Fiction coursework final draft Mollie Coucill

The moon shone hauntingly over the harsh pine trees protruding from the stiff ground like a stake from the heart of a vampire. New layers of snow fell on the cold, hard ground of the forest, covering prints that had been created there earlier that day. In the centre of Newgrove Forest a river ran fiercely and deeply, splitting the fearsome forest in half. Beyond the eastern section of the river stood a great manor-house, some what out of place in the eighteenth century Albanian woodland surrounding it. The house was humongous and daunting, a charcoal-burned monstrosity towering over its extensive graveyard, with hundreds of memorials and tombstones protruding from the ground at various angles. Of all the various windows lining the stone walls of the house, only one was lit; and through it was a collection of the most curious and fearsome creatures that human eyes had ever witnessed. There were twelve gathered in that room – eleven of them daemons clothed in nothing but their thick skin and lusting for flesh. Every one of the monstrous beasts was different from the next, with various differing characteristics; some bore horns and piercing crimson skin, others with a mucus colouring, and several limbs more than was normal. These eleven were gathered around a twelfth, who was clothed in hooded grey robes. Seemingly human, the twelfth member of this estranged committee appeared to be preaching to the impatient creatures around him. â€Å"Daemons of the vortex, too long have you been imprisoned within these walls! Too long have you been prevented from wreaking havoc in this world of man! And too long you have had to wait in dear anticipation for your next kill.† The man spoke in a harsh rasping voice that echoed throughout the room. â€Å"There is one who can help you; one whose death would bring forth the dawn of the new age- the age of the daemon.† The surrounding daemons began to holler and scream in excitement: they knew that this man was talking of freeing them from the house forever. â€Å"Who is this man?† asked a repulsive purple daemon, who seemed to be the leader of the daemons present. â€Å"Why, the only offspring of the long-dead monarchy of Albania,† commented the hooded figure, smugly. â€Å"Impossible!† muttered the head-daemon. â€Å"We wiped out those scum long before we were imprisoned here! You had better not lie to me, Broc!† â€Å"Well you missed one – didn't you?† replied the man called Broc, now starting to become impatient. â€Å"All I know is that there is a boy, close to seventeen years of age, who has been branded. I saw him with my very eyes.† â€Å"Why haven't I been informed of this?† screamed the head-daemon. â€Å"The Remok- they tracked down my enemies sixteen years ago! How could they have missed a child? I will see the end of this. Bring them forth! They will bring the boy.† â€Å"No! I mean†¦ I will see to it that the boy is brought here as soon as possible.† Broc, for the first time, showed a hint of fear; the Remok were not to be messed with. â€Å"Very well – I expect him by full moon. Three days Broc.† Replied the daemon. This marked the end of the conference, and he and his minions left, allowing Broc to show himself out. Meanwhile, beyond the western side of the river, perhaps twenty miles away from the water lay a small village within a clearing, consisting of twenty sawdust huts, held together with mud. In a hut much like any other slept a teenage boy on a mattress made of straw. Visible on the boy's left wrist was a black tattoo- resembling an eye, impaled upon a spear. The detailing of the tattoo showed that the artist must have been of a superb standard. For now, the boy slept on. Later, when the sun was at its prime, the boy's eyes shot open. The light was slicing through holes in the thick fibres of the wall. He screwed up his eyes, stood from his bed, and stepped from the hut. Today marked an important occasion for the boy, as it was his seventeenth birthday. He was now permitted to leave the village to search for a livelihood for himself. However, the boy had already vowed that he would leave- not to find a job- but to find his family. When he was a month or so old, the boy had been found outside the hut of the local healer, Theo, who raised the boy and called him Yan. For the next seventeen years Theo brought up Yan as his own son. He was honest with the boy; letting him know of his mysterious heritage, but Yan had always been curious, and there was no stopping him leaving the village. Now that day had arrived, Yan could not leave soon enough. When Yan had collected his belongings and retrieved his mule from the village stables, he set off on his journey, which would take him through the woods, and ultimately to the river-city of Hoelra – the city of the water. Yan travelled for three solid hours through the dense cluster of trees that had formed between his village and the river before reaching the town of Glaera, where he would stop for the night. Yan wandered through the town increasingly warily- there were dead and dying people cluttering the streets of the town, many of the dead had weeping relatives draped over their lifeless corpses. Something had happened there the previous night. Yan lowered himself from his mule as a woman collapsed at his feet, howling with pain and despair. Yan put a hand forward to lift her face and quickly recoiled. Where the left side of her face would have been, was a great bloody hole, with various brains dripping from it

Lee Harvey Oswald Was Not the Lone Assassin

On November 22nd, 1963, President John F. Kennedy (JFK) was shot and killed in a motorcade running through Dealy Plaza, in Dallas, Texas. Shortly after, a man by the name of Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and charged with the murder of President Kennedy. Over the years there has been much controversy over if Lee Harvey Oswald was in fact, the only man involved in the assassination of JFK. The assassination is still a topic of debate to this day and has spawned many conspiracy theories. At the time, there was little persuasive evidence to prove that Oswald was involved in any sort of conspiracy to assassinate the president, but as time went on people began to grow suspicious of certain things. In 1966, Mark Lane was one of the first to introduce the idea that Oswald did not act alone with the publication of his book Rush to Judgment. Now today, 75% of people believe Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone[1], 70% of respondents believed that the assassination involved more than one person[2]. Also 66% of Americans believe that there was a conspiracy, while 74% believed that there was a cover up[3]. It is inevitable that there is much confusion as to who was involved in the assassination of President Kennedy, but I firmly believe that there is indisputable evidence that shows that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone in the assassination. To start off, after the assassination took place and Oswald was captured, authorities changed the identity of the murder weapon many times. For instance, Deputy Sheriff Eugene Boone and Deputy Constable Seymour Weitzman both initially identified the murder weapon as a 6. 5 mm Carcano rifle, but the following day Weitzman signed affidavit describing the weapon as a 7. 5mm Mauser bolt action rifle, equipped with a 4/18 scope. Later on, investigators identified the rifle as a 6. 5mm Carcano, proving that Weitzman lied about the murder weapon. In his book, Mark Lane exploits this as the strongest reason why there was a cover up. He says â€Å"The strongest element in the case against Lee Harvey Oswald was the Warren Commission's conclusion that his rifle had been found on the 6th floor of the Book Depository building. Yet Oswald never owned a 7. 65 Mauser. When the FBI later reported that Oswald had purchased only a 6. 5 Italian Mannlicher-Carcano, the weapon t police headquarters in Dallas miraculously changed its size, its make and its nationality. The Warren Commission concluded that a 6. 5 Mannlicher-Carcano, not a 7. 65 German Mauser, had been discovered by the Dallas deputies. † Also many witnesses to the assassination were aggressively confronted and were told to keep quiet about what they saw. Acquilla Clemmons, who claimed she saw two men, not only Oswald, at the scene of Officer J. D. Tippet’s[4] murder, says a man armed with a gun confronted her at her house and told her not to speak of what she saw. Leading off of this, in the next three years following the assassination, 18 witnesses were mysteriously killed along with many people dealing with the investigation process. This is significant because it shows that it was not just a coincidence that out of the small number of people that were testifying as witnesses already, many were being killed off. Somebody wanted these witnesses quiet. These deaths seemed to follow a pattern. Whenever various government agencies started a new investigation to look further into the assassination, key people within the agency would be killed, and the investigations halted. Key people were murdered when the New Orleans District Attorney, Senate Intelligence Committee, and House Select Committee on Assassinations started to conduct efficient investigations. Another claim by the Warren commission is that a single bullet killed the president and wounded the governor. There are many flaws with this theory, most prominent being that if there was in fact only one bullet shot, it must have traveled through 15 layers of clothing, 7 layers of skin, approximately 15 inches of tissue, struck a necktie knot, removed 4 inches of rib, and shattered a radius bone. Apart from this being very unlikely, the Zapruder film[5] shows President Kennedy being wounded in between frames 225 and 226, while Governor Connelly appears to have been wounded in frame 240. Pro conspiracy theorists believe that this is indisputable evidence that there were two shooters, because it is impossible to fire two shots from a Carcano rifle in less than 2. 3 seconds (43 frames in the film), meanwhile for anti conspiracy theorists it proves the single bullet theory correct. The evidence tips in favor of the pro conspiracy theorists because this shot is irtually impossible to successfully make. With the angle the bullet entered and the fact that there was so much to go through and the bullet came out in near perfect condition, with some bend in the back of the bullet, it is more likely that there were in fact two shots fired. Judging by the fact that it is impossible to fire two shots from a Carcano rifle in less than 2. 3 seconds, and the president and the governor were h it within 15 frames of each other on the Zapruder film, it only makes sense that there were two separate gunmen. Another reason why Lee Harvey Oswald was not the lone assassin is that he himself was assassinated two days after capture. While Oswald was being transported to the county jail, he was shot point blank on live television by a man named Jack Ruby. Ruby claimed to authorities to have murdered him to avenge the death of President Kennedy. He wanted to avenge Kennedy for patriotism and out of pity for the widow. Ruby owned a nightclub in Dallas at the time, and was also a known gangster and women and drug trafficker. Although Ruby claims to have murdered Oswald as revenge for killing President Kennedy, most people believe it was part of a cover up for a much larger conspiracy. After Ruby’s arrest, he was sentenced to death, only to have his trials postponed and die of lung cancer shortly after postponing the trial. While Oswald was in interrogation, he changed his story many times when asked routine questions such as â€Å"where were you at the time of the shooting†, or â€Å"explain to us what you did the day of the assassination†. He also denied any involvement in the incident even though there was evidence against him. Oswald was bound to face further, more intense interrogation in the future, and this is the reason most people believe that assassination of Oswald was to prevent him from talking about what actually happened in the Kennedy assassination. There were also many strange reports of President Kennedy’s brain being switched from when it was seen in evidence, to when the autopsy was performed. There were pictures of Kennedy’s brain for evidence showing immense damage to the rear, consistent with an exit wound and therefore evidence of a shot from the front. Meanwhile, the autopsy brain did not nearly show the same amount of damage in the back of the brain, and an exit wound in the front. Douglas Horne, the Record Review Board's chief analyst for military records said that he was â€Å"90-95%† certain that these brains were not the same. The idea of a brain switch is highly likely according to many investigators on the subject. This is evidence of a cover up because the way the bullet entered the brain could have shown numerous things to investigators. For one thing, it could have shown the angle and direction in which the bullet entered, proving that Lee Harvey Oswald could not have shot Kennedy from the 6th story of the Texas Book Depository because of the difference in the angles. It could have also shown multiple bullet wounds, disproving the single bullet theory, and ruling out Oswald as the lone assassin. In all, having investigators obtain Kennedy’s real brain would have been catastrophic to any conspiracy, for it would have proved that the conspiracy’s scapegoat Lee Harvey Oswald was not the lone assassin. The situation in which Oswald had supposedly shot Kennedy continues to seem less and less likely to be possible. Both Craig Roberts[6] and Carlos Hathcock[7] said that this assassination could not have been done how the Warren Commission says it was. â€Å"Let me tell you what we did at Quantico, we reconstructed the whole thing: the angle, the range, the moving target, the time limit, the obstacles, everything. I don’t know how many times we tried it, but we couldn’t duplicate what the Warren Commission said Oswald did. Now if I can’t do it, how in the world could a guy who was a non-qual on the rifle range and later only qualified ‘marksman' do it? â€Å"[8] This quote vividly disproves the idea that Oswald was the lone gunman. Two highly qualified snipers completely recreated the scene of the assassination, and could not make the shot in a copious amount of attempts, but a mere marksman Oswald could make the shots perfectly in one? These odds are extremely unlikely, and to think that it is even possible that Oswald could make a shot of this caliber is absurd. There are countless reasons why Lee Harvey Oswald was not the lone gunman in the Kennedy assassination. The final verdict on the assassination of President Kennedy, is that Lee Harvey Oswald fired three shots from a 6. 5 mm Carcano rifle out of the 6th floor window in the Texas Depository building, with one bullet missing the motorcade entirely, one bullet going through Kennedy’s back, and one bullet puncturing the back of Kennedy’s head, straight through to Governor Connelly, wounding him severely. An abundance of witness accounts clearly state that they heard shots elsewhere, and were told to be quiet about this, the shot Oswald would have had to make was impossible, Oswald was murdered two days after his arrest, the Zapruder film disproves the idea of the lone gunman, and there were many falsifications in the stories of Oswald and investigators about what happened that day, what weapon was used in the murder, the brain description, and what happened in interrogation. The lack of paperwork itself should have been enough to sway the opinions of a higher authority that there was something wrong with the investigation. Even when researching this topic, it is still not even clear what did happen on that horrible day. The Warren Commission, along with the Dallas Police, the FBI, and many other organizations, did an atrocious job of properly investigating and documenting the investigation of this assassination. If that is not sufficient, there is the fact that the way the final report claims this assassination happened is not humanly possible. This has been proven by highly trained snipers and well informed authority. Lee Harvey Oswald was not a sniping guru, nor was he the man who by himself killed President John F. Kennedy.

Creating a World Beyond Reality Essay

In Azar Nafisi’s â€Å"Selections from Reading Lolita in Tehran†, Nafisi and her students, rather than denying the reality that they live in, created a world alternate from their reality. In their physical world the government has stripped them of their individualism. They were unable to act or do as individuals would, thus they went to the book club as a way to escape reality. It gave them insight into a world they could not experience. Literature becomes their color in their bleak world of black and white restrictions. They came to the realization, through their readings, that they had given their government the power to take away from them their individuality. They created a fictional world to let them be individuals and escape the restrictions that their physical environment placed upon them. With this fictional world, they rebelled against their government and used it as a way to escape their harsh reality. Possessing their fictional world allowed them to remain unique individuals. Fiction can express truth as effectively as reality. The way someone views reality can be their own fiction. Nafisi and her students did not use fiction as a way to deny their reality but instead it opened up a window of many minds other than their own. They learn from fiction just as much if not more than they do with reality. Fiction brought them realities they never would have been able to be aware of in their physical world â€Å"She fashions her universe not through physical force, as does the king, but through imagination and reflection† (Nafisi 259). They learn through fiction that they have one thing that the Revolution did not and could not take away from them, their imagination They learn that with their imagination it makes them each their own unique person. Fiction helped them realize more about themselves and more about reality. Their situation is similar to the character of that book, although they cannot do anything to chance their lives through force, they have their imagination and that itself is enough to make a differences for themselves. Furthermore, Nafisi and her students enabled themselves to experience new worlds by exposing themselves to different realities from the books they read. Instead of denying they are now aware of other worlds beyond their own. â€Å"do not, under any circumstances, belittle a work of fiction by trying to turn it into a carbon copy of real life: what we search for in fiction is not so much reality but the epiphany of truth† (Nafisi 248). They did not try to hide reality with their created world, only to better their state of mind by allowing themselves the freedom to think as individuals. Nafisi did not want the purpose of this book club to make her students try to live the realities of the books, she wanted to make them aware of realities that they are unable to experience physically. Their government has suppressed them and they are not allowed any individuality so the purpose of the book club enabled them â€Å"to experience how the ordinary pebble of ordinary life could be transformed into a jewel through the magic eye of fiction. † (Nafisi 252). The only way they can get away from their dull lives is through this book club. By reading, it brightens their lives in way they could never be able to do on their own. Their fictional creation allows them to be individuals and escape restrictions that their physical environment has on them. In the book club, Nafisi and her students are given â€Å"the possibility of a boundless freedom when all options are taken away† (Nafisi 262). They find a way to be stay their real unique selves through their learning. â€Å"Reality has become so intolerable, she said, so bleak, that all I can paint now are the colors of my dreams† (Nafisi 253). The book club is the only way they can get a break from their reality. It helps the girls keep their distinct selves. Dreams are something the government cannot take away from someone, just like their created world they still have something personal left of them. â€Å"acts of writing are his means of escape. He is a hero because he refuses to become like all the rest. † (Nafisi 262). Their fictional world is some place for the girls to flee to. Reading the writing helps them see things from a different perspective they are unable to encounter, the story they create is their fantasy and thats what keeps them individuals. The Revolution is trying to mold them into people they want them to be, while they are creating themselves. The government is trying to control their reality and their fiction. Nafisi and her students are rebelling against their government not only by attending this book club but with the creation of their fictional world. Their fictional world opens up their minds and empowers them to exercise their right to be able to think how they wish to. That is something the government tried but could not take away from them. Nafisi and her students are not denying their reality by creating this world of theirs, they have accepted it in order to build a barrier around themselves from that reality. â€Å"An absurd fictionality ruled our lives. We tried to live in the open spaces, in the chinks created between that room, which had become our protective cocoon and the censor’s world of witches and goblins outside† (Nafisi 264). The veil they are forced to wear, is a symbol of fictionality because the Revolution is forcing everyone to pretend to be someone who they are not. The book club is a safe haven for their individuality. It protects their different characteristics from the government. With their fictional world, they are going against the government and not letting their authorities oppress them. â€Å"These girls, my girls, had both a real history and a fabricated one† (Nafisi 265). Keeping both worlds is an act of rebellion against government who tried to make them conform to the real standards of their society. â€Å"Is she aware, Sanaz, of her own power? Does she realize how dangerous she can be when her every stray gesture is a disturbance to public safety? † (Nafisi 265). They are the only ones who have control over how and what they think. By creating this fictional world they are making changes against the government. â€Å"where we simultaneously invented ourselves and were figments of someone else’s imagination† (Nafisi 263). Nafisi and her students are living through the stories they read, like being the characters that they created, it makes them stronger, inspires them. Fiction has become a coping mechanism for them, giving them stronger will to deal with reality. â€Å"to experience how the ordinary pebble of ordinary life could be transformed into a jewel through the magic eye of fiction. †(Nafisi 252). They are able to view things with different eyes, in the books they read there is a much more optimistic view than their reality. Seeing things through someone else’s perspective lightens the burden of their reality. They can escape real life momentarily and see things from an unrestricted point of view. Their created world is something that gives them strength to carry on with their daily lives. Denying reality does not help, therefore when they create the fictional world of theirs they realize that the government is trying to take away from who they are. In reality they are the ones who have power over their own minds if not anything else. â€Å" imagine us the way we sometimes didn’t dare to imagine ourselves in our most private and secret moments, in the most extraordinarily ordinary instances of life, listening to music†¦ or reading Lolita in Tehran. † (Nafisi 250). In their real world they always have to be careful of letting themselves show their true selves, but with fiction they are not afraid to be themselves. In fiction, they compare their own situations with the characters in the books they read. Those books teach them things such as totalitarianism to being happy a goal. â€Å"the most central of which was how these great works of imagination could help us in our present trapped situation as women. We were not looking for blueprints†¦we did hope to find a link between the open spaces the novels provided and the closed ones we were confined to† (Nafisi 259). These novels become the girls source of freedom. With these books they are allowed to freely interpret and believe whatever they with in contrast to their reality where they are not allowed to have their own opinions. With their imagination they are not denying themselves, but rather filling in the spaces that they are missing. They cannot experience many things in real life so to fill the void, they do so with fiction. By finding a link between fiction and reality they found a way to keep their individualism. And accepting and creating, fiction allows for them to have a stronger will in order to keep who they are even in the world they are in. â€Å"Perhaps one way of finding out the truth was to do what we did: to try to imaginatively articulate these two worlds and, through that process, give shape to our vision and identity† (Nafisi 264). They are not denying reality, rather it helps them to accept it, they use this world to get through reality, their world reality or imagination motivates them to continue having a strong will and continue moving forward. Not only does it give them the strength to carry on but it keeps their identities in their minds by accepting and personalizing their fantasies motivating them to be individuals. In conclusion, Nafisi and her students have found a way to escape their restrictions and can let themselves be who they want to be through fiction. With the use of literature, Nafisi and her students are trying to reshape and create their own reality. Although their freedoms are temporary, Nafisi’s home is safe from the censor the Revolution put on them that limits their thoughts and actions. They now have power over their minds, something they must rebel against the government to be able to keep for themselves. To be able to keep that power over their minds they are keeping their individualism. Because the girls comply with the government and also participate in the book club, they are not denying reality instead they are learning ways to accept and cope with it. Through fiction Nafisi and her students learned more about themselves and the powers of imagination.

Managing Airline Operations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Managing Airline Operations - Essay Example From this discussion it is clear that  the two companies, easy jet company, and the Singapore airlines are both operating on competitive priorities to enable them fit efficiently in the market. The EasyJet Company has focused on low cost air flights. In fact, they were regarded as the cheapest European airline. The low cost priority has enabled them to compete favorably against giant players in the same field.   Also in their competitive priorities, the company has chosen to use identifiable marketing and operational techniques. Such techniques include the use of one type of aircrafts, rapid turnaround time, no in flight meals, and provision of cost conscious customer care services.  This paper outlines that  Singapore airlines as well are utilizing competitive priorities to operate well in the market. Some of the competitive priorities of this company include being positioned as premium carrier that has engaged in high quality services as well as high level of innovation in their service delivery charter.   The company is thus emphasizing on profitability rather than its size. In order to achieve these competitive strategies, the company has embarked on a number of internal organizational practices which enables it stay on top in the market competition and fight for the lion share of the market segment.  Some of the organizational strategies include continuous development of people and maintaining a consistent service design.

Mental health Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mental health - Essay Example Herein, this essay will discuss who the First Nations people really are, how they got a reputation that has inspired fear and unease, and what should be done to help the people so that they are effective, healthy members of our society – and on some of their own terms – so that children can grow up and have a less difficult time assimilating than their parents have had. Although every source gives a varying number, it seems that there are more than 1.5 million First Nations people living in the Canadian area. There is also much debate about how long they’ve been there, and what their rights actually are. For starters, First Nations people have long-since claimed that their territories are being encroached upon by Canadian development, with no compensation given to them for land that that they believe is rightfully theirs. Over the years, many types of council have been developed to aid them. The Congress of Aboriginal People, Assembly of First Nations (AFN), and Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC) are three organizations designed to defend First Nations rights. As well, The Canadian Constitution Act of 1982 also afforded rights to First Nations individuals. Still, in the 1990s, newspapers were rife with information about the lack of assimilation of the First Nations people. It was decided that the First Nations children should attend formal schools, receive standard immunizations, and, in effect, become more like â€Å"regular† Canadian people. Mothers claimed that when they refused, their children were taken away from them and put into foster homes. A lot of First Nations people saw this as retaliation for their refusal to move off of their land, or refusal to give their land away to Canadians for little or no monetary compensation. As recently as May 2008, AFN Chief Phil Fontaine wrote, â€Å"Aboriginal people in Canada are not getting their rights fully recognized† (Fiddler, 2008). Fiddler’s news article discussed the decision made

Global Business Environment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Global Business Environment - Assignment Example This report will look at the different measures a country can take in such instances. There is essentially no simple strategy alone to prevent recession in a country. There are a number of factor at play which further complicates the problem of recession in a country. Like after world economic crisis in 2008, country like India faced many challenges with respect to its economic policies. India has high inflation rate along with soaring high interest rate. Keeping in mind the strong fundamentals in India, RBI took a number of measures to control recession in India. RBI plays a significant role by controlling and monitoring the lending rates of scheduled commercial banks. The inflation rate in any economy is dependent on the availability of goods and services. RBI uses its monetary and credit tools to maintain the price stability in the economy and thus support the economic growth in the economy. RBI being the central bank of India, monitors, regulates and controls the entire financial system. RBI through its monetary policy regulates the issue of bank notes so as to m aintain proper liquidity in the system (Schwartz, 2010, p. 7). The monetary policy adopted by RBI can be either expansionary or contractionary in nature. RBI uses expansionary policy during deep recession. When RBI finds excess liquidity in the system, RBI uses several monitory instruments like Cash reserve ratio, Statutory Liquidity Ratio, Repo Rate, Reverse Repo rate to adjust liquidity in the economy. During deep recession, RBI needs to inject liquidity in the system so that money can flow in the system and demand improves and consequently GDP improves. For that RBI can reduce Cash reserve ratio or Statutory Liquidity Ratio. This will inject more cash in the hands of Bank which Banks can lend to the customers and inject liquidity in the system (Hershey, 2004, p. 13). The main priority should be given to small scale industries as they are the main employment

Mummers Parade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mummers Parade - Essay Example Historians believe that Mummers Parade is the only tradition that has lasted for a long time running fork festival in the United States. The parade usually consists of thousands of performers who spend months developing and rehearsing so that it will be enjoyable. They build costumes and scenery and make the parade to be perfect preparing for entire day moving their way up Broad Street where day drinking marks the event. For those who do not go for the parade choose to keep drinking the whole night and in the morning while others use the New Year Eve to move to other countries for leisure. People usually come to the parade by train, bike and others on foot carrying glasses and thermoses of beer so that they can wear their costumes which will depict foreign cultures. Some people who do not like to be associated with racism do not let their children to go to the parade since they say that the parade is a racist tradition that is usually carried from one generation to the next despite t he parade being banned. The participant of the parade dress like a person or a thing that they are not, where they colour themselves and others depicts creatures which are colourful though they are white men they present simplistic cartoons which depicts foreign people and their culture showing that the parade is usually prepared to mark racist agendas in each and every year. During the 18th and 19th century   the slaves who were transported to United States and later employed in the plantation used to play instruments in the plantations.

President who Abuses his Executive Order Authority Assignment - 3

President who Abuses his Executive Order Authority - Assignment Example An aggressive president can use his power to establish beneficial acts. By such an act, he might be undermining the constitution of separation of powers but sometimes when power is shared by two governments the justice fails to enact. The executive authority can take decisions in the situation where there is a mandatory need but when implying order for mean motives then definitely he is practically undermining the constitution of separation of powers. The executive authority would not be instructive it was to dispute the lawful goal for which it was established. The executive authority needs to be within the law parameters. Otherwise, the executive authority would be violating the national integrity and the very structure of the political ideology of the government. An executive need to look at the limitation of his power and rightful use of power can only bring about an ideal constituency. As per (Word Press) â€Å"The president must enforce laws that are passed by the formal legislative process as they are written.   If the president does not like a bill passed by Congress or feels it violates the Constitution then the president can veto it before it becomes law†. President cannot necessarily pass orders which are not supported legally however he can use executive orders to modify certain laws which are passed by the constitutions. Question 3: History and practice are useful tools in understanding the Presidents authority, and a Legal framework of analysis exists to help determine issues of validity. Beyond questions of legality, there are many separate but important issues of policy. Two broad policy questions present themselves: (1) whether a given power the President possesses ought to be used to advance a particular policy objective, and (2) whether a particular draft directive effectively advances such a policy goal. Specifically, research any executive orders Pres. Obama has issued and determined if the 2 policy questions in this paragraph  have been met.

Quality Systems in the Public Sector Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Quality Systems in the Public Sector - Essay Example This review is then used to arrive at the research objectives. The methods to be adopted to complete the research are discussed and laid out. This research is proposed to be limited to those areas of public sector enterprise where there is a direct interface between the enterprise and the public - the customers. The public sector provides an array of services such as housing, healthcare, policing, fire-fighting, water and sewage, national security and so on. While some initiatives have been taken to privatise some of these services, some, like healthcare remain within the ambit of public sector operation. We may consider approaching this subject from two sides. The first being from within the organisation, to understand the adoption of quality systems/ models, and the perceived effects and benefits to the organisation in terms of efficiency, productivity and costs. The second approach could be to research the quality systems and models adopted by the public sector and assess the impact these have had on the service user public. This proposal aims at adopting the latter approach. The importance of public opinion has been advocated as an important criterion to judge the impact of initiatives of the public sector in different policy documents (). Thus, in principle, this research will be divided into two parts: A. An appraisal of quality systems and models adopted by the selected public sector B. Collection, collation and analysis of public views of the impact of these initiatives. It is understood that, for this research to be meaningful, the information to be gathered must be scientifically defensible and actionable by the relevant policy makers and conclusive enough to convince the decision makers to use it. Literature Survey: The conservative party's victory in1979 was based on a manifesto that, among others, promised to 'roll back the State'. The party saw the welfare state as being morally indefensible because it promoted a culture of dependency, inefficiency and bureaucracy (Ahmad & Broussine, 2003). Accordingly, the government concentrated on the privatisation of state-owned industries and utilities and the deregulation of the financial services sector. Attention was then turned to apply the principles of modern management, as practiced in the private sector, to health, education and social care (Barlett et al., 1994). The response of public services to these pressures and changes were characterized as managerialist (Hood, 1991) and neo-Taylorist (Pollitt, 1993). Operations of the public sector have been criticised for their limited attitude toward target-setting and performance measurement (Hood, 1991). Pollitt (1993) noted that efforts for application of scientific management principles were the mai n drivers of change sought to be brought in by the public services in their response to the new challenges. Pollitt (1993) argued that the public sector considered the application of these principles as the panacea for all the ills that besieged them. However Clarke et al. (1994) argued against these concepts and noted that the changes 'represented a deeper ideological process that was transforming power relationships, culture, control and accountability' (ibid). The New Labour government was elected in May 1997. Its

Marketing Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 2

Marketing Plan - Essay Example During the initial phase, Lifestyle Electronics will enter the foreign country through joint venture with a local brand (Belu & CÄÆ'rÄÆ'gin, 2008). Another major market advantage rests in the selection of foreign nation. The country selected is Indonesia, a fast-emerging nation with a growing youth population as well as rising income levels. The major strength of Lifestyle Electronics lies in its wide product assortments. The company will source products from big and known brands across United States, which will hugely boost its overall awareness and initial profitability. Most consumer electronics companies are from US and this provides a competitive advantage to the company. Joint venture with a local brand will give an edge over other independent electronics chains, as local consumers will have more trust and faith on the joint venture organization. Being a start-up company, the major weakness will be to establish rapport and build long-term relationship with companies in the foreign market. Consumer electronics is an already established and saturated market and thus, Lifestyle Electronics will have to continuously innovate, in terms of its services as well as communication, in order to gain a competitive edge. Lack of proper market research will also be a challenge for the start-up in order to track the desired customer base. No market reputation or market presence in the foreign market is also a weakness. The cash flow will be hugely unreliable during the early stages of business establishments. Entering into a new market can also make staffs and employees vulnerable to leaves and sickness. Indonesia is considered as a fast-emerging market. However, not many consumer electronics companies have penetrated into this region. Therefore, chances of successful establishments are high. Initial talks with the local council have been positive and the local government will provide

An evaluation with recommendations of electronic banking, with Essay

An evaluation with recommendations of electronic banking, with particular reference to user ability and security issues - Essay Example The paper tells that the introduction of e-banking systems has been related with specific needs: the needs of the customers to save time and money in regard to their transactions in banks but also the needs of banks to reduce their operational expenses – the limitation of the transactions developed within the banks’ branches leads to the limitation of the working hours required on the specific activities. In this context, the implementation of e-banking systems in banks can be characterized as an expected policy – necessary to resolve specific problems. The value of e-banking cannot be doubted; the importance of e-banking for the development of financial transactions can be understood by referring to this scheme’s definition. In this context, it is noted that ‘e-banking refers to electronic banking over the internet; e-banks can have some brick-and-mortar facilities: telephone and web call centers and, increasingly, physical "touch points" for in-per son demos and consultation’. At the next level, the value of e-banking systems can be understood by referring to their characteristics; the definitions of e-banking systems developed in the literature have been differentiated as they are based on different criteria. In any case, e-banking systems are likely to include devices that serve the following needs: the communication and the exchange of data. In accordance with Claessens et al. ‘the interaction between user and bank has been substantially improved by deploying ATMs, phone banking, Internet banking, and more recently, mobile banking’.

Emotional Intelligence Essay Example for Free

Emotional Intelligence Essay The purpose of this paper is to describe the differences between traditional cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence. It will also address the use of emotional intelligence concepts in the work life, home life, and personal life. There are many possible definitions of emotional intelligence. In accordance with an article titled â€Å"Theory, Findings, and Implications† written by Mayer, Salovey, and Caurso in 2004, described emotional intelligence as, â€Å"the capacity to reason about emotions, and of emotions to enhance thinking. It includes the abilities to accurately perceive emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought, to understand emotions and emotional knowledge, and to reflectively regulate emotions so as to promote emotional and intellectual growth. † Cognitive Intelligence is the intellectual abilities such as logic, reason, reading, writing, analyzing and prioritizing. These abilities are abilities that is in your head which uses the neocortez, not the emotional part of your brain. Emotional Intelligence is expanded into five main domains which expands it definition for a clearer understanding. The first is knowing one’s emotion, which describes self-awareness of recognizing a feeling as it happens. It is the keystone of emotional intelligence. Having the abilities to monitor your feelings from one minute to the next is crucial to your psychological insights of understanding yourself. The second is managing your emotions, which is self management. This means handing feelings so they are appropriate in an ability that builds on your self-awareness. The third is motivating yourself, which is control yourself in the face of adversity and continue toward attaining your personal goals. The fourth is recognizing emotions in other people around you. Showing empathy for others makes people appreciate that their feelings are recognized and respected. The fifth and final domain is handling relationships. This demonstrates social skills. How well you can handle relationships with your workers, which you use to influences them in accomplishing the organization’s mission. Prior to  taking this course, I did not realize how vital the emotional intelligence concept has in our work life, home life, and personal life. As a leader you are charged with leading people to accomplish the organization’s goal. In the military, the definition of leadership is the art of influencing soldiers to accomplish the mission by providing, purpose direction, and motivation. We discuss intrapersonal and interpersonal skills but never to point to call it emotional intelligence. Soldiers join the military from all walks of life. As a leader you must adapt to the differences in everyone’s culture. You job is mesh these people together gel as one cohesive unit in peacetime and wartime. If you do not possess the five concepts as mentioned above the road to accomplishment can be devastation to not only the military, but to our country national security. Emotional Intelligence in your home life calls for a lot of managing your emotions and empathy. Sharing life with a partner is not an easy feat. You are thinking for yourself anymore like you once did. When you add children to the equation then life as you know is never the same. You are basically do the same a home that you are doing at work, trying to accomplish a goal. In this case, it more personal but the path your family takes depends on your ability to lead them by managing your emotion being empathy to your family when they do not meet the expectation you have for them. Emotional Intelligence in your personal life has a tremendous affect on whether you lead a happy life or whether you are always fighting with someone about one thing or another. Daniel Goleman described an instant in his tenth anniversary edition book on Emotional Intelligence about how important emotional intelligence is to selecting a partner to marriage. The fifth domain is important to handling relationship. Most relationship suffer because two people not understanding each other. You must recognize what a person tick in order adjust you emotion for harmony. During this paper, a description of the difference between traditional cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence was explained. The five main domains which expands the definition for a clear understanding was listed. The emotional intelligence concepts in work life, home life, and personal life was analyzed to explain how the domains are intertwined in every aspects of your life. Reference Coleman, D. (2005). Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More Than IQ (10th ed.). New York, NY: Bantam Dell.

Electronic Banking in Pakistan | Dissertation

Electronic Banking in Pakistan | Dissertation Electronic Banking in Pakistan 1. PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND 1.1. INTRTODUCTION As the world has entered the twenty first century, one thing has become all too apparent, any organization that wishes to succeed in todays cutthroat competition will have to embrace Information Technology (IT) with fervor. In this age of Information Technology new inventions and innovations are affecting all the fields of life. Almost all kinds of organizations are stepping into the field of IT, in an effort to increase their productivity and expand their customer bank. The same goes for the Banking Sector. Today all the banks of the world are adopting the tool of Electronic Banking. The need of Electronic Banking was felt in South Asia during the last 5 to 7 years. This concept emerged as an essential tool for successful bank management. Financial sector has been quick to recognize this fact, and in Pakistan, most of the banking industry has moved away from the old ledger based system to computers and automation in order to modernize their operations. Although foreign banks were pioneers of bringing this concept to South-Asia but they have yet to start latest Electronic Banking practices in Pakistan Background Electronic Banking Electronic banking is an umbrella term for the process by which a customer may perform banking transactions electronically without visiting a brick-and-mortar institution. It is a form of banking in which funds are transferred through an exchange of electronic signals between financial institutions, rather than an exchange of cash, checks or other negotiable instruments. The growth in use of the Internet world-wide and the development of procedures enabling secure transactions on-line have created the new field of on-line banking, where customers deal with their banks chiefly or entirely through Internet connections. Opening hours or location of branches, unlike the traditional banks does not restrict such services. Both existing banks and new groups are already moving into this potentially very important area. Since on-line banking services can be accessed with equal ease almost anywhere in the developed world, this raises the possibility of banking networks operating without regard to national boundaries, with consequent regulatory problems. Banking on line, commonly called PC banking, electronic banking or Internet banking, has been around in one form or another for a decade or more. Forms of on-line Banking Following can be the ways to bank on-line: 1) Internet Based access to account information through banks web site, via modem, using a standard web browser such as Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. 2) Bank Software: Bank provides customers with proprietary software to install in their computers. The software allows customers to connect to banks computers over a secure network. The customer essentially dials directly into the bank instead of through the Internet. 3) Personal Finance Software: Software such as Quicken or Microsoft Money allows customer to exchange financial information with the bank. The software connects to the banks computers via an Internet based set up and downloads financial information from the clients account. Many banks affiliate leading software vendors such as Intuit or Microsoft to make their systems compatible. 4) Pay-by-Phone Systems /Tele banking: Allows a customer to pay by telephone certain bills, or transfer funds between accounts, with instructions to the bank. One must have an agreement in advance with the institution to make such transfers. 5) Point-of-Sale Transfers: Allows a customer to pay for retail purchases with an EFT (or debit) card. In some instances, this card may also be an ATM card. This is similar to using a credit card, but with one important exception: the money for the purchase is transferred immediately — or very shortly — from customers bank account to the stores account. An increasing number of merchants are accepting this type of payment. On-line Banking: a Revolution The thought of today is the reality of tomorrow but the thoughts of Banking on Your OWN TERMS AT YOUR OWN DOORSTEPS, which seemed to be reality of tomorrow, is no a more mystique. What we can do NOW (?) It allows customers to do most of their financial transactions at home on a personal computer. Pay your bills on-line while youre watching TV. Check your account balances from your digital cell phone as you stand in line to board a flight. Consolidate all your financial accounts on-line in one convenient, secure location. Have access to friendly, helpful customer service representatives Why on-line banking? Unfortunately, banking is a necessary evil that can take a large chunk out of already busy schedules. Visiting a branch or ATM, paying bills by paper check (and mailing them) and balancing a chequebook all can be time consuming. Banking on-line, by its nature, can automate many of these processes, saving time and, in many cases, money. One can access his account and do banking when (and where) it is convenient for him. Following can be online banking services offered by various banks Check account balances Make transfers between online accounts Check the status of loans Track investments Apply for loans online Pay bills electronically Download account information to a personal finance software program On-Line Banking Advantages Internet banks are open 7 days a week 24 hours a day In general, you will find lower fees and higher interest rates for deposits due to the reduced cost of operating on-line and not needing numerous physical bank branches. Create a more in depth portfolio of each individual customer of what their needs and expectations are. Be able to provide services to each customer that are customized to their individual preferences You will have easy access to account information and transactions, because any Internet-enabled computer can become your bank terminal. You will generally have up-to-the-minute current bank account information due to the automation of most systems. In many cases, on-line banks offer free bill pay, which can be a big saving in both money and time. You can transfer funds electronically between accounts. Common E-Banking Services Retail Services Wholesale Services Account management Account management Bill payment and presentment Cash management New account opening Small business loan applications, approvals, or advances Consumer wire transfers Investment/Brokerage services Commercial wire transfers Loan application and approval Business-to-business payments Account aggregation Employee benefits/pension administration Current Scenario of Electronic Banking in Pakistan Pakistan is widely considered to be in the Third Wave of developing economies that include countries in Asia, Latin America, the Pacific Islands and the Middle East. These countries started to adopt the Internet from around 1993. Almost all have a state monopoly over the telecommunications sector with low tele-densities per population and high telecom costs, which restrict Internet access to elitist groups in the population. Less than 2 per cent of the population is connected to the Internet. These countries have weak political and democratic institutions where the governments welcome new commercial opportunities. The First Wave countries include USA, Canada, and some Nordic states where the Internet took hold in the 1980s, and became an established feature of social, political and economic life. On average, over 35 per cent of the population are connected to the net, with households always connected online to the net 24 hours in the day in many cases. Both the First and Second wave of counties have much in common; with both involved in the early development of the Internet. The gap between the two is rapidly diminishing. Both have highly developed telecommunication infrastructures, with extensive networks of fiber optic, satellite and ISDN lines that can respond to exponential growth in demand for bandwidth. Knowledge of Internet applications is a mainstream activity, and a prerequisite for commercial credibility. They have highly developed information, dissemination technology and content industries, with a strong export focus. Both have strong government policies that aim to influence the shape of the future information society, with massive investments in research and development, education, training, IT and Internet developed research. E-Banking in Pakistan: Due to advancements in sciences and technology, many foreign banks started offering Electronic Banking services in Pakistan. Electronic Banking offers tremendous opportunities and saves cost and time for both banks and customers. E-Banking in Pakistan is still a relatively new phenomena and is expected to grow now faster with future penetration of computers and internet services in the country, availability of a robust legal framework, removal of concerns about security of electronic transactions and enhanced reliability of communication Unfortunately Electronic Banking in Pakistan is still in the introduction phase and the government with the private sector has to streamline many policies for its further development and success. Although foreign banks took the initiative but now there are private Pakistani banks that are making advancements in E-Banking. The rate of technology transfer from developed to developing countries has been very slow in this regard. In Pakistan the available technology services are NIFT, ATM, ETPoS, Tele Banking and Central Depository Systems. NIFT was established in 1997,it is a technology that uses images with high-speed sorters to automate check clearing. ATMs are automated teller machines that provide facilities for instant deposits and cash withdrawals, and are presently available at around 200 locations in major cities only. ETPoS is a method of payment where goods and services are paid for at the point of sale, and is available in major cities in a few super markets only. Telebanking is telephone banking facility available only in a few banks, and again, in major cities only. The central depository system is a well- established system used in stock exchanges for recording and the transfer of securities. Secure electronic transactions (SET): This protocol was developed jointly by Visa and Master Card and is now baked by American Express. Major players in e-commerce, networking, and computing like Microsoft, Netscape, IBM, etc, are behind specifications of this protocol, and are thus becoming an industry standard for secured payments on the internet. SET provides confidentiality through encryption; message integrity using digital signatures, and authentication of consumer and merchant identity Use of this, method is ideal due to the level of security that this method offers. However, establishment of this protocol will require Internet merchant accounts. Smart cards: It is a digital currency payment, which looks similar to credit cards, but contains a microprocessor and a storage unit. The cards hold prepaid account information. Merchants who accept these records are credited for the transaction amount by card issuers. The use of this technology is safe but expensive to acquire. Pakistan will require building a consensus among major stakeholders to invest in making this technology available in Pakistan. Value-added networks: Pakistan could establish value added networks (VAN) for financial transactions to expedite fast and efficient flow of remittances to all major cities and to enable exchange of electronic documents. These networks will provide shared connectivity, security assurance of data, and reliability of service. These networks will provide bank -to -bank transfer of funds for financial transactions, and will also enable the exchange of electronic documents to facilitate e-trade. These value added networks will also facilitate B2B transactions using EDI systems. The EDI Vans will execute authorized transactions between valid trading partners. These networks will reduce technical complexities and the cost of implementing dedicated connections with a multitude of trading partners. Another advantage out of these networks will be the provision of storing viable information on the networks, so that authorized partners can directly access them without contacting the other parties. This will help in in creasing efficiencies of business transactions in terms of time and costs. 1.2. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM E-banking has entered the Pakistan economy in a big way but, considering the state of development of banking industry in the country and the client-base, there are doubts about the utility and cost-effectiveness of this mode of banking. The research study will examine these points and give recommendations on the subject: An evaluation, theoretically and practically, of the progress of banks which adopted electronic operations, and the prospective role for banks in the future. Discussing problems facing banks in the scope of electronic banking operations. Specifying the concept of electronic banks. 1.3. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY Following objectives have been set forth in conduct of the research: To familiarise public with the subject of ELECTRONIC BANKING, enhance their keenness to remain abreast to the techniques, and modern trends of efficient banking. To induce healthy practices in banking business and profession and to advise suitable measures for their achievement. To encourage and provide Electronic Banking information and to offer education through research report contents to students and consequently to national financial institutions. To print and publish the report for provision to all who are interested in the issue of Electronic Banking. To study Electronic Banking practices of different banks in Pakistan. 1.4. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY E-banking is playing an important role not only in the development of electronic services in the first world countries but also in the developing countries too. Due to advancements in sciences and technology, many foreign banks started offering Electronic Banking services in Pakistan. Electronic Banking offers tremendous opportunities and saves cost and time for both banks and customers. This study will evaluate the electronic performance of banks. This report emphasizes the fact that on-line accessibility, awareness, attitude towards change, computer and Internet access costs, trust in ones bank, security concerns, ease of use and convenience are the major factors affecting the adoption of Internet bank services in Pakistan. 1.5. SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY Scope of the study: The research thesis covers the leading banks in Pakistan that have entered the e-banking era and examine its economics. The major limitation of the study is that the concerned banks are reluctant to disclose information with regard to costs incurred on E- banking. Limitations of the study: As the E-banking in Pakistan is at the introduction stage and its efficacy is yet to be tested, adequate literature on the subject is not available. Moreover, the topic under study requires comprehensive research, which is possible if more time is allotted for the project. Banks personnel are reluctant to give information about banks electronic process and problems faced by banks. 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Literature survey is conducted in order to get more insight into the study. Literature survey consists of past studies related to this topic. Which will help and ensure that no important information related to the study is omitted. It includes mostly domestic studies conducted by our own scholars. 2.1. FOREIGN SCENARIO Yoshio, (1999), states that Malaysian banking sector started in the 1970s. However, the first visible form of electronic innovation in the Malaysian banking industry was the introduction of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in 1981. The ATMs to a large extent released banks from the constraints of time and geographical location. Then in the early 1990s, Tele-banking was introduced in Malaysia, which provided yet another delivery channel for branch financial services via telecommunications devices connected to an automated system of the bank by utilizing Automated Voice Response (AVR) Technology. Utsuml, on June 1, (2000), said that the Malaysian Central Bank gave the green light for locally owned commercial banks to offer Internet banking services. On June 15, 2000, Maybank, the largest domestic bank in terms of assets as well as network distribution, http://www.arraydev.com/commerce/jibc/www.maybank2U.com became the first bank to offer Internet banking services in Malaysia. This service is currently provided to individual customers of the bank and the site boasts of the latest 128-bit encryption technology to allay fears of security among consumers. The services provided in this portal include banking enquiry functions, bill payment, credit card payment, funds transfer, and accounts summary as well as transaction history. Customer support service is provided via e-mails as well as via telephone lines and is available daily from 6 am to 12 mid-night. JoseÉ, (2000), said that the Hong Leong Bank commenced its Internet banking operations known as e-Banking, which can be accessed via their web site at http://www.arraydev.com/commerce/jibc/www.hlbb.hongleong.com.my in December 2000. In addition to providing services that were previously included in their Phone banking service, they also offer options of assessing account transaction history in their e-banking. They too provide support services via e-mails and telephones from 7 am to 11.00 pm, seven days a week. Al-Jasser, (1999), states that both the competitive forces as well as the expected benefits are causing concentration and expansion of E-banking services in the country (Saudi Arabia). However, in the long run it would be the actual benefits which the banks would realize in terms of higher profits through reduction in intermediary costs and expanded consumer base due to improved services on a cost effective manner that would determine the role of E-banking in the countrys banking sector. E banking is expected to play an important role in integrating the financial markets of Saudi Arabia globally and banks would ultimately capitalize on these developments. Figures, (2000), states that E-banking Automate critical banking activities and interact electronically with bank with comprehensive tools that help reduce administrative costs, increase productivity, and improve cash management—in a security-enhanced environment. 2.2. LOCAL SCENARIO Mashhood, (2000), states that the role of information technology in financial services is to support operational efficiencies, facilitate customer services, mange risk and support in decision-making. In the IT policy on financial services, the government of Pakistan has asked the State Bank of Pakistan to allow opening of internet merchant accounts to enable inter-bank electronic fund transfer, to re-engineer processes of foreign trade sections, to accept e-orders of value less than $500, to open an e-commerce wing in financial institutions, and to facilitate clearing and e-reporting in al banks. The e-commerce action plans for the financial sector have been established as per directions from the government. The plan is to connect branches of 25 local and foreign banks in 12 major cities. In phase I, branches in one city will be linked with their head office. In phase II, all these banks and other financial institutions will be connected together. In phase III, private and public sec tor stakeholders will be linked and ultimately e-commerce network will include financial, trade and customs networks along with their international links. Ziauddin, (1998), states that In Pakistan, huge investments, recurring costs, and absence of economies of scale are some of the major bottlenecks to invest in online banking. One other problem is that only a few foreign banks are linked with their branches, otherwise all major financial institutions work in isolation. AL-Bader, (1999), said that in the absence of a centralized database linked to branches, banks do not only need the communication software to facilitate communication, but also require modems, routers, controllers, etc. irrespective of the volume of transactions, be it small or massive, huge investments are required to facilitate online banking. Not only the capital investments debut also the recurring costs, such as lease payments to PTCL, ongoing maintenance costs, etc, are discouraging national banks to invest. Giasuddin, (2003) said that there is a need to establish inter-branch and inter-bank networks so that all financial institutions may be linked together to facilitate electronic payment systems, which are among basic prerequisites for establishment of the financial infrastructure for e-commerce development. The next step that is still not clear in Pakistan is the type of electronic payment systems and digital currencies to be used in Pakistan. There are a lot of different methods of payment that are available globally. Pakistan has to carefully decide the most feasible payment systems that can easily fulfill financial requirements, as well as, provide enough confidence to the buyers and merchants for safety and security of such payments. Kazmi, (2000), said that there is an urgent need in Pakistan for establishing value added networks for financial transactions. Without these networks, it will be difficult for business and financial institutions to provide EC solutions with high quality and low costs. Zaidi, (2003), states that there is a need to establish inter-branch and inter-bank networks so that all financial institutions may be linked together to facilitate electronic payment systems, which are among basic prerequisites for establishment of the financial infrastructure for e-commerce development. The next step that is still not clear in Pakistan is the type of electronic payment systems and digital currencies to be used in Pakistan. Shabbir, (2003), said that both the competitive forces as well as the expected benefits are causing concentration and expansion of E-banking services in the country. However, in the long run it would be the actual benefits which the banks would realize in terms of higher profits through reduction in intermediary costs and expanded consumer base due to improved services on a cost effective manner that would determine the role of E-banking in the countrys banking sector. E-banking is expected to play and important role in integrating the financial markets of Pakistan globally and banks would ultimately capitalize on these developments. Naveed, (2003) states that Credit cards are primarily used as convenient payment products and at times a credit facility for short term needs. The State Bank of Pakistan is playing a pro-active role in promoting adoption of technology-based solutions in the banking sector and supporting services based on E-Banking. E-Banking has already taken off in this country and the recent launch by Habib Bank- one of the largest banks in the country has provided a major breakthrough. so the question is not when the facilities will be provided but how rapidly these facilities will expand. Efforts in this direction are focused upon following areas: Creation of a robust legal infrastructure catering to the needs of E-Banking and other payments systems involving electronic settlement of funds. Key step in this direction was the promulgation of Electronic Transactions Ordinance 2002, which provides legal recognition to digital signatures and documentation reducing the risks associated with the use of electronic medium of business. State bank is currently engaged in an exercise to further augment the legal framework for electronic settlement of transactions in the banking sector. Establishing of Payment Systems Development Committee in which commercial banks are members, to guide the development of payment systems in Pakistan. Creation of a dedicated Payment Systems Department in the State Bank dealing with all issues pertaining to payment systems including E-Banking. Creation of a Real Time Gross Settlement System (RTGS) providing an E-Banking solution to banks maintaining their accounts with standard operating procedure (SOP) whereby they will be able to operate these accounts from their own premises via an electronic connection with the State Banks own servers. Commercial banks have been allowed to open and operate Internet Merchant Accounts. Banks are being encouraged to expand the ATMs network through more participation and a wider network of machines all across the country. all banks have been asked to join a SWITCH and interconnection between the 2 existing SWITCHES is being encouraged for further development of the electronic infrastructure . State Bank has already acquired SWIFT connection and has also made it mandatory for banks to acquire SWIFT connectivity for settlement of all cross border financial transactions. Expansion of automated cheques clearing services to all major cities in the country is actively being pursued. The usage of plastic money such as Credit/Debit cards is making good progress Ishrat, (2003), states that introduction of E-banking will improve banking services mainly in terms of the convenience of the customers including, place, time and price, the banks will be able to provide improved services and, consequently, the quality and skills of banking staff will also improve. Although many banking services will be available 24 hours, the need for over the counter services will remain and banks would continue to provide normal services during office banking hours in Pakistan also like in the developed countries where E -banking is prevalent, it has been observed that customers feel much confident in using e-banking services when they can associate it with brick and mortar branches. Purely online banking without physical branch network has not made much headway even in developed countries. In Pakistan, with low rates of literacy the majority of customers will continue to use the 9-5 bank branches. Rizvi, (1999), states that the state bank of Pakistan has constituted various committees such as the Payment Systems Development Committee and the ECH task force for the development of technology based banking services in the country. Besides other matters, these committees also oversee the developments in the areas of E-banking. State Bank of Pakistan coordinates closely with other agencies such as the Ministry of Science Technology (MoST), in initiatives relating to E-banking. Shirazi, (2001), said that the future of e banking is very bright in Pakistan. Many banks in Pakistan have started providing e-banking facilities to their consumers. Over 300 ATMs are in operation in Pakistan the use of ATMs is rapidly increasing. More and more facilities are being provided by the banks electronically including e-statements, funds transfer, bill payment for utilities as well as other purchases. By 2002, almost 40% of the bank branches have been automated and it is expected that this proportion will reach 50% by 2004. The rate of increase is phenomenal i.e. about 318%. Similarly, the number of online branches has doubled during the last 2 years to 570 and by 2004 this number will jump to 1356, representing an increase of 376%. This expansion along with the growing penetration of internet will bring E-banking to more and more of their customers both in terms of numbers as well as geographical locations. Mahmood, (2003), states in order to meet E-banking challenges that State Bank of Pakistan established the ECH Task Force under the leadership of Mr. Naveed A Khan (Country Representative ABN AMRO Bank) to facilitate the development and implementation of E-Banking sector to promote E-Commerce. This Task Force was constituted to facilitate in planning introduction of enabling technologies in the financial sector of the economy having a direct bearing on E-commerce. The ECH Task Force is constituted of various dedicated professionals from the major financial institutions of the country who enrich the Task Force with their experience and expertise with a firm commitment to develop and promote E-Commerce in Pakistan. Ahmed,(2001), states that Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce) is just another business tool, one that enhances business efficiency and effectiveness and allows cost reduction. It is a vehicle to carry out business-to-business (B2B) or business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions. For financial institutions and entrepreneurs, E-Commerce not just makes old processes work better; it also provides a means to break with tradition and create new ways of doing business. E-Commerce has a lot of potential in Pakistan where ideas are rich, resources and labor are cheap, workmanship is excellent, entrepreneurial skill in abundance, and there is a large presence of indigenous and globally appreciated artifacts other tradable goods. However, on a more realistic side, we have a lot of ground to cover before we can reap the benefits of E-Commerce and turn our economy around. These are technical as well as administrative challenges that have to be met and above all we need the basic infrastructure, which fa cilitates and promotes trading through electronic means. 3. RESEARCH METHDOLOGY This chapter presents the basic methodology required in research. It includes the methods of search, type of study and the sources of data. 3.1. METHODOLOGY OF THE STUDY The methodology of study includes the different methods that researcher has used to reach to the conclusion. But due to shortage of time the researcher has tried his best to make this report informative, useful and also beneficial for others. The researcher has also gathered a lot of information to cover all types of aspects related to automation and electronic data processing. In this report the researcher has covered first of all the introduction of electronic banking, its background, what facilities and benefits it provide and what is its scope in Pakistan? Secondly the researcher has visited few of the banks offering electronic services. They were very knowledgeable to the researcher basically in explaining their scope in Pakistan. 3.2. TYPE OF THE STUDY The study is descriptive because the intention is to explore the existing values given in problem statement. Descriptive process was believed to be more suited in this kind of investigation because it seeks direct response from respondents. This procedure has been used in many areas of investigations in many fields of academics and scientific discipline. 3.3. GOAL OF DESCRIPTIVE STUDY The goal of the descriptive study, here is to offer a peo

The Hobbit

The Hobbit Modern literature often provides an adventure in place of the quest. One example is The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien, published in 1937, in which the protagonist, Bilbo, is disturbed from his peaceful routines in order to embark on a voyage to regain treasure from the savage dragon, Smaug. It exemplifies the journey plot structure, otherwise known as the adventure archetype, for the protagonist attempts to fill his gradually gain heroism through. Most notably, the quest is developed through the elements of character, imagery, and plot in the novel. The development of the protagonist, Bilbo, portrays maturation and personal growth, signifying that the quest is not only for physical possession, but for a fulfillment. Through the development of the quest, the overview of benevolence versus evil emerges through imagery, demonstrating the effectiveness of the novel. In addition, the quest follows a linear plot in the adventure archetype, gradually showing the development of the quest. The nov el is successful in achieving its purpose of the quest not only existing to obtain the physical object through journey, but also to find ones personal self. The maturation of the protagonist, Bilbo, is crucial in the re-discovering of himself. Bilbo at first embarks on the quest as a reluctant, common hobbit, wanting to do nothing with Gandalfs request. Nevertheless, as the novel progresses, Bilbo prevails in the face of danger and adversity, a threat to the status quo. Much of this has to do with fate and destiny. Out of the numerous people in their group, Bilbo is the one who is left unconscious to retrieve the ring that grants invisibility. Another instance is which shows evidence of the maturation of Bilbo is when Bilbo confronts Smaug, the antagonist, solely through sheer luck and chance. Lets have no more argument. I have chose Mr. Baggins and that ought to be enough for all of you. If I say he is a burglar, a burglar he is, or will be when time comes. There is a lot in him than you guess, and a deal more than he has any idea of himself†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (J.R.R Tolkien, 24) Therefore, it can be assumed that a supernatural force or power aids Bilbo on his quest. In this scenario, the fate ruler would be Gandalf, his mentor. There are many instances throughout the quest in which Gandalf â€Å"disappeared† from the group due to an arcane call, leaving Bilbo to lead the dwarves. Therefore, one could also say that fate and self-will controlled the development of the quest. This quest also serves as a metaphor for Bilbos personal growth. Originally, the call to adventure is purely for a physical purpose of retrieving the stolen gold and possessions from Smaug. However, he builds more confidence and resourcefulness through confronting the trolls, escaping with Gollums ring, rescuing the dwarves in Mirkwood, and speaking face-to-face with the great dragon. These conflicts each give him an opportunity to prove himself and his bravery as a burglar. As well, through each of these mischief, he is able to fulfill his personal destiny. The hobbits are generall y known for their timid peaceful way of living. Yet, Bilbos lineage of the Took is known for being adventurous. Without the quest, Bilbo would yet still be in his hobbit hole. He would not have developed into the hero he becomes at the end of his quest. To explain, during the lonesome time in the cave with Gollum, the quest becomes Bilbos own, not of the dwarves physical possession. Through his solo act, Bilbo attempts to fill his â€Å"personal† quest in rediscovering himself. In addition, he hesitates and worries whether or not leaving home was a good idea in many instances throughout the quest. â€Å"To go in quest means to look for something of which one has, as yet, no experience; one can imagine what it will be like but whether ones picture is true or false will be known only when one has found it.† (Fantasy, 99.) By the end of his quest, not only does he regain the Tooks side of his lineage, but also he is very confident and well developed as a hero. This is exe mplified through the robbery of the Arkenstone in order to stop the fury of the dwarves. Therefore, the quest is derived from the protagonist. Bilbo is the purpose and existence for the quest. Therefore, the adventure archetype revolves around Bilbo. Once the adventure is awakened, it unfolds and presents all the possibilities for the character to take leading the character into something greater later on into the story. Belly of the whale gives a series of tests for Bilbo in which he must overcome and develop through. Through his physical journey, one can view the purpose of the quest is for the protagonist to look for something that may or not be a physical possession, however rather a new found self. As we become more familiar with the development of Bilbo, imagery in quest becomes more apparent. Adversaries and tone-differentiating settings present clear perception and imagery. Imagery refers to words that trigger the mind of a reader to recall images or mental pictures. One example of this is in the confrontation with the enemy. Through Bilbo squaring off against enemies, such as the goblins, spiders, and Gollum, one can notice the reoccurring idea of good versus evil. While the good creatures strive for peaceful existence, the sinister figures exist to cause suffering. Even a reluctant hobbit such as Bilbo gets involved in the hassle between good and evil, for he ultimately believed it for a noble cause. On the other hand, sinister creatures constantly threaten such forces of good. The mighty dragon Smaug destroys and kills the towns of humans. One will notice the clear division between good and evil. Race and family lineage also comes into play as the good confronts the evil. As mentioned previously, the evil is not one specific creature, yet many groups of creatures for med together to create a frightening force. The confrontation of the enemy is when the different races of good unite in order to defeat the hordes of evil. Therefore, there is an image of clashing hordes of creatures battling, also known as the Battle of the Five armies. In addition, Bilbos thoughts and feelings often relate to the types of imagery tone established in the setting. For instance, in Gollums cave, Bilbo is simply devastated and frightened at the fact that he was left behind in an unknown, wretched cave. Not only is Bilbos feelings fearful and frightening, but the tone of the setting is set to match his emotions, for the cave is dark and ominous. Imagery exemplifies visualization of any image through words. Yet, The Hobbit shows the process of going through the quest and an overview of quest as a whole. Therefore, imagery shows the effectiveness of quest. â€Å"As imagery is simply descriptive language that evokes sensory experience, it can appeal to any of the sense, and not just the standard five.† (Wikipedia) Through imagery, one is able to understand the quests true implications and whether or not they grasped the basis of its knowledge. In essence, imagery shows the effectiveness of the quest, however does not show the development of the quest as the plot. The plot gradually allows for the development of the quest. The adventure archetype begins off as a jolly adventure with no threat to the status quo, yet ends up in a quest with crucial and decisive matters. Bilbo is disturbed from his routine by an unexpected visit and finds himself on a voyage. â€Å"It is true that what begins in adventure may end in a quest. Tolkiens The Hobbit appears at first to be adventure.† (Fantasy, 101). Not until the graver implications of the novel emerge, does the adventure become more significant. Then Bilbo longs for the common life of the hobbits, yet he also realizes that he cannot regain such life without completing the quest. Each part in the adventure archetype plays a role in the development of Bilbo and the quest. Leaving home is the root of his maturation process as he embarks on the voyage, and the call to adventure signifies essentially the reason for questing. Through the belly of the whale, Bilbo is tested through various confronta tions and obstacles, in which he develops more accordingly in his growth as a hero. As well, the confrontation with the enemy is the resolution of the conflict, as the battle against evil. Therefore, the plot moves in such a linear fashion due to the adventure archetype; scene -by-scene, confrontations after confrontations. The plot also shows the development of quest through the systematic process of the adventure archetype; hence, the quest is developed throughout each part. Therefore, the structure of the quest directly relates to the plot. Nevertheless, each element of the novel derives from the quest. The character emphasizes on the purpose of quest, for it is the protagonists journey, spiritual and physical. Imagery demonstrates the effectiveness of the quest due to the overview image one is able to establish through it. Moreover, the plot exemplifies the development of the quest because of the adventure archetype, which follows a linear patter in sync with the plot, and quest. The dominance of the quest is clear through the development of each elements of the novel. So, why would one need to undertake a personal journey? Is the purpose of a quest truly and simply to gain wealth? Quests are experienced as a sentimental reminder of ones authentic values in life. The personal growth and maturation is what makes each quest unique. â€Å"The quest is always toward final solution. Moreover, it is toward a joy which may transcend individual sacrifice in the sense that things are, by virtue of a completion of the quest, w ell with the world.† (Fantasy, 104) Cited Works Tolkien, J.R.R. The Hobbit. Great Britain: HarperCollinsPublisher, 1937. Fantasy. Canada: greenhaven, 2002. CliffNotes. 2003 .

Pentecostal History Essay -- Church History

To know the history of the Pentecostal movement, one needs to know what they believe. Pentecostalism is a movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit. During Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell upon those in the upper room. Acts 2:1-4 says, â€Å"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[ as the Spirit enabled them.† (1,3) The Pentecostal movement started in the late 19th century in revival movements in Great Britain and in the United States of America. Within this movement more attention was placed on the person and the work of the Holy Spirit. Some people felt that the church was missing the power and authority of the church they read about in the bible. We will look at the Pentecostal movement from the past and look at it all the way up through to today. (1) The earliest date given for the beginning of the Pentecostal movement is January 1, 1901. A man by the name of Charles Parham began teaching that the act of speaking in tongues was the biblical evidence that someone was filled with the Holy Spirit. He started teaching this at Bethel Bible College in Topeka, Kansas. Over time Charles Parham moved to Texas to teach. While Charles spoke in Texas, William J. Seymour was attending. William J. Seymour traveled to Los Angeles where he led the Azusa Street Revivals in 1906. The beginning of the w... ...ecostals. It is important to know where we came from in order to know where we are going. The future is bright for the Assemblies of God if they just rely on God and the power of the Holy Spirit. Works Cited 1. Wacker, Grant. Heaven Below: Early Pentecostals and American Culture. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2001. 2. Miller, Donald E. and Tetsunao Yamamori. Global Pentecostalism: The New Face of Christian Social Engagement. Berkeley, California: University of California Press, 2007. 3. Hollenweger, Walter. Pentecostalism : Origins and Developments Worldwide. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, 1997 4. Burgess. Encyclopedia of Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity 5. Blumhofer, Edith L. Restoring the Faith: The Assemblies of God, Pentecostalism, and American Culture, 1993 6. www.ag.org

Stuff :: essays research papers fc

Trickster Tales: Not Just A Bedtime Story â€Å"Beep Beep†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦VRRROOOOMMMM†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦and the Roadrunner speeds away from the deceitful Coyote as Coyote falls over a Cliff with his â€Å"Acme† dynamite still in hand. The tale of the â€Å"trickster† is known and shared all around the world. It is an age old story that has many different versions and is culturally diverse. Almost every culture has some version of the trickster tale; from the early West African people and their tales of Eshu, to the modern day American versions like Wile E. Coyote that Warner Brothers has made so popular (Doty and Hynes 10.) Japanese culture has the story of Susa-No-O, and even the ancient Greeks had similar stories dealing with the character Hermes (Doty and Hynes 141, 46.) With so many different cultures involved, one would think that the tales and myths would be just as variegated. However this is not necessarily the case. It seems as though the trickster story hent this human characteristic in that when a character is tricked, he, in return, takes revenge on his rival. In fact, this is what constitutes the main purpose for the action in these folktales. If it were not for our desire to see the wronged character revenged, there would be no motivation for the reader, or the writer of these stories. Without this theme, there would be no justification for wrongdoing, no justice for the wronged. This element of human nature is what makes these stories timeless and appealing to many generations. It is bred somewhere deep within us that a wrong must be somehow righted and the trickster tale fills this human need. Hand in hand with retribution is the theme of punishment. Not only must one be revenged, but also, in order to feel fully justified, your rival must be punished. Sometimes we can be our own rivals. When we have done something wrong to someone else, we feel the need to be punished, and sometimes, consciously or not, we punish ourselves if we do not receive the punishment from an outside source. Therefore, this idea of punishment is also innate in us. The trickster tale feeds this necessity for punishment. Each time the character is gullible enough to fall for one of the vengeful tricks, he is punished in some way for his naivety, and in essence, for punishing the other character earlier at some point.

A substitute for royalty Essay

As I reluctantly strode towards my final year of school I pictured the scenes that would await me. Without Jack, my best friend since infant school I felt depressed and gloated in my state of solitude. Jack had left to be an author, although he did not seem either a novelist or an intellectual. I had never read his work before but still I encouraged and supported him. During lunch I noticed the solemn expressions on the teacher’s faces, they lacked their usual humour and were drained of all normal colour. My efforts to replenish their vitality were useless; their expressionless behaviour dampened my own spirits. I left school as I arrived, upset, weary and worried. I couldn’t explain why the staff had acted so out of character. I thought continuously until in the corner of my eye I noticed a pupil from last year. He was pale and surrounded by cigarette butts. In the attempt to cheer myself up I dared to make conversation â€Å"I heard about your four A levels,† I muttered. Realising he may not have heard me I raised my voice â€Å"Has the fact you’ve achieved four A levels stressed you out that much that you’ve started smoking,† I said jokingly. Yet again he blanked me. I approached him gently placing my hand on the bench. I looked closely at his face. His skin was stretched over his bones; his cheekbones and eye sockets bulged out abnormally. â€Å"What’s wrong?† I asked reassuringly â€Å"It looks as if you’ve had an alien encounter,† He arose rapidly â€Å"Yeah something like that,† he finally replied. Then briskly he t rickled away into the distance. The following day I had games first lesson. In an attempt to secure a place in the first side this year, I subtly began to make conversation â€Å"I bumped in to Chris yesterday, he’s smoking very heavily, shame really he made such a good player.† â€Å"I don’t blame him† was the immediate response, bewildered and confused I questioned him â€Å"what do you mean?† â€Å"Ask Mr Lewis† he said in a faint voice as he rapidly relieved himself from my company. As soon as I reclothed myself from the shower I paced towards Mr Lewis’ office. Mr Lewis was a short middle-aged man who was consistently joyous; he was certainly not a stereotypical head teacher. I halted abruptly as he came into view. He was pinning up a notice on his door ‘There will be no welcome Prom, Sorry’ Shocked and upset I realised that this was maybe the only night a female would look at me twice. The anger swelled inside me and at that moment I was determined the prom would go ahead. So I decided to take the news well and acted as if the prom meant nothing to me. During the remaining day I secretly organised the traditional event and felt rather proud of myself as even the most popular guys in the school congratulated me for coming up with such an ingenious plan. The night of the prom lurked as the school bell echoed throughout the corridors signalling the end of school. As the hordes of pupils proceeded towards the exit I cunningly knocked the Janitors keys out of his hand and kicked them forward. A person up ahead picked up the keys, removing the key that would unlock the hall. He then discarded the rest of the keys by hiding them in someone’s bag. After returning home to get changed I entered the ceremony as a hero disguised in a turquoise suit with cue-ball cufflinks. I had arrived fashionably late, just as the votes were being passed around for who would be this years Prom King. Not surprisingly Karl won substantially, he seemed to possess some inhuman magnetism which melted girls hearts. His personality was nothing to be admired but his muscular build was all it took. The party did not warm up until 11 o’clock when a slender figure with a revealing dress approached me with the crown. â€Å"I think Karl must have left, I found this by the fountain,† her voice was so feminine I temporarily found myself in a hazy dream. The girl forcefully placed the crown in my hands. I hesitantly thanked her before asking Mark to come up and be crowned. However just over half an hour later a group of boys I recognised as Mark’s friends approached me soaked through and smelling of chlorine. They handed me the crown, â€Å"we found it floating in the Jacuzzi, Mark must have left.† I had no choice but to call up another contestant, his name was Tony. I hoped he would stay until the majority of people had left otherwise I would be forced to crown myself. A few girls had voted for me but I’m sure it was a joke. However, to my disgust a rather drunk pupil wandered clumsily in my direction, he fumbled with the crown. I removed it into the safety of my hands. † I found it by the lockers,† he uttered just before a huge lurch was followed by harmful amounts of vomit. He sat contently and upright next to a wall as I walked on to the stage. I introduced myself and explained the situation. I raised the crown high. It hovered menacingly above my head, until a powerful, shrill cry caused me to stop, it was Mr Lewis he burst in and broke down. The crown was dropped. He was extremely angry. We poured out everywhere. Unfortunately I had to face him next morning, he was in tears and gradually explained next to nothing just that last years prom was a disastrous tragedy. He handed me one piece of blood stained paper, which was addressed to me. It said ‘I’ve personally published this novel’ I frowned for a few seconds and handed it back I told him that I did not understand. Mr Lewis quietly murmured â€Å"come and see me after school if you don’t figure it out.† I thought hard all day but I couldn’t unlock the mystery. I went back and he showed me a picture of Jack my old friend. He was at the prom dressed in a dinner suit. Mr Lewis handed me a book. I noticed it was the book Jack had given me before he left. I had left it in my locker on my last day. The Janitor must have found it. I noticed the title ‘My unpublished novel’, I opened it, page after page was decorated colourfully in harsh words such as die, hate, kill. They continued for hundreds of pages. Puzzled I eventually turned to the Synopsis. It was a statement from Jack ‘I’ll show the world that not publishing my novel was a fatal error.’ I stared at Mr Lewis in fright. He slowly explained that he had got in touch with the publishers, which Jack asked to publish his book. The publishers told him the basic plot, ‘It was a story of a boys battle to become popular. He was laughed at for being voted Prom King and swore revenge at the next prom. At the next prom the boy was collecting everyone’s votes, then he would take them away and replace them with fake votes, which he had prepared earlier, therefore he could kill each King in the order he pleased. Throughout the night the crown was left in random areas about the school. People returned the crown claiming that the King had left the prom so a new one was voted for. The boy had eventually killed three Prom Kings and planned to kill the fourth one by dropping weights on to him, which were suspended by a rope from the ceiling. Then he poured the entire chemistry departments acid content over his body until he was unrecognisable. He started from the feet up to give him a slow death. He had turned blue from the weight on his broken ribs and sternum. However as he prepared to pour the last test tube full of acid onto his face the prom king lashed out with a severely burnt leg tripping him. He landed on the empty test tubes, which impaled him through his back. The prom king was found in mostly ash and the boy was bleeding heavily from his mouth. He was left in hospital for a while until A close friend came to see how he was and realised he had left the hospital. No body remained. The hospital was baffled. The friend ran back to the death scene finding only a crown near where the body of the fourth victim was found on the floor. Spontaneously he realised a possible connection to the fact that his neighbour hadn’t returned from the party. He was first to be crowned. It took him a while to believe it but His friend thought the boy had killed his victims and left the crown to signify it. The book then says the boy’s friend traces down people who had found the crown and began to reveal dead bodies left around those areas.’Mr Lewis looked deep into my eyes asking, â€Å"Now you understand, I’ve personally published this novel?† He did not await a reply; he carried on saying the publisher’s rejected his book in fear of it causing some person to act in the same way. â€Å"We believe Jack has acted out his own story for real and committed suicide by impaling himself at the end of it,† claimed Mr Lewis. Now Jack is haunting the crown. Whoever wears that crown is a certain victim of another violent, merciless death. Mr Lewis also explains that I must be the friend, why else would the note be to me? Mr Lewis asks if he thinks Jack would act differently if I wore the crown. I was very unsure but knew that Jack’s spirit had to be exorcised to put us all to rest and release the tension capturing the school. First I had to find the bodies of the various boys who had been crowned that night. I clearly remember that young woman who had told me she had found the crown near the water fountain. I rushed there as if I could still save him but I was sadly mistaken. A foul, pungent odour wafted towards me from behind a locked door. I forcefully hurled myself at the door, it shattered easily. The stench in the room was unbearable. I saw Karl, well I recognised one half of his face, the other seemed as if he had been hit close range with a shotgun, but someone would have heard that. I turned to take a sip from the fountain and only then realised there was dried blood all around it. Karl must have been drinking from this fountain while Jack approached him cautiously and then crushed his face into the fountain, leaving a gaping hole in his head. I left Karl to run to the swimming pool where Mark’s friends had found the crown. The Jacuzzi was the only sound interrupting perfect silence. I hesitantly switched it off. As the bubbles dispersed Mark’s figure became visible. He had the most frightening expression portrayed upon his face. He was fixed in a position with outstretched arms as his cumber band fastened him to a grill in the floor. He must have struggled vigorously before he finally drowned. Next I vaguely recalled my incident with the drunk and he had found the crown near the lockers. I guessed he meant Tony’s locker. Sure enough Tony was stuffed tightly into his locker while a maths compass was dug deep into his throat. I returned to Mr Lewis confirming each death. Mr Lewis was not coping well with the strain, he occasionally spluttered and tears ran down his cheeks. The same feelings were not present in my mind though only those of determination flourished through me. I politely stepped outside and headed for the chemistry lab. There I cautiously placed the crown on my head. Jack instantly appeared. He looked no different to when I last saw him. He appeared no less normal than the average human being. We barely exchanged words in our entire encounter. The first gesture made was an order for me to go closer to a neatly lined up row of glass. Obviously Jack was asking me to commit suicide. â€Å"I thought you would prefer this, I’ve known you a long time, you’ve never struck me as a fighter,† his cocky remark only flared my anger more. I slowly edged towards the glass bottles. Every step I took the wider Jack’s smile seemed to grow. Accidentally I managed to knock a bottle on to the floor. Panic stricken I wondered if his mood would change, mine certainly had, this was by far the most fearful experience of my life. Kindly Jack leaned over to pick the bottle up off the floor. As he arose I placed the crown on his head. He looked at me aghast. â€Å"How smart you look,† I proclaimed â€Å"anyone would think you were a substitute for Royalty.† He fell back on to the glass. The crown glistened evilly beside the table