Film Paper My Big Fat Greek Wedding Essay

For my paper, i have decided to write about My big fat greek Wedding and Philadelphia. I will say that I really enjoyed watching both films and there are a lot of interesting things to dicsuss about them. Both films varied in the amount of societal implications and interpersonal concepts but there were was plenty of it. Initially, i had trouble finding a good connection between the two films but i will be talking about something that i think both of these films do a good job of portraying. Both of these films are very interesting and i can honestly say i learned from them. My Big Fat Greek Wedding was absolutely hilarious in my opinion. In a sense the entire movie was about this relatively old below average looking greek girl who lived in a culturally bias greek family that wanted her to get married to a greek man. Her name is Tula and she is a smart girl working for the familys greek restaruant almost religiously day after day without a â€Å"life† as her father implies, which basically means she hasnt found a greek man yet. She eventually meets a non-greek man who she falls in love with and wants to marry but she is stressed out because she is afraid of her family reacting in a horrible way. Eventually, things somewhatwork out between both sides of the family and tula gets married. Love is a funny thing, what almost breaks the family apart brings them together in the end. There are a lot of interpersonal concepts in this movie but i think the biggest ones would be emotions, issues of self, and culture. From the beginning of her life, Tula was always looking down on herself and comparing herself to the other non-greek kids. She wanted to fit in with the cool culture and not with her greek family. She wasnt a good looking girl and her life never looked like it was going to get better. This obviously bothered her but she had no passion or drive to get her going. she gave up on trying because she created a distorted image of reality and opportunity. Well, until she met the love of her life, Ian Miller. This is where emotions played an even bigger role in the movie. Before Tula met Ian she was emotionally dead but when they fell in love Tula literally came to life. Change started with small emotions but eventually it led to her physical appearance, happiness, and view of life. Its amazing what love can do to a person. The concept of culture in this movie really is a funny topic. The entire family is so far greek that anyone else is not just considered inferior, but bad. Tulas father is the best example of bias because he relates everything back to the greeks and he always has a story to tell about his culture. His pride blinds him and the rest of the family from seeing people as they really are. Despite these issues, the family surprisingly accepts Ian into the family with a few exceptions ofcourse. At the end of the movie, Tulas father gives a humorous story basically stating that no matter what our differences are we are all just people. I think this film was trying to teach people alot about family and love. You can get rid of your friends or boyfriend/girlfirend but its much more difficult to get rid of your family because they are always going to be there. I learned to be a lot more grateful for my family after watching this because i could see the beauty in imperfection. We dont need to have the picture perfect family that we often try to portray. Honestly, That concept can go for all aspects of life. We are so hard on ourselves that we often try to be someone we are not just to gain approval from someone we dont even know. How sad is that? This movie showed that true love covers a multitude of things and people are willing to work through the storm to find a place of happiness and peace. In the end, love is what everyone really wants. Many things fade in life but people are loving until the day they die. Philadelphia is a movie that i had never heard of before this class. So i was very excited to watch it, especially because it starred Tom Hanks and Denzel washington was in it. The movie was Primarily focused on Andrew Beckett, a relatively young and bright lawyer who had a very promising future working at the largest corporate law firm in Philadelphia. Although he lives with his partner Beckett is not open about his homosexuality at the law firm, nor the fact that he has AIDS. He is eventually promoted to an important assighnment but his boss gains suspicion which ends up escalating to becket getting fired over a silly computer drive problem. Beckett beleives that someone set him up because he has AIDS and he goes to great lengths to get justice. He finally meets a lawayer named Wheeler who is willing to take a stand with him in court and bring justice to the situation. In the end, becket and wheeler win the case but beckett is rushed to the hospital after a nasty day at court. Beckett was finally ready for death because he got what he wanted, justice. This movie displayed a lot of interpersonal concepts but i will be talking mostly about perception and issues of self. You can only imagine how Beckett must have felt as a gay man with AIDS in the early 1990s. So much hatred and discrimination that people didnt even want to sit next to him. It really must be an awful feeling and the movie shows that the one thing worse then physical death is to be socially dead but still physically alive. what is the reason to keep on living in a situation like that? Beckett wasnt completely ashamed of his homosexualtiy but he kept it a secret after hearing his boss make horrible jokes about gays in the locker room. Its understandable to conceal that information in Becketts situation but it made things a lot more difficult for him in the long run. I think the movie showed the audience a different perspective on homosexualtiy. I had feelings of sympathy and empathy throughout the movie as i did feel bad for beckett but i honestly could not put myself in his shoes. I could imagine but i have never been in a situation remotely close to his so it was hard for me. The movie showed that Homosexuals arent these evil creatures or contagious diseases that need to be eradicated immediately or avoided. They are people with emotions, dreams, and thoughts just like everyone else. These two films do not seem connected in many ways at first glance but there is more to it then meets the eye. In both movies you have these main characters who are facing issues of self, emotion, and culture. It is hard to go against what society and culture say is the â€Å"right† thing to do. It takes a lot of courage to do that and that is exactly what Tula and beckett had. Both acts of courage also sparked life and innovation to the people around them, particularly the family members. I think both of these films displayed family in a big way. You got to see family intertwined with the main character in both films throughout the good times and the bad. You also got to see the love of family through hardships which always sparks my interest because it often goes beyond reason. Even when there are differences love often overcomes and it was cool to see the acceptance of family in both films. I really enjoyed watching both films. My Big Fat Greek Wedding really had me laughing while Philadelphia made me put my thinking cap on. I personally value a lot of the family union and tradition you see in My Big Fat Greek Wedding because my family is very similair. I could relate to the movie in a lot of ways while i couldnt relate to Philadephia as much. Philadelphia had more of an emotional impact on me as it had a bitter sweet ending. It just got me thinking a lot about other peoples feelings and beleif systems. You never really know what is going on inside a persons life. Everyone Face has a story behind it and its not right to judge anyone. I could say i gained more appreciation, patience, and love for family and i got to see a different perspective on people as individuals. In this example, its the life of a homosexual man but i can apply the knowledge i gained to varios situations and people.

The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove Chapter 1

This one's for Mom Prologue September in Pine Cove is a sigh of relief, a nightcap, a long-deserved nap. Soft autumn light filters through the trees, the tourists go back to Los Angeles and San Francisco, and Pine Cove's five thousand residents wake up to discover that they can once again find a parking place, get a table in a restaurant, and walk the beaches without being conked by an errant Frisbee. September is a promise. Rain will come at last and turn the golden pastures around Pine Cove green, the tall Monterey pines that cover the hills will stop dropping their needles, the forests of Big Sur will stop burning, the grim smile developed over the summer by the waitresses and clerks will bloom into something resembling real human expression, children will return to school and the joy of old friends, drugs, and weapons that they missed over the summer, and everyone, at last, will get some rest. Come September, Theophilus Crowe, the town constable, lovingly clips the sticky purple buds from his sensimilla plants. Mavis, down at the Head of the Slug Saloon, funnels her top-shelf liquors back into the well from whence they came. The tree service guys, with their chain saws, take down the dead and dying pines lest they crash through someone's roof with the winter storms. Woodpiles grow tall and wide around Pine Cove homes and the chimney sweep goes to a twelve-hour workday. The sunscreen and needless souvenir shit shelf at Brine's Bait, Tackle, and Fine Wines is cleared and restocked with candles, flashlight batteries, and lamp oil. (Monterey pine trees have notoriously shallow root systems and an affinity for falling on power lines.) At the Pine Cove Boutique, the hideous reindeer sweater is marked up for winter to await being marked back down for the tenth consecutive spring. In Pine Cove, where nothing happens (or at least nothing has happened for a long time), September is an event: a quiet celebration. The people like their events quiet. The reason they came here from the cities in the first place was to get away from things happening. September is a celebration of sameness. Each September is like the last. Except for this year. This year three things happened. Not big things, by city standards, but three things that coldcocked the beloved status quo nonetheless: forty miles to the south, a tiny and not very dangerous leak opened in a cooling pipe at the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant; Mavis Sand advertised in Songwriter magazine for a Blues singer to play through the winter at the Head of the Slug Saloon; and Bess Leander, wife and mother of two, hung herself. Three things, omens if you will. September is a promise of what is to come. Admitting You Have a Problem â€Å"Dear, dear, how queer everything is today! And yesterday everything went on just as usual. I wonder if I've been changed in the night? Let me think: Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is: Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle!† – LEWIS CARROLL, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland One Theophilus Crowe As dead people went, Bess Leander smelled pretty good: lavender, sage, and a hint of clove. There were seven Shaker chairs hung on pegs on the walls of the Leanders' dining room. The eighth was overturned under Bess, who hung from the peg by a calico cloth rope around her neck. Dried flowers, baskets of various shapes and sizes, and bundles of dried herbs hung from the open ceiling beams. Theophilus Crowe knew he should be doing cop stuff, but he just stood there with two emergency medical technicians from the Pine Cove Fire Department, staring up at Bess as if they were inspecting the newly installed angel on a Christmas tree. Theo thought the pastel blue of Bess's skin went nicely with her cornflower-blue dress and the patterns of the English china displayed on simple wooden shelves at the end of the room. It was 7 A.M. and Theo, as usual, was a little stoned. Theo could hear sobs coming from upstairs, where Joseph Leander held his two daughters, who were still in their nightgowns. There was no evid-ence of a masculine presence anywhere in the house. It was Country Cute: bare pine floors and bent willow baskets, flowers and rag dolls and herb-flavored vinegars in blown-glass bottles; Shaker antiques, copper kettles, embroidery samplers, spinning wheels, lace doilies, and porcelain placards with prayers from the Dutch. Not a sports page or remote control in sight. Not a thing out of place or a speck of dust anywhere. Joseph Leander must have walked very light to live in this house without leaving tracks. A man less sensitive than Theo might have called him whipped. â€Å"That guy's whipped,† one of the EMTs said. His name was Vance McNally. He was fifty-one, short and muscular, and wore his hair slicked back with oil, just as he had in high school. Occasionally, in his capacity as an EMT, he saved lives, which was his rationalization for being a dolt the rest of the time. â€Å"He just found his wife hanging in the dining room, Vance,† Theo pronounced over the heads of the EMTs. He was six-foot-six, and even in his flannel shirt and sneakers he could loom large when he needed to assert some authority. â€Å"She looks like Raggedy Ann,† said Mike, the other EMT, who was in his early twenties and excited to be on his first suicide call. â€Å"I heard she was Amish,† Vance said. â€Å"She's not Amish,† Theo said. â€Å"I didn't say she was Amish, I just said I heard that. I figured she wasn't Amish when I saw the blender in the kitchen. Amish don't believe in blenders, do they?† â€Å"Mennonite,† Mike said with as much authority as his junior status would afford. â€Å"What's a Mennonite?† Vance asked. â€Å"Amish with blenders.† â€Å"She wasn't Amish,† Theo said. â€Å"She looks Amish,† Vance said. â€Å"Well, her husband's not Amish,† Mike said. â€Å"How can you tell?† Vance said. â€Å"He has a beard.† â€Å"Zipper on his jacket,† Mike said. â€Å"Amish don't have zippers.† Vance shook his head. â€Å"Mixed marriages. They never work.† â€Å"She wasn't Amish!† Theo shouted. â€Å"Think what you want, Theo, there's a butter churn in the living room. I think that says it all.† Mike rubbed at a mark on the wall beneath Bess's feet where her black buckled shoes had scraped as she convulsed. â€Å"Don't touch anything,† Theo said. â€Å"Why? She can't yell at us, she's dead. We wiped our feet on the way in,† Vance said. Mike stepped away from the wall. â€Å"Maybe she couldn't stand anything touching her floors. Hanging was the only way.† Not to be outdone by the detective work of his protg, Vance said, â€Å"You know, the sphincters usually open up on a hanging victim – leave an awful mess. I'm wondering if she actually hanged herself.† â€Å"Shouldn't we call the police?† Mike said. â€Å"I am the police,† Theo said. He was Pine Cove's only constable, duly elected eight years ago and reelected every other year thereafter. â€Å"No, I mean the real police,† Mike said. â€Å"I'll radio the sheriff,† Theo said. â€Å"I don't think there's anything you can do here, guys. Would you mind calling Pastor Williams from the Presby-terian church to come over? I need to talk to Joseph and I need someone to stay with the girls.† â€Å"They were Presbyterians?† Vance seemed shocked. He had really put his heart into the Amish theory. â€Å"Please call,† Theo said. He left the EMTs and went out through the kitchen to his Volvo, where he switched the radio over to the frequency used by the San Junipero Sheriff's Department, then sat there staring at the mike. He was going to catch hell from Sheriff Burton for this. â€Å"North Coast is yours, Theo. All yours,† the sheriff had said. My deputies will pick up suspects, answer robbery calls, and let the Highway Patrol investigate traffic accidents on Highway 1, that's it. Otherwise, you keep them out of Pine Cove and your little secret stays secret.† Theo was forty-one years old and he still felt as if he was hiding from the junior high vice principal, laying low. Things like this weren't supposed to happen in Pine Cove. Nothing happened in Pine Cove. He took a quick hit from his Sneaky Pete smokeless pot pipe before keying the mike and calling in the deputies. Joseph Leander sat on the edge of the bed. He'd changed out of his pajamas into a blue business suit, but his thinning hair was still sticking out in sleep horns on the side. He was thirty-five, sandy-haired, thin but working on a paunch that strained the buttons of his vest. Theo sat across from him on a chair, holding a notepad. They could hear the sheriff's deputies moving around downstairs. â€Å"I can't believe she'd do this,† Joseph said. Theo reached over and squeezed the grieving husband's bicep. â€Å"I'm really sorry, Joe. She didn't say anything that would indicate she was thinking about doing something like this?† Joseph shook his head without looking up. â€Å"She was getting better. Val had given her some pills and she seemed to be getting better.† â€Å"She was seeing Valerie Riordan?† Theo asked. Valerie was Pine Cove's only clinical psychiatrist. â€Å"Do you know what kind of pills?† â€Å"Zoloft,† Joseph said. â€Å"I think it's an antidepressant.† Theo wrote down the name of the drug on his notepad. â€Å"Then Bess was depressed?† â€Å"No, she just had this cleaning thing. Everything had to be cleaned every day. She'd clean something, then go back five minutes later and clean it again. She was making life miserable for the girls and me. She'd make us take our shoes and socks off, then wash our feet in a basin before we came into the house. But she wasn't depressed.† Theo wrote down â€Å"crazy† on his notepad. â€Å"When was the last time Bess went to see Val?† â€Å"Maybe six weeks ago. When she first got the pills. She really seemed to be doing better. She even left the dishes in the sink overnight once. I was proud of her.† â€Å"Where are her pills, Joseph?† â€Å"Medicine cabinet.† Joseph gestured to the bathroom. Theo excused himself and went to the bathroom. The brown prescription bottle was the only thing in the medicine cabinet other than disinfectants and some Q-Tips. The bottle was about half-full. â€Å"I'm going to take these with me,† Theo said, pocketing the pills. â€Å"The sheriff's deputies are going to ask you some of these same questions, Joseph. You just tell them what you told me, okay? Joseph nodded. â€Å"I think I should be with the girls.† â€Å"Just a bit longer, okay? I'll send up the deputy in charge.† Theo heard a car start outside and went to the window to see an ambulance pulling away, the lights and siren off. Bess Leander's body riding off to the morgue. He turned back to Joseph. â€Å"Call me if you need anything. I'm going to go talk to Val Riordan.† Joseph stood up. â€Å"Theo, don't tell anyone that Bess was on antidepressants. She didn't want anyone to know. She was ashamed.† â€Å"I won't. Call me if you need me.† Theo left the room. A sharply dressed plainclothes deputy met him at the bottom of the steps. Theo saw by the badge on his belt that he was a detective sergeant. â€Å"You're Crowe. John Voss.† He extended his hand and Theo shook it. â€Å"We're supposed to take it from here,† Voss said. â€Å"What have you got?† Theo was at once relieved and offended. Sheriff Burton was going to push him off the case without even talking to him. â€Å"No note,† Theo said. â€Å"I called you guys ten minutes after I got the call. Joseph said she wasn't depressed, but she was on medication. He came downstairs to have breakfast and found her.† â€Å"Did you look around?† Voss asked. â€Å"This place has been scoured. There isn't a smudge or a spot anywhere. It's like someone cleaned up the scene.† â€Å"She did that,† Theo said. â€Å"She was a clean freak.† Voss scoffed. â€Å"She cleaned the house, then hung herself? Please.† Theo shrugged. He really didn't like this cop stuff. â€Å"I'm going to go talk to her psychiatrist. I'll let you know what she says.† â€Å"Don't talk to anybody, Crowe. This is my investigation.† Theo smiled. â€Å"Okay. But she hung herself and that's all there is. Don't make it into anything it's not. The family is in pretty bad shape.† â€Å"I'm a professional,† Voss said, throwing it like an insult, implying that Theo was just dicking around in law enforcement, which, in a way, he was. â€Å"Did you check out the Amish cult angle?† Theo asked, trying to keep a straight face. Maybe he shouldn't have gotten high today. â€Å"What?† â€Å"Right, you're the pro,† Theo said. â€Å"I forgot.† And he walked out of the house. In the Volvo, Theo pulled the thin Pine Cove phone directory out of the glove compartment and was looking up Dr. Valerie Riordan's number when a call came in on the radio. Fight at the Head of the Slug Saloon. It was 8:30 A.M. Mavis It was rumored among the regulars at the Head of the Slug that under Mavis Sand's slack, wrinkled, liver-spot ted skin lay the gleaming metal skeleton of a Terminator. Mavis first began augmenting her parts in the fifties, first out of vanity: breasts, eyelashes, hair. Later, as she aged and the concept of maintenance eluded her, she began having parts replaced as they failed, until almost half of her body weight was composed of stainless steel (hips, elbows, shoulders, finger joints, rods fused to vertebrae five through twelve), silicon wafers (hearing aids, pacemaker, insulin pump), advanced polymer resins (cataract replace-ment lenses, dentures), Kevlar fabric (abdominal wall reinforcement), ti-tanium (knees, ankles), and pork (ventricular heart valve). In fact, if not for the pig valve, Mavis would have jumped classes directly from animal to mineral, without the traditional stop at vegetable taken by most. The more inventive drunks at the Slug (little more than vegetables themsel ves) swore that sometimes, between songs on the jukebox, one could hear tiny but powerful servomotors whirring Mavis around behind the bar. Mavis was careful never to crush a beer can or move a full keg in plain sight of the customers lest she feed the rumors and ruin her image of girlish vulner-ability. When Theo entered the Head of the Slug, he saw ex-scream-queen Molly Michon on the floor with her teeth locked into the calf of a gray-haired man who was screeching like a mashed cat. Mavis stood over them both, brandishing her Louisville Slugger, ready to belt one of them out of the park. â€Å"Theo,† Mavis shrilled, â€Å"you got ten seconds to get this wacko out of my bar before I brain her.† â€Å"No, Mavis.† Theo raced forward and knocked Mavis's bat aside while reaching into his back pocket for his handcuffs. He pried Molly's hands from around the man's ankle and shackled them behind her back. The gray-haired man's screams hit a higher pitch. Theo got down on the floor and spoke into Molly's ear. â€Å"Let go, Molly. You've got to let go of the man's leg.† An animal sound emanated from Molly's throat and bubbled out through blood and saliva. Theo stroked her hair out of her face. â€Å"I can't fix the problem if you don't tell me what it is, Molly. I can't understand you with that guy's leg in your mouth.† â€Å"Stand back, Theo,† Mavis said. â€Å"I'm going to brain her.† Theo waved Mavis away. The gray-haired man screamed even louder. â€Å"Hey!† Theo shouted. â€Å"Pipe down. I'm trying to have a conversation here.† The gray-haired man lowered his volume. â€Å"Molly, look at me.† Theo saw a blue eye look away from the leg and the bloodlust faded from it. He had her back. â€Å"That's right, Molly. It's me, Theo. Now what's the problem?† She spit out the man's leg and turned to look at Theo. Mavis helped the man to a bar stool. â€Å"Get her out of here,† Mavis said. â€Å"She's eighty-sixed. This time forever.† Theo kept his eyes locked on Molly's. â€Å"Are you okay?† She nodded. Bloody drool was running down her chin. Theo grabbed a bar napkin and wiped it away, careful to keep his fingers away from her mouth. â€Å"I'm going to help you up now and we're going to go outside and talk about this, okay?† Molly nodded and Theo picked her up by the shoulders, set her on her feet, and steered her toward the door. He looked over his shoulder at the bitten man. â€Å"You okay? You need a doctor?† â€Å"I didn't do anything to her. I've never seen that woman before in my life. I just stopped in for a drink.† Theo looked at Mavis for confirmation. â€Å"He hit on her,† Mavis said. â€Å"But that's no excuse. A girl should appreciate the attention.† She turned and batted her spiderlike false eyelashes at the bitten man. â€Å"I could show you some appreciation, sweetie.† The bitten man looked around in a panic. â€Å"No, I'm fine. No doctor. I'm just fine. My wife's waiting for me.† â€Å"As long as you're okay,† Theo said. â€Å"And you don't want to press charges or anything?† â€Å"No, just a misunderstanding. Soon as you get her out of here, I'll be heading out of town.† There was a collective sigh of disappointment from the regulars who had been placing side bets on who Mavis would hit with her bat. â€Å"Thanks,† Theo said. He shot Mavis a surreptitious wink and led Molly out to the street, excusing himself and his prisoner as they passed an old Black man who was coming through the door carrying a guitar case. â€Å"I ‘spose a man run outta sweet talk and liquor, he gots to go to mo' direct measures,† the old Black man said to the bar with a dazzling grin. â€Å"Someone here lookin fo' a Bluesman?† Molly Michon Theo put Molly into the passenger side of the Volvo. She sat with her head down, her great mane of gray-streaked blonde hair hanging in her face. She wore an oversized green sweater, tights, and high-top sneakers, one red, one blue. She could have been thirty or fifty – and she told Theo a different age every time he picked her up. Theo went around the car and climbed in. He said, â€Å"You know, Molly, when you bite a guy on the leg, you're right on the edge of ‘a danger to others or yourself,' you know that?† She nodded and sniffled. A tear dropped out of the mass of hair and spotted her sweater. â€Å"Before I start driving, I need to know that you're calmed down. Do I need to put you in the backseat?† â€Å"It wasn't a fit,† Molly said. â€Å"I was defending myself. He wanted a piece of me.† She lifted her head and turned to Theo, but her hair still covered her face. â€Å"Are you taking your drugs?† â€Å"Meds, they call them meds.† â€Å"Sorry,† Theo said. â€Å"Are you taking your meds?† She nodded. â€Å"Wipe your hair out of your face, Molly, I can barely understand you.† â€Å"Handcuffs, whiz kid.† Theo almost slapped his forehead: idiot! He really needed to stop getting stoned on the job. He reached up and carefully brushed her hair away from her face. The expression he found there was one of bemusement. â€Å"You don't have to be so careful. I don't bite.† Theo smiled. â€Å"Well, actually†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Oh fuck you. You going to take me to County?† â€Å"Should I?† â€Å"I'll just be back in seventy-two and the milk in my refrigerator will be spoiled.† â€Å"Then I'd better take you home.† He started the car and circled the block to head back to the Fly Rod Trailer Court. He would have taken a back way if he could, to save Molly some embarrassment, but the Fly Rod was right off Cypress, Pine Cove's main street. As they passed the bank, people getting out of their cars turned to stare. Molly made faces at them out the window. â€Å"That doesn't help, Molly.† â€Å"Fuck 'em. Fans just want a piece of me. I can give 'em that. I've got my soul.† â€Å"Mighty generous of you.† â€Å"If you weren't a fan, I wouldn't let you do this.† â€Å"Well, I am. Huge fan.† Actually, he'd never heard of her until the first time he was called to take her away from H.P.'s Cafe, where she had attacked the espresso machine because it wouldn't quit staring at her. â€Å"No one understands. Everyone takes a piece of you, then there's nothing left for you. Even the meds take a piece of you. Do you have any idea what I'm talking about here?† Theo looked at her. â€Å"I have such a mind-numbing fear of the future that the only way I can function at all is with equal amounts of denial and drugs.† â€Å"Jeez, Theo, you're really fucked up.† â€Å"Thanks.† â€Å"You can't go around saying crazy shit like that.† â€Å"I don't normally. It's been a tough day so far.† He turned into the Fly Rod Trailer Court: twenty run-down trailers perched on the bank of Santa Rosa Creek, which carried only a trickle of water after the long, dry summer. A grove of cypress trees hid the trailer park from the main street and the view of passing tourists. The chamber of commerce had made the owner of the park take down the sign at the entrance. The Fly Rod was a dirty little secret for Pine Cove, and they kept it well. Theo stopped in front of Molly's trailer, a vintage fifties single-wide with small louvered windows and streaks of rust running from the roof. He got Molly out of the car and took off the handcuffs. Theo said, â€Å"I'm going to see Val Riordan. You want me to have her call something in to the pharmacy for you?† â€Å"No, I've got my meds. I don't like 'em, but I got 'em.† She rubbed her wrists. â€Å"Why you going to see Val? You going nuts?† â€Å"Probably, but this is business. You going to be okay now?† â€Å"I have to study my lines.† â€Å"Right.† Theo started to go, then turned. â€Å"Molly, what were you doing at the Slug at eight in the morning?† â€Å"How should I know?† â€Å"If the guy at the Slug had been a local, I'd be taking you to County right now, you know that?† â€Å"I wasn't having a fit. He wanted a piece of me.† â€Å"Stay out of the Slug for a while. Stay home. Just groceries, okay?† â€Å"You won't talk to the tabloids?† He handed her a business card. â€Å"Next time someone tries to take a piece of you, call me. I always have the cell phone with me.† She pulled up her sweater and tucked the card into the waistband of her tights, then, still holding up her sweater, she turned and walked to her trailer with a slow sway. Thirty or fifty, under the sweater she still had a figure. Theo watched her walk, forgetting for a minute who she was. Without looking back, she said, â€Å"What if it's you, Theo? Who do I call then?† Theo shook his head like a dog trying to clear water from its ears, then crawled into the Volvo and drove away. I've been alone too long, he thought.

Department of Homeland Security Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Department of Homeland Security - Research Paper Example The U.S Department of Homeland Security follows the rules and regulations passed by the Congress and enacted by the President. The cabinet agency operates under the leadership of a Secretary appointed by the U.S President.Security was the fundamental reason of developing the U.S Department of Homeland Security. The agency has an ultimate vision of guaranteeing a safe, secure, and resilient homeland that is against terrorism and other potential hazards (Department of Homeland Security 1). Indeed, the agency operates under three key fundamental concepts of national homeland security strategy that include resilience, security, customs, and exchange. Furthermore, the development of the agency had five distinct homeland security missions that included securing and managing U.S borders, enhancing resilience to disasters, safeguarding and securing cyberspace, enforcing and administering U.S immigration laws as well as preventing terrorism and enhancing state security (Department of Homeland Security 1). The agency ensures that all of its regulatory initiatives comply with its guiding principles that relate to the protection of civil rights and civil liberties, integration of U.S actions, establishment of coalitions and partnerships, development of human resources, innovation, and accountability to the American citizens (Department of Homeland Security 1). The U.S Department of Homeland Security components define how the agency pursues its mission.The U.S Department of Homeland Security is currently.

Based on your tradition Christianity and the decisions you make based Essay

Based on your tradition Christianity and the decisions you make based on your values and morals, what is the proper role for YOU in your own work as a technolog - Essay Example Considering all these fact a question arises for each and every individual sooner or later, whichs what is the proper role for the citizen in the society. What should we do for to keep the environment we live in balanced, and pleasant to dwell in? Are we obliged to contribute to the society we live in? Every individual has to find his own answer, or answers for these questions. Those answers come after years of life; they are dictated by the kinds of experience the person has. Thus, in my opinion, every viewpoint, considering this question is valuable and true in some way, and we have no right to throw stones at people whose opinion is somehow different from ours. As each and every individual who dwells on our planet I have my own answer on this question. I dont consider it to be the only true, nor do I reckon it to be suitable for the majority of people in my country. My judgment on the role of the individual in the society is dictated by my social, and, what is even of greater importance, religious background. The specific of my work requires me to be aware of the reasons and principles which guide me in my decision-making process. The thing is that I am a Technology Manager responsible for the technology to support training and content management to our external and internal customers. I am one of the decision makers and I am in direct contact with senior level executives providing input and opinions on decision making. My staff consists of 8 people in which I must manage and provide strong leadership. Thus I feel I have to possess deep understanding of the principles which guide me in my work, in my decision making process, and in my relationships with the colleagues and senior executives. I feel this project can help me to have an insight into my values and beliefs; it is able to assist me in improving my decision-making and leadership skills. The thing is that the values and morals that guide me in my existence are

If You Need Love, Get a Puppy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

If You Need Love, Get a Puppy - Case Study Example Notable issues related to the Court’s accounting practices and financial reporting were identified during the audit process such as, a) misstatements and missing documents or signatures on paid receipts for misdemeanor traffic violations, and b) missing cash deposits for ticket revenues. The observed misstatements and the incorrect filing of documents are considered as immaterial since most of the inconsistencies are insignificant and unintentional. However, it is best to practice a tighter control on documentation of receipts to allow accuracy and transparency of government records. On the other hand, I found out that some payments for traffic violation tickets were marked as paid in cash in both the receipt book and on the sheriff’s computer records but do not reflect on the bank deposit. Possible explanations include the inadvertent mixing of the collections the previous day to the next transaction day due to time constraints. To correct this issue, I am recommending that the cash payments should be deposited to the bank not later than a week after the original transaction date. To properly conclude the auditing process, I will be further investigating the ticket revenue records for any missing cash deposits by vouching a bigger number of samples in the coming days. Still, I am open for clarifications and reasons behind such inconsistencies as your staff has been very helpful in providing me with necessary access to records and information to essential data. Thank you for your assistance and I please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries regarding the

I need write a letter to my parents in brazil, and explain to them Essay

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How does violent game effect to children Research Paper

How does violent game effect to children - Research Paper Example different positions and confusion over the effect of video games on children, it is lucid that results incline more on the negative than on the positive. This paper seeks to address this concern and bring out the actual issues clouding video games on the limelight. Video games have been in existence now for over fifty years. In 1952, Tic-Tac-Toe was developed by A.C. Douglas as part of a science project for his thesis, becoming the first video game to be created. Douglas used Electronic Delay Storage Automatic Computer, and emulator to construct his software, which contained 17 bits and 512 words. Still in the 1950s, William Higinbotham, a Brookhaven employee, developed an elementary game of tennis with an oscilloscope serving as its interface. At times, people refer to his game as the original version of â€Å"pong,† although it is not. Later, in the 1960s, Steve Russel, in 1962, developed Spacewar during his graduate studies. He involved several other students in his work, which later went through modifications and enhancements. His work impacted innumerous students including Nolan Bushnell. In 2010, Kirsch records a video game named Spacewar, developed in 1962, in which spaceship engaged in a fierce battle to death. Although the vide o game design was poor compared to contemporary games, the battling theme of the game has endured through several decades (Herman, Horwitz, Kent, & Miller, 2002). The development of the computer and television also impacted the development of video games greatly. In 1966, Ralph Baer assessed several methods he could use the television to act as a display mechanism for computer games he developed. He later developed and patented the first video game ever to use the television set as its display. Baer entered into a deal with Magnavox in1970 to create a video gaming console. At the same time, Nolan was also busy developing the first game ever to demand pay from gamers. He became successful with his Spacewar game project marking the

Human Resources Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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A Critique on Enlightenment philosophy - Term Paper Example In fact the process of enlightenment transforms back into what it tries to separate itself from; the myth. Theodore W. Adorno (1903-1969) was a German philosopher, sociologist and musicologist. He is recognized mostly for his critical theory of society. His work is selected for this paper as the philosopher has published books specifically focusing and critiquing the concept of enlightenment. His notable works include Dialect of Enlightenment (1947) and Negative Dialects (1966). The works of other intellects used to justify the thesis includes names like Jay M. Bernstein. In his book Adorno: Disenchantment and Ethics (2001), he gives a comprehensive view of Adorno’s aesthetics and social theory. His work is used here to understand the Adorno’s critique of enlightenment in depth. Adorno’s critique of enlightenment is not about the European Enlightenment or a specific scientific thinking. It encompasses the generalized idea of enlightenment. This way there are two fields of knowledge (thinking); before enlightenment and after it. The knowledge that existed prior to enlightenment was based on faith, intangible and uncountable aspects like myth and magic. Enlightenment is thus the opposite of mythology; the process of disenchanting and demythologizing. Most of enlightenment theories exist to negate magic and myth. The mythical way in understanding the universe involves unforeseen forces or gods. What cannot be directly comprehended by mind is left to such forces. After all, if humans cannot grasp infinity, it does not mean that it doesn’t exist. Adorno and Horkheimer give extra weightage to transcendent content, which means that what is beyond the immediate thinking (knowledge) MUST be considered. Scientific thinking relies on comprehending everything. Thus there exists an inclination of ruling out what lies beyond the immediate truth. Enlightenment does not encourage imagination for imagination can

Othello as a Tragic Hero Essay Example for Free

Othello as a Tragic Hero Essay One of the most obvious focal point of disagreement about Othello is whether Othello was a tragic hero or not according to the classic conception of a tragic hero; whether his characterization, personal attributes make him fall into the domain of Aristotelian concept of tragic hero; Whether or not he possessed a tragic flaw. To Swinburne, Othello was â€Å"the noblest man of man’s making†. (Swinburne)But T. S. Eliot, on the other hand spoke unfavorably of his â€Å"cheering himself up†, (153) and came out with a celebrated critical term â€Å"Bovarysme†. Robert H.  Heilman (1956) comes very close to restating the Eliot position when he says; â€Å"Othello is the least heroic of Shakespeare’s tragic heroes. † (p. 166) The identification of Othello’s hamartia differs from reader to reader and from critic to critic. Some critics are of the view that excessive Egotism and self-confidence of Othello remain the main cause of his tragedy. He harbors unjustified suspicions against Desdemona. He had a trustful nature and he is thorough in his trust of Iago. (Bradley, 1965. p. 213. Jealousy overpowers him and he lacks self-control. It is hardly likely that even a combination of all these would be equal to what Aristotle considered to be a serious hamartia, and he exhibited any of the failing mentioned above. It would hardly be logical to say that the Othello was punished for crime in the yes of the divine. Another view is that the present failings of Othello may be taken to means that he was he was always like that, and his tragedy comes due some inherent or innate unsoundness in his character. However we get no indication of this in the play. The conception of the tragic hero that we gather from Aristotle’s Poetics is that he is a highly esteemed and prosperous man who falls into misfortune because of some serious hamartia i. e. tragic flaw. Aristotle gives the example of Oedipus and Thyestes, which means that according to him, it was Oedipus’ hamartia that was directly responsible for his fall. Although the meaning of hamartia is far from certain, its most frequent applications is in the sense of false moral judgment, or even purely intellectual errors. Among Greeks no sharp distinction between the two existed. It is generally believed that according to Aristotle the hamartia off Oedipus consists in some moral faults and it has been tried to identify various moral faults in Oedipus. Othello also possessed these moral flaw and his tragedy only comes due to these moral flaws, So according to Aristotelian conception, Othello is a tragic hero as he is a larger than life character and has tragic flaws that bring his destruction. Distinguished Professor Butcher has identified four possible range of meaning of Aristotle‘s Hamartia i. . tragic flaw. The foremost of these connotations is an error due to unavoidable ignorance of circumstances whereas an error caused by unawareness of conditions that might have been identified and for that reason to some extent morally blameworthy is another manifestation of the sense in which the term hamartia was used by Aristotle. The third sense is â€Å"A fault or error where the act is conscious and intentional, but not deliberate. Such acts are committed in anger or passion. Where as fourth one is â€Å"A fault of character distinct, on the one hand, from an isolated error, and, on the other, from the vice which has its seat in the depraved will†¦a flaw of character that is not tainted with a vicious purpose. † This essay will try to analyze all these manifestation of tragic flaws present in the character of Othello to manifest that he was a tragic hero. The character of Othello possesses an aura of personality that makes him distinguished as well naive and unrefined as compared with other characters in the play and other Shakespearean protagonists. That is the sole reason that why he fell a prey to Iago’s plot. Iago told Roderigo, â€Å"O, sir, content you. I follow him [Othello] to serve my turn upon him (I, i lines 38-9). Iago explains that only follow Othello to certain extent. A rudimentary supposition is that as the murder of Othello’s wife Desdemona is the result of deceitfulness of Iago, so himself remained a victim to the evil genius of Iago. Othello’s wrath was a product of his impulsiveness, the inherent flaw in his character, but that was utilized and triggered by the machination of Iago. The offense of Iago to conspire the demise of the Moor is worse since it is embedded in a shrewd mind with organized attempt whereas the wrongdoing of Othello was the result of his naivete. He was blindfolded by a thorn in the heart and mind. But his sin can not be justified only on this ground as there were various methods to check the blameworthiness. However, it can be illustrated that Othello permitted himself to be influenced by Iagos proposition of the unfaithfulness of Desdemona. Iago only provides a justification that was needed by Othello. Some critics are of the view that Desdemonas murder is an outcome of Othellos excessive arrogance and his impulsiveness to decision-making. A. C. Bradley ponders over the dispositions and nature of Othello and says in this regard; â€Å"The sources of danger in this character are revealed but too clearly by the story. In the first place, Othellos mind, for all its poetry, is very simple. He is not observant. His nature tends outward. He is quite free from introspection, and is not given to reflection. Emotion excites his imagination, but it confuses and dulls his intellect. On this side he is the very opposite of Hamlet, with whom, however, he shares a great openness and trustfulness of nature. In addition, he has little experience of the corrupt products of civilised life, and is ignorant of European women. † (p. 217) Despite this major flaw, he possessed some distinct personality traits. His has the capacity to build positive and reciprocal relationships and to take a number of steps to persuade. He possesses the capability to tailor an approach to appeal to the needs of a particular audience and an example of this relationship building is his genuine companionship with Iago. But again this trait of Othello is used against him as Iago takes advantage of his trust and design more evil plots against him. Although Othello possesses some evil propensities but he is capable of preventing these base and evil instincts to dominate him. In order to locate the degree and gravity of his sins, his motives fro his evil actions must be taken into consideration. It can be argued that his sins are product of weak mental faculties and some inherent flaws in his character. It was further enhanced by the manipulation of Iago instead of his pride. His action of murdering Desdemona was also not due to deficiency of confidence as he was a strong leader as manifested by his ability to command military and various other states affairs. But his leadership does not mean that he was forfeited against personal fantasies and whims of imagination. Othello’s basic dilemma was that he was in a totally new socio-cultural milieu. He was in a new city with a new bride who was graceful and young. Furthermore, Othello was in deep love with her does not know her well. He was uncertain about Desdemona decision to select him as her husband, and can only comprehend one clarification, She lovd me for the dangers I had passd. (I,iii,167) He is aware of the prevailing environment of prejudice and bias in Venice and without doubt must inquire why Desdemona would against her own norms and values and associate white Venetians by marrying an outsider. All these added suspicion in his minds before Iago begins his conniving plot. Although Desdemona was an epitome of love and care for her, but his preconceived notions cannot enable him to believe in her love unreservedly. His response to his skeptic mind is to put Desdemona on a pedestal, making her an emblem of purity and trustworthiness Tis not to make me jealous/ To say my wife Is fair, feeds well, loves company, Is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances well. / Where virtue Is, these are more virtuous. Nor from mine own weak merits will I draw/ The smallest fear or doubt of her revolt, For she had eyes, and chose me. (3. 3. 180) Othello arrived at the conclusion that Desdemonas consideration and virtue only capacitated her to feel affection for the unlovable an unstable culmination originating from his low self-worth. When Iago cast away this fictitious idealism with his evil designs, he is merely strengthening what Othello considers profoundly to be thoroughly possible i. e. that Desdemona could love another man. Iago is on hand to verify Othellos primary doubts: Ay, theres the point! as (to be bold with you)/ Not to affect many proposed matches/ Of her own clime, complexion, and degree, / Whereto we see in all things nature tends Her will, recoiling to her better judgement,/ May fall to match you with her country forms, / And happily repent. (3. 3. 228) So all these facts, arguments and supported evidence clearly manifest that Othello was a lager than life character and his tragic flaw contributes toward his tragedy. It is both an amalgam of self-infliction and circumstances beyond his control. He is a noble character but when things go wrong and pressures builds up, Othello’s inadequacies are revealed like the cracks in the dam. This makes him a tragic hero according to very conception of Aristotle. A. C. Bradley refutes the point of view that Othello was not noble and has no characteristics of a tragic hero. He is of the view; This character is so noble, Othellos feelings and actions follow so inevitably from it and from the forces brought to bear on it, and his sufferings are so heart-rending, that he stirs, I believe, in most readers a passion of mingled love and pity which they feel for no other hero in Shakespeare, and to which not even Mr Swinburne can do more than justice. Yet there are some critics and not a few readers who cherish a grudge against him. They do not merely think that in the later stages of his temptation he showed a certain obtuseness, and that, to speak pedantically, he acted with unjustifiable precipitance and violence; no one, I suppose, denies that. (p. 221)

Richard Ramirez And The Night Stalker

Richard Ramirez And The Night Stalker In June of 1984, Richard Ramirez began his criminal career as The Night Stalker. His reign of terror, though ending just the following year, tormented the people of Los Angeles. Ramirez is a self-proclaimed Satanist and thief, but stealing cars and breaking into homes were not even close to the worst of his crimes. Ramirezs friendship with his cousin, Mike, may have been the most important relationship in his life, in that not only did he teach Richard that having fun consists of riding around, smoking marijuana, and listening to heavy-metal music, but also that drugs, violence, and sex all go together. Richard Ramirez was born in El Paso, Texas on February 29, 1960 (Richard Ramirez; The Night Stalker, n.d.). His father, Julian Ramirez, was a Mexican immigrant who worked for Santa Fe Railroad. His mother, Mercedes Ramirez, worked at a Tony Lama boot factory mixing chemicals for the boot leather (Richard Ramirez; The Night Stalker, n.d.). Fortunecity.com states, Life was not easy in the Ramirez family, but they all worked hard to make ends meet. Julian and Mercedes loved their children and provided for them to the best of their ability. The boys, who rebellious natured and hot-tempered like their father, could have benefited from more supervision, but Julian had to travel to lay track for the railroad and was away from home frequently, (Richard Ramirez; The Night Stalker, n.d., p. 2). Richard and his four brothers and sisters all experienced medical problems when they were young. Some of the difficulties are believed to be a result of the nuclear bomb tests the U.S. Government was co nducting in New Mexico in the 1950s. The fallout from these bombs was carried by wind over into El Paso, Texas (Grise, 2000, p. 1 2). Also, the fumes Mercedes inhaled while working at the boot factory may have contributed to Richards health problems. He was diagnosed with epilepsy in the fifth grade. Sometimes he would have grand mal seizures and other times he would just stare off into space as he experienced petite mal seizures, (Richard Ramirez; The Night Stalker, n.d.). Although Richard had four older siblings, he spent most of his time with his cousin, Michael. Mike was a Vietnam veteran and returned from war with not only tales of rape and murder, but also detailed polaroids as proof (Richard Ramirez; The Night Stalker, n.d.). Richard admits that he was especially sexually aroused by the photographs of the rape/murder victim that Michael showed him, (Grise, 2000, p.2). This highly successful killer and sadist took Richard under his wing and taught him how to kill and fight, (Richard Ramirez; The Night Stalker, n.d. p.2). Richard and Mike spent a great deal of time together, riding around, smoking pot, and talking about the war. In an interview Phillip Carlo conducted with Ramirez after he had been incarcerated almost nine years, Ramirez talked about the time he spent with his cousin. He said Mike had a shoebox filled with polaroids in his closet of women and girls he had raped and killed in the jungle. He told Carlo that Mike had torn off their cl othes and tied them to a tree. He raped them in front of each other and then killed them. He had pictures of them with their heads cut off. When Carlo asked if Mike had told him all of this, Richard replied, Yeah, told me all about it exactly what he did. We used to go for joy rides all around El Paso, smoke pot, listen to the radio, and he would tell me what he did with the women, (Carlo, n.d., p. 9). Ramirez goes on to say that these show-and-tell sessions heavily influenced him and that he thought about it a lot. When asked if it influenced him sexually, he responded, Fuck yeah, of course, sexually. It was all about sex, (Carlo, n.d., p. 9). In this same interview, he also says Mike taught him about how to use a knife and how to cut peoples throats. He taught him how to wear all black and avoid reflecting light when breaking into peoples houses. Eventually, Mikes wife got tired of her husband only wanting to spend time with Richard and glorify his sexual conquests and murders in Vietnam. This caused fights. One day, in the midst of one of these fights, Mike shot his wife, Jessie, in the face and killed her. Mikes two boys, ages three and six, and Richard were only a few feet away and witnessed it all. Richard admitted this had a strange effect on him. He told Carlo, I mean, to see something like that the line between life and death right there in front of me. Intense. When she went down I saw it all in slow motion, (Carlo, n.d., p. 8). When Richard turned 18, he went to Los Angeles to stay with his brother, Ruben. Ruben was addicted to heroin and also a burglar. Fortunecity.com reports, There was only one objective now stealing money to get high, (Richard Ramirez; The Night Stalker, n.d., p. 2). Richard became addicted to cocaine and started stealing cars also. He would drive around in the stolen cars looking for homes to rob. When Phillip Carlo asked Ramirez about his thoughts concerning cocaine, Richard said, I think cocaine is addictive and harmful to the bodyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Sure, its harmful, but the sense of pleasure it gives is very profound! There is nothing to me anyway, that comes near it, (Carlo, n.d., p. 5). Along with this cocaine addiction and his pride in becoming such a successful burglar, now came the Satanism. Being raised a Christian; Ramirez knew his thoughts and actions did not please God. He believed Satan would be proud of his sadistic sexual desires. When his older sister came to visit him in Los Angeles, she asked why he had chosen to worship Satan. Ramirez responded, Because Satan represents what I feel. Im not like other people. Im differentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Ive got a trade. Im a thief, Ruthie, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and a good oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Im not going to any jailà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Im protected, (Richard Ramirez, The Night Stalker, n.d., p. 4). On June 28, 1984, his burglaries turned into something far more evil, (Montaldo, n.d., p. 1). After breaking in the home of 79 year old Jennie Vincow and finding nothing valuable to steal, Ramirez became enraged. He needed money to buy more cocaine and a prostitute. He took his anger out on the sleeping woman by stabbing her repeatedly and cutting her throat. After this murder, Ramirez did not strike again for eight months. In February of 1985 he abducted two girls in separate incidents, (Richard Ramirez Night Stalker, n.d., p. 1). He raped both of these girls then dumped them out. On March 17, 1985, Ramirez jumped 22-year-old Angela Barrio outside her condo. He shot her, kicked her out of the way, and headed into her condo. Inside, was roommate, Dayle Okazaki, age 34, who Ramirez immediately shot and killed. Barrio remained alive out of pure luck. The bullet had ricocheted off the keys she held in her hands, as she lifted them to protect herself, (Montaldo, n.d., p. 1). According t o allserialkillers.com: Not long after, he pulled Tsai-Lian Yu from her car and shot her several times. She was still alive when the police got to her but died later. A few days later, he abducted and raped an eight year old girl. Then on March 27, 1985, Ramirez murdered Vincent and Maxine Zazzara. He not only shot both of them, but also stabbed Maxine and carved out her eyes. On April 14, Ramirez broke into the Doi house, shooting and killing William Doi and beating his wife Lillie. Richards crime spree continued. In May, he beat 84-year-old Mabel Bell and 81-year-old Florence Lang and scratched satanic symbols over them. They were not found until two days later, and Bell later died. He cut Patty Higgins throat in June and, only two miles away, did the same thing to Mary Cannon in July. About a week later, Ramirez beat a 61-year-old to death in her home. On July 20, Ramirez killed Chainaroung Khovanath. Next, he beat and raped his wife. Not content with that he took their eight-yea r-old son into the next room with a bottle of baby oil. Mrs. Khovanath was forced to listen as Ramirez raped him, then he stole about $30,000 in cash and jewelry, (Richard Ramirez Night Stalker, n.d., p. 1). Max and Leta Kneiding were shot and killed in their home. In August, he attacked Christopher and Virginia Peterson, but did not kill them. A few days later, he killed Elyas Abowath and savagely beat his wife, Sakina. On August 17, Richard committed his only murder outside of Los Angeles. He shot and killed Peter Pan in San Francisco; and although beaten and shot, Peters wife, Barbara, survived her attack. Her description of the attacker matched the description of other survivors. The murderer was named The Night Stalker by the media. A week later, Ramirez shot William Carns in the head three times and raped his fiancà ©e, Inez Erickson. In the end, Ramirezs fingerprint was taken off an abandoned stolen car identified by Inez Erickson, and his picture was on the front page of t he paper. He was spotted by a customer in a local liquor store, and chased and beaten by local thugs (Richard Ramirez Night Stalker, n.d., p. 1) Richard was arrested for 13 murders, five attempted murders, six rapes, three lewd acts on children, two kidnappings, three acts of forced oral copulation, four counts of sodomy, five robberies, and 14 burglaries. At his trial, Richard inscribed a pentagon on his left palm and showed it to photographers. He also made devils horns with his fingers (Schechter and Everitt, 1996, p. 249). He was convicted on 46 of these counts at 2:20 p.m. on September 20th, 1989, in a Los Angeles county courtroom in California. He was subsequently given a death sentence on October 3rd of that same year, (Grise, n.d., p. 1). He is now on death row at San Quentin State Penitentiary, where he has even gotten married! According to Schmalleger (2009), Social learning theory says that all behaviour is learned in much the same way and that crime, like other forms of behaviour is also learned, (p. 300). Richard learned a lot from his cousin, Mike. According to this theory, Richard learned from an early age that sex, drugs, and violence go together and create intense pleasure. Differential identification theory is an extension of social learning theory and is defined as, An explanation for crime and deviance that holds that people pursue criminal behaviour to the extent that they identify themselves with real or imaginary people from whose perspective their criminal or deviant behaviour seems acceptable, (Schmalleger, 2009, p.302). Daniel Glaser said that through this process, people develop a personal identification with criminals. Richard Ramirez definitely developed a relationship with his cousin, Mike. He taught Richard how to perfect his burglaries, and Richards killings emulated the photographs s hown to him by Mike of his rapes and murders in Vietnam. He learned a great deal from Mike and then later turned to Satanism as a result of his evil thoughts and desires. Richards crimes began as instrumental crimes in that they were goal-oriented. He broke into homes to steal because he needed money to buy hotel rooms, drugs, and prostitutes. He then began raping and murdering with no other motive than he simply enjoyed these acts. What caused Richard Ramirez, a.k.a. The Night Stalker, to torture, rape, and murder men, women, girls, and boys in 1984 and 1985? I think it is a combination of learned aggression from his father, drug addiction, the positive associations his cousin taught him between violence and sex, and his personal thoughts about Satan. Whether or not his actions were influenced by any biological forces, we will never know. But, the impact his cousin had on his criminal career cannot b denied. Would Ramirez still have committed all those crimes had Mike not invested so much time in boasting of his sexual conquests and killings to Richard? We will also never know. What we do know is The Night Stalkers crimes cannot be forgotten, and if his appeals are denied, Richard Ramirez will be put to death. Then he just might get his wish: To obtain the most honorable place at Satans table.