Modern audience Essay

‘The Taming of the Shrew’ involves a rich businessman, Baptista, who has two daughters. He forbids anyone to court his beautiful daughter, Bianca, until he finds someone to marry his other daughter, Katherina, who is labelled a shrew. The man marries Katherina is Petruchio; who treats her cruelly until she obeys and agrees with him.  At the time the play was written, the role of women in life was different. Today, we learn that men and women should be seen as equals. In act 5 scene 2 of the play, this is not seen. In Padua, women were seen as possessions of men among with other things such as the man’s house or horse. It was a woman’s duty to obey her husband and because Kate did not, she is seen by the male characters as unnatural which is evidence of evil. With a modern audience, this role of women will cause some people, especially the women, to feel insulted or uncomfortable. In the play, if Kate is dressed in old-fashioned clothes then her speeches will be taken seriously, but if Kate is dressed in modern designer clothes with sunglasses and maybe a mobile telephone, then the audience will assume she is being sarcastic in her speech. A lot of what the audience thinks will also depend upon the other characters’ reactions to what Kate says. They could be shocked and surprised at what she says or they could see it as a big joke. I will describe how I would direct part of act 5 scene 2 to a modern audience. This is where most of the main characters are together and Petruchio shows all the other men that he has tamed Kate. All the men have had a bet on whose wife is most obedient.  The men will be playing cards and the women will be talking in a nearby room. The servants, Biondello and Gremio will also be playing cards with the men because they are good friends of their masters. The men will be dressed in casual suits with loosened ties to create the effect of the upper class relaxing. Kate will be wearing a long, flowing dress to show that she is like an ordinary upper class lady rather than the more radical clothes she would have worn before she was tamed. Bianca and the widow would also be wearing the same style of dress.  I want the audience to think that although Kate has been disciplined and obeys Petruchio, she is still her own person. All the other men will think she is her old self and will never be to be like her sister, Bianca. After being called for by her husband, Petruchio, Kate will enter the mens’ room, dragging Bianca by the hair. This will show the audience that even though Kate has changed to be more like her sister was, she still doesn’t get on well with Bianca. Bianca is seen gradually becoming like how Kate used to be. The two are almost swapping personalities. Lucentio is very disappointed with his wife, Bianca and she would react to him by saying this line slightly crying:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The more fool you for laying on my duty†Ã‚  the audience would be quite astonished by this reply because she is usually very quiet and obedient. This would be a significant part to show how Bianca is also changing. I will now go through the play line by line and describe how I would direct it.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Katherine, I charge thee, tell these headstrong women/What duty they do owe their lords and husbands.†Ã‚  Petruchio wants Kate to tell the people how a lady should act towards her husband or lord. The crowd will now think that although Kate has changed, she will not do it. But she does with pride. Kate starts her speech by insulting the widow and saying that she should respect her master. â€Å"Fie, fie, unknit that threatening unkind brow†¦Thy governor.†Ã‚  I would get the actress to say this in a sarcastic but malicious way because although she respects Petruchio, she has her own free will and also wants to intimidate the widow. As she says this, I would get her to walk up o the widow and the widow would cower away into a corner. This will show the audience that Kate is still domineering.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Thy husband is thy lord†¦sea and land.† Whilst Kate is saying this part, she will go up to Petruchio and kneel in front of him to show the audience how much respect she has for her husband.  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Too little payment for so great a debt†¦owes the prince.†Ã‚  She is saying that women have a good life and hardly have to repay their husbands for all the things he does for her. As she says this she will scan across the room, glaring at the other wives as if to say that they don’t repay their husbands enough and should be thankful he hasn’t left them.

Gender & Sexuality Essay

Here I am going to talk about gender and sexuality choices which are shaped by society. I am going to talk about the painful, bitter conflict about sexuality which is vexing us especially in the United States, and which we are imposing on the rest of the world. We will explore several different sexual choices, some have been around since the beginning of time, while others seem to be new to us all. The angry, hurtful debate in this country about whether we have the right to our own choices and should our legal and social structures be â€Å"gay, bi, tri-affirming† , or should we reject these aspect as part of our society. In order to be happy, in order to develop the capacities God has given us and in order to make the world the manifestation of justice that God wants it to be, we need to change the shape of society and change our understanding of our own selves. First you need to know the difference between gender and sexuality before we proceed. For many this seems to be a touchy subject. Gender is a range of characteristics of feminity and masculinity. Gender refers to the state of being male or female. â€Å"Gender† is now commonly used even to refer to the physical anatomy. Gender begins to be formed from the time a child is born. beginning with the obligatory pink and blue blanket, gender is implicated in everything we do. From the cloths we wear to the food we eat to the types of work we do, sex role differentiation, and pressure to confirm to the box of gender. Gender socialization starts at childhood and pretty much goes on until death. As a result of the pervasive attention that we give to gender, gender is pretty much implicated in everything we do. Beyond the basic fact that gender is something we focus a lot of attention on, there are a lot of strong opinions, theories, and emotions surrounding it. medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Gender+(sociology) Gender is and important topic  because, over and above all the argument and rhetoric and research and opinion, is the basic fact that all over the world, in pretty much every culture that exists, women are treated differently than men. I could be much  more elaborate on this gender topic although I would spend all day on this topic alone, so we move on to sex and sexuality. Sex is defined by the genitalia an individual possess. We will expand sex to sexuality, which refers to your sexual orientation. Sexuality would deal with your choice of sexual activity and your sexual feelings. So sexuality would refer to who you are attracted to. Wither it be man and women or two men or a mix of the previously mentioned. From the beginning of time the bible only stated the man and woman as being the â€Å"right choice† of sexuality. But as time goes on we are further understanding and studying different sexual choices. I want to go into detail on a few of these new choices of sexualit y. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexuality In today’s society there exists a huge variety of issues with sexuality’s. Some topics when discussed tend to raise the blood pressure of many citizens. There are a handful of topics dealing with sexual choices that always seem to heightened opinions An issue that has in recent years, begun to command the intensity of the crowd, is the acceptability of homosexuality in mainstream society. People with a homosexual orientation can express their sexuality in a variety of ways, and may or may not express it in their behaviors. Many have sexual relationships predominately with people of their own gender identity, though some have sexual relationships with those of the opposite gender, bisexual relationships, or none at all. Until recently, homosexuality was considered strictly taboo. If an individual was homosexual, this revelation was considered a grave secret to be kept from all family, friends, and society at large. However, it seems that society has begun to accept this lifestyle by allowing same sex couples some of the rights given to heterosexual couples. The idea of coming out of the closet has moved to the forefront of homosexual individuals when it use to be the exception. http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/homosexual Another type of sexuality is bisexuality. Bisexuality is romantic and, or sexual attraction toward males and females. The term is especially used to explain sexual attraction, sexual feelings toward men and women.with some sources try to say if they are bisexual the individual is attracted to all genders although it is unclear if there is more attraction to one more than  the other, or if you should be equally attracted to each sex to be considered bi-sexual. This matter is also controversial although I don’t find it to be under so much scrutiny as homosexuality. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisexuality Today we also have come to put a small group of people who do not have sexual interest into a category called Asexual. Some say that the asexual category is used for those who are finding themselves for a brief period of time. Researchers so far are unable to agree on a clear definition of this sexuality choice, asexual. So far all they can agree on is asexual is a term to describe a lack or absence of sexual attraction or desire. Asexuality has great levels of variation from person to person. Every individual case that has been studied has been different. Most say they have sexual attraction but have no urge to act on it. This is because they have to true desire or need to engage in sexual or non-sexual activity. This means that they hold hands and cuddle but have no intentions of going any further. Also, some individuals will only have sex as a release but find little or no enjoyment of sex. Some asexual men are completely unable to get an erection and sexual activity is completely impossible for them. Asexuals also differ in their feelings towards performing sex acts. Some are indifferent and may even have sex for the benefit of a romantic partner, while others are more strongly against the idea even though they do not necessarily dislike other people for having sex as long as it does not involve them. Some researchers believe asexuality should be considered a disorder, while others find it normal. Only 2 to 3 percent of the entire world notably are asexual. There have been many studies although after reading many of them I don’t believe it gives accurate information on the classification of asexual. Asexuality is still a relatively new term and is yet to have a clear and distinct definition and or label. http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/asexual In today’s society we have too many sexual choices to mention here. Although to give you an idea we have come to use a scale instead of a single box to identify your sexual choices. In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s a sex researcher by the name of Doctor Alfred Kinsey and his colleagues published two books called Sexual Behavior in the Human Male and Sexual Behavior in  the Human Female based on the study of human sexuality. These works are also known as the â€Å"Kinsey Reports†. One of Doctor Kinsey’s most well known theories is the â€Å"Heterosexual/ Homosexual Rating Scale,† which rates a person’s homosexuality or heterosexuality on a 7-point continuum. Kinsey said you had to keep in mind, however, that it is normal for a heterosexual person to have thoughts, dreams or even fantasies about members of the same sex as it is for homosexuals to have thoughts about heterosexuals. Thus, your â€Å"score† may not be a perfect 6 or 0. This scale say â€Å"How are gay are you?†. Zero being Exclusively heterosexual, one is predominantly heterosexual, only incidentally homosexual. Two predominantly heterosexual, but more than incidentally homosexual. Three equally heterosexual and homosexual, four predominantly homosexual, but more than incidentally heterosexual. Five redominantly homosexual, only incidentally heterosexual and six exclusively homosexual. This scale is more accurate to measure a individuals sexuality in today’s society. Society has changed over the years and we have to adapt to the changes. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinsey_scale These sexual choices go much deeper into affecting what we want out of life and how we go about getting what we want. Having children or adopting is a major controversial aspect for gay, bi, transexual, and asexual individuals. Marriage for anyone but the man and woman can be a challenge to accomplish. Governments and laws in many states forbid or do not see any marriage but the man and woman. Religion which from the beginning of time has said that the only â€Å"right† relationship is the man and woman, although we are suppose to except others. It’s hard to understand what we are suppose to except or denie as a society. Although I do believe everyone should have their own choice to have control of their own lives and happiness. We as a society should not dictate what relationship is right or wrong. But I do see this topic as a pressing issue for all of us, especially with all the radical changes over the years. Only time will tell what the future will hold, although as more and more people come out it looks like the future society will be much more open then in the past years.

Final Exam Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Final Exam - Essay Example The focus shall be on the relationship between the eating of French fries and weight gain. Many organizations and governments in the world are concerned with the scourge of weight gain which has increased the health risks among the youths and the population in general (Reed 67). Besides tremendously increasing the medical bills towards the caring for this group of individuals, weight gain also reduces the overall productivity of the same individuals which is another reason it is detrimental to the economy. Excessive weight also puts the individual at a higher risk of contracting other diseases that come about due to the individual’s poor health. It is thus of great concern to the various parties that such findings as the one from this experiment be availed to enable them draw the right conclusions about the disease besides formulating the required steps aimed at reducing the negative effects of the disease (Keown 12). This paper shall thus outline the procedure for the carryin g out of an experiment to determine the impact of eating French fries on the rate of gaining weight in kids aged 14 years of age. Methodology The methodology for this experiment shall first of all involve the division of the sample made of 14 year-old kids into two groups. The first group shall be made up of children who eat French fries strictly two times in a week while the second one shall contain those who strictly eat French fries three times each week (Rahman 90). The two groups shall each have separate records whereby each child’s weight shall be taken at the start and end of every week for three months. The period chosen upon is long enough to smoothen out the changes that may occur in a single week or for a few days. The days for the measurements shall be on every Monday and Friday of each week. For each child, two columns shall be drawn; one for the Monday readings while the other one shall be for the Friday readings. While the record books for the group of children who eat French fries twice a week shall be colored blue, those for the group of children who eat French fries three times a week shall be colored red to allow a distinction between the two groups (Froding 34). Other factors shall be put into consideration to allow consistency in the recordings. These factors include the harmonization of the two groups’ diets to eliminate disparities that may come about due to other factors from outside of the experiment. Weight gain may result from other types of food eaten by the children and invalidate the data collected for the two groups. Also, health factors shall be put into consideration to eliminate differences in weight that could be the result of health disorders. Independent Variable The independent variable in this experiment shall be the number of days the recordings shall be taken since they shall not be determined be anything else besides the normal counting of days. On average, there shall be 24 of these days for each child o ver the three months set aside for the experiment (Jackson 78). Dependent Variable The dependent variable in this experiment shall be the weight readings taken from the kids on the two days of the weeks. On average, there shall be twenty four recordings for each child over the three months period set aside for this experiment. Data Analysis The analysis of the data shall be carried out after the three months

Networks Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Networks - Essay Example It is this type of network that enables the various business entities that are there in a city to be in communication with each other. Finally there is the Wide Area Network. This is the network type that is of primary importance all over the world as it is the one that enables communication between almost all networked computer entities in the world. In IP addressing it is seen that what is commonly used is decimal numbers as compared to binary notation. The primary reason for this is because the decimal numbers are easier to remember in comparison to their binary equivalent. In the case of comparing the bit signal used, the company should opt to stick to the 24-bit digital audio technology as compared to developing one that makes use of the 28-bit. This is because the technology that is there supports the 24-bit and in the event that the 28-bit is implemented there may be loss of the four additional bits. In networking in a building, there are various reasons why a network may be established. One of the reasons may be for the purpose of communication and also there may be the aspect of resource sharing. In order to achieve this there are various components such as routers, gateway among others. All these are the devises that aid in the networking

Multiculturalism Issues in Curriculum Assignment

Multiculturalism Issues in Curriculum - Assignment Example It shall also make recommendations and/or predictions for the future of this issue. Finally, it shall establish support for recommendations and/or predictions with this research. Body The multicultural curriculum has its roots in the history of multicultural education which follows the history of the US civil rights movement (Fillion, n.d). The desegregation practices during the 1950s were established in order to provide equal education for all individuals, regardless of race or any other demographic considerations. The 1960s and 1970s, desegregation practices expanded to include application in seeking equity of all students in terms of their human rights (Banks, 2000). With the focus on human rights, multicultural concerns in education were considered, recognizing the importance of establishing awareness in a culturally diverse community. The changes in the teaching curriculum came under the collective heading of multiculturalism. These changes were also apparent in Britain and in A ustralia just as they were unfolding in the US (Lynch, 1983). The educational authorities recognized the fact that the curriculum must come from the social and the ethical concepts being seen in the multicultural setting. Various references to the inherent value of all human beings were also highlighted, and this attached value was also seen in the human rights movement in the 1960s and 1970s (Lynch, 1983). In these states, the focus was on acknowledging the need for the multicultural curriculum and for teachers to support and promote such a program. Research was then carried out and workshops with teachers implemented. Such actions were able to establish that even as many resources were needed in order to â€Å"bring teachers to the level to the level of multicultural teaching acceptable to the proponents of multicultural curriculum, an emphasis must be placed on institutions of higher learning to require the incorporation of inclusionary multicultural methods and practice in the teacher certification process† (Fillion, n.d, p. 1). In effect, without any inclusionary methods in the institutions of higher learning, the multicultural curriculum could not find its place in the educational system. One of the issues in the multicultural curriculum revolves around the fact that the US is composed of different racial groups, but the educational system, including the curricula, the books, the resources, and other teaching materials are founded on White Anglo-Saxon Protestants, otherwise known as the mainstream Americans (Tiedt and Tiedt, 2000). This type of curriculum largely does not consider the experiences, the history, and the culture of other racial and ethnic groupings in the US (Banks, 1988). This type of curriculum has a negative impact on minorities as well as those belonging to the mainstream culture. This is because racism and ethnocentrism are protected and nourished under this mainstream-supported culture. A mainstream-focused curriculum has a neg ative impact on the mainstream students because it further supports their sense of superiority, misleading their understanding of their relationship with other members of society, especially the ethnic minorities (Banks, 1988). The lack of a multicultural curriculum also prevents the process of understanding concepts and information from the point of view of other cultures and races. Another issue with the

Job Task Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Job Task Analysis - Essay Example ions and submitting them to the human resource manager, scheduling interviews for new employees in the branch, and following up on their progress once employed. Any memos for the department are also to be prepared by the personnel clerk in charge (Reddy, 2004). Behavioral objectives are goals that the military branch will be aiming to accomplish when training the personnel clerk. They include duties and responsibilities that the clerk should be conversant with by the end of the training. Therefore, according to the above tasks the behavioral objectives listed should be that: the personnel clerk will master all the recording procedures in the office; he or she will also be able to understand on how to follow up on the military personnel; he or she will be able to construct a pay roll sheet from the attendance register and lastly, that he or she will be able to prepare all the notices memos of the personnel department if need be. A job task analysis is used to train an employer by laying out all the duties to be performed. (Wolfe, 1991) An analysis for a personnel clerk would be: Enter into the office; Sign in at the register; Check out the attendance of each and every employee of the military branch; Note any absent employees; Identify the events of the day; Ensure all the office records are neatly in place; Arrange any misplaced documents; Prepare any memos required; Receive and attend to any visitors of the personnel department; Ensure that any injured militants are attended to; Ensure the pay roll sheet is in agreement with the attendance list; Check the mail box of the personnel department; Forward and present any available resumes and application mails to the necessary offices; Follow up on the new employees of the organization; Schedule interviews for any new employees and finally sign out the employees after work. Generally, a personnel clerk is important in all organizations since all organizations have employees that need to be managed and yet the

Channel marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Channel marketing - Essay Example Nevertheless, this paper will assesses the service outputs supply of Wal-Mart and Costco in the food section, hence identify what the firms offers and their structures. Wal-Mart and Costco purchase products from manufactures and producers in large quantities and they are gradually broken down as they reach the consumers. The products of high value are squeezed in to small volumes, since it is cost effective to ship to end-customers compared to the cost of shipping a bulkier product (Perner, 1). Convenience has been identified as a significant factor used to influence the consumer food choices, by Wal-Mart and Costco, since they have changed ways in which the nature of products are provided in grocery stores, and the time consumed to prepare a meal. Wal-Mart focuses on responding to the demand by offering more in-store delis and ready to eat prepared foods such as chicken, salad and sushi, while Costco has introduced an increased selection of frozen and prepared meals for consumers seeking a quick meal from their grocery stores. Wal-Mart has made a substantial investment in information technology and logistics, which facilitates commitment in taking a risk of placing large orders in advance of customer, needs in order to focus on the reducing the waiting time and delivery time. On the other hand, Costco has developed an efficient distribution system, which is based on its information system and enormous demand, though they have short channels for perishable products. Moreover, Wal-Mart and Costco have to incur additional costs in order to ensure that merchandise is distributed quickly. Wal-Mart and Costco consolidate goods by carrying a wide assortment of goods from different manufactures to provide a breadth of assortment, whereby their stores carry different kinds of food from different suppliers. In this case, this makes

Criminal Procedures in the News Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Criminal Procedures in the News - Essay Example Safety measures have been given the topmost priority. All the cities are under heavy security. Surveillance is the one of the safety measures employed to check criminal activities. Though sometimes these activities may breach privacy policies citizens of America should understand that it is for their own good. After 9/11 the American policies towards international community has changed considerably. As President Bush said you are with us or against us. The main victims of criminal are the innocent citizens. Mostly children are attracted towards criminal activities. In the recent past we have seen the news of gun firing in schools and other educational institutions. These incidents indicates that how the society has been disturbed. There is no safety not even in their home state and in their own house. Though the police department and other security agencies are providing foolproof security no one knows who will strike terror and from where. The students and other children involved in shootouts were sent to juvenile homes. They were treated as juveniles. Special psychological treatments were given o them. Juvenile homes make every effort to turn them into responsible citizens. The main reason for children committing crimes is the domestic violence.

Compare and Contrast Army Ground Fleet Maintenance with Civilian Research Paper

Compare and Contrast Army Ground Fleet Maintenance with Civilian Ground Fleet Maintenance - Research Paper Example Civilian institutions conduct business with the aim of profit making while US Army is a non-profit generating government function. This causes both similarities and differences in terms of activities performed in their respective fleet management systems. Below is a comparison and contrast between the two institutions. There is a couple of differences between the U.S. Army Ground Fleet Maintenance activities and the Civilian Ground Fleet Maintenance activities of organizations such as Coca Cola, Pepsi, etc. Some of these differences stem from a legal perspective while others stem from operation activities undertaken in the military bases. Some of the notable differences include; the military outsources its fleet management function to the industry including even tactical vehicles used by the military. For instance, the military in made a decision to outsource its fleet of M109 vehicles family (Paladin) that encompasses the M109 self-propelled howitzer & the M992 field vehicles supplying artillery ammunition under the fleet management program (NDIA Staff, 1999). Further, under the same program, the manager is responsible all resources of technical nature ranging from field maintenance to training hence making him responsible for the entire spare parts modernization, while soldiers control the daily maintenance activities. On the other hand, in the Civilian Ground Fleet Maintenance activities, outsourcing of the fleet management program is restricted to the organizations’ departments mandated to control and manage the company fleets, especially the transport department. For instance, unlike in the military where the function of outsourcing of maintenance services is a policy, in Civilian organization outsourcing of the maintenance activities is done in-house by the organizations workers e.g. in the case of Coca-Cola. Therefore, unlike in the military, Ground Fleet Maintenance activities are accomplished

The Goddess of Chastity Essay Example for Free

The Goddess of Chastity Essay Explore the social and historical context through Shakespeares stagecraft in A Midsummer Nights Dream. To explore the social and historical context in William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream the features of the play will be analysed, such a: the different characters dialogue compared to their social class, the connections to Greek and Roman mythology, Elizabethan beliefs and the many references to the moon. The play opens with characters from classic Greek mythology, Theseus who slain the Minotaur and Hippolyta Queen of the Amazons, who an Elizabethan audience would be familiar with as it was extensively studied in that era and the legends would be common knowledge among people so when the play begins the audience would instantly have had an understanding. But the opening would be questioned by the viewers because they would be wondering why they are marrying since they would be aware the couple are from different cultures. It is ironic that the queen of a race of woman who refuse to marry because they despises men is marrying; this is how Shakespeare immediately sets the genre of this performance as a humorous love story. Shakespeare would have been aware that many of the audience in a public performance would have only received a basic education and would be technically illiterate, so verbal communication was of greater significance and so they would be more perceptive in listening to patterns of verse and rhyme in characters language, and aware of imagery created throughout the play. To increase attentiveness the style of dialogue is varied. Theseus and Hippolyta are aristocracy and to express this Shakespeare used blank verse, this sophisticated style of communication makes the audience conscious of their high status. Their speech consists of iambic pentameter which contains five meters of two syllables, one stressed, one unstressed. This creates a rhythm that people listening can easily follow. In contrast, the Athenian workmen converse in regular prose, their speech isnt restricted by grammatical styles and their use of malapropisms, particularly by Bottom in an attempt of self-aggrandizement, suggests they are of a lower social status and lesser educated as snug says he is slow of study, although they probably were sent to school to get a basic education since they are tradesmen. In comparison, the fairies talk in rhyming couplets of AABB, as if they were casting a spell because they are mystical creatures associated with magic, they use more creative and poetic language to portray their majestic and magical nature. Also their speech is often filled with references to nature. Rhyming couplets appeal to a wide range of audiences because it is basic assonance they can effortlessly recognize and helps with the intake of meaning within the play. Identically the lovers in A Midsummer Nights Dream, Hermia and Lysander, also speak in rhyme but this characteristic of their conversations is unlike the fairies as Shakespeare uses it in a different context to show their love and affection for each other; Romeo and Juliet speak in a similar pattern combined to form a sonnet, the ultimate poetic expression of love in Shakespeares period. Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Nights Dream was written at roughly the same time as each other and this reflects in the similarities of the two plays. They are connected because in A Midsummer Nights Dream one of the three entwined plots is the workmens performance of the Babylonian legend of Pyramus and Thisbe from which story Shakespeare took inspiration to write Romeo and Juliet it could also be seen as a parody. They are also both love stories but the obvious difference is that A Midsummer Nights Dream is proposed as a comedy and Romeo and Juliet is presented as a tragedy. In the opening lines of Act I, Scene I, Theseus expresses his impatience towards the wait to marry Hippolyta: How slow this old moon wanes! She lingers my desires, like to a step-dame or a dowager long withering out a young mans revenue Time is passing slowly for Theseus, this is subjective, and because of his eagerness to marry Hippolyta to fulfil is desires on their wedding night. He is judging time by the passing phases of the moon that he refers to as a she, which suggests the moon represents Diana, the Goddess of Chastity; he blames her and thinks her lingering is deliberate in an attempt to maintain Hippolytas virginity as she does not approve of Theseus desires. Theseus compares his impatience in awaiting their marriage to the death of an old woman so he can get his inheritance. Hippolytas comparison is more romantic than Theseus: And then the moon, like to a silver bow new bent in heaven, shall behold the night of our solemnities. Shakespeare uses a simile and effectively compares the crescent moon, on which night the couple shall wed, to a silver bow and therefore connects their marriage to Cupid, the Roman God of Love. Shakespeare compares the moon to a silver bow, possibly because in these contexts the moon represents Diana who is often depicted as a hunter with a bow and arrows much like the amazons. The father and daughter relationship in A Midsummer Nights Dream between Egeus and Hermia is similar to that between Capulet and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. The two plays both feature heroines subject to their fathers authority. Both relationships reflect the patriarchal society of Shakespeares era of which the father was head of the household and their word was regarded by the family as law. To Hermia her father should be as God so Hermias disobedience towards her fathers wishes for her to marry Demetrius would be unexpected and would shock and appal an Elizabethan audience as this is disrespectful to Egeus. Hermias and Juliets stubbornness would bring about dire consequences from their enraged fathers as both threatened harm to their daughters in the case of their defiance. The chastisements are harsh if Hermia does not obey: Either to die the death or to live a barren sister all your life, chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon. There are options for Hermias fate if she refuses to marry Demetrius. She will legally be put to death, which suggests the severity of Hermias defiance, or to live as a sister i. e. a nun and take an oath of celibacy to renounce forever the society of men. Theseus mentions that she will be a slave to Diana, the Goddess of Virginity, praying in vein as Diana is cold and fruitless so will not listen or yield to Hermias desires; Hermia wants to marry Lysander but she has to marry Demetrius or no-one because Demetrius is her fathers choice. Capulet threatens to disown Juliet: Ill neer acknowledge thee, nor what is mine shall never do thee good Capulet judges Juliet as a traitor and is determined to get her to the church on Thursday as he says he will drag thee on a hurdle which was used for the executions of traitors, this emphasises the scale of the insult it would be if Juliet refuses to marry such a worthy gentleman as Paris, and this image of death relates to Hermias punishment.

Differences Of Lying And Not Telling The Truth

Differences Of Lying And Not Telling The Truth Lying and not-telling the truth are different in their own right, and have moral and ethical implications associated with each one. This is not merely a matter of semantics; it is a matter of substance. By the use of analogy, there are major difference between justified and unjustified homicide. Murder is unjustified homicide and will always be considered wrong by a moral society. Not every instance of killing a person, however, is considered murder. In scenarios of capital punishment and self-defense occasions can justified homicide. Similarly, in the case of a lie there is an unjustified discrepancy between what you believe and what you say, and so lying is may always be considered immoral. In some circumstances, not telling the truth in order to preserve a higher moral law may well be considered the right thing to do and thus is not actually a lie. While Kant asserted that lying, or deception of any kind, should be forbidden under any interpretation and in any circumstance. He stated this because if it is universally acceptable to lie, then no one would believe anyone and all truths would always be assumed to be lies or deceptions. He also stated that the right to deceive an individual couldnt also be used because it would discard the rights of the person being deceived as an end in itself. Therefore, Kant denied the right to lie or deceive any person for any reason, regardless of context or anticipated consequences. While Kant proclaimed this notion of never lying, there are pitfalls in his universalizing. Throughout these examples the pitfalls of Kants universal laws will be exposed. There are several circumstances that not telling the truth wouldnt be considered a lie. For instance in the case of national security, the United States government might omit or falsify information that is given to the public to ultimately protect their own interests or assets. For example, General H. Norman Schwarzkopf during the lead up to the first Gulf War he was known to give many press conferences leading up to the invasion. During these press conferences not all the information that he presented regarding his invasion strategy could be considered a full truth. During this time Schwarzkopf would have falsified information about the invasion date to the media, in effort to deceive them. While knowing that this information was a non-truth, this information mislead the enemy and gave the United States military a strategic advantage. In effect by not-telling the truth, Schwarzkopf gave the military the element of surprise, which could have resulted in saving thousands of American l ives. Should Schwarzkopf be considered a liar in this case? In this case, while Schwarzkopf had been telling false-truths it was done for moral reasons and shouldnt be considered a lie. Since the ends justify the means it is morally acceptable by not telling the truth and it shouldnt be construed as a lie. While in the previous scenario not telling the truth isnt considered lying, there are other situations cannot be interpreted in the same fashion. If an omission of the truth is used to mislead or deceive someone for your own greater ends, or for an immoral goal, then the non-truth cannot be construed in the same way. For instance during the most recent financial collapse many banks and financial firms mislead the country and their clients about the value of different products they were trying to sell. Since their intentions were to mislead, or deceive their clients on the sole purpose to turn a profit, thus it cannot be considered a morally justified act. If the intentions of these firms like Goldman Sachs wasnt done to mislead, but done in the interests of their clients, unknowing the unfortunate consequences. Then this company shouldnt be considered a liar, but unfortunately they knowing lied and mislead their clients. Since the act was done for malice, and for their own greed, the n their act of deception must be considered a blatant lie. While in most cases, such as the ones already presented the distinction between lying and not-telling the truth are made quite clear. On the other hand, these distinctions cannot always be viewed in black and white, but in varying shades of gray. If the intentions of the lie is not done for your own self-interests, or for your own ends, but done in a manner to save a person from embarrassment and humiliation, thus it cannot be considered a lie. For example if a loved one asks am I over weight? While knowing all along the answer is yes is it in their best interest and yours to be absolutely blunt with them? If their condition isnt life threating or will cause ailment to the individual in the future, then the act of lying to protect their feelings isnt morally wrong and should be considered a lie. If your wife asks you does this dress look good? while knowing all along that you dont like the dress, telling her what she wants to hear doesnt harm or effect anyone. If in the situation you have nothing to gain and your purpose is to protect the other person from pain or grief then not telling the truth, may be the right thing to do and therefore morally acceptable. While distinctions between lying or not-telling the truth can be made. Is the omission of details considered lying? For instants lets say you are being interrogated for a crime, during the interrogation you answer all the questions truthfully and only answer the question that was precisely given. Even though you might have committed this crime, should the omission of details shouldnt be considered lying? Its the fault of the interrogator not asking the proper questions during the interview which lead them from not discovering the whole truth. Thus since no false-truths were given to any of the questions the one being interrogated shouldnt be perceived as a liar. Throughout this essay many examples were given to help clarify the distinction between lying and not-telling the truth. In all cases, to label someone a liar certain factors must be met to determine whether an individual telling a lie or just simply not-telling the truth. The most major underlying distinctions between them is the intentions of the person telling the lie. If the lie is done so in a manner that doesnt harm or cause pain to the person, and has moral and ethical intentions, then the person shouldnt be considered a liar. Contrariwise, if the individuals intentions are to deceive or cause harm to another individual, then the intentions are clear on what they wish to achieve, thus should be labeled a liar.

Importance of the Friars in Much Ado About Nothing and Measure for Meas

Importance of the Friars in Much Ado About Nothing and Measure for Measure In the plays Much Ado About Nothing and Measure for Measure, the friars are important instruments in their respective storyline because of their assumed pure intentions of using deception as a means to right the wrong-doing within the play. They have the authority to administer questionable plans of action because they are respected and trusted. The friars hear all of the confessions; therefore, they could know even the deepest of secrets. The friars, or "Fathers" take on a protective role, a paternal one. They seem to relate more with the youth, or the wronged, who become like children needing guidance in their vulnerable states. When the parents, or as in Measure for Measure, Angelo, must be contradicted, the next highest up in the chain of command is the friar. The friars assume these authoritative roles with great conviction. They seem to believe that they must protect their sheep and fight evil. Friar Francis of Much Ado About Nothing believes himself to serve as a means for jus tice, "Craft against vice I must repay" (3.1.57). In a different realm of justice, within different scales of measurement, the Friars offer their non-doctrinal mode of deception to set the world (of the play) in harmony. In Much Ado About Nothing, Friar Francis suggests a peculiar solution to amend a horrible situation in which the bride was shamed and jilted. Friar Francis seemed to be the only male who pulled for Hero's honor. He believed her when her father did not and vied for her innocence when he said, "Trust not my age, / My reverence, calling, nor divinity/ If this sweet lady lie not guiltless here/ Under some biting error" (4.1.166-9). He advised that she prete... ...acilitators when they are the only characters whose authority never is questioned. Only they can pull off the deceptive schemes that they do because no one else in the play either can be trusted, or is not in a position of power as the friars are. Friar Francis and Friar Lodowick are not despised in the end because their religious positions allow for them to be trusted in making a just and right decision. The friars restored order. Within the system of justice in which the friars operate it is not only just, but necessary, to sin by lying and deceiving, in order for love and harmony to prevail. It then becomes a question of not whether these holy men abuse Christian dogma, but on their intent behind the deceit. Thus "craft against vice" is the powerful system which allows for discrepancy concerning sin in order to combat the havoc caused by deception by evil intent.

NAFTA and Mexico Essay -- essays research papers fc

Mexico’s economy is undergoing a stunning transformation. Seven years after the launch of the North American Free Trade Agreement, it is fast becoming an industrial power. Free trade with the U.S. and Canada is turning the country from a mere assembler of cheap, low-quality goods into a reliable exporter of sophisticated products from auto breaks to laptops computers. Although Mexico has seen economic growth lately, it still faces tremendous problems in the aftermath of the 1995 recession and the revolution that took place in the Chiapas which still wages on today. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects that NAFTA has had on the economy and it’s people during the implementation of NAFTA and in what NAFTA will bring in the future. The North American Free Trade Agreement was designed to open borders and promote free trade between three countries: Canada, the United States and Mexico. Signed in 1992, ratified by the U.S. Congress in November 1993 and implemented January 1, 1994, NAFTA reduced some tariffs immediately while others are scheduled to fall to zero over a 15-year period. NAFTA follows the prescription of liberalization- including the deregulation of government restrictions to allow increased trade, direct foreign investment, and foreign ownership of businesses.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On January 1, 1994, a Mexico still sleepy from New Year’s celebrations awoke to discover a passionate new revolution sweeping across the state of Chiapas. The Zapatistas, a small, yet powerfully forceful group of indigenous people, exhausted from centuries of oppression, poverty and corruption, rose up to end this societal injustice, and most specifically, to battle the new tyrant that would be born that very day: The North American Free Trade Agreement. This revolt was viewed by the indigenous population of Chiapas as an essential act to stop the debilitating cycle of injustice and to prevent future harm to the Mexican people by opposing NAFTA. â€Å"The Zapatistas have pulled back the curtain that covered up the other Mexico. It is not the Mexico of eager entrepreneurs lined up to open Pizza Hut franchises or consumers eager to shop at Wal-Mart, but rather the Mexico of malnourished children, illiteracy, landlessness, poor roads, lack of health clinics, and life as a permanent struggle.† (Quoted in Russell, p. 1)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  NAFTA was ... ...nmental Issues Under the NAFTA. Canadian – American Committee. Toronto: 1993. Marinez, Elizabeth and Arnoldo Garica. (No Date). What is â€Å"Neo Liberalism†? [Online]. Avaible:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.corpwatch.org/trac/corner/glob/neolib.html (June 27-29, 1997). NAFTA’s Failure to Deliver [Online]. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www/coha.org/pressr/naftapr/html Nelan, Bruce W. (April 4, 1994). Days of Trauma and Fear [Online]. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.time.com/time/magazine/archieves/1994/940404/940404.mexico.html Perlo, Vicotr. (March 4, 1995). The Rape of Mexico [Online]. Available:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/46/031.html â€Å"The President, the peso, the market and those Indians.† The Economist 24 Dec 1994: 43. Russell, Philip. The Chiapas Rebellion. Mexico Resource Center. Austin: 1995 Shadows of Tender Fury: The Letters and Communiques of Subcomandante Marcos and the Zapatista Army of National Liberation. Monthy Review Press. New York: 1995 Wise, Carol. â€Å"The Post-NAFTA Political Economy.† Mexico and the Western Hemisphere. Pennsylvania State University Press: September 1998.

Prions: A Novel Infectious Pathogen Essay -- Medicine Medical Illnesse

Prions: A Novel Infectious Pathogen Prions are novel, transmissible pathogens that differ from viroids, viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria, both with respect to the diseases they cause and their structure . They are capable of causing degenerative diseases of the centra1 nervous system both in animals anal in humans. Kuru, Creutzfeldt-Jakob’s disease (CJD) and Gerstmann-Straussler-Sheinker’s (GSS) syndrome illustrate the acquired, sporadic, and genetic manifestation of the -human prion diseases. These transmissible pathogens also cause Scrapie of sheep and goats. Bovine spongiform enphalopathy,(BSE) in cows and transmissible mink encephalopathy, and chronic wasting disease (CWD) of captive mule deer and elk which are thought to result from the ingestion of Scrapie infested animal products (Pruisner, 1991). In addition to these diseases, certain neuropathological changes associated with scrapie disease seem to correlate well with similar changes observed in Alzheimer’s patients (Duguid 1989). T hese similarities have been attributed to similar alterations in gene expression in both of the diseased states (Duguid, 1989). First, in addition to the unique diseases that they cause, prions also exhibit certain novel molecular and structural properties which further differentiate them from other infectious pathogens. The unusual biological properties were first unraveled through experiments performed on scrapie -infested sheep. The isolated scrapie agent from these sheep seem to exhibit certain unusual properties. One such property is the scrapie-agents resistance to nuclease digestion. After being subjected to several rounds of digestion with various nucleases including micrococcal nuclsase, nuclease - P, and deoxyribonucl... ...60-7264.(a) 7. Gabzion, R., McKinley, M. P., Groth, D., Westaway, D., DeArmond, S. J., Carlson, G. A., Prusiner, S. B. (1989) Immunoaffinity purification and neutralization of scrapie prions. Prog. Clin. Biol. Res. 317: 583-600. 8. Hsiao, K., Zeev, M., Kahana, E., Cass, C., Kahana.. I., Avrahemi, D., Scarlato, G.. Abramsky, O., Prusiner, S. B., and Gabizon, R. (1991) Mutation of the Prion Protein in Libyan Jews with Creutzfeldt-Jakob’s disease. N. Engl. J. Med., 324: 1091-1097. 9. Prusiner, S. B. (1991) Molecular Biology of Prion Disease. Science, 252: 1515-1522. 10. Prusiner, S. B. (1982) Novel proteinaceous infectious particles cause scrapie. Science,216: 136-144. 11. Stahl, N. and Pruisner, S. B. (1991) Prions and prion proteins. FASEB J., 5: 2799—2807. 12. Weissmann, C. (1991) A unified theory of prion propagation. Nature., 352: 679-683.

Women in World War II

Women served an important role in WWII. They not only took the challenge and stepped up to take the places of the men off fighting in the war to work in factories, but they also fought side by side with those risking their lives and fighting for their country. They were needed everywhere during the war. There were an unbelievable amount of job opportunities for women during the war and many supported the brave acts of voluntary enlistment. â€Å"‘A woman’s place is in the home’ was an old adage, but it still held true at the start of World War II. Even though millions of women worked, home and family we considered the focus of their lives† says Brenda Ralf Lewis. Without the help of those women who were brave enough to step, the war may have not ended as successfully as is did. Women’s jobs were very important in WWII. Women participated a great deal on the home front war effort. While the men in their lives were off fighting in the war, women were working in factories fulfilling the men’s jobs producing ammunition, tanks, and other weapons urgently needed during the war. According to Buzzle. com, â€Å"Women took over places initially meant for men and excelled in the same as well. If women weren’t in factories they were at home providing for their families. Supplies were rationed because of the shortages caused by lack of trade from other countries that were at war as well, such as Japan and Southeast Asia. Families were given booklets for each member which determining the amount received. Utilities such as toaster and waffle irons; flashlights and batteries; tea; toys and games; vacuum cleaners and vending machines were no longer manufactured because the materials were more of a priority for scrap metal to build the necessities for war. Use it up/ Wear it out/ Make it do/ or do without† became a well-known saying around the United States during the war according to Dot Chastney. During the war women were expected to step up in the places of the men. Some were brave enough to go out into the field while others didn’t have much of a choice but to work in factories in order to stay closer to home with their families. The war had an impact not only on the fighters and workers, but on the children as well. They were deprived of the education they deserved because funding started to go to the war efforts. Having to deal with the war caused people all around to make decisions that were best for everyone around rather than a specific group of people. One good thing that came out of the war was the extraordinary opportunities offered to women. Not only did it show that women can work as well as men did in those working conditions, it widened women’s work options, and let them contribute what they had to offer to the war. While men were at war, jobs were needed to be filled. War was heating up and according to Brenda Ralf Lewis. It was not entirely unexpected and anticipating the event was different from experiencing it first hand, which caused upheaval as m millions geared up to cope with its demands. † Jobs were a huge demand at this point and who else to fill the jobs? That’s right. The countries very own women. Women were granted with extraordinary opportunities. â€Å"Women learned new skills as they replaced men in war work, using expertise and physical strength many never knew they possessed. This did not always go down well with men still working in the wartime factories†, acknowledges Brenda Ralf Lewis. Being able to work in factories, women learned techniques they never knew they had and if it hadn’t been for the war, they probably never would have ever experienced it. Opportunities for women consisted of Army nurses, Navy nurses, Women Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC), Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), women Marines, the Coast Guard preserve, jet pilots, and so many other amazing opportunities. There were not only needed for fighting on the front, but for factory jobs as well. Women quickly learned to work with the machines and build the necessary weapons that were in high demand during the war. Rosie the Riveter was a metaphoric figure used to represent the strength, dirty jobs, and work women provided for the war effort. Penny Colman states â€Å"Rosie the Riveter was supposedly based on Rose Bonavita, a riveter in the United States. † During the war more than six million women joined the workforce. In August of 1943 Newsweek Magazine reported: â€Å"They [women] are in the shipyards, lumber mills, steel mills, foundries. They are welders, electricians, mechanics, and even boiler makers. They operate street cars, buses, cranes, and tractors. Women engineers are working in the drafting rooms and women physicists and chemists in the great industrial laboratories. † Ever since then women proved that they can work in a man’s workplace and do just as well. Any job that was a man’s, was a women’s as well. Women were soon â€Å"the most needed workers of all† according to Brenda Ralf Lewis. Factory workers became known as â€Å"the soldiers without guns†. If women hadn’t stepped up to the line, winning the war wouldn’t have been as easy as it was for us. Not only did the women in factories and shipyards have a big part in doing their part in the war contributions, but so did the women who were out on the field fighting alongside with their men risking their very life. Women working and fighting on the line of protection had the toughest jobs. â€Å"Those working on the front line lived in constant danger as they worked to preserve life while everything happening around them was designed to destroy it† says Brenda Ralf Lewis. In the beginning women were discriminated and were doubted when doing the jobs on the front line. Thousands of women joined the women’s uniformed services in World War II. There was, inevitably, resistance to the idea of women in uniform, but their contribution was vital† reports Brenda Ralf Lewis. Not long after joining the armed forces they were able to prove the doubters otherwise. The Allied armed services drew thousands of women into military life, from all over the world. The United Stat es and Britain accounted for most employing women in all three armed forces and, in the case of the United States, in the Coast Guard and Marines as well. There were many different military branches women were able to join at that time. Some included Women’s Arm Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), Women’s Army Corps (WAC); Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) was incorporated with the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) as well. Other countries such as Britain, Canada, Australia, South Africa, India, New Zealand, Burma, France, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and the Soviet Union all offered forces dedicated to women and the services they offered. Many questioned the fact if women should be allowed to serve at all. Women in the military had image problems. They were seen as femme’s fatales; their role was trivialized or they were dubbed ‘unfeminine’ for deserting their proper place, home. Not only did they prove them wrong by going out into the field and fighting on the front, but they also put their feminine qualities to work. Women became great undercover spies. According to Simone Payment, â€Å"Spies have been used in times of war and peace since the beginning of civilization and women have long been involved in these espionage pursuits. In the United States, female spies participate in both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. But it wasn’t until World War II that they became an official-and incredibly important-part of the war effort. Many female spies made a difference in World War II, often at a great personal cost†. Many never questioned the thought of a dainty and delicate woman to be able to posses such power. Women were able to go undercover easily by just being themselves and going along with their daily lives. Women took the risks of being captured and tortured if they were ever discovered. Some women that contributed their lives to the ware are: Tatiana Nikolaevna Baramzina who was born on December 12, 1919 in Glazov and was also the recipient of the Gold Star Award. In 1943, Tatiana was sent to the Central Women's Sniper Training School and upon her graduation in April, she was later sent to the 3rd Belorussian Front. She managed to kill around 16 enemies in the first three months itself. Unfortunately, she was captured by the enemies and tortured before she was shot point blank. Tatiana Nikolaevna Baramzina passed away on July 5, 1944. Today, the street where she grew up has been re-named in her memory. Another woman that dedicated her life to the war was named Hannah Szenes who was born on 17th July, 1921 and was trained to parachute by the British army into Yugoslavia during World War II. This task was given in order to save the Jews of Hungary. Her secret mission was not revealed even when she was tortured following her arrest at the Hungarian border. Hannah Szenes had to brave immense tortures, yet she did not lose heart. She bravely battled it out and tried to sing to keep her spirits high. She also kept a record of events in her diary till November 7, 1944, when she was finally executed by a firing squad. During the war, the efforts of many women had gone by unnoticed. Overall women had and enormous impact on the war with their contributions and dedication to help provide, step up and win the war. Without the help of the women, we might have never won. Every woman had an important role and they did it with great honor. To this day, women are in all different branches of the military.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Sixteen

Eddard They've found her, my lord.† Ned rose quickly. â€Å"Our men or Lannister's?† â€Å"It was Jory,† his steward Vayon Poole replied. â€Å"She's not been harmed.† â€Å"Thank the gods,† Ned said. His men had been searching for Arya for four days now, but the queen's men had been out hunting as well. â€Å"Where is she? Tell Jory to bring her here at once.† â€Å"I am sorry, my lord,† Poole told him. â€Å"The guards on the gate were Lannister men, and they informed the queen when Jory brought her in. She's being taken directly before the king . . . â€Å" â€Å"Damn that woman!† Ned said, striding to the door. â€Å"Find Sansa and bring her to the audience chamber. Her voice may be needed.† He descended the tower steps in a red rage. He had led searches himself for the first three days, and had scarcely slept an hour since Arya had disappeared. This morning he had been so heartsick and weary he could scarcely stand, but now his fury was on him, filling him with strength. Men called out to him as he crossed the castle yard, but Ned ignored them in his haste. He would have run, but he was still the King's Hand, and a Hand must keep his dignity. He was aware of the eyes that followed him, of the muttered voices wondering what he would do. The castle was a modest holding a half day's ride south of the Trident. The royal party had made themselves the uninvited guests of its lord, Ser Raymun Darry, while the hunt for Arya and the butcher's boy was conducted on both sides of the river. They were not welcome visitors. Ser Raymun lived under the king's peace, but his family had fought beneath Rhaegar's dragon banners at the Trident, and his three older brothers had died there, a truth neither Robert nor Ser Raymun had forgotten. With king's men, Darry men, Lannister men, and Stark men all crammed into a castle far too small for them, tensions burned hot and heavy. The king had appropriated Ser Raymun's audience chamber, and that was where Ned found them. The room was crowded when he burst in. Too crowded, he thought; left alone, he and Robert might have been able to settle the matter amicably. Robert was slumped in Darry's high seat at the far end of the room, his face closed and sullen. Cersei Lannister and her son stood beside him. The queen had her hand on Joffrey's shoulder. Thick silken bandages still covered the boy's arm. Arya stood in the center of the room, alone but for Jory Cassel, every eye upon her. â€Å"Arya,† Ned called loudly. He went to her, his boots ringing on the stone floor. When she saw him, she cried out and began to sob. Ned went to one knee and took her in his arms. She was shaking. â€Å"I'm sorry,† she sobbed, â€Å"I'm sorry, I'm sorry.† â€Å"I know,† he said. She felt so tiny in his arms, nothing but a scrawny little girl. It was hard to see how she had caused so much trouble. â€Å"Are you hurt?† â€Å"No.† Her face was dirty, and her tears left pink tracks down her cheeks. â€Å"Hungry some. I ate some berries, but there was nothing else.† â€Å"We'll feed you soon enough,† Ned promised. He rose to face the king. â€Å"What is the meaning of this?† His eyes swept the room, searching for friendly faces. But for his own men, they were few enough. Ser Raymun Darry guarded his look well. Lord Renly wore a half smile that might mean anything, and old Ser Barristan was grave; the rest were Lannister men, and hostile. Their only good fortune was that both Jaime Lannister and Sandor Clegane were missing, leading searches north of the Trident. â€Å"Why was I not told that my daughter had been found?† Ned demanded, his voice ringing. â€Å"Why was she not brought to me at once?† He spoke to Robert, but it was Cersei Lannister who answered. â€Å"How dare you speak to your king in that manner!† At that, the king stirred. â€Å"Quiet, woman,† he snapped. He straightened in his seat. â€Å"I am sorry, Ned. I never meant to frighten the girl. It seemed best to bring her here and get the business done with quickly.† â€Å"And what business is that?† Ned put ice in his voice. The queen stepped forward. â€Å"You know full well, Stark. This girl of yours attacked my son. Her and her butcher's boy. That animal of hers tried to tear his arm off.† â€Å"That's not true,† Arya said loudly. â€Å"She just bit him a little. He was hurting Mycah.† â€Å"Joff told us what happened,† the queen said. â€Å"You and the butcher boy beat him with clubs while you set your wolf on him.† â€Å"That's not how it was,† Arya said, close to tears again. Ned put a hand on her shoulder. â€Å"Yes it is!† Prince Joffrey insisted. â€Å"They all attacked me, and she threw Lion's Tooth in the river!† Ned noticed that he did not so much as glance at Arya as he spoke. â€Å"Liar!† Arya yelled. â€Å"Shut up!† the prince yelled back. â€Å"Enough!† the king roared, rising from his seat, his voice thick with irritation. Silence fell. He glowered at Arya through his thick beard. â€Å"Now, child, you will tell me what happened. Tell it all, and tell it true. It is a great crime to lie to a king.† Then he looked over at his son. â€Å"When she is done, you will have your turn. Until then, hold your tongue.† As Arya began her story, Ned heard the door open behind him. He glanced back and saw Vayon Poole enter with Sansa. They stood quietly at the back of the hall as Arya spoke. When she got to the part where she threw Joffrey's sword into the middle of the Trident, Renly Baratheon began to laugh. The king bristled. â€Å"Ser Barristan, escort my brother from the hall before he chokes.† Lord Renly stifled his laughter. â€Å"My brother is too kind. I can find the door myself.† He bowed to Joffrey. â€Å"Perchance later you'll tell me how a nine-year-old girl the size of a wet rat managed to disarm you with a broom handle and throw your sword in the river.† As the door swung shut behind him, Ned heard him say, â€Å"Lion's Tooth,† and guffaw once more. Prince Joffrey was pale as he began his very different version of events. When his son was done talking, the king rose heavily from his seat, looking like a man who wanted to be anywhere but here. â€Å"What in all the seven hells am I supposed to make of this? He says one thing, she says another.† â€Å"They were not the only ones present,† Ned said. â€Å"Sansa, come here.† Ned had heard her version of the story the night Arya had vanished. He knew the truth. â€Å"Tell us what happened.† His eldest daughter stepped forward hesitantly. She was dressed in blue velvets trimmed with white, a silver chain around her neck. Her thick auburn hair had been brushed until it shone. She blinked at her sister, then at the young prince. â€Å"I don't know,† she said tearfully, looking as though she wanted to bolt. â€Å"I don't remember. Everything happened so fast, I didn't see . . . â€Å" â€Å"You rotten!† Arya shrieked. She flew at her sister like an arrow, knocking Sansa down to the ground, pummeling her. â€Å"Liar, liar, liar, liar.† â€Å"Arya, stop it!† Ned shouted. Jory pulled her off her sister, kicking. Sansa was pale and shaking as Ned lifted her back to her feet. â€Å"Are you hurt?† he asked, but she was staring at Arya, and she did not seem to hear. â€Å"The girl is as wild as that filthy animal of hers,† Cersei Lannister said. â€Å"Robert, I want her punished.† â€Å"Seven hells,† Robert swore. â€Å"Cersei, look at her. She's a child. What would you have me do, whip her through the streets? Damn it, children fight. It's over. No lasting harm was done.† The queen was furious. â€Å"Joff will carry those scars for the rest of his life.† Robert Baratheon looked at his eldest son. â€Å"So he will. Perhaps they will teach him a lesson. Ned, see that your daughter is disciplined. I will do the same with my son.† â€Å"Gladly, Your Grace,† Ned said with vast relief. Robert started to walk away, but the queen was not done. â€Å"And what of the direwolf?† she called after him. â€Å"What of the beast that savaged your son?† The king stopped, turned back, frowned. â€Å"I'd forgotten about the damned wolf.† Ned could see Arya tense in Jory's arms. Jory spoke up quickly. â€Å"We found no trace of the direwolf, Your Grace.† Robert did not look unhappy. â€Å"No? So be it.† The queen raised her voice. â€Å"A hundred golden dragons to the man who brings me its skin!† â€Å"A costly pelt,† Robert grumbled. â€Å"I want no part of this, woman. You can damn well buy your furs with Lannister gold.† The queen regarded him coolly. â€Å"I had not thought you so niggardly. The king I'd thought to wed would have laid a wolfskin across my bed before the sun went down.† Robert's face darkened with anger. â€Å"That would be a fine trick, without a wolf.† â€Å"We have a wolf,† Cersei Lannister said. Her voice was very quiet, but her green eyes shone with triumph. It took them all a moment to comprehend her words, but when they did, the king shrugged irritably. â€Å"As you will. Have Ser Ilyn see to it.† â€Å"Robert, you cannot mean this,† Ned protested. The king was in no mood for more argument. â€Å"Enough, Ned, I will hear no more. A direwolf is a savage beast. Sooner or later it would have turned on your girl the same way the other did on my son. Get her a dog, she'll be happier for it.† That was when Sansa finally seemed to comprehend. Her eyes were frightened as they went to her father. â€Å"He doesn't mean Lady, does he?† She saw the truth on his face. â€Å"No,† she said. â€Å"No, not Lady, Lady didn't bite anybody, she's good . . . â€Å" â€Å"Lady wasn't there,† Arya shouted angrily. â€Å"You leave her alone!† â€Å"Stop them,† Sansa pleaded, â€Å"don't let them do it, please, please, it wasn't Lady, it was Nymeria, Arya did it, you can't, it wasn't Lady, don't let them hurt Lady, I'll make her be good, I promise, I promise . . . † She started to cry. All Ned could do was take her in his arms and hold her while she wept. He looked across the room at Robert. His old friend, closer than any brother. â€Å"Please, Robert. For the love you bear me. For the love you bore my sister. Please.† The king looked at them for a long moment, then turned his eyes on his wife. â€Å"Damn you, Cersei,† he said with loathing. Ned stood, gently disengaging himself from Sansa's grasp. All the weariness of the past four days had returned to him. â€Å"Do it yourself then, Robert,† he said in a voice cold and sharp as steel. â€Å"At least have the courage to do it yourself.† Robert looked at Ned with flat, dead eyes and left without a word, his footsteps heavy as lead. Silence filled the hall. â€Å"Where is the direwolf?† Cersei Lannister asked when her husband was gone. Beside her, Prince Joffrey was smiling. â€Å"The beast is chained up outside the gatehouse, Your Grace,† Ser Barristan Selmy answered reluctantly. â€Å"Send for Ilyn Payne.† â€Å"No,† Ned said. â€Å"Jory, take the girls back to their rooms and bring me Ice.† The words tasted of bile in his throat, but he forced them out. â€Å"If it must be done, I will do it.† Cersei Lannister regarded him suspiciously. â€Å"You, Stark? Is this some trick? Why would you do such a thing?† They were all staring at him, but it was Sansa's look that cut. â€Å"She is of the north. She deserves better than a butcher.† He left the room with his eyes burning and his daughter's wails echoing in his ears, and found the direwolf pup where they chained her. Ned sat beside her for a while. â€Å"Lady,† he said, tasting the name. He had never paid much attention to the names the children had picked, but looking at her now, he knew that Sansa had chosen well. She was the smallest of the litter, the prettiest, the most gentle and trusting. She looked at him with bright golden eyes, and he ruffled her thick grey fur. Shortly, Jory brought him Ice. When it was over, he said, â€Å"Choose four men and have them take the body north. Bury her at Winterfell.† â€Å"All that way?† Jory said, astonished. â€Å"All that way,† Ned affirmed. â€Å"The Lannister woman shall never have this skin.† He was walking back to the tower to give himself up to sleep at last when Sandor Clegane and his riders came pounding through the castle gate, back from their hunt. There was something slung over the back of his destrier, a heavy shape wrapped in a bloody cloak. â€Å"No sign of your daughter, Hand,† the Hound rasped down, â€Å"but the day was not wholly wasted. We got her little pet.† He reached back and shoved the burden off, and it fell with a thump in front of Ned. Bending, Ned pulled back the cloak, dreading the words he would have to find for Arya, but it was not Nymeria after all. It was the butcher's boy, Mycah, his body covered in dried blood. He had been cut almost in half from shoulder to waist by some terrible blow struck from above. â€Å"You rode him down,† Ned said. The Hound's eyes seemed to glitter through the steel of that hideous dog's-head helm. â€Å"He ran.† He looked at Ned's face and laughed. â€Å"But not very fast.†

All Saints – Retail Environment

My Favourite Retail Environment: All Saints Before you enter the shop, All Saints have set their tone. Headless mannequins hang on chains, enclosed by dark grey walls; the window display at the front of the shop is bleak yet the simple nature portrays the beauty of the garments. The surrounding windows are tinted, therefore you can see out but not in; this gives the shop an exclusive feeling, contributing to the individual style of the clothes and the high price tags.The building is the main feature of All Saints which sets it apart from other high street shops; it’s a converted bank, however it’s been renovated to look and feel like a church, this view is gained from entry as you step through the huge wooden doors. The ceilings are high, the arches, pillars and cornices are incredible, the tiled floor is amazing, and the centre of the store has a beautiful round ceiling mural with a balcony surrounding and a trio of gold, goblet type ornaments.The shop is very gothic i n style and having every wall painted a dark grey colour contributes the styling of the clothes and the mood the shop puts you in; it’s like a fantasy world where the Victorian era meets modern Soho or downtown New York. Lighting in the store consists of spotlights on the ceiling pointing down at each fixture or display of clothing; this provides great contrast to the blandness of the colours and also highlights the garments beauty.The spotlights also contribute to the exclusive, almost celebrity feeling as they transform the store into a kind of set, depicting a story, as would be done in a movie. There is a hanging cruciform, created from very bright, stark naked bulbs. This creates a very artistic and creative view and a rock ‘n’ roll feel within the store, allowing the consumer to really understand the innovative and conceptual brand they are purchasing from.The theme of crosses is continued throughout the store and also features on the giant iron crest outsi de the store. The fixtures on the wall are created to be in the shape of a cross and the ends of each arm have a small cross logo. The fixtures are like scaffolding and the display cabinets are giant old wooden tables or big heavy draws and cupboards with huge locks and chains. The displays are incredible with huge butcher style hooks, warehouse style chains and metal, old head neck dummies ripping at the seams and skull candles.The store has depressive modern music playing in a relaxed manner, contributing to the contemporary feel and making the shopping experience more pleasant. There is no ‘perfumed’ smell to the store; yet it has a kind of musk which smells like old vs new. All Saints’ staff is incredibly attentive and great at selling in a non-pushy manner. Overall the store is very open plan; the distressed feel and glamour meets grunge cool is inspiring and that is what makes ‘All Saints’ my favourite retail environment.

Bite Me: A Love Story Chapter 13

13.Being the Chronicles of Abby Normal, Who, Befouled by the Wicked Taint of Rat Suck, Must Find Her Own Murderer How could I have known that my own tragic failure karma would reach out its slimy tentacles and engeeken my heroic Foo beyond the limits of our white-hot romance? ‘Kayso, I was major freaked about the cops almost getting the Countess and I needed to unburden on Foo, which I didn't have a chance, 'cause, as soon as I returned to the love lair, I ran into the comfort of Foo's arms, and rode him gently to the floor where I French-kissed him until he kinda gagged in ecstasy. Then he just threw me off him, like I was a gob of Bubblicious with all the licious chewed out of it. So he's like, â€Å"Not now, Abby. We have a crisis.† â€Å"You 'bout to have a crisis, nerdslice†-I go in my most authentic hip-hop ‘hood-ho accent-â€Å"crisis of my boot heel in your man marbles.† And he totally ignores my hurt feelings and is like, â€Å"Jared, get the door! She left the door open!† So Jared goes all stumbling across the loft to the door, and I'm all, â€Å"You're stretching out my boots.† And Jared is all, â€Å"Rat fog! Rat fog! Rat fog!† And I'm all, â€Å"Don't call me rat fog, bitch. Who held your hair when you drank that whole bottle of crme de menthe and hurled green for an hour?† And Foo's like, â€Å"Abby, look.† All pointing to the little plastic cages on the coffee table, which are kind of empty, then at this steam that's running around the outside of the room and blowing out from under the fridge in the kitchen and whatnot. And I'm, â€Å"‘Splain, s'il vous pla;t.† And Foo's all, â€Å"The rats came awake as vampyres at dusk. And Jared and I were feeding them with the blood that Jody left, by filling their little water bottles. But then when we turned around, the ones we were about to feed were out of their cages. And then we saw some of the cages were still streaming fog out, and the fog was going for the blood bags.† â€Å"And they bite,† goes Jared. â€Å"Yeah, they bite,† goes Foo. And he pulls up his pant leg and shows me where he's been bitten like a dozen times. And I'm like, â€Å"You can't go vamp without me.† And he's all, â€Å"No, I'd have to have some of their blood in me, and I was careful not to even get any on me.† Then all of a sudden there's a stream of mist coming up my boot (I was wearing my red Docs) and a little head starts to appear out of it. Then Foo snags a tennis racket from, like, out of nowhere and smacks the rat head, which goes flying across the room and hits the wall, trailing like a comet tail of mist. I know! A tennis racket. WTF? So I'm all, â€Å"Where did you get a tennis racket? Is that a secret thing with you?† â€Å"Missing the point,† sings Jared, like I'm totally missing the point. â€Å"Hello? We need to be freaked out that they're going to eat us, Nurse Oblivious.† And right then the mist starts taking form again and coming at me, and Foo bats another half-mist rat across the room. So I'm all, â€Å"Okay, good point. What are we going to do?† And I, like, gesture at the button on my sun jacket, because Foo has replaced the battery, which is out of a laptop, and I'm ready to toast some rodents. And Foo's all, â€Å"No, not yet. We have to figure out a way to study them. I need to turn them back to rats. And I have to figure out how this mist is manifesting. I mean, technically, it's not possible.† And I'm like, â€Å"You mean it's magic?† â€Å"I mean I've never even heard of anything like it in nature.† â€Å"Like magic.† He's like, â€Å"There's no such thing as magic.† I'm like, â€Å"The Countess said it was magic.† He's like, â€Å"My grandmother thinks the microwave is magic.† So I'm all, â€Å"It's not?† And Foo's all, â€Å"Magic is just science we don't understand yet.† So I'm all, â€Å"Told you.† And he like sighs all heavy and does his exasperated science face at me, and he's like, â€Å"We have to get them back in their cages. They can't feed when they are in mist form, so we just need to get them feeding and then we can catch them and put them in the cages.† And I'm like, â€Å"Can you believe that Tommy couldn't learn to turn to mist in five weeks and your rats did it, like, overnight? He must be a total tard.† â€Å"Or we have genius rats,† goes Jared, just as Foo is tennis racketing another rat head off his leg. So I'm all, â€Å"Nope, I don't think that's it. Why don't you just put out a little dish of blood and when they turn solid to drink it you can just tennis racket them into a box?† â€Å"We tried that. They figured it out,† goes Foo. And Jared's all, â€Å"See. Genius rats.† Then, to Foo, I'm all, â€Å"He has a thing for rats.† Foo's like, â€Å"Yeah. I got that. They turn back to solid when exposed to UV light, too, but then they start burning.† Then Jared's like, â€Å"Once, when Lucifer 2 got stuck in a drain pipe in our garage, we sucked him out with my dad's Shop Vac.† And Foo's like, â€Å"That's it. We can suck them up with a Shop Vac.† So I'm like, â€Å"That will just blow the mist out the other side?† â€Å"I can put a really weak UV LED in the barrel of the Shop Vac. Maybe that will be enough to turn them solid without burning them. I'll experiment a little while you're gone.† And I'm all, â€Å"Foo, you know it makes me hot when you talk all nerdy, but what do you mean, while I'm gone?† And he's all, â€Å"To get the Shop Vac. We don't have a Shop Vac.† So I look at Jared, all wobbly-assed on my Skankenstein ® boots, so he's useless, and I'm like, â€Å"Well, I'm not dragging a Shop Vac back on the bus or the F car. Give me your car keys.† And Foo's, like, big â€Å"OH NOEZ† mouth and anime eyes, like, â€Å"Whaaaaa?† And I'm like, â€Å"Unless you really do love your car more than me.† And he's like, â€Å"‘Kay.† And hands them over. Which, as it turns out, was really poor judgment on his part. More L8z. Gotta jet. The tow truck is here. ‘Kayso, it turns out that driving an actual car is way harder than it is in Grand Theft Auto: Zombie Hooker Smackdown. Even though there was only, like, minor damage, it could have been totally avoided if you didn't have to shift so much. Everything was good going to get the Shop Vac, because I only used first and second gear. It was coming home, when I started feeling confident and decided to see if there was a third gear, that it went kind of wrong. Still, all the screaming and crying on Foo's part was kind of over-emo, considering that after the tow truck lowered the Honda, you couldn't even see any damage if you didn't crawl under and look at where the fire hydrant had sort of rearranged a couple of wiry-looking things. And Hondas are totally waterproof for the most part, so no biggie, right? So, it was like this- I drive totally ninja all the way to the Ace Hardware in the Castro, but I didn't park because it involves backing up, which is not in my skill set. So I'm, like, double-parked, and I run in and this crusty guy behind the counter is all, â€Å"You can't park there.† And I'm like, â€Å"Fuck off, butt-munch, I have a guy.† ‘Kayso, I find my gay Builder Bob guy, and he's all, â€Å"Darling, how are you? Fab boots!† And I'm like, â€Å"Thanks, I like your apron. I need a Shop Vac.† And he's all, â€Å"What size?† And I'm like, â€Å"It needs to hold about a hundred rats.† And he's all, â€Å"Girlfriend, we need to party or go shopping and dish.† And I'm, like, totally flattered, because shopping is a sacred thing to gay guys, but I stay on mission, and I'm all, â€Å"In red, if you have it.† Because red is the new black and because it will match my Docs. And so we're going to the Shop Vac section, Bob is like, â€Å"So, how's the dark lord?† And I'm all, â€Å"Oh, he's gone. He tried to tear out my jugular vein, so the Countess threw him out the window and it hurt his feelings.† So Bob pats my shoulder and goes, â€Å"Men. What are you gonna do? He'll be back. The drill worked okay, though?† And I'm like, â€Å"Oh yeah. We got him out, but he broke both his legs because he was kind of eager.† Then Bob gets all protective Daddy-voice on me and is like, â€Å"Safety word, sweetheart. Everyone needs a safety word.† So I'm all, â€Å"‘Kay.† Then Builder Bob helps me get my Shop Vac into the car, because it turns out that it takes a vacuum big enough to sleep inside to suck up a hundred rats. ‘Kayso, then I drove and that thing happened with the car and the cops came and they were all, â€Å"You don't have a license and you're not allowed to drive on the sidewalk, blah, blah, oh my God my insipid cop life is so boring I should just eat my gun, bluster, blah, blah.† And I'm all, â€Å"Chill, cops. Call my cop minions Rivera and Cavuto, s'il vous plaà ®t. They will confirm that I am on a secret cop mission and should not be fucked with by pathetic day dwellers like yourselves.† Then I presented them with Rivera's card, which I whipped out of my messenger bag like it was my badge of badassness. So cop one, who is in charge because he has the car keys, is all, â€Å"I'll check this out, wait here while I go make radio noises in the car like a humongous loser while my wife is home boning some huge stud-muffin.† I'm paraphrasing. And in like two minutes, up pulls Rivera and Cavuto, and they have a dog now. His name is Marvin, and he's trs cute. He's all red, and like a Doberman or something badass, but he totally likes me and his little stubby tail was wagging and I let him drink some of the hydrant water out of my hand, and he did, even though there was plenty of water everywhere, but I guess it tasted like street and whatnot. So I'm like, â€Å"Hey, Rivera, tell these douche waffles that you and the ass bear are my bitches.† And Rivera is all concerned quiet cop voice, â€Å"She has mental problems.† â€Å"Head injury caused Tourette's syndrome,† goes Cavuto. â€Å"We'll handle this from here,† goes Rivera. So I got to ride in the back of the cop car with Marvin and the Shop Vac. It was really crowded and Marvin was all doggie licky love face, so my makeup was trs fucked up by the time we got to the loft. So I'm all, â€Å"Marvin loves me good long time, cops.† And Cavuto's all, â€Å"Figures, he's a cadaver dog.† And I'm all, â€Å"Sure, just make up things to make yourself sound cooler.† And Rivera's like, â€Å"Out. Tell your boyfriend we need our jackets ASAP. And after you deliver the message, go home. You're supposed to be at your mother's house.† ‘Kayso, they abandoned me on the sidewalk with my Shop Vac and drove off. I could see little tears of doggie despair in Marvin's eyes. So I text Foo that I need help getting the Shop Vac up the stairs and he comes down just as the tow truck pulls up, so all the crying and the screaming happens, and Foo is totally inconsolable, even when I offered him a hand job, which is really the best I could do on the sidewalk with people going by and whatnot, but I was rejected, proving, I think, that he really does love his car more than me. So it's like, Oh noez! And an inky-colored despair of rejection enveloped me like the black tortilla of depression around a pain burrito. I needed to mope and grieve for my lost innocence, but no. We had to fix the vacuum so it would suck vampy rat fog and turn it into vampy rat chunks. So while Foo wired science stuff into the Shop Vac, I had to get Jared down off the kitchen counter, where he had decided to stand and chuck a major spaz because he hit his rat fog tolerance level. And Jared's all, â€Å"Get them off me! Get them off me!† And he's swinging the tennis racket around like a friggin' windmill, when the rat fog isn't anywhere near him, but running around the edges of the room like a steamy baseboard. And I'm all, â€Å"You must chill, Spunk Monkey, my boots are scratching the counters.† Which Jared takes as his cue to start screaming like a little girl. (When Lily and I were going through our Gothic Lolita fashion phase, which we both abandoned later, me because I'd just gotten my lip ring and I kept dribbling lattes on my lacy parts, and Lily because ruffles made her ass look huge, we used to go to Washington Square Park and practice our horrified little-girl screams, but even without practice, Jared was way better than either of us ever was. I think maybe it's his asthma. Me and Lily could pown him at creepy staring, though.) Anyway, I was just glad that Jody took his dagger away from him, because someone could have lost an eye if he was still holding on to it when I swept his feet out from under him with the same stainless-steel torchiere lamp that the Countess had used on Tommy. (Although it was kind of bent now.) And he's all, â€Å"Ow, ow, ow.† And I'm all, â€Å"Your cross-dressing sissy-man kung-fu is no match for my superior household lighting kung-fu.† And he whines like, â€Å"I'm going home. You hurt me. You suck. This sucks. I have to go have family dinner-with my family-and I'm going to school tomorrow so you can just fuck off and die, Abby Normal.† And I'm like, â€Å"Fine, give me my boots.† And he's like, â€Å"Fine.† And I'm like, â€Å"Fine.† And it would have been way better if he could have just stormed out right then, but it took us about a half hour to get my boots off of him, with me sitting in the sink and him on the counter, guarding me with the tennis racket, because it turned out that I have a pretty low tolerance for rat fog trying to bite me, too. ‘Kayso, we got my boots off of Jared and he decided to stay and help because it turns out that even a stream of biting rat fog is more fun than family dinner. So Foo had the Shop Vac all scienced up with sunlight LEDs and whatnot and he turns it on and starts sucking in the mist with most awesome suckage. (Gay Builder Bob rocks hardware!) And it's so cool, because we can see the fog go in-then we can hear the thump as the sun LED turns the rats to solid again and they hit the inside of the plastic drum. And Foo is all yelling over the motor, â€Å"We may have to unload and put them in their boxes before we get too many. We don't want to open this and try to deal with a hundred rats.† And I'm all, â€Å"Why don't we just leave them in there until sunup and then they'll all be asleep?† And Foo looks at me, all surprised, and I'm like, â€Å"Shut up. I can be smart and hawt.† And he's all, â€Å"‘Kay,† which I don't know whether he meant sarcastically, or that I couldn't be smart, or that I wasn't hawt. But I never found out, because right then the Shop Vac starts making this, foof-thoop splat noise, and Jared lets loose with his little-girl scream. And it turns out that the exhaust of the Shop Vac is blowing vampy rats out the back side, which is the foof-thoop noise, and splattering them against the wall, which is the splat. And with every one, Jared is eeking. So it's like, Foof-thoopsplat-eek! Foof-thoop-splat-eek! Foof-thoop-splat-eek! I know! It would make a totally cool industrial beat for a dance groove. But I didn't sample it because there was stuff happening. And Foo is all, â€Å"Pick them up and put them in their boxes. Seal them with duct tape.† ‘Cause it turns out that vampy rats are pretty durable, and after they splat and slide down the wall, they are starting to pull themselves together again and sort of limp away, but slow enough to catch. But they're still all squishy and whatnot. So Jared and I just turn to Foo and give him our best, â€Å"Bitch, please,† look. So Foo's all, â€Å"Okay, then, you work the hose.† And I'm all, â€Å"Sure, now you want me to work your hose-â€Å" And he's all, â€Å"Abby, please!† Up until then I thought Foo was the most chill love ninja in the Bay Area, but it turns out that if his science gets a little sideways he goes to pieces. So I take the hose and start doing the rat suck, while Foo finds some rubber gloves and a spatula to scrape up the splatter pets. Then Jared gets the idea of shooting the rats right into their little plastic cages, which, as it turns out, kind of works after we blast a couple of them through the plastic and he starts holding the boxes against a pillow he tapes on the wall. And Foo starts duct taping on the lids before the vamp rats can pull themselves together. Then I'm all, â€Å"You know, if we could use this to shoot tiny dogs at the vamp kitties, we'd be finished with this nonsense in a day or two.† And Foo and Jared both roll their eyes at me like I'm high or something, when they are the ones sealing in mashed rats for freshness. ‘Kayso, by, like, midnight, we have all the rats boxed again, and most of them are kind of fixed, but some of them are still pretty fucked up from the flight, and Jared is all, â€Å"I'm going home. I have issues.† Which I know probably means that he is going to go home and break the news to Lucifer 2 that they are no longer BFFs because Jared has lost his rodent wood forever due to our night of rat carnage, which is a good thing, I guess. Then Foo is like, â€Å"I have to go, too. I have to meet with my academic advisor in the morning, and I have to prepare, then I have work in the afternoon.† And I'm all, â€Å"You can prepare here.† And Foo's like, â€Å"I don't think I can.† And he looks away. I was going to tell him that I had decided to become a creature of the night, but they were bailing on me, so I was all, â€Å"Fine. You two run along. I'll stay here.† And Foo was like, â€Å"Wait until dawn, then give each of them a water bottle of blood. They'll heal. But make sure you tape their cages back up so they can't escape. Blah, blah, biology, science, behavior, science word, science word, blah, blah.† So I kissed him like it was the last time, and went into the bedroom to lie down and wait until dawn, but there was like this huge maze made out of wood on our bed, so I went back out into the living room and chilled with the rats on the futon until dawn. I couldn't sleep anyway, because I was thinking of all the people I was totally going to get revenge on when I was nosferatu, after I found Jody and Tommy and rescued them, of course. ‘Kayso, like the Terminator (the liquid one, not the one that was governor), I will rise from the wreckage of my own metallic spooge to conquer all who oppose me. I know what I have to do. When Foo is at work, and Jared is at school, I shall use the blood that is blessed with the dark gift and become nosferatu. So suck it, bitches! ‘Kayso, at dawn, when all the rats stopped scrambling around in their little cages, I found one of the syringes that Tommy had gotten from the needle exchange program when he was pretending to be a junky, and I drew blood from the most healthy vamp rat we had. Then I had to decide to drink it or inject it, and after a while, I decided to inject it, which it turns out works just like in the movies and hurts way less than getting your eyebrow pierced. So then I lay down and waited for the vamping to come on. I thought about Foo, riding the BART all the way back to his parents' house in the Sunset instead of staying with me, and how that was kind of an assbag move on his part. And I thought of our time together, over six weeks, and how it would be hard on him when I was a superior creature of unspeakable evil and supernatural beauty. And I thought that maybe the Countess and Flood and I might have to live together in a mnage trois, and Foo and Jared might have to be our bug-eating minions, like Renfield in Dracula, except Foo would still have his fly manga hair and I would do him occasionally out of pity. And I cried a little, over the loss of my humanity and whatnot, because I realized that as soon as I was done saving Tommy and Jody, and enslaving Foo and Jared, I was going to sneak into Mr. Snavely's living room one night-come in as mist under the door-then form into my most awesome alabaster naked badassness and freak him completely the fuck out for failing me in Biology, and that it would be kind of an inhuman thing to do. And as I grieved, I fell into the deep sleep of the undead. I know. Trs awesome. But no! Now I'm awake, and it's still light out, and the vamp rats are still out and I don't have super powers and my evil is still totally speakable. Fucksocks! I forgot, I have to die before I change. I looked all over for that potassium chloride stuff that Foo said they killed the rats with, but all I found was the hammer, and I was all, â€Å"I don't think so.† So I went up to Market Street and thought I'd throw myself in front of a bus, but then, what if they left my body out in the sun and I burned up? So that was out. So then I was like, â€Å"Oh, duh, cut your wrists?† But it hurt like holy fuck, so I only kind of cut one wrist a little bit, and I bled for like a half hour and I wasn't even light-headed, so I was all, â€Å"Fuck this fun-free circus, I need an accomplice.† So I called the suicide hotline. And I'm all, â€Å"I need help.† And the guy is all, â€Å"What's your name?† And I'm all, â€Å"You don't have caller ID? What kind of lame hotline is this?† And he's all, â€Å"It says here that your name is Allison. Are you okay, Allison?† And I'm all, â€Å"No, I'm not okay. I'm calling the suicide hotline.† And he's all, â€Å"You don't want to commit suicide, Allison.† And I'm all, â€Å"Exactly, doofasaurus, I need someone to take me out. I need it to be quick, private, painless, and it shouldn't fuck up my hair too much.† And he's like, â€Å"But there's so much to live for.† So I'm like, â€Å"You're burning my minutes, fuckstick. I need a number for a hit man or one of those Kevorkian doctors.† And he's all, â€Å"I can't help you with that.† So I'm all, â€Å"Loser!† And I offed my phone. I can't believe it, but it turns out that the Motherbot was right. Sometimes, the only people you can trust are family. (â€Å"‘Scuse me, I barely suppressed a rainbow yawn when I typed that.) So here I am, waiting for my little sister, Ronnie, to get home from school so she can murder me, then hide my body under the bed until I return as the true Mistress of the Greater Bay Area Dark. This will be my last entry as a mortal. I have to go pick out an ensem for my death. I wonder how she'll do it? It better be painless or the first thing on my undead to-do list will be to open a bottle of Whoop-Ass P.M. on little sister.