Essay on The Relationship Between Technology and Human...

The Relationship Between Technology and Human Culture Human culture and technology are continually co-evolving in a dynamic relationship. All technologies (See Note 1) develop in a particular cultural context as the result of changing needs or constraints. But once developed, a technology changes the culture that gave it birth. When a technology spreads to another culture, the cultural context affects the speed or way in which the technology is adopted and how it is used. The diffusion of technologies to other cultures changes those other cultures as well. The changes in culture that one technology creates may then influence the development of another or different technology. Culture is a broad term. The dictionary definition of†¦show more content†¦Sedentary hunter-gatherers in the area (like all hunter-gatherers) (4) had an intimate knowledge of the natural environment, including growing cycles and preferred environments of edible cereal species. As Bruce Smith explains, (5) domestication probably resulted from the intensification of previous cultivation behaviors, perhaps in response to population or other stress. Hunter-gather populations manipulate their environments in order to reduce the risk of food shortages or to increase supplies of favored species. (6) This manipulation can take various forms, including cultivation behaviors such as replanting seedlings in more watered ground. Over time, these human actions changed the selection pressures on wild species, resulting in the development of domesticated varieties. This gradual process happened as it did because of the existing cultural context of hunter-gather populations who were not onl y familiar with the grain species that became domesticated, but also were actively intervening in the life cycles of those species. (7) Another set of technologies that developed in the Middle East in a particular cultural context were irrigation and the movement of water. As M.S. Drower describes, (8) agriculture in the arid areas of this region required the ability to supply crops with water. Primitive irrigation was even part of the cultivation behaviors practiced by hunter-gatherers that was partShow MoreRelatedSocial Structure And Social Structures995 Words   |  4 Pagespolitical or ideological ties. These scholars state that societies are results of systems of interactions between people, known as social relationships. These interconnected individuals who interact recurrently form social groups, and then larger communities known as social systems. Society is then comprised of various social institutions such as family, education and politics that satisfy basic human needs. Altogether, these individual components give society its social structure. However, Wolf (1982:6)Read More Relationship between Cultural Change and the Environment Essay examples967 Words   |  4 PagesRelationship between Cultural Change and the Environment The association between culture and human technologies is central to the issue of today’s worldwide environmental degradation. This relationship is often viewed as quite simple: as a culture develops, needs arise and are met by new technologies. The culture is then transformed by the effects the technologies have on the people’s way of life. It seems logical that new technology would only be developed as a result of incentive or passionRead MoreCulture And Technology : Introduction1317 Words   |  6 PagesCulture and Technology: Introduction Human culture, technology and nature are forever changing and adjusting with each other in a vigorous trend. The changes in culture that one technology creates may then influence the development of another or different technology. â€Å"There has always been a connection between technology and culture† (Rotman). Technology has influenced human culture just as much as culture has generated progressions in technology. It is an intricate relationship that forms a symbolicRead More The Relationship Between Culture and Technology Essay1418 Words   |  6 PagesThe Relationship Between Culture and Technology The relationship between technology and culture is cyclical. Logically, a culture will develop technologies based on the needs or desires of the people, because this is where the creative influences lie. As this technology spreads and is absorbed into the people’s lives, it affects their culture and way of life. This change in lifestyle can also occur when a technology developed outside a culture is introduced into the culture, providing an externalRead More(Noe Et Al. 2015) The Strategic Management Process Has1445 Words   |  6 Pages2.1 Linkage between HRM and the strategic management process (Noe et al. 2015) stats that linkage between HRM and strategic management process must be closely linked which is known as â€Å"Integrative Linkage†. Figure 3: Linkages of Strategic Planning and HRM Source: Adapted from Noe et al. 2015 In integrative linkage, mostly the HRM executive will be part of strategic planning. This is dynamic and continuous interaction instead of sequential. The HRM executive will be giving human resource capabilitiesRead MoreEssay on Stark P M4 A2739 Words   |  3 PagesSternberg’s theory of love is best explained in the context of interpersonal relationships. An interpersonal relationship can be defined as two or more people who have a strong, deep or close association. The three components Sternberg uses are intimacy, passion and commitment. His theory uses 6 manifestations which are combinations of the three components. This covers a variety of different kinds of relationships in human kind. Sternberg’s theory of love has several combinations of love that I thinkRead MoreOrganizational Philosophies and Technology Analysis1303 Words   |  5 PagesOrganizational Philosophies and Technology Analysis Abstract The following pages focus on analyzing the influence of technology on organizational philosophies. The most important issues addressed by the paper refer to the use of technology in developing ethical standards, the influence of technology on the workplace environment, and the use of technology in human resources management. Technology and organizational Philosophies Organizations and their environments are based on sets of philosophiesRead MoreChallenges Facing The Human Resource Department1314 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction of the Issue: As international businesses become more common and globalization continues to boom, many challenges face the Human Resource Department. With employees and business spanning over many countries, continents and hemispheres, businesses will face cultural diversity, technology reliance, and many other risks that go along with international businesses. Human Resource departments have been forced to become more knowledgeable in the hiring, training and retention of managers in internationalRead MoreThe Human Shore, By Richard Gillis And Rachel Carson1569 Words   |  7 PagesHumans have always had a relationship with the ocean. Whether the relationship is good or bad, the ocean links humans together and surrounds them. The ocean is an important resource that people learn more and more about every day. Technology has had great impact on the ocean as well as how people perceive the ocean. Both Richard Gillis and Rachel Carson touch upon this age-old relationship between humans and the ocean and how technology aids or hurts this connection. Richard Gillis’ book, The HumanRead MoreAnalysis Of Gorman Beauchamp s Article, Technology996 Words   |  4 PagesIn Gorman Beauchamp s article, Technology in the Dystopian Novel, he writes: collectivism and technology, that is, are mutually exclusive (56). Collectivism is defined as: the practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it. This idea is incredibly relevant in today s society. Our world, because of modern technology, has become incredibly individualistic. Cell phones, personal computers, tablets, and other personal technological devices have all been created with the

The Epidemic of Childhood Obesity - 2154 Words

Introduction Childhood obesity is an epidemic that goes on throughout the United States. Studies have shown how obesity in children may start, and how it affects each and every child in America. Childhood obesity has been getting attention in the media from famous celebrities all the way to the First Lady of the United States. There are many things that cause childhood obesity and very few ways to stop it. However, there are people out there who are trying to help by getting children active, eating healthy and getting back on track to having a healthy and long life. Background Childhood obesity has been a growing problem in the United States. Reports beginning in 1960 there were few being recorded, because of that childhood obesity was not a problem in the beginning stages. Since then numbers of obesity in children has increased over 20 percent throughout the years. Beginning in the early 2000’s is when childhood obesity became the epidemic it once was, millions of fast food restaurants were being built all over across America. Also, children started becoming less active and becoming more involved with technology. However, because of childhood obesity becoming a problem it has caught the attention of the First Lady Michelle Obama and she has made it a goal to help children in America get in shape, be active, and join her â€Å"Let’s Move† campaign. Because Michelle Obama started the campaign, it started to get attention in the media and from celebrities who wanted to join onShow MoreRelatedObesity : Childhood Obesity Epidemic1418 Word s   |  6 Pageshis article â€Å"There is no Childhood Obesity Epidemic† discussed the there is a â€Å"stunning† drop in childhood obesity rate. He claims that obesity rates among two to five year olds have plunged over the past decade, and that the so called â€Å"obesity epidemic† had ended. I strongly disagree with Campos view that there is no childhood obesity epidemic, this is due to the researches that was done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention which shows that childhood obesity has more than doubled inRead MoreThe Epidemic Of Childhood Obesity1216 Words   |  5 Pagesintervening in order to combat the epidemic of childhood obesity claim that, â€Å"parents who strive to keep their kids healthy may not have all the tools they need to do so† (â€Å"Childhood Obesity.† Issues Controversies). Therefore supporters agree that the government â€Å"should step in and enable parents to do the best job they can† (â€Å"C hildhood Obesity.† Issues Controversies). Joe Thompson, â€Å"director of the Rober Wood Foundation Center to prevent Childhood Obesity† claims that not all parents are ableRead MoreChildhood Obesity : An Epidemic876 Words   |  4 PagesChildhood Obesity Childhood obesity is more than a major issue in the United States: it is an epidemic. The number of overweight and obese children in America has increased at an alarming rate over the past years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years [1]. American Heart Association stated, â€Å"Today one in three American kids and teens are overweight or obese; nearly triple theRead MoreChildhood Obesity : An Epidemic834 Words   |  4 PagesIn the United States, childhood obesity is an epidemic and in the past 30 years, childhood obesity have had nearly tripled. There are 31 % of American children and adolescents are either overweight or obese. And according to the numbers, more than 23 million of American children are either overweight or obese and more than 12 million are obese (National Conference of State Legislatures, 2013). The complications of obesity in the childhood period are broad, those include but limited to: hypertensionRead MoreChildhood Obesity : An Epidemic1036 Words   |  5 PagesRainsu Kumbhani All About Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity is an epidemic in U.S. In the year of 2012, about â€Å"one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.† Also, percentages of childhood obesity have increased by over ten percent in the last thirty years in children and adolescents (Childhood Obesity Facts 2015). These statistics are shocking, and many people are concerned for the health of their children. This medical condition, as defined by Mayo Clinic, leads to seriousRead MoreThe Epidemic Of Childhood Obesity Essay1053 Words   |  5 PagesThe Epidemic of Childhood Obesity Childhood obesity continues to increase substantially each generation, especially here in the United States. Today, children have become more lazy while eating unhealthy and in excess. This trend ultimately results in increased healthcare problems throughout their life. Childhood obesity has increased because children eat in excess, they are allowed to eat food which is unhealthy, they lack the exercise needed to maintain a healthy weight, and are permittedRead MoreThe Epidemic Of Childhood Obesity3013 Words   |  13 Pages The epidemic of childhood obesity Childhood obesity is an important issue because of this diseases impact over the past few years. With the changing of lifestyles, the production of children who are not as healthy as they should be has increased. Due to these results, a widespread of children being obese has occurred. The Center for Disease Control, CDC, distinguishes between being overweight and being obese. Overweight simply means that the weight is high compared to others in the same height categoryRead MoreChildhood Obesity : An Epidemic Essay1641 Words   |  7 PagesChildhood obesity is an epidemic in America. Many experts like doctors and dietitians have narrowed the epidemic to a few causes some being lack of exercise, genetics, and food insecurity. Exercise and genetics could lead to obesity in the way that you need exercise to burn fat and some people are genetically more inclined to store more fat. Obesity is having excessive amount of fat that could lead to other health problem which is scary to think that childhood obesity is something that is on theRea d MoreChildhood Obesity : An Epidemic Essay1954 Words   |  8 PagesChildhood obesity is not merely an issue in the United States- it is an epidemic. The number of overweight and obese children in America has increased at an alarming rate over the past years, and there is no chance of it slowing down unless action is taken. Obesity puts children at a high risk of developing many serious illnesses. Not only do children who are obese have unhealthy weights, but they also have a high risk of having weak lungs, poor blood quality, and a variety of other sicknesses. ParentsRead MoreChildhood Obesity Is An Epidemic878 Words   |  4 PagesChildhood obesity is an epidemic that has been spreading around the United States like a wild fire in a dry field, increasing more and more without much resistance to stop it from spreading. The SPARK PE program was created in 1989, and aims to be that resistance against childhood obesity, with carefully planned programs in hopes of showing the youth s of America that exercise and proper nutrition can lead to a successful, healthy life (SPARK). SPARK aims at achieving this goal by carefully planning

The Twilight Saga 2 New Moon Chapter 14 FAMILY Free Essays

I COWERED INTO JACOB’S SIDE, MY EYES SCANNING the forest for the other werewolves. When they appeared, striding out from between the trees, they weren’t what I was expecting. I’d gotten the image of the wolves stuck in my head. We will write a custom essay sample on The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 14 FAMILY or any similar topic only for you Order Now These were just four really big half-naked boys. Again, they reminded me of brothers, quadruplets. Something about the way they moved almost in synchronization to stand across the road from us, the way they all had the same long, round muscles under the same red-brown skin, the same cropped black hair, and the way their expressions altered at exactly the same moment. They started out curious and cautious. When they saw me there, half-hidden beside Jacob, they all became furious in the same second. Sam was still the biggest, though Jacob was getting close to catching up with him. Sam didn’t really count as a boy. His face was oldernot in the sense of lines or signs of aging, but in the matunry, the patience of his expression. â€Å"What have you done, Jacob?† he demanded. One of the others, one I didn’t recognizeJared or Paulthrust past Sam and spoke before Jacob could defend himself. â€Å"Why can’t you just follow the rules, Jacob?† he yelled, throwing his arms in the air. â€Å"What the hell are you thinking? Is she more important than everythingthan the whole tribe? Than the people getting killed?† â€Å"She can help,† Jacob said quietly. â€Å"Help!† the angry boy shouted. His arms begin to quiver. â€Å"Oh, that’s likely! I’m sure the leech-lover is just dying to help us out!† â€Å"Don’t talk about her like that!† Jacob shouted back, stung by the boy’s criticism. A shudder rippled through the other boy, along his shoulders and down his spine. â€Å"Paul! Relax!† Sam commanded. Paul shook his head back and forth, not in defiance, but as though he were trying to concentrate. â€Å"Jeez, Paul,† one of the other boysprobably Jaredmuttered. â€Å"Get a grip.† Paul twisted his head toward Jared, his lips curling back in irritation. Then he shifted his glare in my direction. Jacob took a step to put himself in front of me. That did it. â€Å"Right, protect her!† Paul roared in outrage. Another shudder, a convulsion, heaved through his body. He threw his head back, a real growl tearing from between his teeth. â€Å"Paul!† Sam and Jacob shouted together. Paul seemed to fall forward, vibrating violently. Halfway to the ground, there was a loud ripping noise, and the boy exploded. Dark silver fur blew out from the boy, coalescing into a shape more than five-times his sizea massive, crouched shape, ready to spring. The wolf’s muzzle wrinkled back over his teeth, and another growl rolled through his colossal chest. His dark, enraged eyes focused on me. In the same second, Jacob was running across the road straight for the monster. â€Å"Jacob!† I screamed. Mid-stride, a long tremor shivered down Jacob’s spine. He leaped forward, diving headfirst into the empty air. With another sharp tearing sound, Jacob exploded, too. He burst out of his skinshreds of black and white cloth blasted up into the air. It happened so quickly that if I’d blinked, I’d have missed the entire transformation. One second it was Jacob diving into the air, and then it was the gigantic, russet brown wolfso enormous that I couldn’t make sense of its mass somehow fitting inside Jacobcharging the crouched silver beast. Jacob met the other werewolf’s attack head-on. Their angry snarls echoed like thunder off the trees. The black and white scrapsthe remains of Jacob’s clothesfluttered to the ground where he’d disappeared. â€Å"Jacob!† I screamed again, staggering forward. â€Å"Stay where you are, Bella,† Sam ordered. It was hard to hear him over the roar of the fighting wolves. They were snapping and tearing at each other, their sharp teeth flashing toward each other’s throats. The Jacob-wolf seemed to have the upper handhe was visibly bigger than the other wolf, and it looked like le was stronger, too. He rammed his shoulder against the gray wolf again and again, knocking him back toward the trees. â€Å"Take her to Emily’s,† Sam shouted toward the other boys, who were watching the conflict with rapt expressions. Jacob had successfully shoved the gray wolf off the road, and they were disappearing into the forest, though the sound of their snarls was still loud. Sam ran after them, kicking off his shoes on the way. As he darted into the trees, he was quivering from head to toe. The growling and snapping was fading into the distance. Suddenly, the sound cut off and it was very quiet on the road. One of the boys started laughing. I turned to stare at himmy wide eyes felt frozen, like I couldn’t even blink them. The boy seemed to be laughing at my expression. â€Å"Well, there’s something you don’t see every day,† he snickered. His face was vaguely familiarthinner than the others Embry Call. â€Å"I do,† the other boy, Jared, grumbled. â€Å"Every single day.† â€Å"Aw, Paul doesn’t lose his temper every day,† Embry disagreed, still grinning. â€Å"Maybe two out of three.† Jared stopped to pick something white up off the ground. He held it up toward Embry; it dangled in limp strips from his hand. â€Å"Totally shredded,† Jared said. â€Å"Billy said this was the last pair he could affordguess Jacob’s going barefoot now.† â€Å"This one survived,† Embry said, holding up a white sneaker. â€Å"Jake can hop,† he added with a laugh. Jared started collecting various pieces of fabric from the dirt. â€Å"Get Sam’s shoes, will you? All the rest of this is headed for the trash.† Embry grabbed the shoes and then jogged into the trees where Sam had disappeared. He was back in a few seconds with a pair of cut-off jeans draped over his arm. Jared gathered the torn remnants of Jacob’s and Paul’s clothes and wadded them into a ball. Suddenly, he seemed to remember me. He looked at me carefully, assessing. â€Å"Hey, you’re not going to faint or puke or anything?† he demanded. â€Å"I don’t think so,† I gasped. â€Å"You don’t look so good. Maybe you should sit down.† â€Å"Okay,† I mumbled. For the second time in one morning, I put my head between my knees. â€Å"Jake should have warned us,† Embry complained. â€Å"He shouldn’t have brought his girlfriend into this. What did he expect?† â€Å"Well, the wolf’s out of the bag now.† Embry sighed. â€Å"Way to go, Jake.† I raised my head to glare at the two boys who seemed to be taking this all so lightly. â€Å"Aren’t you worried about them at all?† I demanded. Embry blinked once in surprise â€Å"Worried? Why?† â€Å"They could hurt each other!† Embry and Jared guffawed. â€Å"I hope Paul gets a mouthful of him,† Jared said. â€Å"Teach him a lesson.† I blanched. â€Å"Yeah, right!† Embry disagreed. â€Å"Did you see Jake? Even Sam couldn’t have phased on the fly like that. He saw Paul losing it, and it took him, what, half a second to attack? The boy’s got a gift.† â€Å"Paul’s been fighting longer. I’ll bet you ten bucks he leaves a mark.† â€Å"You’re on. Jake’s a natural. Paul doesn’t have a prayer.† They shook hands, grinning. I tried to comfort myself with their lack of concern, but I couldn’t drive the brutal image of the fighting werewolves from my head. My stomach churned, sore and empty, my head ached with worry. â€Å"Let’s go see Emily. You know she’ll have food waiting.† Embry looked down at me. â€Å"Mind giving us a ride?† â€Å"No problem,† I choked. Jared raised one eyebrow. â€Å"Maybe you’d better drive, Embry. She still looks like she might hurl.† â€Å"Good idea. Where are the keys?† Embry asked me. â€Å"Ignition.† Embry opened the passenger-side door. â€Å"In you go,† he said cheerfully, hauling me up from the ground with one hand and stuffing me into my seat. He appraised the available space. â€Å"You’ll have to ride in the back,† he told Jared. â€Å"That’s fine. I got a weak stomach. I don’t want to be in there when she blows.† â€Å"I bet she’s tougher than that. She runs with vampires.† â€Å"Five bucks?† Jared asked. â€Å"Done. I feel guilty, taking your money like this.† Embry got in and started the engine while Jared leapt agilely into the bed. As soon as his door was closed, Embry muttered to me, â€Å"Don’t throw up, okay? I’ve only got a ten, and if Paul got his teeth into Jacob† â€Å"Okay,† I whispered. Embry drove us back toward the village. â€Å"Hey, how did Jake get around the injunction anyway?† â€Å"The what?† â€Å"Er, the order. You know, to not spill the beans. How did he tell you about this?† â€Å"Oh, that,† I said, remembering Jacob trying to choke out the truth to me last night. â€Å"He didn’t. I guessed right.† Embry pursed his lips, looking surprised. â€Å"Hmm. S’pose that would work.† â€Å"Where are we going?† I asked. â€Å"Emily’s house. She’s Sam’s girlfriend no, fiancee, now, I guess. They’ll meet us back there after Sam gives it to them for what just happened. And after Paul and Jake scrounge up some new clothes, if Paul even has any left.† â€Å"Does Emily know about ?† â€Å"Yeah. And hey, don’t stare at her. That bugs Sam.† I frowned at him. â€Å"Why would I stare?† Embry looked uncomfortable. â€Å"Like you saw just now, hanging out around werewolves has its risks.† He changed the subject quickly. â€Å"Hey, are you okay about the whole thing with the black-haired bloodsucker in the meadow? It didn’t look like he was a friend of yours, but. .† Embry shrugged. â€Å"No, he wasn’t my friend.† â€Å"That’s good. We didn’t want to start anything, break the treaty, you know.† â€Å"Oh, yeah, Jake told me about the treaty once, a long time ago. Why would killing Laurent break the treaty?† â€Å"Laurent,† he repeated, snorting, like he was amused the vampire had had a name. â€Å"Well, we were technically on Cullen turf. We’re not allowed to attack any of them, the Cullens, at least, off our landunless they break the treaty first. We didn’t know if the black-haired one was a relative of theirs or something. Looked like you knew him.† â€Å"How would they go about breaking the treaty?† â€Å"If they bite a human. Jake wasn’t so keen on the idea of letting it go that far.† â€Å"Oh. Um, thanks. I’m glad you didn’t wait.† â€Å"Our pleasure.† He sounded like he meant that in a literal sense. Embry drove past the easternmost house on the highway before turning off onto a narrow dirt road. â€Å"Your truck is slow,† he noted. â€Å"Sorry.† At the end of the lane was a tiny house that had once been gray. There was only one narrow window beside the weathered blue door, but the window box under it was filled with bright orange and yellow marigolds, giving the whole place a cheerful look. Embry opened the truck door and inhaled. â€Å"Mmm, Emily’s cooking.† Jared jumped out of the back of the truck and headed for the door, but Embry stopped him with one hand on his chest. He looked at me meaningfully, and cleared his throat. â€Å"I don’t have my wallet on me,† Jared said. â€Å"That’s okay. I won’t forget.† They climbed up the one step and entered the house without knocking. I followed timidly after them. The front room, like Billy’s house, was mostly kitchen. A young woman with satiny copper skin and long, straight, crow-black hair was standing at the counter by the sink, popping big muffins out of a tin and placing them on a paper plate. For one second, I thought the reason Embry had told me not to stare was because the girl was so beautiful. And then she asked â€Å"You guys hungry?† in a melodic voice, and she turned to face us full on, a smile on half of her face. The right side of her face was scarred from hairline to chin by three thick, red lines, livid in color though they were long healed. One line pulled down the corner of her dark, almond-shaped right eye, another twisted the right side of her mouth into a permanent grimace. Thankful for Embry’s warning, I quickly turned my eyes to the muffins in her hands. They smelled wonderfullike fresh blueberries. â€Å"Oh,† Emily said, surprised. â€Å"Who’s this?† I looked up, trying to focus on the left half of her face. â€Å"Bella Swan,† Jared told her, shrugging. Apparently, I’d been a topic of conversation before. â€Å"Who else?† â€Å"Leave it to Jacob to find a way around,† Emily murmured. She stared at me, and neither half of her once-beautiful face was friendly. â€Å"So, you’re the vampire girl.† I stiffened. â€Å"Yes. Are you the wolf girl?† She laughed, as did Embry and Jared. The left half of her face warmed. â€Å"I guess I am.† She turned to Jared. â€Å"Where’s Sam?† â€Å"Bella, er, surprised Paul this morning.† Emily rolled her good eye. â€Å"Ah, Paul,† she sighed. â€Å"Do you think they’ll be long? I was just about to start the eggs.† â€Å"Don’t worry,† Embry told her. â€Å"If they’re late, we won’t let anything go to waste.† Emily chuckled, and then opened the refrigerator. â€Å"No doubt,† she agreed. â€Å"Bella, are you hungry? Go ahead and help yourself to a muffin.† â€Å"Thanks.† I took one from the plate and started nibbling around the edges. It was delicious, and it felt good in my tender stomach. Embry picked up his third and shoved it into his mouth whole. â€Å"Save some for your brothers,† Emily chastised him, hitting him on the head with a wooden spoon. The word surprised me, but the others thought nothing of it. â€Å"Pig,† Jared commented. I leaned against the counter and watched the three of them banter like a family. Emily’s kitchen was a friendly place, bright with white cupboards and pale wooden floorboards. On the little round table, a cracked blue-and-white china pitcher was overflowing with wildflowers. Embry and Jared seemed entirely at ease here. Emily was mixing a humongous batch of eggs, several dozen, in a big yellow bowl. She had the sleeves of her lavender shirt pushed up, and I could see that the scars extended all the way down her arm to the back of her right hand. Hanging out with werewolves truly did have its risks, just as Embry had said. The front door opened, and Sam stepped through. â€Å"Emily,† he said, and so much love saturated his voice that I felt embarrassed, intrusive, as I watched him cross the room in one stride and take her face in his wide hands. He leaned down and kissed the dark scars on her right cheek before he kissed her lips. â€Å"Hey, none of that,† Jared complained. â€Å"I’m eating.† â€Å"Then shut up and eat,† Sam suggested, kissing Emily’s ruined mouth again. â€Å"Ugh,† Embry groaned. This was worse than any romantic movie; this was so real that it sang out loud with joy and life and true love. I put my muffin down and folded my arms across my empty chest. I stared at the flowers, trying to ignore the utter peace of their moment, and the wretched throbbing of my wounds. I was grateful for the distraction when Jacob and Paul came through the door, and then shocked when I saw that they were laughing. While I watched, Paul punched Jacob on the shoulder and Jacob went for a kidney jab in return. They laughed again. They both appeared to be in one piece. Jacob scanned the room, his eyes stopping when he found me leaning, awkward and out of place, against the counter in the far corner of the kitchen. â€Å"Hey, Bells,† he greeted me cheerfully. He grabbed two muffins as he passed the table and came to stand beside me. â€Å"Sorry about before,† he muttered under his breath. â€Å"How are you holding up.'† â€Å"Don’t worry, I’m okay. Good muffins.† I picked mine back up and started nibbhrg again. My chest felt better as soon as Jacob was beside me. â€Å"Oh, man!† Jared wailed, interrupting us. I looked up, and he and Embry were examining a fading pink line on Paul’s forearm. Embry was grinning, exultant. â€Å"Fifteen dollars,† he crowed. â€Å"Did you do that?† I whispered to Jacob, remembering the bet. â€Å"I barely touched him. He’ll be perfect by sundown.† â€Å"By sundown?† I looked at the line on Paul’s arm. Odd, but it looked weeks old. â€Å"Wolf thing,† Jacob whispered. I nodded, trying to not look weirded out. â€Å"You okay?† I asked him under my breath. â€Å"Not a scratch on me.† His expression was smug. â€Å"Hey, guys,† Sam said in a loud voice, interrupting all the conversations going on in the small room. Emily was at the stove, scraping the egg mixture around a big skillet, but Sam still had one hand touching the small of her back, an unconscious gesture. â€Å"Jacob has information for us.† Paul looked unsurprised. Jacob must have explained this to him and Sam already. Or they’d just heard his thoughts. â€Å"I know what the redhead wants.† Jacob directed his words toward Jared and Embry. â€Å"That’s what I was trying to tell you before.† He kicked the leg of the chair Paul had settled into. â€Å"And?† Jared asked. Jacob’s face got serious. â€Å"She is trying to avenge her mateonly it wasn’t the black-haired leech we killed. The Cullens got her mate last year, and she’s after Bella now.† This wasn’t news to me, but I still shivered. Jared, Embry, and Emily stared at me with open-mouthed surprise. â€Å"She’s just a girl,† Embry protested. â€Å"I didn’t say it made sense. But that’s why the bloodsucker’s been trying to get past us. She’s been heading for Forks.† They continued to stare at me, mouths still hanging open, for a long moment. I ducked my head. â€Å"Excellent,† Jared finally said, a smile beginning to pull up the corners of his mouth. â€Å"We’ve got bait.† With stunning speed, Jacob yanked a can opener from the counter and launched it at Jared’s head. Jared’s hand flicked up faster than I would have thought possible, and he snagged the tool just before it hit his face. â€Å"Bellais not bait.† â€Å"You know what I mean,† Jared said, unabashed. â€Å"So we’ll be changing oar patterns,† Sam said, ignoring their squabble. â€Å"We’ll try leaving a few holes, and see if she falls for it. We’ll have to split up, and I don’t like that. But if she’s really after Bella, she probably won’t try to take advantage of our divided numbers.† â€Å"Quit’s got to be close to joining us,† Embry murmured. â€Å"Then we’ll be able to split evenly.† Everyone looked down. I glanced at Jacob’s face, and it was hopeless, like it had been yesterday afternoon, outside his house. No matter how comfortable they seemed to be with their fate, here in this happy kitchen, none of these werewolves wanted the same fate for their friend. â€Å"Well, we won’t count on that,† Sam said in a low voice, and then continued at his regular volume. â€Å"Paul, Jared, and Embry will take the outer perimeter, and Jacob and I will take the inner. We’ll collapse in when we’ve got her trapped.† I noticed that Emily didn’t particularly like that Sam would be in the smaller grouping. Her worry had me glancing up at Jacob, worrying, too. Sam caught my eye. â€Å"Jacob thinks it would be best if you spent as much time as possible here in La Push. She won’t know where to find you so easily, just in case.† â€Å"What about Charlie?† I demanded. â€Å"March Madness is still going,† Jacob said. â€Å"I think Billy and Harry can manage to keep Charlie down here when he’s not at work.† â€Å"Wait,† Sam said, holding one hand up. His glance flickered to Emily and then back to me. â€Å"That’s what Jacob thinks is best, but you need to decide for yourself. You should weigh the risks of both options very seriously. You saw this morning how easily things can get dangerous here, how quickly they get out of hand. If you choose to stay with us, I can’t make any guarantees about your safety.† â€Å"I won’t hurt her,† Jacob mumbled, looking down. Sam acted as if he hadn’t heard him speak. â€Å"If there was somewhere else you felt safe† I bit my lip. Where could I go that wouldn’t put someone else in danger? I recoiled again from the idea of bringing Renee into thispulling her into the circle of the target I wore â€Å"I don’t want to lead Victoria anywhere else,† I whispered. Sam nodded. â€Å"That’s true. It’s better to have her here, where we can end this.† I flinched. I didn’t want Jacob or any of the rest of them trying to end Victoria. I glanced at Jake’s face; it was relaxed, almost the same as I remembered it from before the onset of the wolf thing, and utterly unconcerned by the idea of hunting vampires. â€Å"You’ll be careful, right?† I asked, an audible lump in my throat. The boys burst into loud hoots of amusement. Everyone laughed at meexcept Emily. She met my eyes, and I could suddenly see the symmetry underlying her deformity. Her face was still beautiful, and alive with a concern even more fierce than mine. I had to look away, before the love behind that concern could start me aching again. â€Å"Food’s ready,† she announced then, and the strategic conversation was history. The guys hurried to surround the tablewhich looked tiny and in danger of being crushed by themand devoured the buffet-sized pan of eggs Emily placed in their midst in record time. Emily ate leaning against the counter like meavoiding the bedlam at the tableand watched them with affectionate eyes. Her expression clearly stated that this was her family. All in all, it wasn’t exactly what I’d been expecting from a pack of werewolves. I spent the day in La Push, the majority of it in Billy’s house. He left a message on Charlie’s phone and at the station, and Charlie showed up around dinnertime with two pizzas. It was good he brought two larges; Jacob ate one all by himself. I saw Charlie eyeing the two of us suspiciously all night, especially the much-changed Jacob. He asked about the hair; Jacob shrugged and told him it was just more convenient. I knew that as soon as Charlie and I were headed home, Jacob would take offoff to run around as a wolf, as he had done intermittently through the entire day. He and his brothers of sorts kept up a constant watch, looking for some sign of Victoria’s return. But since they’d chased her away from the hot springs last nightchased her halfway to Canada, according to Jacobshe’d yet to make another foray. I had no hope at all that she might just give up. I didn’t have that kind of luck. Jacob walked me to my truck after dinner and lingered by the window, waiting for Charlie to drive away first. â€Å"Don’t be afraid tonight,† Jacob said, while Charlie pretended to be having trouble with his seat belt. â€Å"We’ll be out there, watching.† â€Å"I won’t worry about myself,† I promised. â€Å"You’re silly. Hunting vampires is fun. It’s the best part of this whole mess.† I shook my head. â€Å"If I’m silly, then you’re dangerously unbalanced.† He chuckled. â€Å"Get some rest, Bella, honey. You look exhausted.† â€Å"I’lltry.† Charlie honked his horn impatiently. â€Å"See you tomorrow,† Jacob said. â€Å"Come down first thing.† â€Å"Iwill.† Charlie followed me home. I paid scant attention to the lights in my rearview mirror. Instead, I wondered where Sam and Jared and Embry and Paul were, out running in the night. I wondered if Jacob had joined them yet. When we got home, I hurried for the stairs, but Charlie was right behind me. â€Å"What’s going on, Bella?† he demanded before I could escape. â€Å"I thought Jacob was part of a gang and you two were fighting.† â€Å"We made up.† â€Å"And the gang?† â€Å"I don’t knowwho can understand teenage boys? They’re a mystery. But I met Sam Uley and his fiancee, Emily. The seemed pretty nice to me.† I shrugged. â€Å"Must have all been a misunderstanding.† His face changed. â€Å"I hadn’t heard that he and Emily had made it official. That’s nice. Poor girl.† â€Å"Do you know what happened to her?† â€Å"Mauled by a bear, up north, during salmon spawning seasonhorrible accident It was more than a year ago now. I heard Sam was really messed up over it.† â€Å"That’s horrible,† I echoed. More than a year ago. I’d bet that meant it had happened when there was just one werewolf in La Push. I shuddered at the thought of how Sam must have felt every time he looked at Emily’s face. That night, I lay awake for a long time trying to sort through the day. I worked my way backward through dinner with Billy, Jacob, and C harlie, to the long afternoon in the Blacks’ house, waiting anxiously to hear something from Jacob, to Emily’s kitchen, to the horror of the werewolf fight, to talking with Jacob on the beach. I thought about what Jacob had said early this morning, about hypocrisy. I thought about that for a long time. I didn’t like to think that I was a hypocrite, only what was the point of lying to myself? I curled into a tight ball. No, Edward wasn’t a killer. Even in his darker past, he’d never been a murderer of innocents, at least. But what if he had been? What if, during the time I that I’d known him, he’d been just like any other vampire? What if people had been disappearing from the woods, just like now? Would that have kept me away from him? I shook my head sadly. Love is irrational, I reminded myself. The more you loved someone, the less sense anything made. I rolled over and tried to think of something elseand I thought of Jacob and his brothers, out running in the darkness. I fell asleep imagining the wolves, invisible in the night, guarding me from danger. When I dreamed, I stood in the forest again, but I didn’t wander. I was holding Emily’s scarred hand as we faced into the shadows and waited anxiously for our werewolves to come home. How to cite The Twilight Saga 2: New Moon Chapter 14 FAMILY, Essay examples