The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 18. INSTRUCTION

â€Å"THAT HAD TO BE THE LONGEST PARTY IN THE HISTORY of the world,† I complained on the way home. Edward didn't seem to disagree. â€Å"It's over now,† he said, rubbing my arm soothingly. Because I was the only one who needed soothing. Edward was fine now – all the Cullens were fine. They'd all reassured me; Alice reaching up to pat my head as I left, eyeing Jasper meaningfully until a flood of peace swirled around me, Esme kissing my forehead and promising me everything was all right, Emmett laughing boisterously and asking why I was the only one who was allowed to fight with werewolves. . . . Jacob's solution had them all relaxed, almost euphoric after the long weeks of stress. Doubt had been replaced with confidence. The party had ended on a note of true celebration. Not for me. Bad enough – horrible – that the Cullens would fight for me. It was already too much that I would have to allow that. It already felt like more than I could bear. Not Jacob, too. Not his foolish, eager brothers – most of them even younger than I was. They were just oversized, over-muscled children, and they looked forward to this like it was picnic on the beach. I could not have them in danger, too. My nerves felt frayed and exposed. I didn't know how much longer I could restrain the urge to scream out loud. I whispered now, to keep my voice under control. â€Å"You're taking me with you tonight.† â€Å"Bella, you're worn out.† â€Å"You think I could sleep?† He frowned. â€Å"This is an experiment. I'm not sure if it will be possible for us all to . . . cooperate. I don't want you in the middle of that.† As if that didn't make me all the more anxious to go. â€Å"If you won't take me, then I'll call Jacob.† His eyes tightened. That was a low blow, and I knew it. But there was no way I was being left behind. He didn't answer; we were at Charlie's house now. The front light was on. â€Å"See you upstairs,† I muttered. I tiptoed in the front door. Charlie was asleep in the living room, overflowing the too-small sofa, and snoring so loudly I could have ripped a chainsaw to life and it wouldn't have wakened him. I shook his shoulder vigorously. â€Å"Dad! Charlie!† He grumbled, eyes still closed. â€Å"I'm home now – you're going to hurt your back sleeping like that. C'mon, time to move.† It took a few more shakes, and his eyes never did open all the way, but I managed to get himoff the couch. I helped him up to his bed, where he collapsed on top of the covers, fully dressed, and started snoring again. He wasn't going to be looking for me anytime soon. Edward waited in my room while I washed my face and changed into jeans and a flannel shirt. He watched me unhappily from the rocking chair as I hung the outfit Alice had given me in my closet. â€Å"Come here,† I said, taking his hand and pulling him to my bed. I pushed him down on the bed and then curled up against his chest. Maybe he was right and I was tired enough to sleep. I wasn't going to let him sneak off without me. He tucked my quilt in around me, and then held me close. â€Å"Please relax.† â€Å"Sure.† â€Å"This is going to work, Bella. I can feel it.† My teeth locked together. He was still radiating relief. Nobody but me cared if Jacob and his friends got hurt. Not even Jacob and his friends. Especially not them. He could tell I was about to lose it. â€Å"Listen to me, Bella. This is going to be easy. The newborns will be completely taken by surprise. They'll have no more idea that werewolves even exist than you did. I've seen how they act in a group, the way Jasper remembers. I truly believe that the wolves' hunting techniques will work flawlessly against them. And with them divided and confused, there won't be enough for the rest of us to do. Someone may have to sit out,† he teased. â€Å"Piece of cake,† I mumbled tonelessly against his chest. â€Å"Shhh,† he stroked my cheek. â€Å"You'll see. Don't worry now.† He started humming my lullaby, but, for once, it didn't calm me. People – well, vampires and werewolves really, but still – people I loved were going to get hurt. Hurt because of me. Again. I wished my bad luck would focus a little more carefully. I felt likeyelling up at the empty sky: It's me you want – over here! Just me! I tried to think of a way that I could do exactly that – force my bad luck to focus on me. It wouldn't be easy. I would have to wait, bide my time. . . . I did not fall asleep. The minutes passed quickly, to my surprise, and I was still alert and tense when Edward pulled us both up into a sitting position. â€Å"Are you sure you don't want to stay and sleep?† I gave him a sour look. He sighed, and scooped me up in his arms before he jumped from my window. He raced through the black, quiet forest with me on his back, and even in his run I could feel the elation. He ran the way he did when it was just us, just for enjoyment, just for the feel of the wind in his hair. It was the kind of thing that, during less anxious times, would have made me happy. When we got to the big open field, his family was there, talking casually, relaxed. Emmett's booming laugh echoed through the wide space now and then. Edward set me down and we walked hand in hand toward them. It took me a minute, because it was so dark with the moon hidden behind the clouds, but I realized that we were in the baseball clearing. It was the same place where, more than a year ago, that first lighthearted evening with the Cullens had been interrupted by James and his coven. It felt strange to be here again – as if this gathering wouldn't be complete until James and Laurent and Victoria joined us. But James and Laurent were never coming back. That pattern wouldn't be repeated. Maybe all the patterns were broken. Yes, someone had broken out of their pattern. Was it possible that the Volturi were the flexible ones in this equation? I doubted it. Victoria had always seemed like a force of nature to me – like a hurricane moving toward the coast in a straight line – unavoidable, implacable, but predictable. Maybe it was wrong to limit her that way. She had to be capable of adaptation. â€Å"You know what I think?† I asked Edward. He laughed. â€Å"No.† I almost smiled. â€Å"What do you think?† â€Å"I think it's all connected. Not just the two, but all three.† â€Å"You've lost me.† â€Å"Three bad things have happened since you came back.† I ticked them off on my fingers. â€Å"The newborns in Seattle. The stranger in my room. And – first of all – Victoria came to look for me.† His eyes narrowed as he thought about it. â€Å"Why do you think so?† â€Å"Because I agree with Jasper – the Volturi love their rules. They would probably do a better job anyway.† And I'd be dead if they wanted me dead, I added mentally. â€Å"Remember when you were tracking Victoria last year?† â€Å"Yes.† He frowned. â€Å"I wasn't very good at it.† â€Å"Alice said you were in Texas. Did you follow her there?† His eyebrows pulled together. â€Å"Yes. Hmm . . .† â€Å"See – she could have gotten the idea there. But she doesn't know what she's doing, so the newborns are all out of control.† He started shaking his head. â€Å"Only Aro knows exactly how Alice's visions work.† â€Å"Aro would know best, but wouldn't Tanya and Irina and the rest of your friends in Denali know enough? Laurent lived with them for so long. And if he was still friendly enough with Victoria to be doing favors for her, why wouldn't he also tell her everything he knew?† Edward frowned. â€Å"It wasn't Victoria in your room.† â€Å"She can't make new friends? Think about it, Edward. If it is Victoria doing this in Seattle, she's made a lot of new friends. She's created them.† He considered it, his forehead creased in concentration. â€Å"Hmm,† he finally said. â€Å"It's possible. I still think the Volturi are most likely . . . But your theory – there's something there. Victoria's personality. Your theory suits her personality perfectly. She's shown a remarkable gift for self-preservation from the start – maybe it's a talent of hers. In any case, this plot would put her in no danger at all from us, if she sits safely behind and lets the newborns wreak their havoc here. And maybe little danger from the Volturi, either. Perhaps she's counting on us to win, in the end, though certainly not without heavy casualties of our own. But no survivors from her little army to bear witness against her. In fact,† he continued, thinking it through, â€Å"if there were survivors, I'd bet she'd be planning to destroy them herself. . . . Hmm. Still, she'd have to have at least one friend who was a bit more mature. No fresh-made newborn left your father alive. . . .† He frowned into space for a long moment, and then suddenly smiled at me, coming back from his reverie. â€Å"Definitely possible. Regardless, we've got to be prepared for anything until we know for sure. You're very perceptive today,† he added. â€Å"It's impressive.† I sighed. â€Å"Maybe I'm just reacting to this place. It makes me feel like she's close by . . . like she sees me now.† His jaw muscles tensed at the idea. â€Å"She'll never touch you, Bella,† he said. In spite of his words, his eyes swept carefully across the dark trees. While he searched their shadows, the strangest expression crossed his face. His lips pulled back over his teeth and his eyes shone with an odd light – a wild, fierce kind of hope. â€Å"Yet, what I wouldn't give to have her that close,† he murmured. â€Å"Victoria, and anyone else who's ever thought of hurting you. To have the chance to end this myself. To finish it with my own hands this time.† I shuddered at the ferocious longing in his voice, and clenched his fingers more tightly with mine, wishing I was strong enough to lock our hands together permanently. We were almost to his family, and I noticed for the first time that Alice did not look as optimistic as the others. She stood a little aside, watching Jasper stretching his arms as if he were warming up to exercise, her lips pushed out in a pout. â€Å"Is something wrong with Alice?† I whispered. Edward chuckled, himself again. â€Å"The werewolves are on their way, so she can't see anything that will happen now. It makes her uncomfortable to be blind.† Alice, though the farthest from us, heard his low voice. She looked up and stuck her tongue out at him. He laughed again. â€Å"Hey, Edward,† Emmett greeted him. â€Å"Hey, Bella. Is he going to let you practice, too?† Edward groaned at his brother. â€Å"Please, Emmett, don't give her any ideas.† â€Å"When will our guests arrive?† Carlisle asked Edward. Edward concentrated for a moment, and then sighed. â€Å"A minute and a half. But I'm going to have to translate. They don't trust us enough to use their human forms.† Carlisle nodded. â€Å"This is hard for them. I'm grateful they're coming at all.† I stared at Edward, my eyes stretched wide. â€Å"They're coming as wolves?† He nodded, cautious of my reaction. I swallowed once, remembering the two times I'd seen Jacob in his wolf form – the first time in the meadow with Laurent, the second time on the forest lane where Paul had gotten angry at me. . . . They were both memories of terror. A strange gleam came into Edward's eyes, as though something had just occurred to him, something that was not altogether unpleasant. He turned away quickly, before I could see any more, back to Carlisle and the others. â€Å"Prepare yourselves – they've been holding out on us.† â€Å"What do you mean?† Alice demanded. â€Å"Shh,† he cautioned, and stared past her into the darkness. The Cullens' informal circle suddenly widened out into a loose line with Jasper and Emmett at the spear point. From the way Edward leaned forward next to me, I could tell that he wished he was standing beside them. I tightened my hand around his. I squinted toward the forest, seeing nothing. â€Å"Damn,† Emmett muttered under his breath. â€Å"Did you ever see anything like it?† Esme and Rosalie exchanged a wide-eyed glance. â€Å"What is it?† I whispered as quietly as I could. â€Å"I can't see.† â€Å"The pack has grown,† Edward murmured into my ear. Hadn't I told him that Quil had joined the pack? I strained to see the six wolves in the gloom. Finally, something glittered in the blackness – their eyes, higher up than they should be. I'd forgotten how very tall the wolves were. Like horses, only thick with muscle and fur – and teeth like knives, impossible to overlook. I could only see the eyes. And as I scanned, straining to see more, it occurred to me that there were more than six pairs facing us. One, two, three . . . I counted the pairs swiftly in my head. Twice. There were ten of them. â€Å"Fascinating,† Edward murmured almost silently. Carlisle took a slow, deliberate step forward. It was a careful movement, designed to reassure. â€Å"Welcome,† he greeted the invisible wolves. â€Å"Thank you,† Edward responded in a strange, flat tone, and I realized at once that the words came from Sam. I looked to the eyes shining in the center of the line, the highest up, the tallest of them all. It was impossible to separate the shape of the big black wolf from the darkness. Edward spoke again in the same detached voice, speaking Sam's words. â€Å"We will watch and listen, but no more. That is the most we can ask of our self-control.† â€Å"That is more than enough,† Carlisle answered. â€Å"My son Jasper† – he gestured to where Jasper stood, tensed and ready – â€Å"has experience in this area. He will teach us how they fight, how they are to be defeated. I'm sure you can apply this to your own hunting style.† â€Å"They are different from you?† Edward asked for Sam. Carlisle nodded. â€Å"They are all very new – only months old to this life. Children, in a way. They will have no skill or strategy, only brute strength. Tonight their numbers stand at twenty. Ten for us, ten for you – it shouldn't be difficult. The numbers may go down. The new ones fight amongst themselves.† A rumble passed down the shadowy line of wolves, a low growling mutter that somehow managed to sound enthusiastic. â€Å"We are willing to take more than our share, if necessary,† Edward translated, his tone less indifferent now. Carlisle smiled. â€Å"We'll see how it plays out.† â€Å"Do you know when and how they'll arrive?† â€Å"They'll come across the mountains in four days, in the late morning. As they approach, Alice will help us intercept their path.† â€Å"Thank you for the information. We will watch.† With a sighing sound, the eyes sank closer to the ground one set at a time. It was silent for two heartbeats, and then Jasper took a step into the empty space between the vampires and the wolves. It wasn't hard for me to see him – his skin was as bright against the darkness as the wolves' eyes. Jasper threw a wary glance toward Edward, who nodded, and then Jasper turned his back to the werewolves. He sighed, clearly uncomfortable. â€Å"Carlisle's right.† Jasper spoke only to us; he seemed to be trying to ignore the audience behind him. â€Å"They'll fight like children. The two most important things you'll need to remember are, first, don't let them get their arms around you and, second, don't go for the obvious kill. That's all they'll be prepared for. As long as you come at them from the side and keep moving, they'll be too confused to respond effectively. Emmett?† Emmett stepped out of the line with a huge smile. Jasper backed toward the north end of the opening between the allied enemies. He waved Emmett forward. â€Å"Okay, Emmett first. He's the best example of a newborn attack.† Emmett's eyes narrowed. â€Å"I'll try not to break anything,† he muttered. Jasper grinned. â€Å"What I meant is that Emmett relies on his strength. He's very straightforward about the attack. The newborns won't be trying anything subtle, either. Just go for the easy kill, Emmett.† Jasper backed up a few more paces, his body tensing. â€Å"Okay, Emmett – try to catch me.† And I couldn't see Jasper anymore – he was a blur as Emmett charged him like a bear, grinning while he snarled. Emmett was impossibly quick, too, but not like Jasper. It looked like Jasper had no more substance than a ghost – any time it seemed Emmett's big hands had him for sure, Emmett's fingers clenched around nothing but the air. Beside me, Edward leaned forward intently, his eyes locked on the brawl. Then Emmett froze. Jasper had him from behind, his teeth an inch from his throat. Emmett cussed. There was a muttered rumble of appreciation from the watching wolves. â€Å"Again,† Emmett insisted, his smile gone. â€Å"It's my turn,† Edward protested. My fingers tensed around his. â€Å"In a minute.† Jasper grinned, stepping back. â€Å"I want to show Bella something first.† I watched with anxious eyes as he waved Alice forward. â€Å"I know you worry about her,† he explained to me as she danced blithely into the ring. â€Å"I want to show you why that's not necessary.† Though I knew that Jasper would never allow any harm to come to Alice, it was still hard to watch as he sank back into a crouch facing her. Alice stood motionlessly, looking tiny as a doll after Emmett, smiling to herself. Jasper shifted forward, then slinked to her left. Alice closed her eyes. My heart thumped unevenly as Jasper stalked toward where Alice stood. Jasper sprang, disappearing. Suddenly he was on the other side of Alice. She didn't appear to have moved. Jasper wheeled and launched himself at her again, only to land in a crouch behind her like the first time; all the while Alice stood smiling with her eyes closed. I watched Alice more carefully now. She was moving – I'd just been missing it, distracted by Jasper's attacks. She took a small step forward at the exact second that Jasper's body flew through the spot where she'd just been standing. She took another step, while Jasper's grasping hands whistled past where her waist had been. Jasper closed in, and Alice began to move faster. She was dancing – spiraling and twisting and curling in on herself. Jasper was her partner, lunging, reaching through her graceful patterns, never touching her, like every movement was choreographed. Finally, Alice laughed. Out of nowhere she was perched on Jasper's back, her lips at his neck. â€Å"Gotcha,† she said, and kissed his throat. Jasper chuckled, shaking his head. â€Å"You truly are one frightening little monster.† The wolves muttered again. This time the sound was wary. â€Å"It's good for them to learn some respect,† Edward murmured, amused. Then he spoke louder. â€Å"My turn.† He squeezed my hand before he let it go. Alice came to take his place beside me. â€Å"Cool, huh?† she asked me smugly. â€Å"Very,† I agreed, not looking away from Edward as he glided noiselessly toward Jasper, his movements lithe and watchful as a jungle cat. â€Å"I've got my eye on you, Bella,† she whispered suddenly, her voice pitched so low that I could barely hear, though her lips were at my ear. My gaze flickered to her face and then back to Edward. He was intent on Jasper, both of them feinting as he closed the distance. Alice's expression was full of reproach. â€Å"I'll warn him if your plans get any more defined,† she threatened in the same low murmur. â€Å"It doesn't help anything for you to put yourself in danger. Do you think either of them would give up if you died? They'd still fight, we all would. You can't change anything, so just be good, okay?† I grimaced, trying to ignore her. â€Å"I'm watching,† she repeated. Edward had closed on Jasper now, and this fight was more even than either of the others. Jasper had the century of experience to guide him, and he tried to go on instinct alone as much as he could, but his thoughts always gave him away a fraction of a second before he acted. Edward was slightly faster, but the moves Jasper used were unfamiliar to him. They came at each other again and again, neither one able to gain the advantage, instinctive snarls erupting constantly. It was hard to watch, but harder to look away. They moved too fast for me to really understand what they were doing. Now and then the sharp eyes of the wolves would catch my attention. I had a feeling the wolves were getting more out of this than I was – maybe more than they should. Eventually, Carlisle cleared his throat. Jasper laughed, and took a step back. Edward straightened up and grinned at him. â€Å"Back to work,† Jasper consented. â€Å"We'll call it a draw.† Everyone took turns, Carlisle, then Rosalie, Esme, and Emmett again. I squinted through my lashes, cringing as Jasper attacked Esme. That one was the hardest to watch. Then he slowed down, still not quite enough for me to understand his motions, and gave more instruction. â€Å"You see what I'm doing here?† he would ask. â€Å"Yes, just like that,† he encouraged. â€Å"Concentrate on the sides. Don't forget where their target will be. Keep moving.† Edward was always focused, watching and also listening to what others couldn't see. It got more difficult to follow as my eyes got heavier. I hadn't been sleeping well lately, anyway, and it was approaching a solid twenty-four hours since the last time I'd slept. I leaned against Edward's side, and let my eyelids droop. â€Å"We're about finished,† he whispered. Jasper confirmed that, turning toward the wolves for the first time, his expression uncomfortable again. â€Å"We'll be doing this tomorrow. Please feel welcome to observe again.† â€Å"Yes,† Edward answered in Sam's cool voice. â€Å"We'll be here.† Then Edward sighed, patted my arm, and stepped away from me. He turned to his family. â€Å"The pack thinks it would be helpful to be familiar with each of our scents – so they don't make mistakes later. If we could hold very still, it will make it easier for them.† â€Å"Certainly,† Carlisle said to Sam. â€Å"Whatever you need.† There was a gloomy, throaty grumble from the wolf pack as they all rose to their feet. My eyes were wide again, exhaustion forgotten. The deep black of the night was just beginning to fade – the sun brightening the clouds, though it hadn't cleared the horizon yet, far away on the other side of the mountains. As they approached, it was suddenly possible to make out shapes . . . colors. Sam was in the lead, of course. Unbelievably huge, black as midnight, a monster straight out of my nightmares – literally; after the first time I'd seen Sam and the others in the meadow, they'd starred in my bad dreams more than once. Now that I could see them all, match the vastness with each pair of eyes, it looked like more than ten. The pack was overwhelming. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that Edward was watching me, carefully evaluating my reaction. Sam approached Carlisle where he stood in the front, the huge pack right on his tail. Jasper stiffened, but Emmett, on the other side of Carlisle, was grinning and relaxed. Sam sniffed at Carlisle, seeming to wince slightly as he did. Then he moved on to Jasper. My eyes ran down the wary brace of wolves. I was sure I could pick out a few of the new additions. There was a light gray wolf that was much smaller than the others, the hackles on the back of his neck raised in distaste. There was another, the color of desert sand, who seemed gangly and uncoordinated beside the rest. A low whine broke through the sandy wolf's control when Sam's advance left him isolated between Carlisle and Jasper. I stopped at the wolf just behind Sam. His fur was reddish-brown and longer than the others, shaggy in comparison. He was almost as tall as Sam, the second largest in the group. His stance was casual, somehow exuding nonchalance over what the rest obviously considered an ordeal. The enormous russet-colored wolf seemed to feel my gaze, and he looked up at me with familiar black eyes. I stared back at him, trying to believe what I already knew. I could feel the wonder and fascination on my face. The wolf's muzzle fell open, pulling back over his teeth. It would have been a frightening expression, except that his tongue lolled out the side in a wolfy grin. I giggled. Jacob's grin widened over his sharp teeth. He left his place in line, ignoring the eyes of his pack as they followed him. He trotted past Edward and Alice to stand not two feet away from me. He stopped there, his gaze flickering briefly toward Edward. Edward stood motionless, a statue, his eyes still assessing my reaction. Jacob crouched down on his front legs and dropped his head so that his face was no higher than mine, staring at me, measuring my response just as much as Edward was. â€Å"Jacob?† I breathed. The answering rumble deep in his chest sounded like a chuckle. I reached my hand out, my fingers trembling slightly, and touched the red-brown fur on the side of his face. The black eyes closed, and Jacob leaned his huge head into my hand. A thrumming hum resonated in this throat. The fur was both soft and rough, and warm against my skin. I ran my fingers through it curiously, learning the texture, stroking his neck where the color deepened. I hadn't realized how close I'd gotten; without warning, Jacob suddenly licked my face from chin to hairline. â€Å"Ew! Gross, Jake!† I complained, jumping back and smacking at him, just as I would have if he were human. He dodged out of the way, and the coughing bark that came through his teeth was obviously laughter. I wiped my face on the sleeve of my shirt, unable to keep from laughing with him. It was at that point that I realized that everyone was watching us, the Cullens and the werewolves – the Cullens with perplexed and somewhat disgusted expressions. It was hard to read the wolves' faces. I thought Sam looked unhappy. And then there was Edward, on edge and clearly disappointed. I realized he'd been hoping for a different reaction from me. Like screaming and running away in terror. Jacob made the laughing sound again. The other wolves were backing away now, not taking their eyes off the Cullens as they departed. Jacob stood by my side, watching them go. Soon, they disappeared into the murky forest. Only two hesitated by the trees, watching Jacob, their postures radiating anxiety. Edward sighed, and – ignoring Jacob – came to stand on my other side, taking my hand. â€Å"Ready to go?† he asked me. Before I could answer, he was staring over me at Jacob. â€Å"I've not quite figured out all the details yet,† he said, answering a question in Jacob's thoughts. The Jacob-wolf grumbled sullenly. â€Å"It's more complicated than that,† Edward said. â€Å"Don't concern yourself; I'll make sure it's safe.† â€Å"What are you talking about?† I demanded. â€Å"Just discussing strategy,† Edward said. Jacob's head swiveled back and forth, looking at our faces. Then, suddenly, he bolted for the forest. As he darted away, I noticed for the first time a square of folded black fabric secured to his back leg. â€Å"Wait,† I called, one hand stretching out automatically to reach after him. But he disappeared into the trees in seconds, the other two wolves following. â€Å"Why did he leave?† I asked, hurt. â€Å"He's coming back,† Edward said. He sighed. â€Å"He wants to be able to talk for himself.† I watched the edge of the forest where Jacob had vanished, leaning into Edward's side again. I was on the point of collapse, but I was fighting it. Jacob loped back into view, on two legs this time. His broad chest was bare, his hair tangled and shaggy. He wore only a pair of black sweat pants, his feet bare to the cold ground. He was alone now, but I suspected that his friends lingered in the trees, invisible. It didn't take him long to cross the field, though he gave a wide berth to the Cullens, who stood talking quietly in a loose circle. â€Å"Okay, bloodsucker,† Jacob said when he was a few feet from us, evidently continuing the conversation I'd missed. â€Å"What's so complicated about it?† â€Å"I have to consider every possibility,† Edward said, unruffled. â€Å"What if someone gets by you?† Jacob snorted at that idea. â€Å"Okay, so leave her on the reservation. We're making Collin and Brady stay behind anyway. She'll be safe there.† I scowled. â€Å"Are you talking about me?† â€Å"I just want to know what he plans to do with you during the fight,† Jacob explained. â€Å"Do with me?† â€Å"You can't stay in Forks, Bella.† Edward's voice was pacifying. â€Å"They know where to look for you there. What if someone slipped by us?† My stomach dropped and the blood drained from my face. â€Å"Charlie?† I gasped. â€Å"He'll be with Billy,† Jacob assured me quickly. â€Å"If my dad has to commit a murder to get him there, he'll do it. Probably it won't take that much. It's this Saturday, right? There's a game.† â€Å"This Saturday?† I asked, my head spinning. I was too lightheaded to control my wildly random thoughts. I frowned at Edward. â€Å"Well, crap! There goes your graduation present.† Edward laughed. â€Å"It's the thought that counts,† he reminded me. â€Å"You can give the tickets to someone else.† Inspiration came swiftly. â€Å"Angela and Ben,† I decided at once. â€Å"At least that will get them out of town.† He touched my cheek. â€Å"You can't evacuate everyone,† he said in a gentle voice. â€Å"Hiding you is just a precaution. I told you – we'll have no problem now. There won't be enough of them to keep us entertained.† â€Å"But what about keeping her in La Push?† Jacob interjected, impatient. â€Å"She's been back and forth too much,† Edward said. â€Å"She's left trails all over the place. Alice only sees very young vampires coming on the hunt, but obviously someone created them. There is someone more experienced behind this. Whoever he† – Edward paused to look at me – â€Å"or she is, this could all be a distraction. Alice will see if he decides to look himself, but we could be very busy at the time that decision is made. Maybe someone is counting on that. I can't leave her somewhere she's been frequently. She has to be hard to find, just in case. It's a very long shot, but I'm not taking chances.† I stared at Edward as he explained, my forehead creasing. He patted my arm. â€Å"Just being overcautious,† he promised. Jacob gestured to the deep forest east of us, to the vast expanse of the Olympic Mountains. â€Å"So hide her here,† he suggested. â€Å"There's a million possibilities – places either one of us could be in just a few minutes if there's a need.† Edward shook his head. â€Å"Her scent is too strong and, combined with mine, especially distinct. Even if I carried her, it would leave a trail. Our trace is all over the range, but in conjunction with Bella's scent, it would catch their attention. We're not sure exactly which path they'll take, because they don't know yet. If they crossed her scent before they found us . . .† Both of them grimaced at the same time, their eyebrows pulling together. â€Å"You see the difficulties.† â€Å"There has to be a way to make it work,† Jacob muttered. He glared toward the forest, pursing his lips. I swayed on my feet. Edward put his arm around my waist, pulling me closer and supporting my weight. â€Å"I need to get you home – you're exhausted. And Charlie will be waking up soon. . . .† â€Å"Wait a sec,† Jacob said, wheeling back to us, his eyes bright. â€Å"My scent disgusts you, right?† â€Å"Hmm, not bad.† Edward was two steps ahead. â€Å"It's possible.† He turned toward his family. â€Å"Jasper?† he called. Jasper looked up curiously. He walked over with Alice a half step behind. Her face was frustrated again. â€Å"Okay, Jacob.† Edward nodded at him. Jacob turned toward me with a strange mixture of emotion on his face. He was clearly excited by whatever this new plan of his was, but he was also still uneasy so close to his enemy allies. And then it was my turn to be wary as he held his arms out toward me. Edward took a deep breath. â€Å"We're going to see if I can confuse the scent enough to hide your trail,† Jacob explained. I stared at his open arms suspiciously. â€Å"You're going to have to let him carry you, Bella,† Edward told me. His voice was calm, but I could hear the subdued distaste. I frowned. Jacob rolled his eyes, impatient, and reached down to yank me up into his arms. â€Å"Don't be such a baby,† he muttered. But his eyes flickered to Edward, just like mine did. Edward's face was composed and smooth. He spoke to Jasper. â€Å"Bella's scent is so much more potent to me – I thought it would be a fairer test if someone else tried.† Jacob turned away from them and paced swiftly into the woods. I didn't say anything as the dark closed around us. I was pouting, uncomfortable in Jacob's arms. It felt too intimate to me – surely he didn't need to hold me quite so tightly – and I couldn't help but wonder what it felt like to him. It reminded me of my last afternoon in La Push, and I didn't want to think about that. I folded my arms, annoyed when the brace on my hand intensified the memory. We didn't go far; he made a wide arc and came back into the clearing from a different direction, maybe half a football field away from our original departure point. Edward was there alone and Jacob headed toward him. â€Å"You can put me down now.† â€Å"I don't want to take a chance of messing up the experiment.† His walk slowed and his arms tightened. â€Å"You are so annoying,† I muttered. â€Å"Thanks.† Out of nowhere, Jasper and Alice stood beside Edward. Jacob took one more step, and then set me down a half dozen feet from Edward. Without looking back at Jacob, I walked to Edward's side and took his hand. â€Å"Well?† I asked. â€Å"As long as you don't touch anything, Bella, I can't imagine someone sticking their nose close enough to that trail to catch your scent,† Jasper said, grimacing. â€Å"It was almost completely obscured.† â€Å"A definite success,† Alice agreed, wrinkling her nose. â€Å"And it gave me an idea.† â€Å"Which will work,† Alice added confidently. â€Å"Clever,† Edward agreed. â€Å"How do you stand that?† Jacob muttered to me. Edward ignored Jacob and looked at me while he explained. â€Å"We're – well, you're – going to leave a false trail to the clearing, Bella. The newborns are hunting, your scent will excite them, and they'll come exactly the way we want them to without being careful about it. Alice can already see that this will work. When they catch our scent, they'll split up and try to come at us from two sides. Half will go through the forest, where her vision suddenly disappears. . . .† â€Å"Yes!† Jacob hissed. Edward smiled at him, a smile of true comradeship. I felt sick. How could they be so eager for this? How could I stand having both of them in danger? I couldn't. I wouldn't. â€Å"Not a chance,† Edward said suddenly, his voice disgusted. It made me jump, worrying that he'd somehow heard my resolve, but his eyes were on Jasper. â€Å"I know, I know,† Jasper said quickly. â€Å"I didn't even consider it, not really.† Alice stepped on his foot. â€Å"If Bella was actually there in the clearing,† Jasper explained to her, â€Å"it would drive them insane. They wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything but her. It would make picking them off truly easy. . . .† Edward's glare had Jasper backtracking. â€Å"Of course it's too dangerous for her. It was just an errant thought,† he said quickly. But he looked at me from the corner of his eyes, and the look was wistful. â€Å"No,† Edward said. His voice rang with finality. â€Å"You're right,† Jasper said. He took Alice's hand and started back to the others. â€Å"Best two out of three?† I heard him ask her as they went to practice again. Jacob stared after him in disgust. â€Å"Jasper looks at things from a military perspective,† Edward quietly defended his brother. â€Å"He looks at all the options – it's thoroughness, not callousness.† Jacob snorted. He'd edged closer unconsciously, drawn by his absorption in the planning. He stood only three feet from Edward now, and, standing there between them, I could feel the physical tension in the air. It was like static, an uncomfortable charge. Edward got back to business. â€Å"I'll bring her here Friday afternoon to lay the false trail. You can meet us afterward, and carry her to a place I know. Completely out of the way, and easily defensible, not that it will come to that. I'll take another route there.† â€Å"And then what? Leave her with a cell phone?† Jacob asked critically. â€Å"You have a better idea?† Jacob was suddenly smug. â€Å"Actually, I do.† â€Å"Oh. . . . Again, dog, not bad at all.† Jacob turned to me quickly, as if determined to play the good guy by keeping me in the conversation. â€Å"We tried to talk Seth into staying behind with the younger two. He's still too young, but he's stubborn and he's resisting. So I thought of a new assignment for him – cell phone.† I tried to look like I got it. No one was fooled. â€Å"As long as Seth Clearwater is in his wolf form, he'll be connected to the pack,† Edward said. â€Å"Distance isn't a problem?† he added, turning to Jacob. â€Å"Nope.† â€Å"Three hundred miles?† Edward asked. â€Å"That's impressive.† Jacob was the good guy again. â€Å"That's the farthest we've ever gone to experiment,† he told me. â€Å"Still clear as a bell.† I nodded absently; I was reeling from the idea that little Seth Clearwater was already a werewolf, too, and that made it difficult to concentrate. I could see his bright smile, so much like a younger Jacob, in my head; he couldn't be more than fifteen, if he was that. His enthusiasm at the council meeting bonfire suddenly took on new meaning. . . . â€Å"It's a good idea.† Edward seemed reluctant to admit this. â€Å"I'll feel better with Seth there, even without the instantaneous communication. I don't know if I'd be able to leave Bella there alone. To think it's come to this, though! Trusting werewolves!† â€Å"Fightingwith vampires instead of against them!† Jacob mirrored Edward's tone of disgust. â€Å"Well, you still get to fight against some of them,† Edward said. Jacob smiled. â€Å"That's the reason we're here.†

Aol time warner

The merger between the AOL and Time Warner is most certainly a challenging undertaking. To mix a traditional culture existing at Time Warner as ‘old’ company with the flexibility of the ‘new’ AOL culture was both risky and promising.The merger promised Time Warner entrance into the new digital markets where it lacked expertise and created synergies to consider. As a leader in interactive services and owner of powerful Web brands, AOL could deliver performance in areas that promised the greatest growth in the years to come. At the same time, Time Warner with its large asset base created a climate in which AOL would have resources for the realization of the most ambitious projects and undertakings.The choices vary depending on the degree of freedom companies want to have in their operations. On the one hand, AOL and Time Warner could remain to function as two separate entities, undivided by controversies. In this case, the merged company would only engage in c ost-saving and some cross-marketing strategies to increase the profits of shareholders.On the contrary, the company can choose to undertake a massive cultural overhaul in order to blend the two parts closer together. This choice is extremely risky as the two cultures represent different poles of managerial culture.In my opinion, the first choice is the most rational as both companies would need time to understand what they are dealing with. Previously functioning as part of either AOL or Time Warner, the two executive teams have elaborated their own approaches and positions, and bringing those closer together would be difficult.Both companies would thus have more time to study each other’s business models and learn the best aspects of culture and business practices. The restructuring has to be carried out proportionately to the size of both companies, or, alternatively, inclusion of executives from each company on the board could be equal. In this way, the merger would respec t both cultures and give them time to adjust to each other. Â  

Analysis of Nestle’s Business Environment

Company Overview Nestle, based in Switzerland, is the world’s leading food and nutrition company measured by revenues (Nestle, 2013). The company sells baby foods, breakfast cereals, coffee, confectionery, frozen food, pet foods, yoghurt and snacks through extensive distribution channels all over the world spreading out from facilities run by the company in over 100 countries. It owns several major consumer brands such as Stouffers, Nescafe, Kit-Kat, Carnation, Nestle water, among many others used by millions each year and which have established Nestle’s successful global brand image (Interbrand, 2013). This success can be attributed to clear focus and vision, as well as success in its continual differentiation and brand positioning which strengthen its market position (Jones, 2012). To sustain this success and thus maintain leadership in its market, the company must often audit and review its strategic position in light of changing factors in its business environment. This paper undert akes this strategic assessment employing the PESTLE framework of analysis. PESTLE analysis The PESTLE framework is a strategic tool used to measure market potential and situation of company (David, 2009). It focuses on factors in the external environment which encompass effects from the political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental spheres. Political factors With operations spread out across the globe, Nestle is liable to political influences unique to various jurisdictions including applicable laws and regulations governing business operations, as well as stringent international health and safety requirements of significance in the food and nutrition sector, such as the ISO 9002 and HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) preventative food safety systems. The primary goal of these regulations is the protection of consumers from poor quality, potentially health averse/harmful products (Hill, 2006). The company has suffered challenges related to contamination of its products and poor quality supplies which have led to product recalls and market concern. This has hurt the company’s image and impacted sales as well as challenging it with regard to quality control (Nestle, 2013). The company has responded appropriately to address these, to ensure quality and safeguard confidence in its products (Jones, 2012). For successful engagement internationally, Nestle should endeavour to meet these expectations and to conform to the requisite legislations and regulations applicable. Economic factors The global business environment has recently been significantly hindered by economic setbacks due to downturn and global recession. These have adversely affected demand for products through its effect on consumer spending. However, recovery has been swift and the continuing globalization and consolidation has further enhanced growth and demand for product with the convergence in consumer tastes and preferences globally (Hanson et al., 2011). The rise in emerging market economies portends surplus buying power, as well as economies of scale which proffer added economic advantage (Vandewaetere, 2012). The leverage of huge resource capital and R&D capability into continual introduction and redesign of products enables Nestle to strengthen its competitive advantage. Through the localisation of operations in over 100 countries across the globe, the company manages to address the impact of foreign currency fluctuations on import and export aspects of trade (Jones, 2012). Social factors As a producer of finished consumer goods, Nestle is hugely dependent upon customer satisfaction and desirability of its product range to achieve success (Jones, 2012). The company, thus, chooses to embark on huge spending in its competitive sectors to maintain its brand image and to enhance product desirability. Competitive advantage in the sector requires continuous research and development leading to the frequent introduction of new products and redesign of products (Interbrand, 2013). This is a significant strength of Nestle and among the notable factors upon which its industry, sector or market leadership is based (Nestle, 2013). There is an increasing trend towards healthy eating which is increasing demand for healthier food products. This is laden with potential to affect product lines such as chocolate drinks (Jones, 2012). The company has taken specific steps such as the acquisition of specialised start-ups, and successful partnerships to meet the needs of health conscious co nsumers and thereby to take advantage of emerging market trends and opportunities (Vandewaetere, 2012). Nestle is therefore considered to be well adjusted to its market segments given its focus on this growth driver as well as its focus on popularly-positioned products which aims to provide a brand to meet every need. Its more than 8,000 brands enable it to achieve this strategic focus and to compete successfully against corporate rivals (Interbrand, 2013). Technological factors The fast pace of technological development and associated capabilities portend significant challenge for competitiveness in modern industry. Nestle has endeavoured to keep up through enormous investments in research and development to enhance its capability, as well as process efficiency which have enabled its successful differentiation and enhanced competitiveness (Nestle, 2013). However, the company still experiences challenges in its quality control with its inability to provide consistent quality in food products hurting company image and affecting sales (Jones, 2012). The company’s response in this regard has been quite appropriate enabling it to weather this challenge successfully. It has endeavoured to ensure quality in the foregoing and to safeguard confidence in its products through its seal of guarantee initiative (Interbrand, 2013). Environmental factors Nestle is involved in numerous programs aimed at making the company more eco-friendly which are inherent in its C SR initiatives. However, the company is criticised for its weak approach and over the effectiveness of their programs (Jones, 2012; Interbrand, 2013). With the scale of their operations across the globe and massive quantity of output, it is imperative that the company should enhance focus on its environmental impact which is a notable concern in modern industry. This factor has capacity to ruin reputations and affect performance (Hill, 2006). Legal factors Global operations in diverse jurisdictions require astute legal capabilities which Nestle seems to be endowed with. The company’s successful operations in over 100 countries attest to this giving it an edge in unmatched geographical presence in the industry. It also has notable competency in mergers and acquisitions which have enabled it to diversify and to successfully enter new markets thereby sustaining its competitive edge (Vandewaetere, 2012). Major challenges affecting the company Three major challenges are identified and explored to gauge their effect and to find out ways in which they might be addressed. Quality of products and supplies A major challenge with huge capacity for adverse impact on Nestle’s business potential concerns the quality of products delivered and thus the quality control schemes for its products. There have been instances of contamination of products as well as poor supplies which have led to a number of product recalls from the market (Interbrand, 2013). This challenge is fundamental particularly with regard to operations in the food and nutrition industry which is subject to stringent quality, as well as health and safety regulations. The company is subject to a high bargaining power of customers for the most part due to the availability of a wide range of substitute and alternative products in the market and fierce competition from worthwhile rivals (Carpenter and Sanders, 2007). Flouting of health and safety regulations also portends risk for operations in various jurisdictions and may lead to bans in markets and/or restrictions on the use of concerned products. This would definitely be a hindrance to business and would not only adversely impact sales but also would hurt company image and brand positioning which are vital intangible assets in a highly competitive market (Hanson et al., 2011). To reduce the negative impact of this challenge, the company needs to tighten its quality control procedures and schemes for products and also needs to enforce stringent procedures in the choice of suppliers and in the procurement of raw food items from them (Interbrand, 2013). This would not only guarantee conformance with requisite legislation but would also ensure that quality is maintained and adhered to across the entire supply chain. Also essential are measures to ward off loss of consumer trust and drop in confidence in products offered. Assurances in this regard are critical for the maintenance of brand image and reputation, and as well serve to guarantee product performance in the market (Jones, 2012; Vandewaetere, 2012). Weak implementation of eco-friendly initia tives Nestle pursues eco-friendly initiatives as constituent in its corporate social responsibility (CSR). Yet, these initiatives have been subject to extensive criticism over weakness in its approach and over the effectiveness of their programs (Vandewaetere, 2012). Environmentally friendly initiatives are particularly of concern for such entities as Nestle given their scale of operations across the globe and quantity of product output considering its 8,000 product brands (Interbrand, 2013). The primary objective of the company is the delivery of the best quality in everything from primary produce, choices of suppliers and transport, to recipes and packaging materials (Nestle, 2013). However, every stage in its supply chain is bound to have adverse environmental impact which is a notable concern in modern industry given the drive to environmental responsibility. Disregard of such concerns exposes the company to risks to reputation which could have a direct impact on performance (Ha nson et al., 2011). Increasing trend towards healthy eating With the rise in diseases associated with sedentary lifestyles, food choices, and eating habits, there has emerged global awareness of their impacts on individual health. This has engendered health consciousness and regard for choice of foods and their nutritive value or possible consequences. This has led to a trend towards healthy eating which continues to drive consumer preference and demand for healthier food products (Luthans and Doh, 2012). Such a trend is bound to affect popular product lines, such as chocolate drinks, that Nestle offers impacting demand and therefore market performance (Vandewaetere, 2012). In its consumer goods business, Nestle is hugely dependent upon customer satisfaction and desirability of its products to achieve success. It is thus immensely susceptible to market dynamics and trends such as eh above which it can do very little to control and manage (Kazem and Richard, 2008). The problem is further exacerbated by the emergence of social media and global networking through the internet which continues to drive globalization and which is causing a global convergence of consumer tastes and preferences (Hanson et al., 2011; Luthans and Doh, 2012). To counter this challenge, the company needs to embark on initiatives to develop a healthier range of products to cater to health conscious consumers and thereby to take advantage of the emerging trend and opportunities. Nestle should be keen to note the various dynamics and their impact on performance, and should develop flexibility which would enable faster response and adaptability to changes in the market (Jones, 2012). With a sound financial resource base, it is prudent for the company to pursue mergers and acquisitions, which it has done quite successfully, leveraging on its competence in that regard (Vandewaetere, 2012). This way, it is able to hasten its learning curve and guarantee success of initiatives (David, 2009) particularly in light of the fact that the company has an immense range of brands and a complex operational matrix which are in themselves quite a challenge to manage successfully. Conclusion Several factors affect Nestle in its international operations among them political, economic, social, technological, as well as environmental and legal factors, which are significant influences determining the success of operations in modern business environment. Three particular challenges are identified as having substantial impact on Nestle’s operations and business potential. They include: quality of products and supplies which portends loss of confidence in product; the company’s weak implementation of eco-friendly initiatives which are essential not only to check the environmental impact, but also serve as proof for goodwill to society; and, the increasing trend towards healthy eating which is a concern for future competitiveness of the company’s products. These challenges should be addressed to guarantee success of products in markets, as well as overall competitiveness. References Carpenter, M., and W., Sanders, (2007). Strategic Management: A Dynamic Perspective. Harlow: Pearson Prentice Hall. David, F. R. (2009), Strategic management: concept and cases (12th Ed). Pearson, NJ: Prentice Hall. Hanson, D., M., Hitt, R., Ireland, & R., Hoskisson, (2011). Strategic Management: Competitiveness and globalisation (Asia-Pacific, 4th Ed). South Melbourne, Australia: Cengage Learning Hill, C., (2006) International Business: Competing in the Global Economy, (7th Ed) Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Interbrand (2013). Best Global Brands 2012. Accessed 1/9/2014 from: http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/2012/Best-Global-Brands-2012.aspx Jones, S., (2012). Strategic Management at Nestle. Accessed 1/9/2014 from: http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/strategic-management-at-nestle-5907881.html Kazem, C., and L., Richard, (2008). Sustainable competitive advantage: towards a dynamic resource-based strategy. East London Business School: University of East London, UK. Luthans, F., and J., Doh, (2012). International Management: Culture, Strategy, and Behaviour, (8th Ed). Maidenhead: McGrawHill Nestle, (2013). Annual Report – 2013 (English). Accessed 2/9/2014 from: http://www.nestle.com/asset-library/Documents/Library/Documents/Annual_Reports/2013-Annual-Report-EN.pdf Vandewaetere, B., (2012). Personal Interview – 28th November, 2012: Responsible for European Affairs, Nestle. Accessed 2/9/2014 from: www.Nestle.com

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An Enemy of the People - Essay Example Besides, the play portrays different interpretations of the same truth. When one tries to prove that his/her ideas or viewpoints is the ultimate truth, the scope of compromise become limited. In the play, difference in opinion due to individual difference leads to conflict and eventually to never-ending hatred in the family. Thesis statement: An investigation to unearth Ibsen’s view of Human Nature, critique of ideas, values, and features of democratic community, and its strengths and weaknesses. The setting of the play is a Norwegian town which is governed by Peter Stockmann. The main plot of the play is the conflict between two brothers, Dr. Peter Stockmann and Dr. Thomas Stockmann. Besides, the play related to a man who happens to be against a town in which he lives in. The conflict between Dr. Peter and Dr. Thomas extends beyond the private domain of their family and spreads to their community. Dr. Thomas, who is public-minded, discovers that the water supply did undergo pollution. As a public minded citizen, he tries to trace the reason behind pollution. In addition, he meets politicians, journalists and economists and other citizens in his locality, but for vain. But Dr. Thomas’ idealism leads to further issues in the society and the people began to consider him as an enemy. For instance, the annoyed mass forced Dr. Thomas and his family to leave the same town which he tries to save from health issues due to water pollution. But Dr. Thomas Stockmann was not ready to part with his idealistic view of social responsibility of a citizen towards his/her community. But his idealism leads him to suffer a lot. For instance, his family life, career as a doctor, his private property etc is totally ruined. The character of Dr. Thomas reminds an exceptional character who is ready to face risks in one’s life but not ready to part with one’s belief/ideology. Ibsen’s characters acts the role of a mouthpiece which helps one have

Gap Case Study- Analysis current strategy Essay

Gap Case Study- Analysis current strategy - Essay Example 45). The demographic trend include factors like the number of target consumers, age mix, distribution of people across target geographical areas, population composition by ethnicity and trends in income within target market. These factors have significantly remained constant for the industry, except income distribution that could have been caused by the economic recession in the year 2009. The industry’s target market that defines its geographical environment is also global due to regional and international trade. Its economic environment is however variable and depends on factors such as interest rates, inflation rates and recession (Ireland, Hoskisson and Hitt, 2008; Thompson and Strickland, 2009). The industry is also significantly influenced by political factors that include legal systems and governmental agencies that protect consumer interests and include legislations and regulatory bodies and sociological and cultural factors such as general attitudes, health concerns, and cultural beliefs among the target market that significantly affect the industry and are particularly influenced by morality, taste, and preferences. Industrial operations’ dependence on technology for production and marketing also identifies technological trend as a factor to the family clothing industry’s environment besides globalization that facilitates international competition (Ireland, Hoskisson and Hitt, 2008). Porter’s analysis of the industry’s competitive forces The industry operates in a free competitive market. Its competitive forces can be explored through the Porter’s approach of that identifies â€Å"threats of new entrants, bargaining power of suppliers, competitors, bargaining power of buyers and threats of substitute products or services† (Henry, 2008, p. 71). Threats to new entrants into the industry are weak because of the nature of the industry that includes established participants with consumers’ retention s trategies. One of the factors that make it difficult for new entrants is the branding strategy that key players have adopted. With five major firms in control of the market and their established branding efforts, consumers have developed preferences and are reluctant to try products from new firms. As a result, inability to penetrate the market discourages potential new entrepreneurs and those that venture into the industry do not exert significant pressure on existing market players, especially the major players. The small profit margin factor in the industry that requires economies of scale for sufficient profitability is another factor that regulates potential new entrants into the industry, as small-scale ventures are largely unprofitable and new firms finds it difficult to command a large percentage of the market. Developed preferences through branding also ensures consumers strictness on supply chains or outlets from which they acquire brand commodities, as new channels and ou tlets are treated with suspicion. This preserves existing participants’ position in the industry (Thompson and Strickland, 2009; Henry, 2008). Buyers bargaining power is another factor in the Porter’s forces model. It defines the collective ability of a group of buyers or a single buyer to dictate relations with an enterprise in sales terms such as prices and other terms and

Britains Recent Credit Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Britains Recent Credit Crisis - Essay Example If it is opposite there is recession. "The circular flow diagram divides the economyii into two sectors: one concerned with producing goods and services, and the other with consuming them. Resources are converted into goods and services by business, and in this transformed state travel back to consumers. Money flows in the opposite direction. These flows involve two markets in which exchange take place: the resource or factor market in which business buys resources, and the goods and services market in which business sells goods." "Access to cheap credit in Britain has fuelled a decade of unprecedented growth, with home prices tripling over the past decade, a faster rise than in the US. Consumer spending has skyrocketed, now making up roughly two-thirds of the country's total outlays. And the overall economy in Britain is more dependent on financial services than it is in the States. As in the US, consumers are another key driver of the economy and today they're among the most indebted in the world. British consumers owe $2.7 trillion on credit cards, mortgages, and other consumer loans or more than the country's entire economic output. Household debt as a percentage of gross disposable income is 166%, compared with 127% in the US. So it's hardly surprising that in the past year, British banks have had to write off $18 billion in bad debts, mostly consumer borrowing. With the average home now costing $370,000 roughly 11 times the average salary housing is less affordable than at any time in the past 15 years. The latest data show house price inflation running at about 9.5% annually for August, but the rate is starting to slow. Although most believe that the Bank of England is unlikely to raise rates further anytime soon, the cost of servicing mortgages is expected to climb. That's because the crisis in the financial markets has raised the cost of borrowing for lenders, who will in turn pass on those costs to consumers, many of whom have adjustable rates."iii Explanation of Current Credit Crisis in Great Britain using the circular flow diagram. The diagram below shows the U.S. Circular flow including credit flows. It is a lot more involved than the previous circular flow diagram but it would explain the current credit crisis in Great Britain. Since the financial system in Great Britain and the U.S. are very similar, they have similar traits but face similar problems. The only thing is Great Britain's credit problems are a lot worse than the U.S. Let us analyze the British situation using the circular flow diagram below. 1. British Consumers have borrowed over $ 2.7 trillion which is even higher than the total Annual GDP number. Now obviously this debt has been acquired over a period of few years, so how does this reflect as an injection into the circular diagram. 2. Let us look at the simple

Equity & Trusts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Equity & Trusts - Essay Example An imperfect gift can only arise in the first two cases, and a gift would be imperfect if the transfer of title of the subject matter of the gift does not takes place from the settlor's name to the trustees. There can be no possibility of an imperfect gift in the third case because no formalities of transfer of rights are necessary. The exact constitutive requirements of a trust depend upon the nature of the property forming the subject-matter. In case of unregistered land, execution of a deed is necessary, whereas, in registered land, the trustee will need to be registered as proprietor on the register of title. In case of chattels (including cash), it has to be conveyed by either deed or delivery. In case of chose in action, this depends upon the different types of chose in action. In case of shares, for example, they can only be transferred by the recording of the transfer in the company’s books by the company secretary. The general attitude of the courts is reflected by Turner LJ’s statement in Milroy v. ... settlement, the settlor must have done everything which, according to the nature of the property as subject-matter of the settlement, was necessary to be done in order to transfer the property. If the settlor's chosen mode of donation fails, the court will not perfect the gift by allowing it to take effect by other modes. This case goes further to state that the beneficiary cannot allege in an imperfect gift that the settlor constituted to declare himself a trustee. In Richard v. Delbridge2, D decided to gift his lease of premises and business to his grandson R, who was an infant. He signed a memorandum and gave it to R’s mother, but before making a reference to the gift in his will he died. It was held that no self-declaratory trust was created: â€Å"It is necessary to show, not only an intention to benefit someone; but an intention to be trustee for that person†. According to Choihtram v. Pagarani3, â€Å"Men often mean to give things to their kinsfolk, they do not often mean to constitute themselves trustees. An imperfect gift is no declaration of trust†. Thus, equity will not come to the aid of any person who has given no consideration for the gift. For example, if a father, due to parental affection, promises to give his property to his son but dies before the actual conveyance, equity will not aid the son’s for the enforcement of that promise unless he had provided any consideration. However, this rule became very rigid in practice and may sometimes run into contradiction with the basic elements of quity i.e. fairness and justice. For instance, if a father declares in front of many people to give his entire property to only one son then that son has to give no consideration for that. But if the father dies unexpectedly before actual conveyance then

Essay On the Lynch Speech ( Full Text Provided )

On the Lynch Speech ( Full Text Provided ) - Essay Example (1). The alleged speech focuses on solving the problem that slave owners of Virginia in maintaining control over their slaves, through the methods that William Lynch had refined through their use on slaves in his plantations in the West Indies. (2). In essence the advice given to the slave owners of Virginia to maintain control over their slaves is based on the divide and rule policy used successfully by the Romans in the past, and the British in more recent times, to maintain control over their much larger colonies. The basis of the divide and rule policy lies in enlarging the differences within the targeted set of people to such an extent that they act as divisive forces to rend the people apart such that they hate those that are marginally different through color, caste, or religion and look more favorably on those subjugating them. This is the advice found in the text of the alleged William Lynch speech â€Å"I have outlined a number of differences among the slaves: and I take these differences and make them bigger. I use fear, distrust, and envy for control purposes†. (2). The advice given in the speech is not restricted to just the masters of the houses of the white slave owners, but also for the women and children, such that there is no area among the white slave owners from where respite is offered on this strategy. The speech contains the self-belief that indoctrinating the black slaves to look upon even the slight variances among themselves including color, age, and sex with â€Å"fear, distrust and envy† or social reengineering as the cure all for retaining control and dominating the black slaves, not just in the immediate times, but extending for hundreds of years. (2). The alleged speech reflects the manner in which the black slaves were subjugated into slavery. Following the advice was supposed to keep the blacks enslaved for centuries, but in about

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Journal - Essay Example Is it truly desirable to be free from the social bonds and obligations of a community? I am not convinced. I would argue that money, more than any good or service, has been commoditized in our economic system and created alienation. The last three decades have seen an explosion of money, commodity markets and communications which now beginning to bear the consequences. Whatever else this period of ‘globalization’ brings about, it represents a rapid society extension to a more comprehensive level than the 20th century norm which categorized society with a nation-state. So as to live in this world together, we must devise new ways of executing things for each other which go beyond our attempts on achieving local self-sufficiency (Holmes 13). I term this historical process ‘commoditization’. In history, commoditization has been closely related to the social extension by means of money and markets. Money is unique because its value is not inherent but ascribed. In a barter system absent of money there is obvious and immediate benefit for both parties in an exchange. When utilization of a fiat currency is employed, it means that benefits are not immediate (they are at least one step removed) and assumes that the currency will be recognized by future trading partners. In this system, money should function as a means to an end and be perceived as a proxy for goods and services. All value to money is ascribed – once a currency is no longer recognized as valid, it is useless or literally â€Å"not worth the paper it’s printed on† (Holmes 46). Since money must be widely recognized as legitimate in order to be useful, it also functions as a form of social control. The issuer of money implicitly offers a contract to users wherein the latter will follow the rules of the former. Participation in a nation’s economy is dependent on an individual’s willingness to use that nation’s form of currency. A few of my own journal works tie into this theme. The first pertains to the differences in lending that I have observed in my personal life and comes from a journal entry I wrote on September 24th. Specifically, if one friend lends another a good or service of relatively low value, there is no expectation of reimbursement. However, if the same value amount of money were to be exchanged between friends, an expectation of reimbursement would exist. This is an example of the commoditizing and alienating effects of money that Hyde discusses. It begs the question: why is the exchange of money an alienating and impersonal interaction? I believe part of the answer lies in the fact that money is not available for immediate consumption. It is instead a credit, or â€Å"IOU† that can be redeemed in a later transaction. Related to this is the fact that in the United States it is considered impolite to give money as a gift. Another journal entry was about an interesting news story I read on October 18th. The story, â€Å"Seizure of Ship From Argentina Forces Shake-Up,† by Emily Schmall, came from the New York Times. It was about a US hedge fund, Elliot Capital Management, which seized an Argentine ship that had docked in Ghana. The fund is owed $370 million by the Argentine government as a result of its 2001 default. I was struck by the fact that a private enterprise such as a hedge fund could find backing from courts in the US and Ghana to seize a government asset. Though Argentina is appealing their case to the

Compariosn of pre 1914 and Wilfred Owens poems Essay Example for Free

Compariosn of pre 1914 and Wilfred Owens poems Essay By comparing and contrasting a selection of war poems, consider the ways in which attitudes to war have been explored and expressed. When considering poetry written post 1900 concentrate on a selection of poems written by Wilfred Owen. War has been an influential topic for poetry for many centuries and through its catastrophic cruelty and sense of patriotism has created some of the most brilliant poets and most controversial poems ever written. With each different war comes different poets who want to write their views on it and just as motives of war differ, so do the opinions of the poets; some see war as barbaric and destructive, whereas others portray it as a way of ennobling oneself. Before the technology and media coverage we have nowadays, stories of battle were passed down by word of mouth and were often written in poetic form so they could be memorized easily. Just as the artillery used in the wars has changed, the way war is portrayed has as well. Before World War 1 began in 1914, it was seen as a glorious opportunity for men to serve and defend their country. In many poems war is compared to a game, for example in Vitai Lampada written by Henry Newbolt, the refrain Play up! Play up! And play the game! is repeated at the end of each stanza to try and rally the soldiers and ready them for battle. Newbolt uses the leitmotif of comparing fighting to playing a cricket match to ease the pressure off the soldiers by making it seem fun and competitive. He uses the simile: Beat through life like a torch in flame to portray how the schoolboys have responsibilities and also to show how these must be passed down through the generations to protect their country, just like the Olympic torch. War is also compared to a game in Henry Vs speech in Shakespeares play, Henry V. He declares: The games afoot, once again understating the enormity of the battle. In addition Shakespeare uses the battle cry God for Harry, England and Saint George! to show that the English are on the righteous side and have a duty to serve their country. Before 1914, there was no compulsory military service and therefore Britain did not have a huge army like other European countries. However World War 1 was so large, conscription needed to be introduced, meaning all men of the appropriate age were obliged to go to war. Along with conscription came the propaganda to encourage men to join up and a popular form was poetry. Poets like Jessie Pope and Rupert Brooke wrote poems convincing men that war would be an exciting opportunity with their friends and that it is their duty to honour and serve for England. However, one of the most famous war poets, Wilfred Owen, had a different view of the war. At first he wrote in a similar way to the likes of Pope and Brooke, but after experiencing first-hand action in the front line his work became less idealistic. One of Owens most famous poems is Dulce et Decorum est. The Latin title means it is sweet and fitting to die for your country and it is used ironically to anticipate an idealistic poem, but it is quite the opposite. Owen wrote this poem in reply to the jingoistic recruiting poems written by Jessie Pope; they glorify war and make it seem like a great opportunity for men to have an adventure with their friends. In the first two lines of Dulce et Decorum est, Owen uses the vivid imagery of old beggars and coughing like hags and the reader thinks that he is describing someone elderly or of low status. However, in the lines that follow, we realize that Owen is actually talking about soldiers who are walking away from the front line: Till on the haunting flares we turned our backs And towards our distant rest began to trudge. Owen uses the word haunting to portray that the battle they have endured will stay in their minds forever. To convey the exhaustion of the men Owen uses hyperbole: men marched asleepdrunk with fatigue. This shows how fighting was physically draining for the soldiers and contradicts the glamorous image that Popes poems conjure up. In the second stanza Owen illustrates the terrifying scene of a gas attack. He repeats the word GAS for a second time in capital letters to convey a sense of urgency and also to imply how fatigued the men were as they needed it to be repeated louder a second time for them to realise the situation. Owen uses polysyllabic words like ecstasy and fumbling and clumsy to convey a sense of panic and alarm. He describes how one man did not get his gas mask on in time and is floundring like a man in fire or lime. This portrays that the gas he is inhaling is burning and the image as under a green sea, I saw him drowning is very powerful because it shows that the gas overwhelms his lungs just as water does when you drown. The line In all my dreams, before my helpless sight shows how Owen will remember that scene forever, and the word helpless suggests that he cannot do anything about the flashbacks and horrible memories he will have to endure but it also implies that he could not do anything to help the soldier who was dying. Owen uses the adjectives guttering, choking, drowning to illustrate the soldiers horrific death; the word guttering is especially effective as you use it to describe a candle about to go out, just as the mans life is about to be extinguished. Owen bitterly attacks Jessie Pope in the last stanza. He sarcastically addresses her as my friend and uses gruesome comparisons like Obscene as cancer and bitter as the cud of vile to portray the horror of war. The line incurable sores on innocent tongues implies that the some soldiers who were very young will have terrifying memories with them for the rest of their lives. He appeals to the senses by using hideous and graphic imagery: If you could hear, at every jolt, blood- Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs. The adjective froth-corrupted illustrates how the mans lungs had been plagued by the gas and what a horrific death he had to endure. He uses the simile: like a devils sick of sin to describe the soldiers face, suggesting a sense of repulsion and disgust. Owen depicts the soldiers as children ardent for some desperate glory portraying that Popes recruiting poems wrongly persuaded boys that were not of age to vulnerably serve their country. In the last two lines Owen frames the poem by repeating the title, but he uses it ironically as he says it is The old Lie, contradicting other pre World War 1 poems that give the impression men will be considered heroic if they serve their duty. Owen once again opposes the notion that women will treat soldiers, who return home from war injured, like heroes in his poem Disabled, Owen opposes the idea that women will treat the soldiers, who return from the war injured, like heroes. In the poem Fall In by Harold Begbie, he persuades men to join the army by using the sexual attractiveness of women. The lines: When the girls line up in the street, Shouting their love to the lads come back, implies the men will be seen as courageous and gallant for fighting. However, Owen explains this is not the case in the lines: Now he will never feel again how slim, Girls waists are, or how warm their subtle hands, All of them touch him like some queer disease. The metaphor like some queer disease expresses how the women are afraid he may be contagious and how they find him repulsive. Just as in Dulce et Decorum est, at the beginning of the poem we think Owen is describing an elderly man because he uses the phrase ghastly suit of grey which infers old age. But then we discover how he threw away his knees; he chose to enlist for the army and that is portrayed a grave mistake, a waste of his life. The line: Poured it down shell-holes till the veins ran dry also infers that the man opted to fight as the verb poured suggests that he did it himself. In addition, Owen portrays how the boy was not motivated by principles to sign up: Someone had said hed look a god in kilts. He had been induced by vanity and also to please his Meg; once again the notion of impressing the women is used. Even though his face was younger than his youth the line Smiling they wrote his lie: aged nineteen years, shows that the authorities were unscrupulous as they knew he was just a boy but still let him sign up. Disabled is a very contrasting poem and Owen repeats the word now to emphasize the contrast between what he was, and what he has now become: Now he is old. Owen uses the motif of football throughout, but not in the positive way Newbolt does in Vitai Lampada. He uses it ironically to show the difference between his life before the war when he was fit and agile, and now when he is condemned to a passive lifestyle in a wheelchair. When he was playing football he liked a blood smear down his leg, implying that he thought it looked manly and would impress the girls. Now however, he can only watch boys playing football: voices of play and pleasure after day and the women do not see him as heroic as their eyes Passed from him to the strong men that were whole. The word whole creates a strong image of him being limbless and is powerful as it is not very compassionate, just like the women. In the last two lines, Owen repeats the rhetorical question: Why dont they come? The first question is directly addressing the nursing staff, portraying that they do not care for the wounded solider or are disgusted by his wounds and the second question portrays a sense of abandonment; he is confused because he fought in the war and people should honour what he has done instead of pitying and disposing of him. Owens Mental Cases has a similar theme to Disabled except it focuses on the mental aspect of fighting and not the physical aspect. The purpose of this poem is to describe to the reader that the conditions were so terrible in the First World War that it drove people insane. The tone of the poem is an angry one; Owen portrays his opposition to the war through line such as: Multitudinous murders they once witnessed. The word multitudinous means the common people and shows how Owen thought that the ordinary people of Britain were being slaughtered and that young, fit men were the subject of untimely deaths. It also emphasises the vast scaled of the murders and the intensity of the war. Owen uses very powerful and vivid imagery in the first stanza with phrases such as drooping tongues and purgatorial shadows to describe the men. The word purgatorial suggests that they are trying to cleanse their soul of the sins they have committed, but are trapped by their own violent actions in the war. Owen uses the word shadows to portray them as ghosts, men that go unnoticed because they are insane and not normal. This is ironic because they were probably once very fit and able and are now spending their lives in an institute. The first stanza poses the question of what made the men mad and Owen uses rhetorical questions to engage the reader: but what slow panic gouged these chasms round fretted sockets? This phrase conjours up a strong image of the men being wide eyed with a constant look of terror upon their face. Owen utilizes the phrase slow panic to infer that the men have been subject to a form of torture and that they have painfully been made to suffer. The phrase deeply gouged suggests wrinkles implying that the men are quite old; however we learn that the men have not lost their minds due to age, but due to war. The lines: Always they must see these things and hear them, Batter of guns and the shatter of flying muscles, use realistic and gruesome imagery to describe the battles. Onomatopoeia is used through the words shatter and batter making the reader almost hear the tremendous bangs of the guns and making them understand the intensity of the situation. The phrase human squander portrays Owens thoughts that many multitudinous murders took place and that their lives were lost for no reason; it was a mistake. In the final stanza Owen describes to the reader how the mental cases wish they were dead so they did not have to remember the atrocious carnage that they have seen: Dawn breaks open like a war that bleeds afresh. This simile is effective because usually dawn brings new beginnings and fresh opportunities, but to these men it just means they have to endure memories of what the war did to them. This poem is a very personal one as in the last four lines; Owen uses words like us and brother. This shows that the men blame us for allowing what happened to occur, and how they wish that they did not have to be reminded of it any longer. Wilfred Owens wrote Anthem for Doomed Youth not to portray the mental and physical effects of war like Disabled and Mental Cases, but to explain how a whole generation of men were subject to gruesome injuries or brutal deaths during the First World War. The title is deliberately ironic because the word Anthem usually suggests celebration; however the tone of this poem is bitter and mournful. It also infers that Owen is mocking poets like Rupert Brooke who say it is honourable to die in the war. The first line is a rhetorical question and it uses plosives, portraying an angry tone. The metaphor for these who die as cattle is effective because it infers that the soldiers are being slaughtered. The soldiers are referred to as Doomed Youth as there were no prayers nor bells for them as they died on the battlefield, just the monstrous anger of the guns, suggesting that the amount of deaths were so widespread there was no separate emotion for each man, their deaths were unimportant like that of cattle. This personification also infers that the weapons were taking control of the soldiers and that their actions are that of monsters. Owen portrays how there is no time for sentiment of the battlefield in the line: The shrill demented choirs of wailing shells; this personification is effective because when a person dies they are believed to be at peace, but when you die on the battlefield the destruction and devastation carries on around you regardless. Owen portrays how the men came from ordinary backgrounds in the phrase: sad shires and he describes how the family of the soldiers did have funerals for them back at home in the line: what candles may be held to speed them all? The devastation of their deaths is shown through the line: the pallor of girls brows shall be their pall; suggesting that their girlfriends are sorrowful and also by using the plural it shows how a whole generation of women may not be able to find husbands because so many young men were killed in action. In the last line, a drawing-down of blinds is a fitting way to end the poem, but it could also be associated with traditional drawing down of blinds in a room where a dead person lies and furthermore it infers that so many soldiers lives were now over. I enjoyed reading Wilfred Owens poetry more than the pre 1900 poetry as it gave me a realistic view of what the effects of war were on the soldiers and their families. World War One was the most devastating and barbaric war to date and therefore I believe that Owens poetry is more fitting as it gives a personal aspect to the poems, portraying the soldiers as humans, not just as statistics, but also showed them like animals to make the vast scale of the murders evident.

Torsional, Axial and Lateral Bottom Hole Assembly Vibrations

Torsional, Axial and Lateral Bottom Hole Assembly Vibrations Experimental investigation of torsional, axial and lateral bottom hole assembly vibrations 1. Introduction Introduction The oil and gas industry is one of the largest and the most globalized industry in the world. Petroleum products include plastics, fuels, ointments and many more. With increases in world population, consumption and demand of petroleum products have increased. Primarily petroleum products are used as energy sources. With an increase in demand, different, unconventional sources are being explored. Drilling in itself is a complex process due to the unknown formations in the earth. A hole is drilled in the earth with a bit, and tubulars are attached to it to provide axial force and rotation. The tubulars are hollow through which the drilling fluid is circulated to extract the cut rock. Once the hole is drilled, the bit and tubulars are taken out, and a larger tubular is pushed down the hole and cemented around the annulus to stop the hole from caving in. The process is the same as drilling a water well but with greater depth, pressures, temperatures and complexities. Some of the oil and gas sources are too deep or too complex to be explored, but with advanced technological development in drilling, extended reach, multilateral and horizontal wells, it is now possible to extract unconventional oil and gas. Vibrations When an entity oscillates around its equilibrium point, the entity is said to be in vibration. In most of the cases vibrations are undesirable, as they cause harm to the system and dissipate energy. When force or energy is imparted to a system, vibrations occur. In absence of external excitation, the vibrations are called free vibrations. Systems in state of free vibrations oscillate with natural frequencies, which are dependent on the properties of system. With the presence of external excitation, vibrations experienced by the system are called forced vibrations. Vibrations become increasingly large and are most damaging when the excitation frequency is close to one of the natural frequencies. This phenomenon is called resonance. When there is an energy dissipation from the system in terms of heat, sound, friction or any other method, the resulting vibrations are called damped vibrations. The drillstring assembly is a very long, slender system prone to excessive vibration due to the various forces acting on it. Primary forces on the BHA are torque due to rotation and bit rock interaction, axial forces due to gravity and lateral forces due to bending of the long pipe and hitting the walls of the borehole. Types of Drillstring Vibrations Drillstring vibrations are categorized based on the forces acting on it, which are Torsional, Axial and Lateral forces. These forces correspond to the three types of vibration: 1) Torsional vibrations, 2) Axial vibrations and 3) Lateral vibrations. Torsional Vibrations: Drillstring is rotated from the surface to provide torque or shear force to cut the rock. 3. Experimental Setup A lab-scale drilling rig was constructed for the purpose of competing in Drillbotics International Student Competition. OU Drillbotics team participated and won the competition in 2015. The budget restrictions limited the quality and quantity of sensors mounted on the rig. The rig was upgraded in 2016 with the additional budget. The following sections describe the rig setup and sensors installed, dividing them based on the systems: (i) Rig Structure, (ii) Hoisting System, (iii) Rotary System, (iv) Circulation System, (v) Measurement, Instrumentation and Control System and (vi) Drillstring Assembly. Rig Structure Rig Structure consists of three major parts: substructure, mast and travelling block. Rig Substructure In-house built structures have been found to be significantly cheaper than readymade structures in the market. Moreover, the former provides flexibility in the selection of dimensions, load ratings and design styles. This substructure was designed to pass through doors, so the rig could be used for future educational purposes. The rig substructure was constructed using 1ÂÂ ½ square-iron tubing with overall dimensions of 84 x 27 x 36. To allow rig mobility, five commercial grade caster wheels were installed, each with load capacity of 1000 lbs. A 47 x 27 shelf made of ÂÂ ¼ thick iron sheet was added for installation of circulation system and electrical box. This left the rig with a space of 37 x 27 x 36 to accommodate the rock sample. 3.1.2 Mast A mast of cantilever design was constructed out of Aluminium, as shown in Fig. 3.1. Figure 3.1: Rig mast laid down on the substructure top Constructing the mast with aluminium reduced the weight by 2.5 times to that made by steel. A 10-inch-wide C-Channel was supported by two 90 angle bars. The base was attached to the table with hinges for reclining and easy transport of the rig. 3.1.3 Travelling Block The travelling block slides on a pair of linear guide rails attached to the mast. Linear roller bearings or pillow blocks attached to the back of the travelling block provide near smooth motion. Two horizontal plates were bolted on the vertical plate. The upper plate acted as a mount for the AC motor and lower plate supported the swivel. A torque sensor was placed in between motor shaft and swivel. The total weight of the travelling block was measured to be 77.72 lbs. Figure 3.2: Travelling Block Assembly 3.2 Hoisting System Hoisting system components include a double acting air cylinder, pneumatic lines, a couple of pneumatic convertors (Fig. A.1 and Fig. A.2) and a compressed air supply line. Regulated compressed air-line up to 130 psi was hooked up to the pneumatic convertors. Two pneumatic lines from the convertors of maximum capacity 120 psi controlled the air flow and connected to the inlet ports of the dual acting piston. Dual acting air piston has a 1.125 inch bore and a 36-inch stroke length. The system has a capacity to hoist a load of 119.28 lbs. 3.3 Rotary System A top drive system was installed with a 1 HP motor and a maximum RPM of 1170 on the motor mount of the travelling block. The motor shaft is connected to the omega torque sensor via a spring coupling. The torque sensor has a rotating shaft to shaft configuration with an operating speed of 5000 RPM. The torque sensor is connected to the swivel via another spring coupling. The swivel was designed and fabricated in-house with pressure rating of 300 psi and brass outer body for corrosion resistance. The chrome plated rod is wear-resistant to the abrasion of the seals. Swivel rod is attached to an adapter at the base of the bottom plate. A four bolt flange mounted ball bearing prevents any load from being transmitted to the rotary assembly. 3.4 Circulation System It is important to remove cuttings from the hole to drill further ahead. To accomplish this, water, oil and foam based drilling fluids were taken into consideration. Water from the city line without any additives was chosen as drilling fluid after taking cost of a closed loop system for recirculation and cost of additives and base fluids into account. It was also assumed that the effect of drilling fluid on drillstring vibrations was negligible. A roller pump with a pressure rating of 300 psi was installed to circulate the water down the drillstring assembly. A 1.5 HP 3-phase motor powers the pump. The Omega digital display flow meter, which was installed after the pump, can monitor flowrate up to 15 GPM. Pressure monitoring is done by a pressure transducer of rating 500 psi. Pressure fluctuation of up to 50 psi was observed due to intermittent flow supplied by the roller pump. A pressure dampener was built with spare couplings and installed upstream to the flow meter. This provided smooth and stable flow. An analog pressure gauge was mounted atop the dampener to monitor fluctuation. Rubber hose with a pressure rating of 300 psi connects the flow meter with the swivel. Drilling fluid from the swivel then flows into the drillstring and comes out of the bit nozzles and out of the hole through the annulus. As the drilling fluid is just water, it is passed down the sewer line along with the cuttings and not recirculated. 3.5 Measurement, Instrumentation and Control System The Measurement, Instrumentation and Control system is the most important system in the automated rig. The sensors are mounted on the rig at various places for different functions. They provide analog data to the data acquisition module Omega DAQ-3001. An electrical box is mounted at the bottom shelf for shielding the card and other signal conditioners from electrical interference. The data from the DAQ module transfers into the desktop computer, which is installed on the rig structure for control of the automated rig and storage and display of data. Excel-based VBA program is used for the operation of the rig. 3.5.1 Measurement Sensors Following are the sensors installed on the rig to monitor performance of the rig and drilling process. 3.5.1.1 Displacement Laser Sensor An aluminum strip is attached to the top of the travelling block with a reflective tape stuck on it. A Banner laser sensor is mounted about 0.5 inches above the travelling block on the mast. It can measure maximum displacement up to 3.93 inches with an accuracy between 0.019 inch to 0.039 inch. 3.5.1.2 Lateral Vibration Laser Sensor To measure lateral vibrations of the drillstring, an xyz laser sensor is used. It can measure distance from 1.57 inch to 6.29 inch with an accuracy of less than 20 micrometer. The sensor was earlier mounted on an aluminium plate attached to the travelling assembly. But the strip was long and excessive vibrations due to bit rock interaction caused the strip to vibrate at high amplitude, providing inconclusive and erroneous data. Hence the mounting structure was made of a square iron tubing to give a sturdier structure. The vibration amplitude was then reduced and could be observed only at excessive vibrations due to higher RPM and WOB. 3.5.1.3 Optical RPM Sensor An LED-based, reflective type optical RPM sensor, which can measure up to 15000 RPM, is mounted on the cage of swivel. Reflective tape is stuck on the spring coupling between the swivel and torque sensor. The sensor is mounted at an angle so that the reflective area increases for better measurement. 3.5.1.4 Torque Sensor It is assumed that torque measured by the torque sensor is the torque due to bit-rock interaction. An Omega rotating shaft to shaft torque sensor has been mounted above the swivel with a torque rating of 64 inch-pounds. 3.5.1.5 Axial Vibration Sensor An axial vibration senor is installed at the bottom plate of the travelling block adjacent to the flange mounted ball bearing. The VBT-1 vibration sensor has a micro-electro-mechanical system which sends a voltage proportional to the vibration velocity to the data acquisition module. It measures vibration velocity from 0-25 mm/sec. 3.6 Drillstring Assembly The drillstring assembly comprises of 3 parts, Aluminum pipe, bit sub and bit. The pipe is made of Aluminum 6061 with an OD of 0.375 inch and a thickness of 0.035 inch. Both ends of the pipe have 3/8 NPT male compression fittings attached on it. It is connected on one end to 3/8 NPT female brass adapter which is connected to the swivel rod and other end is connected to 3/8 NPT female bitsub. The bit sub is made out of stainless steel for corrosion resistance. It has 3/8 female NPT threads on both ends. A roller sleeve with OD of 1.1 inch and ID of 0.9 inch is slide upon the bit sub to act as a stabilizer and provide smooth rotation. It has a counter bore to place constriction of various sizes to change pressure drop in the system. The bit is fabricated in house using stainless steel round bar and machined to replicate the baker huges bit provided for the competition. The cutters were bought from vendors and the OD of the cutters available was 0.5 inch. They are made out of carbide as opposed to the diamond cutters provided and also wears down faster. The cutters are screwed on the cutter faces and are replaceable. 4. Methodology This chapter describes the procedure of the experiments performed and the data collected. It also talks about some assumptions, sensor calibration and data analysis. 4.1 Experimental Procedure The rig and all its components are powered on and the Excel program initiated. The program has a separate sheet which takes the variables of the experimental run as an input. The only variables changed for the set of experiments are RPM and WOB. Another variable, which is the height at which the string starts to rotate was also been varied but it did not have any effect on the data. A pilot hole of 1.25-inch diameter and 1-inch depth was drilled into the rock sample using a coring bit and hammer-chisel to insert a guide shoe in the hole. The 6-inch long guide shoe acted as a borehole wall and prevented bit walking. Using a level indicator, the rock sample was adjusted to be horizontal. The drillstring was the attached to the swivel adapter and rig was then slid over the rock to align the drillstring and the guide shoe. Using the leveling screws the rig was jacked up to be horizontal. The inlet air pressure line and water line were opened up. Once all experimental variables were set, the program was initiated using the Start button. The first step of the program was to hoist the travelling block to the topmost position. At this point a safety bar used to keep the travelling block hoisted was taken away. The travelling block slowly lowered down and once the bit was inside the guide shoe, top-drive motor and pump motor got activated and string started to rotate along with water pressurized inside the pipe. The bit gradually touched the rock and drilling process began. A trial run was carried out to check if the systems were working properly and data was being collected. A couple of millimeters were drilled during the trial run so that the hole got initiated. After a trial run, experimental runs were carried out. Each experiment was run for 6 min and stopped using the Stop button in the program. The pump stopped pumping fluid and drillstring stopped rotation. Travelling block was gradually lifted up to the topmost position. After that new experimental variables were set and the next run was carried out. Experiments were performed on 2 different rock samples. First set on a very hard and compacted sandstone and the other on a very soft unconsolidated sandstone. UCS of the hard sandstone ranged from 6000 to 9500 psi while UCS for the soft sandstone ranged from 2000 to 5000 psi. 4.2 Data, Collection and Analysis Data was continuously collected by Omega data acquisition system module and stored in an excel sheet. The data of interest were WOB, RPM, Torque, Axial Vibrations, Lateral Vibrations and ROP. Different plots were generated against variables of interest to observe dependency and behavior of the variable under investigation. 4.2.1 WOB and RPM Data WOB is an independent variable with respect to our investigation. WOB was measured using a load cell attached to the back travelling block connecting the piston. The calibration of WOB was carried out in the following procedure. The rig was slid on a weighing scale. A set number of values were entered for voltage sent to the bottom pneumatic convertors. A constant voltage of 2 volts was sent to the top pneumatic convertor to provide a constant pressure of 20 psi resistance against erratic bouncing and to provide a constant friction between piston and cylinder walls in either direction. Reading on the weighing scale was recoded as WOB. Initially the WOB calibration was performed in a static condition. It was observed that WOB reading during the experiment was different than the expected values based on calibration. It was assumed that the change of conditions from static to dynamic was the cause of difference. Hence to simulate dynamic conditions while calibration, rig was constantly hammered down with a mallet to cause the rig to vibrate and negate static friction. The stabilized reading on the scale was used for calibration. But hammering still did not replicate the vibrations happening during the drilling process and hence the WOB measurement by the load cell was different from expected based on the calibration. Hence average value of the WOB was calculated for complete experimental run and considered as the WOB which is being exerted on the rock for cutting process. The average WOB observed had a change of 19.9 % to -20.6 % from the expected input values. In actual drilling process, the WOB is never constant. As the drilling proceeds the WOB decreases and driller lowers the drill string to increase and maintain the set WOB. Hence a ÂÂ ± 20 % change from the set point is acceptable. RPM data was obtained from the optical RPM sensor which was calibrated using a handheld RPM sensor. At lower RPM the error was around 8 % and at higher RPM it lowered down to 0.5 %. So at lower levels the set point was decreased by 4 to compensate for the error. 4.2.2 Torque, Axial and Lateral Vibration Data A rotating shaft to shaft torque sensor was placed in between the motor and swivel with a spring coupling on each end. Torque was calibrated using a torque wrench. When run at idle conditions without any drilling action, torque reading obtained was assumed to be friction. That extra torque of 1.114 inch pounds was assumed to be a side force or the friction inside the swivel and other rotating parts such as the flange mounted ball bearing. A laser displacement senor was attached to the mast to detect the magnitude of lateral vibrations. It was aimed at the center of the drillstring such the pipe was always in range of the laser. The laser sensor was kept 4 inches away from the center of pipe. NPT connections are inherently non concentric and causes non-alignment of pipe. The pipe wobbled due to non-alignment and it oscillated far and near to the sensor. Hence there was a negative and a positive value for displacement. The most negative value of the displacement was used as a reference zero and complete data was shifted towards positive with -0.24165 inch as a reference zero. Greater the magnitude, pipe travelled farther away from the sensor indicating higher lateral vibrations. An axial vibration sensor was attached to the bottom plate of the travelling block. It had micro-electro-mechanical system inside to detect the vibration speed and send a proportional voltage signal for measurement. The sensor came calibrated from the manufacturer and it had a direct vibration-velocity to voltage relationship provided by the manufacturer. 4.2.3 ROP data ROP was directly calculated by the program by dividing the depth drilled by the time it took to drill and stored in the Excel sheet. As the Hard sandstone was difficult to drill the sensor could not measure any significant change in drilled depth along with the vibrations of the assembly and the error in measurement. Hence ROP data for Hard sandstone is not taken into consideration. Soft sandstone data was collected and analyzed for effect of vibrations and other parameters. 4.3 Data Analysis Data was collected from the point where the bit touches the rock to the point when the program was stopped. All experiments were run for 6 minutes in which an average of 100 data points were collected in an excel sheet. An average of those data was calculated and stored. Average values of torque, axial vibrations and lateral vibrations were plotted against RPM and WOB separately. A trend of data was analyzed based on the plots. With increase of RPM, change of torque, axial and lateral vibration was observed. Same practice was carried out for WOB. The plots are shown in Appendix B. 5. Results and Discussions Torsional Vibrations Hard Sandstone: Looking at the plots (Fig. 5.1), with an increase in RPM at constant WOB, torque gradually increases. At around 300 RPM, there is a sudden increase in some cases which then decreases. This behavior is unexpected and no conclusion has been found for the reason for the abnormality. It can be assumed that there would be some abnormally hard layer during drilling due to which such an increase is observed as no such trend was observed in the uniform soft sandstone. But general trend is a gradual increase in torque with an increase of RPM at constant WOB. No oscillation of torque was observed indicating absence of stick-slip. Figure 5.1: Torque vs. RPM plot at constant WOB for experiments on hard sandstone At constant RPM, with increase in WOB there is a gradual increase in torque (Fig. 5.2). No specific trend for RPM is observed as some of the low RPM cases also have higher torque than high RPM cases. Figure 5.2: Torque vs. WOB plot at constant RPM for experiments on hard sandstone Soft sandstone: Observing the plot for soft sandstone (Fig. 5.3), a gradual increase in torque was observed with increase in ROM at constant WOB. No oscillation of torque was observed indicating absence of stick-slip. Figure 5.3: Torque vs. RPM plot at constant WOB for experiments on soft sandstone There is a clear and distinct trend for increase in torque with increase in WOB at constant RPM (Fig. 5.4). Figure 5.4: Torque vs. WOB plot at constant RPM for experiments on soft sandstone Lateral Vibrations Hard Sandstone: Plot (Fig. 5.5) shows that there is a gradual increase of torque with increase in RPM at constant WOB. Figure 5.5: Lateral Vibrations vs. RPM plot at constant WOB for experiments on hard sandstone No general trend is observed for initial low WOB experiments (Fig. 5.6). With increase in WOB the lateral vibrations decreased in low RPM case and increased in high RPM cases. Figure 5.6: Lateral Vibrations vs. WOB plot at constant RPM for experiments on hard sandstone Soft sandstone: There is a general trend of increase of lateral vibrations with increase in RPM (Fig. 5.7) but it is not as significant as in hard sandstone. Figure 5.7: Lateral Vibrations vs. RPM plot at constant WOB for experiments on soft sandstone The data is too scattered to find a general trend for effect of WOB on lateral vibrations at constant RPM (Fig. 5.8). However, the trend at higher WOB shows a decrease in lateral vibrations. This can be attributed to the stiffening of the pipe due to higher axial load OR the pipe is bent and misaligned is making it bend more on the sensor side decreasing the deflection. Figure 5.8: Lateral Vibrations vs. WOB plot at constant RPM for experiments on soft sandstone Axial Vibrations Hard Sandstone: Axial vibrations follow a similar trend to torque (Fig. 5.9). With an increase in RPM, axial vibrations increased. Similar to the trend for torque, some cases have abnormally high vibration magnitude at 300 RPM which can be attributed to abnormally hard layer of formation. Figure 5.9: Axial Vibrations vs. RPM plot at constant WOB for experiments on hard sandstone Following the general trend axial vibrations increased with an increase in WOB at constant RPM (Fig. 5.10). Figure 5.10: Axial Vibrations vs. WOB plot at constant RPM for experiments on hard sandstone Soft sandstone: With increase in RPM, axial vibrations increased (Fig. 5.11). However for soft sandstone the trend do not resemble the trend in torque. In fact, it resembles more to the trend in ROP (Fig. B.10). There is a sudden increase in axial vibrations at 700 rpm and then it decreases gradually. Figure 5.11: Axial Vibrations vs. RPM plot at constant WOB for experiments on soft sandstone The data is too scattered to find a general trend for relationship between WOB and axial vibrations (Fig. 5.12). Figure 5.12: Axial Vibrations vs. WOB plot at constant RPM for experiments on soft sandstone 5.4 Effect on ROP Hard Sandstone: No significant data available for any analysis. Soft sandstone: ROP increases with an increase in RPM at constant WOB (Fig. 5.13). It peaks at around 700 RPM and then it decreases. Figure 5.13: ROP vs. RPM plot at constant WOB for experiments on soft sandstone At higher RPM, higher WOB has an increased effect on ROP (Fig. 5.14). But no dependence of WOB can be seen at lower values of RPM. Figure 5.14: ROP vs. WOB plot at constant RPM for experiments on soft sandstone 6. Conclusions and Recommendations Conclusions At constant WOB, with increase in RPM, increase in lateral vibrations in hard sandstone is higher than in soft sandstone which indicates that lateral vibrations also depend on type of formation. Axial vibrations are highly dependent on torque. No matter what RPM, WOB or the formation type is taken into account if there a change in torque, corresponding change will be observed in axial vibrations. WOB has less effect on excitation of axial vibrations in soft rocks and more effect in hard rocks. Hence the setpoint WOB should be decreased for drilling into hard rocks. RPM of 700 is the highest RPM which can be used to obtain highest ROP without taking the increased vibrations into account. Increase of RPM further lowers the ROP which can be attributed to such increased vibrations and velocities that the bit does not get enough time to contact and drag the rock surface. 6.2 Recommendations and Future Work Although the design of the rig was optimized, there is always room for improvement. With an increase in budget and limited design constraints, the rig can be constructed better. Following are the recommendations for upgrading the rig. The software program used for the control algorithm can be upgraded to Labview or Dasylab which are more user friendly for programming the automation and control architechture. Using Labview or Dasy lab will allow to operate on a faster computer with a recent operating system which will help in faster data collection and storage. A vibrating element can be attached to the travelling block when WOB calibration is performed so that error due to change in friction values can be negated. The spring couplings attached to the torque can be upgraded with a higher torque rating to prevent failure at higher vibrations. A stable support structure for the torque sensor and laser deflection sensor can be provided. If the bit can be obtained or manufactured with diamond coated cutters, then a set of experiments can be designed where relationship could be examined between RPM, WOB and the depth of cut. Forward and backward whirl characterization experiments could be performed with improved sensors for detection of whirl rates. Hammering action can be included in the drilling action and its effect on ROP, lateral vibrations, torque and axial vibrations could be analyzed. References Braun, Simon G. Ewins, David J. Rao, Singiresu S.. (2002). Encyclopedia of Vibration, Volumes 1-