously, I thought as I squinted into the glare, there was no danger. It came out of nowhere. One minute there was nothing but bright highway in my rearview mirror. The next minute, the sun was glinting off a silver Volvo right on my tail. â€Å"Aw, crap,† I whimpered. I considered pulling over. But I was too much of a coward to face him right away. I'd been counting on some prep time . . . and having Charlie nearby as a buffer. At least that would force him to keep his voice down. The Volvo followed inches behind me. I kept my eyes on the road ahead. Chicken through and through, I drove straight to Angela's without once meeting the gaze I could feel burning a hole in my mirror. He followed me until I pulled to the curb in front of the Webers' house. He didn't stop, and I didn't look up as he passed. I didn't want to see the expression on his face. I ran up the short concrete walk to Angela's door as soon as he was out of sight. Ben answered the door before I could finish knocking, like he'd been standing right behind it. â€Å"Hey, Bella!† he said, surprised. â€Å"Hi, Ben. Er, is Angela here?† I wondered if Angela had forgotten our plans, and cringed at the thought of going home early. â€Å"Sure,† Ben said just as Angela called, â€Å"Bella!† and appeared at the top of the stairs. Ben peered around me as we both heard the sound of a car on the road; the sound didn't scare me – this engine stuttered to a stop, followed by the loud pop of a backfire. Nothing like the purr of the Volvo. This must be the visitor Ben had been waiting for. â€Å"Austin's here,† Ben said as Angela reached his side. A horn honked on the street. â€Å"I'll see you later,† Ben promised. â€Å"Miss you already.† He threw his arm around Angela's neck and pulled her face down to his height so that he could kiss her enthusiastically. After a second of this, Austin honked again. â€Å"‘Bye, Ang! Love you!† Ben shouted as he dashed past me. Angela swayed, her face slightly pink, then recovered herself and waved until Ben and Austin were out of sight. Then she turned to me and grinned ruefully. â€Å"Thank you for doing this, Bella,† she said. â€Å"From the bottom of my heart. Not only are you saving my hands from permanent injury, you also just spared me two long hours of a plot-less, badly dubbed martial arts film.† She sighed in relief. â€Å"Happy to be of service.† I was feeling a bit less panicked, able to breathe a little more evenly. It felt so ordinary here. Angela's easy human dramas were oddly reassuring. It was nice to know that life was normal somewhere. I followed Angela up the stairs to her room. She kicked toys out of the way as she went. The house was unusually quiet. â€Å"Where's your family?† â€Å"My parents took the twins to a birthday party in Port Angeles. I can't believe you're really going to help me with this. Ben's pretending he has tendonitis.† She made a face. â€Å"I don't mind at all,† I said, and then I walked into Angela's room and saw the stacks of waiting envelopes. â€Å"Oh!† I gasped. Angela turned to look at me, apologies in her eyes. I could see why she'd been putting this off, and why Ben had weaseled out. â€Å"I thought you were exaggerating,† I admitted. â€Å"I wish. Are you sure you want to do this?† â€Å"Put me to work. I've got all day.† Angela divided a pile in half and put her mother's address book between us on her desk. For a while we concentrated, and there was just the sound of our pens scratching quietly across the paper. â€Å"What's Edward doing tonight?† she asked after a few minutes. My pen dug into the envelope I was working on. â€Å"Emmet's home for the weekend. They're supposed to be hiking.† â€Å"You say that like you're not sure.† I shrugged. â€Å"You're lucky Edward has his brothers for all the hiking and camping. I don't know what I'd do if Ben didn't have Austin for the guy stuff.† â€Å"Yeah, the outdoors thing is not really for me. And there's no way I'd ever be able to keep up.† Angela laughed. â€Å"I prefer the indoors myself.† Angela rolled her eyes at me. â€Å"See you at school,† I said with a nervous laugh. She sighed. â€Å"See you.† I was jumpy on the way out to my truck, but the street was empty. I spent the whole drive glancing anxiously in all my mirrors, but there was never any sign of the silver car. His car was not in front of the house, either, though that meant little. â€Å"Bella?† Charlie called when I opened the front door. â€Å"Hey, Dad.† I found him in the living room, in front of the TV. â€Å"So, how was your day?† â€Å"Good,† I said. Might as well tell him everything – he'd hear it from Billy soon enough. Besides, it would make him happy. â€Å"They didn't need me at work, so I went down to La Push.† There wasn't enough surprise in his face. Billy had already talked to him. â€Å"How's Jacob?† Charlie asked, attempting to sound indifferent. â€Å"Good,† I said, just as casual. â€Å"You get over to the Webers'?† â€Å"Yep. We got all her announcements addressed.† â€Å"That's nice.† Charlie smiled a wide smile. He was strangely focused, considering that there was a game on. â€Å"I'm glad you spent some time with your friends today.† â€Å"Me, too.† I ambled toward the kitchen, looking for busy work. Unfortunately, Charlie had already cleaned up his lunch. I stood there for a few minutes, staring at the bright patch of light the sun made on the floor. But I knew I couldn't delay this forever. â€Å"I'm going to go study,† I announced glumly as I headed up the stairs. â€Å"See you later,† Charlie called after me. If I survive, I thought to myself. I shut my bedroom door carefully before I turned to face my room. Of course he was there. He stood against the wall across from me, in the shadow beside the open window. His face was hard and his posture tense. He glared at me wordlessly. I cringed, waiting for the torrent, but it didn't come. He just continued to glare, possibly too angry to speak. â€Å"Hi,† I finally said. His face could have been carved from stone. I counted to a hundred in my head, but there was no change. â€Å"Er . . . so, I'm still alive,† I began. A growl rumbled low in his chest, but his expression didn't change. â€Å"No harm done,† I insisted with a shrug. He moved. His eyes closed, and he pinched the bridge of his nose between the fingers of his right hand. â€Å"Bella,† he whispered. â€Å"Do you have any idea how close I came to crossing the line today? To breaking the treaty and coming after you? Do you know what that would have meant?† I gasped and his eyes opened. They were as cold and hard as night. â€Å"You can't!† I said too loudly. I worked to modulate the volume of my voice so Charlie wouldn't hear, but I wanted to shout the words. â€Å"Edward, they'd use any excuse for a fight. They'd love that. You can't ever break the rules!† â€Å"Maybe they aren't the only ones who would enjoy a fight.† â€Å"Don't you start,† I snapped. â€Å"You made the treaty – you stick to it.† â€Å"If he'd hurt you -â€Å" â€Å"Enough!† I cut him off. â€Å"There's nothing to worry about. Jacob isn't dangerous.† â€Å"Bella.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"You aren't exactly the best judge of what is or isn't dangerous.† â€Å"I know I don't have to worry about Jake. And neither do you.† He ground his teeth together. His hands were balled up in fists at his sides. He was still standing against the wall, and I hated the space between us. I took a deep breath, and crossed the room. He didn't move when I wrapped my arms around him. Next to the warmth of the last of the afternoon sun streaming through the window, his skin felt especially icy. He seemed like ice, too, frozen the way he was. â€Å"I'm sorry I made you anxious,† I muttered. He sighed, and relaxed a little. His arms wound around my waist. â€Å"Anxious is a bit of an understatement,† he murmured. â€Å"It was a very long day.† â€Å"You weren't supposed to know about it,† I reminded him. â€Å"I thought you'd be hunting longer.† I looked up at his face, at his defensive eyes; I hadn't noticed in the stress of the moment, but they were too dark. The rings under them were deep purple. I frowned in disapproval. â€Å"When Alice saw you disappear, I came back,† he explained. â€Å"You shouldn't have done that. Now you'll have to go away again.† My frown intensified. â€Å"I can wait.† â€Å"That's ridiculous. I mean, I know she couldn't see me with Jacob, but you should have known -â€Å" â€Å"But I didn't,† he broke in. â€Å"And you can't expect me to let you -â€Å" â€Å"Oh, yes, I can,† I interrupted him. â€Å"That's exactly what I expect -â€Å" â€Å"This won't happen again.† â€Å"That's right! Because you're not going to overreact next time.† â€Å"Because there isn't going to be a next time.† â€Å"I understand when you have to leave, even if I don't like it -â€Å" â€Å"That's not the same. I'm not risking my life.† â€Å"Neither am I.† â€Å"Werewolves constitute a risk.† â€Å"I disagree.† â€Å"I'm not negotiating this, Bella.† â€Å"Neither am I.† His hands were in fists again. I could feel them against my back. The words popped out thoughtlessly. â€Å"Is this really just about my safety?† â€Å"What do you mean?† he demanded. â€Å"You aren't . . .† Angela's theory seemed sillier now than before. It was hard to finish the thought. â€Å"I mean, you know better than to be jealous, right?† He raised one eyebrow. â€Å"Do I?† â€Å"Be serious.† â€Å"Easily – there's nothing remotely humorous about this.† I frowned suspiciously. â€Å"Or . . . is this something else altogether? Some vampires-and-werewolves-are- always-enemies nonsense? Is this just a testosterone-fueled -â€Å" His eyes blazed. â€Å"This is only about you. All I care is that you're safe.† The black fire in his eyes was impossible to doubt. â€Å"Okay,† I sighed. â€Å"I believe that. But I want you to know something – when it comes to all this enemies nonsense, I'm out. I am a neutral country. I am Switzerland. I refuse to be affected by territorial disputes between mythical creatures. Jacob is family. You are . . . well, not exactly the love of my life, because I expect to love you for much longer than that. The love of my existence. I don't care who's a werewolf and who's a vampire. If Angela turns out to be a witch, she can join the party, too.† He stared at me silently through narrowed eyes. â€Å"Switzerland,† I repeated again for emphasis. He frowned at me, and then sighed. â€Å"Bella . . . ,† he began, but he paused, and his nose wrinkled in disgust. â€Å"What now?† â€Å"Well . . . don't be offended, but you smell like a dog,† he told me. And then he smiled crookedly, so I knew the fight was over. For now. Edward had to make up for the missed hunting trip, and so he was leaving Friday night with Jasper, Emmett, and Carlisle to hit some reserve in Northern California with a mountain lion problem. We'd come to no agreement on the werewolf issue, but I didn't feel guilty calling Jake – during my brief window of opportunity when Edward took the Volvo home before climbing back in through my window – to let him know I'd be coming over on Saturday again. It wasn't sneaking around. Edward knew how I felt. And if he broke my truck again, then I'd have Jacob pick me up. Forks was neutral, just like Switzerland – just like me. So when I got off work Thursday and it was Alice rather than Edward waiting for me in the Volvo, I was not suspicious at first. The passenger door was open, and music I didn't recognize was shaking the frame when the bass played. â€Å"Hey, Alice,† I shouted over the wailing as I climbed in. â€Å"Where's your brother?† She was singing along to the song, her voice an octave higher than the melody, weaving through it with a complicated harmony. She nodded at me, ignoring my question as she concentrated on the music. I shut my door and put my hands over my ears. She grinned, and turned the volume down until it was just background. Then she hit the locks and the gas in the same second. â€Å"What's going on?† I asked, starting to feel uneasy. â€Å"Where is Edward?† She shrugged. â€Å"They left early.† â€Å"Oh.† I tried to control the absurd disappointment. If he left early, that meant he'd be back sooner, I reminded myself. â€Å"All the boys went, and we're having a slumber party!† she announced in a trilling, singsong voice. â€Å"A slumber party?† I repeated, the suspicion finally settling in. â€Å"Aren't you excited?† she crowed. I met her animated gaze for a long second. â€Å"You're kidnapping me, aren't you?† She laughed and nodded. â€Å"Till Saturday. Esme cleared it with Charlie; you're staying with me two nights, and I will drive you to and from school tomorrow.† I turned my face to the window, my teeth grinding together. â€Å"Sorry,† Alice said, not sounding in the least bit penitent. â€Å"He paid me off.† â€Å"How?† I hissed through my teeth. â€Å"The Porsche. It's exactly like the one I stole in Italy.† She sighed happily. â€Å"I'm not supposed to drive it around Forks, but if you want, we could see how long it takes to get from here to L.A. – I bet I could have you back by midnight.† I took a deep breath. â€Å"I think I'll pass,† I sighed, repressing a shudder. We wound, always too fast, down the long drive. Alice pulled around to the garage, and I quickly looked over the cars. Emmett's big jeep was there, with a shiny canary yellow Porsche between it and Rosalie's red convertible. Alice hopped out gracefully and went to stroke her hand along the length of her bribe. â€Å"Pretty, isn't it?† â€Å"Pretty over-the-top,† I grumbled, incredulous. â€Å"He gave you that just for two days of holding me hostage?† Alice made a face. A second later, comprehension came and I gasped in horror. â€Å"It's for every time he's gone, isn't it?† She nodded. I slammed my door and stomped toward the house. She danced along next to me, still unrepentant. â€Å"Alice, don't you think this is just a little bit controlling? Just a tiny bit psychotic, maybe?† â€Å"Not really.† She sniffed. â€Å"You don't seem to grasp how dangerous a young werewolf can be. Especially when I can't see them. Edward has no way to know if you're safe. You shouldn't be so reckless.† My voice turned acidic. â€Å"Yes, because a vampire slumber party is the pinnacle of safety conscious behavior.† Alice laughed. â€Å"I'll give you a pedicure and everything,† she promised. It wasn't so bad, except for the fact that I was being held against my will. Esme brought Italian food – the good stuff, all the way from Port Angeles – and Alice was prepared with my favorite movies. Even Rosalie was there, quietly in the background. Alice did insist on the pedicure, and I wondered if she was working from a list – maybe something she'd compiled from watching bad sitcoms. â€Å"How late do you want to stay up?† she asked when my toenails were glistening a bloody red. Her enthusiasm remained untouched by my mood. â€Å"I don't want to stay up. We have school in the morning.† She pouted. â€Å"Where am I supposed to sleep, anyway?† I measured the couch with my eyes. It was a little short. â€Å"Can't you just keep me under surveillance at my house?† â€Å"What kind of a slumber party would that be?† Alice shook her head in exasperation. â€Å"You're sleeping in Edward's room.† I sighed. His black leather sofa was longer than this one. Actually, the gold carpet in his room was probably thick enough that the floor wouldn't be half bad either. â€Å"Can I go back to my place to get my things, at least?† She grinned. â€Å"Already taken care of.† â€Å"Am I allowed to use your phone?† â€Å"Charlie knows where you are.† â€Å"I wasn't going to call Charlie.† I frowned. â€Å"Apparently, I have some plans to cancel.† â€Å"Oh.† She deliberated. â€Å"I'm not sure about that.† â€Å"Alice!† I whined loudly. â€Å"C'mon!† â€Å"Okay, okay,† she said, flitting from the room. She was back in half a second, cell phone in hand. â€Å"He didn't specifically prohibit this . . . ,† she murmured to herself as she handed it to me. I dialed Jacob's number, hoping he wasn't out running with his friends tonight. Luck was with me – Jacob was the one to answer. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Hey, Jake, it's me.† Alice watched me with expressionless eyes for a second, before she turned and went to sit between Rosalie and Esme on the sofa. â€Å"Hi, Bella,† Jacob said, suddenly cautious. â€Å"What's up?† â€Å"Nothing good. I can't come over Saturday after all.† It was silent for a minute. â€Å"Stupid bloodsucker,† he finally muttered. â€Å"I thought he was leaving. Can't you have a life when he's gone? Or does he lock you in a coffin?† I laughed. â€Å"I don't think that's funny.† â€Å"I'm only laughing because you're close,† I told him. â€Å"But he's going to be here Saturday, so it doesn't matter.† â€Å"Will he be feeding there in Forks, then?† Jacob asked cuttingly. â€Å"No.† I didn't let myself get irritated with him. I wasn't that far from being as angry as he was. â€Å"He left early.† â€Å"Oh. Well, hey, come over now, then,† he said with sudden enthusiasm. â€Å"It's not that late. Or I'll come up to Charlie's.† â€Å"I wish. I'm not at Charlie's,† I said sourly. â€Å"I'm kind of being held prisoner.† He was silent as that sunk in, and then he growled. â€Å"We'll come and get you,† he promised in a flat voice, slipping automatically into a plural. A chill slid down my spine, but I answered in a light and teasing voice. â€Å"Tempting. I have been tortured – Alice painted my toenails.† â€Å"I'm serious.† â€Å"Don't be. They're just trying to keep me safe.† He growled again. â€Å"I know it's silly, but their hearts are in the right place.† â€Å"Their hearts!† he scoffed. â€Å"Sorry about Saturday,† I apologized. â€Å"I've got to hit the sack† – the couch, I corrected mentally – â€Å"but I'll call you again soon.† â€Å"Are you sure they'll let you?† he asked in a scathing tone. â€Å"Not completely.† I sighed. â€Å"‘Night, Jake.† â€Å"See you around.† Alice was abruptly at my side, her hand held out for the phone, but I was already dialing. She saw the number. â€Å"I don't think he'll have his phone on him,† she said. â€Å"I'll leave a message.† The phone rang four times, followed by a beep. There was no greeting. â€Å"You are in trouble,† I said slowly, emphasizing each word. â€Å"Enormous trouble. Angry grizzly bears are going to look tame next to what is waiting for you at home.† I snapped the phone shut and placed it in her waiting hand. â€Å"I'm done.† She grinned. â€Å"This hostage stuff is fun.† â€Å"I'm going to sleep now,† I announced, heading for the stairs. Alice tagged along. â€Å"Alice,† I sighed. â€Å"I'm not going to sneak out. You would know if I was planning to, and you'd catch me if I tried.† â€Å"I'm just going to show you where your things are,† she said innocently. Edward's room was at the farthest end of the third floor hallway, hard to mistake even when the huge house had been less familiar. But when I switched the light on, I paused in confusion. Had I picked the wrong door? Alice giggled. It was the same room, I realized quickly; the furniture had just been rearranged. The couch was pushed to the north wall and the stereo shoved up against the vast shelves of CDs – to make room for the colossal bed that now dominated the central space. The southern wall of glass reflected the scene back like a mirror, making it look twice as bad. It matched. The coverlet was a dull gold, just lighter than the walls; the frame was black, made of intricately patterned wrought iron. Sculpted metal roses wound in vines up the tall posts and formed a bowery lattice overhead. My pajamas were folded neatly on the foot of the bed, my bag of toiletries to one side. â€Å"What the hell is all this?† I spluttered. â€Å"You didn't really think he would make you sleep on the couch, did you?† I mumbled unintelligibly as I stalked forward to snatch my things off the bed. â€Å"I'll give you some privacy,† Alice laughed. â€Å"See you in the morning.† After my teeth were brushed and I was dressed, I grabbed a puffy feather pillow off the huge bed and dragged the gold cover to the couch. I knew I was being silly, but I didn't care. Porsches as bribes and king- sized beds in houses where nobody slept – it was beyond irritating. I flipped off the lights and curled up on the sofa, wondering if I was too annoyed to sleep. In the dark, the glass wall was no longer a black mirror, doubling the room. The light of the moon brightened the clouds outside the window. As my eyes adjusted, I could see the diffused glow highlighting the tops of the trees, and glinting off a small slice of the river. I watched the silver light, waiting for my eyes to get heavy. There was a light knock on the door. â€Å"What, Alice?† I hissed. I was on the defensive, imagining her amusement when she saw my makeshift bed. â€Å"It's me,† Rosalie said softly, opening the door enough that I could see the silver glow touch her perfect face. â€Å"Can I come in?†