The Return: Nightfall Chapter 38

Bonnie knew that she was going to die. She had had a clear premonition of it just before thosethings – the trees that moved like humans, with their hideous faces and their thick, knotted arms – had surrounded the little band of humans in the Old Wood. She had heard the howl of the black weir dog, turned, and just caught a glimpse of one vanishing in the glare of her flashlight. The dogs had a long history in Bonnie's family: when one of them howled, a death was soon to come. She'd guessed then that it would be hers. But she hadn't said anything, even when Dr. Alpert had said, â€Å"What in the name ofheaven wasthat ?† Bonnie was practicing being brave. Meredith and Matt were brave. It was something built into them, an ability to keep going when any sane person would run away and hide. They both putthe group's good ahead of their own. And of course Dr. Alpert was brave, not to mention strong, and Mrs. Flowers seemed to have decided that the teenagers were her own special charges to take care of. Bonnie had wanted to show that she could be brave, too. She was practicing holding her head up and listening for things in the bushes, while simultaneously listening with her psychic senses for any sign of Elena. It was hard to juggle the two kinds of hearing. There was a lot to hear with her real ears; all kinds of quiet chucklings and whisperings from the bushes that didn't belong there. But from Elena there wasn't a sound, not even when Bonnie called her name over and over:Elena, Elena, Elena! She's human again, Bonnie had realized sadly, at last. She can't hear me or make contact. Out of all of us, she's the only one who didn't miraculously escape. And it was then that the first of the Tree-Men loomed up in front of the group of searchers. Like something out of a nursery-tale nightmare, it was a tree and then – suddenly – it was athing , a treelike giant that suddenly moved swiftly toward them, its upper branches bunching together to become long arms, and then everyone was screaming and trying to get away from it. Bonnie would never forget how Matt and Meredith had tried to help her run then. The Tree-Man wasn't fast. But when they turned and ran from it they found that there was another one behind them. And more to the right and the left. They were surrounded. And then, like cattle, like slaves, they were herded. Any of them that tried to resist the trees were slapped and cuffed by hard and sharp-thorned branches, and then, with a lithe branch wound around the neck, weredragged . They'd been caught – but they hadn't been killed. Instead they were being taken somewhere. It wasn't hard to imagine why: in fact Bonnie could imagine a whole lot of different whys. It was just a matter of picking which was the scariest. In the end, after what seemed like hours of forced walking, Bonnie began to recognize things. They were going back to the boardinghouse again. Or rather, they were going back to thereal boardinghouse for the first time. Caroline's car was outside. The house was again lit from top to bottom, but there were dark windows here and there. And their captors were waiting for them. And now, after her outburst of weeping and pleading, she was trying to be brave once more. When that boy with the strange hair had said that she would be the first, she'd understood exactly what he meant, and how she was going to die – and suddenly she wasn't brave at all – inside. But she wouldn't scream again. She could just see the widow's walk, and the sinister figures on it, but Damon hadlaughed when the Tree-Men had begun to pluck her clothes off. Now he waslaughing as Meredith held the garden shears. She wouldn't beg him again, not when it wouldn't make any difference anyway. And now she was on her back, with her arms and legs tied so she was helpless, clothed in strips and rags. She wanted them to kill her first, so she wouldn't have to watch Meredith cut her own tongue to pieces. Just as she felt a last scream of fury welling up inside her like a snake climbing a pole, she had seen Elena high above her in a white pine tree. â€Å"Wings of the Wind,†Elena whispered as the ground rushed up toward her, very fast. The wings unfolded instantly from somewhere inside Elena. They weren't real, they spanned some forty feet and were made of golden gossamer, the color ranging from deepest Baltic amber at her back to ethereal pale citrine at the tips. They were almost still, barely rising and falling, but they held her up, the wind rushing under them, and they got her to exactly where she needed to go. Not to Bonnie. That was what they would all be expecting. From her height, she just might be able to snatch Bonnie free, but she had no idea how to cut Bonnie's bonds or whether she could lift off again. Instead Elena swerved toward the widow's walk at the last moment, snatched the pruning shears out of Meredith's upraised hand, and then caught a handful of long, silky black-and-scarlet hair. Misao shrieked.And then†¦ Thatwas when Elena really needed some belief. So far she had really just been gliding, not flying. But now she needed uplift; she needed the wings towork†¦and once again, although there was no time, she was with Stefan, and feeling†¦ †¦the first time she had kissed him. Other girls might have waited until it was the other way around, letting the boy take the lead, but not Elena. Besides, at first Stefan had thought that all kissing meant was seducing prey†¦. †¦the first timehe had kissed her, understanding that it wasn't a predatory relationship†¦ And now she needed toreally fly†¦. I know I can†¦. But Misao was just so heavy – and Elena's memory was faltering. The great golden wings trembled and became still. Shinichi was trying to climb a creeper to get to her, and Damon was holding Meredith motionless. And, too late, Elena realized that it wasn't going to work. She was alone, and she couldn't fight this way. Not against so many. She was alone, and pain that made her want to shriek was lancing through her back. Misao was somehow making herself heavier, and in another minute she would be too heavy for Elena's trembling wings to hold up. She was alone, and like the rest of the humans, she was going to die – And then, through the agony that was causing fine sweat to break out all over her body, she heard Stefan's voice. â€Å"Elena! Let go! Fall and I'll catch you!† How strange, Elena thought, as if in a dream. His love and panic had distorted his voice somehow – making him sound different. Making him sound almost like – â€Å"Elena! I'mwith you!† – like Damon. Shaken out of her dream, Elena looked below her. And there was Damon, standing protectively in front of Meredith, looking up at her, with his arms held out. He was with her. â€Å"Meredith,† he went on, â€Å"girl, this is no time to be sleepwalking! Your friend needs you!Elena needs you!† Slowly, dully, Meredith turned her face up. And Elena saw life and animation restored to it as her eyes focused on the trembling of the great golden wings. â€Å"Elena!† she shouted, â€Å"I'm with you! Elena!† How did she know to say that? The answer was – that she was Meredith – and Meredith always knew what to say. And now the cry was being taken up by another voice: Matt's. â€Å"Elena!† he shouted, in a sort of acclamation. â€Å"I'm with you, Elena!† And Dr. Alpert's deep voice: â€Å"Elena! I'm with you, Elena!† And Mrs. Flowers, surprisingly strong: â€Å"Elena! I'm with you, Elena!† And even poor Bonnie: â€Å"Elena!We're with you, Elena!† While deep in her heart, the real Stefan whispered, â€Å"I'm with you, my angel.† â€Å"We're all with you, Elena!† She didn't drop Misao. It was as if the great golden wings had caught an updraft; in fact, they almost lifted her straight up, out of control – but somehow she managed to keep herself steady. She was still looking down and she saw the tears spill from her eyes and fall toward Damon's outstretched arms. Elena didn't know why she was crying, but part of it was sorrow for ever having doubted him. Because Damon wasn't just on her side. Unless she was wrong, he was willing to die for her – was courting death for her. He threw himself into the entangling creepers and vines, all reaching for Meredith or for Elena. It had only taken an instant to get hold of Misao, but Shinichi was already leaping toward Elena, in fox form, lips drawn back, aiming to tear her throat out. These were no ordinary foxes. Shinichi was almost as big as a wolf – certainly the size of a large dog – and as vicious as a wolverine. Meanwhile the entire widow's walk burst into a maze of vines, creepers, and fibrous tendrils, and Shinichi was beinglifted by them. Elena didn't know which way to dodge. She needed time, and she needed a clear shot out of here. All Caroline was doing was screaming. And then Elena saw her opening. A gap in the creepers that she threw herself at, knowing in her subconscious that she was throwing herself over the railing as well, and somehow keeping her hold on Misao's hair. In fact, it must have been an extremely painful experience for the female kitsune as she swung back and forth like a pendulum below Elena. The one glance Elena was able to give over her shoulder showed Damon, still moving faster than anything Elena had ever seen. He had Meredith in his arms now and was hurrying her through a gap that led to the cupula door. As soon as she stepped in, she appeared down on the ground and ran toward the altar where Bonnie was lying, only to slam into one of the Tree-Men. For a moment, as Damon glanced toward Elena, their gazes met and something electric passed between them. It made Elena tingle all over, that look did. Then she refocused: Caroline was screaming again; Misao was using her whip to get a grip on Elena's leg and was calling on Tree-Men to give her a lift. Elena needed to fly higher. She had no idea how she was controlling her golden gossamer wings, but nothing seemed to snarl them; and they obeyed her slightest whim as though she had always had them. The great trick was to not think ofhow to get somewhere, but just to imagine being there. On the other hand, the Tree-Men were growing. It was like some childhood nightmare of giants, and at first it made Elena feel that it was she who was shrinking. But the hideous creatures were actually overtopping the house now, and their upper, snake-like branches slashed into her legs while Misao lashed out with her whip. Elena's jeans were in shreds now. She swallowed a cry of pain. I have to fly higher. I can do it. I'm going to save you all. Ibelieve. Faster than the swoop of a hummingbird, she was darting up in the clear air again, still holding Misao by her long black-and-red hair. And Misao was screaming, screams that Shinichi echoed even as he fought with Damon. And then, just as she and Damon had planned, just as she and Damon hadhoped , Misao turned into her true form and Elena was holding a large and heavy, writhing vixen by the scruff of its neck. There was a difficult moment while Elena got the balance right. She had to remember that there was more weight in back because Misao had six tails and was heaviest where a real fox would be lightest. By then she had swooped back to her perch in the tree, and she stood there, able to look down on the scene below, the Tree-Men too slow to keep up. The plan had gone perfectly, except that Damon, of all people, had forgotten what he was supposed to be doing. Far from retreating into possession, he had fooled Shinichi and Misao beautifully – and Elena, too. Now, according to their plan he was supposed to be taking care of any innocent bystanders, letting Elena lure Shinichi on. Instead something inside him seemed to have snapped; and he was methodically beating the human-shaped Shinichi's head against the house, shouting: â€Å"Damn†¦you! Where†¦is†¦my†¦brother?† â€Å"I – could kill you – right now – † Shinichi shouted back, but he was short of breath. He wasn't finding Damon an easy opponent. â€Å"Do it!† Damon returned immediately. â€Å"And then she† – pointing to the perching Elena – â€Å"will cut your sister's throat!† Shinichi's contempt was scathing. â€Å"You expect me to believe that a girl with an aura likethat willkill – â€Å" There comes a time when you have to make a stand. And for Elena, blazing with defiance and glory, this was that time. She took a deep breath, begged the Universe's forgiveness, and leaned down, positioning the pruning shears. Then she squeezed as hard as she could. And a red-tipped black vixen's tail fell twisting to the ground, while Misao shrieked in pain and rage. As the tail fell it writhed, and it lay in the middle of the clearing, squirming like a snake that wasn't quite defeated yet. Then it became transparent and faded away. That was when Shinichi really screamed, â€Å"Do you know what you've done, you ignorant bitch? I'll bring this place down on top of you! I'll tear you apart!† â€Å"Oh, yes, of course you will. But first,† Damon spoke each word deliberately, â€Å"you have to get past me.† Elena barely registered their words. It hadn't been easy for her to squeeze those shears. It had meant thinking about Meredith with the shears in her own hands, and Bonnie lying on the altar, and Matt, earlier, writhing on the ground. And Mrs. Flowers, and the three lost little girls, and Isobel and – a great deal – about Stefan. But as for the first time in her life she drew another's blood with her own hands, she had a sudden strange sense of responsibility – of newaccountability . As if an icy wind had blown her hair back sharply and said into her frozen, gasping face:Never without reason. Never without necessity. Never unless there's no other solution available. Elena felt something inside her grow up, all at once. Too fast to say good-bye to childhood, she had become a warrior. â€Å"You all thought I couldn't fight,† she called to the assembled group. â€Å"You were wrong. You thought I was powerless. You were wrong there, too. And I'll use the last drop of my Power in this fight, because you twins are real monsters. No, you're – abominations. And if I die I'll rest with Honoria Fell, and I'll watch over Fell's Church again.† Fell's Church will rot and die writhing with maggots, a voice near her ear said, and it was a deep bass voice, nothing like Misao's shrill screaming. Elena knew even as she turned that it was the white pine tree. A hard scaly bough, laden with those serrated, resin-sticky needles, slammed into her midriff, throwing her off balance – and making her involuntarily open her hands. Misao promptly escaped, and burrowed into the Christmas-tree-like branches. â€Å"Bad†¦trees†¦go†¦to†¦Hell,† Elena cried, throwing her entire body weight into digging the shears she held into the base of the branch that had tried to crush her. It tried to pull away, and she twisted the shears in the wounded dark bark, relieved when a large piece fell off, with only a long string of resin left to show where it had been. Then she looked for Misao. The fox wasn't finding it as easy as she might have thought, navigating a tree. Elena looked at the cluster of tails. Strangely, there was no stump, no blood, no sign that the fox had been injured. Was that why she wasn't turning human? The loss of a tail? Even if she were naked when she changed back to her human self – as some stories of werewolves had it – she'd be in better condition to climb down. Because Misao seemed finally to have chosen the slow but sure method of descent – to have branch after branch take hold of her fox body and pass it down to the next. Which meant she was only about ten feet below Elena. And all Elena had to do was to coast over the needles down to her and then – by wings or other means – stop. If she believed in her wings. If the tree didn't throw her off. â€Å"You're too slow,† Elena shouted. Then she began the coast to overcome the distance – not far in human body-lengths – to her goal. Until she saw Bonnie. Bonnie's slight body was still lying on the altar, pale and cold-looking. But nowfour of the hideous Tree-Men had hold of her, one at each hand and one at each foot. They were already pulling so hard that she was lifted up into the air. And Bonnie was awake. But not screaming. Not making a noise to attract attention to herself; and Elena realized with a rush of love and horror and desperation thatthat was why she hadn't been making a fuss before. She wanted the major players here to fight their fight without the bother of rescuing her. The Tree-Men leaned back. Bonnie's face contorted in agony. Elenahad to get to Misao. Sheneeded the double fox key to free Stefan, and the only people who could tell her where it was were Misao and Shinichi. She looked up at the darkness above and noticed that it seemed a little less dark than when she had last seen it, the sky a dark swirling gray instead of dead black – but there was no help there. She looked down. Misao, making a little better time with her escape. If Elena let her get away†¦Stefan was her love. But Bonnie – Bonnie was her friend – ever since childhood†¦. And then she saw Plan B. Damon was fighting Shinichi – or trying. But Shinichi was always an easy centimeter away from where Damon's fist was. Shinichi's fists, on the other hand, always connected solidly with their targets, and right now Damon's face was a bloody mask. â€Å"Use wood!†Misao was coaching in a shriek, her childlike manner having suddenly vanished. â€Å"You men, youidiots, all you think of is yourfists !† Shinichi broke a pillar support from the widow's walk one-handed, showing his true strength. Damon smiled beatifically. He was, Elena knew, going to enjoy this, even though it meant all the many little wounds those wooden splinters would entail. It was in the middle of this that Elena shouted, â€Å"Damon, look down!† Her voice seemed weak over the cacophony of shrieks and sobs and screams of fury all around. â€Å"Damon! Look down – atBonnie !† Nothing so far had been able to break Damon's concentration – he seemed determined to find out where Stefan was being kept – or to kill Shinichi trying. Now, to Elena's slight surprise, Damon's head jerked around immediately. He looked down. â€Å"A cage,† shouted Shinichi. â€Å"Build me a cage.† And tree branches leaned in from all sides to pin him and Damon into their own little world, a lattice to keep them contained. The Tree-Men leaned back farther. And despite herself, Bonnie screamed. â€Å"You see?† laughed Shinichi. â€Å"Each of your friends will die in that agony or worse. One by one, we will take you!† That was when Damon really seemed to go crazy. He began moving like quicksilver, like a leaping flame, like some animal with reflexes far faster than Shinichi's. Now there was a sword in his hand, undoubtedly conjured up by the magical housekey, and the sword slashed through the branches even as the branches reached out to trap him. And then he was airborne, leaping over the railing for the second time that night. This time Damon's balance was perfect, and far from breaking bones, he made a graceful, catlike landing just beside Bonnie. And then his sword was flashing in an arc, sweeping all around Bonnie, and the tough, fingerlike tips of the branches that held her were cut cleanly away. A moment later, Bonnie was being lifted, being held by Damon as he leaped easily off the rough-hewn altar and was lost in the shadows near the house. Elena let out the breath she'd been holding and turned back to her own affairs. But her heart was beating more strongly and faster, with joy and with pride and with gratitude, as she slid down the painful, cutting-edged needles, and almost flashed past Misao, who was being whisked out of her way – not quite in time. She got a good grip on the nape of the fox's neck. Misao keened a strange animal lament and sank her teeth into Elena's hand so hard that it felt as if they were going to meet. Elena bit her lip until she felt blood come, trying not to scream. Be crushed, and die, and turn to loam,the tree said in Elena's ear.Your kind can feed my kin for once. The voice was ancient, malevolent and very, very frightening. Elena's legs reacted without pausing to consult her mind. They pushed off hard and then the golden butterfly wings unfurled again, not beating but undulating, holding Elena steady above the altar. She pulled the snarling vixen's muzzle up – not too close – to her own face. â€Å"Where are the two pieces of the fox key?† she demanded. â€Å"Tell me or I'll take off another tail. Iswear I will. Don't fool yourself – it's not just your pride that you're losing, is it? Your tails are your Power. What would it feel like to have none at all?† â€Å"Like being a human – exceptyou , you freak.† Now Misao was laughing again in her panting-dog way, her fox ears flat to her head. â€Å"Just answer the question!† â€Å"As if you would understand the answers I could give. If I told you that one was inside the silver nightingale's instrument, would that give you any kind of idea?† â€Å"It might if you explained it a little more clearly!† â€Å"If I told you that one was buried in Blodwedd's ballroom, would you be able to find it?† Again the panting grin as the fox gave clues that led nowhere – or everywhere. â€Å"Are those your answers?† â€Å"No!†Misao shrieked suddenly and kicked with her feet, as if they were dog's legs scrabbling in the dirt. Except that the dirt was Elena's midriff, and the scrabbling legs felt as if they might well puncture her entrails. She felt her camisole tear. â€Å"I told you; I'm not playing around here!† Elena cried. She lifted the vixen with her left arm, even though it ached with tiredness. With her right hand, she positioned the shears. â€Å"Where is the first part of the key?† Elena demanded. â€Å"Search for yourself! You only have the whole world to look through, and every thicket besides.† The fox went for her throat again, white teeth actually scoring Elena's flesh. Elena forced that arm to hold Misao higher. â€Å"I warned you, so don't say that I didn't or that you have any reason to complain!† She squeezed the shears. Misao gave a squeal that was almost lost in the general commotion. Elena, feeling more and more tired, said, â€Å"You're a complete liar, aren't you? Look down if you want. I didn't cut anywhere close to you. You just heard the shears click and screamed.† Misao very nearly got a claw into Elena's eye. Oh, well. Now, for Elena, there were no more moral or ethical issues. She wasn't causing pain, she was simply draining Power. The shears wentsnap, snap, snap , and Misao screamed and cursed her, but below them the Tree-Men were shrinking. â€Å"Where is the first part of the key?† â€Å"Let me go and I'll tell.† Suddenly Misao's voice was less shrill. â€Å"On your honor – if you can say that without laughing?† â€Å"On my honor and my word as a kitsune. Please! You can't leave a fox without a real tail! That's why the ones you cut didn't hurt. They're badges of honor. But my real tail is in the middle, it's tipped with white, and if you cut me there; you'll see blood and it will leave a stump.† Misao seemed thoroughly cowed, thoroughly ready to cooperate. Elena knew about judging people and intuition, and both her mind and her heart were telling her not to trust this creature. But she wanted so much to believe, to hope†¦. Making a slow curving descent so that the vixen was close to the ground – she would not give in to the temptation to drop her from sixty feet up – Elena said, â€Å"Well? On you honor, what are the answers?† Six Tree-Men came to life around her and plunged at her, with greedy, grasping finger branches. But Elena wasn't taken completely off guard. She hadn't let go of her grip on Misao; only slackened it. Now she tightened the grip again. A wave of strength buoyed her so that she lifted fast and swept by the widow's walk and a furious Shinichi and weeping Caroline. Then Elena met Damon's eyes. They were filled with hot, fierce pride in her. She was filled with hot, fierce passion. â€Å"I am not an angel,† she announced to any of the group who hadn't quite managed to grasp this yet. â€Å"I am not an angel and I am not a spirit. I'm Elena Gilbert and I've been to the Other Side. And right now I'm ready to do whatever needs to be done, which seems to include kicking some ass!† There was a clamor below that at first she couldn't identify. Then she realized it was the others – it was her friends. Mrs. Flowers and Dr. Alpert, Matt and even wild Isobel. They were cheering – and they were visible because suddenly the backyard was in daylight. Am I doing that? Elena wondered, and realized that somehow she was. She was lighting up the clearing in which Mrs. Flowers' house stood, while leaving the woods around dark. Maybe I can extend it, she thought. Make the Old Wood into something younger and less evil. If she had been more experienced, she would never have attempted it. But right here and right now she felt that she could take anything on. She looked at the four directions of the Old Wood around her quickly, and she cried, â€Å"Wings of Purification!† and watched the huge, frosty, iridescent butterfly wings spread high and wide, and then wider, and then spread some more. She was aware of a silence, of being so enrapt in something she was doing that even Misao's struggles didn't matter. It was a silence that reminded her of something: of all the most beautiful strains of music coming together into one, single, powerful chord. And then the Power blasted out from her – not destructive Power like that Damon had sent many times, but a Power of renewal, of springtime, of love, youth, and purification. And she watched as the light spread farther and farther, and the trees grew smaller and more familiar, with more clearings in between thickets. Thorns and hanging creepers disappeared. On the ground, spreading out like a circle expanding, flowers of all colors bloomed, sweet violets in clumps here and banks of Queen Anne's lace there, and wild roses climbing everywhere. It was so beautiful that it made her chest ache. Misao hissed. Elena's trance was finally broken, and she looked around to see that the shambling, hideous Tree-Men had disappeared in the full sunlight and in their place was a wide patch of sorrel dotted with fossilized trees in odd shapes. Some looked almost human. For a moment Elena regarded the scene, puzzled, and then she realized what else was different. All the real humans were gone. â€Å"I never should have brought you here!† And that, to Elena's surprise, was Misao's voice. She was speaking to her brother. â€Å"You spoiled everything because of that girl.Shinichi no baka!† â€Å"Idiot, yourself!† Shinichi shouted at Misao. â€Å"Onore!You're reacting just the way they want – â€Å" â€Å"What else am I supposed to do?† â€Å"I heard you giving the girl clues,† Shinichi snarled. â€Å"You'd do anything for the sake of your looks, you selfish – â€Å" â€Å"You can say that to me? While you haven't lost even one tail yourself?† â€Å"Just because I'm faster – â€Å" Misao cut him off. â€Å"That's a lie and you know it! Take it back!† â€Å"You're too weak to fight! You should have run long ago! Don't come crying to me about it.† â€Å"Don't youdare speak to me like that!† And Misao leaped from Elena's grasp and attacked Shinichi. He had been wrong. She was a good fighter. In a second they were a destruction zone, rolling over and over as they fought changing forms all the while. Black and scarlet fur flew. Out of the ball of turning bodies came scraps of speech – † – still won't find the keys – â€Å" † – not both of them, anyway – â€Å" † – even if they did – â€Å" † – what would it matter?† † – still have to find the boy – â€Å" † – I say it's only sporting to let them try – â€Å" Misao's horrible shrill giggle. â€Å"And see what they find – â€Å" † – in theShi no Shi !† Abruptly the fight ended and they both became human. They were battered, but Elena felt that there was nothing more that she could do if they chose to fight again. Instead Shinichi said, â€Å"I'm breaking the globe.Here ,† he turned to Damon and shut his eyes, â€Å"is where your precious brother is. I'm putting it into your mind – if you can decode the map. And once you get there, you'll die. Don't say I didn't warn you.† To Elena he bowed and said, â€Å"I regret that you'll be dying, too. But I've memorialized you in an ode. Wild rose and lilac, Bee's balm and daisy, Elena's smile chases The winter away. Bluebell and violet, Foxglove and iris, Watch where she treads And then watch the grass sway. Wherever her feet pass, White flowers part the grass – â€Å" â€Å"I'd rather hear a straight explanation of where the keys are,† Elena said to Shinichi, knowing that after that song she wouldn't get any more from Misao. â€Å"Frankly, I'm sick and tired of all yourbullshit .† She noticed that once again everyone was staring at her and she could feel why. She could feel a difference in her voice, in her stance, in her patterns of speech. But mostly,inside , what she felt was freedom. â€Å"We'll give you this much,† Shinichi said. â€Å"We won't move them. Find them from the clues – or by other means, if you can.† He winked at Elena and turned away – to meet a pale and trembling Nemesis. Caroline. Whatever else she'd been doing for the last few minutes, she had been crying, and rubbing her eyes, and wringing her hands – or so Elena guessed from the distribution of her makeup. â€Å"You, too?† she said to Shinichi.†You, too?† Shinichi smiled his lazy smile. â€Å"And what two am I?† He held up two fingers in the V symbol to differentiate his two from Caroline's. â€Å"You've fallen for her, too? Making up songs – giving her clues to find Stefan – â€Å" â€Å"They're not very good clues,† Shinichi said comfortingly and smiled again. Caroline tried to hit him, but he caught her fist. â€Å"And you think you're leaving now?† Her voice was pitched at a scream – not as high as Misao's glass-splintering shriek, but with its own fearsome vibrato. â€Å"Iknow we're leaving.† He glanced at the sullen Misao. â€Å"After one more item of business. But not with you.† Elena tensed up, but Caroline was trying to attack Shinichi again. â€Å"After what you said to me? After all that yousaid ?† Shinichi looked her up and down, seeming to actually see her for the first time. He also looked genuinely bewildered. â€Å"Saidto you?† he asked. â€Å"Have we spoken before tonight?† There was a high-pitched giggle. Everyone turned. Misao was standing, giggling, her hands over her mouth. â€Å"I used your image,† she said to her brother, her eyes on the floor as if confessing to a minor fault. â€Å"And your voice. In the mirror, when I would give her orders. She was on the rebound from some guy who'd dumped her. I told her I'd fallen in love with her and that I wanted to get revenge on her enemies – if she'd just do a few little things for me.† â€Å"Like spreading malach through little girls,† Damon said grimly. Misao giggled again. â€Å"And a boy or two. I know what it feels like to have those malach inside you. It doesn't hurt at all. They're just – there.† â€Å"Have you ever had one force you to do something you didn't want to?† Elena demanded. She could feel her blue eyes blazing. â€Å"Do you thinkthat would hurt, Misao?† â€Å"It wasn't you?† Caroline was still looking at Shinichi; she obviously couldn't keep up with the script. â€Å"It wasn'tyou ?† He sighed, smiling slightly. â€Å"Not me. Golden hair is my undoing, I'm afraid. Golden†¦or fiery red against black,† he added hastily, glancing at his sister. â€Å"So it was all a lie,† Caroline said, and for a moment, desperation was written on her face larger than anger, with sadness larger than both. â€Å"You're just another Elena fan.† â€Å"Look,† Elena said bluntly, â€Å"I don't want him. I hate him. The only guy I care about is Stefan!† â€Å"Oh, he's the only guy, is he?† Damon asked, with a glance toward Matt, who had carried Bonnie up close to them while the fox-fight was going on. Mrs. Flowers and Dr. Alpert had followed. â€Å"You know what I mean,† Elena told Damon. Damon shrugged. â€Å"Many a golden-haired lassie ends as the rough yeoman's bride.† Then he shook his head. â€Å"Why am I spouting drek like this?† His compact body seemed to tower over Shinichi. â€Å"It's just a residual effect†¦from being possessed†¦you know.† Shinichi fluttered his hands, his eyes still on Elena. â€Å"My thought patterns†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It looked as if another fight was brewing, but then Damon just smiled and said, narrow-eyed, â€Å"So you let Misao have her way with the town while you went after Elena and me.† â€Å"And – â€Å" â€Å"Mutt,† Damon said hastily and automatically. â€Å"I was going to say Stefan,† Elena said. â€Å"No, I would guess that Matt was the victim of one of Misao and Caroline's little schemes before he and I ran into you when you were completely possessed.† â€Å"And now you think you can just walk away,† Caroline said, in a shaking, menacing voice. â€Å"Weare walking away,† Shinichi said stiffly. â€Å"Caroline, wait,† Elena said. â€Å"I can help you – withWings of Purification. You're being controlled by a malach.† â€Å"I don't need your help! I need ahusband !† There was utter silence on the roof. Not even Matt stepped up to the plate on this one. â€Å"Or at least a fianc ¦,† Caroline muttered, one hand on her abdomen. â€Å"My family would acceptthat.† â€Å"We'll work it out,† Elena said softly – then, firmly, â€Å"Caroline, believe it.† â€Å"I wouldn't believe in you if†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Caroline's answer was obscene. Then she spat in Elena's direction. And then she was silent, by her own choice or because the malach inside her wanted it. â€Å"Back to business,† Shinichi said. â€Å"Let's see, our price for the service of the clues and the location is a little block of memory. Let's say†¦from the time I first met Damon until now. Taken from Damon's mind.† He smiled nastily. â€Å"You can't do that!† Elena felt panic shoot through her, starting in her heart and flying out to the farthest reaches of every limb. â€Å"He's different now: he's remembered things – he's changed. If you take that memory away – â€Å" â€Å"So will all the sweet changes go,† Shinichi told her. â€Å"Would you rather I took your memory?† â€Å"Yes!† â€Å"But you were the only one who heard the clues about the key. And in any case I don't want to see things from your eyes. I want to see you†¦throughhis eyes.† By now, Elena was ready to start another fight on her own. But Damon said, distancing himself already, â€Å"Go ahead and take what you like. But if you don't get out of this town right after, I take off yourhead with these shears.† â€Å"Agreed.† â€Å"No, Damon – â€Å" â€Å"Do you want Stefan back?† â€Å"Not at that price!† â€Å"Too bad,† Shinichi put in. â€Å"Thereis no other bargain.† â€Å"Damon! Please – think about it!† â€Å"I have thought. It's my fault that the malach spread so far in the first place. It's my fault for not investigating what was going on with Caroline. I didn't care what happened to humans as long as the new arrivals kept away fromme . But I can fix some of the things I did to you by finding Stefan.† He half turned to her, the old devil-may-care smile on his lips. â€Å"After all, taking care of my brother is my job.† â€Å"Damon – listento me.† But Damon was looking at Shinichi. â€Å"Agreed,† he said. â€Å"You have yourself a deal.†

Know Your Right

Contract A contract is an agreement entered into voluntarily by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing, though contracts can be made orally. The parties may be natural persons or juristic persons. A contract is a legally enforceable promise or undertaking that something will or will not occur. The word promise can be used as a legal synonym for contract, although care is required as a promise may not have the full standing of a contract, as when it is an agreement without consideration. Case : Hariram a/l Jayaram & Ors v Sentul Raya Sdn BhdSection 56(3) Contracts Act 1950: Effect of acceptance of performance at time other than that agreed upon Summary Mr Hariram (Plaintiff) agreed to purchase condominium units from the developer (defendant) under the sale and purchase agreement The defendant had failed to hand over vacant possession of the condominium units to the plaintiffs and to complete the common facilities withi n 36 months as stipulated by the agreements. For these reasons, and relying on the agreements, the plaintiffs contended that the defendant was liable to pay the plaintiffs a total sum of RM1,592,074. 9 as liquidated damages. In opposing the plaintiffs’ application, the defendant raised two legal issues for the determination of the court, namely: (i) whether s 56(3) of the Contracts Act 1950 (‘the Contracts Act’) would operate to exclude a claim for liquidated ascertained damages and (ii) whether the terms of the sale and purchase agreements can be said to operate to entitle the plaintiffs to liquidated ascertained damages in any event despite the provisions of s 56(3) of the Contracts Act as to the requirement of the relevant notices. 6 element of Contract . Offer. It is the definite expression (oral or written) or an overt action which begins the contract. It is simply what is offered to another for the return of that person's promise to act. 2. Acceptance. As a general proposition of law, the acceptance of the offer made by one party by the other party is what creates the contract. 3. Consideration. It may be money or may be another right, interest, or benefit, or it may be a detriment, loss or responsibility given up to someone else. Consideration is an absolutely necessary element of a contract. 4.Capacity of the Parties to Contract. In general, all people have a capacity to contract. A person who is trying to avoid a contract would have to plead his or her lack of capacity to contract against the party who is trying to enforce the contract. 5. Intent of the Parties to Contract. It is a basic requirement to the formation of any contract, that there has to be a mutual assent of the parties on all proposed terms and essential elements of the contract 6. Object of the Contract. A contract is not enforceable if its object is considered to be illegal or against public policy.

Adult Learning Today Essay Example for Free

Adult Learning Today Essay ? Adult learning has become the number one priority in everyone’s lives. The motivation and drive that is brought on by dreams and goals is phenomenal. Adult learners must be motivated to want to further their education. â€Å"Back in the 20th century various individuals, such as John Dewey, Eduard Lindeman, and Martha Anderson all pursued theories about Andragogy which was first used by Alexander Kapp in 1833† (Abela J, 2009). Andragogy means man and was used to describe the educational theory of the Greek philosopher Plato. Adults engaging in continuing education were studied in this theory. Andragogy assumes that â€Å"adults are independent, have various experiences, are motivated by internal drives, and integrate their learning into everyday life† (Abela J, 2009). It is easier to learn and teach when it is something that is well known. This article covers Andragogy learning theory because it is used now a day more than ever. The drive that keeps continuing education is oneself. The drive to motivation is based off of the Hierarchy of needs: self-actualization, esteem needs, social needs, safety needs, and physiological needs. The role of educators is the catalyst for motivation. It is easier to learn when the person teaching is knowledgeable and cares about the education aspects. However, reflection and motivation are insufficiently addressed by this concept. Learning activities should address the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to what is needed to become knowledgeable in retaining the information. Feedback when learning new information becomes an important role so that one may know whether the information is being comprehended as well as being retained for further use. Adults find motivation within the demands and desires of their lives, in providing for themselves and for their families, and in satisfying personal dreams and ambitions. Motivation may also come from inside a person or the surrounding environment. In everyday life as well as in the work aspects furthering education is the best way to stay up to date. Andragogy is a great theory and is used in everyday life more than realized. By looking into the reasoning behind all my motivation there are the answers I have always tried to find. What am I working towards? For who? I am an adult learner and motivation is key to my life and what I want out of it. Motivation is my drive to furthering my own education. Andragogy actually describes me perfectly. I am motivated, independent, and I apply all my knowledge to everyday life. It helps greatly when professors and educators actually work with you and help you better understand the information being taught versus just being a â€Å"teacher† for the money. I feel as if teachers online especially have lost sight of the education aspects. Left out from the summary Andragogy is a popular theory used in medical education. Theory works perfectly into my life even though I am a Business major; I also have the drive to help the elderly, so I am a certified nursing assistant. My professors have been there for me and helped me greatly. My learning style is independent much like Andragogy but, I also have to apply everything I learn into everyday life or I won’t be able to retain all the information given. Motivation is the key to anything you want to achieve in life and motivation is what keeps me going during the long work weeks and the long school hours. If one concept doesn’t work then move onto another concept until the learning style clicks. In this article the medical field and this adult learning theory works exceptionally well. Although this may be just another theory, it is of great importance to the adult learners furthering their education. We can better understand the world around us and how things are done if we understand how to retain the information given. As a full-time student, young mom, and full-time worker, online education has been more than helpful. It is my motivation to finish my associates, then finish out with my bachelors, and move forward to the next steps in my life. They say, â€Å"You can’t teach an old dog new tricks†, teach things the first time and use all concepts needed and you will soon achieve life goals. By furthering your education you may open up doors and opportunities you would not have gotten if you had not decided to go to school. Education is the best decision you could make for yourself as well as to make the world a better place by being educated. Works Cited Abela, J. (2009). Adult learning theories and medical education: a review. Malta Medical Journal, 21(1), 11-18. Merriam S (2008). Adult Learning Theory for the Twenty-First Century. Pg. 119. Adult Learning Today. (2016, Dec 31).

Community Natural Resource Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Community Natural Resource Management - Essay Example Up to date, there are around 1.2 billion people mostly coming from developing countries who "still lack access to sufficient and safe water to meet their basic needs" (qtd. in WHO and UNICEF, 2000). On the other hand, our biodiversity, which includes "trees, insects, mammals, corals, amoeba, fungi and all aspects of flora (plant life), fauna (animal life) and the dynamic interactions between them", is facing extinction (David Humphreys, p.183). The increasing rate of biodiversity extinction is largely caused by "climate change, pollution and habitat loss; for example, due to urbanisation and tropical forest clearance" (Budds, p.184). Lastly, we have a growing concern regarding food. It is noted that some agricultural practices aimed at increasing productivity have negative effects on the environment. The result is an ever-increasing difficulty to produce food: "farmers complained that they were unable to raise any pigs - the litters were too small and the young only survived a few days. The apple trees were coming into bloom but no bees droned among the blossoms, so there was no pollination and there would be no fruit. The roadsides, once so attractive, were now lined with brown and withered vegetation as though swept by fire" (Goodman, p.220). The negative agricultural practices mentioned in the book includes use of agricultural chemicals such as insecticides (Goodman, p.220). In this paper, we take a particular look at the concept of community natural resources management, how they are done, their strengths and limitations and the possible solutions in the future: how community natural resource management can be used for future environmental policies. The discussion will deal heavily with biodiversity and water resources, although we will also be mentioning agriculture once in a while. Community natural resource management' as a key environmental policy response Water resource Although considered natural resources, most water resource management involves human intervention. Construction of dams, for example, are unnatural but are practiced for economic reasons (Budds, p.146). Also indirectly, "people also induce changes to water resources", such as through "the rules, practices, roles and customs through which water management is organised" (Budds, p.146). Recently, the concept of global water crisis is surfacin. It includes both "the decreasing availability of fresh water through increasing demand and consumption (from agriculture, industry, rising populations, cities), pollution and changing climatic conditions, and the lack of access to drinking water among lower-income groups, largely in developing countries" (Budds, p.152). There are various responses to the water crisis. For example, how the Greek government has solved the problem is different from the conception and solution of the Irish government. The Greek government resorted to water demand management, which independent studies warned of "having serious social,

How will augmented reality (AR) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) Essay

How will augmented reality (AR) and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) function, and how might - Essay Example That is a combination of the actual scene, which the user views and the virtual scene that the computer generates that augments the scene with additional information. The scene generated by a computer is designed to enhance the user’s sensory perception of the virtual world they are interacting with. The main objective of AR is to create a system whereby the user is unable to distinguish between the real world and the virtual augmentation of the real world. As noted above, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is a powered aerial vehicle that does not take on board a human operator. This aerial vehicle can be recoverable or expendable and it may carry nonlethal or lethal payload. It uses aerodynamic forces in order to provide a vehicle lift, and it can fly autonomously or be piloted by the use of a remote. Augmented reality may be used in military training, engineering design, entertainment, robotics, manufacturing among other industries. The AR bundled with facial recognition programs may be used by law enforcers. An individual puts on the shades and looks at a given subject and the technology will automatically check the law enforcer’s database for any criminal records of the subject (Yuen et. al 2011). Consequently, the law enforcer is informed of the outcome. In addition, the military may use this technology to feed each other with information in a timely manner while in patrols. As such, AR technology can be efficiently used to facilitate effective law enforcement. On the other hand, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles may be used by soldiers in their operation tactics in urban areas in order to understand a given conflict area. Even though the UAV feed may not be used to identify specific elements in a particular conflict area, they are used to understand and consequently enhance soldiers’ situation awareness abilities (Cai et al. 2008). The presenting of a video feed both from the ground and unmanned aerial vehicles in a combined interface tend to

The International Financial Market in the 21st Century Essay

The International Financial Market in the 21st Century - Essay Example To protect themselves against these risks, parties to international transactions, especially the lenders, should take it upon themselves to ensure that the eventuality of disputes in the future will not catch them off guard by conducting extensive assessment of potential risks attached to the transaction in the early stage of the documentation of the transaction and protecting themselves by adopting well-thought-out strategies to eliminate or at least minimise those risks. Roger McCormick (2007) defines legal risk as chiefly referring to the risk of loss when the document evidencing the transaction subsequently turns out not having the same legal effect as the parties intended it to be or when either or both parties institute adverse claims. Moreover, ensuring protection against legal risk is difficult considering that most of this type of risk, such as credit risk, currency rate, and interest risk, is volatile as well as usually brought on by the parties themselves. 1 The legal aspe ct of international finance is concerned with the assessment and identification of these legal risks, quantifying them and developing strategies that would completely eliminate and if not, at least minimise them. Table 1 Risk in International Finance 2 In assessing the risk of lending to an entity with cross-border operations, the first step is to identify the risks that such entity is involved. Table 1 summarises the general risks entailed in conducting international financial transactions. These risks are categorized into firm-specific risks, country-specific risks, and global-specific risks. Firm-specific risks refer to the risk of loss resulting from the company’s structure as an operating business and country-specific risks are those endemic in a particular country because of its political, social, and legal structures. Global-specific risks, on the other hand, are those that are attached to forces operating on a global scale that may interrupt business operations such a s terrorism. 3 The roles of these risks in the legal aspect of international finance are their general potential to cause business disruption and subsequent losses to business operations that may alter contractual terms between parties who had previously entered into a contract of loan to finance a business operation in a territory outside of the state of the lender. In the example of the Oceania International and Lehman Wrecker proposed transaction, the risk of lending to the former by the latter can be first assessed by looking into the risks covered by Fig. 1. The loss or losses that Oceania International might incur if any of the risks enumerated therein materializes will necessarily affect the agreement between the two considering the possibility that Oceania International might not be able to meet its obligation of paying its loan. Of all the risks that a lender faces when lending money to an entity conducting business operations outside of the lender’s state country ri sk is the most significant. Country risk has become so important in the conduct of international finance that according to Hoti and McAleer (2002), various country risk rating agencies, such as the Economist Intelligence Unit, Euromoney, Institutional Investor, International Country Risk Guide, Moody’s, Political Risk Services and Standard and Poor’s, have recently surfaced.

Violence Against Sexual and Gender Minorities Essay

Violence Against Sexual and Gender Minorities - Essay Example Childhood experiences also play a role in encouraging violence against sexual minorities and gender. In the case of Richard Thomas his childhood experience was full of violence and death. This played majorly in making him be violent too. His family members as well as close friends were brutally murdered. Violence became part of his life. According to Martin-Storey (2015) childhood experiences affect the perception and insights of an individual about all aspects of life. Corona, Jannini and Maggi (2014) add that adults are mere products of their childhood experiences. Related to childhood experience, is the environment and the society and the individual lives in. Every society has its own ways of lives and thenorms. There are societies that are radical and may have problems with sexual minorities hence abuse their rights. According to Goldberg (2010) the social setups create what seem morally right to them and violation of these morals might not be welcomed by the society. The society where Sasha Fleischman lived took time before accepting her as s heterosexual because they were never used to seeing males putting on skirts. The state laws and policies may also play a role in encouraging violence against sexual minorities. By failing to set clear laws that will protect the minorities, the radicals may take advantage against them.   Wise (2012) adds that judicial systems may fail to protect the sexual and gender minorities when the stipulated laws bear no clear details on such cases.

The Business Environment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Business Environment - Essay Example Sole proprietorship which is also called single proprietorship is the simplest form of a business organization (Horgren et al 2000). In this set up, an individual establishes an organization and run it alone. A married couple who opts to open a small store can also be considered as a sole proprietorship. This type of business organization is seen to be the easiest to establish because it lacks the legal formality and other arrangements since there is only one owner. In terms of accounting, sole proprietorship also requires the simplest procedures. No corporate taxes are paid but the taxes on income are considered personal taxes. However, sole proprietorship is exposed to the difficulty of raising capital from other individuals and financial intermediaries. Also, the owner shoulder all the risks associated in the operations. Partnership is the form of business organization where two or more partners share in the profit which is usually determined by the amount of resources and assets that they share in starting the business (Keown et al 2005). In this set up, the business organization is benefited through the number of people which shares knowledge and skills in running the company. Income taxes are also deducted in the personal taxes paid by each of the partners. However, the number of owners can also become a problem especially in terms of decision making and profit sharing. Corporation is a business organization which has numerous owners all of which are separate entities to the business organization (Fraser and Orniston 2004). It should be noted that owners are insulated from the liabilities of the corporation since they are only liable for the amount that they invested. This form of business organization enjoys the benefit of having more individuals to fund the company’s projects and activities through selling of stocks. Also, stockholders are not necessarily managers of the company which delegates the responsibility to

Case study Corporate social responsibility and NGOs ( International Essay

Case study Corporate social responsibility and NGOs ( International Business) - Essay Example Precisely, enterprises have operation chains that cut across different societies, communities, cultures and national frontiers where they encounter unique business environments that pose both challenges and opportunities; most importantly, multinational corporations must be responsive to the myriad social and ethical concerns in their specific environments of operations (Husted & Allen 2006 p.838). Ethics and social values are integral aspects of management since businesses have an obligation to take responsibility for the adverse effects of their actions and operations both on the local environment and on the populations in the global business environment (Bennett 2002, p.394). In view of the ambivalent nature of the global business environment, thanks to the challenges and opportunities of globalization and technological advancements, the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility has emerged as one of the crucial areas of management focus today (Lim & Tsutsui 2012, p.69). The heightened global focus on ethical behaviour and societal values implies that multinational corporations have to prove themselves as responsible global actors in their dealings in markets where their operations are hosted across the world. For that reason, multinational corporations the world over are increasingly paying more attention to Corporate Social Responsibility today more than ever before, par ticularly given its crucial significance in determining not only business success, but also enterprise survival in the long term (Branco and Rodrigues 2006, p.111). For all the good reasons conceivable, international businesses as well as organisations of various kinds are starting to explore the significance of pursuing a more proactive and comprehensive approach towards CSR as a solution to the myriad challenges of globalization, which undermine sustainable development (Herrmann 2004, p.205). Given that actions

Places in the Heart Essay Example for Free

Places in the Heart Essay The film entitled Places in the Heart released in 1984 is a wonderful film that deals with various conflicts in the society. Set during the Great Depression, the term family is defined in a unique manner in the film. The characters were able to depict more about the problems being faced in the stereotypical society full of prejudices and complexities. It was shown in a dramatic way that made viewers enticed until the end. Edna Spalding (Sally Field) was left by her late Husband Sheriff Royce Spalding (Ray Baker) who was murdered accidentally by a drunken man. She was left with two children Frank and Possum on their small farm with an almost penniless pocket. She tries to battle against poverty by acquiring the help of a blind man Mr Will (John Malkovich) whose sight was victimized by Worl War I. In addition to this she was also assisted by a Blackman named Mose (Danny Glover) who manages to help her plant cotton and keep her family intact. Life is never easy for the main characters in the film. They tried to battle against poverty which is really rampant during the great depression. The rich becomes richer and the poor, poorer. In the case of Mrs. Spalding, she is left with all the debts of her husband and the obligation of raising their two kids. During the said era, women are not accepted to work for their family since gender role is given prior importance. But then, Mrs. Spalding is determined to earn for her family and she was able to do this with the help of some people. The farm is a precious possession for her since it symbolizes her family and how they tried to unite and save each and every crop planted on it. On the other hand, Mose is a jobless African American man who kept on asking for alms in the racist society. He is always ridiculed by the people around him because of his skin color and race. He always longed for company and family love because he never experienced gaining respect from people in such prejudice society. He is too industrious and dreamt of planting on a farm of his own. He met Mrs. Spalding who accepted him as he is regardless of the fact that her husband was killed by a Blackman. It is the first time that Mose was accepted as he is and experienced love from a family. In the case of Mr. Will, he was left by his brother Mr. Danby who owns the Spaldings farm mortgage. Upon Mr. Spaldings death, he offered Edna some charitable help granted that he will look over his brother. Edna accepted the blind man in order to give good impression to Mr. Danby and at the same time gain comfort because of her husbands death. The Spaldings was able to battle against their mourning because of the support given by Mr. Will and Mose. Their solidarity made them stronger in facing each and every trial that they met as they plant cotton in the farm. Mrs. Spalding wanted to always keep her family bonded and their farm in good condition. Despite the fact that the Spaldings battle against the odds, Ednas sister Margaret Lomax is also facing her own family problem. She is burdened by the fact that her husband is committing adultery with Viola Kelsey. Their house is set in a depressed area and they have one daughter who is still small. Their only source of income is a small parlor which cannot even sustain their living. An extramarital affair in the film is emphasized as it shows what will happen to a familys economic condition once there is no fidelity in the household. In the case of the Lomaxs, they are trapped in a deep economical downfall because Mr. Lomax is too busy having affair with Viola Kelsey. Infidelity in marriage is always dishonored in the society and it can be compared to a criminal act. The film wanted to imply that faithfulness in marriage should always be maintained. The main plot about the essence of family and its importance in the lives of the Spaldings is magnificently emphasized in the film. On the other hand the subplot dealing with adultery made additional twist in the film. It made viewers tucked in their seats and wait for more surprising events throughout the film. The end of the film is very catchy since it is very idealistic and full of fantasy. The end of the film shows something that is impossible to happen because characters in the film is seen singing in harmony. Husbands and wives who were separated by fate, unfaithfulness and mistrust is seen together. There are also enemies, friends, colleagues and family. To sum it up the main point of the film ended in a way that everyone manages to find their own places in their hearts, the heart of a true family.

Analysis of the Principle of Subsidiarity

Analysis of the Principle of Subsidiarity Introduction The principle of subsidiarity has been in existence for a long time. It was introduced in the Maastricht Treaty. According to the European commissions 18th report it stated what subsidiarity meant which is Subsidiarity is a guiding principle for defining the boundary between Member State and EU responsibilities that is, who should act? If the Union has exclusive competence in a particular area, then clearly it is the Union which should act. If the Union and the Member States share competence, the principle establishes a presumption in favor of the Member States taking action. The Union should only act if Member States cannot achieve the objectives sufficiently and if, by reason of the scale or effects, the Union can achieve them better Subsidiarity serves as a restraining factor for exercising the competence. It may be that the EU has the power to act but can it do it any better? It doesnt deal with powers but rather the question of if it should act? it should if they can do a better job than individual member states. It has strong political significance. This essay shall talk about what the term subsidiarity implies , it would then go forward and discuss where it is found in the treaty, then a brief history of how subsidiarity came to being shall be examined. After which this paper will argue that the principle of subsidiarity has not been effective. At that point the paper will proceed onward to the Lisbon treaty and discuss how the Lisbon Treaty has given more power to the principle of subsidiarity Subsidiarity is the standard which decides when the European Union may make a move if the reason cant be accomplished at the nearby, territorial, national level or if part states makes the move it would have an impact on the points of the European Union. It has been defined by various authors and I will make use of two. Vause argues that subsidiarity is a guideline for contemporary power-sharing between the relatively new institutions of the EU and the constituent Member States that formed the Union.[1], G.A Bermann is of the opinion that subsidiarity expresses a preference for governance at the most local level consistent with achieving governments stated purposes.[2] The principle of subsidiarity is found in article 5(3) of treaty on European Union, It was earlier found in the Maastricht Treaty, Then again, the Single European Act (1987) had officially joined a subsidiarity model into natural arrangement, though without alluding to it unequivocally accordingly.[3] The treaty states that Under the principle of subsidiarity, in areas which do not fall within its exclusive competence, the Union shall act only if and in so far as the objectives of the proposed action cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States, either at central level or at regional and local level, but can rather, by reason of the scale or effects of the proposed action, be better achieved at Union level.[4] In other words, it means that the European Union shall not act unless it is under their area of competence level. The principle of subsidiarity intends to have closer relationship between the EU and its citizens therefore allowing actions to be upheld at the local level where paramount.[5] This is a mechanism to promote higher efficiency and transparency of political decisions and respond to demands for accommodation of historically developed traditions.[6] Not long after the treaty of Maastritcht, the treaty of Amsterdam was introduced which gave more significance to the principle of subsidiarity. This was achieved through the Protocol on the Application of the Principles of Subsidiarity and Proportionality which was created in 1999. The protocol required that; The reasons for preferring Community action must be substantiated by the Commission using both qualitative and quantitative indicators; forms of legislation that leave the Member States the greatest room for manoeuvre are to be favored over more restrictive forms of action; The Commission must consult more widely and endeavor to explain more clearly how its proposals comply with the demands of subsidiarity; The Commission must submit an annual report on the application of Article 5 EC.[7] This later became a self-governing principle of the law as seen in Article 5[8]. subsidiarity was initially brought into the EU legal order in the region of environment, in the Single European Act which entered into power in 1987. The Treaty expressed that the Community shall take action relating to the environment to the extent to which [its] objectives [] can be attained better at Community level than at the level of the individual Member States.[9] The principal of subsidiarity came into existence due to the problem of the lost sovereignty in which member states had to give up when they joined the EU. The member states lose some of their independence when they decide to join the community. This therefore brought about disagreements between the member states and the Union, reason being that there was no clear division on the areas which the member state had competence and the areas which the union had competence. The failure of the EU and EC treaty in creating a division between the areas which the union or the member states has competence has caused problems this is due to the fact that both parties always tend to claim regulatory powers.[10] Another problem which arises as a result of subsidiarity is that it assumes the primacy of the central goal and allows no mechanism for questioning whether or not it is desirable, in the light of other interests, to fully pursue this.[11] What this means is that once the community decides to take action, there is no room for member states to question their action because the court usually justifies the actions of the community based on the political notion of the principle of subsidiarity. Subsidiarity is said to be a farthest point on how EUs law practices administrative fitness as in it disallows the Union to abuse its energy subsequently permitting the part states to hold some of its power. Member states have the chance to administer on laws concerning them. It could likewise be contended that the purpose behind the making of the guideline of subsidiarity was to make a restriction on the execution of choice making at the National level for the purpose of the member states. The principle of subsidiarity has it been effective? Subsidiarity is believe to act as a protective measure on the member states to protect their right to still be able to take actions concerning matters which concern them. Although they have the ability to take up task, they do not have a voice. This is said because under the treaty, there is no specification on how to prove how to go about in establishing that the member state will not be able to take up the task. This thereby makes it easy for the community to claim competence.. Gareth Davis argues that subsidiarity has not been in full swing[12] citing scenarios whereby the community took actions determining sports [13]and language[14] which would have been best attended to at national level. This paper will now choose, if the guideline of subsidiarity before the presentation of the Lisbon treaty has been successful. The principle of subsidiarity has been argued that it has not been a success as a legal principle, and is more of a political or policy-based theory, reminiscent of the moral nature of the principle in Catholic social theory, that is aspired to, but difficult to enforce in reality[ Michelle Evans. 2013]. Another motivation behind why the standard of subsidiarity has not been successful is the way that there have been lesser cases and the court of justice of the EU has not struck down any enactment, for the break of the rule.[15] also bearing in mind that most of the cases on subsidiarity, has been won by the commission, The court always found that they had exclusive competence in the areas which they undertook work . As indicated by Estella, this is because of the way that the model subsidiarity case is that in which a Member State is outvoted [in the Council] and thus brings an activity of cancellation against that measure on the ground of subsidiarity[16].Professor Wyatt offered three conceivable motivations to clarify why subsidiarity may so far have neglected to experience its guarantee: Subsidiarity is a principle ill-designed to achieve the objective of ensuring that decisions are taken as closely as possible to the citizen. There is political lack of interest towards the rule or antipathy on the part of the Community institutions and some Member States. There is constitutional indifference or antipathy on the part of the Court of Justice.[17] Professor Weatherill additionally felt that subsidiarity has done little to curb an institutional tendency at EU level to err on the side of centralization rather than preservation of local autonomy. In his perspective, subsidiarity has not so far been a sufficiently capable guideline to battle what he sees as the concentrating propensities of the EU foundations.[18] The Lisbon treaty The Lisbon Treaty has reinforced the part of both the national parliaments and the Court of Justice in checking consistence with the guideline of subsidiarity. The Treaty of Amsterdam (1999) included Protocol (No 2) (of equivalent lawful status to the Arrangement) on the use of the standards of subsidiarity and proportionality. The Protocol set out that any proposed Community enactment ought to be legitimized as to subsidiarity (and proportionality), and determined criteria to be considered when judging whether Community activity is legitimized, including that the issue under thought ought to have transnational angles; that an absence of Community activity or that Member States acting alone would clash with Treaty targets; and that activity at a Community level would deliver clear advantages (over activity at Member State level) by reason of its scale or effect.[ European Council, Treaty Establishing the European Community Protocol 2, 1999.]. The innovation brought by the Lisbon, is the Protocol on the utilization of the standards of subsidiarity and proportionality, which contains a lawful system for a fortified control of the standard of subsidiarity. It opens up the entrance to European law-making process for national parliaments which are given the part of controlling the conformity of authoritative recommendations with the rule of subsidiarity. [19] The Lisbon Treaty came into existence in December 2009[20] and it sets down standards on the results of contemplated sentiments, in light of the quantity of votes originating from national parliaments. Over specific limits, these are generally alluded to as yellow and orange cards. Jean Monnet argues that it opens up the entrance to European law-production process for national parliaments which are given the part of controlling the agreeability of authoritative recommendations with the rule of subsidiarity[21]. She argued further that the ex ante security of subsidiarity was left to the legislatures and their capacity to guard the national administrative skills. The new structure accommodates an ex stake part for the national parliaments. The Treaty of Lisbon improves by partner national Parliaments nearly with the checking of the standard of subsidiarity. It could be argued that the National Parliaments now practices twofold observing, they have a privilege to question when enactment is drafted. They can in this way reject an authoritative proposition before the Commission on the off chance that they consider that the standard of subsidiarity has been breached. Through their Member State, they may challenge an authoritative demonstration under the watchful eye of the Court of Justice of the EU on the off chance that they consider that the standard of subsidiarity has not been watched.[22] This could therefore show that the National Parliament has been given a reasonable amount of power to control the level of intervention from the community which may not be needed. Lisbon Treaty reinforce the national parliaments part and may additionally constitute a generous achievement for regional parliaments with authoritative forces on the off chance that they get to be really aware of the significance of satisfactory investigation of authoritative recommendations. Regarding Subsidiarity within the EU Institutional Framework?]. Under the treaty of Lisbon, Member States or the Committee of the Regions may challenge legislation if they feel it is not in line with the principle of subsidiarity. This is possible under Art 263 TFEU.[23] Conclusion The Lisbon treaty, brought about more awareness of the principle of subsidiarity, this is shown because before an act is enacted, it is required that a draft is sent to all national parliament to see if it fits under the subsidiarity principle. Although, it states that this is not required if there is a state of emergency, Therefore, this essay is of the opinion that the community could easily claim that most of its act is done under a state of emergency . This could however limit the scrutiny process. The Lisbon treaty also introduces the participation of Regional and local parties in the mission for a more united Europe together with a strengthened guideline of subsidiarity and an expanding part allowed to the national parliaments. The improved principle of subsidiarity only focuses on the scrutiny done by the national parliament, it does not solve the problem of EU competence. The EU still mostly gets a higher advantage over the member states when dealing with taking up tasks. In the sense that the national parliaments only serves an advisory role.[24] Therefore it could be argued that there is still much reform to be done to put more effect to the role of national parliaments and also the principle of subsidiarity itself. REFERENCES Case C-415/93, Bosman,[1995] ECR I-4921. Case C-379/87,Groener,[1989] ECR 3967. W Gary Vause, The Subsidiarity Principle in European Union Law American Federalism Compared [1995] Western Reserve Journal of International Law 61, 62. Bermann, G. A.: Taking Subsidiarity Seriously: Federalism in the European Community and the United States. Columbia Law Review, 1994, Vol. 94, No. 2, pp. 339 344. Petr Novak, The principle of subsidiarity (europa.eu 2014) accessed 12 April 2015 TEU art 5(3) Christoph Ritzer, Marc Ruttloff and Karin Linhar, How to Sharpen a Dull Sword The Principle of Subsidiarity and its Control [2006] German law journal 733, 736 Single European Act, Article 130r.4. 1986 A von Bogdandy, J Bast, The European Unions Vertical Order of Competences: the Current Law and proposals for its Reform (2002) 39 CML Rev 227-68. G Davies, Subsidiarity: The wrong idea, In the wrong place, At the wrong time [2006] Common market law review 63, 78 G Davies, Subsidiarity: The wrong idea, In the wrong place, At the wrong time [2006] Common market law review 63, 73 call for evidence on the governments review of balance of competences between the united kingdom and the European union. chapter 2: exploring subsidiarity (parliament.uk 2005) accessed 12 April 2015 Jean Monnet seminar Advanced Issues of European Law Re-thinking the European Constitution in an Enlarged European Union 6th session, Dubrovnik, April 20-27, 2008 [1] W Gary Vause, The Subsidiarity Principle in European Union Law American Federalism Compared [1995] Western Reserve Journal of International Law 61, 62 [2] Bermann, G. A.: Taking Subsidiarity Seriously: Federalism in the European Community and the United States. Columbia Law Review, 1994, Vol. 94, No. 2, pp. 339 344. [3] Petr Novak, The principle of subsidiarity (europa.eu 2014) accessed 12 April 2015 [4] TEU art 5(3) [5] IBID [6] Christoph Ritzer, Marc Ruttloff and Karin Linhar, How to Sharpen a Dull Sword The Principle of Subsidiarity and its Control [2006] German law journal 733, 736 [7] IBID [8] Christoph Ritzer, Marc Ruttloff and Karin Linhar, How to Sharpen a Dull Sword The Principle of Subsidiarity and its Control [2006] German law journal 733, 736 [9] Single European Act, Article 130r.4. 1986 [10] A von Bogdandy, J Bast, The European Unions Vertical Order of Competences: the Current Law and proposals for its Reform (2002) 39 CML Rev 227-68. [11] G Davies, Subsidiarity: The wrong idea, In the wrong place, At the wrong time [2006] Common market law review 63, 78. [12] G Davies, Subsidiarity: The wrong idea, In the wrong place, At the wrong time [2006] Common market law review 63, 73 [13] Case C-415/93, Bosman,[1995] ECR I-4921. [14] Case C-379/87,Groener,[1989] ECR 3967. [15] call for evidence on the governments review of balance of competences between the united kingdom and the European union. [16] Jean Monnet seminar Advanced Issues of European Law Re-thinking the European Constitution in an Enlarged European Union 6th session, Dubrovnik, April 20-27, 2008. [17] chapter 2: exploring subsidiarity (parliament.uk 2005) accessed 12 April 2015 [18] IBID. [19] Jean Monnet seminar Advanced Issues of European Law Re-thinking the European Constitution in an Enlarged European Union 6th session, Dubrovnik, April 20-27, 2008. [20] Vaughne Miller , National Parliaments and EU law-making: how is the yellow card system working? (parliament.uk 2012) accessed 12 April 2015. [21] IBID. [22] Petr Novak, The principle of subsidiarity (europa.eu 2014) accessed 12 April 2015. [23] TFEU Art 263 [24] Jean Monnet seminar Advanced Issues of European Law Re-thinking the European Constitution in an Enlarged European Union 6th session, Dubrovnik, April 20-27, 2008.

Recreational Center for the Handicapped :: essays research papers

The Janet Pomeroy Center â€Å"The Recreational Center for the Handicapped† Descriptions   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Janet Pomeroy Center†, also known as â€Å"The Recreational Center for the Handicapped† has been serving the residents of the San Francisco community for over 50 years. Founded by Janet Pomeroy on November 18, 1952 it has enriched the lives of over 17,000 individuals. It is a multi service center conveniently located off of Skyline Boulevard, over looking Lake Merced and directly behind the San Francisco Zoo. With a wide range of services offered, â€Å"The Janet Pomeroy Center† strives to provide recreation and vocational opportunities for the mentally and physically challenged, so as to create and instill independence, personal achievement, and a means for self expression for the disabled population. Having a variety in age from the youth to the elderly, RCH’s clients also have a wide range in the levels of physical and mental disability. They range from being mildly to severely mentally challenged. There are clients who can easily communicate verbally and others who rely on other methods to express themselves. These individuals also range in their physical disabilities. Some are in need of a wheelchair, where as others are able to easily get around. There are clients who violently have seizures, as well as those whose seizures are generally mild. â€Å"The Recreational Center for the Handicapped† is unique in the fact that it also provides services to those who have had a head trauma. In collaboration with St. Mary’s Hospital and the Department of Mental Health, RCH has started SF TBI NET, which stands for â€Å"San Francisco Traumatic Brain Injury Network.† Imagine the tremendous impact it must be living one moment able-bodied, then the next moment, disabled. Imagine the impact an event like this would have on your loved ones. The individuals who benefit from the program were once able-bodied like us, but because of a brain injury, they now need help relearning their motor skills and being able to function in daily life. SF TBI NET also recognizes the strain a traumatic event like this can have on the entire family and provides help and relief to its members. Rather than focusing on their weakness, the staff focuses on their client’s strengths. Through the different recreational activities and services this multi service center provides, the interests and talents these individuals have are further nurtured. For example, having access to art supplies and instruction is a great benefit to those clients who are interested in further developing their art skills.

Aristotles Perspective of Friendship in Homers Iliad Essay -- Philos

An Aristotelian Examination of Friendship in Homer's Iliad It is strange to label any friendship a success or a failure; it is stranger still to call the friendship between Achilleus and Patroklos a failure, especially when it has long been celebrated as one of the greatest friendships in antiquity. After all, friendship is called a success when friends remain just that, and a failure when they part ways with diffidence. How else could we possibly judge friendship? I suggest, however, that the good of the friend is the end of true friendship, and that this principle can guide critical inquiry into the nature of friendship. The basis of this statement is Aristotelian. The Nicomachean Ethics defines true friendship as the mutual appreciation of the intrinsic good in the other, and the desire to will the other’s good. The critique of true friendship, in Aristotelian terms, should consider not only whether the parties loved each other for their intrinsic good, but also the extent to which they were successful at promoting the good of the other. The tragedy of Achilleus and Patroklos is that, despite their love and desire to promote the good of the other, they may have ultimately failed. Their friendship may have failed not because of a lack of good will or capability, but because of the conflicting obligations placed upon that friendship by society, circumstance, and the unyielding character of Achilleus. For Aristotle, the perfect form of friendship "is that between good men who are alike in excellence or virtue" (Ethics 8.219).1 Indeed, both Achilleus and Patroklos are foremost amongst the Achaians, and both are commanders and warriors of the first rank. Yet, theirs is not exactly a friendship between equals either; ... ...Hades. It is ironic that the friendship of Achilleus and Patroklos resonates so strongly precisely because of their tragic self-sacrifice; it is, perhaps, the most successful, celebrated, true friendship, that ever ended in failure. Works Cited 1. Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics, trans. Martin Ostwald (Library of Liberal Arts 1999). Citations are given in book and page number. 2. Homer, The Iliad, trans. Richmond Lattimore (University of Chicago Press 1961). All subsequent citations are given in book and page number. 3. (Ethics 9.248): "Similarly, should he accommodate a friend rather than a good man†¦if he is not in a position to do both?" Book 9, Chapter 2 "Conflicting Obligations" deals with this subject at length. 4. (Ethics 9.250): "A further problem is whether or not a friendship should be broken off when the friend does not remain what he was." Aristotle's Perspective of Friendship in Homer's Iliad Essay -- Philos An Aristotelian Examination of Friendship in Homer's Iliad It is strange to label any friendship a success or a failure; it is stranger still to call the friendship between Achilleus and Patroklos a failure, especially when it has long been celebrated as one of the greatest friendships in antiquity. After all, friendship is called a success when friends remain just that, and a failure when they part ways with diffidence. How else could we possibly judge friendship? I suggest, however, that the good of the friend is the end of true friendship, and that this principle can guide critical inquiry into the nature of friendship. The basis of this statement is Aristotelian. The Nicomachean Ethics defines true friendship as the mutual appreciation of the intrinsic good in the other, and the desire to will the other’s good. The critique of true friendship, in Aristotelian terms, should consider not only whether the parties loved each other for their intrinsic good, but also the extent to which they were successful at promoting the good of the other. The tragedy of Achilleus and Patroklos is that, despite their love and desire to promote the good of the other, they may have ultimately failed. Their friendship may have failed not because of a lack of good will or capability, but because of the conflicting obligations placed upon that friendship by society, circumstance, and the unyielding character of Achilleus. For Aristotle, the perfect form of friendship "is that between good men who are alike in excellence or virtue" (Ethics 8.219).1 Indeed, both Achilleus and Patroklos are foremost amongst the Achaians, and both are commanders and warriors of the first rank. Yet, theirs is not exactly a friendship between equals either; ... ...Hades. It is ironic that the friendship of Achilleus and Patroklos resonates so strongly precisely because of their tragic self-sacrifice; it is, perhaps, the most successful, celebrated, true friendship, that ever ended in failure. Works Cited 1. Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics, trans. Martin Ostwald (Library of Liberal Arts 1999). Citations are given in book and page number. 2. Homer, The Iliad, trans. Richmond Lattimore (University of Chicago Press 1961). All subsequent citations are given in book and page number. 3. (Ethics 9.248): "Similarly, should he accommodate a friend rather than a good man†¦if he is not in a position to do both?" Book 9, Chapter 2 "Conflicting Obligations" deals with this subject at length. 4. (Ethics 9.250): "A further problem is whether or not a friendship should be broken off when the friend does not remain what he was."

The Scarlet Letter :: Literary Analysis, Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne has introduced a character that has been judged harshly. Because, she has been misinformed of her husband’s death; therefore, she was greave and had sought comfort resulting in a baby from the lover whom gave her comfort. When her secret had been discovered she was isolated for committing a treacherous crime of adultery, as one of her punishments she was forced to wear an A on her chest. The novel presents a structure of a society, using symbolism and diction to give underline meaning to the themes, portraying religious tendencies ruled by the philosophy of good and evil. Puritans believed in strict religious dedications, by trying to follow the holy commandment. â€Å"The discipline of the family, in those days, was of a far more rigid kind than now.†(Hawthorne 9). They wanted to be considered the holiest of all people because they try to reflect a world of perfection in the sight of God. While they where trying to portray a holy life; however, they where also living a sinful life because they have been judgmental, slandering, uncompassionate, resentment, and forbearing, which are all sinful acts of the bible. Hester is being considered as the devil (Bellis 1), which is a sign that the town’s people are slanderous and judgmental. Their judgment has caused her to be isolated. â€Å"†¦ A woman who had once been innocent†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is now considered as â€Å"†¦the reality of sin† (Hawthorne 39). They look at her as a threat diminishing their community’s chance for purification because â€Å"there was the taint of deepest sin†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hawthorne 24). My apprehension of Pearl is that she is the fruit of evil, because she is seen as â€Å"immortal† (Hawthorne 11). Because, she has caused a ruckus, her immoral acts have disturbed the nature of their society. They think this is morally correct because, â€Å"Political and generational ambivalence has its psychological counterpart†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bellis 2), which give them the right to make her an evil outcast. Pearl is said to symbolize the result of sin but her character as a child have placed an innocent view of her contribution to the story. As any mother would accept their child she have accepted her â€Å"†¦ torture, none the less! Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me too!†(Hawthorne 38). Hester â€Å"represent the violation of social contract† (Egan1), because of her simple imperfection of â€Å"struggles to meet the social demands. The Scarlet Letter :: Literary Analysis, Nathaniel Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne has introduced a character that has been judged harshly. Because, she has been misinformed of her husband’s death; therefore, she was greave and had sought comfort resulting in a baby from the lover whom gave her comfort. When her secret had been discovered she was isolated for committing a treacherous crime of adultery, as one of her punishments she was forced to wear an A on her chest. The novel presents a structure of a society, using symbolism and diction to give underline meaning to the themes, portraying religious tendencies ruled by the philosophy of good and evil. Puritans believed in strict religious dedications, by trying to follow the holy commandment. â€Å"The discipline of the family, in those days, was of a far more rigid kind than now.†(Hawthorne 9). They wanted to be considered the holiest of all people because they try to reflect a world of perfection in the sight of God. While they where trying to portray a holy life; however, they where also living a sinful life because they have been judgmental, slandering, uncompassionate, resentment, and forbearing, which are all sinful acts of the bible. Hester is being considered as the devil (Bellis 1), which is a sign that the town’s people are slanderous and judgmental. Their judgment has caused her to be isolated. â€Å"†¦ A woman who had once been innocent†¦Ã¢â‚¬  is now considered as â€Å"†¦the reality of sin† (Hawthorne 39). They look at her as a threat diminishing their community’s chance for purification because â€Å"there was the taint of deepest sin†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hawthorne 24). My apprehension of Pearl is that she is the fruit of evil, because she is seen as â€Å"immortal† (Hawthorne 11). Because, she has caused a ruckus, her immoral acts have disturbed the nature of their society. They think this is morally correct because, â€Å"Political and generational ambivalence has its psychological counterpart†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bellis 2), which give them the right to make her an evil outcast. Pearl is said to symbolize the result of sin but her character as a child have placed an innocent view of her contribution to the story. As any mother would accept their child she have accepted her â€Å"†¦ torture, none the less! Pearl keeps me here in life! Pearl punishes me too!†(Hawthorne 38). Hester â€Å"represent the violation of social contract† (Egan1), because of her simple imperfection of â€Å"struggles to meet the social demands.

Ethics and Religion

ABSTRACT. Although it seems that ethics and religion should be related, past research suggests mixed conclusions on the relationship. We argue that such mixed results are mostly due to methodological and conceptual limitations. We develop hypotheses linking Cornwall et al.
s (1986, Review of Religious Research, 27(3): 266–244) religious components to individuals
willingness to justify ethically suspect behaviors. Using data on 63,087 individuals from 44 countries, we find support for three hypotheses: the cognitive, one affective, and the behavioral component of religion are negatively related to thics. Surprisingly, one aspect of the cognitive component (i. e. , belief in religion) shows no relationship. Implications for research and practice are discussed. KEY WORDS: religion, ethics, cross-national study Introduction The link between religion and ethics seems obvious (Tittle and Wlech, 1983; Weaver and Agle, 2002). Religions, through the values they embody, often build th e basis for what is considered right and wrong (Turner, 1997). Religion produces both formal and informal norms and provides people with a freedom/constraint duality by prescribing behaviors ithin some acceptable boundaries (Fararo and Skvoretz, 1986). Such norms, values, and beliefs are often codified into a religious code such as the Bible or the Koran. In Christian religions, for instance, the Ten Commandments provide a broad basis of codified ethical rules that believing Christians must K. Praveen Parboteeah (Ph. D. Washington State University) is an Associate Professor of International Management in the Department of Management, University of Wisconsin – Whitewater. Parboteeah
s research interests include international management, ethics, religion and technology and nnovation management. He has published articles in numerous academic journals including Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, Decision Sciences, Small Group Research, Journal of Business Ethics , Journal of World Business, Management International Review, International Journal of Human Resource Management, R&D Management and Journal of Engineering and Technology Management. Martin Hoegl (Ph. D. University of Karlsruhe, Germany) is Professor at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, where he holds the Chair of Leadership and Human Resource Management. Before joining WHU, he served on the faculties of Washington State University and Bocconi University (Milan, Italy). His research interests include leadership and collaboration in organizations, management of R&D personnel, knowledge creation in innovation processes, and the management of geographically dispersed collaboration. He has published in leading international journals, including the Academy of Management Journal, Organization Science, the Journal of Management, Decision Sciences, and others. John B. Cullen is Professor of Management at Washington State University. He has also served on the faculties of the University of Nebraska, the University of Rhode Island, Waseda and Keio Universities in Japan (as a Fulbright lecturer), and the Catholic University of Lille in France. Professor Cullen is the past president of the Western Academy of Management. Professor Cullen is the author or co-author of four books and over 60 journal articles. His publications have appeared in journals such as Administrative Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Management, Organizational Studies, Management International Review, Journal of Vocational Behavior, American Journal of Sociology, Organizational Dynamics, and the Journal of World Business. He currently serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies and has served on the editorial boards of the Academy of Management Journal and Advances in International Comparative Management Journal. Journal of Business Ethics (2008) 80:387–398
Springer 2007 DOI 10. 1007/s10551-007-9439-8 follow in order to actualize what they believe in (e. g. , salvation). In turn, through daily exposure to orms, customs, laws, scripts, and practices, religions impart societal members with values and produce expectational bonds or ‘‘reciprocal expectations of predictability’’ (Field, 1979) that eventually become taken for granted. Such values often provide guides for what are considered ethical behaviors for most of the world
s religions (Fisher, 2001). Furthermore, in societies where one or few rel igions are dominant, the overarching core values of these religions are likely to be mirrored in secular values of society (codified law or non-codified social norms), which regulate everyday activity and thical behavior. However, despite the above conceptual tie between religions and ethics, research has provided mixed conclusions on the relationship (Tittle and Welch, 1983; Weaver and Agle, 2002). For instance, some studies have found no difference between religious and non-religious individuals on unethical behaviors such as dishonesty and cheating (e. g. , Hood et al. , 1996; Smith et al. , 1975), while a negative relationship was found between use of illegal substances and individual religiousness (Khavari and Harmon, 1982). The results are no more definitive for studies linking religions to usiness ethics. For instance, Kidwell et al. (1987) found no relationship between religiosity and ethical judgments of managers while Agle and Van Buren (1999) found a small positive relati onship between religious beliefs and corporate social responsibility. Furthermore, even studies linking marketing ethics with religiousness have found insignificant results (Vitell and Paolillo, 2003), whereby religiosity was found unrelated to consumer ethics. Taken together, the above supports Hood et al.
s (1996: 341) view of research between religion and ethics as ‘‘something f a roller coaster ride’’ and the difficulty to reach definitive conclusions about the relationship (Weaver and Agle, 2002). We, however, believe that the mixed results are mostly due to the following conceptual and methodological issues. First, most studies tend to consider only unidimensional conceptualizations of religion, such as church attendance or religious affiliations (e. g. , Agle and Van Buren, 1999; Schwartz and Huisman, 1995). However, De Jong et al.
s (1976) empirical test of the multidimensional view of religion clearly shows that ‘‘religion seems far t oo complex an arena of human behavior – as iverse and heterogeneous as human behavior – not to include many different and unrelated types of variables’’ (Dittes, 1969: 618). Therefore, it seems important to consider more multidimensional measures of religiosity to get a richer understanding of the relationship between ethics and religiosity. Second, even those studies that have considered multiple dimensions have done so without regard for conceptual support for the choice of their dimensions (e. g. , Agle and Van Buren, 1999). In addition, some studies have even included numerous dimensions and chosen those dimensions hat fit their results (e. g. , Conroy and Emerson, 2004). We believe that it is crucial to consider theoretical models that guide the choice of dimensions. Third, most studies have considered only one religion (e. g. , Angelidis and Ibrahim, 2004; Conroy and Emerson, 2004). Given the similarities of what is considered ethical behavior by th e major world religions (Fisher, 2001), we suggest considering cognitive, affective, and behavioral components of religiosity (rather than specific religious denominations) as predictors of ethics. Fourth, Weaver and Agle (2002) argue that many f the ethical measures have been attitudinal and may thus suffer from social desirability biases. It is therefore important to consider measures that do not elicit socially desirable responses. Finally, many studies have emphasized narrow, and for this subject matter, peculiar samples of undergraduate and MBA students (e. g. , Angelidis and Ibrahim, 2004; Conroy and Emerson, 2004; Kidwell et al. , 1987). Thus, in addition to issues of generalizability to wider populations, Tittle and Welch (1983) have also warned that student samples should be viewed with skepticism given the role of eligion at such ages. Research is needed using more comprehensive samples that target representative populations in terms of age and culture. Given the above, we investigate the relationships between multiple dimensions of religion and ethics. We use data from the World Values Survey (WVS) (2000) to examine how specific dimensions of religion (Weaver and Agle, 2002) are related to ethics and thus incorporate multiple religious denominations and multiple facets of the Kidwell, J. M. , R. E. Stevens and A. L. Bethke: 1987, Differences in the Ethical Perceptions Between Male