NBC Internet TV Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

NBC Internet TV - Assignment Example The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has blocked active online streaming sites with temporary restraining orders, saying permission is not granted to broadcast without paying copyright fees. Some companies agree that the FCC needs to â€Å"clearly define what an online video distributor is† and post clear and concise rules that consider all stakeholders for this new type of broadcasting across the Internet (Kang, 2010). In order for NBC to be a competitive force in the Internet TV arena, they must offer connection to all forms of Internet technology that is being used regularly. NBC is interested in continuing to broadcast news, shows, and other programs on the Internet TV, claiming the ability to reach a much larger audience than regular TV. Opposition to NBC’s close-circuit broadcasts believe that anyone who owns a television capable of connecting to the Internet should have access to everything the Web has to offer (Kang, 2010). Reports that detail the network s that currently block viewing privileges of web-based programs to some Internet TV subscribers has some interested parties upset. The idea that big conglomerates can oust smaller organizations before they even have a chance to be successful is unfair monopolization of the industry, according to business attorneys for the opposition (Kang, 2010). The ability to reach a larger audience by broadcasting across Internet TV allows NBC to increase revenue through increased ad sales and other vendor payments that would otherwise be invalid, were it not for global inclusion. The threat of having to share content provided by NBC to other Internet TV users could hamper the revenue collected by NBC. Companies and trade firms involved in Internet TV would like to see FCC rules and regulation maintain â€Å"the integrity of the pay stream† that has been established (Kang, 2010). The Nielson ratings and demographic coverage supply the data used by television stations to sell future adverti sements. Tapping into the Internet TV market allows data statistics to increase, thus revenue to potentially increase for NBC (Robertson, 2012). The success or failure of putting NBC on Internet TV may very likely be attributed to the conditions the FCC puts on this and other television stations wanting to broadcast across the globe. The ability for NBC to compete in the Internet TV arena will include their willingness to do what it takes to maintain the seamless Internet connectivity desired by those loyal customers who will continue to support NBC. Rogers Internet TV Rogers On Demand Online, one of the three largest broadcasting networks in Canada, changed their name to Rogers Anyplace TV (RogersKaili, 2012) to incorporate the idea that viewing of programming can happen anywhere or anytime. Rogers has opened the access of Internet TV in Canada to personal computers, smartphones, tablets, and the Xbox360 (Suppa, 2010) giving viewers more options of scheduling and availability of pr ograms. The Internet TV options in Canada are expanding due to Rogers efforts to open up alternative ways for customers to continuously stream programs into busy schedules. The offering of â€Å"play-shifting, time-shifting, micro-transactional, and high definition content delivery† (Suppa, 2010) have made Rogers the first company to expand this extensively into Internet TV. The idea behind the name is that the more options a customer has to

The data protection act Essay Example for Free

The data protection act Essay When the modem is switched on, it sends out an ASCII character known as DC 1. This is the transmit enable code and is decimal 17 or 11 hex. This code is received by the computer, which knows that it is able to commence transmitting data to the modem. This is the XON condition. If there is incoming traffic, the modem sends out an ASCII DC3 character. This is the XOFF condition and is 19 in decimal (13 in hex). The computer receives this code and stops transmitting data Note:   This method is be used with a serial printer. It sends out an XOFF code when its intemal buffer is full. As it prints, it reduces the amount of characters in its buffer. When the buffer has sufficient space, it sends out a DC 1 code to the computer, which resumes the transmission of data to the printer.   The ASCII codes DC 1 and DC3 stand for Device Control 1 and Device Control 3.   This method can transmit and receive text files, since the printable ASCII set ranges from 32 to I ~ Binary files (i. e. containing machine code) contain a full range of possible numeric values. This would include the values for the DC 1 and DC3 signals, which means that XON/XOFF is not suitable for transmitting and receiving binary files. RS232 Pins A summary of the uses of the main pins on a computers serial port is shown in the following table.   DTR Data Terminal ready The computer informs the modem that it is powered up and ready to be active, by switching this pin to an ON state. Most modems require to receive this signal before they will operate   DSR (Data Set Ready) The modem informs the computer that it is powered up and ready to be active, by switching this pin to an ON state. Most computer ports require this signal before they will operate CTS (Clear to Send) The modem informs the computer that it is able to accept data for transmission, by switching this pin to an ON state. The computer will not send out data while this pin is OFF   RTS (Ready to Send) The computer informs the modem that it wishes to give it data for transmission, by switching by switching this pin to an ON state The modem responds by switching its CTS line ON unless its memory buffer is full, or it is receiving incoming data.   TXD (Transmit Data) Carries the data from the computer to the modems RXD pin, to transmit data. Carries the data from the modem to the computers RXD pin, to receive data.   RXD (Receive Data) Receives the data from the modems TXD pin, to receive incoming data. Or Receives the data from the computers TXD pin, to send outgoing data.   DCD Data Carrier detect Used by the computer to determine whether the modem has an incoming carrier (i. e. whether the line is idle or not). Some communications packages must detect a DCD signal before they will carry on. This signal can be brought from the modem or can be provided locally by a wraparound. This connects the computers DCD pin to the computers DTR pin to simulate an idle condition.   RI (Ring Indicator) This pin could be used by an auto-answer modem. Its value is raised high when the phone rings. The modem informs the DTE via this change in the RI line and the DTE responds by setting its DTR line high. The modem then answers the call and data is passed from the telephone line to the DTE. * SG (Signal Ground) This pin is used as the reference for all other signal voltages. So, if a pin swings +15 it means that the pin is a 15 volts higher than the voltage on SG. This pin should not be confused with electric earth or Frame Ground (FG). Error Detection Modem communication over the normal telephone network is always prone to losses due to poor line conditions. As transmission rates become faster, the losses are increased. If an interference pulse occurred on a line a 28,800bps system, the transmission would be affected 24 times more badly than a 1,200bps system, since 24 times more data will have been transferred during that time. Serious attention needs to be paid to detecting and correcting such errors. The parity bit system described earlier is only a rudimentary check and only applies to ASCII files. Since most files are not plain ASCII, they will require to use all eight bits of the byte and there will be no parity bit. CRC Checking Data is transmitted in blocks or packets with a checksum created using the CRC (Cyclic Redundancy) method. When the data is compiled into a block prior to transmission, a mathematical formula using polynomial codes) is applied to the data to produce a check number that is unique to the data in the block. These check digits are then transmitted along with the data. The receiver stores the incoming block of data in a buffer for examination. The same formula is applied to the data in the buffer d it should produce the same answer as that stored in the check bytes. If the computed CRC figure accords with the stored CRC figure, the data in the buffer is fit to be passed on and an ACK signal is returned to the transmitting end to acknowledge the receipt of a block in good condition. If there has been any corruption of the data in the block, or even any corruption of the check bytes, then the formula produce answers that do not match. In this case, the device will request that the block of data be retransmitted This is done by returning a NAK signal to the transmitting end. A number of different block transmission techniques and error detection methods are in common use they are referred to as File Transfer Protocols and include: XModem XModem sends a 128 byte block of data plus one checksum byte constituted from the sum of all the ASCII codes the block. It then waits for an acknowledgement that it has been received. The waiting time reduces the average data transfer average. All errors are given ten retries before abandoning the file transfer. It also has a ten-second timeout; it sends a NAK signal if has not received any incoming signal after a ten second wait. A variation known as Xmodem/CRC sends the same 128 byte block but sends two CRC bytes. This increases the redundant bytes to be transmitted but it improves the reliability of the system and is used in preference to Xmodem where it is available. Kermit Kermit is a long established system used with mini-computers and mainframes as well as PCs. It also uses a 128 block and it provides a header with control information. Although it is widely available and reliable, it is a slow method. It is probably best used with noisy lines. Ymodem This method still uses 128 byte chunks but it sends eight of these chunks before sending a two-byte CRC code that covers the entire 1024 data bytes. The method also pads out the data block until it is exactly 1024 bytes. This is fast since most of the transmission is made up of real data and there is only two bytes of redundant information. However, on a noisy line, corruption of a single bit results in the entire 1024+2 bytes being re-sent. YModem is faster than XModem on good lines but worse on noisy lines. It also allows multiple files to be transferred in the one operation. The user selects the group of files to be transferred and the system sends them all during the one long operation. This is sometimes referred to as Ymodem/Batch. Zmodem The above systems send their block and then wait for an ACK or a NAK from the receiving end before sending another block. They are working in half-duplex mode, resulting in wasted waiting time. Many modem methods do not wait for a response between sending blocks. Using a full duplex system, it is still able to receive the ACKs and NAKs when they arrive but further transmissions can be undertaken in the meantime. When an ACK arrives it knows that a particular block has been received successfully, while an incoming NAK indicates an unsuccessful transmission of a block. The system keeps track by using a windowing system. Each outgoing packet is given a packet number along with the transmission. The incoming ACK or NAK will also have a packet number attached. In the event of a NAK the system knows which packet to re-transmit. The difference between the packet currently being sent and the most recent incoming ACK or NAK is known as the window. Since a single byte can contain 256 different numbers, there is a limit to the range of available packet numbers and older numbers are reused after they have accomplished a successful transmission. This means that the window covers a small range of the available numbers and is always changing. This gives the name sliding windows protocol; it is also implemented in the Sliding Windows Kermit and Xmodem systems. Xmodem, Ymodem and Kermit are used at speeds below 96,00bps. V42 is used at higher speeds and is implement in a ROM chip in the modem. The V42 standard encompasses the MNP 4 proprietary standard developed by Microcom. It is likely that future extensions of the V42 standard will move away from MNP 4 in favour of LAP-M (Link Access Protocol for Modems) scheme as already recommended by CCITT. The MNP 5 standard combines the MNP 4 error correction facilities with data compression. Like MNP 4 it is most commonly implemented in hardware although some communication packages implement it in software. Standards. Created by CCITT, The International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee, working under the ITU (International Telecommunications Union) which is organised by the United Nations. These standards are divided into a number of groups, including:   V-series, dealing with telephone circuits   X-series, dealing with data networks 0-series, dealing with digital networks (digital exchanges, multiplexing, PCM, etc. )   I-series, dealing with ISDN (see later) V Standards There is a wide range of definitions and the most common ones are shown in the table. The V standards get their name from the first letter of the word vitesse, the French for speed although not all V standards are concerned with transmission rate. V24, for example, specifies the serial port standard and V42 and V42bis cover error correction. The bis added to a V number means that it is the second version of the standard. Dataflex, a large UK modem manufacturer, produces VFC models, also known V. Fast Class models, working at 28,800bps. These were introduced before the ratification of the V34 standard and there are some handshaking differences between their specifications. V. Fast modems can communicate with other VFC models at the top rate but with lA ~ ~t, ~k~1t lflO/ ~ V3 5 models, they can only communicate at 14,400 bps in about 10% of cases Modem Standards Specification Operation Circuit Max Bit Rate Modulation Technique Bell 103 Full Duplex Two Wire Switched 300 Frequency Shift Keying V. 21 Full Duplex Two Wire Switched 300 Bell 202 Half Duplex Two Wire Switched 1,200 Conditioned Lease 1,800 Bell 201 Half Duplex Two Wire Switched 2,400 V. 26ter Full Duplex Two Wire Switched 2,400 Bell 212 Full Duplex Two Wire Switched 1,200 Phase Shift Keying V. 22bis Full Duplex Two Wire Switched 2,400 Quadrature Phase Shift Keying V. 27 Full Duplex Four Wire Leased 4,800 Half Duplex Two Wire Switched 4,800 V. 29 Full Duplex Four Wire Leased 9,600 Quadrature Amplitude Modulation Half Duplex Two Wire Switched 9,600 V. 32bis Full Duplex Two Wire Switched 14,400 V. 34 Full Duplex Two Wire Switched 28,800 Bell 103 Full Duplex Two Wire Switched 28,800 V. 42 V42bis Data Comp V90 56,600 Even Parity The sending device counts the number of one bits in the character to be Panty Bit transmitted. If the number of these data bits is even, as in the top diagram, the parity bit is set to zero. If the number of one bits is odd, as in the lower diagram, 1001 1 10 the parity bit is set to one. Thus the total number of ones in the byte will Parity Bit always be even, no matter how many ones are in the character being transmitted0100101 If any of the data bits or parity bits is accidentally altered during transmission, the receiving device can detect the problem by counting the number of bits. If the total is not an even number, there has been corruption of the data. This provides an elementary check for data errors. Odd Parity Here, the sending device counts the number of one bits in the byte to be transmitted. If the number of these data bits is even, as in the top diagram, the parity bit is set to one. If the number of one bits is already odd, as in the lower diagram, the parity bit is set to zero. In this way, the total number of ones1 in the group is always maintained at an odd value. Note Parity checking is a useful facility but it is not foolproof. For example, two bits in a byte both being altered from zero to one would produce a correct parity check although the data in the byte had been corrupted. In practice, larger blocks of data are examined for corruption (see section later on Error Detection).

Killer Bees Essay examples -- essays research papers

The Africanized Honey Bee is actually a variety of honeybee derived by hybridization from African honeybees naturalized in the western hemisphere. Because they are highly defensive and will attack perceived intruders more readily than the common European honeybee, they are also known by the popular name of â€Å"killer bees.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Brazilian scientists imported African honeybee queens in the 1950’s in order to breed a honeybee for use in tropical climates. Some swarms escaped into the wild. Because they were highly adapted for tropical survival and had no natural competitors, they thrived and spread rapidly through South America, extending their range by as much as 500 km (300 mi) per year. By the 1980s, Africanized honeybees had reached Central America and soon colonized Mexico. In 1990, the first swarm was found in the United States. The bees spread from Texas to New Mexico and Arizona and then into California by 1994.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The bees reached an apparent climatic limit to their southern range in the middle of Argentina, and their range is expected to be similarly limited to the southern and coastal states in the United States. They have hybridized to some extent with resident wild and hive populations of European honeybees. However, many of the basic African honeybee traits remain, including rapid population growth, frequent swarming, minimal hoarding of honey, the ability to survive on sparse supplies of pollen and nectar, and a ...

The End of Male Dominance Essay example -- Patriarchy Literature

Patriarchy is a form of social organization in which a male is the head of the family and has all the power to control and be a dominant individual. Male dominance is an ever present concept in society but women found a way to challenge this notion and overcome the hardships of male elitism. In â€Å"Nervous Conditions† by Tsitsi Dangarembga is focused on the colonized African clan called the Sigauke clan. The novel examines unequal power relations between men and women in the Sigauke clan which is largely steeped in tradition. The women in the story challenge the practices of male dominance; usually unsuccessful but each of these women make an effort to question some of decisions that were righteous of the patriarch. The women also break out of the role of domesticity and servility to the surprise of the men. â€Å"The Awakening† by Kate Chopin and â€Å"Things fall apart† by Chinua Achebe are very similar to the notion of woman challenging male elitism. The narrator, Tambu is culturally restricted to roles that denied her opportunity to rise above domesticity. Tambu is trapped which is portrayed when her mother says, â€Å"and these days it’s worse, with the poverty of blackness on one side and the weight of womanhood on the other† (16). Tambu’s story traces her hardships from infancy; she has to cultivate the fields, fetch the water from Nyamarira river, look after her young siblings, and cook for the family. Many of these roles obstructed her chances of attending school, her brother, Nhamo, on the other hand is able to study. He is privileged to attend school despite the family having to eke out a living. The relationship between Tambu and Nhamo is reduced to that of the privileged and the non-privileged. Nhamo has all the opportunities becau... ...iety by the men. Men always picture the women to be the housewife and nurture the children whereas the men are the ones that go to work and bring food to the table. This idea is contradicted in this story, many women play powerful roles that challenge the men. Education is a huge part of it because with knowledge becomes power and many of the women in the story are educated. Another way in how women challenged male dominance is by standing up to them to what they believe and defending themselves. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Ed. Edel Rodriquez. New York: Reed Consumer Books. 1994. Print 3-209 Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Ed. Elaine Showalter. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 1992. Print 1-221 Dangarembga, Tsitsi. Nervous Conditions. Ed. Holmes, Martha Stoddard. Oxfordshire: Ayebia Clarke Publishing Ltd, 2004. Print 1-208. The End of Male Dominance Essay example -- Patriarchy Literature Patriarchy is a form of social organization in which a male is the head of the family and has all the power to control and be a dominant individual. Male dominance is an ever present concept in society but women found a way to challenge this notion and overcome the hardships of male elitism. In â€Å"Nervous Conditions† by Tsitsi Dangarembga is focused on the colonized African clan called the Sigauke clan. The novel examines unequal power relations between men and women in the Sigauke clan which is largely steeped in tradition. The women in the story challenge the practices of male dominance; usually unsuccessful but each of these women make an effort to question some of decisions that were righteous of the patriarch. The women also break out of the role of domesticity and servility to the surprise of the men. â€Å"The Awakening† by Kate Chopin and â€Å"Things fall apart† by Chinua Achebe are very similar to the notion of woman challenging male elitism. The narrator, Tambu is culturally restricted to roles that denied her opportunity to rise above domesticity. Tambu is trapped which is portrayed when her mother says, â€Å"and these days it’s worse, with the poverty of blackness on one side and the weight of womanhood on the other† (16). Tambu’s story traces her hardships from infancy; she has to cultivate the fields, fetch the water from Nyamarira river, look after her young siblings, and cook for the family. Many of these roles obstructed her chances of attending school, her brother, Nhamo, on the other hand is able to study. He is privileged to attend school despite the family having to eke out a living. The relationship between Tambu and Nhamo is reduced to that of the privileged and the non-privileged. Nhamo has all the opportunities becau... ...iety by the men. Men always picture the women to be the housewife and nurture the children whereas the men are the ones that go to work and bring food to the table. This idea is contradicted in this story, many women play powerful roles that challenge the men. Education is a huge part of it because with knowledge becomes power and many of the women in the story are educated. Another way in how women challenged male dominance is by standing up to them to what they believe and defending themselves. Works Cited Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Ed. Edel Rodriquez. New York: Reed Consumer Books. 1994. Print 3-209 Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. Ed. Elaine Showalter. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 1992. Print 1-221 Dangarembga, Tsitsi. Nervous Conditions. Ed. Holmes, Martha Stoddard. Oxfordshire: Ayebia Clarke Publishing Ltd, 2004. Print 1-208.

Bloodlines Chapter Ten

MY PHONE RANG JUST THEN, saving me from the awkwardness of figuring out what to do about Jill. I answered without bothering to check the caller ID. â€Å"Miss Melbourne? Your services are needed immediately.† â€Å"Ma'am?† I asked in surprise. Ms. Terwilliger's frantic voice was not what I'd been expecting. â€Å"What's wrong?† â€Å"I need you to get me a caramel sauce cappuccino from Spencer's. There is absolutely no way I can finish translating this document if you don't.† There were a million responses I could make to that, none of which were very polite, so I went with the obvious point of logic. â€Å"I don't think I can,† I said. â€Å"You have off-campus privileges, don't you?† â€Å"Well, yes, ma'am, but it's almost campus curfew. I don't know where Spencer's is, but I don't think I can make it back in time.† â€Å"Nonsense. Who's running your dorm? That Weathers woman? I'll call down and get you an exception. I'm working in one of the library offices. Meet me there.† Despite my personal devotion to coffee, getting an â€Å"exception† to the school's curfew seemed kind of excessive for an errand like this. I didn't like to bend the rules. On the other hand, I was Ms. Terwilliger's assistant. Wasn't this part of my job description? All the old Alchemist instincts to follow orders kicked in. â€Å"Well, yes, ma'am, I suppose I – â€Å" She disconnected, and I stared at the phone in astonishment. â€Å"I have to go,† I told Jill. â€Å"Hopefully I'll be back soon. Maybe very soon since I'll be surprised if she remembers to call Mrs. Weathers.† She didn't look up. With a shrug, I packed my laptop and some homework, just in case Ms. Terwilliger thought of something else for me to do. With coffee on the line, my teacher's memory was good, and I found I did indeed have clearance to leave when I went downstairs. Mrs. Weathers even gave me directions to Spencer's, a coffee shop that was a few miles away. I got the cappuccino, wondering if I'd be reimbursed, and picked up something for myself as well. The library staff at Amberwood gave me a hard time about carrying in beverages when I returned, but when I explained my errand, they waved me on through to the back offices. Apparently, Ms. Terwilliger's addiction was well known. The library was surprisingly busy, and I quickly deduced why. After a certain point each night, guys and girls were banned from each other's dorms. The library was open later, so this was the place to go to hang out with the opposite sex. Lots of people were just there to study too, including Julia and Kristin. â€Å"Sydney! Over here!† called Kristin in a stage whisper. â€Å"Break free of Terwilliger,† added Julia. â€Å"You can do it.† I held up the coffee as I passed them. â€Å"Are you kidding? If she doesn't get her caffeine soon, there'll be no escaping her. I'll come back if I can.† As I continued walking through, I saw a small cluster of students gathered around someone – and heard a familiar and annoying voice. Greg Slade's. Curious in spite of myself, I walked over to the edge of the crowd. Slade was showing off something on his upper arm: a tattoo. The design itself was nothing special. It was an eagle in flight, the kind of generic art all tattoo shops had in stock and copied en masse. What caught my attention was the color. It was all done in a rich, metallic silver. Metallics like that weren't easy to pull off, not with that sheen and intensity. I knew the chemicals that went into my own gold tattoo, and the formula was complex and composed of several rare ingredients. Slade made a halfhearted effort to keep his voice low – tattoos were forbidden around here, after all – but it was clear he was enjoying the attention. I observed quietly, glad others were asking some of my questions for me. Of course, those questions only left me with more questions. â€Å"That's brighter than the ones they used to do,† one of his friends noted. Slade tilted his arm so the light caught it. â€Å"Something new. They say these are better than the ones from last year. Not sure if that's true, but it wasn't cheap, I can tell you that.† The friend who'd spoken grinned. â€Å"You'll find out at tryouts.† Laurel – the red-haired girl who'd been interested in Micah – stretched out her leg beside Slade, revealing a slim ankle adorned with a faded butterfly tattoo. No metallics there. â€Å"I might get mine touched up, maybe for homecoming if I can get the money from my parents. Do you know if the celestial ones are better this year too?† She tossed back her hair as she spoke. From what I'd observed in my brief time at Amberwood, Laurel was very vain about her hair and made sure to throw it around at least every ten minutes. Slade shrugged. â€Å"Didn't ask.† Laurel noticed me watching. â€Å"Oh, hey. Aren't you vampire girl's sister?† My heart stopped. â€Å"Vampire?† â€Å"Vampire?† echoed Slade. How did she find out? What am I going to do? I had just begun making a list of the Alchemists I had to call when one of Laurel's friends snickered. Laurel looked at them and laughed haughtily, then turned back to me. â€Å"That's what we've decided to call her. No one human could possibly have skin that pale.† I nearly sagged in relief. It was a joke – one that hit painfully close to the truth, but a joke nonetheless. Still, Laurel didn't seem like someone to cross, and it'd be better for all of us if it was a joke soon forgotten. I admittedly blurted out the first distracting comment that came to mind. â€Å"Hey, stranger things have happened. When I first saw you, I didn't think anyone could have hair that long or that red. But you don't hear me talking about extensions or dye.† Slade nearly doubled over with laugher. â€Å"I knew it! I knew it was fake!† Laurel flushed nearly as red as her hair. â€Å"It is not! It's real!† â€Å"Miss Melbourne?† I jumped at the voice behind me and found Ms. Terwilliger there, watching me with bemusement. â€Å"You aren't getting credit for chatting, especially when my coffee's on the line. Come on.† I skulked away, though hardly anyone noticed. Laurel's friends were having too much fun teasing her. I hoped I had diffused the vampire jokes. Meanwhile, I couldn't get the image of Greg's tattoo out of my mind. I let my thoughts wander to the mystery of what components would be needed for that silver color. I almost had it figured out – at least, I had one possibility figured out – and wished I had access to Alchemist ingredients to do some experiments. Ms. Terwilliger took the coffee gratefully when we reached a small workroom. â€Å"Thank God,† she said, after taking a long sip. She nodded at mine. â€Å"Is that a backup one? Excellent thinking.† â€Å"No, ma'am,† I said. â€Å"It's mine. Do you want me to start in on those?† A familiar stack of books sat on the table, ones I'd seen in her classroom. They were core parts of her research, and she'd told me I'd eventually need to outline and document them for her. I reached for the top one, but she stopped me. â€Å"No,† she said, moving toward a large briefcase. She rifled through papers and assorted office supplies, finally digging out an old leather book. â€Å"Do this one instead.† I took the book. â€Å"Can I work out there?† I was hoping if I went back to the main study area, I could talk to Kristin and Julia. Ms. Terwilliger considered. â€Å"The library won't let you have the coffee. You should probably leave it in here.† I waffled, debating whether my desire to talk to Kristin and Julia outweighed the likelihood that Ms. Terwilliger would drink my coffee before I got back. I decided to take the risk and bid my coffee a painful farewell as I hauled my books and gear back out to the library. Julia eyed Ms. Terwilliger's beat-up book with disdain. â€Å"Isn't that just on the internet somewhere?† â€Å"Probably not. I'm guessing no one's even looked at this since before the internet was invented.† I opened the cover. Dust fluttered out. â€Å"Way before.† Kristin had math homework open in front of her but didn't look particularly interested in it. She tapped a pen absentmindedly against the textbook's cover. â€Å"So you saw Slade's tattoo?† â€Å"Hard not to,† I said, getting out my laptop. I glanced across the screen. â€Å"He's still showing it off.† â€Å"He's wanted one for a while but never had the money,† explained Julia. â€Å"Last year, all the big athletes had them. Well, except for Trey Juarez.† â€Å"Trey almost doesn't need one,† pointed out Kristin. â€Å"He's that good.† â€Å"He will now – if he wants to keep up with Slade,† said Julia. Kristin shook her head. â€Å"He still won't do it. He's against them. He tried reporting them to Mr. Green last year, but no one believed him.† I looked back and forth between them, more lost than ever. â€Å"Are we still talking about tattoos? About Trey ‘needing' one or not?† â€Å"You really haven't found out yet?† asked Julia. â€Å"It's my second day,† I pointed out with frustration. Remembering I was in a library, I spoke more softly. â€Å"The only people who have really talked about them are Trey and you guys – and you haven't said much of anything.† They had the grace to look embarrassed by that, at least. Kristin opened her mouth, paused, and then seemed to change what she was going to say. â€Å"You're sure yours doesn't do anything?† â€Å"Positive,† I lied. â€Å"How is that even possible?† Julia cast a glance around the library and twisted in her chair. She rolled her shirt up a little, exposing her lower back – and a faded tattoo of a swallow in flight. Satisfied that I'd seen it, she turned back around. â€Å"I got this last spring break – and it was the best spring break ever.† â€Å"Because of the tattoo?† I asked skeptically. â€Å"When I got it, it didn't look like this. It was metallic†¦ not like yours. Or Slade's. More like†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Copper,† provided Kristin. Julia thought about it and nodded. â€Å"Yeah, like reddish-goldish. The color only lasted a week, and while it did, it was amazing. Like, I have never felt that good. It was inhumanly good. The best high ever.† â€Å"I swear, there's some kind of drug in those celestials,† said Kristin. She was trying to sound disapproving, but I thought I detected a note of envy. â€Å"If you had one, you'd understand,† Julia told her. â€Å"Celestials†¦ I heard that girl over there talk about them,† I said. â€Å"Laurel?† asked Julia. â€Å"Yeah, that's what they call the copper ones. Because they make you feel out of this world.† She looked almost embarrassed about her enthusiasm. â€Å"Stupid name, huh?† â€Å"Is that what Slade's does?† I asked, stunned at what was unfolding before me. â€Å"No, he's got a steel one,† said Kristin. â€Å"Those give you a big athletic boost. Like, you're stronger, faster. Stuff like that. They last longer than the celestials – more like two weeks. Sometimes three, but the effect fades. They call them steel because they're tough, I guess. And maybe because there's steel in them.† Not steel, I thought. A silver compound. The art of using metal to bind certain properties in skin was one the Alchemists had perfected a long time ago. Gold was the absolute best, which was why we used it. Other metals – when formulated in the proper ways – achieved similar effects, but neither silver nor copper would bind the way gold could. The copper tattoo was easy to understand. Any number of feel-good substances or drugs could be combined with that for a short-term effect. The silver one was more difficult for me to understand – or rather, the effects of the silver one. What they were describing sounded like some kind of athletic steroid. Would silver hold that? I'd have to check. â€Å"How many people have these?† I asked them, awestruck. I couldn't believe that such complicated tattoos were so popular here. It was also beginning to sink in just how wealthy the student body here really was. The materials alone would cost a fortune, let alone any of the alleged side effects. â€Å"Everyone,† said Julia. Kristin scowled. â€Å"Not everyone. I've almost got enough saved up, though.† â€Å"I'd say half the school's at least tried a celestial,† said Julia, flashing her friend a comforting look. â€Å"You can get them touched up again later – but it still costs money.† â€Å"Half the school?† I repeated incredulously. I looked around, wondering how many shirts and pants concealed tattoos. â€Å"This is crazy. I can't believe a tattoo can do any of that.† I hoped I was doing an okay job of hiding how much I really knew. â€Å"Get a celestial,† said Julia with a grin. â€Å"Then you'll believe.† â€Å"Where do you get them?† â€Å"It's a place called Nevermore,† said Kristin. â€Å"They're selective, though, and don't give them out easily.† Not that selective, I thought, if half the school had them. â€Å"They got a lot more cautious after Trey tried to turn them in.† There was Trey's name again. It now made sense that he'd been so disdainful of my tattoo when we met. But I wondered why he cared so much – enough to try to get them shut down. That wasn't just a casual disagreement. â€Å"I guess he thinks it's unfair?† I offered diplomatically. â€Å"I think he's just jealous that he can't afford one,† said Julia. â€Å"He's got a tattoo, you know. It's a sun on his back. But it's just a regular black one – not gold like yours. I've never seen anything like yours.† â€Å"So that's why you thought mine made me smart,† I said. â€Å"That could've been really useful during finals,† said Julia wistfully. â€Å"You're sure that's not why you know so much?† I smiled, despite how appalled I was by what I'd just learned. â€Å"I wish. It might make getting through this book easier. Which,† I added, glancing at the clock. â€Å"I should get to.† It was on Greco-Roman priests and magicians, a kind of grimoire detailing the kinds of spells and rituals they'd worked with. It wasn't terrible reading material, but it was long. I'd thought Ms. Terwilliger's research was more focused on mainstream religions in that era, so the book seemed like a weird choice. Maybe she was hoping to include a section on alternative magical practices. Regardless, who was I to question? If she asked, I'd do it. I outlasted both Kristin and Julia in the library, since I had to stay as long as Ms. Terwilliger stayed, which was until the library closed. She seemed pleased that I'd gotten so far with the notes and told me she'd like the whole book completed in three days. â€Å"Yes, ma'am,† I said automatically, as if I didn't have any other classes at this school. Why did I always agree without thinking? I returned to East Campus, bleary-eyed from all the work I'd done and exhausted over the thought of the homework remaining. Jill was fast asleep, which I took as a small blessing. I wouldn't have to face her accusing stare or figure out how to handle the awkward silence. I got ready for bed quickly and quietly and fell asleep almost as soon as I hit the pillow. I woke at around three to the sound of crying. Shaking off my sleepy haze, I was able to make out Jill sitting up in her bed, her face buried in her hands. Great, shaking sobs racked her body. â€Å"Jill?† I asked uncertainly. â€Å"What's wrong?† In the faint light coming in from outside, I saw Jill raise her head and look at me. Unable to answer, she shook her head and began crying once more, this time more loudly. I got up and came to sit on the edge of her bed. I couldn't quite bring myself to hug or touch her for comfort. Nonetheless, I felt terrible. I knew this had to be my fault. â€Å"Jill, I'm so sorry. I never should have gone to see Adrian. When Lee mentioned you, I should've just stopped it there and told him to talk to you if he was interested. I should've just talked to you in the first place†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The words came out in a jumble. When I looked at her, all I could think of was Zoe and her horrible accusations on the night I'd left. Somehow, my help always backfired. Jill sniffled and managed to get out a few words before breaking down again. â€Å"It's not†¦ it's not that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I stared helplessly at her tears, frustrated at myself. Kristin and Julia thought I was superhumanly smart. Yet I guaranteed one of them would've been able to comfort Jill a hundred times better than I could. I reached out my hand and nearly patted her arm – but pulled back at the last moment. No, I couldn't do that. That Alchemist voice in me, the voice that always warned me to keep my distance from vampires, wouldn't let me touch one in a way that was so personal. â€Å"Then what is it?† I asked at last. She shook her head. â€Å"It's not†¦ I can't tell†¦ you wouldn't understand.† With Jill, I thought, any number of things could be wrong. The uncertainty of her royal status. The threats against her. Being sent away from all her family and friends, trapped among humans in the perpetual sun. I really didn't know where to start. Last night, there had been a chilling, desperate terror in her eyes when she woke up. But this was different. This was sorrow. This was from the heart. â€Å"What can I do to help?† I asked at last. It took her a few moments to pull herself together. â€Å"You're already doing plenty,† she managed. â€Å"We all appreciate it – really. Especially after what Keith said to you.† Was there nothing Adrian hadn't told her? â€Å"And I'm sorry – I'm sorry I was so bitchy to you earlier. You didn't deserve that. You were just trying to help.† â€Å"No†¦ don't apologize. I messed up.† â€Å"You don't have to worry, you know,† she added. â€Å"About Micah. I understand. I only want to be his friend.† I was pretty sure that I still wasn't doing a great job at making her feel better. But I had to admit, apologizing to me at least seemed to be distracting her from whatever had woken her to so much pain. â€Å"I know,† I said. â€Å"I should never have worried about you.† She assured me again that she was fine, with no more explanation about why she'd woken up crying. I felt like I should have done more to help, but instead, I made my way back to my own bed. I didn't hear any more sobs for the rest of the night, but once, when I woke up a couple hours later, I stole a glance at her. Her features were just barely discernible in the early light. She lay there, eyes wide open and staring off into nothingness, a haunted look on her face.

Impact of Islam on West Africa Essay

Islam impacted West Africa in many ways. It changed the people’s views of their rulers, and in some people, even the way they viewed the world. Other aspects stayed the same, like the beliefs of the pagan people and how they lived. The most important connection that Islam made globally was the establishment of trading centers and routes. When Muslims brought Islam into West Africa from across the Sahara, Africans were attracted to it because it helped them through a time where their rulers were changing. Rulers were extremely attracted to the Islamic idea of state and religion being united under one ruler because they thought it would help reinforce their authority. Also, many lower people converted to Islam because of its egalitarian beliefs. The fact that all people were viewed as equals appealed to them, for they then would be equal to the people that looked down upon them. In many ways, Islam changed the views of the people in West Africa. As Islam was growing rapidly, many people were converting, yet pagan people did not want to change their polytheistic views on life because that was the only thing they had to look forward to. Unlike Hinduism, Islam was very strict when it came to including other beliefs along with theirs. Pagan people made up a large part of the West African population. Therefore in order for Islam to spread even further, Sufi mystics integrated pagan beliefs into Islam. The beliefs did not change, and the pagan people were at peace with the pagan people and its ideas. In global context, Islam made an important connection with other parts of the world through trade. West Africa had many points where Muslims established trading centers that traded with Asia and Europe. Trade spread Islamic ideas to other parts of the world, introducing new regions and empires to egalitarian and monotheistic beliefs. These beliefs helped other regions in the world deal with war, conquering of their land, and unlawful taxation that was part of the people’s daily lives. Without establishing trade routes, Islam could not have impacted other parts of the world as much as it had in such a short time. The changes Islam made in the views of the West Africans helped them get through rough times, and unified them. The continuity of the beliefs of the pagan people also helped Islam spread, and kept most of the empire in order. The impact of Islam in multiple ways helped unify West Africa, and established important connections around the world.

What Does Flaubert Think of Emma

Madame Bovary is about the life of Emma Bovary whose unhappy marital life has thrust her into illegitimate relationships with other men. Emma’s character serves to stand for the women of 19th century who found themselves in the web of unhappy life from which they failed to free themselves. The dominant theme of the novel is about the search of a woman for true happiness and independence but the irony of the novel is that she is deceived by the interplay of illusion and reality. Emma Bovary struggles to free herself from the conventions of the society through escapades in illusionary world and relationships which give her nothing in return. Emma’s character is criticized as that of a lustful woman but the way the author of the novel portrays and treats her is as important as the interpretation of the critics. The attitude of the author, however, has a considerable impact on the reader’s perception of Emma’s character and the readers come to see the character of Emma through the eyes of Flaubert. The novel is an admixture of ‘rebellion, violence, melodrama and sex, expertly combined in a compact plot’ (Llosa). What Flaubert thinks of his heroine is clear with his statement, ‘Madame Bovary, C’est Moi? ’ that implies that he can never think to imagine of the sufferings of Emma (Zarin). The story of Emma commences as she is married to Charles Bovary who is a physician. Charles undergoes an unhappy marital life before Emma where ‘his wife was a master’ (Flaubert 10). The author treats the character of Emma with a delicacy and sensitivity as she is presented as a romantic woman whose dreams are devastated as soon as she realizes that her choice to marry a physician was fatuous, ‘What exasperated her was that Charles did not seem to notice her anguish. His conviction that he was making her happy seemed to her an imbecile insult and his sureness on this point ingratitude’ (Flaubert 101). It seems that the author himself sympathyzes with Emma and wants to capture the reader’s attention towards her pitiful condition that is an excuse for the life she chose for herself. Another dominant theme of the novel is the interplay of illusion and reality which makes Emma to take decisions for her life. The callousness of her husband pushes her towards rebellion and she asks, ‘for whose sake, then was she virtuous? ’ (Flaubert 101). Emma finds escape in lascivious affairs with Leon Dupius and Rodolphe Boulanger. She ‘could not think that the calm in which she lived was the happiness she had dreamed’ (Flaubert 35). The sad fact is that Charles realizes his wife’s worth in his life after her death. Even when he has discovered the love letter of Rodolphe he admits that everyone ‘must have adored her’ and ‘all men assuredly must have coveted her’ (Flaubert 342). The attitude of Charles seems odd as well as he adores her as if a goddess and ‘she seemed but the more beautiful to him for this’ (Flaubert 342). But it is the choice of Flaubert who himself is found in love with his character that even after the enormous loss in the life of Emma she is treated with sympathy by the novelist. During her life the sole concern of Charles is ‘his reputation’, ‘fortune’ and ‘berth’s future’ (Flaubert 313). Emma commits suicide and does not realize her mistakes even after she is left by her lovers. The rites of passage does not appear in her life as she felt to be ‘disillusioed’ with ‘nothing’ to ‘learn , and nothing more to feel’ (Flaubert 35). The dilemma of Emma’s life, though, is that she fails to achieve perfect happiness and the victim of her rebellion was her daughter, Berth, who is bound to work in factory after the demise of her parents. Flaubert treats Emma as a woman who craves for wealth, joy and the superficial side of the things. The luscious style of life attracts her as the novelists describe ‘the silver dish covers’ that reflect ‘the lighted wax candles in the candlebra’ and the silk linen were the things that made her eyes glimmed (Flaubert 43). The ambitions of Emma lead her to sin and death are a part of western history of morality and religion (Llosa). The important aspect of Emma’s treatment of Flaubert is that the novelist portrays her character as a rebellious soul who is heroic in her own sense. Rebellion in Emma’s case’, says Llosa, ‘does not have the epic dimensions of that of the masculine heroes of the 19th century novel, yet it is no less heroic’ (Llosa). The attitude of the novelist towards the pivotal character is positive and he treats her as an Amazon of her own life but the fact is that Flaubert’s attitude inserts inverse imp act on the perceptions of the readers as they come to see her character as that of a lusty woman who bears no fidelity like that of women in other 19th century novels who came to compromise with the circumstances of their lives. The critics also criticize Emma Bovary for her impulses, her ‘incurable materialism’, her ‘predilection for the pleasures of the body’ than ‘soul’ and her ‘preference for earthly life’ which are also a part of a modern western woman (Llosa). ‘Here is the rebellion of an individual’, ushers Llosa, ‘and to all appearances a self centered one’ (Llosa). Emma Bavory represents women in 19th century society who are caught in unhappy marriages and aspire to obtain their wishes at every cost. Her story is that of a ‘blind, stubborn, desperate rebellion against the social violence’ (Llosa). She ‘violates the codes of her milieu’ only because she is ‘driven’ to act in the way as a consequence of her problems which she undergoes in her life (Llosa). The mastery of Flaubert lies in the fact that he links the thematic garb of the story with that of characterization. As the dominant themes of the novel include the struggle for independence by a woman, interplay between illusion and reality, theme of infidelity and betrayal. The interesting fact of Flaubert’s novel is that all of the themes are associated with the character of Emma Bovary who enjoys pivotal importance in the plot of the novel. This fact emphaizes the need to have a closer look at how is Flaubert’s own attitude towards the heroine of the novel and what he wants to imply through the portrayal of Emma. Emma is regarded as among the heroines about whose ‘appearance’ readers are ‘most likely to diagree’ (Barnes). Moreover Barnes finds it impossible to forgive Thackery for calling Bovary as heartless and callous. She is to be sympathized when she realizes that she is betrayed as she says to Rodolhe, ‘You never loved me. You are no better than the others’ (Flaubert 310). She was ;betraying, ruining herself’ for her ambitions (Flaubert 310). Flaubert shows that Emma’s engagements with the other men were due to the problems in which she was trapped and she was not disloyal to any one as Emma herself resolves to help her lovers when they needed, ‘I would have given you every thing. I would have sold all’ for the eternal love (Flaubert 310). Charles remains in the illusion that he had made her happy throughout her life, ‘Weren’t you happy? Is it my fault? I did all I could’ (Flaubert 316). The end of Emma’s life is presented with a divinity as ‘now’ a ‘twilight dimness was settling upon her thoughts’ (Flaubert 317) and she filled with joy on the ‘visions of eternal beatitude that were beginning’ (Flaubert 323). It was the ‘treachery’, ‘meanness’ and numberless ‘desires that had tortured her’, so she is rid of all the blames by the author (Flaubert 317). The character of Emma is presented by the author with such a sensitivity that it arouses the sympathies of the readers towards Emma’s character.