Irans Nuclear Program Essays

Irans Nuclear Program Essays Irans Nuclear Program Essay Irans Nuclear Program Essay Iran Nuclear Program and OIC -Background of Iran Nuclear Program; how could such program come to the existence? What has motived Iranian government to do so? -What is Iran Nuclear Program and its importances? ; To what extent does the program affect the international stage? Threatened? -What actors involved in the program? (Iran, I-IN, the U. S. , Israel, OIC) -What is the role of OIC in supporting the program? -Current status Introduction (Background knowledge of Irans Nuclear Program) ***info brief historical details before 1950s) The Iranian nuclear program is a contentious and losely monitored issue in international politics. kkkhe US, Israel and their European allies have accused Iran of pursuing a nuclear weapons program. Iran says its nuclear program is totally peaceful and within the framework of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) to which it is a signatory. Tehran officially launched it first nuclear power plant in the southern city of Bushehr last month by loading f uel into the core of the facilitys reactor. The US has admitted that the plant is completely used for peaceful purposes. Ata al-Manan, who met Irans permanent representative to OIC Hamid-Reza Dehqani n Tuesday, also thanked Iran for its humanitarian aid supplies to flood-hit people of Pakistan. At least 1,760 people died and 21 million were affected by the recent flooding, which submerged nearly one-fifth of Pakistan. The United Nations says millions of people have been left without food, water, shelter and other basic necessities in Pakistan as a result of the floods. he US, Israel and their European allies have accused Iran of pursuing a nuclear weapons program. and other basic necessities in Pakistan as a result of the floods.

The Growth of the Early American Economy in the West

The Growth of the Early American Economy in the West Cotton, at first a small-scale crop in the American South, boomed following Eli Whitneys invention of the cotton gin in 1793, the machine that separated raw cotton from the seeds and other waste. The production of the crop for use had historically relied on arduous manual separation, but this machine revolutionized the industry and in turn, the local economy that eventually came to rely on it. Planters in the South bought land from small farmers who frequently moved farther west. Soon, large southern plantations supported by slave labor  made some American families very wealthy. Early Americans Move West It wasnt just small southern farmers who were moving west. Whole villages in the eastern colonies sometimes uprooted and established new settlements looking for new opportunity in the more fertile farmland of the Midwest. While western settlers are often depicted as fiercely independent and strongly opposed to any kind of government control or interference, these first settlers actually received quite a bit of government support, both directly and indirectly. For example, the American government began investing in infrastructure out west including government-funded national roads and waterways, such as the Cumberland Pike (1818) and the Erie Canal (1825). These government projects ultimately helped new settlers migrate west and later helped move their western farm produce to market in the eastern states. President Andrew Jackson's Economic Influence Many Americans, both rich and poor, idealized Andrew Jackson, who became president in 1829, because he had started life in a log cabin in American frontier territory. President Jackson (1829-1837) opposed the successor to Hamiltons National Bank, who he believed favored the entrenched interests of the eastern states against the west. When he was elected for a second term, Jackson opposed renewing the banks charter and Congress supported him. These actions shook confidence in the nations financial system, and business panics occurred in both 1834 and 1837. American 19th Century Economic Growth in the West But these periodic economic dislocations did not curtail rapid U.S. economic growth during the 19th century. New inventions and capital investment led to the creation of new industries and economic growth. As transportation improved, new markets continuously opened to take advantage. The steamboat made river traffic faster and cheaper, but the development of railroads had an even greater effect, opening up vast stretches of new territory for development. Like canals and roads, railroads received large amounts of government assistance in their early building years in the form of land grants. But unlike other forms of transportation, railroads also attracted a good deal of domestic and European private investment. In these heady days, get-rich-quick schemes abounded. Financial manipulators made fortunes overnight while much more lost their entire savings. Nevertheless, a combination of vision and foreign investment, combined with the discovery of gold and a major commitment of Americas public and private wealth, enabled the nation to develop a large-scale railroad system, establishing the base for the countrys industrialization and expansion into the west.

Individual Personal Reflection Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Individual Personal Reflection Paper - Assignment Example ve learnt that Critical thinking, among other things, makes one think rationally and with more clarity irrespective of the field one is in; education, law, medicine, finance, or management. Critical thinking is a vital component as it enhances problem solving and proper thinking and can thus be termed as an asset. Secondly, it enables a person to have excellent communication skills. It improves language and comprehension abilities by aiding in the analysis of texts. Furthermore, critical thinking leads to self-reflection since we are able to reflect on our values and make proper decisions. With the changing, economic times which is driven by technology and information one needs to be able to effectively deal with these changes. This requires analysis of information thus pushing for intellectual skills, which we have learnt in this course. Since the start of this course, my critical thinking has vastly improved. It has helped me to think rationally and view things from a different perspective. I can now carefully reflect on my principles of reasoning and internalize them therefore, making me apply it in my day-to-day life. I am now in a position to expose fallacies and avoid faulty reasoning. I am able to come up with solutions to problems in a systematic way and prioritize ideas based on their importance. I have also been able to clearly come up with constructive arguments and evaluate them. More so, I am able to break down information into their constituent parts and logically understand the connections, relevance, and importance of these ideas. In the beginning, I was at the stage of unreflective thinker where I was unaware of significant problems in thinking, but so far I have advanced and I am now in the practicing thinker level. I feel I am at this level since I have recognized the need for regular practice in thinking. I am in a better position to solve problems by using the information that I have. However, limited it may be and to further deduce probable

Editting in Run Lola Run (Tom Tykwer, 1998) Essay

Editting in Run Lola Run (Tom Tykwer, 1998) - Essay Example The film editing of â€Å"Run Lola Run† is a very unique one because it incorporates fast paced action with equally pulsating type of music, especially in those scenes where Lola had to run very fast to be able to beat the deadline that was given to her boyfriend, who was poised to rob a bank as a last resort. The story, which unfolded in such a way as to have 3 possible outcomes, was edited in a manner that would show the pressure building up for Lola and Manni with each tick of the clock, and the potential difference every moment creates to generate varied solutions to a single problem. At the initial part of the movie, black and white scenes were used to show flashbacks or past occurrences which somehow made a great bearing on the present situation Lola and Manni were in. Medium shots of Lola holding a red telephone at home, and Manni in a phone booth somewhere in town, were used to orient the viewer and to set the mood for the story. Later on, when the dialogues were getting intense, the shots used were in close-up to show the emotions of desperation and helplessness on the part of Manni, and the determination and firm resolve to find a solution on the part of Lola. Lola’s running scenes were combined with animated scenes as if she were part of a video game. Different shooting techniques, – like fade in/out, zoom in/out, still shots – varied camera angles and shots were utilized. There were also continuity shots made, and close-ups were played-up in the emotional scenes between Lola’s father and his mistress, the confrontation scene between Lola and her father among others. Slow motion cuts were also used to add emphasis in some scenes. Snapshots of the various personalities Lola meets on her way to meet Manni were also included to add more sub-plots which added to the overall impact of the story. One of the most distinctive editing features of this film is the use of split screens for the most essential scenes. An example of such scene

Meditation on Yellow by Olive Senior Essay Example for Free

Meditation on Yellow by Olive Senior Essay Olive Senior is a Jamaican poet who explores Caribbean history. Her poetry often conveys her displeasure of colonization and the suffering Caribbean people endured. Meditation on Yellow explores the colonization and exploitation process carried out by the Europeans. This poem strong conveys Senior discontentment as it relates to the exploitation of the land and the Amerindian tribe. It through the use of symbolism, language and repetition the brutality of colonization is conveyed. Symbolism is used to portray the harsh reality of colonization. In Meditation on Yellow yellow is symbolic of the innocence of the Amerindians and the purity in their mind and soul upon encountering the Whites. This is noted in the phrase but we were peaceful then child-like in the yellow dawn of our innocence. The fact that these Amerindians had no idea of what was to come their way and that they offered the best of what they had to the Europeans makes this encounter even more sad and advantageous. Furthermore, yellow is symbolic of sickness and infection. This is reflect in the minds of the Europeans as it was infected with the yearning for wealth and power. Due to this infection the Amerindian we turned into slaves, the land was exploited and the Europeans began colonization. The use of symbolism conveys the extremes which these two set of people existed, the Amerindian being kind and pure and the Europeans being cold-hearted and greedy. Seniors use of language is certainly a powerful tool in expressing her displeasure as it relates to the enslavement of the Amerindians. Throughout the poem she uses sarcasm and humor which highlights her mocking and belittling of the Europeans. The phrase had I known I would have brewed up some yellow fever grass and arsenic is an example of sarcasm. In this phrase there is a contrast between the gesture of hospitality of ethnic which is the fever grass and the bitter sinister intentions of killing the Europeans with the arsenic poison. The sarcasm continues in the phrase despite the differences in our skins, our piss was exactly the same shade of yellow. This highlights that regardless of ethnic and racial differences we are all the same. The striking, crude comparison stresses the need for equality and for readers to take note. Furthermore Olive Senior educates us that these Amerindian displayed passive resistance as they deliberately burnt the bread of the Europeans since they we treated badly. The phrase for which management apologizes certainly indicates they there was no remorse or sorry for these actions. The use of sarcasm highlight Seniors hatred towards the colonization process and her view on the Europeans. Repetition is also used to place emphasis on the greedy and materialistic nature of the Europeans. This type of repetition is known as anaphora. The line but it was gold in your mind gold in your eyes gold in the crown .. gold the prize highlights the obsession these Europeans had with gold and their gluttonous nature. Moreover, their unreasonable wants and desires are also highlighted through repetition. This is noted in the line want it strong wan it long want it black want it black want it green want it dread. Additionally there was repetition in the in line silver was you armor silver the cross of your Lord silver the bullet I bite This repetition emphasizes the many different forms of silver and the destruction that the silver symbolizes . The silver was representative of Iron Age Technology and represents the Europeans military superiority over the stone age Amerindians. Collectively the repetition of these lines alerts readers of the suffering these Amerindians endured to please the cold hearted Europeans. The use of these techniques clearly depicts Seniors displeasure and the unfortunate struggles of colonization.

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire Essay -- essays research papers

Triangle Shirtwaist Fire   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Near closing time on Saturday afternoon, March 25, 1911, in New York City a fire broke out on the top floors of the Asch Building in the Triangle Shirtwaist Company. One of the worst tragedies in American history it was know as the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. It was a disaster that took the lives of 146 young immigrant workers. A fire that broke out in a cramped sweatshop that trapped many inside and killed 146 people. This tragedy pointed out the negatives of sweatshop conditions of the industrialization era. It emphasized the worst part of its times the low wages, long hours, and unsanitary working conditions were what symbolized what sweatshops were all about. These conditions were appalling, and no person should ever be made to work in these conditions. Before this tragedy occurred the suffering of the workers was very evident. Take for instance this first hand account by Sadie Frowne. â€Å"My name is Sadie Frowne. I work in Allen Street (Manhattan) in what they call a sweatshop. I am new at the work and the foreman scolds me a great deal. I get up at half-past five o’clock every morning and make myself a cup of coffee on the oil stove. I eat a bit of bread and perhaps some fruit and then go to work. Often I get there soon after six o’clock so as to be in good time, though the factory does not open till seven. At seven o’clock we all sit down to our machines and the boss brings to each one the pile of work that he or she is to finish during the day—what they call in English their â€Å"stint.† This pile is put down beside the machine and as soon as a garment is done it is laid on the other side of the machine. Sometimes the work is not all finished by six o’clock, and then the one who is behind must work overtime. The machines go like mad all day because the faster you work the more money you get. Sometimes in my haste I get my finger caught and the needle goes right through it. It goes so quick, though, that it does not hurt much. I bind the finger up with a piece of cotton and go on working. We all have accidents like that. All the time we are working the boss walks around examining the finished garments and making us do them over again if they are not just right. So we have to be careful as well as swift. But I am getting so good at the work that within a year I will be making $7 a w... ...being held accountable, the city officials themselves were also held accountable because of improper safety regulations. Showing that the city itself should be at fault for not enforcing safety regulations for such things as fire escapes, that were not in working order. These unprecedented circumstances just lay down the blueprint for what is now the correct way to set regulations for industrial factory conditions. With these commissions in place, tougher legislation, laws, ordinances, and precedents that will be in place working together to rid the world of these horrible sweatshops. As well as the devastating circumstances they can bring in such occurrences as fires or other natural disaster events. Even though almost ninety years later sweatshops still exist. These sweatshops at the present day are almost unheard of here in America, but continue to be in foreign third world countries. As horrible as it is to say the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire turned out to be a very helpful life changing turn around for hundreds of thousands of people, it turns out that many positives have come out of it. Its just too bad that such a tragedy had to come about to make such significant changes.

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 14. You Know Things Are Bad When …

14. You Know Things Are Bad When You Feel Guilty For Being Rude To Vampires VAMPIRES When I got back to the house, there was no one waiting outside for my report. Still on alert? Everything's cool,I thought tiredly. My eyes quickly caught a small change in the now-familiar scene. There was a stack of light-colored fabric on the bottom step of the porch. I loped over to investigate. Holding my breath, because the vampire smell stuck to the fabric like you wouldn't believe, I nudged the stack with my nose. Someone had laid out clothes. Huh. Edward must have caught my moment of irritation as I'd bolted out the door. Well. That was†¦ nice. And weird. I took the clothes gingerly between my teeth – ugh – and carried them back to the trees. Just in case this was some joke by the blond psychopath and I had a bunch of girls' stuff here. Bet she'd love to see the look on my human face as I stood there naked, holding a sundress. In the cover of the trees, I dropped the stinking pile and shifted back to human. I shook the clothes out, snapping them against a tree to beat some of the smell from them. They were definitely guy's clothes – tan pants and a white button-down shirt. Neither of them long enough, but they looked like they'd fit around me. Must be Emmett's. I rolled the cuffs up on the shirtsleeves, but there wasn't much I could do about the pants. Oh well. I had to admit, I felt better with some clothes to my name, even stinky ones that didn't quite fit. It was hard not being able to just jet back home and grab another pair of old sweatpants when I needed them. The homeless thing again – not having anyplace to go back to. No possessions, either, which wasn't bothering me too bad now, but would probably get annoying soon. Exhausted, I walked slowly up the Cullens' porch steps in my fancy new secondhand clothes but hesitated when I got to the door. Did I knock? Stupid, when they knew I was here. I wondered why no one acknowledged that – told me either to come in or get lost Whatever. I shrugged and let myself in. More changes. The room had shifted back to normal – almost – in the last twenty minutes. The big flat-screen was on, low volume, showing some chick flick that no one seemed to be watching. Carlisle and Esme stood by the back windows, which were open to the river again. Alice, Jasper, and Emmett were out of sight, but I heard them murmuring upstairs. Bella was on the couch like yesterday, with just one tube still hooked into her, and an IV hanging behind the back of the sofa. She was wrapped up like a burrito in a couple of thick quilts, so at least they'd listened to me before. Rosalie was cross-legged on the ground by her head. Edward sat at the other end of the couch with Bella's burrito'ed feet in his lap. He looked up when I came in and smiled at me – just a little twitch of his mouth – like something pleased him. Bella didn't hear me. She only glanced up when he did, and then she smiled, too. With real energy, her whole face lighting up. I couldn't remember the last time she'd looked so excited to see me. What was with her? For crying out loud, she was married] Happily married, too – there was no question that she was in love with her vampire past the boundaries of sanity. And hugely pregnant, to top it off. So why did she have to be so damn thrilled to see me? Like I'd made her whole freakin' day by walking through the door. If she would just not care†¦ Or more than that – really not want me around. It would be so much easier to stay away. Edward seemed to be in agreement with my thoughts – we were on the same wavelength so much lately it was crazy. He was frowning now, reading her face while she beamed at me. â€Å"They just wanted to talk,† I mumbled, my voice dragging with exhaustion. â€Å"No attack on the horizon.† â€Å"Yes,† Edward answered. â€Å"I heard most of it.† That woke me up a little. We'd been a good three miles out. â€Å"How?† Tm hearing you more clearly – it's a matter of familiarity and concentration. Also, your thoughts are slightly easier to pick up when you're in your human form. So I caught most of what passed out there.† â€Å"Oh.† It bugged me a little, but for no good reason, so I shrugged it off. â€Å"Good. I hate repeating myself.† â€Å"I'd tell you to go get some sleep,† Bella said, â€Å"but my guess is that you're going to pass out on the floor in about six seconds, so there's probably no point.† It was amazing how much better she sounded, how much stronger she looked. I smelled fresh blood and saw that the cup was in her hands again. How much blood would it take to keep her going? At some point, would they start trotting in the neighbors? I headed for the door, counting off the seconds for her as I walked. â€Å"One Mississippi†¦ two Mississippi†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Where's the flood, mutt?† Rosalie muttered. â€Å"You know how you drown a blonde, Rosalie?† I asked without stopping or turning to look at her. â€Å"Glue a mirror to the bottom of a pool.† I heard Edward chuckle as I pulled the door shut. His mood seemed to improve in exact correlation to Bella's health. â€Å"I've already heard that one,'7Rosalie called after me. I trudged down the steps, my only goal to drag myself far enough into the trees that the air would be pure again. I planned to ditch the clothes a convenient distance from the house for future use rather than tying them to my leg, so I wouldn't be smelling them, either. As I fumbled with the buttons on the new shirt, I thought randomly about how buttons would never be in style for werewolves. I heard the voices while I slogged across the lawn. â€Å"Where are you going?† Bella asked. â€Å"There was something I forgot to say to him.† â€Å"Let Jacob sleep – it can wait.† Yes, please, let Jacob sleep. â€Å"It will only take a moment.† I turned slowly. Edward was already out the door. He had an apology in his expression as he approached me. â€Å"Jeez, what now?† Tm sorry,† he said, and then he hesitated, like he didn't know how to phrase what he was thinking. What's on your mind, mind reader? â€Å"When you were speaking to Sam's delegates earlier,† he murmured, â€Å"I was giving a play-by-play for Carlisle and Esme and the rest. They were concerned – â€Å" â€Å"Look, we're not dropping our guard. You don't have to believe Sam like we do. We're keeping our eyes open regardless.† â€Å"No, no, Jacob. Not about that. We trust your judgment. Rather, Esme was troubled by the hardships this is putting your pack through. She asked me to speak to you privately about it.† That took me off guard. â€Å"Hardships?† â€Å"The homeless part, particularly. She's very upset that you are all so†¦ bereft.† I snorted. Vampire mother hen – bizarre. â€Å"We're tough. Tell her not to worry.† â€Å"She'd still like to do what she can. I got the impression that Leah prefers not to eat in her wolf form?† â€Å"And?† I demanded. â€Å"Well, we do have normal human food here, Jacob. Keeping up appearances, and, of course, for Bella. Leah is welcome to anything she'd like. All of you are.† â€Å"I'll pass that along.† â€Å"Leah hates us.† â€Å"So?† â€Å"So try to pass it along in such a way as to make her consider it, if you don't mind.† â€Å"I'll do what I can.† â€Å"And then there's the matter of clothes.† I glanced down at the ones I was wearing. â€Å"Oh yeah. Thanks.† It probably wouldn't be good manners to mention how bad they reeked. He smiled, just a little. â€Å"Well, we're easily able to help out with any needs there. Alice rarely allows us to wear the same thing twice. We've got piles of brand-new clothes that are destined for Goodwill, and I'd imagine that Leah is fairly close to Esme's size___† â€Å"Not sure how she'll feel about bloodsucker castoffs. She's not as practical as I am.† â€Å"I trust that you can present the offer in the best possible light. As well as the offer for any other physical object you might need, or transportation, or anything else at all. And showers, too, since you prefer to sleep outdoors. Please†¦ don't consider yourselves without the benefits of a home.† He said the last line softly – not trying to keep quiet this time, but with some kind of real emotion. I stared at him for a second, blinking sleepily. â€Å"That's, er, nice of you. Tell Esme we appreciate the, uh, thought. But the perimeter cuts through the river in a few places, so we stay pretty clean, thanks.† â€Å"If you would pass the offer on, regardless.† â€Å"Sure, sure.† â€Å"Thank you.† I turned away from him, only to stop cold when I heard the low, pained cry from inside the house. By the time I looked back, he was already gone. What now? I followed after him, shuffling like a zombie. Using about the same number of brain cells, too. It didn't feel like I had a choice. Something was wrong. I would go see what it was. There would be nothing I could do. And I would feel worse. It seemed inevitable. I let myself in again. Bella was panting, curled over the bulge in the center of her body. Rosalie held her while Edward, Carlisle, and Esme all hovered. A flicker of motion caught my eye; Alice was at the top of the stairs, staring down into the room with her hands pressed to her temples. It was weird – like she was barred from entering somehow. â€Å"Give me a second, Carlisle,† Bella panted. â€Å"Bella,† the doctor said anxiously, â€Å"I heard something crack. I need to take a look.† â€Å"Pretty sure† – pant – â€Å"it was a rib. Ow. Yep. Right here.† She pointed to her left side, careful not to touch. It was breaking her bones now. â€Å"I need to take an X-ray. There might be splinters. We don't want it to puncture anything.† Bella took a deep breath. â€Å"Okay.† Rosalie lifted Bella carefully. Edward seemed like he was going to argue, but Rosalie bared her teeth at him and growled, â€Å"I've already got her.† So Bella was stronger now, but the thing was, too. You couldn't starve one without starving the other, and healing worked just the same. No way to win. Blondie carried Bella swiftly up the big staircase with Carlisle and Edward right on her heels, none of them taking any notice of me standing dumbstruck in the doorway. So they had a blood bank and an X-ray machine? Guess the doc brought his work home with him. I was too tired to follow them, too tired to move. I leaned back against the wall and then slid to the ground. The door was still open, and I pointed my nose toward it, grateful for the clean breeze blowing in. I leaned my head against the jamb and listened. I could hear the sound of the X-ray machinery upstairs. Or maybe I just assumed that's what it was. And then the lightest of footsteps coming down the stairs. I didn't look to see which vampire it was. â€Å"Do you want a pillow?† Alice asked me. â€Å"No,† I mumbled. What was with the pushy hospitality? It was creeping me out. â€Å"That doesn't look comfortable,† she observed. â€Å"S'not.† â€Å"Why don't you move, then?† â€Å"Tired. Why aren't you upstairs with the rest of them?† I shot back. â€Å"Headache,† she answered. I rolled my head around to look at her. Alice was a tiny little thing. ‘Bout the size of one of my arms. She looked even smaller now, sort of hunched in on herself. Her small face was pinched. â€Å"Vampires get headaches?† â€Å"Not the normal ones.† I snorted. Normal vampires. â€Å"So how come you're never with Bella anymore?† I asked, making the question an accusation. It hadn't occurred to me before, because my head had been full of other crap, but it was weird that Alice was never around Bella, not since I'd been here. Maybe if Alice were by her side, Rosalie wouldn't be. â€Å"Thought you two were like this.† I twisted two of my fingers together. â€Å"Like I said† – she curled up on the tile a few feet from me, wrapping her skinny arms around her skinny knees – â€Å"headache.† â€Å"Bella's giving you a headache?† â€Å"Yes.† I frowned. Pretty sure I was too tired for riddles. I let my head roll back around toward the fresh air and closed my eyes. â€Å"Not Bella, really,† she amended. â€Å"The†¦ fetus.† Ah, someone else who felt like I did. It was pretty easy to recognize. She said the word grudgingly, the way Edward did. â€Å"I can't see it,† she told me, though she might have been talking to herself. For all she knew, I was already gone. â€Å"I can't see anything about it. Just like you.† I flinched, and then my teeth ground together. I didn't like being compared to the creature. â€Å"Bella gets in the way. She's all wrapped around it, so she's†¦ blurry. Like bad reception on a TV – like trying to focus your eyes on those fuzzy people jerking around on the screen. It's killing my head to watch her. And I can't see more than a few minutes ahead, anyway. The†¦ fetus is too much a part of her future. When she first decided†¦ when she knew she wanted it, she blurred right out of my sight. Scared me to death.† She was quiet for a second, and then she added, â€Å"I have to admit, it's a relief having you close by – in spite of the wet-dog smell. Everything goes away. Like having my eyes closed. It numbs the headache.† â€Å"Happy to be of service, ma'am,† I mumbled. â€Å"I wonder what it has in common with you†¦ why you're the same that way.† Sudden heat flashed in the center of my bones. I clenched my fists to hold off the tremors. â€Å"I have nothing in common with that life-sucker,† I said through my teeth. â€Å"Well, there's something there.† I didn't answer. The heat was already burning away. I was too dead tired to stay furious. â€Å"You don't mind if I sit here by you, do you?† she asked. â€Å"Guess not. Stinks anyway.† â€Å"Thanks,† she said. â€Å"This is the best thing for it, I guess, since I can't take aspirin.† â€Å"Could you keep it down? Sleeping, here.† She didn't respond, immediately lapsing into silence. I was out in seconds. I was dreaming that I was really thirsty. And there was a big glass of water in front of me – all cold, you could see the condensation running down the sides. I grabbed the cup and took a huge gulp, only to find out pretty quick that it wasn't water – it was straight bleach. I choked it back out, spewing it everywhere, and a bunch of it blew out of my nose. It burned. My nose was on fire†¦. The pain in my nose woke me up enough to remember where I'd fallen asleep. The smell was pretty fierce, considering that my nose wasn't actually inside the house. Ugh. And it was noisy. Someone was laughing too loud. A familiar laugh, but one that didn't go with the smell. Didn't belong. I groaned and opened my eyes. The skies were dull gray – it was daytime, but no clue as to when. Maybe close to sunset – it was pretty dark. â€Å"About time,† Blondie mumbled from not too far away. â€Å"The chainsaw impersonation was getting a little tired.† I rolled over and wrenched myself into a sitting position. In the process, I figured out where the smell was coming from. Someone had stuffed a wide feather pillow under my face. Probably trying to be nice, I'd guess. Unless it'd been Rosalie. Once my face was out of the stinking feathers, I caught other scents. Like bacon and cinnamon, all mixed up with the vampire smell. I blinked, taking in the room. Things hadn't changed too much, except that now Bella was sitting up in the middle of the sofa, and the IV was gone. Blondie sat at her feet, her head resting against Bella's knees. Still gave me chills to see how casually they touched her, though I guess that was pretty brain-dead, all things considered. Edward was on one side of her, holding her hand. Alice was on the floor, too, like Rosalie. Her face wasn't pinched up now. And it was easy to see why – she'd found another painkiller. â€Å"Hey, Jake's coming around!† Seth crowed. He was sitting on Bella's other side, his arm slung carelessly over her shoulders, an overflowing plate of food on his lap. What the hell? â€Å"He came to find you,† Edward said while I got to my feet. â€Å"And Esme convinced him to stay for breakfast.† Seth took in my expression, and he hurried to explain. â€Å"Yeah, Jake – I was just checking to see if you were okay 'cause you didn't ever phase back. Leah got worried. I told her you probably just crashed human, but you know how she is. Anyway, they had all this food and, dang,† – he turned to Edward – â€Å"man, you can cook† â€Å"Thank you,† Edward murmured. I inhaled slowly, trying to unclench my teeth. I couldn't take my eyes off Seth's arm. â€Å"Bella got cold,† Edward said quietly. Right. None of my business, anyway. She didn't belong to me. Seth heard Edward's comment, looked at my face, and suddenly he needed both hands to eat with. He took his arm off Bella and dug in. i walked over to stand a few feet from the couch, still trying to get my bearings. â€Å"Leah running patrol?† I asked Seth. My voice was still thick with sleep. â€Å"Yeah,† he said as he chewed. Seth had new clothes on, too. They fit him better than mine fit me. â€Å"She's on it. No worries. She'll howl if there's anything. We traded off around midnight. I ran twelve hours.† He was proud of that, and it showed in his tone. â€Å"Midnight? Wait a minute – what time is it now?† â€Å"‘Bout dawn.† He glanced toward the window, checking. Well, damn. I'd slept through the rest of the day and the whole night – dropped the ball. â€Å"Crap. Sorry about that, Seth. Really. You shoulda kicked me awake.† â€Å"Naw, man, you needed some serious sleep. You haven't taken a break since when? Night before your last patrol for Sam? Like forty hours? Fifty? You're not a machine, Jake. ‘Sides, you didn't miss anything at all.† Nothing at all? I glanced quickly at Bella. Her color was back to the way I remembered it. Pale, but with the rose undertone. Her lips were pink again. Even her hair looked better – shinier. She saw me appraising and gave me a qrin. â€Å"How's the rib?† I asked. â€Å"Taped up nice and tight, i don't even feel it.'7 I rolled my eyes. I heard Edward grind his teeth together, and I figured her blow-it-off attitude bugged him as much at it bugged me. â€Å"What's for breakfast?† I asked, a little sarcastic. â€Å"O negative or AB positive?† She stuck her tongue out at me. Totally herself again. â€Å"Omelets,† she said, but her eyes darted down, and I saw that her cup of blood was wedged between her leg and Edward's. â€Å"Go get some breakfast, Jake,† Seth said. â€Å"There's a bunch in the kitchen. You've got to be empty.† I examined the food in his lap. Looked like half a cheese omelet and the last fourth of a Frisbee-sized cinnamon roll. My stomach growled, but I ignored it. â€Å"What's Leah having for breakfast?† I asked Seth critically. â€Å"Hey, I took food to her before I ate anything† he defended himself. â€Å"She said she'd rather eat roadkill, but I bet she caves. These cinnamon rolls†¦ † He seemed at a loss for words. ‘Til go hunt with her, then.† Seth sighed as I turned to leave. â€Å"A moment, Jacob?† It was Carlisle asking, so when I turned around again, my face was probably less disrespectful than it would have been if anyone else had stopped me. â€Å"Yeah?† Carlisle approached me while Esme drifted off toward the other room. He stopped a few feet away, just a little bit farther away than the normal space between two humans having a conversation. I appreciated him giving me my space. â€Å"Speaking of hunting,† he began in a somber tone. â€Å"That's going to be an issue for my family. I understand that our previous truce is inoperative at the moment, so I wanted your advice. Will Sam be hunting for us outside of the perimeter you've created? We don't want to take a chance with hurting any of your family – or losing any of ours. If you were in our shoes, how would you proceed?† I leaned away, a little surprised, when he threw it back at me like that. What would I know about being in a bloodsucker's expensive shoes? But, then again, I did know Sam. â€Å"It's a risk,† I said, trying to ignore the other eyes I felt on me and to talk only to him. â€Å"Sam's calmed down some, but I'm pretty sure that in his head, the treaty is void. As long as he thinks the tribe, or any other human, is in real danger, he's not going to ask questions first, if you know what I mean. But, with all that, his priority is going to be La Push. There really aren't enough of them to keep a decent watch on the people while putting out hunting parties big enough to do much damage. I'd bet he's keeping it close to home.† Carlisle nodded thoughtfully. â€Å"So I guess I'd say, go out together, just in case. And probably you should go in the day, 'cause we'd be expecting night. Traditional vampire stuff. You're fast – go over the mountains and hunt far enough away that there's no chance he'd send anyone that far from home.† â€Å"And leave Bella behind, unprotected?† I snorted. â€Å"What are we, chopped liver?† Carlisle laughed, and then his face was serious again. â€Å"Jacob, you can't fight against your brothers.† My eyes tightened. â€Å"I'm not saying it wouldn't be hard, but if they were really coming to kill her – I would be able to stop them.† Carlisle shook his head, anxious. â€Å"No, I didn't mean that you would be†¦ incapable. But that it would be very wrong. I can't have that on my conscience.† â€Å"It wouldn't be on yours, Doc. It would be on mine. And I can take it.† â€Å"No, Jacob. We will make sure that our actions don't make that a necessity.† He frowned thoughtfully â€Å"We'll go three at a time,† he decided after a second. â€Å"That's probably the best we can do.† â€Å"I don't know, Doc. Dividing down the middle isn't the best strategy.† â€Å"We've got some extra abilities that will even it up. If Edward is one of the three, he'll be able to give us a few miles' radius of safety.† We both glanced at Edward. His expression had Carlisle backtracking quickly. â€Å"I'm sure there are other ways, too,† Carlisle said. Clearly, there was no physical need strong enough to get Edward away from Bella now. â€Å"Alice, I would imagine you could see which routes would be a mistake?† â€Å"The ones that disappear,† Alice said, nodding. â€Å"Easy.† Edward, who had gone all tense with Carlisle's first plan, loosened up. Bella was staring unhappily at Alice, that little crease between her eyes that she got when she was stressed out. â€Å"Okay, then,† I said. â€Å"That's settled. I'll just be on my way. Seth, I'll expect you back on at dusk, so get a nap in there somewhere, all right?† â€Å"Sure, Jake. I'll phase back soon as I'm done. Unless †¦Ã¢â‚¬  he hesitated, looking at Bella. â€Å"Do you need me?† â€Å"She's got blankets,† I snapped at him. â€Å"I'm fine, Seth, thanks,† Bella said quickly. And then Esme flitted back in the room, a big covered dish in her hands. She stopped hesitantly just behind Carlisle's elbow, her wide, dark gold eyes on my face. She held the dish out and took a shy step closer. â€Å"Jacob,† she said quietly. Her voice wasn't quite so piercing as the others'. â€Å"I know it's†¦ unappetizing to you, the idea of eating here, where it smells so unpleasant. But I would feel much better if you would take some food with you when you go. I know you can't go home, and that's because of us. Please – ease some of my remorse. Take something to eat.† She held the food out to me, her face all soft and pleading. I don't know how she did it, because she didn't look older than her mid-twenties, and she was bone pale, too, but something about her expression suddenly reminded me of my mom. Jeez. â€Å"Uh, sure, sure,† I mumbled. â€Å"I guess. Maybe Leah's still hungry or something.† I reached out and took the food with one hand, holding it away, at arm's length. I'd go dump it under a tree or something. I didn't want her to feel bad. Then I remembered Edward. Don't you say anything to her! Let her think I ate it. I didn't look at him to see if he was in agreement. He'd better be in agreement. Bloodsucker owed me. â€Å"Thank you, Jacob,† Esme said, smiling at me. How did a stone face have dimples, for crying out loud? â€Å"Urn, thank you,† I said. My face felt hot – hotter than usual. This was the problem with hanging out with vampires – you got used to them. They started messing up the way you saw the world. They started feeling like friends. â€Å"Will you come back later, Jake?† Bella asked as I tried to make a run for it. â€Å"Uh, I don't know.† She pressed her lips together, like she was trying not to smile. â€Å"Please? I might get cold.† I inhaled deeply through my nose, and then realized, too late, that that was not a good idea. I winced. â€Å"Maybe.† â€Å"Jacob?† Esme asked. I backed toward the door as she continued; she took a few steps after me. â€Å"I left a basket of clothes on the porch. They're for Leah. They're freshly washed – I tried to touch them as little as possible.† She frowned. â€Å"Do you mind taking them to her?† â€Å"On it,† I muttered, and then I ducked out the door before anyone could guilt me into anything else.