Urban Legend of the Goatman Essay example -- Urban Legends

Goatman Version 1--Montgomery County, Maryland It seemed from my story-collection that nearly everyone knows of some urban legend, but I found one story to be especially interesting because it is a relatively famous legend that has roots here in Maryland. The story of â€Å"The Goatman† has a number of variations, as with most urban legends. My roommate told me that he first heard the story from his parents when he was about 12 years old. He suspected that it was probably a joking attempt to scare him from playing outside so late at night because the sound of the basketball dribbling in the driveway would keep his parents awake. According to his parents, the Goatman was located in the suburbs of Montgomery County (his home), which was probably a detail that his parents modified to make the story scarier. He told a version that took place in Prince Georges County because he had more recently heard this version from someone whom he was unable to remember. The manner in which he recounted the legend was not in a mysterious and suspenseful tone usually used to tell such stories at campfires. He began the story by describing the Goatman’s appearance: It’s a half-man, half-goat creature, with the upper body of a man, horns, a hairy face, and two legs like a goat, kind of like a Devil. It was created in a secret government genetics-type experiment that went wrong. [pause] It got out of its cage, which was really bad because it’s as smart as a human but has no conscience, like an animal. The Goatman has been creeping around at night for years. It kills family pets that are left out at night and attacks people who see him, and it has been able to stay hidden so well because it is so smart. He did not mention where the creature was c... ... threatening to domesticated animals. Variations in the origin of the creature can offer different moral messages within the story, as well. For example, the version of the story that explains the Goatman as the ghost of a deformed outcast of an old Indian tribe demonstrates the consequences for mistreating and abandoning members of our own species. Also, the fact that this sacred, spiritual land has been overbuilt by a college campus represents mankind’s over consumption of, and lack of respect for nature’s resources. The storytelling of the Goatman may have the simple purpose of entertainment for the audience, but like most legends, the stories are likely based on some true event(s), and the way that these events evolve into stories of the uncanny reflect the intention to convey some sort of moral message. Works Cited www.puportal.com www.wikipedia.com

Evolution versus Creationism in the American School System Essay

Evolution versus Creationism in the American School System â€Å"God! God! God!† My ears were ringing from my father’s latest lecture. He wasn’t very consistent with his church attendance, so I primarily learned about the ways of Christianity through his own instruction. This lesson pertained to our creation. He described how God, after his six-day creation binge, formed the first man, Adam, from dust, and the first woman, Eve, from Adam’s rib. Early on in my life, my father’s beliefs were my own. He raised me to be a good Catholic girl and due to a lack of any sort of alternative, a good Catholic girl I became. The idea was plausible for me at the time. How else did the Earth and everything it held come into being? Who taught the leaves to change color in the fall, exhibiting their true beauty only just before their ugly end? How did the mountains reach so high as to pierce the sky with their cloud-stained peaks? Who formed my brain and gave me the ability to reach my mind into the realm of the abstract? God seemed the obvious answer, but I would still pose the question of â€Å"Where did God come from?† to my father, and as I grew older, I became increasingly dissatisfied with his answer: â€Å"He was always there.† My sixth grade science class brought enlightenment. The teacher instructed us to open our books to chapter seven: evolution. I had heard of evolution before, but I had never really understood it or the threat it posed to my fledgling religious beliefs. To say that the theory of evolution single-handedly brought an end to my love of all things holy would be a great exaggeration. It merely gave me an idea around which the logical half of my mind could wrap itself. In this area, the teachings of my father ha... ...iple.† AIP.org. 2005. American Institute of Physics. 4 Dec. 2005. http://www.aip. org/history/heisenberg/p08.htm. Charlesworth, Brian, and Charlesworth, Deborah. Evolution: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. â€Å"Kansas Schoolboard Redefines Science.† CNN: Student News. 8 Nov. 2005. Cable News Network. 16 Nov. 2005. http://www.cnn.com/2005/EDUCATION/11/08/evolution. debate.ap/index.htmal. Peacocke, Arthur R. â€Å"Welcoming the â€Å"Disguised Friend†: A Positive Theological Appraisal of Biological Evolution.† An Evolving Dialogue: Theological and Scientific Perspectives on Evolution. Ed. Miller, James B. Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International, 2001. 371–398. Stanford, Craig; Allen, John S., and Ant ¢n, Susan C. Biological Anthropology: The Natural History of Humankind. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc., 2005.

Ethics Article Review Essay

Ethics in accounting and financial decision-making has received increased attention due to large corporate scandals such as WorldCom and Enron in recent years. Legislation such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act has attempted to make corporations more transparent to internal and external stakeholders. After analyzing the 2005 article by Richard Bernardi and Catherine LaCross, Corporate Transparency: Code of Ethics Disclosures, recommendations will be made to improve ethical foundations at the San Quentin State Prison based on the parameters outlined by Sarbanes-Oxley. In the Corporate Transparency article, the key point is made that along with changes in the accounting practices, disclosing a code of ethics to the public will ensure better internal compliance with ethical practices. Those organizations that did not publicly disclose codes of ethics were less likely to truly conform to ethical practices required in the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002 was legislation enacted in response to large corporate scandals. The Act calls for public corporations to publicly disclose all financial statements, store all electronic records for five years and these rules are governed by the SEC (Spurzem, 2006). Sarbanes Oxley has impacted organizations in that accountants and financial decision makers are open to public scrutiny based on the public financial statement disclosures and IT departments must adequately create and maintain corporate archives that are cost effective and in compliance with legislation (Spurzem, 2006). Organizations have been impacted financially by having to add extra resources to maintain compliance and avoid fines. According to Bernardi and LaCross, â€Å". . . one example of a ‘best practice’ in transparency is a corporation making its code of ethics readily available for public scrutiny on its website (par 1). † Corporations increase legitimacy with openly stated code of ethics and websites are an economically feasible avenue for making a particular code available to the public. The article argues that organizations that go beyond the basic requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley and declare a universal code of ethics show that the organization is willing to ‘walk the talk’ of ethics. SEC chairman Donaldson is quoted as saying â€Å". . . going beyond mere adherence or conformity to new dictates and of Sarbanes-Oxley: responsibilities that rest at the very heart of their obligation to create a corporate culture of transparency and accountability (Bernardi, 2005, par 6). † Integrating ethics into a corporate culture is extremely effective in ensuring strong ethical compliance within organizations. At the San Quentin State Prison, ethics are important in many aspects of business including accounting, financial decisions, inmate treatment, medical care, and general work environment. There are many opportunities for unethical practices to take hold in a prison facility. Since the facility is closed off to the general public, self-monitoring is a crucial part of maintaining an ethical environment in all aspects of the prison business. San Quentin has the responsibility to use public tax dollars wisely and ethically as well as to maintain a corporate culture with high integrity. Based on the research findings by Bernardi and LaCross, the recommendation for a San Quentin State Prison public code of ethics will focus the entire prison cultural towards walking the ethical talk. All prison employees would be held individually responsible for maintaining the highest code of ethics across all job functions from accounting and financial decision-makers to medical employees. Ethics in business span larger than just accounting and financial-decision making. While these areas are extremely important, developing a code of ethics for all job functions in an organization is essential to maintaining an ethical corporate environment. At San Quentin Prison, an official code of ethics would guide the organization to best practices to ensure success. References http://searchcio.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid19_gci920030,00.html

Comparison Between of Mice and Men Novel & Movie

Of Mice and Men Differences Between Movie and Book After having read the original version and the more recent film adaptation of John Steinbeck’s majorly successful novel, Of Mice and Men, the apparency of differences between the two is at times subtle while also being very obvious during different portions of the movie. In the film there are several major differences between the movie and the book with three being particularly apparent. We are shown the differences through the portrayals of characters, Lennie’s sanity and, simply, the scenes themselves.When watching the film, the first difference the viewer can see between the book and the movie is how the characters are portrayed. A notable example would be Carlson. In the film, Carlson seems to play a much larger part compared to the information given in the book about his character. He is introduced much sooner in the movie and appears to be a part of many more conversations. On the opposite side of Carlsons portray al is Crooks’. In the book Crooks is characterized as a much more active character.An example of this would be when Crooks interjects in the farmer’s conversation to let Slim know that he had finished preparing the tar for fixing the mule’s hoof. The filmmakers changed this scene so that Crooks was not involved at all and that George prepared the tar instead. Another massive difference between the book and the movie are the acts themselves. Going back to the previous point of Crooks and the tar, the scene when George took the mule into the barn to fix its hoof is altered drastically.The impression given to those who have read the book as well is that it was changed because Steinbeck used it as a way to flesh out Curley’s wife’s character. This scene was likely changed because there is no narrator and instead we are given a visual explanation of Curley’s wife through her actions. Also, almost the entirety of chapter four is removed or altered in the film. We are shown only a quick conversation between Crooks and Lennie which is interrupted by George who scolds Lennie for going into Crooks room. In the book, Crooks, Candy and Lennie all have a grand conversation about the farm and the dream of having their own land.Crooks opens up to the men and seems to leave his shell so to speak which is followed by Curley’s wife entering and tearing him down. This is a strange scene to leave out based on how important it seemed to be considering it shows more of Lennie’s character as well as Curley’s wife’s cruel side. Finally, at the end of the novel Slim, Curley and Carlson find Lennie dead and George with the gun in his hand. George lies and tells the men that Lennie had Carlson's gun and that he took the gun from Lennie shot him in the back of his neck.Slim tries to console George by telling him â€Å"You Hadda George. and the two walking away for a drink. Curley then asks Carlson what's bugging the t wo. This scene was completely cut out of the movie and replaced with George's flashbacks which seems very odd considering how important it was to the novel and the idea that not all dreams are meant to be. The final major difference between the movie and the book is Lennie’s personal sanity. In the book, the reader is given multiple instances clearly showing that Lennie is not totally there so to speak. The best example possible is when Lennie hallucinates about Aunt Clara and the giant rabbit.This scene is removed in the film and instead Lennie seems to just be a very confused person with a low thinking capacity. The film seems to try and have Lennie appear to be a character who is innocent and has just been dealt a bad hand in life. In the book, however, Lennie’s outbursts seem to be much darker in their description, particularly the murder of Curley’s wife. These three differences between the film and the novel are ways of seeing how the director of Of Mice a nd Men chose to show in a visual way some things differently from Steinbeck’s descriptions.One cannot expect an adaptation to be a complete carbon copy of the original it is based on and it would seem as though the film was successful in bringing out the meat of Steinbeck’s story. These changes could, to some, seem either miniscule or large depending on how the reader (now the watcher) interpreted the book. The movie also won critical acclaim and exposed many people to Steinbeck’s writing, something that would make people who disliked the film because of its differences appreciate it a bit more.

Girl Postitive Essay

The movie â€Å"Girl Positive† is about, Rachel, a teenage girl Rachel in high school that has come in contact with the disease HIV. The movie shows how people in her high school view the disease. They also stereotype it, saying only gay people can get. They are quickly proven wrong though. A recent report put up on the school website shows that the star athlete that graduated before them was doing heroin. He had just died in a car accident and they found it in his system and in his car. Everybody was completely shocked. After the report came out Rachel received a message that told her that this star athlete, Jason, had HIV. They were concerned about her well-being and asked if she also had the disease because she had lost her virginity to him at a party. Rachel became close with a new teacher at the school who conveniently worked at an AIDS clinic too. She asked to do some community service down there for extra credit. While Rachel was there she snuck a HIV test and took it. Later on, the results came back positive and the teacher was trying to help her out but Rachel didn’t want to listen. She was scared and didn’t want anyone to know. Rachel tried telling her boyfriend, but he didn’t understand. The rumors started in her school about her having it and her life felt like it was falling apart. But then Mark, Jason’s brother, came to Rachel with a video admitting that Jason was HIV positive. They decided the school needed to know. When they all found out, almost the entire senior class went to this AIDS clinic and were getting tested. Rachel and her mom stood by each other’s side and got blood test done to know for sure. The movie ended with the doctor saying she was positive; which I think was a really disappointing ending. I thought this movie was really good. It shows that people really do not know about this awful disease. They think it will kill them instantly, but really won’t if they take the right meds. I also think it’s very insightful. Although a lot of the scenes in the school were off because personally that wasn’t like my school at all. I think this is a really good movie to shows because it gives a lot of facts on HIV that I didn’t know and I’m sure many other teenagers don’t know either.

OOPS Assignment

The second is a list of operations. For each class, select the operations that make sense for object in class. Discuss the behavior of each operation listed for each class Classes variable length array-ordered collection of objects, indexed by integer , whose size an vary at run time Symbol Table- a table that maps text keywords into description Set-unordered collection of objects with no duplicates Operations Append—add an object to the end of collection Copy—make a copy of a collection Count—return the no. F elements in collection Delete—remove a member from collection Index—retrieve an object from a collection at a given position Intersect—determine the common members of two collections Insert—place an object into a collection at a given position Update—add a member to a collection, writing over whatever is already there Variable length array-ordered collection of objects, indexed by integer , whose size can vary at run time 1. Insert: To insert an object in ordered collection. 2. Index: Indexed by integer to retrieve an object from a collection. . Count: Return no. Of elements whose size can vary at runtime. 2 Set-unordered collection of objects with no duplicates: 1. Insert: To insert an object into a collection. 2. Intersect: To determine the duplicates in a collection. 3. Delete: To delete any object or a duplicate member from a collection. 4. Update: To update a collection by including new member. Symbol Table- a table that maps text keywords into description. 1 . Insert: To map text keywords into description. 2. Count: For Symbol Table. SQ.If you were designing a protocol for transferring computer files from one computer to another over telephone lines, which of the following details would you select as relevant? Explain how your selected details are relevant a. Electrical noise on the communication lines b. The speed at which serial data is transmitted, typically 300, 1200, 2400, 4800 , or 9600 b its per second c. Availability of a relational database d. Availability of good full screen editor e. Number of tracks/sector on the hard drive 1. The speed at which serial data is transmitted.To transfer serial data as a computer files from one computer to another speed is required according to the amount of data. Some files use high transfer rates so above 300 or 1200 BSP speed is required. 2. Availability of a relational database. At a time of transferring data through telephone lines a relational database is required as a medium or path to connect different computers with catheter. 3. Number of tracks/sector on the hard drive. Number of tracks/sector on the hard drive is also required as a source or destination at a time of attracting files between computers.SQ. Define Math Class and which associated functions can be used for the following task To get absolute value To get ceil of number To get floor of number To get natural logarithm (base e) To get Max of two values To get min of two values To generate random number To calculate power for a number To calculate square root of number Proper function syntax and description should be given MATH CLASS: Math class contains methods for performing basic numeric operations such as the elementary exponential, logarithm, square root, and trigonometric functions.FUNCTIONS: To get absolute value: Math. Abs() To get ceil of number: Math. Ceil() To get floor of number: Math. Floor() To get natural logarithm (base e): Math. Log() To get Max of two values: Math. Max() To get min of two values: Math. Min() To generate random number: Math. Random() To calculate power for a number: Math. Expo(double a) To calculate square root of number: Math. Sort(double a). SQ. Write a Java application called Summing. Java that takes exactly four integers ND determines and prints the smallest, the largest and the sum of these four integers.The program's output should look like the following: The first integer: 4 The second integer: 6 The third integer: 2 The fourth integer: 7 The smallest integer was 2 and largest integer was 7. The sum of these four integers is 19 SOURCE CODE: package summing; import Java. ITIL. Scanner; * @author Monsoon public class Summing { public static void main(String[] rags) { Scanner surprises=new Scanner(System. In); into a[]=new into[4]; into System. Out. Print(â€Å"Enter Four integers: â€Å");

Stefan’s Diaries: Bloodlust Chapter 13

Damon. Death. The words swam in my mind as I tried to make sense of what I was seeing. Damon was alive. But who knew for how long? If he had been captured, he was undoubtedly weak. How could he face a ravenous beast in a battle and survive? Anger tore through my body, along with the familiar ache of my fangs elongating. I ripped down the sign with a snarl. â€Å"What is it?† she hissed, her own fangs bared. I held up the paper. â€Å"My brother,† I said, staring without comprehension at the poster. The picture made him look like a monster. My eye twitched. â€Å"The battle is in two days.† Lexi nodded, taking in the portrait. â€Å"Gallagher found him,† she said, almost to herself. I shook my head, not understanding what she meant. She sighed. â€Å"Big businessman. He owns a lot of places in town, including a two-bit circus and freak show. Always looking for curiosities to display, and people always seem to find the money to attend. Your brother–â€Å" â€Å"Damon,† I said, cutting her off. â€Å"His name is Damon.† â€Å"Damon,† Lexi said gently, tracing the image with her fingers. â€Å"He doesnt deserve this,† I said, almost to myself. â€Å"I need to help him. But † I trailed off. But what? How could I possibly save him? â€Å"Well need to find him,† Lexi decided. She brushed leaves and dirt from the back of her pants. â€Å"Do you trust me?† Did I have a choice? My hunger forgotten, I followed her through the forest and back to the wide, silent streets of the city. â€Å"Gallagher lives somewhere in the Garden District with all the other nouveaux riches. On Laurel Street, I think,† Lexi murmured as we wove our way to the center of town. â€Å"This has happened before, soon after Gallagher arrived in New Orleans five years ago.† â€Å"What happened?† I asked, following closely behind her in the shadows. â€Å"He found a vampire. Hes good at finding us. Or maybe were good at finding him. But the other vampire wasnt part of my family. And † She stopped suddenly. â€Å"What happened to him?† But Lexi merely shook her head. Wed arrived at the Garden District, where the streets were wide and the lawns hugging the sherbet-colored Victorian houses were lush and expansive. â€Å"Here.† She stopped at a pistachio-hued mansion enclosed by an open wrought-iron fence. Magnolias and calla lilies spilled over the gate, and the air smelled like mint. Just beyond, I could see an enormous herb garden that took up a fifth of the property. I recoiled as we walked closer, as the garden grew a generous amount of vervain. Lexi wrinkled her nose. â€Å"He knows all the tricks,† she said wryly. We pushed open the gate, our footsteps barely crunching the gravel on the path that circled the house. Cicadas buzzed in the sycamore trees above us, and I could hear horses pacing in the stable. And then I heard a low moan. â€Å"Hes out back,† I said. Lexi gazed up at the sky. Orange streaks were starting to peek above the horizon; it was about an hour until day broke. â€Å"Its too close to dawn,† Lexi said. â€Å"I didnt realize how late it is. I have to go.† I looked at her sharply. â€Å"Im not protected.† Her fingers fluttered to my ring, and I glanced down self-consciously. The lapus lazuli adornment had become so much a part of me, Id forgotten that it made me different from other vampires, made me able to walk in the daylight. Katherine had arranged for both Damon and me to have this protection. â€Å"Well come back tomorrow. The others can help us then,† Lexi insisted. I shook my head. â€Å"I cant leave him.† Birds chirped in the trees above us, and from somewhere nearby came the sound of glass shattering. The orange streaks in the sky grew fatter, brighter. â€Å"I understand,† Lexi said finally. â€Å"Be safe. Dont play the hero.† I nodded, scanning the grounds for any guards or animals lying in wait to attack. When I looked up, Lexi was gone and I was alone. Stealing quickly to the back of the house, I made my way toward the whitewashed stable. Horses pawed the ground nervously, obviously sensing my presence. The stable doors were padlocked with an iron bolt. I grabbed the chain, testing it. Even though Id barely fed since the previous evening, it would be easy enough to rend the chains with my bare hands. But something stopped me.Don't play the hero.Lexis words echoed in my mind. She had become my guide during the past couple of days, and I knew it was in my best interest to listen to her. Better not to leave any evidence of an intruder, better to get the lay of the land before doing anything rash. I released the chain, and it fell back against the door with a loud clanking sound. A horse whinnied. I walked to the other side of the stable, where a dusty window was open a crack. â€Å"Brother?† I whispered hoarsely through the window. The cloying scent of vervain was everywhere, making me woozy and nauseated. In the corner, a filthy figure struggled to sit up. Damon. His hands and feet were bound with chains, and his skin was covered in angry red welts. The chains must have been soaked in vervain. I winced in sympathy. Damons eyes locked on mine. â€Å"You found me,† he said, no emotion in his face. â€Å"Are you happy to see that Im close to death, brother?† â€Å"Im here to save you,† I said simply. The horses were kicking up the sawdust around their feet in agitation; I didnt have much time before someone in the house heard the disturbance. Damon shrugged, an effort that clearly took all his energy. His eyes were bloodshot and glassy. A large cut lined his forehead, slicing into his eyebrow. He looked awful and emaciated; it was clear he hadnt eaten in days. I glanced around, hoping I could find something–a squirrel, a rabbit, a chipmunk–to kill and toss to him, but there was nothing. â€Å"So the cold-blooded killer is going to save me.† Damon attempted a wan smile. He leaned back against the wall, his chains rattling. â€Å"Yes, we have to–â€Å" Suddenly, I heard the sound of a door slamming, then a dog barking. I whirled around toward the main house. â€Å"What do you think youre doing?† a voice yelled out. And I stood, my hands raised to the sky, unsure of who–or what–had found me this time.