Is there any relief to the grimness in section one of 1984?

In the dystopian society Orwell creates in 1984 there is an overwhelming, yet unsettlingly familiar sense of irony; the omnipotent leaders of Oceania, Big Brother and the inner party members, claim to be controlling the everyday lives of the citizens in order to bring them a better life, ‘for the good of the party' and ‘our new, happy life'. However, this is the distinct opposite to the reality Winston Smith lives in; a totalitarian state which professes to bring hope and happiness, yet in actuality drains any sense of optimism and joy. In a place bereft of any hope, Winston Smith finds himself desperately searching for a sense of individuality and relief. It would be wrong to assume, however, that Orwell's society is completely and utterly deprived of solace, there are, at least in section, one faint glimmers of hope, small fragments to which Winston clings; a person he sees in the corridor, the masses of lower classes, the diary in which he writes. There are little details in Winston's life that do bring a sense of relief; the fact that luckily his room contains an area in which he can remain unseen by the telescreens. This offers him a minute place of solitude in a society where Big Brother is omnipresent. The presence of his diary and his pen, there is relief in the fact that he is able to write, even if it is extremely dangerous to do so. Remnants of the past can still be found in some places, the paper weight Winston finds, for example becomes something beautiful and rare that brings colour to the grimness of his situation. The shop in itself appears to be a place of hope, Winston finds himself strangely drawn back to it. Full of memories and paraphernalia of the past it offers some relief to the dark and bleak present. Winston also finds relief in people, evidently the wrong ones as the reader later finds out, but nonetheless the character of O'Brien appeals to him, † we shall meet in a place where there is no darkness† Winston is told by him and this gives him hope. He writes his diary to O' Brien and thinks this may be the only person who understands and feels the same way, offering him a sense of comfort ‘†I am with you†¦. I am on your side† O' Brien seems to be saying' and although Winston is gravely mistaken, there is some relief that he believes somebody empathises with him, this gives him faith. â€Å"Proles and animals are free† states the party slogan, and Winston believes with conviction that the only prominent hope are within these ‘swarming disregarded masses'. The proles seem free, whereas the rest of the population is indoctrinated and docile. The proles can express themselves, they are allowed to be passionate even if it only about beer and the lottery. It is ironic that passion can also be evoked in the outer and inner party members, yet this passion is in relation to ‘the two minute hate' and to Big Brother, rather than a passion for freedom and for hope. Thus continuously Orwell writes that ‘if there is hope, it lies in the Proles'. Orwell himself states that the proles â€Å"represent real human beings with their emotions intact and not driven out of them. † Winston recognises that the Proles are the key to change, as they are the only people capable of thinking for themselves. However this is only a limited relief, the proles have been tamed and occupied by the party, they are allowed certain freedom because they do not have the ability to rebel, as Orwell writes they are not conscious of their own strength, â€Å"Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious. † To that end hope may indeed lie with the proles yet it seems unlikely to amount to the rebellion needed to bring relief to Oceania. The idea that logic, tautologies and mathematics can never be truly altered is a key theme throughout 1984, in section one there is still hope and optimism in these fields, or so Winston beliefs. â€Å"Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two makes four. If that is granted, all else follows. † This belief gives Winston something to hold on to, he knows that it is true and it offers a sort of promise that at least something is inalterable. Winston wonders whether if everybody believed that two plus two makes five, it be considered truth. Yet the fact remains that although history is rewritten, and events and people erased, no bureaucracy can alter the universal laws of maths. In section one Memory features as an outlet for relief and a place of hope, although it is evident that people do not remember the past as well as they should, Winston still has vague recollections and images from his past, the images of his mother and sister haunt him, but at least they show that there was something before. proles remember lottery†¦.. remembers songs†¦.. †¦ shop keeper memory†¦. man in pub†¦ 984 is often described as a warning to the future; Oceania has strong parallels with Stalin's Russia and the message still resonates with the modern reader familiar with the sense of paranoia and increasing government restrictions in light of international events. Perhaps hope can be drawn from Orwell's footnote in the beginning pages, stating that ‘newspeak' was the official language, the past tense suggests, as propounded by Margaret Atwood, that the dystopia was not eternal. For Winston Smith, in the immediate present of Oceania, there is a small sense of relief, yet only perhaps because he is looking for it. He perceives himself to be different from the rest of the outer party members and this helps him to find some relief, yet at the same time also mentally tortures him as he wonders if he is a lunatic, ‘ a minority of one'. Although there is some relief to the grimness in section one, there is not quite enough to combat the totalitarian control of Big Brother, it seems that Winston Smith eventually starts to take risks, not because he is hopeful or experience relief, but because he becomes even more apathetic towards his own existence.

The Lost Symbol Chapter 58-61

CHAPTER 58 The coyly nicknamed explosive Key4 had been developed by Special Forces specifically for opening locked doors with minimal collateral damage. Consisting primarily of cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine with a diethylhexyl plasticizer, it was essentially a piece of C-4 rolled into paper-thin sheets for insertion into doorjambs. In the case of the library's reading room, the explosive had worked perfectly. Operation leader Agent Turner Simkins stepped over the wreckage of the doors and scanned the massive octagonal room for any signs of movement. Nothing. â€Å"Kill the lights,† Simkins said. A second agent found the wall panel, threw the switches, and plunged the room into darkness. In unison, all four men reached up and yanked down their night-vision headgear, adjusting the goggles over their eyes. They stood motionless, surveying the reading room, which now materialized in shades of luminescent green inside their goggles. The scene remained unchanged. Nobody made a dash for it in the dark. The fugitives were probably unarmed, and yet the field team entered the room with weapons raised. In the darkness, their firearms projected four menacing rods of laser light. The men washed the beams in all directions, across the floor, up the far walls, into the balconies, probing the darkness. Oftentimes, a mere glimpse of a laser-sighted weapon in a darkened room was enough to induce instant surrender. Apparently not tonight. Still no movement. Agent Simkins raised his hand, motioning his team into the space. Silently, the men fanned out. Moving cautiously up the center aisle, Simkins reached up and flipped a switch on his goggles, activating the newest addition to the CIA's arsenal. Thermal imaging had been around for years, but recent advances in miniaturization, differential sensitivity, and dual-source integration had facilitated a new generation of vision enhancing equipment that gave field agents eyesight that bordered on superhuman. We see in the dark. We see through walls. And now . . . we see back in time. Thermal-imaging equipment had become so sensitive to heat differentials that it could detect not only a person's location . . . but their previous locations. The ability to see into the past often proved the most valuable asset of all. And tonight, once again, it proved its worth. Agent Simkins now spied a thermal signature at one of the reading desks. The two wooden chairs luminesced in his goggles, registering a reddish-purple color, indicating those chairs were warmer than the other chairs in the room. The desk lamp's bulb glowed orange. Obviously the two men had been sitting at the desk, but the question now was in which direction they had gone. He found his answer on the central counter that surrounded the large wooden console in the middle of the room. A ghostly handprint, glowing crimson. Weapon raised, Simkins moved toward the octagonal cabinet, training his laser sight across the surface. He circled until he saw an opening in the side of the console. Did they really corner themselves in a cabinet? The agent scanned the trim around the opening and saw another glowing handprint on it. Clearly someone had grabbed the doorjamb as he ducked inside the console. The time for silence was over. â€Å"Thermal signature!† Simkins shouted, pointing at the opening. â€Å"Flanks converge!† His two flanks moved in from opposite sides, effectively surrounding the octagonal console. Simkins moved toward the opening. Still ten feet away, he could see a light source within. â€Å"Light inside the console!† he shouted, hoping the sound of his voice might convince Mr. Bellamy and Mr. Langdon to exit the cabinet with their hands up. Nothing happened. Fine, we'll do this the other way. As Simkins drew closer to the opening, he could hear an unexpected hum rumbling from within. It sounded like machinery. He paused, trying to imagine what could be making such a noise in such a small space. He inched closer, now hearing voices over the sound of machinery. Then, just as he arrived at the opening, the lights inside went out. Thank you, he thought, adjusting his night vision. Advantage, us. Standing at the threshold, he peered through the opening. What lay beyond was unexpected. The console was less of a cabinet than a raised ceiling over a steep set of stairs that descended into a room below. The agent aimed his weapon down the stairs and began descending. The hum of machinery grew louder with every step. What the hell is this place? The room beneath the reading room was a small, industrial-looking space. The hum he heard was indeed machinery, although he was not sure whether it was running because Bellamy and Langdon had activated it, or because it ran around the clock. Either way, it clearly made no difference. The fugitives had left their telltale heat signatures on the room's lone exit–a heavy steel door whose keypad showed four clear fingerprints glowing on the numbers. Around the door, slivers of glowing orange shone beneath the doorjamb, indicating that lights were illuminated on the other side. â€Å"Blow the door,† Simkins said. â€Å"This was their escape route.† It took eight seconds to insert and detonate a sheet of Key4. When the smoke cleared, the field- team agents found themselves peering into a strange underground world known here as â€Å"the stacks.† The Library of Congress had miles and miles of bookshelves, most of them underground. The endless rows of shelves looked like some kind of â€Å"infinity† optical illusion created with mirrors. A sign announced TEMPERATURE-CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT Keep this door closed at all times. Simkins pushed through the mangled doors and felt cool air beyond. He couldn't help but smile. Could this get any easier? Heat signatures in controlled environments showed up like solar flares, and already his goggles revealed a glowing red smear on a banister up ahead, which Bellamy or Langdon had grabbed on to while running past. â€Å"You can run,† he whispered to himself, â€Å"but you can't hide.† As Simkins and his team advanced into the maze of stacks, he realized the playing field was tipped so heavily in his favor that he would not even need his goggles to track his prey. Under normal circumstances, this maze of stacks would have been a respectable hiding place, but the Library of Congress used motion-activated lights to save energy, and the fugitives' escape route was now lit up like a runway. A narrow strip of illumination stretched into the distance, dodging and weaving as it went. All the men ripped off their goggles. Surging ahead on well-trained legs, the field team followed the trail of lights, zigging and zagging through a seemingly endless labyrinth of books. Soon Simkins began seeing lights flickering on in the darkness up ahead. We're gaining. He pushed harder, faster, until he heard footsteps and labored breathing ahead. Then he saw a target. â€Å"I've got visual!† he yelled. The lanky form of Warren Bellamy was apparently bringing up the rear. The primly dressed African American staggered through the stacks, obviously out of breath. It's no use, old man. â€Å"Stop right there, Mr. Bellamy!† Simkins yelled. Bellamy kept running, turning sharp corners, weaving through the rows of books. At every turn, the lights kept coming on over his head. As the team drew within twenty yards, they shouted again to stop, but Bellamy ran on. â€Å"Take him down!† Simkins commanded. The agent carrying the team's nonlethal rifle raised it and fired. The projectile that launched down the aisle and wrapped itself around Bellamy's legs was nicknamed Silly String, but there was nothing silly about it. A military technology invented at Sandia National Laboratories, this nonlethal â€Å"incapacitant† was a thread of gooey polyurethane that turned rock hard on contact, creating a rigid web of plastic across the back of the fugitive's knees. The effect on a running target was that of jamming a stick into the spokes of a moving bike. The man's legs seized midstride, and he pitched forward, crashing to the floor. Bellamy slid another ten feet down a darkened aisle before coming to a stop, the lights above him flickering unceremoniously to life. â€Å"I'll deal with Bellamy,† Simkins shouted. â€Å"You keep going after Langdon! He must be up ahead some–† The team leader stopped, now seeing that the library stacks ahead of Bellamy were all pitch-black. Obviously, there was no one else running in front of Bellamy. He's alone? Bellamy was still on his chest, breathing heavily, his legs and ankles all tangled with hardened plastic. The agent walked over and used his foot to roll the old man over onto his back. â€Å"Where is he?!† the agent demanded. Bellamy's lip was bleeding from the fall. â€Å"Where is who?† Agent Simkins lifted his foot and placed his boot squarely on Bellamy's pristine silk tie. Then he leaned in, applying some pressure. â€Å"Believe me, Mr. Bellamy, you do not want to play this game with me.† CHAPTER 59 Robert Langdon felt like a corpse. He lay supine, hands folded on his chest, in total darkness, trapped in the most confined of spaces. Although Katherine lay nearby in a similar position near his head, Langdon could not see her. He had his eyes closed to prevent himself from catching even a fleeting glimpse of his frightening predicament. The space around him was small. Very small. Sixty seconds ago, with the double doors of the reading room crashing down, he and Katherine had followed Bellamy into the octagonal console, down a steep set of stairs, and into the unexpected space below. Langdon had realized at once where they were. The heart of the library's circulation system. Resembling a small airport baggage distribution center, the circulation room had numerous conveyor belts that angled off in different directions. Because the Library of Congress was housed in three separate buildings, books requested in the reading room often had to be transported great distances by a system of conveyors through a web of underground tunnels. Bellamy immediately crossed the room to a steel door, where he inserted his key card, typed a sequence of buttons, and pushed open the door. The space beyond was dark, but as the door opened, a span of motion-sensor lights flickered to life. When Langdon saw what lay beyond, he realized he was looking at something few people ever saw. The Library of Congress stacks. He felt encouraged by Bellamy's plan. What better place to hide than in a giant labyrinth? Bellamy did not guide them into the stacks, however. Instead, he propped the door open with a book and turned back to face them. â€Å"I had hoped to be able to explain a lot more to you, but we have no time.† He gave Langdon his key card. â€Å"You'll need this.† â€Å"You're not coming with us?† Langdon asked. Bellamy shook his head. â€Å"You'll never make it unless we split up. The most important thing is to keep that pyramid and capstone in safe hands.† Langdon saw no other way out except the stairs back up to the reading room. â€Å"And where are you going?† â€Å"I'll coax them into the stacks away from you,† Bellamy said. â€Å"It's all I can do to help you escape.† Before Langdon could ask where he and Katherine were supposed to go, Bellamy was heaving a large crate of books off one of the conveyors. â€Å"Lie on the belt,† Bellamy said. â€Å"Keep your hands in.† Langdon stared. You cannot be serious! The conveyor belt extended a short distance then disappeared into a dark hole in the wall. The opening looked large enough to permit passage of a crate of books, but not much more. Langdon glanced back longingly at the stacks. â€Å"Forget it,† Bellamy said. â€Å"The motion-sensor lights will make it impossible to hide.† â€Å"Thermal signature!† a voice upstairs shouted. â€Å"Flanks converge!† Katherine apparently had heard all she needed to hear. She climbed onto the conveyor belt with her head only a few feet from the opening in the wall. She crossed her hands over her chest like a mummy in a sarcophagus. Langdon stood frozen. â€Å"Robert,† Bellamy urged, â€Å"if you won't do this for me, do it for Peter.† The voices upstairs sounded closer now. As if in a dream, Langdon moved to the conveyor. He slung his daybag onto the belt and then climbed on, placing his head at Katherine's feet. The hard rubber conveyor felt cold against his back. He stared at the ceiling and felt like a hospital patient preparing for insertion headfirst into an MRI machine. â€Å"Keep your phone on,† Bellamy said. â€Å"Someone will call soon . . . and offer help. Trust him.† Someone will call? Langdon knew that Bellamy had been trying to reach someone with no luck and had left a message earlier. And only moments ago, as they hurried down the spiral staircase, Bellamy had tried one last time and gotten through, speaking very briefly in hushed tones and then hanging up. â€Å"Follow the conveyor to the end,† Bellamy said. â€Å"And jump off quickly before you circle back. Use my key card to get out.† â€Å"Get out of where?!† Langdon demanded. But Bellamy was already pulling levers. All the different conveyors in the room hummed to life. Langdon felt himself jolt into motion, and the ceiling began moving overhead. God save me. As Langdon approached the opening in the wall, he looked back and saw Warren Bellamy race through the doorway into the stacks, closing the door behind him. An instant later, Langdon slid into the darkness, swallowed up by the library . . . just as a glowing red laser dot came dancing down the stairs. CHAPTER 60 The underpaid female security guard from Preferred Security double-checked the Kalorama Heights address on her call sheet. This is it? The gated driveway before her belonged to one of the neighborhood's largest and quietest estates, and so it seemed odd that 911 had just received an urgent call about it. As usual with unconfirmed call-ins, 911 had contacted the local alarm company before bothering the police. The guard often thought the alarm company's motto–â€Å"Your first line of defense†Ã¢â‚¬â€œ could just as easily have been â€Å"False alarms, pranks, lost pets, and complaints from wacky neighbors.† Tonight, as usual, the guard had arrived with no details about the specific concern. Above my pay grade. Her job was simply to show up with her yellow bubble light spinning, assess the property, and report anything unusual. Normally, something innocuous had tripped the house alarm, and she would use her override keys to reset it. This house, however, was silent. No alarm. From the road, everything looked dark and peaceful. The guard buzzed the intercom at the gate, but got no answer. She typed her override code to open the gate and pulled into the driveway. Leaving her engine running and her bubble light spinning, she walked up to the front door and rang the bell. No answer. She saw no lights and no movement. Reluctantly following procedure, she flicked on her flashlight to begin her trek around the house to check the doors and windows for signs of break-in. As she rounded the corner, a black stretch limousine drove past the house, slowing for a moment before continuing on. Rubbernecking neighbors. Bit by bit, she made her way around the house, but saw nothing out of place. The house was bigger than she had imagined, and by the time she reached the backyard, she was shivering from the cold. Obviously there was nobody home. â€Å"Dispatch?† she called in on her radio. â€Å"I'm on the Kalorama Heights call? Owners aren't home. No signs of trouble. Finished the perimeter check. No indication of an intruder. False alarm.† â€Å"Roger that,† the dispatcher replied. â€Å"Have a good night.† The guard put her radio back on her belt and began retracing her steps, eager to get back to the warmth of her vehicle. As she did so, however, she spotted something she had missed earlier–a tiny speck of bluish light on the back of the house. Puzzled, she walked over to it, now seeing the source–a low transom window, apparently to the home's basement. The glass of the window had been blacked out, coated on the inside with an opaque paint. Some kind of darkroom maybe? The bluish glow she had seen was emanating through a tiny spot on the window where the black paint had started to peel. She crouched down, trying to peer through, but she couldn't see much through the tiny opening. She tapped on the glass, wondering if maybe someone was working down there. â€Å"Hello?† she shouted. There was no answer, but as she knocked on the window, the paint chip suddenly detached and fell off, affording her a more complete view. She leaned in, nearly pressing her face to the window as she scanned the basement. Instantly, she wished she hadn't. What in the name of God?! Transfixed, she remained crouched there for a moment, staring in abject horror at the scene before her. Finally, trembling, the guard groped for the radio on her belt. She never found it. A sizzling pair of Taser prongs slammed into the back of her neck, and a searing pain shot through her body. Her muscles seized, and she pitched forward, unable even to close her eyes before her face hit the cold ground. CHAPTER 61 Tonight was not the first time Warren Bellamy had been blindfolded. Like all of his Masonic brothers, he had worn the ritual â€Å"hoodwink† during his ascent to the upper echelons of Masonry. That, however, had taken place among trusted friends. Tonight was different. These rough- handed men had bound him, placed a bag on his head, and were now marching him through the library stacks. The agents had physically threatened Bellamy and demanded to know the whereabouts of Robert Langdon. Knowing his aging body couldn't take much punishment, Bellamy had told his lie quickly. â€Å"Langdon never came down here with me!† he had said, gasping for air. â€Å"I told him to go up to the balcony and hide behind the Moses statue, but I don't know where he is now!† The story apparently had been convincing, because two of the agents had run off in pursuit. Now the remaining two agents were marching him in silence through the stacks. Bellamy's only solace was in knowing Langdon and Katherine were whisking the pyramid off to safety. Soon Langdon would be contacted by a man who could offer sanctuary. Trust him. The man Bellamy had called knew a great deal about the Masonic Pyramid and the secret it held–the location of a hidden spiral staircase that led down into the earth to the hiding place of potent ancient wisdom buried long ago. Bellamy had finally gotten through to the man as they were escaping the reading room, and he felt confident that his short message would be understood perfectly. Now, as he moved in total darkness, Bellamy pictured the stone pyramid and golden capstone in Langdon's bag. It has been many years since those two pieces were in the same room. Bellamy would never forget that painful night. The first of many for Peter. Bellamy had been asked to come to the Solomon estate in Potomac for Zachary Solomon's eighteenth birthday. Zachary, despite being a rebellious child, was a Solomon, which meant tonight, following family tradition, he would receive his inheritance. Bellamy was one of Peter's dearest friends and a trusted Masonic brother, and therefore was asked to attend as a witness. But it was not only the transference of money that Bellamy had been asked to witness. There was far more than money at stake tonight. Bellamy had arrived early and waited, as requested, in Peter's private study. The wonderful old room smelled of leather, wood fires, and loose-leaf tea. Warren was seated when Peter led his son, Zachary, into the room. When the scrawny eighteen-year-old saw Bellamy, he frowned. â€Å"What are you doing here?† â€Å"Bearing witness,† Bellamy offered. â€Å"Happy birthday, Zachary.† The boy mumbled and looked away. â€Å"Sit down, Zach,† Peter said. Zachary sat in the solitary chair facing his father's huge wooden desk. Solomon bolted the study door. Bellamy took a seat off to one side. Solomon addressed Zachary in a serious tone. â€Å"Do you know why you're here?† â€Å"I think so,† Zachary said. Solomon sighed deeply. â€Å"I know you and I have not seen eye to eye for quite some time, Zach. I've done my best to be a good father and to prepare you for this moment.† Zachary said nothing. â€Å"As you know, every Solomon child, upon reaching adulthood, is presented with his or her birthright–a share of the Solomon fortune–which is intended to be a seed . . . a seed for you to nurture, make grow, and use to help nourish mankind.† Solomon walked to a vault in the wall, unlocked it, and removed a large black folder. â€Å"Son, this portfolio contains everything you need to legally transfer your financial inheritance into your own name.† He laid it on the desk. â€Å"The aim is that you use this money to build a life of productivity, prosperity, and philanthropy.† Zachary reached for the folder. â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"Hold on,† his father said, putting his hand on the portfolio. â€Å"There's something else I need to explain.† Zachary shot his father a contemptuous look and slumped back down. â€Å"There are aspects of the Solomon inheritance of which you are not yet aware.† His father was staring straight into Zachary's eyes now. â€Å"You are my firstborn, Zachary, which means you are entitled to a choice.† The teenager sat up, looking intrigued. â€Å"It is a choice that may well determine the direction of your future, and so I urge you to ponder it carefully.† â€Å"What choice?† His father took a deep breath. â€Å"It is the choice . . . between wealth or wisdom.† Zachary gave him a blank stare. â€Å"Wealth or wisdom? I don't get it.† Solomon stood, walking again to the vault, where he pulled out a heavy stone pyramid with Masonic symbols carved into it. Peter heaved the stone onto the desk beside the portfolio. â€Å"This pyramid was created long ago and has been entrusted to our family for generations.† â€Å"A pyramid?† Zachary didn't look very excited. â€Å"Son, this pyramid is a map . . . a map that reveals the location of one of humankind's greatest lost treasures. This map was created so that the treasure could one day be rediscovered.† Peter's voice swelled now with pride. â€Å"And tonight, following tradition, I am able to offer it to you . . . under certain conditions.† Zachary eyed the pyramid suspiciously. â€Å"What's the treasure?† Bellamy could tell that this coarse question was not what Peter had hoped for. Nonetheless, his demeanor remained steady. â€Å"Zachary, it's hard to explain without a lot of background. But this treasure . . . in essence . . . is something we call the Ancient Mysteries.† Zachary laughed, apparently thinking his father was joking. Bellamy could see the melancholy growing now in Peter's eyes. â€Å"This is very difficult for me to describe, Zach. Traditionally, by the time a Solomon is eighteen years of age, he is about to embark on his years of higher education in–â€Å" â€Å"I told you!† Zachary fired back. â€Å"I'm not interested in college!† â€Å"I don't mean college,† his father said, his voice still calm and quiet. â€Å"I'm talking about the brotherhood of Freemasonry. I'm talking about an education in the enduring mysteries of human science. If you had plans to join me within their ranks, you would be on the verge of receiving the education necessary to understand the importance of your decision tonight.† Zachary rolled his eyes. â€Å"Spare me the Masonic lecture again. I know I'm the first Solomon who doesn't want to join. But so what? Don't you get it? I have no interest in playing dress-up with a bunch of old men!† His father was silent for a long time, and Bellamy noticed the fine age lines that had started to appear around Peter's still-youthful eyes. â€Å"Yes, I get it,† Peter finally said. â€Å"Times are different now. I understand that Masonry probably appears strange to you, or maybe even boring. But I want you to know, that doorway will always be open for you should you change your mind.† â€Å"Don't hold your breath,† Zach grumbled. â€Å"That's enough!† Peter snapped, standing up. â€Å"I realize life has been a struggle for you, Zachary, but I am not your only guidepost. There are good men waiting for you, men who will welcome you within the Masonic fold and show you your true potential.† Zachary chuckled and glanced over at Bellamy. â€Å"Is that why you're here, Mr. Bellamy? So you Masons can gang up on me?† Bellamy said nothing, instead directing a respectful gaze back at Peter Solomon–a reminder to Zachary of who held the power in this room. Zachary turned back to his father. â€Å"Zach,† Peter said, â€Å"we're getting nowhere . . . so let me just tell you this. Whether or not you comprehend the responsibility being offered to you tonight, it is my family obligation to present it.† He motioned to the pyramid. â€Å"It is a rare privilege to guard this pyramid. I urge you to consider this opportunity for a few days before making your decision.† â€Å"Opportunity?† Zachary said. â€Å"Babysitting a rock?† â€Å"There are great mysteries in this world, Zach,† Peter said with a sigh. â€Å"Secrets that transcend your wildest imagination. This pyramid protects those secrets. And even more important, there will come a time, probably within your lifetime, when this pyramid will at last be deciphered and its secrets unearthed. It will be a moment of great human transformation . . . and you have a chance to play a role in that moment. I want you to consider it very carefully. Wealth is commonplace, but wisdom is rare.† He motioned to the portfolio and then to the pyramid. â€Å"I beg you to remember that wealth without wisdom can often end in disaster.† Zachary looked like he thought his father was insane. â€Å"Whatever you say, Dad, but there's no way I'm giving up my inheritance for this.† He gestured to the pyramid. Peter folded his hands before him. â€Å"If you choose to accept the responsibility, I will hold your money and the pyramid for you until you have successfully completed your education within the Masons. This will take years, but you will emerge with the maturity to receive both your money and this pyramid. Wealth and wisdom. A potent combination.† Zachary shot up. â€Å"Jesus, Dad! You don't give up, do you? Can't you see that I don't give a damn about the Masons or stone pyramids and ancient mysteries?† He reached down and scooped up the black portfolio, waving it in front of his father's face. â€Å"This is my birthright! The same birthright of the Solomons who came before me! I can't believe you'd try to trick me out of my inheritance with lame stories about ancient treasure maps!† He tucked the portfolio under his arm and marched past Bellamy to the study's patio door. â€Å"Zachary, wait!† His father rushed after him as Zachary stalked out into the night. â€Å"Whatever you do, you can never speak of the pyramid you have seen!† Peter Solomon's voice cracked. â€Å"Not to anyone! Ever!† But Zachary ignored him, disappearing into the night. Peter Solomon's gray eyes were filled with pain as he returned to his desk and sat heavily in his leather chair. After a long silence, he looked up at Bellamy and forced a sad smile. â€Å"That went well.† Bellamy sighed, sharing in Solomon's pain. â€Å"Peter, I don't mean to sound insensitive . . . but . . . do you trust him?† Solomon stared blankly into space. â€Å"I mean . . .† Bellamy pressed, â€Å"not to say anything about the pyramid?† Solomon's face was blank. â€Å"I really don't know what to say, Warren. I'm not sure I even know him anymore.† Bellamy rose and walked slowly back and forth before the large desk. â€Å"Peter, you have followed your family duty, but now, considering what just happened, I think we need to take precautions. I should return the capstone to you so you can find a new home for it. Someone else should watch over it.† â€Å"Why?† Solomon asked. â€Å"If Zachary tells anyone about the pyramid . . . and mentions my being present tonight . . .† â€Å"He knows nothing of the capstone, and he's too immature to know the pyramid has any significance. We don't need a new home for it. I'll keep the pyramid in my vault. And you will keep the capstone wherever you keep it. As we always have.† It was six years later, on Christmas Day, with the family still healing from Zachary's death, that the enormous man claiming to have killed him in prison broke into the Solomon estate. The intruder had come for the pyramid, but he had taken with him only Isabel Solomon's life. Days later, Peter summoned Bellamy to his office. He locked the door and took the pyramid out of his vault, setting it on the desk between them. â€Å"I should have listened to you.† Bellamy knew Peter was racked with guilt over this. â€Å"It wouldn't have mattered.† Solomon drew a tired breath. â€Å"Did you bring the capstone?† Bellamy pulled a small cube-shaped package from his pocket. The faded brown paper was tied with twine and bore a wax seal of Solomon's ring. Bellamy laid the package on the desk, knowing the two halves of the Masonic Pyramid were closer together tonight than they should be. â€Å"Find someone else to watch this. Don't tell me who it is.† Solomon nodded. â€Å"And I know where you can hide the pyramid,† Bellamy said. He told Solomon about the Capitol Building subbasement. â€Å"There's no place in Washington more secure.† Bellamy recalled Solomon liking the idea right away because it felt symbolically apt to hide the pyramid in the symbolic heart of our nation. Typical Solomon, Bellamy had thought. The idealist even in a crisis. Now, ten years later, as Bellamy was being shoved blindly through the Library of Congress, he knew the crisis tonight was far from over. He also now knew whom Solomon had chosen to guard the capstone . . . and he prayed to God that Robert Langdon was up to the job.

A Comparative Analysis of television channels FIVE and BBC Essay Example for Free

A Comparative Analysis of television channels FIVE and BBC Essay ? Television is a powerful media source, bringing stories to billions across the globe. It has been called â€Å"the most awesome God-less force in the modern world† and it is now seen as a major part of everyday life. The average person spends 4 hours a day watching TV – becoming roughly 1/3 of a person’s typical waking hours. Television is a constructed view of reality, sometimes exaggerated extremely, solely to create entertainment. In the UK, there are five major terrestrial television channels, (four organisations) with some being vastly more successful than others. The BBC is the only organisation not to make money from advertising. Their money is generated from the TV Licence fee, and this type of broadcasting is known as Public Service Broadcasting. Channel 5 is perhaps seen as the least successful of the five TV channels, possibly due to the fact that it is the youngest. The channel began in 1995, but it was not able to broadcast nationally as many of the population’s televisions could not receive it. The company offered to retune every TV that couldn’t receive it, before the big launch in 1997. A long advertising campaign was launched, known as â€Å"Give Me Five† in an attempt to draw in viewers. On the 30th March, 1997, Channel 5 was launched at 6pm, attracting an audience of 2. 4 million people, a figure higher than the launch of Channel 4, fifteen years earlier. This new channel neither had the money or reputation to buy and broadcast potentially successful material. Perhaps getting off to a bad start, the main schedule consisted of home and cookery programmes, cheap US exports, and late night pornography. However, Channel 5 did receive praise for its news programming, and soon the ratings became consistently acceptable. The channel gained more money, and was soon able to buy better quality shows, such as Home & Away. In 2002, Channel 5 underwent a major image modification. The name changed from Channel 5 to simply, Five, and progressed itself as a serious rival to the other 4 channels. However, the channel has not been without its flaws. For example, Friends spin-off series, Joey, was bought by Five in 2005. Despite a high-profile launch and ad campaign, the program received poor ratings and was eventually cancelled. Similarly, other shows such as Robot Wars and CD:UK proved to be a flop for the channel. These unsuccessful shows have seemingly increased the channel’s poor reputation. In the channel’s first year of broadcasting, five receives its lowest audience shares of 2. 3%, but this can be expected from a debuting channel. Fifteen years earlier, Channel 4 received even lower audience shares on its opening night, although it could be argued that people watched less television in the 1980s. The audience shares increased, and peaked in 2004. The channel has the lowest audience share of the terrestrial channels, but, in its defence, Five is not received in all of the UK’s homes. Like all of the other terrestrial channels, Five now has â€Å"sister† channels, Five US and Five Life. These two channels are both somewhat successful, but other â€Å"sister† channels, such as ITV2, E4 and BBC Three are proving to be more viewed. Nowadays, Five is able to branch out and buy successful US shows such as Prison Break and House, as well as buying programmes from other channels – in 2008, Five bought Neighbours from the BBC. The BBC was established in the early 1920s, but it was not until 1936 that the channel began its regular television broadcasting as a public service TV channel. However, it was further suspended after WWII began, until 1946 when the permanent service was established. The BBC’s mission was to â€Å"inform, educate and entertain† and is still taken into account today. The BBC broadcasts a wide variety of programmes on both of its channels, BBC1 and BBC2. The BBC’s major programme is EastEnders, the popular primetime soap. On a weekly basis, the soap receives the highest rating of all terrestrial shows, with only the ITV1 soap, Coronation Street, (and occasionally reality shows such as The X Factor and Dancing On Ice) playing as its rival. Other BBC shows, such as Top Gear, Doctor Who and Little Britain have all been a success throughout the last decade, further improving the channels ratings and reputation. In an attempt to branch out and widen its audience, the BBC has recently made some unlikely purchases. In 2007, the channel brought the successful US show Heroes to BBC2. The show quickly became a phenomenon, and is different from what would usually be broadcast on BBC2. The BBC continues to dominate terrestrial TV, by finding ways to bring in more viewers. The programmes vary from food, to lifestyle, to documentary, to political. The BBC is now contending with ITV in the reality market, as it now features shows looking for new west-end stars, and the ever popular series, Strictly Come Dancing. BBC1 receives the highest audience share of the 5 channels, with an average of 26%. It is seen as the â€Å"main† channel, and regularly receives high ratings. This major organisation has the money to do whatever it pleases, and this has shown over the last decade. The BBC now has 8 channels – BBC1, BBC2, BBC Three, BBC Four, BBC News 24, BBC Parliament, CBBC and CBeebies. These 8 channels prove to cater for everyone. BBC Three is the most popular of the sister channels, frequently receiving new material such as Lily Allen and Friends and Gavin & Stacey. The channel is a â€Å"lighter† version of BBC1, with a more comedic element. The BBC now broadcasts internationally. A new channel, BBC America, was launched in 1998, and has carried programming from the BBC to the USA, such as Torchwood and The Graham Norton Show. BBC America is part of two international channels, the other being BBC World. A recent feature of the BBC, BBC iPlayer, has recently been introduced. It has become an on-demand online video player, with unlimited access to BBC shows. The iPlayer is proving extremely popular, with more than 3. 5 million programmes downloaded in its opening week. However, despite the BBC being a major empire, the company relies on the licence fee. It is the only channel not to rely on income through advertising. The core belief of public service television is that it is free from the pressures of commercial TV, and, as its income is guaranteed, public service TV is freer to explore. But this does not mean it can become complacent. High audience shares are still needed because, if they were to fall, the licence fee would be in serious jeopardy. For years, there has been a debate as to whether public service broadcasting should continue. Naturally, the BBC wishes for it to continue, whereas others disagree. The BBC has very little to do to secure its funding, whereas the commercial companies have to work to get their income. The opponents of public service television argue that it is simply another form of taxation. With the arrival and expansion of satellite and cable, some people have no interest in the public service channels. For the BBC, public service broadcasting means that certain pressures are put upon them, but their income is fixed. The BBC could be said to have better quality shows due to them receiving â€Å"easy† money, and it also means that their programmes can be longer, due to the fact that they don’t have to make time for advertising. However, for Channel 5, public service television means that there are no pressures. The channel can show what they want (within reason) but their income is variable. Unsurprisingly, the commercial channels are against the licence fee, as it seems unfair. It seems as if the media are in constant debate over whether the licence fee should continue, as many people pay considerable sums for services in which they have no interest in. A Comparative Analysis of television channels FIVE and BBC. (2017, Aug 08).

Building An Annotated Bibliography Research Paper

Building An Annotated Bibliography - Research Paper Example This bulletin provides useful information to develop the introduction. Importantly, it would be used in the body of the project to argue against the crime deterrent effect of capital punishment. Furthermore, it gives evidence to discredit those arguing for use of capital punishment to deter crime due to lack of research. This book provides a wide spectrum of information on crime and deviant behavior from a sociological perspective. The authors support death penalty for utilitarian reasons and retribution. Even so, they give arguments of when death penalty does more harm than deterring crime. They back up their arguments with examples of various court cases and their consequences. It would be useful at the introduction of the project when defining capital punishment, its administration and objectives. It would also be used in the body when giving arguments for and against death penalty as a way to deter crime with the evidence of consequences of rulings providing appropriate examples. This book argues that the perception of death being the harshest punishment would logically deter crime. Criminals serving life sentences do not have anything to deter them from crime other than the threat of death. On the other hand, it argues that capital punishment leaves the weak exposed to abuse from the strong and also results in social disorder, two factors which could promote crime. This book provides a critical basis for putting capital punishment into perspective while developing the introduction. Other than providing background information throughout the project, it would be critical in the body of the project to argue for and against capital punishment as a deterrent to crime. This article argues against capital punishment as a deterrent to crime. It evidences this argument with the observation on the declining number of death sentences in North Carolina, leading to no death sentence in 2012. With this decline, the North Carolina

Use of force including terrorism Research Paper

Use of force including terrorism - Research Paper Example Terrorist activities include weapons that can achieve all the works that are targeted towards the people. Terrorism is found to the strategy that is adopted by the weaker group to form a conflict and gain what they desire.Being an asymmetric manner of use of force, it involves coercive power with all the benefits of military force given at a meager cost. Terrorist groups are of secretive nature and of relatively low strength. This makes it difficult for their opponents to defend them. Opponents of all terrorist groups struggle and fail to develop a working strategy against them. They cannot often locate the group and cannot therefore fight against them. Terrorists work on a strong motivation which cannot be taken off from their mind by any force. This motivation makes them use force; perform violence and bloodshed without any hesitation. Terrorism is also an effective way to use force and make a conflict as the adversaries often fail to understand the nature of the threat. They would mistake it as a criminal activity and do not undertake the right strategy that would help them fight these groups. Because of these special characteristics of terrorist activities, terrorism has become a popular and effective way of conflict for people who have kept extreme goals before them. No other strategy can make a minority achieve a special territory. Terrorism is the method of use of force adopted by the extremist groups around the globe. However, terrorism is certainly a nebulous strategy. Even the United States government is perplexed when it comes to the matter of terrorism. Recently, multiple attacks aimed at US have been thwarted by the authorities in different countries. Two explosive packages addressed to Chicago-area synagogues have been captured. The plot brings doubt that al-Qaida is launching yet another terrorist attack on US. The US President called the attacks a credible terrorist threat. The US policy of using force, however, is less effective in checking ter rorism. As per the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, law enforcement officers are legally entitled to use force. According to The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), there are five different components in using force: physical, electronic, chemical, impact and firearm. Terrorist attacks are also of different types. First is the type of attack that involves usage of weapons with mass destruction. Next is the kind of terrorist activity that includes weapons of extensive causality. Next type of terrorist activity involves weapons that give mass disruption. Different types of terrorist activities show different types of terrorist intentions. Weapons of mass destruction used by terrorists brings damage on buildings, bridges, cultural places, computer systems, networks, parks and other communication facilities. Such attacks would destroy the major structures of the society. Weapon of mass casualty brings extensive sicknesses and deaths. For example chemical and biological weapons bring mass causality. These types of weapons are termed as weapons of mass (extensive) destruction. These weapons cause economic, political and social damage to the society that is targeted. Moreover there are magnetic pulse weapons that are intended to destroy computer operation. Cyber terrorism makes the computer hacked thereby destroying major government records and economic records (bank records). Agro terrorism is the act of blocking or destroying food supplies, fuel supplies and other major supplies. Terrorist activities include weapons that can achieve all the works that are targeted towards the people. September 11 attack was one of that kind. The attack brought mass destruction of a major infrastructure of the nation (the World Trade Centre and Pentagon). It further brought about mass causality; almost 3000 people were killed. It also made mass disruption. Loss of finance (millions of dollars) because of the absence of World Trade Centre) was one such destruction. Fear of future attack, shutdown

Leadership. Two Occasions of my Lidership Personal Statement

Leadership. Two Occasions of my Lidership - Personal Statement Example In its first year, firm has been able to close out four successful deals suggesting that new and nascent firms, in an industry which is dominated by giants like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, can succeed too provided they take into account reality. I am a proactive person and realize that in order to succeed in this industry; we must evolve into a company and grow ourselves as leaders in our chosen segmented market. This idea was floated by me to our co-founders but relying on their success in first year; they were resistant to change however I decided to carry on with this idea and called a brainstorming session with our employees. During that session, we come up with many issues which we believed were restricting the growth of our firm. I also further decided to bring my former boss, who was once, one of the successful leaders with a very well developed firm serving a niche market which however could not have survived and was sold merely for US$5 million only. That meeting proved one of the catalysts for my partners to think more strategically because the kind of competitive landscaped we faced were such that it demanded a comprehensive overhaul of our current thinking.

A vegetarian diet is healthier. Discuss this statement using evidence Essay

A vegetarian diet is healthier. Discuss this statement using evidence from epidemiological studies - Essay Example The benefits of wholesome vegetarian diet over diets containing meat and other foods of animal origin are due to lower intakes of saturated fat, cholesterol and animal protein, higher intakes of complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C and E, carotenoids and other phytochemicals (Leitzmann 2005). Diabetes prevalence is relatively low among individuals following plant-based and vegetarian diet. This is because these diets are low in fat and high in fiber and thus cause associated reductions in dietary energy density and energy intake (Howarth 2001). Barnard et al (2006) investigated the effects of low-fat vegan diet on glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with type 2 diabetes and found that such a diet had significant clinical improvements in the glycosylated hemoglobin levels, weight, body-mass index, waist circumference, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. However, in this study, the participants also followed strict exercise regime, making it difficult to attribute the results to diet alone. Another study by Barnard et al (2005) investigated the effects of vegetarian diet on similar aspects but without including exercise regime. The researchers concluded that this diet was associated with significant weight loss and improved glycemic and lipid control in type 2 diabetic patients. A low fat vegetarian diet delays glucose absorption, reduces fasting serum glucose levels of as much as 6–27%, lowers insulin requirements by as much as 40%, increases peripheral tissue insulin sensitivity, improves serum lipid profile by 10-32%, aids in weight control and lowers blood pressure (Segasothy and Phyllips 1999). Elevated total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol are risk factors for coronary artery disease. Since vegetarian diet keeps these lipids under control, it can be said that this diet helps reducing the risk for coronary artery disease. La vecchia et al (1998) did a household multipurpose study in

Foundations of Finance and Financial Management Assignment

Foundations of Finance and Financial Management - Assignment Example 4) There could be multiple reasons why this "free rating" would have angered the issuer of bonds. It could be because that the rating company is not familiar with the firm policies and has not taken into account some of the necessary information that would have given a completely different angle or picture to the bond rating. Similarly, the rating published by this company could have "put-off" some of the potential investors from investing into these bonds and hence the issuer of the bonds would have lose some of the potential money that they could have borrowed by issuing bonds. 2) The logic behind this model is that dividend grows at a constant rate in perpetuity. By perpetuity we mean that the dividend payments will continue forever and hence the value of stock will be equal to next year's dividend divided by required rate of return minus assumed dividend growth. 3) There are multiple reasons for that. The first reason is those preferred stockholders have a immediate claim on company's profit which is before the real owners of the company- ordinary stockholder. Similarly, the dividend percentage is fixed and if the company cannot pay it in the current year, it will have to pay it in the future.

Retailing and Direct Marketing Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Retailing and Direct Marketing - Article Example It means sending a message regarding a product directly to the customer through various means like direct email, telemarketing, broadcast, integrated campaigns, direct selling and door to door leaflet marketing. Direct marketing depends on measurable and track-able consumer responses concerning the product. Ethics and social responsibility is a key component of any business enterprise, which ensures that the customers’ needs are addressed in a business’ policies. This paper aims at addressing the impact of ethics and social responsibility in retail and direct marketing. Observation of sound ethics in business practices has been shown to boost consumer confidence in a retail outlet’s products and services. This is because customers recognise these efforts and they in turn reciprocate by being loyal to that retail outlet. A business should always strive to do what is right and good for its clients by upholding their ethical principles of operating business (Pride & Ferrell, 30). ‘Beyond Scarcity’ is an article by Doug Wallace that he wrote for the The Magazine of Corporate Responsibility. In the article, he highlights the ethical dilemma faced by a company of whether to accept a take over bid or refuse the bid. Accepting the bid means making a handsome profit because the take over bid offered to buy the company’s shares at the double their value. By doing this, the company will be abandoning their shareholder’s and customer’s welfare. The company offering the bid only interest is in the company’s substantial reserve fund which they aim to use in boosting their diminishing financial position (Wallace, 14). This is interesting because the prospecting company is likely not to care about Kemper Products’ customer satisfaction. There is also the issue of the fate of junior employees because the prospective company does not offer welfare packages for them as it did for the senior management. This an ethical question because

Criminology 135 Canadian Low topic Khadr Case Essay

Criminology 135 Canadian Low topic Khadr Case - Essay Example When assessing such questions, the answers appear to require a balance between the safety of nations against the resultant infringement of the rights of individuals. But on which side should the balance fall, and when – if at all – is it tolerable to restrict the rights provided in the Charter? Khadr’s case, like so many others, raise these and many more questions, and bring to light the delicate yet fundamental problems faced by the detainment of suspected terrorist individuals. Canadian citizen Khadr, having been arrested on suspicion of involvement with Al-Qaeda, and murder of an American soldier was detained in Guatanamo from 2002, during which time he was a minor. He was denied access to counsel and family and was interrogated several times by both US and Canadian officials. When interviewed by the Canadian Government, it was alleged that the interviewer did not allow Khadr access to legal counsel and did not inform his of his right to silence. Further, the interviewer was aware that Khadr had been exposed to sleep deprivation prior to the interview – a practice held to be torturous and illegal. The information obtained by the interviewer was then exposed to the US Government; an action that affirmed Canada’s participation in the conduct of the US, held to be a violation of fundamental principles of justice (Prime Minister v Khadr [2010] SCC 3). Khadr claimed that his fundamental rights provided in section 7 of the Charter had been violate d – the right to life, liberty and security of person. Khadr’s rights were held to have been violated, although the Supreme Court of Canada instructed that the Government provide a remedy which was in coordination with the Charter, rather than order his release and return to Canada. Some would imagine that such a remedy would be his release, and many would be surprised to discover that the

The Importance of Reading Book Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Reading Book Essay There is much more to life than your work and spending time aimlessly with latest technology products. Reading books gives you that much needed break from the chaos in your life. It instills peace inside you, makes you relaxed and also exercises your brain in the process. When you read a book, it feels great to put yourself into a different world that the writer has created for you. Ask any avid reader about this and they too will agree that reading a book is same like watching a movie. When you spend hours and hours reading a book, creating a world with different characters in your mind, your imagination powers are sure to get a boost. Depending upon what you read, you will come out with the same experience as when you watch some really good movie. I have been a voracious reader ever since i learned how to read. Thats why i never get bored even being alone for a long time. I have found that reading books is the best medicine to kill boredom. What starts with reading story books, when you are a kid, turns into reading books for improving yourself as you grow older. From story books - technical management books - self improvement - spirituality and beyond, the journey is fantastic and you learn something with each passing day. You understand your thoughts and emotions more clearly. It makes you realize who you really are and makes your life more meaningful. Reading books will make you a better thinker and a better man. Thanks to technology you can easily find good articles to read on the internet. A great article can inspire and motivate you as much as a great book. Its not how much you read, but what you read which is more important. The only reason i recommend reading books over short articles is because when you spend hours with a thought or an idea then its more likely to stay with you for long time rather than when you spend just few minutes tinkering with it. Its easy to read a quote or an article for few minutes than discard it and continue with what you were doing. But when you invest your time in reading a good book, you end up spending at least a few hours reflecting on its contents as you read. Thus, its likely to stay with you for a longer time and have some positive influence on you. A good reader also varies his reading pace based on the content he is reading and what he wants to get from it. The purpose of reading news articles is different from reading stories, which is different from reading important documents. Over a period of time, you will understand how to vary your reading pace and comprehension based on what you read and what you want from it. Also, just reading good books is not enough. The way you read it is more important. When you come across a new idea or a different opinion, think upon it deeply. Dont accept it or reject it blindly. Try to reason with it and understand the writers point of view. Reflect upon the thoughts that come to your mind whenever you read a great book. You will know whether a book is great or not based on the thoughts it awakens inside you. As you continue this habit of reading and reflecting on what you read, you will start forming your own thoughts and values. It will challenge your mind and the thoughts, customs and traditions that you have grown up with. However, there is one thing which you should always remember when you make this a daily habit, as you are investing a part of your life doing it. Too much reading, without any thinking and action isnt of much use. When you know you are ready to do something its time to move to the next step. Act upon what you think is right and what you have decided to do. Its easy to get so much involved in the reading process, that you forget that the main purpose of reading is to make you a better person which can only happen when you act upon it. Just finishing one book after another without any real action from your side wont help you. What kind of person you want to be and what you would ultimately become depend greatly upon the type of content that you read and how much you act upon them. Reading articles that promote negativity, hatred and give wrong information is dangerous. Its better to not read anything at all than read such articles. Whether you read on some electronic device or prefer reading an actual book. Thats your personal choice. Personally, i prefer to read actual books whenever possible. I find that even after hours of reading my eyes feel fresh and full of energy. Thats something i dont find when i read too much on my computer. Before ending this article, i would like to summarize few important points and also suggest some Dos and Donts of reading: * Always read your content from a safe distance. Neither too close to your eyes neither too far away from your eyes. * Always prefer quality over quantity. Better to read one great book than hundred mediocre ones. * Understand properly what you have read and reflect upon it. * Dont accept anything blindly that you read but think for yourself and try to understand the reason behind whats been written. * Bookmark interesting pages for future reference. You never know when you will need them. * Sometimes it takes more than one reading to fully grasp some thing. Dont be disappointed if you dont understand a book in one reading. Maybe when you come back to it the next time, you will get it. * Focus completely on what you are reading. Dont think about other stuff while reading. * If possible, create a favorite spot in your house for reading books. You will feel more relaxed whenever you are there. * And above all, enjoy your reading experience. The habit of reading good content daily will act like an exercise for your mind and keep you mentally fit and flexible. If you have never given it a try then always remember that its never too late to start a good habit.

Final Project Paper Essay Example for Free

Final Project Paper Essay Competitive Strategies and Government Policies Paper Learning Team Competitive Strategies and Government Policies Management has recognized the effect of changes in the real-world competitive environment and government policies on other industries and anticipates similar events occurring in their industry, so they ask you for a report considering the following points. Write 1,400 ?1,750-word paper of no more than in which you describe how each of the following are or potentially will affect your industry or one with which you are familiar: New companies entering the market, mergers, and globalization, on pricing and the sustainability of profits: Identify the type of merger activity in your industry or one with which you are familiar?horizontal, vertical, or conglomerate and explain why you made that choice. Current and expected government policies and regulations, including taxes and regulations in place to address issues related to externalities Global competition on the decisions made by management with regards to change in labor demand, supply, relations, unions, and rules and regulations in your chosen industry Recommend how the industry you chose may respond to each of the previous points. Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines Business General Business Focus of the Final Project Students will write a Feature Story (800-1,000 words) on a topic and for a magazine of their choice. This project requires students to incorporate the major concepts discussed during the course, such as applying various media communication tools, identifying audience, gathering information and research, and understanding the editing process. The Feature Story should  demonstrate a student’s comprehension of the readings and class discuss A+ tutorial you will find here https://bitly.com/12Cn79p Set yourself up for success in college by taking your habits and ideas into consideration. For example, think about whether you are a morning person or an afternoon person. If you arent a morning person, dont even think about signing up for an early class. Schedule courses later in the day so you wont be tempted to skip. Business General Business Focus of the Final Project Students will write a Feature Story (800-1,000 words) on a topic and for a magazine of their choice. This project requires students to incorporate the major concepts discussed during the course, such as applying various media communication tools, identifying audience, gathering information and research, and understanding the editing process. The Feature Story should demonstrate a student’s comprehension of the readings and class discussions as well as the implications of new knowledge in the field of media writing and editing.

Measuring The Cost Of Cybercrime Criminology Essay

Measuring The Cost Of Cybercrime Criminology Essay Australasians policing (this also includes New Zealand Police) vision statement, as indicated in its strategic directions document is A safer and more secure community. Because technology, which includes the internet, is a very essential part of life today, the term community in Australasians vision statement needs to correspondingly be relevant in the new facet of cyberspace. It discusses the dangers and risks of the internet which includes the description of the e-crime problem, the effect on safety in different situations, and the different problems it poses; classifies and discusses the new response problems that may be run into during e-crime prevention, exposure and investigation; and delineates broadly initiatives of Australasian policing meant to prevent and minimize the occurrence of e-crime and improve the communitys safety and security. It concludes by asserting that a response capacity will only be successful and all-inclusive by wholly adopting prevention and partnership programs, including, with regards to online youth abuse, putting prominence on community education that requires the growth of protective behaviours in children, educated and involved adults, and good guidance by parents, teachers and schools. Ciardhuà ¡in, S. (2004). An extended model of cybercrime investigations. International Journal of Digital Evidence, 3(1), pp. 1-22. An effective model of cybercrime investigations is vital due to the fact that it specifies a theoretical reference framework, independent of any specific organisational setting or technology, for the analysis of methods and technology for strengthening investigators work. Ciardhuà ¡in in this article presents a model of investigations which brings together existing models, simplifies them and expands them by clearly focusing on specific activities that they do not have. Instead of only processing evidence like previous models, this model clearly outlines the information that flow during an investigation and depicts the deep extent of an investigation. This paper also presents the results of an assessment of the model by cybercrime investigators in practice. It concludes by testing the feasibility and applicability of this model by comparing it to various important existing models. Brenner, S. W. (2006). At light speed: Attribution and response to cybercrime/terrorism/ warfare, Journal of Criminal Law Criminology, 97(2), pp. 379-419. The alacrity and obscurity of cyber-attacks renders differentiating among the activities of terrorists, offenders, and nation states challenging. This article elucidates why and by what means computer technology obfuscates the correlated practices of classifying internal (which include crime and terrorism) and external (war) dangers to society of countering such threats. It begins by structuring a classification of cyber threats (that is, crime, terrorism, and war) and describes why these changing threat classes can make who- and what-attribution difficult. It also gives details of how these problems with attribution influence the handling cyber threats and continues to investigate this issue by considering methods that can be used to improve the response capacity without compromising principles dear to the heart. The article concludes by agreeing that while the methods analysed in the article may not be the key to solving this obscurity, or the solution to the problem, the paper may be used in discussing these issues, a discussion that lead to developing of strategies that enhance the ability to manage the threats that occur from cyberspace. Brenner, S., Koops, B. J. (2004). Approaches to cybercrime jurisdiction. Journal of High Technology Law, 4(1), 189-202. Jurisdiction in cybercrimes is a thorny subject. Activities on the internet that are lawful in the areas where they are started may be illegal in other areas, even if the activity is not principally directed at that single area. This article focuses on jurisdiction in basic criminal law by scrutinizing the cybercrime statutes of several countries and states. The analysis is however limited predominantly to statutory law because, hitherto, the case law existing on cross-border cybercrime jurisdiction is scarce. After comprehensively giving a description to jurisdiction, the article reviews jurisdiction clauses in cybercrime statues that determine jurisdiction, centred on either territorial claims, on personality claims, or on other claims, for example the protection rule and universality. It concludes by recapping the different tactics in cybercrime jurisdiction, the difficulties that this disparity presents, and specifying stemming issues that call for further analysis. Australian Government. (2009). Cybersecurity Strategy. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved from http://www.ag.gov.au/Documents/AG%20Cyber%20Security%20Strategy%20-%20for%20website.pdf Among the top national security priorities in Australia at the moment is cyber security. The national security, economic wealth and social security in Australia are vitally subject to the accessibility, reliability and privacy of a variety of ICTs (Information and Communication Technology). This article is an Australian Government Policy Strategy that describes how the government is using every resource to help safeguard government, business and individual Australians. It also describes the means in which new capacities have been started to ensure that Australians, as well as the businesses they do business with, are better protected. It concludes by suggesting that, given the fast growth in the intensity and complexity of cybercrime and other cyber security perils, it is critical that government, business and the society are cognizant of the seriousness of cyber security risks and devote to work as one to protect this critical part of the community and economy. Wall, D. (2008). Cybercrime, media and insecurity: The shaping of public perceptions of cybercrime. International Review of Law, Computers and Technology, 22(1-2), pp. 45-63 There is a significant disparity in our perception of cybercrime that solicits several critical questions about the condition of the production of criminological knowledge on it. This article critically examines the manner in which public perceptions of cybercrime are modelled and uncertainties about it are spawned. It looks at the differing abstracts of cybercrime before pinpointing conflicts in the production of criminological knowledge that are the cause of the confusion between rhetoric and reality. Next, it juxtaposes the myths of cybercrime with what is really happening with the intention of appreciating the reassurance disproportion that has unfolded between community needs for internet security and its provision. The article concludes by calling for the necessity to be clear about where the equilibrium between the need to maintain lawfulness online and the need to enforce law is set because, until this equilibrium has been realized, the cybercrime reassurance gap will not be closed. Choo, K. R. (2008). Organised crime groups in cyberspace: A typology. Trends in Organized Crime, 11(3), pp. 270-295. doi: 10.1007/s12117-008-9038-9. While questions have been raised as to the existence of organised criminal activities in cyberspace, a number of studies have of late highlighted the interaction between cyberspace and organized crime. The cyberspace gives organised crime groups an asylum for the development of their organisational and effective abilities. This article describes three classes of organised groups that take advantage of developments in ICT to contravene legal and regulatory jurisdictions, which comprise (1) old-style organised criminal groups that exploit ICT to boost their global criminal activities; (2) organised cybercriminal groups that operate entirely online; and (3) organised groups of ideologically and doctrinally inspired parties who exploit ICT to ease their criminal behaviour. The article concludes by noting that with the enhanced probability of digital content being a basis of debates or forming part of basic proof to back or rebut an argument in judicial proceedings, the need for law appli cation to have broad understanding of computer forensic techniques, tools, principles, procedures and guidelines, in addition to anti-forensic tools and techniques will become more pronounced. Moreover, it also sees the need for fresh strategies of response and more research on investigating organised criminal activities in cyberspace. Holt, T. J., Bossler, A. M. (2012). Predictors of Patrol Officer Interest in Cybercrime Training and Investigation in Selected United States Police Departments. Cyberpsychology, Behaviour, and Social Networking, 15(9), 464-472. For the past thirty years, there has been an increase in the use of technology to aid crimes in both the cyber and physical worlds. This problem has resulted in the creation of significant challenges for the enforcement of law, especially at the state and local levels. It is because of this that this article examines the dynamics that projected patrol officers interest in cybercrime investigations and training in two south-eastern cities in the U.S. The analysis particularly observed the connection between demographics, cybercrime exposure, computer training, computer expertise, Internet and cybercrime perceptions, and perceptions on policing cybercrime with officer appeal to cybercrime investigation training and handling cybercrime investigations in the future. At the end, from the findings, the article substantiates the argument that more knowledge and departmental consultations relating to the value of investigating these types of crime need to be held so as to boost officer inter est. Bossler, A. M., Holt, T. J. (2012). Patrol officers perceived role in responding to cybercrime. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies Management, 35(1), pp. 165-181 Minor empirical research is available concerning how local law enforcement has dealt with cybercrime. The main aim of this article is to know: the law enforcement agencies that line officers consider to be largely in charge of investigating cybercrime instances; their views about their agencys current capacity to handle these offenses; and their attitudes as regards the effective ways of improving the social response to cybercrime. To do so, the authors surveyed patrol officers in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan police departments. The authors found that officers do not think that local law enforcement should be largely in charge of dealing with cybercrime incidents and they have scarce information on the manner in which upper management is handling cybercrime. Officers showed that the most effective approaches to handle cybercrime were more care taken by people online and amendments to the legal system. The article concludes by noting the significant need for more statistical recording of cybercrime so as to better appreciate the problem in addition to how local law enforcement and first responders are tackling these issues Jiggins, S. (2000). E-crime: a global challenge for law enforcement. Platypus Magazine, Australian Federal Police. Retrieved from: http://www.afp.gov.au/media-centre/publications/platypus/previous-editions/2000/december-2000/ecrime Among the biggest challenges related with modern technology is the fact that crimes can be perpetrated on a large-scale basis with such rapidity and obscurity, which if not dealt with, endangers the sustainability of the economic security of businesses and the existence of smaller nation states. Because of this invasive nature of modern technologies, the report recognizes the need for law enforcement to work together with other sectors in the industry and the community to breed an across-the-board state and local approach to the issue. The report tackles issues such as the global nature of e-crime, securing, developing and holding on to expert staff and getting around technology gap, gathering and retaining electronic evidence, establishing the identity of criminals, developing tools to counter crime, reacting to crime instantaneously, and advancing reporting of electronic crime. The report concludes by setting the stage for further analysis, which will identify first priority matter s, gaps and weaknesses that must be tackled by any strategy if law enforcement is to meet the challenges of the virtual horizon.

A Violation of Rights-School Uniforms Essays -- essays research papers

I believe all people have the right to express themselves. However, with rights come responsibility, a concept most people ignore. Having a "right" is to be free to express one's self. Consequentially, having a "responsibility" is doing it constructively, in such a way as to not violate policies, laws, and others' rights. There is a definite difference between a dress code and a school uniform. I support enforcing a school dress code, but is implementing a school uniform necessary? No matter how students dress, they will still pass judgments on their peers, uniforms do not necessarily save money, and children are forced to conform to the same standards. While in school, teachers have a responsibility to teach and students have the responsibility to learn. Both have the right to exist in their environment without harassment and the right to express their individuality. Some people have found some expressions crude, obnoxious, and distracting. To combat the problem , the idea of mandating school uniforms was introduced. This notion of making everyone appear "uniformed" in order to cut down on violence and negativity in school, is absolutely mislaid. School was designed to equally teach all children not only book knowledge but also offer practice in cooperation with others on a social scale. The home was designed to teach children right from wrong, to respect and obey authority, and how to socially function properly with others. Sadly, the parents ...

James Baldwins Writing Technique Essay -- James Baldwin

The Baldwin Technique James Baldwin is highly regarded as one of the great writers of his time. In the â€Å"Notes of a Native Son† he describes a very influential moment in his life. The essay’s setting takes place during the Harlem riots in New York City and Detroit. The riot in New York all began due the fatal shooting of a young African American boy by a white police officer. Protesters began to protest the police brutality, but then fights and looting broke out when some protesters became unruly. Baldwin’s essay reflects upon his interactions and feelings with and about his father. He analyzes how his father affected him and talks about what kind of person his father was. He also reflects on the impact of his father’s death. All the while, within the essay, Baldwin uses different techniques in order to obtain and intrigue his readers. He primarily makes his essay a narrative. However, he also incorporates his analysis, which usually stem from his use of binaries and contr asts. His use of repetitive words also plays a big part in his style. All of those techniques all intertwined in a way that will help the reader understand Baldwin and his ideas a lot clearer. His combination of both narrative and analysis can be viewed in the very first paragraph. Baldwin begins his essay by stating that fact that his father died on the July 29, 1943. Right after stating that fact, he mentions the rioting, which occurred in Detroit and in Harlem about a month before the death of his father. Baldwin incorporates the events that are going on around him in his narrative as a way to set up the environment for the reader. The rioting and other events that Baldwin speaks of is his way of explaining, or even rationalizing his feelings during tha... ... to compare himself with his father. He made the riots in Harlem and Detroit versus the police share similar qualities to his relationship with his father. Baldwin’s word choosing is also very effective in Notes of a Native Son. He italicizes certain words in order to portray his emotions towards a situation without even having to go into an in-depth explanation. Lastly, Baldwin’s most obvious trait in weaving both narrative and analytical writing is the use of word repetition. He continually used the strongest word that he could think of (hate) and just repeat it over and over again. The main thing to notice is that Baldwin uses the same word not only through his narrative but also within his analysis. Works Cited Baldwin, James. â€Å"Notes of a Native Son.† 1955. James Baldwin: Collected Essays. Ed. Toni Morrison. New York: Library of America, 1998. 63-84.

An Investigation of Latino Participation in Politics Essay -- Politica

An Investigation of Latino Participation in Politics This research examines the disjuncture between Hispanic strength in population and Hispanic participation in politics. I examine the nature of this disjuncture: its severity, its causes, and its consequences. Hispanics currently comprise 11.2% of the U.S. population, but the Hispanic vote in the 1998 elections comprised only 4.7% of all ballots cast. The situation is even bleaker when considering Hispanic representation in Congress. Currently, less than four percent of U.S. House members are Latino. Add to that clear disjuncture the fact that two of the Hispanic Congressmen do not even possess the ability to vote and that there is not a single Hispanic Senator, and we see that Hispanics lack a substantial voice in lawmaking.[1] Surely, the scarcity of Hispanic voters who vote accounts for much of this under-representation in Washington, D.C. Since the number of Hispanic voters severely understates recent Hispanic population increases in the last two decades, an in-depth investigation into the possible explanations of this disjuncture is needed in order to ensure Hispanics achieve a more active voice in American government. Yet, the causes of this disjuncture are not easily collapsed into a single explanation. Why do Latino participation levels not reflect relative strength in population? Is the discrepancy due mainly to the traditionally low socioeconomic characteristics of many minority adults, or is it due more to Latino-specific issues of language barriers and non-citizenship statuses? In this work, I investigate these central questions in an analysis of Hispanic political behavior. Previous Research A contemporary explanation of political participation is perha... ... [3] Question #43 from LNPS (ICPSR survey #6841) 4 Respondents were asked if they speak more Spanish than English, are equally bilingual, or speak more English than Spanish. Question #46 from LNPS: â€Å"How strong is your love for the U.S.? Is it: extremely/very/somewhat or not very strong?† 7 For a demonstrative case study, see coverage of the 1996 & 1998 congressional race between Loretta Sanchez and Bob Dornan for California’s 46th District seat. 8 Negative values in the beta weights and t-score values of â€Å"support bilingual† and â€Å"support immigration† may reflect the phraseology and response coding of survey questions 163 and 167b, in which responses are coded from strong support to low support. 9 I refer here to the anti-immigration referendums of the late 1990s, like Proposition 187 and 209 in California. 10 U.S. Census Bureau projections (1999)

Realism and television Essay

Question : Discuss realism by considering a television program that has realistic qualities. In your discussion specifically refer to Chapter 14 of the textbook, ‘Documentary and â€Å"reality TV†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ, by Branston and Stafford (2006). Realism plays an important role in the success of a good television program. The ability to relate and appeal to the senses of the target audience is an essential characteristic of any media form. This essay explores how realism is perceived in television today with reference to both reality and documentary genres of television. The remainder of the essay will present a case study of a television program which demonstrates realistic qualities. What is Realism? It has been argued that we are living in a ‘postdocumentary’ culture, a time of talk shows, reality t. v, game shows and the persuasion of celebrity (Branston, Stafford 2006: 455). When we refer to ‘realism’ within the context of television it conjures up a multitude of meanings. For example, realism may indicate that the program is ‘realistic’ because of the subject matter, like that of a documentary. Moreover, a television program could be considered ‘realistic’ because it features. Unscripted ordinary people in contrived situations, like Big Brother. One thing is certain, realism, or the illusion of realism, is very prevalent in television today. Reality tv? Distorted Realism†¦ Flick on the television during peak times on a week night and it’s pretty difficult to avoid reality television. From home makeovers to celebrity fit clubs, the popularity with ‘so called’ reality television is astounding. But is reality tv just another highly produced product of the culture industry? More often that not, these reality programs are highly constructed to attract viewers. As Andrejevic. questions, â€Å"Why is Reality tv pretending that it’s real, so that we may cannily believe it’s phony, when it accurately portrays the reality of contrivance in contemporary society? â€Å"(Andrejevic 2004). These programs are clearly not an accurate representation of how most people live. It seems the message of reality television is that ordinary people can become so significant that millions of people will watch them, and as a result, ordinary people are considered potential media stars. Ordinary people watch these programs, see people like themselves and imagine that they too could become celebrities by being on television (Reiss 2001). This is evident by the large number of reality tv stars that have gone on to have careers in the media. For example, Elizabeth Hassleback from the first series of the reality tv program Survivor is now a co-host of the popular talk show in the US â€Å"The View†. ‘Reality tv’, definitely has it’s fair share of critics. It has been blamed of damaging our youth’s perception of what reality truly means, even going to the extent of accusing it of being and abusive and exploitative of children in shows like, ‘Wifeswap’ and ‘Trading Spouses’ (Schlessinger 2004). The perception of what is fact and fiction in regards to television is no longer a clear margin (Study guide 9:5). Semiotic codes (study of signs) in television represent a kind of ‘language’, and we all learn how to decode these signs and symbols in to explain what we see (Herrman, 2000). With any luck, the viewers of these reality programs can distinguish what is true reality and not when they are watching these programs. Documentaries – The Art of Performing Just like news, documentaries are recognized as reproducing the truthful version of the story to the audience. With the popularity of the reality tv culture it has been argued that these types of shows have tainted the significance of documentaries (Branston, Stafford 2006:. 455). Documentaries have the ability to showcase complex subject matter with an accurate and credible approach. It has been argued that a documentary is a â€Å"performative act whose truth comes into being only at the moment of filming†(Bruzzi 2000:6). Moreover, documentaries portray a ‘real’ perspective according to the film maker themselves, just as reality tv, documentaries are constructed to a certain extent. In other words, the audience assumes the point of view from where the camera shooting. Branston and Stafford suggest in the example of Micheal Moore’s documentary Fahrenheit 9/11 where there were key issues that were not mentioned like the role of Israel, which in effect, persuades the audience in a certain position (Branston, Stafford 2006: 469). Of all the genres of television, documentaries still continue do the finest duty of relaying an accurate interpretation of ‘real-world’ issues with minimal construction. Case Study: â€Å"Intervention†(Mondays 9. 30am, Channel 115, Foxtel). The television program which I have chosen to critique in relation to it’s realistic qualities is ‘Intervention’. It’s a powerful and transfixing US-based series in which people confront their addiction and seek a route to recovery. The series profiles individuals whose dependency on drugs, alcohol or other compulsive behavior has brought them to an all-time low and estranged them from their family and loved ones. The addicts featured in the series believe they have signed up to participate in a documentary on ‘addiction’. Each episode begins with a brief introduction to the subject, and then he or she is followed around by a camera crew. The program ends with a surprise intervention that is staged in which they are confronted with a life-altering choice: rehabilitation or risk losing all contact with the loved ones who instigated the intervention. Often, other tactics are used to persuade the addicted person into treatment, which vary depending on the situation. Interviews with the subject, as well as family members or friends who have agreed to participate, are interspersed throughout. The Intervention falls under the reality tv genre of television and can be described as an ‘information programme’, as it uses true stories to educate the audience on the subject matter (Branston, Stafford 2006:474). The show has more the feel of a documentary than a reality TV program, although predominately factual there a certain aspects of the program that are clearly constructed. The producers and creators of the program make the rules, they create the setting, they film it according to specific guidelines as to what they think are going to provide good television. So Why Is ‘Intervention’ So Realistic? There are a number of characteristics that this television program possesses which contributes in creating a sense of realism for the viewer: 1). Subject Matter ‘Intervention’ is the dramatic and disturbing insight into the day in the life of an addict that features graphic footage of addicts shooting up on television has prompted some controversy. â€Å"It makes prime-time sport of vulnerable, desperate people and their spiral to the bottom,† wrote Matthew Gilbert of the Boston Globe. All though it’s ugly to watch, unfortunately the reality of addiction and the dysfunction it creates is very real for many families. Most viewers would know someone who it has been impacted by the power of addiction. According to Addictionintervention. com, the interventions that are staged on the series represent a realistic and account of what actually takes place during a professional intervention. http://www. addictionintervention. com/intervention/interventiontv_response. asp 2) Drama-documentary ‘Intervention’ series utilizes a ‘drama-documentary’ style which combines elements of documentary and drama (Branston, Stafftord 2006:456). This hybrid genre produces a very authentic sense of reality for the viewer, absent are the contrivances of most reality shows. Moreover, the participants of the show are ordinary people with real addictions, there are no million dollar prizes, no mansions, no bachelors, or games. According to the series, millions of people struggle with addiction, so the subject matter is a very real problem existing in society. There are no actors or re enactments, these are ‘real’ people going about their life. ‘Intervention’ demonstrates the characteristics of a documentary by presenting the strict facts of the event but also the program has the ability to raise the larger issues associated with addiction, such as family disintegration. Unfortunately the stories that are told are true, it’s something that we would like to believe does not exist in this world, but we all know that it does. 3) Camera Angles The series is shot in a documentary-style, which makes it less refined and more credible (Branston, Stafford 2006:458). The participants bring an honesty and rawness to the show that supersedes the blatant expectations that are all too common to reality programming. The unrehearsed reaction to the intervention from the addict is completely unpredictable. Sometimes the addict agrees to the treatment but more often than not the addict runs away, so without warning the production crew are unexpectedly running down the street. The scrabbling footage adds to the authenticity and legitimacy of the program (Branston, Stafford 2006: 458). 4) Unscripted Narratives ‘Intervention† does not use a narrator, instead, the subject and his loved ones tell the story, with occasional text commentary, which contributes to the realism. The leading characters of the program are ‘ordinary’ people from working class backgrounds, which is very relatable to a broad audience (Branston, Stafford 2006:460). The unscripted narratives between the addicts and their families generate a sense of normalcy, quite often they have to bleep out language when arguments get heated. The music is very limited in the program, there is some intense music just before the intervention which makes for an element of drama. 5) Format The ‘Intervention’ series, has the identical structure in each program. The first half hour profiles the individual, the next 20 minutes focuses on the intervention itself, the last 10 minutes focuses on the follow-up of the individual. There is no set, no staging, the program is filmed on location, meaning where ever the individual lives. The program is filmed in the home of the individual and the intervention, usually takes place at a nearby hotel. The fact that the program could be filmed anywhere is a factor in producing a sense of realism. 5) Not Always a Happy Ending The ‘Intervention’ program does not always have a happy ending, which contributes in creating a sense of honesty for the audience. In a recent episode of ‘Intervention’, the featured addict did agree to go to a rehabilitation facility but was kicked out not long after for breaking the rules. Unfortunately he went back to living on the streets and still struggling with his drug addiction and still estranged from his family (Intervention, aired 20/4/2007, 10pm,A&E channel). This program reiterates that sometimes real life is not pretty, and some situations cannot be resolved in a 60 minute episode. Although the ‘Intervention’ program is a cutting edge and controversial, the fact of the matter is, addiction is a very real issue in today’s society. According to the National Drug Strategy, the tangible social costs of drug use in Australia were estimated to be $18. 3 billion from in 1998-99. With these statistics like this, addiction should be a matter certainly worthy of attention. (http://www. aihw. gov. au/publications/phe/sdua04/sdua04. pdf) In conclusion, it’s apparent that there are still some programs on television that are able to give a ‘realistic’ insight into certain subject matters. After all, the television is our interaction with the outside world, media should continue to focus attention on these social problems to generate awareness and education with this type of programming. Bibliography Andrejevic, Mark ‘Reality TV:The Work of Being Watched’ Lanham MD: Rowman &Littlefield, 2004 1-20 Branston, G. and Stafford, R. , 2006. ‘Documentary & ‘Reality tv’, in The Media Student’s Book, 4th ed. , Routledge, Abingdon, UK, and New York, pp. 455-478 Herrmann, Stefan ‘Do we learn to ‘read’ television like a kind of ‘language’? May 2000http://www. aber. ac. uk/media/Students/sfh9901. html Reiss S, Wiltz J ‘Why America loves reality TV’ – Feature – Brief ArticlePsychology Today, Sept-Oct, 2001 http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m1175/is_5_34/ai_82261905 Schlessinger, L ‘Realism in family television? ‘ October 27, 2004 http://www. worldnetdaily. com/news/article. asp? ARTICLE_ID=41125.