The Film Jurassic Park | Analysis

The Film Jurassic Park | Analysis Oscar nomination To: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The film Jurassic Park has a very captivating plot with a very controversial and strong theme of science versus ethics and is a very strong candidate for an Academy Award and could be nominated for the best film of the year. Jurassic Park is a very deep film, which touches on the morality of scientific discoveries and experiments. It has a really strong theme and message. Jurassic Park is a fantastic film, not just for its thrills and visual effects, but for a plot that is meaningful and entertaining. The main theme, Science versus ethics, is very polemic and not very discussed and touched by the media, making the film even more interesting and captivating. The film does not only entertain the audience but it also makes the viewers think and analyse the ethics behind such a science experiment and discovery. Furthermore the film does not only discuss its theme and makes you think, it also sends a message across successfully: the consequences of the desire of exerting control over nature. As a thriller Steven Spielberg successfully creates suspense making the viewer entertained and thrilled. To create the excruciating suspense required for the plot, Steven Spielberg has used more than just the plot itself but also used effects such as sound, different type of shots and angles, colours and light, which all contributed to build up the tension of the movie. Steven Spielberg has shown in earlier movies directed by him, such as Jaws that he is more than capable of creating suspense and tension in his movies, and with Jurassic Park he proved once again that when it comes to effects he is one step ahead of everyone. The dinosaur, just like the setting, is very realistic, full of details and information, making the movie real and interesting. Even more than a decade later the visual effects remain solidly effective. The sounds used in the film helped to create a suspenseful and adventurous mood across the entire film, making it exiting and not even for a second tedious. The use of light and colours in the movie helps to develop the suspense and mystery already created. In many scenes the light is placed behind the animal or person, creating a silhouette and that creates a mysterious mood, because you can see the person or animal but not clearly. The colours help to create a more realistic scenario, earthy colours such as browns and greens are used often during the film. They also help to expand the mystery of the film as the colours do not give away much information and create an unknown mood of suspense. More over when the director wants the viewer to focus on a specific thing or wants to direct your attention to something he uses bright colours. For example the cars become a focal point and stand out from the setting because of the use of bright colours. The colour of the cars contrasts with the field, making the cars more noticeable. Green is the main colour as it is related to nature. Very often the director uses red details in the scenes, symbo lizing danger, small things such as a scarf that the female main character wears in the beginning of the film or details in the car, creating a mood of danger to the viewers. Moreover, Steven Spielberg also uses different types of shots and camera angles to create the suspense in the film. The shot types and angles, differ from the effects, colours, lights and sounds isnt something that the viewers would pick up on from the first time they watch the movie. Only when one stops to analyse it, does the subconscious pick things up, and without us even noticing it the angles of the camera builds and direct the viewers mood. Steven Spielberg incorporates all types of shots and very successfully creates extremely suspenseful mood in the film. An example of a long shot is when they show the dinosaurs for the first time. The camera shows the setting from far, positioning the characters close to the dinosaur, accentuating and visually stating the size difference between them. The-close up shots and extreme close up shots are used to show details, such as details in the dinosaurs, like its eyes, legs (showing its movement and creating tension), its mouth (creating a fearful mood). The close up shots are also used to create dynamics, for example when the camera zooms in to the big foot print of the Tyrannosaur on the ground full of water and in the water the reflection of the head of one of the characters, again comparing the size of a human to the size of the dinosaur. The use of angles is added to the shots to help to create mood. In Jurassic Park for example, the low angle is often used when shooting a dinosaur. This angle helps to make the dinosaur appear bigger and consequently creating a fearful and scary mood. The eye level from the kids point of view is also used many times throughout the film, making the viewer feel smaller and vulnerable compared with the situation and the dinosaurs, creating a mood of fear and generating suspense. The over the shoulder shots are used to give the viewer the sensation of been present there and been part of the film, making the film even more captivating and entertaining. Steven Spielberg, just like in his previous movies, allows the unknown to build tension and mystery. The movie starts off with an attack, but the trick is, the viewer does not see what has made the, they just know its happening. That builds up tension and curiosity for the viewers. Later on in the film, just before the exposure of the dinosaurs, the main characters are in a car, the woman is wearing a red scarf, symbolizing danger. The guy has seen something and is looking very surprised- the woman hasnt seen it yet and neither have the viewers. The man gently turns the womans head so she can see what he is seeing. The camera focus on the surprised faces but does not reveal what they have seen to the viewer, this builds up tremendous curiosity for the viewers. Then finally, after building up mystery and curiosity, the camera reveal to the viewers what was the cause of the surprise. Another strong element of the film is its characters and the actors who portray them. The characters might not be profoundly deep but their personalities are fully realized thanks not only to the writing, but to the actors who portray them. Joining Goldblum are Sam ONeill as Dr. Alan Grant, Laura Dern as Dr. Ellie Sattler, and Richard Attenborough as park creator John Hammond. Even minor characters are populated with strong actors, including Samuel L. Jackson as a computer guru and Wayne Knight as the villain Newman. No film review or nomination could describe the creativity and effort put in Jurassic Park. The suspense and excitement of the film can only be seen by watching the film. Steven Spielberg successfully put all the elements that makes a good movie together effectively, and the result is a master piece. Steven Spielberg besides making the viewer question the films message of ethics and science also makes the viewer question: how did he do it ? He brought the dream to life and made the film unbelievably real and taking ordinary humans closer to an imaginary world were dinosaurs exist. Even though Jurassic Park isnt a kids movie, it evokes a childlike sense of wonder. However, besides the magical part of the movie linking the viewer with their childhood, Jurassic Park is a serious movie, with a strong message. So for me Jurassic park deserves to be the Movie of the year. Nanook of the north: An overview Nanook of the north: An overview The film â€Å"Nanook of the North† is described as one of the first ever documentaries ever made. The filming of this controversial early documentary took place from August 1920 until August 1921. I find this film highly informative, even though Robert J. Flaherty, the producer and director of this film, altered and staged some things that were quite different in reality, a subject that has brought this film some criticism. For example, Nanooks name was really Allakariallak and his â€Å"family† wasnt really his family. So in a way, they were all actors and actresses in their own right, performing their â€Å"lives during the hunt† in front of the camera. Other things that Flaherty decided to change is that he wanted to document this Inuit â€Å"family† as they were back in the older days. While Allakariallak really hunted with a gun, Flaherty persuaded him to hunt in the same methods used by his ancestors so the viewers of this documentary would witness the lives of the Inuit in the Artic before they were influenced by the Europeans.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But it was making those criticized changes that made this film so much more informational in a certain sense. Europeans were already pretty familiar with how their society lived, because, well, they were living it. But by making the Inuit individuals in this film portray how they used to live makes the viewers experience a culture as it once was. This film includes demonstrating a variety of the Inuit ways, such as accurately displaying the ancestral customs of how they hunt, fish, and build igloos, while showing how an Inuit family survived their constant battles with nature without the aid of European instruments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This film, although entertaining and informational as most modern documentaries, makes me ponder and not completely sure of my decision on whether I should consider this film as an official first documentary or not. I believe official documentaries are supposed to portray something in a certain time period given that time, along with explanations of whats happening or has happened and what not. In other words, I think it would have been more completely accurate if Robert J. Flaherty showed how Allakariallak lived for real, giving viewers the idea of an Inuit familys life after European influence, instead of how his recent ancestors lived. The reason why I think this would be that even though the limited technology that was available to him back then would not allow him to film things in a completely detailed and definite way (for example, the igloo had to be constructed in a special way so Flahertys camera could capture everything inside correctly), â€Å"Nanook of the North† was altered in far too many aspects to completely accurately show how the Inuit lived in the early twentieth century, if that was Flahertys goal. It was made in a way as to make it seems that Nanook (Allakariallak)s daily life was so much more harsh than it is in real life. In one of the scenes in the film, he is seen laughing at a phonograph and biting into a record as if the objects were strange and foreign to him, and that he had never seen them before. However, it became known later that not only had Allakariallak seen phonographs before, but he was a frequent visitor to a trading post, and owned a snowmobile. This information about his life raises much controversy over whether this be regarded as a true official documentary or not.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  But on the other hand, as I explained above, this film being altered made it more of a documentary of how the Inuits ancestors used to live and survive in the Artic. It showed how they made their living off the land, hunting seals and walruses with a spear, rope, and other handmade hunting weapons. How they intelligently constructed igloos to sleep in during their hunts, and how amazing it was that so many people could fit into a seemingly tiny kayak. How during their struggles with the long hunt, their stomachs could no longer bear the waiting of nourishment, so they had to eat their fill raw. These, among many other things, did correctly show the more ancient ways of the Inuit, which is likely how the film obtained its success. It showed a different way to address their life, while not as much as a gentle walk in the park as a traditional typical European life, did not fail to show even without words that it was teamwork and the bond of the family that kept ever ything swinging in the right way, even in times where things would get more difficult than they would like.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As for my final opinion on whether â€Å"Nanook of the North† rightly fully earns the title as one of the first developed documentaries, I am still debating this. In a certain sense, as I explained above, it was both accurate about the life of the Inuit and inaccurate about their life at the same time. So I suppose this inspirational story in my opinion as of now, it seemed as if â€Å"Nanook of the North† was more of how a documentary should supposedly be, recording real life, but in a fictitious setting, or in a setting that wasnt true or present at that time. So Im not going to call this an official documentary, but neither am I going to say that its not either. Im going to refer to it as a â€Å"serious Mockumentary†.

Preventing Limb Amputations Across Borders In Latin American

Preventing Limb Amputations Across Borders In Latin American The collaborative partnership was established to raise the awareness of diabetes. The project showed that with a collaborative partnership among countries would enable a stronger health care system. (Long, Rodriguez, Holtz. 2008) The five countries that participated were Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Columbia, Venezuela. The focus was on education, treatment, care of diabetes to improve reduction and prevention methods. Long J., Rodriguez B., and Holtz C., (2008), Global Perspectives on Diabetes and Respiratory and Orthopedic Chronic Diseases, In Holtz (ED), Global Healthcare: Issues and Policies, (pp. 267-297), Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. What are the philosophical and practical pitfalls encountered? The philosophical and practical pitfalls were the implementation and prevention of foot amputations among health care professionals. The health care workers had local knowledge and it was difficult to implement new knowledge of diabetes care. 3. What is the most difficulty boundary to work across? The most difficult boundary to work across was foreign and local knowledge (Long, Rodriguez, Holtz. 2008). According to the World Bank Group, indigenous knowledge is the knowledge of a particular society, and foreign knowledge is short solutions into society (n.d). So in order to overcome this boundary the project has had to explain any foreign knowledge and implement it into local knowledge. Long J., Rodriguez B., and Holtz C., (2008), Global Perspectives on Diabetes and Respiratory and Orthopedic Chronic Diseases, In Holtz (ED), Global Healthcare: Issues and Policies, (pp. 267-297), Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. World Bank Group, (n.d.), What is indigenous knowledge, revised from www.worldbank.org/afr/ik/basic.htm 4.  How was the projects action plan developed? The projects action plan was developed to reach many different individuals or organizations affected by diabetes. By reaching everyone involved, the project would be able to implement the plan so that everyone would have the same knowledge of the projects purpose. 5.  What was the projects priority? The EVA (Eja Vascular Andino) Project was implemented to inform health care providers and society about potential risks. The priority of the EVA was the abatement and prevention of amputations in diabetes patients in the Andean countries. 6.  What was the commitment of the five Andean countries? The commitment of the five Andean countries was the EVA project, Program for prevention, and early detection of the diabetic foot (Long, Rodriguez, Holtz. 2008). The five countries constructed all parts of the programs and followed up with the results. Long J., Rodriguez B., and Holtz C., (2008), Global Perspectives on Diabetes and Respiratory and Orthopedic Chronic Diseases, In Holtz (ED), Global Healthcare: Issues and Policies, (pp. 267-297), Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. 7.  What was the EVA project community-based initiative? The EVA project community-based initiative was to focus on only people with diabetes and health professionals. With the projects focus, they could implement education about diabetes and prevention methods to people with diabetes and health care professional. 8.  What was the geo-political goal of the Diabetes Intervention Project? The geo-political goal of the diabetes intervention project was to bring together the five Andean countries, and the IDF-SACA. By combining all of these regions within the project, the healthcare providers and people with diabetes can improve the health care system and prevention methods. The foot care knowledge will also be increased and will ensure better foot care to people with diabetes. 9.  What was the purpose of the Project? The purpose of the project was to bring more people with diabetes to get interventions (Long, Rodriguez, Holtz. 2008). Interventions include education on amputations of the foot in order to prevent foot injuries. Prevention methods such as annual checkups would be introduced to the healthcare professional and diabetic patients. Long J., Rodriguez B., and Holtz C., (2008), Global Perspectives on Diabetes and Respiratory and Orthopedic Chronic Diseases, In Holtz (ED), Global Healthcare: Issues and Policies, (pp. 267-297), Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. 10.  What were the objectives of the Project? The objectives of the project were to prevent complications and amputations of the foot of people with diabetes. Interventions and prevention was the main focus to achieve this objective with people who already had neurological and vascular complications. 11.  The Eje Vascular Andino Project (EVA) objectives guided a process to identify three objectives. What were those? The EVA guided a process to identify objectives of people with diabetes and foot complications. The first objective was to discover patients with diabetes that were most at risk for foot complications. The second objective was to educate about foot complications, promote early detection, and how to get proper treatment for any foot problems. Lastly, the third objective was to provide knowledge to people with diabetes about prevention of foot complications. 12.  What was the Problematic Situation addressed by the Project? The most problematic situation that the project addressed is the diabetic foot. The diabetic foot refers to all injuries of the lower body parts in diabetic patients. The biggest problem that occurs with the diabetic foot is lower extremity amputations (Long, Rodriguez, Holtz. 2008). Long J., Rodriguez B., and Holtz C., (2008), Global Perspectives on Diabetes and Respiratory and Orthopedic Chronic Diseases, In Holtz (ED), Global Healthcare: Issues and Policies, (pp. 267-297), Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. 13.  What were the five basic steps for prevention? There are five basic steps to prevention according to IDFs International consensus of the diabetic foot. Diabetic patients must regularly check the foot and footwear used. Discover who is at risk the most and focus on those patients. Educating people with diabetes of any complications that may arise with a diabetic foot. Making sure adequate footwear is worn with people that have diabetes. Lastly, the treatment of the diabetic foot. 14.  What was the relevance of the project? The project was relevant due to many factors. One factor is the high percentage of diabetes mellitus in the five Andean countries. Physical ability and healthcare costs impact high costs to the patient and the health system is another factor relevant to the project. 15.  What was the intended outcome of the project? The intended outcome of the project was to promote prevention of amputations among patients with diabetes. With having more patients with diabetes receive treatment and education on prevention, injuries and amputations would be decreased dramatically. 16.  What was the challenge of the project? The biggest challenge the project faced was foot complications. With so many living with foot complications, one can assume the costs involved. The implementation of prevention awareness to those with diabetes is imperative to not just the patient, but the health system as a whole. 17.  Who were the key team members? There are several key team members who participated in the project. Representing each country is the PAHO/WHO, PAHO Washington, societies related to diabetes, people with diabetes, the five Andean countries and the IDF-SACA (Long, Rodriguez, Holtz. 2008). All of the participants played a key role in developing and implementing the project. Long J., Rodriguez B., and Holtz C., (2008), Global Perspectives on Diabetes and Respiratory and Orthopedic Chronic Diseases, In Holtz (ED), Global Healthcare: Issues and Policies, (pp. 267-297), Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. 18.  What were the protocols developed? The protocols developed were the clinical protocol and the project protocol. The EVA used the protocols already developed and introduced them into the Andean countries along with what was already happening within the countries. 19.  How was training provided? The training was provided by people trained with knowledge of diabetes of the EVA. A work shop was provided to each country so that the country may train the health care professionals (Long, Rodriguez, Holtz. 2008). It was very helpful to be trained by experts within the field when it came to training the health care professionals. Long J., Rodriguez B., and Holtz C., (2008), Global Perspectives on Diabetes and Respiratory and Orthopedic Chronic Diseases, In Holtz (ED), Global Healthcare: Issues and Policies, (pp. 267-297), Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. 20.  How were the training sites selected? Several factors helped select where the training sites would be located. First the amount of individuals with diabetes played a role in selecting the sites. The ministries of health of each country and the PAHO also had input about where the training sites would take place. Lastly, the five Andean countries chose how the training sites would be selected (Long, Rodriguez, Holtz. 2008). Long J., Rodriguez B., and Holtz C., (2008), Global Perspectives on Diabetes and Respiratory and Orthopedic Chronic Diseases, In Holtz (ED), Global Healthcare: Issues and Policies, (pp. 267-297), Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. 21.  What facilities were targeted? The facilities that were targeted were the public and private facilities (Long, Rodriguez, Holtz. 2008). Both of these were targeted because in order for a patient to be treated properly for diabetes, they must work together to ensure adequate treatment. Long J., Rodriguez B., and Holtz C., (2008), Global Perspectives on Diabetes and Respiratory and Orthopedic Chronic Diseases, In Holtz (ED), Global Healthcare: Issues and Policies, (pp. 267-297), Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. 22.  How was information related to foot care transmitted? The information related to foot care was transmitted to the diabetic patients as they went to seek treatment. The health care workers were responsible of the education and training of patients on how to properly take care of the diabetic foot. 23.  Who was responsible for monitoring the implementation of the project in each respective country? In each of the countries, there is a head of the project. The head of the project was responsible of their country in the monitoring and implementation. (Long, Rodriguez, Holtz. 2008). Long J., Rodriguez B., and Holtz C., (2008), Global Perspectives on Diabetes and Respiratory and Orthopedic Chronic Diseases, In Holtz (ED), Global Healthcare: Issues and Policies, (pp. 267-297), Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. 24.  What were the four components of the project? The four components of the project was delivery of care, education, promotion, and referral system. Delivery of care ensured that all diabetic patients received care. Education was ensured to all health care professionals about the diabetic foot and to make sure the patients are being educated by the health care professionals. Promotion of knowledge and how to care for one-self was shown to the patients. The referral system is the last of the components and it was implemented to ensure treatment and follow-up was received. 25.  What are the Current Status and Expected Outcome for the EVA Project? The current status is considerably lower than what the expected outcome is. The number of people receiving treatment is only 10% compared to the expected 90%. There is yet to have implementation of standards and protocols when it comes to treatment, expected outcome are that clinics have the use of the necessary tools to achieve diabetic protocol and technical capabilities. There is no promotions set in place for the diabetic patient, while they expect at least 90% of patients to know how to self help themselves. There are limited referral systems so far, when the project would like to have high standards of referral system in all health settings. 26.  How was the project implemented? In order to implement the project, the treatment protocol must be implemented, training of health care workers and patients and a referral system must be set in place. All of these must be successful in order for the project to work effectively. 27.  What were the parts of the projects evaluation? The evaluation process had four parts involved. First the implementation of treatments in all parts of the diabetic foot process. Training health care workers and people with diabetes was second and third part of the evaluation, and this process was very essential for the understanding of the disease. The last was the implementation of the referral system and counter referral system. All parts of the referral system are vital to ensure proper treatment of patients. 28.  What are the expected results? It is projected that there will be a minimum of ten care facilities in each of the five countries. A minimum of fifty people were trained in the three to four training sessions. Three hundred individuals are expected to attend per clinic, resulting in about three thousand patients in each country (Long, Rodriguez, Holtz. 2008). Long J., Rodriguez B., and Holtz C., (2008), Global Perspectives on Diabetes and Respiratory and Orthopedic Chronic Diseases, In Holtz (ED), Global Healthcare: Issues and Policies, (pp. 267-297), Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers. 29.  What conclusions are expected to be drawn for the study project? The conclusions expected are similar among the different countries. These include services provided, duties and rights, centralization of social services, coverage issues and domination of a powerful structure. Although all of the countries have differences, the EVA project tries to implement the plan so that it may be similar and easily implemented to all. 30.  What is the key to the EVA project? The key to the EVA project is the five Andean countries. The project may be able to focus on the differences in diabetes knowledge, laws, and treatments of the five Andean countries and help improve the quality of care of diabetic patients. 31.  How will the project be sustained? The project will be sustained by the cooperation of the Ministries of health, scientific societies, trained health workers and evaluations of the project. With the help of all of these, the program can ensure that it will sustained and improve the quality of care for people with diabetes. 32.  What is the Andean community? The Andean community is made up of five countries (Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. These countries combined are the organization that supports the people with diabetes.

So, How Smart are you? :: Narrative Intelligence Education Essays

So, How Smart are you? If I could give you anything†¦anything you wanted at all, what would it be? For many, the immediate response is: â€Å"I want to be smarter!!!† Why smarter? If you are very smart, what do you do with all this smartness? Is there such a thing as being too smart? My younger brother, Ian, is a fourteen-year-old junior in high school. Clearly precocious for his age and stature, there are many who envy his ability and talent to understand academic concepts with relative ease. At this tender age, where most fourteen-year-olds are simply entering high school and trying to adapt to their awkward teenage bodies, my little brother is tackling the challenges of college applications, refining his resume, and perfecting his standardized test scores. His schoolmates joke with him about being younger than everyone else in his grade and about entering college at the age of sixteen without knowing how to drive. There was even talk about how he was going to get to the prom: Would his date have to drive him? Although these events seem superficially comical, one must look at the repercussions of always being seen as â€Å"the little kid in class†. I wonder if there is a true solution to this situation. At a young age my brother demonstrated great skill and adeptness for understanding. Enrolled in a Montesorri preparatory school where students were encouraged to learn at their own pace, Ian was reading and doing long division in kindergarten. Later that year, when my family moved, my brother and I were transferred to another school system. Ian was placed in a kindergarten class filled with five-year-olds and it was clear he did not fit in. Finishing the assigned work within 15 minutes, he sat around fidgeting and causing trouble. The teacher, already overwhelmed with too many students, did not know how to handle the situation and sent him to the principal’s office. Faced with this dilemma, the principal offered my parents the option for Ian to test out of successive grades until we determined which academic level was appropriate for him. My brother took the exams and tested out of kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd g rade.

Measure for Measure Essay: The Pontification of Isabella

The Pontification of Isabella in Measure for Measure   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Within Measure for Measure the character of Isabella is characterized as an innocent pure female, and there is a focus on her ever-present moral dilemma. By using Elizabethan perspectives on women, nuns, and chastity, Shakespeare uses Isabella to reveal character traits and morality of those around her.   However in opposition Isabella made be seen as an individual who pontificates too much when her brother’s life is at stake, it is perhaps easier for Isabella to suffer the condemnation of a modern audience. Isabella is immediately established as a rare female character when her brother describes her with the statement, "she has prosperous art When she will play with reason and discourse   And well she can persuade"(Shakespeare 1.2.161-163). It is worth noting her that women in Shakespeare's time were very recognized for neither their reasoning nor their speaking capabilities. In fact, women were not expected to voice their opinions; women who chose to do so were deemed a threat to social order. It is, therefore, questionable whether Shakespeare's audience would have approved of Isabella's skills at rhetoric. Although agreeing with her stance concerning Claudio (they, too, prob... ...The Wheel of Fire: Essays in Interpretation of Shakespeare's Sombre Tragedies. London: Oxford UP, 1930. Leech, Clifford. "The 'Meaning' of Measure for Measure." Shakespeare Survey 3 (1950): 69-71. New American Standard Bible. Reference ed. Chicago: Moody Press, 1975. Pope, Elizabeth Marie. "The Renaissance Background of Measure for Measure." Shakespeare Survey 2 (1949): 66-82. Rossiter, A. P. Angel with Horns and Other Shakespeare Lectures. Ed. Graham Storey. London: Longmans, Green, 1961. Shakespeare, William. William Shakespeare: The Complete Works. Ed. Alfred Harbage. 1969. Baltimore: Penguin, 1971.   

Personal Narrative: The First Time I Got Stitches :: essays research papers

I was about ten years old and in the fifth grade. My mother had just picked me up from school that day and had bought me some delicious popcorn. I could not wait to get home to pop my popcorn, and we lived all the way in Rose Hill, Alabama. I was getting pretty restless by the time we got home. So we got home and I went directly to the big, black microwave. I put it in, and began pressing the buttons. It was popping and popping, and the buttery smell was getting to me. My mother said that she had to go to the bathroom for a second and that I was not to take out the popcorn until she got back. Time drug slowly by as I was waiting and waiting, growing more and more impatient. The anticipation was more than I could stand, I disobeyed and got the popcorn out anyway. I opened the popcorn very slowly. The steam came gushing out and burnt the tips of my fingers, face, and neck. I quickly dropped the popcorn. It hit the floor and went everywhere. I quickly began to eat the popcorn and decided I needed to put it all in a bowl. I searched for a bowl, and the best I could find was on the very top shelf of the cabinet. I opened the bottom cabinet door and slowly climbed my way up the cabinet and onto the counter top. I reached the bowls and carefully lifted the two bowls that were on top of my bowl. I took my bowl down and arranged everything back in perfect order. I began thinking about the best way to get down. The best way down was the way I came up. I carefully pulled the bottom cabinet door closed, and with my bowl in my hand, I jumped. I did not make it to the floor. My feet were oddly dangling and did not touch the floor. I had a sharp pain in the left side of my butt. The cabinet handle had gotten pushed through the bottom of my butt cheek. I called for my mother’s help and she told me to hold on for a second. She was still in the bathroom and thought a bee stung me. I put my hands on top of the counter and lifted and away from the cabinet. I ran as fast as I could towards the bathroom with a trail of bright red blood behind me.

Purchasing Behaviours of Three Major Races in Malaysia

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT III Name: FAWWAZ AIMAN SAKARIA Student Id: 2012645664 Programme: BBA (Hons) Marketing Part: 3 Course: Understanding Consumer (MKT531) Lecturer: Mdm Sharifah Nurafizah Date: 16/11/2012 Answers There are only few differences that can be found on the three major races of Malaysia (Malays, Chinese and Indians) in terms of purchasing behaviour. Based on the household expenses, the Malays purchasing behaviour are influenced by the Islamic religions needs and regulations which concern on the ‘HALAL’ label of the product.Islam constitution plays roles in the daily life of the Muslims. In addition, the Malays are quite incompetent in handling product and market information which may result in the confusion and information overload. From the perspective as consumers, Malays shows much interest in acquiring technologically produced and high quality products, without being materialistic or conspicuous buying.Chinese is the second largest groups in Malaysia and they are viewed as the powerful economics compare to the other two groups. For the Chinese, it’s important to conduct wide information achievement to reduce the uncertainty purchases. The self-pride also play the important roles for the Chinese to decide on their products purchasing. For instance, the more expensive of the products, the more it reflects to the wealthy and level of socials of that person.Indians in Malaysia has quite similar with the Malaysians Chinese buying behaviour but they are viewed as a high degree in product value orientation. Indian consumers are also concerned with the values of natural, care and affection. These values are far more dominant that values expensive and social level purchasing style. The preference for the Indians is more to the traditional products value rather than buying the technology invented products. (253 WORDS)

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 14

Instinct made me drive back to Queen Anne. I operated on autopilot, my mind blank. It was only when I'd parked and gotten out of the car that my senses slowly began to return to me. Still, I tried my best to stay numb, to not think about anything right away. My stomach was growling, so I decided to focus on basic needs. I walked over to a Thai restaurant between my apartment and the bookstore, seeking the comfort of a corner table and green curry. Once I was settled, there was no avoiding it. What had happened back there? Part of me could still feel Greg's hands on me, still feel the sickening sensation of being utterly and completely helpless. But the rest of me was slowly starting to analyze the stove exploding. I'd noticed the gas stove upon my initial inspection, but I'd noticed no smell until right before it caught on fire. With gas leaks, didn't a place usually fill up over time? This had been sudden. An out-of-the-blue surge of gas, and BAM! No warning, no anything. I supposed it could have been coincidence. Lucky timing. But in my world, coincidences didn't happen. They were usually guided by a stronger power. The question was: who or what was responsible? I had too much to worry about now without some unseen arsonist on the scene. â€Å"Why so pensive, Daughter of Lilith?† I looked up from my half-eaten food. â€Å"Carter!† I was pretty sure I'd never been so happy to see the angel in my life, except for maybe when he'd rescued me from Helena the crazy nephilim last fall. He wore the same clothes he'd had on in Vancouver. They appeared to stay in a perpetually consistent state of dishevelment-never getting worse, never getting better. He slid into the chair opposite me. â€Å"You gonna finish that?† he asked, pointing at my plate. I shook my head and slid the curry over to him. He immediately dug in, practically inhaling it. â€Å"What's going on?† he asked between mouthfuls of rice. â€Å"You know what's going on. Seattle's gone to hell. Literally.† â€Å"Yeah, I've noticed. How's it feel to be footloose and fancy free?† â€Å"It sucks. For some reason, my hair's always frizzy. I used to style it myself before this happened, and it never did that.† Carter grinned. â€Å"I doubt you were doing it all yourself. You may have still done all the labor, but some subconscious part of you was probably tweaking it just a little bit to keep it perfect.† I pulled a face. â€Å"Well, even if that's true, I've got a few bigger problems.† I gave him a brief recap of my adventures this morning and what had happened with Greg. Even speaking about it still sent a chill down my spine. I expected Carter to laugh and make some quip at my expense, but his face stayed serious. â€Å"You need to be careful,† he said gravely. â€Å"Everything's different now. It'll only be for a short time, true, but even if you can't die, you're still locked in a dangerous game.† â€Å"We have to find Jerome. Do you know where he's at?† Carter shook his head. â€Å"Nope. He disappeared off our radars too. I don't know anything more than you do.† â€Å"You probably know more about demon summoning than I do,† I pointed out. â€Å"Depends,† he said. â€Å"What do you know?† â€Å"Pretty much what I already told you. Dante didn't have much more to offer than who he thought could do it. And those other losers didn't give up anything at all-except attitude.† Carter flagged down a waitress and ordered a plate of panang curry and Thai iced coffee. Afterward, he tapped the table lightly with his finger, face drawn and thoughtful. â€Å"I can tell you how it's done,† he said at last. â€Å"But I can't do much more. This is your side's business, not ours. We're not supposed to interfere.† â€Å"Dispensing information isn't the same as interfering,† I said. He smiled. â€Å"Depends on your definitions. And your people are great at finding loopholes and technicalities.† â€Å"Yeah, but†¦Carter†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I sighed. â€Å"I don't really have anyone else.† Even if I'd had full succubus charisma going, I don't think it would have worked on him. But I still had some sort of Georgina charisma that he was susceptible to. He liked me and was concerned about my life, even if he had a funny way of showing it sometimes. The Thai iced coffee appeared, and he paused to take a drink. â€Å"Okay. Here's how it works. Basically, a demon gets summoned into an object, and with enough magic, the demon becomes bound to that and is trapped. You've heard stories about genies, right? Well, they're kind of variations on this principle. Humans who summon demons into objects can then occasionally release the demon and make them run errands.† â€Å"But this one's keeping Jerome locked up.† â€Å"Right. Which makes it harder. What makes it harder still is that if this human has any sense at all, they've got the object hidden in a place of power.† He took another sip and waited for me to process this. I knew what he was talking about. The earth was covered in places of power-sacred sites, ley lines, magic-infused spots. Anyone sifting through mythology would come across countless references to them and the roles they'd played in human history. There was just one problem with it. â€Å"There are dozens of those in Seattle,† I said slowly. Carter nodded. â€Å"Yup. And even if you find the right one, the power in that place is going to help mask the power coming from the bound demon. For you? Gonna be nearly impossible without your usual senses. You need another immortal to help, the stronger the better. Or possibly a human psychic.† I groaned. â€Å"But you can't help, and none of the demons will.† The panang curry arrived, and Carter devoured it with enthusiasm. â€Å"Putting that aside, let's suppose I find this object, whatever it is. Then what?† â€Å"Mmm, that's hard too,† he said. â€Å"A greater immortal could just break it open.† â€Å"But not me.† I was beginning to see how this worked, and it wasn't encouraging. â€Å"No, not even if you were in your normal state. The summoner probably put a lock on it-a seal. That'll keep a lesser immortal out. The seal's used in the binding, then it's broken into two pieces that are kept separated for safekeeping. The practitioner most certainly keeps one. If he or she had a demon's help, I'm guessing the demon has the other. Or else the practitioner would hide it.† â€Å"Do you think another demon was involved?† He swallowed. â€Å"Most definitely. If you can recover the pieces of the seal, though, then you could unlock the object and set Jerome free.† When I'd first seen Carter standing over my table, I'd been filled with hope, convinced this miserable situation was going to resolve soon and we'd get Jerome back. Now? I was more pessimistic than before. â€Å"So, let me get this straight. All I have to do is find this mystical object that Jerome's locked in, an object I have no way of even sensing. Once I have it, I then simply have to force the pieces of the lock away from the summoner and a demon .† â€Å"Yup,† said Carter, licking his fork. â€Å"That pretty much sums it up.† â€Å"Fuck.† â€Å"Yup.† â€Å"Well, the info's good, but I can't do anything. I have no leads on any part of this, nowhere to start.† His gray eyes twinkled. â€Å"The seal has to be made of quartz.† â€Å"Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Hand-carved by human hands.† I raised an eyebrow, curious as to where this was going. â€Å"By someone familiar with magic and runes.† He looked at me expectantly. â€Å"So?† â€Å"How many people do you think that describes in the Seattle area?† He didn't wait for me to finish. â€Å"Not many.† Carter and his riddles. â€Å"You're saying I should find who made the seal, in the hopes they can tell me who commissioned it.† â€Å"Right. And they can also tell you what the seal's specifics are. It's almost always a disc about this big.† He used the fingers of one hand to make a circle about the size of a quarter. â€Å"But the color and designs will be different and provide clues as to what kind of place it's been hidden in.† â€Å"God, this is complicated.† â€Å"You're trying to find a demon that's been captured and bound as part of a larger political power play, Georgina,† Carter said. â€Å"What do you expect?† â€Å"Fair point,† I murmured. â€Å"I have one more question, though. It has nothing to do with the seal, though.† â€Å"Shoot.† â€Å"Why'd the stove at Greg's blow up?† â€Å"Because of a gas leak.† â€Å"One that came on out of nowhere?† He shrugged. â€Å"Compared to what we see every day? A lot stranger things happen.† I eyed him for a moment, wondering if I should press him with my real question. He'd said he couldn't directly interfere in this, but Carter had saved my life once before. His showing up here now was awfully coincidental†¦Was it possible he'd been following me all day? Had he helped expedite the stove's incineration to save me? One might argue that touching Greg would have been direct interference†¦but harming the stove wouldn't be, if you wanted to use demon-worthy technicalities. And, in a typically angelic way, Carter hadn't actually denied his involvement. I decided to let the matter go. If Carter was keeping his help a secret, there was a good reason. With a sigh, I glanced at the clock to my right. â€Å"Well, I'm still technically on leave, so I should probably take advantage of that and hunt down this seal maker.† â€Å"Good luck,† said Carter. â€Å"But joking aside, I meant what I said earlier. You've got to be careful. At the very least, don't do this stuff alone.† â€Å"You sure you can't break the rules and come with me, then?† I asked a bit wistfully. â€Å"Nope, but why do you need me when there are plenty of other candidates?† With a grin, he nodded at something beyond me. I glanced back and saw Seth standing at the take-out counter. I jerked my head back toward Carter. â€Å"Hey! How'd-â€Å" Carter was gone. Just then, the waitress set down the bill, which included Carter's meal. â€Å"Fucking angels,† I muttered, fumbling for my credit card. Turning back around, I studied Seth, feeling my stomach twist in that usual way. As though sensing me, he suddenly turned and made eye contact. Surprise registered on his face, and then he held up his hand in a hang on a second kind of way. A few agonizing minutes later, he walked over to my table holding a take-out bag. â€Å"Hey,† I said. â€Å"Hey.† â€Å"Is that lunch?† I was suddenly embarrassed by the fact that I had two plates in front of me. â€Å"Yeah, I'm actually heading home to work. The caf? ¦ at the store's too crowded and noisy.† â€Å"I thought you could work through anything.† He shook his head. â€Å"These days I'm more†¦distractible than usual.† His eyes studied me for a moment, and then he looked away. But in that moment, I'd felt a tingle run through my skin. Seth cleared his throat. â€Å"So†¦what about you?† He forced himself to look back at me. â€Å"You look†¦I don't know. Uneasy. Not as bad as yesterday but still troubled. More immortal intrigue?† A good portion of my present uneasiness was simply due to his proximity. â€Å"Yeah, afraid so.† â€Å"So, you haven't found Jerome yet, and you're still†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Now it was my turn to look away. â€Å"Yeah. I followed some leads on Jerome this morning, and it was kind of†¦um, well, it's not important. Let's just say it wasn't a pleasant experience, and I didn't find out anything anyway.† I glanced back in his direction, making sure I kept my eyes on his Blondie T-shirt and not his face. â€Å"I've got one more thing to check into, then I guess I can call it a day.† â€Å"Well, that's good, I guess.† He shifted uncomfortably, and that awkward tension that was so characteristic for us multiplied. I tried to think of something to say, but nothing came. â€Å"So†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he began at last. â€Å"I know what you said before†¦but I still have to ask. Is there anything†¦anything I can do?† The retort was on my lips, to tell him I didn't need him, not anymore. But an image of Greg flashed into my mind, and I hated myself for the fear it invoked. I didn't want to be a damsel in distress. I didn't want to live in fear and need a man to watch over me. Greg's weight and element of surprise had shown that self-defense wouldn't always work. Sometimes it was hard to face danger alone. Carter's words repeated in my head: Why do you need me when there are plenty of other candidates? I blurted out my question before I had time to reconsider. â€Å"Would you go with me?† It was hard to say which of us was more surprised by this. â€Å"On†¦your errand?† he asked. I nodded. â€Å"Yeah. But I mean, if you've got stuff to do†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I'll go,† he said quickly. He held up his take-out bag. â€Å"Can I eat in your car?† â€Å"You can eat right now,† I said. â€Å"Seeing as I don't know where we're going yet.† Leaving Seth to eat at the table, I stepped outside to make a couple of phone calls. The first was to Dante. He answered, fortunately, but had no clue about what I needed. â€Å"Someone who carves crystal?† he asked incredulously. â€Å"I don't do fluffy New Age stuff.† â€Å"Yeah. I found out more about demon summoning. Apparently there's some kind of seal involved that only a master artisan can make.† â€Å"I don't know anyone like that,† he said. â€Å"As much as it pains me to admit a lack of knowledge about anything.† â€Å"Well, I guess even you have limits.† â€Å"You are so in trouble for that the next time I see you, succubus.† After we hung up, I tried Erik. He too answered, and in his usual way, he never bothered to ask why I needed the information. â€Å"There is someone,† he mused. â€Å"I've acquired crystal jewelry from her before, carved into assorted sacred symbols-ankhs and crosses. I don't know if she works with the arcane or spellcraft, but she's the only one I know in the area who comes close.† I took down her name and address and went back inside. Seth had nearly finished his meal, rivaling Carter for speed. â€Å"Do we have a mission objective yet?† I nodded. â€Å"Yup. Out to the hinterlands, even.† Okay, Carnation wasn't exactly the hinterlands, but it was well outside the Seattle urban and even suburban sprawl. It was one of several small rural communities that clung to western Washington's edge before giving way to the wilderness of the Cascade Mountains and the desert on the other side. I made a Starbucks stop along the way so that I could acquire some caffeine. It seemed requisite to get through this. When Seth asked me to order him a mocha Frappuccino, I nearly crashed into the drive-thru window. â€Å"That's got caffeine in it,† I said. â€Å"I know. But they're really good. Maddie got me hooked on them.† We drove in utter silence for ten minutes after that. If not for Jerome's summoning, I would have said this was the most astonishing thing to happen to me in the last twenty-four hours. Seth was drinking caffeine. It was unheard of. He'd abstained from it for years, and despite my clear addiction and coaxing throughout our relationship, he'd never shown any interest of cracking. Yet, Maddie- Maddie! -had somehow gotten him to change? I don't know why I took such offense at that. Honestly, it was an inconsequential thing in the greater scheme of the universe. Still†¦I couldn't help feeling hurt. Well, maybe hurt wasn't the right word. Inadequate, perhaps. She'd gotten him to do something I couldn't. Why? Why her and not me? Was she more inspiring? Did he care about her more? â€Å"Is something wrong?† Seth finally asked. My silence and death grip on the steering wheel had probably tipped him off. â€Å"Nope,† I lied. â€Å"Just worried about all of this.† â€Å"You are not.† â€Å"I'm not worried about all this?† â€Å"Okay, you are. But that's not why you're upset right now. You're upset about this.† Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him wave the Frappuccino. After all this time, he still knew me. â€Å"That's stupid. Why would I care about that?† He sighed. â€Å"Because I know you. You're irritated that I did something I never said I'd do.† â€Å"Why should I care?† I replied stiffly. â€Å"I'm happy you're expanding your horizons.† The look he shot me told me he knew better. We reached the address Erik had given me without further argument, largely because we didn't talk. The house was an older rambler set on a huge yard that would have held an entire subdivision back in Seattle. Lawn ornaments-a deer and a gnome, to name a few-cluttered the grass, and wind chimes dangled on the porch. We knocked on the door, and several moments later, a woman in her late forties or early fifties answered. She had hair dyed an unnatural shade of red that put me in mind of Tawny's current hue. Her tight-fitting top pressed a lot of cleavage into her scoop neckline and was also not that far off from something Tawny might wear, albeit a little less tacky. The look the woman gave us wasn't unfriendly so much as curious. â€Å"Yes?† â€Å"Hi,† I said. â€Å"Are you Mary Wilt-â€Å" † Oh my God! † she squealed. She had just done a double-take on Seth. â€Å"You're Seth Mortensen!† Seth stiffened and exchanged looks with me. â€Å"Well, yeah†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her blue-shadowed eyes bugged as she practically drooled over him. â€Å"I can't believe it. I can't believe it! Seth Mortensen's on my porch! I recognize you from your website. I look at it every day. Every day . Oh my God. Oh my God ! I'm your biggest fan. Come in!† Seth looked like he wanted to bolt then and there, but I nudged him forward. This turn of events was a bit unexpected-and creepy-but could possibly work to our advantage. We stepped through the doorway. There was nothing particularly extraordinary about the inside of her house. The d? ¦cor was more modern than the outside suggested, all done in neutral shades. There was a bit of normal lived-in clutter and far more figurines than I found tasteful, but overall, it was a nice place. Some of the figurines were carved out of crystal, which I took as a good sign. â€Å"Come in, come in,† Mary gushed, beckoning toward the living room. â€Å"Sit, sit! Can I get you anything? Iced tea? Coffee? Tequila?† â€Å"Er, no. I'm fine,† said Seth, who was clearly becoming more and more uncomfortable with all of this. â€Å"Thank you.† He and I sat down on the couch, and Mary sat in an armchair across from us, leaning forward in a way that afforded an ample view of her breasts. â€Å"What can I do for you?† she asked. â€Å"Are you here to buy something? I'd do anything for you. Anything .† She grinned at Seth, making her â€Å"anything† intentions obvious. â€Å"You're so much cuter than I expected. Will you sign my books while you're here? I own all of them.† She gestured toward a set of shelves on the wall, and sure enough, Seth's books stood out prominently. I had been a longtime fan girl of Seth's before we started going out, and I wondered uneasily if I'd sounded this crazed and desperate way back when. She probably would have passed out if she'd known about the advanced copy Seth gave me. â€Å"Sure,† said Seth. â€Å"I'd, um, be happy to.† He elbowed me, no doubt in an effort to get me to state our business and save him. Still a little irritated from our car argument, I almost enjoyed watching him in her clutches. â€Å"We're actually not here to buy anything,† I told her. â€Å"We wanted to find out about a piece you might have recently made for someone.† Mary turned toward me, seeming to notice me for the first time. Her gleeful, ravenous expression dimmed and even turned a little suspicious. â€Å"Who are you again?† â€Å"Georgina. We're wondering if you recently made a piece for a client. A carved disc about this big with some sort of arcane symbol on it.† I approximated the size Carter had shown me. Her face grew more wary and pinched. â€Å"I can't say.† I frowned. â€Å"You don't remember?† She shook her head. â€Å"I keep records of all my pieces. But that's confidential. I can't give that kind of information away.† â€Å"This is really important,† I said. â€Å"We think†¦there may be a crime involved.† â€Å"Sorry, Giselle. I can't tell you about that. Not unless you're with the police or something.† â€Å"Georgina,† I corrected. Her adherence to client confidentiality was perfectly understandable-but well, I wasn't really concerned with what was morally correct right now. Giving Seth an elbow poke of my own, I hoped he'd jump in and use his author god power. It took him a few moments, but he did. â€Å"It would help us so much, Mary. We'd- I'd -really appreciate it.† He stumbled over the words a little, but from the way her face lit up, you'd think he'd just murmured the sexiest thing in her ear. â€Å"Oh, Seth,† she sighed. â€Å"I really would do anything for you†¦but, well, I do try to respect my clients' privacy. Surely a man like you understands that.† â€Å"Well, yeah, of course I-† I elbowed him again. He shot me a quick glare and then returned his gaze to her. â€Å"That is, I do understand, but like I said, this is really important.† Indecision warred on her face, and I kind of admired her principles. She actually looked uncrackable, and I had a feeling Seth wasn't going to be too much more assertive. Glancing beyond her, I noticed a hallway leading off to another part of the house. I keep records of all my pieces . â€Å"You're right,† I said abruptly. â€Å"We can't expect her to give out that kind of information. Right, Seth?† He turned to me again, giving me a curious glance. â€Å"Right?† It was more of a question than an agreement. Mary nearly melted in relief, her eyes all over Seth. â€Å"Oh, I knew you'd understand. I could tell right away that we think just alike. Kindred spirits and all that, you know? Just from the way you write I-â€Å" â€Å"Hey, Mary?† I interrupted. She looked over at me, again seeming astonished that I was still there. â€Å"Do you have a bathroom I could use?† â€Å"Bathroom?† she repeated, like it was a crazy concept. â€Å"It was a long drive,† I explained sweetly. â€Å"Besides, that'll give you and Seth a chance to get to know each other while he signs your books.† Her face brightened again, and she turned to Seth without another glance for me. â€Å"Oh, sure! That's a great idea, Georgia. It's down the hall.† I stood up. â€Å"Thanks.† Seth and I made brief eye contact. There was a look of both panic and wariness. He didn't want to be left alone. And he also knew I wouldn't give up the fight so easily. He suspected that I was up to something. He was right. I was about to go break into Mary's records.