Group Organizational Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Group Organizational Ethics - Essay Example In the interest of keeping a good customer happy and committed to us over the long haul, I determined that the correct business course of action would be to actually reduce the price for this customer, rather than try to increase it. This was also the ethically correct thing to do because we were ripping off this particular customer as evidenced by the fact that the other customers were paying far less. After some serious arm twisting, I was able to convince the company that there is greater potential long-term profit if we reduce this customer's price in order to shore up the business relationship. Fortunately, we were able to do this, and the customer now feels like they are treated fairly. I did not need to compromise my values or beliefs. Yes, I would have an obligation to stay connected, because I would be unlikely to suffer any harm. Under a deontological ethical approach, it is simply the right thing to do to sacrifice one's time in order to save the life of another person. If the facts were a little bit different, and there was some risk to my own life, or I would be putting the life of another person at risk due to my lack of availability, it would be a reason to reconsider.

Syntax Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Syntax Assignment - Essay Example This is in line with the views of Greenbaum and Quirk (1990), who insist that the words selected by a narrator are reflective of the time aspect, regardless of whether the action took place in the past, present or in the future. For example, ‘every time’ is one phrase used to show the aspect of repetitive time, relating the subjects, who are Barney and the grandmother, where emphasis is placed on the frequency of times that she tells him of the way that the ground gives way, at the edge of chalk pit. ‘Every time’ is also used to show the number of times and how often the sister would tell him about the chalk pit. For example, the text emphasizes that the sister would tell Barney the same thing, â€Å"every time she wasn’t telling him something else. ‘Today’ is used to show the present time, when Barney had nothing to do, except visit the chalk pit. ‘Once’ is used to show the aspect of the given time when the location of the chalk pit was the side of a hill. The word ‘once’ is used to show the past time (Greenbaum and Quirk, 1990). B). The author used ‘verb tense groups,’ which comprise an auxiliary verb or a verb and a principal verb tense. The combination of the verb and the other parts of the groups are used to create the verb tense group. The need for this tense group is determined by the type of verb used. Examples from the text include ‘everybody had told him’, ‘men had come to dig away chalk and left...’ ‘His sister, every time she wasn’t telling him something else’, he thought of all the sticks of chalk’, and ‘the sticks of chalk they must have made...’ C). The tenses used within the verb tense groups used throughout the text fall under the three main classifications: past, present and future tense. These tenses are used to show the time of a verb’s being or action (Matthews, 2003). In doing this, the ending of the verb is conjugated to show the time of reference. For

Islam View on Pornography Essay Example for Free

Islam View on Pornography Essay Admonition on pornography from Quran and Hadith Islam on Pornography: A Definite No Such pictures, rather than curb or fulfill the desire, are designed to increase it inducing one to further prohibited acts and finally Zina (adultery or fornication). This is corroborated by the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) appearing in both Al-Bukhari and Muslim explaining the different categories of adultery: Lustful glances constitute Zina of the eyes. Listening (to flirtations or lewd talks or songs) constitute Zina of the ears. (Licentious and lewd) speech constitutes Zina of the tongue. The (lustful) grip of the hand constitutes its Zina, and the movement of the feet (toward the act of Zina) is likewise. The heart lusts and desires. These are then either fulfilled by the private parts or rejected. † (Riyad As-Saliheen) Verses From Al-Quran Surely God enjoins justice, kindness and the doing of good, to kith and kin; and He forbids all that is shameful, indecent, evil, rebellious and oppressive. Allah knows best. He knows His creation. He knows that we are weak. Therefore, He likes us to stay away from shameful things. Verily those who love that indecenc Sahih Muslim Dont expose your thigh to anyone and dont look at the thigh of any person even if s/he is dead. Narrated Ali ibn abi Talib. Ibn e Maja, Abi Dawud, Darqutani. Tafseer Kabeer Allah has written for Adams son his share of adultery which he commits inevitably. The adultery of the eyes is the sight (to gaze at a forbidden thing), the adultery of the tongue is the talk, and the inner self wishes and desires and the private parts testify all this or deny it. Abu Hurairah. Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud.

Locke: Of Identity And Diversity

Locke: Of Identity And Diversity I will begin by analyzing John Lockes theory of personal identity. Locke describes personal identity in his chapter Of Identity and Diversity, where he differentiates identity into different components until he creates a more general account of identity. Locke begins by explaining how Each individual atom is the same at a time, and stays the same over time.1It is in his first few lines that Locke stresses that identity for atoms depends on their continued identical existence over time. He then makes it clear that the most important part of identity of an organism is the continuation of the same life. However, Lockes difficulty is in deciding if physical or psychological continuity was more important. It is clear that Locke rejects the idea that the identity of the human body is a necessary part of the identity of a person. Locke proves this point using his example of the soul of a prince in the body of a cobbler: For should the soul of a prince, carrying with it the consciousness of the princes past life, enter and inform the body of a cobbler, as soon as deserted by his own soul, everyone sees he would be the same person with the prince, accountable only for the princes actions; but who would say it was the same man?2 In this example Locke shows that the human body is not necessary in personal identity since you could have the same person in two different bodies. Since the physical body cannot maintain personal identity, Locke comes to the conclusion that it must be the psychological aspect of humanity that retains personal identity. 1It is at this point that the emphasis of identity is placed on the psychological rather than the physical aspect of life as stated in Lockes second book: This may show us wherein personal identity consists: not in the identity of substance, but in the identity of consciousness3 Lockes next point was to differentiate between a man and a person. He uses the example of a rational talking parrot and compares it to an organism with the same shape as a human being though; it is unable to engage in rational discourse.1 This thought experiment is used by Locke to demonstrate that rationality is not an essential part of a man. Since rational discourse was not a necessary part of man. Locke expressed identity using something else. Thus, Locke finally narrowed down the integral part of personal identity to consciousness. Lockes definition of conscious is as follows: Consciousness is both a necessary and a sufficient condition for a morally vital sense of personal identity.3 Locke describes the essence of self as being their consciousness, which he states as something distinguishable for every thinking thing. This consciousness is described as the sameness of a rational being. The unique characteristic of consciousness is that allows it to retain personal identity is that it can be extended backwards to any past action or thought. It is this characteristic that Locke uses to explain his theory of personal identity. 4Locke also disagrees with the Cartesian view of the soul, which held that a mans soul was of an entirely different essence than his body, focusing more on the connectedness of the same conscious thought. Therefore, Locke reaches the conclusion that personal identity can only be achieved through psychological continuity. As a result of this, psychological continuity relies only on the beings ability to consciously look back on their previous existence and be able to distinguish between conscious thought and memory. This distinction is extremely important to bec ause Locke is frequently ambiguous when dealing with both terms. When he refers to conscious memory, he implies that it represents the consciousness of a past experience. Conscious thought, on the other hand, involves perceiving that one perceives. Locke explains that when we will anything, we are always conscious of it. Psychological continuity, as Locke describes it, also insinuates that a person who exists at one time is indistinguishable with a person who exists at a second time only if the first person remembers some past experience that connects the second person to the second time. Therefore, Lockes definition of personal identity centers around the continuity of the consciousness, which is able to relate past and present memories and retain some sense of self awareness. Now that I have explained and given an analysis of Lockes theory of personal identity, I will now evaluate the validity of Lockes theory by proving that his account of personal identity is incorrect. Lockes arguments contain flaws from their conception. I have a great difficulty with Lockes statement of self-conscious awareness as the main constituent of personal identity since intrinsically that consciousness is available only to each unique self. Due to this dilemma, third party juries will be subject to error in many cases. In order to further explain this point, I will divide my argument into two questions; what does personal identity consist of and how can one tell a person is the same? First, since Locke defined personal identity as a persons consciousness, I will use that as my basis for this argument. Thus, since we can only tell a person through their physical aspect, it becomes impossible to distinguish if someone elses consciousness resides in the person you are looking at . An example would be if a person robbed a bank but wasnt conscious of the fact that he performed the act in the first place. According to Locke, the man should be free of all charges since he wasnt the same person who robbed the bank. This however is preposterous if in a courtroom there is evidence of that person robbing the bank, the only exception being if the person could prove they lost consciousness throughout the event. Another error found within Lockes argument centers around the fact that even though a person can switch bodies, it is the consciousness that determines the identity of the bodies. Thus it is clear that while Lockes statements seem perfectly rational in theory, practically though, they have no weight. Another flaw found in Lockes argument, is in how he leaves out particular cases where his theory of psychological continuity cannot apply. First however, I must define the distinction between person and man. Locke defines man as a living body of some particular sh ape. A person, on the other hand, is an intelligent thinking being that can know itself as itself the same thinking thing in different times and places.4An example of this would be humans who remain in vegetative conditions and show no mental faculties whatsoever. According to Lockes description of personal identity these human beings are not considered persons since nothing can be discovered from their past in order for that individual to define their psychological identity. Lockes argument between man and person becomes too controversial since the definition of both terms can never truly be settled. In conclusion, after providing examples to counterclaim Lockes argument that personal identity originates from psychological continuity it is clear that Lockes view on identity is too flawed to be correct when defining identity for each person. 1William, Uzgalis. John Locke > The Immateriality of the Soul and Personal Identity (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/supplement.html (accessed October 13, 2010). 2Locke, John. Of Identity and Diversity. In Essay Concerning Human Understanding Volume Two. 1690. Reprint, Toronto: Dover Publications, 2005. 517-518. 3John, Locke. Of Identity and Diversity. In Essay Concerning Human Understanding Volume Two. 1690. Reprint, Toronto: Dover Publications, 2005. 514. 4John, Locke. Of Identity and Diversity. In Essay Concerning Human Understanding Volume Two. 1690. Reprint, Toronto: Dover Publications, 2005. 515. sBibliography Uzgalis, William. John Locke > The Immateriality of the Soul and Personal Identity (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/supplement.html (accessed October 13, 2010). Locke, John. Of Identity and Diversity. In Essay Concerning Human Understanding Volume Two. 1690. Reprint, Toronto: Dover Publications, 2005. 517-518. Locke, John. Of Identity and Diversity. In Essay Concerning Human Understanding Volume Two. 1690. Reprint, Toronto: Dover Publications, 2005. 514. Locke, John. Of Identity and Diversity. In Essay Concerning Human Understanding Volume Two. 1690. Reprint, Toronto: Dover Publications, 2005. 515.

Essay --

The American College of Sports Medicine’s fitness trend survey for 2011 consisted of information from the health and fitness industry as well as the opinions of professionals who currently worked in the field. The survey encouraged its respondents to make the important distinction between a â€Å"fad† and a â€Å"trend† (Thompson, 2010). This survey consists of trends rather than fads a trend is a long term change in the way people behave. A fad on the other hand is a short term fashion that is taken up with strong feeling of active interest but only for a brief period. Trying out new exercise techniques and fitness programs can encourage and motivate people to engage in physical activity. The ACSM conducted its first fitness survey in 2006 for the predicted trends of 2007 this was the earliest effort in developing a systematic way to predict the future of the health and fitness industry (Thompson, 2010). There were three consecutive surveys conducted to identify fitness trends for the year 2008, 2009 and 2010. The surveys measured health and fitness trends in various sectors of the industry which consisted of commercial (for-profit), clinical (medical fitness), community (not-for-profit) and corporate sectors (Thompson, 2010). The 2011 survey consisted of 31 feasible trends which was six lesser than the previous 2010 survey. The number was fewer because the respondents complained about the length of the survey. The 31 items were designed using a Likert-type scale ranging from 1-10 the low score of 1 (less likely to be a trend) and 10 (most likely to be a trend) (Thompson, 2010). The initial step in this analysis was to gather all of the responses and place them in order from the most crowd-pleasing trend to the least popular trend. The r... ...ed due to cost. Programs that were considered costly such as Pilates and indoor cycling are no longer in the top 20. The results of the 2014 survey predicts that more people will be engaging in high-intensity interval training (HIT) this was the trend’s debut year. This was offered as a potential trend in previous surveys but never made it to the top 20. This trend is more appealing to consumers because it takes less time allowing people to engage in other daily responsibilities. Another cost-effective trend also making its debut in the survey is body weight training which uses very little equipment which helps to keep cost down. Consumers are also engaging in group personal training which consists of two or more people being trained by one person trainer in order save money. Based on these predictions the new trend for fitness consumers is to save time and money.

Seven Solitudes of Lorsa Lopez and The Spirits Essay -- Comparative, S

The assumed power of men has been an issue of gender politics throughout Seven Solitudes of Lorsa Lopez by Sony Labou Tansi and The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende. The African and Latin American cultures have become societies vulnerable to traditional biases of women being the weaker race, liable for blame of men’s problems. Through their attitudes, physical strengths and abusive behaviors physically, verbally and emotionally, men continue to oppress the women of their societies. Male power has been institutionalized by society, while women continuously combat their socially-accepted roles by using the only weapons to their disposal: their voices and sexuality. Estina Benta and Clara try to conform to their own standards of life by attempting to defy their male spouses. Using the power to voice their opinions and withhold strong self-confidence, both are able to control the emotions of their male authorities. (Provide context for this quote) â€Å"Clara walked around like a silent†¦shadow. She didn’t even look at [him]. She walked right past [him] as if [he] were a piece of furniture. [They] hadn’t resumed sleeping in the same bed† (Allende 113). Abstaining from communication and sex, Clara is able to expose Esteban’s vulnerability and gain her own power and independence. This particular vulnerability that is revealed through Esteban Trueba is the very essence of his eventual downfall. He â€Å"felt defeated for the first time in his life† (104) (put citation at the end of the sentence) which led to his abusive, possessive behavior towards Clara. â€Å"He wanted far more than her body; he wanted control over that undefined and luminous material that lay within her† (96). The necessity of obsessive control over women is the backbone o... ...m as he needed to be loved, even if it meant he had to resort to extreme measures. [But] he realized that Clara did not belong to him and that†¦she probably never would† (96). â€Å"Taking charge using his physical advantage Esteban â€Å"pulled her from the bed, dragged her down the hall, pushed her down the stairs, and thrust her into the library† (132). Words such as â€Å"pulled,† â€Å"dragged†, â€Å"pushed† and â€Å"thrust† correlate to sexual violence, which is a man’s only dominating feature that can keep him in a position of power. However being a strong individual does not mean having physical strength, rather it means strong-minded, emotionally stable and the power to speak out; all weapons of the women of African and Latin American cultures. Through their words and actions such as sex strikes, their power is illuminated and true equality is found because â€Å"women are also men† (23).

The Vampire Diaries: The Fury Chapter Eight

â€Å"Who-? Oh, it's you!† Bonnie said, starting at the touch on her elbow. â€Å"You scared me. I didn't hear you come up.† He'd have to be more careful, Stefan realized. In the few days he'd been away from school, he'd gotten out of the habit of walking and moving like a human and fallen back into the noiseless, perfectly controlled stride of the hunter. â€Å"Sorry,† he said, as they walked side by side down the corridor. â€Å"S'okay,† said Bonnie with a brave attempt at nonchalance. But her brown eyes were wide and rather fixed. â€Å"So what are you doing here today? Meredith and I came by the boardinghouse this morning to check on Mrs. Flowers, but nobody answered the door. And I didn't see you in biology.† â€Å"I came this afternoon. I'm back at school. For as long as it takes to find what we're looking for anyway.† â€Å"To spy on Alaric, you mean,† Bonnie muttered. â€Å"I told Elena yesterday just to leave him to me. Oops,† she added, as a couple of passing juniors stared at her. She rolled her eyes at Stefan. By mutual consent, they turned off into a side corridor and made for an empty stairwell. Bonnie leaned against the wall with a groan of relief. â€Å"I've got to remember not to say her name,† she said pathetically, â€Å"but it's so hard. My mother asked me how I felt this morning and I almost told her, ‘fine,' since I saw Elena last night. I don't know how you two kept-you know what-a secret so long.† Stefan felt a grin tugging at his lips in spite of himself. Bonnie was like a six-week-old kitten, all charm and no inhibitions. She always said exactly what she was thinking at the moment, even if it completely contradicted what she'd just said the moment before, but everything she did came from the heart. â€Å"You're standing in a deserted hallway with a you know what right now,† he reminded her devilishly. â€Å"Ohhh.† Her eyes widened again. â€Å"But you wouldn't, would you?† she added, relieved. â€Å"Because Elena would kill you†¦ Oh, dear.† Searching for another topic, she gulped and said, â€Å"So-so how did things go last night?† Stefan's mood darkened immediately. â€Å"Not so good. Oh, Elena's all right; she's sleeping safely.† Before he could go on, his ears picked up footfalls at the end of the corridor. Three senior girls were passing by, and one broke away from the group at the sight of Stefan and Bonnie. Sue Carson's face was pale and her eyes were red-rimmed, but she smiled at them. Bonnie was full of concern. â€Å"Sue, how are you? How's Doug?† â€Å"I'm okay. He's okay, too, or at least he's going to be. Stefan, I wanted to talk to you,† she added in a rush. â€Å"I know my dad thanked you yesterday for helping Doug the way you did, but I wanted to thank you, too. I mean, I know that people in town have been pretty horrible to you and-well, I'm just surprised you cared enough to help at all. But I'm glad. My mom says you saved Doug's life. And so, I just wanted to thank you, and to say I'm sorry-about everything.† â€Å"That's all right,† he said. â€Å"How's Chelsea today?† â€Å"She's at the pound. They're holding the dogs in quarantine there, all the ones they could round up.† Sue blotted her eyes and straightened, and Stefan relaxed, seeing that the danger was over. An awkward silence descended. â€Å"Well,† said Bonnie to Sue at last, â€Å"have you heard what the school board decided about the Snow Dance?† â€Å"I heard they met this morning and they've pretty much decided to let us have it. Somebody said they were talking about a police guard, though. Oh, there's the late bell. We'd better get to history before Alaric hands us all demerits.† â€Å"We're coming in a minute,† Stefan said. He added casually, â€Å"When is this Snow Dance?† â€Å"It's the thirteenth; Friday night, you know,† Sue said, and then winced. â€Å"Oh my God, Friday the thirteenth. I didn't even think about that. But it reminds me that there was one other thing I wanted to tell you. This morning I took my name out of the running for snow queen. It-it just seemed right, somehow. That's all.† Sue hurried away, almost running. Stefan's mind was racing. â€Å"Bonnie, what is this Snow Dance?† â€Å"Well, it's the Christmas dance really, only we have a snow queen instead of a Christmas queen. After what happened at Founders' Day, they were thinking of canceling it, and then with the dogs yesterday-but it sounds like they're going to have it after all.† â€Å"On Friday the thirteenth,† Stefan said grimly. â€Å"Yes.† Bonnie was looking scared again, making herself small and inconspicuous. â€Å"Stefan, don't look that way; you're frightening me. What's wrong? What do you think will happen at the dance?† â€Å"I don't know.† But something would, Stefan was thinking. Fell's Church hadn't had one public celebration that had escaped being visited by the Other Power, and this would probably be the last festivity of the year. But there was no point in talking about it now. â€Å"Come on,† he said. â€Å"We're really late.† He was right. Alaric Saltzman was at the chalkboard when they walked in, as he had been the first day he'd appeared in the history classroom. If he was surprised at seeing them late, or at all, he covered it faultlessly, giving one of his friendliest smiles. So you're the one who's hunting the hunter, Stefan thought, taking his seat and studying the man before him. But are you anything more than that? Elena's Other Power maybe? Elena. Stefan's hand clenched under his desk, and a slow ache woke in his chest. He hadn't meant to think about her. The only way he had gotten through the last five days was by keeping her at the edge of his mind, not letting her image any closer. But then of course the effort of holding her away at a safe distance took up most of his time and energy. And this was the worst place of all to be, in a classroom where he couldn't care less about what was being taught. There was nothing to do but think here. He made himself breathe slowly, calmly. She was well; that was the important thing. Nothing else really mattered. But even as he told himself this, jealousy bit into him like the thongs of a whip. Because whenever he thought about Elena now, he had to think about him. About Damon, who was free to come and go as he liked. Who might even be with Elena this minute. Anger burned in Stefan's mind, bright and cold, mingling with the hot ache in his chest. He still wasn't convinced that Damon wasn't the one who had casually thrown him, bleeding and unconscious, into an abandoned well shaft to die. And he would take Elena's idea about the Other Power much more seriously if he was completely sure that Damon hadn't chased Elena to her death. Damon was evil; he had no mercy and no scruples†¦ And what's he done that I haven't done? Stefan asked himself heavily, for the hundredth time. Nothing. Except kill. Stefan had tried to kill. He'd meant to kill Tyler. At the memory, the cold fire of his anger toward Damon was doused, and he glanced instead toward a desk at the back of the room. It was empty. Though Tyler had gotten out of the hospital the day before, he hadn't returned to school. Still, there should be no danger of his remembering anything from that grisly afternoon. The subliminal suggestion to forget should hold for quite a while, as long as no one messed with Tyler's mind. He suddenly became aware that he was staring at Tyler's empty desk with narrow, brooding eyes. As he looked away, he caught the glance of someone who'd been watching him do it. Matt turned quickly and bent over his history book, but not before Stefan saw his expression. December 5-I don't know what time, probably early afternoon. Dear Diary, Damon got you back for me this morning. Stefan said he didn't want me going into Alaric's attic again. This is Stefan's pen I'm using. I don't own anything anymore, or at least I can't get at any of my own things, and most of them Aunt Judith would miss if I took them. I'm sitting right now in a barn behind the boardinghouse. I can't go where people sleep, you know, unless I've been invited in. I guess animals don't count, because there are some rats sleeping here under the hay and an owl in the rafters. At the moment, we're ignoring each other. I'm trying very hard not to have hysterics. I thought writing might help. Something normal, something familiar. Except that nothing in my life is normal anymore. Damon says I'll get used to it faster if I throw my old life away and embrace the new one. He seems to think it's inevitable that I turn out like him. He says I was born to be a hunter and there's no point in doing things halfway. I hunted a deer last night. A stag, because it was making the most noise, clashing its antlers against tree branches, challenging other males. I drank its blood. When I look over this diary, all I can see is that I was searching for something, for someplace to belong. But this isn't it. This new life isn't it. I'm afraid of what I'll become if I do start to belong here. Oh, God, I'm frightened. The barn owl is almost pure white, especially when it spreads its wings so you can see the underside. From the back it looks more gold. It has just a little gold around the face. It's staring at me right now because I'm making noises, trying not to cry. It's funny that I can still cry. I guess it's witches that can't. It's started snowing outside. I'm pulling my cloak up around me. Elena tucked the little book close to her body and drew the soft dark velvet of the cloak up to her chin. The barn was utterly silent, except for the minute breathing of the animals that slept there. Outside the snow drifted down just as soundlessly, blanketing the world in muffling stillness. Elena stared at it with unseeing eyes, scarcely noticing the tears that ran down her cheeks. â€Å"And could Bonnie McCullough and Caroline Forbes please stay after class a moment,† Alaric said as the last bell rang. Stefan frowned, a frown that deepened as he saw Vickie Bennett hovering outside the open door of the history room, her eyes shy and frightened. â€Å"I'll be right outside,† he said meaningfully to Bonnie, who nodded. He added a warning lift of his eyebrows, and she responded with a virtuous look. Catch me saying anything I'm not supposed to, the look said. Vickie Bennett was entering as he exited, and he had to step out of her way. But that took him right into the path of Matt, who'd come out the other door and was trying to get down the corridor as fast as possible. Stefan grabbed his arm without thinking. â€Å"Matt, wait.† â€Å"Let go of me.† Matt's fist came up. He looked at it in apparent surprise, as if not sure what he should be so mad about. But every muscle in his body was fighting Stefan's grip. â€Å"I just want to talk to you. Just for a minute, all right?† â€Å"I don't have a minute,† Matt said, and at last his eyes, a lighter, less complicated blue than Elena's, met Stefan's. But there was a blankness in the depths of them that reminded Stefan of the look of someone who'd been hypnotized, or who was under the influence of some Power. Only it was no Power except Matt's own mind, he realized abruptly. This was what the human brain did to itself when faced with something it simply couldn't deal with. Matt had shut down, turned off. Testing, Stefan said, â€Å"About what happened Saturday night-â€Å" â€Å"I don't know what you're talking about. Look, I said I had to go, damn it.† Denial was like a fortress behind Matt's eyes. But Stefan had to try again. â€Å"I don't blame you for being mad. If I were you, I'd be furious. And I know what it's like not to want to think, especially when thinking can drive you crazy.† Matt was shaking his head, and Stefan looked around the hallway. It was almost empty, and desperation made him willing to take a risk. He lowered his voice. â€Å"But maybe you'd at least like to know that Elena's awake, and she's much-â€Å" â€Å"Elena's dead!† Matt shouted, drawing the attention of everyone in the corridor. â€Å"And I told you to let go of me!† he added, oblivious of their audience, and shoved Stefan hard. It was so unexpected that Stefan stumbled back against the lockers, almost ending up sprawled on the ground. He stared at Matt, but Matt never even glanced back as he took off down the hallway. Stefan spent the rest of the time until Bonnie emerged just staring at the wall. There was a poster there for the Snow Dance, and he knew every inch of it by the time the girls came out. Despite everything Caroline had tried to do to him and Elena, Stefan found he couldn't summon up any hatred of her. Her auburn hair looked faded, her face pinched. Instead of being willowy, her posture just looked wilted, he thought, watching her go. â€Å"Yes, of course. Alaric just knows we three-Vickie, Caroline, and I-have been through a lot, and he wants us to know that he supports us,† Bonnie said, but even her dogged optimism about the history teacher sounded a little forced. â€Å"None of us told him about anything, though. He's having another get-together at his house next week,† she added brightly. Wonderful, thought Stefan. Normally he might have said something about it, but at that moment he was distracted. â€Å"There's Meredith,† he said. â€Å"She must be waiting for us-no, she's going down the history wing,† Bonnie said. â€Å"That's funny, I told her I'd meet her out here.† It was more than funny, thought Stefan. He'd caught only a glimpse of her as she turned the corner, but that glimpse stuck in his mind. The expression on Meredith's face had been calculating, watchful, and her step had been stealthy. As if she were trying to do something without being seen. â€Å"She'll come back in a minute when she sees we're not down there,† Bonnie said, but Meredith didn't come back in a minute, or two, or three. In fact, it was almost ten minutes before she appeared, and then she looked startled to see Stefan and Bonnie waiting for her. â€Å"Sorry, I got held up,† she said coolly, and Stefan had to admire her self-possession. But he wondered what was behind it, and only Bonnie was in a mood to chat as the three of them left school. â€Å"But last time you used fire,† Elena said. â€Å"That was because we were looking for Stefan, for a specific person,† Bonnie replied. â€Å"This time we're trying to predict the future. If it was just your personal future I was trying to predict, I'd look in your palm, but we're trying to find out something general.† Meredith entered the room, carefully balancing a china bowl full to the brim with water. In her other hand, she held a candle. â€Å"I've got the stuff,† she said. â€Å"Water was sacred to the Druids,† Bonnie explained, as Meredith placed the dish on the floor and the three girls sat around it. â€Å"Apparently, everything was sacred to the Druids,† said Meredith. â€Å"Shh. Now, put the candle in the candlestick and light it. Then I'm going to pour melted wax into the water, and the shapes it makes will tell me the answers to your questions. My grandmother used melted lead, and she said her grandmother used melted silver, but she told me wax would do.† When Meredith had lit the candle, Bonnie glanced at it sideways and took a deep breath. â€Å"I'm getting scareder and scareder to do this,† she said. â€Å"You don't have to,† Elena said softly. â€Å"I know. But I want to-this once. Besides, it's not these kind of rituals that scare me; it's getting taken over that's so awful. I hate it. It's like somebody else getting into my body.† â€Å"Anyway, here goes. Turn down the lights, Meredith. Give me a minute to get attuned and then ask your questions.† In the silence of the dim room Elena watched the candlelight flickering over Bonnie's lowered eyelashes and Meredith's sober face. She looked down at her own hands in her lap, pale against the blackness of the sweater and leggings Meredith had lent her. Then she looked at the dancing flame. â€Å"All right,† Bonnie said softly and took the candle. Elena's fingers twined together, clenching hard, but she spoke in a low voice so as not to break the atmosphere. â€Å"Who is the Other Power in Fell's Church?† Bonnie tilted the candle so that the flame licked up its sides. Hot wax streamed down like water into the bowl and formed round globules there. â€Å"I was afraid of that,† Bonnie murmured. â€Å"That's no answer, nothing. Try a different question.† Disappointed, Elena sat back, fingernails biting into her palms. It was Meredith who spoke. â€Å"Can we find this Other Power if we look? And can we defeat it?† â€Å"That's two questions,† Bonnie said under her breath as she tilted the candle again. This time the wax formed a circle, a lumpy white ring. â€Å"That's unity! The symbol for people joining hands. It means we can do it if we stick together.† Elena's head jerked up. Those were almost the same words she'd said to Stefan and Damon. Bonnie's eyes were shining with excitement, and they smiled at each other. â€Å"Watch out! You're still pouring,† Meredith said. Bonnie quickly righted the candle, looking into the bowl again. The last spill of wax had formed a thin, straight line. â€Å"That's a sword,† she said slowly. â€Å"It means sacrifice. We can do it if we stick together, but not without sacrifice.† â€Å"What kind of sacrifice?† asked Elena. â€Å"I don't know,† Bonnie said, her face troubled. â€Å"That's all I can tell you this time.† She stuck the candle back in the candleholder. â€Å"Whew,† said Meredith, as she got up to turn on the lights. Elena stood, too. â€Å"Well, at least we know we can beat it,† she said, tugging up the leggings, which were too long for her. She caught a glimpse of herself in Meredith's mirror. She certainly didn't look like Elena Gilbert the high school fashion plate anymore. Dressed all in black like this, she looked pale and dangerous, like a sheathed sword. Her hair fell haphazardly around her shoulders. certainly didn't look like Elena Gilbert the high school fashion plate anymore. Dressed all in black like this, she looked pale and dangerous, like a sheathed sword. Her hair fell haphazardly around her shoulders. â€Å"You could go somewhere else,† Bonnie suggested. â€Å"I mean, after this is all over, you could finish the school year someplace where nobody knows you. Like Stefan did.† â€Å"No, I don't think so.† Elena was in a strange mood tonight, after spending the day alone in the barn watching the snow. â€Å"Bonnie,† she said abruptly, â€Å"would you look at my palm again? I want you to tell my future, my personal future.† â€Å"I don't even know if I remember all the stuff my grandmother taught me†¦ but, all right, I'll try,† Bonnie relented. â€Å"There'd just better be no more dark strangers on the way, that's all. You've already got all you can handle.† She giggled as she took Elena's outstretched hand. â€Å"Remember when Caroline asked what you could do with two? I guess you're finding out now, huh?† â€Å"Just read my palm, will you?† â€Å"All right, this is your life line-† Bonnie's stream of patter broke off almost before it was started. She stared at Elena's hand, fear and apprehension in her face. â€Å"It should go all the way down to here,† she said. â€Å"But it's cut off so short†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She and Elena looked at each other without speaking for a moment, while Elena felt that same apprehension solidify inside herself. Then Meredith broke in. â€Å"Well, naturally it's short,† she said. â€Å"It just means what happened already, when Elena drowned.† â€Å"Yes, of course, that must be it,† Bonnie murmured. She let go of Elena's hand and Elena slowly drew back. â€Å"That's it, all right,† Bonnie said in a stronger voice. Elena was gazing into the mirror again. The girl who gazed back was beautiful, but there was a sad wisdom about her eyes that the old Elena Gilbert had never had. She realized that Bonnie and Meredith were looking at her. â€Å"That must be it,† she said lightly, but her smile didn't touch her eyes.