Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Cuban Missile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cuban Missile - Essay Example John F. Kennedy was the US president during this time of crisis. He therefore had to make swift moves to avoid going into war with the Soviet Union. As Robert Kennedy and Arthur Jr. Schlesinger portray in their book In Thirteen Days, they applaud John F. Kennedy for the way in which he handled the crisis.Kennedy’s team of Executive Committee of the National Security Council (ExComm) congregated and deliberated on different ways to deal with the crisis. As Robert puts it, they considered several options. The first one was invading Cuba, option two was ordering air strikes with the intention of taking out the missile areas, the other option was imposing a blockade around Cuba. This was aimed at keeping out the undelivered missiles. The fourth option they considered was presenting a private ultimatum to Nikita Khrushchev and in the event that the missiles were not removed, then a military action was to be taken. The fifth and the last option was to present some offer of trade for the missiles in Cuba and those in Turkey.The fifth option was fronted and therefore at the heart of the crisis Kennedy’s administration agreed to withdraw or remove the US missile s from the republic of Turkey and in exchange the Soviet Union was to also remove their nuclear forces from Cuba. The US central concession handled the matter in secret unlike the Soviet who came out in public. The US thought that the idea of withdrawing from the republic of Turkey would have seen the administration that was in place as weak.

Monday, October 28, 2019

Steel Economics Commentary Essay Example for Free

Steel Economics Commentary Essay Around the world, steel suppliers are cutting production levels as demand for the commodity is rapidly decreasing. Due to the recent global recession, people are delaying buying cars and houses, both of which are products that are predominantly made of steel. More specifically, ArcelorMittal, the worlds largest steel producer will be cutting production by more than 30% in Europe and U.S.A, resulting in an estimated $2.5 billion loss in the fourth quarter. Companies like Steel Authority of India Ltd. were forced to reduce their prices by 6000 rupees ($126) a ton in order to increase demand for the commodity, as people do not have the money to buy steel anymore. The extent of this issue has risen to the point where some steel producers are temporarily shutting down factories, and stopping the purchase of raw slabs of steel, like ThyssenKrupp AG, who is Germanys biggest producer. Thus, as a result of the leftward shift in demand for steel, due to reduced consumer incomes, supply has been forced to the right. Price Quantity Due to the decreased demand for steel, there is an excess amount of the commodity (Homogenous goods that are raw materials in critical industries)1. One solution for dealing with this excess amount of steel is by controlling supply (the quantity of goods and services that producers are willing and able to produce for a given time period, ceteris paribus)2 to fit the new level of demand (the quantity of goods and services that consumers are willing and able to buy at all prices, for a given time period, ceteris paribus)3, which some large firms, like ArcelorMittal, are already doing. Although, another solution for steel producers is to manufacture the commodity at the same level at which they were before the global recession, and store the surplus product until the demand and price of steel rise. This solution is based around a buffer stock scheme (A form of intervention to try to stabilize the price of a commodity. Stocks of the commodity are kept and sold when the price is high to try to reduce it. When the price is low further stocks of the commodity are bought)4. The marginal social benefits (incremental benefit of an activity as viewed by the society and expressed as the sum of marginal external benefit and marginal private benefit)5 of implementing a buffer stock scheme would be price stability, and economic growth. By storing the extra steel, if in the future, when the world comes out of the recession, there would ever be a shortage (which would result in high prices and lower demand), prices would stabilize as the large firms would then be able to sell the stored steel back into the market. This would not only benefit consumers, as the price of steel would lower, but also firms, as the quantity demanded for steel would go up (resulting in a rightward shift of the demand curve), due to the previous deliberate increase in quantity supplied thus creating more revenue. Price Output Also, since the demand for steel will eventually rise, and the firms will have a plentiful amount of it stored, steel producers will be able to make a greater profit off the commodity, as compared to the present situation where the steel is being sold for much less than its actual value. This will result in economic growth for steel companies, and the world, as people will start to invest in these companies again, due to the ready amount of steel on the market. These advantages, price stability and future economic growth, both contribute to a firms main goal, to maximize revenue. In conclusion, the marginal social costs (the cost incurred by both the firm and society in producing each extra unit of a good)6 of setting up a buffer stock scheme would be, the hefty amount of start-up capital, the costs of storage, and the fear of scare buyers when the recession ends. Although these MSCs are all major financial concerns, the MSBs outweigh them, as people will be eager to invest in the steel companies, buy new houses and cars, and begin new construction projects (eliminates the fear of scarce buyers). These actions all require steel, meaning thereby that the total revenue generated through this surplus of steel will be greater than the start-up capital, and the storage costs. 1 Notes: Commodity Markets 29th September, 2008 2 Notes: The law of Supply September 24th, 2008 3 Notes The Law of Demand: September 17th 2008 4http://www.bized.co.uk/cgi-bin/glossarydb/browse.pl?glostopic=0glosid=1121 5 http://www.bized.co.uk/cgi-bin/glossarydb/browse.pl?glostopic=1glosid=653 6 http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/marginal-social-benefit.html

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Media Control Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive TV Ads Essays

Media Control In the United States, most of us probably feel that we live in a relatively free environment. We are proud to live in a country in which we are supposedly given the freedom of choice. We are proud of our freedom to voice our opinions. We feel no pressure to conform, but we do every day in ways that we are completely unaware of. We are oblivious to the messages we are constantly receiving from the media, messages that tell us how we should think, feel, and act, and this oblivion makes us all the more vulnerable. In the U.S., the average person sees 25,000 commercials a year. These commercials are not just advertising a product. They are also advertising the values and lifestyles that surround it. Take, for example, our countries burst of patriotism after the September 11th attacks. Soon after the attacks, the cover model of Vogue appeared on the November issue wearing an American flag T-shirt, and a page of the magazine was dedicated to advertising the new style of â€Å"chic, patriotic† clothing. Television commercials as well have taken a turn towards patriotism, some in very subtle ways. It seems that many ads now emphasize families, comfort, sentimentality, and security, things that are desired by many U.S. citizens after the attacks. Through indirect messages, ads not only promise these things to those who purchase their products, they also promote these desires and feelings, wrapping us all up in warm, patriotic comfort instead of encouraging any kind of critical thinking or exa mination of the issue at hand. Few of us are safe exempt from receiving these messages, as 98% of all homes in America own a TV set, and the average person spends four hours a day watching it. Unfortunately, it isn’t just the c... ...dcasters, which is paramount†. By law television broadcasters are obligated to â€Å"serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity† and broadcast programs that inform communities on local, national, and global issues from diverse perspectives. The ideal media would reflect the interest of the entire population, not just an elite few. There are already many independent news sources though they reach a significantly smaller audience than the mainstream media. If we could turn the media so that it works for the people it could be an amazingly useful tool for informing and educating the public on vitally important issues that do not currently receive enough attention. As Lester Brown, author of the State of the World book series says, â€Å"The communications industry is the only instrument that has the capacity to educate on a scale that is needed in the time available.†

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Are Human Innately Evil Essay

Humans are not born innately good or evil; they are born without knowledge of good or evil but with an innate need for survival. If you look at babies, they are innately very selfish, that is their nature. They have survival instincts, and all they care about is getting as much food as they can so they can survive. But does that make them evil? No. Most kids grow to be innately good adults, and it’s a small minority who grow into being â€Å"evil† adults. I would argue that it is most likely something that happens in a child’s development that causes them to be â€Å"evil† and that no one is born â€Å"evil. Humans are born blank slates but with an innate need for survival. In the short story â€Å"The Metaphor† by Budge Wilson Miss Hancock and Charlotte were shaped by society. Miss Hancock was overenthusiastic and flamboyant natured teacher who was loved by her class. She is an innately good adult. She was shaped by society to be a good and fun loving person. Charlotte was in Miss Hancock’s class, and she was a bright student who was not afraid to express her opinion because of the friendly environment her class had. Charlotte also had a mother who you could say is innately evil. Charlotte could have been an evil person too if it was not for Miss Hancock who influenced Charlotte to become good. This shows us that’s humans are born as blank slates and it is their surroundings that shape them into becoming who they are. Charlotte is a prime example of this. Charlotte was born as a blank slate and could have become good or evil. In conclusion this shows that humans can be influenced to become good or evil. In the short story â€Å"The Portable Phonograph† by Walter Van Tilburg Clark Dr.  Jenkins is shaped by the world war that has destroyed much of the earth’s habitat and killed many people. Dr. Jenkins feels the need to protect everything he has because they are the last of their kind in this world. Throughout the story the musician seemed very intrigued by the phonograph. Dr. Jenkins believed that the musician would try to steal the phonograph and Dr. Jenkins then becomes a defensive man. When all the men leave Dr. Jenkins hears a coughing sound outside his house. â€Å"He heard what he had been listening for, a sound of suppressed coughing. † This causes Dr. Jenkins to hide the phonograph and sleep with a lead pipe in his bed to protect himself and the phonograph. Dr. Jenkins changes from a kind, generous man who is trying to spread hope, to a defensive man, who is relying on one of his most primitive instincts; protectiveness. Dr. Jenkins was born as a blank slate, as all humans are, and likely being raised in a good environment during his childhood made him an innately good adult. Then after the war he changed into a defensive man. He was not necessarily evil as he did not want to hurt the musician but only wanted to protect his belongings. This story showed us that there are many things that can change you; however your main characteristics that you develop through your childhood stand out the most. From being born as a neutral human your childhood is where you become good or evil. In the short story the â€Å"Possibility of evil† by Shirley Jackson Miss Strangeworth was born a blank slate, but to keep evil out of her town she was forced to become â€Å"evil†. It was her surroundings that changed her from being neutral or being good to becoming â€Å"evil. She had to write poison pen letters to warn people and these letters sometimes ended up hurting people. From our point of view she was evil but from Miss Strangeworth’s point of view she was good. She was trying to get rid of evil in her town and trying to help others. â€Å"Mr. Lewis would have never imagined for a minute that his grandson might be lifting petty cash from the store register if he had not had one of Miss Strangeworth’s letters. † Miss Strangeworth was not innately evil or innately good she was neutral until her surroundings made her evil. She was a product of her surroundings.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Whitman’s I Sing the Body Electric

Was it doubted that those who corrupt their own bodies conceal themselves;† Whitman's use of an interrogative tone here shows that he believes any corruption of the body is to cover up a deeper issue. Eating disorders are about deeper issues, not actually having much to do with food or weight; those things are merely a distraction from the issues buried under disordered behaviors. Other types of corruption during Whitman's time might have been premarital sex leading to pregnancy, sexual encounters with the same sex, and alcoholism. All of these are ways to have a â€Å"voice† without actually speaking.I believe that Whitman recognized using the body as an instrument of communication was a popular technique utilized by many, including himself. Whitman had a long term affair with a man, and to some he thus corrupted his body. As shown by the letters during a presentation in class, he concealed this relationship to anyone who inquired about his sexuality. The following line s speak just as strongly as the first. In my treatment center we learned that without proper care of the body, all other parts of one's being cease to exist entirely.Indeed â€Å"if the body [is] not the soul, what is the soul? † is a question I asked myself in many forms, many times. The body is the temple in which the soul, chakras, mind, intelligence, emotions, and lifeblood reside. No soul is unattached to the body. I believe that as a writer Whitman connected with his soul on a different level through his words. I have felt this connection myself when writing poetry regarding my eating disorder. Whitman's ability to write allowed him to see his body as neither male nor female , thus allowing him to see what the body is truly capable of.The body is simply a vessel that moves, breathes, eats, and sleeps. However, in Whitman's words, the body is the soul; it is something that can be corrupted or worshiped. â€Å"All things please the soul, but [the contact and odor of men and women] please the soul well. † The treatment ot a body as neither male nor temale is what is g tor the soul, according to Whitman. A body is not worthy of treating well because it has the anatomy of a male or the anatomy of a female; if the body is the soul, as Whitman says, then the body is deserving of being treated well, period.The treatment of the ody is something that is holistic, not Just a matter of treating the body with food or treating the soul with meditation. My recovery is not Just about eating the proper amount of fruits, vegetables, starches, proteins, and fats. It is also about doing what is good for my soul, and that is what Whitman means by that line. Any corruption of the body, whether it malnourishment, sexual exploitation, or anything else capable of corrupting the vessel itself, must be cured holistically. Overall, Whitman makes a claim about the body that is indeed pertinent to the present.The body is â€Å"electric† in all that it contains. T he body is more than Just skin and bone. In the words of Whitman, â€Å"O I these are not the parts and poems of the body only, but of the soul,] O I say now these are the soul! † He concludes with his notion that the body is the soul. I believe that I agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment; without acknowledging my soul, the recovery of my body would have never been possible to discontinue corrupting my body, thus discontinuing concealing myself. Recognizing my soul as intertwined with the body helped me have the most holistic recovery possible.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Asexual Propagation Lab Report essays

Asexual Propagation Lab Report essays Most people are unaware, but there is a way to actually produce a virtually identical twin of a plant without reproduction and without purchase of seeds or another plant. The process is know as Asexual Propagation and can be used to manipulate your garden or greenhouse. The process involves the use of cuttings from the original plant in order to propagate another plant asexually, or without the use of reproduction. There are certain materials that are necessary in order to complete Asexual Propagation. These materials are one plastic flat, potting media, hand clippers, a ruler, peat cups, and the following plants: Hibiscus/Hibiscus roseus (1 tip, 1 stem), Vicks Plant/Plectranthus tomentosa (1 tip, 1 stem), Spider Plant/Chlorophytum comosum (1 cutting), Umbrella Plant/Cyperus alternifolius (2 cuttings), Snake Plant/Sansevieria trifasciata (6 cuttings), Peperomia/Peperomia obtusifolia (1 cutting), Jade/Crassula argentea (2 stem, 1 leaf), Weeping Fig/Ficus benjamina (1 tip, 1 stem), Mother of Thousands/Byrophyllum spp. (1 plantlet), Lantana/Lantana camerii (1 tip, 1 stem), Wandering Traveler/Zebrina pendula (2 tips, 2 stems), Begonia/Begonia semperflorens (1 tip, 1 stem), Swedish Ivy/Plectranthus australis (1 tip, 1 stem). *Note: Tip cuttings were taken below any node of a section that still contained and apical meristem; whereas, the stem cuttings were taken below a node of a section that no longer contained an apical meristem. Leaf cuttings were taken at the point at which the petiole joins the stem, and plantlets There were a number of methods that were taken during the Asexual Propagation experiment. First of all, we took the appropriate cuttings of the aforementioned plants using the hand clippers. Secondly, we prepared the potting media inside the plastic flat. Next, we planted the cuttings inside the flat. Three of the Snake Plant cuttings were planted upside down, and one of the Umbrella plant cuttings was also...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Boys Dont Cry1 essays

Boys Dont Cry1 essays During ones existence, new discoveries about ones self tend to occur. One of these discoveries is identity: who we are and what we really want to be. Teena Brandon, a.k.a. Brandon Teena, goes through this tough time in the movie Boys Dont Cry. As you will see, self-identity is not an easy thing to figure out. In the movie Boys Dont Cry, Teena Brandon was born a girl. As she grew older she changed. She felt as if she was really to be a guy. She proceeded to make herself look like a male by cutting her hair shorter, wrapping an ace bandage tightly around her breasts, and putting a sock in her groin area. Everyone she met saw and believed she was a guy. No one knew the truth. She then got mixed in with a new group of people and fell in love with a female named Lana. She gets very close to Lana. During this John and Tom, who are friends of Lana and her mother discover who Brandon really was. They proceeded to rape and beat her. Then they later killed her after they found out she reported the rape to the police. The movie does a very good job of exploring identity. It does it by showing how difficult it is for some people to figure out what and who they are and the pain they go through. For instance, Brandon got along with John, Tom, Candace and Lanas mom in the beginning. They accepted her when they thought she was a he. When they found out that he was really a she, they despised her and called her a lesbian and a freak. It also does a good job of showing how Lana was also confused about who she was. Lana became very attached to Brandon. Even after she found out that Brandon was a girl, she still felt the same love. This is why many people who are confused about their identity keep it inside because theyre scared of what people will think and what people will do to them. It is a very frustrating but at the same time helpful process. Identity can be a struggle for not only th...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

9 Ways To Avoid Being The Office Jerk

9 Ways To Avoid Being The Office Jerk We all have crazy coworkers- and that’s not even counting the guys going AWOL on the printer in an abandoned field. But you don’t have to be the office psycho to make an enemy of yourself at work. Here are nine things not to do on the job- or really ever.1. Don’t lieEven if it’s a little white lie with good intentions, it can easily get out of hand. Getting caught up in a lie, however, will only make it harder for your coworkers to trust you†¦ and for you to respect yourself.2. Don’t gossipBut†¦ work is dull, and that secret is just so juicy Still,  hold on to your schadenfreude and keep quiet about your coworkers’ misery. You won’t hurt anybody’s feelings, and no one will think you’re a spiteful grump.3. Don’t  be a downerEverybody hates their job a little- at least once in a while. But don’t be the one who’s constantly complaining. It’s a bummer and will bring the whole group do wn, plus it will make you look like a total downer. Remember how replaceable you are!4. Don’t ExplodeNo, seriously. We all want to go AWOL on the printer. Or occasionally even our boss. Before you pick up that stapler to hurl it at your coworker, remember: it might make you feel better, but it’s really just an easy way to get fired. Once you become the office crazy person, there’s no coming back.5. Don’t  hog all the creditEven if you feel you did the lion’s share, taking credit for someone else’s work or ideas is just a jerk move, plain and simple. Keep it classy, and focus on what you can accomplish.6. Don’t bragPlaying it cool is the strongest possible move when you’ve done something excellent. Give the impression that you’re that good all the time, rather than crowing about every small success.7. Don’t  backstabBe sensitive to the climate you work in, and the hierarchy. Don’t go over anybody’ s head or talk about anyone behind their back. (And just hope your coworkers do you the same courtesy.)8. Don’t  eat gross stuffNo, really. That leftover flounder your boyfriend made you is just going to stink up the microwave, the kitchenette, your cubicle, and the entire office. Don’t be the one who brings in smelly leftovers and makes everybody nauseous. If you wouldn’t eat it on an airplane, don’t bring it into work.9. Don’t burn bridgesEven if you do have to peace out, resist the urge to do it in dramatic fashion. You’re invariably hurting your coworkers more than your boss, and you never know when you might need the connections you have made.These sound like outrageous behaviors, but it’s quite easy to be driven to them gradually. So check your ego, stay calm, and make sure to keep your head above the fray.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Biological basis of schizophrenia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Biological basis of schizophrenia - Essay Example This paper will discuss the biological basis of schizophrenia and what has led to that belief. Schizophrenia is a complex debilitating psychotic disorder that involves a disconnection between thought and language. It affects, thoughts, feeling, perceptions, and overall behavior. The usual onset is age 17 to 25. 90% of those that are being treated are 15-55. Onset before 10 and after 60 is rare (Porth & Matfin, 2008). Recent research and data present a complex image of a brain dysfunction with alterations in anatomic structures as well as protein synthesis and functional disturbances. Some of the manifestations include incomprehensible speech, delusions, hallucinations, and sometimes catatonic behavior. It is thought that sounds and color are more vivid and louder to these patients (Porth, et.al., 2008). There is paranoia as they believe people are watching them or out to get them. Though the studies following show some research into the neurophysiology of schizophrenic symptoms, it is still virtually unknown what the pathogenesis is. It is known from the imaging techniques being used that there are abnormalities in the construction of the brain but how do those abnormalities relate to the psychological issues. This is still unknown. It will be important to discern at what age this disease begins to manifest itself. One of the studies noted leads the researcher to believe that it may be a manifestation of development in uterus and not occur post partum. Young children are not often scanned so it is not known for sure (Porth, 2008). It is known, however, that adolescents who have a strong family history and who have been scanned do have the larger ventricles shown in a parental scan. Treatment at this time has not changed much though future study may change that. Presently the goal of treatment is still to attempt to induce remission, and improve behavior and c ognitive function. Outcomes from the illness are improved and some

Embraer Company(Brazil Company) BRICS, Why should invest Essay

Embraer Company(Brazil Company) BRICS, Why should invest - Essay Example Different investment appraisal techniques would be applied on the forecasted financial statements of the company and then the company would be evaluated for the purpose of investment. Some of the investment appraisal techniques that have been used to analyse the company’s performance are: Net present value of the future cash flows, internal rate of return, Benefit to cost ratio, Profitability Index, and average accounting rate of return. These techniques have been used to analyse whether the company is a good option to invest or not. The expected net income has been discounted with the estimated growth of the company. Expected growth has been calculated from the growth the company achieved from its sales of last complete year i.e. sales of year 2010 and sales of year 2011 have been used to calculate the estimated growth. It has been found from the financials of the company that the company has been making an investment every year. The investment made by the company has been varying since 2007 and therefore average of the investment of the company has been taken and the same amount or the average amount has been assumed to occur in the years to come. The average investment made by the company is found to be $376.33 million (Embraer d, 2012). As the net present value of the future cash flows is positive therefore according to the NPV, one should invest in the company. However, NPV is not very high but even positive NPV investment opportunity is worth investing as it would have a higher return in future. Internal rate of return is rate of return where the future value of the cash flows is equal to 0. Internal rate of return of future cash flows is 82.37% and this is the rate where the future cash flows after being discounted are showing an NPV of 0 (Gitman, 2003). As the value of IRR is 82.37% which is more than the growth

Friday, October 18, 2019

Birthing Environments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Birthing Environments - Essay Example The design of the birth environment has remained a great concern in the society right from the olden days when maternity hospitals were scarce and unpopular for many societies in the world. The essence of this paper is to evaluate the social and cultural aspects associated with childbirth as a normal life event and to which these aspects are integrated while designing the physical birth environment. Childbirth as an ordinary life event has a great significance in all societies of the world because it provides the society with the capacity to propagate its generations into the future. Even long before the invention of medicine, earlier generations regarded childbirth as a sensitive and attention-demanding process that required proper preparation right from the pregnancy period up to the moment of child delivery. In fact, the modern design of physical child birth environment has borrowed a lot of its features from the traditional practices. Emphasis of nursing care during childbirth to day can be perceived as an improved version of mid-wifely that was common in the past and is still persistent today in some cultures. Although medical practice has refined the childbirth process, there is still much that remains unsatisfying among many women who still feel the need for improvement of the design of the birth environment. Even with the introduction of maternity facilities in the medical sector, women are still yet to be contented with the birth environment provided in these hospital facilities (Squire, 2009). The social and cultural aspects of childbirth define the ideal environment that birthing should take place. While the older generations experienced home birth, currently a great number of women populations receives medical pregnancy care and deliver on the maternal environment. For instance, Australia recorded 0.2% home births among all women who delivered in 2004, while the rest delivered maternity care units in the country (Foureur, Leap, & Homer, 2013). Whethe r childbirth occurs at home or in the hospital, the serenity and the conduciveness of the environment during this process will determine the comfort that the woman receives while delivering. For instance, the privacy and freedom of the woman during the process are paramount and in some extent determines the ease of delivery. The environment, to some extent, determines the nature of the birth process, whether natural or caesarean. In this view, the physical environment where a woman delivers affects the ease of the process, comfort and care that are available for a woman to deliver successfully. The cultural perspective of child birth is historical and varies from society one society to another, but it is indisputable that each society accords great significance to the process. For instance, in the Hawaiian society, the birthing stones provided a physical environment for birth among Wahianas. In this society, childbirth was a process that started right from the time a woman became pr egnant and ended when the baby was delivered. The cultural significance that this society attached to the entire process emanates from equal importance that is accorded to the child that is delivered in the process. The Wahianas believed that Kukaniloko was a birth environment who those children who had a spiritual tie

Personal Report for Financial Services Term Paper

Personal Report for Financial Services - Term Paper Example One of the services offered by Qatar National Bank is debit cards financial service through three client segments. Debit card is a service offered to the cardholders to access the financial services electronically in making purchase payments instead of using cash. Qatar National Bank has come up with a debit card that allows the cardholders to make purchases in 200 countries and over 24 million business outlets globally. In addition, the cardholders are able to access cash in all MasterCard ATMs worldwide (QNB, 2014). The debit cards are segmented into MasterCard titanium visa gold for clients with a maximum salary of 15,000 Qatari, MasterCard visa platinum for clients with a salary exceeding 15,000 Qatari but less than 35,000 Qatari and a MasterCard visa infinite for clients with a salary of 35,000 Qatari. Similarly, Qatar National Bank offers credit cards service to its clients through three platforms that include life reward credit card, Qatar Airways credit card and Qtel Nojoom credit card (QNB, 2014). The credit card service allows the clients to make purchases of goods and services through borrowed money from the bank on a promise to pay back. Consequently, Qatar National Bank has created an account that allows the credit card holders to borrow money in making payments and accessing cash advances. Current account is another financial service that is offered by Qatar National Bank. A current account allows the clients to deposit and withdraw money without limitations. The bank allows both residents and nonresidents of Qatar to open the account. To make the account attractive to investors, the account holders are issued with free check books, debit cards, transfer of internal funds, monthly statements, and SMS banking services (QNB, 2014). Business banking service is also a financial service that is offered by the bank. This involves providing innovative value added services and products, and business financial services that promote commercial

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Compare and contrast the education systems of the UK and other country Essay

Compare and contrast the education systems of the UK and other country - Essay Example School terms are similar. Both are divided in three terms, but they differ in terms of school year openings. School year in UK starts in September and ends in July. Each term has a break of few weeks, while the third term has two months vacation. The centralized system of curriculum is observed to both countries with certain dissimilarities in content. In UK, Emphasis of teaching in infant school is on reading, painting and practical lessons. At this stage children learn to read, write and count. As they move to junior level, they learn English, Math, science and technology, geography, and religion. They also learn about environment, art, music and P.E. At age 11, students go to junior level of a comprehensive school. At age 16, sixty percent of the children are ready to move to further education. All junior level students are qualified to enter FE level wherein they could enrol in vocational or academic, although this is no longer obligatory courses. FE courses prepare them for future employment. In Japan, the elementary school curriculum emphasizes study of Japanese, social studies, mathematics, science, music, arts and handicraft, and physical education. This is the stage where much emphasis and time is devoted to music, fine arts and curriculum. Japan introduced in its education system the promotion of respect for individuals, whereupon it was started in 1957 in elementary schools (Nemoto, Y. 1999) Students are required to practice moral education in their daily interactions in school and routine activities of cleaning and lunch, 2007. In high school Heirarchy and peer relations are intense and observed at this point. The method of teaching in Japan is very much different from UK in that they are concerned with developing the whole being of the child. Teachers consider it their duty to teach them with polite manners, personal hygiene,

Civilian Conservation Corps Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Civilian Conservation Corps - Research Paper Example With the value of stocks plummeting, numerous Americans faced the possibility of living in poverty. Furthermore, a huge number of employees were laid off (Otis 3). Facing harsh difficulties like diseases, poverty, and hunger, numerous Americans became more and more hopeless and anxious in the 1930’s. Various suggestions for beating the depression were given. However, President Herbert Hoover, who strongly embraced the principle of laissez-faire, chose to forgo government intervention. Hence, millions of Americans were already jobless by 1932 (Pasquill 28). It was immediately before the forthcoming election that the dynamic and vigorous Franklin Delano Roosevelt completely took part in politics and lifted up the hopes of the American people. He was a remarkable orator and activist and most of all, an honorable and dependable man that the American people had faith in. Numerous conservation projects were initiated throughout the Great Depression, to generate jobs for the jobless. President Franklin Roosevelt established the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in 1933 as a component of the New Deal plan. The CCC recruited jobless young males for public conservation tasks and offered training and jobs. This research paper discusses the purpose and outcome of the Civilian Conservation Corps. ... rk, not interfering with normal employment, and confining itself to forestry, the preservation or soil erosion, flood control and similar projects† (Otis 6). The president believed that paid employment was more desired than dole out. He could also help jobless people get out of harmful environments and enhance their physical and spiritual wellbeing: â€Å"We can eliminate to some extent at least the threat that enforced idleness brings to spiritual and moral stability. It is not a panacea for all unemployed but it is an essential step in this emergency† (Pasquill 1). Moreover, the project was a specific answer to the worries of officials about the risks of inactive, unemployed youths. These officials claimed that if they make these young males occupied with tasks, it would discourage these young males from getting involved in criminal activities. It seems successful, as several authorities attribute the lowering of crime rates to the CCC (Pasquill 1-3). Recruitment and o rganization were easy. Eligible CCC aspirants have to be unmarried men between ages 18 and 25. Past that, they simply had to be healthy and unable to get by without a job. Roughly 250,000 CCC workers were organized in camps (Otis 10). Unfortunately, keeping these recruits became more difficult. The young males were maintained on a volunteer status. If they felt that the job was not suited for them, they would simply run off (Otis 13). Desertion was a major difficulty. The U.S. Army was tasked to construct and supervise the camps that accommodated the CCC workers. Life in the camps was highly organized. The CCC workers are roused by trumpet calls every morning, and the workers had to form a line and be on the dot for meals. The CCC started providing education courses in these camps by 1932 (Sanders 38).

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Compare and contrast the education systems of the UK and other country Essay

Compare and contrast the education systems of the UK and other country - Essay Example School terms are similar. Both are divided in three terms, but they differ in terms of school year openings. School year in UK starts in September and ends in July. Each term has a break of few weeks, while the third term has two months vacation. The centralized system of curriculum is observed to both countries with certain dissimilarities in content. In UK, Emphasis of teaching in infant school is on reading, painting and practical lessons. At this stage children learn to read, write and count. As they move to junior level, they learn English, Math, science and technology, geography, and religion. They also learn about environment, art, music and P.E. At age 11, students go to junior level of a comprehensive school. At age 16, sixty percent of the children are ready to move to further education. All junior level students are qualified to enter FE level wherein they could enrol in vocational or academic, although this is no longer obligatory courses. FE courses prepare them for future employment. In Japan, the elementary school curriculum emphasizes study of Japanese, social studies, mathematics, science, music, arts and handicraft, and physical education. This is the stage where much emphasis and time is devoted to music, fine arts and curriculum. Japan introduced in its education system the promotion of respect for individuals, whereupon it was started in 1957 in elementary schools (Nemoto, Y. 1999) Students are required to practice moral education in their daily interactions in school and routine activities of cleaning and lunch, 2007. In high school Heirarchy and peer relations are intense and observed at this point. The method of teaching in Japan is very much different from UK in that they are concerned with developing the whole being of the child. Teachers consider it their duty to teach them with polite manners, personal hygiene,

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Reason for the Shift from Transactional To Relationship Marketing Essay

The Reason for the Shift from Transactional To Relationship Marketing - Essay Example This paper illustrates that strategies harnessed by relationship marketers to achieve their goals include focussing on retaining customers and long-term view of business relations as shown by Jaguar Land Rover Plc, focus on providing value to the customers as depicted by Mercedes-Benz, emphasizes on the provision of great service to clients as depicted at Starbucks. There is also an emphasis on quality relationships and customer contact through social media, email and text messages with this strategy exemplified by Starbucks and Costa Coffee. Business to business (B2B) approach of relationship marketing between one firm to another and focuses on the features of the product and there is the lack or very little personal emotion between the representatives of the two organizations involved. The operational guidelines of the business are the main emphasis for understanding through searching more information on the organization, and there is the requirement for marketing to be in-depth in business to business marketing. The effectiveness of marketing is dependent on the ability of the product to save time, resources, and money. On the other hand, relationship marketing approaches on business to consumer is giving a focus on product benefits and decisions have the personal emotional attachment. The message has to be short and less informed, focus on product benefits, and getting right to the point. Purchasing decisions by consumers base more on emotion.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Leonard Michaels in Murderers Essay Example for Free

Leonard Michaels in Murderers Essay â€Å"I was not a happy teen. I’d never write about being happy†, were the exact words written by Leonard Michaels, a novelist, short story writer, critic, and professor, in his published diaries. He did go through with his word. Every single one of his works revolved on unique personal sadness, including his famous work, and the center of this paper, â€Å"Murderers†. Michaels’ style of writing was greatly influenced by his personal experiences. Being born on Polish immigrants and being raised on the Lower East Side of New York, you could expect something of a dramatic and inappropriate childhood setting with his daily life. The story was written in a terse, direct way, and surprisingly, for something too tragic, very specific. The readers could expect to be taken by melancholy, bleakness, and despair for his style is quite effective to his audience. His tone, grammar and usage of imagery revealed too much of him that he ultimately made his presence known in his work. His vocabulary has a trace of the 1940’s expressions, since the setting was exactly where he grew up. His sentences oftentimes are both astonishing and illuminating, like the way his characters just shrugged off someone’s death in front of their eyes. It, in a way, revealed a lot of unwanted truths about his unfortunate life, and that of those who live in the area. The whole story was written like it was a reflection of the things he regrets, and reading it was totally eye opening. It made the readers, especially me, realize how fortunate we are. Fortunate not to have had the same horrifying experiences.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Understanding And Coping With Client Resistance Social Work Essay

Understanding And Coping With Client Resistance Social Work Essay Professional social workers frequently encounter a thorny situation called client resistance. As resistance is inevitable in the intervention process and will very likely affect the intervention outcomes, study of client resistance is important to social workers and learning how to manage it will be pivotal to achieve expected goals and objectives. This paper will firstly narrate the writer s personal experience so as to put the issue of client resistance on the agenda and give a brief description of involuntary clients or client resistance, then present the writer s understanding of them in terms of their several distinctive features, and finally propose tentative strategies of coping with client resistance. Keywords: resistance; involuntary clients; intervention skills Introduction As potential social workers, we probably will be brought into contact with more and more involuntary clients in the future, like mentally illness patients, deviant behavior adolescents, violent parents, battered children, etc.. Some of them are legally mandated to engage with service providers (Rooney,1992), while others are experiencing social or non-legal pressures, for example, being coerced by family members to seek assistance for a particular behavior (Rooney,1992). These kinds of clients constitute a high proportion of whole clients and display more resistant behaviors than those voluntary ones. Often, they do not seek help willingly and may demonstrate resistant behaviors such as negative evasions, pretended obedience or undisguised hostilities, threats and attacks from the very beginning of the worker s intervention. Therefore, how to interact with and intervene in this type of clients has become a tremendous challenge in the field of social work practice and it is important for social workers to get a deeper understanding of involuntary clients. Case Example X once was a primary school teacher with a fine income, and her husband Y has been running a factory which creates a great deal of wealth to the whole family. Everything seemed perfect that the couple were devoted to each other and have a daughter C who was in her second year in a satisfactory university. Unfortunately, X was extensively burnt in an explosion accident three years ago. Since then, she lost self-confidence because of her disfigured face and refused to go out for the fears of being laughed at. The daughter Z tried to took her out for an airing and ease her anxieties and inferiority about the disfigurement but failed. Since a lot of people pointed at her on the street, X felt painful and tended to isolate herself. To make things worse, not too long after her accident, her husband Y began to make relationship with another woman and was spending a large sum of time and money on that woman. He went to his factory early and back home late every day and seldom had meals at home which was entirely different from what it was before. In addition to Y s indifference, Z was studying at a university so far from home that she was unable to accompany her mother all the time. Consequently, X always staied alone at home with the feeling of helpless and hopeless. Although sometimes Y would come back home and cook meals for A, he had nothing to talk with X. Actually, the daughter Z here is me. I was extremely anguished, seeing my originally harmonious family rapidly disappeared. I tried to cope with such a depressing family atmosphere, but found it difficult. However, when I look back and combine the past experiences with what I have learnt in MSW, I have been realized that there were such a lot of unwise actions had been taken to resolve my family problems. Examples are showed as follows: In that period of time, I tended to communicate with my mother more than with my father and owe this difference to gender similarity and the tragic suffering of my mother. I spent much time on comforting her just because she was the only victim as in my own perception. I constantly teaching my mother how to calm herself down and change her mindsets, so as to survive in a miserable feeling. Unexpectedly, when I suggested her talking more with my father, she just sneered, saying he is so obstinate that nothing will change his mind . It could be inferred that she was still pessimistic and lacked motivation to make changes in spite of my consistent encouragement. On the other hand, the stereotypes that men are always mentally stronger than women made me totally forgot that my father was suffering pains and he needed care as well. Hardly had I decided to concern for and communicate with my father when I learnt that I should take him into consideration early. The most challenging thing was that he had been greatly reluctant to talk about either his former or current relationship with my mother especially the information about his extramarital love. He even did not admit any fault he had made. I have to acknowledge that I was livid when I found out that my father had been two-timing his wife and was highly emotional and illiberally prejudiced against as a result. Only now did I understand the reasons why I failed to assist my parents in settling their contradiction. My deficient consideration of my father s personality and the dignity as a man almost turned an equal dialogue into a thoughtless bickering. In fact, my father was defiant in the who le session because he was afraid that his authoritative status in the family would be ruined, however, I did not realize that kind of unwillingness at that time. No doubt, neither my mother nor my father is my client in the sense of professional, but if they are viewed as clients, it will be a classic case of client resistance. Definition of Client Resistance When doing the literature review, I found that the term involuntary is sometimes used interchangeably with resistant, however, the former refers to the status of the client , while the latter refers to behaviors or characteristics that hinder the therapeutic process (Chui Ho, 2006). Usually, involuntary clients show some resistant thoughts and behaviors. Freud (1914/1957) originally conceptualized resistance as the client s effort to repress anxiety-provoking memories and insights in the unconscious during psychoanalytic free association (Freud, 1914/1957). According to the perspective of social interaction theory, resistance is psychological forces aroused in the client that restrain acceptance of influence (acceptance of the counselors suggestion) and are generated by the way the suggestion is stated and by the characteristics of the counselor stating it (Strong Matross, 1973). Simply stated, resistance has been defined as a process of avoiding or diminishing the self-disclosing communication requested by the interviewer because of its capacity to make the interviewee uncomfortable or anxious (Pope, 1979). Client resistance should not be regarded as something that happens within the client, as a response to his or her inner workings, and must be overcome by the counselor (Cowan Presbury, 2000). Rather, resistance should be understood as a phenomenon that emerges between client and therapist in the unfolding interaction between their differently organized subjective worlds (Cowan Presbury, 2000). In a word, resistance is treated as results from the communication pattern of the counselor and the client. In other words, resistance emerges when the intervention strategies are not gear to clients willingness to accept the style in which the intervention is conducted. Typical Involuntary Clients This part is a personal understanding towards client resistance. Based on an examination of the case example and the literature review, I summarized three types of involuntary clients. 1. Clients Who Have Inadequate Strength or Ability Some clients do not have the ability to take care of themselves or seek help from others, such as the disabled, the battered children and the abandoned elderly. These clients are normally forced by others to consult an agency and a social worker. 2. Clients Who Have Insufficient Motivation The clients who fall into the difficult position for a long time may feel mentally exhausted and have no extra will to seek help. Take some battered women as an example, they tend to have a despairing view of the marriage because of the learned helplessness and may find it meaningless to join in the intervention tasks. Similar to those who have inadequate strength or ability, the majority of the insufficiently motivated clients are not willingly attended the intervention tasks. 3. Clients Who Lack Introspection Although some people know that they are mired in difficulties because of their misbehaviors, they have insufficient self-contemplation, and self-examination when faced with the problems they have, which, as a result, make the problems relapse again and again. This is also the reason why most drug or alcoholic abusers find it difficult to completely overcome their additions. Skills of Coping with Client Resistance For involuntary clients, it is a common phenomenon that they will be reluctant towards self-exposure and conservative to their own experience because they worry about that not doing so would threaten their self-concept. It is necessary for a social worker to learn how to alleviate clients excessive anxiety. Social workers are expected to adjust their intervention methods and the styles to the need of clients. Since most involuntary clients pay much attention to self-protection, the workers should not only avoid requesting or anticipating their self-betrayal, but also refrain from any actions that attempting to tear down clients mask. 1. To Find Out the Third Party In general, social workers are required to listen carefully to clients, thus provide clients more opportunities to express their feelings and perceptions and make them feel respected and admitted. However, things are different when confronting involuntary clients. Since it is an issue of power and control that the pouring-out people are usually vulnerable whereas the listening people always have the power to make evaluation and assessment, the involuntary clients tend to crave a sense of empower through the process of resistance and rebuttal. In involuntary cases, the third party is needed in the course of the entire conversation. If I intake a client like my mother, I should not unilaterally focus on counseling the client changing herself, but on concerning several means to bring the third party into the intervention so that establishing a social work C client C the third party triangular communication system. In short, the third party is ones who push clients to seek help or forced them to ask for counseling. 2. To Make the Intervention Process Clear Apart from understanding about the force that push clients into the intervention, the workers should also enquire about whether the clients have any other confusions. It aims at discovering the problems which clients want to improve. The worker as a listener should do something to give clients a feeling that they are under a clearly planned effective assistance. In addition, it is very important to make sure that clients know what will the worker do and will not do. For example, summarizing or reflecting clients current situation or their main resentment can possibly promote their expectation to the counseling and enhance social workers reliability as well. 3. To Alleviate Clients Anxieties about Changes Resistant clients may or may not recognize that they have a problem, and/or may not want to engage in a process of change (Rooney, 1992) so that they will take resistance as an means to protect themselves from the unknown (Yalom Molyn, 2005). They might be resistant towards the therapeutic process because it involves changing their current maladaptive behavior (Chui Ho, 2006). An available method to ease clients anxiety about change is to make them feel more sense of control. The less the clients can control the process and results of intervention, the more they will view social workers as the representatives of those who force them to participate in the intervention. Consequently, the degree of resistance may increase dramatically. Such situation requires social workers to discuss with clients about the reasons why they are recommended to have the counseling. If a client is compelled to accept counseling, the social worker may point it out to the client that he could reject the counseling and bear the consequences of such rejection, thus restore their sense of control. Furthermore, as cultivating new behaviors is much easier than changing old ones, it might be more reasonable and effective that social works try to train the clients to foster some new patterns of communication and behavioral habits, rather than amend their previous habits, thus establish a harmonious relationship with clients. Some more complex intervention, such as teaching clients relaxation skills, or assisting them in analyzing the irrational thoughts, may have immediate utilities to the involuntary clients. Discussion The relationship between the social worker and the client is always living no matter what happened in the process of intervention. One of the major responsibilities for social workers is paying enough attention to the quality and the health of rapport-building process. To some extent, clients changes or improvements come from an appropriate and valid interaction within a harmonious relationship. As potential social workers, in addition to understanding of various theories or therapies which provide different approaches to resolve client resistance, we should also learn to determine how best to address that relational dynamic in counseling (Joshua, 2008).

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Search for Perfection in Toni Morrisons The Bluest Eye Essay -- Blues

Search for a Perfection in The Bluest Eye    The concept of physical beauty and desire to conform to a prescribed definition of what is considered beautiful can destroy a person's life. In Toni Morrison's novel, The Bluest Eye, many characters are obsessed with attaining the idealist definition of what is considered beautiful. The characters of Geraldine, Pauline, and Pecola all believe that physical perfection leads to acceptance; however, it is the same belief that causes their personal downfalls and prevents them from recognizing their own inner beauty.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Geraldine's anxieties over wanting to comply with what others think is beautiful, damage her existence. For example, the character of Geraldine is so consumed with physical perfection that she prevents herself from accepting her black heritage. When the author illustrates how woman like Geraldine act, she asserts, "They hold their behind in for fear of sway too free; when they wear lipstick they never cover the entire mouth for fear of lips to thick, and they worry, worry, worry about the edges of their hair" (Morrison 83). Geraldine is so ashamed of her black characteristics that she tries to hide them. She thinks black people are ugly, and she wants to appear white because she equates having lighter skin with being a better person. Geraldine thinks she will be discriminated for being black, therefore, she refuses to accept and own any physical features of her culture. In addition, when the author illustrates how Geraldine is more concerned with her baby's physical appe arance than with his emotional needs, she writes, "He was always brushed, bathed, oiled, and shod. Geraldine did not talk to him,coo to him, or indulge him in kissing bouts, but she saw that every o... ...ining an ideal appearance in order to accommodate what others view as beautiful can ruin one's existence. The characters of Geraldine, Pauline, and Pecola all erroneously believe that obtaining a certain look will enhance their lives. However, as a result of their search for a perfect outward image they are never able to value their inner selves. Works Cited Bayles, Martha. "Special Effects, Special Pleading." Contemporary Literary Criticism. Ed. Roger Matuz. Michigan: Gale Research Inc., 194-213. Davis, Cynthia. "Self, Society, and Myth in Toni Morrison's Fiction." Contemporary Literary Criticism. Draper, James P., ed. Michigan: Gale Research Inc., 1994. 215-273. Morrison, Toni.   The Bluest Eye. New York, New York: Plume, 1994. Steiner, Wendy. "The Clearest Eye." Contemporary Authors. Trosky, Susan, M., ed. Michigan: Gale Research Inc., 1994. 239.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Elegy for Drowned Children by Bruce Dawe Essay

â€Å"Elegy for Drowned Children† is a poem written by Australian poet Bruce Dawe in the 1960’s. An elegy is a sad poem or song that laments the death of a person. This poem implies that the persona had a close relationship with someone who had drowned or loss their child to drowning. This poem has five four-lined stanzas. The first and last lines rhyme with each other while the middle two lines rhyme with each other. This creates a song like quality to the poem. The first three stanzas of the poem end with questions. This structures the idea of parents mourning with unanswered questions. The last two stanzas are enjambed. This gives the effect of the parents realizing there’s no point in questioning their deaths but to be at peace with it. This poem is giving some consolation to the people who have lost loved ones, mainly children, to drowning. The poem frequently refers to Greek mythology. There is an ‘old king’ whom is assumed to be the Greek god of the ocean Poseidon, who resides in the sea and takes care of drowned children. In this poem, the old king takes a ‘shining haul’ of children with his ‘sure’ net. This suggests that many children have been taken by him. The use of the word ‘sure’ implies that no one is really safe from him and that it is fated to happen. It could also mean humans cannot prevent nor control the ocean. However, the persona describes his care as ‘solicitous’ and ‘tender’. This expresses that the king is kind and caring to the children. In an effort to ease the parents’ distress, the use of mythology conveys the notion that the children are not just gone but instead they are being taken care of in a safe ‘kingdom’. Dawe uses a simile when describing the parents who are, ‘calling like birds by the water’s edge†. This use of simile creates the image of frantic and alarmed parents repeatedly calling out the names of the children who have drowned. The significance of using birds instead of any other animal is to create an image that there are many parents who have experienced their children drowning and they collectively call out to the water for the king to return them. The persona also uses simile when describing the boys who visit their parents’ dreams who are ‘fluid as porpoises’. This comparison to the boys to porpoises suggest the bittersweet idea that the boys have been down in the ocean for so long that they have become accustomed to swimming  in the oceans and into their parents’ dreams. The persona also uses imagery when describing the boys’ skin as ‘moonlit’. This could be literal or symbolic. Literally, it could mean the boys’ skin is as pale as the moon. However, symbolically, it could be skin that has not been in the ‘sweet sun’, which is life. The use of alliteration in the line â€Å"From leaden-lidded sleep, softly to steal† slows the tone of the poem down. This creates a dream like quality to the rhythm of the poem which mirrors the actual words of the poem. The repetition of the word ‘upward’ in the last stanza helps create the dream like quality. It quickens the rhythm of the poem and emanates excitement. This could be a reflection of the emotions of the parents when having a dream about their children. This poem uses many techniques to convey it’s main ideas. It is a comforting poem for people who have lost their children to the water. The poem is relevant to us as Australians because we are community that spends a significant amount of time by the beach and in the water. We are also a community that has many deaths caused by drowning.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Three really is a crowd

â€Å"Would you like some pretzels with your wine.† The airhostess said, I never drink when I fly but in this case I need a drink to steady my nerves I have called my old friend Lauren to see if she knows where nick is living now and I am in luck she had just seen nick. â€Å"How was he?† I asked impatiently â€Å"He was kind of distant, not his usual laid back self. Why are you asking about nick you never want to talk about him what has happened?† Lauren sounded concerned. I couldn't keep secrets from Lauren she was my oldest friend and my rock when things go wrong. I had to tell her so for the next half an hour I poured my heart out I told her everything about Pierre and nick and the engagement ring. † Well he sounded really upset now I know why, what are you going to do.† She sounded genuinely sorry for me. † I am just going to turn up at his flat and try to talk him round I love him Lauren, it has always been him I was happy with Pierre sure, but he was always in the back of my mind.† I am never one to pour out my heart but I couldn't help myself. Lauren offered me her spare bedroom to stay at her house, which is less than a mile away from nicks so it would be perfect. I wake up as I look out the window and can just see the sky through all the buildings there is a deep blue sky just like the day me and nick went on a weekend away the sky was like that all weekend I can't help but smile at all the good memories of me and nick. The time at the new years the night nick and me first got together ‘ I was all alone no one to kiss at midnight 4,3,2 I am going to look like such an idiot 1 nick suddenly appears from no where and kisses me a real kiss I had never been kissed the way he kissed me.' There it is that all to familiar feeling when I think of me and nick. Later that day I was in the local cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½, all of a sudden Lauren made excuses for herself and left quickly as I watched her leave my eyes wandered to the bar where nick was sitting I nearly spilled my coke I hadn't even noticed him come in. What should I do I didn't want to talk to him here and now I wanted to be alone with him I couldn't just chicken out not after giving up my relationship with Pierre and possibly my dream job. All of a sudden with out any notice nick turns his head he sees me I don't know what to do I end up sitting their like an idiot pretending not to notice him. To my surprise nick gets up and walks out. I nearly burst into tears I knew that I hurt nick but I didn't think he could not even bare to look at me anymore. When I get back to Laurens I tell her everything she has a great idea † How about I ring nick and ask him if he wants some company tonight you turn up instead of me and explain how you love him.† She was the best friend a girl could have I agreed to the idea. In the taxi on the way to nicks house I couldn't help but feel sick with nerves the way he had just blanked me as if he didn't even know me as if I meant nothing to him as if nothing had never happened between us I know I hurt him but he is the man I love, I would give up the whole world for him. It takes me what 10 to15 minuets to knock on the door suddenly my phone rings I open my bag in such a hurry everything falls out onto the floor. I hear the latch on the door turning I look up to see nick staring down at me, I wonder is he going to slam the door in my face but to my surprise he bends down and starts picking all the contents of my handbag up as he passes it to me our eyes meet he holds my glance I can't breath thinking what I have done to this man how I lied to him how I hurt him so much. † We better go inside.† He finally says he hands my bag to me and opens the door letting me in. why is he being so cool about all this, what happened today in the cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½? His flat is so nice his shinny leather sofa and his modern art that is so cool and laid back like himself, they say people's house tells you most things about them when nick came to my flat their were dark lies in all of Pierre's stuff. â€Å"Nick I am so sorry I came here to explain everything!† I sound desperate but I can't help it. â€Å"You hurt me.† † I know I was just starting to get my life on track after I left you and then you walk back into my life and my whole world turns upside down and with one look at you I fall completely head over heels in love with you.† Nick says nothing he just stares at the floor he can't even bare to look at me. â€Å"I didn't want to tell you about Pierre I knew it would wreck all our chances together.† † So you just lied to me, as if I meant nothing to you.† He sounds hurt â€Å"You know I don't think you are nothing I think you are everything. I would never intentionally hurt you.† A tear rolls down my cheek I suddenly realise how much I have hurt nick. â€Å"I should leave.† I go to get up and leave to my surprise nick jumps up he reaches for my arm to stop me â€Å"Why are you going?† He almost sounds desperate like I did earlier. † I don't know I don't see how I can undo what I have done and it is like a knife through my heart seeing the pain in your eyes the pain I have caused and it is in your eyes now as I try helplessly to try and explain what I have done to you.† I can hardly see nick through tears. Nick reaches up and wipes my tears away, why is he being so nice I don't understand. † I love you Sarah even if you lied and even if you left me to go to nice I will always love you.† † But can you forgive me?† Nick let's go of me he sits down on his cool leather sofa he puts his head in his hands. † Let me explain myself, you see I had left you behind it took me at least a year to get over you, then one day Pierre walked into my office he was the new guy he was so gorgeous and charming.† † Do I really have to hear about you and Pierre.† He says almost in disgust, am I digging myself a hole but I have to tell him everything. † Just listen to me no more lies, I never thought I would find love again it wasn't the love we shared but my life had to go on me and Pierre were happy the night before I saw you he proposed if I had known I was going to see you again I would have called everything off right then and there but I thought I was never going to see you again I thought you had moved on and made a new life of your own.† I was trying my best to make nick see that I didn't purposely try to hurt him. † I understood all that, I just can't understand why you lied cause I asked you if you had a boyfriend and you lied straight to my face, I actually remember seeing the ring on your finger and thinking nothing of it thinking that it was your right hand or something.† He looked so tiered and fed up. † Did you take the ring off?† he asks, I can't lie to him not now even as much as I'd like to I just can't. † Yes but again I can explain you asked me if I had a boyfriend so I took the ring off hoping you hadn't already noticed, I know you want to know why because I love you and wanted to see†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I can't get out the words and when I do they sound all wrong. † To see what?† he is starting to get annoyed â€Å"To see if we ever had a chance together.† I am nearly in tears again † Don't cry please.† He sounds concerned † How can I not cry I am trying to undo the mess I have done, I have said I am sorry I can't say anymore I have described the way I feel, but I now am asking you what you think!† I can't help but ask I know it sounds selfish but I am giving loads and getting nothing back this was it truth time when I had to know what my future with nick was going to be. † I said earlier that I still love you.† He seems kind of distance not to sure of what he is saying. † But can you forgive me nick I need to know.† I have to know I can't bare it; nick is the type of guy not to let you know what he is thinking even if I know him as well as I do. † I forgive you, but you have hurt me.† I nearly burst into tears with happiness, we both catch each others gaze and in those blue eyes my happiness is restored. Nick stands up he comes right up to me and wraps those warm and protective arms around me. ‘Ring, ring' nicks phone is ringing, I can't believe it who could it be, it is nearly half ten at night. † Who could that be?† I have to ask † I don't know.† ‘Ring, ring' † Aren't you going to answer it then.† Nick walks over and picks up his phone to see who is calling; to my surprise he switches his phone off without even answering it. † Who was it?† † Oh no-one, I have more important stuff here and now.† Nick takes me by the hand and sits me down on the sofa, I am expecting him to sit next to me, to my horror he gets down on one knee and produces this jewellery box, he opens it and in there is the most perfect ring in the world. † I know it isn't the size of Pierre's ring†¦Ã¢â‚¬  † No, no it is perfect.† † I think you know the question I am going to ask but I am going to ask it anyway, Sarah will you marry me.† I look down into those perfect blue eyes. † I think you know the answer, yes.† I shout it so loud, nick puts the ring on my finger, then jumps up and lifts me up spinning me around he starts to slow down just as he is putting me on the floor he leans in and kisses me a real kiss a nick kiss, my nick. I later discovered that nick had bought the ring in nice and had come for a job interview so he could live with me in nice. I can't wait to tell Lauren I am so excited, I walk back to Laurens it is such a clear and perfect night the stars are so bright and clear. † Lauren you will never guess what has happened!† I feel like I can't get the words out fast enough. † What?† she sounds confused and worried † Are you alright?† † I am the best, you know how I was going to nicks, well when I got there my phone rang and he opened the door and I was scrambling†¦Ã¢â‚¬  † So you and nick got back together then.† She sounds weird and not her usual self. † Not only that he asked me to marry him.† I have to scream † No way, oh my god I don't believe it!† she sounds so surprised † I think I am going to bed.† She says, what the hell I wanted to stay up most of the night planning it. † Oh what, don't you want to help me with ideas.† † No I am so tired, but we will talk in the morning.† She gives me a faded smile and goes off to bed. I can't possibly sleep now so I deicide to go back to nicks. I don't bother to buzz because someone is coming out of the building, as I reach out to knock on nicks door it opens and out walks Lauren in tears. † What the hell are you doing here and why are you crying.† I say confused. † Lauren wait I can explain†¦Ã¢â‚¬  nick walks out after Lauren but stops dead when he see's me. † Lauren what is the matter.† I look at nick for an answer but he is staring at the ground, what is going on? I want to know I thought she said she was going to bed. † Why don't you let nick explain, let nick explain everything.† Lauren runs off in tears. I have no idea what is going on † Nick what the hell is going on, why is Lauren crying, why was she even here?† I don't understand any of this. † We need to talk, lets go inside.† Nick walks into the flat I follow behind him, when I get into his flat there is a smashed glass on the floor. † What has happened let me clear it up.† I walk over to clear it up † Just leave it, I need to tell you something.† He sounds guilty and worried. † Nick what is going on, first Lauren comes out of your flat crying then there is a smashed glass on the floor and now you are looking guilty and asking to talk to Me.† am I being paranoid? † You might want to sit down I have to tell you something.† † What nick tell me now don't give me all this crap about sitting down tell me.† † Lauren was crying because she didn't want you and me to get married.† † What, why?† I don't understand. † Because she loves me.† I don't believe it he doesn't look like he is lying I look into his eyes he is telling the truth nick never lies not to me. Suddenly it all makes sense when nick walked into the cafà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ this morning how Lauren walked out and why she didn't want to talk about my wedding plans. † Why would she be in love with you?† I can't believe I am asking this and I try to not to sound like I want to know but the question has to be asked. † Because, we had a thing!† † What do you mean a thing?† he better not be saying what I think he is saying. † Me and Lauren together.† † You're not giving me enough information, what the hell are you trying to say here?† I can't believe what he is trying to tell me. † Me and Lauren we had a thing together, right after you left.† † I don't believe what you are saying, how long for?† I feel like I want to scream. Nick whispers something but I can't quite here him. † Don't whisper I need to hear this.† † Two years the same time as you and Pierre were together.† † Pierre you didn't even know, whereas my best friend.† † You slept with my best friend, don't even try to get out of it and you leave me standing on the prom in nice crying my eyes out because I got engaged while you are sleeping with my best friend who I have known and trusted for over ten years.† I am nearly in tears and I feel pathetic but I am angry, angry at being so stupid not to see it and angry at nick for making me feel bad and guilty when he has been doing exactly the same but worse. † I'm sorry, I can explain give me a chance like I gave you a chance earlier.† He sounds desperate and upset. I look over to him he has tears in those big blue eyes he stands up and walks over to me. † You had gone and Lauren understood what I was going through so we became friends and one night we got really really drunk and one thing led to another†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"So you slept together at least me and Pierre were in a stable relationship.† I am so mad I am crying in anger. Nick reaches out to wipe my tears away but I push his hand away. † Don't touch me, how could you and you blamed me for getting engaged and you, you were†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I can't even say the words; suddenly a thought comes into my head. † Wait a minute when I spoke to Lauren on the phone last night on the plane she said that she had seen you in the last twenty four hours that means you slept with Lauren after you had seen me didn't you.† I am really crying now. † Didn't you!!!† I scream at him he looks up with tears in his eyes and nods his head. † You bastard.† I run over to him and hit him again and again I am like those sad and depressed woman in the movies but I can't help it nick is holding me down and trying to hug me. † Get off me.† I am crying so so much, I can smell nick his gorgeous smell, nick is still trying to hug me I give up we just stand there holding each other for what seems like hours after a while nick speaks. â€Å"Let me explain just give me that much of a chance.† He sounds like he is crying I look up to see that he is, I nod and sit down on the sofa to listen I don't want to hear this but I want to know I have to know. † You had just gone and Lauren was there the first time we slept together we were drunk, then it became a regular thing.† I look away as tears spill out my eyes I can't take it but I've got to know, nick lifts my head up and looks me right in the eyes, he is nearly crying as well. † I knew I couldn't have you, so Lauren was the closest thing to you, what me and Lauren had was like a drop in the ocean compared to us, Lauren was growing more and more attached but all I wanted was you, before I knew it me and Lauren had been doing it for two years and she just wasn't you so I decided to come and get you when I got there you were with Pierre.† He gets up and walks into the kitchen, I follow him when I get into the kitchen he has his back to me I swear he just wiped a tear away from his eye he turns to me and looks into my eyes. † Sarah I love you.† † But can I forgive you?† † That is up to you, what me and Lauren did is horrible and I will never forgive myself.† † I don't know I have to think this through until then I think you should have this.† I slide off mine and nicks engagement ring I reach out to give it to him but he refuses to take it so I put it on the granite worktop and leave. Where should I go I can't go to Laurens I defiantly can't go to nicks. ‘Knock knock' it is taking ages for them to answer after what seems like hours later the door opens. † Mum!† I burst into tears † Sarah what has happened come in what has happened.† So I tell her everything right from the start the two engagement rings, Pierre, nice, Lauren and nick. By the time my story has finished it is beginning to get light. † What should I do mum I don't know what to do.† † First you should get some sleep then we will talk about it.† She smiles at me. It is weird sleeping in my old room so many times I cried myself to sleep in this bed, when dad left, when granddad died, when I failed my GCSE's, the night before I left for nice and left nick behind. I get up to the smell of home when I go downstairs mum is sitting in her usual spot I remember as I child whenever she had to think something through she would sit their and no one was allowed to disturb her for hours. † Hey how did you sleep?† She pats the spot next to her I go and sit with her. † Not well, I kept thinking about nick and how he is, I did try to stop thinking about him but he just kept coming back into my mind.† â€Å"I know sweetie it is horrible.† † What should I do mum?† † My advice is, Lauren is the main one to blame I am not saying nick is innocent in all this but he was looking for a replacement of you, whereas Lauren knew full well what she was doing and lied to you every time she spoke to you.† † Still I don't know what to do.† † Go and talk to nick and if you love him give it one last try I am not saying it will be easy.† So I took mums advice. I press the buzzer outside nicks flat, so many things are running through my head I don't know what is going to happen I don't even know weather to forgive him or weather I can forgive him. † Hello† † It's me, can I talk to you.† He buzzes me in without saying another word, when the lift doors open he is standing by his door wearing boxers and a t-shirt. † I was asleep I wasn't expecting you to come back.† He looks really tiered and upset I can't look him straight in the eyes just yet. † You better come in.† he walks in leaving the door open behind him when I come into the flat I find him in his bedroom sitting on the end of the bed, he looks up at me † I didn't get much sleep after you left I obviously feel asleep, how have you been?† he looks concerned † I didn't sleep much every time I tried to sleep I just kept thinking about you.† I look at nick and ask myself how can I still love him after what he is done to me and if I was being honest with myself I don't actually know the answer. † Can I ask you one thing?† I say curiously † Anything but are you sure you want to hear it?† † It isn't about you and Lauren.† I say † Ok then what is it?† he looked surprised did he want me to ask about him and Lauren or was their more he hadn't told me, that he had left out hoping I wouldn't know maybe I was just being paranoid it was hard to tell this whole lie was so unexpected. † If you were sleeping with Lauren†¦Ã¢â‚¬  nick looks away ashamed † When you came to nice and found out about me and Pierre how come you were so mean to me when you were doing the same with Lauren?† it is a harsh question but it has to be asked. † Because you obviously had strong feelings for Pierre, I don't know maybe the thought of you even liking someone else also maybe the fact that you lied to me.† He sounds annoyed at that. How can he be annoyed at me I didn't sleep his best friend did I? † Why are you getting annoyed at me for lying.† I sound like a spoilt child â€Å"I don't know?† † Well I suggest you find out, you're the one who told me after I agreed to marry you.† † You're the one who let me find out when your fiancà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ turned up when I was topless just about to kiss you.† Nick stands up, I can't believe him. † Oh that is low even for someone that sleeps with my best friend when he says he was madly in love with me.† I say spitefully † Don't you dare for a second say I wasn't in love with you.† † So why didn't you come and get me?† † I did.† † What three years later, three years to late.† I am shouting now thank god it is the middle of the day and not the night. † What did you expect me to come after you?† † Yes.† I say almost in a whisper, Nicks face instantly changes † What?† † Yes, I wanted you to come and get me but you never showed up.† Nick comes closer to me † I never knew.† † You didn't have to know were weren't supposed to know.† I turn away from nick, I have come here to try and sort things out and end up saying things that were just stupid thoughts ages ago and they don't even help now. I can't think of anything to say and nick is just looking at me, I seriously have no idea what to do I want to tell him so much I love him but I just can't not now. I look at nick hard to see what he is thinking looking into his eyes I just can't work it out. Suddenly I thought crosses my mind. † I need to go.† † What, why I thought we need to talk.† Does he think this is it. † I have to speak to Lauren see what she has to say and pick up my stuff.† † Why are you going, are you coming back.† † I don't know, I just have to talk to her to see what she has to say about all of this.† I leave the flat as I am pressing the bottom for the lift door to close nick suddenly comes out of his flat and holds the lift door open. † Promise you will come back and talk to me.† He says I don't know what to say I have to hear Laurens side of the story before I make any decisions. † Even if you can't forgive me at least come and say goodbye.† I nod and nick lets go of the lift door I look at him as the door closes I look at his light brown ruffled hair, his perfectly tanned skin, his strong hands, and those perfect sea blue eyes. I really don't want to see or hear Laurens side of the story but it has to be done; I suppose I owe it to our friendship or something like that. I don't bother to knock or buzz because being one of her oldest friends I have a key it is, seeing as it is a Sunday she is sure to be in. when I walk in she turns around and smiles † Sarah where have you been did you stop over at nicks.† She winks at me, Why is she acting normal when she knows what is going on. † Isn't that more your style!† I know I sound like a fifteen year old but before I can stop myself I have said it. Lauren sighs † So he told you† † Well what did you expect him to do not tell me?† † Oh I don't know, I didn't expect you to even come after him.† † What you knew.† † Of course, all of a sudden I was dumped for you.† now she sounds like a fifthteen year old † Lauren you can try to match you and nick to me and nick but as nick said your relationship was like a drop in the ocean compared to ours. So don't you dare compare, I am here for one thing only and that is to hear your pathetic excuse of a side of the story.† I have to stay strong and not cry I try to remember revenge is a dish best served cold, cold like Laurens heart has to be. † Sarah don't be like this.† She sounds desperate † So come on then I want to get this over with lets here it from start to finish the whole feeble excuse for an affair.† â€Å"Sarah don't be like this.† † Why not.† I shout at her I hate being like this but I am so mad at her. â€Å"Ok, I'll tell you just after you left nick was really upset so I went round to cheer him up and we got really really drunk and ended up in bed together and from then it become a regular thing.† She looks away ashamed of herself exactly like Nick. † So what is your excuse then nick had a reasonable one.† I ask impatiently † What I just told you about me and nick.† † No you told me what happened I want an excuse for sleeping with my ex boyfriend when you knew I still liked him.† I know I am being really unfair on her but she deserves it. † You knew I always liked nick I knew he was just using me because he couldn't have you.† † Is that it.† I say in disgust † Is that your excuse cause if it was I wasn't buying it.† I shake my head at her and walk into my room get my stuff and go to leave as I am getting to the door Lauren runs after me. † You left nick it was over can't you let someone else have him I shouldn't be ashamed of what we had or still have.† † What do you mean still have?† † He told me he loved me.† She says looking pleased with herself, I look at her with tears in my eyes. † How could you Lauren I thought you were my best friend and your just a desperate †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stop myself † Go on Sarah it's not like you to not finish saying what you like.† Lauren says sneering at me. † I wouldn't want to waste my breath.† I walk out leaving her standing there. When I am outside Laurens I am trying to get a taxi as I begin to give up and start walking a taxi slows down inside it is nick he opens the window and tells me to get in. † Where to then?† The taxi driver asks, I look at nick for an answer † Just drive us around for a while we need to have a talk without one of us running away.† The taxi driver grunts a bit before agreeing and we start to drive nick leans over and closes the hatch. † Nick what are you doing here?† I ask † I never trusted Lauren, I had to come and get you so she doesn't feed you a pack of lies.† I say nothing and just stay silent † Well come on then tell me what she said I know she has said something.† How can he tell that by just looking at me. I can't stand this I need more time to think so I reach over and open the hatch and tell the taxi driver to stop. † She said you loved her.† I say as I scramble out of the taxi with my bags I begin to walk off all I can hear is Nick shouting my name. â€Å"Sarah wait.† He shouts from somewhere behind me † Just leave me alone!† I shout back people are stating to stare but I don't care. Nick is right behind me when he catches up with me he stops me and spins me round so I am facing him I didn't realise he was so close to me he is right behind me. † I don't love Lauren I never have I like her but I would never love her.† † So why did you tell her that you did?† I look up at nick he is not going to reply so I carry on talking. † I can take the fact that you have been sleeping with her for the past two years but telling her you love her when you say you love me, I am sick of this Nick all the lies and dirty little secrets.† I look across the street at all the people walking in and out of the shops. † Did you tell Pierre you love him?† nick asks † Of course I did.† I reply, this is it right here me and nick standing in the middle of a busy London street this is when I realise the future. † It looks like we are both in love.† I say to nick, he begins to smile I raise my hand for a taxi † But it looks like we are in love with the wrong people.† I say as tears spill out of my eyes I reach up and kiss nick on the head † Goodbye nick.† I get in the taxi † Heathrow airport please.† I can hardly see nick through tears † Sarah don't do this I love you.† Nick shouts from the pavement I can't bear to look at nick † Just drive please,† I say my voice wobbling cause I am crying so much. This has to be the hardest thing to do; all I can see is nicks face when I got in the taxi the way he looked at me. I am sitting at gate waiting to be called wondering if I am doing the right thing. † Could people sitting in business class please come to the desk with your boarding cards and passports ready.† The airhostess was saying into the microphone this was it all over again leaving nick but this time it felt a hundred times worse. I have to do this I am strong enough to do this I know I am. So why am I still sitting here? I get up and walk over to the airhostess giving her my boarding pass and passport, she smiles brightly at me all I can manage is a brief smile I feel so rude but I am not in the mood to be polite. She hands my passport back and lets me through to go down to plane my stilettos are killing me and all I want to do is kick them off and run, run into nicks arms and forget all my troubles but I just can't not now not ever again. As I reach the aeroplane I am almost in tears again luckily no one has noticed, I get on to the plane and into my seat all I can think about is nick nothing else everything around me seems to remind me of nick like the guy sitting next to me got out his briefcase and I happened to notice his card that clearly explained that he was a lawyer like nick and the lady in front of me asking for a martin without the olive just like nick would ask, I keep telling myself I am being paranoid. After what feels like days I am home. I open all the windows in my flat to let out all the heat it is nearly midnight and still boiling, I try to get some sleep but just can't I keep thinking about nick and wondering what he is doing. I decide that I am not going to sleep at all and end up watching dirty dancing the best romantic film if only love could really be that simple even though her dad doesn't like them together he accepts it in the end and they dirty dance dance together. I wouldn't normally cry at the end but after everything that has happened I can't help but cry. I end up falling asleep in front of the TV all I can see in my dreams is nick screaming my name but none one can hear him I wake up to the my phone ringing no wait not the phone the door bell I look up at the clock it is 3.30 who on earth could it be. I stagger to the door still half asleep yawning I open the door and standing in a white checked shirt and jeans is nick. I can't speak I don't know what to say I look around for a conversation starter and end up catching sight of myself in a mirror I look terrible I am wearing and oversized t-shirt and bed socks my hair is all messed up. I look up at nick and he is just looking into my eyes. † I have been shouting your name for ages haven't you heard me?† he says in a gentle voice. † I was asleep, sorry.† Why am I apologising he shouldn't be here. † Nick why are you here?† I ask † Because I am not going to let it end like this.† Nick walks into my apartment and sits down on the sofa, I close the door behind him and end up sitting on my dinning room table cause my apartment is open plan you don't have to sit on one particular chair I can sit anywhere. † Do you want anything to drink?† I ask politely † No, I want you.† I have no idea how to reply to that so I just end up sitting their not being able to think of anything to say luckily I don't have to say anything. † I know you don't want it to end like this, and I am not going to let it end like this.† † How do you know what I want?† I ask getting angry â€Å"Because I love you and if you love someone you know every little thing about them.† † Like what?† I ask â€Å"Like the way they take their coffee, their shoe size, what their favourite movie is or when they are lying or unsure about something.† † So do you know all of that?† I challenge him † You don't like coffee or tea, your shoe size is 6 which you hate cause you think it is to big, your favourite movie is dirty dancing probably cause of Patrick Swayze and I do know when you are lying cause I knew the minuet after you left that you were lying.† I get out and walk on to the balcony I don't know what to say? By this time nick has followed me. † I love this view.† Nicks say looking out on to the sea and the moon. † You have seen it before.† † True but I didn't pay much attention to it last time all of my attention was you, it looks like you have done really well for yourself.† † Well running a billion euro cosmetic company does have its upsides.† I laugh nicks says nothing and just smiles

Photography and Pinhole Camera

9/20/2011 11H | Rashad C. Collie| The Pinhole Camera| The Pinhole Camera| How to build a pinhole camera Materials needed:1. Ruler 2. Sturdy cardboard box 3. Black tape 4. Black paper 5. Black paint 6. No. 10 sewing needle 7. Craft knife 8. Aluminum foil 9. Film or photographic paper Instructions:1. Make sure your container is light-proof and allows no light leaks. Cover up any holes, cracks or crevices with black tape, but leave an opening such as a flap to insert and remove film. Boxes should be made of durable cardboard or stiff paper, and lids and flaps should close securely. . Black out your camera. Line the inside of the box with black paper to prevent reflections and to protect against unwanted light filtering through. Preventing light seepage is important, as the light you do allow in to the camera should be very controlled. 3. Cut a ? -inch hole opposite the box opening with a craft knife. Make the pinhole by puncturing a number 10 sewing needle through a small square of alum inum foil measuring about 3-by-2 inches, rotating the needle as you push it through. Stop pushing the needle through when it is halfway in. Tape the foil over the ? -inch hole on the inside of the box. Kodak recommends positioning the pinhole 3 to 6 inches from where the film will be placed. 4. Make the shutter by taping a piece of opaque black paper over the pinhole. You can make a shutter from wood or plastic by screwing it onto the body so that it covers the pinhole completely when not in use. 5. Load the film into the box in a completely darkened room. Use a small square of photographic paper or sheet film like Kodak Tri-X Pan Professional Film. A typical box arger than 3-by-4 inches will need film or paper that measures about 2? -by-3? inches; simply cut to size. Load the film so that the shiny (emulsion) side faces the pinhole. Tape the film or paper down at the corners so that it does not come loose. 6. Exposure refers to the amount of time that film or paper is exposed to light when taking the picture. Keep your camera as steady as possible when taking the picture; you may need to set it down on a flat surface. T he exposure time varies from 2 to 8 minutes for photographic paper and from 1 to 8 seconds for film. Choose the lower end of the spectrum for bright light conditions and the higher end for a cloudy day or dim lighting. Develop as normal. How does a pinhole camera work? A pinhole camera is a simple camera without lens and has a small hole to let light in called an aperture. A pinhole camera is an effectively light-proof with a small hole in one side. Light passes through the aperture and projects an upside-down image on the opposite side of the box. The smaller the hole the smaller and sharper the image will be that is projected.