Internet Censorship Essay Example for Free

Internet Censorship Essay WebInternet censorship (Is it possible to keep children safe from potential internet dangers? ) by: Eko Setiyo Utomo The Internet has become a part of modern life style for most people. In developed countries, most people use the internet at home. Children can access the internet for everything, from playing games, to doing schoolwork, to chatting with friends via e-mail, to surfing the web. Most online services provide children with a vast range of resources such as encyclopedias, current events coverage, and access to libraries and other valuable material. However, there can be real risks and dangers for an unsupervised child because most materials on the Internet are not only uncensored but also unedited. Adults can be expected to make their own evaluations of what they find. Children, who lack experience and knowledge, can not do this. Strohm (n. d. ) claims that the essential issue in the internet is internet pornography, which is a topic debated by many experts, but many other issues dangerous to children are of concern too. Children who have access to the internet can easily be lured into something dangerous. As stated by Manista (2002), â€Å"censorship on the internet has become an issue for a number of very specific reasons†. Parents should not assume that their children are safe online from internet dangers; and they should not just rely on soft ware to protect their children. According to Schwartz (2004), using filters to block access to undesirable materials may never prove to be the solution. In addition, governments should have the power to decide what is not acceptable for the minds of children. In contrast, it is argued by some people that supervising access to the internet could limit the creativity of children. n addition, according to Males (2000), statistical evidence does not support to filter the internet. He describes that several kinds of sex offences has declined since period internet (1990s) access in America. This essay will investigate the unsuitable nature of much of the material on the internet for children. It will also examine the devastating and lasting e ffect of pornographic images on children. Thus, parents must play a key role to keep children safe from potential internet dangers. Finally, it will suggest that parents should teach children how to choose suitable materials on the internet. The first section of this essay will explain why internet pornography and some of the various resources unsuitable for children can have a harmful effect on children. The next section will maintain that soft ware is essential to protect children from site danger. Finally, this essay will argue that parents themselves should be aware of the dangers on the internet. It is important to recognize that pornographic images on the internet can have a devastating and lasting effect on children. Children using the internet unsupervised can view free pornography pictures through accidental accessing. Strohm (n. d. ) has claimed that it is a commonly held belief that pornography on the Internet presents a serious danger to children online, and that the effects of pornography are progressive and addictive for many people. He further points out that most pornography sites are very easy to find. These sites always invite children and teens to take part in exposure. Children using internet chat rooms are the main target of sexual predators, often with traumatic results (Nuss 1999). Pornography isnt the only thing parents dont want their children to see on the Internet. Parents are also concerned about anarchist, Neo-Nazi, and all sorts of other propaganda, as well as information on computer hacking and building explosives. There are hundreds of thousands of web sites promoting illicit activities. However, many individuals and organized groups at the same time are attempting to protect children from information on homosexuality, violence, drugs and alcohol, hate speech, and the environment. In addition, according to Males (2000), children can become victims of internet crime, such as pedophile contacts with children and child pornography distribution. It is possible that some children may be visiting internet sites and communicating with potential internet predators without parent know. Otherwise, some pornographers argue, â€Å"In the right hands porn has its place. As anyone in the industry will readily proclaim, millions of men and women enjoy Web erotica harmlessly, and some couples turn to porn to enhance their sex lives† (Jerome et al. 2004). Children may have the opportunity to become informed about adult lifestyle. Pornography materials on the internet or ther media can be a valuable educational tool for children to understand about the concept of sexuality (Reisman Ray 1999). Furthermore, according to Males (2000), the internet access period (1990s) does not seem to have brought about any particularly bad effects. Nonetheless, children have access to computers and the internet not only at home, but in many other places, what they choose to view is very difficult to control. It is a concern of many parents that fre edom of information presented by the internet can pollute their main of children. Many kinds of methods have been implemented to avoid some of these negative effects of the internet. First of all, School on the Web†, for example, is a program has been developed by Microsoft and MCI to assist many schools attending information about education world on the internet. Moreover, Cyber Patrol, a popular soft ware, is a soft ware program that contains a twofold filtering technique. It can block unsuitable sites from a list of restricted web addresses (Reeks 2005).. Others products are Bess/N2H2, CyberSnoop, I-Gear, Internet Filter, Library Channel, NetShepherd. On Guard, Parental Discretion, Rated-PG, SmartFilter, Tattle-Tale, WebSense, and X-Stop. These soft ware are designed to present at one or more many kinds of computers. According to Schrader (1999), these products offer five basic approaches bad word, bad site, bad topic, site content rating systems and bad service to control expressive content on the internet which may be set by the individual user or built into the program. In addition, children using the internet can also be prevented from disclosing their personal details via e-mail or chat room with the application of soft ware, such as Net Nanny. Meanwhile, The Platforms for Internet Content Selection (PICS) provides particular-labeling vocabularies, which work in different way to filter, to block inappropriate materials. According to Resnick and Miller (1996) the parent, as a user, can select every material in the certain label that is provided by software to block unsuitable sites. Nevertheless, it is an impossible task to be able to censor everything on the internet because the internet is an infinite global network. Males (2000) maintains that the internet would be a useless tool for students if it is blocked, or filtered. Filters can easily block student out of websites that they need to access for research simply because they contain words that have been flagged as inappropriate. He also believes that People who worry about the internet have a phobia or anxiety disorder which is not concerned about real problems. However, using appropriate soft ware can help to minimize the negative effects of the internet, even if many weaknesses exist in various software. Parents can play a key role in helping young people to be aware of the dangers and can get practical help on keeping children safe online. Governments especially, which have the power to decide what is not acceptable for the eyes of children, should make many regulations to help parents to keep children safe from potential internet danger. In late 1999, the Australian Government established NetAlert to provide independent advice and education on managing access to and usage of the Internet (NetAlert 2005). First of all, parents need to build trusting relationships with children and set a good example. Most parents teach their children not to give out information to strangers, not to open the door if they are home alone (AACAP 1997). As a result, it is hopped that children never give their name, phone number, e-mail address, password, postal address, school, or picture without their parent permission. Furthermore, parents should also teach children how to search and find many materials that are suitable for young people (in Healey ed. 2002). Parents are strongly encouraged to speak openly with their children about online dangers and monitor their online activities. Moreover, it is important for parents to be aware that they can not assume that their child will be protected by the supervision or regulation provided by the online services. Only parents can judge when a young person is mature enough to access the internet. Nuss (1999) also claims that children will be much safer accessing the internet if parents take the time to learn to use the internet first. However, children often feel that as Internet users, they know how to make a decision about what materials are harmful. Moreover, when students are exploring the Net for different kinds of materials, they are essentially exploring the real world (Singhal 1997). The internet is one of the contexts in which young people can discover themselves, what is normal and abnormal in their behavior (in Healey ed. 002). However, because most children do not understand what materials on the internet are real or just imagined, parents should not trust children to use the internet without supervision. In conclusion, the internet is a valuable tool for assisting in the education of children. However, when children are online, they can easily be lured into something dangerous. Children have access to online information that promotes hate, violence and pornography. These can influence their behavior and even be harmful. Filter soft ware is the most effective way to protect children from inappropriate materials on the internet. Therefore, parents, who play a key role, should talk to their children about what is online and what might happen online. Finally, the government should use its power to control those sites that provide unsuitable material for young people.

Impact of Slope Incline on Cart Roll

Impact of Slope Incline on Cart Roll Parth Mahajan Acceleration Cart The Aim of this practical report is to roll a car on a slope of 15 °, 30 °, 45 °. The Results then used to make a Ticker-tape graph, Displacement-time graphs, and Velocity-Time graphs with the results that have been obtained. This will show the effects on the cart and how the different aspects of the cart can be effected, (such as the Velocity of the cart, Displacement of the cart and the acceleration of the cart.) Ticker-timers will help analyze the carts motion as the dots on the ticker tape can tell various things which include: The displacement of the cart, the time taken for its total journey, the acceleration of the cart and the velocity of the cart. The Incline plane is a tilted surface which an object (in this case a cart) will slide down. The angle of the incline plane is measured from the horizontal surface to the plank used for the cart to roll down. The Greater the incline of the plank results to a greater acceleration while the smaller the incline of the plank will lead to a smaller acceleration. If friction is deduced then at least 2 forces are acted upon an object to move the object, the force of gravity and the normal force. The force of gravity The force of gravity is also known as the weight acts in a downward direction.The normal force The normal force acts in a direction perpendicular to the surface. Galileo had put this to the test and conducted appointment with the inclined planes. After he had completed the prac several times he had observed that the amount of time it took for the ball to roll down the entire length of the ramp equal to double the amount of time it took for the same ball to only roll a quarter of the distance. He had concluded with: If an object is released from rest and gains speed at a steady rate, then the total distance travelled by the object is proportional to the time squared needed for that travel. Ticker Timer, Power Pack, Wires (2), G clamp. Paper Tape, Sticky Tape Wooden Ramp Trolley Find a place to put the wooden ramp. Secure the Ticker timer with a G-clamp to the wooden ramp. Connect the ticker timer to the power pack. (Make sure you connect to the AC ports and have your volts set to 12V) Get some ticker tape, 60 cm should be enough, and attach it to your cart with some tape. Thread the tape through the ticker timer, making sure the tape goes under the carbon paper and not over. Turn the power bank on, which should turn the ticker timer on and let go of the cart. Make sure someone is there to catch the cart or it could damage the cart. Remove the tape from the cart and you should have a ticker tape with multiple blue dots. Do this for each group member Repeat the process for different angles You should do for angles 15 °, 30 ° and 45 °. 15 ° Incline The ticker tape for the cart going down a 15 ° incline has the least space between the dots out of the 3 inclines tested. This is because the acceleration on the 15 ° incline is the least. As the acceleration is the least this means that the velocity would be the smallest at a given time out of the 3 inclines. The shape of the displacement-time graph shows that the cart is accelerating, this can be seen as the graphs gradient is increasing. For the Ticker-Tape Graph, there is a constant increase in the gradient showing that the cart is accelerating at a constant acceleration. Lastly the Velocity-Time Graph the line is mostly the same gradient showing that there is a constant acceleration. 30 ° Incline The ticker tape for the cart going down 30 ° incline has averagely sized spaces between the dot out of the 3 different inclines tested. The shape of the displacement-time graph is like the 15 ° incline graph but this graph picks has a greater gradient in the end and reaches a higher velocity, this is because since the incline is greater than it means there will be more acceleration. For the Ticker-timer graph the spaces between the different parts of the tapes are similar meaning that the gradient is constant. This is the same for Velocity-Time graph, as the gradient varies a little bit but is mainly constant. 45 ° Incline The ticker tape for the cart going down a 45 ° has the most space meaning that this cart was travelling the fastest out of all the three carts. The shape of the Displacement-Time Graph for the 45 ° incline has the biggest gradient out of the three meaning that it had reached the highest velocity out of the three. The shape of the Ticker-Timer is having a steady increase in the velocity meaning it had constant acceleration. This can be seen in the Velocity-Time Graph. The Gradient of the Displacement-time graph shown the velocity of the cart, since the line is a curved line to find the gradient tangent would need to be calculated to find the instantaneous velocity. The gradient of a Velocity-Time graph shows the acceleration of the cart.       When all 9 graphs are compared, it can be seen that the greater the incline means the create the velocity reached and the greater the acceleration of the cart. The results for this prac can vary within the classroom as of human error, the angles measured werent 100% accurate meaning that there could be variations for the angles which leads to variations of the speed reached by the carts. This Prac had been completed successfully and without any major errors. It was learnt that in an Incline is plane is a tilted surface which an object will slide down, it was also learnt that the angle of the incline is measured from the horizontal surface to the planked used.   Galileo had put this to the test and conducted various experiments using the incline plane. Improvements that could be made are that the measuring of the angle could greatly be more accurate as the protractors used for the prac were just rough estimates for the angle.

Trojan War :: essays research papers

The Trojan War took place more than a few thousand years ago in ancient Greece. It was a war waged by the Greeks on the city of Troy. This war was said to have lasted ten years. It was caused by the abduction of Helen by Paris. Helen at the time was married to King Menalaus of Sparta. To avenge the kidnapping King Agamemnon of Mycenae and the warriors of Odysseus and Archilles followed Helen and Paris back to Troy and waged war upon the city for ten years. One day, the warriors thought of an idea. They built a giant hallow wooden horse witch everyone piled into. Then they set it outside the gates of Troy. When Paris saw this horse he thought it was a gift and he had won the war he brought into the middle of the city. When night fell the belligerent men inside crawled out and conquered the city of Troy, then was the ten year war finally over. Although the Trojan war was not real, it was based on a another war at Troy, it has taught us some lessons in the field of strategy and war fighting. In the following passage you will read more about what the Trojan War and Horse has taught us. The Trojan War mostly taught us about strategies of winning wars. The basic lesson was that of, the more keen and cunning the ideas the better the chance you can have of winning. We have taken the lesson an applied it to each year and century. Starting with things like simple bow and arrows, we have took that and made snipers. Then came things like guns although at first they were hard to use now we have guns that could kill from yards upon yards away. Even more recent we have infer red, "smart" bombs, tanks, bombers, helicopters, and also computers can be

Outsourcing Software Jobs Overseas Essay -- Employment Work Technology

Outsourcing Software Jobs Overseas Information Technology (IT) Outsourcing overseas in which a company hires another company abroad to take over some of its software related tasks like managing data center, handling technical support and software maintenance has become a growing trend today. American technological corporations desperate to cut costs are outsourcing jobs to the developing countries with large talented human resource pool for significantly lesser wages. IT market research firm Gartner Dataquest 1 says that companies outsourcing their software jobs see lower cost foreign labor as a key to growth in 2003 because of large pool of highly educated English speaking workers in countries like India and Philippines who get relatively low wages. As of year-end 2002, there were at least 14 mega deals worth a total of $28.4 billion compared with nine mega deals in 2001 worth a total of $15.1 billion. Companies are lured towards the savings obtained by hiring a programmer in India who would be paid $2500 per year whereas the same job would require a wage of at least $45000 in US. According to Forrester Research2, the percentage of offshore outsourcing for U.S. IT budgets took a leap from 12 percent in 2000 to 28 percent in 2003. It also says that around 3.3 million U.S. services jobs will move offshore during the next 15 years, led by the IT industry and also estimates that companies can save up to 50% by outsourcing abroad. Coca-Cola, for example, already outsources about 15 percent of its information technology work and plans to do even more to cut costs. The migration began in the early 1990s when some of the technology sector's heavyweights like Oracle Corp., IBM, Sun Microsystems, Cisco Systems Inc., and... ...pursue offshore outsourcing if it means U.S. jobs ?" InformationWeek.com , 2003, June 6 2003, < http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=8700190&pgno=1 > 8 Rayen,Ranjeet "Indian outsourcing unscathed by US outcry" CIOL ,2003, May 28 2003, <http://www.ciol.com/content/news/trends/103030501.asp> 9,13Roberts,Paul Craig "Notes for free traders" Townhall.com , 2003, June 4 2003, < http://www.townhall.com/columnists/paulcraigroberts/pcr20030305.shtml> 10 Mill,John Stuart "Utilitarianism" Utilitarianism < http://www.utilitarianism.com/mill1.htm > 11 "John Locke" < http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Biographies/Philosophy/Locke.htm > 12 THIBODEAU,PATRICK "Outsourcing growth predicted, but impact on workers may be uneven" IDG.Net , 2003, June 8 2003, < http://www.idg.net/ic_1273426_9735_1-5082.html >

ECN paper :: essays research papers

The upcoming presidential election of 2004 could prove to be the most vital in our nation’s history. Therefore, every issue is of importance; however, this paper will focus on George Bush and John Kerry from a non-partisan standpoint, and which candidate would be better for our economy. The economy is always changing, causing recessions as well as periods of growth for our country. However, each candidate is inclined to think he has the right answer or direction. Before deciding who gets your vote, there are various economic issues that must carefully be examined and taken into account when accessing each candidate. After reading these articles, I became aware of strengths and weaknesses for both candidates. Business Week stated that the Republicans have it wrong on jobs and the unemployment rate. The unemployment rate should be higher, because the numbers of discouraged workers who were once in the labor force or are currently seeking employment are not being counted, therefore causing the job creation numbers to appear higher than they actually are. The Democrats are wrong about unemployment itself stating that outsourcing is the main reason for slow job growth in the past few years. Of the nearly three million jobs in our economy only 300,000 have been from outsourcing. (Forrester Research Inc.) In fact, the outsourcing of certain computer equipment to Asia in the 90’s lowered computer prices for our country and helped spread a technological revolution in some places never thought possible. After reviewing these articles I gathered that our economy is steadily on the rise under the leadership of George Bush. This President has dealt with a terrorist attack on our country, as well as war, high energy and oil prices, plus a devastating hurricane season. Despite all of these problems, the Gross Domestic Product and national income are rising and looking stronger. Inflation is also slowing down, while our spending is increasing. Our economy according to Glenn Hubbard in Business Week has rebounded, and the 4.8% growth in Real Gross Domestic Product over the past 12 months is faster than in any such period during the Clinton years. This Jefferson 2 growth in the economy does not mean that there are no jobs lost. However, job losses are a result of changes in buying patterns and corporations who reorganize. John Kerry has spoken several times regarding "the middle class squeeze" and the tax breaks for the wealthiest 1% of Americans.

The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 1 PARTY

I WAS NINETY-NINE POINT NINE PERCENT SURE I WAS dreaming. The reasons I was so certain were that, first, I was standing in a bright shaft of sunlightthe kind of blinding clear sun that never shone on my drizzly new hometown in Forks, Washingtonand second, I was looking at my Grandma Marie. Gran had been dead for six years now, so that was solid evidence toward the dream theory. Gran hadn't changed much; her face looked just the same as I remembered it. The skin was soft and withered, bent into a thousand tiny creases that clung gently to the bone underneath. Like a dried apricot, but with a puff of thick white hair standing out in a cloud around it. Our mouthshers a wizened pickerspread into the same surprised half-smile at just the same time. Apparently, she hadn't been expecting to see me, either. I was about to ask her a question; I had so manyWhat was she doing here in my cream? What had she been up to in the past six years? Was Pop okay, and had they found each other, wherever they werebut she opened her mouth when I did, so I stopped to let her go first. She paused, too, and then we Goth smiled at the little awkwardness. â€Å"Bella!† It wasn't Gran who called my name, and we both turned to see the addition to our small reunion. I didn't have to look to know who it was; this was a voice I would know anywhereknow, and respond to, whether I was awake or asleep or even dead, I'd bet. The voice I'd walk through fire foror, less dramatically, slosh every day through the cold and endless rain for. Edward. Even though I was always thrilled to see himconscious or otherwiseand even though I was almost positive that I was dreaming, I panicked as Edward walked toward us through the glaring sunlight. I panicked because Gran didn't know that I was in love with a vampirenobody knew thatso how was I supposed to explain the fact that the brilliant sunbeams were shattering off his skin into a thousand rainbow shards like he was made of crystal or diamond? Well, Gran, yon might have noticed that my boyfriend glitters. It's just something he does in the sun. Don't worry about it What was he doing? The whole reason he lived in Forks, the rainiest place in the world, was so that he could be outside in the daytime without exposing his family's secret. Yet here he was, strolling gracefully toward mewith the most beautiful smile on his angel's faceas if I were the only one here. In that second, I wished that I was not the one exception to his mysterious talent; I usually felt grateful that I was the only person whose thoughts he couldn't hear just as clearly as if they were spoken aloud. But now I wished he could hear me, too, so that he could hear the warning I was screaming in my head. I shot a panicked glance back at Gran, and saw that it was too late. She was just turning to stare back at me, her eyes as alarmed as mine. Edwardstill smiling so beautifully that my heart felt like it was going to swell up and burst through my chestput his arm around my shoulder and turned to face my grandmother. Gran's expression surprised me. Instead of looking horrified, she was staring at me sheepishly, as if waiting for a scolding. And she was standing in such a strange positionone arm held awkwardly away from her body, stretched out and then curled around the air. Like she had her arm around someone I couldn't see, someone invisible Only then, as I looked at the bigger picture, did I notice the huge gilt frame that enclosed my grandmother's form. Uncomprehending, I raised the hand that wasn't wrapped around Edward's waist and reached out to touch her. She mimicked the movement exactly, mirrored it. But where our fingers should have met, there was nothing but cold glass With a dizzying jolt, my dream abruptly became a nightmare. There was no Gran. That was me. Me in a mirror. Meancient, creased, and withered. Edward stood beside me, casting no reflection, excruciatingly lovely and forever seventeen. He pressed his icy, perfect lips against my wasted cheek. â€Å"Happy birthday,† he whispered. I woke with a startmy eyelids popping open wideand gasped. Dull gray light, the familiar light of an overcast morning, took the place of the blinding sun in my dream. Just a dream, I told myself. It was only a dream. I took a deep breath, and then jumped again when my alarm went off. The little calendar in the corner of the clock's display informed me that today was September thirteenth. Only a dream, but prophetic enough in one way, at least. Today was my birthday. I was officially eighteen years old. I'd been dreading this day for months. All through the perfect summerthe happiest summer I had ever had, the happiest summer anyone anywhere had ever had, and the rainiest summer in the history of the Olympic Peninsulathis bleak date had lurked in ambush, waiting to spring. And now that it had hit, it was even worse than I'd feared it would be. I could feel itI was older. Every day I got older, but this was different, worse, quantifiable. I was eighteen. And Edward never would be. When I went to brush my teeth, I was almost surprised that the face in the mirror hadn't changed. I stared at myself, looking for some sign of impending wrinkles in my ivory skin. The only creases were the ones on my forehead, though, and I knew that if I could manage to relax, they would disappear. I couldn't. My eyebrows stayed lodged in a worried line over my anxious brown eyes. It was just a dream, I reminded myself again. Just a dream but also my worst nightmare. I skipped breakfast, in a hurry to get out of the house as quickly as possible. I wasn't entirely able to avoid my dad, and so I had to spend a few minutes acting cheerful. I honestly tried to be excited about the gifts I'd asked him not to get me, but every time I had to smile, it felt like I might start crying. I struggled to get a grip on myself as I drove to school. The vision of GranI would not think of it as mewas hard to get out of my head. I couldn't feel anything but despair until I pulled into the familiar parking lot behind Forks High School and spotted Edward leaning motionlessly against his polished silver Volvo, like a marble tribute to some forgotten pagan god of beauty. The dream had not done him justice. And he was waiting there for me, just the same as every other day. Despair momentarily vanished; wonder took its place. Even after half a year with him, I still couldn't believe that I deserved this degree of good fortune. His sister Alice was standing by his side, waiting for me, too. Of course Edward and Alice weren't really related (in Forks the story was that all the Cullen siblings were adopted by Dr. Carlisle Culler and his wife, Esme, both plainly too young to have teenage children), but their skin was precisely the same pale shade, their eyes had the same strange golden tint, with the same deep, bruise-like shadows beneath them. Her face, like his, was also startlingly beautiful. To someone in the knowsomeone like methese similarities marked them for what they were. The sight of Alice waiting thereher tawny eyes brilliant with excitement, and a small silver-wrapped square in her handsmade me frown. I'd told Alice I didn't want anything, anything, not gifts or even attention, for my birthday. Obviously, my wishes were being ignored. I slammed the door of my '53 Chevy trucka shower of rust specks fluttered down to the wet blacktopand walked slowly toward where they waited. Alice skipped forward to meet me, her pixie face glowing under her spiky black hair. â€Å"Happy birthday, Bella!† â€Å"Shh!† I hissed, glancing around the lot to make sure no one had heard her. The last thing I wanted was some kind of celebration of the black event. She ignored me. â€Å"Do you want to open your present now or later?† she asked eagerly as we made our way to where Edward still waited. â€Å"No presents,† I protested in a mumble. She finally seemed to process my mood. â€Å"Okay later, then. Did you like the scrapbook your mom sent you? And the camera from Charlie?† I sighed. Of course she would know what my birthday presents were. Edward wasn't the only member of his family with unusual skills. Alice would have â€Å"seen† what my parents were planning as soon as they'd decided that themselves. â€Å"Yeah. They're great.† â€Å"I think it's a nice idea. You're only a senior once. Might as well document the experience.† â€Å"How many times have you been a senior?† â€Å"That's different.† We reached Edward then, and he held out his hand for mine. I took it eagerly, forgetting, for a moment, my glum mood. His skin was, as always, smooth, hard, and very cold. He gave my fingers a gentle squeeze. I looked into his liquid topa2 eyes, and my heart gave a not-quite-so-gentle squeeze of its own. Hearing the stutter in my heartbeats, he smiled again. He lifted his free hand and traced one cool fingertip around the outside of my lips as he spoke. â€Å"So, as discussed, I am not allowed to wish you a happy birthday, is that correct?† â€Å"Yes. That is correct.† I could never quite mimic the flow of his perfect, formal articulation. It was something that could only be picked up in an earlier century. â€Å"Just checking.† He ran his hand through his tousled bronze hair. â€Å"You might have changed your mind. Most people seem to enjoy things like birthdays and gifts.† Alice laughed, and the sound was all silver, a wind chime. â€Å"Of course you'll enjoy it. Everyone is supposed to be nice to you today and give you your way, Bella. What's the worst that could happen?† She meant it as a rhetorical question. â€Å"Getting older,† I answered anyway, and my voice was not as steady as I wanted it to be. Beside me, Edward's smile tightened into a hard line. â€Å"Eighteen isn't very old,† Alice said. â€Å"Don't women usually wait till they're twenty-nine to get upset over birthdays?† â€Å"It's older than Edward,† I mumbled. He sighed. â€Å"Technically,† she said, keeping her tone light. â€Å"Just by one little year, though.† And I supposed if I could be sure of the future I wanted, sure that I would get to spend forever with Edward, and Alice and the rest of the Cullens (preferably not as a wrinkled little old lady) then a year or two one direction or the other wouldn't matter to me so much. But Edward was dead set against any future that changed me. Any future that made me like himthat made me immortal, too. An impasse, he called it. I couldn't really see Edward's point, to be honest. What was so great about mortality? Being a vampire didn't look like such a terrible thingnot the way the Cullens did it, anyway. â€Å"What time will you be at the house?† Alice continued, changing the subject. From her expression, she was up to exactly the kind of thing I'd been hoping to avoid. â€Å"I didn't know I had plans to be there.† â€Å"Oh, be fair, Bella!† she complained. â€Å"You aren't going to ruin all our fun like that, are you?† â€Å"I thought my birthday was about what I want.† â€Å"I'll get her from Charlie's right after school,† Edward told her, ignoring me altogether. â€Å"I have to work,† I protested. â€Å"You don't, actually,† Alice told me smugly. â€Å"I already spoke to Mrs. Newton about it. She's trading your shifts. She said to tell you ‘Happy Birthday.'† â€Å"II still can't come over,† I stammered, scrambling for an excuse. â€Å"I, well, I haven't watched Romeo and Juliet yet for English.† Alice snorted. â€Å"You have Romeo and Juliet memorized.† â€Å"But Mr. Berty said we needed to see it performed to fully appreciate itthat's how Shakespeare intended it to be presented.† Edward rolled his eyes. â€Å"You've already seen the movie,† Alice accused. â€Å"But not the nineteen-sixties version. Mr. Berty said it was the best.† Finally, Alice lost the smug smile and glared at me. â€Å"This can be easy, or this can be hard, Bella, but one way or the other† Edward interrupted her threat. â€Å"Relax, Alice. If Bella wants to watch a movie, then she can. It's her birthday.† â€Å"So there,† I added. â€Å"I'll bring her over around seven,† he continued. â€Å"That will give you more time to set up.† Alice's laughter chimed again. â€Å"Sounds good. See you tonight, Bella! It'll be fun, you'll see.† She grinnedthe wide smile exposed all her perfect, glistening teeththen pecked me on the cheek and danced off toward her first class before I could respond. â€Å"Edward, please† I started to beg, but he pressed one cool finger to my lips. â€Å"Let's discuss it later. We're going to be late for class.† No one bothered to stare at us as we took our usual seats in the back of the classroom (we had almost every class together nowit was amazing the favors Edward could get the female administrators to do for him). Edward and I had been together too long now to be an object of gossip anymore. Even Mike Newton didn't bother to give me the glum stare that used to make me feel a little guilty. He smiled now instead, and I was glad he seemed to have accepted that we could only be friends. Mike had changed over the summerhis face had lost some of the roundness, making his cheekbones more prominent, and he was wearing his pale blond hair a new way; instead of bristly, it was longer and gelled into a carefully casual disarray. It was easy to see where his inspiration came frombut Edward's look wasn't something that could be achieved through imitation. As the day progressed, I considered ways to get out of whatever was going down at the Cullen house tonight. It would be bad enough to have to celebrate when I was in the mood to mourn. But, worse than that, this was sure to involve attention and gifts. Attention is never a good thing, as any other accident-prone klutz would agree. No one wants a spotlight when they're likely to fall on their face. And I'd very pointedly askedwell, ordered reallythat no one give me any presents this year. It looked like Charlie and Renee weren't the only ones who had decided to overlook that. I'd never had much money, and that had never bothered me. Renee had raised me on a kindergarten teacher's salary. Charlie wasn't getting rich at his job, eitherhe was the police chief here in the tiny town of Forks. My only personal income came from the three days a week I worked at the local sporting goods store. In a town this small, I was lucky to have a job. Every penny I made went into my microscopic college fund. (College was Plan B. I was still hoping for Plan A, but Edward was just so stubborn about leaving me human) Edward had a lot of moneyI didn't even want to think about how much. Money meant next to nothing to Edward or the rest of the Cullens. It was just something that accumulated when you had unlimited time on your hands and a sister who had an uncanny ability to predict trends in the stock market. Edward didn't seem to understand why I objected to him spending money on mewhy it made me uncomfortable if he took me to an expensive restaurant in Seattle, why he wasn't allowed to buy me a car that could reach speeds over fifty-five miles an hour, or why I wouldn't let him pay my college tuition (he was ridiculously enthusiastic about Plan B). Edward thought I was being unnecessarily difficult. But how could I let him give me things when I had nothing to reciprocate with? He, for some unfathomable reason, wanted to be with me. Anything he gave me on top of that just threw us more out of balance. As the day went on, neither Edward nor Alice brought my birthday up again, and I began to relax a little. We sat at our usual table for lunch. A strange kind of truce existed at that table. The three of usEdward, Alice, and Isat on the extreme southern end of the table. Now that the â€Å"older† and somewhat scarier (in Emmett's case, certainly) Cullen siblings had graduated, Alice and Edward did not seem quite so intimidating, and we did not sit here alone. My other friends, Mike and Jessica (who were in the awkward post-breakup friendship phase), Angela and Ben (whose relationship had survived the summer), Eric, Conner, Tyler, and Lauren (though that last one didn't really count in the friend category) all sat at the same table, on the other side of an invisible line. That line dissolved on sunny days when Edward and Alice always skipped school, and then the conversation would swell out effortlessly to include me. Edward and Alice didn't find this minor ostracism odd or hurtful the way I would have. They barely noticed it. People always felt strangely ill at ease with the Cullens, almost afraid for some reason they couldn't explain to themselves. I was a rare exception to that rule. Sometimes it bothered Edward how very comfortable I was with being close to him. He thought he was hazardous to my healthan opinion I rejected vehemently whenever he voiced it. The afternoon passed quickly. School ended, and Edward walked me to my truck as he usually did. But this time, he held the passenger door open for me. Alice must have been taking his car home so that he could keep me from making a run for it. I folded my arms and made no move to get out of the rain. â€Å"It's my birthday, don't I get to drive?† â€Å"I'm pretending it's not your birthday, just as you wished.† â€Å"If it's not my birthday, then I don't have to go to your house tonight† â€Å"All right.† He shut the passenger door and walked past me to open the driver's side. â€Å"Happy birthday.† â€Å"Shh,† I shushed him halfheartedly. I climbed in the opened door, wishing he'd taken the other offer. Edward played with the radio while I drove, shaking his head in disapproval. â€Å"Your radio has horrible reception.† I frowned. I didn't like it when he picked on my truck. The truck was greatit had personality. â€Å"You want a nice stereo? Drive your own car.† I was so nervous about Alice's plans, on top of my already gloomy mood, that the words came out sharper than I'd meant them. I was hardly ever bad-tempered with Edward, and my tone made him press his lips together to keep from smiling. When I parked in front of Charlie's house, he reached over to take my face in his hands. He handled me very carefully, pressing just the tips of his fingers softly against my temples, my cheekbones, my jawline. Like I was especially breakable. Which was exactly the casecompared with him, at least. â€Å"You should be in a good mood, today of all days,† he whispered. His sweet breath fanned across my face. â€Å"And if I don't want to be in a good mood?† I asked, my breathing uneven. His golden eyes smoldered. â€Å"Too bad.† My head was already spinning by the time he leaned closer and pressed his icy lips against mine. As he intended, no doubt, I forgot all about my worries, and concentrated on remembering how to inhale and exhale. His mouth lingered on mine, cold and smooth and gentle, until I wrapped my arms around his neck and threw myself into the kiss with a little too much enthusiasm. I could feel his lips curve upward as he let go of my face and reached back to unlock my grip on him. Edward had drawn many careful lines for our physical relationship, with the intent being to keep me alive. Though I respected the need for maintaining a safe distance between my skin and his razor-sharp, venom-coated teeth, I tended to forget about trivial things like that when he was kissing me. â€Å"Be good, please,† he breathed against my cheek. He pressed his lips gently to mine one more time and then pulled away, folding my arms across my stomach. My pulse was thudding in my ears. I put one hand over my heart. It drummed hyperactively under my palm. â€Å"Do you think I'll ever get better at this?† I wondered, mostly to myself. â€Å"That my heart might someday stop trying to jump out of my chest whenever you touch me?† â€Å"I really hope not,† he said, a bit smug. I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Let's go watch the Capulets and Montagues hack each other up, all right?† â€Å"Your wish, my command.† Edward sprawled across the couch while I started the movie, fast-forwarding through the opening credits. When I perched on the edge of the sofa in front of him, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me against his chest. It wasn't exactly as comfortable as a sofa cushion would be, what with his chest being hard and coldand perfectas an ice sculpture, but it was definitely preferable. He pulled the old afghan off the back of the couch and draped it over me so I wouldn't freeze beside his body. â€Å"You know, I've never had much patience with Romeo,† he commented as the movie started. â€Å"What's wrong with Romeo?† I asked, a little offended. Romeo was one of my favorite fictional characters. Until I'd met Edward, I'd sort of had a thing for him. â€Å"Well, first of all, he's in love with this Rosalinedon't you think it makes him seem a little fickle? And then, a few minutes after their wedding, he kills Juliet's cousin. That's not very brilliant. Mistake after mistake. Could he have destroyed his own happiness any more thoroughly?† I sighed. â€Å"Do you want me to watch this alone?† â€Å"No, I'll mostly be watching you, anyway.† His fingers traced patterns across the skin of my arm, raising goose bumps. â€Å"Will you cry?† â€Å"Probably,† I admitted, â€Å"if I'm paying attention.† â€Å"I won't distract you then.† But I felt his lips on my hair, and it was very distracting. The movie eventually captured my interest, thanks in large part to Edward whispering Romeo's lines in my earhis irresistible, velvet voice made the actor's voice sound weak and coarse by comparison. And I did cry, to his amusement, when Juliet woke and found her new husband dead. â€Å"I'll admit, I do sort of envy him here,† Edward said, drying the tears with a lock of my hair. â€Å"She's very pretty.† He made a disgusted sound. â€Å"I don't envy him the girljust the ease of the suicide,† he clarified in a teasing tone. â€Å"You humans have it so easy! All you have to do is throw down one tiny vial of plant extracts† â€Å"What?† I gasped. â€Å"It's something I had to think about once, and I knew from Carlisle's experience that it wouldn't be simple. I'm not even sure how many ways Carlisle tried to kill himself in the beginning after he realized what he'd become† His voice, which had grown serious, turned light again. â€Å"And he's clearly still in excellent health.† I twisted around so that I could read his face. â€Å"What are you talking about?† I demanded. â€Å"What do you mean, this something you had to think about once?† â€Å"Last spring, when you were nearly killed† He paused to take a deep breath, snuggling to return to his teasing tone. â€Å"Of course I was trying to focus on finding you alive, but part of my mind was making contingency plans. Like I said, it's not as easy for me as it is for a human.† For one second, the memory of my last trip to Phoenix washed through my head and made me feel dizzy. I could see it all so clearlythe blinding sun, the heat waves coming off the concrete as I ran with desperate haste to find the sadistic vampire who wanted to torture me to death. James, waiting in the mirrored room with my mother as his hostageor so I'd thought. I hadn't known it was all a ruse. Just as James hadn't known that Edward was racing to save me; Edward made it in time, but it had been a close one. Unthinkingly, my fingers traced the crescent-shaped scar on my hand that was always just a few degrees cooler than the rest of my skin. I shook my headas if I could shake away the bad memoriesand tried to grasp what Edward meant. My stomach plunged uncomfortably. â€Å"Contingency plans?† I repeated. â€Å"Well, I wasn't going to live without you.† He rolled his eyes as if that fact were childishly obvious. â€Å"But I wasn't sure how to do itI knew Emmett and Jasper would never help so I was thinking maybe I would go to Italy and do something to provoke the Volturi.† I didn't want to believe he was serious, but his golden eyes were brooding, focused on something far away in the distance as he contemplated ways to end his own life. Abruptly, I was furious. â€Å"What is a Volturi?† I demanded. â€Å"The Volturi are a family,† he explained, his eyes still remote. â€Å"A very old, very powerful family of our kind. They are the closest thing our world has to a royal family, I suppose. Carlisle lived with them briefly in his early years, in Italy, before he settled in Americado you remember the story?† â€Å"Of course I remember.† I would never forget the first time I'd gone to his home, the huge white mansion buried deep in the forest beside the river, or the room where CarlisleEdward's father in so many real wayskept a wall of paintings that illustrated his personal history. The most vivid, most wildly colorful canvas there, the largest, was from Carlisle's time in Italy. Of course I remembered the calm quartet of men, each with the exquisite face of a seraph, painted into the highest balcony overlooking the swirling mayhem of color. Though the painting was centuries old, Carlislethe blond angelremained unchanged. And I remembered the three others, Carlisle's early acquaintances. Edward had never used the name Volturi for the beautiful trio, two black-haired, one snow white. He'd called them Aro, Caius, and Marcus, nighttime patrons of the arts â€Å"Anyway, you don't irritate the Volturi,† Edward went on, interrupting ray reverie. â€Å"Not unless you want to dieor whatever it is we do.† His voice was so calm, it made him sound almost bored by the prospect. My anger turned to horror. I took his marble face between my hands and held it very tightly. â€Å"You must never, never, never think of anything like that again!† I said. â€Å"No matter what might ever happen to me, you are not allowed to hurt yourself!† â€Å"I'll never put you in danger again, so it's a moot point.† â€Å"Put me in danger! I thought we'd established that all the bad luck is my fault?† I was getting angrier. â€Å"How dare you even think like that?† The idea of Edward ceasing to exist, even if I were dead, was impossiblypainful. â€Å"What would you do, if the situation were reversed?† he asked. â€Å"That's not the same thing.† He didn't seem to understand the difference. He chuckled. â€Å"What if something did happen to you?† I blanched at the thought. â€Å"Would you want me to go off myself?† A trace of pain touched his perfect features. â€Å"I guess I see your point a little,† he admitted. â€Å"But what would I do without you?† â€Å"Whatever you were doing before I came along and complicated your existence.† He sighed. â€Å"You make that sound so easy.† â€Å"It should be. I'm not really that interesting.† He was about to argue, but then he let it go. â€Å"Moot point,† he reminded me. Abruptly, he pulled himself up into a more formal posture, shifting me to the side so that we were no longer touching. â€Å"Charlie?† I guessed. Edward smiled. After a moment, I heard the sound of the police cruiser pulling into the driveway. I reached out and took his hand firmly. My dad could deal with that much. Charlie came in with a pizza box in his hands. â€Å"Hey, kids.† He grinned at me. â€Å"I thought you'd like a break from cooking and washing dishes for your birthday. Hungry?† â€Å"Sure. Thanks, Dad.† Charlie didn't comment on Edward's apparent lack of appetite. He was used to Edward passing on dinner. â€Å"Do you mind if I borrow Bella for the evening?† Edward asked when Charlie and I were done. I looked at Charlie hopefully. Maybe he had some concept of birthdays as stay-at-home, family affairsthis was my first birthday with him, the first birthday since my mom, Renee, had remarried and gone to live in Florida, so I didn't know what he would expect. â€Å"That's finethe Mariners are playing the Sox tonight,† Charlie explained, and my hope disappeared. â€Å"So I won't be any kind of company Here.† He scooped up the camera he'd gotten me on Renee's suggestion (because I would need pictures to fill up my scrap-book), and threw it to me. He ought to know better than thatI'd always been coordinationally challenged. The camera glanced off the tip of my finger, and tumbled toward the floor. Edward snagged it before it could crash onto the linoleum. â€Å"Nice save,† Charlie noted. â€Å"If they're doing something fun at the Cullens' tonight, Bella, you should take some pictures. You know how your mother getsshe'll be wanting to see the pictures faster than you can take them.† â€Å"Good idea, Charlie,† Edward said, handing me the camera. I turned the camera on Edward, and snapped the first picture. â€Å"It works.† â€Å"That's good. Hey, say hi to Alice for me. She hasn't been over in a while.† Charlie's mouth pulled down at one corner. â€Å"It's been three days, Dad,† I reminded him. Charlie was crazy about Alice. He'd become attached last spring when she'd helped me through my awkward convalescence; Charlie would be fore'ter grateful to her for saving him from the horror of an almost-adult daughter who needed help showering. â€Å"I'll tell her.† â€Å"Okay. You kids have fun tonight.† It was clearly a dismissal. Charlie was already edging toward the living room and the TV. Edward smiled, triumphant, and took my hand to pull me from the kitchen. When we got to the truck, he opened the passenger door for me again, and this time I didn't argue. I still had a hard time finding the obscure turnoff to his house in the dark. Edward drove north through Forks, visibly chafing at the speed limit enforced by my prehistoric Chevy. The engine groaned even louder than usual as he pushed it over fifty. â€Å"Take it easy,† I warned him. â€Å"You know what you would love? A nice little Audi coupe. Very quiet, lots of power† â€Å"There's nothing wrong with my truck. And speaking of expensive nonessentials, if you know what's good for you, you didn't spend any money on birthday presents.† â€Å"Not a dime,† he said virtuously. â€Å"Good.† â€Å"Can you do me a favor?† â€Å"That depends on what it is.† He sighed, his lovely face serious. â€Å"Bella, the last real birthday any of us had was Emmett in 1935. Cut us a little slack, and don't be too difficult tonight. They're all very excited.† It always startled me a little when he brought up things like that. â€Å"Fine, I'll behave.† â€Å"I probably should warn you† â€Å"Please do.† â€Å"When I say they're all excited I do mean all of them.† â€Å"Everyone?† I choked. â€Å"I thought Emmett and Rosalie were in Africa.† The rest of Forks was under the impression that the older Cullens had gone off to college this year, to Dartmouth, but I knew better. â€Å"Emmett wanted to be here.† â€Å"But Rosalie?† â€Å"I know, Bella. Don't worry, she'll be on her best behavior.† I didn't answer. Like I could just not worry, that easy. Unlike Alice, Edward's other â€Å"adopted† sister, the golden blond and exquisite Rosalie, didn't like me much. Actually, the feeling was a little bit stronger than just dislike. As far as Rosalie was concerned, I was an unwelcome intruder into her family's secret life. I felt horribly guilty about the present situation, guessing that Rosalie and Emmett's prolonged absence was my fault, even as I furtively enjoyed not having to see her Emmett, Edward's playful bear of a brother, I did miss. He was in many ways just like the big brother I'd always wanted only much, much more terrifying. Edward decided to change the subject. â€Å"So, if you won't let me get you the Audi, isn't there anything that you'd like for your birthday?† The words came out in a whisper. â€Å"You know what I want.† A deep frown carved creases into his marble forehead. He obviously wished he'd stuck to the subject of Rosalie. It felt like we'd had this argument a lot today. â€Å"Not tonight, Bella. Please.† â€Å"Well, maybe Alice will give me what I want.† Edward growleda deep, menacing sound. â€Å"This isn't going to be your last birthday, Bella,† he vowed. â€Å"That's not fair!† I thought I heard his teeth clench together. We were pulling up to the house now. Bright light shined from every window on the first two floors. A long line of glowing Japanese lanterns hung from the porch eaves, reflecting a soft radiance on the huge cedars that surrounded the house. Big bowls of flowerspink roseslined the wide stairs up to the front doors. I moaned. Edward took a few deep breaths to calm himself. â€Å"This is a party,† he reminded me. â€Å"Try to be a good sport.† â€Å"Sure,† I muttered. He came around to get my door, and offered me his hand. â€Å"I have a question.† He waited warily. â€Å"If I develop this film,† I said, toying with the camera in my hands, â€Å"will you show up in the picture?† Edward started laughing. He helped me out of the car, pulled me up the stairs, and was still laughing as he opened the door for me. They were all waiting in the huge white living room; when I walked through the door, they greeted me with a loud chorus of â€Å"Happy birthday, Bella!† while I blushed and looked down. Alice, I assumed, had covered every flat surface with pink candles and dozens of crystal bowls filled with hundreds of roses. There was a table with a white cloth draped over it next to Edward's grand piano, holding a pink birthday cake, more roses, a stack of glass plates, and a small pile of silver-wrapped presents. It was a hundred times worse than I'd imagined. Edward, sensing my distress, wrapped an encouraging arm around my waist and kissed the top of my head. Edward's parents, Carlisle and Esmeimpossibly youthful and lovely as everwere the closest to the door. Esme hugged me carefully, her soft, caramel-colored hair brushing against my cheek as she kissed my forehead, and then Carlisle put his arm around my shoulders. â€Å"Sorry about this, Bella,† he stage-whispered. â€Å"We couldn't rein Alice in.† Rosalie and Emmett stood behind them. Rosalie didn't smile, but at least she didn't glare. Emmett's face was stretched into a huge grin. It had been months since I'd seen them; I'd forgotten how gloriously beautiful Rosalie wasit almost hurt to look at her. And had Emmett always been so big? â€Å"You haven't changed at all,† Emmett said with mock disappointment. â€Å"I expected a perceptible difference, but here you are, red-faced just like always.† â€Å"Thanks a lot, Emmett,† I said, blushing deeper. He laughed, â€Å"I have to step out for a second†he paused to wink conspicuously at Alice†Don't do anything funny while I'm gone.† â€Å"I'lltry.† Alice let go of Jasper's hand and skipped forward, all her teeth sparkling in the bright light. Jasper smiled, too, but kept his distance. He leaned, long and blond, against the post at the foot of the stairs. During the days we'd had to spend cooped up together in Phoenix, I'd thought he'd gotten over his aversion to me. But he'd gone back to exactly how he'd acted beforeavoiding me as much as possiblethe moment he was free from that temporary obligation to protect me. I knew it wasn't personal, just a precaution, and I tried not to be overly sensitive about it. Jasper had more trouble sticking to the Cullens' diet than the rest of them; the scent of human blood was much harder for him to resist than the othershe hadn't been trying as long. â€Å"Time to open presents,† Alice declared. She put her cool hand under my elbow and towed me to the table with the cake and the shiny packages. I put on my best martyr face. â€Å"Alice, I know I told you I didn't want anything† â€Å"But I didn't listen,† she interrupted, smug. â€Å"Open it.† She took the camera from my hands and replaced it with a big, square silver box. The box was so light that it felt empty. The tag on top said that it was from Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper. Selfconsciously, I tore the paper off and then stared at the box it concealed. It was something electrical, with lots of numbers in the name. I opened the box, hoping for further illumination. But the box was empty. â€Å"Um thanks.† Rosalie actually cracked a smile. Jasper laughed. â€Å"It's a stereo for your truck,† he explained. â€Å"Emmett's installing it right now so that you can't return it.† Alice was always one step ahead of me. â€Å"Thanks, Jasper, Rosalie,† I told them, grinning as I remembered Edward's complaints about my radio this afternoonall a setup, apparently. â€Å"Thanks, Emmett!† I called more loudly. I heard his booming laugh from my truck, and I couldn't help laughing, too. â€Å"Open mine and Edward's next,† Alice said, so excited her voice was a high-pitched trill. She held a small, flat square in her hand. I turned to give Edward a basilisk glare. â€Å"You promised.† Before he could answer, Emmett bounded through the door. â€Å"Just in time!† he crowed. He pushed in behind Jasper, who had also drifted closer than usual to get a good look. â€Å"I didn't spend a dime,† Edward assured me. He brushed a strand of hair from my face, leaving my skin tingling from his touch. I inhaled deeply and turned to Alice. â€Å"Give it to me,† I sighed. Emmett chuckled with delight. I took the little package, rolling my eyes at Edward while I stuck my finger under the edge of the paper and jerked it under the tape. â€Å"Shoot,† I muttered when the paper sliced my finger; I pulled it out to examine the damage. A single drop of blood oozed from the tiny cut. It all happened very quickly then. â€Å"No!† Edward roared. He threw himself at me, flinging me back across the table. It fell, as I did, scattering the cake and the presents, the flowers and the plates. I landed in the mess of shattered crystal. Jasper slammed into Edward, and the sound was like the crash of boulders in a rock slide. There was another noise, a grisly snarling that seemed to be coming from deep in Jasper's chest. Jasper tried to shove past Edward, snapping his teeth just inches from Edward's face. Emmett grabbed Jasper from behind in the next second, locking him into his massive steel grip, but Jasper struggled on, his wild, empty eyes focused only on me. Beyond the shock, there was also pain. I'd tumbled down to the floor by the piano, with my arms thrown out instinctively to catch my fall, into the jagged shards of glass. Only now did I feel the searing, stinging pain that ran from my wrist to the crease inside my elbow. Dazed and disoriented, I looked up from the bright red blood pulsing out of my arminto the fevered eyes of the six suddenly ravenous vampires.

The Social Sciences

Assignment-[4] how the relationships between people and traffic are ordered. In this assignment I will try to compare and contrast two views of how the relationship between people and traffic is ordered. The relationship between people and traffic is then examined in chapter 7 of making social lives. I will be comparing and contrasting the differences and similarities between road traffic engineers Colin Buchanan; and Hans Monderman. Colin Buchanan was commissioned by the UK government in 1961 to start work on the report! Traffic in towns for the Ministry of transport [chapter 7 p. 27] the report was aimed to produce a new design for urban space in order to engineer the efficient distribution and access of a large numbers of vehicles† to a large number of buildings. Achieving a satisfactory standard in our environment for life in towns. [Chapter 7 P. 327] Buchanan had visions of more towns to be organised to the flow of traffic and more roads to be built. The Department of Tran sport reports between the Second World War and 1969 the Numbers of cars on the roads quadrupled: this meant that not only needed more roads needed to be built but also a new way for towns to live with cars. Chapter 7 p. 326 Silva 2009 Cited Ministry of transport 1963]. The future of choking road congestion was feared unless the rapid rise in demand for car travel was matched by an increased supply of roads. Buchanan's concept was built on the explicit principle of segregation, reading from chapter 7 Ordering social life the case of road traffic making social lives: sometimes the strict separation of vehicles and people: cars were afforded their own generously proportioned network and pedestrians were safely tucked away in residential blocks often terminating enquired cul-de-sacs. Silva, Cited Buchanan 2009 p. 329 chapter 7] the whole subject of traffic in towns†¦ Is capable of being put on a rational and quantitative basis. Guesswork and intuition can be largely eliminated: giv en the necessary information, many aspects or precisely culpable: and there is scope for techniques which will greatly ease the burden of decision between alternative courses of action. Now let’s examine another road traffic engineer and compare this to the Buchannan report. Hans Monderman a road traffic engineer from the Netherlands had different ideas on how to organise traffic and people. Mondermans theory was the removal of all traffic obstacles road signs: traffic lights: and use the spaces left for humans to share the space with motorists. In evidence in 1989 the councillors of Drachten voted to remove every single traffic light and abolish road signs and warning signs. [P. 334 Silva 2009 chapter 7] his concept was that when all traffic obstacles were removed, the space left was to be shared by drivers and pedestrians. His theory was to narrow the roads and also put features alongside them. He planted trees and flowers and also Fountains, this was to discourage drivers from speeding the psychology of it was that they would slow down while driving past these features. Drachten is the town of 43,000 people in the Netherlands Monderman shared space approach was known as the Drachten experiment. [Silva2009, cited councillor Koop kerkestra p. 334]. The head of traffic policy at the town hall of Drachten, â€Å"the lights were causing problems; people were for ever waiting to get across junctions. We also had more than 140 casualties a year. It was difficult to know what to do, and we certainly didn't want to ban cars as we loved cars here in Drachten. Fortunately I met traffic engineer who had an unconventional solution. [P. 334 chapter 7 Silva, 2009] cited Monderman]. If you treat drivers like zombies they will behave like zombies: explains Monderman in other words, motorists or taught to blindly follow instructions, they stop thinking for themselves, and accidents follow. The above are a few briefs on traffic engineers Hans Monderman and Colin Buchannan who were both tasked with very difficult assignments and both had completely different views on how to manage the traffic flow, although Buchannan was much earlier than Monderman in years, both had quite revolutionary ideas of their times. Trying to compere the similarities between Monderman and Buchanan is not an easy task to undertake, firstly they were both road traffic engineers which are important I guess, and they were both commissioned by governments even though Mondermans commission was through local government. They were both commissioned to create the use of better space and a way to ease the flow of traffic in towns. They both looked at traffic and humans and how each played a role in creating a design for traffic to move more easily. This was also due to the similarity in statistics of ever increasing car owners on the roads, and I suppose a reason to prevent accidents in the future. What are the differences in both these engineers’ â€Å"ideas† plans and concepts of how to manage road traffic between humans and cars? Firstly Buchanan segregated humans from road traffic and built towns on the edges of motorways. Towns were built such as Milton Keynes and many other places with never ending cul de sacs and housing estates which were hard to get to even using the sign posts as it all looked the same. This isolated the towns from the spacious road networks, resulting in later years ever more traffic lights: calming zones and such like. However Monderman wanted to share this space left behind after the removal of traffic lights and all road signs with pedestrian’s †cyclists† and car drivers. Arguments. Buchanan based is road hierarchy on segregating people in towns from traffic? Did this mean primary roads and street roads were placed before motorways? Which streets and roads were best placed to distribute the traffic flow, do Buchanan’s plans still work in today's modern society, and it seems ever more increasing traffic! We need ever more modern day thinking and new approaches. Buchanan based his road flows from towns: thus the use of the space with segregation from people means many town roads and street roads were cut off from the motorways. Was there enough space left for what we see today in the likes of bus lanes, cycle lanes, did Buchanan foresee this. If he did surely the roads he planned and then subsequently built would be a lot wider. Today we are left with limited amount of space! If you drive down a normal high Street in any town today: you will see that traffic is very crowded and congested, there will be a limited amount of space for cars and vans taxis etc. You will notice that the inside lanes are used specifically for public transport busses. I would certainly argue that the Buchanan report had many flaws using anecdotal evidence put before me. I say anecdotal as I have no evidence to look at as I have to use what is in front of me for this assignment. Now let me turn to Hans Monderman and his vision of the shared space approach. This is very interesting as he relies solely on interaction of the person or persons driving vehicles, with pedestrians: or cyclists. Since all the obstacles of traffic lights and even road kerbs have been removed, this leads all participants having to acknowledge each other and prejudge one another's next movement. This idea seems like what you see on the TV, in places such as India Pakistan and Asia, which all traffic is moving fast around town centre junctions, which seems quite chaotic to one's first instinct. They all in fact seem in a frightful hurry and one has no data to rely on? About how many accidents or crashes they may be in places like this. I don't quite know if this is the same as Hans’s Mondermans shared space theory, but that's all I've got to go on in my argument. What was it Monderman said concerning the use of traffic lights in town centres, with drivers having to obey the instructions given by a set of lights, if you treat people like zombies they will act like zombies [ Silva2009, cited Monderman p. 34] in that this idea is similar to the behavioural social scientist Foucault. Who when studying people and their behaviours: he wrote? People come to see themselves as engaged in â€Å"normal† ways of thinking and behaving through socialisation processes in the family, schools, workplace or public space. In turn, they can contrast themselves with the â€Å"deviant† or abnormal ‘people who lack self-control or self-discipline [and therefore behave b adly]. [P. 321, 2009]. This is very interesting as he is thinking the same as Monderman in the use of people and their control. Conclusion. Both Buchannan and Monderman were modern day thinkers of engineering and planning road traffic, both had relative success in their tasks and both used people and segregation from cars. Monderman with! Buchannan without! Both ideas are very interesting, although I think Buchannan’s is out-dated by now: but he played a major role in United Kingdom’s traffic engineering. Hans Mondermans idea is really fascinating though and I wonder â€Å"greatly† if it is working and how many other nations will take up this idea. References. Silva. Elizabeth, [2009] Making social lives. United Kingdom the Open University. Milton Keynes. Silva. Elizabeth, [2009] making social order, 7 3[1] pp. 326-328,United Kingdom the Open University. Milton Keynes Silva, Elizabeth, [2009] Making social order, Silva cited Buchanan p. 326 7, United Kingdom the Open University. Milton Keynes Silva, Elizabeth, [2009] making social order 7 Silva cited Koop Kerkestra-Monderman p. 334 Making social order. United kingdom the Open University Milton Keynes. The Open University cited Foucault, [2009] pp-319-322. 7, 2. 2. he social sciences and social order. United Kingdom, the Open University Milton Keynes. Self-reflection, although I have a fair way to go yet I am starting to grasp the basics of social science and how they work and order things, this assignment was my most focused yet and although it is frustrating not being able to find other sources for my work especially on the results of how Monderman and Buchannan’s theories have worked out since they started I think my work could be even better in the future. Word count 1696 including references and self-reflection.