A Haunted House

â€Å"Here we left it,† she said. And he added, â€Å"Oh, but here tool† â€Å"It's upstairs,† she murmured. â€Å"And in the garden,† he whispered. â€Å"Quietly,† they said, â€Å"or we shall wake them.† But it wasn't that you woke us. Oh, no. â€Å"They're looking for it; they're drawing the curtain,† one might say, and so read on a page or two. â€Å"Now they've found it,' one would be certain, stopping the pencil on the margin. And then, tired of reading, one might rise and see for oneself, the house all empty, the doors standing open, only the wood pigeons bubbling with content and the hum of the threshing machine sounding from the farm. â€Å"What did I come in here for? What did I want to find?† My hands were empty. â€Å"Perhaps its upstairs then?† The apples were in the loft. And so down again, the garden still as ever, only the book had slipped into the grass. But they had found it in the drawing room. Not that one could ever see them. The windowpanes reflected apples, reflected roses; all the leaves were green in the glass. If they moved in the drawing room, the apple only turned its yellow side. Yet, the moment after, if the door was opened, spread about the floor, hung upon the walls, pendant from the ceiling–what? My hands were empty. The shadow of a thrush crossed the carpet; from the deepest wells of silence the wood pigeon drew its bubble of sound. â€Å"Safe, safe, safe† the pulse of the house beat softly. â€Å"The treasure buried; the room . . .† the pulse stopped short. Oh, was that the buried treasure? A moment later the light had faded. Out in the garden then? But the trees spun darkness for a wandering beam of sun. So fine, so rare, coolly sunk beneath the surface the beam I sought always burned behind the glass. Death was the glass; death was between us, coming to the woman first, hundreds of years ago, leaving the house, sealing all the windows; the rooms were darkened. He left it, left her, went North, went East, saw the stars turned in the Southern sky; sought the house, found it dropped beneath the Downs. â€Å"Safe, safe, safe,† the pulse of the house beat gladly. ‘The Treasure yours.† The wind roars up the avenue. Trees stoop and bend this way and that. Moonbeams splash and spill wildly in the rain. But the beam of the lamp falls straight from the window. The candle burns stiff and still. Wandering through the house, opening the windows, whispering not to wake us, the ghostly couple seek their joy. â€Å"Here we slept,† she says. And he adds, â€Å"Kisses without number.† â€Å"Waking in the morning–† â€Å"Silver between the trees–† â€Å"Upstairs–† ‘In the garden–† â€Å"When summer came–† ‘In winter snowtime–† â€Å"The doors go shutting far in the distance, gently knocking like the pulse of a heart. Nearer they come, cease at the doorway. The wind falls, the rain slides silver down the glass. Our eyes darken, we hear no steps beside us; we see no lady spread her ghostly cloak. His hands shield the lantern. â€Å"Look,† he breathes. â€Å"Sound asleep. Love upon their lips.† Stooping, holding their silver lamp above us, long they look and deeply. Long they pause. The wind drives straightly; the flame stoops slightly. Wild beams of moonlight cross both floor and wall, and, meeting, stain the faces bent; the faces pondering; the faces that search the sleepers and seek their hidden joy. â€Å"Safe, safe, safe,† the heart of the house beats proudly. â€Å"Long years–† he sighs. â€Å"Again you found me.† â€Å"Here,† she murmurs, â€Å"sleeping; in the garden reading; laughing, rolling apples in the loft. Here we left our treasure–† Stooping, their light lifts the lids upon my eyes. â€Å"Safe! safe! safe!† the pulse of the house beats wildly. Waking, I cry â€Å"Oh, is this your buried treasure? The light in the heart.†

Examine the Role of Rawiri in the Whale Rider Essay

Rawiri plays an important role in the novel which helped unfolding the events, ranging from minor to significant ones. He relates the events in the ‘Whale Rider’ as the role of the narrator, allowing the readers to form judgements and learn about things such as the Maori way of life and the characters through his eyes. He also give us his insights as he highlights themes and issues mentioned, like racial discrimination. Besides that, he is the one who sees the many signs of Kahu’s destiny as the leader of the tribe, piecing up a complete picture of her eventual rise as the leader. Additionally, he is her guardian, always protecting and looking out for her. With his carefree personality, he often provides comic relief especially in times of tension. As the narrator, Rawiri relates the events through his personal experience and conversations. This allows us to have a deeper understanding of what had happened that lead to the progress of the story. For example, we know what the relationship between Koro and Nanny is unusual yet endearing as they often quarrel in a chidish manner, like during the time Nanny rowed out to sea to get him back when he was out sulking about Kahu’s birth. We also know that Nanny’s headstrong personality is partially influenced by the fact that her ancestor, Muriwai, inspires her to champion the rights of women. All these enable us to know more about the characters and thus understand the reasons behind certain actions these characters make. He also highlights the theme of gender discrimination through Koro’s steadfast opposition to Kahu as he ‘virtually hurled’ her out of the meetinghouse, a place not for females, and told her to ‘go away’ many times, not even considering her as a potential leader even though she displays many outstanding qualities like leadership skills. During his time at Papua New Guinea, he also highlighted the issue of racial discrimination as he himself with the other natives are discriminated and marginalised. Rawiri is referred to as ‘home dogs and strays’ by Clara and that Jeff’s family did not care to even send Bernard to the hospital when they knocked him down because he is ‘only a native’. Through his insights, we get to know the harsh reality of class distinctions that is existent among different races, leading to ostracism. Besides that, Rawiri witnesses the signs foreshadowing Kahu’s future as the leader of the Maori tribe. Kahu is multi-talented, is the ‘leader of the culture group’ and ‘love to sing the Maori songs’ and even gave her speech at the end-of-year ceremony entirely in Maori. At such a young age, Kahu unusually displays many outstanding qualities that is required for a leader, and this suggest to the readers that she has what it takes and will eventually take up the leadership position as well. She ‘cried’ during the whale-beaching movie, ‘not even a lollipop would satisfy her’ and even ‘make a mewling sound at her throat’ when she witnessed the scene of whale-hunting on the beach. This shows that she is able to empathise and relate to the whales and there is a sense of communion between them, an ability that not even Koro possessed. He also saw her retrieving the stone from the deep waters, when all the other boys could not even do it. His narration of these events tells us that Kahu is unique and extraordinary, her astounding feats outshines the rest and thus hints to us that Kahu will do something great and lead her tribe. In addition, Rawiri is also Kahu’s guardian and protector as he is always seen to be trying his best to ensure her safety and well-being. During the whale-beaching movie, he felt ‘protective’ ‘like a father’ and felt that should look after her till the world ended’. Rawiri regards himself as a fatherly figure to her and feels the need to look after her, protecting her from all the rain and storm. Also, when Kahu went out to sea in an attempt to save the whales, ‘instantly I (he) ran through the waves’, ‘plunged into the sea’ and ‘yelled to her, a despairing cry’. Even though he was ‘frightened by the heavy seas’, he bravely ploughs on for her as he does not want to lose Kahu and felt a strong responsibility to get her back to safety, even if he ‘would just have to go down this whale’s throat and pull Kahu right out’. This shows the extent of his guardianship of Kahu as he takes pains to protect this mentally strong yet fragile girl of eight. Lastly, he also provides humour in different moments in the novel, especially in times of tension. For example, when Nanny felt indignant and unfair regarding the exclusion of women during school sessions, Rawiri managed to lighten the tense atmosphere through his comical phone conversation with Cheryl and bringing Kahu to the movies instead, with the girls ‘assessing whether I (he) had now become marrying material’. By inserting comic relief, there is a variation in the mood throughout the novel and thus the readers do not feel perpetually a sense of pressure and tension, and are able to feel relaxed. Also, the way Nanny wanted to look her best despite her failure as she wears a hat that ‘must have looked wonderful in the 1930s’ and ‘added a bit of this and a bit of that until it looked just like something out of her vegetable garden’ is a comic element which enables us to find her as an endearing character even though she is old-fashioned. By providing humour, it lightens the overall atmosphere and learn more about the characters. In conclusion, Rawiri narrates the events in the novel through his point of view and highlights certain themes and issues presented by the author. He is also he guardian of Kahu and takes care of her, assuming a fatherly position. Furthermore, he is the one who consistently sees the signs of Kahu’s fate to rise up as the next leader of the tribe. Lastly, he also provides comic relief which help to lighten the mood of the novel, especially during times of tension. He is definitely an important character which helps the story to progress efficiently.

Acid Rain Essays (1959 words) - Inorganic Solvents, Acid Rain

Acid Rain INTRODUCTION: Acid rain is a great problem in our world. It causes fish and plants to die in our waters. As well it causes harm to our own race as well, because we eat these fish, drink this water and eat these plants. It is a problem that we must all face together and try to get rid of. However acid rain on it's own is not the biggest problem. It cause many other problems such as aluminum poisoning. Acid Rain is deadly. WHAT IS ACID RAIN? Acid rain is all the rain, snow, mist etc that falls from the sky onto our planet that contains an unnatural acidic. It is not to be confused with uncontaminated rain that falls, for that rain is naturally slightly acidic. It is caused by today's industry. When products are manufactured many chemicals are used to create it. However because of the difficulty and cost of properly disposing of these products they are often emitted into the atmosphere with little or no treatment. The term was first considered to be important about 20 years ago when scientists in Sweden and Norway first believed that acidic rain may be causing great ecological damage to the planet. The problem was that by the time that the scientist found the problem it was already very large. Detecting an acid lake is often quite difficult. A lake does not become acid over night. It happens over a period of many years, some times decades. The changes are usually to gradual for them to be noticed early. At the beginning of the 20th century most rivers/lakes like the river Tovdal in Norway had not yet begun to die. However by 1926 local inspectors were noticing that many of the lakes were beginning to show signs of death. Fish were found dead along the banks of many rivers. As the winters ice began to melt off more and more hundreds upon hundreds more dead fish (trout in particular) were being found. It was at this time that scientist began to search for the reason. As the scientists continued to work they found many piles of dead fish, up to 5000 in one pile, further up the river. Divers were sent in to examine the bottom of the rivers. What they found were many more dead fish. Many live and dead specimens were taken back to labs across Norway. When the live specimens were examined they were found to have very little sodium in their blood. This is typical a typical symptom of acid poisoning. The acid had entered the gills of the fish and poisoned them so that they were unable to ext ract salt from the water to maintain their bodies sodium levels. Many scientist said that this acid poising was due to the fact that it was just after the winter and that all the snow and ice was running down into the streams and lakes. They believed that the snow had been exposed to many natural phenomena that gave the snow it's high acid content. Other scientists were not sure that this theory was correct because at the time that the snow was added to the lakes and streams the Ph levels would change from around 5.2 to 4.6. They believed that such a high jump could not be attributed to natural causes. They believed that it was due to air pollution. They were right. Since the beginning of the Industrial revolution in England pollution had been affecting all the trees,soil and rivers in Europe and North America. However until recently the loses of fish was contained to the southern parts of Europe. Because of the constant onslaught of acid rain lakes and rivers began to lose their ability to counter act their affects. Much of the alkaline elements; such as calcium and limestone; in the soil had been washed away. It is these lakes that we must be worried about for they will soon become extinct. A fact that may please fishermen is that in lakes/rivers they tend to catch older and larger fish. This may please them in the short run however they will soon have to change lakes for the fish supply will die quickly in these lakes. The problem is that acid

Humanities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Humanities - Essay Example The sculpture of Augustus of Prima Porta by an anonymous artist, Michelangelo’s David, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, the Madonna with Her Child from the Byzantine Empire, Holbein‘s Portrait of Henry VII, and Raphael’s Portrait of Castiglione are works that project a serious expression. The common expression in the faces of the models suggests the sombreness of life of the subject and common expression predominant in the earlier times. The sculpture of Augustus Caesar of Prima Porta, which is presently located in Braccio Nuovo in the Vatican Museum, is a 2.04-meter statue made of pure marble. It was found in 1863 at the place of Augustus’s wife, Villa of Livia, who stayed in Porta, Rome after the death of her husband. The artist is unknown, but speculators claim that it must be Greek. Augustus Caesar is akin to Julius Caesar, and was one of those who avenged the death of the other. Dressed in Roman military clothing, the sculpture reflects the role of Augustus as the first Roman emperor. Raising his arm, as if gesturing instructions to his troops, the sculpture emphasizes the role he played. The facial expression is not totally sombre, but the absence of smile on his face still reflects the serious personality. Fig. 1. Statue of Augustus Caesar located in Braccio Nuovo in Rome. ... Rushmore, hence confirming that the serious look that the sculptor made in Augustus may have been due to the position of the subject in society. In other words, leaders such as Augustus can be expected to have a serious look in visual arts. Nevertheless, comparison with other sculptures of great leaders will further help shed light on the issue. Michelangelo’s sculpture of David also bears the same serious look. This 5.17 meter masterpiece made of marble was created between 1501 and 1504. The sculpture features the biblical hero, David, standing in nudity. Originally, the work was positioned in Palazzo della Signoria in Florence, Italy. The head of David is tilted to the side, with the eyes gazing towards Rome from its original position. Later, it was transferred to its present location in the Gallery of the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence. The original was replaced by a replica in its original location. The sculpture is said to symbolize the liberty of  Florentine Repub lic to ward off threats from the neighboring states (Seymour 3). Fig. 2. The statue of David by Michelangelo located in the Gallery of the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, Italy. The serious look in David’s eyes reflects the seriousness of the artist and possibly, the people at the start of the 16th century. Deep in thought, the subject shows a stern expression with a curious look casted towards the left. This facial gesture implies curiosity and search for meaning, which were predominant during the Renaissance time. Today, replicas of David can be found in different places including New York and Pennsylvania. Sandro Boticelli’s Birth of Venus is another work of art that presents a serious look in the face of the subject. This tempera on canvass of 1486

The Best Brand Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Best Brand - Assignment Example Achieving this make it easy for the company to reach and build association with its target market. The Coco Mademoiselle by Coco Chanel displays superb consistency in its marketing effort. With young women from twenties to mid-thirties as its target market, the product aptly exudes femininity, excitement, youth and freedom. The irrepressible spirit of Coco is what makes the product more saleable to its target market. Apparently, it is in the ages of twenties to thirties that women are so excited about their career and image, the age of financial freedom and independence as this is the age before they settle for marriage. A perfume then which promotes free-spirit would fit the target market. In terms of product, the Coco Mademoiselle by Coco Chanel aptly services the wants of its target market, composed mainly of high-earning, independent minded, sociable, career women. The status symbol brought by having the superior price among the rest of the perfume products also fits the youthful conviction of being the best and achieving the highest. Coco Mademoiselle's target market mainly comprises of women who wouldn't settle for less, therefore paying the highest price for a perfume is actually a desire and not a sacrifice. With this, the product greatly coincides with the price strategy. In terms of place, both Coco Mademoiselle by Coco Chanel and J'adore by Christian Dior have found the excellent distribution sites in famous out

Population Crisis in India Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Population Crisis in India - Research Paper Example A vast majority of the Indians are deprived of clean water for drinking, education, health care, sanitation, and employment opportunities. If the population of India continues to grow at the present rate, it is anticipated that it would have crossed the limit of 1700 million, which would be even more than the population of China. At the present rate of growth of population, India gets 16 million more people to take care of on a yearly basis. This paper discusses the effects of overpopulation in India. Population crisis in India is causing a lot of social, health, and technical problems, which endanger the solidarity and stability of India. Overpopulation in India is also a cause of myriad of social problems. People have an urge to have boys. People live in extreme poverty, to alleviate which, they encourage their children to enter the workforce in their childhood rather than getting them educated in schools. In fact, one of the main reasons of overpopulation is poverty. Poverty is bo th a cause and effect of overpopulation in India. Since India is conventionally a male-dominated society, having girls is not appreciated in India. People find it hard to marry their daughters since they have to give dowry, which they cannot afford owing to their poverty. Many Indians either abort their baby girls during pregnancy, or kill them immediately after they are born in an attempt to shed off the weight on their shoulders. Continuation of this practice over the decades has led to an imbalance between the population of men and women in India. The population of men outweighs that of the women which has led to spread in the culture of brothel houses, rape, and incest in India. Overpopulation of men in India plays a role in making it an even more conservative society, wherein women are denied their rights of working shoulder to shoulder with men. Another social problem caused by overpopulation in India is increase in crime rate. There are a lot of candidates for a single job. A ccordingly, many are left unemployed. In order to make both ends meet, people tend to acquire money through illegitimate means, thus indulging into such acts of crime as theft and robbery. It is not hard to hire a man to get someone killed in India as the frustrated poor people would agree to do anything for money. This has helped the terrorists to gain more control in India as they pay such poor people to practice their evil machinations. In addition to that, overpopulation in India has led to civil unrest and a lot of communal tensions. Overpopulation in India has exposed the people of India to a lot of health risks. Diseases like hepatitis, cancer, and AIDS are spreading rapidly. The fundamental cause of the spread of hepatitis is lack of supply of clean water for drinking. Malnutrition also increases the chances of an individual to acquire hepatitis. Millions of Indians acquire some sort of cancer every year as a result of living in a polluted environment. Among all sorts of pol lutions, air pollution and water pollution are amongst the most frequent causes of cancer in India. More and more Indians are acquiring AIDS because of lack of sex education, lack of use of contraception, and the availability of brothel houses. These and many more similar health risks have led to an increase in the spread of diseases in India. People are too poor to afford good health care. The mortality rate has surged up as a result of poor health care facilities. Overpopulation

Barbeque machine Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Barbeque machine - Assignment Example The cost of designing the barbeque grill is reduced by using a hybrid strategy that will leverage the flexibility of industrial manufacturing with lowest advantages. Recycled metals can also be used. The running cost is reduced by covering the lid tightly thus shortening the cooking time. The grill uses little amount of charcoal depending on the amount of food to be cooked and the size of the charcoal box. The round grill barbecue is easy to operate. The food to be roasted is placed on an already lit grill, the cover put in place and the food allowed to cook. The tool set is used to flip and toss the food. The round grill barbecue is designed to a small portable size that is easy to carry around and occupies very small space. The round grill barbeque machine is mostly used for roasting, boiling, or sweltering food. It can also be used to store food. However, the round grill barbeque machine cannot store perishable food for a longer period of time. Pair wise comparison chart. OBJECTIV ES COST PORTABILITY USABILITY ENERGY USE AND EFFICIENCY SCORE COST - 0 1 1 2 PORTABILITY 1 - 1 1 3 USABILITY 1 1 - 1 3 ENERGY USE AND EFFICIENCY 1 1 1 - 3 Morphological chart DESIGHN PARTS DESCIPTION Casing The casing is made of metal sheet. Holds the mesh, top cover, and the charcoal box in place Rack Made if steel rods and acts as the stand for the grill. Can be fitted with rollers to allow easy mobility. Mesh Made of stainless steel and used to hold the food strategically while cooking. Top cover Prevents contamination of food while cooking and reduces energy loss by containing the heat thus increasing efficiency of the barbecue grill. Tool set Made of stainless steel and is used to toss and flip the food while cooking Numerical Evaluation Matrix DESIGN COST ENERGY USE PORTABILITY USABILITY SPACE Round grill barbecue 45% 30% 20% 10% 25% Electric grill barbecue 60% 60% 40% 30% 20% Wood pallet electric grill barbecue 55% 80% 50% 40% 40% Gas barbecue grill 75% 65% 40% 55% 60% Kettle barbecue grill 55% 80% 30% 40% 20% Conclusion The imposition or regulatory measures on charcoal use and production, and the increasing depreciation rate of energy resources has made it necessary to develop a barbeque grill that is energy efficient and eco-friendly. The round grill barbeque machine is therefore designed to use a small amount of charcoal with very minimal energy loss. Reference Classic barbequing. Bristol, Wis.: Charmglow Products, 1977.

Summary of Michelle Alexander argument relative to origin of Jim Crow Essay

Summary of Michelle Alexander argument relative to origin of Jim Crow - Essay Example As a result, they were constrained to second grade jobs and opportunities such as being slaves or performing menial jobs for the whites. It follows that the form of segregation postulated and fronted took the holistic approach such that the places where the African-Americans lived was supposed to be of lower cadre or class comparative to the other white neighborhoods. Thus, it goes without saying that the limited employment opportunities of the African-Americans limited their economic empowerment and as a result they lived in poverty. This is so due to the fact that they were set to occupy low paying jobs which implies that their economic power was greatly reduced and as a result they lived poor lives. Accordingly, the current criminal justice dispensation acts as a racial tool to discriminate and control the African-Americans if the empirical evidence and statistics is anything to go by. It is critical to note and mention that the speaker in the New Jim Crow, Michelle Alexander outlines that Blacks get arrested for equal or lesser crimes as their white counterparts. For instance, she mentions that the â€Å"blacks are arrested for non-violent often drug related offence, the vary sorts that occur with roughly equal frequency in the middle class white community or on college campuses.† Equally important is that the kind of treatment that the African-Americans are subjected to in prison is second class.

Evidence based care on an Inflammatory process and therapy Assignment

Evidence based care on an Inflammatory process and therapy - Assignment Example According to Karch (2013), the etiology of RA is indefinite. However, Karch (2013) notes that pathogenesis of RA has long been exposed and explicated by researchers. RA is exhibited in human beings when "synovial cells resembling a localized tumor invades and destroys articular cartilage, subchondral bone, tendons, and ligaments" (1035). In other words, RA arises as a result of the immune system attacking the body. Though the exact cause of RA is not yet known, it is believed that permutation of genes coupled with environmental changes may prompt the onset of RA (Firestein, n.d). In individuals genetically predisposed to RA, some researchers believe that bacterial or viral infections could also prompt the onset of the disease (Firestein, n.d). According to Karrch (2013), RA development process commences with damage to small blood vessels accompanied by an elevation in the quantity of the cells making up the lining of the synovium. This is also accompanied by permeation of cells characterized by a single rounded nucleus, for instance, lymphocytes in blood vessels. Consequently, the synovium swells and subsequently extends above the surface of the joint thus forming protuberances (Karch, 2013). Symptoms of RA are majorly concentrated the foot and ankle of the affected individual. Major symptoms include swelling, reddening, softness, rigidity of the affected joints, and the affected individual in most cases also experiences exhaustion or general body weakness (Baert and Grampp, 2008). It is worth noting that joint rigidity usually occurs in the morning. Secondly, it is also important to note that practically all joints are affected by RA and hence symptoms may present themselves in all joints. There are also permanent defects such as inability to straighten the knee, wrists or fingers shift or drift in the direction of the ulna, and swan neck deformity, which is a condition whereby

Energy drink - Guarana Essay Example for Free

Energy drink Guarana Essay Are you ever extremely tired? In the generation we live in today, the average person does not get the eight hours of sleep that the body needs. They do not eat right or take vitamins, and they do not get the physical exercise they need to keep their body healthy. As a result; they get extremely tired, stressed, and moody by the middle of the day. A smart choice would be to get more hours of sleep, eat healthy, take vitamins and exercise daily. However, because we changed from a fast and active society to a lazy and overweight one, people have decided to take the easy way out. This easy way would be energy drinks. These drinks are said to give you a â€Å"quick boost of energy† and they claim to have some sort of nutrition to them. Energy drinks have been around for over fifty years and are getting more popular as the years go by. They now are in almost every store you can go to and in many commercials and advertisements. The most popular energy drinks in the United States are Monster, Red Bull, Full Throttle, and Rockstar. However, my point here is that these energy drinks do the exact opposite of what they say they do. They say â€Å"Healthy benefits† I say â€Å"Heart-attack†. Energy drinks are unhealthy because they can cause health problems that will last you a lifetime. First, the most obvious ingredient in an energy drink is caffeine. The bad thing about this ingredient is that people do not realize how much of it is in one can. Jenna Hogan, an author of the article â€Å"What You Need To Know About Energy Drinks†, states â€Å"In comparison, an average 8 ounce serving of a soft drink and a cup of coffee contains 25 to 85 milligrams respectively. This means that an 8 ounce energy drink can have as much caffeine as 14 colas! †(Hogan 3) This much caffeine can lead to things such as bad sleep, kidney problems, dehydration, seizures, high blood pressure, and a decrease in bone mass. Caffeine increases heart rate and blood pressure, which then raises harmful stress hormones in the blood stream. Not only is there a high amount of caffeine, there is also a ridiculously large amount of sugar. An 8 ounce can of energy drink contains 13 tablespoons of sugar. These sugars are labeled as Fructose, Glucose, or Sucrose. They are carbohydrates that are metabolized quickly by the body and then produce a rapid burst of energy. If one is trying to stay healthy and free of illnesses, this much caffeine and sugar is the last thing he or she needs. Second, energy drinks are often ignored or exaggerated. However, the problem here isn’t only what is in the drink, but how many drinks a person consumes a day. In the Energy Supplements and Dangers article, the author recommends you take a moderation of two or less drinks a day. (Pursey 135) This is where the root of the problem stems from. One of the worst dangers in energy drinks is within athletes. These drinks are being used so frequently by many athletes before games or before major workouts. This is dangerous because these drinks aren’t designed for this. Because of the high sodium, caffeine and sugar content, they arent created to help replenish essential elements lost during intense workouts. The caffeine can then have a bad effect which is the opposite of what is needed. It is known that caffeine is actually banned from many sport competitions because it is known to improve strength and performance. Many caught consuming energy drinks before a game are automatically disqualified. The ingredients in an energy drink are very dangerous and overwhelming. Third, specific crowds are more prone to believe the variety of claims that energy drink companies make, and one main crowd would be teens. Energy drink companies make sure that their slogans are very memorable and catchy. For example, Red Bull’s slogan is â€Å"Red Bulls give you Wings. † Other slogans are â€Å"Unleash the Beast† (Monster) â€Å"Party like a Rockstar†(Rockstar) and â€Å"Go Full Throttle or Go Home† (Full Throttle). Teenagers thrive for acceptance. They will do anything to raise their popularity. In today’s society, energy drinks are the â€Å"cool† thing. Energy drink companies understand the importance of advertising, which is why they are becoming much more successful. An example of this would be before the Food and Drug Administration declared â€Å"Four Lokos† (an energy drink) illegal. A fourteen year old boy stole his parents vehicle and crashed it on an interstate in Denton, Texas. His girlfriend, in the passengers seat, did not have a seatbelt on and died immediately. Police who searched his car found five empty Four Loko cans in the trunk, and the young boy was charged with intoxication and manslaughter (Sullum 1). We can finally thank the FDA for banning Four Lokos once and for all. Unfortunately, those lives lost to energy drinks can never be brought back. Some may argue that people need energy everyday and that is why thousands of Americans love caffeine. They work hard and dont get the right amount of rest, and that is where caffeine comes in the picture. Americans consume caffeine because it keeps them awake and running. Many of these people rely on the energy that caffeine gives them and it becomes a part of their everyday life. Without it they feel tired and miserable. Although many of these people need caffeine to survive through the day, many dont know what they are actually putting into their body. Curiosity strikes when people think about the FDA and why it hasnt put up a battle with the energy drink companies. There is one simple answer, Energy drinks are labeled as â€Å"supplements† instead of â€Å"beverages. † This classification allows companies to pretty much write whatever they would like on the back of their labels. There are no restrictions on the amount of ingredients or even which ones they choose to put on their products. Because the FDA can’t do anything about this, the public can’t be assured of its safety. Energy drink companies completely misinform the public about what their energy drinks do. They manipulate society into believing that their drinks will help improve their life. They target specific crowds in order to gain the success that they want. They dont tell their buyers about the long term effects these drinks have on their bodies. Obviously, they are more concerned about the money rather than the lives. Energy drinks have no benefit to the body. They will give you a quick boost of energy, just to bring you crashing down. Consuming more than one a day will only increase your risks of side effects. Energy drinks are very unhealthy and can cause you health problems that will last you a lifetime. The FDA banned Four Lokos and hopefully will do something to make energy drinks much less of a hazard and more of a nutritional drink.

Mass Media Influence On American Society Media Essay

Mass Media Influence On American Society Media Essay It is the power that shapes and molds the mind of virtually every citizen, young or old, rich or poor, simple or sophisticated (Sweet Liberty, 2000, 1). The media is a part of everyday life in America. News and events outside of ones home or neighborhood are brought to their area via the newspaper, magazines, radio, television, and the internet. As the quote above mentions mass media, and its components, are very powerful and are capable of influencing ones mind, as well as their behavior. The images and stories introduced to children and young adults make it difficult for these viewers to distinguish between fact and fiction (Cable News Network, 1998, 3), thus stimulating confusion and blind emulation. In Torrs Violence in Film and Television, film and television editor, Harvey Roy Greenberg, says that different forms of aggression, either spoken, sung, danced, or written have appeared in practically every clime and time. In other words, the media and violent entertainment have been around since ancient times. In the Stone Age, violent images were painted and carved into their stone canvases, the Romans enjoyed gladiatorial combat, and the Victorian English enjoyed plays and puppet shows often featuring murder and swordplay as ways of exciting the audience (Torr, 2002, 15). Violence on television, or portrayed in literary form, may have been more mild and censored in the past, but all the same, the public was still vulnerable and easily influenced by what they witnessed and experienced. Hollywood, currently, is very candid and graphic in its productions, especially depending on the director and editor. However, in contrast with todays wild interpretations and brutal killings, in the 1930s, Hollywood abided by production codes. These codes regulated all aspects of screen content, with an elaborate list of rules outlining what was permissible to show and what was not (Torr, 2002, 22). As times changed and American society became more informed about reality and the violence which took place, the codes were modified, eventually leading to film ratings. Although Americans were more aware and the ratings provided some restrictions, this did not mean that emulation and confusion were eliminated completely. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ virtually from the cradle, children in the United States are bombarded by violence on TV, in movies, and in song lyrics (Cable News Network, 1998, 2). Children are easily swayed and influenced by the many images and pictures presented to them through the media. By high school graduation, children will have spent roughly 50 percent more time in front of a television than in front of a teacher (Dudley, 1999, 32). Parents, often times, are too drained or pre-occupied with their own lives, leading their children to find comfort in watching television or playing video games which, consequently, become the prime examples for their actions and behaviors. For all too many Americans, the real world has been replaced by the false reality of the TVà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Sweet Liberty, 2000, 2). These children hear the news and watch shows and films where innocent people are being stolen from or being killed, but they have nobody there to teach them the difference between what is real and what is not, what is right and what is wrong. An article printed in Time magazine, titled Suburban Smackdown, is a great example of how the media persuades children to impersonate what they view on television. The article concentrates on the violence of wrestling and how some children and young adults are putting on shows, costumes, masks and all, for their neighbors based on these wrestling characters they see on TV. It may not be the Rock vs. the Undertaker on prime-time TV, but the high school boys of the Extreme Wrestling Federation of Sayerville, N.J., try hard to make their contests look just as real' (Fonda, 2000, 49). It may be fun and games for a lot of these kids, but images seen on a Best of Backyard Wrestling video included kids jumping onto barbed wire, setting their opponents on fire, and other kids somersaulting onto mattresses studded with sharp objects (Fonda, 2000, 49). And the violence seems to be trickling down from teenagers to tots (Fonda, 2000, 49). The Wrestling Federation and the high school boys imitati on is similar to a slippery slope. The professional wrestlers are not setting a good example for these boys by promoting fights and violence for no reason, other than winning a trophy, and these high school boys are not setting a good example for even younger children because they are expressing that violence is fun and okay. One year before this article was published, in Dallas, a three-year-old boy was killed after his seven-year-old brother stiff-armed him in the throat, trying to imitate a move he had seen on television (Fonda, 2000, 49). After hundreds and thousands of years of media influence, it cost childrens lives and innocence for the pro-wrestling federations to run dont-try-this-at-home ads during their matches. Children are a large majority of the population influenced by the media, but it is not them alone who imitate and follow what they see and hear on a daily basis. Media experts say the last four decades of research have shown a clear correlation between violence on television and the development and display of aggressive values and behavior by both children and adults (Torr, 2002, 99). Adults watching the news are influenced by the events occurring locally as well as internationally; however, it not so much what they hear, but more how it is being presented. For example: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦which items are emphasized and which are played down, the reporters choice of words, tone of voice, and facial expressions; the wording of headlines; the choice of illustrationsall of these subliminally and yet profoundly affect the way in which we interpret what we see or hear (Sweet Liberty, 2000, 2). Not only does the news affect the way adults think and view the society, but film and violent enterta inment also play a large role in influencing their behaviors and actions. A good, very recent example involves Mel Gibsons movie The Passion of Christ. . . . A Fort Bend County man has fanned the flames of the fervor when he confessed to killing his girlfriend after viewing the movie in hopes of seeking redemption (Klentzman, 2004, 1). The Passion of Christs message influenced this man in a positive way, in confessing for his mortal sin, but the other side to this positive media influence is not so bright Leach, the man convicted of the murder, suffocated his girlfriend and got the idea of making it look like a suicide from the weekly series CSI (Klentzman, 2000, 2). Music and its lyrics have also played an enormous role in shaping and molding American societys minds. Todays music is absolutely nothing like the Oldies. The modern-day society is accustomed to hearing music where 50 percent of the lyrics are what are considered bad words. Heavy metal and rap lyrics have elicited the greatest concern, as they compound the environment in which some adolescents increasingly are confronted with pregnancy, drug use, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, injuries, homicides, and suicide (Dudley, 1999, 55). Artists like Marilyn Manson and Eminem have parents worried because they do not want their children being exposed to such vulgar language, afraid they will try to emulate these particular artists and the stories conveyed through their lyrics, often times including the subjects of beating their wives or slitting their wrists. Another good example of how the music world influences peoples minds and behaviors is the suicide of Nirvanas Kurt Cobain. When Kur t Cobain died, I died with him was the note left by an eighteen-year-old who, along with two other friends, executed a suicide pact following Cobains death (Dudley, 1999, 34). MTV and other music stations play a crucial role in young adults lives. With continuous coverage of celebrities and music artists, many people find the need to conform. Parental awareness, supervision, and discussion are critical variables in heading off additional tragedies (Dudley, 1999, 34). Video games have become a more recent trend, but just as the other sources of media, these games have the potential of influencing and molding the minds of children and adults. In the past, video games like Pong, consisted of a ball which would bounce off of two sticks. Nowadays, video games like Mortal Kombat or Grand Theft Auto, consist of cursing, shooting, beating, and killing humans and monsters. The National Coalition on Television Violence found that more than 75 percent of video games contained violent images (Sherrow, 1996, 71). Many researchers believe that video games have a stronger effect on children than merely watching television because the players take a direct and active role in the violence; the researchers also believe that the players of these games will become desensitized towards violence and disregard human life because, in these games, they are able inflict pain, but no pain is inflicted back on them (Sherrow, 1996, 71). Many of these images mimic reality, us ing lifelike scenes and situations. What we see happening, is that there is so muchà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦realistic-type violence portrayed in movies and other situationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦They think that if you shoot somebody, they get upà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Cable News Network, 1998, 4). As well as promoting violence, video games also encourage anti-social behavior. Instead of going outside and playing sports or interacting with other people, many people choose to stay indoors, in a dark room, playing on their video game systems. With the advancement of technology, how can one forget the Internet? Since its development in 1993, the Internet has been an excellent resource for research, entertainment, and communication. However, the Internet also has many flaws. Like video games, the Internet also encourages anti-social behavior; one may be able to communicate through AIM services and such, but it is possible to be addicted to the Internet. Those addicted to the Internet do not feel the need to socialize in another setting, perhaps outside. Also, the Internet has many websites for games, interesting facts, and useful yellow page information; however, it also has many websites very inappropriate for children and young persons, like pornography or violence. As mentioned above, lines of communications are often opened up through the Instant Messaging services, although this may be a positive thing, it can also lead to dangerous and harmful situations. For example, children using the Internet and talking to their f riends through instant messages may enter chat rooms. These chat rooms are full of strangers and people of all ages trying to take advantage of young minds. For instance, there have been many cases where older men have posed as 10-year-old boys in order to meet up with a child of the same age group and rape or kidnap them. Parents may try to block and limit what their children see or do on the Internet, but with the education and information children and young adults receive today they can easily break the locks placed upon their access on the computer. Although media images may be enlightening, a lot of the time they are disturbing and provocative, especially depending on the audience. Common sense just tells you that theres obviously an influence. Television is the most powerful medium in the world. Movies, the entertainment industry, the music industry, theyre very powerful (Cable News Network, 1998, 14). As one is able to tell, the mass media is present in our everyday lives. By watching the news, reading the newspaper, watching the television set, or going to the movie theatres, the media is always there. Whether one may realize it or not, in one way or another, the media has influenced their behaviors and/ or actions. From birth to death, people in America will live in a society in which their education and their futures revolve around the mass media and its messages, whether they are positive or negative; it is the American way of life.