Van Helsing and the Unorthodox Monster Narrative

Rebecca Scheinert Monsters and Myths September 16th 2012 Van Helsing and Unorthodox Monster Narrative Monsters have become a regular fixture in the contemporary movie industry but it is important to remember these supernatural creatures were born from ancestors in nineteenth century gothic literature. These creatures were a cultural product of the social, scientific, and psychological concerns of a society that had lost its faith in religion. Each monster was a manifestation of a ubiquitous fear that remains relevant today.In the 2004 film rendition of Van Helsing, the director Stephen Sommers calls upon the famed vampire hunter from Bram Stoker’s Dracula to restore order to a world interweaving the plots of Frankenstein, and The Wolfman. The hero of Van Helsing has been stripped of any memory of his character’s history and triumphs but must seek to vanquish his enemy aided only my the folklore of 19th century Eastern Europe. Without a sense of identity, Van Helsing acc epts this task joined by the beautiful Anna Valerious who is cursed by her ancestors’ promise to destroy Dracula.The duo must face endless threats, apply knowledge of the occult, and confront their inner demons to reach the climatic final battle with Dracula where they must cling to their disappearing humanity in a world of monsters. Although Van Helsing and Dracula are dramatic foils for one another, their similarities become as apparent as their differences as the storyline develops. In this final scene from Van Hesling, Stephen Sommers employs and distorts traditional monster mythology to prove to its viewers that the dichotomy between hero and monster is not mutually exclusive.Initially, the physical character of the scene is the vehicle that transports its viewers from the couch in 2012 to the recognized world of monster myths. The viewers’ acceptance of the setting is imperative because it invokes a â€Å"willing suspension of disbelief† from the audience in which the time-honored mythology of the classic monsters’ stories is embraced as historical fact (Tudor 121). The horror film genre employs setting conventionally â€Å"to facilitate our entry into the fiction† where the unbelievable characters and events are embraced (Tudor 122).For this particular scene, the audience finds the characters in an archetypical gothic setting, the laboratory where Frankenstein was created (Van Helsing). In the Gothic tradition, writers â€Å"built plots around restless spirits, ageless monsters, and unresolved sins of the past that reappear to bedevil modern characters† (Worland 12). Stephen Sommers places the characters in their imagined place and time by interweaving â€Å"Frankenstein’s middle-European village, Dracula’s Transylvanian mountains, and The Werewolf of London’s fog-shrouded setting† into a location familiar to the genre audience.In this scene, the nineteenth century stylized lab is tal l and imposing with rich architectural detail. In the darkness of night, moments before midnight as indicated by the baroque clock, clusters of fire and blue electrical charges are the only source light. The midnight hour is universal symbol for the time when monsters roam the earth while the men sleep (Philips 515). The evident destruction in the laboratory conveys that it has already failed terrifically. The setting is a reminder that in gothic horror the â€Å"stakes are high because the struggle is mortal and metaphysical† (Worland 17).This elaborate laboratory is paradoxical setting because the events are occurring in a time with scientific knowledge but in a part of the world that remains unchanged by industrialization. Furthermore, by combining Frankenstein and Dracula, the powers of science are directly conflicting with the religious themes of the legend of Dracula (Tudor 87). While inside the burning laboratory it is evident that both science and religion have failed the characters. The integration of the monster’s settings is only the first device Sommers plays with.Horror operates through the tried strategy of â€Å"placing stereotypical characters in cumulatively eventful situations† which is a structure the audience expects through out the movie (Tudor 112). The genre hero is titled by Andrew Tudor as the â€Å"expert† and given the responsibility of bringing the world or disorder back to order. When we enter this scene in the shambled laboratory, it is undeniably recognized as disorder. Tudor goes onto say that â€Å"Dracula’s traditional opponent, Van Helsing† is the common ancestor of all of the genre’s experts (114). The original bestows VanHelsing with the capability and knowledge to vanquish Dracula but was written as â€Å"scholastic and eccentric† as a fold to a vampires ruthless charm (114). Sommers introduces Van Helsing in this scene defeated by battle, fragile, limping, and gaspin g for breathe. Although he is introduced as man, the identifiable wolf scratches across his chest and the striking of the clock foreshadow his transformation into a werewolf monster. Sommers reminds the audience of the human expert and monster foil when Dracula enters as a flying monster and Van Helsing enters as a wounded human.The audience is aware they are rooting for Van Helsing and weary of Dracula. Furthermore, Van Helsing’s monster is a werewolf, who are seen as â€Å"demonic innocents† entangled in a â€Å"complex web of ritualistic expectations† (117). A werewolf is a sympathetic monster because the audience can compartmentalize the humanity from the lupine cruelty by his separate physical forms. Van Helsing reluctantly assumes his monster form writhing during his transformation. However, he embraces his fate by tearing off his jacket and engaging in battle.Van Helsing’s internal conflict between embracing his monster form to complete his task to vanquish Dracula and fearing the loss of his human control is illustrated when he frightens himself from his lupine form into his human form while choking Dracula. This narrative trick confounds an active audience who is inclined to remain loyal to the expert protagonist who has become what he is destined to destroy. In addition, the characterization of Dracula in the scene manipulates religious iconography to further the juxtaposition between religion and science that was introduced in the setting.In this scene Dracula exhibits the expected traits of a vampire when speaking in his human form. He is â€Å"elegant† â€Å"clean† â€Å"attractive† but â€Å"evil† and manipulative (116). Upon discovering Van Helsing is now a monster as well he tries to coerce him into joining his fight. Dracula sees all monsters as equals on the side of evil united against humanity and the greater good, as â€Å"a part of the same great game† (Van Helsing). Dracula is a satanic character, the of the evil side in the eternal battle between good and evil.This character parallel is supplemented by the physical characterization of Dracula in his monster form. Sommers employs the standard devil veneer with horns, wings, and red coloring as a universal symbol for evil. Dracula is charming and sophisticated in his human form but as a monster he is the hideous disconfigured archetype for evil. This proves to the viewer the humans can be monsters and the monsters can appear as humans. The naked eye cannot discern between what is evil and what is good, even when the monster is as obvious and Judeo-Christian devil.In these cases, Sommer’s is manipulating with the monster iconography by transforming orthodox characters. Monster iconography has â€Å"developed through statements, repetition, and variations that the audience has come to understand† (Worland 18). There is an expected viewer response of hatred for monsters and empathy for humans, which the director is playing upon. Through this device, he makes the social commentary that any man has the ability to become a monster and there is a monster in all of us.At the same time, he is loyal to the narrative by making the expert an empathetic monster and Dracula a deceiving monster. Ultimately, the audience’s psychological response to the scene is necessary for Sommers to manipulate the genre’s traditions and mythology effectively. Through out the scene there is a shock cycle of tension construction and release. Within the smaller context of a singular scene, the microscopic shock cycle will build and release pressure, keeping viewers engaged until end (Tudor 109).There is relief with the â€Å"grotesque and painful end† of Dracula. Rick Worland titles this event a â€Å"bad death† that challenges the traditional conceptions of mortality and the social good (8). The audience does not feel sadness for the revolting murder of Dracula but they ex perience devastation at the loss of Anna. Although Anna’s death is more troubling to the audience, the producers do not let us see her â€Å"bad death†. Anna is mauled by Van Helsing as a werewolf as well but in a moment of suspense and ambiguity we can only see the back of the werewolf’s body.While the audience watches this genre for the suspense and gore, it is still troublesome to see the end of the heroine. The audience can digest her death as a necessary sacrifice and the final shock rather than cruel an unusual when they are spared the visual impact of her death. This can also be looked at through a Freudian perspective. Freud advocated a â€Å"resonation of the return of any actions or desires repressed by the dominant social order† through experiences such as watching horror movies or nightmares (Worland 15).All of the audience members have felt repression, whether it is from an external societal source or an internal repression of feelings or mem ories. The monster is a manifestation of this repression. All varieties of repression can be overcome by vicariously living through this scene because the monster is both a triumphant hero and a defeated antagonist. In the end there is silence and the tension is released because both monster threats has been nullified. Antithetically, because of the dual bad deaths, the audience is left to contemplate if the ends justified the means.The audience has released their feelings of repression through the shock cycle but is left to contemplate the questionable victory and the tragic death long after the scene is complete. At the heart of this scene, Sommers challenges viewers to question the traditional protagonist and antagonist relationship in the movie and with the audience. He does this by presenting characters and settings that elicit expectations for the course of the scene’s plotline. Then, by choosing a different path, there is a psychological response from the engaged viewe r.Over the course of the brief scene, there are series of surprises that are not from the blood and gore but from the distortion of century old stories. At the conclusion of the scene, the audience has worked through feelings of repression by witnessing the destruction of two monsters and the death of two characters but are more importantly inspired to question what the true manifestation of good and evil are. Works Cited Phillips, William H. Film: An Introduction. Boston: Bedford/St.Martin's, 1999. Print. Tudor, Andrew. Monsters and Mad Scientists: A Cultural History of the Horror Movie. Oxford [England: B. Blackwell, 1989. Print. Van Helsing . Dir. Stephen Sommers. Perf. Hugh Jackman and Kate Beckinsale. Universal, 2004. DVD. Van Helsing . YouTube. YouTube, 16 June 2011. Web. 16 Sept. 2012. ;http://www. youtube. com/watch? v=jr60kvuKw3w;. Worland, Rick. The Horror Film: An Introduction. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub. , 2007. Print.

Assignment 1 Ptlls, Level 4

Assignment 1 – PTLLS – Level 4 Task 1. Establishing ground rules and promoting appropriate behaviour. Level 4. Explain the different approaches you have discovered for establishing ground rules to value the contributions of others and understand the need for respect?Ground rules can be agreed as a group or as a class, having a mutual agreement from the class helps establish and promote respect for each other, knowing what is intended from the class and taking responsibility for learning as individuals and as a group, as working as a team and respecting each others opinions, and agreeing to disagree, however still respecting the other person’s opinions. Discussing and agreeing ground rules with the class makes for transparency and openness with the class and individual awareness of this matter.Ideally it may resolve any animosity. Inclusive learning is about recognizing that each learner is different from other learners in many ways. As a teacher; you need to work in partnership with your learners to ensure that learning is effective. Partnerships always work best when both sides know where they stand. If your learners understand what is required of them and what they can expect from you, they are more likely to make the necessary commitment to learning and to be successful in achieving their aims and ambitions. Gravells and Simpson 2008, p. 21) Promoting appropriate behaviour so that individuals respect each other and this would also help eradicate bullying style of behaviour. Although, you would think this would not happen with adults, however it does. ‘The know it all’, explaining to the class whilst interrupting teaching, giving too many personal experiences or examples, this can be really frustrating for the learner, who needs to listen and understand the point of the teacher.Once ground rules have been established this would make the individual / class aware of their own behaviour for example ‘only having one convers ation at a time in the class’ and ‘respecting other people’s contributions’. Has adults in a further education environment, one would know how to behave appropriately. Ice-breakers are a great way of getting to know each other, having fun and knowing something about someone can also promote respect. Well-chosen icebreakers can ease learners through the discomfort of getting to know others, and the teacher better.They can help to set a positive atmosphere for learner interactions and encourage interest in the overall learning experience. (Gravells and Simpson 2008, p. 10) Having boundaries for a teacher and learner also promotes respect and appropriate behaviour for the teacher and the learners. This may include personal space, physical contact, other students within the institution, the age of the student being taught, the location: college, work place, training etc.This is also to safe guard minors, well being, duty of care, equality and work ethics, it i s important not to overstep these. For example; if a teacher accepts a gift such as money or diamonds, this maybe considered has favourtism, bribery, (boundaries can be agreed about giving / receiving gifts, thus the type of gift presented to either party) and if a teacher gives gifts to a minor this maybe considered as grooming, it is important not to overstep this grey area. (Gravells and Simpson 2008, p. 1 and 12) explains the reasoning behind ground rules: Agreeing ground rules with learners Under the new Professional Standards for Teachers, Tutors and Trainers in the Lifelong Learning Sector your aim will be to create a safe learning environment that promotes tolerance, respect and co-operation between your learners. One of the best ways of achieving this is to develop an agreement with your learners regarding ground rules. These are rules that should be agreed by, and followed by, all learners within your group.Involving your learners in the process encourages them to take res ponsibility and ownership for their own learning. Your learners will learn best in an environment in which they are able to participate, voice their opinions, ask questions and be actively involved in determining how they will learn. Ground rules should be agreed by the whole group rather than imposed by you. By showing an interest in their decisions, you are communicating with your learners that they are valued as individuals, who bring useful skills and knowledge to the session.You might think that they will agree to switch off their mobile phones and arrive on time. However, it might be useful to get them to think about dividing their ground rules into rights and responsibilities; for example: †¢ We have a right to: o Be treated with respect; o Be listened to; o Be assured of confidentiality. †¢ We have a responsibility to: o Be on time for sessions; o Not disrupt the session; o Switch off mobile phones. (Gravells and Simpson 2008, p. 11 and 12)We all have a right to le arn, listen and contribute in class, as individuals will have their own intent for how and what end results they desire. Knowing this contributes to respect for others, as we all have different learning styles. Has an individual has paid to study and not be disrespected by anyone within the location and in the class. Word Count: 814 Reference List: Gravells, A. and Simpson, S. (2008) Planning and Enabling Learning in the Lifelong Learning Sector Learning Matters Ltd. Exeter.

Computer Security Essay

Encryption is method of scrambling data in some manner during transmission. In periods of war, the use of encryption becomes paramount so those messages are not intercepted by the opposing forces. There are a number of different ways to protect data during transmission, such as Substitution (character for character replacement) in which one unit (usually character) of cipher text (unintelligible text or signals produced through an encryption system) is substituted for a corresponding unit of plain text (the intelligible text or signals that can be read without using decryption), according to the algorithm in use and the specific key. The other method is Transposition (rearrangement characters) which is the encryption process in which units of the original plain text (usually individual characteristics) are simply moved around; they appear unchanged in the cipher text for their relative location. Study Case (Bank of Shenandoah Valley) While both encryption and authentication method are providing some measures of security, the implementation of security itself has totally a different approach. Before any methods chosen, the two most important factors in security implementations are having to be determined. The level of security needed and the cost involved, so the appropriate steps can be taken to ensure a safe and secure environment. In this case Bank of Shenandoah Valley is in type of business which a high level of security is required, therefore, I would suggest the use of encryption method with a complex algorithm involved. Although an authentication method is a secure method as well, is not as complex as encryption method of complex algorithm since it has been used in military during the war where a high levels of security are a must. During the war, the use of encryption becomes paramount so those messages are not intercepted by the opposing forces. This is a perfect example of how reliable an encrypted message can be while used within its appropriates guidelines. 4- Describe the three different database models – hierarchical, relational and network. For data to be effectively transformed into useful information, it must be organized in a logical, meaningful way. Data is generally organized in a hierarchy that starts with the smallest unit (or piece of data) used by the computer and then progresses into the database, which holds all the information about the topic. The data is organized in a top – down or inverted tree likes structure. At the top of every tree or hierarchy is the root segment or element of the tree that corresponds to the main record type. The hierarchical model is best suited to situations in which the logical relationship between data can be properly presented with the one parent many children (one to many) approach. In a hierarchical database, all relationships are one – to -one or one- to – many, but no group of data can be on the ‘many’ side of more than one relationship. Network Database is a database in which all types of relationships are allowed. The network database is an extension of the hierarchical model, where the various levels of one-to-many relationships are replaced with owner-member relationships in which a member may have many owners. In a network database structure, more that one path can often be used to access data. ‘Databases structured according to either the hierarchical model or the network model suffers from the same deficiency: once the relationships are established between the data elements, it is difficult to modify them or to create new relationships. Relational Database describes data using a standard tabular format in which all data elements are placed in two-dimensional tables that are the logical equivalent of files. In relational databases, data are accessed by content rather than by address (in contrast with hierarchical and network databases). Relational databases locate data logically, rather than physically. A relational database has no predetermined relationship between the data such as one-to-many sets or one-to-one. Case study ( D’Angelo Transportation, Inc.) There are a number of factor which ought to be discussed during discussion: O How much of the system should by computerized? O Should we purchase software or build based on what we are using in the current system. ( make versus buy analysis) O If we decide to make the new system, should we design an on-line or batch system? O Should we design the system for a mainframe computer, minicomputer, microcomputers or some combinations? O What information technologies might be useful for this application? Some of the security issues, are consist of the level of security required and the cost involved in this conversion. A database system is vulnerable to criminal attack at many levels. Typically, it is the end user rather the programmer who is often (but not always) guilty of the simple misuse of applications. Thus, it is essential that the total system is secure. The two classifications of security violations are malicious or accidental. One of the most emphasized and significant factors of any program development is the early involvement of the end-users. This provides the programmer as well as the end-user with important functionality of the new system and help them to adapt to the new working environment more efficiently and effectively. The continuos training of the staff is essential in meeting the objectives of the organization since they will be provided with needed skills and expertise necessary to deal with daily issues using of new system.

Infrastructure as the Foundation of Data Warehousing Essay

Data warehouse is a system environment which provides strategic information and holds detailed or summarized data from heterogeneous sources and provides end users with data access solutions exclusively designed for reporting and business analysis. The overall structure of the data warehouse is basically described by its architectural and infrastructural components. Orr pointed out that â€Å"data warehouse architecture is a way of representing the overall structure of data, communication, processing and presentation that exists for end-user computing within the enterprise. † In other words, data warehouse architecture is simply a blueprint which describes the elements and specific services of the warehouse, with details showing how the components will interrelate together and how the system will grow over time. Moreover, the architecture provides the conceptual framework of the warehouse in which these components are mutually arranged specifically to suit the organization’s requirements and to function in an optimum way. In order for these functions and services to be provided, a warehouse uses basic computing platform which generally makes use of the available technology. The platform includes the various software and hardware products installed as well as the type of users and the policies that govern it. However, these elements can be categorized as either operational infrastructure or physical infrastructure. Operational infrastructure deals with on how to keep the data warehouse running. These elements would include the people, the trainings required, the policies that each govern a function, and management software that would help maintain the efficiency and management of a data warehouse. Fundamentally, the physical infrastructure of a warehouse, as Ponniah noted, â€Å"consists of the basic hardware components, the operating system with its utility software, the network, and the network software† (p. 147). Coupled with a set of tools needed to provide such functions and services of individual architectural components. These components are pre-selected that may go through a number of critical evaluations in order to meet the necessary requirements to support the entire data warehouse. Moreover, Ponniah suggests that the infrastructure has to be modular as possible. That is, when newer versions are cost-effectively available, components could easily be unplugged and plugged in the upgrade. The data warehouse computing environment consists primarily of the hardware and the operating systems which provides jobs such as data extraction, transformation, integration, and transportation. Selection of these components are passed to certain criteria, such as, scalability, technical support, security, reliability, availability, and memory protection. Additionally, these infrastructural components would make up the front-end and the back-end systems of the entire data warehouse. However, managing these databases would need a robust and reliable DBMS that would match the selected hardware and software components. The DBMS shoul also have the capability of delivering a balanced data output and portability to access across the different platforms. Software tools are also important in every architectural component of a data warehouse. Third-party software tools can provide the necessary needs for developing a data warehouse computing environment, such as, data modeling, GUI design software, query tools that would generate reports, data warehouse administration and others. Generally, these tools cover all the major functions of a data warehouse. References Ponniah, Paulraj (2001). Data Warehousing Fundamentals: A Comprehensive Guide for IT Professionals. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Orr, Ken (2000). Data Warehouse Technology. Retrieved from the Web March 9, 2007. http://www. kenorrinst. com/dwpaper. html

General Sociology – Code of the Streets

In the article â€Å"The Code of the Street† by Elijah Anderson, he allows a glimpse of everyday life through the eyes of two completely different worlds wrapped up within one universe. He compares street families to what he refers to as â€Å"decent families†. Although the meaning can take on different perceptions to the eye of the beholder, the author described it as a code of civility at one end of conduct regulated by the threat of violence.Within these most economically drugged, crime-related, and depressing neighborhoods, the rules of civil action have been severely weakened, and their stead of survival known as this â€Å"code of the street† often holds many their key to survival. The book Essentials of sociology gives four different theories on why crime exists, they are the functionalist theory, the internationalist theory, conflict theory, and control theory. The theory I believe best relates to Andersons article is the internationalist theory.The autho r presented only two groups of people which categorized their existence within the social contest among individuals and families of the neighborhood, the â€Å"decent† and the â€Å"street. † I thought that they were kind of broad terms and that maybe they shouldn’t necessarily be â€Å"categorized† but they should be more of a description of people. Because there can be many â€Å"decent† people and they can still know the street. The internationalist theory basically implies that crime is learned from the things you observe in life and your interactions with people around you.The first place Anderson says people in impoverished areas learn crime is at a young age from the family. Children are always influence by their parents and Anderson says â€Å"those street oriented adults with whom children come in contact with including mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, boyfriends, cousins, neighbors, and friends-help them in forming this understanding by verbalizing the messages they are getting through experience: â€Å"watch your back. † â€Å"Protect yourself. † â€Å"Don’t punk out. † â€Å"If someone messes with you got to pay them back. †Ã¢â‚¬Å"If someone dishes you got to straighten them out.† many parents actually impose sanctions if a child is not sufficiently aggressive. † This shows that children can even be punished for not being aggressive enough, so they will have a tendency to be more violent and commit more crime Street families are overwhelmed with the demands of parenting which means kids to have to be able to take care of themselves more which leads to a dependence on the code of the streets and Anderson says† families, who are more fully invested in the code of the streets than the decent people are, may aggressively socialize their children into it.†This means children are taught to be aggressive from a young age so they can better take care of thems elves and survive in their environment. Another example Anderson gives of children growing up around violence in poorer areas is many parents have financial problems caused by drug use which causes more violence and exposes the child to more crime. Another place Anderson says children are exposed to crime is in the streets. He says, â€Å"Realities of inner city life are largely absorbed on the streets.†One reason Anderson says children gravitate towards being in the streets is a lack of supervision at home or a home environment not fit for children. He notes that the children who hang out in the street are allowed to â€Å"rip and run up and down the street† which shows that from a young age these children are being taught they can do anything they want, and in poorer areas it only takes a matter of time before they start getting involved in crime.Also many kids may not be looking to commit any crimes but because they hang-out in the street they are perceived as crimi nals, and the eventually except the label and actually start committing crime. This concept is known as the labeling theory. It shows that it is not the act of being in the street that causes crime it is the way people react to people being in the streets that cause them to commit crimes. Another aspect of life children in poorer areas observe and emulate is respect and reputation.When you don’t have many physical possession ones reputation is seen as all that one has. Anderson talks about how from a young age that a child â€Å" to maintain his honor he must show he is not someone to be â€Å"messed with† or â€Å"diced† the article also talks about how in urban societies â€Å"it is a basic requirement to show a certain disposition to violence† meaning in order to keep up with you reputation you must show that you can be violent and commit crime, and if this is the way the majority of people living in these areas think there is no wonder there is so mu ch crime.The last reason Anderson gives that I believe gives children the impression they must commit crimes if they live in poor areas is the areas they live in themselves. They are poorer areas so living is already a struggle, and kids see that crime is an easy way to get a lot for a little; they can rob someone in two seconds and have money to eat with. An example Anderson gives of this state of mind is â€Å"a boy wearing a fashionable, expensive jacket, for example is vulnerable to attack by another who covets the jacket, and either can’t afford to buy one or wants the added satisfaction of depriving someone else.†Anderson also mentions how sometimes in these neighborhoods police won’t even show p and when kids see that there neighborhood is too dangerous for police it is easier to say I will become a part of it instead of becoming a victim. In conclusion I believe that the internationalist theory best describes Andersons article â€Å"The Code of the Stre ets† and like it says in the book deviance is learned through interaction with others. Crime in particular is learned through experiences growing up at home, hanging out in the streets, trying to gain reputation, and experiences and interaction with where you live and the community you live in.

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 4

Chapter 4 Yet another reason that I loathe the heavenly scum with whom I share this room: today I found that I had offended our intrepid room service waiter, Jesus. How was I to know? When he brought our pizza for dinner, I gave him one of the American silver coins that we received from the airport sweet shop called Cinnabon. He scoffed at me – scoffed – then, thinking better of it, he said, â€Å"Seà ±or, I know you are foreign, so you do not know, but this is a very insulting tip. Better you just sign the room service slip so I get the fee that is added automatically. I tell you this because you have been very kind, and I know you do not mean to offend, but another of the waiters would spit in your food if you should offer him this.† I glared at the angel, who, as usual, was lying on the bed watching television, and for the first time I realized that he did not understand Jesus' language. He did not possess the gift of tongues he had bestowed on me. He spoke Aramaic to me, and he seemed to know Hebrew and enough English to understand television, but of Spanish he understood not a word. I apologized to Jesus and sent him on his way with a promise that I would make it up to him, then I wheeled on the angel. â€Å"You fool, these coins, these dimes, are nearly worthless in this country.† â€Å"What do you mean, they look like the silver dinars we dug up in Jerusalem, they are worth a fortune.† He was right, in a way. After he called me up from the dead I led him to a cemetery in the valley of Ben Hiddon, and there, hidden behind a stone where Judas had put it two thousand years ago, was the blood money – thirty silver dinars. But for a little tarnish, they looked just as they did on the day I had taken them, and they were almost identical to the coin this country calls the dime (except for the image of Tiberius on the dinars, and some other Caesar on the dime). We had taken the dinars to an antiquities dealer in the old city (which looked nearly the same as it did when I'd last walked there, except that the Temple was gone and in its place two great mosques). The merchant gave us twenty thousand dollars in American money for them. It was this money that we had traveled on, and deposited at the hotel desk for our expenses. The angel told me the dimes must have the same worth as the dinars, and I, like a fool, believed him. â€Å"You should have told me,† I said to the angel. â€Å"If I could leave this room I would know myself.† â€Å"You have work to do,† the angel said. Then he leapt to his feet and shouted at the television, â€Å"The wrath of the Lord shall fall upon ye, Stephanos!† â€Å"What in the hell are you shouting at?† The angel wagged a finger at the screen, â€Å"He has exchanged Catherine's baby for its evil twin, which he fathered with her sister while she was in a coma, yet Catherine does not realize his evil deed, as he has had his face changed to impersonate the bank manager who is foreclosing on Catherine's husband's business. If I was not trapped here I would personally drag the fiend straight to hell.† For days now the angel had been watching serial dramas on television, alternately shouting at the screen or bursting into tears. He had stopped reading over my shoulder, so I had just tried to ignore him, but now I realized what was going on. â€Å"It's not real, Raziel.† â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"It's drama, like the Greeks used to do. They are actors in a play.† â€Å"No, no one could pretend to such evil.† â€Å"That's not all. Spider-Man and Doctor Octopus? Not real. Characters in a play.† â€Å"You lying dog!† â€Å"If you'd ever leave the room and look at how real people talk you'd know that, you yellow-haired cretin. But no, you stay here perched on my shoulder like a trained bird. I am dead two thousand years and even I know better.† (I still need to get a look at that book in the dresser. I thought maybe, just maybe, I could goad the angel into giving me five minutes privacy.) â€Å"You know nothing,† said Raziel. â€Å"I have destroyed whole cities in my time.† â€Å"Sort of makes me wonder if you destroyed the right ones. That'd be embarrassing, huh?† Then an advertisement came on the screen for a magazine that promised to â€Å"fill in all the blanks† and give the real inside story to all of soap operas: Soap Opera Digest. I watched the angel's eyes widen. He grabbed the phone and rang the front desk. â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"I need that book.† â€Å"Have them send up Jesus,† I said. â€Å"He'll help you get it.† On our first day of work, Joshua and I were up before dawn. We met near the well and filled the waterskins our fathers had given us, then ate our breakfasts, flatbread and cheese, as we walked together to Sepphoris. The road, although packed dirt most of the way, was smooth and easy to walk. (If Rome saw to anything in its territories, it was the lifelines of its army.) As we walked we watched the rock-strewn hills turn pink under the rising sun, and I saw Joshua shudder as if a chill wind had danced up his spine. â€Å"The glory of God is in everything we see,† he said. â€Å"We must never forget that.† â€Å"I just stepped in camel dung. Tomorrow let's leave after it's light out.† â€Å"I just realized it, that is why the old woman wouldn't live again. I forgot that it wasn't my power that made her arise, it was the Lord's. I brought her back for the wrong reason, out of arrogance, so she died a second time.† â€Å"It squished over the side of my sandal. Well, that's going to smell all day.† â€Å"But perhaps it was because I did not touch her. When I've brought other creatures back to life, I've always touched them.† â€Å"Is there something in the Law about taking your camel off the road to do his business? There should be. If not the Law of Moses, then the Romans should have one. I mean, they won't hesitate to crucify a Jew who rebels, there should be some punishment for messing up their roads. Don't you think? I'm not saying crucifixion, but a good smiting in the mouth or something.† â€Å"But how could I have touched the corpse when it is forbidden by the Law? The mourners would have stopped me.† â€Å"Can we stop for a second so I can scrape off my sandal? Help me find a stick. That pile was as big as my head.† â€Å"You're not listening to me, Biff.† â€Å"I am listening. Look, Joshua, I don't think the Law applies to you. I mean, you're the Messiah, God is supposed to tell you what he wants, isn't he?† â€Å"I ask, but I receive no answer.† â€Å"Look, you're doing fine. Maybe that woman didn't live again because she was stubborn. Old people are that way. You have to throw water on my grandfather to get him up from his nap. Try a young dead person next time.† â€Å"What if I am not really the Messiah?† â€Å"You mean you're not sure? The angel didn't give it away? You think that God might be playing a joke on you? I don't think so. I don't know the Torah as well as you, Joshua, but I don't remember God having a sense of humor.† Finally, a grin. â€Å"He gave me you as a best friend, didn't he?† â€Å"Help me find a stick.† â€Å"Do you think I'll make a good stonemason?† â€Å"Just don't be better at it than I am. That's all I ask.† â€Å"You stink.† â€Å"What have I been saying?† â€Å"You really think Maggie likes me?† â€Å"Are you going to be like this every morning? Because if you are, you can walk to work alone.† The gates of Sepphoris were like a funnel of humanity. Farmers poured out into their fields and groves, craftsmen and builders crowded in, while merchants hawked their wares and beggars moaned at the roadside. Joshua and I stopped outside the gates to marvel and were nearly run down by a man leading a string of donkeys laden with baskets of stone. It wasn't that we had never seen a city before. Jerusalem was fifty times larger than Sepphoris, and we had been there many times for feast days, but Jerusalem was a Jewish city – it was the Jewish city. Sepphoris was the Roman fortress city of Galilee, and as soon as we saw the statue of Venus at the gates we knew that this was something different. I elbowed Joshua in the ribs. â€Å"Graven image.† I had never seen the human form depicted before. â€Å"Sinful,† Joshua said. â€Å"She's naked.† â€Å"Don't look.† â€Å"She's completely naked.† â€Å"It is forbidden. We should go away from here, find your father.† He caught me by my sleeve and dragged me through the gates into the city. â€Å"How can they allow that?† I asked. â€Å"You'd think that our people would tear it down.† â€Å"They did, a band of Zealots. Joseph told me. The Romans caught them and crucified them by this road.† â€Å"You never told me that.† â€Å"Joseph told me not to speak of it.† â€Å"You could see her breasts.† â€Å"Don't think about it.† â€Å"How can I not think about it? I've never seen a breast without a baby attached to it. They're more – more friendly in pairs like that.† â€Å"Which way to where we are supposed to work?† â€Å"My father said to come to the western corner of the city and we would see where the work was being done.† â€Å"Then come along.† He was still dragging me, his head down, stomping along like an angry mule. â€Å"Do you think Maggie's breasts will look like that?† My father had been commissioned to build a house for a wealthy Greek on the western side of the city. When Joshua and I arrived my father was already there, directing the slaves who were hoisting a cut stone into place on the wall. I suppose I expected something different. I suppose I was surprised that anyone, even a slave, would do as my father instructed. The slaves were Nubians, Egyptians, Phoenicians, criminals, debtors, spoils of war, accidents of birth; they were wiry, filthy men, many wearing nothing more than sandals and a loincloth. In another life they might have commanded an army or lived in a palace, but now they sweated in the morning chill, moving stones heavy enough to break a donkey. â€Å"Are these your slaves?† Joshua asked my father. â€Å"Am I a rich man, Joshua? No, these slaves belong to the Romans. The Greek who is building this house has hired them for the construction.† â€Å"Why do they do as you ask? There are so many of them. You are only one man.† My father hung his head. â€Å"I hope that you never see what the lead tips of a Roman whip do to a man's body. All of these men have, and even seeing it has broken their spirit as men. I pray for them every night.† â€Å"I hate the Romans,† I said. â€Å"Do you, little one, do you?† A man's voice from behind. â€Å"Hail, Centurion,† my father said, his eyes going wide. Joshua and I turned to see Justus Gallicus, the centurion from the funeral at Japhia, standing among the slaves. â€Å"Alphaeus, it seems you are raising a litter of Zealots.† My father put his hands on my and Joshua's shoulders. â€Å"This is my son, Levi, and his friend Joshua. They begin their apprenticeship today. Just boys,† he said, by way of apology. Justus approached, looked quickly at me, then stared at Joshua for a long time. â€Å"I know you, boy. I've seen you before.† â€Å"The funeral at Japhia,† I said quickly. I couldn't take my eyes off of the wasp-waisted short sword that hung from the centurion's belt. â€Å"No,† the Roman seemed to be searching his memory. â€Å"Not Japhia. I've seen this face in a picture.† â€Å"That can't be,† my father said. â€Å"We are forbidden by our faith from depicting the human form.† Justus glared at him. â€Å"I am not a stranger to your people's primitive beliefs, Alphaeus. Still, this boy is familiar.† Joshua stared up at the centurion with a completely blank expression. â€Å"You feel for these slaves, boy? You would free them if you could?† Joshua nodded. â€Å"I would. A man's spirit should be his own to give to God.† â€Å"You know, there was a slave about eighty years ago who talked like you. He raised an army of slaves against Rome, beat back two of our armies, took over all the territories south of Rome. It's a story every Roman soldier must learn.† â€Å"Why, what happened?† I asked. â€Å"We crucified him,† Justus said. â€Å"By the side of the road, and his body was eaten by ravens. The lesson we all learn is that nothing can stand against Rome. A lesson you need to learn, boy, along with your stonecutting.† Just then another Roman soldier approached, a legionnaire, not wearing the cape or the helmet crest of the centurion. He said something to Justus in Latin, then looked at Joshua and paused. In rough Aramaic he said, â€Å"Hey, didn't I see that kid on some bread once?† â€Å"Wasn't him,† I said. â€Å"Really? Sure looks like him.† â€Å"Nope, that was another kid on the bread.† â€Å"It was me,† said Joshua. I backhanded him across the forehead, knocking him to the ground. â€Å"No it wasn't. He's insane. Sorry.† The soldier shook his head and hurried off after Justus. I offered a hand to help Joshua up. â€Å"You're going to have to learn to lie.† â€Å"I am? But I feel like I'm here to tell the truth.† â€Å"Yeah, sure, but not now.† I don't exactly know what I expected it would be like working as a stonemason, but I know that in less than a week Joshua was having second thoughts about not becoming a carpenter. Cutting great stones with small iron chisels was very hard work. Who knew? â€Å"Look around, do you see any trees?† Joshua mocked. â€Å"Rocks, Josh, rocks.† â€Å"It's only hard because we don't know what we're doing. It will get easier.† Joshua looked at my father, who was stripped to the waist, chiseling away on a stone the size of a donkey, while a dozen slaves waited to hoist it into place. He was covered with gray dust and streams of sweat drew dark lines between cords of muscle straining in his back and arms. â€Å"Alphaeus,† Joshua called, â€Å"does the work get easier once you know what you are doing?† â€Å"Your lungs grow thick with stone dust and your eyes bleary from the sun and fragments thrown up by the chisel. You pour your lifeblood out into works of stone for Romans who will take your money in taxes to feed soldiers who will nail your people to crosses for wanting to be free. Your back breaks, your bones creak, your wife screeches at you, and your children torment you with open, begging mouths, like greedy baby birds in the nest. You go to bed every night so tired and beaten that you pray to the Lord to send the angel of death to take you in your sleep so you don't have to face another morning. It also has its downside.† â€Å"Thanks,† Joshua said. He looked at me, one eyebrow raised. â€Å"I for one, am excited,† I said. â€Å"I'm ready to cut some stone. Stand back, Josh, my chisel is on fire. Life is stretched out before us like a great bazaar, and I can't wait to taste the sweets to be found there.† Josh tilted his head like a bewildered dog. â€Å"I didn't get that from your father's answer.† â€Å"It's sarcasm, Josh.† â€Å"Sarcasm?† â€Å"It's from the Greek, sarkasmos. To bite the lips. It means that you aren't really saying what you mean, but people will get your point. I invented it, Bartholomew named it.† â€Å"Well, if the village idiot named it, I'm sure it's a good thing.† â€Å"There you go, you got it.† â€Å"Got what?† â€Å"Sarcasm.† â€Å"No, I meant it.† â€Å"Sure you did.† â€Å"Is that sarcasm?† â€Å"Irony, I think.† â€Å"What's the difference?† â€Å"I haven't the slightest idea.† â€Å"So you're being ironic now, right?† â€Å"No, I really don't know.† â€Å"Maybe you should ask the idiot.† â€Å"Now you've got it.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Sarcasm.† â€Å"Biff, are you sure you weren't sent here by the Devil to vex me?† â€Å"Could be. How am I doing so far? You feel vexed?† â€Å"Yep. And my hands hurt from holding the chisel and mallet.† He struck the chisel with his wooden mallet and sprayed us both with stone fragments. â€Å"Maybe God sent me to talk you into being a stonemason so you would hurry up and go be the Messiah.† He struck the chisel again, then spit and sputtered through the fragments that flew. â€Å"I don't know how to be the Messiah.† â€Å"So what, a week ago we didn't know how to be stonemasons and look at us now. It gets easier once you know what you're doing.† â€Å"Are you being ironic again?† â€Å"God, I hope not.† It was two months before we actually saw the Greek who had commissioned my father to build the house. He was a short, soft-looking little man, who wore a robe that was as white as any worn by the Levite priests, with a border of interlocking rectangles woven around the hem in gold. He arrived in a pair of chariots, followed on foot by two body slaves and a half-dozen bodyguards who looked like Phoenicians. I say a pair of chariots because he rode with a driver in the lead chariot, but behind them they pulled a second chariot in which stood the ten-foot-tall marble statue of a naked man. The Greek climbed down from his chariot and went directly to my father. Joshua and I were mixing a batch of mortar at the time and we paused to watch. â€Å"Graven image,† Joshua said. â€Å"Saw it,† I said. â€Å"As graven images go, I like Venus over by the gate better.† â€Å"That statue is not Jewish,† Joshua said. â€Å"Definitely not Jewish,† I said. The statue's manhood, although abundant, was not circumcised. â€Å"Alphaeus,† the Greek said, â€Å"why haven't you set the floor of the gymnasium yet? I've brought this statue to display in the gymnasium, and there's just a hole in the ground instead of a gymnasium.† â€Å"I told you, this ground is not suitable for building. I can't build on sand. I've had the slaves dig down in the sand until they hit bedrock. Now it has to be back-filled in with stone, then pounded.† â€Å"But I want to place my statue,† the Greek whined. â€Å"It's come all the way from Athens.† â€Å"Would you rather your house fall down around your precious statue?† â€Å"Don't talk to me that way, Jew, I am paying you well to build this house.† â€Å"And I am building this house well, which means not on the sand. So store your statue and let me do my work.† â€Å"Well, unload it. You, slaves, help unload my statue.† The Greek was talking to Joshua and me. â€Å"All of you, help unload my statue.† He pointed to the slaves who had been pretending to work since the Greek arrived, but who weren't sure that it was in their best interest to look like a part of a project about which the master seemed displeased. They all looked up with a surprised â€Å"Who, me?† expression on their faces, which I noticed was the same in any language. The slaves moved to the chariot and began untying the ropes that held the statue in place. The Greek looked to us. â€Å"Are you deaf, slaves? Help them!† He stormed back to his chariot and grabbed a whip out of the driver's hand. â€Å"Those are not slaves,† my father said. â€Å"Those are my apprentices.† The Greek wheeled on him. â€Å"And I should care about that? Move, boys! Now!† â€Å"No,† Joshua said. I thought the Greek would explode. He raised the whip as if to strike. â€Å"What did you say?† â€Å"He said, no.† I stepped up to Joshua's side. â€Å"My people believe that graven images, statues, are sinful,† my father said, his voice on the edge of panic. â€Å"The boys are only being true to our God.† â€Å"Well, that is a statue of Apollo, a real god, so they will help unload it, as will you, or I'll find another mason to build my house.† â€Å"No,† Joshua repeated. â€Å"We will not.† â€Å"Right, you leprous jar of camel snot,† I said. Joshua looked at me, sort of disgusted. â€Å"Jeez, Biff.† â€Å"Too much?† The Greek screeched and started to swing the whip. The last thing I saw as I covered my face was my father diving toward the Greek. I would take a lash for Joshua, but I didn't want to lose an eye. I braced for the sting that never came. There was a thump, then a twanging sound, and when I uncovered my face, the Greek was lying on his back in the dirt, his white robe covered with dust, his face red with rage. The whip was extended out behind him, and on its tip stood the armored hobnail boot of Gaius Justus Gallicus, the centurion. The Greek rolled in the dirt, ready to vent his ire on whoever had stayed his hand, but when he saw who it was, he went limp and pretended to cough. One of the Greek's bodyguards started to step forward. Justus pointed a finger at the guard. â€Å"Will you stand down, or would you rather feel the foot of the Roman Empire on your neck?† The guard stepped back into line with his companions. The Roman was grinning like a mule eating an apple, not in the least concerned with allowing the Greek to save face. â€Å"So, Castor, am I to gather that you need to conscript more Roman slaves to help build your house? Or is it true what I hear about you Greeks, that whipping young boys is an entertainment for you, not a disciplinary action?† The Greek spit out a mouthful of dust as he climbed to his feet. â€Å"The slaves I have will be sufficient for the task, won't they, Alphaeus?† He turned to my father, his eyes pleading. My father seemed to be caught between two evils, and unable to decide which was the lesser of them. â€Å"Probably,† he said, finally. â€Å"Well, good, then,† Justus said. â€Å"I will expect a bonus payment for the extra work they are doing. Carry on.† Justus walked through the construction site, acting as if every eye was not on him, or not caring, and paused as he passed Joshua and me. â€Å"Leprous jar of camel snot?† he said under his breath. â€Å"Old Hebrew blessing?† I ventured. â€Å"You two should be in the hills with the other Hebrew rebels.† The Roman laughed, tousled our hair, then walked away. The sunset was turning the hillsides pink as we walked home to Nazareth that evening. In addition to being almost exhausted from the work, Joshua seemed vexed by the events of the day. â€Å"Did you know that – about not being able to build on sand?† he asked. â€Å"Of course, my father's been talking about it for a long time. You can build on sand, but what you build will fall down.† Joshua nodded thoughtfully. â€Å"What about soil? Dirt? Is it okay to build on that?† â€Å"Rock is best, but I suppose hard dirt is good.† â€Å"I need to remember that.† We seldom saw Maggie in those days after we began working with my father. I found myself looking forward to the Sabbath, when we would go to the synagogue and I would mill around outside, among the women, while the men were inside listening to the reading of the Torah or the arguments of the Pharisees. It was one of the few times I could talk to Maggie without Joshua around, for though he resented the Pharisees even then, he knew he could learn from them, so he spent the Sabbath listening to their teachings. I still wonder if this time I stole with Maggie somehow represented a disloyalty to Joshua, but later, when I asked him about it, he said, â€Å"God is willing to forgive you the sin that you carry for being a child of man, but you must forgive yourself for having once been a child.† â€Å"I suppose that's right.† â€Å"Of course it's right, I'm the Son of God, you dolt. Besides, Maggie always wanted to talk about me anyway, didn't she?† â€Å"Not always,† I lied. On the Sabbath before the murder, I found Maggie outside the synagogue, sitting by herself under a date palm tree. I shuffled up to her to talk, but kept looking at my feet. I knew that if I looked into her eyes I would forget what I was talking about, so I only looked at her in brief takes, the way a man will glance up at the sun on a sweltering day to confirm the source of the heat. â€Å"Where's Joshua?† were the first words out of her mouth, of course. â€Å"Studying with the men.† She seemed disappointed for a moment, but then brightened. â€Å"How is your work?† â€Å"Hard, I like playing better.† â€Å"What is Sepphoris like? Is it like Jerusalem?† â€Å"No, it's smaller. But there are a lot of Romans there.† She'd seen Romans. I needed something to impress her. â€Å"And there are graven images – statues of people.† Maggie covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. â€Å"Statues, really? I would love to see them.† â€Å"Then come with us, we are leaving tomorrow very early, before anyone is awake.† â€Å"I couldn't. Where would I tell my mother I was going?† â€Å"Tell her that you are going to Sepphoris with the Messiah and his pal.† Her eyes went wide and I looked away quickly, before I was caught in their spell. â€Å"You shouldn't talk that way, Biff.† â€Å"I saw the angel.† â€Å"You said yourself that we shouldn't say it.† â€Å"I was only joking. Tell your mother that I told you about a beehive that I found and that you want to go find some honey while the bees are still groggy from the morning cold. It's a full moon tonight, so you'll be able to see. She just might believe you.† â€Å"She might, but she'll know I was lying when I don't bring home any honey.† â€Å"Tell her it was a hornets' nest. She thinks Josh and I are stupid anyway, doesn't she?† â€Å"She thinks that Joshua is touched in the head, but you, yes, she thinks you're stupid.† â€Å"You see, my plan is working. For it is written that ‘if the wise man always appears stupid, his failures do not disappoint, and his success gives pleasant surprise.'† Maggie smacked me on the leg. â€Å"That is not written.† â€Å"Sure it is, Imbeciles three, verse seven.† â€Å"There is no book of Imbeciles.† â€Å"Drudges five-four?† â€Å"You're making that up.† â€Å"Come with us, you can be back to Nazareth before it's time to fetch the morning water.† â€Å"Why so early? What are you two up to?† â€Å"We're going to circumcise Apollo.† She didn't say anything, she just looked at me, as if she would see â€Å"Liar† written across my forehead in fire. â€Å"It wasn't my idea,† I said. â€Å"It was Joshua's.† â€Å"I'll go then,† she said.

Friend Game Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Friend Game - Essay Example The article explains the different roles of each individual in the death of the girl, by sending malicious messages to her which frustrates the girl leading to her sudden death. Despite Tina’s endless trials to find justice for her lovely daughter, she does not get justice, and in return she turns to make the life of Lori Drew miserable. The Drew’s are aware that their daughter is responsible for the death of Megan, but they deny that fact blaming her that she actually took her life. Justice is denied to the Meier’s despite the endless efforts of the reporters who do the investigation to reveal the reality. Meier is a teenager who needs to be protected from malicious actions, and she is protected by the enforced privacy laws and laws governing the use of social media. In my view, she was denied justice is justified by the reasons discussed in the main body of the essay. Statement of the problem Abuse of the social media has been a problem for a long time which ha s become a global disaster to manage. The abuse is done through the internet harassment which is often done by sending of hostile messages to individuals over the social media. In the ‘Friend’s Game,’ article by Collins, we identify how a young girl of thirteen years is harassed by receiving hostile messages from friends, through her MySpace account. There are various people involved in the death of the thirteen year old girl involving even older people than her. The research tries to determine whether or not the woman did the cyber-bullying should be prosecuted or imprisoned. This is a problem that needs to be stopped with effective policies and laws governing social privacy. The laws should be enforced and enforced to be used in a court of law to determine cases of the same caliber. Objectives; Main objective - to determine whether or not the woman who did cyber-bullying should be prosecuted Other objectives; To identify reasons as to why the principal offender s should be prosecuted and imprisoned for their ‘crimes’ To indentify the influence of the offenders on the girl’s death To identify the laws and policies available and responsible for regulating use of internet and social media, governing the users’ privacy. Analysis and discussion In the analysis of the events and circumstances surrounding death of Meier Megan, a thirteen year old girl who commits suicide at her home. The girl is a victim of internet harassment. The aim of the study is to determine whether or not the woman who did cyber-bullying should be prosecuted. Objective to be discussed aims at obtaining reasons for prosecution or imprisonment; to determine the impact of the offenders on the death of the girl and to identify the laws and policies reasonable for enforcing internet privacy. Megan as an individual lead a natural lifestyle despite the challenges she faced due to her illness, but her parents were in hand to help her cope with the situat ion. Lori Drew and Megan lived in the same neighborhood, and they were long time friends who played together during their child hood. She was thirteen years and a volley ball player and to crown it all a Chihuahua manic. Despite all this, she led a gloomy lifestyle as she

Management Accounting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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Discussion board Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 15

Discussion board - Assignment Example Indiana could make better use of the land available to replace the money that is lost as export money. For example industrialize the areas or open animal farms. Better utilization of land could also result in emigration and growth of economy. Therefore, I do not think that it would have a sveere impact on the economy as stated in the article. In this article, the main focus was on the economy. However, I basically think that without farming the lands would be free from chemical pesticides. This would not only safeguard the environment but also make the land available for industrialization and establishment for other sources of state income. It is said in the article, that in dearth of crop products there are chances that more and more people would try and grow them in the garden and sell them for very high prices. However, I do not think most people would like to invest in such time consuming thing. Moreover, since these people would try and utilize their small gardens to the maximum such practice would also increase the usage of chemical fertilizers and harm the environment as well. I also think that the lands now free from harmful agricultural practices, could be sued for growth of economy. The state may open other industries such as dairy, meat etc. which would fetch far more money than basic crop

The Person Who Influenced Me Most Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Person Who Influenced Me Most - Essay Example Though it is often said and once mentioned by Anand that all male child tries to copy his father and wants to follow his path (Anand 324) but for me what was most influential aspect was the notion that I realized the potential of unlimited prospect that true hard work can get. When I write this article about him I feel like being privileged just by being his son and being his son certainly gives me head on start from the beginning right from the start of my life with positive attitude and with the right formulation of perspective towards life. But when my father started off during his early years he had to make his own way out of his local environment. He had his time hard and he fought his battle hard to reach the level of huge success in life. My father is loved by all despite being a tough task master just because he is a perfect gentleman and it is his certain level of dignified sense of humor that makes him well received among his colleagues and subordinates. Life at the top can be very lonely and in this manner he could be enumerated as a lonely person in himself but he never reveals this and makes up the entire matter by spending quality time with the family whenever it is possible for him. In conclusion it can be summed up in a nutshell that my father can be defined as a well respected person who has reached the crescendo of life and at present despit

Boston Fights Drugs Individual Case Assignment 2 Study

Boston Fights Drugs Individual Assignment 2 - Case Study Example 2. Would you have selected focus groups as your research methodology? Why/Why not? List the pros and cons of using focus groups in this situation, as well as the pros and cons of the other suggested methods in the case For such a sensitive issue, the student group should not have selected a focus group but, rather, they should have chosen the on-on-one interview. While the focus group allows people to exchange ideas, the answers they give could be impacted by peer pressure (Mitchell & Jolley, 2013). For the one-on-one interview, there would have been minimal peer pressure, the participants would have the opportunity to talk more, and could even encourage participants to share information that would have been otherwise not shared in a focus group. However, it is more expensive and requires more time for data collection (Mitchell & Jolley, 2013). The pre-screening questionnaire was devised to ensure broad representation of the entire Boston population, while partially disguising why the focus group was being conducted. Questions required participants to identify their favorite commercials, as well as their take on street violence, attitudes on drugs, and personal habits (Rangan, 1994). The interview protocol acted as a guide to direct the discussion to the researcher’s topics of interests. Given the budgetary and time constraints, the group did well in participant screening. However, this did not allow them to pick focus groups from all Boston neighborhoods as they focused on only four neighborhoods and selected a sole young adult group using the pre-screening questionnaires. In the sampling procedure, the student group sought help from Boston officials to recruit participants from various city community schools. They also divided the population into four groups, which were addicts, active users, recreational users, and non-users (Rangan, 1994). Due to a lack of resources to track all the

Assignment 9 - Resumes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assignment 9 - Resumes - Essay Example To make use of and expand my full potential with an opportunity for professional growth based on performance. To make the most of every opportunity those comes and make it an achievement. I intend to build a career with top environmental corporate with dedicated and committed people. To make sure I leave behind a positive impact in whichever company that I work in. KEY COMPETENCES Excellent communication skills both oral and written Good leadership, organisational and teamwork skills. High level of professionalism. Active listener – Willing to learn and listen Good interpretation of complex data (Trigonometry, Geometry). Flexible, and able to move around from place to place in duty. Good innovative thinking capabilities. Physical Stamina for Outdoor Work Actively creative with continual acquisition of new skills and knowledge. Elaborate mathematical and analytical skills Ability to deliver desired results within a located time or with the available resources. Good risk assessm ent and management skills Excellent skills in giving out advices. Excellent Information Technology skills PERSONAL INTEREST A well organized individual used to working under minimal supervision, communicates well both in writing and orally, enjoys working in a humanitarian environment, punctual ,reliable and willing to learn with good academic record and strong capacity for directorial growth, self motivated with an outgoing personality and determination to succeed. I believe my interests and skills offer a strong foundation for a good career in Civil Engineering. I like being the mediator in times of conflict between groups or individuals. I am a good problem solver. I seek the chance to combine my interest and creativity in Physics to create and construct. I am drawn by the prospect of being able to interpret and translate ideas that are abstract into physical reality, and of using science to understand solutions that are innovative. My interest in Civil Engineering came at a youn g age when I visited some tall buildings back within our country. I have keen interest in the awesome potential that Civil Engineering has in reshaping the environment, pushing the boundaries of physical possibilities, while on the other hand making a true impact by solving problems that are practical. I am interested in going deeper into civil engineering and get even Masters and PhD credentials. EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Place of Internship if any (Insert) Extracurricular Activities Attending seminars and technological quiz competitions. Taking part in youth festivals. Attending Guest talks and slide shows. Project presentation. Participating in debates and essay competitions. Participating in talent shows. Watching and taking part in drama. Singing. Referees (Insert) Mr. 1†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Place of work†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Address and other contacts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Mrs. 2†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Place of work†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Address and other contacts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Dr. 3†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Place of work†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Address and other contacts†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Work cited "44 Resume Writing Tips." Daily Writing Tips. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2012. . "Sample Resume - Civil Engineer Resume." Enterprise IT Solutions and Services | Publishing, IT, Education, Energy, Insurance: Exforsys. N.p., n.d. Web.

Speech Class Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Speech Class Assignment - Essay Example The painters usually love and illustrate natural objects like; a garden of flowers, forest in mountainous regions, animals in the wild, or physical features like lakes rivers, valleys and hills. The speech is informative because it divides the main subject area into several topics. The speech illustrates that impressionist painting has three main characteristics. The characteristics indicated the sub topic areas generated from the subject area. Firstly, the subject issue is mainly nature like vegetation or physical features like the sea. Secondly, the images are painted through vibrant hues. Finally, the paintings are done using brush strokes which are broad and fragmented. The speech is good and informative because the thesis is clearly specific. The thesis statement entails provision of informative speech in the artistic area of impressionist painting. The thesis adequately gives the audience a brief overview of what the speech will communicate. The thesis also serves to attract attention of the audience to the main areas of the subject matter, which is impressionist painting. There are several categories of speeches. One category entails the demonstration speeches and definition speeches. A demonstration speech aims at telling or showing how something is done. In many cases, the demonstrations speech applies the visual aids to improve effectiveness; for instance, PowerPoint presentations or the KeyNote presentations. Definition speech aims at informing the audience through explaining a concept or even an object. Speech 7 is a definition speech. This is because it explains that the Vice President position does not have adequate responsibilities, powers and authority. The main function of the Vice President entails succession, if the office of the President falls vacant. The limited function of the Vice President position is the main reason why some delegated declined to authorize the constitution,

Module8(fom) Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Module8(fom) - Dissertation Example Price skimming occurs when the introductory price is relatively high reflecting that the IPad is innovative and there is a degree of â€Å"prestige or status† attached to owning the IPad (Pride, Hughes and Kapoor 2010, p. 336). Assuming that the targeted consumers care about prestige and status, and that the cost of research and development that went into developing the IPad is high, price skimming is useful for meeting the cost of development and the needs of the targeted consumers. It will also ensure that demand for the product will not outweigh supply if supply is relatively low. Penetration pricing however may not be desirable since it assumes that there is a high supply of the product and there is a low demand. This is assumed because penetration pricing is structured around low pricing with the objective of creating market shares for the new product. It is hoped that setting low prices will discourage rivals’ entry into the market (Pride, Hughes and Kapoor 2010, p. 336). This is an undesirable approach to the introduction of a new technologically driven product as the market is filled with these kinds of products and the only way to penetrate the market is to introduce something that is new and better.

Dissertation Premise Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dissertation Premise - Assignment Example Therefore, the paper will explore the impact of director of nursing and director of social services leadership styles on psychosocial well-being of nursing home residents. Relationship existing between nursing homes and leadership styles of nursing directors has a significant influence on the care quality. Nursing directors cooperate with administrators in establishing a long-term relationship with residents of nursing homes in order to foster a culture that can support development of the team. However, there are limited building preparations for the leaders of nursing homes, which cause limits on the leadership. On the other hand, administrators are focusing on adopting various initiatives that facilitate collaboration with nursing directors and social service directors to establish effective delivery teams. There are changes occurring in management of the old leadership in relations to personal behaviors and adaptation of new ones (Dixon, 2006). In this case, this paper will focus on the current study that results to offering relevant information concerning leadership in nursing homes and the roles of the individual teams that has resulted to impact on the psychosocial well-being of nursing home residents. According to Allen (2008), data obtained from the government indicates that control of the administrative leader on the care quality and services has a significant psychosocial well-being of nursing home residents. This has been attributed to recommendations by the regulators to foster changes that facilitate a culture embracing residents of nursing homes. Furthermore, embracing the residents of nursing homes focuses on their humanistic values and care that is personalized home like settings (Weiner & Ronch, 2006). There are conventional care models established by nursing and director of social services aimed at addressing the long term issues in the care environment that has an impact on psychosocial well-being of

Diversity in the workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Diversity in the workplace - Essay Example The paper will also explore the ways that promote understanding and diversity with the trends of companies hiring minorities in the workplace. The issue of workplace diversity is focused on the differences and the similarities that people bring in a given organization. Through definition, it entails the dimensions beyond the specified legally affirmative action of non-discrimination statues. There is an interpretation of diversity, which includes the ways in which, the influence of identities and perspectives of individuals bringing their professionalism, education, influence of their geographical location and parental status in a work place. The issue of diversity includes everyone in the work place. In various ways, its initiative complements the compliance program involving the non-discrimination. This is through the creation of an organization culture of developing different work and workplace environment. There are also practices, which encourage learning to establish the advantages associated with the diverse perspective (Cornell University ILR School, 2010). Benefits: diversity is a benefit of both the employee and employer. Associates are intertwined in the workplace respecting individual rights and differences and can increase productivity. Diversity in the workplace can lower lawsuits and boost marketing opportunities, recruiting and creativity and are essential to sound business image. Therefore, diversity is substantial to legitimate business success. Deborah (1999) argued that, the benefit is also complying with the law in California federal and state; both mandate equal opportunity legislation, which makes discrimination illegal in the workplace. These laws specify both the right and responsibility of both employer and associate in the workplace. Growth: Diversity is increasing every single day in every organization. Deborah (1999) explains that, in America, one in every four Americans belongs

Quantitative and Qualitative research into the voyeuristic appeal of Paper

Quantitative and Qualitative into the voyeuristic appeal of watching observational reality TV - Research Paper Example Mostly, it is assumed that the audience may not tell the difference between information and entertainment, or reality and fiction in popular factual television. Therefore, in regards of the audience and reality TV it is significant to examine this genre’s development and audience relationships with the popular factual output. Audiences have a different response to the reality shows and teenagers and young youth seem to develop more interest in the observational reality shows. There has been a great amount of open criticism of the observational reality show genre popularity and few articles explain the consumer’s appeal. There are reports that propose that viewers watch this kind of reality entertainment due to aspirational or voyeuristic needs. The reports of the external audience suggest that the television audiences perceive observational reality themselves as being voyeuristic. Hence, it is this voyeurism part that is attractive. Additionally, the Week online magazine (2015) suggest that it is intrinsically fascinating in observing how some individuals behave and speak in pressured situations. As a result, many intellectual people find themselves fixed by The Only Way is Essex and other observational reality shows. Thus, teaching them the aspects of human nature and widening their experience. Charlie King, The Only Way is Essex star was bombarded by scholars with gayism accusation on the reality show and accused of inspiring young people on revealing their sexuality. He openly revealed his true sexuality on the ITV program (2014). IMDB (2015) says that The Only Way is Essex got first aired on 1oth October 2015 and were currently the top rating show on ITVB channel. Adam Croizer (2010), the chief executive of ITV states that the target audience was for 16-34 years old. He added that the objective was to reinforce plans to increase revenue and audience in the Telegraph interview (2015). The informal and content motives of â€Å"The Only

Detecting Jamming Attacks Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Detecting Jamming Attacks - Case Study Example As a result, the first measure towards avoiding jamming attacks is the detection of modes used by jammers to stifle operations by applying mechanisms that enable a user to handle the situation. The jamming attackers normally hinder the signal reception by preventing a real server from conveying information or by avoiding the function to genuine packets. Considering this, the various models adopted by jammers is the constant discharge of radio signals, the introduction of a regular package to the channel without any breaks between ensuing packet broadcast and alternation between inactivity and jamming (Xu, et al, 2005). This implies that a jammer will continually send radio signals to interact with data submissions, causing delays in the systems. The introduction of a regular package to the channel is detrimental because it activates a system to a default mode that does not portray the current activity (Xu, 2007). For instance, if a node can be set to remain in the receive style regardless of whether it is sending or not doing so. The alternation between inactivity and jamming is that the system is automatically set to be inactive and resume operations after a certain time (Xu, et al, 2005). This makes the system to be in the attacker’s default mode or experience delays. Another jamming mode is the employment of a reactive strategy in which the jammer does nothing when the channel is idle and assumes operation upon the detection of signals. A receptive jammer targets the response of a message to execute the attack. Although most jammers use varied models for their missions, users should always monitor their wireless for possible attacks. This implies that they need to install necessary detection mechanisms that enhance the safety of their devices. The first detection measurement is checking the signal strength to determine the presence of unusual scenarios in the system. This employs gathered

Human Resource Management - Worklife balance Essay

Human Resource Management - Worklife balance - Essay Example This paper contributes to the work/life balance and work/non-work conflict literature by analyzing the literature of various studies, which examine the attitudes and experiences relating to work/life balance among UK, employees in the first 10 years of their careers. Specifically, the analysis explores the extent to which work/life balance matters, the extent to which it is being achieved and the factors that determine perceptions of work/non-work conflict, including the state of the psychological contract between employer and employee, work involvement and organisational support. The potential impact of work/non-work conflict on organisational commitment is examined, and the policy implications for employers considered. Corporate leaders understand that employees' work and family lives rare inextricably linked. They al ways have been but today, with increased pressures in both domains, the overlap and the challenges created are increasingly obvious and complex to resolve. Solving the paradox seated in an organisation's need to be optimally productive and the individual's need to find quality time to meet domestic responsibilities, to establish, maintain and grow relationships and to relax and re-charge, is the great challenge of the new millennium. Most managers have yet to overcome the conundrum for themselves let alone help employees resolve it in their lives. The prospects for easing the work/ life imbalance dilemma lie, at least in part, in establishing what is creating it. 'Know thy enemy' and so forth. Enemy number one must surely be the 'time distribution imbalance' trap - consistently committing too much time to work where this is having a detrimental impact on personal life. However, the concept of 'work-life balance' means different things to different people, and there are always shades of grey. What is an imbalance to one person is perfectly acceptable to another. In addition, commercial realities cannot be ignored. Somehow, the needs of key customers and/or other stakeholders must be met or they will take their patronage elsewhere. These and the myriad of other related issues are why the problem is so vexed and why many leaders effectively suspend their attempts to solve it. It ends up in the 'too hard' basket. However, given the gravity of the problem and the potential upside that comes with finding a remedy, at some point the issue must come back to the fore. So where to start Most managers agree that a so-called 'quality work environment' reduces the employment stresses that can spill over to staff's personal lives and create distress. The quality work environment bundle might include job characteristics such as work time flexibility, individual responsibility and autonomy, the physical office environment, pay, equity and advancement conditions. Lastly, but certainly not least, the nature of interpersonal relations in the office is very important. For some time, it has been argued that achieving a 'balance' between home life and work life is increasingly a priority for many people. As long ago

Is Globalization Americanization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Is Globalization Americanization - Essay Example Contradictory to the various claims that American culture is being adopted by many countries around the world, it should be emphasized that many of these practices did not originate in the US. Beginning with the spread of the English language, the television and music industry and reality programs many of these have in fact originated from outside the US. However, despite the lack of an inherent culture in the US, one cannot neglect the fact that events taking place in Wall Street, Silicon Valley and Hollywood are having an upper hand in this globalization drive (Nye, 2002). But, most importantly as many people have argued, Americans lack their own culture and have only imbibed various cultures from other countries. However, sociologists believe that such a cultureless state is also a form of culture. The various immigrants who had settled in the US brought and practiced their culture and this multicultural cohabitation has created a new culture which is now being increasingly adopte d by many countries (Ssenyonga, 2006). ... The fast food industry which has been hugely popularized in the US by food chains such as McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King which sell pre-prepared foods such as burgers and French fries has now opened its base in many other countries. Though they are being widely discouraged by dieticians across the world by associating its consumption to the rise of obesity among children and adults, it has not deterred the people from eating such foods. Hence American cuisine is becoming synonymous with junk food and obesity (Ssenyonga, 2006). However, even these fast foods are changed to reflect the tastes and needs of people in other countries; a good example being the McDonald’s menu which is different in China. Thus though the concept of fast foods has been adapted from the US, it is delivered in a manner which is acceptable by the people of other countries (Nye, 2002). Apart from fast foods, other cultural influences from the US which have migrated to other coun tries include music and television. The music industry in the US which is driven to a large extent by rap artists such as Eminem and Snoop Dogg has had a huge impact globally both musically and on the dress culture. People around the world were exposed to hip-hop, jazz and country music which originated in the US (Ssenyonga, 2006). However, it is only the music which is inherently American, as the top three leading music companies in the US are owned by British, German and Japanese and not by Americans (Nye, 2002). The television media has also contributed to the spread of American culture. Hollywood has changed the face of movies across the world with its

Physical development observation of a special need child in a group of diverse children Essay Example for Free

Physical development observation of a special need child in a group of diverse children Essay ASSIGNMENT # 2: PARENT INFORMATION/EDUCATION SHEET In Chapter six, Stress is the bodys reaction to a physical or emotional situation that causes discrepancy in a persons life. On the other hand, all children will experience stress, sometimes significant amounts of it, in their lives. The author depict the stress that young children may experience and it may well be resulting from disrupted homes, blended families, both parents working outside the home; increased exposure to violence, Parents working all the time, death, poverty Experts agree that for some children, growing up in today’s world may be tougher. As many as 25% of all children are at risk of academic failure because of physical, emotional, or social problems and are less able to function well in the classroom because they are hungry, sick, troubled, or depressed. Children seem to have fewer sources of adult support than in the past, and many are being pressured to grow up faster (Honig, 2009; Marks, 2002).We need to be concerned about accumulated childhood stress and to be watchful about the types of stress-coping responses children are developing. Children experience stress from time to time in growing up. We have good evidence that children in poor families are less able to function well academically, socially, and physically. Despite this, almost 12 million children in the United States (16%) live in poverty, and another 5 million (7%) live in extreme poverty (Luthar Sexton, 2007. Many children live in families that are typically overwhelmed with high levels of substance abuse, domestic abuse, and mental health problems. Poor children are more inclined to have developmental delays and behavioral and disciplinary problems than other children. They experience malnutrition, health problems, and below average school performance. Five suggested techniques for reducing childhood stress and supporting young children at home are: For parents that are working all the times, quality time is important as kids get older. Allow time for fun activities, Its really hard to come home after a long day of work to get down on the floor, and p lay with your kids or just talk to them about their day especially if theyve had a stressful one themselves. Whether they need to talk or just be in the same room with you, make yourself available because expressing interest shows that theyre important. Complicating factors, like a divorce or separation, when these are added to the everyday  pressures that kids are facing, the stress is overstated. Divorce has been embattled as the single largest cause of childhood depression. Almost all children in that situation manifest some signs of psychological imbalance or feelings of insecurity. Even the most amicable divorce can be a difficult experience for kids because of uncertainty, it is a tough change. Parents should never put kids in a position of having to choose sides or expose them to negative comments about the other spouse. Parents need to sit down and explain to children the changes in an age appropriate way about what to expect, reassure them that the love both parents have for them will never change and that both of you will always be there to support them in any way. Another Suggested technique is Life event like death of a love one, Parents feel uncertain about how to comfort their children who have experienced the loss of a love one. Children understand very little about death, it is the parent’s responsibility to help their children develop a healthy understanding about the subject matter. Different families have different views when talking to children about death, it is a day to day event that even adult cannot comprehend but in that circumstance parents have no choice but to help their children cope with their loss by allowing them to talk and express their feelings and emotions. Additional suggested technique is natural disaster, as we seen in many countries where a hurricane or an earthquaque cause a family to lose their home and all their belongings. In time of hardship and confusion such as this, Children are thrown out of balance, they feel disoriented and will develop stress and anxiety caused by fear. Parents need to shield their children and help them get back into control. Talk to the children, reassure them that this situation is temporary and promise them that things will get better or seek professional help. Conclusion Our complex modern society has greatly increased the amount of stress adults and children are exposed to. Children are experiencing more stress at younger and younger ages Children react in different ways to stress. Some children become ill. Some may become withdrawn and nervous while others show anger and demand attention. It is not easy to recognize when kids are stressed out, but listen and watch for behavioral changes, mood swings, acting out, changes in sleep patterns, or bedwetting can be indications. Some kids have trouble concentrating or completing schoolwork. Still others become withdrawn or spend a lot of time alone even very young children have worries and feel stress to some degree. Adults ordinarily fail to recognize the incidence and magnitude of stress in the lives of children the author went on to explain how to help kids cope with stress, it is to provide proper rest and good nutrition, to create time for your kids each day. No technique will work all of the time. But Pay a little extra attention to her Some children experience more stress than others, some are more sensitive to stress and some are better at handling it than others. We cannot eliminate all stress from children’s lives, nor can we always succeed in making stressed children feel better immediately. Stress is a part of life, and children learn how to handle child-sized stress by dealing with it, with appropriate help and support. By practicing stress-reduction and relaxation strategies with your children, you’re helping them build skills they will use throughout their lives. Create an information sheet that can be sent home to help families support their children in times

The Hitchhiker Essay Example for Free

The Hitchhiker Essay I was driving home one wintry evening, at the end of an ordinary day at work, looking forward to the dinner my wife was preparing. Most of the time, I was deep in thought recalling the days matters. My home was in the suburbs and since I worked in the town centre, I had to drive through its streets to get back. It was getting dark and had just begun to rain. I stopped at a crossroad when the traffic lights turned red. People were walking hurriedly off pavements, into nearby shops and cafeterias for shelter, and very soon the streets were deserted. The traffic lights turned green and I resumed driving. The bright town lights began to fade in the background as I drove through the outskirts, and as usual, took a right turn that brought me onto the main road, that was a six-mile drive to my destination. By now, it was raining heavily and the windscreen wipers could barely keep up with the water, compelling me to drive at a slower speed. A few minutes later, I encountered a figure on the left side, crouching and holding a thumb out, as I drove past. I was unable to distinguish the sex of the person who was wearing a black, raincoat with a hood covering the face. I glanced in my rear mirror to see if there were any lights coming from other vehicles, but there none were behind me. Guilt pricked my conscience as I thought of the person who seemed to be in pain. Then fear followed, remembering the dangers of giving lifts to strangers. Ultimately, guilt won me over and I turned round to drive back through the same road, hoping the person would not be there. Despite my hopes, the figure was exactly in the same place, still in crouching position, but this time, the arm with the held up thumb was swinging ferociously. I stopped the car and hooted for the person to get in. I could feel a sudden adrenalin rush and my heart beating away, rapidly. When the person opened the car door and sat down, I looked at the face and got the surprise of my life, as it was an elderly woman of about seventy. She too, seemed shocked, and then told me in a haughtily manner, that I was supposed to be a woman. My first conception was that of a demented woman. When I asked her why, she replied that those were the instructions she got. I had just silently finished telling myself again that she was insane, when a car with blinding lights screeched to a halt behind us. Two car doors slammed shut, non-simultaneously, and the sound of running feet headed towards the passengers side. A mans drenched face peered through the window and shouted, Mrs. Brown, can you please roll down the window? She did so, and he told her that she had got into the wrong car. He then looked at me and apologized for the incident. Subsequently, the other person, also a man, explained to me that I had driven straight into a film scene! Being so absorbed in my thoughts, I missed the signs at the beginning of the main road that cautioned drivers about the filming event. The heavy rain had not helped either. My somewhat boring day had ended with a thrilling event.