Do You Think Advertising to Children Should Be Banned Essay

Do you think advertising to children should be banned? Why or why not? It is an established fact that companies might benefit from right understanding of the children’s role in purchasing process. It is considered to be the case adults are loyal to those brands which they are used to enjoy in their childhood. Moreover, getting elder, children may influence their parents quite deeply. Parents tend to work more and earn more to make up the deficiency of the time to spend with their children by making some purchases. Thus, effective advertising addressed to the young audience is in the interests of manufactures. Due to a possible harmful effect on children advertising is the subject of wide speculation: whether it should be banned or not. It is important to find out which groups of children run the risk. Many researches describing human socialization’s process divide it in several similar stages (Table 1). This division is very relative, but not devoid of sense. The summarized stage from birth to 2 years is not significant for consideration due to lack of ability to distinguish between commercials and other TV programs which appears in the second stage (2 – 6 years). In this stage, children don’t tend to deconstruct contradictions in their opinions and are not able to tend difference between their own belief and another point of view thrust on them. At the age of 6 – 8, children are aware of existence of opinions which may differ from their own beliefs, but do not exhibit the ability to actually think from another person’s perspective. At the fourth stage (9 – 10 years), children are able to accept another point of view, but are not able to consider situations as an impartial side. Children at this stage are able to understand advertising intent and recognize bias in advertising. However, they have no defenses against advertising. At the final stage (since 11 years), teenagers are able to set up hypotheses and take into account all possible options. They have already got some knowledge of advertising tactics and appeals. As evident from this analysis, the most defenseless element here is children aged by eight. However, they are allowed to make just a simple consumer choice and strictly limited financial resources. As for elder children, they have more substantial financial recourses and considerable freedom. Besides, they may influence parents’ choice in areas such as electronic devices etc. Some people argue for ban against advertising. Nevertheless, there are some refutations of necessity to ban it. For example, younger children rely in their choice most on in-store experience rather than information introduced by adds. As for teenagers, they tend to use alternative sources of information, parental advice or peers’ opinions. Most researchers believe that some people have not got the certain characteristics of the final stage even during adulthood. The question arises as to not just advertising to children, but advertising to everyone. In my opinion, the most reasonable way is to control (or even ban in certain cases) advertising of goods such as cigarettes, alcohol and non-nutritious foods.

Dangers in the Environment Essay

The Dangers within the Environment are affecting our health to means that we wouldn’t believe. We destroy our planets ozone that affects and causes global warming. The pesticides, mercury and carbon dioxide that we release into the environment cause so many health problems to use and our children. It actually affects our children’s health more than it does to use. How can we do this to our environment knowing that it affects our health more and more. Dangers with in our Environment The dangers within the environment that affect our health are increasing day by day. The first thing that is we are doing to the environment is destroying our ozone layer. We are destroying the ozone layer by greenhouse gases. The way we treat our planet is going to affect our health and maybe even kill us because of the toxins and pollutants that we release into our environment. Certain types of pollutants that we release into the environment can cause us to have several complications with our health. The pesticides, mercury and carbon dioxide that we release into the environment cause so many health problems to use and our children. It is not hard to see what we are doing to our planet on a daily basis. There is so much research that shows how much even low level of air pollution affects our health. Carbon dioxide is what we breathe out of our lungs when exhaling. Carbon dioxide is released while we are driving our motor vehicles, using our lawn mowers, and etc. For the one gallon of gasoline that is used in our machines it causes 19. of carbon dioxide to distribute into our environment. Trees absorb the carbon dioxide from the air but if the tree is cut down, burned, or dies then the carbon dioxide will not be absorbed up. When a tree slowly rots then the carbon dioxide is slowly released back into the environment. The pesticides that are toxic to our health and our environment are chemical pesticides. The chemical pesticides that is more dangerous to be farmers, their family members, and other people who use the chemical pesticides. The pesticides are released into the air that we breathe in. The pesticides are left on the produce that they are sprayed on and then remain on the inside of the produce. The pesticides can be rinsed off, but they also can run off into springs, and large bodies of water. In which the pesticides can contaminate our water supply. In the world today everyone is at risk for simple reason that we are destroying our planet. Our world is at a total disaster at how we treat it and take care of it. Individuals that live in the world are at risk form pollutants and toxins that are in the environment that we breathe on a daily basis. The pesticides, mercury and carbon dioxide that we release into the environment cause so many health problems to use and our children. We need to take better care of our environment and worry about our health. People do not care about their health because if they did then they will not smoke cigarettes that affect their health and our environment. If we would save from driving all over the place in our vehicles when you could ride a bike or walk. It could help save our environment from pollutants being disbursed into the air that we breathe.

Examination of the Literature Review Essay

I selected Guidetti and Tham’s (2002) paper because I am fascinated by the work of occupational therapists. They are tasked, by the nature of their profession, to assist people with impairments or disabilities in achieving competence in their daily activities and consequently, they empower these individuals to grab hold of their limitations and transform them in a fashion that nurtures their sense of control and brings peace of mind to their loved ones who lives with them. The paper sought to elucidate the strategies utilized by occupational therapists in their self-care intervention process with neurologically-impaired clients, specifically those who had had stroke or spinal cord injury. The study tapped the qualitative research design. Specifically, it employed a modified phenomenology approach called EPP (empirical, phenomenological, psychological) method in generating and analyzing the data. The purpose of EPP method is â€Å"to describe the essence, structure and character of the studied phenomenon† (Guidetti & Tham, 2002, p. 260). Although it informs the research question, the literature review (as well as the reference list) is not sufficient to build a platform for the â€Å"need to provide a definition and description of the concept of self-training and the typical therapeutic strategies used by therapists† (Guidetti & Tham, 2002, p. 258). It lacks relevant scientific texts. It is understandable that there is no existing study on the subject, but there is more scientific information in the literature about the therapeutic strategies in adjacent fields which could add valuable background to the introductory problem identification as well as to the incisive discussion of the results later on. In the introduction section, the scholars presented the important variables of the research question finely (i. e. , meaning of self-care, therapeutic strategies), but failed to include a review of empirical literature, simply stating that â€Å"there is a lack of empirical studies identifying the therapeutic strategies in self-care training† (Guidetti & Tham, 2002, p. 258). Although the statement may be correct, there are still many relevant studies worth reviewing that would guide the inquiry. It may not necessarily be those on self-care therapeutic strategies utilized by occupational therapist with persons who have neurological disorders, but also those studies on strategies used by the same professionals on rehabilitating persons with orthopedic injuries, lymphedema or amputees which do not specifically addressed the phenomenon, but may have implications for the study. In addition, the physical therapy literature on similar issues could also add important insights. A look at the reference list of the article reveals that it is limited in three ways. First, five of the papers in this list were written by either one of the same two authors, in collaboration with other scholars. Second, there are only three occupational therapy journals where they garnered articles for the review (i. e. , Occupational Therapy International, American Journal of Occupational Therapy, and Clinical Rehabilitation). Finally, the doctoral dissertations/theses reviewed in the paper came only from Sweden. This is not ideal especially in a journal with international circulation. The authors could have scoured articles from other journals of similar discipline that are available like British Journal of Occupational Therapy, Journal of Occupational Science, OT Practice, International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, Journal of Integrated Care, etc. Further, they could have utilized the abstracts available in the Dissertation Abstracts International to offset the Swedish-focused dissertation reviews in the study. In qualitative studies, an in-depth, exploratory literature review is vital to discover what currently exists in the body of knowledge about the concerned phenomenon (Taylor & Bogdan, 1998). Thus, the article’s literature review and reference list in this regard only supported halfway the research question. Much could have been done. References Guidetti, S. , & Tham, K. (2002). Therapeutic strategies used by occupational therapists in self-care training: A qualitative study. Occupational Therapy International, 9(4), 257-276. Taylor, S. J. , & Bogdan, R. (1998). Introduction to qualitative research methods (3rd ed. ). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Lack of Staff diversity in prisons Research Paper

Lack of Staff diversity in prisons - Research Paper Example Added to this is the diverse racial and ethnic population in today’s prisons, the diverse levels of education of the prison population, the lack of diversity of staff in the corrections system and the need for educational support that is equitable for all prisoners. Lack of Staff Diversity in Prisons Introduction There has been a dramatic increase over the past few decades in the number of women who enter the field of corrections and in fact, there is reported to be significantly more women employed in jails and prisons than men. This has resulted in gender-based issues relating to corrections employment that needs examined in the research. In addition, there has been a significant increase in the number of women who are being incarcerated in today’s prisons and this too has affected and served to change the face of the environment for those employed in prisons corrections facilities. Added to this is the diverse racial and ethnic population in today’s prisons, t he diverse levels of education of the prison population, the lack of diversity of staff in the corrections system and the need for educational support that is equitable for all prisoners. I. ... y reported having been conducted at three Midwestern prisons states finding that â€Å"no relationship between gender and job stress was found.† (Lambert, et al, 2007, p.18) A separate study conducted of correctional officers at a Southwestern correctional facility reports findings that â€Å"no significant relationship between gender and job stress† was found. (p.18) In yet another study conducted among Pacific Northwest correctional officers findings show that â€Å"†¦female and male staff had similar levels of burnout in terms of emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment.† (Lambert, et al, 2007, p. 18) Findings show that female and male respondents â€Å"generally reported the same level of job stress.† (Lambert, et al, 2007, p. 18) Lambert et al (2007) reports that the research on differences in corrections to date on gender issues is â€Å"rather mixed. There is support that men and women differ in some areas, while in other areas, there appears to be no gender difference between correctional officers and their works and work attitudes.† (p.19) Britton (1997) reports conclusions from a qualitative study that â€Å"gender was important in how correctional staff perceived their work environments† although quantitative studies are reported to have found no differences. However, other quantitative studies did find differences in this area of study. The work of Reijnders (1996) entitled â€Å"A Library Service for Multicultural Groups in Dutch Prisons† reports that many of the prisoners in the Netherlands are not able to understand Dutch and this results in isolation for these prisoners. However, delivery of books in the language of the prisoners assists in easing the time they are incarcerated. However, gathering a collection of foreign books that are diverse in

The discovery of the circadian photoreceptor Assignment

The discovery of the circadian photoreceptor - Assignment Example mid-1990s to the discovery of a new molecule known as the Cryptochrome that showed a close relation to photolyases in the bacteria cells (Nicolas and Sassone-Corsi, 60). Cryptochrome genes cry1 and cry2 coded for universal proteins, CRY 1 and CRY 2 found in almost all the kingdoms of the living organisms (Nicolas and Sassone-Corsi, 60). These proteins activated the light sensitive cofactors and cells that make the photoreceptor cells to detect light in rhythmic manner. They also act as DNA repair enzymes in case of any damage from light related radiations such as the UV light (Robert , Lucas et al, 505). The unearthing of the molecules would then give clue to the discovery of the cells of the circadian photoreceptors. Consequently, this followed the exhumation of most of the photoreceptive cells that respond to the 24- hour clock in the first quarter of 1900s (Martha , Spoelstra and Roenneberg, 931). These special cells, found to be containing a pigment known as melanopsin, would lat er acquire different names including intrinsically photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells (ipRGC) (Howard, Herbin and Nevo, 156). This was many decades later after the discovery of the rods and cons in the mammalian eye, making the ipRGC a new element at the time. Much of the changes in the findings into these cells did not accrue until around the year 1990s, the same time that research on the circadian molecules was very active. However slow in their activities, they were solely responsible for the change in the rhythmic day and light cycles (Martha , Spoelstra and Roenneberg, 932). In addition, the pigments have recently been active even without the presence of cones and rods thereby helping the individual to detect the slightest changes of light and darkness. Actually, the detection of... The discovery of the circadian photoreceptor The gene coding for these photoreceptors were detected by breeding of bean plant under two different conditions, of long periods and short periods. Unfortunately, the light and dark periods were not considered, therefore the experiment would prove disastrous to deal with especially in conducting the genetic analysis. Following a long struggle over many decades’ scientists in due course were able to detect some of the genes responsible for coding of these circadian rhythmic proteins. At around 1970s, the knowledge of mutagenesis would act as the focal point to the first discovery of these genes, which later would attain the name ‘clock genes’ in the Drosophila melanogaster fly.This improved the prospects of the eventual discovery of the photoreceptor cells and their molecular make up. Later on, there was an increase in the discovery of many other genes coding for the circadian rhythm from several plant as well as animal families. At around 1980s, scientists discove red a gene called HY4 that they thought was solely responsible for the blue light detection in Arabidopsis thaliana plant. More experiments conducted found out its homology in mammals and their effects attributed to the functions of photolyases. The discovery towards circadian photoreceptor proved to be challenging and deceptive over a long period. Scientists would stumble at many molecules and pigments such as the HY4 genes and the cones and rods before coming into the right conclusions. Earlier on, the cones and rods were thought to be the only cells in control for the photo-transduction in the retina of the eye.

Read the article first, then answer the question Essay

Read the article first, then answer the question - Essay Example The exercise facilitates people to overcome their problems and look at the brighter side of the things, resulting in higher productivity at workplace. Human behavior is intrinsically linked to socio-psychological wellbeing of individuals which is reflected in their interaction with other within the defined social fabric or environment. Thus, understanding of human traits and their behavioral pattern greatly equips organizational leadership to ensure improved performance outcome at the workplace. Levinson (2002) believes that psycho-analytical tools help to understand the hidden dynamics of human relationships, especially within work environment that is mainly described by organizational culture, social defenses, motivation, leadership imperatives etc. Effective communication would help to promote understanding of conflicting issues and situations so that they can be resolved easily. Hence, organizational leadership must constantly promote greater communication amongst the workers and create environment for building constructive relationship based on mutual respect and understanding of cross cultural values. Sharma, S and Chatterjee, D. ‘Cos Are Keenly Listening to ‘Happiness Coach’’. Economic Times, 16 July, 2010. http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2010-07-16/news/27574395_1_happiness-management-guru-spiritual-teacher 27 Jan.

Learning Vocabulary for Saudi Arabian Students Research Proposal

Learning Vocabulary for Saudi Arabian Students - Research Proposal Example Focusing on the methods of teaching the English language, vocabulary was disregarded and reduced, while grammar and pronunciation were given more emphasis (Al-Jabri, 2005). According to Harmer (2007), teachers are very unsure of how to determine a suitable method of teaching English because of the variety of different approaches and methods available. They can gradually, with experience, create their own method of teaching. This could be the most appropriate method they can use according to the context they teach in (Scrivener, 2005). Students usually choose a low-effort strategy when they are required to do a task (Krashen, 1987). They seem to prefer translation of new vocabulary rather than getting their meanings from the contexts or from doing pair-works (Prince, 1996). It is significant to shed light on the effectiveness of the English teaching methodologies in order to increase the awareness of English teachers to re-evaluate their teaching methods, considering the applicability of these methods on the social and cultural situations. Based on my teaching experience, therefore, I propose to investigate whether the Grammar- Translation method is more effective than CLT approach at the vocabulary level. Much has been said and talked about the traditional ways of teaching. One of the ways is the Grammar Translation Method which dates back to the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries when foreign language learning was associated with the learning of Latin and Greek. In the process of teaching and learning English, translation is used in the Grammar Translation Method. According to Boey (1970) the student is first required to learn the vocabulary lists consisting of L2 words and its equivalent L1 words. L1 is used to teach the grammatical rules of L2. Thereafter, practice exercises are given to students where they have to translate the L1 sentences into L2 sentences by applying the grammatical rules to the vocabulary learnt. On the other hand, the main aim of the Communicative Language Approach (CLT) is to produce churn out students who are communicatively competent. In this method, the teacher first gives a presentation and thereafter, students are made to use the language through activities, such as games, role plays and problem solving tasks. (Larsen, 1987) According to Maleki (2005), the main purpose of these two languages - GTM and CLT was to promote the intellectual skills of its speakers. Therefore, it was extremely important to focus on sentence structure, grammatical rules, learning of vocabulary and translation of literary texts. The other method which is now more prevalent for teaching is the Communicative Language Approach. Wen Wu (2008) stated that Communicative Language Approach is mainly based on the idea that the primary function of language use is communication. According to Al-Shabbi (1994), due to its emphasis on fluency over accuracy approach, the Communicative Language Method has not paid much attention to spelling in the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classroom. Even the great appeal of Communicative Language Teaching has not been able to overcome the psychological barriers which becomes a hindrance in the learning process. Though it's unfortunate, that CLT is quite in use,

Do Latino Migrant and seasonal farm workers have a higher risk of Essay

Do Latino Migrant and seasonal farm workers have a higher risk of contracting cancer than other Latinos living in the US - Essay Example In addition, a failure to interpret the potential and cancer causing hazards that often accompanies the farm task could be attributed to the lack of knowledge by the Latinos on such threats. Also, a majority of these immigrant workers are not fluent in English, and it is therefore important that such risks are addressed in Spanish; ads the workers are more conversant in it. This study thus sought to identify the knowledge of the farm workers regarding the cancer properties of the nature of work that they handle, as well as the dangers that they are daily exposed to while mixing, loading and spraying these pesticides. More than two thirds of the respondents were male, and a similar number indicated that they could not leave their current job even in the face of health risks, citing financial constraints. It is paramount therefore that the plight of this minority group be addressed to avert the rising trend in cancer cases among the Latino farm workers, and their children. Almost 88 percent of all the farm workers found in the United States are Latinos. These workers, together with their families face exposures to pesticides on a regular basis, and this exposure has the potential of increasing prostrate cancer, lymphoma, as well as childhood cancers (Zham & Blair 1993). Yet, despite a reveal... ntific community and government officials have to a large extent overlooked the potential impact of a pollution of this kind on the health of these Latinos. Both the federal and state agencies rarely collect the relevant data. In addition, there are few studies that also address the environmental health risks that are capable of affecting the Latino communities (Zham et al, 1997).Majority of the government authorities, farm operators, the farm industry, and the landlords do not also provide the much needed warnings on the environmental health threats in Spanish. Consequently, a lot of the Hispanics are left without the much needed information that would otherwise enable them to evaluate the risks that faces them with regard to the environmental contaminants, be it at their jobs, or in the neighborhoods. In line with these observations then, it is the objective of this research report therefore to help in bridging the information gap, by way of analyzing both the existing data and doc uments on the pollution exposures, and the resulting health consequences ( in particular cancer). Literature review Latinos constitutes the largest minority group living in the United States. By 2002, nearly 40 million Latinos were living in the United States, and this was nearly 13 percent of the entire population of the United States (Variyam & Mishra, 2005). According to a recent study that was commissioned by the California cancer registry, 1,001 farm workers out of 140,000 Latino working in various farms in California were found to have been diagnosed with cancer for the period between 1973 and 1997 (Quandt et al, 2004) in comparison to the general population of the Latinos, those working as farm workers have a higher likelihood of developing stomach cancer by 69 percent, uterine

Cultural Criticism of My Dad Is A Liar Commercial Essay

Cultural Criticism of My Dad Is A Liar Commercial - Essay Example In the first section of the commercial the girl is praising her father. It starts by her acknowledging that her father is the sweetest father in the world. She continues praising him and the scene changes from the street where they were taking a walk to a different scene and it keeps on changing to support each description that she gives about her father. The commercial in this case is using video to paint and support the girl’s descriptions of the father. This makes the message more vivid and straightforward to the viewers. The girl’s short phrases and childish tone brings about a cheery mood. This mood is backed up by lively background music. This is to make the commercial tone vibrant.The second part of the commercial introduces contrast into the commercial. While the first part of the commercial was vibrant and full of praises for the father, the second part begins by the girl declaring that the father is a liar. This is a contradicting statement to all that was sai d in the first part and it introduces shock. The tone in this section drastically changes from a vibrant tone to an emotional and sentimental one. This new tone and mood can be noted from the change in background music. The emotional and sentimental moods can also be seen from the change in voice variation of the girl; she speaks quietly and slowly in this section. Film has also been used to enhance these new tones. The facial expression of the father changes after he reads the statement declaring that he is a liar.

Cognition and Instruction Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9000 words

Cognition and Instruction - Assignment Example As humans interpret each new situation, they will constantly revise their own mental models to reflect the new information, and will, therefore, construct their own interpretation of reality. Constructivism is often compared to objectivism, which is usually quoted as being the opposite of constructivism. Objectivist theory is primarily based on the work of behaviorists such as B.F. Skinner. Objectivists believe that information itself is knowable outside the bounds of any human mind, and that any individual interpretation of knowledge can be said to be either correct or incorrect. Objectivists view individual pieces of information as symbols or currency that can be acquired by humans, and can be transferred from human to human should the correct learning conditions exist. While much of the early work in traditional educational and instructional design derived from objectivist theory, modern academic minds have come to accept that learning environments which more closely match the nee ds of constructivist learning may be more effective. The perceived benefits of constructivist learning may be particularly valuable where the teaching of complex skills, such as problem solving or critical thinking skills are concerned. If we accept that constructivist theory is the best way to define learning, then it follows that in order to promote student learning it is necessary to create learning environments that directly expose the learner to the material being studied. For only by experiencing the world directly can the learner derive meaning from them. This gives rise to the view that constructivist learning must take place within a suitable constructivist learning environment. One of the central tenants of all constructivist learning is that it has to be an active process; therefore, any CLE must provide the opportunity for active learning. There are four basic characteristics of CLEs, which must be considered when implementing constructivist instructional strategies: 1) Knowledge will be shared between teachers and students. 2) Teachers and students will share authority. 3) The teacher’s role is one of a facilitator or guide. 4) Learning groups will consist of small numbers of heterogeneous students. The teacher’s role in a CLE must include spending time developing or preparing the CLE for the students to use. This can require detailed preparation to ensure that the students are exposed to relevant authentic tasks. For example, this may encompass preparing collaborative environments to expose students to multiple perspectives. It can also include the design of situated learning cases that match the student’s zone of proximal development, or the design of problems for problem based learning environments where the students have no experience of the subject matter under study. Constructivist pedagogical models are sometimes classified into two separately identifiable groups: 1) Those that are derived from social constructivism, wh ich grew out of the works of the Swiss philosopher and psychologist, Piaget, and therefore emphasize the need for collaboration and social interaction. 2) Those that derive from Cognitive constructivism, which grew out of the work of the Russian psychologist, Vygotsky, and therefore emphasize the importance of authentic meaningful tasks. Learning environmen

Gold & Educational psychology Essay Example for Free

Gold Educational psychology Essay The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence  the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence  youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific  stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers. The youth culture is influenced by many things each and every day. The society, parents, care givers; all of these help influence youth. But the most important factor to help give the a visual of what teenagers are today are in fact films. You are left wondering how films help influence the teenage race? The cinema of adolescence brings an image of youth, Juno (2007), The Breakfast Club (1985) all encounter specific stereotypes which encourage teenagers.

To write a production paper of my 5 minutes film “The Hole” Essay Example for Free

To write a production paper of my 5 minutes film â€Å"The Hole† Essay Observation and real experiences of sex, desire and the various aspects related to sexuality inspired our group to produce a film, which narrated and discussed regarding this topic. While browsing through the early literatures, our team came across the events related to the Peloponnesian war, which was fought during the 5th century B.C. One member in our team suggested that Aristophanes has presented this event in the work, Lysistrata. This work properly presents the sex and concepts of sexuality. The women of the region decided that they should declare and enact ‘sex strike’. It was thought that this was the only way to stop this war. Our reading of this event inspired us to produce a film on the subject of power of sex, desire and sexuality. We began to think that there is a need to produce a film, which accurately depicted the informations concerning the sex and sexuality in the pre modern and modern context in a realistic and artistic way. For this film, we decided not only to define and interpret sex and desire but also to go beyond the simple definitions of the sex. Here, each and every individual becomes the subject and object of desire. Here, ‘the hole’ becomes the realistic and artistic representation of   sexuality. We planned that ‘the hole’ should become the centre of the main scene of the film wherein a male character drills a hole to see the female characters to satisfy his sexual desire and the female characters also respond and they try to satisfy their sexual desire by making use of the same hole drilled by that character. It was decided to use the medium of TV to represent the objects and subjects of desire. Even the TV character shows interest in the person who was watching TV and there is interaction between the TV artist and the TV viewer. Through these methods, our group intended to present the aspects that related to sexuality. And this was to be done without the use of dialogue. In this film, our main attempt was to show that each individual is an object of desire of another individual. The hole also symbolically represents the theme of sexuality. Our main method of achieving these aims was to present the characters with the help of special lighting, camera and sound effects. Before actual shooting began, we experimented with various kinds of cameras and selected the relevant cameras required for this film. Production Process The production of the film, â€Å"The Hole†, comprised pre-production process, production process and post-production process. Our team in the pre production meetings, contemplated regarding the method of presentation of these aspects. There was a suggestion that we should concentrate only on the ancient classical drama, which clearly depicted the theme of sexuality. Another argument by one team member was that we should connect between ancient and modern themes regarding sexuality and hence, we thought that the scenes on TV would consist of the events related to representation of sexuality in the ancient world. Connection could be maintained between the ancient and the modern characters through the medium of TV characters that begin to interact with the modern characters of the film. Thus, we could not completely concentrate on the ancient representations of sexuality. Suggestions were given by the group members regarding the method of translating the theme of sexuality in ancient and modern world to a film of only five minutes. One member suggested that we should not utilise many cameras, as it is expensive to use many cameras for this film. However, other group members did not agree with this idea and they suggested that there is need to use many cameras. It was thought that the film should have a dialogue. However, for a five minutes film, it was not possible to have dialogues. Hence it was decided not to include dialogues. Instead, characters would demonstrate their expressions through their activities such as drilling the hole, dancing, and, the acts related to sexuality. All the members of the team offered suggestions in the meetings.  Ã‚   In the pre-production process, the team had a discussion regarding the use of the script and the different kinds of cameras with variety of technical specifications for the production of this film. The various possible difficulties of shooting of this film were discussed. One potential problem was that there was the need for many cameras to show the characters in different rooms and their movements.   Hence, we decided to use three cameras to show the characters from different angles. One camera with zoom was required to show the activity of the individuals who would peep through the hole. Cameras were required in the two rooms, to show the peepholes, to show the TV and activities on the corridor. In addition to this, there was need for special lighting and sound effects as light and sound were important components of the film. Postproduction process was the most difficult one for our group because there was need for editing of the film. It was very problematic to select the particular part of the film for deletion. After discussion and deliberation, our group selected the relevant scenes, which remained part of the film, and some other aspects were deleted. In the post production process, sound effects were given at the relevant contexts. We used the latest technology in giving these sound effects to demonstrate the various expressions of the characters of the film. Evaluation Our attempt was not simply to directly narrate the events but to give the symbolic interpretation of the actions and behaviour of individuals. We were mostly successful in achieving the aims and objectives while producing this film. The greatest challenge which we faced while producing this film was the fact that the various events, issues such as drilling of the hole, peeping through the hole and seeing the female characters, behaviour of female characters, expression of sexuality, embarrassment of the male characters, all these had to be presented within five minutes which was a great disadvantage. To achieve this goal, the production team planned the schedule of pre-production, production and post-production. The group meetings in the pre production process were the most useful in this production process because everything related to the film was planned in these group meetings. There was great scope for the use of sophisticated technology since there was the need to shoot the scene, which is presented, through the hole. Interaction between TV character and TV viewer implied that there was scope for editing during the post production process.   We learnt that without dialogues also it is possible to produce a film. We also learnt that through light and sound effects and actions, the characters can express their various emotions. In the future ventures also we decided the follow the similar techniques of production.   There were problems with co-ordinating the different sections of the film production such as shooting and editing the film. To avoid these problems, extra time was given while planning during the pre production meetings. This aspect was very useful in achieving all the aims of the film. Successful attempt was made to symbolically present the theme and narration of the events related to the film.   The most unique aspect of the film was the use of zoom cameras to present the vision seen through the hole. This was a groundbreaking achievement of our production team. This technique helped in properly achieving our aims of producing this film. This innovation was necessary, as ‘the hole’ becomes the central part of the film.

Flow Of Charge And Electric Current

Flow Of Charge And Electric Current Man has always been curious about the works of electricity; why a shock occurred at times, why something clung to something else. There were once many theories of why what we now understand as electricity was created   one of the ancient theories being magic. Moving forward in time, it is now understood that the building blocks of electricity are the proton, neutron, and electron. A proton has a positive charge, the neutron has no charge, and the electron carries a negative charge. Now, everything around us is made of matter, which in turn is filled with atoms , and the atom is where the protons, neutrons, and the electrons thrive. The protons are trapped in the center of the atom, also known as the nucleus, and because of this, the electrons moving outside the nucleus along their orbital are one reason why electric current occurs. However, there are special types of electrons called free electrons. These come off of their atoms and zoom around, which makes electricity easy to flo w through certain materials, such as metals. These free electrons are referred to being electrical conductors, because they conduct electricity   simple. Electricity not only works miraculously in the world around us, but also deep within our human bodys. Electricity flows through our nervous system and directs to our neurons the building blocks of the nervous system; thus, giving our brain and body power to function properly. Flow Of Charge And Electric Current Even though electricity is based upon the negatively charges electrons, many people assume the electric current is also always negative. Actually, in most cases, electricity is a flow of positive charges, but it can be a flow of negative charges, or a mix of positive and negative charges flowing in opposing directions. However, the direction of the flow depends upon the type of conductor being used. The conductors have atoms in them, and as said before, the atoms have the protons, neutrons, and electrons embedded in them, which in turn creates electricity. In terms of our everyday electrical devices, only the proton with its positive charge and the electron with its negative charge are being used. Some sources, such as a text book, state that electricity is made up of electrons, and only electrons. In reality, electrons and protons alike make up electricity, and they carry an equal strength of charge. Now, protons embedded in solid metal, such as in a copper wire, do not flow. An exa mple of an electrical charge that is based on the protons instead of the electrons would be the everyday battery. While the battery is, lets say, powering a flashlight, the flow of electricity is moving through the inside of the battery. The flashlights electrical current seems to be a flow of both positive and negative atoms, and there is no doubt an electrical charge of some sort flowing through the battery to power the flashlight. Yet, no single electron streams through. The real flow of the charge is in both directions within the battery, part of the charge is from positive atoms, and the rest is of negative atoms moving in the opposing direction. Now, do not confuse current with flow. Electric current is the rate of the charge flow past a specified spot in an electric circuitand is measured in amperes. The atoms in a battery can have an absence of electrons, causing a positive charge. Reversing it, if the atoms have more electrons, then it carries a negative charge. A charge fl ows from one end to the other, and it only flows when there is a potential difference, which is a difference in the voltage (potential), between the ends of a conductor. The charge will flow until the potential levels out, then there is no longer a flow through the conductor. So, in order to keep the electricity flowing, the difference in potential need to remain different. Another term for the flow of electric charge is electric current, and it is measured in amperes. An ampere is simply the flow of 1 coulomb (the standard unit of charge) per second. Alternating Current And Direct Current An electric current could be either an alternating current (AC) or a direct current (DC). The main purpose of electric current, AC or DC, is to transfer energy from one place to another without a sound, without a hassle, and without inconvenience, which is exactly what we have achieved. Digging deeper, an alternating current does just that alternates. The electrons in a circuit move in one direction first and then in the opposing direction and repeats this process over and over; thus, alternating back and forth. Alternating directions of charge is caused by alternating voltages. Many AC circuits have voltages and currents that alternate back and forth 60 times per second, also known as 60-hertz current. Different frequencies are used for different things, and although frequency systems vary by country, most electric power is produced at either 50 or 60 Hz (hertz). However, a low frequency is used for low speed electric motors, such as traction motors for railways, and higher frequen cies are used for higher motor speed. Airplanes and space shuttles, for example, use a higher frequency to transmit a larger amount of power to their motors. An advantage of alternating current is its ability to change the voltage of the power, using a device called a transformer, which transfers energy from one circuit to another. This saves companies money by using high voltages to transmit power over long distances. Now, direct current is a bit different and is not used as much as it used to because alternating current is more efficient with high power applications. DC produces a constant flow of charge that only goes in one direction. In order for a direct current generator to produce a constant voltage, there are many different sets of coils making irregular intervals that stop and start (intermittent) contact with the brushes. And once again, the battery proves itself a good example, except this time with direct current. The ends of the battery, or the terminals, have an uncha nging positive and negative charge. Since the electrons constantly flow through the circuit in the same direction, from the negative terminal to the positive terminal, it is considered a direct current. Converting AC To DC Converting an alternating current to a direct current might be hard to perform yourself, but the concept of how it works is not difficult to grasp. The conversion process from alternating current to direct current begins with inserting a diode , which is a mini electronic device that allows electrons to flow through it in only one direction. The goal is to make the back and forth current flowing through something to only flow in a single direction; thus, converting it to direct current. Lets take a wire that has an alternating current flowing through it, and cut it in half. If a diode is inserted correctly to connect the two wire pieces together, the diode will stop the current from moving in both directions by completely ridding of one direction and only allowing the other. For example, the function of a diode is comparable to a two lane street, cars on one lane flowing south and the cars on the other lane flowing north. A car then gets into a car crash (representing one function of the diode, which is stopping the flow of electric current   in this case, the cars) on the lane flowing south, blocking the entire road. Assuming that the lanes go north and south forever, with no turn offs, the cars flowing south would have to slowly squeeze their way into the lane flowing north. This is where an officer (representing the second function of the diode, which stops the current, then allows it to flow again. Stops, lets flow, stops, lets flow, etc.) comes in and directs how many cars on the lane flowing south can turn into the lane flowing north to begin moving again. Lets assume the officer lets two cars from the south move into the north lane at a time, then stops the next two before letting them go again. Furthermore, a rectifier is a device used to convert AC to DC through a process called rectification. A rectifier can be made up of a series of things, such as a vacuum tube; however, we will be focusing on the diode makeup. Now, dont confuse a rectifier with a diode   a rectifier describes a diode that is being used to convert alternating current to direct current. Of course, in order for anything to work efficiently, a multitude of that product is needed. In this case, what is needed to convert AC to DC is the diode, and a single diode works, but not nearly as well as multiple diodes in one circuit working together. There is something called a half-wave rectification (see Figure 2), and this only requires the use of a single diode in order to work, but can also use up to three. During the half wave rectification process, only the positive or negative half of the sine wave is approved to go through at a time, so the diode will only permit the current to flow only during either the positive or negative part of the alternating current sine wave; commonly used with radios. Another form is the full-wave rectification (see Figure 4), which is more powerful than the half-wave rectification process and uses two or more diodes. During this pro cess, the whole wave is made either a continuous positive or negative output. Ohms Law One day a man named Georg Ohm discovered that the current in a circuit is equal to the voltage passed across the circuit divided by the resistance in the same circuit. In other words, current = voltageresistance, more commonly seen as I=V/R. It is up to resistance to say how much current can rush through an object. The objects that create resistance are called resistors, which simply control the voltage and current in the circuit so if the resistance is high, then the current will be reduced. The nice thing about resistors is that they keep a circuit from blowing up because the resistors keep the circuits from overheating. Furthermore, if the resistance stays the same, then the current and voltage are equal. When the voltage goes up, the current goes up as well. The unit of measurement used for current, voltage, and resistance is called an ampere   one ampere is equal to one volt divided by one ohm (1 ampere = 1volt/1ohm). So four amperes would be four volts divided by one ohm, an d so on. Now lets get to the fun part and start calculating values! If you have an imaginary light bulb that is connected to a 120 volt circuit and brings in 12 amperes of current, how many ohms would that produce? Taking resistance = voltage/current, resistance would = 120 volts/12amperes which = 10 ohms. So what happens when you are trying to calculate the current instead of the resistance? You simply re-arrange the formula to suite your needs. You take the regular resistance = voltage/current and multiply each side by current over one. By doing this, you will get resistance x current = voltage, and you want current on one side by itself, so divide resistance through both sides, making the equation exactly what you need   current = voltage/resistance. Given this formula, how much current is drawn by an imaginary microwave that has a resistance of 100 ohms when 50 volts are passing through it? Current would equal 50 volts/100 ohms, which equals .5 amperes. The Speed Of Electrons In A Circuit Taking the remote control to the television and pushing the power button makes the television click on instantly. Likewise, when you press the call button on your phone it connects the circuit which sends an electrical signal to the phones processor at almost the speed of light. Since the signal of the button is being sent through the wire quickly, the electrons must be rushing through the wire at the same speed, right? Wrong. It is only the signal that moves through the wire at this speed, not the electrons. When it is room temperature, the electrons in a wire or open circuit have a velocity of a few million kilometers per hour, they produce no current because the motion is completely random and in all directions, and there is no net flow in any one direction. However, when something such as a battery or generator is connected, and the circuit completed, an electric field (the space that confines the electrically charged particles) is established inside the wire at almost the speed of light. Even though the electric field is established, the electrons continue to move randomly. But as the electrons move randomly, they are being pushed along the wire by the electric field toward the end of the circuit. The reason the electrons do not move as fast as the signal does is because the electrons have obstacles in their way atoms. These unmoving atoms make the electrons collide into them, which constantly delays the movement of the electrons so that their average speed is extraordinarily slow. Now, the conducting wire acts as a guide for the electrical field lines and inside the wire the electric field is directed along it. The conduction electrons speed up because of the electric field, but before they reach a nice speed they bump into those motionless ions and transfer some of their energy to them in the process this is why the wires that carry currents become hot. With an alternating current circuit, the conduction electrons do not make any net progress in any di rection. In one cycle the electrons move a teensy fraction of a centimeter in one direction, and then the same distance in the opposing direction. Because of this, the electrons rhythmically move from side to side along relatively fixed positions. So when you call your friend and talk to them over the telephone, it is simply the structure of the to and fro motion of the conduction electrons that is carried to where your friend is at close to the speed of light. The electrons that are already within the wires simple vibrate to the rhythm of the structure.

Griffins Black Like Me and Kingsolvers The Poisonwood Bible Essay

  Ã‚  Ã‚   John Howard Griffin's novel, Black Like Me, and Barbara Kingsolver's novel, The Poisonwood Bible, describe journeys made by white Americans into black societies in the early 1960's. Griffin, a white journalist for Sepia magazine, took medication to darken his skin and entered the United States' Deep South to experience the plight of African Americans (Bain 195). His book is a true account of his experiences as a black man. Kingsolver writes of a man who, in many ways, made a similar journey. Nathan Price, a white Baptist missionary in The Poisonwood Bible, moves his wife and four daughters to the Congo of Africa with hopes of spreading the teachings of Christianity and baptizing many. Although Kingsolver's story is fiction, her development of the Congo's history and culture are based on recorded history and her own experiences there as a child (Kingsolver ix). John Griffin and the Price family leave a world in which their race automatically constitutes them with the rights of voice and choice; and discover a world in which those rights are limited.    Being that their professions are journalism and ministry, John Griffin and Nathan Price are accustomed to the use of words, whether written or spoken, to reach out to others and relay information. Once they cross over into the new territories, their abilities to be heard accurately or at all become difficult. In this new setting, Griffin finds the opportunity to speak to a white person does not present itself because it is preceded by a silent language spoken by whites. He first encounters this silent language outside a "Whites Only" restaurant as he is reading the menu in the window. He says, "I looked up to see the frowns of disapproval that can s... ...e the Congo, for all of Africa, the heart of light" (Kingsolver 184). Through the courage of such leaders to provide a voice, the oppressed blacks in these novels begin to experience liberation from the constraints placed on their rights to make their own choices.    Works Cited Bain, Robert, Joseph M. Flora, and Louis D. Rubin, Jr., eds. Southern Writers: A Biographical Dictionary. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1979. Cruse, Harold. Plural but Equal: Blacks and Minorities in America's Plural Society. New York: William Morrow, 1987. Griffin, John Howard. Black Like Me. New York: New American Library, 1962. Kingsolver, Barbara. The Poisonwood Bible. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 1998. Williams, Juan. Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Year, 1954-1965. New York: Viking Penguin, Inc., 1987.    Griffin's Black Like Me and Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible Essay   Ã‚  Ã‚   John Howard Griffin's novel, Black Like Me, and Barbara Kingsolver's novel, The Poisonwood Bible, describe journeys made by white Americans into black societies in the early 1960's. Griffin, a white journalist for Sepia magazine, took medication to darken his skin and entered the United States' Deep South to experience the plight of African Americans (Bain 195). His book is a true account of his experiences as a black man. Kingsolver writes of a man who, in many ways, made a similar journey. Nathan Price, a white Baptist missionary in The Poisonwood Bible, moves his wife and four daughters to the Congo of Africa with hopes of spreading the teachings of Christianity and baptizing many. Although Kingsolver's story is fiction, her development of the Congo's history and culture are based on recorded history and her own experiences there as a child (Kingsolver ix). John Griffin and the Price family leave a world in which their race automatically constitutes them with the rights of voice and choice; and discover a world in which those rights are limited.    Being that their professions are journalism and ministry, John Griffin and Nathan Price are accustomed to the use of words, whether written or spoken, to reach out to others and relay information. Once they cross over into the new territories, their abilities to be heard accurately or at all become difficult. In this new setting, Griffin finds the opportunity to speak to a white person does not present itself because it is preceded by a silent language spoken by whites. He first encounters this silent language outside a "Whites Only" restaurant as he is reading the menu in the window. He says, "I looked up to see the frowns of disapproval that can s... ...e the Congo, for all of Africa, the heart of light" (Kingsolver 184). Through the courage of such leaders to provide a voice, the oppressed blacks in these novels begin to experience liberation from the constraints placed on their rights to make their own choices.    Works Cited Bain, Robert, Joseph M. Flora, and Louis D. Rubin, Jr., eds. Southern Writers: A Biographical Dictionary. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1979. Cruse, Harold. Plural but Equal: Blacks and Minorities in America's Plural Society. New York: William Morrow, 1987. Griffin, John Howard. Black Like Me. New York: New American Library, 1962. Kingsolver, Barbara. The Poisonwood Bible. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 1998. Williams, Juan. Eyes on the Prize: America's Civil Rights Year, 1954-1965. New York: Viking Penguin, Inc., 1987.   

Satan and Jesus in John Miltons Paradise Lost :: Milton Paradise Lost Essays

Satan and Jesus in Paradise Lost The subject, the drama, and the importance of Paradise Lost is grand. The epic represents what can be accomplished with the English language as sounds and syntax are carefully crafted. But the work is not shallow, because Milton argues forcefully the wisdom and justice of God Almighty for His dealings with mankind. In the words of Samuel Johnson, Milton attempts to show "the reasonableness of religion."   Ã‚  Ã‚   No doubt, Ezra Pound represents the most vocal of the anti-Milton faction. In his essay, "Notes on Elizabethan Classicists," Pound accuses Milton of "asinine bigotry," and dislikes the "coarseness of his mentality." Pound admires the Byronic hero--alone and rebellious--who struggles to fight for his lost cause in spite of overwhelming odds. According to Pound, because of his heroic willingness to fight against God and to never give up, Satan is the true hero in Paradise Lost. However, based on his actions, Satan fails to be any kind of hero. The real hero of Paradise Lost is the Lord Jesus Christ.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Satan is anything but a hero. Satan is a complainer and a whiner. When he realizes that he is in Hell, Satan begins complaining about his "injur'd merit." For Satan, life is not fair since God the Father loved and preferred His Son more than him. Even though Heaven was lost, Satan states that "All is not lost." According to Satan, "the unconquerable Will," the "study of revenge," and "immortal hate" remained. However, everything worthwhile is lost. Satan is in Hell because he rebelled against God and God cast him with the rebel angels out of Heaven. Here Satan whines because he blames God for not revealing all of His power. Indeed, Satan states that God tempted the angels to rebel in order that the Lord could use His superior strength to crush the rebellion.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Also, Satan is a coward. Not willing to confront the angels of Heaven, Satan resorts to disguise and to lying. As a "stripling Cherub," Satan asks Uriel, an archangel, for directions to paradise in order to adore man and to praise God. Uriel does not see Satan's hypocrisy, "the only evil that walks / Invisible." Once on earth, Satan changes into a wolf, and then into a cormorant where he sits in the Tree of Life "devising Death / To them who liv'd." Satan is not contented to be angry with God alone; he wants to destroy the innocent and powerless.

A Description of Cultural Patterns Essay

Cultural patterns are described as the preferred set of responses to different life situations. According to Kluckhohn and Strodbeck’s description of cultural patterns there are 5 dimensions or elements that address the manner in which a culture orients itself to activities, social relations, the self, the world and the passage of time. In the following reflection I will identify each one of these dimensions with the cultural patterns shown in my country. Starting with the activity orientation, which defines how the people of a culture view human actions and the expression of self through activities, we can identify the Puerto Rican culture as a â€Å"becoming† one. A â€Å"becoming† orientation refers to people who are predisposed to think of ways to change themselves as a means of changing the world. Although I do not fully agree on this identifying the Puerto Rican culture, I do agree on other views that the â€Å"becoming† cultures have toward work and play. For example Puerto Ricans do not have a â€Å"clear-cut† separation between work and their social lives. Often you can go into an office and find employees chatting with each other, talking with relatives over the phone or talking about their private lives in a business meeting. The Puerto Rican culture is more relaxed in terms of work compared to the Mexican, Colombian or European American culture, we specifically work for a means to an end and appreciate every second of our leisure time. The social relations dimension describes how the people in a culture organize themselves and refer to one another. In Puerto Rico the degree of importance we place on formality has changed through the years as different generations modify the way we address people. For example teenagers often refer to their elders as â€Å"you† instead of â€Å"sir† or they will say to someone who is serving them â€Å"give me† instead ofâ€Å"may I have†. The Puerto Rican culture generally does not give much importance to tittles, as they believe that relationships best develop when those involved can address informally to one another. Another thing that cultural patterns prescribe are the social interactions people have between them. In the Puerto Rican culture we have African heritage so it’s no surprise when both our cultures prefer indirectness in conversations with other people of our country but do not require an intermediary to do so. Generally, people in Puerto Rico will â€Å"sugar coat† demands or favors in conversations as a way to ask for something but in a indirect approach so the person won’t perceive us as rude or ill mannered. The self-orientation of cultural patterns describes how people’s identities are formed, whether the culture views the self as changeable, what motivates individual actions, and the kinds people who are valued and respected. Puerto Ricans can easily associate with each other, as our individual self-definition is very similar. On the contrary of the European American culture, Puerto Ricans make decisions for their children based on traditions, values and what they believe to be best for them. Although individuals make their own decisions as they mature and grow up when we evaluate from a group perspective it can be said that there is a heightened sense of interdependence and what happens to the group happens to the person. An example of this can be shown in cultural linguistic tendencies, as individuals modify their usual language others do so as well; also the fact that when national catastrophes occur everyone feels identified with the loss or the pain of the others. Because Puerto Rico is such a small island it is almost predictable that individuals can associate their identity with others from the same country even if there is a social status, age, town etc. aspect that differs between them. One of the most interesting dimensions is the world orientation, which tells people how to allocate themselves in relation to the spiritual world, nature and other living things. As we know Puerto Rico has different heritages because of the cultures that have influenced us trough the colonizing process, so it is not strange that our spirituality relates mostly to the European American beliefs. The general belief in our culture is that human beings can prevent, postpone or overcome natural events such as earthquakes by making buildings stronger, finding cures for illnesses and prolonging the time of death of a sick person. As technology constantly â€Å"improves† individuals believe they have the power to control nature instead of nature controlling them. Despite the fact that we are most influenced by this belief we still have the Latino influence which leads us to believe that we will be measured by our actions in the spiritual world where our souls will rest. The final approach of these cultural patterns is the time orientation, which can be defined as the way individuals conceptualize time. The cultural frame to which the Puerto Ricans relate is the Latino; even though we do not think time is endless we don’t take time as seriously. That is the reason why people are constantly late for everything, from a birthday party to work and even to Sunday mass. Time is mostly seen as ongoing and useful to maintain order, but not of the utmost importance. Analyzing these cultural patterns one can have a more accurate sense of how culture determines the identity of a country and how things like the importance of work and social time can influence so deeply the way a whole culture behaves. Also it gives you the opportunity to compare and contrast with other countries and learn how other people can have a completely different share of values and see life in such a contrasting way. Most importantly I believe that by studying these cultural patterns one can be more sensible to other people’s needs and have more respect for their culture instead of wanting to impose ours.

Twilight 6. SCARY STORIES

6. SCARY STORIES As I sat in my room, trying to concentrate on the third act of Macbeth, I was really listening for my truck. I would have thought, even over the pounding rain, I could have heard the engine's roar. But when I went to peek out the curtain – again – it was suddenly there. I wasn't looking forward to Friday, and it more than lived up to my non-expectations. Of course there were the fainting comments. Jessica especially seemed to get a kick out of that story. Luckily Mike had kept his mouth shut, and no one seemed to know about Edward's involvement. She did have a lot of questions about lunch, though. â€Å"So what did Edward Cullen want yesterday?† Jessica asked in Trig. â€Å"I don't know,† I answered truthfully. â€Å"He never really got to the point.† â€Å"You looked kind of mad,† she fished. â€Å"Did I?† I kept my expression blank. â€Å"You know, I've never seen him sit with anyone but his family before. That was weird.† â€Å"Weird,† I agreed. She seemed annoyed; she flipped her dark curls impatiently – I guessed she'd been hoping to hear something that would make a good story for her to pass on. The worst part about Friday was that, even though I knew he wasn't going to be there, I still hoped. When I walked into the cafeteria with Jessica and Mike, I couldn't keep from looking at his table, where Rosalie, Alice, and Jasper sat talking, heads close together. And I couldn't stop the gloom that engulfed me as I realized I didn't know how long I would have to wait before I saw him again. At my usual table, everyone was full of our plans for the next day. Mike was animated again, putting a great deal of trust in the local weatherman who promised sun tomorrow. I'd have to see that before I believed it. But it was warmer today – almost sixty. Maybe the outing wouldn't be completely miserable. I intercepted a few unfriendly glances from Lauren during lunch, which I didn't understand until we were all walking out of the room together. I was right behind her, just a foot from her slick, silver blond hair, and she was evidently unaware of that. â€Å"†¦don't know why Bella† – she sneered my name – â€Å"doesn't just sit with the Cullens from now on.† I heard her muttering to Mike. I'd never noticed what an unpleasant, nasal voice she had, and I was surprised by the malice in it. I really didn't know her well at all, certainly not well enough for her to dislike me – or so I'd thought. â€Å"She's my friend; she sits with us,† Mike whispered back loyally, but also a bit territorially. I paused to let Jess and Angela pass me. I didn't want to hear any more. That night at dinner, Charlie seemed enthusiastic about my trip to La Push in the morning. I think he felt guilty for leaving me home alone on the weekends, but he'd spent too many years building his habits to break them now. Of course he knew the names of all the kids going, and their parents, and their great-grandparents, too, probably. He seemed to approve. I wondered if he would approve of my plan to ride to Seattle with Edward Cullen. Not that I was going to tell him. â€Å"Dad, do you know a place called Goat Rocks or something like that? I think it's south of Mount Rainier,† I asked casually. â€Å"Yeah – why?† I shrugged. â€Å"Some kids were talking about camping there.† â€Å"It's not a very good place for camping.† He sounded surprised. â€Å"Too many bears. Most people go there during the hunting season.† â€Å"Oh,† I murmured. â€Å"Maybe I got the name wrong.† I meant to sleep in, but an unusual brightness woke me. I opened my eyes to see a clear yellow light streaming through my window. I couldn't believe it. I hurried to the window to check, and sure enough, there was the sun. It was in the wrong place in the sky, too low, and it didn't seem to be as close as it should be, but it was definitely the sun. Clouds ringed the horizon, but a large patch of blue was visible in the middle. I lingered by the window as long as I could, afraid that if I left the blue would disappear again. The Newtons' Olympic Outfitters store was just north of town. I'd seen the store, but I'd never stopped there – not having much need for any supplies required for being outdoors over an extended period of time. In the parking lot I recognized Mike's Suburban and Tyler's Sentra. As I pulled up next to their vehicles, I could see the group standing around in front of the Suburban. Eric was there, along with two other boys I had class with; I was fairly sure their names were Ben and Conner. Jess was there, flanked by Angela and Lauren. Three other girls stood with them, including one I remembered falling over in Gym on Friday. That one gave me a dirty look as I got out of the truck, and whispered something to Lauren. Lauren shook out her cornsilk hair and eyed me scornfully. So it was going to be one of those days. At least Mike was happy to see me. â€Å"You came!† he called, delighted. â€Å"And I said it would be sunny today, didn't I?† â€Å"I told you I was coming,† I reminded him. â€Å"We're just waiting for Lee and Samantha†¦ unless you invited someone,† Mike added. â€Å"Nope,† I lied lightly, hoping I wouldn't get caught in the lie. But also wishing that a miracle would occur, and Edward would appear. Mike looked satisfied. â€Å"Will you ride in my car? It's that or Lee's mom's minivan.† â€Å"Sure.† He smiled blissfully. It was so easy to make Mike happy. â€Å"You can have shotgun,† he promised. I hid my chagrin. It wasn't as simple to make Mike and Jessica happy at the same time. I could see Jessica glowering at us now. The numbers worked out in my favor, though. Lee brought two extra people, and suddenly every seat was necessary. I managed to wedge Jess in between Mike and me in the front seat of the Suburban. Mike could have been more graceful about it, but at least Jess seemed appeased. It was only fifteen miles to La Push from Forks, with gorgeous, dense green forests edging the road most of the way and the wide Quillayute River snaking beneath it twice. I was glad I had the window seat. We'd rolled the windows down – the Suburban was a bit claustrophobic with nine people in it – and I tried to absorb as much sunlight as possible. I'd been to the beaches around La Push many times during my Forks summers with Charlie, so the mile-long crescent of First Beach was familiar to me. It was still breathtaking. The water was dark gray, even in the sunlight, white-capped and heaving to the gray, rocky shore. Islands rose out of the steel harbor waters with sheer cliff sides, reaching to uneven summits, and crowned with austere, soaring firs. The beach had only a thin border of actual sand at the water's edge, after which it grew into millions of large, smooth stones that looked uniformly gray from a distance, but close up were every shade a stone could be: terra-cotta, sea green, lavender, blue gray, dull gold. The tide line was strewn with huge driftwood trees, bleached bone white in the salt waves, some piled together against the edge of the forest fringe, some lying solitary, just out of reach of the waves. There was a brisk wind coming off the waves, cool and briny. Pelicans floated on the swells while seagulls and a lone eagle wheeled above them. The clouds still circled the sky, threatening to invade at any moment, but for now the sun shone bravely in its halo of blue sky. We picked our way down to the beach, Mike leading the way to a ring of driftwood logs that had obviously been used for parties like ours before. There was a fire circle already in place, filled with black ashes. Eric and the boy I thought was named Ben gathered broken branches of driftwood from the drier piles against the forest edge, and soon had a teepee-shaped construction built atop the old cinders. â€Å"Have you ever seen a driftwood fire?† Mike asked me. I was sitting on one of the bone-colored benches; the other girls clustered, gossiping excitedly, on either side of me. Mike kneeled by the fire, lighting one of the smaller sticks with a cigarette lighter. â€Å"No,† I said as he placed the blazing twig carefully against the teepee. â€Å"You'll like this then – watch the colors.† He lit another small branch and laid it alongside the first. The flames started to lick quickly up the dry wood. â€Å"It's blue,† I said in surprise. â€Å"The salt does it. Pretty, isn't it?† He lit one more piece, placed it where the fire hadn't yet caught, and then came to sit by me. Thankfully, Jess was on his other side. She turned to him and claimed his attention. I watched the strange blue and green flames crackle toward the sky. After a half hour of chatter, some of the boys wanted to hike to the nearby tidal pools. It was a dilemma. On the one hand, I loved the tide pools. They had fascinated me since I was a child; they were one of the only things I ever looked forward to when I had to come to Forks. On the other hand, I'd also fallen into them a lot. Not a big deal when you're seven and with your dad. It reminded me of Edward's request – that I not fall into the ocean. Lauren was the one who made my decision for me. She didn't want to hike, and she was definitely wearing the wrong shoes for it. Most of the other girls besides Angela and Jessica decided to stay on the beach as well. I waited until Tyler and Eric had committed to remaining with them before I got up quietly to join the pro-hiking group. Mike gave me a huge smile when he saw that I was coming. The hike wasn't too long, though I hated to lose the sky in the woods. The green light of the forest was strangely at odds with the adolescent laughter, too murky and ominous to be in harmony with the light banter around me. I had to watch each step I took very carefully, avoiding roots below and branches above, and I soon fell behind. Eventually I broke through the emerald confines of the forest and found the rocky shore again. It was low tide, and a tidal river flowed past us on its way to the sea. Along its pebbled banks, shallow pools that never completely drained were teeming with life. I was very cautious not to lean too far over the little ocean ponds. The others were fearless, leaping over the rocks, perching precariously on the edges. I found a very stable-looking rock on the fringe of one of the largest pools and sat there cautiously, spellbound by the natural aquarium below me. The bouquets of brilliant anemones undulated ceaselessly in the invisible current, twisted shells scurried about the edges, obscuring the crabs within them, starfish stuck motionless to the rocks and each other, while one small black eel with white racing stripes wove through the bright green weeds, waiting for the sea to return. I was completely absorbed, except for one small part of my mind that wondered what Edward was doing now, and trying to imagine what he would be saying if he were here with me. Finally the boys were hungry, and I got up stiffly to follow them back. I tried to keep up better this time through the woods, so naturally I fell a few times. I got some shallow scrapes on my palms, and the knees of my jeans were stained green, but it could have been worse. When we got back to First Beach, the group we'd left behind had multiplied. As we got closer we could see the shining, straight black hair and copper skin of the newcomers, teenagers from the reservation come to socialize. The food was already being passed around, and the boys hurried to claim a share while Eric introduced us as we each entered the driftwood circle. Angela and I were the last to arrive, and, as Eric said our names, I noticed a younger boy sitting on the stones near the fire glance up at me in interest. I sat down next to Angela, and Mike brought us sandwiches and an array of sodas to choose from, while a boy who looked to be the oldest of the visitors rattled off the names of the seven others with him. All I caught was that one of the girls was also named Jessica, and the boy who noticed me was named Jacob. It was relaxing to sit with Angela; she was a restful kind of person to be around – she didn't feel the need to fill every silence with chatter. She left me free to think undisturbed while we ate. And I was thinking about how disjointedly time seemed to flow in Forks, passing in a blur at times, with single images standing out more clearly than others. And then, at other times, every second was significant, etched in my mind. I knew exactly what caused the difference, and it disturbed me. During lunch the clouds started to advance, slinking across the blue sky, darting in front of the sun momentarily, casting long shadows across the beach, and blackening the waves. As they finished eating, people started to drift away in twos and threes. Some walked down to the edge of the waves, trying to skip rocks across the choppy surface. Others were gathering a second expedition to the tide pools. Mike – with Jessica shadowing him – headed up to the one shop in the village. Some of the local kids went with them; others went along on the hike. By the time they all had scattered, I was sitting alone on my driftwood log, with Lauren and Tyler occupying themselves by the CD player someone had thought to bring, and three teenagers from the reservation perched around the circle, including the boy named Jacob and the oldest boy who had acted as spokesperson. A few minutes after Angela left with the hikers, Jacob sauntered over to take her place by my side. He looked fourteen, maybe fifteen, and had long, glossy black hair pulled back with a rubber band at the nape of his neck. His skin was beautiful, silky and russet-colored; his eyes were dark, set deep above the high planes of his cheekbones. He still had just a hint of childish roundness left around his chin. Altogether, a very pretty face. However, my positive opinion of his looks was damaged by the first words out of his mouth. â€Å"You're Isabella Swan, aren't you?† It was like the first day of school all over again. â€Å"Bella,† I sighed. â€Å"I'm Jacob Black.† He held his hand out in a friendly gesture. â€Å"You bought my dad's truck.† â€Å"Oh,† I said, relieved, shaking his sleek hand. â€Å"You're Billy's son. I probably should remember you.† â€Å"No, I'm the youngest of the family – you would remember my older sisters.† â€Å"Rachel and Rebecca,† I suddenly recalled. Charlie and Billy had thrown us together a lot during my visits, to keep us busy while they fished. We were all too shy to make much progress as friends. Of course, I'd kicked up enough tantrums to end the fishing trips by the time I was eleven. â€Å"Are they here?† I examined the girls at the ocean's edge, wondering if I would recognize them now. â€Å"No.† Jacob shook his head. â€Å"Rachel got a scholarship to Washington State, and Rebecca married a Samoan surfer – she lives in Hawaii now.† â€Å"Married. Wow.† I was stunned. The twins were only a little over a year older than I was. â€Å"So how do you like the truck?† he asked. â€Å"I love it. It runs great.† â€Å"Yeah, but it's really slow,† he laughed. â€Å"I was so relived when Charlie bought it. My dad wouldn't let me work on building another car when we had a perfectly good vehicle right there.† â€Å"It's not that slow,† I objected. â€Å"Have you tried to go over sixty?† â€Å"No,† I admitted. â€Å"Good. Don't.† He grinned. I couldn't help grinning back. â€Å"It does great in a collision,† I offered in my truck's defense. â€Å"I don't think a tank could take out that old monster,† he agreed with another laugh. â€Å"So you build cars?† I asked, impressed. â€Å"When I have free time, and parts. You wouldn't happen to know where I could get my hands on a master cylinder for a 1986 Volkswagen Rabbit?† he added jokingly. He had a pleasant, husky voice. â€Å"Sorry,† I laughed, â€Å"I haven't seen any lately, but I'll keep my eyes open for you.† As if I knew what that was. He was very easy to talk with. He flashed a brilliant smile, looking at me appreciatively in a way I was learning to recognize. I wasn't the only one who noticed. â€Å"You know Bella, Jacob?† Lauren asked – in what I imagined was an insolent tone – from across the fire. â€Å"We've sort of known each other since I was born,† he laughed, smiling at me again. â€Å"How nice.† She didn't sound like she thought it was nice at all, and her pale, fishy eyes narrowed. â€Å"Bella,† she called again, watching my face carefully, â€Å"I was just saying to Tyler that it was too bad none of the Cullens could come out today. Didn't anyone think to invite them?† Her expression of concern was unconvincing. â€Å"You mean Dr. Carlisle Cullen's family?† the tall, older boy asked before I could respond, much to Lauren's irritation. He was really closer to a man than a boy, and his voice was very deep. â€Å"Yes, do you know them?† she asked condescendingly, turning halfway toward him. â€Å"The Cullens don't come here,† he said in a tone that closed the subject, ignoring her question. Tyler, trying to win back her attention, asked Lauren's opinion on a CD he held. She was distracted. I stared at the deep-voiced boy, taken aback, but he was looking away toward the dark forest behind us. He'd said that the Cullens didn't come here, but his tone had implied something more – that they weren't allowed; they were prohibited. His manner left a strange impression on me, and I tried to ignore it without success. Jacob interrupted my meditation. â€Å"So is Forks driving you insane yet?† â€Å"Oh, I'd say that's an understatement.† I grimaced. He grinned understandingly. I was still turning over the brief comment on the Cullens, and I had a sudden inspiration. It was a stupid plan, but I didn't have any better ideas. I hoped that young Jacob was as yet inexperienced around girls, so that he wouldn't see through my sure-to-be-pitiful attempts at flirting. â€Å"Do you want to walk down the beach with me?† I asked, trying to imitate that way Edward had of looking up from underneath his eyelashes. It couldn't have nearly the same effect, I was sure, but Jacob jumped up willingly enough. As we walked north across the multihued stones toward the driftwood seawall, the clouds finally closed ranks across the sky, causing the sea to darken and the temperature to drop. I shoved my hands deep into the pockets of my jacket. â€Å"So you're, what, sixteen?† I asked, trying not to look like an idiot as I fluttered my eyelids the way I'd seen girls do on TV. â€Å"I just turned fifteen,† he confessed, flattered. â€Å"Really?† My face was full of false surprise. â€Å"I would have thought you were older.† â€Å"I'm tall for my age,† he explained. â€Å"Do you come up to Forks much?† I asked archly, as if I was hoping for a yes. I sounded idiotic to myself. I was afraid he would turn on me with disgust and accuse me of my fraud, but he still seemed flattered. â€Å"Not too much,† he admitted with a frown. â€Å"But when I get my car finished I can go up as much as I want – after I get my license,† he amended. â€Å"Who was that other boy Lauren was talking to? He seemed a little old to be hanging out with us.† I purposefully lumped myself in with the youngsters, trying to make it clear that I preferred Jacob. â€Å"That's Sam – he's nineteen,† he informed me. â€Å"What was that he was saying about the doctor's family?† I asked innocently. â€Å"The Cullens? Oh, they're not supposed to come onto the reservation.† He looked away, out toward James Island, as he confirmed what I'd thought I'd heard in Sam's voice. â€Å"Why not?† He glanced back at me, biting his lip. â€Å"Oops. I'm not supposed to say anything about that.† â€Å"Oh, I won't tell anyone, I'm just curious.† I tried to make my smile alluring, wondering if I was laying it on too thick. He smiled back, though, looking allured. Then he lifted one eyebrow and his voice was even huskier than before. â€Å"Do you like scary stories?† he asked ominously. â€Å"I love them,† I enthused, making an effort to smolder at him. Jacob strolled to a nearby driftwood tree that had its roots sticking out like the attenuated legs of a huge, pale spider. He perched lightly on one of the twisted roots while I sat beneath him on the body of the tree. He stared down at the rocks, a smile hovering around the edges of his broad lips. I could see he was going to try to make this good. I focused on keeping the vital interest I felt out of my eyes. â€Å"Do you know any of our old stories, about where we came from – the Quileutes, I mean?† he began. â€Å"Not really,† I admitted. â€Å"Well, there are lots of legends, some of them claiming to date back to the Flood – supposedly, the ancient Quileutes tied their canoes to the tops of the tallest trees on the mountain to survive like Noah and the ark.† He smiled, to show me how little stock he put in the histories. â€Å"Another legend claims that we descended from wolves – and that the wolves are our brothers still. It's against tribal law to kill them. â€Å"Then there are the stories about the cold ones.† His voice dropped a little lower. â€Å"The cold ones?† I asked, not faking my intrigue now. â€Å"Yes. There are stories of the cold ones as old as the wolf legends, and some much more recent. According to legend, my own great-grandfather knew some of them. He was the one who made the treaty that kept them off our land.† He rolled his eyes. â€Å"Your great-grandfather?† I encouraged. â€Å"He was a tribal elder, like my father. You see, the cold ones are the natural enemies of the wolf-well, not the wolf, really, but the wolves that turn into men, like our ancestors. You would call them werewolves.† â€Å"Werewolves have enemies?† â€Å"Only one.† I stared at him earnestly, hoping to disguise my impatience as admiration. â€Å"So you see,† Jacob continued, â€Å"the cold ones are traditionally our enemies. But this pack that came to our territory during my great-grandfather's time was different. They didn't hunt the way others of their kind did – they weren't supposed to be dangerous to the tribe. So my great-grandfather made a truce with them. If they would promise to stay off our lands, we wouldn't expose them to the pale-faces.† He winked at me. â€Å"If they weren't dangerous, then why†¦ ?† I tried to understand, struggling not to let him see how seriously I was considering his ghost story. â€Å"There's always a risk for humans to be around the cold ones, even if they're civilized like this clan was. You never know when they might get too hungry to resist.† He deliberately worked a thick edge of menace into his tone. â€Å"What do you mean, ‘civilized'?† â€Å"They claimed that they didn't hunt humans. They supposedly were somehow able to prey on animals instead.† I tried to keep my voice casual. â€Å"So how does it fit in with the Cullens? Are they like the cold ones your greatgrandfather met?† â€Å"No.† He paused dramatically. â€Å"They are the same ones.† He must have thought the expression on my face was fear inspired by his story. He smiled, pleased, and continued. â€Å"There are more of them now, a new female and a new male, but the rest are the same. In my great-grandfather's time they already knew of the leader, Carlisle. He'd been here and gone before your people had even arrived.† He was fighting a smile. â€Å"And what are they?† I finally asked. â€Å"What are the cold ones?† He smiled darkly. â€Å"Blood drinkers,† he replied in a chilling voice. â€Å"Your people call them vampires.† I stared out at the rough surf after he answered, not sure what my face was exposing. â€Å"You have goose bumps,† he laughed delightedly. â€Å"You're a good storyteller,† I complimented him, still staring into the waves. â€Å"Pretty crazy stuff, though, isn't it? No wonder my dad doesn't want us to talk about it to anyone.† I couldn't control my expression enough to look at him yet. â€Å"Don't worry, I won't give you away.† â€Å"I guess I just violated the treaty,† he laughed. â€Å"I'll take it to the grave,† I promised, and then I shivered. â€Å"Seriously, though, don't say anything to Charlie. He was pretty mad at my dad when he heard that some of us weren't going to the hospital since Dr. Cullen started working there.† â€Å"I won't, of course not.† â€Å"So do you think we're a bunch of superstitious natives or what?† he asked in a playful tone, but with a hint of worry. I still hadn't looked away from the ocean. I turned and smiled at him as normally as I could. â€Å"No. I think you're very good at telling scary stories, though. I still have goose bumps, see?† I held up my arm. â€Å"Cool.† He smiled. And then the sound of the beach rocks clattering against each other warned us that someone was approaching. Our heads snapped up at the same time to see Mike and Jessica about fifty yards away, walking toward us. â€Å"There you are, Bella,† Mike called in relief, waving his arm over his head. â€Å"Is that your boyfriend?† Jacob asked, alerted by the jealous edge in Mike's voice. I was surprised it was so obvious. â€Å"No, definitely not,† I whispered. I was tremendously grateful to Jacob, and eager to make him as happy as possible. I winked at him, carefully turning away from Mike to do so. He smiled, elated by my inept flirting. â€Å"So when I get my license†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he began. â€Å"You should come see me in Forks. We could hang out sometime.† I felt guilty as I said this, knowing that I'd used him. But I really did like Jacob. He was someone I could easily be friends with. Mike had reached us now, with Jessica still a few paces back. I could see his eyes appraising Jacob, and looking satisfied at his obvious youth. â€Å"Where have you been?† he asked, though the answer was right in front of him. â€Å"Jacob was just telling me some local stories,† I volunteered. â€Å"It was really interesting.† I smiled at Jacob warmly, and he grinned back. â€Å"Well,† Mike paused, carefully reassessing the situation as he watched our camaraderie. â€Å"We're packing up – it looks like it's going to rain soon.† We all looked up at the glowering sky. It certainly did look like rain. â€Å"Okay.† I jumped up. â€Å"I'm coming.† â€Å"It was nice to see you again,† Jacob said, and I could tell he was taunting Mike just a bit. â€Å"It really was. Next time Charlie comes down to see Billy, I'll come, too,† I promised. His grin stretched across his face. â€Å"That would be cool.† â€Å"And thanks,† I added earnestly. I pulled up my hood as we tramped across the rocks toward the parking lot. A few drops were beginning to fall, making black spots on the stones where they landed. When we got to the Suburban the others were already loading everything back in. I crawled into the backseat by Angela and Tyler, announcing that I'd already had my turn in the shotgun position. Angela just stared out the window at the escalating storm, and Lauren twisted around in the middle seat to occupy Tyler's attention, so I could simply lay my head back on the seat and close my eyes and try very hard not to think.