Thursday, October 31, 2019
Holocaust and Rwanda Genocide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words
Holocaust and Rwanda Genocide - Essay Example Explanations on the Holocaust featured bureaucratic and/or economic motives and/or wartime pressures (Levene 2000, p.305). The bulk of the data and interpretation of the Holocaust and Rwanda genocide centers on either intentionalist or the functionalist perspectives. For instance, the debate surrounding the root of Holocaust can be explored from two main questions: 1) was there an Adolf Hitler's present master plan to annihilate the Jewish race? Intentionalists assert that there was such a plan, whereas functionalists assert that it was absent. 2) How was Holocaust systematically driven? (By the instructions awarded by Adolf Hitler or deep within the ranks of the bureaucracy). Intentionalists maintain that the scheme came from Adolf Hitler whereas functionalists argue it emanated deep within the lower ranks of the bureaucracy. Discussion The genocide of European Jews mainly referred to as the Holocaust, occurred between 1941 and 1945 whereby close to six million European Jews were an nihilated by the Nazis. From the 1960s following the publication of work such as The Hitler State, several historians disputed the overriding interpretation and outlined that the alleged master plan was, in fact, absent. During the 1970s, proponents of the intentionalist school of thought labeled as â€Å"the straight road to Auschwitz†camp owing to their insistence that Hitler was satisfying a preset programme (Mann 2005, p.180). Proponents of the functionalist school of thought were referred to as â€Å"the twisted road to Auschwitz†camp owing to their insistence that it was the internal power arrangements of the Third Reich that orchestrated the Holocaust. Hence, functionalists/structuralists assert that Holocaust stemmed as part of the functioning of the Nazi state while intentionalists believe that it was Hitler’s intents alone that propelled the Holocaust (Confino2012, p.118). Functionalism also referred to as structuralism and intentionalism represent a historiographical debate centering on the origins of mass murder such as the Holocaust. The two schools of thought avail a historical explanation on decision-making regarding the Nazi Jewish policy (Stone 2012, p.39). One of the approaches focuses on the structure of the Nazi regime and its functioning (functionalist) while intentionalism spotlights Hitler, his ideology, and intentions. The Holocaust: Intentionalist Approach The intentionalists argue that Hitler plus his team were propagating Aryan-race supremacy as they were anti-Semitism as they proposed to wipe them out of the map. As the word suggests, intentionalists place significant interest on the intention of the Nazis, from the outset, detailing the resolve to eliminate Jews by means that ultimately encompasses mass slaughter. This approach elevates the figure of Adolf Hitler and his monomaniacal fanaticism to annihilate the Jewish â€Å"cancer†from Germany and across the whole of Europe (Kershaw 2000, p.40).
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
General Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
General Management - Case Study Example Sales took place in software service but big hardware and software were sold occasionally and not at a regular interval which led to fluctuation in profitability. In addition, economic conditions and internal problems also led to major setback for the firm. Constraints Main constraint for the firm was that the customer demanded low cost product and the sale of its hardware’s and software’s were pretty less as compared to the sale of software packages which resulted in loss of money in the company’s ongoing services. The external factors also acted as one of the major constraint in the working of the firm. Objectives Personal objectives and corporate objectives are important for organizations as the personal objectives would help the members of the organization to stay maintained and disciplined towards the work and working environment and the corporate objectives would define the goals and target that are to be achieved. Both personal and corporate objectives are somehow linked with each other. Corporate objectives usually mean to achieve a set goal like to capture market share of 10%, customer satisfaction and other factors n relation to the business. Therefore personal objectives would help to achieve the corporate objectives of the firm. Industry Analysis The industry analysis would take into consideration tools such as SWOT analysis which would look at the strength and weaknesses, the internal issues along with the firm’s opportunity and threats referred to as the external issues both for software industry and the firm. SWOT Analysis Strength: The partners of the firm, Dave had extensive programming experience and had worked for many software firms. The firm’s software package was highly praised by its customers and this it can be said that the strategy was highly successful adding it to be one of the strength of the company. The software industry had distributors according to the size and need of the customers. Weakness: The hardware and software because of their high price were not sold at regular interval which impacted the profitability of the firm. SWO primary source of income did not provide SWO with stable source of income. The firm was also financially unstable as a result banks refused to offer loans also lack of consistent data entry proved the internal issues of the firm. Opportunities: opportunity for SWO in the future is to either sell of the firm or to expand the business in order to stay competitive in the software industry. In addition marketing sector can also be improved to create awareness. Threat: A major threat came from the competitors of SWO as competition in the software industry is quite stiff. ACCPAC, IBM and Arthur Anderson were the leading competitors in the software industry. Key Success factors According to the distributors, better inventory and accounts management was the key success factor for the firm to regain its position and make a mark in the software industry. Co nsumer Analysis I II III IV Who Business form Computer parts Small distributors Mid size customers What distributors distributors distributors distributors When business Why bankrupt Unhappy with SWO service Receivables problems N/A How Provide effective service Provide service with the problem Market size N/A N/A N/A N/A Implications: Individuals Professionals
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Lifestyle Factors And Disease Health And Social Care Essay
Lifestyle Factors And Disease Health And Social Care Essay In todays world, people are suffering from various diseases based on many lifestyle factors. Lifestyle diseases include diseases which occur based on regular habits of people. The onset of these lifestyle diseases is insidious, they take years to develop, and once encountered do not lend themselves easily to cure (John H, G. 2010). Such diseases are known as chronic diseases which are a major issue in this modern society. These are non-communicable diseases and are the major cause of death all over the world. Chronic diseases are now the major cause of death worldwide. Diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, migraine and stroke are the main cause of deaths in the world, representing around 60% of all the deaths. In 2005, 35 million people died from chronic disease out of which half of them were women and aged fewer than 70. Around 80% of people in low and middle income countries have suffered from chronic disease (World Health Organization, 2010).Lifestyle factors are respo nsible for chronic illnesses because of many health related factors such as smoking habit, improper time management which leads to sleep deprivation and by following a hectic schedule. Some chronic diseases are hereditary; it is not the case all the time that lifestyle factors are responsible for it.Although they play a major role in occurrence of these diseases. A hectic schedule can also affect peoples lifestyle. They are not able to maintain a healthy relationship because of this hectic schedule. Thus, the unhealthy relationships formed lead to problems in working place, argument with parents, misunderstandings between friends, which cause stress (Smith, M et al. 2010). Thus, a continuous exposure to stress disrupts the mental state and may lead to health problems. Chronic stress affects almost every system in your body. It can raise blood pressure, suppress the immune system, increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, contribute to infertility, and speed up the aging process (Headsup, n.d) .The quality of relationships maintained by people relates to the ability of tolerance to stress. There are several ways in which stress is dealt with. The best method is a change in lifestyle. Controlling and being in charge of thoughts, schedule, emotions and way of dealing with problems (Headsup, n.d). Also relaxation techniques such as meditation , physical exercises, listening to soothing music, deep breathing, are some of the most effective stress busters. Therefore, it is important to maintain a healthy relationship and taking out time for rest and relaxation (Lifepositive, 2010). Besides unhealthy relationships, emotional factors also lead to chronic illnesses. A hectic schedule can leave a person having negative emotions and thoughts. Disease can be a result of long lasting negative thoughts. Negative emotions such as stress, anger, anxiety or resentment, without realizing it, can cause the body to act in an unnatural way (Ellis, 2010). Excessive fear can affect a persons kidneys. For children, fear leads to nocturnal enuresis which means bedwetting. In adults, fear disturbs the working of the heart and tends to cause a deficiency in the kidneys (Smith, C. n.d).Too much anger and over reaction to certain situations affects blood circulation and sometimes leads to an excessive response by the nervous system. All of this regulates the body functions such as heart rate and blood pressure which could trigger strokes. People go through constant pensiveness (over thinking or excessive mental work) and worry because of the busy lifestyles they live. Discussing work matter while eating, studying continuously for a long time and many other kinds of multitasking involves a lot of mental work and thinking. All this sometimes affect the lungs which cause breathlessness, stiffness of shoulders and neck, headache, memory loss and absent-mindedness (Smith, C. n.d). Sadness sometimes also has effects on the heart and lungs. For example, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy which is also known as Broken-heart syndrome is a disease which causes temporary weakening of the heart muscles .The syndrome is triggered due to emotional stress like death of a loved one, a break-up or constant rejection by someone. This causes shortness of breath or chest pain and also sometimes leads to heart attack. (Rowan, K. 2009)Despite of the problems and situations faced in life, it is important to develop the ability to deal with and take charge of our thoughts and emotions. This will help in remaining focused, flexible, healthy and positive at all circumstances. (Smith, M. 2010) Time management is a set of certain practices, skills principles and guidelines that helps an individual to manage time and accomplish what he/she wants. Time management is very important because time is a limited resource if not used wisely will never come back. Improved time management makes a person more productive thereby reducing time waste and effort. Also in todays age, some planning should be done to make smart choices. One of the most important ways to manage time is by eliminating the urge of doing things that distract oneself which ultimately disorganizes ones lifestyle (Nikitina,A. 2010).Laziness Is one of the key reasons for an unorganized lifestyle. If an individual is lazy he/she would have shortage of time to do productive things. There would be no time for thinking; thinking should actually be an individuals top priority action. There wouldnt be a definite finish time; laziness reduces work efficiency as an individual wouldnt find time for taking breaks. A lazy perso n wouldnt find time for exercise, no exercise reduces lifespan. Dr Weiller said Recent studies show that only one out every 20 people do the recommended exercise. Also a lazy individual would have no time for a personal life (Hindustan Times, 2010).Laziness also causes various diseases. One of them is avoliton which has an association with mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder .A person faces avolition when he/she has trouble in motivating himself/herself to do things (Smoker,M. 2010). Laziness is also a symptom for depression. Being lazy leads to an improper routine and an improper routine leads to diseases. For example eating at irregular times especially during midnight when the body needs to rest influences gain in weight leading to obesity. Fred Turek, professor of neurobiology and physiology in the Weinberg College said that Proper timing of meals requires change in behavior which could be a critical element in slowing the incidence of obesity. (Fellman,M. 2 009).Sleep deprivation is dangerous and rampant. It affects the brain severely. It is mainly caused due to the current lifestyle which is high paced causing lack of time to get sleep needed (Sleepnet 2007). Excessive usage of gadgets leads to Sleep deprivation. For e.g. Watching television keeps oneself awake when he/she should be sleeping. Also falling asleep with the television on affects sleep not in a positive manner. Another good example is the usage of cell phones during sleep time .A recent study shows that people usually teens sleep while using their cell phones to text messages back and forth. They always keep their cell phones within vicinity (Naczelnik,S.2010). The I pad has also been declared dangerous to use before bed time. Staring at its screen before sleeping can lead to lying awake all night because the direct exposure to its light source inhibits secretion of melatonin from the body (Zibreg,C. 2010).Adverse sleep deprivation causes serious diseases like diabetes, o besity and heart disease (Cyprus,S.2010) . However hereditary could also be one of the reasons responsible for chronic illnesses other than various lifestyle factors. Many chronic diseases such as diabetes, migraine are passed on within families from one generation to another. Inherited genes are not possible to heal consciously or subconsciously, and this is why chronic diseases are very difficult to solve with genes repeated within the family (Mihaela,T. 2010). In some individuals genetic factors may predispose them, but environmental and lifestyle factors are what determines whether disease manifests itself or not (Richardson,K. 2010). In developing countries lifestyle factors are one of the major risk factors for chronic diseases than people inheriting hereditary factors. They last for a longer period of time, and leads to high proportion of diseases. All in all, in todays generation lifestyle factors as mentioned in the above arguments play a major role in people suffering from chronic illnesses. Other than lifestyle, genetic factors are also responsible for the number of deaths due to chronic disease. And in order to overcome this everyone should lead an organized and a healthy lifestyle by encouraging more physical activity,avoid smoking and managing time efficiently.
Friday, October 25, 2019
Epic of Beowulf Essay - Shields in the Epic Poem, Beowulf
Shields in the poem Beowulf     Shields, a defensive weapon mentioned in the poem Beowulf, include a variety of compositions from wood to iron; and this is wholly in accord with archaeological finds. There are a considerable number of references to shields in the poem, making this topic a very relevant one to consider.  â€Å"Weapons could be heirlooms, and royal treasuries and armories still preserve arms and weapons from earlier days, so imagination in this area need not be confined to contemporary artifacts (304),†says Catherine M. Hills in â€Å"Beowulf and Archaeology.†Before turning to the archaeological evidence, let’s look at the Beowulf poem, where one finds copious references to shields. As Beowulf and his party approach the Danish land:  From high on a wall                 the Scylding watchman whose duty it was                    to guard the sea-cliffs saw glinting shield-bosses         passed hand to hand down the gangplank,                an army’s war-gear (229-32)  The Scylding watchman is still talking:  Never more openly                  have warriors landed when carrying shields,  and you have no leave from our men of battle, agreement with kinsmen (244-6)  Beowulf explains to the ship-guard:  We come with good heart        to the land of the Danes, to seek out your lord,               the son of Healfdene, shield of the people (267-9)  By the time the Geats arrived at Heorot, they were tired and had to sit down:  The sea-weary men                 set their broad shields, spell-hardened rims,                 against the high wall, eased down on benches (325-27) ... ... – the Sutton Hoo ShipBurial.†In Beowulf: The Donaldson Translation, edited by Joseph F. Tuso. New York, W.W.Norton and Co.: 1975  Chickering, Howell D.. Beowulf A dual-Language Edition. New York: Anchor Books, 1977.  Clark, George. Beowulf. Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1990.  Cramp, Rosemary. â€Å"Beowulf and Archaeology.†In TheBeowulf Poet, edited by Donald K. Fry. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1968.  Hills, Catherine M. â€Å"Beowulf and Archaeology.†In A Beowulf Handbook, edited by Robert Bjork and John D. Niles. Lincoln, Nebraska: Uiversity of Nebraska Press, 1997.  â€Å"Shields.† The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 2000. www.bartleby.com/65/.  Stanley, E.G.. â€Å"Beowulf.†In The Beowulf Reader, edited by Peter S. Baker. New York: Garland Publishing, 2000.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Bloodlines Chapter Fourteen
â€Å"FROM HIMSELF?†I couldn't help it. The joke was out before I could stop it. â€Å"No.†She perched on the edge of the bed and bit her lower lip. â€Å"Maybe ‘rescue' isn't the right word. But we have to go get him. He's trapped in Los Angeles.†I rubbed my eyes as I sat up and then waited a few moments, just in case this was all a dream. Nope. Nothing changed. I picked up my cell phone from my bedside table and groaned when I read the display. â€Å"Jill, it's not even six yet.†I started to question if Adrian was even awake this early but then remembered he was probably on a nocturnal schedule. Left to their own devices, Moroi went to bed around what was late morning for the rest of us. â€Å"I know,†she said in a small voice. â€Å"I'm sorry. I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. He got a ride there last night because he wanted to see those†¦ those Moroi girls again. Lee was supposed to be in LA too, so Adrian figured he could get a ride home. Only, he can't get ahold of Lee, so now he can't get back. Adrian, that is. He's stranded and hung over.†I started to lie back down. â€Å"I don't have a lot of sympathy for that. Maybe he'll learn a lesson.†â€Å"Sydney, please.†I put an arm over my eyes. Maybe if I looked like I was asleep, she'd leave me alone. A question suddenly popped into my head, and I jerked my arm away. â€Å"How do you know any of this? Did he call?†I wasn't a super-light sleeper, but I still would've heard her phone ring. Jill looked away from me. Frowning, I sat up. â€Å"Jill? How do you know any of this?†â€Å"Please,†she whispered. â€Å"Can't we just go get him?†â€Å"Not until you tell me what's going on.†A weird feeling was crawling along my skin. I'd felt for a while that I was being excluded from something big, and now, I suddenly knew I was about to find out what the Moroi had been hiding from me. â€Å"You can't tell,†she said, finally meeting my eyes again. I tapped the tattoo on my cheek. â€Å"I can hardly tell anyone anything as it is.†â€Å"No, not anyone. Not the Alchemists. Not Keith. Not any other Moroi or dhampirs who don't already know.†Not tell the Alchemists? That would be a problem. Among all the other craziness in my life, no matter how much my assignments infuriated me or how much time I'd spent with vampires, I'd never questioned who my loyalty was to. I had to tell the Alchemists if something was going on with Jill and the others. It was my duty to them, to humanity. Of course, part of my duty to the Alchemists was looking after Jill, and whatever was plaguing her now obviously was connected to her welfare. For half a second, I considered lying to her and immediately dismissed the idea. I couldn't do it. If I was going to keep her secret, I would keep it. If I wasn't going to keep it, then I would let her know up front. â€Å"I won't tell,†I said. I think the words surprised me as much as her. She studied me in the dim light and must have at last decided I was telling the truth. She gave a slow nod. â€Å"Adrian and I are bound. Like, with a spirit bond.†I felt my eyes widen in disbelief. â€Å"How did that – †Everything suddenly clicked together, the missing pieces. â€Å"The attack. You – you – â€Å" â€Å"Died,†said Jill bluntly. â€Å"There was so much confusion when the Moroi assassins came. Everyone thought they were coming for Lissa, so most of the guardians went to surround her. Eddie was the only one who came for me, but he wasn't fast enough. This man, he†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Jill touched a spot in the center of her chest and shuddered. â€Å"He stabbed me. He†¦ he killed me. That's when Adrian came along. He used spirit to heal me and bring me back, and now we're bound. Everything happened so fast. No one there even realized what he did.†My mind was reeling. A spirit bond. Spirit was a troubling element to the Alchemists, mostly because we had so few records of it. Our world was documents and knowledge, so any gap made us feel weak. Signs of spirit use had been recorded over the centuries, but no one had really realized it was its own element. Those events had been written off as random magical phenomena. It was only recently, when Vasilisa Dragomir had exposed herself, that spirit had been rediscovered, along with its myriad psychic effects. She and Rose had had a spirit bond, the only modern one we had documented. Healing was one of spirit's most notable attributes, and Vasilisa had brought Rose back from a car accident. It had forged a psychic connection between them, one that had only been shattered when Rose had had a second near-death experience. â€Å"You can see in his head,†I breathed. â€Å"His thoughts. His feelings.†So much began to come together. Like how Jill always knew everything about Adrian, even when he claimed he hadn't told her. She nodded. â€Å"I don't want to. Believe me. But I can't help it. Rose said in time, I'll learn the control to keep his feelings out, but I can't do it now. And he has so much, Sydney. So much feeling. He feels everything so strongly – love, grief, anger. His emotions are up and down, all over the place. What happened between him and Rose†¦ it tears him apart. It's hard to stay focused on me sometimes with all of that going on in him. At least it's only some of the time. I can't really control when it happens.†I didn't say it but wondered if some of those volatile feelings were part of spirit's tendency to drive its users insane. Or maybe it was just part of Adrian's innate personality. All irrelevant, for now. â€Å"But he can't feel you, right? It's only one way?†I asked. Rose had been able to read Vasilisa's thoughts and see her experiences in everyday life – but not the other way around. I assumed it was the same now, but with spirit, one couldn't take anything for granted. â€Å"Right,†she agreed. â€Å"That's how†¦ that's how you always know things about him. Like my visits. And when he wanted pizza. That's why he's here, what Abe wanted him here for.†Jill frowned. â€Å"Abe? No, it was kind of a group choice for Adrian to come along. Rose and Lissa thought it would be best if we were together while we were getting used to the bond, and I wanted him nearby too. What made you think Abe was involved?†â€Å"Er, nothing,†I said. Abe instructing Adrian to stay at Clarence's must not have been something Jill observed. â€Å"I was just mixed up about something.†â€Å"Can we go now?†she begged. â€Å"I answered your questions.†â€Å"Let me make sure I understand something first,†I said. â€Å"Explain how he ended up in Los Angeles and why he's stuck.†Jill clasped her hands together and looked away again, a habit I was coming to associate with when she had information that she knew wasn't going to be received well. â€Å"He, um, left Clarence's last night. Because he was bored. He hitchhiked into town – to Palm Springs – and ended up partying with some people who were going to LA. So, he went with them. And while he was in a club, he found those girls – some Moroi girls – and so he went home with them. And then he spent the night and kind of passed out. Until now. Now he's awake. And he wants to go home. To Clarence's.†With all this talk of clubbing and girls, an unsettling thought was building in my mind. â€Å"Jill, just how much of that did you actually experience?†She was still avoiding my gaze. â€Å"It's not important.†â€Å"It is to me,†I said. The night Jill had woken in tears†¦ that had been when Adrian was with those girls too. Was she living his sex life? â€Å"What was he thinking? He knows you're there, that you're living everything he does, but he never stops to – oh God. The first day of school. Ms. Chang was right, wasn't she? You were hung over. Vicariously, at least.†And almost every other morning, she woke up feeling semi-sick – because Adrian was hung over too. Jill nodded. â€Å"There was nothing physical they could've tested – like blood or anything – to prove that's what it was, but yeah. I might as well have had one. I certainly felt like it. It was awful.†I reached out and turned her face toward mine so that she had to look at me. â€Å"And you are now too.†There was more light in the room as the sun rose higher, and I could see the signs again. The sickly paleness and bloodshot eyes. I wouldn't have been surprised if her head and stomach hurt too. I dropped my hand and shook my head in disgust. â€Å"He can stay there.†â€Å"Sydney!†â€Å"He deserves it. I know you feel†¦ something†¦ for him.†Whether it was sisterly or romantic affection, it really didn't matter. â€Å"But you can't baby him and run to every need and request he sends to you.†â€Å"He's not asking me, not exactly,†she said. â€Å"I can just feel that he wants it.†â€Å"Well, he should've thought of that before he got himself into this mess. He can figure out his own way back.†â€Å"His cell phone died.†â€Å"He can borrow one from his new ‘friends.'†â€Å"He's in agony,†she said. â€Å"That's how life is,†I said. â€Å"I'm in agony.†I sighed. â€Å"Jill – â€Å" â€Å"No, I'm serious. And it's not just the hangover. I mean, yeah, part of it's the hangover. And as long as he's sick and not taking anything, then so am I! Plus†¦ his thoughts. Ugh.†Jill rested her forehead in her hands. â€Å"I can't get rid of how unhappy he is. It's like†¦ like a hammer banging in my head. I can't get away from it. I can't do anything else except think about how miserable he is! And that makes me miserable. Or think I'm miserable. I don't know.†She sighed. â€Å"Please, Sydney. Can we go?†â€Å"Do you know where he is?†I asked. â€Å"Yes.†â€Å"All right, then. I'll go.†I slid over to the edge of the bed. She stood up with me. â€Å"I'll come too.†â€Å"No,†I said. â€Å"You go back to bed. Take some aspirin and see if you can make yourself feel better.†I also had a few things I wanted to say to Adrian in private. Admittedly, if she was constantly connected to him, she'd â€Å"overhear†our conversation, but it'd be a lot easier to tell him what I wanted to when she wasn't actually there in the flesh, looking at me with those big eyes. â€Å"But how will you – â€Å" â€Å"I don't want you getting sick in the car. Just call me if something changes or if he leaves or whatever.†Jill's further protests were halfhearted, either because she didn't feel up to them or was just willing to be grateful for anyone â€Å"rescuing†Adrian. She didn't have an exact address, but she had a very vivid description of the condo he was at, which was right next door to a notable hotel. When I looked it up, I saw the hotel was actually in Long Beach, meaning I'd have to go past Los Angeles proper. I had a two-hour drive ahead of me. Coffee would be required. It was a pretty day, at least, and there was almost no traffic out so early on a Sunday. Looking at the sun and blue skies, I kept thinking about how nice it would be if I were making this drive in a convertible, with the top down. It would also be nice if I had been making this drive for any other reason besides retrieving a stranded vampire party boy. I was still having a hard time wrapping my mind around the idea that Jill and Adrian were spirit bound. The notion of someone bringing another back from the dead was not one that meshed well with my religious beliefs. It was just as troubling as another of spirit's feats: restoring Strigoi. We had two documented cases of that happening too, two Strigoi magically changed by spirit users back to their original form. One was a woman named Sonya Karp. The other was Dimitri Belikov. Between that and all this resurrection, spirit was really starting to freak me out. That much power just didn't seem right. I reached Long Beach right on schedule and had no problem finding the condo complex. It was right across the street from an oceanfront hotel called the Cascadia. Since Jill hadn't called with a change of location, I assumed Adrian was still holed up. Street parking was easy to find at this time of day, and I paused outside to stare at the blue-gray expanse of the Pacific on the western horizon. It was breathtaking, especially after my first week in the desert of Palm Springs. I almost wished Jill had come. Maybe being near so much water would have made her feel better. The condos were in a peach stucco building with three floors, two units on each floor. From Adrian's memories, Jill remembered going to the top of the building and turning right. I retraced those steps and came to a blue door with a heavy brass knocker. I knocked. When no answer came after almost a minute, I tried again more loudly. I was nearly on the verge of a third attempt when I heard the lock unclick. The door opened a crack, and a girl peeked out. She was clearly Moroi, with a skinny runway model build and pale, perfect skin that seemed particularly irritating today, considering I was pretty sure a pimple was going to break out on my forehead soon. She was my age, maybe a little older, with sleek black hair and deep blue eyes. She looked like some otherworldly doll. She was also half-asleep. â€Å"Yeah?†She looked me over. â€Å"Are you selling something?†Next to this tall, perfect Moroi, I suddenly felt self-conscious and frumpy in my linen skirt and button-down top. â€Å"Is Adrian here?†â€Å"Who?†â€Å"Adrian. Tall. Brown hair. Green eyes.†She frowned. â€Å"Do you mean Jet?†â€Å"I†¦ I'm not sure. Does he smoke like a chimney?†The girl nodded sagely. â€Å"Yup. You must mean Jet.†She glanced behind her and yelled, â€Å"Hey, Jet! There's some saleswoman here to see you.†â€Å"Send her out,†called a familiar voice. The Moroi opened the door wider and beckoned me in. â€Å"He's on the balcony.†I walked through a living room that served as a cautionary tale of what would ever happen if Jill and I lost all sense of housekeeping and self-respect. The place was a disaster. A girl disaster. Laundry piles littered the floor, and dirty dishes covered every square inch that wasn't occupied by empty beer bottles. A knocked-over bottle of nail polish had created a bubblegum pink splotch on the carpet. On the couch, tangled in blankets, a blond Moroi girl peered at me drowsily and then went back to sleep. Stepping around everything, I made my way to Adrian through a patio door. He stood on a balcony, leaning against its railing, his back to me. The morning air was warm and clear, so naturally, he was trying to ruin it by smoking. â€Å"Tell me this, Sage,†he said, without turning back to face me. â€Å"Why the hell would someone put a building near the beach but not have the balconies face the water? They were built to look at hills behind us. Unless the neighbors start doing something interesting, I'm ready to declare this structure a total waste.†I crossed my arms and glared at his back. â€Å"I'm so glad I've got your valuable opinion on that. I'll be sure and note it when I file my complaint to the city council for their inadequate ocean views.†He turned around, the hint of a smile twisting his lips. â€Å"What are you doing here? I figured you'd be in church or something.†â€Å"What do you think? I'm here because of the pleas of a fifteen-year-old girl who doesn't deserve what you put her through.†Any trace of a smile vanished. â€Å"Oh. She told you.†He turned back around. â€Å"Yes, and you all should have told me sooner! This is serious†¦ monumental.†â€Å"And no doubt something the Alchemists would love to study.†I could envision his sneer perfectly. â€Å"I promised her I wouldn't tell. But you still should've filled me in. It's kind of important information to have since I'm the one who has to babysit all of you.†‘†Babysit' is kind of an extreme term, Sage.†â€Å"Considering the current scenario? No, not really.†Adrian said nothing, and I gave him a quick assessment. He wore high-quality, dark-washed jeans and a red cotton shirt that must have been slept in, judging from the wrinkles. His feet were bare. â€Å"Did you bring a coat?†I asked. â€Å"No.†I went back inside and did a search among the clutter. The blond Moroi girl was fast asleep, and the one who'd let me in was sprawled on an unmade bed in another room. I finally found Adrian's socks and shoes tossed in a corner. I rushed to retrieve them, then headed back outside and dropped them next to him on the balcony. â€Å"Put those on. We're leaving.†â€Å"You aren't my mom.†â€Å"No, yours is serving a sentence for perjury and theft, if memory serves.†It was a mean, mean thing to say, but it was also the truth. And it got his attention. Adrian's head whipped around. Anger glinted in the depths of his green eyes, the first I'd ever truly seen in him. â€Å"Don't you ever mention her again. You have no idea what you're talking about.†His anger was a little intimidating, but I held my ground. â€Å"Actually, I was the one in charge of tracking down the records she stole.†â€Å"She had her reasons,†he said through gritted teeth. â€Å"You're so willing to defend someone who was convicted of a crime, yet you don't have any consideration for Jill – who's done nothing.†â€Å"I have plenty of consideration for her!†He paused to light a cigarette with trembling hands, and I suspected he was also trying to get a grip on his emotions. â€Å"I think about her all the time. How could I not? She's there†¦ I can't feel it, but she's always there, always listening to things in my head, listening to things I don't even want to hear. Feeling things I don't want to feel.†He inhaled on the cigarette and turned to look at the view, though I doubted he actually saw it. â€Å"If you're so aware of her, then how come you do stuff like this?†I gestured around us. â€Å"How could you drink when you know it affects her too? How could you do†– I grimaced – â€Å"whatever you did with those girls, knowing she could ‘see' it? She's fifteen.†â€Å"I know, I know,†he said. â€Å"I didn't know about the drinking – not at first. When she came over after school and told me that day, I stopped. I really did. But then†¦ when you guys were over on Friday, she told me to go ahead since it was the weekend. I guess she wasn't as worried about getting sick. So, I said to myself, ‘I'll just have a couple.' Only last night, it turned into more than that. And then things got kind of crazy, and I ended up here and – what am I doing? I don't have to justify my actions to you.†â€Å"I don't think you can justify them to anyone.†I was furious, my blood boiling. â€Å"You're one to talk, Sage.†He pointed an accusing finger. â€Å"At least I take action. You? You let the world go by without you. You stand there while that asshole Keith treats you like crap and just smile and nod. You have no spine. You don't fight back. Even old Abe seems to push you around. Was Rose right that he's got something on you? Or is he just someone else you won't fight back against?†I worked hard not to let him know just how deeply those words struck me. â€Å"You don't know the first thing about me, Adrian Ivashkov. I fight back plenty.†â€Å"You could've fooled me.†I gave him a tight smile. â€Å"I just don't make a spectacle of myself when I do it. It's called being responsible.†â€Å"Sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night.†I threw up my hands. â€Å"Well, that's the thing: I don't sleep at night anymore because I have to come save you from your own idiocy. Can we leave now? Please?†As an answer, he put out the cigarette and began putting on his socks and shoes. He looked up at me as he did, the anger totally gone. His moods were changed as easily as flipping a light switch. â€Å"You have to get me out of there. Out of Clarence's.†His voice was level and serious. â€Å"He's a nice enough guy, but I'm going to go crazy if I stay there.†â€Å"As opposed to your excellent behavior when you aren't there?†I glanced back into the condo. â€Å"Maybe your two groupies have room for you.†â€Å"Hey, show some respect. They're real people with names. Carla and Krissy.†He frowned. â€Å"Or was it Missy?†I sighed. â€Å"I told you before, I don't have any control over your living arrangement. How hard is it for you to go get your own place? Why do you need me?†â€Å"Because I have almost no money, Sage. My old man cut me off. He gives me an allowance that's barely enough for cigarettes.†I considered suggesting he quit, but that probably wouldn't be a useful turn in the conversation. â€Å"I'm sorry. I really am. If I think of something, I'll let you know. Besides, doesn't Abe want you to stay there?†I decided to come clean. â€Å"I overheard you two on the first day. How he wanted you to do something for him.†Adrian straightened up, shoes secured. â€Å"Yeah, I don't know what that's all about. Did you hear how totally vague he was too? I think he's just trying to screw with me, keep me busy because somewhere in that messed-up heart of his, he feels bad about what happened with – â€Å" Adrian shut his mouth, but I could hear the unspoken name: Rose. A terrible sadness crossed his features, and his eyes looked lost and haunted. I remembered when I'd been in the car with Jill, and she'd slipped into a tirade about Rose, about how the memory of her tormented Adrian. Knowing what I knew now about the bond, I had a feeling there'd been very little of Jill in those words. That had been a direct line to Adrian. Looking at him, I could barely understand the scope of that pain, nor did I know how to help. I just knew that I suddenly understood a tiny bit better why he would want to drown his sorrows so much, not that that made it any healthier. â€Å"Adrian,†I said awkwardly, â€Å"I'm – â€Å" â€Å"Forget it,†he said. â€Å"You don't know what it's like to love someone like that, then to have that love thrown back in your face – â€Å" An ear-splitting scream suddenly pierced the air. Adrian flinched more than me, proving the downside of vampire hearing: annoying sounds were that much more annoying. As one, we hurried back inside the condo. The blond girl was sitting upright on the couch, as startled as we were. The other girl, the one who had let me in, stood in the doorway to the bedroom, pale as death, a cell phone clutched in her hand. â€Å"What's the matter?†I asked. She opened her mouth to speak and then did a double take at me, seeming to remember that I was human. â€Å"It's okay, Carla,†said Adrian. â€Å"She knows about us. You can trust her.†That was all Carla needed. She threw herself into Adrian's arms and began crying uncontrollably. â€Å"Oh, Jet,†she said between sobs. â€Å"I can't believe it happened to her. How did this happen?†â€Å"What happened?†asked the other Moroi girl, rising unsteadily to her feet. Like Adrian, she looked like she'd slept in her clothes. I dared to hope that Jill hadn't been subjected to as much as indecency as I'd originally imagined. â€Å"Tell us what happened, Carla,†said Adrian in a gentle voice I'd only ever heard him use around with Jill. â€Å"I'm Krissy,†she sniffed. â€Å"And our friend – our friend.†She wiped at her eyes as more tears came to her eyes. â€Å"I just got the call. Our friend – another Moroi who goes to our college – she's dead.†Krissy looked up at the other girl, whom I guessed was Carla now. â€Å"It was Melody. She was killed by Strigoi last night.†Carla gasped and began crying, triggering more tears from Krissy. I met Adrian's eyes, both of us aghast. Even if we had no idea who this Melody was, a Strigoi killing was still a terrible, tragic thing. Immediately, my Alchemist mind kicked into action. I needed to make sure the crime scene was secure and the murder kept secret from humans. â€Å"Where?†I asked. â€Å"Where did it happen?†â€Å"West Hollywood,†said Carla. â€Å"Out behind some club.†I relaxed a little, though I was still shaken by the tragedy of it all. That was a busy, populated region, one that would definitely be on the Alchemists' radar. If any humans had found out, the Alchemists would have long since taken care of it. â€Å"At least they didn't turn her,†said Carla forlornly. â€Å"She can rest in peace. Of course, those monsters still couldn't rest without mutilating her body.†I stared, feeling cold all over. â€Å"What do you mean?†She rubbed her nose on Adrian's shirt. â€Å"Melody. They didn't just drink from her. They slit her throat too.â€
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Some Like It Hot – Station Sequence
In the previous sequence, Joe imitated a feminine voice to get a job with Jerry in a group of female musicians. But an ellipsis deals with their disguise, obscured by a continuity shot. Thus it is a way two new feminine characters who appear on the platform. This sequence also marks the appearance of Sugar/Marilyn and the confrontation of the single men with ‘a completely different sex'. 1. Tracking in with a background of nervous jazz : a close shot shows the back of the two musicians, from waist to heels.We recognize them thanks to their instruments : on the left, with the bow legs which hardly hold on the high heels belong to the player of double bass, Jerry. On the right, Joe walks more straight ahead, but the muscles of his calves are not less bulging. The extras who overtake them are all men, what even more points up their femininity. 2. From then now, the tracking out shows us the â€Å"result†of the disguise in the face.Joe, made up tastefully, makes a likely an d elegant woman, his white fur collar contrasting with his dark clothes; Jerry, with his more extravagant leopardskin collar enhanced by a rustle and by a double feather on his cloche hat, mixes in his clothes hairs, feathers and petals. His lipstick extends widely beyond his upper lip, we guess he is worry thanks to a pout. In voice-over, an announcement of the station tells that the train which Joe and Jerry get ready to take is the â€Å"Florida Limited†, that goes to Miami.The musicians thus get the job in the girls' orchestra, but will they go through the test of the disguise? 3. 4. Close shots on Joe, then on Jerry, each of them seems to take a detached expression in a weak-willed manner. They allow to see closer how each acts like a woman : Joe, simpering, glancing aside, is in the register of seduction. Jerry, in perpetual adjustment, oscillates between the girl (when he opens wide eyes) and the lady 5. 6. 7. Follow-up of the tracking in in the back.First lurch of Jer ry, who twists his ankle because of his high heels. It is not the first time he grumbles since Joe, pragmatic (their aim is to get in the train to escape the gangsters) is irritated by his lamentations. Tony Curtis, with his pale and powdered complexion, his half-closed eyelids as if he was already bored to be disguised as a woman, lets to Jack Lemmon a surprising and excessive palette of face expressions. (6). Bent forwards, Jerry keeps repeating the sex change, unable to be used to the conventions which govern the feminine clothing. How can they walk on these things? †Joe's very coarse and anatomical answer (â€Å"Must be the way their weight is distributed†) directly anticipates the appearance of Sugar, differently â€Å"distributed†indeed. After there is a reverse shot on the line of musicians who gets on the train (7) supplies a set of specimens who adds to Jerry's panic (â€Å"It's no use. We'll never get away with it†. Not always come to know ever y details of his character, he turns his glance to an ideal model. 8. 9.Catching, off screen, the eyes of both actors playing a female role, Sugar also appears, â€Å"cut in two†at the belt-level. The music theme completely changes for a slower but warmer jazz (the muted trumpet replaces the saxophone). As Jerry, she is wearing a feather on her hat, and her ukulele, she is holding like a feminine accessory, seems like a miniature bass. These are the first two common points, still discreet, of a relation in mirror between Daphne and Sugar who will go on throughout the film.When she passes by near Joe and Jerry, the glances focus on the bottom of her body in so fixing a way like in a cartoon (the glance of the lustful wolf of Tex Avery) 10. a. Front/behind : contrary to Joe and Jerry, Sugar is filmed at first by face at the top, then by back, at the bottom. In point 2, the suspense focused the expectation of the spectator on the transformation (what will Curtis and Lemmon look like in woman? ); here, the suspense is in a way erotic : once Marilyn is identified by face, the question concerns her clothes, how her figure is emphasized.We also notice that Marilyn's acting is as exuberant as that of her two partners : fluttering her lashes, moving her lips, rolling gait, she overplays femininity almost as much as Lemmon and Curtis 10. b. The echo of point 9 with point 1 is interrupted by the vapour blast which, from the train, surprises Sugar. The goal is to aim Marilyn's bottom. In point 6, Jerry complained about draughts under his dress, alluding to the anatomical difference between man and woman but also to the fact that the disguise displays him : it is an exposure.More than the draught, the white vapour blast materializes the desire which has just sprung from this first meeting : Sugar is literally â€Å"whistled†by the train. He also puts Sugar in experimental feminine subject : how does she react? How does she move? How does she go on walking a fter this hitch? 11. †it's like jello on springs! †. As a boy who took a toy into pieces to see how it works, Jerry questions the anatomical difference, wonders about feminine mechanics and already sees in Sugar a model to be imitated, whereas Joe, totally blown away, is brought down by love at first sight.The left and the right of the shot are separated by an invisible border between drama and comic. 12. When the newsboy arrives, the headlines of the newspaper (the gangsters are looking for the witnesses of the massacre) definitely position the disguise. Contrary to what Joe promises, Jerry and him are not going to stop this masquerade. If they want to live, they have to reborn in women, come across the shot and blend in the reverse shot, join the line of blond women with hat and instrument. 13. It is a success. Both of them are credible.Nevertheless Jerry, who is not completely transformed yet, has difficulties in speaking more high-pitched. â€Å"You two from the Po liakoff Agency? †â€Å"Yes, we're the new girls. †â€Å"Brand new†. This first pun of a long series done by Jerry betrays his jubilation to be between two sexes. 14. 15. 16. 17. This series of shots and reverse shots sets up, between the two men, a kind of â€Å"every man for himself†: Jerry surprises Josephine by renaming Daphne, Josephine invents a story about the Sheboygan Conservatory of Music (This city really exists in Wisconsin).Their first conversation with â€Å"Sweet†Sue introduces a crossing of border from a sex to the other one, but also a time travel. Aboard this train, the transvestites travel with twenty-year-old girls, in an atmosphere of summer camp bossed around by an iron lady. 18. First feminine misadventure of Jerry (Bienstock pinches his bottom). But both are recognised as â€Å"real ladies†: this remark of the only man of the troop sounds like a birth certificate.
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