Neanderthal Essays - Stone Age, Pleistocene, Paleolithic

Neanderthal Neanderthal. The Neanderthals lived in areas ranging from Western Europe through central Asia from about 200,000 to between 36,000 and 24,000 years ago. The Neanderthals lived in groups of 30 to 50 individuals, they invented many of the tool types that were to be perfected by fully sapient peoples, they had weapons adequate to deal with both the cave lion and cave bear, they used body paint, buried their dead. Neanderthal Man survived through the Ice Age. They are thought to have had fire. Neanderthals lived side by side with modern humans for over 10,000 years. There are many theories on why the Neanderthals disappeared. Most of them involve Homo Sapiens in one way or another, considering that the Neanderthal's extinction coincides with the early human's estimated arrival in Europe from their original home in Africa. The first theory states that modern humans killed off the Neanderthals. With a much more sophisticated technology, Neanderthals would have had to compete with modern humans for their meals. This would have definitely led to fight with starvation and a decrease in the overall Neanderthal population, which could have been the cause of extinction. Also, in contrast to Cro-Magnons, who lived to well into there fifties, Neanderthals had a much shorter life span, barely surviving until the age of forty. The Neanderthals may have reacted to the new humans as enemies. Since the modern humans are presumed to have been smarter than the Neanderthals, and since modern humans are still alive today, this theory concludes that fighting wiped the Neanderthals out. However, this theory does have its faults. First of all, why would two cultures begin to fight after many thousands of years of peaceful coexistence? Also, it shows a lot of human arrogance to assume that early man could take an entire spe cies that was stronger and almost as smart as them and fight it to extinction. The second theory suggests that diseases introduced by the modern humans to whom Neanderthal man was not immune wiped out Neanderthals. It is possible that when Cro-Magnon man first encounter Neanderthal man, he could have introduced new devastating diseases, as the conquistadors did in Latin America. Neanderthals, not being immune to these illnesses would have quickly perished. However, it can also be considered that when the two human races met, war quickly followed. Cro-Magnon man may have possibly exterminated the Neanderthals. In early human history, man has fought his own race for years to justly claim or protect what he considers his. Although this theory is plausible, it is not probable, considering that the Neanderthals lived in close proximity to modern man for so long. Still, it is possible that there was a disease, which caused the Neanderthals to die out. The last theory states that Neanderthals were not in fact a separate species, but interbred to a greater or lesser extent with the incoming Homo sapiens, whose genes eventually became dominant at the eventual expense of the genes delivering Neanderthal characteristics. This hypothesis comes from the fact that Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons inhabited the same regions of Europe for thousands of years. It is not beyond a doubt that they did come in contact with one another, possibly even trading and communicating. Neanderthals and modern humans became one species, through thousands of years of interbreeding. Supporters of this theory state that some modern day Europeans have facial features similar to Neanderthal man. Neanderthal genes may have been inserted into the human gene pool, and Human genes may have been added to the Neanderthals. At this point, Neanderthals and humans may have evolved together at an incredible rate, becoming one race in a relatively short period of time. On the other hand, a disease, a war, or an increase in population causing the natural resources to be inadequate for keeping so many hominids alive might have cut off Neanderthals suddenly from contact with the humans, possibly. In conclusion we may never be sure of the fate of the Neanderthals, until archaeological finds provide the evidence. However, they did have a human awareness for many things. Neanderthals were compassionate enough to bury their dead, care for their injured and ill, develop complex tools, create some form of ritual behavior, and communicate

The Protestant Reformation and Its Influence on American History essays

The Protestant Reformation and Its Influence on American History essays Much has been written about the Protestant Reformation but most of it has dealt with European countries and the changes that were caused by Protestant teachings. However, Protestant religion is a large part of America as well. Originally, most individuals who came to America were Catholic and the Catholic Church was very controlling of not only England but the settlers who came to America from that country and others (Tolson, 2003). However, there was a growing influence from Protestant congregations and this has been the case for many years. Around 40 percent of people who live in the United States today see themselves as a born- again Christians or as evangelical in some way (Tolson, 2003). While many people do not see the ties between 18th century Puritans in New England and conversion to born-again Christianity there is a great deal of similarities Simply put, American history is full of religious issues and difficulties (Tolson, 2003). Religion was one of the reasons that many of the settlers left England and chose to stay in America, and freedom of religion is still an issue for some. There are areas of the country where individuals are fighting over having the Ten Commandments posted in public buildings, and there is a man fighting to remove the words "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance because he is concerned that his daughter may have to say this pledge. He is no longer married to the girl's mother. He is an atheist, and she is a born-again Christian. This puts the little girl in the middle and makes for very difficult times for her as well. However, even though this may be difficult for this little girl and there may be those who argue against it, it is all part of the freedom of religion that the Protestant Reformation actually brought to America. When the First Great Awakening came through the American colonies sometime in the 1740's ther...

International Oil and Gas Law Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

International Oil and Gas Law - Research Paper Example ..5 4.2 Importance of risk management †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦5 4.3 Classic concession †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦6 4.4 Territorial jurisdiction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..7 4.5 Guarantee schemes†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8 4.6 Collaborative agreements†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.9 5. Ways in which Urbania should proceed with the proposed oil development in the Amazia Forest region and ways in which should it decide which oil company to work with †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..................................................................................................................................10 5.1 Tackling the ethical issue †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..10 6. ... Introduction Oil is one of the most precious natural resources utilized by countries in business arena rigorously reaping enormous revenues and adds to the growth and development of an economy. The omnipotence of oil utility is also magnificent as we all know. But oil is not a renewable resource and thus its importance against its tremendous usage becomes much more pronounced. The developing countries in the world are mainly instilled with vast resources of oil and gas and their increase in demand is also increasing in rapid scale in the recent years. Multinational oil companies, investors, suppliers, contractors as well as consulting firms are considerably shifting their attention towards these developing nations for carrying on their business operations (Razavi, 1996, p.2). The escalation in global oil production also carries along with it an urge of unparalleled risk management. With the rise in peaking of oil production, the liquid fuel prices and price volatility has been rampan t subjected to dramatic influence on economic, social and political forefronts of the countries. Strategies are devised by the organizations engaged in the oil industry for risk mitigation. The risk management paradigm is indeed of great significance for mammoth investments in the oil industry projects which are time consuming. Apart from that, running business in an ethical manner is a definite necessity. Oil companies working in a country be it national or international must comply with the proper legal environment so that business operations are done in a suitable way and oil productions are carried on in a sustainable manner. The countries are required to maintain a strong legal environment which is an utmost necessity (Razavi, 1996,

Lunar Science Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Lunar Science - Research Proposal Example Cameron concluded that the "angular momentum" or the rotation or orbital movement of the Moon was caused by the size of Mars, which is about 10% of the Earth and sometimes referred to as the Theia. The giant impact created a ring of very hot molten debris in orbit around the very young Earth in 10 years or less. Taylor illustrated that the young Earth was spinning faster, throwing out a huge blob forming the Moon ("Moon Beams and Elements" 6). The moon is now surrounded by an ocean of magma as it formed in orbit around the Earth. Hartmann concluded that the Earth must have been hit strong enough to send off sufficient materials into orbit and form the Moon because of the large impact craters, ten or more times bigger than 150 km projectiles. The Apollo Moon Landing Program was an American lunar spaceflight program carried out by the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) during the years 1961 to 1975 (MSN Encarta, par. 1-3). It aims to conduct manned moon landing missions and overtake Soviet Union in space exploration as well. President John F. Kennedy initiated the first astronauts to send to the moon in 1961, inspired by the first American astronaut in space, Alan Sheperd (NASA, par. 2). Portraying the years of effort and expense, NASA employed 36, 000 civil servants and 376, 700 contractor employees on the peak of the program in 1965 and spent $25.4 billion between 1961 and 1973 for the Apollo missions. The first Apollo mission was delayed due to a tragedy caused by a destructive fire inside the capsule ("Apollo Mission Landing," par. 3-17). The astronauts Roger Chaffee, Edward H. White II and Virgil I. (Gus) Grissom all died in the tragic accident on the launch pad. In April 4, 1968, Apollo 6 was lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to accomplish a revolution around the Earth's orbit, followed by Apollo 7 and 9. The first ones to orbit the Moon were the Apollo 8 and 10 missions. In 1969, Neil Armstrong, commander of Apollo 11 and the first human to walk on the Moon along with Michael Collins, commander module pilot and Edwin "Buzz" E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot. Apollo 12 and 14 successfully landed on the Moon also except for Apollo 13 which left the astronauts in a deadly situation when they were about to return to Earth without a scheduled landing though they used the lunar module as a lifeboat in order to survive. Apollo 15, 16, and 17 conducted lunar explorat ions missions that are much longer and involved more in-depth scientific exploration. Apollo's Analysis on their Discoveries There was a broad range of over 60 experiments done on the lunar surface and 30 experiments of the lunar orbit of the Moon (MSN Encarta 5). Six unique and scientifically significant lunar locations collected a total of 381.7 kg (841 lb) of lunar material. In the Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong and his companions brought to Earth samples from another planetary body-basalts and dark-colored igneous rocks that were about 3.7 billion years old. After every mission, they brought back more lunar rocks and soil

Strategic management as science Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic management as science - Case Study Example The report highlights differentiation strategies through marketing, the role of internal business culture, and a variety of methodologies which contribute to successful business strategy. The evidence would seem to suggest that strategic management is more of a science than an art. Michael Porter, a renowned strategic business expert, discusses his Five Forces model which recognises a variety of external forces which can significantly impact business direction. From a competitive viewpoint, this model suggests that the threat of substitute products can impact sales and growth success (Quickmba.com, 2008). Substitute products represent similar product offerings in similar marketplaces which can detract from sales success simply due to these products creating excess competition in a firm's market environment. Bean and Radford (2000) identify that product innovation, creating unique product offerings, is one method to overcome competition and will create a sense of differentiation in different consumer buyers. Innovation might be categorised as an art form, as this is often based on internal staff ingenuity, however innovation would seem to be more scientifically-founded as before an innovative product can be launched, examination of competing products and their function must occur. This requires analysis of the external competitive environment which is grounded more in scientific research on behalf of a company. With the high level of competition in a wide variety of different product markets causing problems with being able to compete successfully, innovation as a strategic tool would seem to point toward business success. Porter's model also identifies threats to businesses in terms of supplier power, such as the level of control which suppliers have over raw material delivery or the development of a low-cost distribution infrastructure. Cohen and Roussel (2005) offer that a successful strategic business practice involves designing a supply-chain metric which measures the impact of supplier power on the ability to launch new and innovative products. The first proposed task is to set up a supply chain strategy objective which examines costs and the feasibility of distribution in a method which is both efficient and satisfies budget restrictions. This again would point toward supply chain considerations as being more of a business science, as it involves face-to-face negotiations with different suppliers and a strategic analysis of the strengths and weaknesses along the existing supply chain network. The role of strategic management in regards to suppliers is to identify whether deficiencies exist in t he supply chain and work consistently to improve efficiency and budget. In terms of supply, luck and opportunism would seem to be aspects of business strategy which are not relevant to creating a workable supply network. From a marketing viewpoint, Porter's Five Forces model also recognises the threats stemming from different consumers in terms of their price flexibility (the

Environmental And Economic Impacts Of Green Architecture

Environmental And Economic Impacts Of Green Architecture Green buildings, also known as sustainable buildings, are structures that have revolutionized the way we live. These assemblies are designed, built, renovated, operated, or re-used in an ecological and resource efficient manner. Its sustainable development is helping maintain a balance between the human need to improve its lifestyle and feeling of well-being, while preserving natural resources and ecosystems. Green Architecture has the objective of using energy, water and other resources more efficiently and reducing the overall impact to the environment. It protects an occupants health, improves an employees productivity, and offers an optimal environmental and economic performance. Among its many economic benefits, it reduces operating costs, has marketing advantages, increases building valuations, and optimizes life-cycle performance costs. Its health and safety benefits include the enhancement of an occupants comfort and health. Its community benefits help minimize the strain on local infrastructures and improve the quality of life. (Ken 1) Green Architecture can be defined as the restructuring and creation of buildings that are beneficial and have a minimal impact on the environment. They are several approaches to green construction that involve the responsibility of recycling existing resources, along with the efficient use of environmentally friendly systems that will provide power and water services to sustainable buildings. Throughout the past century, more people have become concerned and aware of the proper use of the planets resources. This is why the fundamental concepts and objectives of green architecture have gained both societys interest and acceptance. (Tatum 1) A green architects mission is to design buildings that will provide the necessary functions, without posing a threat to the surrounding environment. This implies the use of building materials that are composed of organic compounds instead of synthetics. Some of these materials include the use of wood, stones, bricks, or other elements that are harvested from older buildings scheduled for demolition. These materials are generally joined with newer technologies creating structures that fit into the surrounding landscape. Some of these newer technologies refer to the instalment of solar panels and modern rainwater collection systems. This will make best use of the available resources for heating, cooling, cooking, and supplying water to the building. (Tatum 1) The quality of air is a crucial factor in any living or working environment, which is why it is easy to exclude pollution as only an outdoor problem. Nevertheless, it can still be quite problematic indoors due to poor ventilation systems that can be potentially hazardous to human health. Conventional building materials and furnishings emit formaldehyde and other toxic chemicals. Paints, solvents and household cleaning products emit volatile organic compounds and other fumes. Stoves and fireplaces emit carbon monoxide and smoke particulates. Most buildings contain natural biological pollutants such as dust mites and moulds. Product manufacturers in the construction and building industry have been able to introduce products that reduce these emissions of formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds and other potentially harmful chemicals. (Grey 1) Fresh air is a critical factor for optimal health. Homes in the colder climates have a closer structure that heats up the air and constantly recirculates the only air that leaks through the envelope providing fresh air. Heat recovery ventilation is a good insurance policy against build-up of indoor air problems without paying an energy penalty for direct fresh air ventilation. It uses stale indoor air while providing fresh air with only a small energy cost. Green buildings reduce IAQ problems by providing good ventilation allowing the natural flow of fresh air through the house. They have exhaust systems for radon gas; avoid wood products that contain formaldehyde, use less or no volatile organic compounds (VOC) interior paints, solvent-free-finishes, and solvent-free construction adhesives. (GreenBuilding 1) Green buildings seek to reduce our dependency on energy sources that come from non-renewable sources. Instead, they pursue to turn that reliance to sourcing energy from renewable sources and change our lifestyle of dependence. Certain programmes such as the Low Carbon Buildings Programme, like to emphasize the importance of householders in meeting several criteria in the property. It states that the entire loft space of the property must be insulated, have cavity wall insulation if the property has cavity walls. There should be basic controls on the home heating system that include a timer and a thermostat; and the installment of low energy light bulbs in all the appropriate light fittings. (Murray- White 1). In countries such as Canada, it is reported that municipal water systems leak up to a quarter of demand during distribution. Even though the infrastructure weakens, the use has increased by 26.7% since the 1980s as reported by the Eco-research team at the University of Victoria. However, there is enough renewable fresh rainwater to satisfy the needs of families with low resources. Rainwater lessens the dependency on municipal services and saves money, making it more than just sustainable. Organizations such as Health Canada have shown concerns regarding the safety and purity of the water source. This is why they have met with the challenge of building a sustainable water use system. Rainwater harvesting consists on collecting, storing and treating rainwater for watering exterior plants, toilet and laundry use, with potential portable use. The degree of treatment varies depending on its final use. (Hugh 1) Gathering water can come from hard surfaces, such as metal roofs, which is simpler than the capturing of water on vegetable roofs. For example, Lawn water can be collected from the surface or below grade using drainage piping which utilizes the earth for filtering. Regarding the maintenance or cleaning of water, other than removing the solids likes leaves; no special cleaning is required when the water is used for landscaping, swimming pools, laundry and toilets. However, ultraviolet is a safety measure used for killing bacteria which relies on the use of electricity. When water is intended for direct contact with humans, such as showers and sinks, additional treatments will always be necessary. (Hugh 1) Green architecture produces less waste by using renewable plant materials such as bamboo due to its rapid growth, lumber from forests certified to be sustainably managed, recycled stones and metals. It also uses other products that are non-toxic, reusable, renewable, and/or recyclable; for example: sheep wool, adobe, baked earth, rammed earth, clay, cork, coconuts, wood fibre plates, flax linen, and others. The Canada Green Building Council suggests the use of recycled industrial goods, such as coal combustion products, foundry sand, and demolition debris in construction projects. For example, the use of polyurethane blocks reduces carbon emissions, provides more speed, cost less and is environmentally friendly. Building materials should be extracted and manufactured locally to the building site in order to minimize energy use through transportation. Building elements should be manufactured off-site and delivered to the building site, to maximise benefits of off-site manufacture incl uding minimizing waste, maximising recycling, high quality elements, better OHS (occupational health and safety) management, less noise and dust. (Environment 1) The most criticized issue about constructing green buildings is the price, claiming it to be too expensive to be considered economically possible. However, studies have shown that the costs of green buildings are not anymore higher than regular development projects. Higher construction costs can generally be avoided by the incorporation of green designs from the outset of the project. Green Value is the net additional value obtainable by a green building in the market. This study shows that green buildings can achieve greater value than their conventional equivalents. However, it was discovered that the green building industry and others may be failing to get the message across that the main beneficiaries are the occupants. For example, a lot of attention has been focused on energy savings making it easy to measure. However, these are usually less than 1% of business operating costs. By comparison, total annual real estate expenses are usually around 10% of such costs while staff cos ts can be high as 85%. This means that the biggest return on investments should arise when green buildings improve business productivity. (Green Value 2) Due to the high increase in fuel costs over recent years, more people are choosing to purchase green homes and business premises. Green homes have more effective insulation, take advantage of the suns solar power, minimise the effects of summer heat, and favour energy efficient appliances and water conservation features. Even though the costs of these items may take time to recoup, there are many available loans, grants and subsides that assist people in helping them go green. Certain known green building practices benefit its customers as well as the environment. They incorporate longer-lasting materials, careful construction assemblies and design features that can reduce maintenance and costs. Strict indoor air quality guidelines ensure a comfortable and healthy living and working environment. The overall result of green building and its economic impact is the enhanced value and better resale across the lifespan of a home and business. (Durham 1) Canada has been recognized as a global leader in the green building industry, with more than 770Â  certified green buildings in use across the entire country. Canadian companies have earned a worldwide reputation for their innovation and excellence in the construction, design and operation of green buildings. Helping the planet recover requires a firm commitment, and Green building will lessen the damage being caused to the environment making the world a healthier place for future generations. The essence and definition of green architecture is to build in a way that minimizes environmental impact and promote a healthier indoor environment for occupants. As energy prices continue to rise and more people become conscious of their personal impact on the environment, green building has become the mainstream of the construction industry. It has become a movement that will affect and influence builders, property owners, and insurers for many years to come. (Canada Mortgage HC. 1)

Charles Dickens :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Charles "David Copperfield" Dickens (1812 - 1870) Charles John Huffam1 Dickens was born 7 February 1812, second child of John and Elizabeth Dickens. The family would eventually number seven children, plus a son who died in infancy, and since neither parent seemed able to economize, things were generally very hard financially for the family. Charles attended school for a time in Kent, where the happiest days of his childhood were spent, but when the family moved to London in 1822, Charles was simply never re-enrolled in school, and was left to wander London largely unattended2. When the oldest child, Fanny, was sent to the Royal Academy of Music for training as a pianist, Charles, then 12, was deemed old enough to work to help pay the family expenses. So, for six months, he worked in a factory pasting labels onto containers of shoe polish. While there, John Dickens was thrown into debtor's prison, and released a few months later under the Insolvency Act3. It was a feud between John Dickens and the factory owner that eventually got Charles out of the factory and back in school, though Elizabeth tried her best to make him go back, which Charles never quite forgave her for. The factory experience will show up again and again in Charles' novels, and it also left him with something of a phobia about being dirty. In 1827, Charles left school again, more voluntarily this time, and took work as a law clerk, and then a parliamentary reporter. Though he also toyed with the idea of taking the stage (he loved amateur theatricals all his life), he eventually starts writing sketches for two of the London newspapers4, publishing them under the name 'Boz'. In 1835, now quite well-established in his sketch-writing, Charles proposed to Catherine Hogarth, daughter of George Hogarth, who had been advisor to Sir Walter Scott. They married in April of 18365, and the sweet-tempered Catherine generally allowed Charles to take charge of everything, including even the eventual naming of their children. That same year, Charles's began writing The Pickwick Papers, and suddenly he was famous. Imitations of Pickwick appeared everywhere. The now firmly upper-middle-class Charles still has many family problems, however. His father is still in debt more often than not, even going so far as to try to borrow money using his son's name, and Charles ends up paying most of John's debts.

Night World : Daughters of Darkness Chapter 9

Mary-Lynnette's hearing had gone funny. Sheheard Kestrel's words like a character remembering a phrase In a bad movie. Kill them, kill them, kill them. Mark laughed In a very strange way. This is going to be really rotten for him, MaryLynnette thought, curiously dispassionate. I mean, if we were going tolive through this, which we're not, it would be really rotten for him. He was already afraidof girls, and sort of pessimistic about life in general â€Å"Why don't we all sit down?† Rowan said with astifled sigh. â€Å"We've got to figure this out.† Mark threw back his head and gave another shortbark of a laugh. â€Å"Why not?† he said. â€Å"Let's all sit down, why not?† They're fast as whippets, Mary-Lynnette thought.If we run now, they'll catch us. But If we sit, and they get comfortable, and I distract them-or hitthem with something†¦ â€Å"Sitl† she ordered Mark briskly. Rowan and Kestrel moved away from the deer and sat. Jade stood with her hands on her hips for a moment, then sat,too. Sitting, Mark was still acting punch-drunk. Hewaved the flashlight around. â€Å"You girls aresomethingelse. You girls are really-â€Å" â€Å"We're vampires,† Jade said sharply. â€Å"Yeah.† Mark laughed quietly to himself. â€Å"Yeah,† he said again. Mary-Lynnette took the flashlight away from him. She wanted control of it. And it was heavy plastic and metal. It was a weapon. And while one layer of her mind was thinking:Shine the light in their eyesat just the rightmoment andthen hit oneof them; another part was thinking:Shemeans they'repeoplewhothinkthey're vampires;peoplewith that weird disease that makes them anemic; and one final part was saying:Youmight as well faceit;they're real. Mary-Lynnette's world view had been knocked rightout of the ballpark. â€Å"Don't you justhate that,† Mark was saying. â€Å"You meet a girl and she seems pretty nice and you tell all your friends and then before you know it she turnsout to be avampire.Don't you just hate it when that happens?† Oh. God, he's hysterical, Mary-Lynnette realized. She grabbed his shoulder and hissed in his ear, â€Å"Get a grip, now.†, â€Å"I don't see what the point is in talking to them,Rowan,† Kestrel was saying. â€Å"You know what wehave to do.† And Rowan was rubbing her forehead. â€Å"I was thinkingwe might influence them,† she said in an undertone. â€Å"You know why that won't work.† Kestrel's voice was soft and flat. â€Å"Why?† Jade said sharply. â€Å"They followed us for a reason,† Rowan saidtiredly. She nodded toward the hole. â€Å"So they've been suspicious for a while-for how long?† She looked at Mary-Lynnette. â€Å"I saw you dig the hole Tuesday night,† MaryLynnette said. She nodded toward the hole. â€Å"Is that your aunt in there?† There was a brief silence and Rowan looked selfconscious. Then she inclined her head slightly. Gracefully. â€Å"Oh, hell,† Mark said. His eyes were shut and his head was rolling on his neck. â€Å"Oh,hell. They've got Mrs. B. in a bag.† â€Å"Two days,† Rowan said to Jade. â€Å"They've suspected for two whole days. And we can't remove memories that are interlaced with other things for that long. We'd never know if we got them all.† â€Å"Well, we could just takeeverything for the last two days,† Jade said. Kestrel snorted. â€Å"And have two more people wandering around with lost time?† Mary-Lynnette's mind went click. â€Å"Todd Akers andVic Kimble,† she said. â€Å"You did something to give them amnesia.I knew there had to be a connection.† â€Å"There's no other choice for us,† Kestrel said quietly to Rowan. â€Å"And you know it as well as I do.† She's not being malicious, Mary-Lynnette realized.Just practical. If a lioness or a wolf or a falcon could talk, it would say the same thing. â€Å"We have to either kill or die; it's as simple as that.† Despite herself, Mary-Lynnette felt something like fascination-and respect. Mark had his eyes open now. And Rowan was looking sad, so sad. It's awful, her expression said, but somebody here is going to have to get hurt. Rowan bowed her head, then lifted it to face MaryLynnette directly. Their eyes met, held. After a moment Rowan's face changed slightly and she nodded. Mary-Lynnette knew that in that instant they werecommunicating without words. Each recognizing the other as an alpha female who was willing to fightand die for her kin. Meaning they were both big sisters. Yes, somebody's going to get hurt, Mary-Lynnette thought. You threaten myfamily,I fight back. She knew Rowan understood. Rowan was going to really hate killing her†¦. â€Å"No,† a voice said passionately, and MaryLynnette realized it was Jade. And the next second Jade was on her feet, hands clenched, words erupting like a steam boiler exploding. â€Å"No, youcan'tkill Mark. I won'tletyou.† Rowan said, â€Å"Jade, I know this is hard-â€Å"Kestrel said, â€Å"Jade, don't be a wimp-â€Å" Jade was trembling, body tensed like a cat ready to fight. Her voice was louder than either of them. â€Å"You just can't do itl I think -Ithink-† â€Å"Jade-â€Å" â€Å"I thinkhe's my soulmate!† Dead silence. Then Rowan groaned. â€Å"Oh, dear†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Kestrel said, â€Å"Oh,sure.† They were both looking at Jade. Focused on her. Mary-Lynnette thought, now. She swung the flashlight viciously at Kestrel, wanting to take her out first, betting that Rowan would stay behind if Kestrel were hurt. But the swing never connected, Mark threw himself in front of her, slamming into her arm. â€Å"Don't hurt Jade!† Then everything was just a mad tangle. Arms, legs,grasping fingers, kicking feet. Jade and Mark both yelling for it to stop. Mary-Lynnette felt the flashlight wrenched out of her hand. She found long hair, got hold of it, yanked. Someone kicked her, and pain blossomed in her ribs. Then she felt herself being dragged backward Mark was holding her, pulling her away from thefight. Jade was lying on top of Kestrel and clutching at Rowan. Everybody was panting. Mark was almost crying. â€Å"We just can't do this,† he said. â€Å"This is terrible.This is all wrong.† Meanwhile Jade was snarling, â€Å"He's my soulmate,okay?Okay? I can't do anything with himdead!† â€Å"He's not your soulmate, idiot,† Kestrel said in a somewhat muffled voice. She was facedown on the carpet of needles. â€Å"When you're soulmates, it hits you like lightning, and you know that's the one person in the world you were meant to be with. Youdon'tthink you're soulmates; you just know it's your destiny whether you like it or not.† Somewhere, deep in Mary-Lynnette's brain, something stirred in alarm. But she had more urgentthings to worry about. â€Å"Mark, get out of here,† she said breathlessly. ?Run!? Mark didn't even ease his grip. â€Å"Why do we have to be enemies?† â€Å"Mark, they're killers .You can't justify that. They killed their own aunt.† Three faces turned toward her, startled. A half-fullmoon had risen above the trees, and Mary-Lynnette could see them clearly. â€Å"We didnot!† Jade said indignantly. â€Å"What made you think that?† Rowan asked.Mary-Lynnette felt her mouth hang open. â€Å"Be cause you buried her, for God's sakel† â€Å"Yes, but we found her dead.† â€Å"Somebody staked her,† Kestrel said, brushingpine needles out of her golden hair. â€Å"Probably a vampire hunter. I don't suppose you'd know anything about that.† Mark gulped. â€Å"Staked her-with a stake?† â€Å"Well, with a picket from the fence,† Kestrel said. â€Å"She was already dead?† Mary-Lynnette said toRowan. â€Å"But then why on earth did you bury her in the backyard?† â€Å"It would have been disrespectful to leave her in the cellar.† ‘But why didn't you have her taken to a cemetery?†Rowan looked dismayed. Jade said, â€Å"Um, you haven't seen Aunt Opal.† â€Å"She's not looking so good,† Kestrel said. â€Å"Kind ofhard and stiff. You might say mummified.† â€Å"It's what happens to us,† Rowan said almostapologetically. Mary-Lynnette slumped back against Mark, trying to get her new world view into place. Everything was whirling. â€Å"So†¦ you were just trying to hide her. But †¦ you did do something to Todd Akers and Vic Kim-â€Å" â€Å"Theyattackedus,† Jade interrupted. â€Å"They were thinking very bad things and they pinched our arms.† â€Å"They-?† Mary-Lynnette sat up suddenly. All at once she understood. â€Å"Oh, my God. Those jerks!† Why hadn't she thought of that? Todd and Vielast year there bad been rumors about them jumping some girl from Westgrove. So they'd tried it on these girls, and †¦ Mary-Lynnette gasped and then snorted with half inhaled laughter. â€Å"Oh, no. Oh, I hope you got them good â€Å"We just bit them a little,† Rowan said. â€Å"I wish I'd been there tosee it.† She was laughing. Rowan was smiling. Kestrel was grinning barbarically. And suddenly Mary-Lynnette knew that they weren't going to fight anymore. Everybody took a deep breath and sat back and looked at one another. They do look different from normal humans, Mary-Lynnette thought, staring at them in the moonlight. It's so obvious once you know. They wereinhumanly beautiful, of course. Rowanwith her soft chestnut hair and sweet face; Kestrelwith her feral sleekness and golden eyes; Jade with her delicate features and her hair like starshine. Likethe Three Graces, only fiercer. â€Å"Okay,† Rowan said softly. â€Å"We seem to have asituation here. Now we've got to figure somethingout.† â€Å"We won't tell on you,† Mark said. He and Jadewere gazing at each other. â€Å"We've got Romeo and Juliet on our hands here is what we've got,† Mary-Lynnette said to Rowan. But Kestrel was speaking to Rowan, too. â€Å"No matterwhatthey promise, how do we know we can be lieve them?† Rowan considered, eyes roving around the clearing. Then she let out a long breath and nodded. â€Å"There's only one way,† she said. â€Å"Blood-tie.† Kestrel's eyebrowsflew up. â€Å"Oh, really?† â€Å"What is it?† Mary-Lynnette asked. â€Å"A blood-tie?† Rowan looked helpless. â€Å"Well, it's akinship ceremony, you know.† When Mary-Lynnette just looked at her, she went on: â€Å"It makes our families related. It's like, one of our ancestors did it with a family of witches.:' Witches, Mary-Lynnette thought. Oh †¦gosh. Sowitches are real, too. I wonder how many other things are real that I don't know about? â€Å"Vampires don't usually get along with witches,† Rowan was saying. â€Å"And HunterRedfern-that's our ancestor-had a real blood feud going with themback in the sixteen hundreds.† â€Å"But then he couldn't have kids,† Jade said gleefully. â€Å"And he needed a witch to help or the wholeRedfern familywould end with him. So he had to apologize and do a kinship ceremony. And then he had all daughters.Ha ha.† Mary-Lynnette blinked. Ha ha? â€Å"So, you see, we're part witch. All the Redfern are,† Rowan was explaining in her gentle teachingvoice. â€Å"Our father used to say that's why we're so disobedient,† Jade said. â€Å"Because it's in our genes . Because in witchfamilies, womenare in charge.† Mary-Lynnette began to like witches. â€Å"Ha ha,† shesaid. Mark gave her a skittish sideways look. â€Å"The point is that we could do a ceremony like that now,† Rowan said. â€Å"It would make us family forever. We couldn't betray each other.† â€Å"No problem,† Mark said, still looking at Jade. â€Å"Fine with me,†Jade said, and gave him a quick, fierce smile. But Mary-Lynnette was thinking. It was a serious thing Rowan was talking about. You couldn't do something like this on a whim. It was worse than adopting a puppy; it was more like getting married. It was a lifetimeresponsibility. And even if these girls didn't kill humans, they killed animals. With their teeth. But so did people. And not always for food. Wasit worse to drink deer blood than to make baby cows into boots? Besides, strange as it seemed, she felt dose to the three sisters already. In the last couple of minutesshe'd established more of a relationship with Rowanthan she ever had with any girl at school. Fascination and respect had turned into a weird kind of instinctive trust. And besidethat, what other real choice was there? Mary-Lynnette looked at mark, and then atRowan. She nodded slowly. â€Å"Okay.† Rowan turned to Kestrel. â€Å"So I'm supposed to decide, am I?† Kestrel said.†We can't do it without you,† Rowan said. â€Å"You know that.† Kestrel looked away. Her golden eyes were narrowed. In the moonlight her profile was absolutely perfect against the darkness of trees. â€Å"It would mean we could never go home again. Make ourselves kin to vermin? That's what they'dsay.† â€Å"Who's vermin?† Mark said, jolted out of his communion with Jade. Nobody answered. Jade said, with odd dignity, â€Å"Ican't go home, anyway. I'm in love with an Outsider. And I'm going to tell him about the Night World. SoI'm dead no matter what.† Mark was opening his mouth-to protest that Jade shouldn't take such arisk forhim,Mary-Lynnette thought-when Jade added absently, â€Å"And so is he, of course.† Mark shut his mouth. Rowan said â€Å"Kestrel, we've come too far to go back.† Kestrel stared at the forest for another minute orso. Then suddenly she turned back to the others, laughing. There was something wild in her eyes. â€Å"All right, let's go the whole way,† she said. â€Å"Tell them everything. Break every rule. We might as well.† Mary-Lynnette felt a twinge. She hoped she wasn'tgoing to regret this. But what she said was â€Å"Just how do we do this-ceremony?† â€Å"Exchange blood. I've never done it before, but it's simple.† â€Å"It might be a little bit strange, though,† Jade said â€Å"because you'll be a little bit vampires afterward.† â€Å"A little bit what?† Mary-Lynnette said, her voice rising in spite of her. â€Å"Just a little bit.† Jade was measuring out tiny bitsof air between her index finger and thumb. â€Å"A drop.† Kestrel cast a look skyward. â€Å"It'll go away in a few days,† she said heavily, which was what MaryLynnette wanted to know. â€Å"As long as you don't get yourself bitten by a vampire again in the meanwhile,† Rowan added. â€Å"Otherwise, it's perfectly safe. Honestly.† Mary-Lynnette and Mark exchanged glances. Not to discuss things, they'd gone beyond that now. Just to brace themselves. Then Mary-Lynnette took a deep breath and flicked a bit of fern off her knee. â€Å"Okay,† she said, feeling lightheaded but determined. â€Å"We're ready.†

Lawrence Bittaker and Roy Norris Are the Toolbox Killers

Lawrence Bittaker and Roy Norris Are the Toolbox Killers In late October 1979, California authorities were busy hunting down and capturing The Hillside Strangler, Angelo Buono. In the meantime, two more barbaric killers had teamed up to fulfill a prison time fantasy - to kidnap, rape, torture and kill a girl for each teenage year. For two months, the duo hunted roads and beaches, looking for victims who  matched their demented fantasy. They almost met their goal, killing five young girls, ages ranging between 13 to 18. This is their story. Bittaker and Norris Meet In 1978, Lawrence Sigmund Bittaker, age 38, and Roy L. Norris, age 30, met while in the California State Prison at San Luis Obispo. Norris was labeled as a mentally disordered sex offender and previously spent four years at a state mental institution. Once released, he raped again and returned to prison. Bittaker spent most of his adult life behind bars for various offenses. As their friendship grew, so did their fantasies of raping and murdering teenage girls. The Murder Mack After their release from prison, they paired up, transformed Bittakers 1977 GMC van into what they nicknamed, Murder Mack, and began their kidnap, torture and killing spree of young girls. As is characteristic of psychopaths, the pain inflicted on their victims grew more vicious with each new captive. Cindy Schaeffer On June 24, 1979, in Redondo Beach, Cindy Schaeffer, age 16, was walking to her grandmother’s house after attending a church program. Bittaker and Norris pulled up next to her in the Murder Mack and tried to entice her to go for a ride. Her attempts to ignore the two failed. She was forced into the van and taken to a pre-selected spot in the mountains. There she was tortured and denied her requests to pray before the two beat and strangled her to death with wire coat hangers. Andrea Hall On July 8, 1979, the duo went hunting for their second victim and found 18-year-old Andrea Hall hitchhiking on the Pacific Coast Highway. With Bittaker hiding in the back, Norris stopped and offered Hall a ride. Within minutes after she entered the van, Bittaker attacked, raped and took pictures of her bound and in fear. As if playing a game, Bittaker then asked why she should be allowed to live. Not liking her answer, he stabbed her in the ear with an ice pick and choked her to death. Jackie Gilliam and Jacqueline Lamp On Sept.  3, 1979, the murderous pair picked up their youngest victims from a bus stop at Hermosa Beach. Jackie Gilliam, 15, and Jacqueline Lamp, 13, were kidnapped and taken to the mountain location where they were raped and tortured for two days. As with Hall, both girls were stabbed in each ear with an ice pick, their small bodies viciously attacked with vice grips, then strangled to death with coat hangers tightened with pliers. Lynette Ledford The killers last known victim was killed on Oct. 31, 1979. Sixteen-year-old Lynette Ledford was kidnapped and her body mutilated. The young girl was stabbed numerous times, and with pliers, Bittaker ripped at her body. During her torture, her screams and pleas were tape-recorded as Bittaker repeatedly beat the young girls elbows with a sledgehammer, all the time demanding that she not stop screaming. In the end, the pair strangled her with a coat hanger. For fun the pair decided to leave Ledfords brutalized corpse on the lawn of a suburban home in Hermosa Beach, just to see the reaction of the media. The Hillside Strangler, Angelo Buono, had been caught just a few days before the discovery of Lynette Ledfords body, although authorities were not swayed into identifying her killer as Buono. Captured Norris was the murderous pairs downfall. He bragged to an old prison friend about his crime spree. The friend tipped off police, and the story sounded much like that of the victim, Shirley Sanders. On September 30, Shirley Sanders managed to escape from two men who used chemical mace on her, then raped her inside a van. Police interviewed her again, this time armed with pictures, and Sanders was able to identify the van and Norris and Bittaker as her attackers. Norris Points the Finger at Bittaker The two were arrested for unrelated crimes and held without bail for violating their probations. During an interrogation, Norris began admitting details about the pairs murderous activities, and he pointed the finger at Bittaker for being the one who killed their victims. 500 Photos - 19 Missing Girls Norris worked out a deal with authorities in exchange for his testimony against Bittaker, as well as showing police where they hid the bodies of their victims. Overall, police found over 500 photos of teenaged girls, 19 of which were listed as missing. But Norris clammed up and would only tell investigators what happened to five of the 19 missing girls. The Sentencing During Bittakers and Norris trial, the disturbing pictures of their crimes and the tape-recording of Lynette Ledfords final painful hours were shared with the jury. The impact was substantial. Bittaker was sentenced to death, and the judge included an extra 199-year life sentence just in case his death sentence was ever commuted to life. Norris was given 45 years to life for his cooperation in the investigation. In 2009, Norris was denied parole for an additional 10 years. Sources Couples Who Kill by Carol Anne Davis

The Racial Wealth GapHistory and Current Trends

The Racial Wealth GapHistory and Current Trends The racial wealth gap refers to the substantial difference in the wealth held by white and Asian households in the U.S. compared with the vastly lower levels of wealth held by Black and Latino households. This gap is visible when looking at both average and median household wealth. Today, white households hold on average $656,000 in wealth- nearly seven times that of Latino households ($98,000) and about eight times as much as Black households ($85,000). The racial wealth gap has significant negative impacts on the quality of life and life chances of Black and Latino people. It is wealth- assets held independent of ones monthly income- that allow people to survive unexpected losses of income. Without wealth, a sudden loss of job or inability to work could lead to loss of housing and hunger. Not only that, wealth is necessary for investment in the future prospects of members of the household. It provides the ability to save for higher education and retirement and opens up access to educational resources that are wealth-dependent. For these reasons, many see the racial wealth gap as not just a financial issue, but an issue of social justice. Understanding the Growing Racial Wealth Gap In 2016, the Center for Equality and Diversity, together with the Institute for Policy Studies, released a landmark report that shows that the racial wealth gap grew considerably larger in the three decades between 1983 and 2013. The report, titled The Ever-Growing Gap, reveals that the average wealth of white households nearly doubled over that span of time, while the growth rate for Black and Latino households was far lower. Black households saw their average wealth increase from $67,000 in 1983 to $85,000 in 2013, which, at less than $20,000, is an increase of just 26 percent. Latino households did quite a bit better, with average wealth growing from just $58,000 to $98,000- a 69 percent increase- which means they came from behind to pass Black households. But during the same period, white households experienced a growth rate in average wealth of about 84 percent, climbing from $355,000 in 1983 to $656,000 in 2013. That means that white wealth grew at 1.2 times the rate of growth for that of Latino households, and  three times  as much as it did for Black households. According to the report, if these current racialized rates of growth continue, the wealth gap between white families and Black and Latino families- currently about $500,000- will double by 2043 to reach a staggering $1 million. In these conditions, white households would enjoy, on average, an increase in wealth of $18,000 per year, while that figure would be just $2,250 and $750 for Latino and Black households, respectively. At this rate, it would take Black families 228 years to reach the level of average wealth held by white families in 2013. How the Great Recession Impacted the Racial Wealth Gap Research shows that the racial wealth gap was exacerbated by the Great Recession. The report by CFED and IPS points out that, between 2007 and 2010, Black and Latino households lost three and four times more wealth than did white households. Data shows that this is largely due to the racially disproportionate impacts of the home mortgage foreclosure crisis, which saw Blacks and Latinos lose their home at far greater rates than did whites. Now, in the aftermath of the Great Recession, 71 percent of whites own their homes, but just 41 and 45 percent of Blacks and Latinos do, respectively. The Pew Research Center reported in 2014 that the disproportionate home loss experienced by Black and Latino families during the Great Recession led to unequal wealth recovery in the recessions aftermath. Analyzing the Federal Reserves Survey of Consumer Finances, Pew found that though the housing and financial market crises that fueled the Great Recession negatively impacted all people in the U.S., during the three years that followed the end of the recession, white households managed to recover  wealth, while Black and Latino households saw a significant  drop  in wealth during that time (measured as median net worth for each racial group). Between 2010 to 2013, during what is described as a period of economic recovery, white wealth grew by 2.4 percent, but Latino wealth fell by 14.3 percent and Black wealth fell by over a third. The Pew Report also points to another racialized disparity: that between the recovery of financial and housing markets. Because whites are much more likely to be invested in the stock market, they benefited from the recovery of that market. Meanwhile, it was Black and Latino homeowners who were disproportionately hurt by the home mortgage foreclosure crisis. Between 2007 and 2009, according to  a 2010 report from the Center for Responsible Lending, Black mortgage suffered the highest rate of foreclosure- nearly twice the rate of white borrowers. Latino borrowers were not far behind. Because property constitutes the majority of Black and Latino wealth, losing a home to foreclosure for those households resulted in a near-complete loss of wealth for most. Black and Latino homeownership continued to  decline, as did their household wealth, during the 2010-2013  period of  recovery. Per the Pew Report,  Federal Reserve  data shows that Black and Latino households also experienced a greater loss of income during the recovery period. The median income of racial minority households dropped by 9 percent during the recovery period, while that of white households fell by just one percent. So, in the aftermath of the Great Recession, white households have been able to replenish savings and assets, but those in minority households have not been able to do so. Systemic Racism Caused and Fuels the Growth of the Racial Wealth Gap Sociologically speaking, its important to recognize the socio-historical forces that placed Black and Latino homeowners in situations in which they were more likely than white borrowers to receive the kinds of predatory loans that caused the foreclosure crisis. Todays racial wealth gap can be traced all the way back to the enslavement of Africans and their descendants; the genocide of Native Americans and theft of their land and resources; and the enslavement of Indigenous Central and South Americans, and theft of their land and resources throughout the colonial and post-colonial periods. It was and is fueled by workplace discrimination and racial pay gaps and unequal access to education, among many other factors. So, throughout history, white people in the U.S. have been unjustly enriched by systemic racism while people of color have been unjustly impoverished by it. This unequal and unjust pattern continues today, and per the data, seems only destined to worsen unless race-consciou sness policies intervene to make change.

An Analysis of Punch-Drunk Love Film by Paul Thomas Anderson Essay

An Analysis of Punch-Drunk Love Film by Paul Thomas Anderson - Essay Example The film tackles a number of issues on the personal life of the main character but presents it in a way that is obscuring and lagging that takes away from the focus of what the story is trying to convey in essence. It hints on family issues and the environment of growing up as the only boy in a family with 7 other sisters but it does not really tackle it full on. The topic remains hanging in the air and there never was any resolution to the end. Growing up with such a number of sisters does not in itself make any person less of a man nor would it necessarily mean that one is bound to have psychological issues. To present the audience with the background that this alone serves as full explanation without having to give further details to support it would be nothing less than a shoddy argument. It leaves one feeling shorthanded instead of having the actual realization that such is so because this happened or that was the fact presupposing on other events. The film starts off with the i ntroduction to Barry’s life laden with family woes in the form of seven overbearing sisters who each has a strong personality that overpowers that of Barry’s own insecurities. ... Then there was another sister who tries to be more involved in his life and even going so far as to fix him up with her co-worker. The idea immediately put Barry on the spot but in the scene where they are in a tug-and-pull whether it was going to be a good idea or not there was no concrete sense on whether Barry was really adamant to meeting somebody or he was just trying to play it coy to avoid embarrassment. Perhaps it was more of both just to avoid having to be ridiculed by her sisters. The most effective in conveying the relationship between the siblings was when all of Barry’s sisters kept on pushing him about the time the called him ‘gay boy’ and he got so mad that he threw a hammer to the windows. Here the definite illustration of the character’s anger management issues shown through as he smashed the windows of the house nonchalantly then reacting by crying to Walter asking him to refer him to s shrink. To be more accurate, the story tries to incul cate that his family structure is perhaps the most distinctive part of Barry’s life that contributes to his repressed emotional issues. But further than the birthday scene there was really nothing else that points out to the theme other than his constant reminder for no one to tell his sisters he will be going to Hawaii. Two minutes into the film one is already bored with the longshot of the camera into the streets and the ominous woman leaving her car without so much as indicating what needs to be fixed. There was of course the small piano that Barry literally had to sneak and grab from the streets although the whole exercise seemed to be pointless as there was nobody else in there. This object which turned out to be a harmonium as pointed out by Lena tried but failed to

The impact of terrorism on tourism Dissertation

The impact of terrorism on tourism - Dissertation Example However, of late the terrorism activities have gained further dominance owing to its growing linkage to the tourism industry. Wilks, Pendergast and Leggat (2006) states in this regard that it is hard to uncover the reasons which have led to the growth of terrorism and its growing linkage to tourism activities. The tourism industry has become the target point for terrorism activities in the international scale owing to the slag of security and alertness. Tourists on tour tend to be remain undeterred about the surrounding environment being lost in the fun of holidaying which becomes the target point of terrorist to easily lay their grounds upon. Wilks, Pendergast and Leggat (2006) further observe that the rate of infiltration of terrorist in tourism centers has also another potential reason other than the lack of alertness of the tourists. The functions of tourism mainly occur along the principal trade routes of any region. Thus the terrorists feel that attack on such trade and economi c routes would help in disrupting the economic activities of the region. Thus terrorist attacks on tourism helps in jeopardizing the trade and economic operations of a region making it poor. ... The linkage of terrorism operations with tourism industries can also be observed to be a potential factor that enables the terrorist outfits to gain considerable publicity. Tourist centers being largely linked with market places helps the terrorist gain wide amount of publicity having conducted a large massacre of human lives and property. It helps them reach their demands to the eyes and ears of the higher authorities. Finally, Wilks, Pendergast and Leggat (2006) state that the nature of the functions of tourism industry being so diversified and spread across international borders that it becomes difficult to trace the movement of terrorists inside hotels and tourist areas. People from various nationalities clad in different type of outfits tend to regularly visit international tourist hotspots which being not closely monitored encourages militancy actions. (Wilks, Pendergast and Leggat, 2006, pp.82, 85-86). Types of Terrorist Activities across Tourism Centers The event of terrorism linked with tourism activities in order to succeed in their goals of spreading terror and panic in the regions takes to different forms of terrorist operations. In this regard, Henderson (2007) observes that terrorist outfits generally carry out a host of terrorist activities, which aims to take many lives in order to succeed in their mission of spreading terror. Different terrorist operations are planed out by the terrorist groups, which can take place individually or in particular assortments. The different activities, which are planned by the terrorist groups, include employment of suicide bombers to counter insurgency operations. The terrorist