Behavioral Psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Behavioral Psychology - Essay Example John B. Watson founded the school of behavioral psychology in hopes that it would make psychology as academically respected as other sciences such as chemistry and physiology were. He moved away from the introspective methods of psychology which were popular at the time, and moved towards a more scientific, observable approach. He believed that the behavior of humans and animals were comparable, and therefore, most behavioral experiments used animals such as rats as subjects and then generalized the findings to humans. Watson believed that all behavior could be explained by what was called "classical conditioning" (Watson, 1999). The idea behind classical conditioning is that one could pair a stimulus that causes a response or reflex with an unrelated stimulus. Over time, the unrelated stimulus alone should cause the response or reflex. An example of this would the famous experiment conducted by Ivan Pavlov. Pavlov noticed that when he set food out for his dogs, they would salivate. He then paired the setting out of food with ringing a bell. Over time, the dogs salivated to the ringing bell alone, without the setting out of food. ... While he agreed that the behaviors of animals and humans are comparable and that psychology should focus of observable behavior, Skinner did believe that there is such thing as the mind. The only reason he chose to study observations over the mind is because observations can be objectively measured in a scientific way whereas the mind cannot (Boeree, 2006). Skinner also differs from Watson in that he believes that changes in behavior can be attributed to reinforcers, whereas Watson attributes change in behavior to associations between events. Skinner referred to this theory of behavior as "operant conditioning" which maintains that "the behavior is followed by a consequence, and the nature of the consequence modifies the organism's tendency to repeat the behavior in the future" (Boeree, 2006, p. 2). Depending on the type of reinforcer, the likelihood of the behavior can be increased or decreased. For example, if a child is given praise every time he says "please", he will likely cont inue to say "please". This is an example of positive reinforcement, which increases the likelihood of a behavior. At the same time, punishment decreases the likelihood of a behavior. For example, if a child is put in time out every time he pushes his sister, then he should begin to push his sister less and less. Skinner also believed that once a reinforcer is taken away, then the behavior should occur less and less. This belief led Skinner to believe that there was no such thing as free will. He explained that people behave badly because that behavior is rewarded in some way and that people behave well because that behavior is rewarded in some way. On the other hand, Edward C. Tolman had a different set of views than Watson and Skinner. While Tolman shied away

Lineage of Sin and Death Essay Example for Free

Lineage of Sin and Death Essay The Genesis account of Adam and Eve speaks about the commission of original sin as man first tried to disobey God’s command. It was when they first gave in to evil temptations that they sinned against their creator. From the very beginning, God said to Adam that He allows them to eat from any tree in the Garden of Eden but never from the tree of knowledge of good and evil (New American Bible). The Church preaches that the original sin corresponded to the loss of faith of man in their creator as well as an abuse of the freedom afforded to him or her by God. Having sinned against God opened their eyes to the existence of evil in the world. The original sin produced devastating results. It brought forth death and destroyed the loving relationship shared by God and the rest of His creation (Domning Hellwig, 2006). Likewise, the will of man is permanently damaged as a consequence of the commission of original sin. Such sin may be characterized as the loss of original inviolability and justice affected the descendants of Adam and Eve due to the will’s weakness. Man does not uphold original justice and righteousness anymore but rather is tempted by sinful and self-seeking desires. The constant evil temptations as well as the loss of the benefits of original inviolability and justice tainted Adam’s soul, and being his progeny, the rest of humanity were similarly condemned. The mark of original sin is handed down to all of Adam’s descendants from the time of birth and with it are the effects of death, ignorance, and misery. In the end, the mercy of God still prevails (Humphreys, 2001). The salvation of humanity over sin and death was made possibly through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ on the cross. In obedience to His Father’s plan for salvation, the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ redeemed the world from the pains of hell. It was a blessing from a merciful Father for the expiation of original sin committed by His children against Him. References Domning, D. P. , Hellwig, M. (2006). Original Selfishness: Original Sin and Evil in the Light of Evolution. Burlington, Vermont: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Humphreys, W. L. (2001). The Character of God in the Book of Genesis: A Narrative Appraisal. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press. The New American Bible. (1987). Nashville: Catholic Bible Press.

The Concept Of Media Framing

The Concept Of Media Framing In this paper, we analyze the concept of media framing in relation to the construction of a mosque at ground zero. We identify the various frames used by various media houses in America and compare and contrast them. We analyze the related literature and the basic concepts involved in media framing. A general overview of the concept of media framing is also provided. Entman (1993) describes framing as a scattered concept where previous researchers lack clear conceptual meanings and depend on context-based definitions, rather than general applicability. Brosius and Eps (1995) proceeds that framing may not be clear in explication and generally used but can be seen as a metaphor which does not convert directly into research setting. While different authors agree that there is lack of commonality in the definition of this term, people have often used the term frame to refer to similar but different approaches. For this particular article, I now use the term framing to refer to the way media houses use mind-controlling technique to gain readership and viewership by providing what appears to be new but intricately woven to control the thought process and opinions. Concept of Media Framing Framing can be compared to the setting of agenda or opinion but stretches the research by pin pointing the issues that area at hand instead of a particular topic. Framing theory makes the media take an issue and then places it to connote a new meaning or opinion. It is a very important technique since make the media tailor he thoughts of the masses towards a particular direction hence they become opinion leaders. When the media selects topics, they direct the people where and what to think. When journalists choose a frame, they make sure that they even provide a structure in such a way that their audience only interpret what is provided. A frame is a notion which serves to organize or direct social meaning to a given issue at hand. Their intention is to make the targeted audience to think about the news bulletin or article and how to think about it. Media framing at Ground Zero Mosque Construction This article looks at the myths, stories, metaphors, and narratives and traditions that the media employed to capture the attention of the American citizens and the wiorld at large and cause the proposal to construct ground zero mosque a big story. While research has shown that the proposed Islamic Cultural Center and Mosque was not to be constructed at the ill-fated World Trade Center site, the frames that were used clearly depicts that the media conditioned the thoughts of the audience to think in a particular direction. CNNs framing of the Mosque at Ground Zero Numbers as a frame The very dominant frame used by CNN in the framing of the mosque at ground zero is numbers. They used extremely large statistics in order to show how grave the situation was being objected by Americans. They purported that a poll they conducted revealed that 68% of Americans opposed the construction of the ground zero mosque (McCormack, 2010).This is as postulated by Stone (2002). Islamophobic phrases as a frame CNN televised mind-boggling Islamophobes on several occasions and if not all, Geller who once advocated for the destruction of Jerusalems Dome of Rock, which is a Moslems revered sites, and one who once depicted Muhammad with the face of a pig in her website (FAIR Blog, 2010) had appeared twice on the CNNs network between May and August 2010 to state her position on the proposed construction. Her appearance and her contribution direct people to her perception of what Islam is about. Consequently, CNN by close extension frame the issue of proposed mosque construction and become opinion carrier and disseminates the same to the audience. This media house, ought to have stated the factual reports without tilting towards anti-Moslem crusaders. Cooper 360 (2010) gave Fischer television airtime to contribute that Islam is totalitarian and that it is anti-Christian and seeks the extermination of Western ideology on civilization. Another segment of Cooper (2010) of Anderson Cooper featured Benham of prolife, anti-Islam crusade Operation Save America, where Islam was termed as a lie from hell. This is in fact use of depiction as a framing device to cause the listeners to imagine, ponder and magnify a Muslim-dominated America. Conceptualization of media framing Framing theory Extant literature has been dedicated to the concept of media framing. This literature can be categorized into four broad stages. The initial stage which gives an account of media framing that occurred between the 1920s and the 1930s was characterized by event that occurred during the World War I such as propaganda effects as well as its beliefs regarding beliefs on the influence of media on the attitude of people (Scheufele, 1999). The second phase took place between the 1930s and the 1960s and was marked by issues that tended to put forward the gravity and nee of personal experience in the process of changing the attitude of people. The researchers who noted this did believe that the main media effect was concentrated on the reinforcement of the attitude that were already in existence as postulated by Klapper (1960). The study of the third stage which took place between 1970s and 1980s gave life to the new media effects that were even stronger. The focus of the media was however rap idly shifted from attitude changes to more cognitive based effects as outlined by Noelle-Neumann (1973). The fourth stage which has been running from 1980s to present has been heavily marred by elements of social constructivism, as shown by the work of scholars such as Berger and Luckmann (1966), Gamson and Modigliani(1989) and Tuchman (1978) who are all social scientists. The other portion of literature on this stage of media effects has also been researched and discussed by political scientists such as Ivengar (1991) and Scheufele (1999).The concept of social constructivism attempts to make an explanation on the possible relationships that exists between media and the audience via a combination of elements of strong as well as limited media effects in the domain of mass media. The work of Gamson and Modigliani (1989, p. 2) categorically expressed the fact that Media discourse is part of the process by which individuals construct meaning, and public opinion is part of the process by which journalistsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦develop and crystallize meaning in public discourse. The work of Gamson and Modigliani (1987) further portrays the real essence of media framing as being the main organizing idea or rather the story line that gives a meaning to certain upholding string of events. The frames therefore do suggest what a certain controversy is about as well as the real essence of the issue involved (Gamson and Modigliani, 1987, p. 143). Entman (1993) however points out that the meaning of a frame is tied down to the selection of certain aspects of a reality which is perceived in order to make them salient so as to promote a certain definition of a problem, its moral evaluation, causal meaning as well as the treatment of the recommendations (Entman, 1993, p. 52). The work of Iyengar (1991) made a differentiation between the thematic and episodic media frames. These episodic media frames are a depiction of public media issues which in essence are concrete instances as well as specific events that come about as a result of individualistic actions. The thematic framing reports on the other side are a systematic reflection of the problems that take place in our society on a level that is considered abstract but with outcomes that are general. The media framing of the Mosque at ground Zero is a perfect example of thematic framing Media framing and elements of public deliberation The work of Simon and Xenos (2000) on media framing was concentrated on the analysis of media framing in order to research the influence of public deliberation that is actively involved in the process of social creation as well as the changes that occur in our society over a period of time. They point out that deliberation is a process involving political argumentation that moves on through a process of discursive giving and taking. The effects are therefore intricately linked to the media framing effects as was indicative in their research (Simon and Xenos, 2000, p. 367). Media framing and the reasoning devices The work of Gamson and Lasch (1983) came up with an identification of various framing as well as reasoning devices that can be utilized as a combination in order to create frames. The framing devices include metaphors, exemplars, and visual images, depictions and metaphors. These do suggest a framework to be used in viewing of the issues involved. The reasoning devices on the other side include roots, appeal principles and consequences. They are used in the provision of justification and reasons for the general positions that are adopted (Gamson and Lasch, 1983, p. 399).The work of Stone (2002) makes an addition to the list of devices that include synecdoche as well as numbers. Synecdoche refers to figure of speech which represents an idea in its entirety or in parts. Numbers on the other hand are used as a method of describing a certain phenomena as well as events using measurements. The most favorite technique is the use of ether abnormally large or small numbers in order to dramatize an idea as pointed out by Stone (2002, p. 137) Media framing as depicted by other channels and newspapers The trouble started with anti-Muslim activists when they suggested that the proposal a ploy by Muslims in American to conquer the memorial site of the September Eleven attacks (Big Government, 2010). The Big Government uses the word conquer to capture the attention of the already audience who are paranoid about terrorism and the perceived Islamization of America. The point that the proposed site is closer to the ground zero site would not attract serious readership without using the word conquer to tune the minds of the audience to imagine America infested by the perceived enemies. A good timeline is provided by the Salon (2010) traces the genesis of the controversy to posts done by Pamela Geller on the web Atlas Shrugs blog (2010), a source of anti-Muslim forum. Which insinuated about the impending perceived Islamization of America? Geller (2009) retorted that the construction of the mosque at the world trade centers site was about Islamic expansionism and domination. The term Islamization of America is a catch-phrase used to frame the story in order to agitate the American populace. He added that the Islamic center will instill and encourage the Qurans violent texts. This narrative, together with what exists in the Atlas Shrugs blog, is intentionally designed to direct the audience to a specific line of agitation against Muslim rights in America. In addition, from May, the New York Post picked up a story and Andrea Peyser (2010), the columnist who spread the propaganda that the center was to open on the September 11 in the year 2011, and used repetitively the term Ground Zero mosque in his references to the cultural center. This culminated into anti-Muslim debates as intended by the writer. This numerous use of the terminology of ground zero is use of numbers as a framing device. Contrast between media houses on framing The main contrast between the media houses was the gravity of reporting the extent of media framing. This is depicted in the work of Nisbet and Garrett (2010) whose analysis shown that FOX News was responsible for most of the rumors and misconceptions regarding the construction of the mosque at ground zero. Conclusion The concept of media framing can be used positively and effectively in various parts of the human society such as in effectively improving businesses instead of using it to trample on basic human rights. It is important that it be used since it can be used in eliciting the true meaning of certain events.

Growing Up In A Single-Parent Family Essay -- Single Parent Family Pap

Growing Up In A Single-Parent Family With the divorce rate as high as it is, more and more children are growing up in single-parent families. Ideally, it is better for children to live with their mom and dad happily married; however, children who grow up in single-parent households can still be well- adjusted children, teenagers, and adults. Although there are always exceptions to every rule, for the most part, children who grow up in single-parent working households are more mature, realistic and independent. First, in a single-parent working family, children tend to be more mature. The children are more mature because they often have to be responsible for themselves. For example, if their mom or dad has to work late, or if they work evenings, the children are in control of when to do their homework or even in some cases when to go to bed. Also, children in this environment or situation sometimes have to be responsible for taking care of their brother, sister or other close relatives. For example, they have to be re...

The Twilight Saga 4: Breaking Dawn 25. Favor

It was only a little while later that Edward reminded me of my priorities. It took him just one word. â€Å"Renesmee†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I sighed. She would be awake soon. It must be nearly seven in the morning. Would she be looking for me? Abruptly, something close to panic had my body freezing up. What would she look like today? Edward felt the total distraction of my stress. â€Å"It's all right, love. Get dressed, and we'll be back to the house in two seconds.† I probably looked like a cartoon, the way I sprung up, then looked back at him – his diamond body faintly glinting in the diffuse light – then away to the west, where Renesmee waited, then back at him again, then back toward her, my head whipping from side to side a half dozen times in a second. Edward smiled, but didn't laugh; he was a strong man. â€Å"It's all about balance, love. You're so good at all of this, I don't imagine it will take too long to put everything in perspective.† â€Å"And we have all night, right?† He smiled wider. â€Å"Do you think I could bear to let you get dressed now if that weren't the case?† That would have to be enough to get me through the daylight hours. I would balance this overwhelming, devastating desire so that I could be a good – It was hard to think the word. Though Renesmee was very real and vital in my life, it was still difficult to think of myself as a mother. I supposed anyone would feel the same, though, without nine months to get used to the idea. And with a child that changed by the hour. The thought of Renesmee's speeding life had me stressed-out again in an instant. I didn't even pause at the ornately carved double doors to catch my breath before finding out what Alice had done. I just burst through, intent on wearing the first things I touched. I should have known it wouldn't be that easy. â€Å"Which ones are mine?† I hissed. As promised, the room was bigger than our bedroom. It might have been bigger than the rest of the house put together, but I'd have to pace it off to be positive. I had a brief mental flash of Alice trying to persuade Esme to ignore classic proportions and allow this monstrosity. I wondered how Alice had won that one. Everything was wrapped in garment bags, pristine and white, row after row after row. â€Å"To the best of my knowledge, everything but this rack here† – he touched a bar that stretched along the half-wall to the left of the door – â€Å"is yours.† â€Å"All of this?† He shrugged. â€Å"Alice,† we said together. He said her name like an explanation; I said it like an expletive. â€Å"Fine,† I muttered, and I pulled down the zipper on the closest bag. I growled under my breath when I saw the floorlength silk gown inside – baby pink. Finding something normal to wear could take all day! â€Å"Let me help,† Edward offered. He sniffed carefully at the air and then followed some scent to the back of the long room. There was a built-in dresser there. He sniffed again, then opened a drawer. With a triumphant grin, he held out a pair of artfully faded blue jeans. I flitted to his side. â€Å"How did you do that?† â€Å"Denim has its own scent just like anything else. Now†¦ stretch cotton?† He followed his nose to a half-rack, unearthing a long-sleeved white t-shirt. He tossed it to me. â€Å"Thanks,† I said fervently. I inhaled each fabric, memorizing the scent for future searches through this madhouse. I remembered silk and satin; I would avoid those. It only took him seconds to find his own clothes – if I hadn't seen him undressed, I would have sworn there was nothing more beautiful than Edward in his khakis and pale beige pullover – and then he took my hand. We darted through the hidden garden, leaped lightly over the stone wall, and hit the forest at a dead sprint. I pulled my hand free so that we could race back. He beat me this time. Renesmee was awake; she was sitting up on the floor with Rose and Emmett hovering over her, playing with a little pile of twisted silverware. She had a mangled spoon in her right hand. As soon as she spied me through the glass, she chucked the spoon on the floor – where it left a divot in the wood – and pointed in my direction imperiously. Her audience laughed; Alice, Jasper, Esme, and Carlisle were sitting on the couch, watching her as if she were the most engrossing film. I was through the door before their laughter had barely begun, bounding across the room and scooping her up from the floor in the same second. We smiled widely at each other. She was different, but not so much. A little longer again, her proportions drifting from babyish to childlike. Her hair was longer by a quarter inch, the curls bouncing like springs with every movement. I'd let my imagination run wild on the trip back, and I'd imagined worse than this. Thanks to my overdone fears, these little changes were almost a relief. Even without Carlisle's measurements, I was sure the changes were slower than yesterday. Renesmee patted my cheek. I winced. She was hungry again. â€Å"How long has she been up?† I asked as Edward disappeared through the kitchen doorway. I was sure he was on his way to get her breakfast, having seen what she'd just thought as clearly as I had. I wondered if he would ever have noticed her little quirk, if he'd been the only one to know her. To him, it probably would have seemed like hearing anyone. â€Å"Just a few minutes,† Rose said. â€Å"We would have called you soon. She's been asking for you – demandingmight be a better description. Esme sacrificed her second-best silver service to keep the little monster entertained.† Rose smiled at Renesmee with so much gloating affection that the criticism was entirely weightless. â€Å"We didn't want to†¦ er, bother you.† Rosalie bit her lip and looked away, trying not to laugh. I could feel Emmett's silent laughter behind me, sending vibrations through the foundations of the house. I kept my chin high. â€Å"We'll get your room set up right away,† I said to Renesmee. â€Å"You'll like the cottage. It's magic.† I look up at Esme. â€Å"Thank you, Esme. So much. It's absolutely perfect.† Before Esme could respond, Emmett was laughing again – it wasn't silent this time. â€Å"So it's still standing?† he managed to get out between his snickers. â€Å"I would've thought you two had knocked it to rubble by now. What were you doing last night? Discussing the national debt?† He howled with laughter. I gritted my teeth and reminded myself of the negative consequences when I'd let my temper get away from me yesterday. Of course, Emmett wasn't as breakable as Seth___ Thinking of Seth made me wonder. â€Å"Where're the wolves today?† I glanced out the window wall, but there had been no sign of Leah on the way in. â€Å"Jacob took off this morning pretty early,† Rosalie told me, a little frown creasing her forehead. â€Å"Seth followed him out.† â€Å"What was he so upset about?† Edward asked as he came back into the room with Renesmee's cup. There must have been more in Rosalie's memory than I'd seen in her expression. Without breathing, I handed Renesmee off to Rosalie. Super-self-control, maybe, but there was no way I was going to be able to feed her. Not yet. â€Å"I don't know – or care,† Rosalie grumbled, but she answered Edward's question more fully. â€Å"He was watching Nessie sleep, his mouth hanging open like the moron he is, and then he just jumped to his feet without any kind of trigger – that I noticed, anyway – and stormed out. was glad to be rid of him. The more time he spends here, the less chance there is that we'll ever get the smell out.† â€Å"Rose,† Esme chided gently. Rosalie flipped her hair. â€Å"I suppose it doesn't matter. We won't be here that much longer.† â€Å"I still say we should go straight to New Hampshire and get things set up,† Emmett said, obviously continuing an earlier conversation. â€Å"Bella's already registered at Dartmouth. Doesn't look like it will take her all that long to be able to handle school.† He turned to look at me with a teasing grin. Tm sure you'll ace your classes†¦ apparently there's nothing interesting for you to do at night besides study.† Rosalie giggled. Do not lose your temper, do not lose your temper,I chanted to myself. And then I was proud of myself for keeping my head. So I was pretty surprised that Edward didn't. He growled – an abrupt, shocking rasp of sound – and the blackest fury rolled across his expression like storm clouds. Before any of us could respond, Alice was on her feet. â€Å"What is he doing? What is that dog doing that has erased my schedule for the entire day? I can't see anything] No!† She shot me a tortured glance. â€Å"Look at you! You neec/meto show you how to use your closet.† For one second I was grateful for whatever Jacob was up to. And then Edward's hands balled up into fists and he snarled, â€Å"He talked to Charlie. He thinks Charlie is following after him. Coming here. Today.† Alice said a word that sounded very odd in her trilling, ladylike voice, and then she blurred into motion, streaking out the backdoor. â€Å"He told Charlie?† I gasped. â€Å"But – doesn't he understand? How could he do that?† Charlie couldn't know about me! About vampires! That would put him on a hit list that even the Cullens couldn't save him from. â€Å"No!† Edward spoke through his teeth. â€Å"Jacob's on his way in now.† It must have started raining farther east. Jacob came through the door shaking his wet hair like a dog, flipping droplets on the carpet and the couch where they made little round gray spots on the white. His teeth glinted against his dark lips; his eyes were bright and excited. He walked with jerky movements, like he was all hyped-up about destroying my father's life. â€Å"Hey, guys,† he greeted us, grinning. It was perfectly silent. Leah and Seth slipped in behind him, in their human forms – for now; both of their hands were trembling with the tension in the room. â€Å"Rose,† I said, holding my arms out. Wordlessly, Rosalie handed me Renesmee. I pressed her close to my motionless heart, holding her like a talisman against rash behavior. I would keep her in my arms until I was sure my decision to kill Jacob was based entirely on rational judgment rather than fury. She was very still, watching and listening. How much did she understand? â€Å"Charlie'll be here soon,† Jacob said to me casually. â€Å"Just a heads-up. I assume Alice is getting you sunglasses or something?† â€Å"You assume way too much,† I spit through my teeth. â€Å"What. Have. You. Done?† Jacob's smile wavered, but he was still too wound up to answer seriously. â€Å"Biondie and Emmett woke me up this morning going on and on about you all moving cross-country. Like I could let you leave. Charlie was the biggest issue there, right? Well, problem solved.'7 â€Å"Do you even realize what you've done? The danger you've put him in?† He snorted. â€Å"I didn't put him in danger. Except from you. But you've got some kind of supernatural self-control, right? Not as good as mind reading, if you ask me. Much less exciting.† Edward moved then, darting across the room to get in Jacob's face. Though he was half a head shorter than Jacob, Jacob leaned away from his staggering anger as if Edward towered over him. â€Å"That's just a theory, mongrel,† he snarled. â€Å"You think we should test it out on Charlie? Did you consider the physical pain you're putting Bella through, even if she can resist? Or the emotional pain if she doesn't? I suppose what happens to Bella no longer concerns you!† He spit the last word. Renesmee pressed her fingers anxiously to my cheek, anxiety coloring the replay in her head. Edward's words finally cut through Jacob's strangely electric mood. His mouth dropped into a frown. â€Å"Bella will be in pain?† â€Å"Like you've shoved a white-hot branding iron down her throat!† I flinched, remembering the scent of pure human blood. â€Å"I didn't know that,† Jacob whispered. â€Å"Then perhaps you should have asked first,† Edward growled back through his teeth. â€Å"You would have stopped me.† â€Å"You should have been stopped – â€Å" â€Å"This isn't about me,† I interrupted. I stood very still, keeping my hold on Renesmee and sanity. â€Å"This is about Charlie, Jacob. How could you put him in danger this way? Do you realize it's death or vampire life for him now, too?† My voice trembled with the tears my eyes could no longer shed. Jacob was still troubled by Edward's accusations, but mine didn't seem to bother him. â€Å"Relax, Bella. I didn't tell him anything you weren't planning to tell him.† â€Å"But he's coming here!† â€Å"Yeah, that's the idea. Wasn't the whole let him make the wrong assumptions' thing your plan? I think I provided a very nice red herring, if I do say so myself.† My fingers flexed away from Renesmee. I curled them back in securely. â€Å"Say it straight, Jacob. I don't have the patience for this.† â€Å"I didn't tell him anything about you, Bella. Not really. I told him about me. Well, show is probably a better verb.† â€Å"He phased in front of Charlie,† Edward hissed. I whispered, â€Å"You what?† â€Å"He's brave. Brave as you are. Didn't pass out or throw up or anything. I gotta say, I was impressed. You should've seen his face when I started taking my clothes off, though. Priceless,† Jacob chortled. â€Å"You absolute moronl You could have given him a heart attack!† â€Å"Charlie's fine. He's tough. If you'd give this just a minute, you'll see that I did you a favor here.† â€Å"You have half of that, Jacob.† My voice was flat and steely. â€Å"You have thirty seconds to tell me every single word before I give Renesmee to Rosalie and rip your miserable head off. Seth won't be able to stop me this time.† â€Å"Jeez, Bells. You didn't used to be so melodramatic. Is that a vampire thing?† â€Å"Twenty-six seconds.† Jacob rolled his eyes and flopped into the nearest chair. His little pack moved to stand on his flanks, not at all relaxed the way he seemed to be; Leah's eyes were on me, her teeth slightly bared. â€Å"So I knocked on Charlie's door this morning and asked him to come for a walk with me. He was confused, but when I told him it was about you and that you were back in town, he followed me out to the woods. I told him you weren't sick anymore, and that things were a little weird, but good. He was about to take off to see you, but I told him I had to show him something first. And then I phased.† Jacob shrugged. My teeth felt like a vise was pushing them together. â€Å"I want every word, you monster.† â€Å"Well, you said I only had thirty seconds – okay, okay.† My expression must have convinced him that I wasn't in the mood for teasing. â€Å"Lemme see†¦ I phased back and got dressed, and then after he started breathing again, I said something like, ‘Charlie, you don't live in the world you thought you lived in. The good news is, nothing has changed – except that now you know. Life'll go on the same way it always has. You can go right back to pretending that you don't believe any of this.' â€Å"It took him a minute to get his head together, and then he wanted to know what was really going on with you, with the whole rare-disease thing. I told him that you had been sick, but you were fine now – it was just that you'd had to change a little bit in the process of getting better. He wanted to know what I meant by ‘change,' and I told him that you looked a lot more like Esme now than you looked like Renee.† Edward hissed while I stared in horror; this was headed in a dangerous direction. â€Å"After a few minutes, he asked, real quietly, if you turned into an animal, too. And I said, ‘She wishes she was that cool!'† Jacob chuckled. Rosalie made a noise of disgust. â€Å"I started to tell him more about werewolves, but I didn't even get the whole word out – Charlie cut me off and said he'd ‘rather not know the specifics.' Then he asked if you'd known what you were getting yourself into when you married Edward, and I said, ‘Sure, she's known all about this for years, since she first came to Forks.' He didn't like that very much. I let him rant till he got it out of his system. After he got calmed down, he just wanted two things. He wanted to see you, and I said it would be better if he gave me a head start to explain.† I inhaled deeply. â€Å"What was the other thing he wanted?† Jacob smiled. â€Å"You'll like this. His main request is that he be told as little as possible about all of this. If it's not absolutely essential for him to know something, then keep it to yourself. Need to know, only.† I felt relief for the first time since Jacob had walked in. â€Å"I can handle that part.† â€Å"Other than that, he'd just like to pretend things are normal.† Jacob's smile turned smug; he must suspect that I would be starting to feel the first faint stirrings of gratitude about now. â€Å"What did you tell him about Renesmee?† I struggled to maintain the razor edge in my voice, fighting the reluctant appreciation. It was premature. There was still so much wrong with this situation. Even if Jacob's intervention had brought out a better reaction in Charlie than I'd ever hoped for†¦ â€Å"Oh yeah. So I told him that you and Edward had inherited a new little mouth to feed.† He glanced at Edward. â€Å"She's your orphaned ward – like Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson.† Jacob snorted. â€Å"I didn't think you'd mind me lying. That's all part of the game, right?† Edward didn't respond in any way, so Jacob went on. â€Å"Charlie was way past being shocked at this point, but he did ask if you were adopting her. ‘Like a daughter? Like I'm sort of a grandfather?' were his exact words. I told him yes. ‘Congrats, Gramps, and all of that. He even smiled a little.† The stinging returned to my eyes, but not out of fear or anguish this time. Charlie was smiling at the idea of being a grandpa? Charlie would meet Renesmee? â€Å"But she's changing so fast,† I whispered. â€Å"I told him that she was more special than all of us put together,† Jacob said in a soft voice. He stood and walked right up to me, waving Leah and Seth off when they started to follow. Renesmee reached out to him, but I hugged her more tightly to me. â€Å"I told him, Trust me, you don't want to know about this. But if you can ignore all the strange parts, you're going to be amazed. She's the most wonderful person in the whole world.' And then I told him that if he could deal with that, you all would stick around for a while and he would have a chance to get to know her. But that if it was too much for him, you would leave. He said as long as no one forced too much information on him, he'd deal.† Jacob stared at me with half a smile, waiting. â€Å"I'm not going to say thank you,† I told him. â€Å"You're still putting Charlie at a huge risk.† â€Å"I am sorry about it hurting you. I didn't know it was like that. Bella, things are different with us now, but you'll always be my best friend, and I'll always love you. But I'll love you the right way now. There's finally a balance. We both have people we can't live without.† He smiled his very most Jacob-y smile. â€Å"Still friends?† Try as hard as I could to resist, I had to smile back. Just a tiny smile. He held out his hand: an offer. I took a deep breath and shifted Renesmee's weight to one arm. I put my left hand in his – he didn't even flinch at the feel of my cool skin. â€Å"If I don't kill Charlie tonight, I'll consider forgiving you for this.† â€Å"Whenyou don't kill Charlie tonight, you'll owe me huge.† I rolled my eyes. He held out his other hand toward Renesmee, a request this time. â€Å"Can I?† â€Å"I'm actually holding her so that my hands aren't free to kill you, Jacob. Maybe later.† He sighed but didn't push me on it. Wise of him. Alice raced back through the door then, her hands full and her expression promising violence. â€Å"You, you, and you,† she snapped, glaring at the werewolves. â€Å"If you must stay, get over in the corner and commit to being there for a while. I need to see. Bella, you'd better give him the baby, too. You'll need your arms free, anyway.† Jacob grinned in triumph. Undiluted fear ripped through my stomach as the enormity of what I was about to do hit me. I was going to gamble on my iffy self-control with my pure human father as the guinea pig. Edward's earlier words crashed in my ears again. Did you consider the physical pain you're putting Bella through, even if she can resist? Or the emotional pain if she doesn't? I couldn't imagine the pain of failure. My breathing turned to gasps. â€Å"Take her,† I whispered, sliding Renesmee into Jacob's arms. He nodded, concern wrinkling his forehead. He gestured to the others, and they all went to the far corner of the room. Seth and Jake slouched on the floor at once, but Leah shook her head and pursed her lips. â€Å"Am I allowed to leave?† she griped. She looked uncomfortable in her human body, wearing the same dirty t-shirt and cotton shorts she'd worn to shriek at me the other day, her short hair sticking up in irregular tufts. Her hands were still shaking. â€Å"Of course,† Jake said. â€Å"Stay east so you don't cross Charlie's path,† Alice added. Leah didn't look at Alice; she ducked out the back door and stomped into the bushes to phase. Edward was back at my side, stroking my face. â€Å"You can do this. I know you can. Ill help you; we all will.† I met Edward's eyes with panic screaming from my face. Was he strong enough to stop me if I made a wrong move? â€Å"If I didn't believe you could handle it, we'd disappear today. This very minute. But you can. And you'll be happier if you can have Charlie in your life.† I tried to slow my breathing. Alice held out her hand. There was a small white box on her palm. â€Å"These will irritate your eyes – they won't hurt, but they'll cloud your vision. It's annoying. They also won't match your old color, but it's still better than bright red, right?† She flipped the contact box into the air and I caught it. â€Å"When did you – â€Å" â€Å"Before you left on the honeymoon. I was prepared for several possible futures.† I nodded and opened the container. I'd never worn contacts before, but it couldn't be that hard. I took the little brown quarter-sphere and pressed it, concave side in, to my eye. I blinked, and a film interrupted my sight. I could see through it, of course, but I could also see the texture of the thin screen. My eye kept focusing on the microscopic scratches and warped sections. â€Å"I see what you mean,† I murmured as I stuck the other one in. I tried to not blink this time. My eye automatically wanted to dislodge the obstruction. â€Å"How do I look?† Edward smiled. â€Å"Gorgeous. Of course – â€Å" â€Å"Yes, yes, she always looks gorgeous,† Alice finished his thought impatiently. â€Å"It's better than red, but that's the highest commendation I can give. Muddy brown. Your brown was much prettier. Keep in mind that those won't last forever – the venom in your eyes will dissolve them in a few hours. So if Charlie stays longer than that, you'll have to excuse yourself to replace them. Which is a good idea anyway, because humans need bathroom breaks.† She shook her head. â€Å"Esme, give her a few pointers on acting human while I stock the powder room with contacts.† â€Å"How long do I have?† â€Å"Charlie will be here in five minutes. Keep it simple.† Esme nodded once and came to take my hand. â€Å"The main thing is not to sit too still or move too fast,† she told me. â€Å"Sit down if he does,† Emmett interjected. â€Å"Humans don't like to just stand there.† â€Å"Let your eyes wander every thirty seconds or so,† Jasper added. â€Å"Humans don't stare at one thing for too long.† â€Å"Cross your legs for about five minutes, then switch to crossing your ankles for the next five,† Rosalie said. I nodded once at each suggestion. I'd noticed them doing some of these things yesterday. I thought I could mimic their actions. â€Å"And blink at least three times a minute,† Emmett said. He frowned, then darted to where the television remote sat on the end table. He flipped the TV on to a college football game and nodded to himself. â€Å"Move your hands, too. Brush your hair back or pretend to scratch something,† Jasper said. â€Å"I said Esme† Alice complained as she returned. â€Å"You'll overwhelm her.† â€Å"No, I think I got it all,† I said. â€Å"Sit, look around, blink, fidget.† â€Å"Right,† Esme approved. She hugged my shoulders. Jasper frowned. â€Å"You'll be holding your breath as much as possible, but you need to move your shoulders a little to make it /oo/clike you're breathing.† I inhaled once and then nodded again. Edward hugged me on my free side. â€Å"You can do this,† he repeated, murmuring the encouragement in my ear. â€Å"Two minutes,† Alice said. â€Å"Maybe you should start out already on the couch. You've been sick, after all. That way he won't have to see you move right at first.† Alice pulled me to the sofa. I tried to move slowly, to make my limbs more clumsy. She rolled her eyes, so I must not have been doing a good job. â€Å"Jacob, I need Renesmee,† I said. Jacob frowned, unmoving. Alice shook her head. â€Å"Bella, that doesn't help me see.† â€Å"But I need her. She keeps me calm.'7The edge of panic in my voice was unmistakable. â€Å"Fine,† Alice groaned. â€Å"Hold her as still as you can and I'll try to see around her.† She sighed wearily, like she'd been asked to work overtime on a holiday. Jacob sighed, too, but brought Renesmee to me, and then retreated quickly from Alice's glare. Edward took a seat beside me and put his arms around Renesmee and me. He leaned forward and looked Renesmee very seriously in the eyes. â€Å"Renesmee, someone special is coming to see you and your mother,† he said in a solemn voice, as if he expected her to understand every word. Did she? She looked back at him with clear, grave eyes. â€Å"But he's not like us, or even like Jacob. We have to be very careful with him. You shouldn't tell him things the way you tell us.† Renesmee touched his face. â€Å"Exactly,† he said. â€Å"And he's going to make you thirsty. But you mustn't bite him. He won't heal like Jacob.† â€Å"Can she understand you?† I whispered. â€Å"She understands. You'll be careful, won't you, Renesmee? You'll help us?† Renesmee touched him again. â€Å"No, I don't care if you bite Jacob. That's fine.† Jacob chuckled. â€Å"Maybe you should leave, Jacob,† Edward said coldly, glaring in his direction. Edward hadn't forgiven Jacob, because he knew that no matter what happened now, I was going to be hurting. But I'd take the burn happily if that were the worst thing I'd face tonight. â€Å"I told Charlie I'd be here,† Jacob said. â€Å"He needs the moral support.† â€Å"Moral support,† Edward scoffed. â€Å"As far as Charlie knows, you're the most repulsive monster of us all.† â€Å"Repulsive?† Jake protested, and then he laughed quietly to himself. I heard the tires turn off the highway onto the quiet, damp earth of the Cullens' drive, and my breathing spiked again. My heart ought to have been hammering. It made me anxious that my body didn't have the right reactions. I concentrated on the steady thrumming of Renesmee's heart to calm myself. It worked pretty quickly. â€Å"Well done, Bella,† Jasper whispered in approval. Edward tightened his arm over my shoulders. â€Å"You're sure?† I asked him. â€Å"Positive. You can do anything† He smiled and kissed me. It wasn't precisely a peck on the lips, and my wild vampiric reactions took me off guard yet again. Edward's lips were like a shot of some addictive chemical straight into my nervous system. I was instantly craving more. It took all my concentration to remember the baby in my arms. Jasper felt my mood change. â€Å"Er, Edward, you might not want to distract her like that right now. She needs to be able to focus.† Edward pulled away. â€Å"Oops,† he said. I laughed. That had been my line from the very beginning, from the very first kiss. â€Å"Later,† I said, and anticipation curled my stomach into a ball. â€Å"Focus, Bella,† Jasper urged. â€Å"Right.† i pushed the trembly feelings away. Charlie, that was the main thing now. Keep Charlie safe today. We would have all night___ â€Å"Bella.† â€Å"Sorry, Jasper.† Emmett laughed. The sound of Charlie's cruiser got closer and closer. The second of levity passed, and everyone was still. I crossed my legs and practiced my blinks. The car pulled in front of the house and idled for a few seconds. I wondered if Charlie was as nervous as I was. Then the engine cut off, and a door slammed. Three steps across the grass, and then eight echoing thuds against the wooden stairs. Four more echoing footsteps across the porch. Then silence. Charlie took two deep breaths. Knock, knock, knock. I inhaled for what might be the last time. Renesmee nestled deeper into my arms, hiding her face in my hair. Carlisle answered the door. His stressed expression changed to one of welcome, like switching the channel on the TV. â€Å"Hello, Charlie,† he said, looking appropriately abashed. After all, we were supposed to be in Atlanta at the Center for Disease Control. Charlie knew he'd been lied to. â€Å"Carlisle,† Charlie greeted him stiffly. â€Å"Where's Bella?† â€Å"Right here, Dad.† Ugh! My voice was so wrong. Plus, I'd used up some of my air supply. I gulped in a quick refill, glad that Charlie's scent had not saturated the room yet. Charlie's blank expression told me how off my voice was. His eyes zeroed in on me and widened. I read the emotions as they scrolled across his face. Shock. Disbelief. Pain. Loss. Fear. Anger. Suspicion. More pain. I bit my lip. It felt funny. My new teeth were sharper against my granite skin than my human teeth had been against my soft human lips. â€Å"Is that you, Bella?† he whispered. â€Å"Yep.† I winced at my wind-chime voice. â€Å"Hi, Dad.† He took a deep breath to steady himself. â€Å"Hey, Charlie,† Jacob greeted him from the corner. â€Å"How're things?† Charlie glowered at Jacob once, shuddered at a memory, and then stared at me again. Slowly, Charlie walked across the room until he was a few feet away from me. He darted an accusing glare at Edward, and then his eyes flickered back to me. The warmth of his body heat beat against me with each pulse of his heart. â€Å"Bella?† heasked again. I spoke in a lower voice, trying to keep the ring out of it.†It's really me.† His jaw locked. â€Å"I'm sorry, Dad,† I said. â€Å"Are you okay?† he demanded. â€Å"Really and truly great,† I promised. â€Å"Healthy as a horse.† That was it for my oxygen. â€Å"Jake told me this was†¦ necessary. That you were dying.† He said the words like he didn't believe them one bit. I steeled myself, focused on Renesmee's warm weight, leaned into Edward for support, and took a deep breath. Charlie's scent was a fistful of flames, punching straight down my throat. But it was so much more than pain. It was a hot stabbing of desire, too. Charlie smelled more delicious than anything I'd ever imagined. As appealing as the anonymous hikers had been on the hunt, Charlie was doubly tempting. And he was just a few feet away, leaking mouthwatering heat and moisture into the dry air. But I wasn't hunting now. And this was my father. Edward squeezed my shoulders sympathetically, and Jacob shot an apologetic glance at me across the room. I tried to collect myself and ignore the pain and longing of the thirst. Charlie was waiting for my answer. â€Å"Jacob was telling you the truth.† â€Å"That makes one of you,† Charlie growled. I hoped Charlie could see past the changes in my new face to read the remorse there. Under my hair, Renesmee sniffed as Charlie's scent registered with her, too. I tightened my grip on her. Charlie saw my anxious glance down and followed it. â€Å"Oh,† he said, and all the anger fell off his face, leaving only shock behind. â€Å"This is her. The orphan Jacob said you're adopting.† â€Å"My niece,† Edward lied smoothly. He must have decided that the resemblance between Renesmee and him was too pronounced to be ignored. Best to claim they were related from the beginning. â€Å"I thought you'd lost your family,† Charlie said, accusation returning to his voice. â€Å"I lost my parents. My older brother was adopted, like me. I never saw him after that. But the courts located me when he and his wife died in a car accident, leaving their only child without any other family.† Edward was so good at this. His voice was even, with just the right amount of innocence. I needed practice so that I could do that. Renesmee peeked out from under my hair, sniffing again. She glanced shyly at Charlie from under her long lashes, then hid again. â€Å"She's†¦ she's,well, she's a beauty.† â€Å"Yes,† Edward agreed. â€Å"Kind of a big responsibility, though. You two are just getting started.† â€Å"What else could we do?† Edward brushed his fingers lightly over her cheek. I saw him touch her lips for just a moment – a reminder. â€Å"Would you have refused her?† â€Å"Hmph. Well.† Heshook his head absently. â€Å"Jake says you call her Nessie?† â€Å"No, we don't,† I said, my voice too sharp and piercing. â€Å"Her name is Renesmee.† Charlie refocused on me. â€Å"How do you feel about this? Maybe Carlisle and Esme could – â€Å" â€Å"She's mine,† I interrupted. â€Å"I want her.† Charlie frowned. â€Å"You gonna make me a grandpa so young?† Edward smiled. â€Å"Carlisle is a grandfather, too.† Charlie shot an incredulous glance at Carlisle, still standing by the front door; he looked like Zeus's younger, better-looking brother. Charlie snorted and then laughed. â€Å"I guess that does sort of make me feel better.†His eyes strayed back to Renesmee. â€Å"She sure is something to look at.† His warm breath blew lightly across the space between us. Renesmee leaned toward the smell, shaking off my hair and looking him full in the face for the first time. Charlie gasped. I knew what he was seeing. My eyes – his eyes – copied exactly into her perfect face. Charlie started hyperventilating. His lips trembled, and I could read the numbers he mouthed. He was counting backward, trying to fit nine months into one. Trying to put it together but not able to force the evidence right in front of him to make any sense. Jacob got up and came over to pat Charlie on the back. He leaned in to whisper something in Charlie's ear; only Charlie didn't know we could all hear. â€Å"Need to know, Charlie. It's okay. I promise.† Charlie swallowed and nodded. And then his eyes blazed as he took a step closer to Edward with his fists tightly clenched. â€Å"I don't want to know everything, but I'm done with the lies!† â€Å"I'm sorry,† Edward said calmly, â€Å"but you need to know the public story more than you need to know the truth. If you're going to be part of this secret, the public story is the one that counts. It's to protect Bella and Renesmee as well as the rest of us. Can you go along with the lies for them?† The room wasfull of statues. I crossed my ankles. Charlie huffed once and then turned his glare on me. â€Å"You might've given me some warning, kid.† â€Å"Would it really have made this any easier?† He frowned, and then he knelt on the floor in front of me. I could see the movement of the blood in his neck under his skin. I could feel the warm vibration of it. So could Renesmee. She smiled and reached one pink palm out to him. I held her back. She pushed her other hand against my neck, thirst, curiosity, and Charlie's face in her thoughts. There was a subtle edge to the message that made me think that she'd understood Edward's words perfectly; she acknowledged thirst, but overrode it in the same thought. â€Å"Whoa,† Charlie gasped, his eyes on her perfect teeth. â€Å"How old is she?† â€Å"Urn†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Three months,† Edward said, and then added slowly, â€Å"rather, she's the size of a three-month-old, more or less. She's younger in some ways, more mature in others.† Very deliberately, Renesmee waved at him. Charlie blinked spastically. Jacob elbowed him. â€Å"Told you she was special, didn't I?† Charlie cringed away from the contact. â€Å"Oh, c'mon, Charlie,† Jacob groaned. â€Å"I'm the same person I've always been. Just pretend this afternoon didn't happen.† The reminder made Charlie's lips go white, but he nodded once. â€Å"Just what is your part in all this, Jake?† he asked. â€Å"How much does Billy know? Why are you here?† He looked at Jacob's face, which was glowing as he stared at Renesmee. â€Å"Well, I could tell you all about it – Billy knows absolutely everything – but it involves a lot of stuff about werewo – â€Å" â€Å"Ungh!† Charlie protested, covering his ears. â€Å"Never mind.† Jacob grinned. â€Å"Everything's going to be great, Charlie. Just try to not believe anything you see.† My dad mumbled something unintelligible. â€Å"Woo!† Emmett suddenly boomed in his deep bass. â€Å"Go Gators!† Jacob and Charlie jumped. The rest of us froze. Charlie recovered, then looked at Emmett over his shoulder. â€Å"Florida winning?† â€Å"Just scored the first touchdown,† Emmett confirmed. He shot a look in my direction, wagging his eyebrows like a villain in vaudeville. â€Å"‘Bout time somebody scored around here.† I fought back a hiss. In front of Charlie? That was over the line. But Charlie was beyond noticing innuendos. He took yet another deep breath, sucking the air in like he was trying to pull it down to his toes. I envied him. He lurched to his feet, stepped around Jacob, and half-fell into an open chair. â€Å"Well,† he sighed, â€Å"I guess we should see if they can hold on to the lead.†

To Build or Buy a Small Business

402 Small Business Professor, Ricardo Toye| To Build or Buy | Week 4 Assignment 1| Cornelius Gaskins 1/22/2013 | Craft a brief (1-2 pages) strategy for a business concept that would directly compete with the small business you selected. Explain the rationale for the strategy in detail. â€Å"It Bakes Good,† with a delicious flavor that is sure to please. Watching customer’s satisfaction is the goal. Developing a Bakery as a counter business with a competitive strategy to navigate through barriers set up by existing Bakeries is the plan at hand. The initial bakery is deals with astries, breads, croissants and coffee, teas and other beverages. Also you can read  Business Ethics Comprises This new business strategy involves a similar menu with other cooked foods served at breakfast, lunch and dinner from soups, salads, potato dishes, sea foods and beef dishes. The floor plan will include a rail like leader to guide the people through the food ordering line. The pickup counter will be positioned away from the ordering line to give customers quick access to sitting if they have not already chosen their seating. The food menu will sit on the wall above the ordering counter in big letters easy to read among picturesque background to add a serene touch of comfort while the customers enjoy their meals. The beverage counter will be located in an area away from eating customers yet close by to allow access to water, coffee and other drinks. The location of the business will be in the inner city in a high density area, well lighted, with street parking and clean sidewalks. The building exterior will be freshly painted with freshly installed windows allowing both customers on t he inside to see out and people passing by the clear view of seeing within. Large colorful neon lights will advertise the business at night and day.The Bakery will operate as a Partnership. Three Partners will initially start the business although others may join at a later time. It is projected that the initial investment of the partners will be enough to start and operate the business for at least six months while additional investment capital can be sought after and obtained. This plan is looking to find a niche in the current business district to both serve eat and go customers while providing doggie bags for the same and catering to those customers who want to take their purchases home. I will be open to the possibility of selling ingredients for those ustomers who may be interested. The rationale behind this new business is to appeal to the customer base having cooked food on the menu that is freshly cooked served on china and eaten with silverware. The aim is to provide an at home environment with a touch of fast food convenience. Determine if it would make more sense to open the new business you describe or to purchase the existing business you selected. Explain your reasoning. The option of buying the existing business has the appeal of adding the menu additions and the dinning room modifications to this business.Would the temporary modifications lose money for the new owners while the remodeling is done or could regular operations continue? Would the business changing from the existing business to a Partnership have an impact on the bottom line? Or would it be necessary to change the current form of ownership? Could buying the existing business be converted to the new dinning floor plan while still meeting any fire codes for customer access to safety in the invent of a fire? Considering that both businesses would exist in similarly constructed structures it is believed that the first requirement ould be met. The usage of the current customers has an appeal since the current business operations has been consistent on the profit where the purchasing of inventory and the cash register receipts have indicated. The lack of similar Bakery businesses in the general area continue to be a plus for the location and buying the existing Bakery would limit competition for awhile. Considering remodeling cost, purchase price as opposed to starting a new business cost buying the existing business appears to be a better financial bargain. For the existing usiness the baking and dishwashing equipment are in satisfactory working order. The purchasing a grill to prepare food has a reasonable cost and the food prep area is already in place. The dinning area will require the purchase of tables and chairs that would have to be bolted to the floor during remodeling. Comparing the requirements for initiating a new business as opposed to buying an existing business, the buying of the existing business has the better appeal based on how the later is up a nd running. While the new business has some hurdles may exist as far as the condition of the uilding foundation, plumbing, electrical systems and the roofing condition and whether the business is responsible for repairs or the building owner. It is important to note that the existing business could have problems that cannot be seen but has to be investigated to be discovered. Problems such as ill-will between the suppliers and a customer as well with other neighboring businesses. â€Å"Jump starting the cash flow will have better potential due to existing operational elements such as customers, inventory and equipment already in place. † (http://www. sba. gov/content/buying-existing-business)Discuss the most appropriate form of ownership for your new business (assuming your current financial situation). Considering the new business Partnership as the form of ownership and considering the current form of ownership used buy the owner of the existing business, both really has no thing to do with what form one owner prefers over what form another owner prefers. Each form has both advantages and disadvantages. The most noticeable concern over owner a business is liability responsibility, what can be taken from the owners to cover liabilities and cannot which taxes hould be a major concern. â€Å"You report and pay taxes on a partnership like you would in a sole proprietorship; you and your partner pay income taxes on individual shares of the profits, but no tax is paid on the partnership. You report your share of the profit earned during the tax period that ends within the year being reported (by December 31or June 30). This is done whether or not profits are actually distributed. The rate of tax is the same as for the individual, and the income is reported on an individual 1040 form (Schedule E). A partnership return has to be filed with the IRS for nformation purposes only (Form 1065). You and your partner are personally liable, including personal assets, for debts and judgments. Creditors can collect from either you or your partner — even if you did not necessarily contract the debt. † (CIS/0939/pdf) â€Å"Sole proprietorships and partnerships are easy to set up — you don't have to file any special forms or pay any fees to start your business. Plus, you don't have to follow any special operating rules. LLCs and corporations, on the other hand, are almost always more expensive to create and more difficult to maintain.To form an LLC or corporation, you must file a document with the state and pay a fee, which ranges from about $40 to $800, depending on the state where you form your business. In addition, owners of corporations and LLCs must elect officers (usually, a president, vice president, and secretary) to run the company. They also have to keep records of important business decisions and follow other formalities. If you're starting your business on a shoestring, it might make the sense to form the simplest ty pe Of business — a sole proprietorship (for one-owner businesses) or a partnership (for businesses with more than one owner). One note has to be included regarding the Partnership which is the dissolution procedure following the quitting or death of a Partner. Following the attempted sale of the quitting partners share of the business or attempted sale to the current partners who may or may not be able to afford the price, the initial Partnership business has to be dissolved and a new Partnership established with the exclusion of the previous partner that left the partnership. Thus both buying an existing business as well as forming the rigt form of ownership both present issues that has to be considered by the new owners.Considering the Partnership dissolution aspect a Partnership still can be entered into with each original pertners with ca n agreement on how any quitting partners share is dispursed. Outline a business plan for your business. Visit http://www. sba. gov for tools and templates. The initial feasibility test for the business seems to have passed certain test through the current numbers produce by the existing Bakery. The location is good, customer interest in the product is proven while competition for Bakery goods comes from large retailer in limited quantities unlike he freshly baked items or freshly cooked menu dishes. It is estimated the initial investment cost less the estimated earnings would yield between a 7 to 9 percent return. Each member of the partnership has a hand in the formulating of the business plan. The initial outline of the business plan will include the following elements: Simple business plan outline Executive Summary: The Bakery is designed to provide customers with freshly baked goods while also giving them the opportunity to have a sit-down meal or just grab a cup of coffee with a pastry.Having conducted a feasibility study on the success potential of this business in the location chosen it was found that potent ial customers enjoyed the products sold by the previous bakery and enjoy the option of lounging while eating a restaurant style meal. The objective is to provide customers with a competitive products located their homes. To earn a 7 to 9 percent return on the initial investment during the first year. The mission of the Bakery is to provide customers with freshly baked goods that they enjoy eating minus the plastic wrapped brands sold in the big box retail outlets. Company Description:The store location is neatly situated in a business district catering to a wide range of business on a busy thorough fare moments from the residential area in every direction from the Bakery. This location is already familiar to most of the customers from the previously owned bakery. The operation of the Bakery is from 6am to 10pm. Orders can be called in on the phone or placed on the internet site at www. It Bakes Good. net The store policy for payment of gods is cash and credit card only. Product or S ervice: The main products of this Bakery are freshly baked pastries, croissants, donuts, breads and cakes.On the menu freshly prepared menu foods includes sea food dishes, soups, sandwiches, Beef , chicken and pork dishes. The main benefits customers receive from the store is freshly baked goods, the option to place orders ahead of time by phone or on the internet or within the store. Market Analysis: The location has proven to be profitable for the previous bakery. Its customer base remained loyal to returning to purchase goods as well as using the bakery to prepare special occasion dishes for birthday parties, anniversaries, and other customer defined events.Strategy and Implementation: Be specific. Include management responsibilities with dates and budgets. Make sure you can track results. Web Plan Summary: For e-commerce, include discussion of website, development costs, operations, sales and marketing strategies. Management Team: Describe the organization and the key management team members. Financial Analysis: Make sure to include at the very least your projected Profit and Loss and Cash Flow tables. Strategy and Implementation Summary SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities ThreatsCompetitive Edge Marketing Strategy Sales Strategy Sales Forecast Management Summary Personal Plan Financial Plan Important Assumptions Breakeven Analysis Projected Profit and Loss Projected Cash Flow Projected Balance Sheet Business Ratios Considering this is just an outline a few of the elements were addressed to give an idea of what the plan entails. Of course there are the remaining elements that have to be explained. (http://www. cals. uidaho. edu/edcomm/pdf/CIS/CIS0939. pdf) http://www. sba. gov/content/buying-existing-business