Sula essays

Sula essays Toni Morrison's Sula is a novel that has a theme about the nature of evil. The story follows the lives of two black female friends who present differing views on evil. On one hand, we have society's conventional view of evil represented by the character of Nel and also seen in the Bottom's disapproval of Sula. The other view of evil is seen through the character of Sula and through her actions, which conflict with traditional society. The friendship of Sula and Nel is how the author conveys her message about evil in the relationship. In the relationship the two different conceptions of evil mix and create an essentially neutral mixture. By looking at Nel's and Sula's friendship and the two different views of evil that they have, the author shows us the subjective and relative nature of evil and how friendship can overcome any evil. In the Bottom, the dominant view of evil is society's conception. Its guidelines for good and bad behavior can be seen through society's reaction to Sula. Her return to the Bottom after being gone for ten years is greeted with the same way one would greet a pest, a plague or an illness. The novel shows society's negative view of her when it describes how Sula arrived "accompanied by a plague of robins" (Morrison 89). Her time spent in the Bottom is grouped with other evils the "floods, white people, tuberculosis, famine and ignorance" (Morrison 90) and her stay in the town is called the "evil days"(89), because the town views Sula as an evil force. The reason the town saw her as evil is because of her sexual habits. Sula herself knows that the townspeople "despised her and ... framed their hatred as disgust for the easy way she lay with men"(122), because being faithful in a marriage is one of the town's most important principles. Even worse is ...

Oral Cancer

Oral Cancer Free Online Research Papers Historically, most of the patients are above 40 years of age at the time of discovery of oral cancer. Aging is an important factor because the immunity diminishes with age as well as there are increased chances for the cells turning from benign to malignant tumor cells. This is further supported by the fact released recently in 2008 which says that oral cancer exists even among the non smokers who are below 50 years of age. Predominantly the cause for oral cancer is attributed to the factors like the use of tobacco, consumption of alcohol and infection by Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Among all these different causes, tobacco is considered to be the primary culprit although it takes a long time to get precipitated into an oral cancer. Especially the people who are above 50 years of age are widely affected and more than 75% of those people are constant users of tobacco. Tobacco in combination with alcohol is even more harmful and the chances are 15 times more for oral cancer if a person is addictive to both tobacco and alcohol. Recent reports also suggest that the demographics are changing rapidly as the incidence of oral cancer caused by viral infections is increasing day by day. The factors for the cause of oral cancer can be grouped as physical factors, chemical factors and biological factors. Alcohol and tobacco comes under chemical factors. Ultraviolet (UV) rays and x-rays are the major physical factors responsible for causing oral cancer. UV rays cause lip or skin cancers. Radiographs in x-rays can cause various types of neck or head cancers. Now days, there is more awareness towards physical factors and the percentage of people getting affected by this has drastically reduced over the past few decades. Biological factors indicate the fungi and the viruses which has a major link towards causing oral cancer. Human Papilloma Virus16 which spreads through sexual transmission causes oral cancers in tonsils, base of tongue, oropharnyx and tonsillar crypt. About 40 million people from America are found to be infected by this virus. There are nearly 120 strains of Human papilloma virus. Among them HPV16 is found to be more harmful and a potential cancer causing agent. HPV16 also causes cervical cancer, cancer in penis and anus. This virus is suspected to spread even more in the near future because of the increase in sexual intercourse among younger generation in the last 10 to 15 years. There are also other minor factors which can cause oral cancer like lichen planus (a disease that causes inflammation of tissues in the oral cavity), improper diet with less vegetables and fruits etc. The risk for oral cancer due to these factors is very marginal and it is less likely that it contributes to the development of cancer. Different types of oral cancer Oral tumors can develop in different areas of the mouth and throat viz., oral cavity, oropharynx (which means the back of the mouth where it has a connection with the throat) etc. The tumors can be either Benign (non-cancerous) or cancerous. Sometimes it can also be precancerous (a condition where it may become cancerous). What are benign tumors? Benign (non-cancerous) tumors are of many forms and can appear in the oral cavity, oropharynx or other sites in/on the body. They are as follows: condyloma acuminatum (also called as genital warts)-a small, moist, red or pink growth which grows alone or in cauliflower-like clusters. eosinophilic granuloma- a benign tumor that often affects both children and adolescents. It is commonly found in the lungs or a bone. fibroma-a benign tumor which consists of fibrous connective tissues. keratoacanthoma-a fast-growing, flesh-colored bump on the skin which has a keratin plug in the center (keratin is a tough substance and is the main component on the external layer of skin, nails and hair). leiomyoma-a tumor of the smooth muscle. It is normally found in the small intestine, esophagus, uterus, or stomach. lipoma-a tumor that is made up of mature fat cells neurofibroma-a fibrous tumor which consists of the nerve tissue. odontogenic tumors- tumors in the jaw osteochondroma-a tumor that is made up of cartilage and bone. papilloma- a tumor that resembles like a wart, which grows on the epithelium (the cells that actually forms the skin and mucous membranes) pyogenic granuloma-a round, small bump which often has an ulcerated surface. rhabdomyoma-a striated-muscle tumor which usually appears on the pharynx, tongue, uterus, heart or vagina. Schwannoma-a single tumor which grows in the neurilemma (Schwanns sheath) of nerves. verruca form xanthoma- wart-shaped tumors The behavior of the benign tumors is quite unpredictable as some of them do not recur, some needs to be removed surgically and some of them disappear on their own. It is always better to consult a physician for diagnosis. What oral conditions may be precancerous? There are 2 conditions in the mouth which can actually be the precursors to Oral cancer. Leukoplakia characterized by a white colored patch that develops inside the throat or mouth. Erythroplakia characterized by a red colored raised patch which develops inside the mouth. This is often caused by smoking or chewing tobacco. Biopsy is used to determine whether precancerous cells (dysplasia) or cancer cells exists in any of the above 2 conditions. This can be treated by the use of retinoids – (medications that are related to vitamin A) to reduce, eliminate and/or prevent dysplasia from forming. What are malignant oral tumors? Among the several types of malignant oral cancers, most of them are squamous cell carcinoma. squamous cell carcinoma-Also called as squamous cell cancer, that originates in the squamous cell layer in the lining of the oral cavity and/or oropharynx. In the initial stages, this cancer is present only in the lining layer of cells (called carcinoma in situ). During spreading beyond the lining, it is called as invasive squamous cell cancer. Verrucous carcinoma-Though it is considered as a type of squamous cell carcinoma, Verrucous carcinoma rarely spreads to distant sites or metastasizes. This low-grade cancer comprises less than 5 percent of all diagnosed oral cancers. But it can spread into the surrounding tissues deeply, which may result in the surgical removal of a wide margin of the tissue. minor salivary gland cancers-The lining of the oropharynx and oral cavity contains numerous salivary glands. Cancer may also originate from the salivary gland although it is rare. Treatment for this type of cancer depends on the type, location and the extent of spreading. Oral Cancer: Prevention and Detection It is a fact that the oral cancer patients are subject to less impairment or deformity when the cancer is diagnosed at a very early stage. The preventive measures can be classified into two namely 1.Primary prevention: Reduction of exposure to alcohol, tobacco and betel quid. This lowers the occurrence of oral cancer to a greater extent. 2.Secondary prevention: Screening for early diagnosis of oral cancer. The screening may be of any form. Biopsy and clinical examination helps in early diagnosis of oral cancer either premalignant or early. Screening serves its best when the high-risk sites like floor of the mouth, soft palate, ventrolateral surface of the tongue, etc are inspected. Owing to the high cost of screening the entire population, initially the high-risk groups, especially people over the age of 40, alcoholics and smokers. It is essential for all people to have a visual oral cancer check-up every year and get a report stating that no suspicious oral lesions are found. OraTest along with toluidine blue is mostly used as an accessory while examining soft tissue in order to emphasize asymptomatic lesions if any present. Exfoliative cytology helps in detection of early oral cancer. This rapid, non-invasive procedure can easily be conducted by an inexperienced dental personnel. Hence it is very helpful in screening programs involving the entire populations. Oral CDx brush biopsy technique is recently found to be very efficient in diagnosing cancerous as well as precancerous lesions. To keep a control on the development of secondary tumors, frequent examinations of not only the patient but also the family members of the patient are highly recommended owing to the risk exposure. Irrespective of the screening method used, a biopsy is essential to confirm a negative result. It is necessary for the people to be aware of the importance of a regular dental check-up for the early detection of any warning signs and to understand the risks of consumption of alcohol and tobacco. Tumor suppressor gene mutations and oncogene can be better indicators. It is to be understood that any disease can be treated in a better manner in case it is detected early. There are some steps suggested to be followed while examining mouth. Pay attention to any white or red patches in the mouth, lumps or thickened skin or tissue or gums, unhealed sore (does not heal for more than 2 weeks), bleeding sore, etc. Observe if there is a sore throat, hoarseness persistently or if you find it difficult to maneuver jaw while swallowing or chewing. Consult your dentist immediately in case you find something odd about the following oRemoval of any dental products oObserving and feeling the parts like lips, gums, etc oTest the roof of the mouth, inside of cheeks, back gums, tongue, etc oPresence of enlarged lymph nodes under jaw or in neck portion. Monthly dental checkups enable early detection and helps in prevention of oral cancer. Treatment of Oral Cancer Fear and frustrations often builds its phantoms which are sometimes more fearsome than reality itself. This holds true for cancer patients too. It is often unavoidable to feel stressed, frustrated or shocked when a person is diagnosed with cancer. But a patient has to keep his/her calm and should be ready to ask the doctor any of questions he/she has and get it clarified. It is better to take notes or record the voice of the doctor when the queries are answered. This can be kept for reference so that the patient understands about the disease and the treatment. It is often recommended that the patient meets the doctor along with a friend or a family member to take notes or discuss and more importantly for moral support. A patient can approach for specialists in Chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery like otolaryngologists (special doctors for nose, throat and ear), radiation oncologists, oral surgeons and plastic surgeons. There are also professionals who work on health care like speech pathologist, mental health counselor, dentist and nutritionist. Getting a Second Opinion Sometimes the patient may opt for second opinion or even the doctor may suggest for it. There are a lot of ways in which a patient can find specialists/doctors for getting the second opinion. They are as follows: Most often the doctor knows about the specialists for a particular disease. The doctor might refer the patient to those specialists. The patient can contact Cancer Information Service to get information on the treatment centers that can be reached soon. Hospitals, medical colleges or schools and other health information centers can provide information on the specialists in the located area. The NCI website provides valuable information on finding specialists or doctors and the corresponding treatment centers and hospitals. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) maintains a directory which has an exhaustive list of medical specialists. Almost all the public libraries have this directory. The information is also available in the website of ABMS. The website of ADA or American Dental Association has enough information the dentists who are specialized for treatment of oral cancer and the location of their corresponding medical centers. Getting Prepared for Treatment The type of treatment chosen for a patient generally depends on many factors like the tumor size, the origin of development of cancer cells, the extent to which the cancer has spread and the general health of the patient. It is important for the patient to discuss the treatment with the doctor and get clarified on impact of treatment to normal activities like talking, swallowing etc. A patient may have an number of questions before treatment. Therefore the doctor must have a discussion with the patient based on his/her personal needs and values. Bibliography 1.Medicinenet.Inc. 2009. Oral Cancer. Available at medicinenet.com/oral_cancer/article.htm (Retrieved Jan 10, 2010) 2.Oral Cancer Foundation. 2009. Oral Cancer Facts. Available at oralcancerfoundation.org/facts/ (Retrieved Jan 12, 2010) Research Papers on Oral CancerGenetic EngineeringAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Incorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalMarketing of Lifeboy Soap A Unilever ProductThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseThe Project Managment Office SystemInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesResearch Process Part OneThe Spring and AutumnAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 Europe

A Theme In Human Evolution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

A Theme In Human Evolution - Research Paper Example An exanimation of the fossil records for the hominids can reveal much information on the early forms of the present creatures. The study of human remains did not feature until the nineteenth century when archaeologists realized that the culture and the morphology of early man could be revealed by the remains and the tools that were found buried with these remains (Greene, 11). A comparison between the morphology of the different fossils can be made to provide an insight into the relationships that occur between populations of organisms at different stages in the evolution process. Much information regarding the human culture could be obtained through the study of such remains. It has been noted that by studying the bone morphology of the fossils â€Å"one can understand the nutritional status, diet, disease processes, factors affecting mortality and life expectancy, biological responses to environmental stressors and aging of our ancestors† (Seth, 19). The teeth of animals wil l be related to the kinds of food that they consume. The herbivorous animals feed on vegetation and have many large molar teeth for chewing the fibrous foods. On the other hand, carnivorous animals like lion have large canine teeth that are used for killing and tearing the meat of their prey. The early hominids had the ape-like U-shaped dental arcade whereas the modern, man has a parabolic dental arcade. These early hominids and the modern man have the same dental formula of 2.1.2.3= 32.   This means two incisors, one canine, two premolars, and three molar teeth on both sides of the upper and lower jaws. However, there is a difference in the teeth structure and size between the early hominids and the modern man. This has been caused by the difference in the kinds of food that have been consumed by man at different stages of evolution. The early hominids were mainly herbivorous and had large molars for chewing the high roughage content foods.

How the external environment shapes the organization ( BOSTON PIZZA) Essay

How the external environment shapes the organization ( BOSTON PIZZA) - Essay Example Boston Pizza has a strong brand positioning and is the first chain of restaurants to offer fat-free menu items (Henry 234). The restaurants have huge televisions and spacious parking areas thus appealing to the middle income consumers. The external business environment shapes the operations of Boston Pizza and the strategic choices of the management. The external environment is beyond the control of the management and strategic choices must be made to adapt to the fast changing external environment in order for the restaurant chain to attain competitive edge in the market (Henry 172). The external business environment consists of the political environment, economic environment, social-cultural environment, technological environment, legal environment and ecological environment. PESTLE (political, economic, social-cultural, technological, legal and ecological) environment analysis tool will be useful in analysing and understanding how the external business environment shapes Boston Pizza. The political environment entails the political stability, the trade restrictions and attitudes of governments towards businesses, pressure groups, conflicts, and wars. The current political environment in Canada, United States and Mexico is stable, but there are different pressure groups such as anti-obesity campaigners that have been advocating for health eating habits (Henry 78). The Canadian government has implemented several measures that aim at protecting consumer interests and welfare in order to safeguard the health of the population. In this case, Boston Pizza must implement health-conscious menus in order to attract higher number of customers and adapt to the changing political environment (Kachru 84). The restaurant chain is capable of expanding to cities that have political stability and minimal pressure group influences. However, the government may

Sophocles` Oedipus The King And Shakespeare`S Othello Essay Example for Free

Sophocles` Oedipus The King And Shakespeare`S Othello Essay Greek literature was rich in dramas and tragic heroes.  The main rules for defining the real tragic hero were summarized and sharply distinguished by Aristotle; he worked out six important characteristics for the true tragic hero: hamartia, hubris, anagnorisis, peripeteia, nemesis and catharsis; hamartia – a serious mistake, which is the main reason of downfall of the hero, this mistake is often made because of hubris – extreme pride, after the downfall the hero learns a lesson or makes a discovery this is defined by the notion anagnorisis, reversal of fortune is called peripeteia, nemesis means some circumstances, which the hero could not avoid, practically his fate. Aristotle, 13). The last one – catharsis – denotes the feeling of fear and pity experienced by the audience; in closing this should be a person who is â€Å"between these extremes . . . a person who is neither perfect in virtue and justice, nor one who falls into misfortune through vice and depravity, but rather, one who succumbs through some miscalculation (Aristotle, 18). Guided by the above-mentioned instructions we are going to analyze two famous plays: Sophocles’s Oedipus the king and Shakespeare’s Othello, namely their main heroes. Both Oedipus and Othello are tragic heroes. They both show signs of hubris, yet they have admirable qualities that have raised them to the position they have. In fact, their very strengths are also their weaknesses. Most critics consider Oedipus the perfect example of tragic hero. Indeed if to evaluate the correspondence of Oedipus to the characteristics of Aristotle he meets all the parameters. His nobility is out of question, as he was born in a royal family, although raised by adoptive parents, who were also the King and Queen of Corinth, and finally, when he managed to solve the riddle of Sphinx, he got the dominion over the city. Shakespeare’s Othello is also a tragic hero and also corresponds to the Aristotle’s characteristics. Othello, as well as Oedipus, had to come through pride, fatal mistake and self-destruction. Othello is a noble man and an outstanding military leader. But in reality his greatness was combined with his weakness: on the one hand he was brave and intelligent, on the other hand he was somewhat passive and fell under the influence and allowed Iago manipulate him. Oedipus’s hubris could be seen in his desire to prove to his city that he was able to solve the mystery and save the citizens from the plague. Besides he was rather self -assured, which can be confirmed by his own words in the opening lines of the prologue, when he states Here I am myselfyou all know me, the world knows my fame: I am Oedipus. (Sophocles, 11). Oedipus had every reason to believe that he was a prominent personality and he wanted to support his high status for his subordinates, in this way his strength unexpectedly for him turned into his weak side. Hamartia of Oedipus is very important and sophisticated. His tragic flows rooted from his lack of knowledge about his true identity, but he could not be responsible for his flow as he was not able to change anything with his actions. In fact, Oedipus didn’t make any mistakes, he suffered the consequences of somebody else’s old mistake in the past. Actually the peripetea is closely related to hamartia of Oedipus, as the bad fortune followed the hero from his very birth. Othello’s hamartia or downfall, when she killed his beloved wife, was the result of his hubris – he was so much afraid that his pride could be hurt in case of Desdemona’s unfaithfulness that he didn’t even stop to think whether all the Iago’s arguments were correct or not – â€Å"Thy honesty and love doth mince this matter My friend, thy husband, honest, honest Iago† (Shakespeare, 8). Moreover he preferred to trust Iago instead of listening to his wife. In this case such virtue as trust turned out to have a destructing force for the hero. In contrast to Oedipus Othello could avoid his tragic flow, if only his reaction to the words of Iago were different. Catharsis of the audience is characterized by very profound emotions and feelings of sympathy towards Oedipus, when he instead of committing suicide, chose terrible tortures for himself. When Oedipus realized what had happened to him in reality, he said: Oh, oh, then everything has come out true. Light, I shall not look on you Again. I have been born where I should not be born, I have been married where I should not marry, I have killed whom I should not kill; now all is clear (Sophocles, 32). Being blind he belonged neither to this word nor to the other word, thus his suffering was not finished even at the end of the play. No doubts, that the audience experienced sympathy and pity for Othello after his murder. The realization of his awful deed hurt Othello deeply, but as distinct from Oedipus he chose suicide. Overall, both heroes Othello and Oedipus could be referred to as classical examples of Aristotle’s tragic hero. They are both very strong and outstanding personalities, noble and fair; after getting their high positions they however developed such features as obstinacy, self-assurance, mightiness. Both of them took wrong decisions and became the victims of their fatal mistakes, which finally transformed their strengths into their weak points and led to tragic finals.

Holistic Design Essay -- Industry Industrial Essays

Holistic Design Thesis: Design is the root of action; if we can creatively construct our products and systems with purpose and understanding of the processes and side effects of these systems, we can improve our relationship to the natural world. Introduction to Industrial Design Our modern lives are full of manufactured products. Nearly everything that surrounds us in our day-to-day lives is born of intense industrial processes, yet rarely do we think of the systems that support our lifestyles. Finding a single action in a day that does not somehow depend on fossil fuels is nearly impossible. Everything we use, eat, or come in contact with has either been shipped or manufactured (or both) far away from where we live, and arrives at our door via processes that gobble up mounds of natural resources (Chiras, 2000). Because of the affluence of our lifestyle, we do not see the effects of these processes, and thus we rarely consider the long-term sustainability of our daily actions. While humans have always survived by our ability to use our surroundings, the industrial revolution increased our power to thrive, also increasing the size of our "footprint" (amount of land or resources required to sustain us). The machines that arose (and the knack for utilizing the energy in fossil fuels) during the industrial revolution greatly increased the output of manufacturing companies, also increasing the inputs of raw materials (Chiras, 2001). This increase in demand has led to intense mining, logging and agricultural processes that have left us with a less healthy world. Since industrial systems have been in place (mid 1700's), greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have increased, raising global temperatures, and threatening drastic... ...iras, Daniel (2000). The Natural House. Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing. Haines, Andrew, McMichael, Anthony J., Epstein, Paul R., McCally, Michael. Sept. 19, 2000. "Environment and Health 2: Global Climate Change and Health." CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal, Vol. 163, Issue 6. Janzen, J. Daniel. Review of Cradle to Cradle. Flak Magazine. http://flakmag.com/books/cradletocradle.html. November 3, 2003. Lancaster, Brad. Lecture. May 2003. Tucson, Arizona. McDonough, Bill and Michael Braungart (2002). Cradle to Cradle. New York: North Point Press. McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry Home Page. http://www.mbdc.com/profile_clients.htm November 3, 2003. Mollison, Bill (1988). Permaculture: A Designer's Manual. Tyalgum, Australia: Tagari Publications. Reynolds, Michael (1990). Earthship, Vol. 1. Taos, New Mexico: Solar Survival Press. Holistic Design Essay -- Industry Industrial Essays Holistic Design Thesis: Design is the root of action; if we can creatively construct our products and systems with purpose and understanding of the processes and side effects of these systems, we can improve our relationship to the natural world. Introduction to Industrial Design Our modern lives are full of manufactured products. Nearly everything that surrounds us in our day-to-day lives is born of intense industrial processes, yet rarely do we think of the systems that support our lifestyles. Finding a single action in a day that does not somehow depend on fossil fuels is nearly impossible. Everything we use, eat, or come in contact with has either been shipped or manufactured (or both) far away from where we live, and arrives at our door via processes that gobble up mounds of natural resources (Chiras, 2000). Because of the affluence of our lifestyle, we do not see the effects of these processes, and thus we rarely consider the long-term sustainability of our daily actions. While humans have always survived by our ability to use our surroundings, the industrial revolution increased our power to thrive, also increasing the size of our "footprint" (amount of land or resources required to sustain us). The machines that arose (and the knack for utilizing the energy in fossil fuels) during the industrial revolution greatly increased the output of manufacturing companies, also increasing the inputs of raw materials (Chiras, 2001). This increase in demand has led to intense mining, logging and agricultural processes that have left us with a less healthy world. Since industrial systems have been in place (mid 1700's), greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have increased, raising global temperatures, and threatening drastic... ...iras, Daniel (2000). The Natural House. Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing. Haines, Andrew, McMichael, Anthony J., Epstein, Paul R., McCally, Michael. Sept. 19, 2000. "Environment and Health 2: Global Climate Change and Health." CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association Journal, Vol. 163, Issue 6. Janzen, J. Daniel. Review of Cradle to Cradle. Flak Magazine. http://flakmag.com/books/cradletocradle.html. November 3, 2003. Lancaster, Brad. Lecture. May 2003. Tucson, Arizona. McDonough, Bill and Michael Braungart (2002). Cradle to Cradle. New York: North Point Press. McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry Home Page. http://www.mbdc.com/profile_clients.htm November 3, 2003. Mollison, Bill (1988). Permaculture: A Designer's Manual. Tyalgum, Australia: Tagari Publications. Reynolds, Michael (1990). Earthship, Vol. 1. Taos, New Mexico: Solar Survival Press.

Bag of Bones CHAPTER NINE

At nine o'clock the following morning I filled a squeeze-bottle with grapefruit juice and set out for a good long walk south along The Street. The day was bright and already hot. It was also silent the kind of silence you experience only after a Saturday holiday, I think, one composed of equal parts holiness and hangover. I could see two or three fishermen parked far out on the lake, but not a single power boat burred, not a single gaggle of kids shouted and splashed. I passed half a dozen cottages on the slope above me, and although all of them were likely inhabited at this time of year, the only signs of life I saw were bathing suits hung over the deck rail at the Passendales' and a half-deflated fluorescent-green seahorse on the Batchelders' stub of a dock. But did the Passendales' little gray cottage still belong to the Passendales? Did the Batchelders' amusing circular summer-camp with its Cinerama picture-window pointing at the lake and the mountains beyond still belong to the Batchelders? No way of telling, of course. Four years can bring a lot of changes. I walked and made no effort to think an old trick from my writing days. Work your body, rest your mind, let the boys in the basement do their jobs. I made my way past camps where Jo and I had once had drinks and barbecues and attended the occasional card-party, I soaked up the silence like a sponge, I drank my juice, I armed sweat off my forehead, and I waited to see what thoughts might come. The first was an odd realization: that the crying child in the night seemed somehow more real than the call from Max Devore. Had I actually been phoned by a rich and obviously bad-tempered techno-mogul on my first full evening back on the TR? Had said mogul actually called me a liar at one point? (I was, considering the tale I had told, but that was beside the point.) I knew it had happened, but it was actually easier to believe in The Ghost of Dark Score Lake, known around some campfires as The Mysterious Crying Kiddie. My next thought this was just before I finished my juice was that I should call Mattie Devore and tell her what had happened. I decided it was a natural impulse but probably a bad idea. I was too old to believe in such simplicities as The Damsel in Distress Versus The Wicked Stepfather . . . or, in this case, Father-in-Law. I had my own fish to fry this summer, and I didn't want to complicate my job by getting into a potentially ugly dispute between Mr. Computer and Ms. Doublewide. Devore had rubbed my fur the wrong way and vigorously but that probably wasn't personal, only something he did as a matter of course. Hey, some guys snap bra-straps. Did I want to get in his face on this? No. I did not. I had saved Little Miss Red Sox, I had gotten myself an inadvertent feel of Mom's small but pleasantly firm breast, I had learned that Kyra was Greek for ladylike. Any more than that would be gluttony, by God. I stopped at that point, feet as well as brain, realizing I'd walked all the way to Warrington's, a vast barnboard structure which locals sometimes called the country club. It was, sort of there was a six-hole golf course, a stable and riding trails, a restaurant, a bar, and lodging for perhaps three dozen in the main building and the eight or nine satellite cabins. There was even a two-lane bowling alley, although you and your competition had to take turns setting up the pins. Warrington's had been built around the beginning of World War I. That made it younger than Sara Laughs, but not by much. A long dock led out to a smaller building called The Sunset Bar. It was there that Warrington's summer guests would gather for drinks at the end of the day (and some for Bloody Marys at the beginning). And when I glanced out that way, I realized I was no longer alone. There was a woman standing on the porch to the left of the floating bar's door, watching me. She gave me a pretty good jump. My nerves weren't in their best condition right then, and that probably had something to do with it . . . but I think she would have given me a jump in any case. Part of it was her stillness. Part was her extraordinary thinness. Most of it was her face. Have you ever seen that Edvard Munch drawing, The Cry? Well, if you imagine that screaming face at rest, mouth closed and eyes watchful, you'll have a pretty good image of the woman standing at the end of the dock with one long-fingered hand resting on the rail. Although I must tell you that my first thought was not Edvard Munch but Mrs. Danvers. She looked about seventy and was wearing black shorts over a black tank bathing suit. The combination looked strangely formal, a variation on the ever-popular little black cocktail dress. Her skin was cream-white, except above her nearly flat bosom and along her bony shoulders. There it swam with large brown age-spots. Her face was a wedge featuring prominent skull-like cheekbones and an unlined lamp of brow. Beneath that bulge, her eyes were lost in sockets of shadow. White hair hung scant and lank around her ears and down to the prominent shelf of her jaw. God, she's thin, I thought. She's nothing but a bag of A shudder twisted through me at that. It was a strong one, as if someone were spinning a wire in my flesh. I didn't want her to notice it what a way to start a summer day, by revolting a guy so badly that he stood there shaking and grimacing in front of you so I raised my hand and waved. I tried to smile, as well. Hello there, lady standing out by the floating bar. Hello there, you old bag of bones, you scared the living shit out of me but it doesn't take much these days and I forgive you. How the fuck ya doin? I wondered if my smile looked as much like a grimace to her as it felt to me. She didn't wave back. Feeling quite a bit like a fool THERE'S NO VILLAGE IDIOT HERE, WE ALL TAKE TURNS I ended my wave in a kind of half-assed salute and headed back the way I'd come. Five steps and I had to look over my shoulder; the sensation of her watching me was so strong it was like a hand pressing between my shoulderblades. The dock where she'd been was completely deserted. I squinted my eyes, at first sure she must have just retreated deeper into the shadow thrown by the little boozehaus, but she was gone. As if she had been a ghost herself. She stepped into the bar, hon, Jo said. You know that, don't you? I mean . . . you do know it, right? ‘Right, right,' I murmured, setting off north along The Street toward home. ‘Of course I do. Where else?' Except it didn't seem to me that there had been time; it didn't seem to me that she could have stepped in, even in her bare feet, without me hearing her. Not on such a quiet morning. Jo again: Perhaps she's stealthy. ‘Yes,' I murmured. I did a lot of talking out loud before that summer was over. ‘Yes, perhaps she is. Perhaps she's stealthy.' Sure. Like Mrs. Danvers. I stopped again and looked back, but the right-of-way path had followed the lake around a little bit of curve, and I could no longer see either Warrington's or The Sunset Bar. And really, I thought, that was just as well. On my way back, I tried to list the oddities which had preceded and then surrounded my return to Sara Laughs: the repeating dreams; the sunflowers; the radio-station sticker; the weeping in the night. I supposed that my encounter with Mattie and Kyra, plus the follow-up phone-call from Mr. Pixel Easel, also qualified as passing strange . . . but not in the same way as a child you heard sobbing in the night. And what about the fact that we had been in Derry instead of on Dark Score when Johanna died? Did that qualify for the list? I didn't know. I couldn't even remember why that was. In the fall and winter of 1993 I'd been fiddling with a screenplay for The Red-Shirt Man. In February of '94 I got going on All the Way from the Top, and that absorbed most of my attention. Besides, deciding to go west to the TR, west to Sara . . . ‘That was Jo's job,' I told the day, and as soon as I heard the words I understood how true they were. We'd both loved the old girl, but saying ‘Hey Irish, let's get our asses over to the TR for a few days' had been Jo's job. She might say it any time . . . except in the year before her death she hadn't said it once. And I had never thought to say it for her. Had somehow forgotten all about Sara Laughs, it seemed, even when summer came around. Was it possible to be that absorbed in a writing project? It didn't seem likely . . . but what other explanation was there? Something was very wrong with this picture, but I didn't know what it was. Not from nothin. That made me think of Sara Tidwell, and the lyrics to one of her songs. She had never been recorded, but I owned the Blind Lemon Jefferson version of this particular tune. One verse went: It ain't nuthin but a barn-dance sugar It ain't nuthin but a round-and-round Let me kiss you on your sweet lips sugar You the good thing that I found. I loved that song, and had always wondered how it would have sounded coming out of a woman's mouth instead of from that whiskey-voiced old troubadour. Out of Sara Tidwell's mouth. I bet she sang sweet. And boy, I bet she could swing it. I had gotten back to my own place again. I looked around, saw no one in the immediate vicinity (although I could now hear the day's first ski-boat burring away downwater), stripped to my underpants, and swam out to the float. I didn't climb it, only lay beside it holding onto the ladder with one hand and lazily kicking my feet. It was nice enough, but what was I going to do with the rest of the day? I decided to spend it cleaning my work area on the second floor. When that was done, maybe I'd go out and look around in Jo's studio. If I didn't lose my courage, that was. I swam back, kicking easily along, raising my head in and out of water which flowed along my body like cool silk. I felt like an otter. I was most of the way to the shore when I raised my dripping face and saw a woman standing on The Street, watching me. She was as thin as the one I'd seen down at Warrington's . . . but this one was green. Green and pointing north along the path like a dryad in some old legend. I gasped, swallowed water, coughed it back out. I stood up in chest-deep water and wiped my streaming eyes. Then I laughed (albeit a little doubtfully). The woman was green because she was a birch growing a little to the north of where my set of railroad-tie steps ended at The Street. And even with my eyes clear of water, there was something creepy about how the leaves around the ivory-streaked-with-black trunk almost made a peering face. The air was perfectly still and so the face was perfectly still (as still as the face of the woman in the black shorts and bathing suit had been), but on a breezy day it would seem to smile or frown . . . or perhaps to laugh. Behind it there grew a sickly pine. One bare branch jutted off to the north. It was this I had mistaken for a skinny arm and a bony, pointing hand. It wasn't the first time I'd spooked myself like that. I see things, that's all. Write enough stories and every shadow on the floor looks like a footprint, every line in the dirt like a secret message. Which did not, of course, ease the task of deciding what was really peculiar at Sara Laughs and what was peculiar only because my mind was peculiar. I glanced around, saw I still had this part of the lake to myself (although not for much longer; the bee-buzz of the first power boat had been joined by a second and third), and stripped off my soggy underpants. I wrung them out, put them on top of my shorts and tee-shirt, and walked naked up the railroad-tie steps with my clothes held against my chest. I pretended I was Bunter, bringing breakfast and the morning paper to Lord Peter Wimsey. By the time I got back inside the house I was grinning like a fool. The second floor was stifling in spite of the open windows, and I saw why as soon as I got to the top of the stairs. Jo and I had shared space up here, she on the left (only a little room, really just a cubby, which was all she needed with the studio north of the house), me on the right. At the far end of the hall was the grilled snout of the monster air-conditioning unit we'd bought the year after we bought the lodge. Looking at it, I realized I had missed its characteristic hum without even being aware of it. There was a sign taped to it which said, Mr. Noonan: Broken. Blows hot air when you turn it on & sounds full of broken glass. Dean says the part it needs is promised from Western Auto in Castle Rock. I'll believe it when I see it. B. Meserve. I grinned at that last -it was Mrs. M. right down to the ground and then I tried the switch. Machinery often responds favorably when it senses a penis-equipped human in the vicinity, Jo used to claim, but not this time. I listened to the air conditioner grind for five seconds or so, then snapped it off. ‘Damn thing shit the bed,' as TR folks like to say. And until it was fixed, I wouldn't even be doing crossword puzzles up here. I looked in my office just the same, as curious about what I might feel as about what I might find. The answer was next to nothing. There was the desk where I had finished The Red-Shirt Man, thus proving to myself that the first time wasn't a fluke; there was the photo of Richard Nixon, arms raised, flashing the double V-for-Victory sign, with the caption WOULD YOU BUY A USED CAR FROM THIS MAN? running beneath; there was the rag rug Jo had hooked for me a winter or two before she had discovered the wonderful world of afghans and pretty much gave up hooking. It wasn't quite the office of a stranger, but every item (most of all, the weirdly empty surface of the desk) said that it was the work-space of an earlier-generation Mike Noonan. Men's lives, I had read once, are usually defined by two primary forces: work and marriage. In my life the marriage was over and the career on what appeared to be permanent hiatus. Given that, it didn't seem strange to me that now the space where I'd spent so many days, usually in a state of real happiness as I made up various imaginary lives, seemed to mean nothing. It was like looking at the office of an employee who had been fired . . . or who had died suddenly. I started to leave, then had an idea. The filing cabinet in the corner was crammed with papers bank statements (most eight or ten years out of date), correspondence (mostly never answered), a few story fragments-but I didn't find what I was looking for. I moved on to the closet, where the temperature had to be at least a hundred and ten degrees, and in a cardboard box which Mrs. M. had marked GADGETS, I unearthed it a Sanyo Memo-Scriber Debra Weinstock gave me at the conclusion of our work on the first of the Putnam books. It could be set to turn itself on when you started to talk; it dropped into its PAUSE mode when you stopped to think. I never asked Debra if the thing just caught her eye and she thought, ‘Why, I'll bet any self-respecting popular novelist would enjoy owning one of these babies,' or if it was something a little more specific . . . some sort of hint, perhaps? Verbalize those little faxes from your subconscious while they're still fresh, Noonan? I hadn't known then and didn't now. But I had it, a genuine pro-quality dictating-machine, and there were at least a dozen cassette tapes in my car, home dubs I'd made to listen to while driving. I would insert one in the Memo-Scriber tonight, slide the volume control as high as it would go, and put the machine in its DICTATE mode. Then, if the noise I'd heard at least twice now repeated itself, I would have it on tape. I could play it for Bill Dean and ask him what he thought it was. What if I hear the sobbing child tonight and the machine never kicks on? ‘Well then, I'll know something else,' I told the empty, sunlit office. I was standing there in the doorway with the Memo-Scriber under my arm, looking at the empty desk and sweating like a pig. ‘Or at least suspect it.' Jo's nook across the hall made my office seem crowded and homey by comparison. Never overfull, it was now nothing but a square room-shaped space. The rug was gone, her photos were gone, even the desk was gone. This looked like a do-it-yourself project which had been abandoned after ninety percent of the work had been done. Jo had been scrubbed out of it scraped out of it and I felt a moment's unreasonable anger at Brenda Meserve. I thought of what my mother usually said when I'd done something on my own initiative of which she disapproved: ‘You took a little too much on y'self, didn't you?' That was my feeling about Jo's little bit of office: that in emptying it to the walls this way, Mrs. Meserve had taken a little too much on herself. Maybe it wasn't Mrs. M. who cleaned it out, the UFO voice said. Maybe Jo did it herself. Ever think of that, sport? ‘That's stupid,' I said. ‘Why would she? I hardly think she had a premonition of her own death. Considering she'd just bought ‘ But I didn't want to say it. Not out loud. It seemed like a bad idea somehow. I turned to leave the room, and a sudden sigh of cool air, amazing in that heat, rushed past the sides of my face. Not my body; just my face. It was the most extraordinary sensation, like hands patting briefly but gently at my cheeks and forehead. At the same time there was a sighing in my ears . . . except that's not quite right. It was a susurrus that went past my ears, like a whispered message spoken in a hurry. I turned, expecting to see the curtains over the room's window in motion . . . but they hung perfectly straight. ‘Jo?' I said, and hearing her name made me shiver so violently that I almost dropped the Memo-Scriber. ‘Jo, was that you?' Nothing. No phantom hands patting my skin, no motion from the curtains . . . which there certainly would have been if there had been an actual draft. All was quiet. There was only a tall man with a sweaty face and a tape-recorder under his arm standing in the doorway of a bare room . . . but that was when I first began to really believe that I wasn't alone in Sara Laughs. So what? I asked myself. Even if it should be true, so what? Ghosts can't hurt anyone. That's what I thought then. When I visited Jo's studio (her air-conditioned studio) after lunch, I felt quite a lot better about Brenda Meserve she hadn't taken too much on herself after all. The few items I especially remembered from Jo's little office the framed square of her first afghan, the green rag rug, her framed poster depicting the wildflowers of Maine had been put out here, along with almost everything else I remembered. It was as if Mrs. M. had sent a message I can't ease your pain or shorten your sadness, and I can't prevent the wounds that coming back here may re-open, but I can put all the stuff that may hurt you in one place, so you won't be stumbling over it unexpected or unprepared. I can do that much. Out here were no bare walls; out here the walls jostled with my wife's spirit and creativity. There were knitted things (some serious, many whimsical), batik squares, rag dolls popping out of what she called ‘my baby collages,' an abstract desert painting made from strips of yellow, black, and orange silk, her flower photographs, even, on top of her bookshelf, what appeared to be a construction-in-progress, a head of Sara Laughs herself. It was made out of toothpicks and lollipop sticks. In one corner was her little loom and a wooden cabinet with a sign reading JO'S KNITTING STUFF! NO TRESPASSING! hung over the pull-knob. In another was the banjo she had tried to learn and then given up on, saying it hurt her fingers too much. In a third was a kayak paddle and a pair of Rollerblades with scuffed toes and little purple pompoms on the tips of the laces. The thing which caught and held my eye was sitting on the old roll-top desk in the center of the room. During the many good summers, falls, and winter weekends we had spent here, that desktop would have been littered with spools of thread, skeins of yarn, pincushions, sketches, maybe a book about the Spanish Civil War or famous American dogs. Johanna could be aggravating, at least to me, because she imposed no real system or order on what she did. She could also be daunting, even overwhelming at times. She was a brilliant scatterbrain, and her desk had always reflected that. But not now. It was possible to think that Mrs. M. had cleared the litter from the top of it and plunked down what was now there, but impossible to believe. Why would she? It made no sense. The object was covered with a gray plastic hood. I reached out to touch it, and my hand faltered an inch or two short as a memory of an old dream (give me that it's my dust-catcher) slipped across my mind much as that queer draft ad slipped across my face. Then it was gone, and I pulled the plastic, over off. Underneath it was my old green IBM Selectric, which I hadn't seen or thought of in years. I leaned closer, knowing that the typewriter ball would be Courier my old favorite even before I saw it. What in God's name was my old typewriter doing out here? Johanna painted (although not very well), she took photographs (very good ones indeed) and sometimes sold them, she knitted, she crocheted, she wove and dyed cloth, she could play eight or ten basic chords on the guitar. She could write, of course; most English majors can, which is why they become English majors. Did she demonstrate any blazing degree of literary creativity? No. After a few experiments with poetry as an undergrad, she gave up that particular branch of the arts as a bad job. You write for both of us, Mike, she had said once. That's all yours; I'll just take a little taste of everything else. Given the quality of her poems as opposed to the quality of her silks, photographs, and knitted art, I thought that was probably wise. But here was my old IBM. Why? ‘Letters,' I said. ‘She found it down cellar or something, and rescued it to write letters on.' Except that wasn't Jo. She showed me most of her letters, often urging me to write little postscripts of my own, guilt-tripping me with that old saying about how the shoemaker's kids always go barefoot (‘and the writer's friends would never hear from him if it weren't for Alexander Graham Bell,' she was apt to add). I hadn't seen a typed personal letter from my wife in all the time we'd been married if nothing else, she would have considered it shitty etiquette. She could type, producing mistake-free business letters slowly yet methodically, but she always used my desktop computer or her own Powerbook for those chores. ‘What were you up to, hon?' I asked, then began to investigate her desk drawers. Brenda Meserve had made an effort with these, but Jo's fundamental nature had defeated her. Surface order (spools of thread segregated by color, for instance) quickly gave way to Jo's old dear jumble. I found enough of her in those drawers to hurt my heart with a hundred unexpected memories, but I found no paperwork which had been typed on my old IBM, with or without the Courier ball. Not so much as a single page. When I was finished with my hunt, I leaned back in my chair (her chair) and looked at the little framed photo on her desk, one I couldn't remember ever having seen before. Jo had most likely printed it herself (the original might have come out of some local's attic) and then hand-tinted the result. The final product looked like a wanted poster colorized by Ted Turner. I picked it up and ran the ball of my thumb over the glass facing, bemused. Sara Tidwell, the turn-of-the-century blues shouter whose last known port of call had been right here in TR-90. When she and her folks some of them friends, most of them relatives had left the TR, they had gone on to Castle Rock for a little while . . . then had simply disappeared, like a cloud over the horizon or mist on a summer morning. She was smiling just a little in the picture, but the smile was hard to read. Her eyes were half-closed. The string of her guitar not a strap but a string was visible over one shoulder. In the background I could see a black man wearing a derby at a killer angle (one thing about musicians: they really know how to wear hats) and standing beside what appeared to be a washtub bass. Jo had tinted Sara's skin to a caf? ¦-au-lait shade, maybe based on other pictures she'd seen (there are quite a few knocking around, most showing Sara with her head thrown back and her hair hanging almost to her waist as she bellows out her famous carefree yell of a laugh), although none would have been in color. Not at the turn of the century. Sara Tidwell hadn't just left her mark in old photographs, either. I recalled Dickie Brooks, owner of the All-Purpose Garage, once telling me that his father claimed to have won a teddybear at the Castle County Fair's shooting-pitch, and to have given it to Sara Tidwell. She had rewarded him, Dickie said, with a kiss. According to Dickie the old man never forgot it, said it was the best kiss of his life . . . although I doubt if he said it in his wife's hearing. In this photo she was only smiling. Sara Tidwell, known as Sara Laughs. Never recorded, but her songs had lived just the same. One of them, ‘Walk Me Baby,' bears a remarkable resemblance to ‘Walk This Way,' by Aerosmith. Today the lady would be known as an African-American. In 1984, when Johanna and I bought the lodge and consequently got interested in her, she would have been known as a Black. In her own time she would have been called a Negress or a darkie or possibly an octoroon. And a nigger, of course. There would have been plenty of folks free with that one. And did I believe that she had kissed Dickie Brooks's father a white man in front of half of Castle County? No, I did not. Still, who could say for sure? No one. That was the entrancing thing about the past. ‘It ain't nuthin but a barn-dance sugar,' I sang, putting the picture back on the desk. ‘It ain't nuthin but a round-and-round.' I picked up the typewriter cover, then decided to leave it off. As I stood, my eyes went back to Sara, standing there with her eyes closed and the string which served her as a guitar strap visible over one shoulder. Something in her face and smile had always struck me as familiar, and suddenly it came to me. She looked oddly like Robert Johnson, whose primitive licks hid behind the chords of almost every Led Zeppelin and Yardbirds song ever recorded. Who, according to the legend, had gone down to the crossroads and sold his soul to Satan for seven years of fast living, high-tension liquor, and streetlife babies. And for a jukejoint brand of immortality, of course. Which he had gotten. Robert Johnson, supposedly poisoned over a woman. In the late afternoon I went down to the store and saw a good-looking piece of flounder in the cold-case. It looked like supper to me. I bought a bottle of white wine to go with it, and while I was waiting my turn at the cash register, a trembling old man's voice spoke up behind me. ‘See you made a new friend yes'ty.' The Yankee accent was so thick that it sounded almost like a joke . . . except the accent itself is only part of it; mostly, I've come to believe, it's that singsong tone real Mainers all sound like auctioneers. I turned and saw the geezer who had been standing out on the garage tarmac the day before, watching along with Dickie Brooks as I got to know Kyra, Mattie, and Scoutie. He still had the gold-headed cane, and I now recognized it. Sometime in the 1950s, the Boston Post had donated one of those canes to every county in the New England states. They were given to the oldest residents and passed along from old fart to old fart. And the joke of it was that the Post had gone toes-up years ago. ‘Actually two new friends,' I replied, trying to dredge up his name. I couldn't, but I remembered him from when Jo had been alive, holding down one of the overstuffed chairs in Dickie's waiting room, discussing weather and politics, politics and weather, as the hammers whanged and the air-compressor chugged. A regular. And if something happened out there on Highway 68, eye-God, he was there to see it. ‘I hear Mattie Devore can be quite a dear,' he said heah, Devoah, deeah and one of his crusty eyelids drooped. I have seen a fair number of salacious winks in my time, but none that was a patch on the one tipped me by that old man with the gold-headed cane. I felt a strong urge to knock his waxy beak of a nose off. The sound of it parting company from his face would be like the crack of a dead branch broken over a bent knee. ‘Do you hear a lot, old-timer?' I asked. ‘Oh, ayuh!' he said. His lips dark as strips of liver parted in a grin. His gums swarmed with white patches. He had a couple of yellow teeth still planted in the top one, and a couple more on the bottom. ‘And she gut that little one cunnin, she is! Ayuh!' ‘Cunnin as a cat a-runnin,' I agreed. He blinked at me, a little surprised to hear such an old one out of my presumably newfangled mouth, and then that reprehensible grin widened. ‘Her don't mind her, though,' he said. ‘Baby gut the run of the place, don'tcha know.' I became aware better belated than never that half a dozen people were watching and listening to us. ‘That wasn't my impression,' I said, raising my voice a bit. ‘No, that wasn't my impression at all.' He only grinned . . . that old man's grin that says Oh, ayuh, deah; I know one worth two of that. I left the store feeling worried for Mattie Devore. Too many people were minding her business, it seemed to me. When I got home, I took my bottle of wine into the kitchen it could chill while I got the barbecue going out on the deck. I reached for the fridge door, then paused. Perhaps as many as four dozen little magnets had been scattered randomly across the front vegetables, fruits, plastic letters and numbers, even a good selection of the California Raisins but they weren't random anymore. Now they formed a circle on the front of the refrigerator. Someone had been in here. Someone had come in and . . . Rearranged the magnets on the fridge? If so, that was a burglar who needed to do some heavy remedial work. I touched one of them gingerly, with just the tip of my finger. Then, suddenly angry with myself, I reached out and spread them again, doing it with enough force to knock a couple to the floor. I didn't pick them up. That night, before going to bed, I placed the Memo-Scriber on the table beneath Bunter the Great Stuffed Moose, turning it on and putting it in the DICTATE mode. Then I slipped in one of my old home-dubbed cassettes, zeroed the counter, and went to bed, where I slept without dreams or other interruption for eight hours. The next morning, Monday, was the sort of day the tourists come to Maine for the air so sunny-clean that the hills across the lake seemed to be under subtle magnification. Mount Washington, New England's highest, floated in the farthest distance. I put on the coffee, then went into the living room, whistling. All my imaginings of the last few days seemed silly this morning. Then the whistle died away. The Memo-Scriber's counter, set to 000 when I went to bed, was now at 012. I rewound it, hesitated with my finger over the PLAY button, told myself (in Jo's voice) not to be a fool, and pushed it. ‘Oh Mike,' a voice whispered mourned, almost-on the tape, and I found myself having to press the heel of one hand to my mouth to hold back a scream. It was what I had heard in Jo's office when the draft rushed past the sides of my face . . . only now the words were slowed down just enough for me to understand them. ‘Oh Mike,' it said again. There was a faint click. The machine had shut down for some length of time. And then, once more, spoken in the living room as I had slept in the north wing: ‘Oh Mike.' Then it was gone.

Music, Race, and Nation

Peter Wade’s Music, Race, and Nation is a book that takes a long look at something that the author clearly has a passion for. Not only does Wade have a clear and honest passion for the cultures of South America, but it is clear through his writing that Wade has spent plenty of time researching the things that he writes about. In the book, Wade’s primary goal is to shed a fun and interesting light on the cultural dances which are such a part of the culture in places like Colombia. After reading the work, it would seem foolish for anyone to argue that Wade did not achieve his stated objectives, as he clearly hits the mark with both his message and the overall presentation of that message to the reader. The basic themes presented in this book are a bit heavier than one might expect when they pick it up, but after reading, one can clearly understand why they were included. In Colombia, the music is a huge part of the cultural fabric there. In a nation that has long been dominated by white people and their overbearing culture, a mostly African dance takes hold and becomes a staple of the country. In order to truly understand the social dynamic that exists in Colombia, one has to understand the interesting dynamic presented with the relationship between the music and the people who enjoy it. Wade seems to understand the importance of this theme and because of his understanding; he does everything within his power to impart that knowledge to those who read the book. The presentation of this theme is somewhat different when compared to other works, but in the context of his objectives, the presentation certainly works. Before Wade gets started with the deeper and more complicated themes in his book, he makes sure that the reader has a strong grasp on the history of the subject at hand. Because the majority of people reading his book do not have a firm understanding of the basic pretenses on which it was written, Wade had to give those readers a crash course, or else they would be lost. In this regard, he succeeds beautifully. The organizational tactics used in this work give the reader a chance, while other books with similar themes might preclude those people who do not already have a basic understanding of Colombian culture. From that history, Wade does not just jump to his next theme. As any good author would, he builds upon the history that he has established in order to show how the music and dancing is interwoven into the country’s history. This is a very interesting way to present a thesis to readers and in this case, it is an effective means to the stated end. In this work, Peter Wade sticks to the point and never deviates from that. This is a fine line to walk when it comes to presenting a book with some history involved. Authors want to include enough information so that their readers can understand, but they do not want to include so much information that the readers feel like they are taking another history class. Wade walks this fine line and never falls over into the dreaded scholastic feel with this work. He gives the reader exactly what he or she needs and he does not do it with much fluff. The styling of the writing is simplistic enough to stay on point, yet it flows with enough grace to be easily readable. In short, Wade hit a home run with his diction and style. His writing is almost like the dance that it is describing. When one considers this book’s overall contribution to the topic that it addresses, it is easy to see why the book has been so successful. Though a few books have been written about South American music and South American culture, few have done it with this much passion. When the author cares about the subject matter contained in the book, that comes out through the writing. After flipping only a few pages, readers can tell that they are reading a work by an author that has a deep, profound understanding of Colombian culture. In addition, this book speaks to the importance of the Colombian music in the development of the culture of that country. This is an important theme that absolutely must be captured if individuals want to fully grasp the culture of Colombia. In regards to impact, it sheds a positive light on something that people did not know very much about. It brings to the forefront a brand of music that helped create a nation and helped create a culture that is often misunderstood. The work is a good one for a number of reasons. No book can be considered perfect, but this one is perfect in that it achieves its set objectives. When writers like Wade pour their heart and soul into the research of a subject, the resulting work bares that out. Music, Race, and Nation is one of those works. Â  

Where Wild and West Meet

Where Wild and West Meet Free Online Research Papers Blazing Saddles, by Mel Brooks, is a very funny film making fun of a serious issue in the time surrounding the making of this movie. It is focused in the old American west in the late 1800’s during a national boom of industrialization. The state attorney general, Hedley Lamar, who is played by Harvey Korman is building a railroad and has to change the route making it run through Rock Ridge. Not wanting to pay a lot of money for the land he, sends in a gang of trouble makers which make the townspeople force Governor William J. LePetomane, played by Mel Brooks, to select a new sheriff. Governor LePetomane, not being such a bright fellow, is convinced by Lamar to choose a black man about to be hung by the name of Bart played by Cleavon Little. Lamar’s purpose for this was to make the residents of Rock Ridge leave so he could buy the land cheaper. This all back fires in the Lamar’s face because Bart, eventually becomes accepted by all of Rock Ridge. He has become so loved by the townspeople, and he unites them in an uprising to stop the evil plans of the corrupt and evil Lamar. As the movie comes to a close, Bart shoots General Lamar outside of the Grumman’s Chinese Theater, and as a final message he tells people of all color and nations to get along and live in harmony. The main message of this movie is to make fun of the western genre of films. Mel Brooks is worldly known for his creation of many different film genres and films, and Blazing Saddles hold up to that claim in some people’s opinion one of the funniest films made by brooks. The trailer for this movie would appeal to viewers about 13 and older. By previewing the movie it looks like a western comedy. It also looks as if the hero is very friendly and a good leader. From watching the trailer, a viewer could make the assumption that this movie is like most typical western movies with horses, Indians, and a hero. This is true, but it also contains some elements of comedy. When Bart asks Jim (Wilder) his name his says â€Å"Well my name is Jim but most people call me†¦Jim†. Another conclusion that can be made in the trailer is that the viewer can assume who the hero is because of how many time he is showed during the clip. Also when the hero Bart is first shown he has music playing in the background along with a theme song for the movie, and whenever he appears again in the trailer music is playing. The music in the trailer helps the viewer with connecting to the time period along with setting the mood of the movie. The reverse of rolls in society during this time period where blacks were inferior and whites superior is a common base of humor in this movie. This is shown by the portrayal of the white citizens being the stupid and corrupt people and the black man being the smart hero. The only white character that is shown to be smart is the only character that isnt racist. I think with this Brooks was trying to get the point across that racism is ignorant and dumb. That was a huge shift in the way society had viewed racist persons during this time period. To me one of the most striking features of this film is that it was made by a white director and made for a mostly white audience. You can conclude from this that there was a significant advance in learning to accepting one another and a definite effort by some of the white community to tell to the rest of the country that they needed to accept blacks like their own kind . For Brooks, being a white director during this age in time to put a blac k man in the hero position of a movie and poke fun at the ignorance of white racist was a huge step toward tolerance and acceptance. When Bart first arrives, he is disliked and not popular just as General Lamar had wanted. One of the schemes to remove Bart as the new sheriff drive and him away is to get him to fall in love with a white woman and make it seem like he was causing a problem in the town. This also shows a reverse of roles in society because normally it would be the black male enticing himself upon the white female. I think that Brooks purpose for making the white people who are racists so dumb and easily defeated was to encourage not only whites in America, but everyone of that time of racism to not be that way and for them to stand up against others who continued to be racist. In the years before Blazing Saddles was made acceptance of everyone was a key element missing from society .This movie approached the problem of racism from a humorous point of view which enabled the different race groups to see and understand their own flaws. During the time period this movie was created there was lots of tension between whites and blacks. The biggest between the two groups is the history of the whites and white supremacy. The movie has scenes including the Nazis, white bikers, and the KKK. This is ironic and weird because the movie was set up to take place in 1875, which means that the bikers from the 60s and Nazis from the 40s wouldnt have even been around at all. Both the Nazis and bikers are shown to be ignorant and the KKK members are easily beaten up and tricked. One scene that shows this is when Bart goes undercover wearing a Klan suit. I think that the reason for this is that brooks was trying to show that he thought racism was dumb, while at the same time trying to make it funny so it wouldn’t offend people. The whole racism period and movements, mostly including the KKK, was a very suppressive era. The White almost always seemed usually seemed to have the upper hand and usually was the group that was ins tigating the violence. Blazing Saddles show this group of people in a very humorous but true way. While keeping true to the theme of the movie, Brooks displays them as being easily fooled not intelligent. An example that shows this statement is when Bart sets up a toll both in the middle of the dessert so as the thugs pass they all have to pay a dime to go on with their mission to rob all the townspeople. The movie also portrays a shared heritage of minorities and American immigrants. Chinese along with black railroad workers are displayed as being equally oppressed in the movie. In the scene in which the Indian Chief speaks with Barts family in Yiddish, there are three cultures that are mixed together in harmony despite their obvious differences. Even as the townspeople are obliged to unite in order to fight General Lamar and his crew of thugs, David Huddleston (Johnson) says, All right! Well give some land to the niggers, and the chinks. But we don’t want the Irish!(Blazing Saddles) This movie has many uses anachronisms and breaks what is known in the movie business as the fourth wall. Brooks repeatedly does this to constantly remind viewers that they are watching a comedy movie. For example, when Bart is just elected the sheriff he is on his way to Rocky Ridge he is shown wearing Gucci cowboy gear. This is ironic because Gucci was not worn in that area and especially not by a person of color. He is also accompanied by a jazz soundtrack as he makes his way to town. However as the camera moves left showing Bart riding by Count Basies jazz group band, which is playing their most famous song April in Paris in the middle of the desert. Blazing Saddles allows us the chance to examine our culture, our country, and beliefs. It leads us to question together where we came from and why wars were fought for and where our country is headed. Brooks uses this movie as a message to the rest of the country that some of the things we believe in are not intelligent and smart while at the same time making people laugh. Research Papers on Where Wild and West MeetHip-Hop is ArtHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayThe Hockey GameThe Masque of the Red Death Room meanings19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andBringing Democracy to AfricaAnalysis Of A Cosmetics Advertisement

Digitizing Family Movies - Transfer Videotapes to DVD

Digitizing Family Movies - Transfer Videotapes to DVD Somewhere in your house is a box or drawer full of videotapes - aging home movies full of birthdays, dance recitals, holiday gatherings, a childs first steps and other special family moments. You havent watched the movies in years but, unfortunately, the years are still taking their toll. Heat, humidity and improper storage cause videotapes to deteriorate, decaying the magnetic particles that represent your precious family memories. By converting those old VHS tapes to digital form, you can effectively stop the deterioration in its tracks. It also allows you to use your computer to edit out the boring and blooper moments, add music or narration, and make extra copies for your family and friends. What You Need The basic requirements are easy- a computer and a camcorder or VCR which can play your old videotapes. Other important items youll need include a device to get the video in and out of your computer (video capture), the software to edit it, and a DVD-burner to copy the video onto DVDs. Video Capture HardwareTransferring videotape to DVD is actually pretty easy to do yourself, but will require some special hardware. Depending on your computer setup, you may already have what you need. Three major options for transferring footage from old videotapes to computer include: Transfer footage via a video cardTo transfer video footage to your computer youll need the right cables and hardware. If you have a newer computer, you may already have what you need. Check the back of your computer and follow the cord coming from your monitor. If you see multicolored (red, white and yellow) plugs on the same card, then youre in luck. With a RCA A/V (audio/video) cable youll be able to directly connect your video camera or VCR directly to your computer. If your video card also has a round S-Video jack, use a S-Video cable in place of the yellow RCA video input for superior video quality. If your video card doesnt have RCA input jacks, you can also choose to replace it with a new video card. Transfer footage via a video capture card or deviceA cheaper and often easier alternative to replacing the entire video card in your computer is to add a video capture card. Youll need an empty PCI slot in the back of your computer to install one. Alternatively, there are some wh ich will plug into an available USB slot, which is easier than having to open your computer to plug in the card. Video capture cards usually come with software on CD which will walk you through the steps of transferring video from your VCR or Camcorder to your computer. Transfer footage via a video capture cardIf your computer doesnt have a DVD burner, then the best solution may be to purchase an external DVD recorder. These connect to the computer via a USB port and have built-in video capture technology, allowing you to capture video, edit it, and burn it to DVD with a single device. Digital Video SoftwareIn conjunction with the hardware, youll also need special software to capture, compress and edit the video footage on your computer. The digital video software assists you with capturing the video from your video camera or VCR, and also allows you to cut/edit the footage or add fun special effects such as narration, transitions, menus and background music. In some cases, digital video software may have come with your video capture card or device. If not, there are a number of free video editing programs, such as Windows Movie Maker, that can perform some of these functions. If you want to get fancy, then programs such as Adobe Premiere Elements, Corel VideoStudio, Apples Final Cut and Pinnacle Studio make it easy to get your movies on DVD with professional results. Plenty of Hard Drive SpaceIt may not sound like a big deal, but the hard drive on your computer will need a lot of free space when youre working with video - as much as 12-14 gigabytes (GB) of space for every hour of footage you import. If you dont have that much space to spare, consider purchasing an external hard drive. You can get a 200MB external hard drive for less than $300 enough room for plenty of video, plus a place to backup your photos, genealogy and other files. Working with such large files means that youll also need a powerful computer. A fast processor (CPU) and plenty of memory (RAM) will make it much easier to transfer and edit video. Transfer Edit Your Video Whichever video capture option you use- a special video card, a video capture card or a DVD recorder - the steps for capturing and editing the video from your camcorder or VCR are basically the same: Make the connections. Connect the cords from the output jacks on your old camcorder (if it plays videotapes) or VCR to the input jacks on your video capture card or DVD recorder. Capture the video. Open your video software and select the import or capture option. The software should then walk you through the steps necessary for recording the video to your computer. Save the video at the highest quality possible. Old videotapes are already of poor enough quality, without further degrading the footage more than necessary during the compression process. If youre short on space, then capture, edit and burn small sections of video at a time. Once youve burned the resulting video to DVD you can delete it from your hard drive, freeing up space for more video transfer. Edit out unwanted footage. Once youve transferred the video to your computer you can edit and rearrange the scenes into a nice finished product. Most digital video editing software will have already automatically separated yo ur raw video footage into scenes, making it easy to shuffle things around. Now is also the time to delete the boring stuff and edit out dead time, like the 20 minutes of footage you took with the lens cap on! Generally, this process is as easy as drag and drop. You can eliminate choppiness in the final product by adding cool transitions from scene to scene, such as fades and page turns. Other special features you may want to play with include titles, photos, narration, menus and background music. Create Your DVD When youre satisfied with your edited movies, its time to transfer them to DVD. Again the software will walk you through the steps. Just as with import, youll probably be given a choice of quality settings. For the best image quality limit the video you save on a single DVD to an hour or less. Choose a high-quality DVD-R or DVDR disk (not the rewritable version) on which to burn your video. Make at least one backup copy as well, maybe more if you plan to delete the digital video from your computers hard drive. Other Options for Transferring Video to DVD If you dont have a computer, there are options available for transferring video to DVD, sans PC, using a DVD recorder unit. If you want to do any editing before burning to DVD, youll need a DVD recorder unit with a hard drive. Fancy editing is still best done on a computer, however. Alternatively, you can pay a professional to convert your VHS tapes to DVD, although this service doesnt usually come cheap.

Decision Making Process Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 89

Decision Making Process - Case Study Example They are, therefore, forced to react negatively to all other future events that seem to centralize the controls even further. They then assume the negative reaction to most of such attempts when anything becomes controversial in the District. To support my conclusion here, we find that, in the case study, almost all principals spoke in opposition to what the business administrator recommended. By saying that through the elimination of the funds, the District want to have another way of centralizing administration, they mean that the District has had other ways earlier, and this is just another such ways. It, therefore, shows that they are now trying not to allow the district continue centralizing the controls anymore. The principals also comment that every time they try to turn around, things become centralized in the district. It means, therefore, that, they already have no trust in the district administration and will most of the time not agree with any of their steps to centralize controls. When administrative functions are divided into organizational divisions, it becomes easy for the administration to have a clear control over the two divisions distinctively. First, there is a division of labor manifested, therefore, only specialized professionals in a given division are selected to work there to provide good results (Shivendu & Dasgupta, 2012) (page #2 lines #1-4). Therefore, while dividing the administrative functions into organizations, one is simply dividing the work to be done within those small divisions or departments. The work and responsibilities that will be assigned to individuals or departments will be based on the professional qualification as well as the experience of the workforce in that department. The divisions also cluster jobs into units, hence making it easy for control, monitoring and evaluation purposes.

English - Walden by Henry David Thoreau Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

English - Walden by Henry David Thoreau - Essay Example Thoreau died of tuberculosis on May 6, 1862 (Lenat, 2007). In an attempt to live life on his own terms and explore his philosophy of self-reliance, simple living and intellectual growth, Thoreau built a primitive cabin on the shore of Walden Pond, situated about a mile from Concord, and lived there from 1845 – 1847: a period of two years and two months. In 1854, Thoreau published ‘Walden,’ an account of his life during that time (Kifer, 2002). ‘Walden’ throbs with Thoreau’s impassioned love for Nature and his exhortation to follow a simple lifestyle, free from the bond of materialism. Walden is Thoreau’s spiritual quest for self-expression. Thoreau urges each man to achieve his full potential for self-expression and identification with God through the exploration of his individual self and shows that union with Nature is the surest path to this goal. Thoreau’s identification with Nature stems from his all-encompassing love for Nature, which is woven into every page of his narrative. To him, Nature is the fount of beauty, joy, companionship, freedom and health. He rises early to lose himself in the beauty of the dawn. Thoreau observes and delights in the minutest details of Nature: even the sound of berry-laden branches breaking off under their own weight. The wealth of detail he lavishes on his description of partridges, loons, owls, hawks, insects and fish and pond ice is characterized by a tenderness which chronicles and cherishes every minute aspect of Nature. A sparrow alighting on his shoulder is considered a badge of honor by him (Winter Animals, 7). His becoming a vegetarian is but a natural offshoot of this love, which leads him to treasure any life, animal or human, and consider this to be a mark of civilization. His keen observation of Nature enables him to make inferences of his visitors by interpreting the sig nificance of bended twigs and dropped flowers. Thoreau’s passionate embrace of Nature is seen in his hunger â€Å"to