Wisdom Literature And Psalms Religion Essay

Wisdom Literature And Psalms Religion Essay Within the Hebrew Bible itself, the wisdom literature is exciting, because it deals directly with life. The life-death situation is expressed positively in the image of the tree of life. Wisdom is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called happy. (Proverbs 3) There are five books in the Hebrew Bible that deserve the title of wisdom literature; three primary (Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes) and two Apocrypha (Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom of Solomon). Within this literature is a distinct lack of what one would consider typically Jewish or Israelite as there is no mention of the promises of the patriarchs, the covenant and Sinai, the promise to David and so on. Wisdom literature is not confined to the Bible. Every culture that has left a written patrimony has something similar to the wisdom literature (Socrates the unexamined life is not worth living, Plato know thyself, Aristotle all men by nature desire to Know). The fundamental desire for knowledge as such characterizes human nature. Wisdom literature includes various authors trying to understand human nature, themselves, and understanding God and Gods relation to us. Within the Bible itself, Lady Wisdom remains an elusive figure despite considerable attention given to sapientia [hokmah], or wisdom. She is the object of a quest in the first recorded petition for wisdom (Solomon in 1 Kings 3) and in the last wisdom book to be written (Wisdom of Solomon). What is striking about these biblical texts is that they embody not only the faith of Israel, but also the treasury of cultures and civilizations which have long vanished. As if by special design the voices of Egypt and Mesopotamia sound again and certain features common to the cultures of the ancient Near East come to life in these pages which are rich in deep intuition. (Fides et Ratio 16) Wisdom is described in so many ways: She is fear of the Lord, instruction for moral formation, human experience, the mysteries of creation, Law, a mysterious divine call, and even a spouse. Wisdom literature provides a biblical model for understanding divine revelation apart from the historical mode (salvation history) in which it is usually cast. Wisdom literature transcends all of this and is not tied to any specific happening. The openness of Israelite wisdom to the wisdom of Israels neighbors the clearly international character of the wisdom movement, the actual borrowings from Egyptian wisdom, the controlling references to creatures and creation provides a biblical basis for the possibility that the non-Israelite can also respond in saving faith to the creator, who is the God revealed in Israelite and Christian experience. If God saw fit to recognize the wisdom of the pagan Egyptians in Proverbs, then we should be open to finding divinely inspired thoughts and wisdom in other cultures: through dialogue with other Christians (Ecumenism); dialogue with other non-Christians (Inter-religious); dialogue with regards to other faiths such as Animists and Buddhists (see Ad Gentes encyclical on the Churchs respect for other faiths and the Churchs desire to bring the leaders of other religions in to the fullness of Gods revelation, spirit and Gods self-revelation in Jesus Christ). Within the genre of Wisdom, there are many definitions on the categories of the literature. Biblical Wisdom is focused on practicality. It is on how we ought to live here and now. In Job and Qoheleth we find practical discussion spilling over into the broader meaning of life and the challenges of life. Wisdom books along with the Wisdom literature of other cultures move with in an ambience of the religious, in general, but not overtaken by a religious outlook. Proper fear of the lord is an often theme in Wisdom. What you find in Wisdom often doesnt have a necessary connection to religion. For this reason, these books appeal to the agnostics of today. This Wisdom also appeals to agnostic writers who find something they can hold onto in Christianity or in religion in general. Something that they value and is essential or creedal in nature. Many of the Proverbs show this side; the interpretation may be Christian but keep a cross cultural appeal as their beauty. Wisdom literature is also a good source of evangelization. For example, Paul goes in to the Areopagus (Acts 17) and the people start to mock him before he speaks. Paul uses some well-known verses of Greek authors and poets to bridge a common understanding and that have a bridge to the pagan audience. He succeeded in bridging the culture gap on their love of knowledge and love for wisdom and learning. In an increasingly secularized culture we will encounter these Pauline episodes more often. Wisdom literature is characterized by being called secularized as it is often devoid of any specific Christian content. The non-religious nature of Wisdom literature is not necessarily bad. A tinge of secularity doesnt hurt in the study of theology and the practice of ones own faith. With respect to Creation, Wisdom books move within a religious atmosphere but are not taken over by a religion. Creation is a work of Gods hands and therefore intrinsically good and should be stewarded carefully. By properly understanding those points, we come to an understanding about ourselves as the crowning glory of creation. Humans are made in the image and likeness of God (imago dei). If forgotten, any statement on theology is foundationless. Many denominations believe Man is fallen, evil or corrupt. But we are inherently good and this is not oblivious to everyone. Wisdom by which many generations of cultures is elevated, affirmed, and ratified in the books of Wisdom and are given the stamp of Divine Inspiration. Due to the straightforward nature of the Wisdom, we must be careful to not over analyze the literature or over analogize. Church Fathers interpret the books at the Literal and Sapiential meaning. So we too should not look too deeply in search of the obvious literal meaning as the Wisdom books wear their meaning on their sleeve. Many parts of the Wisdom books are difficult to date. Poetry is difficult to date and uses play on words, vocabulary and sometimes antiquated terms to bring together literary elements that are difficult to pin down a specific time and place. For example in Job there is not a single identifiable historical reference in the book. We cannot locate it accurately in time. We study the vocabulary, but Job has one of the broadest ranges in the bible. All of the personalities are literary creations and cannot be attached to an actual person. The place names are intentionally made obscure [Job lived in the land of Uz]. A similar Wisdom text to that of Job is found in the Persian Shahnameh (The Epic of Kings) by Hakim Abol Qasem Ferdowsi Tousi. In this Persian Wisdom book, the theological emphasis regarding God being unfathomable and unchallengeable is similar to the teaching at the end of the book of Job. In Sirach the author tells us who he is in the preface and can accurately date. A simila r Wisdom text to that of Sirach (and Proverbs) is found in Prologue of The Code of Hammurabi King of Babylon (from about 2250 BCE). The Psalms were written over a very broad period of time. Some were composed in the 10th century BCE and have their literary roots in earlier times. Job, Proverbs and Psalms express the heart of humanity; common things that people have experience of and understanding in. Sophia or wisdom is the understanding of the cosmos as a whole in terms of its ultimate cause and principle. So the search for wisdom is our search for whatever it is that is first in itself that is THE cause of the things that are first for us in sense perception. In studying Wisdom we can come to see the importance of Creation in biblical thought and in Jewish/Christian faith. We can also come to see the interdependence and interrelatedness in the reality of the biblical world view. Nothing is profane in the Wisdom book. All is sacred somehow. Perhaps we will need to adjust our perspective in order to see and understand and perceive that inter-relatedness of all reality. In studying Wisdom today, we are seeking to look into the life and times of Jesus. Jesus frequently spoke in a manner of the Wisdom literature and we find He spoke of Solomon in his teachings of the Gospels. Studying the Wisdom literature will give us a broader appreciation of the Bible in general. The Book of Job describe how the main theme of this book is developed, how we read it in the light of Christian Revelation, and how its message may come into use in pastoral situation. The Book of Job points us to (in the Christian era) the belief in the God revealed to us in the person Jesus Christ. This book can only be fully grasped in the light of the Cross and Resurrection of Christ. Job is all about suffering and theodicy. Job is steadfast, not patient in this reading. The scenes have been deliberately worked to set before the reader a picture of a living saint, one who has won divine approval for his lifestyle and who holds firmly to God despite cruel afflictions. In this book Satan is one of the sons of God, the members of the heavenly court who do the Lords bidding and serve as his counsel. (Murphy 36) The devil does not make us do it, but only shows us and we do the rest and the manner of which evil manifests itself in life varies. The office of Satan was responsible for putting a person to the test. A person whose job it is to prosecute or point out things persons do not want to see. A Satan is a person who God has commissioned and Devils Advocate is the actual title of Promoter of the Faith. For Ancient Israel, there was a dark side, to God that was simply accepted. This dark side resulted from the worldview that attributed to divine agency all that happens, evil as well as good. In the first chapter of Job, his sons and daughters are taken away; livestock are also taken away from Job. The Satan goes back and asks God for further trial. In the next chapter, the Satan gives sores to Job and Job sits in ashes (a gesture of mourning/sadness). Jobs wife asks if he is still holding to his innocentness. Job still does not sin with his lips, but oscillates between despair and ardent faith. In the third chapter, Job gives his perish the day on which I was born plaintive speech of deep darkness. This is the dark night of the soul. This is the type of thought that goes through peoples minds before suicide. Only known to God is the moral culpability or responsibility of the action by the suicide. But there is hope for the survivors on the Via Dolorosa. When we walk in this valley, we know that Christ walked there before us. Authentic hope is there. The Crucifixion cannot be taken for granted. We cannot presume that all the suffering we go through is for nothing and that the person is presumptuously in heaven. The taking of a life is wrong. God still loves the departed and there is the possibility of redemption but we must then walk the dolorosa. Job is a model of Virtue and of Patience and of Friendship with God. Job 4 begins 28 chapters of a cycle of speeches by Jobs friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar). The three friends have the outlook that associates earthly rewards with goodness and earthly punishment with evil. This is the gospel of prosperity. In Job 5:8-27, his friends give a fraudulent response to his state: God rewards good people and punishes bad people. Job acknowledges his guilt, but no sin that merits the suffering that is being visited upon him. In Job 13:3, Job pushes back saying If he should kill me, I will wait for him; I will defend my conduct before him. And this shall be my salvation that no impious man can come into his presence. In Job 13:15-16, Job is saying that he has a clean conscience. He dares God to smite him. He has such confidence that God will respect a clean conscience and respect that he will defend himself. The cycle of speeches by the three friends begins to wrap up and Jobs understanding of his plight begins to open up. He expresses an inchoate belief in some kind of resurrection (this is a pre-curser to NT belief). In Job 29, he has an introspec tive moment and describes what it was like to have favor with God. He looks to the past with rose-colored glasses with all the what if statements. Through this questioning, his spirit begins to change and moves closer to God. We must trust in God even though we may not see the reason as to why we are going through a trial. In Job 29:15, he says he was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. He was so devoted to helpless people that he perceived himself in their suffering. He intimately associated himself with the others plight that they became one (charity). The Theological Virtues: Faith, Hope, and Love are so called because we are imbued with these virtues (being gifts of grace) as they have God as their ultimate end. Elihus (name meaning He is my God) speeches follow with the theme arrogance with God will bring you punishment. His friends realize Job is able to rebut them, but Job has not come to any conclusion on his own. But this does not lift his suffering. In Job 38:1-40:2 and 40:6-41:26, we see that God is always patiently listening. At the end, God speaks: How dare you question My ways. God never says that Job is in fact guilty of sin and that is why he is punishing him. He is angry with Job for Jobs method of dealing with the justice, righteousness and sovereign right to deal with His goodness. Job did not give in to the facile explanations of his friends. He knew he did deserve what had happened, but he had not blasphemed, murdered, or done anything else of seriousness. He is just like most of us. When confronted with his friends trying to pawn off his suffering, he knew it was false. This is similar to the Deuteronomistic line of thinking: Do wrong and be punished, do right and be blessed. Contemporary evangelical points focus on the being blessed or the book of prosperity. Until tragedy or suffering strikes and then we see these preachers drift away and become disillusioned. At the end of the speeches by God, Job realizes that he has nothing to oppose the wisdom of God. Gods wisdom is entirely other, beyond that which Job can attain. Job realizes he has no right to question Gods Will. Gods Will is always good, and beyond that silence. He confides his very being to the Lord: I know my Creator lives. The mystery is not always solved. The suffering and questions may remain and this is alright. If there is no mystery left, then that person as perpetrated a fraud on you. God walks with us (by Job) in times of suffering. In such situations, the simple answer never works. We must walk with the person. We deny the transcendence of God if we think we understand everything. We best understand God when we are in suffering with someone. To share in the suffering, we come to understand Him better. He has gone before us on this path of suffering. Describe the progression of biblical thought on women that is found in the wisdom books and in the related passages which we have studied. Where do these views leave us with respect to our Christian views? You may wish to recall figures such as the wife of Job, Lady Wisdom or the Ideal wife from Proverbs, and others. Perhaps the best way to sum up the book of Proverbs and possible all of Wisdom literature is the line from Deuteronomy I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life. (Deut. 30:19) This is the choice that is laid out before us and Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly are anthropomorphic language that helps express the allurements of each. The Proverbs are an expansion of the Decalogue. It is the practical how to for everyday life and implementing the policies laid out in the Decalogue. Wisdom is often personified as feminine, perhaps in part because, in Hebrew, wisdom is a feminine noun. Grammar does not fully explain, however, Proverbs interest in repeated and varied development of the female persona. The female imagery for Lady Wisdom is also closely connected to her negative counterpart in Proverbs, that embodiment of evil referred to as the loose woman (Lady Folly). The part played by women in the Book of Proverbs is worthy of note. High praise is given to the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31:10-31 and also in a number of sayings scattered throughout the book. It is evident that monogamy is contemplated throughout as the regular married relationship (Prv 5:18), whatever deviations might be permitted by the law for the hardness of mens hearts. He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the LORD, (Prv 18:22) provided, of course, that she be a good wife. There is another kind of wife, whose shortcomings are denounced in righteous language: A good wife is the crown of her husband, but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones. (Prv 12:4) By contrast with the woman of virtue, the sage utters stern warnings against the foolish woman, the brawling and ill-tempered woman, and above all the strange woman whose house is the way to Sheol. (Prv 7:27) A variation on the feministic imagery is seen again in Proverbs 1:20-33 and 8:1-21, where she appears as a prophet, calling out for followers in the most public places: in the street and squares, at the busiest corner and the city gates (1:21-22), on the heights and at the crossroads (8:2). Her rhetoric offers enticement and warning. To the one who chooses her way, she offers wealth and power. To those who ignore her counsel, she promises mockery when panic strikes and ultimately death (1:26, 32). Lady Wisdoms vocabulary mirrors that of prophetic language. She calls, (Prv 1:24) is refused, stretches out her hand, (Prv 1:28) needs to be sought and found (Prv 8:17) [compare 2 Chr 15:2, Is 6:9-10, 65:1-2; Hos 5:6, Am 8:12 [C.V.Camp]]. The prophets use such language to describe the relationship of Israel to God while Wisdom speaks of relationship with herself. In all these moral precepts it is presumed that men and women are free agents, responsible for the way in which they exercise the power of choice. Yet there is no suggestion that it is possible to lead a moral life without having any regard to religious considerations. Disregard of God leads to moral ruin (Prv 22:14), but by the fear of the Lord a man avoids evil. (Prv 16:6) Wisdom is to be embraced and is counterbalanced with Folly. Folly caused the Exile and shame. Wisdom will keep us out of it and on the right path. The Jewish people did not have a clearly defined afterlife. The Sadducees did not believe in the Resurrection or the ideal of Sheol (abode of the dead). Because of this, the focus on passing on to the children is dominant of ones inheritance. Proverbs is filled with Father/Son and Mother/Son and Child language imagery. Look to those who have gone before you in this life. Imitate them and learn the lessons from them and pass them on to your children (and so forth). In literature today, books given to children have a point or lesson imparted. This is a sort of an attempt to pass on our wisdom to our children. The end of Proverbs 31 talks about the place of women in Israel. It talks about the ideal woman and gives a description of one who is familiar to the post-Exilic reader. In literature that is a little more recent, Julian of Norwich treats Christ as Mother. This is not a feminist notion. Julians tradition comes from her identification of the second person of the Trinity with the traditional character of Wisdom and her understanding of the identity between Mother Church and the Mystical Body of Christ. For Julian, Christ is the Church, and the Church is the Mother. Christ is Wisdom, and Wisdom is the feminine. Julian never uses anything but masculine pronouns in referring to Christ. She also never characterizes Christ as mother, but describes motherhood as preexisting in Christ. Earthly motherhood, she says is an imitation and reflection of Christ. It is not a characteristic of femininity that Christ shares, but a characteristic of Christ that women share. Wisdom has always been personified as feminine and in some instances to such a degree that Wisdom is characterized as the feminine aspect of God. Lady Wisdom is a personification of a mental power that claims to have preceded creation and to exist in a daughter-like relationship to God. She transcends the mundane reality and human minds. The wisdom that Lady Wisdom signifies corresponds to the teachings of human sages. In Proverbs, the voice of Wisdom and the voice of the teacher do not blend. The teacher, in this case a father, offers wise and lifesaving teachings to his son. The teacher is wise, but wisdom itself transcends any human wisdom. Being personified as a woman, she is a heavenly creature, residing in angelic proximity to God. (John Bright, History of Israel). At the same time, she is traversing the streets and speaking to all. This image tells us that the various proverbs of the father and of Israels sages speak with the same voice: that of Wisdoms own voice. The collection of wisdom literature tells us that in the observations of the sages of ancient Israel and of the wisdom taught in the home both echo transcendent wisdom.

The Physics of Basketball Essays -- Physics Essays

The Physics of Basketball Introduction Any child can pick up a basketball, bounce it a few times, and throw it at the hoop without realizing the complex physics he is involving himself in. However, a greater understanding of the sport can be gained by applying the principles of physics to these actions. Through this paper I will be examining the physics of dribbling and shooting. For the equations, I will use a standard men’s basketball with a mass of 25 oz. (0.7 kg) and a diameter of 9.39†. Dribbling If the basketball was simply dropped from a height of 1 meter with no initial push from the dribbler and rebounded from the floor in a perfectly elastic collision, Mechanical Energy for the system would be conserved (1). However, the collision is not completely elastic and the dribbler pushes the ball with an initial force to ensure that it returns to his hand. To simplify the process I will first consider a situation in which the ball is allowed to fall freely from a height of 1 meter and has a perfectly elastic collision with the floor. After that I will take the true nature of the collision with the floor and the force applied by the dribbler into consideration. Because Mechanical Energy (ME) is equal to Kinetic Energy (KE) plus Gravitational Potential Energy (GPE) and Mechanical Energy is conserved, I know that the initial KE + GPE at 1 meter equals the KE + GPE just before it impacts the ground. If KE =  ½ mv2 and initial velocity is zero, then the initial Kinetic Energy is zero. GPE would equal mass X gravity X height. Assuming mass is 0.7 kg, gravity is 9.8 m/s2 , and the height is 1 meter, then GPE is equal to 7.0 kg * m2/s2. Conversely, the GPE would be zero just before impact because height is zero but KE wo... ...with no spin (1). Therefore, giving the ball backspin decreases the force necessary to propel a basketball a certain distance because it will not fall as quickly. Understanding the physics of shooting and dribbling a basketball may not increase the enjoyment of watching the NBA finals, but it may help improve a basketball player’s skill. If he can find the right force necessary to propel the ball back to his hand when dribbling and realizes the importance of giving the ball a chance to fall down into the rim, he will be better off for the next game. Works Cited 1.Kirkpatrick, L. D., & Wheeler, G. F. (2001). Physics: A World View. Orlando: Harcourt College Publishers. 2.How Things Work. Louis A. Bloomfield. Retrieved April 2003. http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/bouncing_ball.html 3. Spalding basketball - http://www.spalding.com/faq/basketball.html#Q7

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 34. Declared

I heard the music before I was out of the car. Edward hadn't touched his piano since the night Alice left. Now, as I shut the car door, I heard the song morph through a bridge and change into my lullaby. Edward was welcoming me home. I moved slowly as I pulled Renesmee – fast asleep; we'd been gone all day – from the car. We'd left Jacob at Charlie's – he'd said he was going to catch a ride home with Sue. I wondered if he was trying to fill his head with enough trivia to crowd out the image of the way my face had looked when I'd walked through Charlie's door. As I walked slowly to the Cullen house now, I recognized that the hope and uplift that seemed almost a visible aura around the big white house had been mine this morning, too. It felt alien to me now. I wanted to cry again, hearing Edward play for me. But I pulled it together. I didn't want him to be suspicious. I would leave no clues in his mind for Aro if I could help it. Edward turned his head and smiled when I came in the door, but kept playing. â€Å"Welcome home,† he said, as if this was just any normal day. As if there weren't twelve other vampires in the room involved in various pursuits, and a dozen more scattered around somewhere. â€Å"Did you have a good time with Charlie today?† â€Å"Yes. Sorry I was gone so long. I stepped out to do a little Christmas shopping for Renesmee. I know it won't be much of an event, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I shrugged. Edward's lips turned down. He quit playing and spun around on the bench so that his whole body was facing me. He put one hand on my waist and pulled me closer. â€Å"I hadn't thought much about it. If you want to make an event of it – â€Å" â€Å"No,† I interrupted him. I flinched internally at the idea of trying to fake more enthusiasm than the bare minimum. â€Å"I just didn't want to let it pass without giving her something.† â€Å"Do I get to see?† â€Å"If you want. It's only a little thing.† Renesmee was completely unconscious, snoring delicately against my neck. I envied her. It would have been nice to escape reality, even for just a few hours. Carefully, I fished the little velvet jewelry bag from my clutch without opening the purse enough for Edward to see the cash I was still carrying. â€Å"It caught my eye from the window of an antique store while I was driving by.† I shook the little golden locket into his palm. It was round with a slender vine border carved around the outside edge of the circle. Edward popped the tiny catch and looked inside. There was space for a small picture and, on the opposite side, an inscription in French. â€Å"Do you know what this says?† he asked in a different tone, more subdued than before. â€Å"The shopkeeper told me it said something along the lines of ‘more than my own life.' Is that right?† â€Å"Yes, he had it right.† He looked up at me, his topaz eyes probing. I met his gaze for a moment, then pretended to be distracted by the television. â€Å"I hope she likes it,† I muttered. â€Å"Of course she will,† he said lightly, casually, and I was sure in that second that he knew I was keeping something from him. I was also sure that he had no idea of the specifics. â€Å"Let's take her home,† he suggested, standing and putting his arm around my shoulders. I hesitated. â€Å"What?† he demanded. â€Å"I wanted to practice with Emmett a little___† I'd lost the whole day to my vital errand; it made me feel behind. Emmett – on the sofa with Rose and holding the remote, of course – looked up and grinned in anticipation. â€Å"Excellent. The forest needs thinning.† Edward frowned at Emmett and then at me. â€Å"There's plenty of time for that tomorrow,† he said. â€Å"Don't be ridiculous,† I complained. â€Å"There's no such thing as plenty of time anymore. That concept does not exist. I have a lot to learn and – â€Å" He cut me off. â€Å"Tomorrow.† And his expression was such that not even Emmett argued. i was surprised at how hard it was to go back to a routine that was, after all, brand new. But stripping away even that little bit of hope I'd been fostering made everything seem impossible. I tried to focus on the positives. There was a good chance that my daughter was going to survive what was coming, and Jacob, too. If they had a future, then that was a kind of victory, wasn't it? Our little band must be going to hold their own if Jacob and Renesmee were going to have the opportunity to run in the first place. Yes, Alice's strategy only made sense if we were going to put up a really good fight. So, a kind of victory there, too, considering that the Volturi had never been seriously challenged in millennia. It was not going to be the end of the world. Just the end of the Cullens. The end of Edward, the end of me. I preferred it that way – the last part anyway. I would not live without Edward again; if he was leaving this world, then I would be right behind him. I wondered idly now and then if there would be anything for us on the other side. I knew Edward didn't really believe so, but Carlisle did. I couldn't imagine it myself. On the other hand, I couldn't imagine Edward not existing somehow, somewhere. If we could be together in any place, then that was a happy ending. And so the pattern of my days continued, just that much harder than before. We went to see Charlie on Christmas Day, Edward, Renesmee, Jacob, and I. All of Jacob's pack were there, plus Sam, Emily, and Sue. It was a big help to have them there in Charlie's little rooms, their huge, warm bodies wedged into corners around his sparsely decorated tree – you could see exactly where he'd gotten bored and quit – and overflowing his furniture. You could always count on werewolves to be buzzed about a coming fight, no matter how suicidal. The electricity of their excitement provided a nice current that disguised my utter lack of spirit. Edward was, as always, a better actor than I was. Renesmee wore the locket I'd given her at dawn, and in her jacket pocket was the MP3 player Edward had given her – a tiny thing that held five thousand songs, already filled with Edward's favorites. On her wrist was an intricately braided Quileute version of a promise ring. Edward had gritted his teeth over that one, but it didn't bother me. Soon, so soon, I would be giving her to Jacob for safekeeping. How could I be bothered by any symbol of the commitment I was so relying on? Edward had saved the day by ordering a gift for Charlie, too. It had shown up yesterday – priority overnight shipping – and Charlie spent all morning reading the thick instruction manual to his new fishing sonar system. From the way the werewolves ate, Sue's lunch spread must have been good. I wondered how the gathering would have looked to an outsider. Did we play our parts well enough? Would a stranger have thought us a happy circle of friends, enjoying the holiday with casual cheer? I think Edward and Jacob both were as relieved as I was when it was time to go. It felt odd to spend energy on the human fagade when there were so many more important things to be doing. I had a hard time concentrating. At the same time, this was perhaps the last time I would see Charlie. Maybe it was a good thing that I was too numb to really register that. I hadn't seen my mother since the wedding, but I found I could only be glad for the gradual distancing that had begun two years ago. She was too fragile for my world. I didn't want her to have any part of this. Charlie was stronger. Maybe even strong enough for a goodbye now, but I wasn't. It was very quiet in the car; outside, the rain was just a mist, hovering on the edge between liquid and ice. Renesmee sat on my lap, playing with her locket, opening and closing it. I watched her and imagined the things I would say to Jacob right now if I didn't have to keep my words out of Edward's head. If its ever safe again, take her to Charlie. Tell him the whole story someday. Tell him how much I loved him, how I couldn't bear to leave him even when my human life was over. Tell him he was the best father. Tell him to pass my love on to Renee, all my hopes that she will be happy and well†¦. I would have to give Jacob the documents before it was too late. I would give him a note for Charlie, too. And a letter for Renesmee. Something for her to read when I couldn't tell her I loved her anymore. There was nothing unusual about the outside of the Cullen house as we pulled into the meadow, but I could hear some kind of subtle uproar inside. Many low voices murmured and growled. It sounded intense, and it sounded like an argument. I could pick out Carlisle's voice and Amun's more often than the others. Edward parked in front of the house rather than going around to the garage. We exchanged one wary glance before we got out of the car. Jacob's stance changed; his face turned serious and careful. I guessed that he was in Alpha mode now. Obviously, something had happened, and he was going to get the information he and Sam would need. â€Å"Alistair is gone,† Edward murmured as we darted up the steps. Inside the front room, the main confrontation was physically apparent. Lining the walls was a ring of spectators, every vampire who had joined us, except for Alistair and the three involved in the quarrel. Esme, Kebi, and Tia were the closest to the three vampires in the center; in the middle of the room, Amun was hissing at Carlisle and Benjamin. Edward's jaw tightened and he moved quickly to Esme's side, towing me by the hand. I clutched Renesmee tightly to my chest. â€Å"Amun, if you want to go, no one is forcing you to stay,† Carlisle said calmly. â€Å"You're stealing half my coven, Carlisle!† Amun shrieked, stabbing one finger at Benjamin. â€Å"Is that why you called me here? To steal from me?† Carlisle sighed, and Benjamin rolled his eyes. â€Å"Yes, Carlisle picked a fight with the Volturi, endangered his whole family, just to lure me here to my death,† Benjamin said sarcastically. â€Å"Be reasonable, Amun. I'm committed to do the right thing here – I'm not joining any other coven. You can do whatever you want, of course, as Carlisle has pointed out.† â€Å"This won't end well,† Amun growled. â€Å"Alistair was the only sane one here. We should all be running.† â€Å"Think of who you're calling sane,† Tia murmured in a quiet aside. â€Å"We're all going to be slaughtered!† â€Å"It's not going to come to a fight,† Carlisle said in a firm voice. â€Å"You say!† â€Å"If it does, you can always switch sides, Amun. I'm sure the Volturi will appreciate your help.† Amun sneered at him. â€Å"Perhaps that is the answer.† Carlisle's answer was soft and sincere. â€Å"I wouldn't hold that against you, Amun. We have been friends for a long time, but I would never ask you to die for me.† Amun's voice was more controlled, too. â€Å"But you're taking my Benjamin down with you.† Carlisle put his hand on Amun's shoulder; Amun shook it off. â€Å"I'll stay, Carlisle, but it might be to your detriment. I will join them if that's the road to survival. You're all fools to think that you can defy the Volturi.† He scowled, then sighed, glanced at Renesmee and me, and added in an exasperated tone, â€Å"I will witness that the child has grown. That's nothing but the truth. Anyone would see that.† â€Å"That's all we've ever asked.† Amun grimaced, â€Å"But not all that you are getting, it seems.† He turned on Benjamin. â€Å"I gave you life. You're wasting it.† Benjamin's face looked colder than I'd ever seen it; the expression contrasted oddly with his boyish features. â€Å"It's a pity you couldn't replace my will with your own in the process; perhaps then you would have been satisfied with me.† Amun's eyes narrowed. He gestured abruptly to Kebi, and they stalked past us out the front door. â€Å"He's not leaving,† Edward said quietly to me, â€Å"but he'll be keeping his distance even more from now on. He wasn't bluffing when he spoke of joining the Volturi.† â€Å"Why did Alistair go?† I whispered. â€Å"No one can be positive; he didn't leave a note. From his mutters, it's been clear that he thinks a fight is inevitable. Despite his demeanor, he actually does care too much for Carlisle to stand with the Volturi. I suppose he decided the danger was too much.† Edward shrugged. Though our conversation was clearly just between the two of us, of course everyone could hear it. Eleazar answered Edward's comment like it had been meant for all. â€Å"From the sound of his mumblings, it was a bit more than that. We haven't spoken much of the Volturi agenda, but Alistair worried that no matter how decisively we can prove your innocence, the Volturi will not listen. He thinks they will find an excuse to achieve their goals here.† The vampires glanced uneasily at one another. The idea that the Volturi would manipulate their own sacrosanct law for gain was not a popular idea. Only the Romanians were composed, their small half-smiles ironic. They seemed amused at how the others wanted to think well of their ancient enemies. Many low discussions began at the same time, but it was the Romanians I listened to. Maybe because the fair-haired Vladimir kept shooting glances in my direction. â€Å"I do so hope Alistair was right about this,† Stefan murmured to Vladimir. â€Å"No matter the outcome, word will spread. It's time our world saw the Volturi for what they've become. They'll never fall if everyone believes this nonsense about them protecting our way of life.† â€Å"At least when we ruled, we were honest about what we were,† Vladimir replied. Stefan nodded. â€Å"We never put on white hats and called ourselves saints.† Tm thinking the time has come to fight,† Vladimir said. â€Å"How can you imagine well ever find a better force to stand with? Another chance this good?† â€Å"Nothing is impossible. Maybe someday – â€Å" â€Å"We've been waiting for fifteen hundred years, Stefan. And they've only gotten stronger with the years.† Vladimir paused and looked at me again. He showed no surprise when he saw that I was watching him, too. â€Å"If the Volturi win this conflict, they will leave with more power than they came with. With every conquest they add to their strengths. Think of what that newborn alone could give them† – he jerked his chin toward me – â€Å"and she is barely discovering her gifts. And the earth-mover.† Vladimir nodded toward Benjamin, who stiffened. Almost everyone was eavesdropping on the Romanians now, like me. â€Å"With their witch twins they have no need of the illusionist or the fire touch.† His eyes moved to Zafrina, then Kate. Stefan looked at Edward. â€Å"Nor is the mind reader is exactly necessary. But I see your point. Indeed, they will gain much if they win.† â€Å"More than we can afford to have them gain, wouldn't you agree?† Stefan sighed. â€Å"I think i must agree. And that means†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"That we must stand against them while there is still hope.† â€Å"If we can just cripple them, even, expose them †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Then, someday, others will finish the job.† â€Å"And our long vendetta will be repaid. At last.† They locked eyes for a moment and then murmured in unison. â€Å"It seems the only way.† â€Å"So we fight,† Stefan said. Though I could see that they were torn, self-preservation warring with revenge, the smile they exchanged was full of anticipation. â€Å"We fight,† Vladimir agreed. I suppose it was a good thing; like Alistair, I was sure the battle was impossible to avoid. In that case, two more vampires fighting on our side could only help. But the Romanians' decision still made me shudder. â€Å"We will fight, too,† Tia said, her usually grave voice more solemn than ever. â€Å"We believe the Volturi will overstep their authority. We have no wish to belong to them.† Her eyes lingered on her mate. Benjamin grinned and threw an impish glance toward the Romanians. â€Å"Apparently, I'm a hot commodity. It appears I have to win the right to be free.† â€Å"This won't be the first time I've fought to keep myself from a king's rule,† Garrett said in a teasing tone. He walked over and clapped Benjamin on the back. â€Å"Here's to freedom from oppression.† â€Å"We stand with Carlisle,† Tanya said. â€Å"And we fight with him.† The Romanians' pronouncement seemed to have made the others feel the need to declare themselves as well. â€Å"We have not decided/7Peter said. He looked down at his tiny companion; Charlotte's lips were set in dissatisfaction. It looked like she'd made her decision. I wondered what it was. â€Å"The same goes for me,† Randall said. â€Å"And me,† Mary added. â€Å"The packs will fight with the Cullens,† Jacob said suddenly. â€Å"We're not afraid of vampires,† he added with a smirk. â€Å"Children,† Peter muttered. â€Å"Infants,† Randall corrected. Jacob grinned tauntingly. â€Å"Well, I'm in, too,† Maggie said, shrugging out from under Siobhan's restraining hand. â€Å"I know truth is on Carlisle's side. I can't ignore that.† Siobhan stared at the junior member of her coven with worried eyes. â€Å"Carlisle,† she said as if they were alone, ignoring the suddenly formal feel of the gathering, the unexpected outburst of declarations, â€Å"I don't want this to come to a fight.† â€Å"Nor do I, Siobhan. You know that's the last thing I want.† He half-smiled. â€Å"Perhaps you should concentrate on keeping it peaceful.† â€Å"You know that won't help,† she said. I remembered Rose and Carlisle's discussion of the Irish leader; Carlisle believed that Siobhan had some subtle but powerful gift to make things go her way – and yet Siobhan didn't believe it herself. â€Å"It couldn't hurt,† Carlisle said. Siobhan rolled her eyes. â€Å"Shall I visualize the outcome I desire?† she asked sarcastically. Carlisle was openly grinning now. â€Å"If you don't mind.† â€Å"Then there is no need for my coven to declare itself, is there?† she retorted. â€Å"Since there is no possibility of a fight.† She put her hand back on Maggie's shoulder, pulling the girl closer to her. Siobhan's mate, Liam, stood silent and expressionless. Almost everyone else in the room looked mystified by Carlisle and Siobhan's clearly joking exchange, but they didn't explain themselves. That was the end of the dramatic speeches for the night. The group slowly dispersed, some off to hunt, some to while away the time with Carlisle's books or televisions or computers. Edward, Renesmee, and I went to hunt. Jacob tagged along. â€Å"Stupid leeches,† he muttered to himself when we got outside. â€Å"Think they're so superior.† He snorted. â€Å"They'll be shocked when the infants save their superior lives, won't they?† Edward said. Jake smiled and punched his shoulder. â€Å"Hell yeah, they will.† This wasn't our last hunting trip. We all would hunt again nearer to the time we expected the Volturi. As the deadline was not exact, we were planning to stay a few nights out in the big baseball clearing Alice had seen, just in case. All we knew was that they would come the day that the snow stuck to the ground. We didn't want the Volturi too close to town, and Demetri would lead them to wherever we were. I wondered who he would track in, and guessed that it would be Edward since he couldn't track me. I thought about Demetri while I hunted, paying little attention to my prey or the drifting snowflakes that had finally appeared but were melting before they touched the rocky soil. Would Demetri realize that he couldn't track me? What would he make of that? What would Aro? Or was Edward wrong? There were those little exceptions to what I could withstand, those ways around my shield. Everything that was outside my mind was vulnerable – open to the things Jasper, Alice, and Benjamin could do. Maybe Demetri's talent worked a little differently, too. And then I had a thought that brought me up short. The half-drained elk dropped from my hands to the stony ground. Snowflakes vaporized a few inches from the warm body with tiny sizzling sounds. I stared blankly at my bloody hands. Edward saw my reaction and hurried to my side, leaving his own kill undrained. â€Å"What's wrong?† he asked in a low voice, his eyes sweeping the forest around us, looking for whatever had triggered my behavior. â€Å"Renesmee,† I choked. â€Å"She's just through those trees,† he reassured me. â€Å"I can hear both her thoughts and Jacob's. She's fine.† â€Å"That's not what I meant,† I said. â€Å"I was thinking about my shield – you really think it's worth something, that it will help somehow. I know the others are hoping that I'll be able to shield Zafrina and Benjamin, even if I can only keep it up for a few seconds at a time. What if that's a mistake? What if your trust in me is the reason that we fail?† My voice was edging toward hysteria, though I had enough control to keep it low. I didn't want to upset Renesmee. â€Å"Bella, what brought this on? Of course, it s wonderful that you can protect yourself, but you're not responsible for saving anyone. Don't distress yourself needlessly.† â€Å"But what if I can't protect anything?† I whispered in gasps. â€Å"This thing I do, it's faulty, it's erratic! There's no rhyme or reason to it. Maybe it will do nothing against Alec at all.† â€Å"Shh,† he hushed me. â€Å"Don't panic. And don't worry about Alec. What he does is no different than what Jane or Zafrina does. It's just an illusion – he can't get inside your head any more than I can.† â€Å"But Renesmee does!† I hissed frantically through my teeth. â€Å"It seemed so natural, I never questioned it before. It's always been just part of who she is. But she puts her thoughts right into my head just like she does with everyone else. My shield has holes, Edward!† I stared at him desperately, waiting for him to acknowledge my terrible revelation. His lips were pursed, as if he was trying to decide how to phrase something. His expression was perfectly relaxed. â€Å"You thought of this a long time ago, didn't you?† I demanded, feeling like an idiot for my months of overlooking the obvious. He nodded, a faint smile pulling up one corner of his mouth. â€Å"The first time she touched you.† I sighed at my own stupidity, but his calm had mellowed me some. â€Å"And this doesn't bother you? You don't see it as a problem?† â€Å"I have two theories, one more likely than the other.† â€Å"Give me the least likely first.† â€Å"Well, she's your daughter,† he pointed out. â€Å"Genetically half you. I used to tease you about how your mind was on a different frequency than the rest of ours. Perhaps she runs on the same.† This didn't work for me. â€Å"But you hear her mind just fine. Everyone hears her mind. And what if Alec runs on a different frequency? What if – ?† He put a finger to my lips. â€Å"I've considered that. Which is why I think this next theory is much more likely.† I gritted my teeth and waited. â€Å"Do you remember what Carlisle said to me about her, right after she showed you that first memory?† Of course I remembered. â€Å"He said, It's an interesting twist. Like she's doing the exact opposite of what you can.'† â€Å"Yes. And so I wondered. Maybe she took your talent and flipped it, too.† I considered that. â€Å"You keep everyone out,† he began. â€Å"And no one keeps her out?† I finished hesitantly. â€Å"That's my theory,† he said. â€Å"And if she can get into your head, I doubt there's a shield on the planet who could keep her at bay. That will help. From what we've seen, no one can doubt the truth of her thoughts once they've allowed her to show them. And I think no one can keep her from showing them, if she gets close enough. If Aro allows her to explain___† I shuddered to think of Renesmee so close to Aro's greedy, milky eyes. â€Å"Well,† he said, rubbing my tight shoulders. â€Å"At least there's nothing that can stop him from seeing the truth.† â€Å"But is the truth enough to stop him?† I murmured. For that, Edward had no answer.

Business Level Strategy Of Delta - 1353 Words

The company I chose to research is Delta which is in the airlines industry. Delta is one of the world’s largest global airlines that assist more than 160 million travelers get to destinations around the world. The company started in 1924 as a small aerial crop dusting operation known as Huff Daland Dusters. In 1929 Delta had its first passenger flights that went from Dallas, Texas to Jackson, Mississippi. This flight was taken on an airplane that carried 5 passengers and 1 pilot. Delta has been offering its service to customers for 85 years. For four consecutive years, Delta has been ranked No. 1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey. This is a huge accomplishment because it is a first for any airline. It is important†¦show more content†¦Delta â€Å"focuses on shifting their cost structure from fixed to variable costs as much as possible.† (https://rctom.hbs.org/submission/delta-airlines-flying-high-in-a-competitive-industry/) Delta also u nderstands the importance the importance of delivering top notch customer service to appeal to their principal demographic, business travelers. They have incorporated a training work-shop so employees have a better understanding of how to solve travel disruptions that customers deal with. Employees also learn how to help insure that baggage performance is up to par with a low amount of mishandled bags reports from customers. Delta has done this by incorporating a way for customers to track their bags using a mobile app. In the Business Travel News Delta has been ranked #1 by corporate flyers for four years in a row. I believe the business level strategies that Delta has incorporated have been a good choice for their business. Their strategies have helped them to gain a competitive advantage from customer service and great operating cost flexibility. Corporate-level strategies are liable for market definition; they address the entire scope of the business. This strategy helps a business to diversify its service. It gives them direction in which geographic region they should operate and which service markets to strive in. â€Å"Thus, an effective corporate-level strategy creates, across all of a firm’s businesses, aggregate returns that exceed what thoseShow MoreRelatedDelta Airline SWOT1257 Words   |  6 Pages Summary of External and Internal situation of Delta Air Lines Technological advancements, mergers and acquisitions, volatility in crude oil prices, currency depreciation, ground staff management and baggage handling are the major external factors for Delta Air Lines. 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